Page 178 of Tangled in Knots

“Hey,” I say, my tone clear in my voice.

“That doesn’t sound good,”he says slowly.“I heard about Emilia’s mole, little rabbit. Are you okay?”

“No. Yes? I’m not in the best mood right now, mostly because I’m going to see your dad. Duncan says he’s insisting on meeting today,” I explain.

“He can’t take you,”Kane says, his voice so guttural it’s hard to understand the words. My jaw drops at the possession and raw emotion in his tone.“I mean it. I’ll send the whole plan to hell and slice his throat just to be done with it. We’ll deal with his pack after.”

“He’s not going to take me,” I tell him gently. There’s something about this side of Kane that makes me soften toward him. Aisling’s words about how we need to decide how to move forward flood my mind, and I can see the truth in them.

“I’m sure Rock will try to throw more money at Duncan and Callum, though.”

“They don’t care about money,”Kane says.“The brothers refused to take the money we wired to them. In fact, little rabbit, it’s in an account for you instead. Don’t tell them I know that, but Morris found it while fucking around on the internet today. It’s crazy what you can find out.”

I don’t think Morris plays on the side of the interwebs that everyone else does.

“There’s no way there’s fifteen million dollars in an account somewhere for me,” I scoff. “I live in the real world, Kane.”

“Eh, that’s what you think,”he teases me.“You’re a mafia princess who wraps men around your finger. Those guys adore you. I just worry about you. Rock has a way of making you do things you don’t want to.”

Blowing out a breath, I admit he’s right. “I’ll have my knife with me, and I need to change out of my comfy clothes now,” I complain. “I’m probably going to spend the night with them. I have a feeling Duncan is up to something.”

“Irish fucker is always ‘up to something’,”Kane mutters.“Call me when Dad is gone. Stay in communication with Damon. I’m really jealous about that by the way. I have so many voices in my head, I’d love for one of them to be yours.”

I don’t know how to respond because he says goodbye abruptly, stating he has to go. Everyone keeps hanging up on me. Sighing, I lay back on my bed for a moment, lamenting that I never got my nap or food.

His words echo in my mind, and I wonder at them. I don’t know if he’s being serious or if that’s something I should entertain. While we aren’t scent matches, I seem to bring things out in him.

Sometimes it’s possessiveness, other times a deep calm. Kane followed orders, but I can tell it weighs on him.

I feel tingles when I’m around the alpha, and he and the guys mentioned buying a house for us. I really need to decide what I need, if having them in my life outweighs our past, and what that’ll look like.

“Being an adult sucks,” I groan, burying my head in my pillow. Thankfully, they were spared Hurricane Paula, and I can’t smell her at all.

Every day brings new challenges, and yet Pack Dresmond hasn’t walked away or complained. I have a long list of insecurities and anxiety, but the guys merely want to help. I can’t even say all of them stem from what happened, being an omega comes with its fair share of crazy.

Two months, Aisling said. That’s how long I have to decide if I can accept the guys into my life. It’s not very long at all, yet I know better than anyone how much can happen in the span of a heart beat.

Forcing myself to get out of bed, I dress in a pretty dark blue dress and thick tights, knowing Rock will expect me to appear in a certain way. I may as well add acting to my resume, since I’m going to have to get really good at it. While smiling is off the table, my words will need to be enough.

Ready or not, here we go.

CHAPTER 37

KANE

“Hey, did you know Adira is going to meet with Dad today?” I ask without preamble, stalking into the living room. I’m not giving them all the information right away, but I need their attention.

I have a flair for the dramatic, I know.

“Excuse me?” Jed asks, looking up from the map he’st currently studying. I don’t know what it’s for and I can’t be bothered to ask. I need my brother to stay focused on my next words.

“Duncan is picking her up from the shelter because Dad is giving ultimatums,” I growl.

Demon leans forward, eyes glittering with danger. “He’s what?” he asks.

“They’re not going to give her to him,” Morris grunts. He’s the voice of reason, but that’s not what I want.

I need action, people!

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