Page 240 of Claim Me
"Gabriel Nolan?"
The voice reaches me like something from a distant past, and only then do I lift my head from Marcel’s pale face and look at the people who stepped out of the limousine and are watching us with great interest.
There are four heavily built alphas and one tall omega in a perfectly tailored suit, his features flawless, carrying a kind of minimal elegance and cold detachment that reminds me of Blue. I know him.
Ennio Ferro.
"It's Lowen now, actually. I got married," I mutter, tearing the metal breastplate off myself.
"What are you doing here, Gabriel?"
I blink, still a little dazed, while a flood of thoughts, chances, and possibilities rush through my head.
"Uh… sorry about the limo, send me the bill. As for what I’m doing… Well, I’m trying to get out of a bad situation. I was kidnapped today by this guy here with help from a group of NFH lunatics…"
The alphas and Ennio exchange looks.
"NFH?"
"Yeah. Unfortunately the man I’m protecting, Blue Lowen, is upstairs, still tied up, and there are twelve NFH operatives waiting by the door. After hearing the window shatter they might be breaking in right now."
Ennio lifts an eyebrow slightly.
"Interesting. I heard you became his bodyguard from my cousin, Eliano."
I study his cold, statuesque face. Ennio is known for being effective and ruthless as the new capo, but he is also pragmatic, and that might be something I can use.
I press my lips together and go all in.
"I know I’m asking a lot. I know your family and the Lowens haven’t exactly been on good terms, but I’m pleading with you anyway, and I can promise you this: you’ll gain a valuable ally in Blue if you go up there and take out those twelve idiots. There’s no loss here, they’re declared killers of alphas and omegas, people who take part in massacres of civilians. You’d be cleaning the world up a bit, taking out the weeds."
The alphas exchange looks again, and there is a faint hint of amusement on Ennio’s face.
"Youareaskinga lot, Gabriel, and it’s true our families haven’t always been aligned, although I personally had nothing to do with that conflict," he says, lightly rubbing his chin as if weighing options, then straightens and folds his arms. "Butthat doesn’t mean it can’t change. I’m a businessman, just like Lowen, and I can turn this into an opportunity. You understand that you’ll both owe me?"
"Blue won’t forget such a favor. And neither will I."
Ennio’s expression remains hard to read, but I can tell he is almost entertained. Then he turns to his men and says something in Italian, short and decisive.
Without hesitation, they move to the back of the limousine and pull out weapons, following his command, no question asked, even though he is an omega in an organization built around alphas, which is kinda astonishing.
Ennio also arms himself, taking two high-capacity tactical pistols.
"I’m going with you," I say firmly. "I have a skill that can help you."
Ennio tilts his head slightly. "I don’t usually take civilians on operations."
"And yet I can give you an advantage that will keep your people from taking any losses," I say in an insisting tone.
Ennio narrows his black eyes, studying me for a moment, then gives a short nod. "Fair enough. Be my guest," he says and without any further discussion makes a small motion with his head toward the closed entrance to the building.
Just like that, he buys it, which makes me wonder what exactly convinced him.
I trigger my five-second ability right away and I know exactly what I need to do next.
"Take the sides," I throw out through clenched teeth. "They’re going to shoot, but we’ll handle it." I take a strong step and drive my foot into the lock with full force, then jump aside as the door cracks open and the first bullets come flying through the gap.
One of the alphas raises a hand, holding a round object, and grins, and I already know what it is, so I nod.
