Page 14 of Mafia's Broken Omega

"See. That was my strategy all along." It most certainly wasn't, but it was a perk of being a dick all the time. No one wanted to cross me. Being compared to my psychotic brother wasn’t ideal, but I’d take it.

I took the stairs up to my suite two at a time. The prospect of stripping out of my clothes and climbing into my warm bed was enough to spur me on.

I pushed open the door and immediately began taking off my clothes, leaving a trail as I went. I was inside the bedroom, with my pants around my hips when I finally noticed I wasn't alone.

Before I could reach for my weapon, a voice stopped me. "By all means, keep going."

That voice. It was one I heard often in my dreams.

I whirled around to find Avery sitting on the settee as if he owned the place. He had a blanket thrown over his legs and he wore one of my hoodies. "Avery?" No way was he real. "Did Andro find you?"

That wasn’t possible. Andro said they wouldn't make contact unless I wanted them to. It had only been a few days. How could they have found him so fast?

"I don’t know who Andro is, so no. I don't think so."

"What? Why are you here?"

Avery swallowed thickly as his hands smoothed down the blanket over his legs.

I pulled my pants back up and zipped them so they didn't slide down before I knelt on the floor and grasped both his hands. The fear that surrounded him was palpable, but it wasn’t of me. Something had scared him. "What is it? Are you alright?"

His face was paler than when I had last seen him, but he looked to be in good health.

Avery gripped my hands and put them over his stomach. Even with the bulkiness of my hoodie, he couldn't hide what he was trying to show me.

My jaw dropped. A baby. Avery was pregnant. With my child. It had to be mine. Why else would he be here?

"Avery. Are… Is…" Shock had my muscles on lockdown, and I couldn’t form words.

He smiled softly. "I am, and it is. I'm pregnant with your child."

"Mine?"

He nodded. "Yours." His arms wrapped protectively over his bump. "I'm keeping it. I won't... I know how it goes for families like yours. I won't let you take my child from me. I won't—" His voice got louder and more panicked with each word.

"Whoa, whoa. Avery, Velvet. Baby. I don't know what you think you know, but I would never take our child away from you. Is that why you left?"

He nodded. "I couldn't risk it. You hadn't been around, and I worried that you were done with me. Which was fine. You didn't make any promises. It's not like I thought I was special?—"

"Avery, you were special. You are special. I've been miserable without you. I didn't reach out for a while because I was...dealing with some issues. We're still dealing with issues around here. It's not particularly safe here right now."

"Unfortunately, I'm aware of that. At least a little."

My heart pounded as I considered what he’d just said. "What do you mean?"

"I was approached by a man when I was out shopping. I didn't see his face, but he grabbed me from behind."

With each word that he spoke, fiery anger flared within me. My vision was clouded with it. Whoever this person was who put hands on my omega would pay.

"He told me that if you and the Ferrinis didn't break up your little bromance, then he would kill me and the baby."

I sucked in a breath. My heart thundered in my chest as I pushed myself to my feet and paced.

"He’s a dead man. Whoever he is, he’s dead. Do you understand, Avery? I will let nothing happen to you or our child. Ever."

Avery wouldn't meet my gaze. He wrung his hands in his lap.

"Do you doubt me?" I stopped and waited for him to look at me.

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