Page 65 of Knot Your Business

“Isn’t Jasper the newest?” Rylan asks, coming up beside me. He has Violet tucked into his side, subtly keeping her as far from Dominic as he can manage without giving away how tense our dynamic is at the moment.

“Oh, right,” she says, biting her lip as she looks at me. “Sorry, it’s just… I meant newest to designate.”

I shrug and shake my head. “No offense meant.”

Rylan chuckles, kissing my cheek.

Alessia rolls her eyes and points her knife at Rylan.

“Give her a break. Her brain has been a mess since December.”

The blonde woman blushes and ducks her head. “Alessia, that’s private.”

Dominic’s sister levels a look on the woman that’s identical to one Bianca gives when she thinks one of her children is being unreasonable. The woman isn’t apologetic the way Dominic often is, though. Her cheeks are still a deep scarlet, but her eyes are flinty.

“There’s nothing wrong with them knowing about your heat,” Alessia says, returning to her chopping. “It’s like them knowing about your period. It happens. We manage. We move on.”

“But these are your brothers, Ale.”

Victor laughs but covers it with a cough when Alessia turns on him, her glare as impressive as the blade in her hand.

“Don’t you even start, Victor,” she says. “You have no idea what it’s like.”

Victor raises an eyebrow. “Of course, sorellina,” he says, completely deadpan. Only a quick smirk gives away his humor. “I know nothing of being at the mercy of instincts.”

Alessia scoffs. “No, you don’t. Not like this. You can smell any old scent and it gets you off. But us? One day we’re completely normal and the next we’re obsessed with peppermint like our life depends on it. Cavolo, è un disastro.”

Violet steps up to the island, the pan of brownies she made last night in her hands. “You enjoy peppermint? I’ve always been partial to citrus.”

The other woman looks up, interest clear on her face. She runs a finger along the rim of the pan in front of her. Alessia grimaces. “Citrus? Definitely not. Dominic’s is grapefruit. I can’t stand the association.”

Rylan chuckles and crosses the room, tucking his hands into his pockets as he flanks Violet, a few inches separating them. “Yeah, that’s fair. Not sure I’d want to think about my brother while trying to fuck someone.”

Bianca looks up, an eyebrow raised, her own knife pointing at Rylan. “Linguaggio, monello.”

“Mi dispiace,” Rylan murmurs, though it doesn’t sound genuine. A corner of her mouth tips up as she blows out an exasperated huff.

“Doesn’t understand Italian until it’s convenient,” she mutters. “Un tale monello.”

Rylan chuckles.

“Peppermint’s not bad,” Violet says. She twists toward Rylan, leaning into him. “Though, really, anything is better than floral. Maybe it’s because mine is floral? But I can’t stand it. It reminds me of my mother’s bathroom.”

Alessia and the other woman laugh. The blonde woman nods and holds out a hand toward Violet.

“Yes! That’s exactly it! It smells like my grandmother’s home. I couldn’t figure out why it made my skin crawl. The Council makes it sound like we’ll like any scent ever presented, but there’s this Alpha at work who smells like roses, and it makes me want to gag every time he comes near me.”

Suddenly I recognize the woman who’s clearly friends with Dominic’s little sister. Her hair is longer than it was last year when I saw her while on a date with Dominic, and there’s a confidence in the way she holds herself that wasn’t there before.

I lean into Dominic, tucking my lips against his ear so his family can’t see what I’m whispering.

“I didn’t realize Sarah was going to be here,” I say.

He shrugs and turns into me, his voice even quieter than mine. “Lorenzo.”

Surprise jolts through me. “Really?” I ask.

Dominic nods even as he frowns. “Un segreto, Tesoro.”

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