OMEGA FOR THE MAFIA BOSS

M/M MAFIA MPREG ROMANCE

MATED IN THE MAFIA
BOOK ONE

JENA WADE
ARIA GRACE

SURRENDERED PRESS

OCEANOFPDF.COM
 CONTENTS

1. Andro
2. Joey
3. Andro
4. Joey
5. Andro
6. Joey
7. Andro
8. Joey
9. Joey
10. Joey
11. Andro
12. Joey
13. Andro
14. Joey
15. Andro
16. Joey
Epilogue

OceanofPDF.com
 1

ANDRO

The ticking of the second hand on the clock seemed to get louder as I stared
at it. In just a few minutes, I’d be meeting with my father to get the
ultimatum that had been building for years.
He was going to remind me, for the hundredth time, that my days of
freedom and bachelorhood needed to end. My father wanted to pass the
baton to me, make me the leader of the family because his health was
declining and he wanted to retire.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t as simple as just a handshake and an official
announcement.
In order to claim my birthright to what was essentially the throne in our
family, I had to be married.
And there was no way I was ready to do that. I didn’t need a wife or an
omega tied to my side in order to run the family business. It was an
antiquated idea that would be the first thing to go once I took over. Until
then, I supposed I had to play the game.
According to my family, twenty-nine was about ten years too late for me to
be thinking about marriage. But I felt like I had another ten or twenty years
in me before I would even consider settling down. At least, that was how I
wanted it to be.
There was a knock on the door, and then Louie, my younger brother,
opened it up and peeked inside. “You almost ready?”
I sighed and turned to face the window. “No. I don’t know why he keeps
doing this. We’ve had this conversation before, and it isn’t like I’ve
changed my mind.”
Louie laughed and let himself in. “Sucks to be you, Brother. He hasn’t
changed his mind either. But you knew this was coming. You’ve had plenty
of time to have your fun, and being married doesn’t mean you have to stop
everything. Just means you have to be a little bit more discreet. Or not.
These days, does anyone even care?”
I shook my head and forced myself to release my jaw. My teeth were
grinding together, causing a headache to form. “Then what’s the point? If I
don’t actually love somebody, marrying them just for appearances is stupid.
It’s a waste of time, and it’s another person to worry about protecting.”
“Stupid or not, Dad is old school. He’s not gonna budge on this. If you
don’t pick somebody, he’s gonna pick someone for you. Trust me when I
say you don’t want him to do that.”
I turned around and looked at my brother. We were the same height; all the
men in my family were over six feet. All my father’s sons were alphas, save
for one omega. “The hell he is. If he wants to play like that, then I’ll pick
someone he hates. I’ll find someone who he doesn’t deem suitable.”
Louie laughed. “Yeah, only you would marry somebody you hate just to
piss off Dad.”
I shrugged. “He’s pissing me off. What does he expect?”
Louie looked at his watch and nodded toward the door. “He expected to see
your ass in there ten minutes ago. Let’s go. I’m not willing to suffer his
wrath just because you’re being an idiot.”
I didn’t try to come up with any more excuses. This needed to happen, and
we needed to find a resolution one way or another. Keeping Vern Ferrini
waiting wasn’t something to be taken lightly. More than one person had
been killed or maimed for that very offense.
When Louie walked out of my room, I was right behind him, ready to face
whatever was coming for me.
My father was in his office, holding court with the other uncles. They
weren’t all my blood uncles, but they were all leaders of the family my
father had been heading up for decades. Our business dealings were less
than legal. They made us a ton of money and even more enemies.
For some misguided reason, they all wanted me to take over, but I had to be
married first.
Granted, I’d been training for this position my whole life, and as one of the
strongest fighters and one of the few with a business degree, it made sense
for me to step in sooner rather than later. I had already begun taking over
some of the business dealings that my father used to handle. He was
stepping back more and more, but when push came to shove, his word was
law until the day he said mine was.
And I was on board with that.
If only they didn’t have the stupid marriage clause in place, everything
would be perfect.
Louie and I stood on either side of Orsino, our middle brother. Once we
were all together, my father finally stopped chatting with everyone else and
looked directly at me.
“Allesandro, Louie.” He clasped his hands on his desk and looked at each
of us. “Thank you for joining us. Better late than never, right?”
I learned as a young boy not to respond to those kinds of rhetorical
questions. He was humiliating us without being direct. That was his style,
so we all just stayed silent until he actually wanted us to speak.
“Son, your time is up.” He was looking right at me, and I could feel my
brothers leaning away so there was no question who was in the hot seat. It
was me. It was always me.
Still, I stayed quiet. I kept my shoulders relaxed and my stare level. I wasn’t
going to flinch under his gaze.
“We’ll plan for your wedding by the end of next month. If you don’t have a
name for me now, I’ll provide one to you.”
“Now?” What the fuck? I knew I was running out of time, but six weeks?
That was crazy. “How about the end of the year? I’ll be ready by then.”
“You’ve said that before, Andro. We can’t keep waiting for you to get your
shit together. Who’s it going to be?”
“Who do you have in mind?” Maybe it was better to just let him pick
someone and get it over with.
My father grinned in a way that I rarely witnessed. He usually reserved that
particular look for when he was about to put a bullet in someone’s head.
Which made me realize what I was doing. “Wait, I have someone.”
All heads turned to me, shocked by my declaration.
No one was as shocked as I was. I had no idea what I was saying, but I
couldn’t back down now. “I wasn’t ready to tell anyone because we haven’t
made it official yet. But…” I wracked my brain, trying to come up with a
story that made even a tiny bit of sense. Not much came up. “I’ll officially
propose this weekend. After the gala. And we’ll make an announcement
next week.”
My father nodded as if he was fine with my plan, but I could see the distrust
in his eyes. He didn’t believe me. Which almost made me smirk back
because he was smart enough to know when I was lying. “Excellent. We
can’t wait to see the engagement announcement on Monday.”
I cleared my throat unconsciously and shifted my weight from one foot to
the other. “You’ll be the first to know, Father.”
Now I just had to find a mate and get him to agree to marry me…in four
days.
No problem at all. I could do that. But it was going to be like I told Louie.
I’d find the most unsuitable omega in the state.
My father would rue the day he decided to force my hand.
OceanofPDF.com
 2

J O EY

“You coming or what?” Mario held open the door and waited for me to get
out.
“Yeah. Just a sec.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to mentally
prepare myself for a night of pretending to be in a loving family. Or even
just a liking family. We couldn’t let anyone notice that no one in my family
liked me. I most certainly couldn’t let anyone know that my family
downright despised me.
Being a weak omega in a crime family was a recipe for disaster.
Mario’s voice turned rough, and I knew I’d hesitated too long. “We don’t
want you here any more than you want to be here, but we need to show a
united front.” He grabbed my arm and yanked until I was tumbling out of
the car. “Just smile when there’s a camera pointed at you, and keep your
mouth shut. And remember, this isn’t about you, Joey. You’re nothing.
We’re here for me and Richie.”
Mario and Richie were my dad’s primary confidantes. The three of them ran
our family like a dictatorship, and I was in the “boys club” by name only.
As the only omega son, Dad didn’t have much use for me, which meant my
brothers didn’t have much respect for me. The rest of their business
associates and hired men felt even more disdain for me than they did.
According to them, I was either in the way, causing drama, or not carrying
my weight because I wasn’t out in the field, beating the shit out of people
who didn’t make their payments on time or whatever the fuck my brothers
did all day.
Dad ran loans for the tri-state area, and my brothers were his muscle.
My responsibility to the family was at least as important, but since my
family didn’t have the same kind of mind for numbers that I had, they
didn’t appreciate my value. As a certified accountant, I managed the books
for the various business entities. It was easy work, but mostly because it
wasn’t exactly within generally accepted accounting principles.
In fact, they were as far away from accepted as possible. Essentially, my job
was to create the numbers my dad asked me to create. And do it in a way
that would never draw suspicion.
It wasn’t anywhere near honest work, but I was good at it. I could hide
money better than anyone.
If I wasn’t generous enough or if I took too long to get my work done, I got
a beating.
If I didn’t respond to their questions or texts fast enough, I got a beating.
And if I even looked at any of them wrong, I got a beating.
Then there were the days when I got a beating just because I existed.
Why they forced me to come to these events where we had to pretend to be
a happy family was beyond me. I would have been just as happy to stay in
my room at home, like usual. No, that wasn’t right. Happy was not
something I would ever use to describe my state.
Content. I would be content to stay home and out of the limelight.
At home, they usually forgot about me when they didn’t need something, so
I could just live my life in peace.
But when Dad paraded me out with the family like he actually cared for me,
it pretty much guaranteed a beating as soon as I got home. There was no
way I could get through a few hours without pissing one or all of them off.
It had been that way since my mom died when I was just ten years old. She
had been my shield from the monsters that made up the rest of the family.
“I’m coming.” I pulled away from Mario’s grip and straightened out my
suit, ignoring the bruises on my back that were smarting under the
uncomfortable clothes. I kept a neutral expression as I approached the red
carpet.
These charity galas were all just a front for criminal activity. Drugs, people,
and politics were bought and sold under the guise of saving some kind of
animal or plant species.
It was disgusting, but it was the world I’d been born into. I knew nothing
else.
The only thing I did look forward to was making a fat donation to the actual
causes when my dad wasn’t looking. It was the least I could do since I’d
never actually do anything good in the world. When Dad later complained
that I gave much more than what was expected to keep up our ruse, I would
just tell him that one of our rival families had written a big check, and I
wanted ours to be bigger.
That was always enough to shut him up.
Competition came naturally to my father and brothers. They wanted to be
the best, especially when compared to the Ferrini family.
My father was extremely unpredictable in many ways, but his ego was one
thing I could count on. It would always be bigger than his brain.
As soon as we were inside the museum that was hosting the event, Mario
directed me to a table that Richie and my father were already seated at. He
pointed to an empty chair before pulling out his own and having a seat. “Sit
down and shut up. We have business to attend to tonight.” His eyes
narrowed, and he shook his head. “And fix your fucking face. You look like
you just took a bite of something sour. Pretend like we want you to be
here.”
I took a deep breath and locked my eyes on the glass of water in front of
me, waiting for everyone else at my table to get engrossed in their own
conversations so I could take a look around.
The people-watching at these gatherings was as fascinating as it was
disturbing. There was more money than sense among the crowd, and I could
learn a lot just by observing.
Most of the people in the room were involved in some sort of underground
and highly illegal activities, so when I saw the local news anchors or
politicians in the room, it just pissed me off.
But those were the people I expected to see. The ones who shocked me
were the local ministries and school board leaders. And, of course, law
enforcement.
All of them received payments from my family or the Ferrinis to keep our
activities quiet.
I liked to imagine they were there to support the cause and were ignorant to
everything going on around them. But I wasn’t naïve enough to believe
anyone was innocent. Growing up in my family taught me many things, and
one of the most important lessons I’d learned was that everybody had an
evil side.
Right as that thought flitted through my mind, Andro Ferrini crossed the
room, walking with smooth strides and the confidence of an alpha who
owned the world.
And if the rumors were true, he was about to.
His family was one of the most notorious crime families in the country.
More powerful and wealthier than mine, which meant they were at the top
of my father’s hate list. My dad ran a rinky-dink drug gang in comparison
to what the Ferrinis did. They had their fingers in just about everything and
seemed to own power just about everywhere. Their connections spanned the
country, and my family was just a blip on the radar compared to them.
Vern Ferrini, the patriarch of the family, was getting older, and supposedly,
he would be passing the reins to Andro within the next month. From what
I’d heard, it would happen as soon as Andro got married.
That was the part that seemed unrealistic. I’d never seen Andro with the
same omega twice, so I had no idea who he was planning to settle down
with. But as the days ticked away, my childhood fantasy of being the
chosen one was slowly dying.
Not that I ever expected it to come true. Fantasies never did. If I were
smart, I’d quit indulging in dreaming and focus my attention elsewhere.
But with the death of that fantasy came the harsh reality of my actual
situation. There was no way out for me.
The annoyed voice of my brother, Richie, interrupted my thoughts. “We’re
fucking talking to you, Joey. Pay attention.”
“What?” I turned to my brother and then realized my father was staring
hard at me. “I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?” Fuck, I was going to pay for
that later. I tried to hide the wince that came instinctively.
He just shook his head. “This is why we can’t trust you, Joseph. You always
have your head in the fucking clouds. We’re here to do a job. Appearances
are important, and you’re fucking it all up.” His voice was harsh, and my
brothers’ emulated him when they spoke to me the same way.
Imitation was the sincerest form of flattery, after all.
They never could quite master it, though. Their anger and hatred toward me
was too raw, whereas my father’s was controlled. His was a thousand times
more terrifying. His calculated cruelty was not something I could anticipate
or avoid.
“Right. I’m sorry.”
He held up a finger and pointed it in the air. “Ten thousand. That’s the
check you write. No more. No less. Don't give me any noise about others
donating more.”
“Got it.” I nodded and straightened up in my chair, realizing I’d been
slouching. “No more. No less.”
My father raised his eyebrow, leaving no room for interpretation. “I mean it,
boy. Don’t fuck this up like you always do.”
“I won’t.”
OceanofPDF.com
 3

ANDRO

These fucking galas were always the same.

Fake smiles. Ridiculously hard handshakes that threatened to break every
bone in your hand. And unholy amounts of money being passed around for
various causes.
Most of which were not at all philanthropic.
There was an inordinate amount of people vying for my attention compared
to past events. Likely, the news of my impending takeover had spread far
and wide. Others wanted to make connections with me, establish
relationships either inside the boardroom or the bedroom. I wasn’t looking
for either one tonight.
I circled the room several times, hoping a previously unnoticed omega
would catch my eye and some kind of solution to my problem would
materialize in front of me. Unfortunately, that wasn’t happening. Sure,
plenty of omegas were throwing themselves at me, I had room numbers and
room keys in all my pockets, but none of them were what I was looking for.
In fact, the only omega my eyes kept drifting back to was Joseph fucking
Santoro. The one guy I had no chance of convincing to marry me. Not
because he wouldn’t want to. I had no doubt I could seduce him. Over the
years, I’d caught him watching me almost as closely as I watched him. So I
knew the interest was there on both sides.
But for the same reason I couldn’t entertain the idea of being with him, he
couldn’t consider being with me.
Our families had a decades-old rivalry. Though, rivalry was a bit of an
understatement.
Because of some bad decisions made by our great-great-grandfathers, my
family and Joseph’s family were enemies. In fact, both patriarchs had tried
to have the other killed on several occasions.
Santo, as Joseph’s dad was called, was a lower level thug than my father,
but he had high aspirations and was always trying to move in on our
territory. The Santoros were like a pesky fly that wouldn’t go away.
As far as their business dealings, they had zero integrity. Sure, Ferrinis
broke the law, but we always had a reason. We weren’t cruel unless it was
deserved.
My father was mostly reasonable and could forgive many indiscretions, but
trying to steal his business was playing with fire. Honestly, I wasn’t sure
how either man had managed to survive all their petty attempts at
retaliation. But somehow, they had and were both in the same room tonight,
something we generally tried to avoid.
Our full security detail was monitoring Santo and his alpha sons, just in
case he got brave and tried to make a move. Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-
Dum—I never bothered to learn their real names—weren’t likely to make it
very far even if they did try something. But we were always prepared.
Which was why we were more successful than them.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” Louie asked, standing at my flank
in the front corner of the room.
My gaze was locked on Joseph. The omega sat between both his brothers,
as if they were holding him captive. I didn't think for a moment that it was
about security. Their mistreatment of the omega brother was the worst-kept
secret. “I was just thinking about the stupid feud we have with the Santoros.
It’s amazing Dad is still alive.”
Louie just shook his head and glanced over at the Santoro table. “Yeah, it’s
too bad. Joey is so cute. He’d be the perfect omega for you. If he weren’t
part of that family.”
“Yeah…” As I stared at him, Joseph looked over at me and got caught in
my gaze for several seconds before having his attention pulled back.
“What was that about?” Louie crossed his arms over his chest as he
watched the omega almost as intently as I did. “Which one is that?”
“I don’t know.” One of the Santoro boys had smacked Joey on the side of
his head because he was looking away…at me. Fucker.
Joey flinched but covered it quickly.
I continued to watch and let the wheels turn in my head. “You know, he
would be perfect. I could tell Dad that he’s the only person I could possibly
think of marrying, and it’s either Joey Santoro or no one. Maybe then, Dad
would give up on the whole marriage clause. Either that, or let me marry his
enemy and bring a Santoro into the family.”
Louie turned to me with his jaw locked before chuckling quietly. “Dad
would shit a brick. He’d probably keel over right on the spot.”
“Yeah, probably.” That wasn’t actually my intention, but it would solve at
least half my problems. Not that I didn’t have a good relationship with my
father. We were okay. But it was much more of a business relationship than
a familial one. My loyalty was based on fear and guilt, not because he had
earned it.
“Definitely.” Louie grabbed a glass of champagne as a tray passed by. “But
more likely, Dad would make you do it just to piss off Santo. Then you’d be
stuck with Joey and an alliance with their family that we don’t want or
need.”
Being stuck with Joey didn’t sound too bad. The alliance was not
happening, though. “It might be okay. If I can figure out a way to make this
happen, will you help me?”
“Figure out what way?” He looked at me in complete disbelief. An
expression I had earned, apparently. “Do you think you’re gonna talk Joey
into marrying you in the next couple hours? I wouldn’t count on it.
Honestly, he’ll probably just tell his dad, and you’d be starting another
fucking war. We don’t need an alliance with them.”
“I’m not suggesting one. More like a kidnapping…”
Louie’s eyes bulged. “Are you insane? That’s not possible.”
“I know.” He was right. I heaved out a sigh and balled my hands into fists.
“But if I do think of a way that will work, will you help me?”
My younger brother just rolled his eyes. “You know I will. Just be smart
and try not to get us all killed in the process. That omega should be thankful
to get out of their clutches. At least with us, he’d be safe.”
I liked to consider myself as being the smart one in the family, but that
didn’t always prove to be true. In fact, I was about to do something really,
really stupid.
But I was desperate.
And when a man was desperate, he couldn’t be trusted to make good
decisions. At least, that was what I was telling myself when I decided to
follow Joey Santoro into the bathroom.
I grabbed my brother’s arm as I started walking. “Come with me.”
“What are we doing?” He looked around, on guard as if we were under
attack.
We weren’t, but somebody else was about to be. “I’m gonna do it.”
“Do what?” Louie looked at me like I was out of my mind. “You’re talking
in circles, Bro. Just tell me what we’re doing. You know I’m in.”
I rolled my eyes and hung back as Joey entered the men’s room. “We’re
taking Joey Santoro.”
“What the fuck do you mean by taking? Taking him where?”
I shoved Louie into the corner so we wouldn’t be overheard. “I’m taking
him to the lake house. I’m gonna go into the bathroom and make sure he’s
alone. If he is, I’ll ask him to talk with me outside.” It was a shit plan, and
one I’d made up on the fly. But it felt right. If this worked, I’d be saving
both our asses.
“And if he’s not alone or won’t go?” Louie rounded on me to capture my
full attention. “Then what are you gonna do?”
“Well, that’s where you come in. I might need your help knocking him out
and getting him into the car.”
My brother rolled his eyes, not at all on board with the plan. “Seriously,
Andro. This is the best you can come up with? You have a line of guys
eager to marry you. You want the only one you have to kidnap? It has to be
this particular one?”
I took exactly two seconds to solidify my decision before I nodded and
stepped toward the bathroom. “Yep. He’s the guy. If Dad is making me do
this, then he’s gonna have to suffer the consequences.”
The bathroom door was swinging shut behind me before my brother could
protest any further.
Joey was standing at a urinal when I walked in. He glanced over and saw
me, and I could almost feel his body tense when he realized it was me.
I flashed a quick smile, then walked all the way through the space to make
sure we were completely alone. The stalls were are all empty, so I went to
the sink and washed my hands.
Joey finished up and met me at the sink, doing his best to ignore me as he
washed up.
I cleared my throat and went for it. “Can I have a word with you? Outside.”
I wasn’t sure if I’d ever actually spoken to the omega, though we’d
exchanged plenty of looks over the years.
He looked at me and then checked the mirror to see if I was talking to
someone else. “Me? You want to talk to me?”
I grinned. Flirting with him was easy. He was freaking adorable, with his
too-long hair that curled and flopped over his forehead. His day-old stubble
would leave a beard-burn on my thighs. “Yeah, you. Is that so hard to
believe?”
He turned off the water and shook out his hands in the sink. “Kinda. No one
really has meetings with me. Are you sure you don’t need one of my
brothers?”
I hated that he believed all the shit they put in his head. “No, I want to talk
to you, Joey. Follow me?”
“Um… I’ll try.” He dried off and then looked down at the floor, wringing
that damp paper towel between his hands. “If my dad or brothers see us
talking, they’ll be pretty pissed.”
“Then we won’t let them see us. Follow me out front, and we’ll just talk for
a minute.”
To my surprise, he went without any hesitation at all. Like a sheep
following a wolf, he went straight out of the building and down the front
steps to where Louie was standing.
I nodded to my brother, and he texted the driver to bring the car around.
I could sense that Joey was getting anxious as he watched me and my
brother silently communicate before the SUV pulled up to the curb. “Um,
what do you need? I really shouldn’t be gone long.”
“It’s fine, Joey. Just get in the car so we can talk for a minute.”
He started to back away, his eyes growing wide as he glanced toward the
building we just exited.
“Louie.” I gave my brother the silent gesture for him to do his thing. He had
a knack for putting people in a sleeper hold quickly and efficiently. Once he
was out, we’d give him something to keep him drowsy for the rest of the
night.
Joey started to protest, but before he could make a sound, he was limp in
my brother’s arms.
I carefully scooped him up and placed him on the backseat of the SUV
before instructing the driver on where to go as I slid in beside him.
It wasn’t my proudest moment, but sometimes, an alpha had to do shit they
weren’t proud of.

OceanofPDF.com
 4

J O EY

My head was pounding like a jackhammer in my skull, and my throat felt

like sandpaper when I was finally able to open my eyes. I vaguely
remembered Andro Ferrini pouring something down my throat, but I had no
idea how long ago that was. Was that before or after he asked me to talk to
him?
Must have been after.
There was light shining in through the purple satin drapes, so I assumed it
was morning, but I was definitely not in my bedroom.
Instead, I was staring at a stark white wall in a room I’d never seen before. I
tried to roll over, but I couldn’t get far because it felt like a weight was
holding me in place. I looked to see what was restraining me and realized it
wasn’t an actual strap, but the extremely heavy arm of my kidnapper.
If it weren’t for me and him being fully clothed, I would have worried about
what had happened to me while I was unconscious. I knew enough about
Andro to think that of him, though.
I cleared my throat and shifted my weight hard enough to nudge him
awake. “I need to get up.”
Andro’s hand spread across my belly and gently rubbed it for a second
before he hopped off the bed and took a few steps back. “Yeah, sorry about
that. You were asleep for a long time.”
I scoffed. “That’s what happens when you drug somebody. I guess I should
be lucky I’m alive.” I bit my tongue. It would serve me well to keep quiet
and wait to find out what he wanted from me, or else I was likely to find
myself six feet under.
He nodded and reached for my hand to help me out of the bed. “Do you
need to go to the bathroom? We gave you a good amount of water, so you
probably have to piss.”
I nodded and took a second to steady myself, still a little lightheaded.
“Yeah, where’s the restroom?”
There were two doors in the room, each on opposite walls.
Andro positioned himself between me and the door on the right as he
pointed to the door on the left. “Right through there. There are clean towels
on the shelf if you want to shower.”
I looked down and realized I wasn’t in my tuxedo anymore. I was in a pair
of sweatpants that were way too big and a black T-shirt. As subtly as
possible, I slipped my hand underneath the drawstring of the sweats and
breathed out a sigh of relief when I felt the waistband of my boxers.
At least they hadn’t completely undressed me while I was unconscious.
Trying not to put too much thought into it, I slowly shuffled toward the
bathroom and took my time getting cleaned up. Mostly, I just wanted some
space to figure out what the fuck was going on.
The hot water spraying down on me felt good on my stiff muscles, but I was
even more nervous about what would happen when I got back home.
If I ever got back home. If Andro didn’t kill me, my brothers definitely
would.
At least half an hour after I’d entered the bathroom, I walked out and found
Andro sitting on the edge of the bed, his leg bouncing as he waited for me.
“Everything okay?”
“No, not really. Where the hell am I? I need to get home. My dad’s going to
kill me this time. He isn’t going to settle for the usual punishment.”
Sparks flashed in Andro’s eyes, and I could tell he was pissed, but I had no
idea why he would care. “Why do you let them treat you like that? Like
you’re a piece of shit under their heel.”
Ashamed that he knew my truth, I waved my arms around the room, turning
in a circle. “You’ve just kidnapped me and brought me to some strange
place, and you think my family treats me badly? They’re just part of the
same club you’re in.”
Pain was evident in his gaze as he watched me. “Look, I’m sorry I took
you. But I have a proposition that I hope you’ll at least consider.”
Still feeling a little woozy, I went to the far end of the bed and sat down,
leaning against the wall to keep my balance. “What kind of proposition? If
you want an alliance, then you ought to talk to my brothers. Though,
personally, it would be stupid to ally yourself with them. You don’t need
them.” I fought back a wince. If I were a true Santoro, I would be saying
“we” not “them,” and I would be begging Ferrini for his family’s
connection.
“I’m looking for a husband. I don’t actually want to get married, so this is
more of a marriage of convenience.”
What now? I shook my head, wondering if maybe I was still unconscious
because the words I was hearing could not have possibly been coming out
of his mouth. “Say that again.”
Andro sighed and rested his hands palm up on his thighs. “I know taking
you last night was a shitty thing to do. But I also know that you have a
shitty family, so if I promise to treat you better than they do, would you
consider marrying me? We’ll have to produce an heir, of course, but other
than that, you’ll just be my mate on paper so my father will get off my back
and finally step down as the patriarch.”
“You want me to be your omega? Like, your husband omega. For real?” It
sounded like an indecent proposal from some cheesy romcom. “Are you
insane?”
Andro’s jaw ticked. “You’re the second person to ask me that in the past
day. I seem to be losing my touch.”
We sat awkwardly staring at each other, the proposition running through my
mind.
A marriage to a Ferrini would get me so many things. Freedom from my
family. Protection in the form of the formidable Ferrini name.
But at what cost?
Andro threw his head back, staring up at the ceiling. “You don’t have a lot
of time to think this over. I wish we had more time, but you were
unconscious longer than I anticipated, and, well… I didn’t plan this at all.”
He stood up and stomped to the other side of the room, resting his head
against the far wall. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
It was fucked up, but I felt bad for the guy. Clearly, he’d made some bad
decisions, but after the initial shock wore off, the offer didn’t sound too bad.
“What would I tell my father?”
His whole body stiffened before he slowly turned to face me. “Are you
actually considering it?”
I shrugged, unable to look him in the eye. “Do I have the option of saying
no? I mean, you did kidnap me.”
His chin fell to his chest, and he stared at the floor. “You can say no. I may
be a lot of things, but I do not take away a person’s free will—least of all an
omega’s. If you refuse, I’ll take you home, if that’s what you want.” Then
he looked at me, really seeing through me. “But is that what you want? I’m
not the greatest guy out there, but I’m not the worst. Think about what I am
offering you. I would definitely treat you better than how your family treats
you.”
Kind of a low bar, but I knew what he was trying to say. I closed my eyes
and took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Andro walked back to me and reached for my hand. “Okay, you’ll
do it? That’s it?”
“Yeah… Should I not do it?” I was starting to wonder what the right answer
was. Nothing made sense.
He laughed and pulled my hand up to his forehead, pressing the back of it
against his warm skin. “Fuck yeah, you should do it. This is perfect for both
of us.”
I wanted to buy into the fantasy of it being perfect, but there were still way
too many unknowns for me to actually feel good. “What about my family?
My father. He’s gonna want to kill all of us now. What about your family?”
Andro sat beside me and let my hand drop onto his thigh as he shrugged
both shoulders.
Funny how I could sit so close to him without flinching. The man had
kidnapped me, and I had no fear of him. If my brothers so much as breathed
in my direction, I cowered. “Your dad’s an idiot. No offense, but he can’t
hurt shit. You’ll be under the protection of my family from now on, and if
you want to maintain a relationship with yours, they’ll have to learn to treat
you with respect as a member of the Ferrini family, not some whipping boy
they can smack around.” His jaw clenched together, and he narrowed his
eyes at me. “They will never fucking touch you again. Do you understand
me?”
I just nodded, swallowing hard at the intensity in his eyes. Shivers ran
through my whole body at his possessiveness. “Yes…alpha. Andro? Um,
what do you want me to call you?” My instincts screamed at me to submit
to him as my alpha.
He ran his tongue along his lower lip, and his eyes darkened even more.
“Andro is fine, for now. If you want to call me alpha at some point, I’d like
that. But I’m not gonna force you into any kind of submission. That
wouldn’t be fair, given the circumstances.”
“Okay, uh, Andro. So, should I call my dad and tell him? Do you want to do
that or… I dunno. Maybe your father should do it?” This was all uncharted
territory, and I had no idea what the next move was. Marriage to any
person, least of all a Ferrini, had never been in the cards for me.
Despite all the questions swirling in my mind, I felt surprisingly safe under
Andro’s protection. A part of me was relieved that he had chosen me out of
every other omega that would have happily signed up to be his mate.
I just wished I was as confident as he was about my father not trying to
retaliate. He was almost as significantly impacted by this as I was. “And
what about my job? I work as my family’s accountant. Should I still do that
or do you want me to work for your family now?”
Andro tucked one hand under his opposite armpit and held it in place as he
looked toward the window. “You will not work for your family anymore. I
doubt they’d allow it, and I am not going to allow you in their presence
without a personal guard.” He cocked his head to the side and seemed to be
considering the alternative. “But if you want to continue to work in some
capacity and maintain a relationship with them, that’s probably fine. It
might even create some sort of truce between our fathers. But your family
has to agree to treat you with respect.”
I choked out a sad laugh of sorts. “I don’t think that could ever happen, but
I should talk to him, at least.” I bit my lip and looked down at Andro’s hand,
wishing it were still touching mine. “I’ll call him, and we can tell him
we’ve been seeing each other and couldn’t hide it any longer. When he
freaks out, I’ll let him talk to you. Or your dad.”
Andro grimaced. “Oh, yeah, my dad. That’s going to be another interesting
conversation.”

OceanofPDF.com
 5

ANDRO

I hunted down Louie and found him in the study, reading an actual
hardcover book of all things. I shoved his shoulder to get his attention. “He
said yes.”
“No shit. He’s actually gonna do it?” He dog-eared the book—a travesty—
and set it down, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Yeah. I told you he has a shitty life.” I grinned. “He seemed okay with
pissing off his family, as long as he’s under our protection.”
Louie nodded in agreement. “Well, as your mate, he’ll definitely be under
our protection. But, damn. You kidnap somebody, and he still fucking
agrees to marry you.” My brother laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.
“I need you to rub some of that game on me. I got none.”
I rolled my eyes, inwardly proud of his praise. “You’ve got plenty of game,
Bro. The entire harem fights to be with you every night.”
He sobered up, and his face took on a serious expression. “You know that’s
not what I’m talking about.”
I reached for a shoulder and gave him a little shake. “I know you’re looking
for something more, and you’ll find it. I’m sure of it.” My gentle squeeze
got a little firmer, and I dug my thumb into his muscle, giving him my
version of a shoulder nuggie. “Until then, you’ve got a gaggle of beautiful
boys to fuck anytime you want.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I guess there’s that.”
Our family, like most of the wealthier families that ran in our circles, kept a
harem of omegas on staff. They lived in a wing of the main house and were
available to any of the alphas with an itch to scratch. There were a few I
called on a few times a month, but I didn’t use them as prolifically as my
brothers did.
I preferred to go out to a club and meet a stranger for a quick fuck in the
bathroom, rather than getting comfortable with somebody in my home.
Which was why I never wanted to get married.
It was not uncommon for the omegas in the harem to catch feelings. When
that happened, they had to be let go.
Another reason to avoid marriage–feelings.
Considering my life was about to change dramatically, I wasn’t as worried
as I thought I’d be. Joey was an attractive man, and if I was stuck with
anybody, he was a damn good option. He’d seen what it took to run a
business like ours, so he would understand when I came home with blood-
soaked shirts and busted knuckles.
“So, can you help me plan a wedding on the DL?”
Louie scoffed. “Seriously? You’re just gonna do it without telling anyone?”
“Dad wants an announcement tomorrow, and I’m gonna give him one…
That I’m already married. No one has time for family-feud nonsense. We
just need to find a priest who’s discreet, a witness, maybe one of the
omegas, and…the marriage license. I want this to be completely legit,
leaving Dad no room to question anything.”
Louie already had his phone out and was taking notes. “I’ll send this to
Bobby. He can get everybody that we need out here. He can also research
the license process. Maybe we can just take care of that online. We have
enough connections at city hall that something can probably be fast-
tracked.”
I looked at my watch. It was already two in the afternoon. “Do you think we
can make this happen before midnight?”
My brother sighed but then nodded his head. “Yeah, probably. You and Joey
need to figure out what you’re wearing.”
“What we were wearing last night should be fine.” It wasn’t like this was
the wedding of the year. We just needed to make it official, and we didn’t
need special clothes for that.
“Fair enough. Anyone else you wanna invite? Orsino? He’ll be pissed if
he’s not included.”
My middle brother was closest to my dad and was the most likely to rat me
out in a situation like this, but I wanted him there too. “Yeah, wait til the
last minute to get him out here. Right before the ceremony is gonna start so
he doesn’t have time to tell anyone until it’s over.”
“You got it, boss.” He winked as he started to walk away.
“I’m not the boss yet. And when I am, you don’t have to call me that.”
He just chuckled to himself and saluted me with two fingers as he left the
room. “Whatever you say, boss.”
After making some sandwiches, I went back into Joey’s room. He was
wearing the T-shirt and basketball shorts I’d left in there for him, and he
looked good. My shirt was several sizes too big on him, but it was hot as
fuck.
“Are you hungry?” I went to the small table near the window and placed
both plates and a couple bottles of water on it. “Because I am, so I know
you must be too.”
“Yeah, thanks.” He looked nervous, but also shy. Like he wasn’t sure how
to act around me.
I still wasn’t sure how he felt, so I decided to make more of an effort to
comfort him. We may not have a traditional marriage, but we did need to be
comfortable with one another if we were going to convince my father.
Instead of sitting down, I took a few steps toward him and just opened my
arms to him.
Joey bit his lip and then walked straight into my arms, practically falling
into them.
“I know this is scary and kinda crazy, but I promise I’ll take care of you.”
He nodded against my chest and then inhaled deeply. “I know you will. I
just hope you’ll also…like me.”
“What?” I pulled back and looked into his face, then gently cupped his
cheek. “So far, I really do.” Sensing that he needed reassurance, I leaned
forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Let’s eat, and I’ll fill you in on
the plan.”
Joey was a bit dazed, but he followed me to the table without another word.
We both sat down and spent a few minutes focused on the food before he
cleared his throat and looked up at me again. “So, what’s the plan? I’m
starting to feel anxious about not being in touch with my father. If they get a
hold of me again…” His whole body shuddered, and fear radiated off him.
Right, I forgot about that. I reached into my back pocket for his phone and
then handed it to him. “You can call him now, if you want.” I drummed my
fingers on the tabletop. “Although, it’s probably better if you wait until after
everything is official. I can promise you this–you will never be alone in a
room with him or your brothers again. They won’t ever put their hands on
you under my watch.”
His eyes lifted from his phone to my face, and his eyebrows shot up. “What
do you mean by official?”
“The wedding. I’m setting up everything so we can be married tonight.”
“Oh, okay.” Joey smiled, and I could actually see some of the tension leave
his body.
“I’m not telling anyone in my family either until after we’re married. Well,
my brothers will be here, but no one else until it’s too late for them to try
and stop us. It might be better for you to wait to tell your family too, but if
you think they’re worried, maybe at least send a text to let them know
you’re okay.” I shrugged, not really sure what the protocol was in a
situation like this.
Sadly, forced marriages probably happened more often than I realized, but
I’d never been privy to any of the details, so I was making up the rules as I
went.
Joey tapped the screen of his phone to wake it up and seemed to be
contemplating his options before he shoved it to the side and picked up his
sandwich again. “Yeah, I think I’ll wait too. I’ll send a text to let them know
I’m okay, but I won’t tell them where I’m at or who I am with. I doubt
they’ll care much anyway.”
Relief flowed through me, grateful to have one less battle to fight before we
finalized the marriage.
I filled Joey in on the plan to have a priest come in to perform a simple
ceremony.
As we finished eating, Louie sent me a text. I filled out the licensing
paperwork online, and a friend at the courthouse was able to file it
remotely. You’re official.
Technically, all we needed to do was sign our copies, and we’d be married,
but having the priest and witnesses…and my brothers, felt like a necessary
piece of the process. I wasn’t usually so sentimental, but I didn’t want to
have any regrets about this day. At least none that I could have easily
remedied. Thanks, Lou. You’re the best.
I’d also make sure the ceremony was recorded so my father could watch the
video later or in the event someone had the balls to question the legitimacy
of our union.
“So, where are we, anyway?” Joey leaned back in his chair and looked out
the window. The view was of crystal-blue water peeking through a forest of
pine trees.
“My family’s lake house. We keep it staffed for occasional visits or when
anybody in the organization needs to lie low for a while. But most of the
time, there are just a few people here.”
“Who’s here now?” Joey asked.
“My brother Louie is here, the chef, and the house manager. And a few
omegas from our family harem will be coming in later tonight for the
ceremony. Oh, and my other brother Orsino is coming. We aren’t going to
tell him why he needs to come out here, and we’re asking him to arrive at
the last minute, but I want him here.” I reached for Joey’s hand and brushed
my thumb over his wrist. “I hope this will be my one and only wedding, and
I don’t want my brothers to miss it.”
A faint blush creeped up Joey’s neck, and he smiled instantly. “Yeah, me
too.”
“What about your brothers? I know they’re assholes, but do you want them
here? We might be able to come up with some reason to coax them out
here.” Probably not without some sort of war initiating, but if it was
important to Joey, I’d do what I could to make it happen.
He shook his head vehemently. “No. Hell no. If I never see them again, it’ll
be too soon. They hate me as much as I hate them, so there will be no hard
feelings on that front.” He paused for a moment, then tugged his bottom lip
into his mouth, biting the plump flesh. It drove me crazy and made my cock
harden every time he did it. “Where will we be? What about after the
wedding?”
“Well, that’s up to you. We’ll stay here tonight, but we have to face my
father tomorrow.” I held the back of his neck and dragged my finger along
his jawline then under his ear. “If you’d like to stay in this room tonight,
alone, you can. But if you’d like to stay with me, in my room, I’d like that.”
Joey’s eyes darkened as his pupils expanded. “I’d like that, too.”
“Okay, then.” I leaned forward and brushed another light kiss over his lips.
“Let me give you a tour of the house, and then I’ll check in with Louie to
make sure he has everything we need for tonight.”
Holy fuck. A faint scent of his slick filled the air as soon as I suggested he
spend the night with me. As I walked him through the house, introducing
him to the staff members we passed and making sure he knew where
everything was, I did my best to ignore the delicious temptation.
But as soon as the wedding was over and our marriage was official, all bets
were off.
I was taking my omega, making him mine.

OceanofPDF.com
 6

J O EY

The ceremony was as anti-climactic as it was short. Thank fuck.

I’d never given a lot of thought to what a wedding would look like for me,
so I didn’t have any expectations. I’d assumed that one day, my brothers
would either kill me or marry me off to some random alpha. I was glad that
I was able to choose my own. Sort of.
Andro’s younger brother, Louie, seemed pretty cool. Funny and easy-going.
He was a few years older than me, but I felt like we could definitely have a
friendship. Assuming I would be allowed to have friends.
Not for the first time, I wondered if I was leaving one prison for another.
The other brother, Orsino, was a little more standoffish. He was polite, but I
could sense that he didn’t fully trust me. Which was fair, considering how
quickly everything had happened. There also seemed to be something going
on between him and Andro that I made a mental note to get to the bottom of
at some point.
But not today.
Today was all about marrying the sexiest alpha I’d ever met and wondering
how I could possibly make him fall for me as completely as I’d fallen for
him so many years ago. Perhaps a childhood crush wasn’t the best thing to
base an entire relationship on, but it was all I had.
We rushed through the basics of a simple ceremony. We barely had our first
kiss as husbands and a quick slice of cake before Andro took my hand and
guided me up to his bedroom suite.
The room was twice as big as the guest room I’d been in, and the view was
of rolling foothills instead of the lake. I understood why his bedroom was
on the front side of the house. From his window, he had a clear view of any
car or person that approached from the road.
I watched a few taillights get smaller and smaller as some of the guests who
had traveled in specifically for the ceremony drove away. I didn’t linger at
the window for very long. I had a marital duty to attend to, and I wasn’t
going to disappoint my new husband.
Andro placed his hands on my hips and stepped right up to my back, sliding
his open palms around me until my entire stomach was covered by him.
“How are you feeling?”
I leaned back, melting against him. “Surprisingly, content. Happy, I guess.”
Happiness was a foreign feeling to me. That was as close to happy as I’d
ever felt.
He chuckled and gave me a soft squeeze. “Considering what you thought of
me twelve hours ago, I’ll take possibly happy.”
I turned within the confines of his arms and closed mine around his neck.
“I’m glad you chose me.”
Andro leaned forward and brushed his lips across mine. I think he intended
to just give me a chaste kiss, but I was having nothing of it. I tightened my
grip around his neck and pulled him tighter as I licked across his mouth.
I hoped he couldn’t sense my inexperience, even though I didn’t know what
I was doing. All I could do was close my eyes and let my instincts take
over. Fortunately, they seemed to have a pretty good idea of how to move
this party along. One second, we were tentatively exploring tongues and
lips, tasting each other and seeking out every warm corner of our mouths.
And then the next, Andro’s hands closed around my ass. He lifted me up so
my legs could circle his waist.
In just a few strides, we were at his bed and a thick rush of slick seeped out
of me. “Andro…”
“Yes, sweetheart?” He pulled away from my mouth as he placed me in the
center of the bed. “What do you need?”
I lost my train of thought as he started to tear off his clothes, quickly
revealing his ripped and tattooed skin. So much skin. More than I’d ever
seen in real life. I just wanted to touch it. Taste it. Climb inside it. “You.”
“You’ve got me, omega.” A slow smirk pulled at his lips as his eyes
darkened. “Now what are you gonna do with me?”
I have no fucking idea. My breath hitched as he reached for my belt and
began to undress me. I watched as if having an out-of-body experience
while he carefully divested me of every stitch of clothing I’d been wearing.
I willed my hands not to shake and my body not to tremble from this new
experience.
And when he dropped to his knees and yanked me forward so his face was
right in my crotch, my heart almost stopped all together. I wasn’t gonna live
through my first and last sexual experience. There was just no way I could
survive as he pressed his nose along my inner thigh and dragged it right up
against my balls before taking a swipe with his tongue.
I was dead.
The fire in his eyes was like a blazing inferno as he sucked me into his
mouth. I was ready to shoot my load right then, but I slid my fingers into
his hair and gripped it, trying to hold on just a few minutes longer. “It feels
too good, alpha.” I was harder than I’d ever been, and up until now, my
hand was the only other thing that had touched my cock until my alpha was
swallowing it down.
He hummed, and that was the end of it.
My balls pulled and seemed to release a tidal wave of come right down
Andro’s throat as an equal amount of slick poured out of my ass.
Instead of pulling away, he swallowed every last drop, even suckling the tip
as if a few stray drops were trapped inside. Then Andro pushed my thighs
up to my chest, leaned over my body, and shoved right inside me without
any prep at all.
My whole body lit up, a searing sensation bubbling from every nerve
ending. But just as quickly as the fire filled me, it was replaced by a
different kind of warmth.
A different kind of heat.
It was all lust and pleasure and need.
The breath I’d trapped in my lungs upon his entry came out in a woosh as I
seemed to wake up, focusing all my attention on the man staring down at
me.
He held still, frozen in place, just watching me. “Are you okay? Was that
too much?”
I couldn’t help but flash him a lazy grin. “It’s a lot. But I’m good.”
He sucked in a deep breath, and I could almost visualize my aroma being
pulled into him. The primal need to claim me was instantly back as he
arched his hips away from me and slammed back in.
This time, I was ready for it. I reached for my cock and started stroking it,
already feeling the early signs of an impending orgasm.
After several quick strokes, Andro slowed down, leaning forward to capture
my mouth with his. He kissed me at a punishing pace, and I struggled to
hold back my release.
“Why are you so fucking tight?” He grunted as he sealed the connection
between our bodies once again. “You feel like a fucking virgin.” He pulled
out and pushed back in, slower this time, obviously straining to keep this
going a little longer.
I wasn’t sure if he wanted a response, but the omega in me couldn’t ignore
his question… Or his conclusion. “Because I am.”
Andro kept up his pace for a few more seconds before my confession
soaked in. With his dick half in and half out of me, he lifted up on his hand
and stared down at me. “You’re a virgin?”
I bit my lip and nodded. “I was. I guess not anymore.”
“Fuck.” He groaned, and the muscles in his arms flexed.
I bucked my hips to pull him deeper inside me. Now that I’d had a taste, I
wanted all of him. I wanted to feel him inside me long after we were
finished.
“You should have told me.”
I moaned when his hips jerked ever so slightly, his control slipping. “Please,
fuck me. Please!” My cock was rock hard again. Though I had just come
down his throat, I wanted to paint our stomachs with my release.
He started moving faster, reaching for my cock and jacking me at the same
pace until we were both ready to explode. His eyes locked with mine as he
shoved the tip of his finger into my slit, causing a jolt of sensation to push
me over the edge of my self-control. “You’re mine, Joey. Only mine.”
Just when I felt like I couldn’t get any more full, Andro began to expand
inside me, his knot growing to lock in his seed as he coated my insides.
“Only yours, alpha. Forever.”
It was my promise to him. No matter what happened with his family or
mine, I would be his until I took my very last breath.

OceanofPDF.com
 7

ANDRO

Joey was still walking with a little hitch in his step as we approached the
front of my family home. I felt a twinge of remorse, but mostly, I was proud
that I’d done that to him. Fully claimed him in a way that ensured he’d
never want anyone else.
Ever.
I was his first and last, and I fucking loved it. “You okay, sweetheart?” I
placed my hand on the small of his back, guiding him closer to me.
His head rested against my shoulder as he nodded. “Am I supposed to be
this sore?”
I pressed a kiss to the side of his head as I chuckled. “If I do it right, then,
yes.”
He pretended to glare at me before kissing my shoulder. “Then you did it
really, really right.”
I knew it was a joke, but something inside me puffed up at the praise. My
omega was pleased. I’d satisfied him. At least, that was how I was choosing
to interpret his soreness.
“Are you sure this is okay? Maybe you should meet with him without me.”
Joey trembled in my arms as we walked up the steps to the front door.
“We’re in this together, sweetheart. You’re my husband now, and my father
either accepts that or he doesn’t. I don’t fucking care either way.”
At some point, my priorities had shifted. Instead of caring only about taking
over as head of the family, I now cared more about keeping Joey happy and
safe. If that meant Orsino took over, that was fine with me. Not that my
father would ever do that. And Orsino wouldn’t take the job anyway.
Father had insisted I be married, and now I was. I wouldn’t be entertaining
any complaints from him.
The fact that my choice of husband was an enemy of ours was a perk.
The other perk was that I’d saved Joey from life with his abusive, ridiculous
family. If it just so happened that I took on a side project of dismantling his
family’s businesses from here on out, so be it.
We walked right into the house. Normally when I arrived, I parked in the
garage that held the majority of our vehicles, and I came in through the
kitchen in the back. But today, we went in through the front so the
household staff had a few moments to let my father know we had arrived.
Orsino and Louie had told my father to expect a meeting with me, but they
hadn’t told him why.
Joey clung to me as we made our way through the grand hall to my father’s
study. I knocked on the large oak door. It had seemed larger than life when I
was a child; behind the door was the unknown. But looking at it now, as an
adult on the cusp of being head of the family, it was just a door. Nothing
special about it.
I vowed that my own children wouldn’t fear this door like I had. I would
welcome them into my space–as long as the timing was appropriate. There
was some business the children would never be present for.
Joey’s grip tightened on my arm when my father’s voice echoed from the
other side. “Come in.”
I pushed open the door and stepped into my father’s office. The room was
large, with a table for larger meetings on the far side. It was the desk that
commanded the most attention, though. My father sat behind the oak
monstrosity that was carved with intricate designs–with a secret
compartment or two built into it. The front had our family’s crest carved in
the center.
It was hard to miss, for sure.
“Andro.” My father’s gaze was on us for only an instant. He gave away
nothing. “I suspect you have an explanation for why that Santoro brat is
here.”
I stood up straighter. “Now, Father, that is no way to talk about your newest
son. I’d like you to meet my husband, Joseph.”
My father stood fast, his desk chair flying backward and smacking loudly
against the bookshelf behind him. “What?” His shout echoed through the
room.
Joey winced and moved behind me, his fear palpable.
“Calm yourself, old man. I won’t have you scaring him.”
“He should be scared! You dare to disrespect this family by marrying an
enemy? Santoros are scum on the bottom of our shoes. Not fit to be a part
of our legacy.”
Joey cowered behind me, his hot breath on my back. I raised my voice to
match my father’s. “That may be true of his father and brothers, but Joey is
different. He is mine now, and that’s the end of the discussion.”
“You know nothing of where his loyalties lie. He could be spying on us.
Reporting back to his father. He will betray you and–”
Joey pushed me to the side and stepped forward. “I would never,” he said
without a hint of fear in his words.
My father stopped suddenly, too stunned to speak.
“My loyalty is to Andro and the Ferrini family now. He saved me from…
the situation I was in.” I squeezed his hand. He didn’t need to tell my father
just how awful it had been with his family. That wasn’t anybody's business.
Father sat back down. His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of my
husband. “You say your loyalty lies with us?”
“With Andro.”
Father nodded. “With Andro. How can we trust you?”
“The same way that I can trust you.”
Father’s lips twitched, and I relaxed. He was intrigued by my husband, I
could tell. There weren't many men willing to interrupt him. I personally
had never seen an omega speak up to him in such a way. Until Joey.
“Take a seat,” Father said.
We both sat, but I didn’t let go of Joey’s hand.
“Our associates may not trust this,” he said. “What plans do you have in
place to assure them your loyalties lie with us?”
“Fuck them,” I said. “Joey didn’t deal in his father’s business. The way they
treated him was hardly a secret to anyone who had eyes. Our associates can
trust that I’ll take care of what’s mine. This business is mine, and this
omega is mine. We don’t have, nor will we ever have, any loyalty to Joey’s
family.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed on me. “You didn’t do this for an alliance?”
I shook my head. “No.”
My father studied me for a moment, and my gaze never wavered. Finally,
he nodded. “That’s settled then. I trust you’ll get him set up with a guard.
You cannot have him in the presence of his former family unless he’s
protected.”
Tension I didn’t know I’d been holding left my body. I hadn’t needed my
father’s approval, but now that I had it, I reveled in it. I squeezed Joey’s
hand. I owed it all to him. He’d stood up to my father on my behalf. Pride
filled me. I knew I’d picked well for a partner, and every moment we were
together showed me just how right I was. “Of course.”
Father turned to Joey. “You will join us for family dinner tonight. Though I
have no doubt that Andro can appease our allies and demonstrate he made
the right choice, my acceptance will go a long way. And you have it.
Welcome to the family.”
Joey’s breath hitched. “Thank you, sir.”

OceanofPDF.com
 8

J O EY

“Hello, Father. It’s me.” It was cowardly to make this call instead of
speaking to my father face to face, but I was a coward. And even though I
officially had the Ferrini family swearing protection and loyalty to me, I
didn’t trust my own family to make that kind of promise.
Based on what Andro and his father said, they didn’t count on it either.
“Where the fuck are you?” His voice was deep and growly, more so than
usual. Not that he ever spoke nicely to me, but this seemed worse somehow.
I clenched my jaw, begging for strength not to hang up.
“I don’t know what kind of stunt you’re trying to pull, but you need to get
your ass home. We’ve got shit to do.”
“I…” I cleared my throat, wondering how I was possibly going to explain
this. “The thing is…”
“Spit it the fuck out, Joseph. Some of us have real jobs and don’t sit in a
little office sipping hot chocolate all day.”
He was making it easier. I cleared my throat once again and started over,
pulling from the unknown source of strength I’d used when I’d defended
Andro to his father. “I got married, Father. To Allesandro Ferrini. I’m part
of his family now.”
His heavy breaths bounced off the phone’s receiver faster now, but my
father was otherwise silent.
“Dad? Are you still there?”
“Don’t you dare fucking call me Dad when you’re gonna come up with
bullshit stories like that. It ain’t funny, Joseph.”
Shit. “It’s not a joke. We’re…in love.” I felt awkward saying that with
Andro sitting beside me, but we needed to sell the story, and that was what
we agreed to tell people. “I live here now. If you still want me to work for
the business, I–”
There was a loud crashing sound, and then the line went dead. He probably
threw his phone against a wall. That was his go-to move when somebody
pissed him off over the phone. As the accountant for the family, I’d tracked
that expense. He went through ten phones last year alone.
Andro rubbed a circle over my lower back. “You okay?”
I took a second to take stock of myself. The answer came faster than it
probably would have had I been in a healthy family. “Yeah, I am. He’s
pissed, but he’ll get over it. Or he won’t. I don’t care either way.”
Andro pulled me onto his lap and held me against his chest. “You’re so
brave, Joey. I can’t believe you put up with them for as long as you did. But
that life is over now. You can do anything you want… Or nothing at all. I’ll
take care of you.”
I pressed my forehead into his neck as a sense of possibility washed over
me. “Yeah, this will be good. I want to help your… um, our family, in any
way I can. I kept the books for my family, but our organization was small.”
Andro smiled and kissed me softly. “Good. Think about what you want to
do, and we’ll find a way to make it happen.” He glanced at his watch. “For
now, I need to get going.”
I didn’t want him to leave, but this was his life. I couldn’t cling to his side
all the time. I couldn’t exactly ask Andro to change just because I didn’t
want to be worried when he was at work. “What time will you be home?”
“Late.” A wolfish grin split his face. “Don’t wait up. You’ll know when I’m
home.”
A tingle ran down through my balls, but I didn’t entertain the images that
popped up in my head. It had been 72 hours since our wedding, and he
could fuck like a damn bunny. Maybe all alphas needed to release several
times a day, but I was surprised to find that I was always ready and eager,
too.
If my job was to stay at home and be ready for him every moment like
some harem omega, I’d gladly do it. As long as it was just him.
From what I had read about omega libidos, they usually weren’t so closely
aligned with their alphas. That was why harems were so common. It was
the best way to keep an alpha fully satisfied. But I couldn’t imagine ever
not wanting Andro. And I hoped there would never be a day when he felt
like he needed an omega other than me.
“Just be careful,” I said.
“Always.” He gave me a quick kiss. “We just have to pick up some
payments and visit one of the factories. Nothing special.”
“Well, you’re special, so come back home to me, alpha.”
“Fuck.” He pushed his hardening cock against my hip. “I need to get out of
here before I strip you down and fuck you again.”
“Fine, go quickly. And then get back soon.”
After we’d spoken with his father, Andro had taken me to his suite of
rooms, which was where we were now. It was way bigger than the little
room I had at my family’s home, which was technically part of the
household staff quarters.
Andro had a whole suite. It was like a house within a house, and I wasn’t
used to so much space or such comfortable furniture.
I would get used to it, though. Starting now.
It was almost daybreak when Andro finally came home to me.
But instead of waking me up with his cock in my ass or my mouth, like I’d
imagined he would, the door flew open, and Louie practically carried Andro
to the bed.
Without giving thought to the fact that I was completely naked, I jumped
out of the bed and ran straight to him. “What’s wrong? Are you okay,
Andro?” I turned to Louie. “What happened?”
“Cover yourself, omega,” Andro growled at me as he took slow steps
toward the bed. “And I’m fine.”
I pulled the first pair of sweats I could find from the top of the hamper and
stepped into them.
“He’s not fine, omega.” Louie was talking to me but also to his stubborn
brother.
“Leave it alone, Lou.”
“Leave what alone?” I carefully crawled onto the bed beside Andro,
horrified when I saw his whole right side was covered in bandages. “Please
tell me what happened.” I brushed the hair from his face so I could look
into his eyes.
Finally, Louie looked at me. “Your fucking brother shot him.”
My jaw and my gut dropped at the same time. “He what?”
“He just grazed me. Fucker’s a bad shot on a good day.” Andro tried lying
on his uninjured side before he adjusted the pillow behind his back. He
winced with every movement, and sweat dripped from his brow. “I’m glad
you don’t like him, sweetheart. Because he’s fucking dead.”
“Which one? Richie?” He hated the Ferrini family the most, and he was a
terrible shot. His kill shots tended to be a graze, if they weren’t a complete
miss.
Andro merely grunted in response.
“What were you doing with my brother? Did he come after you?” If he
wasn’t dead, I’d go after him myself. “Louie, get some food and first-aid
supplies up here. Does he need stitches?”
“I’ll call the doctor to check him out. It was a clean shot, and we packed it
before we left.” Louie pulled out his phone and walked away, giving me
and Andro some privacy.
I cupped his cheek. “Did Richie come after you?”
Andro shook his head. “We went there to get your things. I thought maybe
we’d play nice. He wasn’t having it. Pulled a gun before I could even ask to
see your room. I’d say it’s safe to say your family isn’t happy about this.”
“I’m sorry.” I scooched closer, careful not to jostle the bed.
“It’s nothing, carñino. I’ve had worse. Though it’s been a while. I can’t say
that I’m sorry about your brother, omega. I’d kill him again if I could.”
“Fuck my family. If this is what they do, then feel free to destroy them all.”
The anger that coursed within me vibrated under my skin. How dare they
try to take Andro from me.
Andro chuckled and pushed forward, pressing his lips to mine.
“Enough of that. The doctor will be up shortly,” Louie said as he walked
back into the room.
Andro shot him a glare, and for a moment, I feared for my brother-in-law’s
life.
“You’ll need to lie low for a few days, Andro. Give yourself time to heal. If
word gets around that one of the Santoros got the drop on you, it won’t be
good. We’ll spread the word that I killed Richie.”
“I can’t just sit around,” Andro protested.
“You can, and you will.” I pressed my hand to his chest, holding him in
place.
Louie gave me his nod of approval. “Consider it an extended honeymoon.
And if anyone asks, that’s what we’ll tell them.”
Andro frowned but didn’t argue.
My lips found his shoulder and tears dripped from my cheeks. “I’ll take
care of you, alpha.”
“If I’m not leaving this bed, then you aren’t either, omega. You better be
ready for that.”
I swallowed thickly, my cock hardening in the sweatpants I’d thrown on.
“I’m always ready.”

OceanofPDF.com
 9

J O EY

I was reluctant to leave Andro, but he needed his rest, and I needed air. We
also needed sustenance.
Getting Andro to stay and rest, specifically in bed, required more stamina
than I was prepared for. The first day, we waited for his bleeding to stop
before doing anything vigorous. Once it did, Andro was only willing to stay
in bed if we were…occupied.
Penetrative sex was off the table, but everything else was fair game.
Andro gave as good as he got. Sometimes, he seemed to enjoy giving me
pleasure more than receiving it. I wasn’t complaining, but I was really
thirsty and hungry.
It was our third day in the room, and while I loved it, we needed food. The
housekeeping staff had dropped off clean linens and snacks, but we could
only survive on those for so long.
I ventured to the kitchen early in the afternoon while Andro was sleeping. I
knew I couldn’t be gone long, because if he awoke and I wasn’t there, he
would come looking for me.
I noticed right away that I was being followed by a hulk of a man wearing
black pants and a black shirt, his packed shoulder holster visible. I stopped
in the hall and turned to face him. “Are you my bodyguard?” Andro and
Louie were insistent that I would have one at all times.
He nodded. His face was stoic, eyes covered with dark shades, even though
we were inside.
I stuck out my hand. I’d never had a guard before, so I wasn’t sure what the
protocol was. “Nice to meet you. I’m Joey.”
He looked at my hand and smirked. “I appreciate the introduction, sir, but I
value my life too much to touch Andro’s omega without his permission.”
Warmth filled me. I was Andro’s. He would take down any man who dared
touch me. This was a bit over the top, but it was nice to be cherished. “Can I
know your name at least?”
“Nil.”
“Good to meet you, Nil. I hope being assigned to me isn’t too boring. I’m
sure there are more exciting people to follow around.”
“I requested this position, sir. Protecting Andro’s husband is a privilege.”
Oh. That was different. I didn’t know what to say, so I continued toward the
kitchen. I wasn’t surprised to find it mostly empty. The cooks were busy
preparing dinner, so I steered clear of their area. I grabbed some food from
the fridge and began to put together a sandwich for Andro. Later, we’d have
a full meal brought to the room, but for now, we needed a heavy snack.
“I can do that for you, sir.” A young omega was staring at the floor and not
at me. He wore a pair of expensive jeans and a simple t-shirt.
“Have we met?” I asked. “I’m Joey.” I held out my hand. Surely, another
omega would be okay to shake hands with me.
The omega looked from Nil back to me.
Nil shrugged.
“I’m Connor. I’m part of the omega harem.”
Oh. The Santoros didn’t have an in-house harem. My brothers visited a
place for that. They thought it was funny to constantly threaten to send me
there to live. Through the grapevine, I’d heard that the Ferrinis took care of
their omegas quite well.
Judging by how healthy Connor looked and the nice clothing he had, I
would say that was accurate. Which was a good thing.
“It’s nice to meet you. Would you like to have lunch with me?”
Connor’s gaze flew to Nil, who just smirked and shrugged again. “He’s not
the pampered, kept-omega type, Connor. You can take down your walls.”
It was as if the air whooshed out of Connor’s lungs, and he finally smiled at
me. “Oh, thank god, you’re normal. None of us were sure what to expect of
Andro’s husband. We’ve been on pins and needles since you arrived. When
the head of the Vetrova family got married, that omega threw out all the
harem omegas. We weren’t sure if you would do the same.”
My brow furrowed. I doubted I had that sort of authority, and even if I did, I
wasn’t going to kick anyone out of their home. Being part of an omega
harem to a crime family may not be ideal, but if the rumors were true, then
at least these omegas were safe.
“You aren’t mistreated here, right? The alphas are respectful?” I asked. The
only way I’d want to get rid of the harem was if the omegas were in danger,
in which case, I’d want to see them treated for any trauma inflicted on
them. Again, I doubted I had that sort of authority, but I wasn’t going to just
ignore outright abuse.
Never again.
“Fuck yeah they are. Vern’s strict on that. Andro, too. I mean, we’re toys to
be played with, sure. But no mistreatment is allowed.”
“That’s good.” I continued to make the food for myself and Andro. “Are
you hungry? I can make you something.”
Connor narrowed his eyes. “You for real?”
I shrugged. “Yeah. I’m already making sandwiches anyway.”
“Thank you, but I already ate. I’d be happy to sit with you. How is Andro
healing?”
“How do you know about that?” I asked.
“The walls talk.” He grinned when I raised a questioning brow. “There
aren’t many secrets here. But we’re all loyal to the family. Nothing gets
out.”
“Okay.” I’d never had a friend before. I wasn’t sure what to even talk about.
Lucky for me, Connor seemed to talk non-stop.
He filled in the time telling me about some of the other omegas in the
harem and what they did all day. He’d been with the family for three years.
As soon as he was of legal age, he’d applied, but it didn’t sound like he was
close with many of the omegas there.
“Early on, when I began, I was unofficially claimed by Louie. He requests
me a lot, which has made the other omegas think I’m some sort of favorite,
and it means no one else touches me.”
I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, so I stayed silent.
“Louie’s the one who told me about Andro. He talks a lot post orgasm, but I
keep my mouth shut. I’m sorry about your brother.”
“I’m not,” I said. “Fucker shot my husband. He deserved to die.”
Connor grinned. “I like you. I think we’re gonna be friends.”
“I’d like that,” I said. “I do have to get back to Andro, though. If he wakes
and I’m not there, he’ll be very upset.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way to apologize.” Connor winked.
I gathered up the food, and Connor found me a tray. He placed a few bottles
of water and other snacks on there, plus two slices of cake that was leftover
from last night’s dinner. “You’ll need your calories.”
Nil took the tray from me and only gave it back when we got to the room.
I stepped inside to find my very pissed off husband glaring at me. “Where
the hell have you been?” His voice was raised, and his glare stopped me in
my tracks. He reached quickly for the tray before I dropped it.
“I’m–I’m sorry. You were sleeping, and I got…I got us food.”
Andro walked away with the tray and came back a moment later, empty-
handed. He pulled me into his arms. “I’m sorry I shouted, omega. I just
didn’t like not having you here.”
I relaxed immediately. “We needed food, and you really should be resting.
You aren’t ready to walk around yet.”
Really, he was fine to walk around. He’d probably return to his regular
work in a day or two. Our miniature honeymoon was over, and real life was
about to come creeping back.
“I’m not hungry right now.”
“Can I persuade you to at least drink some water and return to bed?”
A low rumble echoed through his body. “How are you going to persuade
me, Joey?” His lust-filled gaze didn’t leave me with many options.
“I brought cake?” I offered with a smile.
“Later. On your knees.”
I didn’t argue. He should’ve been lying down, but that wasn’t a battle I was
going to win right then.
He pushed his pants to his knees, and his cock sprang free. I hadn’t seen
many in my life, but his was by far the best. Everything about him was
exquisite, and I could spend the rest of my life on my knees worshiping his
cock.
My mouth closed over the head, and I pulled him as deep into my mouth as
I dared. I was better at it now that I’d had many hours of practice. Each
time, I pushed the limits though, taking him as far as I could before pulling
back as my reflexes protested.
“Fuck, you’ve gotten good at this.” Andro curled his fingers in my hair and
tugged.
He knew just the right amount of pressure to inflict before the pain was too
much. I doubled my efforts, bobbing my head quickly and letting him fuck
my mouth.
“You in a hurry, omega?” He stared down at me with a half-smile.
I wanted him too much. I always did. “Want you so bad.” I kissed the head
of his cock. My tongue worked up and down his length until precome
beaded at the tip. I swiped at that too. All of him was mine.
I closed my mouth back over him and flicked my tongue on the underside
of his head.
He grunted, and his hips jerked. He gripped the back of my head and held
me still, stimulating my orgasm at the same time that he shot down my
throat.
At least, his come was neatly contained in my mouth.
Mine was caught in my pants. Again.
When I was confident I’d taken at all, I let his softening cock slip through
my lips. “This is only the, what, fourth time today? If you would stop trying
to get out of bed, I wouldn’t have to practice so much.”
He laughed. “If you’re trying to build a case for me to stay in bed for
another day, you’re doing a great job. Come. Show me the food you’ve
brought, and then let’s shower. It’s been too long since I’ve had that tight
ass of yours.”

OceanofPDF.com
 10

J O EY

Connor sighed and pulled a long, foil package out of his pocket. “You need
to take this.”
“What?” I stared at it, shaking my head. “I don’t need that.” As if my body
knew something I didn’t, my hand went to my belly and a brief wave of
nausea washed over me.
Connor laughed and nodded toward the bathroom. “Yeah, after you puke,
take the damn test. You know I’m right.”
Connor and I had become close over the past few weeks, and it was nice to
have a real friend in the house. Someone to hang out with when Andro was
at work. We hung out in the suite a lot. Andro was fine with Connor being
in there, but under no circumstances were any other alphas to be in there
with us.
I’d never really had friends growing up. My brothers did a good job of
humiliating me at school, so no one really wanted to be around me, afraid
they’d get caught up in the Santoro brothers’ drama.
And as an adult, not much had changed until I became a Ferrini.
When I felt another burst of saliva fill my mouth, I made a run for it,
heading straight to the toilet to empty my stomach while still clutching the
test in my hand.
Knowing I couldn’t keep my head in the sand any longer, I peed on the
stick and watched as the word instantly appeared.
Pregnant.
We’d only been together for a handful of weeks, and yet there it was,
staring me in the face.
“Told you.” Connor was suddenly beside me, staring down at the stick with
a smug expression. “How do you feel about it?”
“I don’t know.” I shuffled back into the sitting room and dropped into a
chair. “Do you think he’ll be mad?”
“Mad?” Connor actually laughed. Not just a scoff or a chuckle. He threw
his head back, kicked up his legs, and laughed. “Are you kidding? Alphas
don’t get mad about knocking up an omega. Especially not their own. They
love that shit. He’s gonna feel all virile and proud. Don’t worry about him. I
want to know how you feel.”
How did I feel? Deep inside, I was so happy. I wanted Andro’s baby more
than anything in the world. But until I knew he was okay with it, I wouldn’t
be able to relax. “I’m happy but nervous. It was so fast.”
“It only takes one time.” Connor’s phone buzzed in his pocket, so he pulled
it out and read his message. “Oh, they’re on their way home. Louie wants
me to get ready for him. I’ve gotta go, but congrats. I’m happy if you’re
happy.”
He gave me a quick hug and then disappeared from my room, leaving me to
stew in my fears until Andro walked through the door twenty minutes later.
“You okay?” He was about to kick off his shoes when he saw me and
rushed to my side. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
I smiled and tried not to burst into tears. “I look that bad, huh?”
“You look gorgeous.” He kissed the side of my head. “But you look upset.
What’s going on?”
“Hormones!” I cried. My tears kept coming now, and I was getting his shirt
wet.
He coughed and shifted his weight. “Is this, um… some omega thing I don’t
know about? Do I need to call for a doctor? I don’t have a lot of experience
caring for omegas. Jeremiah was sent to school and raised by nannies, so I
never talked with him about any of this.”
“It’s not that. Not really.”
Andro put two fingers under my chin and lifted my face until I was looking
at him. “If you don’t tell me what it is, I can’t help, Joey. Just talk to me.”
“I’m pregnant,” I whispered.
His face grew white and lost all expression. Over the weeks of our
marriage, I’d gotten quite skilled at reading his emotions. When he was
angry, his jaw tightened in a way that showed a vein just near his hairline.
When he was happy, his eyes had a sheen to them that reminded me of
twinkling stars. This, right now, I couldn’t read.
“Andro. Did you hear me?”
I was met with silence.
Panic welled in my chest, and I put a protective hand over my stomach. “If
you don’t–”
“A baby?” he said. “We’re going to be fathers? You’re sure?”
I nodded. “Connor gave me a test just this afternoon. I’ve been feeling tired
and nauseated. I haven’t seen the physician yet, so I could be wrong, but I
don’t think I am. I feel it. I know I’m pregnant.”
Andro’s hand covered mine on top of my flat stomach. It wouldn’t be like
that for long. We only had a matter of weeks before I’d begin to show. I
carried the next heir to the Ferrini family business inside me. “Are you
mad?”
“Mad?” Andro’s brow furrowed, and he shook his head. The twinkle that
signified his happiness entered his eyes. “Why would I be mad, baby?”
“It’s so soon. We haven’t really talked about kids.” Or much about our
future in general.
Since my brother’s death, I’d been confined to the house. Andro didn’t talk
much about the business, and I stayed out of the details. Eventually, I might
get involved if they needed another accountant.
But I’d gotten too comfortable just sitting around. I spent my days relaxed
and cozy, sometimes not even leaving the suite. I’d never experienced life
like this before.
As far as I knew, my father and brother had not retaliated. Either they didn’t
care or they knew they wouldn’t win.
“I’m ecstatic, Joey. I assumed we’d have children, and I’m not surprised it
happened this quickly. I don’t think a day has gone by that I haven’t filled
you with my seed.”
My cheeks heated. He wasn’t wrong. We didn't waste many moments when
we were alone. “You’re really happy?”
Andro gripped my hips and lifted me gently. My legs wrapped around his
waist. He held me tight and buried his nose into my neck. “You’re mine,
omega. Husband. Father to my kids. Lover. Mine and mine alone.”
“I love being all those things.” I love you. It wasn’t in our deal. Love wasn’t
supposed to be a part of it. I still wasn’t sure that I could keep Andro’s
attention for the rest of our lives, but I was going to try. But either way, I
would be thankful for the time I had with him, however long that was.
Andro carried me toward the couch and sat down with me still in his arms
as I straddled his lap. His hands covered my middle, and he focused on my
belly. “You’re going to be a fantastic father, Joey. Better than your own.”
“You will, too.” Andro’s father wasn’t like mine in most ways, but he
wasn’t perfect. I had noticed that he softened a bit when I was around. For
whatever reason, the man seemed to like me. During the days, when the
house was quiet and everyone else was out working, he and I played chess
in the study. I wasn’t any good at it, but he appreciated the company.
I worried about our child’s designation. An alpha child would be ideal, of
course. But what if the baby was an omega?
Andro’s brother Jeremiah was the youngest of the family, and he lived a
completely different life than I had. He was the fourth born after three
alphas, but what if the first born was an omega? I couldn’t bring myself to
ask that question. I couldn’t even bring myself to ask what happened after
our child was born, when I might not be able to spend every night pleasing
my alpha? What then? Would Andro turn to another omega?
“Tomorrow, first thing, we’ll set up an appointment with the physician to
confirm. We’ll get appointments scheduled and get you on all the vitamins
you need. You said you were feeling ill, have you been able to keep food
down?”
I nodded. “I was able to eat today. I only threw up once, and that was just a
bit ago. I feel fine now.”
“We’ll tell my family at dinner tomorrow, if the physician says everything
looks good. Is that okay?”
“Of course, it’s up to you, alpha.”
“It’s up to us, Joey. It took two of us to make this child, and the two of us
will make decisions about him or her, okay?”
I snuggled closer to him and lay my head on his chest. “Okay.”
Andro wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into an embrace that
always made me feel safe, secure, and wanted. Three things I’d never
experienced until I met him.
When I’d agreed to this marriage, I’d assumed Andro would grow bored of
me as soon as his father turned over the business. Yet, here we were.
Entwined in each other’s arms just like the first night we’d consummated
our relationship. Our bond was stronger than ever, and the hope that it
would always be like this grew stronger in me every day.

OceanofPDF.com
 11

ANDRO

I woke up at the crack of dawn, as I usually did. My husband was draped

over me, holding me down and keeping me warm. His mere presence
tempted me to stay in bed for the day. For eternity.
Never in my life had I been so tempted to shirk my duties to the family in
such a way.
Being married changed me, but it was more about being married to Joey
that changed me. No other omega in the world had the effect on me that he
did.
It was with reluctance that I finally walked into my office that morning,
dressed in a suit. Despite working from home the majority of the time,
appearances mattered. I could hardly be intimidating and imposing while
wearing sweatpants.
My father greeted me. He had a ghost of a smile on his face and a look in
his eye I couldn’t place.
I raised my eyebrow at him. “What is it?”
“That omega. He’s good for you. Good for the family.”
I didn’t need my father’s approval, I would stay with Joey no matter what,
but having it was a huge boost. “Yeah, he is.”
After the positive pregnancy test and confirmation from the doctor, we
informed the family of the news. My father was overjoyed to be a
grandfather. Louie and Orsino were happy as well.
My head of security, who was also my cousin Tobias, was more reserved. A
baby meant additional security and vulnerability that we didn’t have before.
The notion worried me, but we had time to plan.
“I’m going to retire,” my father said.
I shrugged at the old news. “I know.”
“As soon as it can be arranged, I want all business to go through you or
whomever you delegate. Your uncles have decided to pull back as well.”
I sat back in my chair and steepled my fingers. “That’s a lot of change all at
once. I have no doubt that myself, Louie, and Orsino are up for the task.”
“Make the arrangements. I’ll plan a party.”
“A party?”
“Yes, don’t you want to show off your new husband? Forge your own
connections? It’ll be good for him to mingle with the other spouses.”
Who was this man and what had he done with my father?
“I’ll call in Silvan and Trev to take on additional responsibilities. I have
some ideas for expansion, especially down on the south side with the
brothels and our casino.”
My father nodded. “Those are sound plans. Silvan would do well with more
work, but you need to keep an eye on Trev. That boy has some growing up
to do.”
I was about to continue the conversation when the door was thrown open. It
slammed against the wall with a loud thwack, and I was up with my gun
drawn before I could register that Orsino and Louie were walking in. Orsino
was leaning heavily on Louie.
Louie lay him gently on the couch near the wall.
I rushed to my brothers. “What the fuck?”
“We were checking the restaurant, Cujino’s. We were just leaving when a
car pulled up. Black Mercedes. Fucking Vince Mennetti came out with two
goons. Told us he was coming for our territory and that we better watch our
backs.”
“What did they do to Orsino?”
There was no blood, so he wasn’t shot. Had they beaten him? Poisoned
him? What?
“Got him with a taser and some sort of dart gun.”
I checked his pulse to make sure his heartbeat felt strong. “Fucking hell.
Call the doctor.”
“He’s on his way.”
“Just feel woozy, Brother. It ain’t lethal.” He pushed my hand away.
“They’re just sending a message.”
“Message received. They aren’t fighting fair.”
“They never do.” Father sat on the couch next to Orsino.
I turned to Louie. “What aren’t you telling me? You’re too pissed for that to
be all they said.”
Louie looked to Orsino.
“You have to tell him,” Orsino said.
“What?” I demanded.
“They mentioned Joey. Said they weren’t going to let him or the brat in his
belly have any power in this town.”
I sucked in a breath. My blood boiled until my vision clouded with anger.
How dare they threaten my omega. “How the fuck would they know about
Joey being pregnant? No one outside this house knows.”
Louie grimaced. “I know.”
Fuck. That meant we had a leak. Someone was either feeding them
information by accident or on purpose. Either way, we weren’t safe. Joey
wasn’t safe.
“Son, you know what we need to do.”
I growled. “I do. I just don’t like it.”
The Mennetti family was similar to ours. Just as powerful and well
connected, but with less of a presence within the city than we had. Which
was clearly what they wanted and why they were picking a fight now. They
probably thought we would be distracted by the exchange of power between
me and my dad, or by my marriage, or both.
They were wrong.
“We have to get him out of here. I can’t deal with this while he’s around.” I
hated the thought of not being right by my omega’s side every morning
when he woke up, but it was the best way to keep Joey and our baby safe.
“We’ll send him to one of the safe houses. Don’t tell me which one.”
My father nodded, knowing how hard the decision was for me to make.
“You’re doing the right thing, Son. It’s what’s best for our family.”
Louie clapped my shoulder and gave me a shake. “We’ll send him with an
omega companion and plenty to keep him busy. He won’t even realize
you’re not there.”
Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. I didn’t know how I was gonna tell Joey
that he would be shipped off to an unknown location with armed security
and a few omegas as his only companionship. I didn’t want him to worry
about me, but I couldn’t leave him in our home where he could be at risk
just because I didn’t want to miss him.
Afraid my voice would crack with emotion, I conjured up all the anger I felt
at the situation and said the words that felt foreign and wrong leaving my
lips. “I’ll tell him we’re going on a surprise honeymoon, but I have to meet
him there a little later. Then I just won’t show up. It’s for the best, so I can
focus on my job.”
It would break my heart to watch him leave, but I didn’t have the strength to
see the hurt and sadness in his eyes if he knew the truth.
Until the threat against our family was neutralized, I couldn’t risk Joey
being in the line of fire. The safety of my omega and our child was my only
priority. The business came second. But in this situation, I had to deal with
the business in order to keep my little family safe.
And as hard as it would be, I would do it. I’d do anything for Joey.

OceanofPDF.com
 12

J O EY

If I had passed by the open door just a few seconds later, I wouldn’t have
heard him say it. And I definitely wouldn’t have believed that he could ever
say such a thing.
But I heard Andro with my own ears. He was shipping me away, making
me believe it was a honeymoon when it was just an excuse to get rid of me.
He doesn’t want me.
All the happy, safe feelings I’d been cocooning myself in since I woke up in
the lake house instantly disappeared, and I wondered if it was all just a
dream…or a nightmare.
Was everything he said about me and our baby just a way to create an heir?
I knew he was using me as a means of taking control of his family, but then
everything changed. Right?
At least, they had for me.
Andro had seemed so happy about the baby. But maybe that was all he
wanted. A baby. Not me.
Nil was ten paces behind me, so he didn’t hear the conversation. I kept
walking, and he followed.
I didn't want to give away my thoughts. I needed time to process, and I
couldn’t do that with my bodyguard breathing down my neck.
I returned to Andro’s suite–it wasn’t mine anymore, not really. Nil waited
outside as he always did, and I ran to the bedroom to pack a bag and grab
the cash Andro kept in his dresser. I didn’t feel like I was stealing because
he told me I could use anything I wanted, so I pocketed what I could.
Hearing that I was going to be cast aside like yesterday’s trash was a punch
to the gut. Tears burned behind my eyes, but I couldn’t break down now. I
needed to get someplace far from here. I didn’t know if Andro planned to
take my child from me once the time came. And what if I had an omega?
What would he do to us then?
I couldn’t risk it.
If it wasn’t for the child I carried, I would regret this whole marriage. I
never knew heartbreak came with a physical ache. At least, my brothers
were honest about how they felt for me. They didn’t tell me they cared
about me, then have me shipped off someplace far away.
I wanted desperately to believe that Andro wouldn’t do that to me or our
child, but I’d heard his words. I was a distraction, and he wanted to be rid of
me.
Once my bag was packed, I went straight to the terrace. There was a spiral
staircase that led to the patio and the pool. We’d only used it a few times
since I had been here, but it sure came in handy now.
It was almost lunchtime, so no one would notice me walking along the
shadows until I reached the tree line. The household staff would be focused
on their work, and I often walked around outside.
But there was no way to leave through the front gate without the guards
alerting Andro I was leaving on foot, so that wasn’t an option. Besides, even
if I waited until nightfall, there were enough landscape lights along the road
that Andro could easily see me leaving from his office window.
Which meant I had to go through the woods.
Since I didn’t love the idea of walking through thick nature in the dark, I
had to get moving. I was determined to get as far away as possible to keep
myself and my baby safe. There were several acres of wooded land on both
sides of the house, so I just started walking, staying under the canopy of
trees until I came across another home.
Fortunately, the house didn’t seem to have any security on staff, so I walked
down their driveway and left through a hidden gate near the guard house.
Without allowing myself to think about what and who I was leaving behind,
I headed straight toward the road as I called for a rideshare. The car that
picked me up arrived within seven minutes, but they were the longest seven
minutes of my life.
I wanted to be back in Andro’s arms so badly and had to keep reminding
myself of what I’d heard him say.
I just won’t show up.
The finality and coldness in his voice echoed in my mind. I was nothing to
him.
But there was a small part of me that didn’t care. Even if he didn’t love me
the way I loved him, I could have accepted that. I would have raised his
children and been the best omega I could be for him.
I’d hoped he would have learned to love me some day.
But I now knew that was just a fantasy. What I didn’t know was where I
was going now that I didn’t have a home.
When the driver arrived, I asked him to take me downtown to the mall I
used to walk through when I was a kid. It wasn’t much of a plan, but there
were hotels nearby, so I knew I’d be able to find a place to sleep when I was
ready.
But first, I just needed to think.
After tossing my phone into a trash can, I eventually wandered to the first
cheap motel with the vacancy sign lit up, and I was exhausted.
I paid for a week, and the man at the front desk handed me a key on a dirty
keychain. “Just you?”
I tried not to tear up at his assumption. “Just me.” For now.
The room was clean enough. The yellowed wallpaper peeled in the corners,
and the seams of the drywall showed through. I shut the door and locked it,
then closed the curtains. Without my phone to distract me, all I had were
my thoughts.
I lay down on the bed and the cheap mattress dipped considerably.
I had no plan, hardly any money, and no friends. I squeezed my eyes shut,
willing the tears not to fall. With a protective hand over my belly, I vowed
that I would be strong for my child. I had to be.
Hours later, darkness filled the room. The small amount of light that filtered
in through the thin curtains was gone now that the sun had set. I’d slept
away the entire afternoon, but all my problems remained.
I didn’t know what the future held, but if I truly wanted to be free of my
husband, then I needed to at least be aware of his moves. If anyone could
tell me what Andro and his brothers were doing to find me, it was Connor.
Luckily, I had a head for numbers, which included memorizing phone
numbers. I picked up the phone in my room and dialed Connor.
“Hello?” He answered on the second ring. His voice was hesitant, like he
couldn’t believe he was receiving a phone call.
“Connor.”
“Fucking hell, Joey! Are you for real calling me? What the hell, man?
Where the fuck are you?”
“Is it safe to talk?” I whispered, as if that would make a difference if anyone
had already heard him.
“Yeah. I’m alone. Where are you? Andro and his brothers are going fucking
bonkers. Since noon, this place has been completely turned on its head. Half
the staff was sent on an impromptu vacation, and the omegas are all
confined to their rooms until further notice.”
“I had to leave. I’m–”
“Don’t tell me where you are. Plausible deniability and all that. Why did
you leave?”
“Andro was…” I choked back a sob. “Andro was going to send me away.
He doesn’t want me around. I don’t want that life. I can’t–”
“Oh, sweetie. Say no more. I get it. What do you need?”
“Time. I…I don’t know.”
Connor sighed, his breath hitting the phone and crackling against my ear.
“Are you safe? You feeling okay?”
“Yeah. I think so.” Numb was all I was feeling now. My heart ached, but it
had dulled considerably.
“As far as I can tell, they don’t have a clue where you are. It’s only a matter
of time, though, because these guys have eyes everywhere. You can’t hide
for long.”
“I know.”
Connor took a deep breath, and I could picture him pacing like he did when
he was thinking about something. “Just lie low for a few days. Call me in
the morning, and I’ll fill you in if I learn anything. In a day or two, I can get
you a car or a bus ticket.”
“Where would I go?”
“Fuck if I know. For one, you gotta get outside Ferrini territory. We can
figure out the rest later.”
“Thank you, Connor.”
He was quiet for a moment. “You sure about this, sweetie? You and
Andro…it seemed so real.”
A tear slipped down my cheek. “He was going to send me away, Connor.
None of it was real. I can’t live like that.”
“I’m sorry, Joey.”
“Me too.”

OceanofPDF.com
 13

ANDRO

My brothers were out looking for Joey, talking to people who had
connections and eyes all over the city. Our sources told us that the Mennetti
family had also increased their presence within the city. If they were
looking for Joey, we needed to find him first.
If he was hiding out, someone would find him. It was just a matter of
who…and when.
If my brothers got to him first, they would bring him home to me.
Mennetti… I wasn’t sure what they would do if they found him. Joey had
no idea what kind of danger he was in.
I wanted to be out there with the search team, but I hit the bottle pretty hard
after the second day. Our surveillance cameras saw him leaving with a
backpack around midday.
From there, we lost him.
I had assumed he’d been kidnapped when I first discovered he wasn’t in our
suite. It took watching the surveillance footage several times before I
admitted to myself that Joey left of his own volition.
He chose to leave me.
Even though I just checked it thirty seconds earlier, I picked up my phone
and looked one more time, just to make sure I hadn’t missed a call or text
from Joey. I didn’t understand why he would leave. And of course, my
father was quick to jump to the worst-case scenario. He casually wondered
if maybe Joey was part of some bigger plan to seduce me, get information
about the family, and then take that back to his family so they could attack.
But I didn’t buy any of that bullshit.
Joey wouldn’t do that. He loved me. At least, I thought he did. Because I
sure as fuck love him. Present tense. Even if it was all a game to him, my
love was, is, and always would be real.
For Joey and our child.
Every minute he was gone felt like hours as I finished one bottle and
opened up another. I had a high tolerance for alcohol, but without any food
in my stomach, and starting out slightly on the dehydrated side, I could feel
the warmth seeping in even deeper with every swallow.
As I picked up the phone to check it one more time, it rang in my hand.
It was an unknown number, but I just knew it was Joey. It had to be. “Hey,
sweetheart. Are you okay?”
“Oh, isn’t that sweet? You already have pet names for each other.”
“Who is this?” Even as I asked the question, I knew the answer. And it
fucking killed me. I didn’t know what was worse, having Joey with the
Mennettis or with his birth family.
“Allesandro, don’t you recognize your own father-in-law’s voice? Tsk, tsk,
tsk. That’s not exactly a good way to start off our new relationship.”
“Where the fuck is he? If you touch one hair on his head…”
Santo laughed, a dark and evil sound that made my stomach clench even
more. “You won’t be doing anything. Unless you actually want my son
back, and in that case, you’ll be dropping off a very large sum of money to
me. Tonight.”
So many conflicting thoughts and emotions flowed through me. Joey left
me, and now his family wanted money. Was he part of some elaborate plan
all along? It didn’t feel right, but nothing actually made sense anymore.
“Let me talk to him.”
“Oh, I don’t think he wants to talk to you. After all, what was he doing
alone in a motel on our side of town? If you gave a shit about your new
husband, wouldn’t you have been with him? Leaving him unprotected was
the wrong move.”
My stomach roiled, barely keeping all the booze down as I pictured Joey
scared and alone.
“Why weren’t you watching out for him? When he called and told me you
were married, he also said your family would be protecting him from now
on.” He hummed his disappointment, and I could picture him shaking his
stupid head. “That was only a few weeks ago, Allesandro. What could’ve
possibly made you want to give him up so quickly?”
“Put Joey on the phone or there’s no deal.” I needed to hear his voice, to
know he and our baby were okay.
There was some noise in the background, and then finally, the sweetest
sound filled my ears. “Andro?”
“Yes. Joey! Where are you? I’ll come get you right now.”
“I’m–” There was a yelp, and I saw red.
“Nope. He doesn’t call the shots. I’ll tell you how this is gonna go. Two
hours, at the Starfish Casino. You know it?”
I scoffed. Of course I knew it. My family was an owner of the place. Silent
partners, but partners nonetheless. Then again, Santo probably didn’t know
that. He was a small fish playing in the big bad ocean. I was a fucking
shark. “Yeah. We’ll be there.”
“You. Just you. None of your brothers, none of your bodyguards. And I
want cash.” He named an amount, and I rolled my eyes. A lowball number.
Either he was dumb and didn’t realize how much I valued my husband, or
he had no intention of taking the money.
“I’ll be there,” I said.
Santo hung up before I could demand to talk to Joey again.
I called my brothers back to the house. We had limited time, so they needed
to hurry.
I went to my office where my dad was currently stationed. Nil trailed
behind me, along with my two guards. We had upped the security detail
since the Mennettis first came at us. “Who do we have working at the
Starfish?”
“I don’t know.” Nil flipped open his laptop and started digging.
My father did the same while I filled them in on the phone call I’d just
received.
Within twenty minutes, my brothers arrived and were briefed on what we
knew.
“Orsino, go to the Starfish and find out if any of the Santoros have been
around there. I want to know why they picked that location. Find a way in
that isn’t obvious.”
“I’m on it.” He hadn’t always been Joey’s biggest fan, but he’d do anything
for me and my family.
After a few minutes, Louie asked the question we were all thinking. “How
do we know this isn’t a trap?”
I didn’t have a good answer, so I went with the truth. “I have to assume it is,
but I don’t have a choice. I need to get Joey back.”
“And if he doesn’t want to come back?”
I grimaced, physically pained by that possibility. “Then I’ll let him go. Just
as soon as he tells me why he left in the first place. But first, I’m getting
him away from his family. Whether he wants to be with me or not, he
definitely doesn’t want to be with them.”
“You’d let him go?” A voice I barely recognized spoke up from behind me.
I whirled around to find Connor, the omega that had befriended Joey,
standing at the open doorway.
“What are you doing here?” I growled.
Louie stood up, putting himself between me and the omega. “Now isn’t the
time, Connor.”
“Of course, I’d let him go… if that’s what he wants.” It would kill me, and I
would hate every minute of it. But I just wanted Joey to be happy and safe.
I wouldn’t let him keep my child from me, but we could deal with that later.
Connor seemed to accept that answer. “They probably chose the Starfish
because there’s a blackjack dealer that Joey’s father has been sleeping with
for years. She has access to the place, maybe even a private room where
they’re keeping him.” He took a deep breath and looked down at his shoes
as if contemplating whether to keep talking. Luckily, he did. “But casinos
like that have cameras everywhere. They probably don’t think you could get
access to it that quickly, but the video feeds should be the first things Orsino
looks at when he gets there.”
I looked to Louie, and he was already firing off a text to Orsino.
I narrowed my eyes at the omega. “How do you know all this?”
He shrugged. “People talk. I retain information. Two years ago, you hired
an omega who had worked at the Starfish. When Joey moved in, he told me
about Santoro’s mistress and how evil they were. The harem was worried
that Joey would have us all thrown out.”
I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. “Have you known where Joey
is this whole time?”
The omega shifted his weight, his gaze focused everywhere but at me. “I
have spoken with him, but he didn’t tell me where he was staying. I planned
to help him get a bus ticket so he could leave the city.”
I wanted to hate him for that, but instead, I was so happy that Joey had
someone in his corner. “Why did he leave?”
“That I’m not telling you. Save him. Then he can tell you.”
I was quiet for a moment. Each second that ticked by was lost time that I
could be putting together a plan to save my family. “Let’s go. Louie, Nil,
come with me. You’re coming too, omega.”
Connor balked at that, his gaze flying to Louie, as if my brother would
convince me to change my mind. “I can’t leave the house. I… I… I haven’t
left in years.”
“You’re leaving today, kid. Let’s go.”
I didn’t have a plan yet, but that would come together once we were there.
Bottom line was I would not be returning without my omega.
I’d save him from his father or die trying.

OceanofPDF.com
 14

J O EY

After being away from Andro for two days, my whole body felt like it was
rebelling. I couldn't keep down food and barely any water. I needed
something to calm my stomach or I’d have to see a doctor. I decided to try
eating, but that had been a dire mistake.
Going to the store for some soda crackers and ginger ale was what led to me
being found by my brother.
I’d barely opened up the crackers when there was a knock on the door of
my motel room. I tried to escape, but there was only one door in the room,
and my brother was blocking it. Which was how I found myself handcuffed
in a room at what I was pretty sure was a casino. They had a hood over my
head for a while, but now I could tell I was in some sort of office. There
was a desk in the corner, and I sat on one of those too-stiff couches. There
was only one door, but there were two windows. The only problem was that
I couldn’t see out of them to know if we were on the first floor or higher.
My father and brother sat silently, both holding guns. Their fingers twitched
nervously, too close to the trigger for my comfort. I tried desperately to hold
back the bile that was rising in my throat by taking slow breaths.
If they knew my condition, things would not be good.
Mario glanced at his watch as his leg bounced. “He should be here any
minute.”
My father must have had business dealings with the casino, which was how
he got access, but I wasn’t aware of any of our clients being in the gambling
business. At least, not the public kind.
But I didn’t care about my family’s business. All I cared about was Andro
and how badly I missed him. I was confident that Andro would save me. If
nothing else, pride alone would make sure he saved his husband, and no one
knew that I had escaped to get away from him.
But what about after he saved me?
Out of the frying pan and into the fire, for sure.
My father picked up his phone and looked at a message. “He's here.”
Mario stood up, still fidgety. “Did he come alone?”
“He was alone when he came in the front door.”
“That doesn't mean none of his goons are around. You really think he's just
gonna come straight here?”
My father’s glare turned on the only alpha son he had left. “Are you
questioning my plan?”
I was questioning his plan, because if I knew Andro, he had connections
just about everywhere. My father did not. Andro had resources my father
couldn't even fathom.
Dad waved toward the door. “Go out and get him. Bring him here.”
Mario gave me a sneer and pressed the barrel of his gun to my temple.
“This is going to be the last view you ever see.” He pressed it so hard I
knew there would be a mark.
I didn't even bother meeting his gaze. He was nothing to me.
As soon as Andro was in the room, they’d either shoot him or shoot me.
Probably both, I didn’t know for sure.
My father didn't even look at me in the few moments that we were left
alone together.
And I had nothing to say to him. If he was waiting for me to beg for my
life, he’d be waiting a long time.
There was a loud rap on the door, and the wood splintered.
My father cocked his gun. “Mario?”
The door flew open, and Mario’s body came with it, flying through the air.
Then Andro walked in as if he hadn't just hurled my brother through a
doorway like he weighed nothing.
My father whirled around. “You were supposed to come alone!”
Andro held up his hands. “Do you see anyone here with me?”
My father’s face was bright red, blood bursting below the surface of his
crepey skin. “You don't have the upper hand here.”
Andro narrowed his eyes. “Sorta feels like I do.”
“Give me the money, and you can have your precious husband back.”
Andro didn't even look at me.
Ouch. I hung my head, knowing I deserved that. I felt so much regret for so
many of my decisions. Did I really think I was going to make it on my own
in the world? Maybe if I had gotten out of the city like Connor told me to, I
could have. But even then, I would have missed Andro. How stupid I was to
think I deserved more from him than what he was willing to give.
Andro scoffed as if that were funny. “You won't be getting any money from
me, Santo.”
My father sneered. “I knew this wasn't a real mating. There's no way
anyone could ever care for that omega enough to want to marry him. So
what was the end goal, hmm? If there's not going to be any money, you
surely won't care if I off him right now.” My father raised his gun and
pointed it at me.
I let out a whimper as my stomach twisted. I was going to die. There was no
way around it. “I'm sorry,” I said out loud. “I love you, Andro.”
I closed my eyes, waiting for the bullet to come.
There was a pop and some glass breaking, but no pain. Had he missed?
What the fuck happened? I sucked in a breath and opened my eyes.
My father lay on the floor.
“Cut that a little close, don't you think?” Andro said into his phone.
Louie's voice came over the speaker. “I needed a clear shot. Is the brother
dead?”
“Not yet. Santo is, though.”
“Joey's all right?”
“Yeah. Get a physician, though. We're taking him to the doctor right now.”
Andro shook his head as he looked at me and hung up the phone. “You've
lost weight, sweetheart.”
Tears streamed out of my eyes. “I can't keep food down.”
“The doctor might be able to give you something for the nausea. I’m told
it's pretty common for omegas to be sick in the early stages.”
“Extreme morning sickness is linked with carrying alphas.” I felt guilty for
the hopeful note in my voice. I would love my child no matter how he
presented, but part of me hoped he’d have every advantage in life…and that
meant being an alpha.
His eyes narrowed as he searched my father's pockets for something. A
moment later, he came to me with the key to the handcuffs. He unlocked
them for me and rubbed my wrists and my shoulders. “I don't care if you're
carrying an alpha or an omega. Boy or girl. I just want a healthy baby.”
“You do?” I coughed out a sob, surprised by his words.
“Yes, don't you? Unless… Is that why you ran? Were you going to
terminate?”
“No, of course not.”
His phone pinged, and he looked at it. “We need to get out of here and back
to the house.”
“Why? What's wrong?”
“Nothing yet, but with Mennetti’s men still out there, we'll be safest at
home. I’m just grateful they didn't find you before your dad did.” Andro
pulled me into his arms and held me for a long breath. “Let's go.”

OceanofPDF.com
 15

ANDRO

It killed me not to pull Joey into my arms the moment I saw him, but if I
gave away how much he meant to me, I would be a goner. The plan had to
go precisely as we’d arranged it. I couldn't give Santo the upper hand.
Taking Mario out was easy, but knowing that Joey's father had a gun to him
was nearly my undoing.
But Joey was safe now. He was shaking like a leaf, but he was able to walk
to the car under his own power.
Luckily, we were parked just outside. There was a reason Louie wanted us
to hurry back to the house, and I had to assume it was because Mennetti’s
men were in the area.
Louie was already in the car when we got in the back. “Joey.”
Joey grimaced, and his skin that had been pale like the moonlight suddenly
had a green pallor to it.
“Give me a bag.” I snapped my fingers in front of Louie.
He reached into the glove box and pulled out the first thing he could find.
I handed it to Joey, and he threw up in it as sweat broke out on his forehead.
“To the house. Fast.” I thought about it for a split second. “Better yet, the
hospital.”
“House,” Joey said. “I'm fine. I just can't eat.”
I put my arm around him and pressed a kiss to his temple. “You’re safe
now, sweetheart. Everything's going to be fine.”
When we arrived at the house, the doctor was already there.
“We have him set up in your suite. He's ready with an IV drip for
hydration,” the housekeeper said.
I carried Joey up the stairs to our suite. He had not said anything for quite a
while, just leaning against me, absorbing my strength.
When I lay him in the bed, the doctor pushed me out of the way as he
checked Joey's vitals and started asking him questions.
“Any cramping or discharge we should know about?”
Joey shook his head.
“When's the last time you had a full meal?”
“Two days ago, I had crackers and soda.”
“Water?”
Joey shook his head and closed his eyes. “I just throw it up.”
The doctor got an IV started. “He needs hydration and rest. We can do an
ultrasound, but it's a little early to see much of anything. I'll try a Doppler to
check the baby's heartbeat.”
“Okay.” I reached for Joey’s hand and held it, only slightly reassured when
he squeezed mine. “Do whatever you need to, Doc.”
The doctor got the tool out and put some gel on Joey's stomach. He pressed
the Doppler to it.
I waited with bated breath.
Joey seemed to as well.
“It always takes a minute,” the doctor said. “Stay calm.”
Finally, there was the glorious thump-thump of our baby's heartbeat.
The doctor listened for a moment before nodding. “It's within a healthy
range for the gestation age. The baby is likely doing fine. You just need to
keep hydrated and get some rest. Preferably in your own home and not
anywhere you could be in danger.”
“I can do that,” Joey said softly before he closed his eyes again.
The doctor turned to me as he cleaned up his equipment. “I'll give you some
time, but I’ll be back to check on him in two hours. I’ll probably need to
change out his bag. Once he gets fluids though, we'll likely see a big
improvement in how he looks and feels.”
“You're sure he just needs fluids?” A million things could have gone wrong
while he was gone.
“Yes, I've seen extreme morning sickness before, and it looks like this.”
I took a deep breath, hoping he was right. “Thank you.”
Joey’s breath evened out as he drifted into sleep.
After watching him for a while, I slipped out of the room to check in with
Louie. I found him in the sitting room. “Did you catch sight of Mennetti’s
men?”
He nodded. “They were closing in, but Orsino managed to head them off.
He sent a nice message to let them know we won't be messed with. I think
that'll hold them off for a while, but eventually, we are gonna have to deal
with that problem in a more permanent way.”
I ran my palm over the back of my neck, suddenly feeling a pounding in the
base of my skull. “Yeah, I don't suppose negotiations will work.”
Louie shrugged. “Time will tell. They're just trying to make a play for our
territory because you're taking over.”
I groaned at the reality of my new life. “This is not what I want to deal with,
but here we are.”
“Take care of Joey. Figure out why the hell he took off. We can deal with
the Mennettis on a different day.”
“Thanks, Brother. I appreciate it.”

It was several hours and two IV bags before Joey opened his eyes again.
When he did, I was right there at his side holding his hand. “Hi.”
His eyes filled with tears. “Andro. You're real.”
Mine welled up too. “I am.”
He let out a very long sigh and scooched closer to me.
That was a good sign. The doctor had removed his IV, but kept everything
set up in case he needed another one. “How are you feeling?”
“Good. Hungry. Like I could use a shower. Do you think you might be up
for talking?” he asked.
“Um, yeah, I suppose we probably should.” I thought I would be the one to
broach the subject, but if he was ready to hash things out, I was more than
willing to listen.
“I understand if I'm going to be punished. I'll accept whatever punishment
you dole out. I shouldn't have left.”
“Why did you leave?” I curled both of my palms around his hand, holding it
to my chest. “I thought we had a good thing. And you told me you love
me.”
“I do. Very much.” A single tear slipped down his cheek, and his voice
shook. “But you were going to send me away. Toss me aside and probably
take another omega to your bed. I started to worry about our child and what
would happen if I had an omega. Would you take them away from me? Or
worse? Would you take an alpha child away from me? I didn't want to live
like that. I didn't trade one prison for another.” He swallowed hard before
continuing. “Although, I realized pretty quickly that it was a mistake to
leave.”
“Sending you away?” I couldn’t believe that was the reason. The pieces
were just starting to fall into place in my mind. “Did you…overhear my
conversation with my dad?”
Joey nodded.
Fuck. This was all my fault. “I'm sure it sounded terrible, but you must not
have overheard all of it, because then you would know there are people out
there making threats to our family. I planned to send you to a safe house so
you would be safe. The people who threatened us know you’re pregnant,
and that makes you more vulnerable. But there aren't many people who
know that.”
His eyes narrowed as realization set in. “Someone inside the house leaked
information?”
“Yes, and thanks to your friend Connor, we know it was one of the newer
omegas. Once we learned just how much information filters through that
group, it was easy to figure it out.”
Joey looked down at our joined hands. “So, you didn't want to get rid of me
yet?”
I ran my fingers through his hair and cupped his cheek. “I don't want to get
rid of you ever. It killed me when you left. I thought you didn't want me. I
realized that we didn't talk about how circumstances had changed, and our
relationship was no longer just an agreement like we had before. It's not a
business agreement to me, Joey. I love you. And if I had to give up this
whole family to choose you, I would.”
“I don't want that.” His eyes were glassy again. “But I’m happy to hear that
you would.”
“And I meant what I said about our child. Alpha, omega, boy, or girl. I don't
care. I just want a family with you.” I leaned forward and kissed Joey’s lips.

OceanofPDF.com
 16

J O EY

“Do you think we're ready?”

“We’re more than ready,” Andro assured me as we lay naked in the bed.
Now that the nursery was completely put together and all business dealings
had been dealt with, delegated, or postponed for at least the next three
weeks, we were able to just relax. It would likely be the last time we could
for a while.
I was due the next day, and the doctor said if the baby didn't come in the
next twenty-four hours, they were going to induce me due to his size. He
was a big guy.
The old wives’ tale about increased morning sickness for alphas must have
been true because I had morning sickness throughout the entire pregnancy,
and I was definitely having an alpha.
Andro didn't trust that it would be safe to take me to a hospital to give birth,
so he arranged to have a whole birthing suite set up in the house. Two guest
rooms in our wing had been converted with all the equipment we needed to
deliver a baby brought in, as well as two nurses and a doctor on staff.
I thought it was overkill, but I wasn't going to complain. Nothing he did to
protect me or our baby was too much, as far as he was concerned.
“Have we settled on a name?” Andro tossed his phone in the air and caught
it.
“We have not. I personally still like Theodore a lot.”
“That’s a good one.”
“And there’s also Samson.” I had a short list but couldn’t decide.
“What about Andro?” he countered.
I laughed and shook my head. “There are enough Andros in the house.”
Though I had a lot of nausea, it was usually accompanied by bouts of
intense hunger, a wave of which I was feeling just then. I got up to get a
snack when I felt a slight pop and a gush of water. My eyes widened, and I
turned to look at my husband.
“It's time,” he said as he hopped up from the bed.
“Who's going to clean that up?”
“Someone else.” He swept me into his arms, holding me up.
I looked down at his sexy body on full display. “You're still naked!”
He set me down then grabbed a pair of sweatpants and slipped them on. A
moment later, he picked me up again and rushed me across the hall. He
paged the doctor, and within a few minutes, the doctor and nurses both
arrived.
Connor was waiting outside the door with Louie. Andro didn't want anyone
in the room with us while I was in labor, but Connor was still my closest
friend, and I wanted him nearby.
“You’re progressing quite nicely. I’m glad you went into labor on your own.
As long as you keep going this well, we should be able to meet this little
guy before the end of the day.” The doctor held both ends of the stethoscope
hanging around his neck.
“End of the day! How about now?” I couldn’t wait much longer. “My water
broke. Shouldn't I be in labor now?”
“Not always,” the doctor said. “It can take several hours for your body to
open completely and active labor to begin.”
I was about to complain about more of the waiting game, but a contraction
hit, and I cried out at the jolt of pain that radiated from the base of my
spine.
“See that. Looks like you’re going to be one of the lucky few who go
through labor quickly.” He watched the screen that was monitoring the
contractions. “Goodness, that is a big one.”
“Yeah, I know I can feel it.”
The doctor chuckled.
I would have been annoyed if things didn’t go from casually waiting to
frantic in the next few minutes. Pain like I’d never imagined was quickly
replaced by a numbness that was almost more frightening.
One second, everyone was yelling at me to push and then stop and then
breathe and then push some more. And then it was all over. A baby wailed,
and my husband pressed his forehead to mine, confirming that all was okay.
“You did it, sweetheart. Theodore is here…and he’s perfect.”
“Are you sure?” I tried to get a good look at him as the nurse weighed and
measured him, but there was a lot of activity. “I need to see him.”
“Here you go, Daddy.” The nurse placed my squirmy baby across my chest
and then covered him with a blanket. “We’ll get you all cleaned up while
you meet the little brute who has been practicing karate with your bladder
for all these months.”
“Theodore.” I rubbed my nose over his soft cheek and inhaled his scent.
“I’m so happy to finally hold you in my arms.”
Andro was right there, wrapping his arm protectively over both of us. “I
love you so much, sweetheart. You and Theo are my world now. Now and
forever.”
I swallowed back the emotion building in my throat. “I love you, Andro.
Now and forever.”
OceanofPDF.com
 EPILOGUE

ANDRO

The baby monitor lit up the room in a red glow just a fraction of a second
before I heard the cry. “I’ll get it, sweetheart. You get some rest.”
“Thanks, babe.” Joey was already pulling a pillow to his chest to replace
my body. “Bring him here if he’s hungry.”
Theo was a great sleeper, and at six months old, he usually didn’t require a
second feeding at night. Sometimes, he just wanted to hang out with me. At
least, that was what I told myself when I saw his eyes light up the second I
walked into his nursery. “Hey, buddy. What’s with all the screaming?”
He was quiet as soon as I picked him up and took him to the changing table.
“You know, if you need a diaper change, you can just let out a little
whimper and Papa will come running.” It was silly to talk to him as if he
understood me, but I’d read that babies needed to hear a lot of words, so I
just said all the stuff I was thinking when it was just the two of us. “I’ll
always be here to keep you safe and warm. Make sure you have the best
toys and the coolest shoes.” I pretended to bite his foot when he kicked up
in front of my mouth. “And if you’re ever scared or worried about
something, you just come to me or Daddy. We’ll always listen to you and
give you what you need.”
When I lifted him up, he immediately wrapped both arms around my neck
and held on tight. That was a sign that he wasn’t going to let go anytime
soon, so I took him back to the bed and scooted in beside Joey.
Once I was settled with Theo on my chest, Joey tossed the extra pillow
aside and cuddled in at my side. “You’re the best papa in the whole wide
world.”
I chuckled and rubbed down my omega’s back. “Well, I don’t know about
the whole world…but maybe the country.”
Joey grinned, even though he looked like he was already asleep again.
“Nope, the world.”
“Well, who am I to argue with the best daddy in the whole world?” I gently
pinched his bottom, knowing that would get his attention.
One of Joey’s eyes peeked open, and he raised a brow. “You’re not teasing
me, are you, Allesandro?”
Oh, my full name. He never used my full name. “Maybe.”
He sighed and slipped his hand under my ass. “Get that baby back to sleep
and then get inside me. Whether I’m awake or not, I need you, alpha.”
“On it.” I kissed his forehead and hopped out of bed, heading straight to the
nursery. “Sorry, kiddo. It’s time for you to get back in your own bed. Papa
has some work to do.”
I kissed Theo’s head and placed him back on the mattress. He wasn’t fully
asleep, but he didn’t fuss as I put his pacifier in his hand. He’d get it in his
mouth if he needed it. Even at such a tender age, I could sense the power
and strength he would possess someday.
He was an alpha, through and through. And when the time came for him to
prove his place in the family, I would be proud to hand him the reins.
Joey had given me the best gifts of my life. First himself and then our son.
And if he gifted me with more children someday, I’d consider myself to be
the luckiest man alive.
 Louie knew Connor was different from the
beginning. As a member of the harem, the whole
family has access to Connor, but Louie staked
his claim early on so none of the alphas go near
him. And since he's developed a close friendship
with Joey, Connor is even more isolated from
the rest of the in-house omegas than ever.
But that's okay because he's falling quickly for
Louie. Everything is great until their precautions
aren't enough and Connor gets pregnant. He
trusts Louie to do the right thing, but the family
is in charge of who brings in heirs, and there's a
good chance they wouldn't allow Connor to have
the baby he already loves so much.
Which leaves him with only one option.
Run.

Order Now

OceanofPDF.com