Benji
Cooking was about more than getting delicious food on a plate. To feed someone was to care for them, and if you cooked for them long enough, you’d learn about them—commit their preferences to memory. Show them you loved them, show them their needs were important.
And that was why I loved being a private chef. But if I had to go back and start my career over again, I’d stay away from mob households.
My pack was my life, man, but I was tired of all these unexpected visitors.
Back in Barranquilla, my mamá used to say that if you kept people fed, they didn’t go looking for trouble.
Unfortunately, here in Florida, people seemed to look for trouble no matter what.
Or maybe it was just the Rossi and Bentley packs.
Ah, dwelling on it wouldn’t change anything. I had two pregnant omegas and a room full of alphas to feed.
Omegas came first. They always did.There was no better sign of wealth than a spoiled omega, and both Vinny and the company he kept were minted, to say the least.
If I’d just been feeding Skye, I would’ve made him a bowl of spaghetti with red sauce, that seemed to be all the baby wanted, but he and Xenia were basking in the sunroom together, so I settled for a tray of tea sandwiches and cookies.
Something light and easy to graze on while they commiserated over the woes of pregnancy.
I carried the tray in and set it down carefully between them before standing up straight. I was a Rossi by pack name, but I’d started as a servant, and I knew my place.
“Can I get either of you anything else?” I asked, folding my hands behind my back and smiling so large my eyes shut.
My job was to keep them comfortable–especially Xenia. Not because she was a guest, but because she was carrying not one, but two babies. I couldn’t wrap my head around that. Skye and Violet were both different shades of miserable right now, and I couldn’t imagine either of them with twins.
I watched Skye reach for a cookie, hesitate, then take it anyway. He chewed slowly, eyes drifting toward the hallway like he could see through the walls.
“What’re the alphas talking about?” he asked casually, but the tension in his shoulders gave him away.
I shrugged and hummed. “Could be anything. Could be nothing.”
That earned me a look. He knew me too well for that.
“I really don’t know,” I added, wiping my sweaty palms on the front of my apron. “Doors were already shut by the time I came back into the kitchen. No yelling yet, which is usually a good sign.”
Xenia nodded, rubbing her belly like she was soothing herself as much as the babies.
Skye twisted his hands in his lap, picking at the chipped black polish barely clinging to his nails.
“They won’t drag you in there, will they?” he asked.
I snorted softly. “They have to, mi cielo. They need me.”
Alpha meetings required caffeine and patience, and more often than not, I provided both.
“I’ll be sitting in once I bring them their coffee,” I said. “Just to keep things civil.”
“Then you’ll tell me everything?” he pressed.
I nodded, even though it was a lie. Skye was tough for an omega, but he was still pregnant, which meant no stress.
“Of course,” I said, then tipped my head. “But can you do me a favor?”
He nodded immediately.
“Violet didn’t eat breakfast. She should be back from her appointment soon.” I glanced toward the kitchen, trying to remember how long was on the timer. “I’ve got peanut butter oat muffins in the oven. Can you get them out for me in five minutes?”
Skye blinked, then smiled with his whole face, my favorite kind. “Yeah. I can do that.”
“Good,” I said, leaning down to kiss his cheek. “Toothpick test. If it comes out clean, they’re done. If not, give them another minute. And please use a towel. The tray’s hot.”
He laughed quietly. “I know, I know. I’m not a kid.”
“No, but you’re precious to me, and I don’t want you hurt,” I murmured, already backing away. “Gracias, mi cielo.”
With that, I took my leave, shutting the glass doors to the sunroom behind me.
I passed through the kitchen, checked the oven out of habit, the timer was exactly where I thought it would be, then grabbed the tray of espresso I’d set up earlier: small porcelain cups, a metal carafe of dark, strong coffee, a small pitcher of milk, and a little dish of brown sugar.
With everything in place, I squared my shoulders and headed toward the living room.
The voices grew clearer with every step and tension hummed just beneath the surface. I took a breath and schooled my expression into something neutral and pleasant.
“And why the fuck should I trust a Stellar?” Vinny snapped as I entered the room.
Of course he was the one being abrasive.
“I was a Stellar. I’m a Bentley now,” the black-haired one said, crossing his arms. “I got excommunicated for defending your cousin.”
He jabbed a finger at Vinny, and the blond one beside him scooted over to pat him on the shoulder.
I knew not every pack was like ours, but I didn’t understand how you could share an omega and not carry any love for each other. But alas, some people were straight. Allegedly.
“Coffee delivery!” I announced way louder than necessary just to make it very clear I was here now.
Every head in the room snapped toward me.Good.
I stepped inside. Porcelain clinked as I set everything down, the sharp scent of espresso wafting through the air.
“Fresh,” I added cheerfully. “Strong. Just how you like it. Boss, would you like a cup?”
Vinny scrubbed his face and barely concealed his temper. “Yeah. Thank you, Benji.”
I poured for him first, of course, then moved to my beautiful Serena and added extra sugar to hers before sliding the rest to the three other alphas. They were big boys. They could serve themselves.
With that out of the way, I sat between my alphas and rested my head on Vinny’s chest. He stiffened for half a second, then exhaled through his nose, one hand coming up automatically to settle on my shoulder.
He needed the most help staying levelheaded, and I was more than willing to be his patience, considering he had absolutely none.
“Don’t you think it’s fucking stupid to not trust a Stellar about what’s going on inside the Stellar walls?” the blond alpha snapped.
Serena nodded like he’d just made an excellent point.
Vinny let out a humorless huff. “I think it’s fucking stupid to trust someone who hasn’t had contact with the family in thirteen years.”
“I haven’t been in contact with most of them since I went to prison,” the black-haired man leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ve had one cousin feeding me details so I can make sure they’re not up to bullshit.”
“…One of your cousins?” Serena asked, brow furrowed.
The brown-haired alpha nodded. “We call him The Wrench.”
I swore I watched Vinny have an aneurysm.
“The Wrench,” Vinny repeated slowly. The other alpha nodded again.
“Pierce, do you even understand how fucking stupid you sound right now?”
Ah, so that was his name: Pierce.
Pierce didn’t flinch. I’d give him that. He held Vinny’s stare like a man with practice.
“I understand exactly how it sounds,” he said. “I also understand that he’s still inside the Stellar operation, and he says Logan is tearing apart the city looking for the omega he lost.”
“How the fuck do you even lose an omega? They’re people, not things,” Vinny muttered.
“Yeah, but the Stellars don’t treat them like that,” Pierce said grimly. “I don’t know where the girl is, but I know I don’t want Logan to get her back. And you hate the Stellars. I figured this could be a win-win.”
“I’m not gonna put a fucking bullet in the kid’s head because he’s pissed his little girlfriend broke up with him,” Vinny laughed.
The sound didn’t last, not when the front door opened less than a second later.
Every head turned toward the sound of footsteps echoing across the foyer. The meeting hit pause as Violet peeked around the corner.
Her dark eyes were rimmed red, her cheeks flushed. Poor munequita looked so worn out, and through our bond, I could feel anxiety pulsing off her in waves.
“Wait a second,” Vinny said, his voice suddenly soft. “Violet, come here sweetie, how was your–”
Reed stepped beside his sister, a canvas tucked under his arm.
“Hm. So you’re the one who took Vi’s phone because you didn’t like her attitude,” he said, smiling.
I watched him carefully. I knew he was an alpha, but he was smaller and prettier than most. He smiled brightly, but something about the way he held himself was off to say the least.
“I didn’t–” Vinny caught himself. “You know what? Yeah. Thanks for taking her to her appointment. Violet, come here.” He snapped his fingers and pointed to his lap.
She stiffened, looking up at big brother for help.
“Actually, Vi and I are going to have lunch. I just brought a gift for the father of my nibling,” Reed beamed. “Can I give it to you?”
He gestured toward the canvas.
“That would be great,” Serena smiled. “Sorry, guys. We’re having a bit of an alpha chit-chat now.”
The dismissal was polite. Reed didn’t seem to mind. His thick-soled combat boots echoed against the wood as he crossed the room and handed the canvas directly to Vinny.
With Reed this close, the scent of eucalyptus and mint hit my nose. I was sure he’d find a nice pack someday, but seeing as his sister smelled like the best parts of a bakery, I expected her twin to smell less medicinal.
“Take good care of this. My pieces sell for a lot,” he winked at Vinny. “Oh! And I signed the back, so you know it’s legit.”
Vinny stared down at the canvas like it might explode. Reed looped an arm around Violet and guided her away from the room full of alphas.
The second they vanished, Vinny flipped the canvas over.
Sure enough—Reed was right. It was signed Reed Lamb in elegant, flowing cursive.
He’d neglected to mention the message written underneath.
I’ll kill you :)
Vinny’s eye twitched. Serena giggled.
“Anywhore, do you have any more details on the runaway omega?” Serena asked, flicking her black ponytail over her shoulder. “It’ll be easier to find her if we know what she looks like.”
It seemed like a question Pierce should answer but he was too busy staring at the archway leading out of the living room.
“You better keep your hands off my fucking omega,” Vinny growled. “She’s delicate. And you have your own.”
“We don’t want your fucking omega, Jesus Christ,” the blond one snorted. “She smells so sweet it hurts my fucking teeth.”
Vinny snapped his fingers and pointed at him. He tried to stand, but between Serena’s death grip on his hand and my head on his chest, he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Don’t talk about my fucking omega like that!”
“What would you rather me–”
The brunette slapped a hand over his blond packmate’s mouth, and while I would’ve loved to say that ended the chaos, five alphas in one room was never going to be peaceful.
The shouting only grew from there. But while the blond and brunette looked like they wanted to kill Vinny for different reasons, the black-haired one?
He used the chaos as a chance to sneak out of the room.
I scratched my chin as I watched him slink along the wall, heading in the same direction Violet and Reed had.
What was he doing?