Chapitre 13: Pay Attention, Tyler

(TYLER)

I stare at the cell in my hand as I feel its weight, and a thought creeps in. Sasha thinks I'm on his palm just like this phone is in mine. Does he though? Probably. I take it he doesn't like getting nos for an answer. Of that, I was certain, considering how pissed off he was when I didn't jump at the chance when he offered it to me.

Serves him right.

Shouting and screaming from outside distract me from my thoughts, and I crawl to the flap to take a peek. The encampment is swarming with cops. I'm in utter shock as I watch them tear down tents and beat up people with batons. I glance sideways and notice two of them heading towards my tent, eyes cold and calculating, and I scramble to get out.

The city sent cops to wipe out our camps often. But it has been long since they last did. It hadn't happened in months and I was starting to think that they no longer cared that we were living here. But as it seems, I was wrong about that too. So, I leap and run, fear slithering through me.

But even that is of no use. One of the cops runs fast behind me and as he advances, he raises his baton. My hands go up instinctively as I try to shield my head from the impact, but the baton slams into my hack with such force that sends me flailing to the ground. The other one joins in and begins to whack my arms and legs.

The baton slams into my thigh, making me scream in agony. "Fuck you." I hiss as I kick at the cop, and my slight connection only earns me another terrorizing whack to my shoulder. I'm in pain, terrible pain and I'm only hoping that slob didn't break a bone. I spread my palms to the ground and try to drag myself away, but the man grabs a hold of my shirt and drags me backward.

He lets go of me with a hard shove and I fall to the ground. I am wheezing and groaning in pain, not that they care. The burly one perches beside me and grins at me wolfishly before slapping me. "Hey, Tyler, listen up."

"Fuck off," I yell at him despite the ringing I'm now feeling in my ears.

"Oh is that right?" he asks, planting another slap on my already sore cheek.

"Fucker." I hiss and try to drag myself away again.

"You got quite the mouth on you, eh?" the cop says, grabbing my arm and twisting it around my back, I can almost feel my shoulder pop.

The pain is so agonizing that I can't hide it anymore. I whimper as it radiates all over my body. "Shit."

"Quit being an idiot and pay attention." He demands, grabbing a fistful of my hair so I can face him. "Sasha Adonis has a message for you?"

"What the fuck does he want?" I blurt out angrily.

"He says this is just a taste of what he has in store for you." He spits on the ground next to where I'm lying then signals the rest of his men over. "We're done here." He shoves my head back to the ground.

My body feels so heavy that I can barely lift my weight. So I lay there silent, my whole body throbbing with pain as I took a look at Sasha's goon's handiwork. All around me are people screaming and sobbing. I glance in another direction and guilt nudges at me when I see a woman with a burst lip holding her crying infant. I hate that I'm the cause of all this.

It was all clear. That fucker Sasha sent those cops here to give me a message. One that he wasn't even subtle about. He will hurt anyone and everyone around me. He doesn't care who. And if he doesn't get what he wants he will keep hurting them.

Because he can.

Hours later I'm at a stinky gas station bathroom. I glance at the time on the cell. It's 11:55 pm. My stomach is tight and I want to throw up. I have no place to spend the night. I was asked to leave after what happened at the encampment today. Thanks to Sasha's goons who made sure to let everyone know I was the reason for what happened at the encampment today. Nobody wants me around them.

I thought I didn't like Sasha at first, but now I know I fucking hate his guts. I haven't done anything to him to deserve the hell he is putting me through. This is probably just a taste of what wrath he is planning to unleash on me once the clock strikes midnight.

I've never been more certain about not wanting to be this man's omega. I hate him, and I sure as hell don't trust anything that comes out of his mouth. He is an arrogant, entitled asshole. I'm tempted to go with my instincts and tell him to go to hell with his marriage proposal, but then again, I'm scared of what he might do to me. It sure can't be pleasant.

Again, I glance at the cell. 11:59.

A minute to go. I'm so terrified and shaking as a leaf that I almost drop the cell. I don't know what to do, or what to tell him. If I reject him, he might see his promise through and cut my tongue out. He might even kill everyone who's ever breathed the same air as mine.

And what happens when I say yes? What will my life be like as Sasha Adonis' omega? Will he wring me into his thug life? And what happens when the five years are over? How will I go back to my regular people without being shunned?

Hell, they're even shunning me now.

I take one final look at myself in the cracked bathroom mirror. Couldn't my life be any worse? If Sasha was my alpha, I'd get the abortion without thinking twice. He's way worse than Jake. Of course, my life would now be wrung up with the Triple Triads, but it would be better than the one I'm living now.

I glance at the clock again. 12:00 am.

Fuck me.