Page 179 of Tangled in Knots

“I know they won’t, but I want to be in the woods around the house just in case. Dad will insist on going to the Kelly’s property, simply to see how she’s doing. Adira is twitchy in ourapartment, and can’t get comfortable because she doesn’t have her own space. We need to drop a bunch of properties in her lap and tell her to choose her poison. It’s bugging me that the shelter feels more like home to her,” Jed says, standing. “Alright, can you pull a day time view of their property from satellites, Morris?”

“Would it help if I mentioned that I jumped their fence not too long ago?” Demon asks dryly. “There’s only one that isn’t live with electricity.”

“Do you remember which one?” I ask. “A little bit of electricity gets me hard, but I’m not trying to get blown out of commission. Makes the rescue mission a bit impossible then.”

“Crazy fucker,” Jed says with his lips twitching. Morris simply huffs out a laugh, rolling his eyes. Our lives will never be the same, because of the things my father has done, but at least I know why Jed’s been such a hard ass on us.

….and why he pushed us to sell Adira even as we pushed back in refusal.

“Thank you,” I reply. “Even if we never tell her we’re in the woods watching, at least we know she’s safe.”

“Rock is known to play dirty,” Demon growls. “We can’t lose her. It feels like we’re playing with fate if we don’t go. I don’t know if ROWS singled her out to be kidnapped, or if she’s working with Rock and he knows the Kelly brothers are covering for us. This doesn’t feel right.”

“We’ve been too lucky in not having Dad insist on a meeting with us,” I admit. “If we have to kill all his men in the woods, we’ll pretend we're Duncan and Callum’s new security service.”

“Please never run spy operations alone,” Jed grumbles. “Let’s get ready to go. Is the dead section of the fence on the back end of the property or the front, Damon?”

“Back,” Demon mutters. “I don’t think they know it’s not working. They were very surprised to see me hanging out on their front stairs.”

“We’re destined to be constantly bothering them if they’re going to be friends with our girl,” Jed says nonchalantly. At my glance, he nods. “I’m done playing it safe. Too much has happened, she knows the truth. Kid gloves come off, boys. Adira Firestone needs to be pushed.”

“Aye,” Morris agrees.

“Did changelings come and kidnap you two?” I ask.

When I was really little, I had a nanny. My mother was sent back to the auctions the second Demon was weaned from the tit at six-weeks-old, and Lorena took care of both of us. She used to tell me Irish fairy tales, and was brought to the United States from Ireland for the purpose of taking care of us.

I don’t think anyone in their right mind would work for my father otherwise. Rock killed her in front of me when I was nine and told me to consider myself a man now.

I remember we moved fairly often then too, and how frequently Dad would say that one day he’d be powerful enough to stay in one place.

It’s funny the things that creep up. I usually pretend I popped out fully formed, it’s easier and keeps the crazy down inside of me. The memories are too hard to deal with.

“No,” Jed says with a chuckle. “We’re the same assholes as always.”

“Speak for yourself,” Morris grunts. “You heard, Jed, let’s fucking go.”

Gazing at him for another moment, I think about how he's started taking more control instead of simply following orders. I like the power exchange. I kind of want to see if it extends to the bedroom as well.

Adira is changing us all in ways she doesn’t even know.

ADIRA

“I have a confession,” Duncan mutters. We’re driving to his house and are almost there. The sun is setting, the colors deep and beautiful.

“Out with it,” I groan. “I hate that you do this.”

“It’s only for show, and I’m going to make it up to you,” he promises. “Whenever you stay with us, we just make a big sofa bed to sleep in. The room you woke up in after we brought you back from the auction was just a guest room. You can use it, put whatever you want in it, make it yours. In case Rock wants to prove that we really are taking you as our omega, we made a sex room in our house.”

“A what?” I ask, snorting. “It’s not even a nest, but a sex room?”

“Rock wouldn’t believe it if we made you a nest,” Duncan says sheepishly. “He expects us to fuck and breed you, not cherish you.”

“I can see that,” I grumble. “So how are you going to make this up to me?”

“The back of my truck has all the materials you’ll need for Callum and I to build out an audio recording studio tomorrow,” Duncan says proudly. God, be still my heart. I couldn’t have made better friends, no matter the circumstances. “Does that make me forgiven?”

“You didn’t really do anything wrong.” I sigh. “This is very nice of you. The sex room is really ridiculous though. Do you think Rock will believe that?”

---