Playing You (Omega's Luck #3) - Claire Cullen Page 0,25

The couple before them went in, and Riley decided to go back to their rooms to get his jacket so they could head straight out to the gardens once they were done. As the minutes ticked by, and the omega didn’t return, Brendan started to wonder what was keeping him. It wouldn’t be long before the people ahead of them finished up. He stood, turning to Caroline who was chatting with the couple after them.

“I’ll just go see where Riley’s got to. If we’re not back in time, we can just go fourth.”

“Of course,” she said, waving him off. “It’s not a problem.”

When he didn’t meet Riley out in the hall or on the stairs, his idle worry hardened into something more concrete. As he rounded the corner to their room, he found the door shut but heard voices from within.

“I saw that little show you put on for me last night with that blockhead of an alpha. You did that just for me.” Christian’s voice, dripping with arrogance.

“If you think anything I do has any relevance to you, you’re imagining things,” Riley threw back.

“Oh, but I know it does. I know you want me.”

There was a scuffle and then Riley’s voice, angry but with an undercurrent of fear. “Back off, Christian!”

Brendan shoved the door open, ready to intervene. He spotted Riley against the far wall, hemmed in by Christian.

“I love it when you play hard to get.” The alpha leaned in, pressing Riley backward.

“Get away from me,” Riley ground out. “Stop it.”

Brendan restrained himself from going over there and punching Christian in the face. Riley could handle himself. But that wasn’t to say he wouldn’t back him up.

“What does an omega have to say to you to convince you they’re not interested?” Brendan wondered aloud.

Christian’s head whipped around, his lips curling into a snarl. “He’s mine. You’ll get him back when I’m do—”

Brendan saw Riley’s knee come up, heard the soft thump when it connected, and watched the blood drain from Christian’s face. The alpha made a high-pitched sound of pain. Riley shoved him away, and he went to his knees. Then the omega stomped across the room, grabbed Brendan by the arm, and marched out of there.

“Nicely done,” Brendan praised quietly.

“Your timing was impeccable.” Riley was pale and breathing hard.

“You’d have got there with or without me. You know how to take care of yourself.”

He felt the slightest tremble in Riley’s hand as they came down the stairs and into the hall. He tugged the omega aside, out of sight of the others wandering about.

“Are you okay?”

Riley met his eyes, his gaze a little wild. He nodded slowly.

“Yeah. This time. It’s just… no matter how angry or how quick I am, alphas are always bigger, always stronger. I was lucky before. And I was lucky today. I won’t always be lucky. Sometimes fighting back…”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make light of the situation you were in. I just didn’t want to race in there all knight-in-shining-armor. You deserved to take that guy down a few pegs all by yourself. And that you did. I doubt he’ll be walking straight for the rest of the weekend.”

It took some gentle persuasion to convince Riley to let him talk to Caroline. He was discreet, but he made sure she understood what he’d walked in on. She stepped away, and he and Riley went into the interview to play their part in the run-up to the weekend’s conclusion. He wasn’t sure Riley would want to stay for the finale after what happened, but as they were walking around the gardens afterward, they spotted a welcome sight.

“Is that Leylan?” Riley asked.

Brendan saw the omega getting into a car and spotted a familiar face in the driver’s seat.

“Uh-huh. And Christian. I guess they’re checking out early.”

Caroline met them at the door on the way in. “I’m afraid Christian and Leylan had a family emergency, so we’ll be without their company this evening. But don’t worry, we’ll ensure it doesn’t make a dent in the excitement.”

“Glad to hear it,” Brendan said, shooting her a look of thanks as he put an arm around Riley’s waist. Riley leaned into him, and Brendan could feel the sheer relief in every muscle.

After dinner, they all gathered in the study for the grand reveal. There were a lot of gasps and exclamations as secrets were exposed and various people were accused. That included Riley, who managed a look of wide-eyed innocence all too well. But then