Page 7 of Merciless & Mated

“Small miracles.”

“Are you going to hurt me?” she asked point-blank.

“That depends on how hard you fight me. My preference is that you don’t despise me if we’re going to be stuck together for a lifetime.”

A whole lifetime with her…What the fuck would that even be like? I’d never truly imagined sharing my life with anyone, and certainly not at the behest of my boss. But that was the situation ahead of me.

“Fat chance of that, asshole.” She was like a hissing kitten, so eager to show me she wasn’t to be messed with even though it would be so easy to scoop her up. Part of me wanted to take the time to coax her into sheathing those claws permanently, show her she didn’t have to fight anymore. I would protect her now. Still…I couldn’t help but wonder why Bianca insisted on a bond. Marrying Gianna would serve an alliance just fine, but a bond would open us up to each other. Maybe it was simply another way for her to control me, get me attached to this omega and use her for leverage against me if it ever became needed. I had never done anything to make Bianca question my loyalty, but if she were paranoid, my actions would make no difference. In either case, I intended to protect Gianna from her. Neither of us had a choice, but as the alpha it was my job to keep her safe.

“If you want to make this experience miserable for yourself, then that’s up to you.” I rose up and pushed open the door to the en suite bathroom. “Wash up.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“Stay disgusting if you want. That won’t stop me from taking you when your heat starts.”

Her gaze burned with fury. “Fine. But you’re staying out here.”

I let out a laugh. “It’s cute that you think you can give orders here. Why try to delay the inevitable? I’m going to see every inch of you soon enough.”

She didn’t answer, but her peach tea scent sharpened before she hopped up and stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. I didn’t move right away, waiting until I heard the sound of the water running, and then that sound muffled from her stepping underneath it. I gave her some time to settle and put in an order for food before I opened the door to make sure she wasn’t doing anything stupid.

Gianna’s shoulders tensed. The water around her feet was tinged gray, but her skin was mostly clean now, the soft pink more prominent. Her hair hung soaked and straight down her back, and her arms were crossed over her chest. “What do you want?”

“I’m allowed to check on my mate-to-be.”

“You’d better be showering too when I’m done. Who knows when the last time Bianca Gallo hosed you down was.”

Gianna’s little viper’s tongue was because she was scared, and that made the barbs easier to take. She was testing boundaries, seeing how I would react. I didn’t want to hurt her, but I did need her to come to heel so this situation wasn’t dragged out for too long.

I took the challenge, shucking my clothing; while it wasn’t nearly as dirty as hers, it was better on the floor than on my skin. “If you pull another stunt like you did at the warehouse, you’re going to regret it. I’ll overlook some of your behavior because of the circumstances, but it’s not going to continue.”

Gianna nodded sharply, her whole body vibrating with tension as I crowded her into the shower and stepped under the spray. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Your ignorance is showing.”

“Why me?”

“I already told you why.”

“So, that’s it? Bianca tells you to bond me and you do it?”

“Yes.”

Refusing risked too much. And maybe I was eager for the chance at a partnership I never thought Bianca would allow for her inner circle. Gianna needed a protector. I couldn’t think of a good reason why that person shouldn’t be me.

She stared at me for a long moment, disappointment and exhaustion plain in her eyes. “That’s a sad fucking life, Marco. How many omegas do you have already?”

“None. You’ll be my first.”

“Lucky me, getting to be the first of your harem.”

I couldn’t necessarily guarantee she’d be my only omega because I didn’t have a fucking clue what Bianca had planned for the future. Tying all the families together using her inner circle to bond omegas in various families wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

I planted an arm on each side of Gianna and she shrank against the tile. “Be glad you’re a prize and not a toy. A lot of the men like to break their toys, but not many would cross me to fuck with my mate.”

“That sounds like you’re looking for a thank you.”

“Just explaining the reality to you. Once we leave here, you’re mine and you don’t have to worry about anyone else except those above me in the hierarchy.”

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