Page 119 of Tangled in Knots

“Gabriel, meet my little rabbit,” Kane says. “She and I need to have a little chat to remind her she’s mine.”

“I belong to myself,” I growl, hitting Kane in the ribs.

“Ah, fuck. Adira, why do you hit harder than the guy I just fought?” he grumbles, walking quickly away from Gabriel. I remember that he’s the one who trains the fighters, and I also recognize his name now, since he does the self defense class at Omega’s Haven.

I’ve never met him before due to the classes clashing with my work schedule.

Pushing his way into a locker room, Kane looks around to make sure we are alone before locking the door. I’m unfortunately forced to hang over his shoulder until he puts me on my feet.

“Ugh,” I groan, dizzy as I weave on my feet.

“Sit,” Kane grunts, pushing me onto a bench before crouching down in between my thighs. I struggle to close my legs, and he shakes his head. “Relax, I’m looking at your pretty, pretty face and not your gorgeous pussy. Why are you here, little rabbit?”

“Duncan and Callum invited me out,” I sigh. “I met a lot of people, learned some things. Also, if your father starts poking around to see if the brothers are using me for the intended purpose of pretty arm candy, he’ll hear about how I attended.”

“What about the other intended purpose?” he growls. “Are they fucking you? You seemed very cuddly.”

“Do you think I want anyone fucking me?” I ask him, rolling my eyes.

Kane’s brow raises as he shoves my skirt up to gaze down at the cream between my thighs. Dipping his head, his tongue drags up my thigh, my breaths coming faster as he sucks at the skin, attempting to clean up the mess my panties failed to catch.

“You tell me,” he says. “Who is this for?”

Taking away my knife, he flicks it open as he waits for my answer.

“The fighters,” I half-heartedly lie. “I seem to have a newfound enjoyment for boxing, especially when there’s blood flying in between punches.”

“You’re saying your cunt is a slut for dirty, hot fights?” Kane croons, the knife moving to my thigh as he slowly drags the sharp point up my skin.

I whimper, feeling how easily it would be for him to cut me, my eyes glued to the assent of the knife.

“Yes,” I whisper, holding tight to my lies. I may have started out excited by the fighting in general, but all bets were off when he stepped into the ring.

“Do you like how this feels?” he asks, the back of his hand rubbing over the goosebumps left by the blade of the knife. “Ishould fuck you with the handle of a knife given to you by another man. Maybe I’ll even give it back to him smelling like your sweet cunt.”

“Kane, you’re being ridiculous,” I admonish, my back arching as I get pleasure from his words. A gush of slick pushes out of my pussy, and I wonder what the hell is wrong with me. I don’t actually want him to fuck me with a knife, right?

God, I think the truth of the matter is that I don’t fucking know what I want or need. I’m swimming in a pool of uncertainty and trauma. It would be nice to stop thinking, just for a little while.

“I’m no such thing, little rabbit,” Kane growls, his other hand fisting my hair to keep me from moving. “You’re too cozy with the brothers. Men like that don’t do things for altruistic reasons.”

Screw the knife. I’ve already been shot, what’s another scar? My boot is rising without thought, kicking the asshole alpha in the knot.

“I’m worth more than what my pussy can do,” I snarl, enjoying the way Kane’s eyes roll back as he groans. His hand tightens on my hair instead of releasing it, his dark eyes filled with pain and pleasure.

“What I said didn’t come out right,” he gasps. “Seeing you with someone else makes me insane. You’re ignoring us, and you fucking smile for Duncan Kelly. It’s not right.”

“I didn’t have ‘being sold at auction’ on my life bingo card, if we want to discuss things that aren’t right,” I croon.

Kane gives a pained sound before shoving my legs further apart, so I can’t kick him again.

“I know you didn’t,” he says. “You’ll never know how sorry I am. It’s making me insane to catch glimpses of you in his lap.”

“He did it to make you jealous,” I tell him, unable to move my head without losing hair to his tight grip. “Duncan and Callumare both invested in my continued existence. For some reason, they feel they are responsible for making sure I don’t drift away in despair or overwork myself. It would be easier if they weren’t.”

“Don’t say that,” he says, eyes wild. “You can’t just disappear on us, we haven’t had a chance to fix this yet! Promise. Adira, come on.”

“Even if it means you have to deal with Duncan and Callum forever?” I ask. “You can’t control who I’m friends with, Kane. I need to do things my way.”

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