Page 51 of Knot Happening

Like now. He’s just lurking in the corner. He usually works VIP.

“So, are you and Hayden a thing?” Dream wiggles her brows at me, leaning in conspiratorially.

“What?! Oh my god, no!” I yelp, and she snorts like she doesn’t believe me at all. She looks at me like I’m a bad liar, one eyebrow lifted, and a teasing smile lifts one corner of her lips.

“No? Because he’s been circling you like you’re an injured seal, and he’s a hungry killer whale.”

My eyes go wide, and then I frown because what the heck did she just say? “A what now?”

“You heard me. Stop trying to deflect. He looks at you in a way I’ve never seen him look at anyone else in the two years I’ve worked here.”

“He was hired after me,” I say, frowning.

“Uh, no. He owns this place with his brothers… Declan and Kodiak…”

Now she’s looking at me like I’m the crazy one. Which is valid. Because, “What the fuck?”

I know by the look she's giving me that my mouth hanging open and my eyes wide as saucers, is not the reaction she was expecting.

“Thought you knew, since you two are always arguing like you’re about to rip each other’s clothes off.”

I don’t have time to respond as I grab the last drink in my order and head to the table to serve the grumpy ass men that sat in my section.

None of them acknowledge me as I set their drinks down and ask if they need anything else. When none of them responds after a long pause, I scurry away to check on my other, much smaller tables.

I get lost in my thoughts and just move on autopilot. I knew that Hayden had older half brothers. He was raised by his older brothers’ mother because his mother died when he was young.

They share a father, who’s also dead. Being nearly the same age and going to school together, Hayden was my best friend for a long time before we became more. Until we had sex, and he abandoned me. We know nearly everything about each other, or at least we did. Three years ago. I don’t even bother pretending this revelation doesn’t rock me a little bit.

He never really talked about his older brothers because of the fourteen-year age gap between them, and the fact that they weren’t around a lot when he was young. He just referred to them as his brothers. I’d never even met them! I can’t believe I didn’t put the clues together sooner. Idiot.

“You’ve got a dance. I’ll cover your tables.” I startle at the Alpha woman who barks at me. She cringes, clearing her throat. I’ve seen her on stage before. She’s magnetic. Mesmerizing, even. “Habit, my Omega is sassy and only cooperates when I add a little bark.”

I smile because the sweet way she blushes at the mention of her Omega is cute. “No worries, and thanks.”

“Back that way.”

I nod at her gesture, even though I already know where to go. I make my way through the club and down the back hall, leading to the private rooms. There’s a monitor that I have to log into, so I know which room to go to.

The same room we used when I met Kodiak. I’m two steps from the door, when I’m tugged back by a firm grip wrapping around my wrist.

“Deny the dance, Tatum.” Hayden growls.

I flinch at the cloudy darkness in his eyes. He’s not looking at me, but instead, scanning the hall like he’s expecting someone to jump out at us. I snap out of the shock and shake my head. “No way, I asked Declan to give me a chance, I’m not going to reject my first offer.”

He looks like he’s contemplating tossing me over his shoulder again. “You’re testing me, and I’m only capable of so much self-control, Omega.”

“You said you wouldn’t act like a cave man unless I was touched without my consent. Well, I’m consenting. Let me do my job. I have bills coming out of my ass, and I need every fucking penny.”

He clearly doesn’t like the snark, sass, or backbone I’ve developed since he abandoned me. Though his scent calls to me like a siren song, so maybe he likes it just a little. “I’ll be watching. One fucking thing happens that you don’t agree to, and I’m snapping his neck and fucking you on his corpse.”

“You keep saying shit like that, and someone is going to lock you up!”

He smirks. Like declaring he’ll fuck me on a dead body isn’t outlandish. Seriously. The fuck is up with him? What an absolutely bananas thing to say! “Never claimed otherwise, Starlight.”

“First, if the man paying for a dance steps out of line, I’ll call security. What are you even doing over here? Shouldn’t you be up in VIP? Second of all, fucking me isn’t an option.”

I don’t let him respond because I’m already stepping away from him and reaching for the door handle. I stay behind the curtain and make my way around to the stage. As I step through the curtain and into view, the Alpha currently sitting on the couch looks up from his phone.

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