Ric held out the tablet to me and I took it, looking down at the image of a man’s bruised and battered body. He was clearly unconscious and naked from the waist up. A hand was visible in the picture holding the man’s limp arm up so that they could get a shot of the tattoo. It was of an upside down triangle with a bracket hovering just above the flat top.
“It’s the symbol of Veles.” Ric provided for me even though we both knew that I already knew what it was. I’d seen it enough as a teenager when I’d worked as one of my grandfather's men on the bodies of those who my grandfather eliminated during one of the bloodiest wars that the Russo family had ever experienced.
“Fucking Volkov.” I growled and tossed the tablet down onto my desk with a thud. “It wasn’t bad enough that he’s been screwing with my businesses but now he’s sending men to break into my house?”
I had spent the past seven years working tirelessly to bring Russo Enterprises into the modern era without all of the trappings of it’s mafia past and by and large I’d been successful. Except for Alexei motherfucking Volkov. He’d been a thorn in my side every step of the way, trying to pull me and mine back into the crime lifestyle. In his opinion you didn’t leave the life until you literally left your life by dying.
But the why wasn’t so important as the how, “I want a complete security workup of the house. I want to know how the sensors on Eloise’s windows were the only ones that were shut off and I want to know how Volkov knew exactly which window was hers.” Just the thought of Eloise being dragged into all of this bullshit was nearly enough to make me want to call the omega academy and call this whole thing off—membership be damned.
Apparently that last thought was clear on my face because Ric leaned over until he was eye level with me, “Don’t even think about it Leon. We’re not sending her back. No fucking way.”
“Even if it’s safer for her in the confines of the academy?” I may not have full control over my reactions and feelings for the omega but I knew that she was in danger. My instincts were riding me hard to protect her and I couldn’t help but think she’d be safer within the academy walls.
“Just try telling that to Gage. You have to see that he’s head over heels for her already.”
That was just the problem. Gage couldn’t be objective around her.
“And you?” I asked and Ric gave a great heaving sigh before throwing himself into the chair in front of my desk.
“If she asked me to jump off of the golden gate bridge into the open mouth of a shark, I’d do it. Does that tell you all you need to know?”
It did. I had watched over the past three weeks as we all seemed to be caught in the omega’s orbit. Myself included. I could have just ignored her but had found myself starting arguments with her just so we could volley our points back and forth. She was whip smart and not afraid to stand up to me. Owen had brightened up considerably since she’d come, not spending most of his time in his room on his computer or in his office at work. Even Dominic had started to show up more for meals—prior to Eloise’s arrival he’d spent most nights out at the clubs and at fancy dinners with clients.
“Leon, I know you have a lot of hangups about omegas and honestly? It’s about more than just omegas. You’ve kept us all at an arm's length for the entire time you’ve known us.”
I opened my mouth to argue but Ric just held up a hand, “No, let me finish. I’ve known you for almost sixteen years. Gage has known you for over twenty. We’re your best friends and we know you better than anyone. We’ve noticed that even though you are beyond happy when Owen is around you still haven’t bonded with him. What do you think is going to happen? It’s like you are waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
I was completely unready for this conversation. How does one respond to a question like that? I loved Owen. But had I ever said it to him before? I raked through my memories of our time together and realized that… no I hadn’t.
“I’m not waiting for the other shoe to drop…” My mouth was moving faster than my thoughts and I just trailed off.
“Do you think we’re going to leave you, Leon? That you’re going to wake up one day and be all alone?” Ric looked incredibly sad at the thought, his dark eyes shining a bit as he stood and gave my shoulder a pat.
I gave a shuddering breath before responding, “No, yes, I don’t know Ric. You don’t understand what it’s like to wake up and be completely alone. How can I put myself in the position to be like that ever again?”
“You’re right, I don’t know what that’s like. But do you know who might? Owen and Eloise. Both of them woke up one day and were on their own—in different ways yes—but if anyone around us knows your feelings best it would be them. Give Owen and Eloise a chance to show you that you won’t be alone anymore.”
Ric gave my shoulder a final squeeze before heading for the door and stopped before opening it, “And Leon? Just know if you go through life expecting everyone to leave you, you can’t be surprised when you wake up one day and they all have.”
22
I was sitting at the island in the kitchen working on my computer when Eloise and Gage finally made their way downstairs. Both had wet hair and sheepish expressions on their face as they rifled through the fridge for a snack. It took my tired brain a few minutes of watching how they moved around each other, their fingers brushing against each other every chance that they got for me to realize what had happened when we left Gage upstairs earlier this morning.
“Holy shit.” I gasped louder than I had intended to, drawing the eyes of the couple in question, “You two totally had sex.”
Eloise’s cheeks pinkened as she spread mayo over a slice of bread.
Excitement coursed through my body and I could help but jump off of my stool and hop up and down. This was the thing that we’d been waiting for—for Eloise to accept one of us completely. I also totally won the bet that I had going with Ric. I knew our gentle giant would charm the pants off of our omega, literally.
“Thank you for announcing that to everyone in the house, Owen.” Eloise poked me in the ribs with a sharp finger and I rubbed the sore spot.
“It’s fine, no one else is in the house.” Gage rumbled from behind her as he sliced tomatoes at the opposite counter.
“Still. Is it too much to ask for some privacy?” Eloise closed her sandwich which was, as usual, plain with just meat and cheese.
I gave her ponytail a playful tug, “Sorry, I just got excited. But I guess I should be upset: does this mean no more cuddle sessions on the couch?” I was going to cry if she only wanted Gage. I’d been patient over the past two weeks since the gala but the memory of her kiss had been burned permanently into my memory. I swear I was going to wear Leon down into a wrinkled husk if Eloise didn’t want to have anything to do with me now.
Thankfully Eloise put my fears to rest, “As if I would miss our cuddle sessions.”
