Chapter 10

Tay sat in the waiting area of TG Corporations. He'd thought for several days on what he should do before deciding to talk to David Marquette.

After finding out about Evan Dorlane's death and what the police found, Dmaian had shut down again. He missed the last of welcome week and had stayed home when they'd all gone out drinking. Tay had found him curled in the shower with the water running on him. It had been running cold so he'd been there for a while.

When his parents came home, he didn't even greet them at the airport. He'd been a shell of himself when they'd come to visit him. Antonia had tried to cheer him up, but Damian had looked at his mother like he was looking through her.

Tay hadn't known how to tell them this time. He knew Damian had told them everything, and they weren't opposed to him. At least they hadn't outright told him that.

But this reaction was worse than the one when he'd been attacked. He was completely out of it, even going so far as to want to skip classes that had just started. Tay and Jak had to make sure he showed up when he was due. If he wasn't careful, he wouldn't graduate.

Tay had made the decision to seek out the Omega's father when he'd come home to find him drunk. Damian had been in the kitchen with a bottle of vodka half full and an empty whiskey bottle by his leg. He'd slurred his welcome and had offered Tay a drink.

The Alpha had picked him up and had carried him to the bedroom. Damian had thrown up all down his back from the slight movement. It had ended with both of them in the shower to clean up.

Damian had looked peaceful when he was passed out, and Tay had no idea how to help him. He was going off the deep end and there seemed to be no end in sight.

He'd called David's secretary and made an appointment. He hadn't said anything other than he needed to have a serious conversation with him. He didn't want to do it at home because he didn't want to alert either Damian or Antonia.

Tay watched the second hand tick away. He had no idea how this was going to go. David would either listen to him or tell him to shut the hell up and leave.

He patted the file Reaux had given him. It was every piece of information on Damian's case which had suddenly changed from sexual assualt to sexual assualt and human trafficking case. He had to show David because it felt wrong not to.

"Tay?"

He looked up to see David emerging from the elevator with his assistant. He signed something and passed it off to the man at his side.

He extended his hand and shook Tay's. "It's good to see you, son. What can I do for you?"

"There's something you should do once you see these." Tay held the folder up. David glanced at it and nodded. Relief flooded him. "Thank you."

David motioned him into his office, closing the door. Tay told him everything as soon as they were behind closed doors. The older Alpha listened intently, flipping through the file as he did so.

Tay wasn't sure how much good this was going to do. He just wanted everyone around Damian to know when the man wasn't okay, which was right now. He wanted to help, but he didn't know how. If anyone did, it was his family.

David set the file down and propped his head on his fists. He didn't say anything for a long while. Neither did Tay. he waited for the older man to break the silence. He wasn't sure what he'd say.

"Do you have anything else to go on?" the older Alpha asked. Tay looked at him. "If the man's dead, how do we get to Conrad Evers?"

"You believe me?" Tay asked.

"Definitely. Evers has been on my list for years. I first found out about his extracurricular activities through one of my staff. Her sister disappeared several months after meeting Evers. She was never found."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"I want you to stay out of it."

Tay stared at him. Was he really asking him this? He had brought every piece of information he had, and he wanted him to stay out of it?

"David," he said. He had to clear his throat to keep the rage down. "You have every piece of information Reaux has collected on Evan Dorlane and now Conrad Evers, and you want me to stay out of it?"

"Exactly," the other man confirmed.

"Why?"

"My son needs you more than his case does. He needs you to claim him as yours."

Tay sat back in his chair. "I don't dare touch him. Not right now."

David sat forward. "That's where you're wrong, son. He needs you more than ever."

Once again Tay shook his head. "He won't let me near him. I won't be able to."

"Tay Delan Marzano? Since when have you thought like this?"

The young man swallowed hard. "You didn't see any of the reactions. You didn't hold him whie he broke down. You didn't feel his pain."

David stared at the young Alpha for a long moment. Through him, he could see his son's tortured soul. It wasn't just Damian who had suffered. Tay had as well, taking his pain and making it his own.

That's how David knew Tay was the only Alpha he would allow to claim Damian. Tay made sure Damian was first, even if it meant his needs were last. He never intentionally hurt him, but he was always honest.

The father stood and rounded the desk. He took the man's face in his hands and kissed his forehead. The only emotion attached to it was gratitude.

"Take care of my son," he said.

Tay, finally giving up, nodded. "Don't worry. I will."

They finished their discussion, and David saw Tay out. He walked him to the elevator and wished him luck with everything. Tay had no doubt David would get to the bottom of this. He had enough people to fund and maintain a small army.

His next task was working on Damian. David had given his approval, but it didn't mean his son would have him. The man was too broken right now to think straight. Asking him to take care of him would destroy him.

Tay looked at his calendar. If he'd calculated it correctly, they had several more weeks until Damian's next heat. The benefit to being a male Omega was heat cycles typically came every three months. If Tay didn't claim him by then, he was certain there was going to be a huge fight. Damian wouldn't be able to handle it.

He pulled up a restaurant app and ordered delivery. Maybe Damian would be up to eating. Tay had some work to do so he'd pull the Omega into the living room to sit with him while he did it. Damian would argue, but Tay was done letting him hide.

If Damian wanted to be a little piggy, then the big bad wolf would come out to play.