Playing You (Omega's Luck #3) - Claire Cullen Page 0,7

While he waited, he tried once more to neaten his appearance, checking his reflection in the microwave door. Oh, who was he kidding? There was no way to straighten himself up that didn’t involve a shower and a change of clothes. And certainly nothing he could do to hide his bruised face. Brendan was not going to be happy. His client was a whole other story.

He loaded the cups onto a tray and carried them across to Brendan’s office. There was nothing for it—he was going in. With a sharp knock, he waited for Brendan’s voice before he stepped inside, keeping his head down and angled away. Brendan continued his conversation with the client, paying Riley no mind.

“As you can see, the call log suggests they’ve been in communication almost daily for the past six weeks. They’re clever about it—he switches phones every few days, so the pattern is hard to spot. So far, we’ve identified these three numbers as being his. Thanks, Riley,” the alpha added as Riley set the cup of coffee down in front of him. Brendan hadn’t looked up, too busy showing the client the phone records he’d unearthed.

Riley turned to leave, relieved his luck had held, when he felt eyes on him. Not Brendan’s, but the client’s.

“You look like you went two rounds with a bear.”

He winced at the words, taking another step toward the door, hoping he might still escape.

“What?” Brendan asked. “Riley?”

Holding back a sigh, he turned to face the alpha. Brendan’s keen eyes scanned him, lingering on his face but not missing the rest of his shoddy appearance.

“Excuse me for a minute, Lesley.” The alpha got up, came around his desk, and gestured Riley out of the office. He followed, closing the door behind him.

Riley expected anger or irritation, but what he got was concern.

“How badly are you hurt?”

He shook his head. “It’s just a bruise.”

“You were mugged?”

It was hard to avoid Brendan’s gaze, but he managed it, focusing his eyes on the floor between them.

“Go to the kitchen, make yourself a hot drink, and I’ll be in as soon as I’m finished here. There are some cookies in the cupboard. Sugar is good for shock.”

Riley did meet Brendan’s eyes then, surprised and confused.

“Go on,” the alpha said, shooing him toward the kitchen. “I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

He turned and went back into his office, closing the door softly. Riley caught the murmur of Brendan’s voice from inside, picking out a word here or there.

“…new to the city… …bad part of town… …mugged…”

And then the client’s voice, more distinct.

“He came into work anyway? Kid’s got gumption.”

Smiling despite himself and the way it made his face ache, Riley did as he’d been told and decamped to the kitchen. He made tea, loaded with milk and sugar, and took a cookie from the not-so-secret stash the alpha kept. He wondered if kids ever came to the office, or if Brendan just had a sweet tooth. The sugar helped, easing the shaking in his hands. He had almost calmed down when he heard Brendan walk the client out, but his heart started racing again as the alpha approached.

Brendan carried the two coffee mugs in, dumping their contents in the sink and rinsing them. He filled his cup again and carried it to the table, taking a seat across from Riley. Then he snagged a cookie and munched on it.

“Lesley—Mr. Gleeson—gave me the name of a self-defense instructor who teaches omega classes. I’ll give him a call, see what the story is.”

Riley swallowed hard at that. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the thought, but… “I can’t afford that.”

“I’ll cover it. We’ll consider it part of your training. But anyway, that’s all beside the point. What happened?”

He played for time, taking another sip of his tea.

“Riley.”

At the alpha’s prodding, he spoke. “It’s nothing.”

“We both know it’s not nothing. It wasn’t actually a mugging, I’m guessing?”

“I don’t have anything worth stealing,” Riley told him truthfully.

“Did this happen at the hostel?”

Brendan was watching him with all-too-perceptive eyes. Riley suspected he wouldn’t get away with a lie, no matter how small. Yet he still didn’t think the alpha would understand what was happening.

“Outside it.”

“They’re trying to poach you. Maybe a gang? Maybe a brothel?”

Okay, so maybe Brendan understood exactly what was happening.

“Um, yeah. I mean, I think this guy is both.”

The macho alpha had been pestering Riley since he’d arrived at the hostel. But it was only in recent weeks that things had started to escalate.

“Is there