Page 29 of Knot Happening

“You should get back inside, it’s not safe for an Omega to be out here on their own.” His voice drops, sounding like a growl.

“I’m not alone. There’s an Alpha out here that will surely protect me from danger.” I pout, trying to look like I’m worried I’m in danger right now.

“Maybe I’m the one you need to be protected from,” he grumbles, but he’s already moving around me, careful not to get too close as he passes. “Come on.” He nods to the door, as he holds it open for me.

“Oh, what's that?” I try to sound intrigued, but I’m not an actress. Hopefully Declan doesn’t notice. I bend over, the bracelet already in my hand, and pretend to pick it up. I hold it up, dangle it between my fingers, and frown. “Oh no, someone must have lost it doing laundry. Do we have a lost and found?”

“We do, but you won’t need it this time. That belongs to me.” Declan holds his hand out, palm up, and I drop the bracelet into his waiting hand.

“Oh! Glad I spotted it then. Was it…important?”

“It was a gift from my mother.”

“Oh!” Shit, I knew it. I thought it meant something to him. Now I feel ten times as guilty as I did before.

“Mmm. Thank you, Tatum. I would have missed this,” he says, as he tilts his head, and watches me.

“You’re welcome,” I murmur, deciding I’ll ask about the suppressants some other time. Right now, I just want to go hide in the club until my clothes are finished drying. Then I’ll grab the beer bottle that I took from a perfect stranger and head home.

So dumb. I need to get my shit together.

Chapter Fourteen

Tatum

Once I’m clocked in the next day, I wave hello to a few of my favorite coworkers, before making my way up the stairs to VIP. One of my coworkers called in sick, so I’m covering her shift up here tonight. Serving customers and dancing or whatever else someone wants to pay me for.

I got the opportunity to take an extra shift, so I jumped on it. I can’t say no to any extra money right now.

Of course, Hayden is there. The ever present pain in my fucking ass. Dodging him has become nearly impossible, even when I’ve attempted to switch my shifts with other Muses so I could work when he wasn’t here.

But here he is. Working security in VIP. I wasn’t scheduled to work up here, so maybe it was just bad luck.

“Tatum.”

I have to hold in a snarl at his cheerful ass greeting and devilish smirk. That wouldn’t be very demure of me, snarling at the hardworking Alpha in front of customers. Instead, I ignore him, and attempt to move past him. I have to get around him toget into my section, which means the Alpha fuck needs to let me by.

“Hayden.”

I refuse to look up at his stupid handsome face. Every time I look into those dazzling blue eyes of his, all I can see is the way he looked at me when he locked us together on his knot three years ago.

“Come on, Tatum, you have to give me a chance at some point.”

I scoff. “I would have. Three fucking years ago, Hayden.” I can’t stop the snarking tone, anymore than I can stop the way my chest aches from the sound of his voice.

Familiar feelings of abandonment, and heartbreak threaten to creep in, but I lock my heart down. I will never shed another tear for this Alpha. At least, not while he’s looking at me. I can be a bit of a cry baby.

Fuck, his sea salt and lavender scent washes over me, and he must see the effect it has, because he takes a step closer. I don’t flinch away like I should when he lifts my chin with a gentle touch until I’m looking up at the stupid-tall, delicious smelling Alpha. Why doesn’t he wear a scent suppressor like Declan and the rest of security?

“I know, Tatum. Just give me one chance.”

The bastard knows how damn bad my Omega instincts want me to give in. His lips pull me in like they're magnetized, but I shake my head, trying to regain control of my rapid heart rate.

“Please just let me go, Hayden,” I beg as my shoulders tense, because if he keeps this up, I might just cave, and I don’t know if my heart can take another blow. I’m clearly already fucked up enough.

Breaking the connection as I take a step back, he sighs. Maybe he’s finally admitting defeat. Maybe he’ll give up and back off like I’ve been asking for two weeks.

His scent clings to the air around me. He was hot three years ago, but between then and now, he’s bulked up. He’s broader, with these sexy ass arms that he’s always showing off in cut off shirts. His hair is the most perfect sun kissed blond, and his tan skin is a shade a pale woman like me would have to pay to obtain.

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