Page 132 of Tangled in Knots

Picking up the Glock, I fix my stance and put my headphones back on. Damon changes out the paper without comment and runs it farther back than before. Rolling my eyes, I settle into a peace I rarely get to feel. Once the magazine is empty, I take my finger off the trigger and take a deep, shuddering breath.

Dammit, Damon. I hate that he’s right.

Carefully releasing the magazine, I place the gun next to it in front of me. Pulling off the headphones, I glance at Damon and smirk.

“I have decided,” I say, picking up the conversation easily. Damon crosses his arms over his chest, waiting for my decision. “I want to be there when it happens. I want to carve his fucking heart out, so I’ll know it’ll never beat again. I also don’t know what it is about the silence that happens right before I shoot a gun, but I love it. It’s peaceful, and helps quiet the chaos in my head. I also think I prefer the Glock.”

“Good,” he says. “I’ll tell you when and where I want my date.”

Amusement sings through my body as we go one more time, only breaking because of the tremble in my arms from the strain. Today didn’t go the way I thought, it was better.

Sometimes therapy comes in a different package than you’d expect.

CHAPTER 28

ADIRA

“Hey, Adira, are you on your way to work?” Aisling chases me down the hallway as I walk toward the back door to head out, and I startle, confused by why she’s asking.

“Yeah,” I drawl, eyes wide. “Did you need something?”

It’s Friday night and she is rarely here this late, that I’m aware of. I don’t spend much time in the outreach area of Omega’s Haven, unless I specifically need something. Now that I have a computer and can connect to the internet, it’s even less often that I’ll head up there.

I can relate to Damon when he says he’s a recluse, because I have to spend so much time recharging after being around people for work and school. It’s a hard change from barely speaking to people the way I did while living at my father’s estate.

“I kind of need a huge favor,” she admits. “Can I walk with you?”

“Won’t you have to walk back?” I ask, worried.

“I’m perfectly capable of walking back alone,” she reassures me, twitching her skirt to show me the knife strapped to her thigh. “It’ll give me an excuse to bug Caleb too.”

“I can’t see why not then,” I say with a nod. Their friendship is always fun to watch in action. Caleb doesn’t have a chance at keeping his growly zen around her. “The company would be nice.”

I like Aisling and her work partner, Wren. I don’t have to force myself to talk with them, and the interaction doesn’t drain me as easily either. I think that’s true of people who are kindred spirits, I guess.

Since I’m already wearing my outerwear for the walk, Aisling grabs her coat from the rack by the front door on our way out. She often goes between the shelter and the outreach areas equally, depending on what she’s doing that day, so it’s normal for her coat to be hung up by the back door.

Walking down the alley with her after I sign out, I wait to hear what’s on her mind.

“Omega’s Havenhas a charity event next week to raise money, so we can expand our operations to include kids enrichment activities while they’re with us, as well as buy out the building next door, to convert it into a greenhouse, so we can grow our own vegetables year round,” Aisling says. “It’s been on the calendar for awhile, but I kept forgetting that Wren won’t be able to attend. I do better when I have someone in my corner to help me work the room.”

“Okay,” I murmur. “Where do I come in then?” I ask.

“Our events not only have a lot of city officials, but also mafia family members as well,” she says. “The events are safe, and the Kelly brothers are also going. I was wondering if you’d be willing to come with me?”

“I’m trying to lie low,” I say, my fingers playing with my braid as I think. If there will possibly be media there, I don’t want to bein attendance if I’m not pretending to be arm candy for the Kelly brothers. That’s our ruse to keep Rock away.

“Shaw mentioned his boss said you were at the fights hosted by Jasper and Tommy, though,” she says knowingly. “The families are all talking about it. Wait, was that planned?”

“In a way,” I confirm. “It started out as a way to get me out of my room, and then it occurred to Duncan that it would also fit one of the reasons why he told Rock he wanted to buy me in the first place. Arm candy to keep other omegas away and as a broodmare.”

“I hate the term broodmare so much,” she mutters. “We aren’t fucking horses.”

“Valid, but I also learned a few things about my father, and that he may not have stolen from Rock at all,” I say.

We haven’t had this conversation yet, since we have both been missing each other lately. Whenever I am at the shelter, I have earphones in, that Duncan gifted me, to block out the sounds of my sheltermates when they’re all home.

There’s a new person at the shelter that continually stops me as I leave my room, refusing to let me go, and wastes my time.

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