Page 41 of Toxic Revenge, Part Two (Mafia Omegas #2)

Chapter

Thirty-Seven

TALIA

I loved my alphas, I really did, but being stuck with them in my bedroom without any change of scenery was a bit much.

They’d helped put me back together after Benjamin’s call—then I’d had a phone appointment with Dr. Jalisco and fallen apart again in the process of feeling my feelings. I’d gone through her exercises and built my walls back up on my own, a little stronger than before.

An evening of cuddling—with a little of it being naked cuddling—had gotten me settled again.

As settled as I was going to get, anyway.

Lavinia had stopped by at the ass crack of dawn to let us know that they still had no idea who could be telling Benjamin about the inner workings of the estate. She’d reminded me to stay hidden in the bedroom until they found out.

By midday, that wasn’t really working for me anymore.

With Mercer and West out checking in with Emilia, it was only Conrad and I left in my room.

He’d be easy enough to convince.

“I really want ice cream.” I was splayed out on my couch, my feet in Conrad’s lap as he played a game on my tablet.

“I can tell Mercer to bring you some when they get back,” he said without looking up.

“But I want a very specific ice cream. We don’t have it.”

That got his attention. He looked at me with an eyebrow quirked. “What ice cream?”

“I want a milkshake sundae from Fay Delights.”

He turned off the game. “What the heck is a milkshake sundae?”

I grinned. He was interested—I had him. “They’re one of the specialties of a dessert shop in Fayworth.

It’s a scoop of ice cream with a milkshake drizzled over it and whatever other toppings you want.

I usually get classic vanilla ice cream with a pecan milkshake drizzle, chocolate sauce, chopped pecans, and whipped cream to top it off. Oh, and done up in a waffle cone bowl.”

His eyes were wide. “Don’t you have to drink it? If it’s part milkshake?”

“That’s its charm. You could if you waited for the scoops to melt a bit, but only some of it is a liquid.”

“God, you’ve got me wanting to try one now. But princess, we really can’t go out to Fayworth right now.” Conrad gave me an apologetic look. “As soon as it’s safe, I’ll take you there for a date.”

“Or,” I sat up and grabbed his hand, “we can order ice cream delivery. Their drivers have freezer bags, so it arrives almost the same as it was when they prepped it, even after the drive. All we have to do is pick it up from the front gate.”

“Lavinia really doesn’t want you leaving the room.”

“It’s just for ice cream, and I’ll have you with me. Besides, I told her I wouldn’t stay cooped up here forever.”

I hopped up from the couch, trying to pull him up with me. He ran a hand through his hair, his concerned frown slowly transforming into his signature grin. “Mercer and West are going to kill me for taking you out of this room alone.”

“When have you ever been afraid of getting in trouble? Don’t you remember when we fucked on Mercer’s bed?”

Conrad gave in to my tugging, standing up and sweeping me into an embrace. “Bit of a different situation, and you know it. But you’ve got me convinced. Let’s get you some ice cream delivered, little omega.”

He claimed my mouth with a kiss so intense I had to clench my thighs together. I pulled back and moved away before the idea of my alpha’s cock could tempt me into staying in the room.

Pulling up Fay Delights’ website on my tablet, I put in my order and handed it to him to do the same. We submitted it and got our delivery estimate—thirty minutes.

“That’s about how much time it takes to walk to the front gate, so we’ll be just on time.” I linked our arms together and made for the door—my temporary escape from this prison.

Unfortunately, I opened it to come face to face with Odetta.

She blinked, her bodyguard Rylan standing in a protective stance behind her. My sister’s hand wasn’t even raised to knock. How long had she been there? Was she wanting to see me?

“Talia. Where are you going?” she asked. “Aren’t you confined to your room?”

I cringed. “I’m not a prisoner. We’re going to pick up some ice cream from the front gate.”

“That’s not what I heard.” She crossed her arms over her chest, lifting one of her perfectly-outlined eyebrows. “Is this a prison break?”

Conrad snickered, pulling us out of the bedroom and closing the door behind us. “Absolutely. She convinced me to do it.”

“Are you going to tattle? Because that would make you a hypocrite,” I complained.

Odetta laughed and her demeanour softened. “I guess this confirms that you’re alright. I won’t tell.”

She was coming to check on me. I got some warm and fuzzy feelings when I realized that. Odetta wasn’t cold, exactly. She just also wouldn’t be listed as ‘most likely to bring you soup and a box of tissues when you’re sad.’

“Thank you.” I gave her a hug, and she hesitantly patted me on the back. “What about Rylan? Is he going to tell?”

I caught the eye of her bodyguard, and he looked at Odetta. She stepped back until she was by his side and placed a hand on his forearm. He stiffened, his cheeks going a faint pink colour.

“Rylan knows how to pick his battles,” she said sweetly. “Don’t you?”

He cleared his throat loudly. “As far as I’m concerned, Talia is safe and sound in her bedroom.”

“Thanks, Rylan,” I said.

It was so obvious that man was under Odetta’s thumb. Everyone knew it. Our fathers had to know too, but I was pretty sure they were just happy Odetta tolerated him following her around constantly. It didn’t keep her completely out of trouble, but she was somewhat safer while causing it.

“Of course, Miss Talia.”

“You could just call me Talia, you know. Drop the Miss.”

“Always better to keep things proper.”

I’d overheard him calling Odetta ‘Ettie’ at least once. Funny how the rules of propriety didn’t apply to his own charge.

I dropped it without pushing further. Linking my arm with Conrad’s, I started tugging him down the hall. “We’ll be late to pick up our ice cream at this rate. See you later, Odetta.”

She waved. As we rounded the corner, Rylan leaned down to say something into her ear. They were out of sight before I saw how she responded.

“Is it just me, or does that bodyguard act like Odetta pegs him on the regular?” Conrad asked way too loudly.

I snorted a laugh. “Geez, you don’t have to shout it.”

“Am I wrong?” he demanded. “No shade if that’s what he’s into, obviously.”

“I’ve never put it like that, but it’s always seemed like there’s something there. His job is to be with her constantly, no breaks. Their bedrooms are attached. She can’t go anywhere without him.”

“It’s the plot of a romance novel.”

“Read a lot of romance novels?”

He chuckled. “Nope. But those games I was playing on the tablet—they have these ads. Show you a snippet of the novel or a short movie or whatever. ‘Bodyguard falls for mafia heiress’ would fit right in.”

A set of approaching footsteps stopped me from responding, along with Nico’s voice.

Fuck.

Running into the staff was one thing. Most wouldn’t know about my confinement.

But my fathers? They wouldn’t be pleased to see me out and about when they hadn’t caught the rat yet.

Conrad’s face paled when he realized the same thing, and he looked around frantically for an escape. This hallway was mostly empty, full of locked bedrooms, but one door just ahead could be our saving grace.

I grabbed his hand and rushed forward, trying to keep my footfalls quiet as I tore open the door and huddled us both inside. Conrad closed it with a soft click behind us, leaving us crushed together in a linen closet.

What was it with me hiding in linen closets lately?

At least they smelled like fabric softener and cotton, making them a tolerable place to escape detection.

And while Conrad was in here with me, this one smelled like autumn leaves. I inhaled deeply, leaning into his chest.

Voices grew closer outside before beginning to retreat again. It didn’t sound like we’d been caught.

Thank goodness. I really wanted that ice cream, but more than that I wanted a hint of normalcy. I thought coming home would give me that, but of course my asshole scent match had managed to infiltrate my haven.

“Think they’re gone,” Conrad grunted.

“Me too.”

He fumbled behind him for the doorknob. We backed out of the linen closet into the hall and glanced around. No one was in sight.

Conrad let out a huge, relieved sigh. “That was fucking close. Let’s get that ice cream and get back to your room. Please? So I’m not risking death out here?”

Laughing, I dragged him down the hall and down a back staircase. Saying he was risking death was being a bit dramatic.

We made it downstairs and through the back garden without seeing another member of my family, only a few staff members doing their duties. I took us on a roundabout path along the edges of the property to the staffed front gate.

The guards were questioning our ice cream delivery guy when we arrived, but we were able to save him from further harassment by taking our milkshake sundaes and sending him on his way.

Then we fled the front gate, just in case my fathers were on their way to check on the unexpected delivery.

Spooning a big scoop of milkshake ice cream into my mouth as we walked, I spilled it down my chin. “Shit,” I gasped. “Oops.”

Conrad stopped in front of me, holding his own ice cream in one hand and using his other to wipe the mess off my face. He licked the ice cream from his fingers, and my core tightened.

He was really good at licking things and making it look sexy as hell.

“Don’t get too aroused, now,” Conrad murmured.

I shoved another spoonful of melty deliciousness into my mouth with pink cheeks. He laughed, digging his spoon into my sundae and stealing a bite.

“Fuck, these things are good. It’s so melty, but there’s something about it.”

“Right? I knew you would get it.”

I stole some of his too. He’d gotten strawberry ice cream drenched in a blueberry milkshake, with strawberry sauce and small pieces of various freeze-dried fruits. I’d stick with my pistachio, but had to admit his was pretty damn good.

Continuing down the path, we raced the melting ice cream, trying to consume it while it was still in that ideal, partially melted state. I’d just started breaking the waffle cone with my spoon when someone stepped out in front of us, shadowed and backlit by the sun.