7. Elio
CHAPTER 7
ELIO
I spent the next two days wrapped up in Amara, letting the bond calm down and satisfying my every urge with her body. I checked over legal paperwork while she slept, and had otherwise tried to put this morning out of my mind.
“Wake up.” I nudged my mate.
Amara grumbled and rolled over to lie face-down in the nest. “No.”
“I need you awake. Pack yourself a bag, and if you don’t hear from me within three hours, I want you to go stay with your father. Better yet, leave the city entirely.”
That got her attention, and she popped her head up. "What are you talking about?”
A yawn cracked her jaw and she hummed softly when I dropped my hand to smooth over her hair.
“I’m planning ahead just in case Bianca puts a bullet in me for bonding you while I was away. One of my legal contacts has your information, and he has instructions to transfer my accounts to you if he doesn’t hear from me by tonight.”
“Wait.” She clambered onto her knees and cupped my face in her hands. “She wouldn’t actually kill you, would she?”
“I genuinely don’t know. If she does, at least you’ll be taken care of.”
Amara let out a whine of distress. “Don’t go back. How am I supposed to function as a human being if you die? I was a fucking mess just because we were apart for a few weeks.”
I gathered her close, though I couldn’t really comfort her. Time was running out. The flight details I’d given Bianca would show I’d landed ten minutes ago and I could only make excuses for so much time for customs and luggage pickup. “Promise me you’ll get out if I don’t come back?”
I wasn’t expecting the fire in her kiss when she brought her lips to mine. “Don’t fucking die. Because I won’t leave; I will storm that fucking compound and put a bullet in Bianca myself.”
Amara melted when I slipped my hand over her throat. “You’ll do no such thing. You’ll keep yourself safe. Promise me.”
Defiance filled her eyes.
I squeezed a little tighter. “Promise. Me.”
“Fine. But I’m not gonna be happy about it.”
I hated to leave her, but I had one stop to make before the compound and I was running out of time. I indulged in one last kiss, memorizing the sweet tartness of her mouth before departing.
Tim was waiting for me when I arrived at the law office, the documents laid out and ready. “Nothing’s changed since you approved them.”
I glanced over them anyway, just in case, before signing my name. “You remember the protocol?”
“I have all the documents ready to go with the account information she’ll need if I don’t hear from you by midnight.”
“Good.”
“You’re sure you want to do this? Who even is this girl?”
“That’s not your concern right now, but I appreciate your help.”
He tucked the signed forms into an envelope after scanning them, and I left the office to head to the compound in a taxi that would drop me off nearby.
The gate guards greeted me with familiar half smiles and ushered me through the moment I arrived. The next set of guards at the door whistled low. “Glad to have you back, sir. She’s been in a mood.”
Fuck. I’d been hoping Marco’s report would’ve improved things.
I dropped my bag off in my suite and showered quickly, erasing as much of Amara’s scent from my skin as I could before changing into something fresh and making my way to the war room.
Bianca looked up when I entered. “About fucking time. One of our dockworkers turncoated and gave our shipment to the Rossis. He’s dead, of course, but I need you to go down there and make it extremely fucking clear that if any of them even consider that again, I’ll be turning that port into a mass grave and then going for their families.”
“Let me go,” said Santo. “Give El a chance to get over the jet lag.”
Bianca rolled her eyes. “He wouldn’t have to get over anything if he hadn’t left.”
“What a greeting, and when I brought you the best wine Italy has to offer, too.” I moved directly to her, trying not to let her mood sway things. “Have a glass with me before I spill blood for you.”
“Santo, go,” Bianca snapped. “Marco, go with Enzo and deal with that fucking Cafaro upstart. I don’t have time for his bullshit when I have a war to prepare for.”
“We’ll handle it,” Marco promised. He grimaced at me as we passed, patting my shoulder in a wordless good luck.
Then it was just Bianca and I.
“What did you bring me?”
“Giacomo Conterno Monfortino.”
That got a smile out of her. “Spoiling me.”
“I had to do something to make up for leaving.”
Bianca chewed her lip and ushered me to follow, fetching wine glasses from her personal quarters along with a corkscrew. “It’s all settled, then? Did they actually need you?”
“Distinct possibility my cousins wouldn’t have survived to see the funeral if I hadn’t been there.”
Bianca nodded, at least somewhat satisfied that I truly had been justified in going. We poured the glasses and let the wine breathe, Bianca swirling it mindlessly. “Did you get there in time?”
“Thankfully. Nonna went a few days after I arrived.”
Bianca’s finger tapped against the glass, her gaze faraway. “They always seem so indestructible when you’re young.”
“They do,” I agreed. “I appreciate you letting me be there for her last days. I know it wasn’t ideal.”
“It really fucking wasn’t.”
I waited until she got a quarter of the way into her wine, hoping the smooth richness would keep her more even-tempered. “I have something I need to talk to you about.”
“Ominous. What now?”
“Were you planning on bonding the rest of us for alliances?”
“Eventually. Why?”
“Have you heard of ideal mates before?”
“Sounds like bullshit. What is it?”
“Basically it shuts off a person’s brain when they get too close to someone of a certain amount of biological compatibility. It forces a heat in the omega, and a rut in the alpha. There’s no way to plan for it, no way to know until it happens.”
Bianca stared at me, her lips pulled into a frown. “Did you do something stupid?”
I hesitated. “That depends on if you’re carrying a weapon or not.”
“I’m always carrying a weapon.” She pulled out a tiny pistol and cocked the gun, curling her finger over the trigger. “Now tell me, Elio. How fucking stupid were you?”
I stared at the barrel of the gun, trying my best not to panic, not to let my racing heart run the show. “Bianca…”
“Tell me. How insubordinate were you? And where is your little whore now?”
“Put the gun down.”
“Oh, you’re the one in charge now?” Bianca rose from her seat, moving gracefully toward the fireplace in her suite. “Come make me a fire.”
“Why?”
“That sounds like a question instead of obedience. I said make me a fire.”
Moving cautiously, I stacked the wood and kindling, lighting it in several places with the matches nearby. It was hot as hell outside so I couldn’t fathom what she wanted the fire for.
She laid a long metal stick into the flames, the blunt end nestled in the heart of the fire. Dread prickled up my spine.
Bianca gestured with her gun for me to return to the table, and I did. With a lot of people I could’ve gotten the gun out of their hand, maybe turned it on them, but if I did that to Bianca, I probably wouldn’t make it out of the compound alive.
“Drink your wine.” Bianca sat back down and picked up her wine, keeping the gun trained on me. “Did you come back from Italy with a mate?”
“I didn’t mean to. If I had been in my right mind, you know I never would have.”
“Excuses.”
“It’s not an excuse. It’s an explanation. You and I both know I’ve followed your lead for over two decades. You know I’m loyal. Do you think I would throw your trust away if I had any choice in the matter?”
Bianca hummed and took another sip of her wine. “I suppose not, but the fact remains that you did throw my trust away, whether you meant to or not. You know I can’t let that go by without punishment.”
“Are you planning to use that gun?”
“I would like to avoid that. Depends on how cooperative you’re feeling. Finish your wine. I imagine any kind of intoxication will help with what’s coming.”
I swallowed back the rest of my glass. A fucking shame, considering how expensive the wine was.
“I’ll give you a chance to avoid the worst of what I had planned.”
“How?”
“Fuck me,” she purred. “Show me that omega hasn’t drained away all your fire. Give me what I want so I don’t have to hunt down that little cunt and kill her to free you from this pesky bond.”
I held stock-still, trying to breathe through the rising panic. “Don’t…”
Bianca’s grin was feral with glee. “If you don’t let her interfere, I won’t have to. Now come here and show me how much you missed me while you were away.”
Fucking Christ. I tried to push away my disgust and fury. The fresh bond had me roiling with nausea as she ordered me onto the floor and climbed atop me. Thank god for the layers of clothing still between us or I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from bucking her off.
I’d hated and loved this woman many times over the years. My respect for her authority and my gratitude that she’d brought me up with her were now ashes in my mouth. I fantasized about separating her head from her body as she rocked her hips against me and walked her fingertips up my chest with a laugh.
“Poor alpha. How will you ever satisfy your little whore when you can’t get it up anymore?” Her nails raked under my shirt and over my skin. I hissed at the sting, my body shaking with revulsion I struggled to contain. “Don’t be upset, darling. I had you first and you’ll always be mine.”
“It’s the jet lag,” I lied.
Bianca laughed and leaned down to kiss me.
Don’t throw up.
She reared up and slapped me. “That omega really did kill your fire. Poor baby. Don’t worry, we have ways of fixing that. Why don’t we let you burn ?”
My head swam, panic choking me, knowing I couldn’t do anything to fight back and get out of here alive.
“Take off your shirt and get on your knees.”
Bile rose in my throat, but I followed the order, trying not to let the fury coursing through me make my fingers shake, lest she assume I was afraid.
“I’ll give you a choice, since you’ve been so good for me after all of these years. I was going to just give you a solid reminder of who you belong to, a quick ten seconds of misery, but that might be too much for you. I still want you useful and I’d prefer to avoid you needing a hospital if I get too overzealous. What do you think? Would you rather count down the seconds or let me have a few quick marks and you thank me for each?”
I swallowed hard and curled my fingers into trembling fists. Twisted bitch. “Quick.”
“Hmm, you’re right. That’s probably more fun, anyway.” Bianca collected the shirt from me and wrapped it around the end of the metal poker still sitting in the fire. “The next time you have the chance to disobey me, you’ll think fucking twice before making another decision like that, won’t you?”
I ground my teeth together so hard I thought they might crack, but it was the only thing that kept my growl from slipping free.
“Yes,” I spat out. “I won’t make that mistake again.”
“I know.” Bianca gave me a sickeningly benevolent smile before thrusting the hot metal against my skin.
Fuck, fuck, fuck .
It lasted only a second, but felt like a bolt of lightning through my skin.
“Don’t forget to thank me.”
“Thank you.”
The metal hit again, the scent of cooking flesh filling my nose.
“Thank you, Bianca ,” she said sweetly. “Let’s remind both of us who you owe everything to. Who you’ve harmed with your indiscretion.”
“Thank you, Bianca,” I ground out, jolting when the metal pressed against my skin again. Sweat slicked my brow and it took all my strength to stay still, not to rip that fucking brand out of her hand and turn it on her while she begged for mercy.
I choked my way through every breath, spitting out the thank yous just to make it end.
She held the last one for a few extra seconds before finally removing the brand and setting it back into the fire. I tipped forward, my hands catching me. Black spots danced in my vision, my nerves screaming, pain radiating everywhere.
She cupped my chin, forcing me to look up at her. “Bring your whore to the compound. If you’re going to fuck around behind my back, we might as well make her useful. Now, get the fuck out of my sight.”
I scrambled back, my shirt forgotten in my haste to get away. I forced myself to stay standing. Bianca had hurt me before, and I had been hurt worse in my time serving her, but I had never kneeled there and let it happen. Dizziness swept over me and I practically sprinted down the halls, careening around corners. No one stopped me when I got one of the cars from the garage and blitzed my way down the road away from the compound.
I was at Amara’s before I could think better of it. For all I knew, Bianca had someone follow me, but I was here now and I needed my mate.