Page 30 of The Night Movers: Season One

Diesel’s words brought Ridley up short, guilt punching the air from his lungs, making him clutch his stomach. Ren. Jesus. What was wrong with him? Had he gotten so comfortable these last couple of days he’d completely forgotten about Ren? His head was spinning at the notion.

He’d forgotten about Ren.

He’d forgotten her.

What kind of monster gets dicked down by a couple of alphas and forgets that their twin sister is out there, probably being treated just like those omegas at the night market?

Or worse. She could be at a brothel or a breeding farm.

She could be at one of those freaky alpha parties rich people threw.

It occurred to him then, the realization an icy shock, stealing his breath. He couldn’t feel her. He couldn’t feel Ren. At all.

From the moment they were born, there was an energy, a hum, a red thread that connected the two of them.

They could often see each other’s thoughts, could project images to each other.

And while they couldn’t exactly read each other’s minds in the carnival psychic sense, they often laughed about how one would verbalize something the other was just thinking, like they’d plucked the thought from their head .

Even as they got older, their connection remained—that hum remained.

It had always been a calming balm to Ridley’s tumultuous thoughts.

No matter how much he railed against the injustices of the world, he’d had the knowledge that Ren was…

there…somewhere. She existed in the world, even if she wasn’t by Ridley’s side day and night.

When she disappeared, her thoughts had, too, but the hum had remained.

The hum had kept him going.

But, for the first time in Ridley’s nineteen years…that hum was silent.

What did that mean? What could that mean? Was she d— No. No way. He’d know. He’d know if she was gone. Right? She had to be out there. She hadn’t been smuggled out by Titus and the others, so she was still there…somewhere.

What if Ren was at the night market? His already wildly beating heart began to pound even heavier against his ribs, making him feel almost short of breath.

“When can I go?” he asked.

“To your room?” Diesel asked, frowning.

“To the night market? I want to go. When can I go? Tonight?”

Diesel frowned at him. Ridley didn’t blame him. He probably sounded like a crazy person. Two minutes ago, he was bitching the alpha out about the place and, now, he was begging to go. He was gonna give the poor guy whiplash.

Diesel shrugged. “I texted Titus. I told him your heat was over. That you needed clothes. So, whenever he brings them to you, I guess.”

“Titus is picking out my clothes?” Ridley mumbled.

Before he could tell Diesel that was unacceptable, there was a sharp rap of knuckles on the door, then it was opening, whoever was on the other side not waiting to hear “come in.”

Ridley blinked at the figure standing in the doorway, backlit from the light in the hallway, pink and blue lights dancing over the planes and angles of his face.

Titus .

Shock reverberated through Ridley, electrifying his nervous system.

The alpha stood in the doorway, long legs encased in a pair of faded jeans that fit him like a second skin.

He wore the same beat up boots he’d worn when they’d met.

He’d swapped the hoodie for a white v-neck tee and a heavy black leather jacket with a silver buckle.

His messy dark hair hid his thick brows but not his hostile expression.

He looked Ridley over like he had some kind of claim.

Oh, God.

He did have a claim.

Fuck.

“Let’s go,” he snapped.

Ridley’s brows knitted together. “What?”

“Let’s. Go. I have a busy day. We don’t all get to lounge around playing video games.”

The latter comment was directed at Diesel, who just smirked.

Ridley scoffed, sliding his wool sock covered feet beneath Diesel’s thigh. “Is that how you ask someone to do something?”

Titus huffed. “Yeah, actually. It is. And then they do it. Because I’m the boss. So, let’s go.” His gaze fell to Ridley’s long, bare legs. “You need clothes.”

Maybe it was the fear of no longer hearing that buzz between him and Ren. Maybe it was Titus’s arrogant stance or leftover hormones. Maybe it was just that Ridley was sick of alphas barking orders at him and treating him like a child. Whatever it was, Titus’s words had him digging his heels in.

“I’m not going anywhere until you ask nicely,” Ridley said, folding his arms across his chest. “Or at least fucking politely.”

Titus’s jaw tightened. He gave Diesel a look that screamed Told you so .

Ridley jerked his head to look at Diesel, who appeared delighted by this turn of events.

When he didn’t jump in to help the other alpha, Titus huffed out a breath through his nose like an angry bull, then crossed his own arms over his much broader chest, mirroring Ridley’s stance .

“Fine, then live in those rags forever, Strawberry,” he countered, his voice a low growl.

“But I’m not taking you out in public looking like…

that,” he said, looking Ridley up and down again.

“It would make us look bad. It would make me look bad.” His face contorted like the next words were razor blades.

“You’re my…mate. How you look reflects directly on me and the pack.

I won’t have you jeopardizing everything we’ve done. ”

Ridley took some solace in how calling Ridley his mate seemed to have caused the alpha physical pain.

Good. Ridley hoped he choked on it. He shrugged, forcing himself to keep his voice as breezy as Titus’s was furious.

“Well, then I guess you should ask nicely so we can go then. Wouldn’t want to embarrass you in front of all your human trafficking friends. ”

Even in the dim lighting, Ridley could see the anger flash in Titus’s eyes, his nostrils flaring and fists growing white-knuckled where they rested on his forearms.“I could just lock you up in this room forever.”

“Try it,” Ridley countered, his fury burning through his system like his blood was made of gasoline. “See what happens. You think I’m annoying now…”

Ridley let the threat linger in the air between them, both of them ignoring Diesel’s low chuckle to glower at each other. When Ridley raised both brows and cocked his head to the side, Titus deflated.

“Fine. Jesus Christ. I knew you were gonna be fucking trouble,” Titus mumbled. “Can you…please…come here. We need to find you something to wear just so we can even buy you some acceptable clothes. We have a…thing…tonight.”

A thing?

Intrigued, Ridley crawled to the edge of the bed, yelping when Diesel’s hand landed a hard smack on his bare ass cheek. He gave the alpha a dirty look before he was on his feet, padding to his…new mate. Once he was standing before him, Ridley’s brain betrayed him egregiously.

The dark chocolate and coffee scent hit Ridley’s nostrils, mixing with the smell of real leather.

Ridley stood on tiptoe, burying his face in Titus’s scent gland with a low moan, his small hands fisting the edges of the alpha’s jacket.

Titus was so warm. He smelled so good. So…

familiar. It dragged a low purr from his throat.

Titus grunted, both of his hands landing on Ridley’s ass, squeezing once before lifting him up. Ridley wrapped his legs around the alpha’s waist with a slight whine, rubbing his face against Titus’s neck, scenting him. Fuck.

Ridley couldn’t stop. He couldn’t get close enough. He let Titus pull him from his neck to rub his scratchy jaw against Ridley’s cheeks, his chin, his scent gland, biting over the still healing bites on either side of his throat.

Then his mouth was on Ridley’s, soft, slightly chapped lips moving over his.

Before he could fully comprehend the kiss, his breath left him in a rush, Titus slamming him into the wall beside the door.

Titus took advantage of Ridley’s now gaping mouth, his tongue sliding inside, wet and warm on his own.

Ridley whimpered again, this time because he could feel himself starting to leak and he still didn’t have any underwear on.

Titus had to be able to smell it, right?

“Should I leave?” Diesel asked. “Oh, wait. It’s my room. Go fuck in your own room. Or at least come back to the bed so I can play, too.”

Titus’s lips broke from Ridley’s, then his feet were back on the ground. He gave Ridley a grumpy look, muttering, “You’re such a goddamn distraction.”

It was said like a curse, but Ridley preened anyway. “Maybe you just have no self control?” he countered, voice dripping with fake cheer.

Titus’s large hand closed around Ridley’s throat with a growl. “Stop pushing me.”

“Or what, exactly?” Ridley asked, pressing into his palm until it cut off his air supply just a little. “You’re already mated to me.”

Titus’s expression grew smug. “That’s not exactly right, though, is it, Strawberry? You’re mated to me . You’re wearing my bite. I’m not wearing yours. I can walk any time I want. So, behave yourself.”

Ridley’s mouth fell open, his threat obvious. Ridley squirmed out of his hold, his stomach churning and heart feeling like it had gone through a shredder. “Whatever. Let’s just fucking go,” he muttered, storming out of the room ahead of him.

“Wow, well played, Romeo,” Ridley heard Diesel tell the other alpha.

Ridley took off down the hallway, not even knowing if he was heading in the right direction.

Titus was already on his heels, closing the slight distance between them rapidly.

Ridley’s fury was bubbling just beneath the surface.

He was seething. He wanted to turn around and punch Titus in the face, to claw his fingernails down his cheeks, give him another scar, to hurt him as much as he’d hurt Ridley.