Page 15 of Desperate Decisions

The sound of the buzzer woke her and she lifted a groggy head, blinking rapidly. “What’s happening?”

“I invited a friend over. Get dressed.”

“Fuck you. You can’t just invite people to my place.”

“And yet I did.” I climbed out of the nest and pushed the button to let them in. “Dress faster.”

Amara cursed me to hell and back as she snatched clothing out of her dresser and pulled it on hastily. I only bothered with my pants. I answered the knock at the door, letting Marco and a wide-eyed Gianna into the apartment. Amara peeked out of the bedroom and I gestured for her to join me.

“I have so many questions,” said Marco.

“You’re going to have to keep them because I only have so many answers.”

Gianna bounced on her toes. “I can’t believe you actually listened.”

I raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

“I joked when you were heading to the airport that you should come back from Italy with a bride so I wouldn’t have to be lonely?”

“Sorry, but who the fuck are you two?” Amara asked.

“Marco and Gianna. Marco is another underboss under Bianca. Gianna is obviously his omega.”

“And why are they in my apartment?”

I wrapped my arm around her waist in a warning grip. “Would you rather figure out a plan yourself?”

“Why do we need a plan?”

“Remember that whole worst-case scenario I mentioned for if Bianca is pissed enough over the bonding?”

“Oh…right.”

“Fucking shit,” said Marco. “How the fuck are we supposed to keep Bianca from being pissed? You went and got yourself bonded without permission?”

“Not intentionally,” I replied.

“How did this happen?” Gianna asked. “Didn’t you go there to deal with your grandma’s estate? Was this, like, a whole deathbed proposal situation?”

I tilted my head, considering. “No, but I wonder if that would work. I’m not sure how hard Bianca would look into the connections. Maybe a lie that Nonna wanted me to take care of Amara would be enough to forestall some of Bianca’s anger.”

“I’m not sure her love of Nonna Gallo would extend that far into benevolence over this situation.” Marco sighed, his hands on his hips as he thought. “Does she come with anything Bianca can use?”

“Rude,” Amara snapped.

I ignored the outburst and said, “Her father is a drug runner in Rossi territory.”

“Okay. We can work with that. I’m pretty sure it’s the lack of permission that’s gonna piss her off the most, but it’ll be good to have some things to soften the blow.”

“I need your help in figuring out why this happened too,” I said to Marco. “You’re good at getting information. Figure out how someone could get bonded without a heat.”

“What do you mean without a heat?”

“Whatever the hell it was that happened only lasted a few hours. If I knew of any drug that would do that and allow for a bonding that we both got slipped for some reason, I would assume it was that. But honestly I have no fucking clue.”

“I’ll look into it,” Marco promised. “I know there’s some pretty illegal research into heat inducers the clubs are wanting, but I don’t think they’re available outside of the States.”

“Good to know.”

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