Secured by the Buyer (Taken by His Alpha #3)

Chapter 3

3

A delicious, intoxicating scent draws me back to consciousness, and I groan, nuzzling the warm skin beneath my nose in search of more.

A rumble vibrates through my chest, melting my bones, and I mouth at the throat so close to my lips, wanting to discover what flavor belongs with these pheromones.

Gentle fingers massage the back of my neck, above my nape guard, while a deep voice murmurs, “I like the way you smell, too, sweetness, but I need you to sit back and drink some water.”

Startled by the sudden realization my face is buried against a man—no, an Alpha —I rear upright in alarm, and the room tilts around me .

A hand steadies me on the shoulder, and an attractive, black-haired man swims into focus. A thick beard covers the bottom of his face, obscuring his upper lip, and his long bangs brush the top of a pair of chunky glasses.

Blue eyes sweep over my face before he presses a water bottle to my lips. “Think you can drink?”

Suspicion kicks in, and I turn my head away as it registers that I’m still in the hourly rental room, sitting on the edge of the bed. Panic rising, I scramble to my feet, only to sway as the room tilts.

The man catches me, drawing me back down to sit and directing my head between my knees. “Take deep breaths. Try not to pass out again.”

Horror fills me as I breathe in decades of shit built up from the shoddy ventilation in the room. I push him away, covering my nose and mouth, only for the unpleasant squeak of rubber to slide over my skin.

I jerk my hand away, bile rising when I see the glove on my hand. I’ve cleaned these rooms. I know what kind of nasty filth the carpets hide, and I was touching it before I passed out. At least I hadn’t scrubbed the toilet yet.

My stomach churns at the thought, and I groan, “I think I’m gonna be sick. ”

He pushes my bangs back from my sweaty forehead, concern etched on his face. “Are you all right?”

I try to steady my breathing, to choke down the bile, but… “No.”

He shoves a metal trash can onto my lap, and I clutch it as I retch, my body shaking with the effort. Acid burns my throat, but nothing solid comes up.

When I stop heaving, the man offers the water bottle again, the plastic cold against my flushed face. “Here, this will help.”

Cheek rolling on the cool rim, I turn my head to glare at him. “How do I know it’s not laced with something?”

He cocks his head to the side, studies me for a moment, then turns and strides to the minibar to grab an unopened one. Returning, he cracks the seal right in front of me and holds it out.

With reluctance, I take it from him, swishing the water in my mouth before spitting into the metal bin. What does it matter when I’ll be the one to clean it up?

“Where’s my mask?” I demand, thoughts still fixated on the filth circulating around us in the name of air conditioning.

“I took it off.” He tugs the trash can from my grasp and sets it aside. “You looked like you were struggling to breathe.”

My eyes dart toward my cleaning cart, where a box of fresh masks sits on top.

To my surprise, the man walks over without being asked and brings the box back.

I tug out a mask and fit it over my nose and mouth, safer with the thin barrier between us.

The Alpha settles on the edge of the bed, leaving several feet separating us. “Do you need to go to a doctor?”

“I’m fine.” My eyes flicker from him to the door, calculating the distance and the obstacle he presents to my escape.

“Are you sure?” he presses, unconvinced. “You did lose consciousness.”

My spine stiffens at the reminder. “How long was I out?”

“Maybe five minutes.”

My shoulders relax. With twenty minutes to turn over a room, I should still have time, especially with how weirdly untouched this room is.

Suspicious, I study the stranger who in turn inspects the wastebasket. “Did you clean up in here?”

“Why would I do that?” He tsks and shakes his head. “Did you pass out from hunger? Heavy labor on an empty stomach isn’t good.”

I glare at the censure behind the words. “What’s it to you?”

His blue eyes pierce into mine. “Drink more water.”

A shiver goes through me, and I tug down the mask enough to gulp another mouthful, the cool liquid sliding down my throat and soothing the burning sensation left by bile.

While I obediently hydrate, he strides back to the mini bar and rummages around.

“Here.” He returns with a handful of snacks and drops them on the bed beside me. “Eat something.”

“Uh, I’m not paying for those.” But my attention latches onto the offering.

“Don’t worry, it’s covered.” He chuckles as my stomach rumbles in response.

He nudges a sleeve of almonds into my hand, then takes the wastebasket into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Now would be the perfect time to run, but the food tempts me too much. Besides, I have to replenish whatever he took from the minibar before the room can be rented again.

Because it’s not currently rented .

Did he break in here? Will I be accused of stealing?

The thought churns in my head, making me dizzy.

My hunger gets the best of me, though, and I rip open the sleeve of almonds, devouring them without even registering their taste. I wash them down with more water, then snatch up the granola bar.

I’m halfway through the final snack when the man returns with a clean waste basket, and he smiles at the empty wrappers and plastic bottle with only an inch of liquid left inside. “Want more?”

I lower the bag of chips, moving it out of his reach in case he changes his mind. “Why are you being so nice?”

He cocks his head to the side, like a hawk eyeing its prey. “Should I not be nice?”

“What are you hoping to get out of all this?” My pulse quickens. I shouldn’t have eaten the food. No way he gave it to me for free.

He sits on the opposite edge of the mattress, maintaining a respectable distance. “I’m enjoying the company of an attractive man. Does it need to be more?”

The words only increase my suspicion. “Most would think so. That’s what happens in these rooms. ”

He takes in the room, as if only now realizing we’re in an hourly rental. “Relax, I don’t want anything from you, Milo.”

Panic shoots through me, and I scramble off the bed. “How do you know my name?”

He points to the front of my shirt. “It's on your uniform.”

Feeling foolish, my gloved hand touches my maid outfit, and my cheeks heat.

The Alpha bends to pick up the bag I dropped in my dash to put distance between us. “Are you done with these?”

Despite its contact with the floor, I snatch it back, still too hungry to let a single piece of food go uneaten. “No, I’m not.”

“I can buy you more,” he offers. “I don’t want to send you off starving and have you pass out in someone else’s arms.”

I freeze with a chip halfway to my mouth. “Keep your money. I don’t want anything more from that overpriced minibar.”

“Have it your way.” He leans back on his hands.

I take in the expensive suit he wears as I settle back on the bed, the distance that separates us shrinking. “Or, if you really want to empty your wallet, give me cash, and I’ll pick up something from the vending machine in the lobby. It’s cheaper.”

His chuckle warms the air between us. “You remind me of my cousin’s fiance. He’s always berating us for not being frugal enough.”

“Sounds like a man with a good head on his shoulders.” I stuff the chip into my mouth, conscious of the timer ticking down.

I should restock the minibar and leave, but the unexpected softness the Alpha exudes draws me in. I can’t imagine anyone in my family smiling like that while thinking of me. My aunt and uncle turned their backs on us because my father is a violent drunk, and I’ve never met their kids.

“He’s good for my cousin.” The stranger shifts his weight onto one hand, the move bringing him nearer. “Tell you what. I can buy all the vending machine snacks you want, or I can take you somewhere nicer after you’re done with work.”

The offer leaves me speechless, and my cheeks warm. I must have heard him wrong. No way this rich Alpha just offered to take care of me, even for a meal.

“Think about it.” His low voice encourages me to lean in. “You deserve better than scrounging for scraps. ”

The heat in my face spreads lower. “You’re not being serious, are you? This is a joke?”

He laughs at the suspicion behind my words, the sound stroking over me like a physical caress. “Never been more serious. You’re quite the cautious one, but that’s all right. I don’t mind working to earn your trust.”

My eyes flick to the empty water bottle on the mattress. Did he pull some sleight of hand and drug me? That’s the only explanation for this hallucination.

His finger slides under my chin, raising my face to his, and my nose twitches as those intoxicating pheromones fill my senses again. They wreak havoc on my body, and my maid’s uniform does little to conceal it.

A rumble vibrates from his chest, and my muscles melt, the distance between us narrowing until our knees touch. Did he move closer? Or did I scoot across the bed, desperate to breathe in more of him?

He hooks the corner of my mask, pulling it down to rest under my chin. “Too bad I have to be somewhere in an hour, or I’d take you out right now and feed you to your heart’s content.”

“You’re crazy.” My pulse stutters as my focus drops to his mouth, so close to mine. “What makes you think I’m going anywhere with you? ”

The pad of his thumb sweeps over my bottom lip, leaving a trail of tingles that streak down to my hips. “Because you’re curious, and you’re hungry.”

“Full of yourself much?” I retort, trying to regain some control over the situation.

“Confident,” he corrects. “There’s a difference.”

I shake my head in confusion. “Why are you doing this?”

“Destiny delivered you into my arms.”

“Bullshit,” I breathe. “It was hunger.”

“Then let me feed you.” His nostrils flare as he breathes me in. “I like the way you smell, and you approve of my pheromones. Can’t that be enough for now?”

“Now I know you’re kidding.” I straighten, putting distance between us again. “If you’re getting off on the scent of bleach, you can find a cheaper solution waiting for you in the cleaning aisle of any grocery store.”

“It’s not the bleach, Milo, it’s you .” His laughter fills the room. “You’re the sweetest Omega I’ve ever encountered, which is saying something.”

I bristle with unwarranted jealousy. “Because you date a lot of Omegas?”

“No.” He shakes his head slowly. “Can’t say I date much at all. But I’d like to change that with you. ”

I want to scoff, but the sincerity in his voice draws me up short.

No one’s ever said they wanted to date me. My whole life, I’ve been the target, mocked for my red hair, for being my father’s son, for never having the basic things my school friends had. Every spare dollar coming into our house went down my dad’s throat or into his bookie’s hand.

Sweet words aren’t meant for the likes of me.

The sudden crackle of the radio on my cleaning cart shatters the moment, making me jump.

My manager’s harsh voice fills the room. “Milo! Pick up!”

I turn toward it, but the stranger catches my hand, the rough callouses on his fingers a contrast to his fancy attire. “When does your shift end?”

I hesitate, unsure I want to reveal so much, but when my manager yells again, I blurt out, “In four hours.”

He squeezes my hand. “I’ll wait for you in the lobby, next to the vending machine. You can decide if you want snacks, or if you’ll let me buy you dinner.”

The radio crackles a third time, and I reluctantly pull free from the stranger’s hold to answer it.

My manager’s angry voice floods the room. “Where have you been? ”

“Cleaning,” I snap.

“Well, I need you down in my office. Now .”

Knots form in my stomach around the food I ate earlier. He never pulls me from the hourly rooms early. They turn over too much profit. “All right, I’m on my way down.”

When I hang up, the stranger rises to come closer, leaning against the closed bathroom door. “I hope you’ll meet me later. Us redheads should stick together.”

Confused, I take in his dark locks. While he might have a smattering of freckles, there’s not a lick of red in his hair.

I shake my head. “Don’t bother. I won’t show up.”

As I grab my cart to haul it out into the hall, he calls after me. “I’ll wait, regardless.”

I turn away before he catches my smile.

For the first time in my life, something good might finally happen to me.