Page 43 of Knot Your Business

I shrug. “Bianca loves having fresh flowers around the estate, so she has some connections.”

Her eyebrows draw tight.

“Who’s Bianca?”

It’s subtle, but I hear the jealousy in her voice. I squeeze her knee, trying to use all the nonverbal things I’ve noticed both of my lovers use often.

“Dominic’s mom,” I say. “You’ll love her.”

I have no doubt. They’re both fiery, passionate women that know what they want but have been forced to adapt because of life railroading them.

She frowns and threads her fingers with mine. I run my thumb down her side, trying to calm her the way Rylan always does for me.

“You said he…” She swallows. “You said that Dominic would annul any match that happened?”

I nod and tighten my hold on her knee.

She tilts her head, her eyes narrowing. "So why hasn't he? I've gotten the notice that Mom filed to get it overturned, but nothing saying any of you have."

Rage burns in my gut. "She's tried to overturn it?"

She nods but waves away the look of concern I give.

"Of course she has. The worst thing in her mind that could happen is having one of her Omega children matched with a Beta."

My lip curls.

“I had to turn it back in for it to hold weight with the Council. I threw it out,” she admits.

Something crowds my chest that I refuse to name. Not yet. Not while there's still so much standing between us. I can't help how ragged my voice is, though.

"You didn't even have them review your other options?" I ask.

She shakes her head, though she drops her eyes, looking unsure again.

"Why?" I drop my voice, trying to calm her down. It’s not nearly as good as Rylan’s soothing baritone, but her shoulders drop away from her ears. A moment later, she blows out a long breath.

"I tried to convince myself it was just because I wanted to knot with Rylan again," she says.

It’s absolutely not jealousy burning in my stomach. And certainly not morbid curiosity over what she felt about the experience or if it matches my experience of him knotting me. I raise my eyebrow, but she doesn't look up from where she's messing with her leggings, picking at imaginary lint.

She takes a deep breath and glances up at me, her eyes glassy with unshed tears again. "I needed to know for myself if you really hated me. I told myself that if you did, if you were truly angry over being matched, I'd put in the paperwork for the match to be annulled.”

Annulled, not reassigned.

Annulled meant she wouldn’t consent to being paired up with someone else. It meant that she would lose her chance to find a pack that would cherish her.

I force myself to breathe slowly and keep my hold on her light.

I want that chance. To hold her, cherish her, prove to her that we’re enough for her, that she doesn’t have to dread being matched.

“I’m glad you waited,” I admit.

The tears run over her lashes. She doesn't try to blink them away or wipe them off her cheeks. It's the least guarded I've seen her since the video call last week, and my heart twists.

"Kiss me, Jas," she whispers.

Twenty

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