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

Chapter 20

20

T he cold metal barrel points at us, and my stomach swoops.

“Move away from the door.” Bugrov flicks the gun to the right.

Liam raises his palms. “What are you doing? I came here in good faith.”

“You’re not Caruso, which makes me wonder how you got my information.” His eyes narrow, the gears in his head working. “Unless you took Caruso’s place from the start. How did you find out about the auction?”

Liam takes a small step to the side, broad shoulders tense as he maintains the distance from Bugrov. I shuffle beside him, hands bound at my back, the plastic zip-tie digging into my wrists .

Suddenly, Liam’s muscular body slams into mine, shoving me. “Get down!”

I stumble and fall hard, my left shoulder taking the brunt of the impact as I crash down behind a covered slot machine. Pain lances through my arms as Liam lands on top of me, his weight crushing me.

A shot goes wild, slamming into the wall in front of us as the door bursts open with a bang. Heavy boots pound inside, shouts ringing out.

Then the unmistakable rattle of gunfire erupts, bullets ricocheting off metal and concrete with high-pitched pings.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trembling, face pressed into the cold ground. Liam shields my body with his own, protecting my head, his breath puffing against my hair.

This can’t be happening. After everything, I’m going to die here on this filthy floor, never having truly lived.

The angry report of shots being exchanged feels endless, though it’s likely only seconds. Acrid gun smoke stings my nostrils, and my heart pounds hard enough to be heard drumming on the concrete beneath me.

Then, as fast as it began, the gunfire ceases. An eerie quiet falls over the room, broken only by a few distant groans of pain. I hold my breath, not daring to move a muscle.

Is it over? Are we still alive?

I swallow, tasting copper from where I must have bitten my cheek.

Liam shifts above me, lips caressing my ear. “It’s okay, princess. I’ve got you.”

Reaching behind my back, he breaks the zip-tie binding my wrists with a sharp tug, and I stifle a cry at the biting sting.

I flex my fingers, wincing at the pins and needles sensation as blood rushes back into my hands.

A scuff sounds, and then the gunfire starts up again, making me flinch.

“We need to move.” Liam grips my arm, hauling me to my feet. “Stay close and run in a crouch.”

I stumble, half numb from being trapped beneath him, but he steadies me with a firm hand on my waist. Even in these dire circumstances, my heart stutters at the contact.

Crouching, we weave through the maze of slot machines, using them to hide our movements.

My ears ring, and the smoke from gunpowder in the air burns my nostrils. Liam leads the way, his long stride eating up ground even in the awkward position, and I struggle to keep up on shaky legs .

We reach the end of our cover, and Liam pulls me to his side. “See that door ahead of us?”

Through the stinging haze, I locate it. “Yeah.”

“It exits into the service hall. Run while I hold them off. Don’t slow down,” he whispers in my ear. “If I don’t make it, go out the back door and make your way to the back parking lot. Our people will direct you to a car and get you out of here.”

I shake my head, turning to him. “No, I’m not going without you.”

A hard glint fills his eyes as he bends and crushes my lips with his in a bruising kiss. Then he lifts his head and snarls, “Go!”

I move instinctively, racing across the open space. More gunfire cracks through the air, but I make it through the door without being hit and turn back.

“Keep going!” Liam slams into me, shoving the door shut behind us, and pushes me up the stairs. “I told you not to stop!”

“And I told you I wasn’t leaving without you!” When I peer over my shoulder, I trip, and Liam catches me, hauling me the rest of the way to the top.

At the doorway, he hides his gun inside his jacket, and we step into the service hall, the garish carpet muffling our footsteps .

Jaw clenched, Liam scans the area and points toward the door at the end. “There. Let’s go.”

Not trusting that I can speak, I nod, and we hurry down the empty hallway. The exit sign glows ahead of us, promising escape from this nightmare.

Steps away from freedom, a familiar voice calls out, “Milo! Stop!”

My blood runs cold, and I whirl around to find my old manager emerging from the break room. His face twists with anger, and he raises a handheld radio to his lips to alert security.

Liam’s hand flies to his waistband, reaching for his gun, and my heart leaps into my throat.

“No!” I grab his wrist. “The casino has cameras everywhere.”

Fierce protectiveness twists his features. “Sabastian took care of them.”

Before I can protest again, Liam yanks his arm free, draws, and fires. The shot cracks like thunder in the enclosed space, making me flinch. In slow motion, my manager crumples to the floor, his radio clattering beside him.

Weapon still out, Liam grabs my hand, pulling me toward the exit. “Come on. We need to go. Security will arrive soon to investigate. ”

I force my feet to move, stumbling after him in a daze.

We burst out into the chilly night, darkness surrounding us. Glass shards on the ground from the broken bulb crunch beneath our shoes as we race along the wall, heading for the back parking lot.

My lungs burn with every desperate gasp as we slip between parked cars, the getaway vehicles just ahead.

“Stop right there!” a voice bellows behind us.

I risk a glance over my shoulder, and my blood turns to ice. A security guard bears down on us, his hand reaching for the radio at his belt.

Liam curses under his breath as he whirls around, raising his gun to fire, but only a hollow click sounds in the night air. He’s out of bullets.

“Milo, run!” Liam shoves me to keep going. “Get to the car, now!”

I grab hold of the back of his shirt. “I’m not leaving you!”

I can’t lose him, not after everything we’ve been through.

Liam’s broad back acts as a solid wall of protection as he faces down the guard, his arms spread to shield me. “I’ll be right behind you. Go! ”

The sound of a gun cocking freezes me in place. “Neither of you are going anywhere.”

Liam snarls at me, his Alpha taking control as he Commands, “ Get moving, Milo! ”

I try to cling to him as my body moves unwillingly to follow his order. How dare he take my will from me!

“If you do this, I’ll never forgive you!” I tell him, his shirt slipping from my fingers as I move away from him.

Tenderness softens his voice. “All that matters is that you survive, princess.”

The security guard levels his gun at us, his finger tightening on the trigger. “ Stop, Omega! ”

Another Alpha trying to use Command on me, but Liam’s Mark protects me from anyone else. My feet halt of my own volition, my chest heaving. I moved. Liam never specified how far I had to go.

As I turn back, a muffled shot cracks through the night air. The guard stumbles backward into a car before slumping to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

Liam whips around, and his eyes widen as he spots me still standing behind him. “I thought I told you to go. ”

“You told me to move. ” I smack his shoulder. “Don’t you ever use Command on me again!”

He yanks me to his body, squeezing me tight. “Dammit, princess, your recklessness is going to give me a heart attack.”

Motion comes from our left, and Liam shields me again before Jade emerges from the shadows, rifle in hand, his bleached hair almost glowing in the moonlight.

“What are you two idiots hanging around for?” He gestures to the waiting cars. “Get the fuck out of here!”

I tremble against Liam, my pulse thundering in a delayed reaction. “Thank you, Jade. That was too close.”

Jade nods. “Caleb and the others are rounding up Bugrov’s crew now. We’ll be right behind you once they’re secured. Now go!”

Liam grabs my hand, pulling me toward the sedan. “Watch your back, Jade!”

“My job is to watch yours!” Jade yells after us. “And good thing I was here to save your asses. You can treat me later!”

Liam shoves me into the passenger side of the car and dives into the driver’s seat.

As he starts the engine, I collapse against the door, drawing shaky breaths. I can’t believe we made it out alive.

Liam’s hand finds my thigh, squeezing in reassurance as we speed off into the night.

The second we enter our suite at Rockford Manor, Liam scoops me up into his arms, kicking the door shut behind us.

“Never again, princess.” He carries me to our bed in long strides. “My heart can’t take seeing you in danger like that.”

Before I can respond, Liam’s lips crash over mine, his kiss fierce and demanding. He makes quick work of my clothes, tearing them away until he lays me bare.

I gasp as his mouth trails down my neck, his teeth grazing my sensitive skin.

“I’m going to keep you so pregnant, you won’t be able to leave the house,” Liam growls against my collarbone, his low voice possessive.

“I think I got it out of my system,” I say between ragged breaths. “I’d prefer to stay behind the scenes from now on. ”

“Thank god.” Liam’s head dips, and wet heat engulfs my hardening length.

I cry out, my back arching off the bed as he swirls his tongue around me. His fingers find my entrance, stretching me open with a ruthless efficiency that leaves me panting and desperate.

Just as I teeter on the edge of release, though, he pulls away, flipping me onto my stomach. I gasp into the mattress as he yanks me up into position, and the metallic rasp of his zipper fills the air. Then the blunt head of his cock notches against my hole, and he slams home in one thrust.

The breath punches from my lungs, and I hold on to whatever I can as he sets a punishing pace, his hips snapping against my ass. Pleasure curls up my spine, and ragged moans pour out of me.

Liam’s weight covers mine, and his teeth clamp down on the Mark at the back of my neck, sending shockwaves through me. I shatter beneath him, my release painting the sheets as I cry out his name.

As my inner walls pulse around him, his thrusts slow, becoming deep and languid. He presses tender kisses to my back, whispering words of devotion as he brings us both to completion once more.

In the aftermath, as we lie tangled together, I realize this is where I belong. Here, in Liam’s arms, I’m home.

Liam cups my face. “Milo, I love you. I can’t imagine a future without you by my side.” His thumb traces my lower lip, sending shivers through my body. “Marry me, princess. Be mine forever.”

Tears prick the corners of my eyes, and I swallow the lump in my throat, overwhelmed by the depth of emotion swelling in my chest. “I never thought I’d find someone like you. Someone who sees past my rough edges and loves me for who I am.”

He presses our foreheads together, our breaths mingling. “You’re everything to me, Milo. My heart, my soul, my reason for living. The moment we met, I knew you were it for me.”

I savor the warmth of his body, the scent of his pheromones enveloping me. “Yes, I love you.” I brush my lips over his. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, building a family of redheads.”

Liam’s answering smile blinds me, and he pulls me into a searing kiss that steals my breath. His hands roam my back and hips, reigniting the fire in my veins.

I cling to him, pouring all of my feelings into him as our tongues tangle with promises that need no words.

When we part, gasping for air, Liam rests his forehead against mine once more. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Milo. I promise to love you and cherish you today, tomorrow, and forever.”

As we lay wrapped up in each other’s embrace, I know that no matter what happens, what bumps are in the road ahead, everything changed for the better the day Liam bought me.

For the rest of my life, I’ll stay secure in his arms, with a family that loves me.