Page 33 of Knot Fit For Love

For a moment, he only stood there as Dane poured his heart out. It took a few tries of running the lines through his thick skull before he could comprehend what was being said. Bottom line—Dane wanted to mate because they had similar ailments.

"Holy hell," Elias muttered, jade gaze still wide enough to take up his entire face. "You have pheromone hyperaction, too? Do you know how rare—"

"Yes," Dane replied, deadpan. "Only one per one million people. It seems we both got lucky, or shafted, depending on your outlook. However, mine has been pretty damn good ever since I found you."

Elias blushed and glanced away. "Stop saying stuff like that."

"Why? It's all true, and while we're being honest, I'm sorry about how I acted in the car. It obviously upset you, which was not my intention."

Elias tugged his hand away from the devil weaving sweet compliments and took a safe step back into Ian's chest. It seemed to please Ian, who rumbled and rubbed slow circles into the back of Elias' hand. Dane noticed, lips pressing into a thin line as he glanced past them into the apartment, eyes narrowed.

"Do you both live here? Are you a pair?"

There was no judgment in his voice, no irrational anger. It surprised Elias so much that he had the brief thought he might've misjudged Dane's character.

"Yes and no," Ian replied. "But we're together."

The words were unwavering. Dane only shrugged before sliding his hands deep into the front pockets of his jeans. They were dark washed and hugged his thighs almost criminally. Elias had to wrench his gaze upward, blazing past the simple black shirt right to Dane's eyes, which were already trained on him.

"Would you ever consider a third?"

Dane looked right at Elias while asking, making it clear it was his decision. His hands shook at the idea of not one, but two alphas going out of control during his heat. He'd be dead, fucking finished.

"Uh, I'm not sure…"

Dane held out a card. "This has my number. Please text me so I have yours, otherwise I'll just show up here again."

Ian growled. "Like hell you will."

Elias placated Ian by squeezing his fingers. "I'll think about it and message you, I promise."

Dane looked him up and down, the twinkle in his eye turning dark with hunger. "You better be worth your word, Kitten."

Elias bristled and opened his mouth to protest when Dane turned on his heel and strode away, making a beeline for the elevator. He couldn't help it. Elias leaned out past the door to watch until the alpha stepped on and clicked the button for the lobby, a grin playing across his lips with a wink as the doors closed.

Chapter Nine

Elias was grateful Ian got called back to work that evening, leaving him alone to contemplate his options. Ian hadn't exactly stated he was okay with a threesome, but he also didn't deny interest in it. All he kept saying earlier was it's your choice, and I will be with you either way. I love you.

Elias' cheeks went hot just remembering the words, let alone saying it back. He didn't, by the way. That would mean taking a step in the wrong direction. He wasn't an animal, even if his very core seemed to think so, but he couldn't deny how much Dane's words sent him for a loop.

Would you ever consider a third?

How had he gone from being a relationship pariah to someone contemplating which of the three men were good enough for him? Levi wasn't out of the running. He'd sent another email, this time asking to meet up for coffee again.

Elias' thumbs hovered over the keyboard, making circles through the air as he tried to come up with something to say. Should he go? End it? Embrace it? Every time he thought about doing so, Ian's sweet, handsome face flooded the forefront of his psyche, making him ache with guilt.

He didn't want to feel this way about anyone. His emotions were all over the place, let alone pheromones. That morning, Elias took a double dose of suppressants just to get his scent to calm the fuck down. His omega thrashed, trying to take control of the situation, but Elias refused to let it out. He'd spent his whole life cultivating the cage, and it was iron tight.

It came with consequences, though. His fingers were numb and his mind seemed filled with cotton, not to mention the frequent palpitations he had been experiencing lately. Elias attributed it to the numerous abrupt changes in his life, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was something more ominous. He'd been on these experimental drugs for a year and a half now, overdosing often enough it'd become a habit.

"Shit," he muttered, tapping the phone to his forehead before staring out at the gloomy afternoon.

Large, gray clouds coated the sky, threatening rain but moving along at a clipped pace. They probably wouldn't open until they got to Oakford. He watched them for several minutes, taking deep breaths. With each one, the tight spiral of anxiety inside him loosened, giving him more room to think clearly. The situation with his suppressants wasn't new or negotiable. He needed them to function, end of story.

He had to focus on the present.

What was the harm in going for coffee again, really? They could go back to his favorite place, eat another fantastic pastry, and exchange witty banter until Elias admitted to being with someone else. Because he was, right? He and Ian weren't exclusive, but they were more than fuck buddies. It'd be an insult to call their relationship that, but he wasn't sure what it should be instead.

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