Against All Odds Ch. 10

Lilian sat in her study, her fingers tapping impatiently on the polished mahogany desk as she waited on Lewis Abbot who was thumbing through documents in his brief case, looking for the report on Riley.

"Ah, here it is." He said, pulling out a single sheet of paper and holding it u for Lilian to see.

"What were you able to find out?" She asked, wasting no time in getting down to business.

"Honestly, not much." Lewis said, pushing his glasses up his nose as he glanced over the page. Lewis Abbot was a squat man in his late forties. Obviously a beta as he lacked any of the confidence and strength that every alpha seemed to possess. He was as round as he was short and had greasy black hair that was thinning on top. His choice of attire was a testament to years of deals gone wrong and bad bets made with shady people. His suit, a brown tweed, was just a bit too snug around his middle, and was faded and old. It had been repaired many times over the years but still managed to hold up somehow.

He cleared his throat, seeing the annoyed look on Lilian's face. "What I meant was, there isn't much to report on." He held the pages up to his face and began to read. Lilian listened intently as Abbot summarized his findings. Her expression grew increasingly troubled with each passing revelation.

"It seems that Mr. Hicks had a rather tumultuous upbringing." He began, his voice shaky and hesitant. "Riley Alexander Hicks, born October 23rd, 2002. Currently aged twenty-one. He was orphaned at five, and spent much of his childhood in foster care before ageing out eighteen. Parents, Jim and Eric Hicks, were killed in a car related accident on Kings Road. The cause of death was listed as accidental drowning though the cause of the accident is listed under suspicious circumstances."

Lilian's brow furrowed and she watched Abbot with a pinched expression. Her heart sank at the mention of Kings road. "His parents were killed on Kings road?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Abbot nodded. "That's right. Seems the car flipped into the river and there were trapped inside."

"When did this happen?" She asked, growing more uneasy the more she learned about the accident.

Abbot looked down at the sheet of paper again, searching for the answer to her question. "December 23rd, 2007." He told her. "The estimated time of the accident was around three am."

A chill ran down Lilian's spine as she realized the significance of the time and location of the accident. Kings road bordered the Reaney estate and was the same road where, sixteen years earlier, a terrible accident had occurred on the night of the Reaney's annual Christmas ball. Two people had been killed in that accident as well and Lilian suddenly realized by the name Hicks had seemed so familiar to her.

Everything immediately clicked into place. "My God." Lilian hissed, her nails digging into her hand as she made a fist. Quickly, she ripped the page out of Abbot's hand and scanned over the information he had gathered. There wasn't much, like he'd said, just bits of information that didn't mean all that much to Lilian, honestly.

From age five to eighteen Riley had been in seven different foster homes. He graduated high school and was immediately thrown out of the last home he'd been placed in. His case manager had arranged for a room at an omega boarding house and the was given a job at a local grocery store, cleaning after hours. He only lasted a month at the boarding house. Leaving was his choice because he refused to enter a mating house as many young and indigent omega's did. He was left homeless after that and then dismissed from his cleaning job.

For several months his whereabouts were unknown. Abbot suspected that Riley had slept on park benches or maybe even in ally ways, doing his best to avoid arrest for vagrancy. It was possible that he could have also stayed with friends but Abbot found that unlikely. Riley was a loner and a very sheltered person and had no friends that Abbot was aware of. Eventually though, Riley did get an apartment with another omega though how they met Abbot was unsure. They weren't really close and after a few months the other omega became mated and moved out. Riley couldn't afford the rent on his own and was again forced to become homeless.

He had worked several off jobs but none of them were permanent. Eventually he did find work at the Bright Star Motel. He had bartered with the owner to take a significant pay cut in exchange for a room behind the manager's office. "He was obviously sleeping with his manager." Lilian scowled. "Why else would he give a room to an omega."

"There's no indication of that." Abbot told her. "In fact, fro what I've been told, Mr. Hicks is a very private person. He's never had any serious relationships or sexual partners that anyone is aware of. He also has no criminal record. He's completely clean."

Lilian rolled her eyes. "All that means is that he hasn't been caught yet."

Abbot slouched back in his chair. He didn't agree with Lilian's assessment. From what he'd found out about Riley, he seemed to be a good and honest person. Of course, it would do no good to tell Lilian that. She'd already made her mind up about the boy and nothing that Abbot had to say was going to change that.

As Lilian read over the report, her eyes focused on one area in particular. Riley's room at the motel. Apparently he had announced to his manager that he was moving out of the room prior to even arriving at Reaney Hall. Lilian narrowed her eyes angrily, crushing the paper in her hand. She knew then that Riley had every intention of worming his way not only into Noah's life but into Reaney Hall itself. It was clear to Lilian that Riley was manipulating Noah to his own advantage, she just wasn't sure what his end game was.

"Something wrong?" Abbot stared at her suspiciously.

"No." Lilian snapped, her voice filled with ice. She tossed the report into the trash can then turned her chair around so her back was to Abbot. " You can see yourself out." She told him, coldly.

Abbot sighed as he pushed himself up from the chair. He snapped his brief case closed and then turned toward the door. "I assumed that the favor I owed you has been repaid. If you need further assistance, don't call me. I have no idea what you're scheming, but I want no part in it."

When Lilian didn't respond, Abbot shook his head and left the room, closing the door tightly behind him.

The revelation of who Riley was left Lilian reeling. Her mind began to race with questions that she didn't have answers to. Could Riley be seeking revenge for the death of his parents? Was his plan to blackmail the Reaney family? How much did he actually know about the night his parents had died? The questions swirled in her mind, fueling her growing suspicion of the young omega who had infiltrated their home and lives.

She needed answers. More answers than what Abbot's little report could offer but first, she had to get Riley Hicks out of her house and away from Noah. Lilian just couldn't shake the feeling that Riley was a danger, lurking in the shadows and waiting to destroy everything that she held dear.

Lilian gaze fell on an old picture of Stephen. With a heavy sigh she reached out and picked up the frame, tracing her thumb thoughtfully over his face as if seeking solace in the familiar contours.

"Oh, Stephen," she murmured softly, her voice filled with longing and sorrow. "I miss you, my love. I've been so lost without you. Our family is in jeopardy and I don't know what to do. You were always the strong one. You protected us. I wish you were here now."

As she spoke, a sense of loss washed over her, a painful reminder of the void that Stephen's absence had left in her heart. In that moment, she couldn't help but yearn for is guidance and strength, knowing that his presence would provide the comfort and reassurance that she so desperately craved.

With a heavy sigh, she placed the picture back on her desk, rose from her chair, and left the room. There were matters that needed her attention and she was never one to turn her back on a problem.

***

Riley was the problem. Everything had been fine before he'd shown up. Lilian had control of her house and family. Everything was perfect. Then, Riley had barged into their lives and turned everything on it's head. He was a nuisance, a pest. There was only one way to deal with a pest. Bait a trap and wait for the vermin to break their neck in it. The question now wasn't what to do but how. It would take some careful planning but Lilian was determined to catch herself a rat.

Feeling confident that she could solve this problem, this minor problem, Lilian got up from her chair and left the room. As she walked the nearly empty corridors of Reaney Hall, she was surprised to see Noah coming down the stairs. It was after twelve. He should have began his day hours ago. Lilian frowned. He had probably been wasting time with the omega. More and more that boy was becoming troublesome. He was a thorn in her side and he was digging himself in deeper with each passing day. It was time to put an end to this.

Lilian waited at the foot of the stairs. Noah hesitated for a moment when he saw her standing there. He let out a heavy sigh then slowly descended the stairs, stopping on the bottom step so that he was standing a good foot above Lilian.

"Mother." He greeted her. His tone was thick with suspicion as he looked his mother over, wondering what it was that she wanted with him now.

"Noah." Lilian said, her tone sharp and direct. "We need to talk."

Noah resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing it would only anger her. "Can this wait?" He asked. "I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"A hurry to get back to him?" Lilian raised an eye brow as she stared at Noah, her pinched expression and confrontational tone telling Noah that he was not about to get away from her without discussing the omega sleeping up stairs.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Noah told her. His hand gripped the railing tightly as he watched his mother's eyes narrow in annoyance. "Something's come up and Riley needs my attention. I really don't have the time for..."

"How long are you planning to let him stay here?" Lilian cut him off, her question direct and to the point.

Noah hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to answer. His first thought was, forever. That's what he hoped for anyway. "For as long as he wants." Noah said.

Lilian let out a huff as she shook her head. "That's unacceptable." She t0ld him. "He needs to be gone, as soon as possible."

"That's not your call to make." Noah crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at Lilian. Her eyes were cold as she stared back at him, unwavering and unforgiving.

"Do not forget whose house you are living in." Lilian warned. "I tolerate a lot from you, more than most would, but my patience is wearing thin. I want that boy out of this house by the end of the day."

Noah's jaw tightened. He pursed his lips, holding back the angry words that were threatening to spew forth. He wanted to yell, scream at her, put her in her place but he knew it would do no good. Throwing a tantrum like a child would only cause her to dig her heels in deeper. Lilian only responded to power and strength, not the whimpering of fools. Noah's gaze bore into her, his expression hardening as he stood firm, his devotion to Riley unwavering.

"That's not going to happen." Hew told her. "Riley is my mate and I intend to marry him. So, you had better just get used to the idea of him being here because he isn't going anywhere."

Lilian narrowed her eyes, not believing what she was hearing. "Are you so blind that you can't see the danger that boy represents? Not only to you but to our entire family?" She spat, her words dripping with venom. "Noah, he doesn't love you. The only reason he's here is to take advantage of you, to exploit your wealth and generosity."

Noah's jaw clenched as he listened to his mother spouting her outlandish accusations about the man he loved. With each word, each insult hurled in his direction, Noah became more determined than ever to prove Lilian wrong. "You know nothing." He shot back. "Riley isn't like that. If you would just take the time to get to know him you'd see just how wonderful he really is."

Lilian rolled her eyes, her disdain for the omega evident as she shook her head and scoffed at Noah's declaration. "Noah, open your eyes and for once see reality for what it is. I don't need to know him, I know his kind. You have no idea what he is capable of. You barely know him yourself. You've immersed yourself in this fantasy world where true love and happiness are handed to you on a silver platter but that is not the way the world works. This boy, he's dangerous. He's a danger to you and to me. He's a danger to everything that we've worked so hard to achieve."

Noah sighed, growing even more frustrated with every passing second. His expression softened as he looked at his mother. He knew she was only trying to protect him. She'd been protecting him his entire life. Shielding him from the preconceived dangers of the world outside by creating a safe little bubble for him to live in. That was fine when he was a child, before he knew about all the things he was missing out on but what had worked for Noah the child no longer worked for Noah the adult. He needed more. More than what his mother alone could offer him. He needed love. He needed companionship, he needed Riley.

"Mother, what we've built here has kept me isolated from the outside world for most of my life. I appreciate all you've done to keep me safe but I'm not a child anymore and I can not continue living in the shadows. None of us can. Why do you think Charley left and started a new life so far away from us? This house, it's like a vampire draining the light and life from the people living inside it. Our way of life may have worked in the beginning but not anymore. Our way of life has been broken for years."

Lilian clenched her fists at her sides, scowling. "It's that omega." She hissed. "He's put these ideas in your head. He's manipulating you, making you think things that aren't true. Noah, he's using you, can't you see that?"

Noah shook his head, sadly. "No. The only thing Riley's done is give me a reason to live. To keep fighting. I was a corpse when I first met him and he breathed new life into me."

"He's not good enough for you." Lilian persisted, her words sounding more desperate as she pleaded with Noah to see things her way. "He'll only bring you heartache and misery."

Noah sighed heavily, his eyes cast down to the floor as he shook his head, almost wearily as if the conversation had been a drain on him. "The only one who's brought me misery, Mother, is you."

Lilian's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape as she struggled to process what Noah had just told her. "You don't mean that." She said, her voice breaking with emotion. "Noah, please, tell me you don't mean that. Everything I've done has been for you, to protect you. I've given up my entire life for you."

Noah narrowed his eyes, angrily. "Don't blame me for how your life turned out." Noah told her. "I never asked nor demanded you give up anything. I didn't make you push Charley away and I didn't turn you into this angry, bitter, old woman you are today. You chose to stop living when Father died. For years I've blamed myself but not anymore. I was a child. I didn't know any better. I thought you were just so broken because you'd lost the man you loved but now I see that you're just a coward who refuses to go on living on her own. You always hid behind Father. You were his sparkling jewel but that spark went out when he died and you've never recovered. You can't hide behind me though, not anymore. It's time you learned to stand on your own. You have your life to live and I have mine. The difference is, I intend to live mine to it's fullest."

Noah felt a pang of guilt when he saw the broken look in his mother's eyes. He never wanted to hurt her, that wasn't his intention at all but he had meant every word he'd spoken to her. For years she had hidden behind the Reaney name and then behind Noah himself. She had played her role but she had played it from the background and shadows, forever behind the scenes where she was safe, where she was protected by anonymity. If something went wrong, there was always someone else to blame, someone else to clean up her messes.

Lilian Reaney never took responsibility for anything but she was always the one running the show. Noah had always listened to her because he thought she was always right. He thought she knew best and had his best interests at heart. Well, he didn't think that anymore and he knew that it wasn't his interests that she was looking out for, it was her own. She disliked Riley not because of who or what he was. She disliked him because of what he represented, change. A change in the cozy little life she had created for herself where she remained in control yet never got her hands dirty.

She knew with Riley in the picture, she would no longer have the control over Noah she'd once had. Noah no longer belonged to her and that loss of control, the loss of Noah, that terrified her more than anything.

"You have no idea what you're doing." Lilian told him. Tears filled her eyes and stained her perfectly made up face. Dark lines of mascara streaked her cheeks. Noah had never seen her so emotional. She never lost control. Seeing her in such a state was hard but Noah had to stand firm and not give in.

"You're throwing away everything and for what? For some nobody?"

"For love." Noah told her, his voice soft but unmoved by her pleas. "And, I'm not throwing anything away. Riley isn't going to destroy me, Mother. If anything, he's fixed me. I felt empty before he came here. I had nothing to live for. That's changed now. I love him. I love him more than I have ever loved anything in my entire life. If you ask me to give him up then you're asking me to stop living because I can't live without him. Is that what you want, Mother? Would you rather see me dead than happy?"

Lilian narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at Noah. "I think you're being a bit over dramatic."

"You think so?" Noah raised an eyebrow. "Or, maybe you just have no idea what it feels like to be in love."

"Don't mistake lust for love." She told him. "You've never had a lover before. I understand that you want to experiment. Fine, do what you need to but, when you're done, send him away. Alphas use omegas for sex all the time, they just don't marry them. When you're ready to settle down, find yourself a nice girl. An alpha or even a beta, but someone worthy to take your name. Not some used up omega from the streets. Can you imagine what people would say about us if you did actually marry him? It would cause a huge scandal."

"Is that all you care about?" Noah asked. "Your image?"

"Yours too." Lilian said. "There is no one in our world who will accept that boy as your mate and spouse. You'll lose the respect of your peers, your investors, everyone. You'll be ruined. Are you ready to lose everything because of him?"

"Now who's being overly dramatic?" Noah stepped off the stairs and stood beside his mother. "I don't want to fight with you, Mother, but you're not going to change my mind. Riley isn't going anywhere. He's a part of my life now and if you want to continue being a part of my life you're just going to have to accept that."

"I'll never accept him." Lilian said, her stance on the matter firm and unyielding.

"Then, I suppose there's nothing left for us to talk about." Noah turned and began walking away from her, down the hall, leaving Lilian standing at the foot of the stairs, alone.

"You're making a mistake." She called after him. "A huge mistake. Just wait. You'll see that I'm right."