CHAPTER 25: I JUST WANT TO HIT HIM.

Zander frowns as he watches the blonde haired omega squirm, his taped mouth doing well to keep him quiet. He looks terrified, his eyes all puffy from crying, and snot covering his nose. He’s an unpleasant sight, to say the least.

"I have a room in the basement. Bring him and follow me." Zander turns and heads back inside. Beau sighs and quickly follows after him.

Mila snaps her fingers, a ring on her middle finger glistening beneath the street light. The man in black lifts Chris over his shoulders, ignoring his whimpers and sobs. They decend down a set of stairs leading to a black door. Zander unlocks it with a key and after pocketing it, he leads everyone inside.

It’s a private lounge, with a red velvet couch, a matching chair, and a black wooden table. To the side is a personal bar, a large set of speakers up on the wall, and a flat screen TV on the opposite.

Beau leans back in the chair and crosses his feet over the table. He tosses his head back and closes his eyes, his red hair curling behind his ears.

Mila is less familiar with the room and takes it all in with a stink eye. "You never brought me here." She nearly pouts at the dominant alpha. "It could have been useful."

"Exactly why I never did." Zander mutters as he moves past her. He disappears into a separate room and comes out with a metal folding chair, which he puts in the middle of the room. "Sit him here, please."

The man does as he says, Chris squirming the entire time. "Sit still or you won’t like how I make you." He glares down at the omega. Chris swallows, the sound loud and his back stiffens like a board.

"Jeez, he’s terrified." Beau sighs and rubs the back of his neck. He glances at Mila, "You did what was asked of you. Now get out."

She frowns, her red painted lips pouting, "You’re going to throw me out? But it’s starting to get good!"

Beau makes a sound of annoyance in the back of his throat and stands up from the chair.

"Okay!" Mila shouts, her eyes wide despite the wild grin on her face. "Okay, we’ll go. No need to get up." Her chuckle is light and airy. Satisfied, Beau sits back down. She glances at the blonde man in the chair. "Just don’t take it to far. He’s still the son of-"

"Yeah, I know." Zander waves her off. "Just wait outside so you can take him back."

Mila raises a delicate hand and gives him the middle finger. "What am I? A fucking taxi service now?" Despite her complaints, she doesn’t say no. She grabs the man in black by the back of his shirt and shoves him towards the door.

He doesn’t seem offended as he walks out, Mila right behind him. The door slams shut.

Zander doesn’t acknowledge the omega right away. He steps past him and towards the bar. Glass clinking together accompanies the quiet hiccups coming from the middle of the room. Beau watches his friend silently.

Zander takes a swig of his glass of whiskey and clears his throat. He turns on the back of his heel and crouches down in front of the omega. He takes in his tear stained face, the darkening bruise on his cheek, and the way his long blonde hair is tangled at the top of his head.

I just want to hit him.

Zander’s grip tightens on the glass and he sets it on the floor beside him in case he breaks it. "Christopher Florence." His hostage flinches at his full name. "Son of the politician Charlie Florence. First omega born to the family name." He lets out a hallow laugh, "You must be his pride and joy, no?"

Chris whimpers.

"I’m going to take that tape off your mouth." Zander taps a finger against the silver plastic, making the omega flinch back. "I’m going to ask you questions, and all I want to give are answers. Simple, right?" He gives a forced smile, but it only sends chills down Chris’ spine. The blonde nods his head and then cries out when the sticky tape is yanked off of his skin.

Zander reaches up and taps the bruise on Chris’ face, "Who did that?"

"A gangster." Chris says, his voice surprisingly firm despite how much he’s cried.

"Gangster?" Beau stands up and walks over to the other two. He glares down at the man in the chair and crosses his arms over his chest. "You mean the gangsters you hired to jump him?" He gestures to Zander.

"No." Chris coughs and then sniffles. "Their boss. The two I hired to jump you went missing, he thinks I have something to do with it."

Beau curses under his breath and glares down at Zander who is still crouched in front of Chris.

"Why’d you spike my drink?" Zander asks his next question.

Chris doesn’t answer right away, his eyes falling to the floor. "You were my fifth marriage candidate." His voice is low as he finally speaks. "My father said if I couldn’t get you to marry me then, he’d make me marry some wrinkled old man."

Zander clenches his jaw and pushes up from the floor. Beau puts a firm hand on his chest to keep him from getting any closer to the omega.

"You expected me to knock you up in a public restroom?" Zander nearly growls the words. The air in the room thickens with his heavy aura. The pressure from a dominant alpha almost makes Beau come at him with a challenge. He should be used to it since they’ve been friends since they were toddlers, but Dominants are always on another level entirely.

Chris whimpers, his body shaking. "B-but nothing happened!"

"Nothing happened because a beta intercepted!" Zander shouts. He pushes Beau away from him and puts a distance between them. He finds himself in front of the bar again and he slams his fist against the counter. The marble cracks and rubble falls to the floor. "It would have been a different outcome entirely if he hadn’t."