Chapter 7 #2
“But I understand because my ex Head Alpha was cruel to the Betas under his care.” Lionzio clenches his jaw.
“I was conditioned through cruelty myself to believe that such hierarchy was how things should be. I was shown that I was wrong. I will always regret and need to atone for the fact that I didn’t realize it earlier. Here.”
He wrenches off his coat, holding it over my head and Zoe’s in a makeshift shelter from the snow. It feels intimate, flooding me with his scent from both his coat and his strong chest that is now pressed against me.
Zoe happily sits down, patting the snow.
“Is this your garden?” Lionzio asks. “It’s awesome. My Omega sis would have loved this growing up. I have a Beta friend…her bonded Beta…who loves plants and flowers. This would be his heaven.”
“I made it with the help of most of the staff here. Everybody contributed and still do. It’s how this hotel works.” I scrutinize him.
Is this honest interest?
Why do I get the feeling that there is something more beneath Lionzio’s questions and interest? Something that he is holding back from telling me?
“I haven’t played in the snow since I was in kindergarten.” The same sad, haunted expression is back behind Lionzio’s eyes.
“Why?” I can’t resist nuzzling against him playfully. “Are Alphas too old for that kind of stuff as soon as they hit elementary school?”
A shadow passes across his face. “My family sold me to a mafia boss to become his adopted son. In his world, there was no place for play, only work. Let’s just say, I grew up fast.”
I stare at Lionzio in shock. “I’m sorry.”
I hate the flat look in his eyes. I jolt when I realize that I have seen that look on Dad’s face, while I was growing up.
How much trauma are they both hiding?
It explains the dangerous vibe to Lionzio. Yet he had as little choice over belonging to that pack, than Piper did his, or I did to Maya marrying Dad.
I reach up to brush away snowflakes, which have landed like icy tears on Lionzio’s cheek in an attempt to comfort him, even if I don’t know what from, and he presses into my hand like he can’t stop himself.
He freezes, holding himself still like he’s shocked himself.
“It’s okay,” I whisper.
“It isn’t, mio tesoro.” He draws back, stiffly.
“Mio tesoro?”
“My treasure, my darling, my…” He flushes.
“I never dreamed that I would find my scent match. That abusive mafia Head Alpha…? He forbid me from having my own pack bonds. I’m not saying…
or assuming…it’s just that I became used to believing that it would never happen for me.
I don’t feel like I deserve an Omega or my own pack.
But I can promise you that I will try my hardest to be the best Alpha for you and learn every day to become better.
I will listen to you about how to meet your needs.
I swear that I have learned my lesson about thirsting after power and succeeding to any kind of mafia empire.
As you can see, I am no longer part of that world.
I understand if I have scared you away but I wanted to be as honest as I can be.
I have been a bad Alpha in the past but I will never be bad to my pack. Can we meet again?”
I flinch on the bad Alpha.
The phrase is a stigmatizing thing for someone to call you, and if he is calling himself it, then someone has really fucked him up.
No one is truly a bad Alpha who is trying to change as much as Lionzio appears to be.
What should I say? The mafia heir turned accountant wants to date me.
Doesn’t he know about staff relationships being forbidden?
Plus, Icarus isn’t possessive about Omegas joining our secret pack but how would he feel about another Alpha? A scent match?
I don’t know whether this accountant is even on my side or Maya’s. Is he here to save or destroy the hotel?
Lionzio’s face falls, when I hesitate.
What is his role?
My plan to take over the hotel relies on it being financially screwed.
Is my scent match actually my enemy without him knowing it?
Fuck.
All of a sudden, Ellington’s sharp voice calls from the other side of the courtyard, “Grace! Are you out here?”
I startle.
Meeting your scent match really does fuck up your schedule. And now, I’m late.
I don’t imagine that Ellington will take that as a reasonable excuse.
I dive behind Lionzio, snatching Zoe up and hugging her to my chest.
I am pale and shaking.
Lionzio’s expression is hard, as he attempts to peer through the snow toward Ellington. “Not a friend of yours, huh?”
“One of those bosses,” I reply. “I’m in trouble.”
Lionzio’s eyes flash with a deadly, protective fury. “You’re not because he won’t find you. Run that way toward the exit. I will block him.”
My mouth drops open.
Is Lionzio truly going to put himself in danger to protect me?
Now I know that he was telling me the truth about being good to his pack.
Snow is drifting around him, as he drags his dark coat back on.
Lionzio looks stunning, casting me one final glance, before he stalks through the wall of white toward Ellington to sacrifice himself for my daughter and me.