Mafia's Broken Omega (Mated in the Mafia #6)

14. Avery

14

AVERY

My muse was on vacation. Or in desperate need of a nap, much like I was. I thought that the second trimester was where I would get a burst of energy. Seemed my little guy missed that memo. All he wanted to give me was heartburn and exhaustion.

Tomorrow, I planned to take the day off, but first, I needed to get these orders out. My custom baby onesies were becoming my biggest sellers, second only to my custom paternity shirts. Lately, the big hit was the “His and His” collection–a set of paternity shirts for the alpha and omega.

Even though I had yet to convince Cord to wear one.

I was about to begin on my last project of the day when my phone buzzed. Normally, I would ignore it, but these days, it could be Cord, and I never passed up the chance to talk to him.

The name on the screen was not one I was expecting. Nor was it one I could ignore.

When I left the club after quitting, I had told no one where I was going. I only gave out my number to one person with strict instructions to only use it in an emergency.

"Passion?" I answered. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, thank fuck you answered."

Passion and I had danced at the club together for years and yet I still didn't know his real name. More than anyone else there, he was secretive about where he came from. Despite not knowing a lot about him, we'd struck up a friendship. Comparing stories of handsy alphas was a fantastic way to make friends. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"What? Yeah, I mean. No, not really. I, um, can you pick me up?" His voice was more panicked than I'd ever heard him. Passion was the level-headed sort that could handle just about anything.

"Of course. I'll be right there. Where are you? Do you need anything?"

"Just a ride. I'm at that old railroad station, the one that the city condemned last year?"

"Yeah, I know the one." Nothing good ever happened there. If Passion was there and needed help, something must be bad. "I'll be right there, okay?"

"Thanks, Velvet."

"Of course." My heart was pounding when I hung up. I got up immediately and went to find someone who could drive me or give me a car.

Cord had business to do all day. The plan had been for me to get all my work done so I could have a nice dinner with him, but now those plans were toast.

I didn't want to think what could have had Passion stranded in a place like that.

"Rosco!" I shouted down the hall when I spotted Cord's close friend and bodyguard at the end of it.

He stopped and turned to me. “Yeah.”

"I need a ride. A friend needs help."

His brow furrowed. "Cord's not here. He's at the warehouse. He won’t be back until later."

"That's fine. You can take me, right?"

He shook his head with a grimace. "I have work to do, too. Can this wait until tomorrow?"

"No. He needs help now. Please, Rosco. Passion would never call me if it wasn't important."

Passion always seemed unflappable. It had to be bad if he was so distressed that he reached out to me, of all people.

It was obvious the moment Rosco caved. He let out a deep sigh like he’d accepted that he’d be in trouble with Cord later. "Fine. We'll go. We'll bring him back here or whatever, but you better vouch for me with Cord. If anything happens to you on my watch, it's my ass on the line."

"Thank you! Thank you!" I went up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"None of that. Anyone sees me getting too close to the boss's omega will tattle and then?—"

"Yeah, yeah. It's your ass on the line. I get it." I followed Rosco to the garage where all the vehicles were kept. He went straight for the town car with the bulletproof glass and tinted windows. We’d stick out like a sore thumb where we were going but at least we’d be safe.

"Ride in the back. It's safer and the windows are tinted. I'm letting Cord know what we’re doing. If he tells me to bring you right back home, I will. Where are we going?"

"The old train station. You know it?"

Rosco snorted. "Yeah, I've, uh, had a few meetings there. That’s no place for an omega."

"Exactly. That's why we need to get there quickly.”

Rosco held open the back door for me, and I slipped inside. He got into the driver’s seat and began the journey. The anticipation mounted as we approached the old station. I did as Rosco told me and stayed in the back.

"Cord's sending backup, so we aren't alone when we arrive. He may even be there himself if he can finish up what he's working on."

"Do you two speak telepathically or what?"

Rosco’s usual stoic demeanor slipped and he almost smiled as he tapped his ear. "Bluetooth. It reads my text messages to me."

"Oh. That's way less cool. Do you think having too many people around will scare Passion? I don't want him to run."

"No offense to your friend, but he’s not my priority. You are. I’m here to keep you safe at all costs. If Cord tells us to hold off until we have backup, then we will. No arguments, Avery."

My stomach twisted. I put a hand over my rounded tummy. I appreciated the sentiment, but if Passion needed help, I wouldn’t sit back and wait.

Within thirty minutes, we were pulling into the parking lot of the station. The pavement was cracked, the nature around it working to reclaim the land. I opened the car door and got out before I could think better of it.

"Damn it, Avery!" Rosco shouted.

"Passion?" I didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention, but I needed to find my friend more than anything.

"Here!" His voice came from inside the building, yet there was no sign of life anywhere.

Rosco was at my side before I got to the door. "He's inside. Let's go."

The inside was dimly lit as sun filtered through the cracked windows, casting eerie shadows across the abandoned platform. The air was stale and thick with dust. "Passion?"

"I'm here," he said.

Rosco gripped my arm before I could launch myself toward Passion's voice, holding me in place.

"You really should have come alone, Velvet."

I stilled at the familiar voice. "Bobby?"

Rosco drew his gun and aimed toward the shadows.

Passion stepped forward, but behind him was Bobby, a bouncer and guard from the club, holding a gun to my friend’s head. "I'm sorry, Velvet. I?—"

Bobby yanked Passion's arm, cutting him off.

Passion’s glittery eyes that usually shone with seduction were clouded with fear.

"What the fuck is this about?" Rosco hauled me behind him as he aimed his gun toward Bobby. His broad shoulders blocked my view. "You should know we aren't alone here. Best just surrender now."

"Fuck that. I make the demands here, and when I get through with the filthy omega dancer, Cord won't even recognize him. Then maybe he'll learn to do as he's told and stay the fuck away from the Ferrinis."

Rosco scoffed, not the least bit concerned for his own safety. "That's what this is about? Two families are getting along now, and you can't take it? Who the fuck are you, anyway?"

I peeked around Rosco’s shoulder to make sure Passion was alright. "Bobby, let Passion go. Please.”

From the tension in Rosco's shoulders and the way he shielded me from view, I didn't think he appreciated me chiming in. Oh well…

Bobby huffed and the barrel of his gun pressed harder against Passion's temple. "Don't worry about who I am. What's important is that the Ferrinis and Mennettis break their alliance. Restore balance."

"Restore balance? What the fuck are you talking about, you crazy fuck!" That outburst came from Passion. “You always were a creepy fucker. Leering at the dancers rather than paying attention to the clients.”

“Shut your whore mouth! I don't give a shit about some omega slut’s safety. My only job is to make sure my boss is happy.”

“And just who is your boss?” Rosco asked.

A shot rang out and echoed through the space. The birds that were making a home in the nooks and crannies around the ceiling squawked and flew. “That was a warning. I’m making the demands here!” Bobby had bigger balls than I thought.

Fuck . Rosco made it clear that he wouldn’t risk my life for Passion. And that meant he was just as likely to let Passion become collateral damage in this stupid standoff.

“Maybe your boss would like to know that Cord is just using the Ferrinis. We have no loyalty to them. They’re a means to an end, just like everyone else in this business. Make an offer and we’ll cut ties.” My offer was all bullshit, and I wasn’t even sure if the lingo I used made any sense, but Bobby lowered his gun just a fraction of an inch.

It was enough.