Page 20 of Omega in Hiding

“Because,” I sputter. “I don’t think it is true. And even if it was, I’m only here to work.AndI… I’m just the manny. Paolo is aSyracuse.”

“So?” Alessio frowns. “What does that matter? Having someone to flirt with is fun. I’m not saying it has to go anywhere, but if he likes you, he likes you.”

Dario walks into the room at that moment. “Who likes who?” he asks distractedly, slumping down into the chair next to Alessio. He takes the apple out of Alessio’s hand and takes a bite before handing it back.

Dario’s arrival has me ready for a coronary. The last thing I want is Dario thinking I’m angling to seduce Paolo. That would be a disaster of epic proportions. He’d probably have me buried in the garden. “Nobody you know,” I say quickly.

Alessio looks confused by my answer, but he doesn’t try to clarify anything for Dario. Instead, he says, “I’m sending Connor and Baby Joesph to the park. I thought Paolo could go too. He needs a break. I think he’s overwhelmed.”

“Is he?” Dario looks disgusted. “That boy really seems to have no aptitude for this business. It’s disappointing.”

“There are other things to life,” I say, earning a grumpy glance from Dario. I should have kept my mouth shut, but his comment irked me. I think it’s a good thing that Paolo has interests beside his violent family business.

“Not for him, there isn’t. He was born a Syracuse and there’s no escaping that fact. He needs to grow up before Valentino loses patience with him.” Dario runs his fingers through his thick, dark hair. “But I see nothing wrong with Paolo taking a break. So long as he returns ready to work.”

“Great. I’ll tell him he can go.” Alessio smiles at me, winking.

Why is he winking?

Dario rumbles, “Be sure Enzo goes with them for security.”

Alessio is texting on his phone. “Already on it, dearest.”

Baby Joesph is napping and there’s a baby monitor on the table near me. When the red lights flicker and the baby’s wail comes through the little speakers, Alessio jumps up before I can.

“I’ll go,” he says, tucking his phone away. “I want to spend a few minutes with Baby Joesph. I’ve barely seen him all day.”

Dario scowls. “But I just sat down with you.”

Alessio smiles affectionately and hands his husband the half-eaten apple. “I know, but I’ve spent the day with you, working. You have to learn to share me, dear husband.”

“But I don’t want to share you.” Dario smirks.

Alessio leans down and kisses Dario, which seems to take the alpha by surprise. When the kiss ends, Dario looks a little twitterpated. “I’ll be back before you know it,” Alessio says, and he hurries out of the room.

Wrinkling his brow, Dario rumbles, “He tricked me.”

I smile to hide my nervousness. Now that Alessio is gone, unfortunately, that leaves me alone with Dario. He’s one of my least favorite people to be trapped with. He makes me jumpy, and today is no exception. He studies me with his brooding, hooded eyes, and my insides churn.

“So, who were you and Alessio talking about? And don’t tell me it’s somebody I don’t know. You’re a horrible liar, kid.” He leans back in his chair and it creaks alarmingly under the strain.

“Nobody important.” I avoid his gaze. He’s wrong about me. I’m not usually a bad liar. Just when it comes to Dario. He’s like a walking talking lie-detector machine. The minute he pins me with his dark eyes, I start sweating and twitching like a tweaker on meth. He has a darkness in him that reminds me of Patrick. I think that’s why he gets to me so bad.

He drops the legs of his chair down and he leans forward, mouth hard. “Isaiddon’t lie to me.”

“Alessio is wrong.”

“Aboutwho?” he rasps, eyes glittering with a silent threat. “I’ll just ask Alessio later. There’s no point in continuing to lie to me.”

Gritting my teeth, I confess, “He was talking about Paolo. But Alessio is dead wrong.”

Dario’s cheek twitches and I realize he didn’t have a clue who we’d been talking about. That took him by surprise. “Why is he saying that Paololikesyou?”

I grimace. “Because one of the guards was bothering me and Paolo suggested to Alessio that maybe the guy should be relocated. Alessio thinks Paolo was protecting me. I don’t think that’s what it was, but Alessio thinks that and there’s no convincing him otherwise.”

“Which guard?” Dario rumbles, anger painting his features. He now seems less concerned with Paolo and more focused on the guard situation.

“Guido.”

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