“Compared to Malia and your dad, you seem almost… normal.”
Donovan scoffs.
“Just because I’m not all shoot first, ask questions later doesn’t mean I don’t have it in me to be as cruel as they are. It’s not as natural to me as it is them, but I can harness it when I need it,” he smirks. “I’m still an Olin and chaos is so embedded in my DNA I shit mayhem.”
I wrinkle my nose at that image.
“You should probably see a doctor about that.”
Caine Byrne stands by himself in the corner of The Omen’s office, eyeballing me. The last time I saw him, I shoved my gun in his mouth for kissing Malia. The Omen’s hard gaze slides to each person as he assesses the room. Breckin Reynolds flanks Donovan, as he glares at me over his best friend’s shoulder. Donovan’s face is hard with annoyance over this whole situation. Elijah and Lion Castello stand on each side of The Omen, concern on Elijah’s face as he looks at his friend, while his son blatantly ignores my existence. Oren stands next to me, body tense, but slight amusement at the silent dick-measuring contest thickening the air in the room.
I might not be happy with the assholes occupying space so close to me, but I’m relieved this group of powerful players in the underground are ready to go to war to bring my girl home.
A knock sounds on the door and every set of eyes shifts to it. The Omen sends Elijah a knowing look before moving to open the door.
“Mario,” I hear The Omen say, before he steps aside to allow a tall man to enter and closes the door behind him.
Mario’s dark hair is pulled into a bun on the top of his head and, if I hadn’t met Oren’s only brother, I would think this was him. Then again, after all the recent lying and bullshit, I suppose I don’t know as much as I thought about the man who was supposed to be one of my closest friends. It’s clear as Mario closes the distance he’s a Castello. The height and unnatural golden eyes give it away, and it’s only confirmed when he stands next to Lion.
As close as the Olins and Castellos are, I wouldn’t be surprised if Oren is related to Lion. Interweaving their families within and between the businesses creates a formidable conglomerate in the underground.
“Don’t tell me this is another motherfucker that’s fucked my girl,” I grumble under my breath.
Oren stiffens next to me at my comment. In my periphery, I see Lion smirk as he turns to look at the man beside him.
“Have you fucked Malia, Cousin?” Lion asks Mario, telling me how the man is related to the father and son duo.
Mario’s head snaps back.
“That’s an interesting way to greet me.”
He straightens and smirks back at Lion, then he shifts his gaze to me, and his smile grows.
“Hate to disappoint but I’ve sadly not gotten the chance.”
Lion huffs out a laugh while Elijah and The Omen curse under their breath.
“Not the time, Li,” Oren says as I take a step forward.
“None of this is relevant, with Malia missing,” The Omen snaps.
“It’ll be relevant when I commit mass murder,” I retort.
Lion looks at me for the first time since I asked for his sister’s hand in marriage a couple of hours ago and the challenge that’s always sitting in his eyes when he looks at me holds strong. I grunt and step back into my spot next to Oren. He lays a comforting hand on my shoulder; I shake him off and cross my arms tight against my chest.
“Mario is going to assist in running The Olin Empire in my stead next to Elijah while we hunt down Malia,” The Omen says. “This will help keep the focus directed where it needs to be until we find her.”
“Once we have Mal back, I’m assigning Mario as Malia’s personal guard indefinitely,” Lion adds.
“She doesn’t need a guard,” I hiss. “You think I’m going to leave her side when we get her back? Not fucking happening.”
Lion’s face hardens, then shifts into a sneer.
“She was with you when she was taken. Your opinions on the matter are as important as the bullshit jealousy you harbor for every man in this room who’s stuck his dick in my sister. This is non-negotiable,cop.”
“Enough,” The Omen says. “All of this animosity needs to be let the fuck go. If you do not like each other, stay out of each other’s way. Every single one of us is here with one goal in mind and that’s to bring Malia fucking home. The second you boys start whipping your dicks out and begin pissing I will hang you off the cliff by your cock, am I understood?”
Nobody says a word. Mario Castello gives The Omen a horrified look, wondering what the fuck he just walked into. I won’t respond to being berated like a fucking child here.