Page 82 of Omega in Hiding

When I don’t respond he stands up. “I’ll just go check what kind I used.” He leaves the room.

I drink some more of the milk, and then I pick up the sandwich. I sniff it and frown. My smell is kind of off with my pregnancy, so I’m not sure if what I’m smelling is what I’m really smelling. I decide to wait for Paolo to return.

When he comes in, Paolo looks sheepish. He’s carrying another plate with another sandwich on. He takes the plate that he gave me first, and replaces it with the other plate. “Um… It would appear, your Majesty, that I accidentally used jalapeno peppers on your peanut butter sandwich earlier.”

I bug my eyes. “Jalapeno’s?How would you get those confused with pickles?” I touch my burning lips, and I can’t help laughing. “They’re very h… hot.”

“I’m sorry. The jars all looked all the same to me.” He grimaces. “This one is correct, I swear. I double and triple checked that it said dill pickles on the jar.”

“I appreciate you making me a second sandwich.” I hold out my hand to him. “You didn’t even have to make me any sandwich.”

“I wanted to.” He leans over and kisses me and then widens his eyes. “Oh, shit. That kiss burned my lips too. I’m so sorry, Connor. You must be in pain.”

“No. It’s fading. It actually tasted kind of good. It was just burning my lips off, that’s all.” I start laughing and tears seep out of my eyes.

“Oh, that’s all? It was just burning your lips off?” he starts laughing too. “Well, I happen to like your lips, so please don’t eat any more of that sandwich.” He sets the plate with the offending sandwich on the nightstand.

I take a bite of the new sandwich and give him a thumbs up. He slumps with relief, and climbs on the bed. He sits beside me with our shoulders touching, and he watches me eat my sandwich.

Despite my lips almost melting off, I’m happy as a clam. I lived alone for many years, always terrified that my family would hunt me down. Every moment was tainted by the fear that they’d find me somehow. It’s weird to think I don’t have to fear that any more. Even though my crazy family did eventually find me, my alpha protected me.

Now here I am, sitting in bed, pregnant, eating a peanut butter and pickle sandwich. The sun is shining through the curtains, and my alpha is beside me. We had a rough road finding each other, but we’re here now.

Enjoying a perfect morning.

Chapter Eighteen

(Four Months Pregnant)

Paolo

Sometimes you have to keep secrets for the mental health of your omega.

I haven’t let Connor know anything about what has been going on with his family. Since the day I took Connor from their clutches, the Black Knives have been receiving threats every few days from the Murphy Clan. They’ve vowed to murder Connor and our baby. They’ve sworn no mercy for Connor or the unborn child. They want Connor’s blood spilled, andnothingelse will satisfy them.

In the Italian syndicate, we have a Commission. It’s a governing body to mediate disputes and oversee operations among the major Mafia families. But the Irish don’t have that. If they did, we’d petition them to get Seamus and Patrick under control. But they don’t have a Commission so we can’t get those two back on their leashes.

The Irish mobs aren’t like the Italian mobs. They lack structure. The Italian mobs are highly structured with a clear hierarchy. We have a boss, underboss, capos, soldiers, and associates. The Irish are organized more loosely, with individual gangs often operating independently. Their leadership is less formal, often based on personal influence and street reputation. In other words, they’re a bunch of hooligans who don’t know which end is up.

That leads me to one conclusion: Seamus and Patrick have to die.

Valentino has agreed to help me take Seamus and Patrick out. He’s finally accepted that I’m in love with Connor. My brother isn’t exactly nice to Connor, but Valentino takes a while to warm up to people. What makes me positive he’s accepted Connor into the family is that he’s willing to go in to battle with me to protect Connor. Valentino doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do.

Dario is also joining us. Alessio wanted to come too, but Dario explained if they both died, then Baby Joesph would be an orphan. That hard truth made Alessio stay home.

Tonight is the night we take out Seamus and Patrick. Connor knows nothing about the operation. He’d lose his mind if he knew. I have no intention of dying tonight, but sometimes shit happens. Kissing Connor goodbye tonight was poignant. To think that might be the last time I kiss him broke my heart. I rubbed my hand over his growing belly, and also said a goodbye to our unborn child.

Just in case.

As far as Connor knows, I’m having dinner with Alessio to discuss port business. If I die, Connor will be blindsided. Devastated. But I have to do this. If we don’t take out Seamus and Patrick, they will eventually corner Connor somewhere. We can’t protect Connor every second of every day for the rest of his life. What if I’m not there to protect him? I can’t even bear the thought of that. I have to neutralize the threat.

We had operatives spread a fake story about Connor and Paolo having a huge fight. The lie is that Connor is so upset, he refuses to stay in the same house as Paolo. We spread the rumor that he’s hiding out from Paolo in an old abandoned warehouse and is completely vulnerable. We’ve heard over the grapevinethat Patrick and Seamus believe the story and are on their way to dispose of Connor while he’s defenseless.

Valentino, Dario and I arrive at the abandoned warehouse hours early to make sure we’re there before the Irish. The old warehouse stands at the edge of the city, surrounded by a chain-link fence with patches of rust and sections missing. The building itself is a hulking structure, with faded brick walls. The large, corrugated metal roof is dented and partially covered in moss, adding to the sense of abandonment. Broken windows, some covered with wooden planks, line the upper levels, giving the building a foreboding appearance. The only entrance, a heavy sliding door, creaks ominously as we push it open.

My heart is racing as we enter the old building. There’s always the chance that the Irish beat us here. There are so many creaks and noises in the big structure, it’s hard to feel secure. Valentino and Dario take the lead like always. I’ve never been on an assignment like this. Valentino shielded me from the gritty violent side of things as much as he could. To be honest, I think if Valentino could have, he’d have made me stay home tonight. But Connor is my omega and it’s my duty to protect him. I needed to be here.

Inside the building the air is thick with dust and the faint, lingering smell of oil and metal. The warehouse is mostly dark with only moon light stabbing through the few windows that aren’t boarded up. The moon beams cast long, creepy shadows across the cement floor. Cobwebs hang from the high, exposed steel beams of the ceiling, and piles of debris and crates are scattered around. At the far wall there are rows of rusted, metal shelving units.

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