by Leann Ryans
Turning to stare up at him, the officer didn’t look too happy that Ethan had spoken.
“And why, exactly, were you approaching the vehicle? As her bodyguard, shouldn’t you have stayed with her? If you believed it was her ex, why didn’t you get her out of danger by taking her into one of the shops where she could call the Force?”
Clenching his hands into fists, Ethan reminded himself that the officer was asking logical questions, even if he was asking them in a condescending way.
“The vehicle appeared to be empty, and we wouldn’t want to waste an officer’s time by calling them for no reason. She was safe in the open, on the opposite side of the street,” he managed to say.
“Don’t you think that anyone would have started their vehicle and left when they noticed an unknown Alpha approaching quickly for no apparent reason?”
Sucking in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, Ethan closed his eyes to try to make himself relax.
“I’m sure that’s a possibility, but it seems a little too coincidental. We know you can’t really do anything since we can’t prove it was Adrian, but we wanted a report on file just in case,” Penelope cut in, once again trying to move between Ethan and the officer.
Reaching her hand behind her back to grip his fist, he could smell the anxiety rolling off of her. Knowing his aggression would only make it worse, he rolled his neck and forced his hands to unclench, wrapping her fingers in his.
Missing whatever platitudes the officer gave, Ethan watched him turn and walk away, tension draining from his shoulders once the man was out of sight.
“Sorry about him,” Penelope said as she turned back to him. “We seem to be having bad luck with people today.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze before raising it to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles.
Blushing, she ducked her head as he released her hand.
“Do you want to continue?” he asked her once she looked back up.
She hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding her head.
“I don’t want to have to come back here tomorrow, and I’ll have to if we stop now.”
Taking her arm, he wrapped it around his and patted her hand.
“Okay then, let’s keep shopping,” he said, shooting Penelope a smile.
Chuckling, she rolled her eyes as he led her farther up the street before crossing to the other side and continuing on their way.
She didn’t linger at the stores, picking up two orders and then making a purchase at their last stop. Ethan’s arm was loaded with so many bags he couldn’t see his forearm anymore, and he wondered how she managed all of these when she was alone. It didn’t weigh much to him, but for her it would be a pretty significant amount.
When he asked, she just smiled and laughed.
“I usually don’t get so much at once, but since I have a pack mule to carry it all for me today, I figured, why not!”
Shooting her a bland expression, she chuckled as she led the way back to her apartment building.
18. Penelope
Penny had to work hard to bury the thoughts churning in her head. She wasn’t really interested in shopping anymore but forced herself to finish everything she needed to do on that street so that she wouldn’t have to worry about returning to it for another week.
Penny heaved a sigh of relief when they entered her apartment building. Knowing she was about to be behind a locked door alleviated the stress she had felt after seeing Adrian’s car. Even riding in the elevator didn’t bother her, and she had a smile on her face when the doors slid open on her floor.
It disappeared at the sight of the small shoebox sitting in front of her door. She hesitated in the elevator so long that the doors began to close again, and Ethan had to reach around her to hold them open.
“What’s wr…” he started, voice trailing off once he could see what she was looking at.
Taking her shoulder in one hand, he pushed her into the hall so that the elevator doors could close, but instead of pushing her towards her door, he moved her into the corner beside the elevator and the door to the stairwell.
“Stay here,” he said, dropping the bags in front of her before cautiously walking towards the box.
Moving slowly, Ethan crouched next to the box, cocking his head like he was listening for something before reaching out and flipping open the top with the tip of his finger. Leaning forward, he peaked into the box before sliding it closer and reaching inside. Penny couldn’t see what was in it from where she was standing, and she wasn’t sure she had the courage to go look.
Putting the lid back on the box, Ethan stood, lifting it and tucking it under his arm as he walked back towards her.
“What is it?”
Shaking his head, Ethan said, “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.”
“Is it from him?”
He hesitated before giving a sharp nod. Staring at his grim expression, Penny decided to trust him and let it go. She didn’t need anything else to deal with right now, just knowing Adrian had left something at her door was enough to have her muscles coiled tight and a headache beginning to build at the base of her skull.
Helping Ethan pick up the bags, she moved around him and slipped her card from her purse, unlocking the door and holding it open for him to follow her inside. Directing him to drop everything on the couch, she did the same before limping her way to her bedroom.
Before she could enter it, she felt a large hand wrap around her arm.
“Wait a moment,” he said, walking past her into her room.
Opening her mouth to protest, the words died on her tongue as she watched him go to her bedroom window and close the blinds, pulling the curtains closed as well. Looking behind her, she noticed he had already done the same in the living room.
Bile flooding her mouth, Penny ran for the bathroom as fast as the boot would allow. Attempting to close the door behind her, it bounced off her boot as she pitched forward, landing on her hands and knees with a painful grunt. Dragging herself the rest of the way to her toilet, she heaved.
Coughing and spitting the acid from her mouth, she felt an arm wrap under her chest as another gathered her hair, pulling it back over her shoulders. Eyes squeezed shut, she could feel tears begin to trickle from the corners, but she refused to give in to the pit opening in her stomach.
“Video,” she whispered, face pressed to the cold porcelain seat.
“What?” Ethan grunted behind her.
“The building has surveillance. I need to get a copy of the video to use for court to prove he’s still coming to my home.”
Sitting up, she let Ethan help her to her feet before moving to the sink. After rinsing out her mouth and washing her face she felt a bit more in control. A little less likely to shatter and break down sobbing at any moment.
“Are you okay?” Ethan asked, his low voice washing over her and helping ease her frazzled nerves.
Taking a deep breath, she paused.
“Not really, but I think I’ll make it.”
Giving him a small smile, she headed out of the bathroom and back to where she had thrown her purse with her phone. Ethan followed her, lifting the box that Adrian had left, before heading down the hallway as she dialed the office of her apartments. Penny figured he was putting it in his room so she wouldn’t see it, but after him closing the blinds throughout the house, she could guess what it contained.
Talking to the people in the apartment’s office took longer than she expected, and she had to email them a copy of the restraining order and explain what was going on before they agreed to check the video and make her a copy of when the box was left at her door.
Finally hanging up after being told it would take a few days before it was ready, Penny flopped onto the couch. The stack of bags next to her slid, burying her in a soft, plastic pile.
Huffing, she shoved them off of her, not caring when some of them slipped to the floor, spilling their content over her ca
rpet. Glaring at Ethan when she heard him chuckling, she crossed her arms as her belly let out a growl.
“Hungry again?”
Scoffing in indignation, Penny watched Ethan stand, shaking his head at her.
“You really do eat more than an Alpha!”
It wasn’t her stomach growling at him then, and he threw up his hands in surrender.
“I can try to make dinner, but you better have something simple in there or it’s going to be a disaster,” he said, turning to walk towards the kitchen.
Trying to think of what she had to make, Penny struggled up from the couch, not trusting the Alpha in her kitchen. While most omegas were territorial about their nest, she was more-so about her kitchen. Everything had its place, and she always cleaned as she worked so that there was never a mess. Adrian had never understood that, and they had gotten into arguments about it frequently until she banned him from even stepping foot into her space. She would rather go fetch everything he needed than have him destroying the kitchen.
Limping in behind Ethan, she found him bent over with his head in the fridge. She had to admit, Jenni was right about his butt.
19. Ethan
Watching Penelope come in and take over, he was glad she had something to focus on, at least for a little bit. She was holding up well under the circumstances, but he was starting to see the strain, and if she had seen what he had in that box, she probably would have lost it.
Ethan stood back, watching her pull things out of the fridge and pantry, grabbing the things she asked for, but otherwise keeping out of the way. She seemed fierce in the kitchen, confident as she attacked the ingredients and forced them to do what she wanted. He had noticed the same thing at Jenni’s.
“Where did you learn to cook?”
Glancing up at him, she gave him a smile before focusing back on the chicken she was cutting up.
“My grandmother. She and my mother would spend all day in the kitchen anytime we visited her house. My sister Kelly always liked to stay with the guys watching TV, or out in the yard, but I was always amazed at how they took simple ingredients and magically turned them into delicious food. I’d eat myself sick half the time.”
“You get along with your sister?”
With a snort she said, “Most of the time. We’re almost polar opposites, but she’s always there when I need her, and we try to visit as much as we can. She’s a little older, and I was always jealous of her freedom, especially when she presented as a beta. I think half the reason my parents were so hard on me was because of all the crap she got into. Plus, me being an omega.”
Chuckling, Ethan nodded, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. He had left his jacket in his room, and Penny admired the way his button down pulled tight across his chest.
“Yeah, it was kind of that way with me and my brother. I’m older, and my parents always seemed to go easier on him. Dad was a hard ass. I think he knew I was going to be an Alpha like him. Once I presented and went to the Alpha-camp, they seemed to think they might lose my brother too, so they started taking him out to do stuff and letting him get away with crap they never allowed me to do. I was bitter for a while but got over it eventually.”
“Did he turn out to be an Alpha?”
“No, he’s actually an omega.”
Penelope’s eyes widened, looking at him in shock.
Nodding his head, he said, “I know. The super rare male omega. He’s even more spoiled now. Still lives at home with mom.”
He could tell she was trying to keep a straight face, but she failed, laughing as he rolled his eyes.
He kept her talking as she cooked, pulling out a bottle of wine when he spotted them in a cabinet she opened. He knew she needed to unwind, or she would never sleep, and the wine would help.
Taking a sip after he poured a glass of the almost clear fluid for both of them, he grimaced.
Penelope laughed at him, taking a big drink of her own before sitting down her glass.
“Not a fan?”
“How does anyone drink this?”
Still laughing, she said, “Because it’s good, sometimes. It grows on you. Do you prefer reds?”
Shrugging a shoulder as he took another sip.
“I have no idea. I’ve never tried any.”
Penny stared at him in disbelief.
“Have you ever had any kind of alcohol?”
Ethan shook his head.
“Alphas are hot-headed enough when they’re locked up together. Alcohol isn’t allowed in the camps.”
Laughing at her look of shock, Ethan sat down the glass, finding another for some water.
“I don’t know how long it usually takes to grow on you, but I’m not sure I’ll make it.”
“We’ll have to find you something else then. Maybe tomorrow while we’re out,” Penelope said, pulling dishes from the cabinet.
“I’m not sure I’m up for trying any more wine if it’s anything like that.”
“No, I meant something harder,” she said with a smirk.
Taking the plates from her once she had served the food, Ethan left her to grab their glasses as he walked over to the dining table pressed against the back wall of the kitchen. It was a small one, maybe big enough for four normal size people, but definitely not meant for someone his size. Putting the plates down, he turned to help Penelope into her chair, pushing her in before walking over to his own.
Sitting carefully in the seat, he winced as it creaked under his weight. He was used to the things at The Haven, where the furniture was built with an Alpha’s bulk in mind, and everything in her house made him scared he was going to break it.
Releasing the breath he had held, he lifted his fork, digging into the food before him. She had cooked the chicken with some broccoli, tossing it into some noodles with a brown sauce that reminded him of teriyaki. It was delicious, and he realized he was hungrier than he thought.
Once they finished, Ethan took their plates again, washing them off and putting them in the dishwasher as she finished her glass of wine. By the time he was done, Penelope’s eyes were drooping, and she was beginning to nod off.
“Time for bed,” he said, reaching down to help her up.
He walked her to her bedroom door, telling her goodnight as she shut it behind her, and made his way to his room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he slid the box closer to himself, knocking the lid off to pull out the stack of photographs inside.
The ones on top, that he had seen in the hallway, were photos taken of Penelope in her house. They were obviously taken through the windows from outside, most likely by someone in the building across from hers. It was an office building, so he wasn’t sure how easy it was to gain access to a room that had a view through her windows, but he would have to check it out.
The ones beneath those were more disturbing though. They were of a woman, bound naked on her knees, with her hands behind her back. She looked dirty and bruised, with bite marks along her shoulders and neck as well as her breasts. Where the woman’s face should have been was a cutout of Penelope’s, glued to the photo.
Some of the pictures were explicit, showing closeups of the woman being fucked, and one had ‘This will be us again’ written across it.
Tossing the photos back into the box, he pulled out the leash and collar. Simple, black rolled leather, with a silver chain on one part that could tighten and choke the wearer, the collar looked like one you would get at a pet store more than one you would get for bedroom play. The leash was an unadorned chain about as thick as his smallest finger, with a black leather handle. There were matching black metal cuffs in the box as well.
Balling the leash up in his hand, Ethan growled before throwing it back into the box and slamming the lid on it. Knocking it off of the bed so hard it hit the wall, Ethan rested his head on his clenched fists and tried to calm down. He was getting too attached to someone who only wanted him for protection, and he was going to end up making a mistake that would cost him the
meager freedom he had if he didn’t get control of himself.
Adrian was lucky that he hadn’t run into Ethan yet.
20. Penelope
Waking later than usual, Penny rolled over in bed, flopping her arm over the side as she debated just staying where she was. One of the hardest parts of running a business was actually making yourself get up and do the work when there was no one to really hold you accountable. There also wasn’t anyone else to do it if she didn’t, which meant she wouldn’t get paid.
Levering herself up, she forced herself to leave the warmth of her blankets, making her way to her bathroom. Stripping, she debated briefly on a bath but decided she didn’t have the time. Hopping into the shower, she was in and out quickly, drying off and pulling her hair up into a ponytail so she wouldn’t have to worry with it.
Walking out to the kitchen, she found Ethan standing at the counter again with a cup of coffee. Grunting a greeting, she made her own and downed half of it before she began to feel more human.
“How’s your ankle this morning?” he asked her.
Glancing down at the boot, she shrugged.
“Same. It was a little swollen last night, but better now. No pain once the medication kicks in.”
Nodding, he moved around her to wash out his mug, his fresh scent washing over her and causing her nipples to pebble as goosebumps broke out across her skin.
“So how many stores today?”
Going over her usual schedule and deciding which places would be best to go to, Penny sighed.
“I think only four today, but then we have to do the deliveries of all the stuff from yesterday.”
