Chapter Twenty-Four
Marshall sipped his coffee, thick tension filling the cabin. The FBI agents would arrive shortly, and when they left, they’d take Tiffany with them.
His teeth itched to be bared at that thought of his omega being taken away from him. Even if she went willingly, it didn’t sit right. She belonged with him, with Kane and Kieran. She belonged in their bed, under their protection, in their arms.
She did not belong in witness protection, handed over to some alpha like a piece of property, and yet she had made her choice.
When he’d watched Kieran enter her room the night before, he’d hoped they’d work out their issues. The ghosts on the alpha’s face when he’d returned, however, said they hadn’t resolved anything.
A knock on the door had them all freezing.
“Fuck off,” Kane muttered without rising.
Ah, Kane’s personality was as sure a thing as the sunrise.
Kieran came from down the hallway to open the door when neither Marshall nor Kane seemed willing to move.
Three men walked in, and Kieran shook hands with one. “Thank you for coming, Daniel.”
“Any time. It sounds like the information your omega found is well worth the trouble.” He cast his gaze behind Kieran, as if to look for Tiffany. “Besides, from the tone of her voice, she could use some help.”
Kane’s growl echoed in the room, drawing the tension tighter. “She ain’t yours.”
While alphas couldn’t scent one another, they still tended to sense others. The stance of the two men screamed alphas, and it seemed Kane didn’t like the idea of them taking Tiffany.
Daniel lifted an eyebrow but didn’t respond with any aggression. His voice came out low, as if trying to be non-threatening. “I don’t want an omega. In fact, Kyle and I won’t even be taking her.” He nodded at the third man. “This is Agent Jake Morter, our liaison with witness protection.”
“Like fuck I’m letting him take her anywhere,” Kane said.
“Pretty sure that’s my choice.” Tiffany’s voice broke through the tension.
Marshall, Kieran and Kane turned their heads as if their eyes sought her out of instinct so deep they couldn’t resist the draw. Still, none spoke.
Tiffany had her bag slung over her shoulder and her gaze down. Marshall felt cheated. He missed her gaze and her smile and her eyes.
“Tiffany?” One of the men inclined his head but come no closer. “I’m Agent Kyle Hopkins. You spoke to my partner, Daniel, on the phone. You have the drive?”
She lifted the necklace still wrapped around her neck and pulled the cap off that hid the drive.
“Good. You’ll keep that until you sign the paperwork. Once you do, you’ll hand it over and go into witness protection. I’ve brought everything for Kieran to sign to turn your contract over, so you’ll be covered legally.”
She turned her gaze to the liaison, brow furrowed. “He’s not an alpha.”
Daniel nodded. “You’re right. Betas work best for jobs like this. It helps eliminate any issues with heats or bonding. You’ll remain in the care of betas until we find a suitable alpha for you to stay with.”
The liaison, Jake, took a step closer. “Hey, Tiffany. Trust me, you’ll be as safe as could be with me. We use single-man teams for transport to reduce anyone paying too close attention.”
She wrapped her fingers tightly around the shoulder strap of her backpack. “Can I have a minute?”
The three agents looked at each other, then nodded. They said they’d wait outside before exiting the cabin, leaving Tiffany and the three alphas alone inside.
Tiffany scraped her foot against the ground, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen a less happy person.
Kane broke the silence, as uncaring of social norms as ever. “Don’t fucking go. You don’t have to go with those assholes—you can stay. We’ll figure this shit out. Hell, I’ll kick Kieran’s ass until he stops acting like a moron if that’s what you want.”
The corners of Tiffany’s mouth tipped up. She lifted to her toes and planted a soft kiss on Kane’s unyielding lips. “Thanks, but I don’t think that’s going to help.”
“I’ll find you. You ain’t walking out that door and outta my life, doll.”
“Please, don’t. It’ll just make it harder.”
His lips pressed together, but he nodded.
Next, she turned to Marshall, offering the same gentle kiss. A selfish man, Marshall returned the kiss, needing a taste of her no matter how brief. When she pulled back, too soon for his liking, she set her forehead on his chest before letting out a slow sigh. She offered another press of her lips to his chest and moved away.
Lastly, she hesitated beside Kieran. He stared down at her, but she wouldn’t lift her head. How two people so clearly in love could behave as if looking at one another were hard, Marshall didn’t understand.
“I’m—”
“Don’t tell me you’re sorry.”
He nodded, face hard. “What do you want me to do?”
“Sign the paperwork. Make this easier on me, at least.”
He lifted his palm to the back of her neck, then pulled her closer. Instead of a kiss on the lips, he pressed his lips to the top of her head, his eyes shut tight. His chest rose as he inhaled, and his hand trembled as he held her close.
He didn’t have the look of a man who would let her go, and yet, he did. He released her and took a step backward. “I’ll sign the paperwork. If you need anything else, ever, no matter what it is…”
She wrapped her arms around herself, eyes glassy. “We both know I’m not going to do that. Take care of yourselves.”
With that, she walked out of the cabin, leaving the three alphas alone and lost.
* * * *
Kane couldn’t settle. He paced the long porch, rolling his shoulders as if that would shake loose the tension.
Watching the SUV holding his omega drive away had tested his control. He’d wanted to follow it, to chase it down and pull her out of the car. Instead, he’d let her go. He’d drawn his hands into fists and forced himself to stay still until the car drove out of sight.
“You’re bonded,” Daniel said.
Kane twisted to level a snarl at the other man. “Fuck off.”
Daniel leaned back and laughed, shaking his head. “You guys are screwed, aren’t you? If you’re bonded, there is no way she’s going to stay away.”
“You don’t know her well, then. If anyone is stubborn enough to ignore a bond, it’s her,” Marshall said.
“So, you’re willing to let her go?” Kyle asked.
Kieran answered, his gaze not on any of them but on the horizon. “We’re willing to do whatever is best for her. If she wants to go, then I’ll let her go.”
Kane wanted to argue it, but Kieran was right. If Tiffany needed space, if she wanted to go, he’d let her go.
Well, he’d find her difficult ass and look out for her, but he wouldn’t let her know. He wouldn’t get in her way or fuck with her life. She deserved everything she wanted, and if he couldn’t give it to her, well hell, he’d stay away.
And it would kill him to do it.
“Should I ask who owns this cabin? The paper trail is more than a little questionable.” Daniel nodded toward the front door.
Kieran shook his head. “It is probably best to not ask.”
Daniel huffed. “You and your secrets. Tell me it’s nothing I need to worry about, at least. The last thing I need is to find out this place has bodies in the basement and coke under the porch. That might look bad on me.”
“I think you’ll be safe.” Kieran tapped his fingers against the armrest of the chair he sat in.
Tiffany had been gone for twenty minutes, and in that time, they’d updated the remaining two agents with as much of the story as they knew, hearing what they could share.
From how it sounded, Tiffany was lucky. The group had killed people for much less, and the information on the drive could do a lot of damage. While Kieran still couldn’t open most of it, what little he’d found said they’d have auction locations and potentially hunting grounds.
That was something, right? But, fuck, Kane couldn’t find any real happiness in criminals getting caught when it still felt like it was costing him his mate.
A ring had Daniel pulling his phone out, then answering. “Hello?” He rose and moved off the porch to take his call in privacy.
It left Kane staring at Marshall and Kieran and wondering what was left for them. What were they? Friends, he supposed, in a way. They’d found a sense of belonging between the three of them with Tiffany, but with her gone?
The thought of trying to replace her had his shoulders tightening. She wasn’t just anyone filling a spot. No other omega could slide into the dynamic and work out.
Even the idea of finding someone else on his own sounded as appetizing as eating garbage.
“What?” Daniel’s voice rose as he walked back toward the porch. “That’s not possible. He was just here.”
Kyle was on his feet a moment later, the two exchanging heavy looks, as if they knew each other well enough to identify the exact meaning behind an expression.
“No. I have no idea. Fuck. I’ll call you right back.” He dropped the phone from his ear and turned a look on all three of them. “We have a problem. The real agent was found dead in his apartment. Whoever took Tiffany isn’t him.”
Kane didn’t bother to halt his snarl that time.