Page 144 of Tangled in Knots

“Can I kiss you?” I ask, cupping her face up to look at me.

“If you must,” she teases me, whimpering when I cover her lips with mine. Adira tastes slightly sweet, a layered mystery Iwant to unravel as I kiss her. I lose myself in the moment until I’m forced to come up for air.

“I may have just made you late,” I tell her unapologetically as I look over my shoulder to see that the hall is now empty.

“Shit,” she yelps, pushing me away to run up the stairs.

“Call me later!” I yell after her, grinning as she waves me away.

Oops.

Whistling to myself, I walk back outside to call Jed with the newest development.

CHAPTER 30

ADIRA

Jed:

Will you be a good omega and text me or will you be a brat?

My lips twitch at the alpha’s words. Pack Dresmond is beginning to live rent free in my head, and I don’t have time to moon over them. Not only do they not deserve it, I enjoy doing the opposite of whatever they want me to do.

Me:

Wouldn’t you like to know?

I’m in the car Cian sent for me, his driver glancing back at me periodically as he drives. He introduced himself as Evan and he's one of Aisling’s mates as well. It seems they all work for her father, and Evan is the family’s personal driver.

I got dressed this morning, knowing I wanted to be prepared for this dinner. It’s approaching four in the afternoon with the traffic in the city, and my stomach is uncomfortably hungry.

I grabbed a quick snack earlier, but long days with few breaks often mean that my stomach grumbles.

I'm very nervous about this meeting, but it helps to know I’m not a damsel in distress, waiting for someone to save me. My knife is tightly tied to my thigh, I know how to use it, and I don’t believe someone related to Aisling actually wants to cause me harm.

Waiting on the sidelines hasn’t done me any favors, I need some answers.

“We’re here, Adira,” Evan says, pulling up at a restaurant. Putting my phone away in my cross-over purse, I glance hesitantly at my backpack.

There are few cars here, and I glance in confusion in his direction. “Mr. Sullivan had the owners close their doors to the public. He figured it would be safer that way for the three of you. There will be fewer eyes and ears as you discuss things. Also, to be clear, anything you choose to leave in my car will also be completely safe.”

“Of course. Thank you,” I breathe, stretching my neck from side to side to relax it. My face is telegraphing too much, and I need to get a grip.

Evan gets out of the car to open my door, and I let him. There are certain protocols that have to be followed, even if I have been separated from this life for a while.

Dad was paranoid, rarely leaving the house in the last two weeks of his life.

I have no idea what pulled him away the day Rock kidnapped him. I’m in the dark about way too much, and I hate it.

Evan also opens the door to the restaurant, walking me back to where two older men sit in a rear booth.

The restaurant appears to serve Italian food, which may mean heavy sauces I won’t be able to eat. Duncan’s lasagna took that into account and was delicious.

Anxiety prickles my brain due to my continued food aversions, but if worst comes to worst, I’ll eat bread as we talk. It’ll be fine.

“Adira, hello! I’m Cian and this is my father, Cecil,” a man with dark hair and a stocky build says as he stands. Cian doesn’t appear to be old enough to have a daughter in her twenties, but I hold my tongue.

Alphas tend to age gracefully.

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