Page 68 of Omega's Vengeance

“I just told you what’s going on. I have my hands full at the moment.”

“No, I mean, why are you being like this all of a sudden? You’re being so cold.” His voice wobbles. “You left the hospital yesterday without even seeing if I was okay. What kind of alpha does that?”

I press my lips tight. He wants me dead, but he has the audacity to be pissed off that I didn’t hang around to dote on him? He’s miffed that I won’t drop everything to go pick him up? He’s unbelievable. He’s an entitled, spoiled brat. “Your ride will be there in an hour. Be ready.” I hang up.

I text one of my men about picking Alessio up. My hands tremble as I type. Just hearing Alessio’s voice has my body aching. Yearning to go to him. What the hell am I going to do? I’ve fallen for an omega who wants me dead. This is an impossible situation.

I can’t help but feel dumb. I allowed myself to believe he actually had feelings for me. Now I suspect he’s been secretly waiting for his chance to murder me. Am I supposed to marry him, knowing he wants me dead? That doesn’t exactly sound like a recipe for happiness. He could slit my throat while I sleep.

I should cancel the wedding. But then Valentino would be mad at me for fucking up his perfect little merger. I could always enter into the marriage with the understanding it truly is one of convenience. We could have separate rooms. Do I have it in me to suck it up and go through with the marriage for the sake of the merger? I worry my feelings for Alessio might make me too vulnerable.

Feeling muddled, I go back down into the basement. I’m extremely relieved when I find that Valentino has finally finished Carlo off. Two men come downstairs to carry Carlo’s body out of the basement. As they pass me, Carlo’s limp arm falls out from under the blanket that covers him. The gold band on his ring finger gleams, and I have a brief moment of pity for Carlo’s wife and daughter. Even if he was a bastard, they’ll grieve his death. They probably loved him.

As Valentino pulls off his gloves, he watches me. “You didn’t seem into it today.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

He shrugs. “I thought you’d enjoy watching Carlo get his comeuppance. Instead, you looked distracted the entire time. It almost took the fun out of it for me.”

“Sorry.” I grimace. “But, to be fair, you really strung this one out. I got bored.” I avoid his gaze as I begin wiping down the chair Carlo had been sitting in. I spray disinfectant on the metal folding chair, and crouch down with a clean rag in hand. I give great attention to the little nooks and crannies of the seat, hoping Valentino will move on to another subject.

He doesn’t.

“We spent three full days on that mobster from Detroit who was accused of molesting children,” murmurs Valentino. “I don’t recall you getting bored then.”

“That was different. He was an especially despicable character. We could have taken ten days with him and I wouldn’t have lost interest.” I stand and toss the dirty rag into the trash can where we burn things.

Valentino throws his gloves into the same refuse container. “I’m willing to listen if you need to… you know… talk.”

Surprised, I blink at him. “I don’t need to talk.”

“I don’t know, old pal. You were a hundred percent in with Alessio only hours ago. Now you’re moping around like your pet goldfish died.”

“I don’t have a pet goldfish.”

“Right. Because that was my point,” Valentino says under his breath.

I run a hand through my hair, feeling agitated. “I’ve been thinking.” I clear my throat. “With Alessio having surgery and all, we should probably postpone the wedding.”

Valentino grunts. “I don’t think so.”

I pin him with my irritable gaze. “It’s my wedding.”

“Kind of.” Valentino laughs. “You’re only marrying the kid because I want you to.”

I stuff down my annoyance. “I’m still the one getting hitched. What’s the harm in giving it a week?”

“Because I want to get things moving. The sooner the better.” He moves to the stairs, and I follow. “Are you getting cold feet?”

“When did I ever have warm feet?”

We reach the room above the basement. The space above the basement is a fully furnished gathering area where Valentino sometimes holds meetings for his capos. Valentino’s grandfather had the basement built for the express purpose of bringing people here when they needed to be punished. The apartment and basement are soundproofed, and not on the original blueprints of the house. Nobody but the most trusted members of the Black Knives know of its existence.

There’s a fridge in one corner where beverages are kept. Valentino goes to the fridge and returns to hand me a cold beer. He sits on one of the tan sofas, and watches me as I take a seat across from him.

“We’ve known each other a long time, Dario. You should be able to tell me what’s bugging you.” He drums his fingers on the arm of the couch.

“I told you nothing is wrong.”

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