Page 97 of Knot Forgotten

The muscles on his back shiver as my fingers glide over them to hold him closer.

“I’m pretty sure that edging means going to the edge and not over it.”

“True, but it is better to look over that edge again and again before taking the dive. That is what I like. But only with you.”

My mom places a platter full of pancakes and sausage down on the table in front of Matt. He rubs his palms together in anticipation before reaching for a few pancakes and stacking them on his plate.

“Looks amazing,” he says.

A round of agreements come from my guys, and Cameron pulls me down into his lap. He seems to prefer me there. My muscles protest nicely after last night, but I relax into him. Our relationship feels steadier now that he has allowed himself to be truly open with me. He makes two plates, determined to feed me.

Happiness buzzes inside my stomach. Conversation flows around me, even my mom joining in. Maybe being forced back home is exactly what I needed without knowing it. Because we will leave here a stronger pack, secure in our feelings for each other. Even the links feel unblocked. Emotions flow freely.

I know my mom is worried about Valentine, but his empire is too big. I don’t see one person escaping him being anything more than a bothersome fly. Besides, he would have come after me already. It’s been three weeks.

We’ve settled into our breakfast when my aunt shouts, “Oh my God! Get in here!”

Chair legs scraping over the tile fill the space as all of us rush into the living room. She is pointing at the television when we enter, and we turn as one to look.

A huge mansion fills the screen, surrounded by unmarked police cars and some marked FBI. The bottom of the screen has text scrolling, ‘The home of Ricardo Valentine has been raided.’

A reporter comes on the screen, the house in the background further away. “This is an unfolding case at the home of Ricardo Valentine, a known Mafia head. It appears the FBI descended on the home in the early hours this morning. They’ve been moving things out since. Valentine was removed from the home shortly after six in the morning.”

The screen switches to show the scene. He looks pissed as they shove him into the back of a car. Angry words contort his face, and I follow the trail his eyes make up to Raven, his daughter. She stands at the top of the steps, her head held high, shoulders back. Confidence is like a halo around her. Defiant. Powerful. Strong. Like I first met her.

The reporter drones on, more of the information that she knows, but it is just a buzz to my ears. I know without them saying it that his daughter has something to do with him being taken away. And I hope for her sake, he stays behind bars.

“Looks like he has more to deal with than thinking about me,” I say, looking at my mom. She nods, her lips pressed together as she continues to watch the TV.

CHAPTER 51

Erin

As we bid farewell to my aunt and mom before making our way back to the college, the air feels charged with anticipation. It's just me and my guys now, the five of us linked together by years of childhood friendship and shared dreams.

We found each other again after years of being apart, and in that reunion, I discovered a love that transcends time. It's as if we were always meant to be together, our bond unbreakable despite the distance and time that tried to pull us apart.

The late afternoon sun casts a golden glow over us as we make our way back to the dorms, each step bringing us closer together. I steal glances at them, unable to suppress the smile that tugs at my lips. They are my rocks, my pillars of strength, and in their presence, I feel whole for the first time in years.

Cam’s steady gaze meets mine, his eyes filled with love and a calm assurance that wasn’t there before. Matt walks beside him, his infectious laughter echoing through the air at something he said. My heart feels as if it is going to explode with the happiness that is filling it.

Riley's quiet presence is comforting at my side. His fingers link with mine, drawing me closer as if he is picking up on my feelings at this moment. And then there's Blake, with his mischievous grin and playful banter, his presence lighting up even the darkest corners of my soul. Some of who he used to be sneaks out every once in a while, and I know that this mixed version of him is the best version.

Together, we are broken pieces that fit together perfectly, forming a mosaic of love and resilience. We've faced our share of challenges and heartaches, but in each other, we've found home.

“What is going on up here?” Blake asks, tapping the side of my head.

A smile pulls at my lips as I meet his gray eyes. “How sore my body is from last night.”

He chuckles and taps my nose. “Sounds like you need to work those muscles more often to strengthen them.”

My skin heats with awareness, and my perfume spikes. Riley inhales deeply against the side of my head, his face buried in my curls. While Cam and Matt give me matching looks of pure lust. I groan as my stomach clenches.

“You can’t look at me like that,” I say, pointing at both of them.

“We should take this back to the dorm,” Matt replies as he pushes his headband back further on his head, and his curls bounce around it.

‘Agreed,’ Riley signs, releasing my fingers. ‘I’m hungry for cupcakes.’

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