Page 79 of The Mafia's Omega Queen

Earlier this morning, with all my guys at my side, I dotted my i’s and crossed my t’s, making me the head of not one but two different empires. It would have happened much sooner than this, but the deliberations of how things were going to work took time to flesh out. It was a total bore, to be honest. Vinny told me not to even think about it, but I did, and I am, so my first task tomorrow will be finding someone to handle that shit for me.

My hands tenderly cup my flat stomach, a soft smile playing on my lips. My mind is a little too preoccupied with something else at the moment to delegate such things.

A knock at the door has me dropping my hands, smoothing out the black suit encasing my body. I need to be careful of my actions so I don’t give this little secret away to those who don’t know yet. Only one person is aware of this new development, and he’s sworn to secrecy, or he’ll face my wrath.

“Come in,” I call, knowing by the soft scent coming from behind the door that Mom’s here. That it’s time. Vinny and Dad will meet me on the stage they had erected for this very announcement, and we will be joined by Mom and the rest of my mates.

The door opens, and Mom steps through, once again the epitome of classic beauty. She could show up in a potato sack, and she would still be the second most gorgeous woman in the room. Behind me, of course. I snort at my thoughts, Mom shooting me a sharp look. She would kick my ass if I ever said that out loud.

Mom’s outfit choice closely mirrors mine, except she’s chosen to wow the crowd in a lavender pantsuit with a crisp white blouse underneath and white heels. Her brown hair lays across her shoulders in soft waves, and natural makeup adorns her face. Not that she needs makeup in the first place.

She steps further in, closing the door behind her. Coming up behind me, she watches me from the mirror and wrinkles her nose when she sees I’m not wearing a blouse under my black suit jacket. Just a red lace bra that peeks from behind the lapels of the jacket. She can’t complain too much; at least all my naughty bits are covered.

Plus, pretty soon, I won’t be able to wear things like this. But I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I raise a brow at her in the mirror, begging her to say something about the outfit I’ve chosen for today. My mood has been all over the place these last few weeks, but they’ve all chalked it up to stress over everything that’s been going on.

If they only knew the truth.

Oh wait, they will in just a few short hours.

I’m afraid if she said something now, I’d completely lose my shit. But she’s the last person I’d want to get into a fight with. Now, if Vinny has something to say about my outfit, I’ll kick his ass in my five-inch heels. Wouldn’t be the first time my foot’s been up his ass since I’d saved myself from he-who-shall-not-be-named and Vinny’s little ex-bitch.

May they continue to rot in hell.

Things between the five of us have been going pretty well, especially with Vinny finally on board the mating train. It’s been a lot of work to keep us all happy and not fight over every little stupid thing, but we have our moments where we just can’t help it. But that’s how a relationship is. There will always be ups and downs. There will always be laughter and sadness. There will always be anger and some of the most amazing make-up sex after. But it’s how we choose to handle it that will define how strong our relationship makes us as a unit.

Even if Vinny still needs to be knocked upside the head a few times to remember that.

“You look beautiful, Haylee,” Mom murmurs quietly as she continues to stare at me through the mirror. Her eyes glimmer with tears, and she flutters her lashes, hoping to keep them at bay. “I am so damn proud of the woman you have become. Your dad and I both are. Things were rough at the beginning when you presented as an omega, but you never let that stop you. That makes you the strongest woman I’ve ever known.”

Cue fucking waterworks. “Dammit, Mom,” I choke out on a half sob. Spinning around, I throw myself into her arms, and she rocks me back and forth, just like she used to when I was a little girl. “I thought we promised no crying today. I gotta look like a badass, not a whiney little kid.”

She gives a watery giggle, one last tight squeeze, and then releases me. “We should get down there before the big one with the mohawk comes looking for you.” She can pretend all she wants by calling him that, but she loves him like he’s her own, just what I hoped to happen when we all came together.

Out of our group of five, I’m the only one left with my parents, and the fact that they treat my mates as their own kids is more than I could ever ask for. But I hope those men of mine are ready to take the backseat once this little nugget is born. After all, that’s all Mom and Dad have been asking for. Grandkids.

With one last look in the mirror and resmoothing my jacket, Mom and I head for the door, ready to get this show on the road. As soon as we get the door open, we come face-to-face with the other man in my life who has been like a second father to me. Granted, he’s probably old enough to be my grandfather, but I would never say no to having him in my life.

A wide smile splits Andre’s face the second his eyes meet mine. He engulfs Mom and me in a tight hug, then crooks his elbows, one for each of us. When we moved to the new house, we gave Andre the chance to finally go live a life of his own. Do what he wanted without the threats that constantly hang over us. He wasn’t having it, though. He said his place has always been and will always be with us.

When Vinny first brought the idea up, I wanted to be selfish and threaten his knot for even coming up with an idea like that. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew it was the right thing to do. He’s been with the Andoneli family since my guys were all kids, day in and day out, doing anything needed of him. It just wasn’t fair for me to deny him that chance. I cried fat, ugly tears when he said he wasn’t leaving us. After that, he took over the same duties here at the new house, and since Mom and Dad flew in a couple of weeks ago to prepare for today, Mom and Andre have been inseparable. Andre looks at Mom the same way he looks at me, like a daughter he didn’t know he needed.

It’s going to throw off the dynamic in the house when they go back home, but Dad has already extended an invitation to Andre for whenever he wants to visit.

We come to a stop at the French doors leading into the backyard where the meeting is set to take place. Andre pops a kiss on each of our cheeks, then ducks out the door, closing it behind him. Mom pulls me into one last hug, then follows out on his heels, leaving me to mentally prepare for all the upcoming changes set to happen.

The doors in front of me open with a flourish—my cue that it’s my time to shine—and I step out with a strong resting bitch face. Just because this is a momentous occasion doesn’t mean our enemies are going to be lax for the day til the festivities are over. Plus, these people need to fear me, and they won’t if I skip out with a broad smile on my face.

The crowd goes silent as I make my appearance, stepping up in between Vinny and Dad. It hasn’t been announced yet that I’m taking over both empires, so as far as the crowd is concerned right now, Vinny is up here to support me, one mafia boss to another.

Looking out over the lawn, you can clearly see a line drawn down the middle. Andoneli Empire on one side and Storm Empire on the other. A few people eye each other warily but make no move to act on their impulses. If they did, they’d be dead. Plain and simple. You don’t come into my home and run my day.

Right in the front of both groups, Byron and the rest of my guys are lined up, acting as a wall of muscle with Mom and Andre standing in front of them. They’ll protect those two with their lives if this whole shindig goes sideways. Originally, Dad balked at the idea of Mom standing down in the crowd, but when Hunter brandished his knife with that crazy gleam in his eye that I love so much and told Dad he would protect her, well, he couldn’t argue with that.

Right next to them are Kali and her guys. Her red hair is a riot of curls, and she’s wearing a dress for the occasion, but there’s no doubt she’s packing. Just like everyone else here.

Dad steps up to the podium in a pristine, pressed black suit, an air of superiority surrounding him. Everyone watches on with rapt attention, knowing that whatever he is about to say will be important.

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