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Sweeping down, he brushed a mock kiss along the backs of my fingers and then released me before my pack could work themselves into intimidating growls. Jamison’s hand came down on my shoulder possessively.
The last thing we needed were more enemies to contend with, but mischief swirled in the older man’s eyes. “I remember what it was like when my pack brothers and I claimed our Omega.” He motioned to the other distinguished men behind him—Julia’s other dads. “We were so possessive of Julia’s mother, we could barely tolerate another Alpha looking at her, let alone touching her. She used to swat at us and tell us to take our caveman behavior elsewhere.”
“We can relate.” Leo sheepishly smiled and rubbed a hand along the back of his neck.
Thane’s lips curled upward unapologetically. “It’s hard to fight the instinct to hide our mate away from the world and keep her to ourselves.”
“Exactly. Though hearing it out loud, I see how it could be construed as ‘cavamanish’,” Knox admitted, as he stroked his beard.
“Don’t care one way or the other,” Hades growled. “I’ll fully embrace being a possessive asshole, if it means keeping Demi safe and happy.”
“A man after my own heart.” Julia’s dad covered his chest with a weathered hand and bowed slightly. “If I may introduce myself. I’m Emilio Cristenello, and my family and I are forever indebted to you for saving our crown Jewel.” He gave Jamison a swift handshake.
Julia rolled her eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that? I’m not some spoiled princess,” she griped while I smothered a snicker with a hand over my mouth.
“You may remind me as often as you like, Julia, but it will not change the term of endearment. You are my only daughter, and you have put me through hell these past few weeks.” The look he sent her was withering, and yet somehow full of love. A dad looking out for the best interests of his little girl.
My father had never looked at me that way. Like he’d tear the moon from the sky if it would keep me safe.
That one weighted stare conveyed the depth of Mr. Cristenello's love for Julia.
It flayed me open.
“Perhaps you could cut your old man some slack since you nearly gave me a heart attack,mio piccolo tesoro.”
Julia hugged her dad’s arm, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Papa. Mi dispiace.”
He kissed the top of her hair and something in me drew tight with longing for a similar relationship with my own father. It would never happen. I thought I’d made peace with that a long time ago, but seeing Julia with her family surrounding her had reopened an old wound.
Why was I so emotional about this? About everything really…
As if reading the wave of sadness crashing through me, Jamison wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me firmly into his side. His sapphiric gaze was an ocean of worry. I sent him a wobbly smile I hoped would placate him for now.
“As I was saying,” Emilio turned his attention back to Jamison and the pack surrounding me. “Thank you for saving my Julia.”
Jamison nodded once. “I can assure you, we would have done the same for any of the Omegas. I just wish we had gotten more of them out.”
“But we’re happy we saved our mate and were able to rescue Julia and Adeline in the process,” Thane added, thumping Jamison on the back.
“Of that, I have no doubt. To lose a child is a special kind of hell, but to lose your Omega…” Mr. Cristenello trailed off, kissing the inside of his bent knuckle and motioning to the sky above. “It’s like having your soul torn in two. I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone. I commend you for doing what you must to get your mate back and am grateful it worked in our favor as well.”
The rest of Julia’s family joined the gathering, and everyone talked for a while longer. My men stayed close, not missing the interest Julia’s four, very unattached, veryAlpha, brothers took in me.
A short while later, I hugged Julia goodbye and watched her slip into her own car as she heckled her brothers the entire time. But I didn’t mistake their sibling rivalry for anything but love. Relief swam in all their eyes and every gesture, while teasing, held affection. They were happy to have her home, and it was heartwarming.
Emilio shut the door after them and motioned us over toward his own vehicle. Lowering his voice, he kept it just between us as he clamped Jamison’s shoulder and leaned in. “You reach out if you ever need anything. I meant what I said. The Cristenello family is forever in your debt.”
“Thank you.” Jamison and Knox exchanged a look. “We may take you up on that.”
“Remember, we share a common enemy. Our vendettas are the same, and my people… let’s just say they’re not afraid to get their hands dirty.”
I soaked up every word, my mind spinning from all the hidden agendas. Instead of wondering, I outright asked, “Will you be retaliating against Pack Silver?”
Emilio’s eyes hardened for a split second, making him look every ounce the intimidating mafia boss, before the more jovial side of him made a reappearance. “While I appreciate your inquisitiveness, these aren’t affairs a sweet little Omega needs to concern herself with. As I often tell my Julia, business matters are men’s work.”
No wonder Julia had such zeal. She had to fight to be heard among a family full of well-meaning, if not overbearingly Alpha, men.
“On the contrary,” Jamison interjected. “Demi is perfectly capable of being engaged in the conversation.”
