Page 92 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

He nodded. “Go.”

With one last withering glare, Gio spun, slipping through the wall his brothers had formed around me. His hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with my own. Tugging gently, he led me away.

thirty-four

KITANIA

I could feel the Valentinos’twin gazes boring into me as we retreated. I didn’t look back. Instead, I clung to Gio, keeping myself upright by leaning into his side.

He guided me through the crowd, his hand warm and steady in mine. The noise of the warehouse faded as we entered a quieter hallway, and then suddenly we were in a small dressing room. The door clicked shut, and I finally allowed myself to breathe.

The silence was jarring after the chaos outside. I could hear my own ragged breathing. It was too loud in the confined space, coming in fast, shallow bursts. Gio’s body was close, so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. His scent enveloped me—that earthy musk mixed with sweat and blood. I leaned into it, burying my nose in his chest to get a better, more direct hit of his pheromones.

It helped to calm some of the panic that was living under my skin, and yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we’d just lit a bomb.

“We’re on neutral ground,” I whispered, more to myself than to Gio. “He can’t... he wouldn’t...”

But even as I said it, doubt crept in. I wouldn’t put it past Rocco to do something reckless. Rules be damned.

Gio’s hands came up to cup my face, his touch impossibly gentle despite the rough wrappings still covering his palms. “Kit, sweetness, look at me. Are you okay?”

Forcing myself to meet his gaze, I saw the concern cross his features. I wanted to make it better, so I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat.

“I’m fine. I knew what I was signing up for. Tonight was never gonna be easy. Odds were that we’d run into Rocco and Vincent at some point.”

Seeing Jennica had been a surprise, but I couldn’t help but feel bad for her. She had no idea what she’d gotten herself into, and despite her mean vindictiveness, she didn’t deserve the cruelty I knew the Valentinos were capable of.

No one did.

“I know, but sometimes reality hits differently,” Gio said softly, his thumb stroking my cheek. “It’s okay to not be okay.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. But I blinked them away, finding an inner strength I hadn’t realized I had.

I squared my shoulders. “I can do this.” It was a promise, as much to myself as to him. Thankfully, I’d already made it through the worst of the evening.

I took a deep breath and focused on the present. Gio was here. He was safe, but he was also hurt. I could do something about that.

“Let me take care of you.” It was a demand, more than a request, and he smirked at me, shaking his head while I reached for the first-aid kit buried in his gym bag.

My hands shook as I fumbled with the zipper, but I managed to get it open. I pulled out antiseptic wipes, gauze, and tape. Gio watched me silently as I worked, his eyes never leaving my face.

“This might sting,” I warned, gently dabbing at the cut above his eyebrow. He winced, but didn’t pull away.

As I cleaned his wounds, I felt my anxiety ebb. The repetitive motions were soothing and focusing on helping my Alpha gave me something concrete to do. I was finally fixing a problem, and it brought me an absurd sense of accomplishment. My hands steadied as I worked, carefully applying butterfly bandages to the worst of the cuts.

“There,” I told him, smoothing the last piece of tape into place. “All done.”

Gio caught my hand as I leaned back, pressing a kiss to my palm. “Thank you, Dolcezza.”

The tender gesture made my heart skip a beat. I smiled up at him, feeling calmer and more centered.

“You should shower.” I wrinkled my nose playfully.

He arched an eyebrow at me. “I thought you liked what I smell like when I’m all sweaty.”

I grinned. “Oh, I do. Your scent gets stronger, but I don’t like the coppery tinge of blood that’s contaminating it right now.” Cleaning him up had only done so much, including adding the fragrance of antiseptic to the mix. “It makes my Omega feel itchy and uncomfortable.”

Understanding crossed his features, and he made a humming sound deep in his throat. “I get it. If I scented your blood, I’m pretty sure I would lose my shit.” Leaning close, he kissed my hairline. “I’ll go rinse off.”

---