Chapter 24
Emilio
It's been almost a week of bliss, which should make me suspicious but instead I'm just enjoying it. Most of the investors have settled into the new dynamic, accepting that Akira and Liam are part of the picture now and that any discussion of Charles and Zaden aren't welcome.
The problem is they talk to Akira rather than me. Every meeting, every decision, every question gets directed at him like I'm not even in the room. Like I'm just decoration sitting at the head of the table while the real business happens around me.
It ticks me off every single time. The anger builds during those meetings, simmering under my professional smile until I want to scream.
But I've found an outlet for that frustration.
After particularly annoying investor calls, I make Akira fuck me.
Hard and rough, taking all my anger out on both of us until we're both spent and satisfied.
Or sometimes I make Akira watch as Liam fucks me instead, making him sit there and see exactly what he's missing because he answered too many questions that should have been mine to answer.
It's fun and light, this game we play. The sex is incredible, the power dynamic shifting and changing depending on who needs what.
But underneath the fun, the feelings are deepening.
Everything is getting more serious, more real, more terrifying.
I've almost said I love you more than once, the words sitting on the tip of my tongue after particularly intense moments.
But I bite them back every time, not ready to make myself that vulnerable.
Not ready to admit how much they've come to mean to me.
The biggest change is how loving Liam has become around me.
The joy evident on his face whenever he looks at my belly, whenever he talks about the baby, is impossible to miss.
He touches my stomach constantly, his hand finding it like a magnet.
Talks to the baby when he thinks I'm asleep, telling him stories about what their life will be like.
Plans out loud about teaching him to ride a bike, to throw a ball, to stand up for himself.
The tenderness in those moments makes my chest ache with emotions I'm still not ready to name.
After I posted that excerpt on the website and my socials about expecting with my Alphas, something shifted.
The weight I've been carrying for months lifted slightly, replaced by something lighter.
Relief, maybe. Or pride. I'm not hiding anymore, not pretending to be something I'm not.
And the response has been overwhelmingly positive, at least from the people who matter.
Even texting in my forum has produced a different effect.
The anonymity of ClassyO feels less necessary now, less like I'm hiding and more like I'm just connecting with people who understand.
Coolblue congratulated me on finding my Alphas.
Strawberrybubbles sent a long message about how happy she is that I'm letting myself be loved.
Razorfox made a joke about me going soft, but followed it with genuine well-wishes.
MacNCheese sent baby name suggestions, most of them ridiculous but all of them making me smile.
I don't want all this to be fake. The realization hits me at odd moments, when I'm watching Liam cook breakfast or when Akira kisses my forehead before heading out to handle business.
This was supposed to be temporary, a performance for the investors.
But somewhere along the way it became real.
And now I can't imagine going back to the way things were before.
However, Akira and Liam haven't found anything more about River.
Not even after talking to a few of the men they work with, not even after following every lead and shaking down everyone who might know something.
The investigation has stalled, leaving us in limbo.
The police haven't arrested anyone else, haven't closed the case.
They're just waiting, watching, probably still suspecting Akira and Liam despite the lack of evidence.
Viktor, one of Akira's men, provided some insight a few days ago.
He thinks Zaden is most likely behind all of this, pulling strings and creating chaos to make himself look like the solution.
But I just don't understand why Zaden would go so far.
Drugging me is one thing. Having someone killed is another level entirely.
My brother is a bastard, sure, but is he really capable of murder? The thought makes me sick.
Now I'm just waiting for the other shoe to fall. Waiting for the next crisis, the next attack, the next thing that threatens everything I've built. The anxiety sits in my chest constantly, a low level hum that never quite goes away even during the good moments.
But falling asleep beside Liam or Akira or both is fucking wonderful.
That's the one time the anxiety fades completely, replaced by a sense of safety I've never felt before.
Wrapped in their arms, surrounded by their scents, I can finally let my guard down.
Finally stop being the strong, independent Omega who doesn't need anyone and just be Emilio. Just be me.
Tonight I'm feeling a little antsy as I stand in front of the mirror in my apartment.
Cole is bringing a new item from Neon Dreams, some kind of special release that's supposed to be even more popular than the original flavors.
Wednesday night shows are always big, but tonight needs to be perfect.
We need the success, need the good press, need something to go right for once.
Looking around my small apartment, I notice how much it smells like the Stark twins now.
Whiskey and citrus from Akira, cedarwood from Liam, all of it mixing with my faint scent until the space feels like it belongs to all of us.
Their clothes are mixed in with mine in the closet, their toiletries in the bathroom, their presence in every corner.
When did that happen? When did they become such a permanent part of my life that I can't remember what it was like before?
Shaking off the thoughts, I focus on getting ready.
Tonight I'm wearing a more fitting suit, one that actually shows my extended belly instead of hiding it.
The fabric stretches over the swell, making it obvious that I'm pregnant.
The sight makes me grin. This is real. I'm bringing a life into the world, and I'm not ashamed of it. I'm proud.
Running my hands over my stomach, I feel the baby move. Little flutters that have become more frequent over the last week. "You ready for this, little bean?" I murmur. "Big night tonight. Lots of people, lots of noise. But you're safe in there, I promise."
Heading down the stairs from my apartment to the club, I'm immediately surrounded by the familiar sounds and smells.
Music already pumping through the speakers even though we're not officially open yet, the cleaning crew finishing up last minute details, bartenders stocking the bar.
Everything is running smoothly, everyone focused on making tonight perfect.
Liam spots me first, his face lighting up with that smile that's become so familiar. He crosses the floor in a few long strides and bends down for a kiss. "Don't you look like sex on legs," he murmurs against my lips.
The compliment makes me grin, heat flooding through me. "You're not so bad yourself."
Akira comes up behind me, his hands settling on my hips. He presses a kiss to my ear, his breath warm against my skin. "What color lingerie?"
Laughing, I lean back against him. "What if I told you I wasn't wearing any?"
Akira grunts, a sound that's half aroused and half tortured. He has to reach down to adjust himself, his cock clearly reacting to the mental image. Then he laughs, shaking his head. "You're going to kill me before the night's over."
"That's the plan," I say sweetly.
Before we can continue the banter, Otto appears. His expression is serious, professional, the one he wears when he's delivering news I won't like. "A police officer is here to speak with you, Emilio."
The good mood evaporates instantly. Sighing, I nod. "Yeah, okay."
Liam frowns, his hand finding mine. "What's going on?"
"They didn't believe my alibi then, why would they believe it now?" I say, resigned. "I knew something was going to go wrong."
The anxiety that's been lurking in the background surges forward, making my chest tight. This is it. The other shoe dropping. Of course something had to ruin the good week we've been having. Of course I can't just have peace.
Otto leads us to a small conference room on the main floor.
Not the usual one where I meet with investors, but a smaller, more private space.
The police officer is already waiting inside, a woman I don't recognize.
She stands when we enter, her eyes immediately going to my belly.
The look on her face is unreadable, somewhere between sympathy and skepticism.
Taking a seat across from her, I try to project confidence I don't feel. Liam and Akira flank me on either side, their presence grounding. Otto stands by the door, ready to intervene if necessary.
"Mr. Ardyn," the officer says, pulling out a notebook. "I'm Detective Smisson. I have some questions about the night you were allegedly drugged."
Allegedly. The word makes my jaw clench. "It's not alleged. I was drugged. River Harrison sold the drugs to Charles, one of my investors, who then used them on me."
Detective Smisson nods, writing something down. "Can you walk me through what happened that night? From the beginning?"
Taking a deep breath, I explain everything.
How I went to the club for the Neon Dreams launch, how I started feeling strange after drinking some water, how I went into heat even though I'm pregnant and that shouldn't be possible.
How Akira found me and took me to their house to help me through it.
How we later discovered River sold a modified version of the drug to Charles specifically to use on me.
"And you believe your brother Zaden was involved in orchestrating this?" Detective Smisson asks.
"I know he was," I say firmly. "He admitted it to me. Said he didn't see the harm, that he just wanted to run the club at any cost. I don't think he's trying to get me killed, but he doesn't care what happens to me as long as he gets what he wants."
Detective Smisson studies me for a long moment. "This is a wild story, Mr. Ardyn. But I'm inclined to believe it because some of the tips Zaden has been bringing in seem manufactured. We're looking into them, but it seems like your brother is creating chaos to look like the hero."
The validation should make me feel better, but it doesn't. Knowing that Zaden has been manipulating the police, feeding them false information to make himself look good while making me look unstable, just makes the betrayal cut deeper.
"However, what you've explained is a serious charge," Detective Smisson continues. "Drugging someone without their consent, especially a pregnant Omega, could result in significant jail time for Charles. And if Zaden was involved in planning it, he could be charged as an accessory."
"Good," I say flatly. "They should be charged. What they did could have killed me and my baby."
"Do you know where your brother is currently?" Detective Smisson asks, flipping to a new page in her notebook.
"I am not my brother's keeper," I say, probably more sharply than necessary. "However, I know that my Alphas did not kill River. Someone else did, and I bet you might get more answers if you asked Zaden."
Detective Smisson’s eyebrows rise slightly, but she doesn't dismiss the suggestion. She makes a note, then closes her notebook. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Ardyn. We'll be in touch if we have more questions."
After she leaves, the three of us sit in silence for a moment.
My hands are shaking slightly, adrenaline making my heart race.
The confrontation was relatively mild, but the implications are huge.
If the police actually investigate Zaden properly, if they find evidence connecting him to Charles and River, this could all be over soon.
"I just said it, but you don't think my brother would have had River killed, do you?" The question comes out uncertain. Because as much as I hate Zaden, as much as he's hurt me, I don't want to believe he's capable of murder.
Akira leans back in his chair, his expression thoughtful.
"Your brother is a bastard, but he's not a killer.
I think that might be more up Charles' alley, though.
He's got the connections, the money, the motive.
If River was becoming a liability, if he threatened to talk, Charles would have every reason to silence him permanently. "
The logic makes sense, but it doesn't make me feel any better. "I just want all this to go away."
"You and me both, Mili," Liam says softly, his hand finding mine under the table.
My nose scrunches up automatically at the nickname. "Yeah, still don't call me that."
Liam grins, squeezing my hand. "And I know you still like it."
The teasing helps ease some of the tension, getting us back to the comfortable dynamic we've developed over the last week.
But underneath, the worry remains. Because even if the police are starting to believe me, even if they're looking into Zaden, we’re still in danger.
Charles is still out there. Zaden is still plotting.
And someone murdered River, which means they're willing to kill to protect their secrets.