Page 49 of Foxy Filthy Omega

Leo couldn’t see it or he’dknowand he was not the kind of person I trusted to deal with that kind of knowledge.

He could use it against me.

Or for me. It was hard to tell really.

And the worst part? I didn’t deserve his devotion.

My years of pretending I wasn’t a legacy were over. This was my life again. I could never forget that.

I was Francesca Catori Valeska Lopez and any sign of weakness as an alpha could mean my death, or the death of those I’ve agreed to protect.

But without Lucy…I was lost.

He was right. I was pathetic.

The person I’ve defined my entire existence around for the last fifteen years no longer needed me. I had no purpose and no one could ever truly understand how I was feeling right now other than Leo.

But I couldn’t lean on him. Not after everything I’ve done to him. I didn’t deserve it.

“You’re so good at this. Never letting yourself actually feel anything.” The barrel of my gun slid down my face to the corner of my mouth, pressing so hard the metal pinched my skin between my teeth and the gun. “You numb all the pain by hiding from the truth. It’s just as infuriating as I remember.”

My heart beat slowly. Each breath was rhythmic. Easy. My skin was cold and the sweat was gone. Even my head felt insulated like there was cotton candy around my brain and in my ears.

Rotting my insides.

“You made me into who I am,” Leo reminded me. “You love to deny it though. Like none of it ever happened. But we both know the truth, don’t we?”

He shoved the gun in between my lips, angry when I refused to react.

“You filled me up with all your rage…look at what you did to me, Frankie. Look at what I’ve done with all the pieces you broke.” His thumb slid into my mouth next, forcing my jaw open.

Even now he was gentle, careful not to shatter my teeth as he forced the barrel of my own gun into my mouth.

His psychotic tenderness made my throat ache and the cotton candy started to melt.

“You left me hopeless. Took everything I was and shattered it. Then I took all those pieces and became what you wanted me to be and yet…you still won’t look at me.”

I could taste gunpowder, steel andmint.

My head started throbbing and the ache in my throat grew until I thought I would choke on it.

“I hope you’re proud of what you’ve created, Frankie – of what I’ve become.” Leo pressed the metal down on my tongue but all I could taste was the ice-cold mint of his agonizing fury. “I didn’t come back just because I was ordered to, but to show you what kind of monster I became.Yourmonster.”

Salt joined the taste of mint and I hated him for this – for being the only one who’s ever been able to force me tofeeleverything I tried to ignore.

A hand around my throat forced my chin up, making me choke on the gun when he shoved it in even farther but I stared blankly at the ceiling instead of him.

His answering growl made me feel like that little girl again, terrified of the creature staring at me like I was everything and nothing, but this time I couldn’t hide behind my father.

“Look at me.” His deep voice was laced with one of the most powerful alpha commands I’ve ever felt. “Look at what you did to me.”

My eyes dropped to his against my will and all I could see was the pain I’d caused – the volatile insanity I’d nurtured.

“I’m not what I used to be, Frankie.” He slid his finger onto the trigger and gave me a wide grin. “I’m so much worse now and it’s all thanks to you.”

He really was so much worse and I wanted to feel bad but…how could I? He was perfect.

Leo leaned down, his cool breath tickling my face. “So thank you. Thank you for giving me a reason to be the monster I always wanted to be. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

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