Page 87 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

Without warning, Dimitri wrenched himself away, a string of curses falling from his lips as he strode to the window. I blinked, disoriented by the sudden disconnect.

“I can’t do this,” he muttered, his back to me.

Self-consciousness crashed over me like a tidal wave. I sat up, tugging at my rumpled clothing, swamped with embarrassment. The power I’d felt moments ago evaporated, leaving me feeling small and foolish.

“Do this?” I questioned, hating how timid and hurt my voice sounded. My fingers itched to pick at my nails, a nervous habit I struggled to break.

Dimitri whirled around, his expression aghast. “No. No, Kitten. Notthis.” He crossed the room in two long strides, cupping my face in his large hands. “I want to do this for the rest of my fucking life.”

My breath caught in my throat, my mind in a whirl. “Then why?”

He sighed, dropping his forehead to lean against mine. “Because there’s something we need to discuss, and I don’t want you to think I was trying to distract you.”

Anxiety coiled in my gut. “What is it?”

Dimitri pulled back, shoving a hand through his dark hair. “My father wants me to bring you to Gio’s fight night.”

I frowned, not understanding his apparent distress. “And that bothers you? I already promised Gio I’d be there.”

While attending made me nervous, given that the place would be crawling with Alphas, which meant it was inherently dangerous for me as an Omega, we’d already done everything we could to make it as safe as possible.

I told Dimitri as much, in case it helped ease his worries. “Your brother has already arranged extra security for us and I’ll be covered from head to toe in scent neutralizers. Besides, I’ll be with you, Marco, and Tommy the whole time.”

I didn’t want to back out of our plans, despite the risks. In fact, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stay home, regardless. All I’d do was worry while they were gone and drive myself crazy.

The idea of being alone made me itch with anxiety almost as much as the thought of someone trying to knock out my mate for sport. It may be ridiculous, but I needed to be there. To see Gio fight with my own eyes. To make sure he made it through unharmed and be there to take care of him if he didn’t.

Surely with my other mates surrounding me, lending me strength and protection, I’d be fine. Right?

Dimitri’s expression darkened, reminding me of a thundercloud about to unleash hell. “That was before things changed, Kit. Even Gio would admit that it’s more dangerous now after that fucking note.” He ran his hand through his hair, looking torn. “The Pit is neutral ground, technically. None of us are supposed to make any untoward moves against the other families outside the ring.”

A chill ran down my spine. “But?”

“But given recent developments, I can almost guarantee Rocco and Vincent will be there, looking to stir up trouble.”

Icy tendrils froze me to the very bone. My fingers instinctively reached for Dimitri’s shirt, seeking that familiar anchor of safety.

He was right. That did change things.

“Why would your dad want me to go if he knows they’ll be there?” I questioned, my voice barely above a whisper.

I understood why Gio wanted me at the fight. We’d talked about it at length. Fighting was a big part of his life, and I wanted to share that with him. Emilio’s motivations, however, weren’t apparent. And while I didn’t want to believe he had any ill intent, he also had yet to earn my trust.

Dimitri scrubbed a hand down his face, his beard rasping against his palm. “To send a message.” He looked torn between being my mate and being at the head of his family. “To show them you’re ours and we’re not backing down. It’s a demonstration of strength. A power move.”

I sucked in a deep breath, then released it slowly, trying to calm the adrenaline that shot through me. The penthouse suddenly felt too small, too exposed. I could feel the weight of expectations pressing down on me.

“So, he wants me to be a pawn in this game?”

Dimitri’s eyes flashed with something dangerous. “You’re not a pawn, Kit. You’re fuckingeverythingto us.”

His words washed over me, and I closed my eyes, letting them sink in. I wanted so badly to believe him, to trust fully in us and what we were on our way to becoming. When I opened them again, I saw concern etched across his face.

“I’m scared,” I admitted shakily. And God, it was true. I was scared of so many things.

The Valentinos.

Losing my mates.

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