Page 42 of The Violence of Love (The Black Market Omega #2)

Autry

Rhett commanded me to leave Charlie.

It wasn’t a suggestion—it was an order.

He stripped my choice from me and forced my body to obey, even though all I wanted was to be by our packmate’s side when he was sick. Rage coils in my chest, and tears sting the corners of my eyes. I’m so angry I want to scream.

“Calm down, omega.” Rhett breezes into the bedroom, talking to me like I’m Dolly. “I can smell your temper rising.”

My fury triples and I stomp after the alpha, right into the bathroom. “How dare you!”

His eyes snap to my face, careful control making his jaw tick. “Be careful with your tone, omega.” He gives me a firm look as he pulls off his tie, tossing it onto the closet floor.

“You made me leave him.” My fists shake as the first tear rolls down my cheek. “Charlie is sick. He needs me.”

Rhett exhales, slow and tired, undoing his cufflinks. “I can’t risk you getting ill. Myrick and Oli are with him. They’ll make sure he’s okay,” he says like that’s the end of the discussion..

I swallow hard, the ache in my chest growing by the second. “But he’s my beta,” I say. “I should be with him. You made me leave our packmate, sick and shivering in the hallway.” My voice cracks as guilt slams into me.

“He’s my beta, too, Autry.” His voice is harsh, almost cutting. “But I can’t be with him, because I can’t trust you to stay put.”

I take a sudden step back, wounded by his jarring words.

“Fuck me.” Rhett turns, resting his hands on the edge of the sink.

For a moment, the silence stretches between us, heavy with everything unspoken.

Then he looks at me, softening a little.

“We’re both exhausted,” he finally says.

“You’ve had a long night, and you need to rest. Myrick will take good care of Charlie. You know that.”

His hand lifts, brushing the side of my face gently. I lean into his touch before I can stop myself, needing the comfort more than I realized. Still, the unease in my chest doesn’t lift.

“I’m trying,” I murmur. “But something’s not right. And not just with Charlie.” I meet his gaze, deciding that I can’t keep it in any longer. “But with Oli, too.”

“With Oli?” Rhett’s brow furrows as he finishes stripping down to his briefs. “What about him?”

“I don’t know,” I admit, trying to figure out how much to share. After all, the last thing I want is for Rhett to kick Oli out. “Earlier. In the ballroom. He looked…scared. Of you.”

“Young alphas have a respect for?—”

“No,” I cut Rhett off, and his big body stills, not happy with that, but he doesn’t snap at me. “Not respect or submission,” I continue. “It was fear. Like he was scared you were going to…do something.” I shrug, not sure if I’m describing this right.

Rhett’s face stills. “That makes no sense, Autry.” His voice doesn’t rise, but there’s a note of disbelief there. “Why would Oli be afraid of me?”

I shake my head. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. He was watching you like—like he was waiting for something to go wrong. Like maybe he thought you were violent or…” I trail off, already regretting that I brought it up. “I got the impression that he knew something I didn’t.”

Rhett shakes his head, then steps around me, walking into the bedroom. I follow, not wanting this conversation to end.

“I don’t know where he got that idea,” Rhett says as he pulls the comforter down on his side of the bed. “I’ve barely spent any time with the guy.”

“I thought he was a family friend,” I say, keeping my voice neutral.

“Brock knows him better.” Rhett’s words are clipped now, his eyes distant. “I only met him recently.”

“Oh,” I don’t know what to say to that. Why would Myrick give me the impression that they all knew each other so well?

So you wouldn’t freak out for flirting with a total stranger, I answer my own question in my head.

I’m so stupid.

“Did Oli say something to you?” Rhett asks. “Something about me or…” His throat works as he swallows hard. “...or Myrick?”

“No,” I say quickly. “Why would he say something about Myrick?”

But before Rhett can answer, the blond beta steps into the bedroom with Dolly nestled in his arms. She wriggles down and trots off to her bed, curling up with a tired sigh.

“Is Charlie okay?” I ask.

Myrick lifts his shoulders in a half-shrug, then lets out a quiet sigh. “He’s sleeping, but… I’m not sure.” He looks at Rhett. “I want to take him to the beta clinic in the morning. I can have Oli help me get him there.”

“I’ll take him,” Rhett says firmly. “I’m his alpha. I’ll handle it.”

Myrick nods once, but something about the stiffness in his shoulders tells me he’d rather take Charlie himself, but Myrick is smarter than I am and he lets it go.

I wish I could let it all go.

But I still have so many questions. Why did Rhett choose Oli to help claim me if he doesn’t really know him? Why does Oli think Rhett is dangerous? And I’m still dying to check on Charlie. But it’s late. My body is heavy with exhaustion, and my thoughts feel slow and scattered.

Besides, if I push too hard, Rhett might decide Oli’s more trouble than he’s worth and kick him out. The thought of never seeing the young alpha again knocks the wind out of me.

Defeated, I turn around. “Can someone help me with the zipper?”

Myrick steps closer, hand lifting toward the back of my dress—but before he can touch the fabric, Rhett cuts in.

“I know you’re tired, but we need to get this all out now,” the alpha says firmly, his dark eyes cutting into me. “I need to know exactly what’s happened with Oli to make you feel this way.”

Myrick freezes, and my heart stops.

“What?” Myrick’s voice is barely above a whisper, like he’s afraid of speaking at full volume .

“Do you know about this?” Rhett asks, as his gaze flickers back to me.

“I mean…Yeah.” Myrick sounds unsure, like he doesn’t really want to talk about any of this.

“Okay. Then let's get it all out.” His brow is furrowed—not angry, but clearly trying to piece something together. “What’s going on?”

Myrick glances at me, hesitation clear in his eyes. “I…um…” Then he draws a breath, like he's finally giving in to something that's been pressing on him for days. “I’m so sorry, Rhett,” he says, voice quieter now. “I was going to talk to you about it first thing in the morning.”

“Well, Autry told me. So we might as well talk it through now,” Rhett says, and Myrick’s eyes go wide.

“You told him?” The beta looks impressed that I’d say something, but how could I not? Oli thinks that Rhett is dangerous. And even if the young alpha is simply mistaken—which I pray he is—I’d like to know what made him think that way.

“Yeah,” I say, hoping Myrick isn’t angry with me. “I couldn't keep it in any longer.”

“Wow.” The beta gasps softly, completely shocked as he turns to Rhett. “And how does that make you feel?”

“Feel?” he says, his tone firm, edging toward angry once again. “I have no idea where any of this is coming from.” His fists curl. “And I’m not thrilled that Oli is looking at me weird, and apparently sharing secrets with my packmates.” He cuts Myrick an accusing glare.

“I wouldn’t call it a secret,” Myrick says. “It’s not like we’re hiding it. We’ve been very open. I haven’t had a chance to talk to you about it.”

Open?

About what ?

Confusion pulls within me, and I tilt my head, trying to figure out what Myrick is talking about. “Did Oli say more to you?” I drop my voice to a whisper, despite the fact that everyone can hear me. “More than what he said in the dining room?”

“In the dining room?” Myrick's brows draw together. “He didn’t flirt with us in the dining room.” He looks up, thinking.

“Well, maybe he did a little bit, but not like he has been.” He glances at Rhett, but the alpha looks too stunned to speak.

“I didn’t know he was checking you out in the ballroom.

” Myrick’s voice is flirty, happy. “That young alpha is incorrigible.”

“Checking me out?” Rhett’s mouth falls open, shock making him blink repeatedly.

“Wait.” I hold up my hands, trying to hang on to what Myrick’s trying to say. “That's not…I didn’t…” My mind races, unable to form a complete sentence.

“Are we not talking about adding Oli to our pack?” Myrick’s blue eyes dart between me and Rhett. “Why are you both looking at me like that?”

I glance at Rhett, and my heart stutters. He looks furious—face flushed and mouth set in a hard, unyielding line.

“ Adding Oli to our pack?” Rhett finally finds his voice, looking right at Myrick. “You want to add him to our pack?” He’s so angry, his scent growing thicker by the second.

“Yeah,” Myrick’s voice is small and unsure. Almost scared. “You asked what was going on with Oli.” He looks at me, his eyes going wide as if desperately asking for help.

“I meant what Autry told me.” Rhett gestures vaguely toward me without taking his eyes off Myrick. “She told me Oli was acting off tonight. Tense. Like something was wrong. I was not asking about adding him to our fucking pack.”

Myrick’s mouth opens, then closes again. His face flushes. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Rhett barks. “Oh.”

A long pause drags on, and I watch the way Rhett’s jaw works as he tries to stay calm—his breath coming slow and even. He looks like he’s trying so hard to consciously rein something in.

I blame myself for saying anything. I should've kept my mouth shut.

“I didn’t know that’s what you were talking about,” Myrick finally whispers, like the silence is killing him too.

Rhett doesn’t reply right away. He turns slightly, stepping toward the foot of the bed, like he needs space to think. “You want him in our pack?” he asks, voice carefully neutral.

“I didn’t say that,” Myrick says, but there’s no force behind it. He knows it’s not entirely true.

Rhett runs a hand over his face, then down the back of his neck. Some of the rage lifts from his shoulders, and when he speaks, it’s clear he’s using all his self-control to rein himself in. “Myrick, we don’t even know this guy. Why on earth would you want to add him to our family?”