My pack has two females to protect now. We’re clearly spread too thin. I’m a goddamned liability! How can I help our pack?
Crawling to the shower, I reach up and turn on the water, sitting on the tile floor until I can calm down. My heart is still pounding as I talk myself through the motions of washing my hair and body, reminding myself that the sooner I’m clean, the sooner I can dig into the mysterious omega in the living room.
When Nico came home after his date with Rosalia, I knew there was something wrong, but he tackled me as soon as he was through the front door. He reminded me we had unfinished business, and picked me up into a fireman’s carry as I grinned.
My stepbrothers reached for their headphones, knowing we would be fucking it out, and Nico locked us in our bedroom. I bit his throat the second his dick was deep in my ass, while hetold me how much he loved me. It was perfect, but now I’m wondering how much he didn’t tell me about that day.
The bond is changing between us now that I’m an omega, making it stronger as I collapse on the bench. It’s built in and fun to fuck on, I simply didn’t make it here when I first crawled in here.
My head drops back as I focus on how worried Nico is, and the way he’s struggling to figure out what all of this means. I doubt I’m making this any better, and I send loving thoughts in his direction. I need to be a good partner to him, regardless of my designation. We’ve always been attached at the hip, but this forced marriage has thrown me for a loop.
Rosalina and Verona are going to need support too. They don’t need my bullshit. I know Nico loves me.
“It’s awfully loud in your head,” Nico grunts, forcing my eyes open as I glance his way.
“The door was locked,” I remind him, noting that it no longer is.
“Not to me. Are you planning to grow roots in there?”
“Maybe. My thoughts are just as loud in here as they were before though. At least I’m not covered in slick.”
“I think that’ll be fun to explore later, but we may need to invest in slick wicking boxers so we can keep your slick for me.” Nico shifts against the wall as he thinks before adding, “And Verona. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with my brothers. That’s for them to figure out, Pablo.”
“I don’t want your brothers,” I deny, rubbing my face. “I can’t just go around collecting Domino men.”
Nico barks out a laugh, pushing himself away from the wall as he grabs a fluffy towel for me.
“We’re hot,” he smirks, opening the door to the shower and turning off the water. “No one would blame you if you did, least of all me. I was immediately yours, designation or not. I noticedtheir reactions when they were in the car. They’re not talking yet, but they’re both terrible at keeping secrets.”
Groaning, I step out of the stall and take the towel. “What do we think about secrets that can’t stay hidden?”
“I think that Rosa is someone whose secrets have secrets. She plays things very close to the chest, while I somehow manage to vomit my truths in her direction without meaning to. I want her to trust me with the darkness that surrounds her.”
“Have you noticed how sad she seems to be?” I ask, wrapping my towel around my waist once I’m dry.
“Yes. It never seems to go away.” Nico is silent for what feels like forever though it’s not, giving me time to drag on a pair of joggers and a long sleeved shirt. It’s freezing in this house due to the outside temperature being so hot.
Ciro keeps the air conditioning as low as he can to combat it.
“Spill it,” I insist, climbing onto the bed as I grab my computer. “Do you think digging into the security feeds is a mistake?”
“I think Rosa may hate us for it…” Scrubbing the side of his face, he drops onto the bed beside me. “I also don’t believe she’ll ever tell us in time for us not to further scar her. We can’t fuck up when it comes to Rosa and Verona. There will need to be a very adult conversation once they’re both coherent. However, it’ll be a few hours before that can happen.”
“Dig it is.”
Turning on my computer, I begin by hacking into the cameras closest to the Accetta property. It shows cars returning to the estate, and I hum under my breath as I continue working. It takes me a full thirty minutes to break into Don Accetta’s security system, and that’s because he left a small back door open.
If he hadn’t hired in house, I’m sure that wouldn’t have happened. It’s a rookie mistake, one that could have been avoided, but it benefits me.
My morals aren’t the best. I’m not an ethical hacker, though I only do it when it’ll profit or protect my family. I never thought to look at my stepfather for dirt because he scared the shit out of me, but now that he’s dead, I’ve found a ton of damning evidence on his computer. Nico is still working through the information, while I threatened to bleach my eyes after staring at the registries of children he had for a small group of his friends to fuck and abuse.
My shudder is soothed by Nico’s hand rubbing my back and he murmurs, “Don’t think about Dad. I’ll work through the records myself.”
“I…want to help,” I sigh. “Even if it’s setting up some kind of charity to support children who have been assaulted and abused. I stick my head in the sand when things get difficult, and I don’t want to be that person anymore.”
“Really?” There’s so much shock in his voice that I flush with embarrassment. Ugh, I really am fucking useless. “Shh. That’s not what I meant, Pablo. It’s a happy surprise that you want to help. I’ve been a little overwhelmed with the correct steps to help those affected by my father. I’m aware some of these children are now adults, and it’s almost more complicated to approach them. I don’t want to rip open wounds that they’d rather keep closed.”
“I also doubt they have any idea your father was in charge of setting up these events with the Taylors. These are things out of a nightmare instead of real life…”
