He wouldn’t believe my excuses, andI couldn’t blame him. I wouldn’t.
I waited to hear what he said next because deceiving him would have a cost.
“Do the show with her, and I won’t kill you.” Dominic’s eyes glinted, and I knew he’d already advertised the show throughout Anarchy. If we’d been less preoccupied with finding the key, we might have realized. “Or object, and your entire pack dies. She can always do the show with someone else.”
I snarled, shaking my head. “We’ll do the fucking show. But we get protection after.”
“You getmercy,Sin. I should kill you for lying to me.”
Fuck this deal.
But it was locked in now; probably had been since I’d first visited the Redgraves for those clothes. I guess fate gets what it wants, and the key wasn’t able to save us after all.
When I'd made the deal, I'd known nothing about her. Not that she was my scent match, or that she would be so... soft.
Most of the omegas tossed down here werehalf-feralalready, rough around the edges and willing to do what it took to survive. Crescent wasn't what I'd expected—and I hadn't expected the Redgrave pack tocall inthose debts so quickly, or with such... extremes.
But if he was going to force me to do this, I would make sure it counted.
“No—I'll give you something that will make this show the most lucrative you've ever run, but you will give us protection until our appeal.”
Dominic stared at me, clearly considering. Honesty had its own value down here, and he thought I’d just lied to him. That would make it harder to convince him I wasn’t lying again.
“And,”I added, “Notonemember of Holden’s pack is allowed in.”
“A paying customer is a paying customer.”
“I guarantee you’ll be turning people away anyway. The room isn’t big enough for everyone in Anarchy.”
He looked me up and down, and I thought he might have an inkling of what our secret was. But he had integrity to uphold—he wouldn’t advertise information that was only his hunch.
It was the biggest risk I'd ever taken, but Dominic Redgrave was known, above all else, for keeping to his deals. It’s how he’d maintained such strict control over Anarchy.
“What’s the information?” he asked.
“Can't tell you until you’ve agreed to the deal.”
Once I told him, it was done. He'd have the value.
“She’s more valuable to me in here, you know. Why should I secure her departure—and yours?”
“This will be the most value you'll ever get out of her. Give it a few months and she'll be old news, if she survives.”
“And what of you?”
“If you make me stay, it won't be the same on the other end.”It wouldn't be. I wouldn'twork with any of these fucking pricks if I knew all they were set on was trapping me down here. Before, I hadn't known what would happen if we failed. But the whole landscape changed with Crescent.
Failing wasn't an option.
“You're lucky I like you, Sin.”
“You better. I've made you enough money.”
It was true. I made bargains with other packs regarding their omegas, but the Redgraves were partners with the Marshall pack in operating the rut cages. He was usually involved in the deals I made—if I wasn't dealing with him directly.
I was lucky too that Dominic was a bit of a gambler himself. He grinned, eyes twinkling.
“Fine. You have my word. But the show better be like nothing we've ever seen.”