Page 78 of Knot Your Business

He guides me into his room, turning on his shower and stripping us both. His phone sounds with multiple notifications before we manage to get under the spray. He looks them over as I step into the hot water and close my eyes, trying to find that odd haze I’d had on the porch. At least I hadn’t been crying then.

“All right. Rylan is going to head in as soon as he can get away from the recording session.”

I nod and take a deep breath. His hands are efficient yet gentle at getting us both clean, though he doesn’t get my hair wet to save us time. How he remembers that hack, I’m not even sure at this point. His look grows more worried as the minutes pass, and I can feel the question coming, the one that’s going to ruin this entire night before I can even manage to put on a decent front for my mother.

It’s when we’re dressed and I’m finishing my makeup that he finally asks it. He comes up behind me, palming my waist, his eyes locked on mine in the mirror.

“What happened between you and Dom yesterday?”

My chest tightens, and his lips turn down as he sees the pain flash across my face.

His voice is nearly a whisper as he says, “Tell me, love.”

So I do.

By the time he’s helping me into the passenger seat of the Maserati I’ve never actually seen him drive, his jaw is tight and his shoulders are stiff, an unmistakable anger riding him. I don’t manage to break the silence on our trek down into the city. What can I say to appease his anger? Nothing.

As he pulls up to the valet of the hotel, he blows out a breath.

“He promised me he’d make it work,” he whispers, so low I’m not sure I was supposed to hear him.

I mutter an apology, focusing on my clutch. I still haven’t told him about the annulment. Will it make it worse if I admit it now? Or wait until the morning?

Mom’s smug look at realizing my match has failed and she’ll have a chance to pawn me off to whatever asshole whose parents have struck her fancy sets steel in my spine. She’ll get to see me struggle when Hell freezes over. Jasper runs his hands through his hair, messing up the gel styling he’d put in at the house, and then steps out of the car. He adjusts his suit jacket as he opens my door, offering me a hand even while handing off the key to the valet.

He’s calm and collected as we head into the hotel, following the sign to the rooftop deck.

“I love you,” he murmurs, kissing my temple and tucking my arm around his. “I’ve got you. All night.”

That lump blocks my throat again.

“Thank you, Jas.”

Thirty-Seven

VIOLET

Jasper’s hand is tight where it’s laced with mine as we take the first step out of the hallway and onto the rooftop. We pause just on the edge of the event proper, Jasper’s breath just as unsteady as mine.

For all my mom’s bullshit, she knows how to decorate to make a statement. Strands of large globe lights criss-cross above the space, complimenting the orange glow of the setting sun over the water just visible over the other downtown buildings. Large floral displays sit at the center of each of the tables, lavender and white roses and hydrangea forming a beautiful aroma that helps overlay the scents of the attending Alphas. It’s almost as impressive as the set up the Council used at the matching gala. A bar sits tucked into the far corner, the line for it decently long. On the opposite side of the rooftop, a string quartet plays and a simple music system sits unobtrusively nearby. It’s not set up for dancing, more so a speaker and probably a presentation of some kind once the sun is completely below the horizon.

“Are all your dads here?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Just Dad, I think. They haven’t done an event of this scale all together in a really long time.”

“Damn,” Jasper mutters. I manage a laugh, elbowing him. He looks down and smirks. “Kurt is fun at these things.”

I breathe through the ache in my chest at him remembering something from so long ago. His gaze softens on mine, and I manage a small smile. He rests his finger under my chin and tilts my face toward him, letting his lips brush across mine. Not enough to mess up the lipstick I’ve put on, but I can just barely taste the tang of his breath mint.

“There you are!”

My mom’s voice cuts over the quiet music of the quartet. It’s not the happy exasperation Faedra’s mom used at the graduation. Instead, it’s angry and a little disapproving. It reminds me of that asshole Alpha that cornered me the first time Rylan took me out. Jasper stiffens and pulls away from me.

Mom purses her lips as she takes me in. “Well, the color is perfect for the season, so I suppose it’ll do,” she mutters. She hands me a large glass of white wine. “Here’s this for you so you don’t have to stand in line.”

Jasper’s shoulders tighten, his grip firming around my hand. I lean into him, trying to keep him from saying something he’ll regret in the first ten minutes of us being here. I take the wine without comment, hiding my irritation at her taking the opportunity for me to get my own drink. I fucking hate white wine. Her gaze coasts over Jasper, an unfeeling once over that ends with her frowning.

“And where is your pack? You didn’t come unchaperoned, did you? That’s hardly safe.”

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