Page 26 of Believe it or Knot

I’d never keep him from doing what he needs to in order to keep it running.

“You’re sure?” he asks.

I nod as Liam grouses. “Oh, sure, you’ll stay if Sorrel asks, but when I do—your omega—you just roll your freaking eyes.”

I giggle and the pout melts off Liam’s lips as he laughs with me. “Fuck, that’s a great sound, Sorrel. You should make it more often.”

“If you think that’s good,” Gage says, making my head whip around to face him.

“No, don’t-” I protest, but it’s already too late. I squeal. My best friend’s big hands go in for the kill, tickling along my ribs as my entire body crunches up and contorts to avoid his assault. “Gage, I’m going to fucking kill you!” I shout between compulsory laughs.

But he just keeps going, right until I wiggle myself off the chair and onto the deck. I land with an oof, and then glare up at him as he smugly folds his arms over his chest, like his job is complete or something, unrepentant. “I thought we were friends,” I hiss, making him, and the other three men, chuckle.

“We are friends, biscuit,” he reassures me, leaning down to loop his hands under my arms and drag me back onto the seat next to him.

I shake my head at him, violently. “Nuh-uh. Not if you can give away my biggest secret to virtual strangers!”

Liam makes a wounded noise that has my gaze moving over to him as Gray says, “We would have found out eventually, sweet thing.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to deny that, but his phone rings yet again and he swears, gripping the back of his neck. “I’ve gotta go.”

“Join us for dinner,” Liam calls to his retreating back. Grayson waves over his shoulder in a sign which I take as assent.

Liam frowns after him. “He works too hard.”

Rafe chuckles and kisses his temple. “You work too hard. We all fucking work too hard.”

Liam snuggles under his alpha’s arm into his chest, beaming at me and Gage. “You and I know when we need to take a break, though. He never does.” He meets my gaze. “I was hoping coming up here could be a double bonus. Get to know you and get Gray to take a vacation, but no such luck.”

I hum, brow furrowing as I look in the direction Gray went. “Aren’t you technically working if you brought an assistant with you?”

Liam wiggles his head back and forth. “Yes and no, technically Joey is here to help with my career, manage my socials and all that, but he also does a lot of other stuff, like finding this house and getting us all moved in.”

“Moved in?” Gage asks. “As in, you own it?” There’s something in his tone that I can’t quite place, a hint of… anger? But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would he be angry that they bought a house on Lake Kilrose?

“Yep. I can’t believe we’ve never thought to come up to the mountains from Granton. It’s beautiful up here,” Rafe confirms, pulling Liam closer to his side. I glance over my shoulder to look at the interior again. I assumed the house was a short-term rental, just for the time it takes for them to fuck me out of their system. But the way he says it seems much more permanent. The house doesn’t look like they just moved in. Joey does some good work. “There’s a pretty comprehensive gym in the basement, if you’re looking for a place to work out.”

Gage grunts. “I have a gym.”

I shake my head. “Oh, no. Avalanche closed two years ago. Kenny moved into Granton to open a new gym there.”

He looks down at me in surprise. “Really?” I nod. “Well, fuck,” He murmurs then looks back up at Rafe. “I’m still good.”

Frowning, I nudge him with a shoulder. “You should go check it out at least. It’s a nice thing they’re offering.”

“I said I’m fine, biscuit. I can work out on my own.”

“Where? The only gym in town now is Justin Stillwell’s. And you don’t even have a house yet, let alone a gym. Your parents don’t have the space for one. You can’t build one at my cabin.” I nudge him again. “Just go check it out.”

“We have a sparring ring,” Rafe says, dark eyes focused on us, a small smile on his lips, like he’s enjoying me all but browbeating Gage into submission.

My best friend’s head snaps up and a feral light sweeps through his eyes. “Really?”

Rafe nods as Liam chuckles. “Yep. Any of us would be happy to spar with you at any time.”

I don’t miss how Gage’s fingers flex. Rafe notices too. He laughs. “It seems like you might have some… things to work through with us.”

I frown, not following, but Gage grunts out a response, which means ‘I do’, so I just let it go.

---