Page 85 of Knot a Thief

“In nine months, you can keep it. You can sell it. You’ll be worth a hell of a lot of money once the baby is born. And it gives you a reason to stay here.”

There’s a ripple on her throat as she swallows deeply. “You could have paid a surrogate, I don’t know, maybe a few hundred thousand. You’re giving me a few hundred million for a baby.” Her voice seems to get higher and higher with every word. “Why?”

“You’re worth more,” Max replies, his gaze intense.

“The baby, you mean?” Ava challenges.

Max stares at her. There’s a mix of surprise and calculation in his pale blue eyes before he says. “It could only ever be your baby.”

All of his words hang in the air like a revelation, but none more than the way he said ‘your’ with so much emphasis.

Ava’s eyes widen, genuine surprise flickering across her face. For a moment, her carefully constructed mask slips, revealing a vulnerability that’s rarely seen. Her lips part slightly, as if to speak, but no words come out.

As the shock of Max’s statement washes over her, her scent fills the room with an intoxicating intensity. The spicy but citrus notes mixed with something uniquely her—alcohol and it floods my senses, making it impossible to ignore.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, my body betraying me as my cock awakens, responding to her potent aroma.

Under my breath, I grunt and then clench my jaw, fighting against the primal urge that threatens to overwhelm me.

Ava’s cheeks flush, a soft pink blooming across her porcelain skin. Her blue eyes, still wide with surprise, darting between Max and me as she searches for words, her usual quick wit momentarily deserting her.

A smile plays on Max’s lips as he leans back in his chair. Exaggerating the motion, he closes his eyes as he inhales deeply, obviously savoring Ava’s scent.

“Don’t do that.” She twitches nervously.

The air in the room is now charged with a potent mixture of pheromones and unspoken tensions.

Max is reveling in it. His pale blue eyes glitter with satisfaction as he watches her reaction.

“Well, well,” he purrs, his voice low and filled with dark amusement. “It seems our little omega is perfuming for her alphas. I thought you'd find a way to prevent it.”

Ava’s surprise quickly changes into something else.

Anger tinged with an undercurrent of undeniable fear.

She opens her mouth to retort, but Max cuts her off with a raised hand.

“Ava, darling, let’s not spoil this moment with unnecessary words. Your scent tells us everything we need to know.”

I watch as Ava’s hands grasp her skirt underneath the table; her knuckles turning white before she pushes her chair back and strides to his chair, lowers her face and hisses, “I’m not your darling.”

Then she turns on her heels and marches out of the room to Max’s laughter.

Chapter 25

Ava

The cool morning breeze caresses my skin as I walk along the shoreline, my bare feet sinking into the damp sand as I think about Silas’ revelation and his and Max’s hot and cold treatment of me.

They’ve gone from hating me to ... I don’t know.

Sometimes when I catch Max staring at me, I’m sure I find longing in his gaze. Other times, it’s pure contempt.

And then there is Silas. He thinks we are a scent match, but he’s hiding it.

But then he told me. But why?

Why couldn’t they leave it the way it was?

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