Page 48 of Omega's Vengeance

“What?” he asks sharply. “Even Valentino can’t hurt me once I’m dead.”

“He can hurt your men though.”

He stiffens, clenching his fists. “What are you talking about?”

I hold his angry gaze as I say, “If you reject the marriage idea, and the merge, Valentino will slaughter all your men.”

He recoils as if I’ve punched him. He takes a step back, looking shaken. “Why? Why would he kill my men? They have nothing to do with all of this.”

“Because he’s fucking Valentino Syracuse, and you can’t say no to him withoutconsequences.” I must look and sound convincing because he’s not even questioning that Valentino will execute his men.

He gives a harsh bark of a laugh. “That fucker is just using this as an excuse to grab more power. He’s as bad as Carlo.”

“Not really. Carlo wasn’twronged, Valentino was. Carlo is far worse. He turned on his own blood simply for power and greed. Valentino has every right to retribution after the disrespect you’ve shown him.”

“He doesn’t have the right to steal my syndicate.” Alessio’s voice shakes with fury. “That’s my inheritance. My father built that mob with his sweat and tears. What fuckingrightdoes Valentino have to swoop in and take it from me?”

It’s impossible not to feel sorry for Alessio. He looks like a trapped animal. I feel kind of sick watching him because I can feel his shock and confusion radiating. He can’t stop Valentino from doing what he wants. He has two choices: live or die.

“This is how it’s going to be. You either take the deal or you don’t.” I speak calmly, hoping by doing that I’ll somehow influence him to accept the inevitable. I don’t want him to die. I’m willing to go along with Valentino’s plan just to keep him breathing a little longer. I hope his self-preservation instincts are strong enough to make him also go for the deal. “It would merely be a marriage of convenience.”

“This is archaic.Ridiculous. He can’t force me to marry you.” He looks on the verge of tears. “That syndicate is all I have left of my father.”

I wince at his pain, but try not to show it. He can’t know that I’m sympathetic to him. He has to feel like he has no allies. No options. That feeling of isolation should force him to capitulate. Then he can live. That’s what I want. I want him to stop fighting so hard, and just go with the flow.

“Your choices brought you here, as did mine,” I say quietly.

He watches me, cheeks flushed and eyes bright with angry tears. “This isn’t fair. It isn’t right. I… I simply wanted justice for my father’s death. This is bullshit.”

I stand and move toward him. He watches me warily, his body rigid. I stop in front of him and say softly, “It’ll be okay, Alessio.”

“How?”he chokes out.

“You’ll have the power of the Black Knives behind you. You’ll still be the head of the Abella Syndicate, only you’ll be protected by us. You’ll have your own businesses making you money, just like you do now. Valentino has even said he’ll give you the ports. Your father wanted that, right? Wasn’t that the reason he grabbed Nico? Trying to force Valentino’s hand? Well, now you’ll have the ports just as your father wished. This merge is a good thing. You’ll see that once you’re calmer.”

“Good?” he hisses. “That’s a lie and you know it. This is the end of the Abella syndicate. Valentino will slowly dismantle us until we’re nothing. No one will even remember the Abella name.”

I exhale. “Kid, you’re looking at it all wrong. You’ll have money and power behind you now. No one will fuck with you, don’t you see? You’ll grow, and in turn, the Black Knives also grow. It’s a good thing for everyone.”

“You’re a liar. You’ll say anything Valentino tells you to say.” He scowls at me. “Why did he haveyoutell me? Why wasn’t he man enough to tell me himself?”

I laugh. “Would you have rather heard this from him? I doubt it. This way, you can hear his plan and vent all you want. I don’t take your anger and words personally. Valentino might. You tend to be pretty mouthy when you’re upset, and Valentino has no patience for that.”

“Mouthy? You’re ripping everything from me and I don’t like it. Therefore I’m mouthy?”

“You need to learn when to hold your tongue. Valentino isn’t the sort of alpha who likes being questioned. You have to tread carefully with him.” I’d usually have less patience with Alessio, but I feel endlessly tolerant toward him tonight. The longer we’re around each other, the more I’m beginning to really feel like his alpha. Is that good or bad? I’m not sure. It might come in handy, seeing as we’re being pushed into matrimony.

He watches me with different emotions flickering over his features. He’s obviously frustrated. Angry. But he’s also scared. I can see that clearly. What I might have taken as arrogance in the past I now recognize as fear. I sometimes forget how young he is. This must be overwhelming for him.

“You’ll have all the things you need and want, Alessio.” I hesitate, needing to broach the subject of pregnancy, but not wanting to set him off again. “You realize your probably pregnant?”

He blanches. “Great. Just what I need.”

He had to know having unprotected sex with me, especially after I claimed him, would result in a pregnancy. I try to put a positive spin on it since he looks so dejected. “If you are with child, you’ll have an heir and the Abella bloodline will continue.”

His face twitches. “What does that matter? If we’re married, the kid would take your name.”

“Yes, but your bloodline lives on.”

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