Page 119 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

Relief swept through her pretty blue eyes, making me feel like an even bigger tool for not being able to control my initial reaction. I never wanted her to doubt how I felt about her—not just in the grand scheme of things, but in every fleeting moment.

She nodded, sniffling, her emotions close to the surface after her latest heat flare. “Okay. I trust you. All of you,” she promised.

It floored me just how much hearing her say those three little words rocked my world.

I trust you.

It was the second best thing I’d heard all day, nudged out of first place by theotherset of three little words she’d confessed so beautifully to me earlier.

I love you.

My heart constricted in a way I wasn’t used to, but it was one hell of a feeling.

Swooping down, I kissed her, and like every other time, it felt as if the earth shifted. This woman—this beautiful, innocent, sweet, sexy, addictive woman—had so easily become the center of my world.

Oh yeah, I was most definitely whipped. And damn if I didn’t like it.

No. Scratch that.

I fuckinglovedit.

forty-two

DIMITRI

Cool air carryingthe faint scent of brine swirled around Marco and me as we walked the perimeter of the warehouse that had seen better days. The old brick was cracked and crumbling in places and the windows hadn’t had a good wash in at least fifty years, but the bones were decent, and it had always served us well as a base of operation. Sitting sentinel along the river at the top end of the port, it had been the perfect location to house the various cargo that came off the ships that traveled upriver to Silver City.

In its heyday, the place had a certain rough-hewn charm; now it just looked tired. Still, there was a kind of comfort in its familiarity, like an old soldier who’d survived a hundred battles and was ready for another one.

“We’ll need to reinforce the doors,” Marco said, kicking at a rusted metal frame. “Maybe set up some barricades inside. If they rush us, we’ve gotta be able to slow ‘em down.”

I nodded, my mind split between the task at hand and my Omega back at home.

“D,” my brother barked in exasperation. I didn’t blame him. I’d been damned distractible all morning, and that was unfortunate, because this little mission we were on had to take priority.

“Fuck. Sorry.” I scrubbed a hand down my face, willing myself to focus. “We can station snipers at the front and back windows. I also want gunmen on the ship. They need to be ready and waiting when it pulls up to the dock.”

Thankfully, my brothers had been on board with my plan and had helped me spread word about a large, fake shipment of arms and high-value contraband that would supposedly arrive in two days’ time. The delivery was designed to look like a crucial part of our operations—something the Valentinos would view as too good to pass up.

After a year of undermining our deliveries, stealing shit, and causing problems in their attempt to take us down, I was of the distinct opinion that Rocco and Vincent would show their smarmy faces, especially since our feud had grown personal the day we stole Kit from them.

An hour later and we had a laundry list of fixes and improvements that were needed to insure our success. And secure our Omega her freedom once and for all.

Unable to resist any longer, I swiped my thumb across the screen, navigating to our security app and opening it. The feed from the penthouse flickered to life, showing the spacious living room.

Kitania sat cross-legged on the plush rug in front of the coffee table, playing cards fanned in her grip as she faced off against both Gio and Tommy in a game of what I assumed was poker. Her tongue peeked out the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were narrowed adorably as she contemplated her next move.Which I was sure told my brothers all they needed to know about her cards. Still, they hemmed and hawed over raising the stakes, meeting her call, ultimately letting her win the hand. And most likely every other hand as well.

Kit did a happy wiggle, dancing where she sat before leaning over and scooping all the chips out of the middle of the table, adding them to her growing hoard like a satisfied little dragon.

I smirked and shook my head at how one adorable Omega could bring four powerful Alphas to heel. She had us wrapped around her pinkie finger, and none of us were the least bit upset about it.

Marco peered over my shoulder. “She okay?”

I hesitated. “Yeah. She’s… she’s doing great.”

Together, we watched her for another few minutes, smiling at her happiness. It was addicting to see her so damn joyous. To witness the light that emanated from her.

How far she’d come…

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