Page 44 of Retribution

Using his distraction as leverage to escape, I leave his office and walk out of the building without anyone stopping me. Getting in the car, I find myself heading to an upscale store that has really nice sheets. I know she didn’t like that I bought her cart, but if I drop off a few bags without being caught once I find where she’s staying, then Isolde won’t be able to pin her ire on me.

Feeling better about this, I drive past every strip bar without any inclination of stopping. My job is to take care of Lucas. I’m going to live under the delusion that by extension, that means his omega as well.

Isolde

I was so involved in running away from Grant, I forgot to change. Instead, I had to stop at a gas station to use the restroom, brush my teeth, and change into a pair of gray cargo pants, long sleeved cream shirt, and a coat. I unravel my braids and quickly add product so it’ll curl well, and then hurry out to meet Mr. Adamíc at his home.

My hands tremble with anxiety as I pull into the driveway. I feel like I’m playing dress up, even though the clothing is comfortable. My leather and black shirts are packed in the trunk, but I won’t eschew my love for pants.

I also don’t think I’ll ever wear skirts or dresses. My legs get stuck in the fabric, and I don’t like the way it feels. I’m more likely to tear it off my body instead. However, I don’t want to scare Mr. Adamíc, which is the entire reason why I went shopping.

Blowing out a breath, I get out of the car. I went to the post office before the store to pick up my new identification. It’s currently in the bag that I’m wearing. It’s nothing fancy, just another part of Isa Zeo. If I want to exist under the radar, it’ll mean not using my name.

I’m not delusional, I fully understand that the anonymity won’t last for long, but I don’t need it to. I just need a bubble of space so that I can breathe without very persistent alphas at my doorstep.

The house I’m at is a three bedroom cottage with a full wrap around porch, small backyard, and a basement. It’s much smaller than Lucas’ monstrosity of a home, and I take my firstfull breath in a while. Walking up the porch stairs, I knock on the front door before stepping back to wait.

“Hello,” the man who opens the door is a beta who gives no-nonsense vibes. His eyes behind his black rimmed glasses are intense as he gazes at me. “You just made it, I see.”

“I did,” I nod. “I’m not from here, and I got a little turned around.”

That’s a lie, but I can see that he isn’t happy that I was almost late to my appointment today.

“Where are you from and what brings you here?” he asks.

I give him my story about getting out of college and deciding that I wanted to live in a smaller town because of my work as a graphic designer. I’m turning twenty-nine this year, but the birth certificate for my paperwork states that I’m much younger.

“I can live anywhere, and Bargersville seemed like a nice place,” I add.

“Crime is low,” he agrees, letting me into the house. I don’t think that he realizes that I’ve been outside this entire time.

Mr. Ademíc reminds me of someone who doesn’t have to socialize often, but I appreciate that his first instinct was to verify who I was before letting me into his home. The house smells clean, and my nose wrinkles slightly as I realize there’s no real scent outside of that.

Typically, a house smells lived in, but that’s not the case here.

“I have allergies, even in the winter, which means that I don’t use anything that has a fragrance,” he explains. “That’s why you may notice a lack of scent in the house. I’ll be gone for several months, so I don’t expect you not to use candles and such if you wish to. If you decide that you want to continue living here after the four month lease, I’ll feel comfortable accepting another nursing travel contract. I don’t like to leave my house empty.”

“I don’t blame you,” I murmur, looking around. The house has deep sofas in the living room, bench seats in the dining room, and low, soft bulbs everywhere.

It’s an omega’s dream. Wow.

“Let me show you the house,” he says, continuing on. “My daughters, when they lived here, loved to be outside, so I kept up the backyard out of habit. There’s a porch swing out there, a covered pavilion with outdoor furniture that’ll be surrounded by blooms in the spring, and heat warmers. Now, this is the living room, but I don’t have a television, unfortunately. I dislike the noise.”

“That’s fine,” I say dismissively. “I read when I have downtime.”

Nodding, he points out things as he walks me toward the bedrooms.

“I have blankets and sheets you’re welcome to, and there’s a washer and dryer in the basement. You’re welcome to any room, as I already packed anything I might need. The closets are all empty,” he says.

Stepping inside of a large bedroom, I see that it’s connected to a bathroom.

“This was Risa’s room,” he explains. “She’s married now, so it’s a blank canvas.”

The bed has four posts and appears comfortable, and it faces the backyard with lots of windows. I notice that there are heavy black out curtains hanging from them, to offer the illusion of a dark cocoon. There’s also two closets, which surprises me.

“My daughter is an omega, so I made sure that she’d have a place to nest as a teen,” he explains. “Since you’re a beta, I suppose you can use the extra closet space or put a desk in one to use as an office.”

I’m glad my blockers are still working, but this bedroom is perfect. By the end of the tour, I’m very happy with the house.Mr. Adamíc is a beta who misses his family, and when his youngest daughter went to college, he decided to apply to travel as a nurse and put in his two weeks at the hospital as soon as he was accepted.