Page 28 of The Forgotten

Keeping my features bland and unassuming, I nod.

“We had an interesting day in the office and met our scent match,” I explain, choosing to leave out most of what happened. Whatever video he had, couldn’t have been wired for sound, and wasn’t inside of our home. “Apparently, she’s protected by the Irish mafia. They warned us off, but Gareth fixed the situation by kidnapping her from her home.”

“He’s a good lad,” Dad grins. “Gareth sees what he wants and goes after it. Why didn’t you think to do that?”

“We were asked to lie low,” I remind him patiently. I swear, dealing with my family is exhausting and often causes whiplash.

“That ship has obviously sailed, son,” he scoffs. “There will need to be a wedding. Fuckin finally.”

This is exactly everything I didn’t want. My brothers and I made a big stink about how complicated it would be to have an omega for the company and our lives, but we all carefully ignored how depraved my father is.

His businesses are based on consent, but a lot of what he enjoys in the bedroom is not. This is just an excuse to enjoy our omega and call it a family tradition.

Fuck!

My face still shows no emotion as I nod. “The omega isn’t pleased with her current appearance in our home,” I explain. “She is making it very clear that she wants to leave.”

“That’s not possible,” Dad growls. “I need grandchildren, boy.”

“Olivia is in her late forties, she may not be able to have more children. She’s also not pretty enough to have us want to fuck her constantly,” I lie.

I’m attempting to use logic against my father, but even I know that’s a losing battle.

“More you say? So she’s had at least a child,” Dad muses. “There’s no harm in breeding the girl. The Behans aren’t quitters! Who raised you, Maddox?”

“You did, sir,” I breathe. “Our position here is tenuous for the business. Cian made it clear that we could stay as long as we stayed away from Olivia, however Gareth immediately kidnapped her after I agreed.”

“Well that’s too damn bad,” he shrugs. “Finders, keepers and what na. The spoils of war belong to you.”

Yep. Just as I thought. While consent runs rampant in his sex club, he doesn’t promote that for his family. As much as I dislike my mother, I believe that Dad forced himself on her.

My mother is a bitterly unhappy woman whenever she has to speak about or to my father. My younger brothers say that their mom abandoned them, but I think it was closer to self preservation on her part.

“So we’re really going to go through with this wedding?” I ask.

“Yes. It will be as soon as possible, and at gunpoint if necessary while she’s in a pretty dress. We’ll splash the photos across the city in all the newspapers,” Dad decides. “It’s time to take a wife for the four of you.”

“And if she refuses?” I ask, inwardly wincing.

“She can be drugged beneath the bridal veil, but I don’t fucking care what she wants,” Dad grunts. “Get your household in order! What else do I need to know?”

“We also had to donate a large amount of money to a charity today due to offending Olivia,” I state. “It’s not enough to put a dent into anything, but it feels like a waste if we’re simply going to keep the girl anyway.”

“I don’t care about the money,” he shrugs, his dark green eyes thoughtful. “Cian is a clever man though. He may say that you broke your agreement with him. Since our cover is blown, I’ll make a point to call the man. Maybe I can get him to understand things.”

“Maybe don’t mention anything about drugging and dragging Olivia to the altar," I suggest. “He’d take it badly.”

“Everyone is so touchy nowadays,” Dad grumbles. “It was so much easier in the old days.”

“I’ve heard,” I murmur with a sympathetic smile. “I’ll see you soon.”

Hanging up with him, I decide that this farce of control Gareth seems to have needs to end. Dad doesn’t like to be pushed, despite his pride in his adopted son. It’s safer for Gareth if he’s seen in a positive light.

Shoving my phone in my pocket, I stand and move to my door. Shirtless, I pad down the hallway past Cai and Aled’s open doorways before raising my fist to knock on Gareth’s door.

A thump on the side makes me pause.

“Give it to me harder, Angel,” Gareth says, grunting suddenly. “That’s it, baby. Now go down like a good girl.”