Page 10 of Knotting Before Them

Theo looked from Wylder to me, an apology in his gaze, as if he wasn’t happy that they’d won.

I felt her relief in my bones. She sighed, bringing a delicate hand over her chest and blinking away tears. Why was she crying?

It distressed me that I cared.

Her eyes found mine again. “I promise I won’t be in your way.”

She was already in my way. I couldn’t think straight anymore. Without any explanation, I left the room. There was no point in my presence if they were so set on ignoring my wishes.

The girl should thank me for not dragging her to our mausoleum. She was an artist, huh? This house was going to eat her creativity away. If anything, my refusal was a sign of kindness.

No one cared in that moment, though. Not Wylder or Theo. Not the girl. So, I left.

I hiked upstairs and closed my bedroom door, sulking like a teenager.

Theo showed me toa small room upstairs, and I smiled gratefully. It didn’t have the view I wanted, but I’d find the perfect window somewhere.

“Don’t worry about Noah,” he offered as he held open the door. His eyes were downcast, his tone almost too apologetic.

“I don’t want to stay if he truly doesn’t want me here.”

Lies. I needed to stay. The second I stepped foot into this house, my hands itched to create. I bounced with energy, and that was why I couldn’t stay in the car when Theo asked.

But I also didn’t want the Noah guy to hate me this much. It bothered me.

If Theo fit the lumberjack bill, Noah was written for lumberjack porn. He was clean-shaved, with a square jaw and piercing brown eyes. His dirty brown hair was kept close to the scalp, and he was big, his arms like tree trunks. While he was the shortest of the three, he vibrated with dominant energy.

Wylder looked perfect for his name: leaner than the other two, with blonde boyish hair that reached the nape of his neck. He had a sparkle in his blue eyes, a game I was dying to play.

It felt like I was on the edge of reality inside this house. The land was magnificent. The men were jumping out of a romance novel. My heart danced inside my chest, like it knew we were in the right place at the right time.

Even though the room was small and nothing like I imagined. Even though Noah looked like he hated me and wanted me out. Still, nothing stopped the huge smile that covered my lips.

Once Theo let me be, I sat in front of the window, trying to find the perfect angle. It wasn’t great. The bedroom had a perfect view of a courtyard, complete with a small shed, but the mountain was more to the right.

I was ready to move to the other window when I saw him.

Noah.

He was bringing the logs in, and even in a jacket, his muscles bulged. He looked too serious, angry with the world, and instead of being annoyed, I felt sad.

He was carrying a lot on his shoulders. I just didn’t know what.

At that moment, he chose to look up at me, our gazes meeting. He put all his hatred into a look, a huge frown furrowing his thick eyebrows. Even with that, I felt slick, stupidly wet, like I needed a hate fuck.

Groaning, I stepped away from the window and ran downstairs, meeting him just as he got inside.

“Can we talk?” I called out before he could ignore me completely.

“I have nothing to say.”

“Look.” I brushed the hair out of my face. “I’m so sorry I’m intruding. I won’t be in your way. I’ll be out before you even notice.”

He laughed sarcastically and came closer, so close that I had to crank my neck up to keep eye contact. “You have no idea what is going on here, little girl.”

Little girl? I could tell they were all older than me but calling me a little girl was a bit much. I opened my mouth to complain, but he stepped up once again.

I swallowed a lump in my throat, my lips parting at the heat irradiating off his skin.

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