Page 78 of Knot Forgotten

My mouth dries up. “For what?” My heart thumps loudly inside my chest, a sort of hope and fear mingling.

“Your father is dead,” Cam says softly.

Is it bad that all I feel is relief? I’m not sure if I’ll feel sorrow later, but right now, it is only a sweet relief that I don’t have to worry about him finding me again.

“How?”

“Matt suggested we command his girlfriend to shoot him.” Blake pulls me close to him, tucking me into his side. “Then she was encouraged to turn herself in after taking us to the warehouse.”

“You guys did all of that for me?” I ask, my voice coming out tiny and soft.

Why did it feel like the biggest gesture of love they could have done? And Matt, my kind and sweet Matt. He made sure my father could never hurt me again. The fact that it makes happiness spread through me probably means I have more than anxiety I should be talking to my therapist about.

“And we would do it again. Only next time, we would be aware of the security cameras and work around them to save you,” Cam says with a laugh.

More of that happiness blooms, right along with my perfume—strong and needy. Heat strong. My stomach clenches.

The pills.

They put me into heat. And I am nowhere near a nest.

Riley touches my arm, his face warring between concern and pure lust. ‘Are you okay?’ he signs.

“I think I’m going into heat,” I say, curling into Blake, unable to stop my arm from snaking around his waist and getting closer. The physical touch of skin on skin helps, or that is what they teach in school. So I slip my fingers under his shirt, finding his warm skin. All four of them are tense from my words and perfume, but I’m sinking fast, and I don’t care.

Distantly, I hear Matt swearing. The car swerves through traffic as if we are being followed. But I don’t think that is why he’s driving like a madman. It is probably the fact that I’ve crawled fully into Blake’s lap, my feet in Riley’s, and I’m scenting like I’m about to lose control.

CHAPTER 41

Matt

If it were possible for my fingers to break the steering wheel off the car, I’m sure it would be detached by now. My only thought is getting Rin to someplace safe for her heat.

Sure, there are places around the city where we could rent a heat room. However, the fact that a nesting room in or around New York City would cost more than a semester at college means that if we don’t get someplace safe for her, she will be in more danger than being sold at auction.

The four of us are going into a rut; I can feel it happening. A natural response to Rin’s perfume. But I push it down. Ignore it. Not that the tent in my pants has ignored a damn thing.

Cam grips his phone tight enough to crush it as he searches the internet for a room a little out of the city. It isn’t what I want for her first heat with us. I want the perfect nest in a known place. I thought we had time, that a heat would be in the really distant future with her blockers.

A whimper from the backseat has my attention snapping to the rearview mirror for the millionth time. Blake is holding her, his fingers beneath her shirt, in an attempt to calm her oncoming heat. Restraint is splashed across his face, his eyes flashing with determination as she nuzzles his neck, attempting to get him to break.

“Hang in there, man,” I say. “Cam, is there a place?”

“I’m not finding anything with availability.”

“If you can keep driving, we can–” Blake says tightly before breaking off with a moan.

“Fuck?” Rinny purrs, her hand currently in places I can’t see in the rearview mirror.

“Shit,” Blake gasps. “My way.”

“There is a tie in the back,” I say, knowing he wants to restrain her hands before she convinces him that he should really fuck her right here. She reaches for her shirt, attempting to shed the material and distracting me completely.

Riley unbuckles and reaches into the back, appearing with a blue silk tie. “I’ll help.”

“Hands, cupcake,” Blake demands.

I pay more attention to them maneuvering her and securing her hands above her head than I do on the road. The blaring of a horn pulls me back to the situation at hand, and I straighten out. She whimpers, and my gaze flicks back to the mirror. Fuck, I need to get to wherever we are going fast.

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