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

Chapter 16

16

I wake up, satiated and warm, draped over Liam’s muscular body.

It comes as a pleasant surprise to find him still here. Most days, he’s gone by the time I get up. A surge of happiness fills me as I burrow my face against his broad chest. I inhale the scent of soap from the shower we took together last night and the intoxicating pheromones I crave.

Liam rumbles beneath me, his arm wrapping around my waist as fingers thread through my hair. “How are you feeling, princess?”

I sigh with contentment. “Thoroughly fucked. Definitely not riding any horses today.”

He laughs, the rich sound spreading warmth through my body. I trace the intricate tattoo on Liam’s left pec, a design he told me represents the various roles of his family. All of his brothers and cousins have one, and I can’t help but wonder, if I’m truly a Rockford now and not just Liam’s possession, what part will I serve?

“Does Leo have one of these?” I try to picture the angelic man I met with ink. “Or is it only for blood relations?”

“No, Leo got pregnant the first time he and Nolan were together.” Liam catches my hand and brings it to his lips. “So no tattoo until after the baby is born.”

“Will you give me one?”

Liam remains quiet for longer than the question warrants, and I feel foolish for asking. When I attempt to roll away, though, Liam drags me back against him.

“I’m not saying no.” He strokes my back with gentle fingertips. “But I also love every single one of your freckles, and tattoos can hurt. It’s your body, though, and if you want one, I’ll bring in an artist as soon as we know whether my seed took. Where would you want it?”

I touch my arm where stitches tickle my skin from having the tracker cut out. “Maybe here, after the wound heals? To hide the scar? ”

Expression softening, Liam presses a tender kiss to my forehead. “That’s a perfect place.”

His ready agreement relaxes something deep inside me. A tattoo marking me as a Rockford can’t be removed as easily as a wedding ring. “Do you really want a baby?”

He said a lot yesterday, when passion blurred the lines, but was it only lust speaking? There are so many stories of Alphas knocking up Omegas, then claiming they were tricked into it by Heat.

Sensing my unease, he sits up, pulling me along to face him. “I want all of the redheaded kids with you, Milo, but it doesn’t have to happen right now.”

He brushes his thumb across the freckles on my cheekbone. “I understand everything between us was rushed, and if you need more time to become confident in our relationship, we can use protection during your next Heat.”

I nibble on my bottom lip. “The way I grew up, I never had the luxury of dreaming about having a family. Relationships seemed like a distant fantasy when every day was a struggle to survive. My mother left me behind to run from her abusive marriage, and I feared ending up in the same hopeless situation. But I don’t think you’d ever beat me.”

“Oh, princess.” He cups my jaw. “Never. ”

“And I’ve seen how different the Rockfords are from my father. You’re close with your brothers and Leo is so nice and welcoming.” I swallow hard. “Being a part of this family, even a hidden part, might not be so bad.”

“Violence has never been my first choice.” Liam’s gaze holds mine. “Not my second or third choice, either. I took over running our security systems to stay out of the messier side of our businesses.”

Wanting comfort, I crawl into his lap, and he welcomes me like we’ve done this for years. “I’m glad I fell into your arms, even if you did have a dead man stashed in the bathroom. It’ll make for a good story for our kids.”

Liam growls and tackles me to the bed. “I’m going to make you so happy, Milo.”

He captures my mouth in a passionate kiss, his tongue exploring my depths, savoring every taste and sensation, while he caresses me.

The warmth of Liam’s body anchors me in place as we separate, my lips tingling after an entire night spent in pleasure.

Chest heaving as I catch my breath, I hold him close. “I enjoy all the pampering, but I’m getting restless. I need something to do besides laze around in this suite. ”

Liam’s hands find their way to my ass, massaging it as he smirks. “Are you talking about riding horses again?”

I try to scowl, but the corners of my mouth twitch upward. “No, I mean real work.”

“You’d be surprised how much goes into caring for horses. Though, I suppose I’d hire someone to do the hard stuff for you,” he muses.

I smack his shoulder. “Be serious.”

Liam rolls over, dragging me on top of him by my hips. “Okay, what kind of work do you have in mind?”

“Not cleaning.” I run my nails over his chest as I think. I’ve never considered what I’d do with my life without my father’s debt and our lack of income holding me back. “What does Leo do?”

“He’s attending online university classes to finish his degree while working a virtual job for data entry.” His hands move to my waist.

“Sounds tedious.” I hesitate before asking about another member of the Rockfords. “And Oliver? What does he do?”

“He’s a journalist.” He strokes my sides in soothing circles. “He writes gossip columns about high society, with a focus on our family. That’s what he needed to speak to me about yesterday. He runs all his articles by one of us to make sure he’s pointing people’s attention in the right direction. He also pushes for more visibility of Omegas who go missing in our city.”

I knead my nails against his hard pecs. “Don’t make me respect my competition.”

“Only you are in my heart. When I flirted with Oliver in the past, it was only to rile Caleb, and I stopped doing it the day I met you.” Liam touches my chin gently. “All I feel for Oliver is gratitude. He’s the reason I was at the casino for the auction. His little brother was taken a year ago, and no one saved him. Oliver’s happy his efforts helped save you.”

“Fine,” I huff, resigning myself to the fact that I can’t dislike Oliver anymore. “He’s an angel who deserves your admiration, and I won’t claw his eyes out when we meet.”

“Thank you,” Liam chuckles. “I wasn’t looking forward to stepping between you and Caleb when he protected his husband. I wouldn’t last a minute against him.”

“Is it true Caleb’s teaching Jade to be a hitman?” I ask, curious about an Omega entering such a dangerous line of work.

Wariness tightens Liam’s face. “I’m not sure about the gleam in your eyes. ”

“You don’t think I’d do well in the profession?” I nestle closer to him. “I think I might have the instincts for it.”

“You’re not wrong.” He grabs my ass. “But I don’t like the idea of you being in danger.”

I rock against his hardening cock. “People underestimate Omegas.”

“You’re confusing me with horny thoughts,” he growls.

“Let’s table the job conversation for now.” My thighs tighten around his hips. “It turns out I’m not too sore for riding after all.”

I sit in the library, studying the chessboard before me.

After another week in Rockford Manor, I’m more comfortable with the enormous estate. A lot of that is thanks to Leo, who sits on the settee, a bowl of popcorn balanced on his swollen belly.

Since our first meeting, he’s invited me to hang out several times while Liam’s at work. I think we’ve bonded because we’re both lonely without our Alphas.

It turns out Nolan insisted they move back here when Leo stopped being able to see his feet. His pout when he grumbles about it is adorable, but no one could mistake his love when he speaks of his overprotective husband.

I also learned he’s fully aware of the family business and has seen more than one dead body. That angelic face hides a lot.

“Check,” I announce, smirking at Jade, who scowls at the board.

He joins us when he can, but more often than not, he works odd jobs in between training with Caleb.

Leo chuckles, throwing a piece of popcorn at Jade. “You lose again. Are you regretting teaching Milo to play yet?”

“At least he was willing to learn,” Jade fires back, tossing the kernel into his mouth. “Milo’s got a good head for strategy.”

Leo straightens with excitement. “Oh, maybe you should find a position to use those skills.”

The two Omegas have been trying to help me figure out what I want to do with my life, but none of the jobs they’ve suggested so far sound interesting.

“What kind of job would that be?” I ask, curious.

The question leaves both men at a loss.

Leo pulls out his phone, scrolling through listings. “Something with communications? ”

The suggestion earns him a thumbs down. “No customer service.”

“Ugh, tell me about it,” Leo commiserates. “I don’t miss working as a server.”

“Communications and customer service aren’t the same thing,” Jade says, though he sounds uncertain.

“The company I work for has an opening in data entry, if you want to give it a try,” Leo offers. “We could be coworkers!”

I can’t hide my grimace, and Jade bursts out laughing. “Come on, Leo. Milo needs something more mentally stimulating.”

I move my knight into position. “How do you like apprenticing under Caleb?”

“Interested?” At my nod, Jade’s expression turns considering. “Ever fired a gun?”

“No,” I admit. “I’ve had one pointed at me, though.”

Leo’s eyes widen in surprise, and he scoots closer, stuffing so much popcorn into his mouth that he resembles a chipmunk.

Jade appears equally shocked. “What happened?”

“The convenience store I worked at got robbed a few times.” I shrug. “Never been shot at, though.”

“Damn,” Jade mutters, then a mischievous smile spreads across his face. “Want to try it out? Caleb’s down at the shooting range right now.”

“Really?” My heart races at the thought. “Can we?”

Unsure, Leo checks the clock on the wall. “Dr. Wallace is supposed to be here soon to check on your wound and do the pregnancy test.”

The mere mention of my upcoming appointment sends a wave of anxiety through me. I put Jade into checkmate and jump to my feet, eager for a distraction. “Let’s go. I want to try it out before Liam turns into another Nolan.”

“Hey!” Leo says, then laughs at himself. “No, you’re right. Nolan is an overprotective maniac. The joys of protective Alphas when their Omegas are pregnant.”

Jade considers me. “So, you think you are?”

A blush creeps into my cheeks. “It seems likely, doesn’t it?”

Leo claps. “Our babies will be best friends!”

“Ugh, I’m going.” Jade heads for the door. “Come or not, but I’m done with baby talk.”

Leo waves with an impish grin. “Have fun!”

I hesitate. “You’re not coming?”

He shakes his head. “It’s too noisy for me. ”

“Come on!” Jaden returns to my side and places a hand on my back to propel me toward the door.

Guilt pricks at me for ditching the pregnant Omega, but the desire to see the shooting range is too strong to ignore.

Liam’s been increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress in tracking down Bugrov, which makes our nights in bed intense. That the slave trafficking ring is still up and running also adds to my anxiety. Even if I don’t become a hitman, I’d like to learn how to fire a gun.

We take the elevator into a basement level, and Jade leads me down the lit corridor, pointing out a gym with state-of-the-art equipment and an indoor swimming pool that glistens under soft lights.

Both options pique my interest. I’ve gotten more restless by the day, and exercise is an excellent way to burn off some of that energy. Plus, with three meals a day and little movement outside the bed, I’ve gained weight. I refuse to grow out of my brand-new wardrobe after Liam spent so much on it.

“Here we are.” Jade stops in front of a door with a red light glowing above it. “This means there are firearms in use.”

He grabs a pair of headphones hanging on the wall, fiddling with them before handing them to me. “Put these on.”

I slide them over my head, and Jade does the same with a second pair.

“Can you hear me?” His voice comes through loud and clear in my ears.

I jump with surprise. “Yes.”

“They’ll protect our eardrums from gunshots while still allowing us to communicate,” Jade explains as he flips a switch by the door up and down.

After a minute, the red light flashes, and Jade pushes open the heavy door.

As I follow him into the cement room, the scent of gunpowder makes my nose itch. A long counter stretches across the space, and beyond it lies a shooting range that goes on for half a football field.

“Hey, Caleb!” Jade calls out, waving at the tall Alpha, who stands next to a smaller man.

“Jade.” Caleb’s eyes land on me. “You brought company.”

I lift a hand in greeting. I haven’t seen him since the first night here, and I’m not sure of my welcome.

“Milo wants to learn to shoot.” Jade skips forward with a grin. “I knew you were down here training Oliver, so I thought we’d join in. ”

I freeze, unprepared to face the Omega who captured Liam’s interest before I came into the picture.