Page 25 of The Violence of Love (The Black Market Omega #2)

Autry

Everyone’s acting so tense and weird as Rhett walks Mr. Jannis to the front door. The whole room feels like it’s holding its breath.

Did I say something wrong? Was I too familiar with the older alpha? I was trying to be polite. That’s what I was taught at the academy—to make conversation, to smile, to be warm. It’s what omegas are supposed to do…I thought.

I really hope Rhett isn’t mad at me.

The front door opens, and Myrick cuts Charlie a worried look. “Well, okay then,” Myrick says softly, and Oli snorts.

“What’s going on?” I ask no one in particular, but no one answers me.

Myrick scrubs a hand over his face and exhales through his nose, like he’s trying to push something heavy out of his chest. “Nothing,” he finally says, but his smile is too tight to be convincing.

I glance at Charlie, silently asking for help, but he only offers me that soft, apologetic smile of his—the one that tells me that now isn’t the time.

“Well.” Rhett steps back into the kitchen, voice dry. “That was interesting.”

“Where’s my money?” Oli asks, completely ignoring the weird tension in the room.

Rhett reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a thick envelope. He tosses it onto the counter in front of the young alpha.

Oli snatches it up in one swift motion. He thumbs through the contents quickly, lips pressing together in satisfaction. “All here,” he says, then stands and shoves the envelope into his back pocket. “Well, it’s been real.” He grabs another scone from the box. “Later.”

“Wait—hold on,” Myrick says quickly, stepping around the kitchen island. He tries to sound casual, but his voice goes up half an octave. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“I’ve got shit to do,” Oli says, like it’s obvious, and a pang lances my chest. I hate that both alphas are leaving.

“You should stay and have a proper breakfast,” Myrick says a little too eagerly as he moves toward Rhett. “Alpha?” He wraps his arms around Rhett’s waist, squeezing him exceptionally tight. “Tell Oli to stay. I want to hear all about your adventures in the Northern Territory yesterday.”

Oli pauses, then looks at Rhett. “Do you want me to stay?” he asks, eyes locked on the pack alpha. I can practically see mischief creeping in like a shadow. “I’m open to hanging out for the right price,” he smirks.

For some reason, that makes Rhett’s jaw tick, and Myrick tenses.

It’s like there’s a whole different conversation going on, and everyone seems to be in on it, but me .

Confused, I look up at Charlie. He offers me a sweet smile, but nothing else.

“Please. What’s going on?” I plead, and he shakes his head, telling me to drop it.

But the tension is killing me. The air reeks of aggression and anger, laced with something like fear.

The intense emotions make me want to race back into the bedroom and hide under the covers.

“If Oli wants to leave, he can leave,” Rhett says, then he kisses Myrick’s temple. But Myrick shoots him a look—sharp and knowing. He's not pleased.

“I can’t take it anymore,” I say loudly, almost desperately. “Someone, please tell me what’s going on.”

Charlie hesitates, then he sighs and leans in. His voice is low and meant for me alone. “Oli isn’t a member of our pack.”

It takes a full ten seconds for his words to make sense. Oli isn’t part of our pack.

My eyes shoot to Oli, and his smile widens like he knows exactly what I’ve realized. And then he winks.

Heat explodes across my cheeks. Oh no. I flirted with him. I leaned in close. I touched his arm. What they must think of me.

“I thought…” I breathe, turning toward Rhett, heart hammering in my throat.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know—I thought he was one of us.

Yesterday. Oli said… he called me his omega, and I…

” I clamp my mouth shut. I don’t even know what I’m trying to explain.

I pray that my punishment won’t be too severe.

“It’s okay, omega.” Rhett walks to me. His movements are slow and calm, telling me he isn’t mad, but I don’t really believe it.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” he says softly as his arms come around me, warm and firm.

I press my cheek to his chest with a shaky breath.

Then I nuzzle, soaking up as much of his soothing hazelnut scent as I can.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, trying to remember if Rhett was in the room when I started acting like a fool—flirty and stupid. I was wildly disrespectful to my pack alpha.

“Hey, man,” Oli says from the other side of the room. “The old alpha said he wanted to get to know me. If you want to pay me to eat a fancy dinner and pretend to be your lover, I can pencil you in.” He smiles like he’s enjoying every second of this.

Rhett’s glare could cut steel. “I don’t need your help to sell my company.” His voice drops an octave, turning into a pure, dominant alpha tone. The harshness of it makes me shrink into myself. Sensing my unease, Rhett’s big hands press against my back, holding me a little tighter.

“No need to get angry.” Oli slides his hands into his pockets.

It somehow makes him look even younger, like a kid caught lying about stealing the cookies.

“All I’m saying is, this might work out for both of us,” Oli continues, but his voice is softer.

More respectful. All traces of his cocky attitude are gone.

“You get to present a solid pack to your investors, and I get to make a little extra cash.”

Rhett lets out a deep, controlled breath, not amused with the alpha’s offer. “First of all, they aren’t investors. They’re buyers. And second, why are you so hard up for cash?”

Oli goes stiff as he casts a look around the room. His gaze falls to my face, and he pulls in a slow, deep breath. “It doesn’t matter,” he finally says with a half-hearted smile. “I thought we could help each other out.”

Rhett’s chest expands as he sucks in a deep breath, thinking .

“It couldn’t hurt to talk,” Myrick says softly, clearly not wanting to be pushy.

Rhett stares at his mate for a moment, a silent conversation moving between them. “Are you sure?” his voice drops to a whisper as he searches Myrick’s eyes. “I don’t want you to be…” his dark eyes flicker to Oli. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

Myrick smiles sweetly, placing his hand on his heart. “I won’t be. In fact, I think it’ll be fun.”

There’s a shift in Rhett’s posture, and he seems to let out a sigh of relief. “Okay.” His hold on me loosens, and he turns to Oli, voice strong and booming once again, “How about we chat for a bit in my office?”

“Yeah?” Oli perks at that, some of the tension visibly lifting from his shoulders.

“Yeah,” Rhett says in a snipped, almost annoyed tone. Then he gives my shoulder a final squeeze before stepping away.

The two big alphas head down the hall. I stare after them, my stomach still churning.

The second they’re gone, I groan and drop my face into my hands. “I can’t believe I acted like that. I’m such an idiot.”

“It’s okay,” Myrick walks to me with his arms wide open.

I quickly fall into them, needing to be held.

I haven’t even been here for a full day, and I’m already screwing things up.

Thankfully, Myrick’s soft spring scent settles some of my nerves.

It’d feel better if Charlie were also squished up against me, but I don’t want to push my luck.

“Who is he?” I ask no one in particular, my voice barely more than a whisper.

“Rhett had to be a part of a pack to claim you.” Charlie’s voice is quiet, almost like he’s scared someone might overhear. “We needed another alpha.”

“That’s so stupid,” Myrick grits out, his arms wrapping even tighter around me. “If someone has the money to claim an omega, then why do they care?”

Charlie shrugs helplessly. “I don’t know. It’s probably political—some way to control the demand or keep lower-tier alphas from making deals.” He shakes his head. “Whatever it is, it’s bullshit.”

“So Oli’s just… a random stranger?” I pull away from Myrick, standing up straighter. I don’t want him to think I’m the kind of omega who falls apart at the drop of a hat. “You found him at the Morder?”

“He’s not a stranger,” Myrick says, nudging my teacup closer. I glance at it but don’t touch it. My stomach is too tight for anything right now. “He’s kind of a family friend. He’s very close with Rhett’s brother, Brock.”

That makes me feel a little better, but not much.

Shame still swells in my chest as I lower my eyes. “I spoke to him so informally. I can’t believe I acted like that.” I turn to Charlie, searching his face for any sign of judgment. “I—I flirted with him.”

Charlie blinks. “You literally asked him if he slept well,” he says, deadpan.

“Pack alphas don’t care.” My voice pitches high, giving away how scared I am. “Rhett might see that kind of…” I hesitate, trying to find the right word, “ friendliness as a challenge to his authority. He might think I’m rejecting him or that I prefer Oli, or?—”

“He doesn’t think that,” Myrick cuts in.

He takes my hand, holding it firmly. It feels good.

“This is a simple misunderstanding. Rhett knows that.” His voice is calm, but there’s an edge of nerves under the surface—like he’s trying to soothe himself as much as me.

“And honestly… it might all work out. If Oli is willing to go to a few dinners and rub elbows with a few very stuffy alphas, then Rhett can finally get out from under his family’s business. ”

“What kind of business?” Charlie asks, and I nearly melt with relief at the change of subject.

“Textiles,” Myrick says.

Charlie frowns, then looks at me, clearly hoping I know what that means. I don’t.

“He trades and sells fabric,” Myrick explains. “Cloth, yarn, silk, that kind of thing.”

Charlie makes a face. “That sounds really boring.”

“It is,” Myrick laughs, and the sound lifts a bit of the tension from the room.