Page 117 of Tangled in Knots

“Doubtful,” I sigh. “I shouldn’t find him so attractive.”

“I have a feeling the blood is helping,” Callum says mildly as Kane explodes into motion.

Hawk is pummeled with chest and stomach punches as he protects his face, and Kane shoves him back to get a little space. I have a feeling he’s trying to wear his opponent down, get his frustrations out.

Leaning back against Duncan, I watch quietly as they fight. Callum scoots over into the space I was sitting, leaning until his lips are against the shell of my ear. Not expecting it, I flinch with a gasp.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “You need to breathe, Adira. You’re too still.”

Gasping in a breath, I nod, realizing he’s right. His heavy hand takes mine, and I squeeze it as I watch. It’s so odd to be this turned on while looking for support, but the Kelly brothers don’t bat an eye.

Duncan purrs behind me, his chin sitting on my shoulder as he watches. They’ve been a solid presence in my life, refusing to let me shut down. Every day it’s getting easier to manage things, but this wasn’t something I could have imagined happening.

Cupid has a sick sense of humor. I’m not a fan and want a refund. Valentine’s Day is practically around the corner, and the only reason I know is because the campus is covered in shit to remind me of it.

I feel grumpy, horny, and confused as hell right now.

“He doesn’t like that I’m holding you,” Duncan growls in my ear. “Poor Hawk is going to get a beating.”

The fighter being beaten unfortunately isn’t guarding his face well, and there’s a cut over his eye that’s bleeding profusely. It’s affecting how well he can see, and Kane is circling him like the prey he’s showing himself to be.

“Hawk isn’t doing his job well,” I murmur. “Shouldn’t his hands be up more?”

“Already an expert,” Callum teases, pressing against me.

My father used to tell me that all men wanted was sex, that I needed to stay in the house where it was safe and he could protect me. There are many things he was wrong about. The house was safe until it wasn’t, and there are good men in the world who see me as more than just a fuck toy.

After the auction, my mental health has been in the shitter for obvious reasons. The Kelly brothers won’t let me slip away, determined to keep me in the present.

Kane stalks Hawk, playing with him as Hawk attempts to escape and protect his face. I know this is an amateur night, but Hawk doesn’t appear equipped to fight in any form.

“I can hear you thinking from here,” Duncan says. I’m sitting on his thigh, and if I was anyone else, it wouldn’t be at all inappropriate. However, Pack Dresmond believes I belong to them, something Damon clearly forced me to see the first day of school.

“I wasn’t aware my thoughts were so loud,” I say, my eyes glued to the participants in the ring. “Hawk doesn’t look prepared to be fighting anyone. It doesn’t feel like a fair fight.”

“Waving a red flag in front of a bull still makes people run, even if they’ve been around them their whole lives, Short Stuff,” Duncan observes. “I’d behave in a similar manner if you were my girl. Kane and his brothers are going to have to understand that they’re going to have to share you with us. You’re ours in a way that’s completely different, but still important.”

“It’s all their fault too, which makes this even more fun,” Callum says with a chuckle. “I expect regular playdates after they properly grovel.”

“You’re expecting a lot,” I sigh, gasping when Kane makes his move.

The way his body flows between punches and kicks is beautiful, and Hawk crumples, his body pulled into the fetalposition. Kane’s face reminds me of how insane he appears when he’s fixated on something shiny.

This time, it looks like he’s trying to determine how much of Hawk’s blood he can get to leak out of his body.

“He must torture people beautifully,” Duncan observes.

I will not be turned on by this. Absolutely not.

“Ah fuck,” I gasp, my head dropping back as my nails dig into Callum’s hand.

“You’re the one mangling my hand, Adira,” he says mildly. “I should be the one cursing.”

“Are you going to need to rub one out before we leave? “ Duncan asks.

“I hate you both so much!” I yell at them.

“Nah, you don’t. Not even a little. I’m sure we’ll have a much happier car ride home if you did,” Duncan says.

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