Page 2 of Mafia Heir’s Alpha (Mated in the Mafia #7)

ROSCO

I straightened the lapels of my jacket and left the surveillance room and hoofed it straight for Cord’s office. The Menetti compound was a mix of fortress and modern opulence, with columns thick enough to withstand a tank strike and chandeliers Cord’s father had smuggled in from Paris decades ago.

Cord’s office always held the faint odor of espresso and cigar smoke. He didn’t smoke often now that he had a baby in the house, but that didn’t stop the other guys from lighting up when they came in for a briefing.

Cord was at his desk with his jacket off and shirt sleeves rolled up to show off his thick forearms. Andro Ferrini was perched in one of the plush guest chairs, looking like he just stepped out of a magazine ad.

“Bosses.” I nodded to them both, showing due respect.

Technically, Cord paid my salary, but Andro was calling on me for special projects more and more often, so they both deserved the title.

The partnership between the two families had made our stronghold in the city’s criminal activities nearly impenetrable.

Cord smiled and waved to the second chair in front of his desk. “Thanks for coming.”

“Rosco.” Andro shifted in his chair to better face me. “How’s everything looking?”

“Solid. No one’s getting in or out unless we allow it.”

Andro’s laugh was easy. “You've got people here you’re trying to keep in?”

Cord’s mouth twitched. “Sometimes.”

There was a moment of silence, and I knew what was coming.

Cord was working up to ask me for something outside my job description.

Though, there wasn’t much outside my job description anymore.

I had managed security for the Menettis for many years, but my skills were vast, and lately, I’d helped in other areas.

More than helped, if I was being truthful .

Cord steepled his fingers, elbows propped on his desk. “As you know, tomorrow’s Andro’s birthday party. Joey’s got it all planned out at the casino. He has the penthouse booked and extra security, but I want you to do some early surveillance and make sure no one’s planning to make a move.”

My hackles went up. “You expecting trouble?”

“Not in particular, but we have to be smart. With so many heads of families in one place, it’s a prime opportunity for someone to get bold.

Besides, you could use some downtime. Go out there tonight and have a drink.

Find a cute omega to hook up with. Then, take a look around and make sure everything is in line before we all start arriving tomorrow afternoon. ”

I didn’t like the way they looked at me with pity.

Maybe a quick fuck would do me some good, but I really didn’t have time for that.

If they wanted me to make sure both families and their guests were safe, I had to be fully focused on my job.

Even a small distraction wasn’t worth the risk to the families I considered to be my own.

But Cord was my boss, and refusing him wasn’t an option.

“Yeah, okay.” I cleared my throat as I thought about how I could be vague and noncommittal.

“If you don’t need me here, I’ll head over there now and make sure the team is in place.

We’ll start tracking everyone who enters the casino and monitor anything that looks sus. ”

Andro chuckled. “And you’ll get laid, right? That’s part of the task.”

I shook my head and smiled. “If an opportunity is presented, I won’t ignore it.

” That wasn’t a lie, but I had zero intention of being presented with such an opportunity.

As one of Cord’s right-hand men, I received plenty of attention from women and omegas alike, but I rarely indulged. It wasn’t worth the risk.

“Try to fit in with the people, Rosco. You’ll see and hear more if you’re just a regular guest.” Andro stood up to leave. “Wear something…not bulletproof. And reduce the number of weapons you’re carrying by half.”

That was never going to happen.

Cord grinned. “That’s an order.”

“Got it.” I nodded as Andro walked out and then left behind him .

On my way down the hall, I watched a trio of Ferrini security trail behind Andro.

They were all eager to earn their place in the pecking order, and I had a feeling at least one of them would be moving up the ranks soon.

But that wasn’t my concern. I knew what I had to do, and apparently, that included having a little fun.

It had been a while since I even considered a hook-up, but it didn’t sound so bad when it was presented as an order from the boss.

Back in my quarters, I peeled off my Kevlar and traded my work suit for black jeans and a snug-fitting charcoal shirt.

I checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror and sighed.

I’d had better days, but it wasn’t too bad.

The five o’clock shadow that never really went away had always been an omega magnet.

That was probably still true. A fit, unmated alpha with some cash in his pocket was a prime commodity when single omegas were on the prowl.

As I headed to the casino with just a pistol on my calf and everything else in a small roller bag, I had to acknowledge that maybe Andro and Cord were right.

That biological need to find a mate was starting to become more persistent.

I never let it show because I didn’t want to become a liability to the families who depended on me for safety, but lately, seeing all the happy couples and their little ones was starting to wear on me.

As much as I tried to turn off my brain at night, not even the best bourbon was giving me the distraction I needed.

The Ferrini family’s largest casino was a twenty-minute drive across the river.

Since the families had merged when Jeremiah and Felik married, I’d been spending more and more time on the Ferrini properties.

This was actually one of my favorite places to work.

People watching didn’t get any more interesting than at a casino.

I parked in the staff lot and took a quick scan of the exterior. Nothing looked out of place, so I slipped inside through a back entrance.

The noise of the gaming floor was always a shock when I entered the building. There were bells and shouts and a constant thrum of chaos. I went straight to the bar when I saw Knox at a stool, nursing a whiskey and eyefucking anything with a pulse.

Knox looked up when he saw me and cocked an eyebrow. “You look like you lost a bet.”

I scoffed. He wasn’t too far off. “It’s more that I’ve lost about a hundred hours of sleep this month. What’s your excuse?”

He shrugged. “I’ve got solid coping mechanisms. Namely, drinking and questionable life choices.” He tipped his glass. “Sit with me and have a drink.”

I took a seat and exhaled loudly, committing to this relaxation thing for at least a few minutes.

A glass was dropped in front of Knox, and he poured me two fingers from his private bottle before sliding the glass in front of me. “So, you here to work or relax?”

“The boss is making me relax.” I grabbed the glass and took a gulp.

The whiskey was good and immediately warmed me up.

For a second, I almost forgot about the sharp tang of omega pheromones lingering in every corner.

The kind of pheromones that made my dick hard and my temper short until I found an omega to service me.

“Good. You need to chill now and then, dude. You’re all work all the time, and that shit ain’t healthy. A man has needs, and if you’re not meeting those needs, it’s gonna start rolling over into all aspects of your life. ”

“What I need is to do my job. The rest is a distraction.” I downed the rest of my drink and waited for Knox to refill it. “You think you’ve got me pegged, but you’re wrong.”

“Am I?” Knox leaned in, and the bourbon on his own breath was slightly sexy, not gonna lie. “It’s not a sin to want a partner, Rosco. It’s biological. You can have fun and still do your job. If you ask me, I’m better at my job after a hard fuck. More focused.”

I laughed and took another sip. “Maybe.”

Knox glanced around us and then spoke in a low voice. “Cord and Andro are still good? No big power conflicts between them?”

“Nah, they’re good.” I wouldn’t rat on either of them if they weren’t, but so far, the merging of families seemed to be the best thing for everyone. Well, everyone in the families. People outside our bubble were fucked. “I’ve been working special projects for them and no issues so far.”

“Good to hear.” He grinned and nodded toward my glass. “Finish up. A bunch of us are heading up to the VIP floor tonight. They’ve been recruiting omegas for the night, if you’re looking for company. ”

I chuckled. “It’s tempting.”

He clapped me on the back and stood up with his half-empty bottle in hand. “Then let’s finish this conversation upstairs. Preferably with a cute omega or two sucking our dicks.”

We moved up to the VIP floor, where the lights were softer and the noise dropped by half.

The air was thicker here, a battle between expensive cologne and horny omega.

Only unmated alphas and omegas attended these parties, so every eye was on us as we walked into the lounge where most people were mingling.

A slim, silver-haired omega worked the room near the baccarat table. As I scanned the space, I felt his eyes following me, so I glanced at him and smiled. Not exactly my type but hot and obviously interested. Maybe a quickie wasn’t a bad idea after all.

Knox caught my eye and gestured with his chin. “Go for it.”

I sighed and wasn’t gonna go, but the omega glanced my way again, so I headed in his direction. The man’s lips parted in an almost imperceptible invitation as I approached. The man wasn’t just confident, he was cocky. And that was as much of a turn-off as it was a turn-on.

“Evening.” I stopped a few feet in front of him and slipped my hands into my pockets.

“Good evening, alpha.” His eyes were bright with victory that his eye-fucking had worked. “You’re one of Menetti’s bulldogs, aren’t you?”

Well, fuck. He knew who I was, which meant he probably wanted me for that reason alone. Game over, dude. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

He laughed, but it wasn’t in an unkind way. “You know, you scare the hell out of most people in this room.”

I ducked my chin in a nod and grabbed a glass of champagne from a tray that was passing by. “That’s the point.”

The omega leaned in, and I caught the hint of something spicy. Not the usual cloying pheromones that seeped out at these events. He was trying to control his scent, maybe even dosing. It should have been a relief, but it put me further on alert.

“You want to take a walk, bulldog? Maybe I can show you my room,” he whispered .

I exhaled and put on my best fake smile.

“Thanks, but I’m on the clock at the moment.

Have a good night.” Before he could say anything else, I turned and walked away.

I wanted to get laid, but I wasn’t feeling it yet.

Was it too much to ask for an omega to pursue me because of me and not my job and connections?

Maybe I’d try again next week…or month…or year.