Page 107 of Fallen Omega

“You’re getting rid of me,” I breathe.

Irritation flashes on Dante’s face. “No, I’m not. And even if I wanted to, I don’t think I should. You’re important to the Council.”

“But…you said…”

He cuts his eyes to me. “I said she kept it vague as shit. She talked of kids looking for adventure, troublemakers and how places like this could fall under the Council’s watchful eye. There was a lot of other crap, but when someone comes in with all that? Then they’re looking for you. So, Angel, you’re stuck with us, and we’re stuck with you.” His gaze travels over me. “If you’re wanted by them, you’re useful to us.”

Not exactly words of kindness. Then again, Dante never said he was going to offer me that. I nod. “Like a bargaining chip.”

The corner of his mouth rises. “Maybe.”

Knight’s displeasure thickens the room’s tension. “Dante?—”

“Shut up, Knight,” he says.

“Fucking Council,” Reaper says. “But if Lizette’s importantthen she should stay with us, where we can protect her, and we need to get to the bottom of why.”

“Because I’m an omega?”

All of them look at me and Knight speaks. “No. It’s because they’re showing interest. More than they would normally, from jumping on you the moment you came to their attention and the mate they found you, to turning up here, where you showed up.”

“One’s a coincidence, if you believe in them. Two,” Reaper says, “isn’t.”

“In the meantime, Angel no longer works upstairs.” Dante crosses his arms. “She just works down on the second floor. There’s plenty to do.”

I perk a little. I’d love a chance not to be the busser. He hasn’t brought up the singing rule so hopefully he’s dropped that. I’m not bringing it up. “Can I waitress?”

“They wear skimpier outfits.” Dante raises his brows.

“I don’t care.” I look at him in defiance. “They’re just clothes. I’ll do it.”

Dante pushes off the table. “The patrons often touch the waitstaff. You? No fucking way. We can’t let them touch you.”

I glare at him. “What if I want them to?”

There’s a ripple in the air, and it hackles with anger. I can prick my skin with the sharpness of the spikes.

“No fucking touching.” Dante’s voice is low and dangerous silk, the kind a man might let brush over skin before wrapping it tight around a woman’s neck to choke her into orgasm, or unconsciousness. I swallow. “Or you’ll really understand the word trouble.”

I don’t really want anyone touching me so I just nod.

I amend that. I don’t want anyone butthemtouching me.

“I don’t want her waitressing,” snaps Knight. “Too risky.”

“No one gets in without being vetted.” Reaper’s words are almost lost by the scrape of his lighter. A curl of smoke hits the air.

“Guess that brings us to the fucking birds and bees talk, kids,” Knight says as he looks heavenward. “We need ground rules.”

“Rules?” Reaper asks.

Dante nods. “I caught him knuckle deep in her pretty pussy and her coming all over his fingers yet again, so unless we want a permanent bond, or worse, fucking spawn?—”

I wince. “Spawn?—”

“Unless we want that shit,” Dante says, ignoring my sputter. “We need ground rules.”

“I don’t want children,” I snap. “I don’t want to be treated like a baby machine. I just want to live and make my own choices.”

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