Page 13 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

But the truth was, it didn’t matter, because I wasn’tthere. In that awful, horrible place.

I drew in a full lungful of air as though I’d just emerged from beneath battering ocean waves that’d held me under for far too long.

“It wasn’t a dream, after all,” I whispered, my voice hoarse and scratchy from disuse.

The handsome man next to me smiled, if you could call it that, his lips hitching up on one side. The smirk softened something in his intense brown eyes that instantly captivated me. “No, Kitten,” he purred. “It wasn’t.”

four

KITANIA

I took a deep,steadying breath, trying my best to believe this wasn’t some fantastical dream that would cruelly shatter the moment my eyes closed again. I barely stopped myself from reaching over and pinching my arm just to make sure this was real.

But I knew it was. The couch beneath me was as tangible as the four men who stood close by, watching me intently.

The coppery tinge of blood clinging to their scents, coupled with their imposing builds, should have terrified me. By all accounts, these men—theseAlphas—should be the stuff of nightmares.

And yet...

An inexplicable sense of safety filled me, wrapping around my battered soul like a soothing balm.

My gaze roamed over their rugged features, lingering on those streaks of crimson that painted their skin. They were evidence of the acts of violence they had committed to save me.I’d seen the bodies that littered the floor. Hell, I’d witnessed the dark, imposing stranger I’d labeled as the lead Alpha shoot Antonio point blank. Rationally, I knew I should recoil, but something in their eyes—that lethal intensity tempered by a glimmer of compassion—quieted the fear threatening to overwhelm me.

Yes, these men were dangerous. Deadly, even. But for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I didn’t feel like the prey.

The man closest to me—the lead Alpha—shifted, running a hand through his black hair, that rich chocolate gaze studying me attentively as he introduced himself. “I’m Dimitri.” His voice was a deep, authoritative rumble that should have sent a shiver of unease rippling through me.

Instead, the sound had inexplicable warmth blossoming low in my belly. A soft, unbidden whimper slipped from my lips before I could stop it, and my thighs clenched instinctively.

What was that?I blushed wildly, but thankfully, the men were gracious enough not to comment.

“And these are my brothers.” Dimitri gestured with a tattooed hand toward the others, who stood nearby, before motioning to the closest one. “This is Giovanni…”

I gazed at the formidable Alpha, running through the syllables of his name in my mind. He was a complete stranger to me, and yet somehow I knew the name fit well.

Giovanni was as tall as he was imposing. His brown hair was shaved close to his scalp, making the dark slash of his brows more pronounced. Inky tendrils of tattoos wove across his golden skin, creeping from the neckline of his shirt and snaking up his neck. Every aspect of the man screamed well-honed danger. The tick of a powerful jaw, the flex of his fingers, the eyes that seemed to see everything all at once, concealed a carefully leashed savagery.

“You can call me Gio, if that’s easier,” he said, his timbre low, deep, and smooth, like honey covered gravel.

My lips parted on a breathy inhale as the sound of it rolled through me.

His hazel gaze tracked the movement, blazing with an intensity that should have incinerated me on the spot. I found myself leaning toward him, desperate to breathe in his scent—a heady blend of earth, iron, and manly musk that flooded my senses and left me dizzy.

“…that’s Tommas…” Dimitri’s voice seemed to fade into the background as my lungs drank in the alluring aromas surrounding me, but I forced myself to focus, moving my attention to the next man.

Tommas lounged on the arm of the couch, every inch of him radiating the sort of casual arrogance that should have warned me away from him. Yet the dimple that appeared with his roguish grin was utterly disarming. His green eyes sparkled with both mischief and intelligence, as if he knew all the best ways to get into trouble but was smart enough to never get caught. Coupled with his intoxicating scent of lime, wild mint, and coconut rum, that fierce ache stirred between my thighs once more as my body betrayed me in the most visceral way.

“…and Marco.”

Marco.I timidly peeked at the guy standing behind the couch—the getaway driver. The man was the epitome of a ‘bad boy’ with his moto jeans and leather jacket, and the lethal grace of his movements instantly captivated me. An almost feral energy radiated from him, his fingers drumming mindlessly against his outer thigh, as though he needed an outlet for the restless force simmering inside him. The scar slashing through the left side of his mouth tugged as he gave me a slight smile. All the while, his stormy blue-eyed gaze watched me as he dipped his head in silent greeting.

I squirmed under his heated perusal, equal parts desperate to flee and overwhelmed with the need to be consumed by that storm. How easy would it be to get lost in those turbulent depths?

“Thank you,” I rasped quietly, my vocal chords still tight. “For saving me.”

“You don’t need to thank us, Kitten,” Dimitri told me, keeping his tone pitched low. Soothing.

It had its desired effect, and the slightest bit of tension seeped from my shoulders.

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