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  She frowned, glancing over her shoulder warily.

  “Where are we going?”

  When the Alpha slid a sidelong glance her way, Meghan could swear she saw a hint of humor in his expression. “A less noticeable exit.”

  “Oh.”

  She tried not to doubt what he said, but him being a stranger and an Alpha to boot made it hard not to worry when he turned her down a dimly lit hall where very few people lingered. Lined on both sides by several dozen identical doors, she noticed small lights above each frame. Green, green, red, black, green, yellow, black… She had no idea what the colors meant. Occupied? Unoccupied? Considering the nature of the club, it seemed likely that these were private playrooms. Meghan swallowed nervously. Each door they passed had a keycard reader and featured a small porthole style window of thick glass. Some were dark, others revealed the dull neon glow from the room beyond. All were just above eye level for her, even in heels.

  When the Alpha’s grip on her arm tightened minutely, she shot him a questioning look.

  “We’ll need to take a short detour.” He murmured under his breath. The change in his cadence had the hair standing up along the back of her neck in warning, and Meghan tried to look back over her shoulder to see what spawned the shift in his manner.

  ***

  Before she could focus on the figure some feet behind them in the hallway, he swung her around in front of him. She yelped in surprise when her back thudded against a nearby door, eyes widening in fear as he crowded her space and caged her in against the metal barrier behind her.

  He leaned close, the faint stubble of his jaw brushing along her cheek as he did so. “We are being watched, little Omega. You’d be wise to play along.”

  She tried not to squirm as he pulled back just enough to look down on her. He set his features sternly, as if he were reprimanding her, but the expression didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Shake your head no.”

  The words were low, meant for her alone.

  The girl shook her head, fervently even.

  He crouched just enough for them to be eye level, tucking a finger beneath her chin and forcing her head up. “One more time.”

  Hands splayed nervously against the cold metal behind her, she obeyed a second time.

  “Good.” He resisted the urge to scent her, making certain to keep just enough distance between them that there was no danger of the girl feeling the thickening weight of his cock stirring to life in his pants. Her obedience was… delightful.

  Without breaking eye contact or moving away, he slipped a key card out of his pocket. When the woman heard the whoosh of the plastic being slid through the reader, she had only seconds to respond before the door opened behind her under the pressure of his palm. She stumbled back, crossing the threshold in a clumsy rush. He was right behind her, one hand shooting out to grab her wrist and steady her for a second time. With his free hand he reached towards the wall alongside the door, flipping a switch that lit up the space with tubes of red and blue neon. He took a step forward, and she a step back, her fingers forming an anxious fist above the restraining grip he still held on her wrist. Watching her intently, Daniel lifted one leg and kicked the door shut behind him.

  She startled at the sound of the slamming door, lashes fluttering as she gave a little tug on her arm.

  He lifted a brow ever so slightly, the dimple in his cheek returning as he released his hold. The girl took several rapid steps back, stuttering to a stop when her calves bumped against a piece of furniture behind her.

  Giving her a moment to collect herself, Daniel gave her his back, pushing one of three buttons resting next to the light switch on the panel he’d used only moments before. Above the door, a bulb matching those in the hall lit red. He pulled a tiny blind on the back of the door that covered the voyeur window into the hall. Even if his intentions hadn’t been honest, he wouldn’t have been willing to share her with viewers. Task accomplished, his attention shifted to where she stood tense nearby.

  “We’ll be here for a few minutes. Why don’t you take those ridiculous shoes off? You’ll be more comfortable.”

  Her mouth opened to protest as he seated himself in a black armchair near the door, but she closed it again when he folded one leg over its twin and gave way to simply watching her. His gaze was expectant and calm, and given her naturally submissive personality, he fully expected her to do as he said. But it was just as much a test as a command, a casual game to see just how far that inborn need to submit to an Alpha went for her. She sent a fleeting glance towards the door, obviously weighing the risks of staying versus attempting to flee. He imagined she hadn’t expected to be alone with him.

  “If you’re going to try to make it past me, you’ll have a better chance if you take off those shoes,” Daniel teased with a chuckle of amusement.

  Despite her fear, she shot him a chastising look.

  He sighed, rolling his eyes. “Sit down, Omega. I’m not going to assault you.” He tapped a single fingertip against the arm of the chair, emphasizing his request.

  Chapter Five

  “What’s wrong with my shoes?” Meghan huffed as she sat down on the padded bench behind her, trying to angle her leg to reach the buckles on the shoe straps. It was difficult, considering how tight her dress was. Almost any angle she tried chanced exposing too much skin to the man before her, which she wasn’t willing to risk. She gave up, folding her arms over her chest in frustration. “I think they are sexy.” She feigned offense as best she could, hoping he would overlook the fact that she hadn’t done what he told her. The male snickered.

  “Oh, they are sexy. And they look fantastic on you. But they aren’t yours.”

  When he stood unexpectedly to close the distance between them, she leaned back warily. “How do you know they aren’t mine?”

  The question was skeptical, and it broadened the Alpha’s smirk into a striking smile. He took a knee before her, snagging the heel of her shoe and lifting her leg to place her foot on his thigh.

  Meghan squeaked, tugging at the crotch of her dress in an effort to hide her panties when the action threatened to expose her.

  The male’s eyes flickered briefly toward the area she struggled to shield, his nostrils flaring as he tested the air. The blacks of his pupils flexed and threatened expansion, but unlike most Alphas she knew, he didn’t allow himself to be lost in her scent. Instead, he turned his attention to the buckles of her shoes. “You can hardly stand in them, let alone walk,” he pointed out casually as nimble fingers worked the first two clasps free. “I imagine they belong to the same person whose dress you’re wearing.”

  His hand curled around the back of her calf, the heat of his touch sending little flickers of electricity skittering up her leg. She licked her lips when he lifted her leg and gently removed the shoe. He sat it aside and lowered her foot to the ground before repeating the process with its twin. “Somehow, I imagine you’re more of a kitten heel and flirty summer dress kind of girl.”

  “You don’t know me.”

  He hummed, seemingly unbothered by the sharpness of her tone. He pulled off the second shoe and set it aside, his palm cupping the foot now resting against his knee. “My mistake,” he mused knowingly. “The shoes are yours, then?”

  When Meghan’s cheeks flushed, the dimple reappeared in his cheek.

  “And the dress?”

  She rolled her eyes, exasperated. “No, they aren’t mine, ok?” His damned dimple was taunting her, teasing her silently as he watched her.

  “I thought not.”

  Meghan pulled her foot from beneath his hand and returned it to the floor, pinching her thighs together and crossing her arms over her chest defensively. “Are you trying to tell me I can’t pull it off?”

  ***

  Daniel stood wordlessly and retreated to his chair. As he walked away, he heard her give a tentative sniff. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He’d always been told that his musk was an appetizing fragrance alone, but when coupled wit
h a cologne that had been specifically chosen to appeal to the opposite sex? He knew how he must have smelled to her. The fact that she couldn’t resist scenting pleased him. It was likely she hadn’t been able to pick his scent out before, due to the crowd of males that pressed in on them in the common areas.

  As he turned to sit, she forced herself to meet his gaze, glaring indignation as best she was able as she waited expectantly for his response. Unwilling to risk damaging what seemed to be a relatively fragile sense of confidence, he relented. “I hardly think it’s necessary for you to dress this way to get attention.” He elaborated, “You are a beautiful woman, and an Omega besides. It’s the equivalent of putting perfume on a rose. It’s redundant.”

  “Thanks, I guess?”

  “You are quite welcome.”

  She looked away, feigning a study of the room as she attempted to avoid his gaze. The space was sparsely furnished, featuring only the armchair, an armoire, and the padded bench on which she sat. There were D rings mounted along the length of the wood side panel beneath her, which her brief experience downstairs told her were used for restraint. Suddenly nervous, any curiosity she might have had about what was in the armoire evaporated before his eyes. It seemed the lamb had only just realized that she’d stepped into the lion’s den.

  “So, uh… Who was watching us in the hall just now?”

  “Your ‘friend’ from the lobby. Apparently, we weren’t downstairs long enough for him to find something else to amuse himself with.”

  “Oh.” Her expression grew worried, her thoughts no doubt consumed by the unpleasant male whose attention she’d unintentionally drawn. He couldn’t say he blamed her. Life was especially frightening when you were Omega. There were far more dangers for her than the average Beta female. Had the situation been different, the lesser Alpha following her home and assaulting her might have been a real threat. Not tonight, though. Tonight, the sweet female wouldn’t have to worry for her safety.

  He drew her eye when he lifted his hips from the chair and slid a hand behind him to extract a cell phone from his back pocket. An unconscious pout formed as she watched him press several buttons on the device before holding it to his ear, his gaze returning to her as he did so. She averted her eyes quickly, as if to give him privacy for his call. Inwardly, Daniel preened. Did she know how perfectly Omega she really was? She submitted in the most subtle ways, without even seeming to realize it.

  “Good evening, Jackson. I’d like you to send a car to the club.” He was quiet for a moment, listening as the man on the other end of the line responded. “No, I’d just like you to take a friend of mine home. Make certain the driver is a Beta, please. Say, thirty minutes?” There was another pause, and her eyes slid cautiously in his direction, watching him warily as if she were afraid of what he might tell the stranger about her. “Yes, that will be fine. Thank you.” He hung up the call, slipping the phone back into his pocket casually.

  “You didn’t have to do that.”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “I told you I’d get you home safe. I’m only keeping my word.”

  They studied one another in silence for several moments, with the female awkwardly shifting against the groaning leather of the cushion beneath her and fidgeting uncomfortably.

  “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

  As he watched, she considered whether to tell him. He saw the internal dialogue play out across expressive features. Should she give him a fake name? Would that be safest? What could he really learn if all she gave him was her first name? Was it worth the risk? Drawing a small, cautious breath, she met his gaze.

  “Meghan.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Meghan. I am Daniel.”

  Chapter Six

  Meghan snickered at him. “It’s a little late for introductions isn’t it?”

  “Well, considering the lie I was attempting to perpetuate when we met, formalities didn’t seem appropriate at the time.”

  “Oh, yeah. I guess not.”

  “So, why don’t you tell me about this friend that brought you here tonight?”

  “Cami?” Meghan’s brow furrowed. “She’s a friend from work.”

  “Where did she tell you the two of you were going?”

  “She just said it was an exclusive club.” Meghan frowned at the thought. “I guess she didn’t technically lie.”

  “Even still, it was irresponsible of her not to warn you beforehand. She’s a Beta, I assume?” the male accused blandly.

  Meghan shrugged a shoulder. She realized how stupid she’d been, not catching on before she’d let herself be sucked into Cami’s game. She didn’t really want to talk about it. When she didn’t answer, he took the opportunity to speak instead.

  “It is difficult for other dynamics to understand how dangerous the world can be when you are Omega. There are so many added precautions you must take. They have no concept of how inconvenient or stressful it is to be forced to rearrange your entire life on a daily basis, just to avoid being taken advantage of. Omegas are equal to other dynamics only on paper, sadly. The hive mind hasn’t caught up with the times.”

  The male sounded agitated now, and fearing that his mood might sour, she tried to supplicate.

  “I’m sure she thought it was safe, what with the club being so well known. I mean I’m sure she didn’t mean to—”

  “What? Leave you to the wolves?” There was a bite to his words that suggested that he thought she should know better.

  To her surprise, the scolding nature of his tone had her lashes fluttering when unexpected tears threatened to spill. She cast her eyes down, clearing her throat softly as she knotted her hands together and tried to breathe through the urge to cry. She didn’t dare look up when the male rose from his seat, not even when his designer shoes came into view on the carpet before her. Again, the Alpha crouched, dipping his head in an effort to draw her eye.

  “Sweet girl,” he murmured softly, the low echo of a purr easing free of his throat as he sought to soothe. “Look at me, please.”

  Though he offered the words gently enough, the underlying dominance that resonated from him naturally struck something deep down in her core. Reluctant and biting her lip, Meghan obeyed.

  The purring grew louder as the male gifted her with a reassuring smile. “You deserve better treatment,” he asserted confidently. “You deserve better friends.” He angled his head, his eyes flickering towards her throat as if he’d somehow known his closeness made her pulse flutter and race. He drew in another slow, deep breath, and the purr stuttered.

  “I don’t have any other friends,” she muttered distractedly, her internal filter short circuiting with the male’s nearness. “I’ve only lived here for a few months.”

  His expression twisted empathetically in light of her confession, and she might have been embarrassed if she weren’t so engrossed in her study of him. Instead, Meghan sat transfixed, staring in awe as his pupils dilated and retracted for a second time. Instinct drew her forward, swaying ever so subtly closer to the appetizing musk blooming from the man before her. Before she could stop herself, she was scenting him again, pulling a great lungful of pheromones into her lungs. She shivered, her nipples hardening beneath her dress as goosebumps rose all along her body. The real danger of an Alpha was that his presence could be so intoxicating to his Omega counter parts. It was unfair, really. When her tongue darted out again, the male’s gaze followed the path of the pink muscle as it crossed the painted swell of her lower lip.

  “Meghan?”

  “Hmm?”

  The male’s hand appeared against her throat, fingers curling gently around the side of the slender column as his thumb settled beneath her chin. She didn’t flinch, despite the implied intimacy of the gesture. Now, it was his turn to lean closer. “May I kiss you?”

  The haze cleared suddenly, and her brow knit with confusion as she forced herself to focus on the man before her. He was… asking permission to kiss her? First of all, Alphas didn’t ask for anyth
ing, they took. Secondly? Why in God’s name would the Adonis of a man on the floor in front of her want to kiss her?

  “You… you want to kiss me?”

  His purr continued, though his movements had stilled pending her response. “I’d like to, yes.” There was humor in his voice, and she felt a little like a schoolgirl.

  “I… but, why?” She blushed when she realized how flabbergasted she sounded, which only prompted the male to flash another dazzling grin.

  “Because you are a beautiful woman, and I’m attracted to you.” The pad of his thumb sliding light along her jaw. “And, you are such a sweet little thing, I can’t help wondering what you taste like.”

  “What about Sheila?”

  “We aren’t in a relationship, if that’s what you mean.” Despite the reaction she was anticipating, the male’s expression didn’t change. “Besides, who did I choose to spend my time with this evening?”