Page 2 of Omega in Hiding

Da shrugs. “Yes, but then Patrick ran the numbers and we realized we were leaving a lot of money on the table by letting them go so soon. They’re still plenty able to keep popping out offspring after three cycles.”

I shake my head. “But you don’t let them go at all anymore.”

Da laughs. “So? Why not repurpose them?”

“Yeah,” Patrick nods. “What kind of life are they really going to have after being breeding omegas? No respectable alpha will want them.”

“And whose fault is that?” I say gruffly. “Why can’t we just do the normal stuff that the syndicates do? Why do we have to do the human trafficking side of things? It brings more heat from the cops.”

Patrick snorts a laugh. “You just let me worry about the cops. I have the ones that matter in the palm of my hand.”

“You need to admit you made a mistake, Conrad.” Dad crouches beside me, his expression stern. He smells of whiskey and tobacco, and there are deep lines on his face. “If I can’t trust you, what good are you to me?”

“He’s already shown he can’t be trusted,” Patrick growls, standing. “You’ve been far too lenient on him, Da. That’s why he’s the way he is.”

Sighing, Da says, “He’s the baby of the family. His mother doted on him. I suppose I let my affection for her spoil him.”

“Spoil me?” I say incredulously. “You both bully and berate me constantly. I haven’t heard a kind word since Mam died.”

“Always whining no matter how good he has it.” Patrick gives a mean smile. “Da, we need to proceed with the plan we talked about. It’s the least Conrad can do to help our clan grow. Instead of working against us, for once he could be a help to us.”

Uneasiness shifts through me at his malicious tone. “What plan?”

Patrick’s expression is smug. “Da and I have been working on something to help expand our syndicate. We could actually rival the size of some of the Italian syndicates if we go through with this.”

“Go through with what?” I demand, my disquiet growing.

“I think when you stop and think about it, Conrad you’ll also see this is a wonderful idea.” My father stands with a grunt and goes to pour himself a whiskey. He sips the amber liquid and avoids my gaze.

“What the hell have you schemed up now?” I growl.

Patrick smirks. “You’re not good for much, but John Hoolahan is taken with you. He’s suggested a merge if you’ll agree to marry him.”

Horror shoots through me.“What?”I can’t begin to keep the fear out of my voice. John Hoolahan is twenty years older than me and one of the most repugnant, vicious alphas in Los Demonios. He’s been sniffing around me since before I was even of legal age. He’s despicable.

“You have to admit, it’s a good situation for you, son.” Da holds his tumbler of whisky up to the light. “He doesn’t care that you can’t produce offspring. He has two sons already from his first omega.”

I swallow hard against the bile in my throat. “You mean the omega who everyone knows he beat and tortured, and who mysteriouslydisappeared?”

Patrick purses his lips. “Oh, come now. Sean didn’t disappear. He ran off with the pool guy. He was seen in Arizona not that long ago.”

I’m shaking I’m so angry and frightened. It’s useless asking for mercy from my asshole brother. I turn to my father, feeling sick to my stomach when he won’t meet my gaze. “Da, you can’t do that to me. I made a mistake. I… I won’t do that again, I promise. You… you can’t make me marry John Hoolahan. For god’s sake, the man is a monster.”

Da finishes off his whiskey and finally meets my gaze. There’s no mercy there. “I’m afraid it’s a done deal, Conrad. You fucked up and now you’re going to make it up to me by allowing me to merge with the Hoolahan Clan.”

“No,” I snarl. “I won’t do it.”

Da’s jaw hardens, and any pity he might have had for me seems to evaporate. “It’s happening,” he snaps. “Show me some fuckingloyaltyfor once in your goddamned life, Conrad. If you’re no use to me, why would I let you live?” His eyes are a cold slate gray. “We all have to pull our weight in this family.”

His message is coming through loud and clear: either sell my soul to the Devil, or I’m not going to breathe oxygen much longer. Horrified at the circumstances, my mind is spinning. I shut my mouth and say nothing.

Taking my silence as obedience, Da says, “The wedding will take place this coming Saturday. You’ll be respectful and compliant to John Hoolahan, or you’ll need to worry about me. Nothim.Do I make myself clear, son?”

I clench my jaw without speaking. I can’t say yes, but I don’t dare say no.

Patrick laughs. “He’ll obey. The little pussy knows he has no choice.”

I don’t look at either of them. I’m already thinking of my escape plan. I’ve wanted to run for a long time now. But I didn’t want to be disloyal to my blood line. As bad as Da and Patrick treated me, I thought there were lines they wouldn’t cross with me because we were related by blood. Now, I see that my loyalty was misplaced. My father and brother are using me to get more power. They don’t care that John Hoolahan is a violent alpha. They don’t care about what might happen to me if I marry that horrid man.

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