Page 173 of Tangled in Knots

The best laugh floats over the line as I begin jogging toward the library.

“I don’t know about all of that, but you may catch me drooling when I take a nap in a comfy corner,”she teases.

“Then I’ll watch you,” I grunt, hanging up as I see her outside the library. Adira turns to face me as my fingers tangle in her hair and I brush her lips with mine.

“I think I’m going to have trouble leaving you alone anywhere, Adira. Be prepared to add extra stalkers to your dance card.”

“I can maybe handle a light sway,” she murmurs, her fingers holding onto my coat. “Anything else may be asking for trouble.”

“Little omega, you are trouble,” I growl. “Time to go inside.”

Adira smirks as she turns and leads me into the stacks where I find a very comfortable couch by a small window. My girl really does find the best study spots. It’s a good thing I’ll be following her everywhere from now on.

We’ve had too many close calls, even if none of them have involved the school campus.

CHAPTER 36

ADIRA

I’m standing at the front door of the outreach center for Omega’s Haven and feel really awkward about it, as the beta guard takes my name for entrance. Morris dropped me off with the understanding that I would text him when I was ready to be picked up.

I could have simply walked in through the back door at the shelter since my things are still there, but my life is so up in the air and my face is still a mess.

I don’t want anyone to see me. It’s been exactly a week since I was attacked, and while the swelling has gone down, I look like a walking statistic. I fucking hate it.

“Adira?” Dee asks, popping her head out for a moment. She works at the outreach center and I nod with a sigh.

“Is Aisling here by chance?” I ask.

Her eyes are wide before she forces herself to blank her expression with professionalism. I’m sure she’s seen worse than this while working here.

“Yes, come on in, I’ll grab her,” Dee says quickly.

I pull the hood on my shirt further up to hide my face as I follow her, trying to decide what I should do. I can’t go to work, since my face is still bruised, and my arm is still in a sling. Living with the guys full time in the rental isn’t going to work either, because my skin crawls at the thought of not having an area to call mine.

It’s not their fault I’m territorial.

I’m so far into my thoughts, I blink in surprise when Aisling steps into my vision.

“Hey,” I mutter. “I still look a mess. I didn’t want to go in through the shelter door.”

“You’re not going to scare anyone,” she admonishes. “You also did nothing wrong. Those men jumped you. Let’s go to my office, okay?”

The idea of less eyes on me feels better than staying out in the middle of the large room, and I nod as I follow her. My anxiety is crawling over me, telling me lies, and I’m having trouble regulating my emotions.

I had no problem standing in front of a room full of mafia men with my face beaten to hell and back, but they didn’t know me.

Aisling closes the door as she moves to her chair, motioning for me to sit across from her.

“Why are you hiding, Adira?” she asks.

“My teachers all looked at me this week as if I was battered, and one gave me Omega’s Haven’s phone number,” I grumble, sitting down. “I hate all the stares.”

“It’s better than no one caring,” Aisling says gently. “Unfortunately, you can’t exactly tell people what happened to you.”

Biting my lip, I gaze at her, wanting to tell her about all the thoughts and plans I’ve had floating in my head.

“What?” she asks. “You look like you’re plotting.”

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