Page 164 of Tangled in Knots

“Sarcastic, I like it. I don’t know if the mafia families will, but can’t wait to see,” he murmurs as he opens the back door to the SUV.

Rolling my eyes, I climb carefully into the car, reaching for the hand that helps me in.

“I really wish we were seeing each other under better circumstances,” Cian says, turning the light on next to him. It’s a soft glow and I sigh as I show him my face. “Fuck, Adira.”

“Does it help to know that I killed them?” I ask. Glancing at the seat belt, I glare at it, knowing I’m not going to be able to easily buckle in.

“I’ll get it,” Cian says, leaning over to pull my seat belt on carefully.

“Are we good?” Evan asks, turning in his seat. “Your arm, I didn’t even think about it. I’m so sorry, Adira.”

“You don’t have to baby me,” I tell him. “I’ll muddle through.”

“In answer to your question, it doesn’t help to know that you killed them,” Cian growls. Evan winces, turning forward in his seat to begin driving. “Where were your alphas?”

“Busy with work, which is where I was walking home from,” I remind him. “This was a freak attack.”

“Fine, fine,” he grumbles. “It pisses me off that your current appearance may be what forces people to care about the change in leadership Pack Dresmond is proposing.”

“Whatever gets things done,” I sigh. “Tell me what I should expect.”

“Corbin Murphy has been asked to host the meeting, along with my brother-in-law, Patrick Ryan,” Cian explains. “It’ll be a lot of complaining back and forth for hours on end, until someone gets irritated and calls for a vote. Except, none of that will happen when you walk in, because you’re going to ask to speak first.”

“What happens when they tell me I’m a tiny little omega without a thought in my head, and need to be protected, since I clearly can’t take care of myself?” I ask.

Evan snorts in amusement in the front seat, which makes Cian grimace.

“God, we aren’t that bad,” Cian complains. “My father drove in with Patrick, so he’ll already be there. If they pull that shit, he’ll bang his cane, and then threaten to shoot someone. It’s been ages since he’s been able to. It’ll be good for him.”

Chortling, I wrap my good arm around my waist as I laugh. “Oh my goodness, this is going to be a shit show, isn’t it?”

“Probably,” he admits. “May as well make this your debut to the families and how things work. Few women have a stand in the families, but you have a unique perspective they need.”

I’m not sure what I can offer, but here goes nothing.

CHAPTER 34

ADIRA

There are men speaking as I walk into a gentleman’s club with Cian. He looks slightly abashed to be bringing me here, but I doubt they expected a woman at their meeting.

The families are very male centered from what he explained to me on the ride here, their conversations are held away from their omegas, all while they protect them.

While I understand this is how they’ve always done things, and that they respect their omegas and partners, the information they keep circulating to each other seems wrong.

Auctions are actively selling omegas that are being stolen off Minneapolis’ streets, which makes this their problem. They can’t just hide from this.

They may think Pack Rock isn’t their issue, but what happens when he chooses one of them to fuck over? My father and I just happened to be the ‘lucky’ family Rock chose to make our lives hell, and I still don’t have all the pieces as to why.

Everyone who has been digging into my aunt’s life has told me they need more time, but I feel as if I’m in short supply of it.

“Hello, gentleman,” Cian drawls as he walks into a large living room area. Alphas and betas are sitting and drinking as they chat, and look at me with interest and curiosity. The light is darker in the room, my hair hiding the side of my face that’s bruised. I simply look like a shy omega hiding in my coat.

For now.

“I’m a bit confused about what’s going on,” Corbin says, leaning forward.

I may be hiding partially, but I recognize some of the faces and voices of the people in this room from the fight.

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