Chapter Thirty-Three
Carlos
Now
When I came to, I was tied up and blindfolded, but not gagged. My head ached and my throat was dry with thirst.
How long had I been here? I remember being dragged out of the villa, separated from Fiona, and knocked out. By the way my stomach rumbled, it had been a long time since my last meal.
Where was I?
Shit, my game. I never texted Grif.
Was, Sorry I didn’t make it because the fathers of the omega I accidently bonded decided to tie me up as good of an excuse as, I was stuck in Switzerland in a snowstorm?
At least, I’m guessing that’s who tied me up.
“Hello? Is anyone there? Fiona, are you okay? Hale? Saoirse? Dusty?” I called as I strained against whatever was holding me, realizing I was in a chair. I could feel Fiona through the bond–she was pissed. But I didn’t get much from Hale.
“Fiona’s not able to help you right now,” a male voice sneered. It was one of Fiona’s dads, but I wasn’t sure which one. His accent was sort of a mish-mash between Fiona’s and Saoirse’s.
“Where is she? What did you do to her?” I demanded. In the background, my phone rang. It was the ringtone I used for my friends.
“We didn’t do anything to her, it’s you who did something to her. Without permission,” another male voice growled, spicy alpha fury filling the room.
If he thought I'd cower, he’d be disappointed. Playing hockey with angry alphas had given me a huge tolerance to their bullshit.
Heavy footsteps came toward me, and someone slapped me across the face.
“That was uncalled for. At least let me see you,” I snapped. Should I bait the irate alpha? No. Was I known for my smart choices? Also no.
Was Fiona worth it? Fuck yes.
The alpha in front of me growled–a fierce, terrifyingly, alpha growl that would probably make a lesser man shit himself.
“Bonding my daughter was uncalled for,” he retorted. This was a different alpha.
My blindfold came off. I was not in the villa in Switzerland. I was in an expensive-looking living room, complete with a Christmas tree and a roaring fire.
Finn Gallagher stood there, scowling at me. In the doorway, another dad lounged against the frame, looking like he should be cleaning his fingernails with a large knife.
Finn held up a gun. “You know, I’ve killed people for lesser things.”
“I thought you were a businessman, not a mobster,” I retorted. Were we in one of my sister’s telenovelas? I didn’t know what was happening here.
“Unlike the other one, you’re not even remorseful for what you did.” The gun clicked. “What makes you think that you’re good enough for my daughter,” a giant, irate alpha roared at me, the barrel of his gun pointed at my beanie-covered forehead.
His alpha rage and spicy scent made me squirm against the ropes securing me to the chair. Was he actually going to shoot me? Or was he bluffing?
Sweat rolled down my neck, partly from the fireplace and my thick sweater, and partly because, regardless of what he actually intended, Finn Gallagher was quite unhappy with me.
I didn’t like it when people were unhappy with me.
Despite my life being at risk, there was something amusing about being tied to a chair, while wearing a Christmas sweater, and held at gunpoint while the lavish tree blinked cheerfully at me in their living room.
A chuckle escaped my lips.
“What’s so funny?” he snarled.
Finn’s alpha dominance was almost suffocating, making me laugh harder.
“I’m not good enough for your daughter,” I admitted.
“No one is. Fiona is Mi Reina–she is a queen among women. I am but a mere mortal and not fit for the likes of her. Though I assure you that I love her with every fiber of my being. I’d be honored to spend the rest of my life worshiping her and trying to prove that I’m worthy of her love. ”
Finn snorted. “Pretty words for a pretty boy. But that doesn’t erase what you’ve done.”
“Why would I want to erase it?” I blurted before my mouth snapped shut.
Think first, speak second, dumbass. That’s not something to say out loud if you ever want to kiss her again.
His nostrils flared and the gun clicked. I closed my eyes as fear shot through me, bracing for the worst.
This was where it ended.
People warned me to make good choices. But I was a kappa, it was in my nature not to, no matter how hard I tried.
I didn’t regret what happened. I’d do it all again. Here lies Carlos, who fell in love with a goddess.
My phone rang in the distance. Probably someone wondering where the fuck I was. Possibly a teammate, since I might have a game tonight?
I didn’t even know what day it was anymore. Or where the others were.
I waited for my life to end.
No regrets. None at all. I was grateful for being bonded with her, even if it was for just a few hours. I didn’t see it as making a bad choice, even if it was unplanned.
Also, I knew from our bond that she didn’t regret it either, and that was what was most important.
I sent all the love I could through the bond to Fiona and Hale, since they would both feel my death. Also, I sent my remorse. Fiona, especially, would be affected by my passing.
“Grandpa, what are you doing? You can’t shoot Little Brother Carlito,” a tiny voice squealed.
“Why is BroKen tied up in the playroom?” a slightly older female voice said.
One of the dads swore. “Nora, Tommy, I thought you were out with your dad and Uncle Colin at the park.”
“We’re back,” the little boy announced. “Is Little Brother a present for me? He’s tied up like a present. But why do you have a gun? Guns are bad.”
I opened my eyes, pretty sure that Finn wasn’t going to end me in front of children. Also, I wanted to see how he got himself out of this.
“What is going on here?” A preteen girl with braces, red hair, pigtails and glasses, stood there with her hands on her hips and an expression that reminded me of Fiona.
Meanwhile a little boy with copper curls pummeled Finn’s leg with tiny fists. “Let Little Brother go!”
With a sigh, Finn put the gun away. “I wasn’t going to hurt him. We were just playing a game,” he bullshitted.
I wanted to chuckle, because it was so fucking funny. Instead, I clamped my lips shut and swallowed the laugh down.
In a way, we were playing a game–an intimidation game. I was guessing he never planned on actually hurting me, just scaring me shitless until I repented.
The little boy stared at me. “You are Little Brother, right? You’re just playing a game with my grandpa?”
“Hi, friend, I am Little Brother. You’re Tommy?” I asked him.
“Yes.” Tommy grinned, he was missing a tooth.
The preteen girl, Nora, eyed me, then looked at her grandfather. “I call bullshit on playing a game.”
“I call bullshit on you using the word bullshit,” Finn replied.
“I’m with your Auntie Fiona, that’s why I’m here,” I blurted.
Tommy sucked in a breath, eyes dancing in delight. “Little Brother’s going to be my Tio Carlito?” He shot his grandfather a look. “Tio means uncle in Spanish.”
“Muy bien. My nieces and nephews call me Tio Lalo, and you can call me that, too,” I added.
Finn growled in protest.
“You’re getting a Tio Dusty and a Tio Hale-i-o-burrito, too.” I flashed a grin at Finn who was turning red.
Tommy laughed. “That’s a silly name.”
“Hale is delightfully silly,” I replied. Hale was going to be a fantastic uncle. Where was he? Tied up, too?
“Carlos, why are you tied to a chair?” Dusty came in through another doorway.
“Are you dating Aunt Fiona as well?” Nora asked him.
“No, I’m with your Auntie Saoirse,” he replied.
“He’ll still be your Tio Dusty if you want,” I added.
Dusty nodded. “Absolutely.”
Finn growled. “How did you untie yourself?”
“Grandpa, did you really expect me to leave BroKen tied up in the playroom? That's just not hospitable,” Nora replied. “Also, he made a video with me. My classmates will be so jealous.”
Finn looked about ready to tear out his hair.
My phone rang again, and there was also a knock at the door.
The dad in the doorway disappeared.
“Where is everyone?” Dusty looked around.
“I don’t like this game,” said Tommy. “Aunt Fiona’s in a timeout in her room, which is silly because she’s a grown-up.”
“Finn, I understand your concern. But could you please untie me, so we can have a discussion like rational adults? I really do love your daughter with all my heart,” I implored. “Also, where’s Hale?”
“I can help you, Little Brother!” Tommy fumbled with the knots on my ropes.
“Tommy, please don’t untie him yet.” Finn looked like he was about to lose it.
The other dad came back in with a very amused look on his face. “Finn, two women with hockey sticks are at the door, demanding that we allow them to pay ransom.”
Fiona ran into the room. “Did you have to tie everyone up? You are infuriating.”
“Grandpa said he wasn’t done with his game, but I don’t like his game, because he had a gun,” Tommy tattled.
“A gun, Dad? Really?” Fiona huffed. “I get your concern, but this is crossing a line. And yes, I’ve thought about what I’ve done. Though locking me in my room is both unnecessary and futile.”
Finn rubbed his forehead. “I was just trying to scare him. He wasn’t repentant enough about what he did to you.”
The other dad’s brows furrowed.
“I’m happy we’re mated. Wait, Da, who did you ransom him to and why?” Fiona demanded, candy cane scent spicy with anger as she started to untie me.
“I didn’t. Somebody came offering ransom in exchange for him,” Da said. “Carlos, did you know your life is only worth two party-sized trays of lasagna? That tells me a lot about what your friends think of you.”
I sucked in a breath. “Two party trays of lasagna. You said she has a hockey stick. Does she have purple hair?”
“One has purple hair, one has her hair in school-girl braids,” Da replied.
“Gwen and Mercy–Hale’s sister,” I explained. The fact that they were here warmed me. Someone missed me, someone came for me.
“Gwen and Mercy here? Wow,” Dusty replied.
“Chaotic besties of doom? Hale, your sister came to rescue you,” Fiona called.
Hale appeared. “She did?”
Finn sighed. “Fiona, you weren’t supposed to untie him. I haven’t interrogated him yet.”