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Chapter 1
Ethan
I circled the ATM machines—which had a line of people waiting to draw out the last of their money—for the hundredth time, trying to figure out where I was supposed to go.
The place was a damn maze, and none of the signs made any sense. Sure, the scenery was beautiful with the intricate gold trim surrounding expensive art pieces, but if I wanted to see art and beauty, I wouldn’t be in a casino. The noise, the smell of cigarettes and alcohol, the lack of sunlight—it all elicited the worst of my memories.
Why was I even there? Why did I keep trying to save someone who didn’t want to be saved?
Once again, Dad got caught cheating at cards, and once again, he expected me to bail him out. And that’s exactly what I was doing. Because I was weak and couldn’t bear to disappoint the man who had done nothing but disappoint me for my entire life.
When he called, I’d been in the middle of a shift at work, and of course, I jumped when he told me to and came to save his sorry ass. It wasn’t the first time and probably wouldn't be the last. I was very out of place there, wearing a pair of blue scrub pants and a scrub shirt with paw prints all over it. At least I hadn’t been in the middle of anything dirty, like cleaning the kennels.
I probably didn’t smell the greatest, but I didn’t smell like dogshit.
I still held on to a fraction of hope that this time would be different and my dad would finally call the number on the brochure I sent to him every week. Once I got him safely home, I’d start my lecture which included begging him to get help and then offering to take him to every meeting. I had hundreds of copies of the gambling addiction support group pamphlets on hand. I even had their number memorized for all the good it did me.
Then again, I wasn’t the person with the problem. Or maybe I was. I continued to bail him out.
When I got the call from the casino security, I should have just pretended it was a wrong number and ignored it. But they said he had two hours to pay his bill or he wouldn’t be leaving. Ever.
He must have gotten into some serious shit this time.
So, I came running with every penny I could scrounge up and was going to do the thing I promised myself I’d never do again. Enable his gambling addiction.
I glanced at my watch and saw that I had precisely twenty-two minutes left before they assumed his life wasn’t worth it to me. Fuck. Standing in the middle of a breezeway, I looked around at all the directional signs, trying to figure out where I was supposed to go.
They didn’t exactly label the holding cells for random people to find.
The guy on the phone told me to go past the lobby, but the lady at the front registration counter said I needed to go back by the cashier block. And the guy at the cashier block said I needed to wait by the elevators for someone to get me.
That was almost an hour ago.
I had better odds at winning a hand of blackjack than saving my father at the rate I was going.
I tried to call the number in my caller ID, but it just sent me to a voicemail. I’d already left three messages, so one more wouldn’t hurt.
“Can somebody please call me back? This is Ethan Madrone. I’m here to pick up my father, Marco Madrone. I don’t know where I’m supposed to go, so please call me back.” I hung up just as an angry-looking alpha strutted toward me.
Hopefully, he was the angry-looking alpha who would take me to my father so I could get his ass home.
“Is there something I can help you with?” The alpha wasn’t overly aggressive, but his stern features made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
The intense focus in his eyes caused my stomach to seize and my spine to straighten. I had the strange urge to obey his every command. “Hmm?”
“You look lost. Or confused. Or lost and confused.” His subtle grin melted away the tension, and his honey-smooth voice made my stomach flutter as my body leaned toward him.
Damn, he smelled good. Too good.
Now wasn’t the time for me to notice something like that, but then again, I really could use saving. For once, it would be nice if a big, strong alpha wrapped me in his arms and told me everything would be all right. It would be a first for me. This guy looked like the type who would hold me in one arm while fighting off an army in the other, but I shook away that silly fantasy.
Being saved by a hunky alpha wasn’t gonna happen. The only way to solve my problem was to do it myself.
“I’m looking for security.” I inhaled as deeply as possible, taking comfort in his scent. “My dad is being held here for…getting in trouble, and I’m supposed to bail him out. Do you know where I need to be?”
He looked me up and down before holding up a finger. “Wait right here, omega.”
“Ethan. Ethan Madrone.”
