Page 63 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to ground myself, but all that did was draw their delicious scents deeper into my lungs. I practically moaned at how good the combination was. All I could think about was having that rugged blend on my skin. The desire to rub myself on them—to steal some of their signatures and mark them with my own—was so strong, I nearly lunged at Gio and climbed him like a tree.

I blushed—hard—at the visual that flitted through my mind, and I cleared my throat, searching desperately for a way to get myself under control.

“So, um, is that a yes?” I rambled, but evenIheard the tightness in my voice, the higher pitch.

Gio inhaled deeply, probably smelling my perfume billowing into the air. Everything about him seemed to react—his bodydrawing closer, his eyes darkening. “Of course, I’ll be on your team,” he promised.

“This isn’t fair.” Marco loudly whispered the complaint to Tommas. “With Gio on her side, we’re the ones outnumbered. I think we need D.”

“No,” Dimitri hollered succinctly from his place at the grill, acting like he wasn’t paying us any mind when he obviously was. “You might’ve coaxed KitKat to get in the water with you, but it’s too fuckin’ cold for a pool party.”

KitKat?God, that was cute.

D looked at us like we’d lost our minds. “I honestly don’t understand how Tommy convinced all of you it was normal to be in there in the middle of autumn.”

“Spoilsport,” Tommy sang. “For the millionth time, the pool is heated, and what fun is living if you don’t do some crazy shit now and again?”

I laughed, though goosebumps covered every inch of skin that wasn’t submerged.

I squealed as Tommas sent another wave crashing over me; the water sloshing against my face. Laughing, I retaliated, using both hands to create a decent splash, but it was followed up by a massive torrent that drenched him from head to toe when Gio stepped in on my behalf. His powerful arms hurled sheets of water in all directions, and I giggled with glee.

“Think that’s funny, do you? Oh, it’s on now!” Marco declared, abandoning his float to join the fray. He dove beneath the surface, only to emerge right in front of me, shaking his wet blond hair like a dog and sending droplets flying everywhere.

I shrieked and tried to swim away, but he caught me around the waist, lifting me up and tossing me as though I weighed nothing. I landed in the water with a splash, coming up sputtering and laughing. Every time the cool air hit my dampskin, my body would shiver, but the warmth of the pool and the excitement of the moment kept me from feeling cold.

“Let’s have a race!” Tommas suggested, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “First one to the other end and back wins.”

“Stakes?” Marco asked.

Tommy grinned like he wasn’t trouble incarnate. “Winner gets a kiss from our Omega.”

Despite the chill, my cheeks heated.

Marco focused all his attention on me as the guys went silent. “What’d’ya say, Angel?”

Their eyes were all fixed on me with varying degrees of intensity—even Dimitri, who wasn’t swimming with us. My heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Did I want to kiss them all? There was no question. It was an undeniable yes. Under the guise of the game, I found it easier to nod.

“Okay.”

Tommas whooped and swooped in, grabbing me around my waist and lifting me out of the water. “That just gives me extra incentive to kick their asses,” he teased, twirling me.

I threw my head back and laughed. As silence settled over the rooftop once again, I lowered my gaze to take them all in.

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask ‘what’ when Marco’s lips hitched to the side. “Fuck, Angel. You’re beautiful all the time, but you’re stunning when you laugh.” There was a rasp in his voice, and he swallowed, the apple of his throat bobbing as he did.

I held onto Tommas’ biceps as he slowly lowered me, keeping me anchored against his wet body so I felt every hard inch of him on the way down. Surprising me, he leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose, his thumbs stroking over the light scars on my stomach as if they didn’t bother him. “I’m making it my mission to make you laugh your ass off every day.”

I smiled shyly, warmth blooming in my chest at their words. These men made me feel things I’d never experienced before—valued, cherished, desired. It was intoxicating and terrifying all at once.

“Alright, enough mushy shit,” Marco declared, breaking the silence before it turned awkward. “I’ve got a race to win.” He shot me a wink, and I smiled.

I swam up to the starting line with them.

“So, what do I get ifIwin?”

There was zero chance of that happening. I couldn’t possibly keep up with their powerful strokes, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t try.

Tommas cocked his head. “You’re gonna race with us?”

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