Page 116 of Knot Your Business

Papa nods. “Perhaps your next pack will not care when you set up their children to be raped and forcefully bonded.”

He stands, and Father joins him, their hands still intertwined. Dad stands, too, his eyes so cold my breath catches for a moment. Jasper eases me to my feet, and Rylan wraps his arm around my waist. Part of me fills with sympathy at seeing my mom look so small and broken in her seat. Her eyes are unfocused, her hands trembling where they rest on the folder. And then I remember Eric’s awful floral scent and the bruises he left on my body.

“And Sienna,” Father says. “Be grateful that Johnathan was concerned in leaving a legacy for our children. Because Kurt and I were ready to let Dominic burn everything you are to the ground. We don’t need the wealth. We’ve never needed it. But you? You are nothing without it.”

Dominic adjusts his cufflinks and joins Dad as he walks to the frosted door, never looking back at where Mom is still sitting at the table. Rylan and Jasper keep their touch on me, grounding me as I try to process everything even as we leave her behind, too. Papa and Father are a warm wall behind me, keeping me from glancing back.

Instead, Papa kisses the crown of my head. “Love you, darling.”

Fifty-Five

VIOLET

“Victor,” Dominic mutters into his phone, glancing over at me as he eases the Alfa Romeo into the garage. “Cosa c'è che non va?”

Rylan opens my door, so I’m not able to overhear what Victor’s response might be. Not that I’d be able to understand it, since his Italian is even faster and lower than Dominic’s. I don’t understand at least half of what he says on a daily basis. Except for his nicknames. And telling me to go slower and look at him. A bolt of heat rushes through me, and my thighs clench.

My cheeks heat, and he glances at me, one eyebrow raised, his lips pulling into a smirk.

“I have already cleaned up a mess of Lorenzo’s this month,” Dominic says, his irritation evident. “This was supposed to be a rare occurrence, fratello.”

Rylan takes my hand and urges me from the car. Dominic sighs and puts the car back into gear.

“I’ll be home late,” he mutters. He drops his phone into the middle console, his lips tight and his eyes hard. His frustration is a palpable thing in my chest. I duck back into the car and kiss his cheek.

“Be safe,” I say, trying to not sound clingy.

I am not clingy. That pit in my belly is just… a desire to be near him. All the time. With his scent covering me until it drowns out my own.

Shit, I might be clingy. Has it been too long since my heat to be able to blame it? I count back the days. Still less than a week. If anyone calls me on my stage five clinger antics, I’m blaming my heat. Or maybe the confrontation with Mom tonight. People are less likely to bitch when you bring up parent problems.

His growl of a response pulls me from my thoughts.

“Always, Sirena,” he whispers, kissing me until I’m breathless and the car smells like grapefruit.

Yes. He runs his nose down my throat, feeling the need through the bond, and I relax further into him.

Jasper opens Dominic’s door and crouches beside him, his eyes full of concern. I bite my lip to keep from whining as Dominic pulls away and focuses on the other member of our pack. Their murmurs are low, blending in with the dim light of the garage.

Rylan guides me into the house as they say their own goodbye, his palm like a hot brand on the small of my back and his bergamot scent surrounding me like one of my favorite blankets.

“I haven’t had a moment with you all week,” I mutter. It comes out damn near a petulant whine.

Rylan kisses my temple without saying anything. The garage door closes as he sets his things away, his wallet and keys and shoes. I toe off the simple black flats I wore today and cross the room, dropping onto the loveseat that looks out over the cliff.

The patio lights are off, so I can’t see the ocean, the black expanse reflecting the room back at me instead.

Rylan’s eyes are hot as he stands behind me, his hands propped on the back of the loveseat. He keeps our gazes locked in the pseudo-mirror as he leans over and kisses the top of my head. His purr vibrates through his chest. A rush of wet heat pulses through my core.

Purrs are supposed to be calming, not arousing, but I’m not about to complain about my body’s crossed wires. The garage door closes again, louder than before, and then Jasper is kneeling in front of me, his body forcing my gaze away from Rylan.

The words fall from my lips before I can plan for them or make them alluring.

“What about bonding?” I ask in one quick rush of breath.

Jasper’s eyebrow rises even as Rylan chuckles, low in his throat. My fucking toes curl. From a laugh.

I am so fucking screwed tonight. Or blessed. I suppose it depends on your perspective.

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