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"Well, I have been wondering a few things…"
"You’re welcome to ask anything. I may not be able to answer, and if I can't answer, you’re gonna have to accept that." His chest rumbled as he spoke, vibrating against my cheek.
"That's okay." I sighed as I accepted yet another aspect of our new reality. “I understand.”
He nipped at my shoulder. "So, what do you want to know?"
“Everything.”
“Hmmm.” The rumble of his torso rippled through me. I didn’t know what I would do when we inevitably had to return to the real world. I wanted to stay near him, to have his skin touching mine all the time. “Andro took over as head of the family from my father a few years ago. He’s my boss in a lot of ways, but Louie and I are his advisors.”
I drew shapes with my finger along his forearm. “What do you advise on?”
“A lot of things. The Ferrini’s have their hands in a lot of businesses. Some are legal, some not. We, along with the rest of our trusted family members, keep things running.”
“What are some of the legal businesses?”
Orsino’s hand rubbed down my back, and I shuddered. “The casino is mostly legal. A few restaurants and a chain of liquor stores. We own a trucking company too.”
I cocked my head as I thought about that. “Is that legal?”
“The trucks are. The cargo, not so much.” He kissed my head. “Does that bother you?”
“Not really. I know you’re a good man, Orsino.”
“Actually, I’m not, but I like that you think I am. And I promise that none of our businesses put innocent people in harm’s way. There are worse men out there than me.”
“Uh, yeah.” I scoffed at how silly he was being. “I think you’re the best man. The best alpha.”
Orsino hugged me tighter. “I like hearing you say that, omega.”
Chapter 11
Ethan
I was living on cloud nine. It had been four weeks since I moved in with Orsino, since he had bought me. Early on, I had been plagued with questions about the future, but now I was simply living in the moment.
After much discussion and contemplation, I decided not to return to work, though I really should have. When I wasn't following Orsino around like a puppy, I spent my time with the other omegas and their kids or simply enjoying time to myself in Orsino's suite.
I had never experienced life with so little stress—it was distressing.
"I really should be doing more," I said to Jeremiah, Joey, and Connor. They each had roles within the family business while I mostly sat around and did a whole lot of nothing. I still wasn't 100% sure what the family business entailed, but I knew much of it wasn’t legal.
The businesses that were legal were just a front for the less-than-legal endeavors.
Joey did some kind of magic with the financials, making sure everybody was being honest as far as the business went, or at least being honest with the family. As far as us being honest with the government, I couldn't speak to that.
Jeremiah and Felik worked closely with whatever partnership they had with Felik's family. I didn't know a whole lot of details about what the two of them did, but Jeremiah was some sort of lawyer, and Connor managed a bunch of stuff with the household staff.
Meanwhile, I did a whole lot of nothing.
"Don't feel guilty about that," Joey said. "You’re not here to work. If Orsino needs something from you, he’ll tell you."
"I feel like I am mooching off the family."
"Never feel that way." Joey squeezed my hand and looked me right in the eyes. "You're part of this family."
I wanted to believe that. I wished it were true, but in reality, I was property of the family. These omegas might have felt like my brothers, and I was closer to them than I had ever been with anyone else, but I was still an asset that had been purchased. The minute Orsino got tired of me, he could simply make me disappear.
