Page 11 of The Omega Accountant

"We do."Thewords fell between us, heavy with finality.

The car rolled to a stop at the front entrance whereVincenzowaited, my father's most loyal shadow.Hiseyes registeredLuca'spresence with calculated neutrality before settling on me.

"Your father awaits in the dining room.TheSouzadelegation arrived ten minutes ago."

Of course they had.Myfather would orchestrate this dinner like the political theater it was—the potential alliance displayed for my benefit, the pressure applied from all sides.Whathe couldn't anticipate was my own maneuver, the accountant sitting silently beside me who had unwittingly become my most powerful piece on the board.

"Perfect timing,"Isaid, exiting the car and extending my hand toLuca, a gesture that wasn't lost onVincenzo.Theold consigliere's eyes narrowed fractionally—a microscopic tell that would have been invisible to anyone who hadn't grown up watching for the slightest sign of impending violence.

Luca hesitated only a moment before taking my hand, his fingers cool against mine.Ifelt the slightest tremor there, the only indication of the fear he otherwise mastered completely.Hiscontrol impressed me—an omega walking into an alpha stronghold with nothing but my word as protection.Eithervery brave or very foolish.Perhapsboth.

"Stay close,"Imurmured as we followedVincenzothrough the grand foyer, my thumb brushing once acrossLuca'spulse point.Theanswering spike in his scent—honey sharpening to something brighter—confirmed whatIalready knew.Hisbody recognized mine on a level beyond conscious thought, just as mine had cataloged his scent weeks ago in that hallway encounter.

The dining room doors opened to reveal the assembled players in my father's game:DonCorvinoat the head of the massive oak table, regal in his aging power;SofiaSouzaand her fatherEmiliopositioned strategically at his right; various captains and their mates arranged in descending order of importance.Alleyes turned to us as we entered, a collective assessment that shifted rapidly to confusion as they registeredLuca'spresence at my side.

My father's face hardened to granite as he took in our clasped hands, the proprietary wayIpositionedLucaslightly behind my right shoulder.Themessage was clear to anyone who understood our world's silent language—this was no employee, no random dinner guest.

"Matteo."Myname in my father's mouth sounded like the first warning before gunfire. "Iwasn't aware you were bringing a guest."

I guidedLucaforward, my hand settling at the small of his back.Thetouch was deliberate, measured—a gesture of possession that would be unmistakable to every alpha in the room. "Nota guest,Father.Myclaimed omega."

The words dropped into the silence like a bomb, detonating in waves of reaction around the table.Sofia'sperfectly manicured nails dug into her napkin.EmilioSouza'sface flushed with angry disbelief.Myfather's expression registered nothing for three heartbeats, then transformed into something cold and vicious.

"Perhaps we should discuss this privately," he suggested, voice deceptively mild.Theunderlying threat would have made lesser men wither.

"Nothing to discuss."Ipulled out a chair forLuca, positioning him two seats down from my father—close enough to demonstrate conviction, far enough to provide some buffer from theDon'srage. "Theclaiming paperwork was filed this afternoon.It'salready done."

A technical truth.Thepaperwork had been filed, though the physical claiming—the bite that would transfer my scent permanently intoLuca'sbloodstream—hadn't yet occurred.Adetail my father would discover soon enough, but not beforeI'destablishedLuca'sposition beyond legal challenge.

Luca sat with remarkable poise, back straight, eyes carefully lowered—the perfect picture of omega submission thatIknew from our interactions was entirely performative.Thesubtle defiance hidden beneath his compliance only heightened my appreciation for his complexity.

I took my own seat, reaching for the wine glass already filled. "Ibelieve we were discussing family business?"

EmilioSouzarecovered first, years of mafia negotiations giving him the control to smooth his expression into something approaching diplomatic. "Congratulationswould seem to be in order," he said, eyes calculating. "ThoughIadmit some surprise, given our recent discussions."

"Circumstances change,"Ireplied, lifting my glass in a mock toast.

My father's knuckles whitened around his knife handle. "Indeedthey do."Hisgaze shifted toLuca, assessing him with the cold precision that had ended many men's lives. "Mr.Bianchi, isn't it?Fromaccounting?"

Luca raised his eyes, meeting theDon'sstare with surprising steadiness. "Yes, sir."

"How convenient."Thewords dripped with venom. "Myson finds himself an omega just as financial irregularities emerge in our records."

I feltLucatense beside me, his scent souring slightly with anxiety despite the suppressants.Myown anger rose in response—protective instinctsI'dnever experienced with such intensity surging beneath my calculated exterior.

"The irregularities were discovered byLuca,"Icorrected smoothly. "Andreported to me directly.Whichyou'd know if you'd bothered to review the evidence before making accusations."

Carlo, positioned at the far end of the table, caught my eye with a subtle warning.Toofar.ButI'dcrossed the line deliberately, forcing my father's hand.Eitherhe would erupt now, in front of witnesses who would carry tales of family discord back to their own territories, or he would contain his rage until we were alone.Eitherscenario served my purpose.

My father chose containment, his smile a slash of white teeth against olive skin. "Familydinner seems an inappropriate venue for accusations of any kind."Heturned toSofia, whose perfect composure had fractured just enough to reveal the wounded pride beneath. "Myapologies for the confusion, my dear.Itseems my son has made his choice without consulting the family's interests."

Sofia's answering smile was frigid. "Noapology necessary,DonCorvino.Somemen prefer... simplicity."Hergaze flicked dismissively overLuca, assessing and discarding him in one contemptuous glance.

The dinner progressed through its courses like a carefully choreographed battle.Conversationflowed around business interests and territory disputes, everyone pretending not to notice the seismic shift that had occurred withLuca'sintroduction.Ikept him within my orbit, my hand occasionally brushing his arm or shoulder—establishing my claim through touch, reinforcing the message to every alpha present:mine.

Luca played his part perfectly, speaking only when addressed directly, his responses intelligent but measured.Whatthe others couldn't see was the sharpness in his eyes, the way he absorbed every exchange, every nuance of power dynamics around the table.Theaccountant was cataloging information, storing it away with the same precision he applied to financial records.

When the final course had been cleared, my father stood, signaling the end of the formal dinner. "Matteo, a word in my study."Nota request.

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