Chapter 22 Emilio
Emilio
Waking up fully rested is a rare luxury these days.
The exhaustion that's been weighing me down for weeks seems to have lifted overnight, replaced by something that almost feels like peace.
My body is warm, comfortable in a way it hasn't been in forever.
Then I remember why. Akira is pressed against my back, one arm draped over my waist. Liam is in front of me, his face relaxed in sleep, close enough that I can count his eyelashes.
Being between the twins feels right in a way that terrifies me.
Safe. Protected. Wanted. All the things I've convinced myself I don't need, suddenly feeling essential.
Part of me wants to stay here forever, wrapped in their warmth and their scents, pretending the outside world doesn't exist. But work calls, and I can't hide in this bed no matter how much I want to.
It's time to make an official announcement about my pregnancy and everything else.
The investors need to know what really happened, need to understand that Charles drugged me and tried to sabotage the club.
And I need to do it before Zaden can spin more lies, before the situation spirals even further out of control. It can't wait another day.
Carefully, I extract myself from between them. Akira grumbles in his sleep, his arm tightening briefly before releasing me. Liam doesn't stir at all, his breathing deep and even. They both look younger when they sleep, less dangerous. More human. The sight makes something in my chest ache.
My phone sits on the nightstand, and I grab it on my way to the bathroom. Several missed notifications light up the screen, but I ignore them for now. First, I need to shower and get myself together. Need to put on the armor of expensive clothes and perfect hair that helps me face the world.
The hot water helps clear my head, washes away the lingering fear from last night.
My throat is tender where Charles grabbed me, and when I check in the mirror, purple bruises have bloomed across my skin.
Fingerprints, clear as day. Evidence of what he did.
Part of me wants to cover them with makeup, hide the proof of my vulnerability.
But another part wants to leave them visible, wants the investors to see exactly what one of their own did to me.
After drying off and getting dressed in comfortable clothes, I sit on the edge of the bed and compose an email. Emergency investor meeting. This morning, 10am. Non-negotiable. We need to discuss recent events and the future of Aurum Pulse.
The responses come back within minutes. One by one, polite refusals and excuses.
Patricia has a prior commitment. Gregory is out of town.
Marcus has a family emergency. Cole from Neon Dreams can't make it on such short notice.
They're avoiding me, probably after talking to Charles.
Probably after hearing his version of events, where I'm the unstable pregnant Omega who attacked him without cause.
Then Zaden's message comes through. I spoke with them last night and heard that you attacked Charles with false claims. This is getting out of hand, Emilio. You need help. Professional help.
Rage floods through me so fast it makes my hands shake. False claims. Like I made up the drugs, made up being attacked, made up everything just to cause drama. My fingers move quickly across the screen. Meet me downstairs, asshole.
I move to my closet and pull out a suit.
Something powerful, something that makes a statement.
I settle on a deep burgundy one with a black shirt underneath.
The color is bold and confident, exactly what I need to project right now.
As I button the shirt, my eyes catch on the bruises in the mirror.
They stand out starkly against my pale skin, impossible to miss.
Footsteps sound behind me, and I see Akira's reflection appear in the mirror.
He's awake, but his hair messy and his eyes still heavy with sleep.
There's concern there too, worry that makes him move closer.
When he steps up behind me, I gasp a little.
Not from fear, but from the way his presence immediately settles something restless inside me.
His hands find my waist, then slide lower to splay across my stomach.
The gesture is possessive and protective at the same time, his large hands covering the small swell of my belly.
Every instinct tells me to pull away, to maintain my independence, to not let him get this close.
But instead, I lean into the embrace. My body decides before my brain can overthink it, melting back against his chest like it's the most natural thing in the world.
"I was a little in the moment when I fucked you last time," Akira says quietly, his voice rough with sleep. "But I meant every one of those words. I won't take from you, Emilio. Only what you give. But I kind of think I want this."
The confession makes my breath catch. "It's been less than a week."
"I'm not saying we start saying I love you," Akira continues, his arms tightening slightly around me. "I'm just saying that I think I want more than just a fuck. I think I want you."
Staring at his expression through the mirror, I try to read what's really there. Is this just Alpha instinct talking? The bond that's forming between us making him think he wants something he doesn't actually want? Or is there something real underneath all of this? "And if it doesn't work?"
"Then we go back to what we were doing before," Akira says simply. "It'll be tough, but right now I don't think I can go backwards."
The honesty in his voice makes my chest tight.
Part of me wants to say yes immediately, wants to give in to what my body and my instincts are screaming for.
But the practical part, the part that's learned not to trust Alphas, holds me back.
"I'm not going to submit outside of the bedroom. I don't want that."
Akira's laugh rumbles through his chest and into my back. "It's a good thing I don't want that either." He presses a soft kiss to my temple. "Now, let's go see what your fucking brother has to say."
"How did you know..." I start, then trail off.
"Because your nose scrunches up whenever he talks to you or messages you," Akira says, amusement in his voice.
"We might not have been together, but that doesn't mean I haven't been watching you.
" His expression turns serious. "I'm not letting you meet the bastard alone, especially since I'm sure Zaden is behind all this.
There's no way Charles would have acted alone. "
The observation makes sense. Charles has been an investor for years without causing problems. Why suddenly decide to drug me now? Unless someone convinced him it was necessary, fed him lies about how I'm ruining the club. And the only person with that much motivation and hatred is Zaden.
Giving in to Akira's logic, I finish getting dressed. He pulls on clothes from the bag he apparently brought over at some point, and we head downstairs together. His presence beside me makes me feel less alone facing whatever Zaden has planned.
My office door is already open when we arrive, and Zaden is inside. He's sitting in my chair, behind my desk, like he already owns the place. The sight makes my blood boil. He looks up when we enter, his expression morphing from smug satisfaction to anger when he sees Akira.
"I would have thought you came alone," Zaden says to me, ignoring Akira completely.
"And I decided to bring my Alpha," I reply coolly, taking a position in front of the desk. Refusing to let Zaden make me feel small in my own space. "Now start talking."
Zaden stands, coming around the desk to get closer.
He's always used his height to intimidate me, and today is no different.
"Charles came to me last night. Showed me the bruises from where your.
.. friend... attacked him. Said you made wild accusations about drugs and assault. He wants to press charges."
"Good," I say flatly. "Because I want to press charges against him for assault and conspiracy to commit battery. Maybe attempted murder, depending on how the drugs could have affected my baby."
"That's ridiculous," Zaden scoffs. "Charles would never do something like that. He's a respected businessman."
"So was our uncle, and we both know what he did to his wife before he died," I shoot back, the words coming out before I can stop them.
I rarely ever bring extended family into the conversation as a pushback because none of them were any good.
Our parents were the golden children of their families, the most 'normal' of the bunch.
Zaden's expression darkens dangerously. "Don't you dare bring them into this."
"Why not? You do it all the time. You're the one constantly saying the club should have been yours because everyone wanted the Alpha son to have it. Well, guess what? Dad and Mom knew you would run this shit into the ground if they gave it to you."
The slap comes so fast I don't see it coming. But it doesn’t land. Zaden's palm connects with Akira’s cheek, the sound echoing in the office. Shock explodes through my chest at how fast Akira moved, the Alpha grabbing my brother by the throat and slamming him against the wall.
"Try to touch him again and I'll break every bone in your body," Akira snarls, his Alpha presence flooding the room.
"Get off me," Zaden chokes out, his hands clawing at Akira's grip.
"Akira," I say quietly, touching his arm. "Let him go."
Akira hesitates, clearly not wanting to release the bastard. But he loosens his grip enough for Zaden to breathe properly, though he doesn't step back. Doesn't give Zaden any room to escape.
"I don't understand why you would hate me so much to drug me and hurt my child," I say, my voice shaking.
Not from fear, but from hurt. Because despite everything, Zaden is still my brother.
We grew up in the same house, suffered under the same rules, mourned the same death of our parents.
And yet, he hates me enough to try to destroy me.
"Because you're a thorn in my side and you think you walk on water," Zaden spits out.
"You know I found out how you got pregnant?
Sleeping around like a little whore. You don't even know who the baby's father is.
" His eyes cut to Akira, cruel satisfaction in them.
"There is no fucking way the Stark brothers would stand in for some little whore baby. "
Swallowing carefully, I force my voice to stay steady. "Tread carefully, Zaden. Because you've committed several crimes in the last few days. Attempted murder has a very different kind of charge than just being an asshole."
Zaden sneers, finally shoving Akira back enough to stand on his own. "It's just drugs. And I know you liked getting fucked, okay? Come off your high horse. Stop pretending you're some innocent victim when we both know you've been spreading your legs for anyone with a knot."
"That's enough," I say, my voice taking on a colder tone.
"Is it?" Zaden steps closer, trying to get in my face again. "You parade around here like you're so much better than everyone else. Like being an Omega makes you special instead of weak. But you're not special, Emilio. You're just a pregnant slut who got lucky."
"I said that's enough!" My voice rises, anger overriding the hurt.
"Or what? You'll cry to your fake Alphas? We both know they're just using you. Once they get control of the club, they'll toss you aside like the trash you are."
Zaden starts toward me, his hand raised like he's going to try to hit me again. But Akira moves faster, positioning himself between us a second time. The growl that comes from his chest is feral, dangerous. A clear warning that if Zaden touches me, there won't be a third chance.
The office door opens, and Liam walks in. He takes in the scene quickly, his expression hardening when he sees the terror in my eyes. "Zaden, I think it's best you leave for now. When you have evidence of something, then we'll talk."
"This isn't over," Zaden says, pointing at me. "I'm going to prove you're unfit to run this club. And when I do, everything Mom and Dad built will finally go to someone who deserves it."
He storms out, slamming the door behind him hard enough to rattle the frame. The silence that follows is heavy, Liam crossing the room to me, pulling me into his chest.
"Are you okay?" he asks softly.
"Fine," I lie, because admitting how much Zaden's words hurt feels like weakness. “Akira stepped in before my brother touched me.”
"Tell me what's really going on," Liam says, his eyes searching mine. "The truth, Emilio. All of it."
The request breaks something in me. All the stress, all the fear, all the secrets I've been carrying come crashing down at once. My voice comes out small, defeated, because Zaden will find out somehow, like he finds out everything, and then Liam won’t find out from me.
No doubt Zaden’s next step will be requiring a DNA test. "It's yours, okay? The baby. It's yours."
Liam goes very still. "What?"
"I don't want to lose anything," I continue, the words tumbling out faster now.
"They only want Alphas, that's it. And I've worked too hard to get right here. You never talked about children and I never wanted an Alpha. I just wanted to be a daddy. So, I slept around,” I say, a sob following as I repeat Zaden’s accusations.
Most of which were true. My hands clutch at my stomach as I explain why I did what I did.
"You just happened. I… I wanted you and then I got pregnant. You weren’t supposed to know.
No one was. God, please, you can't take everything from me.
I won't let you." Tears run down my cheeks as I close my eyes, praying that I didn’t just ruin everything.
For the first time, it feels like I might lose Liam and that hurts more than losing what I built.