Page 10 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

How long had it been since we’d had anyone care about something as trivial as a minor injury?

My brother offered her a weak smile, trying to downplay how floored he was by her concern. “It’s just a scratch,” he promised softly, but Kitania shook her head, disbelief etched into her features.

“No,” she insisted, sounding more certain now. “It’s not just a scratch.” Her eyes flicked between Tommas’ face and the wound, worry clouding their icy depths. “You got hurt trying to help me.” She sounded just as stunned as she’d made us, as if the idea of someone taking a bullet for her was incomprehensible.

Anger gripped me, because what was truly incomprehensible was that she’d been made to feel so goddamn insignificant she no longer saw the value in her own life.

I vowed then and there to change that. To dedicate myself to showing my little Omegaexactlywhat she meant to me and my brothers.

Fuckingeverything.

“I’d take a million bullets for you, butterfly,” Tommas said sincerely, and the rest of us hummed our agreement.

Macabre? Maybe. But it was the damn truth. All of us would give every ounce of blood in our bodies, the very last breath in our lungs, if it meant keeping her safe.

Kitania shook her head wistfully, and it was like I couldseeher walls going up.

“Here,” she whispered, and with shaky fingers, she ripped a strip off the bottom of her nightgown.

“Butterfly…”

Her expressive gaze landed on my brother, imploring him with those wide, innocent eyes. “Please.”

That one single word held so much hope, so much depth of emotion. He couldn’t deny her. Scooting closer to make the reach easier, he let Kitania wrap the fabric around his wound, binding it tightly to help stop the blood that trickled out.

Her brow was adorably furrowed in concentration, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip as she worked on her task. It was as if seeing Tommas hurt had momentarily pulled her from the depths of her own pain, giving her something else to focus on. She leaned closer to inspect her handiwork before nodding with a sense of accomplishment.

“There. That should help,” she told him softly.

He ran his hand over the makeshift bandage, never taking his eyes off our girl. All the mirth that usually filled Tommas’ expression fell away, exposing a rare glimpse of the vulnerability beneath.

“Thank you, Kitania.”

“Least I can do,” she mumbled as she nestled back into my hold, her eyes once again falling closed before fluttering open slowly. “You saved me.” A sigh left her lips as she struggled to stay awake.

Kitania’s energy seemed to seep away, as if taking care of my brother had drained the last of her strength.

My chest squeezed, watching her fight the inevitable, fending off the creeping exhaustion that clouded her vision. Each blink was a battle, each breath a struggle. She curled into herself as she snuggled closer, the weight of everything too much. She was so goddamn slight, so small in my arms.

“Easy, Kitten. Rest now,” I ordered softly.

“Tired.”

“I know.” I brushed my lips against her temple, and it felt as natural as if I’d done it a thousand times before. “You don’t have to fight anymore. We’ve got you.”

Tommas’ hand gently caressed her ankle. “You can let go, Butterfly. Rest. You’re safe now.”

“Always,” Gio murmured from the front seat.

Darkness dragged her down, her body growing the slightest bit heavier in my arms, her head lulled against my shoulder, but I still heard the barely audible whimper that left her pretty lips.

“Scared.”

A low rumble built in the back of my throat. “Of what, Kitten?”

“That I’ll wake up and this’ll all have been a dream…”

She went limp, consciousness fading, while her words left me in ruins.

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