Chapter 5

five

MARCO

My heart twisted in my chest as my eyes tracked over the dark pattern of bruises marring Kitania’s porcelain skin. The deep purples and sickly yellows stood out in stark relief, mottled reminders of the vile abuse she’d suffered at the hands of those bastard Valentinos. Each flinch and whimper as Doc examined her gouged me like a fuckin’ blade to the gut.

Her wide blue eyes were glassy with unshed tears, a ghostly pallor leeching the color from her delicate features.

I wanted nothing more than to tear out of here, hunt those motherfuckers down and make them pay in blood for every mark on my Omega. But I wrestled the dark urges down. Kitania needed me here, now. My fury could wait. Her healing and sense of safety had to come first.

As Dimitri stepped away to speak privately with the doctor, I gently guided Kitania to the guest quarters we’d prepared for her. But instead of the relief or comfort I hoped having her own space would provide, she grew more uneasy, nervously hovering in the doorway of her new room. Her gaze remained downcast as she mumbled an apology, hands twisting together until I worried she’d make her skin raw.

“I’m sorry. I… I just don’t want to mess anything up,” she finally confessed in a small, strained voice, tugging anxiously at her stringy dark tresses. “I’m so filthy, I’m worried I’ll ruin something…”

Despite the dirt and grime clinging to her, in that moment, she took my breath away. This girl, this Omega, was tragically beautiful. A deep ache stirred in my chest. I yearned to wrap her up, to soothe her fears and insecurities. But that would take time and right now, I was preciously short on that commodity.

“Shhh, you have nothing to apologize for, Angel,” I murmured. “This is your space now. Nothing you could ever do would ruin it, okay?”

She nodded timidly, but relaxed just a fraction. “Okay.”

The vulnerability threading through her tone fucking wrecked me. Swallowing hard against the lump in my throat, I took a careful step closer, aching to gather her into my arms but knowing she needed me to move slowly. To telegraph my intentions.

Tenderly, I reached out. The pads of my fingertips lightly skimmed along her delicate jaw as I tilted her chin until her pooling gaze reluctantly met mine. Those haunted blue depths nearly stopped my fucking heart.

“Kitania,” I whispered. Wrapping my tongue around the syllables of her name for the first time was as close to a religious experience as I’d ever had. I allowed the full force of my sincerity to bleed into each word, willing her to believe me. “It’s just stuff, Angel. None of it means a damn thing compared to you.”

I smoothed my thumb over the apple of her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin.

She released a shuddering breath and gave a jerky nod as a single crystalline tear slipped free. I caught it, brushing the moisture away, wishing like fuck I could erase the pain it represented just as easily.

I laced my fingers gently through hers, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Come with me.”

I tugged her further into the bedroom suite, guiding her towards the lavish bathroom. Her breath caught at the sight. The space was utterly massive, done in sleek black marble with accents of brushed steel. An oversized glass shower occupied one corner, while a cavernous soaking tub took center stage.

My Omega’s eyes went wide, darting between the opulent fixtures as if she couldn’t quite believe this level of luxury. And fuck if that didn’t make me want to give her everything. I’d figure out how to steal the damn moon from the sky if she asked for it.

I gave her a moment to absorb the splendor, my chest swelling with pride at being able to provide this for her after she’d spent so long in squalor.

Releasing her hand, I crossed to the deep tub and twisted the knobs, letting the water flow and testing it until it was the perfect temperature. The bath filled while I retrieved a plush towel from the linen closet and set it within reach, hanging it on the heated towel rack.

Next, I tossed a bath bomb in, watching it fizz, the fragrant golden orb releasing an intoxicating fusion of cocoa butter and vanilla into the air that complimented her sweet signature. Bubbles bloomed across the surface, making the water look warm and welcoming.

I turned back to find Kitania lingering in the doorway, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. She chewed her lower lip, seeming so damn unsure.

“Should I, um…” She averted her gaze, one trembling hand lifting to slip the tattered strap of her nightgown down her shoulder.

The breath caught in my throat as I realized her intention to disrobe. The implication that baring herself to me was simply expected nearly killed me. It didn’t matter who you were, modesty was a right, not a fucking privilege.

“Stop, Angel.” I quickly closed the distance between us, voice gentle but firm. Cupping her jaw, I tilted her chin up until she met my gaze, hoping she could read my genuineness. “You don’t owe me anything, understand? Not a single fuckin’ thing.”

Her lashes fluttered, those icy blue depths searching my face with a flicker of confusion. As if the very concept of bodily autonomy was unfamiliar.

“I want nothing more than to see all of you someday.” I grazed my thumb over her cheek again, a gentle caress. “But only when you’re ready. We’ll go at your pace.”

Tenderly, I smoothed the strap back over her porcelain shoulder, letting my finger linger for the barest moment. Her lids drifted shut, her lips parting as she let out a soft exhale. Tension visibly seeped away.

Something visceral shifted inside of me, and fuuuuck . I knew I was owned, then and there. My girl was only twenty-two and hadn’t even had her first heat yet—a fact we discovered during her physical exam—and she’d already survived more abuse in her short time on this earth than anyone should ever have to go through. It was clear she had scars, and not the ones that littered her creamy skin, but deeply internal ones. She needed comfort to soothe the hurt and therapy to battle through the trauma she’d endured. And yet, on top of all that, she was touch-starved for the right kind of affection, not that she realized it.

Kitania needed her Alphas to take care of her. To protect her and let her bloom into the woman she so desperately deserved to become.

I vowed then and there I’d always be there for her, always look out for her wellbeing. Whether or not she accepted me as her mate, she had me. I was done for. A goner. Every fucked up piece of my soul belonged to this beautiful, innocent Omega.

“I’ll give you some privacy,” I murmured, forcing myself to turn away and offer her the solitude she deserved. “I just want to make sure you get into the tub safely. I’m gonna keep my back turned while you climb in, then I’ll leave.”

“Okay.”

The rustling of fabric reached my ears, followed by a gentle splash as she settled into the welcoming water. A breathy sigh of contentment escaped her lips, and the barest hint of a smile played at the corners of mine.

“Call out if you need anything. I’ll be right outside.”

I left her, resisting the urge to turn and drink in the sight of her submerged up to her shoulders, covered with a cloud of bubbles.

Closing the door with a soft click, I noticed my brothers standing in the room. Giovanni and Tommas were setting a plate of food on the nightstand along with a glass of water and a mug of something that smelled like tea. Dimitri crossed to the end of the bed, laying out some of our clothing for her to wear. I spotted a pair of his boxers, Tommas’ sweatpants, a pair of tall, comfortable socks that belonged to Gio, and one of my t-shirts. There were various other items from each of us that she could curl up in. And fuck , I couldn’t wait for the day I got to see her draped in one of my shirts… and nothing else.

I nodded toward the bundle on the bed. “Good thinking. Those should help her feel a bit more at ease. Not having to wear…” I trailed off, unable to describe the filthy rag of a nightgown we’d found her in. I was going to burn that thing to fuckin’ ash, so she never had to see it again.

“It’ll do for now. I want to take her shopping and buy her a new wardrobe, but that’ll have to wait until she’s feeling up to it.” Dimitri sighed, his gaze straying to the closed ensuite door. “How’s she doing?” he asked, his tone hushed. As the eldest, he’d always felt responsible for us. Now that instinct extended to our Omega as well.

“She’s a fuckin’ mess, man.” I scrubbed a palm over my stubble. “You saw the bruises, the scars. And the way she flinched when Doc touched her…” I trailed off, jaw clenching. “She wasn’t sure if I expected her to strip in front of me when I drew her a bath.”

Giovanni’s eyes narrowed, a muscle in his cheek ticking. “We need to end the rest of the Valentinos. Tonight .” His hands clenched into fists.

I understood his urge for vengeance. Felt it simmering in my own veins. But Kitania had to come first.

“I want nothing more than to put them in the fuckin’ ground. But our Omega needs us here.” She was trying her damnedest to hold it together, but if my Alpha instincts were right, she was hanging on by a thread. “We gotta focus on taking care of her right now.”

Tommy nodded, face solemn. “I agree. Besides, can you honestly tell me any of your Alphas are gonna let you leave the penthouse, knowing she’s weak and injured?”

“Fuck!” Gio roared, because that was the crux of it. Even if we split up, our Alphas would never tolerate being separated from our newly discovered mate.

“Shhh,” I shushed him, glancing quickly toward the bathroom door, but it was just as quiet as it had been this whole time. The penthouse was relatively well insulated and soundproofed. I hoped she was bathing in peace instead of eavesdropping on our conversation. “We don’t want to scare her.”

“Marco’s right,” Dimitri relented. “I don’t know about you, but my Alpha instincts are raging. I can’t leave her here alone. I’d get five feet down the damn road and probably come out of my goddamn skin with how badly I needed to see her. To protect her. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take action.”

Gio scrubbed a hand over the short stubble of his hair. “Enzo and Nick?”

They were two of our best friends, as well as our best enforcers. They’d earned our complete respect over the years and were often the first people we called when we needed something done. We wouldn’t trust anything this important to anyone else.

Dimitri was already texting, his fingers flying over the screen. “I’ll have them track down the dirty rats and keep an eye on them. Once our Omega is stable, we’ll gather a team and move in on Rocco and Vincent.” His tone brooked no argument.

“Agreed.” I breathed out a harsh exhale, raking both hands through my hair. My inner Alpha raged at being forced to delay retribution, but it would be even worse if I tried to walk away from Kitania tonight when she needed us the most.