Chapter 22

Tay was beside himself. This was like that night all over again. He looked away and Damian was gone.

He didn't alert Damian or Antonia. The less people who knew the less commotion there'd be. He told Reaux and the two started searching.

They scanned the room thoroughly before they branched out. Reaux went to the concierge to see if he could find out something. Tay started searching the bar and karaoke rooms. Damian wouldn't have gone far.

His phone rang. Cursing, he pulled it from his pocket. "What, Jak!" He pretty much yelled.

"I got it. Everything is here. People who work for him, names of the victims, and buyers along with how much they paid," Jak said. He was breathless and sounded like he was running. "Tay, Damian's name is at the top of his list."

Tay stopped moving. He stared unseeingly at the people in front of him, but his ears were tuned for noise. "What?"

"There's more. Conrad was dating Antonia Deville before she married David Marquette. He thought David took Antonia out from underneath him. He's been after Damian because of it."

Anger coursed through him. "Where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the hotel. I'll be there in ten with back up."

"Hurry up. I may need bail money."

"Got it." Jak didn't ask further questions. He cut the line.

Tay shoved his phone in his pocket and left the ballroom. He took a deep breath.

That's when he smelled it. Damian's fear was palpable, and he'd be able to find that specific smell at any time.

He followed it down the hallway to a private bathroom tucked away in a corner. It was for staff only. It was for staff only. It made sense. Damian would be able to use it since his family owned the hotel. He would use it because it was quiet and away from people.

He headed towards the door. The scent of pheromones and terror made him want to rush in, but if he went in half-cocked, he could get Damian killed.

Taking a deep breath, he put his hand on the door and centered himself. Damian was his number one priority. He had to get to him first. Heart under control, he threw the door open.

Time stopped, and everything was in slow motion. He saw blood splattered all over the floor. He followed the trail until he saw Damian.

His Omega was beaten and bloody, most of it dripping from his head. His clothes were ripped and he was bound by his hands. His right leg was at an odd angle. He was a victim once again.

His blood raged. This man was abusing his property. Everything he had worked so hard for was now gone. He had just sent this man back three months to the initial attack. He made him suffer the same thing all over again.

Tay was going to kill him.

He ran across the room and threw his body into Evers. The man went flying across the floor and hit his head on a porcelain sink.

Tay was far from done. Three months of pent up rage followed him as he stalked his prey. He knew what this man wanted, and he was going to make him pay for even thinking of laying a hand on Damian.

He stalked him as he shuffled back, murder on his features. He yanked Evers up by his collar and delivered a therapeutic punch to the face. He enjoyed the throb in his knuckles.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" he demanded.

Evers laughed, blood dripping from his lip. "Hello, Tay. glad you could join us. Shall I leave?"

Tay punched him again. "Answer me."

"He's special, but you know that. Just how special he is has yet to be seen. You can gladly taste it when I'm done." He smiled in a wolfy manner. "For a price."

Tay stared at him for a long time. Finally, he shoved him away and started taking off his clothes. He pulled his dress shirt off and stared at Evers, enjoying the sight of his eyes widening.

"The Omega you just beat? He's mine." He leaned down so the man could get a good look at the filled-in mark. "What shall I do with you? Hmm? What should I do?!"

Evers looked scared. Finally, he was feeling something other than greed. He was seeing what a real Alpha went through when someone messed with something or someone that wasn't his.

Tay glared at him for a long moment before he turned away from him to go check on Damian.

He was bleeding profusely. His blond head was covered in congealed blood. He untied his arms from his tattered clothes, laying them gently on the floor. He ripped his shirt and wrapped the strips around his head. The white stained immediately.

Bracing his head, he rolled Damian on his back and propped his head on his lap. He saw the busted lip and black eye.

"Tay?" Damian's voice was scratchy, but he tried.

Tay wiped his eyes to get the blood out of them. "Yeah, it's me. I'm here."

Damian tried to sip up, using Tay's body as support. His head nestled in his neck. "My head hurts."

The Alpha rubbed his back. "It's going to. You've been beaten up."

He laughed humorlessly. "That seems to be my favorite thing to do." He pulled his face from the other man's neck. "Can you get me up?"

Tay helped him to his feet, holding him against him. The cloth strips were starting to drip blood. Damian was unsteady, the concussion making it hard for him to gain his footing.

"You need to go to the hospital," he urged.

Damian didn't argue this time. Tay grabbed his jacket and used it to cover her back. They started from the bathroom. The only problem was they were going to have to go through the party to get outside.

Tay stepped in front and leaned down. Damian wrapped his arms around his neck, and the Alpha stood up. He strode to the door and yanked it open. Once outside, he motioned into the bathroom. He didn't have to worry about Evers. The crowd would be another issue.

Murmurs filtered through the ballroom as Tay walked through the people. He was shirtless and covered in blood. But it was Damian they were staring at.

No one dared walk towards him. They were too shocked to do so. Damian was their hosts' son. Who would attack their son?

There was noise behind him. He turned just in time to see Conrad shirk the securit guard holding him and take off across the ballroom.

Tay took off Damian's shoe. Balancing the barely conscious man, he hurled it across the room. It hit Evers in the back of the head, and he crashed to the floor then slid.

"Conrad?" Tay recognized the voice. It was Tyren. He looked down at the man who wanted to endorse him then at his brother. His face was slack and pale. "What did you do?"

"Not right now, Ren," Talya scolded. Her voice was soft but angry.

But Tyren knew what had happened. He looked past his brother's head at the other man being held by him. Tears fell down his cheeks as he understood what had happened.

"I'm sorry," his brother said. "When he asked, I thought he was genuinely interested in our family. I had no idea."

Tay knew his brother was smart, and he would never put their family in danger. He was upset in the only way he knew how to be.

"I know you didn't, Ren," Tay said. "I'm not mad."

He wasn't. His brother was a good man. Now he was reeling over the power of what he had inadvertently caused.

"This is a lie!" Evers yelled. He stood up and dusted off his suit. "Whatever this asshole says is a lie."

"If anyone is lying, it's you." Jak emerged from the crowd with Reaux following. "I talked to your secretary, and she said you were planning to sell Damian to the highest bidder."

Antonia came from Evers' left and slapped him in the face. Evers glared at her, but hers was far more potent. Hers was the glare of a mother.

"You hurt my son," she seethed. Then she grabbed him by his bloody collar. "You hurt my son! Why the hell would you do that?"

"Toni," Evers cajoled. "I never put a hand on him."

"You didn't have to," Jak continued. He came forward with the ledger. "You had Evan Dorlane provide you with pictures before you killed him." He handed the book to Reaux.

Evers' face was pale, but he didn't show any concern. "You broke into my house? That's trespassing. Arrest him!"

Reaux shook his head. "I can't do that. It's a conflict of interest." Evers frowned, finally showing some sort of emotion. "He belongs to me. I am by law not required to testify against him."

More murmurs filtered through the room. By Reaux declaring Jak was his, he was telling everyone he claimed him. An Alpha claiming another Alpha was one thing. Two males together was a different scenario. Society still didn't fully accept it.

Damian mumbled something in Tay's ear. Tay blinked slowly then smiled. He reached behind him and felt in Damian's pocket. His hand found something firm and pulled it out.

His brilliant, battered Omega had recorded the entire night. He'd known something may happen so he'd wired himself.

"Reaux," he said. He passed off the device to the detective. "That device has plenty on it."

Reaux smiled sadly. "You should get him to the hospital. I'll be by for pictures later."

Tay started walking before the words left his mouth. Some of David's men followed him, ushering the two of them into a car that took them to the hospital.