Page 60 of Knot Happening

“So you set up care for them?”

“We do. Ah, what about this one?”

The book he hands me is much too “classic literature” for Mom. “No good. She sleeps fine, we want books that will keep her interested.”

“Sassy, very sassy.” The look on his face shouldn’t make my cheeks heat, but it does. He’s so handsome.

“You know it.”

“If you want your ass spanked, all you have to do is ask, Tatum, I’m more than happy to give you a hand…”

“Clever. And, as I told Declan, I didn’t ask for it or tell the customer he could spank me. So.”

“So… I shouldn’t ask, I should just start turning this pretty pale skin pink?” He takes a step back to admire my bare legs, since I wore shorts today, and I turn back to the shelves to hide my reaction to his words.

“I want to say no. I feel like that's the right answer, but for some reason, you have this annoying knack for convincing me I want things I probably shouldn’t.”

“Fantastic. I’ll keep that in mind. Also, do you think I could convince you to give me a birthday gift early? We’re having a small celebration at my house. Mine and my brothers’ house, that is. This weekend. Come for me?” The last three words have an obvious double meaning, and I snort.

“I could be persuaded. What should I wear? My uniform?”

He must like that I’m teasing him back, because he pulls me into his body with a firm hand on my hip. “You could, but do you really want me to have to kick all of my guests out the moment you arrive? I can barely stand you walking around the club dressed so sinfully. If I thought you’d accept it, I’d fire you from the club and hire you as my personal maid. The uniform there is even more revealing.” He pauses. “The longer I think about it, the better that idea sounds.”

When I freeze, searching his face for some kind of sign that he’s joking, he sighs.

“See, can’t tell if you’re scared that I’ll fire you or that I like you enough not to share the sight of you with anyone.”

“I fucked your brother,” I blurt the words out, panicking about what he said to me.

This time we both freeze. Me because, did I really just fucking say that? And him, probably because…did I really just fucking say that?!

“Well, I’d figured that out some time ago, but thank you for blurting it out in the middle of the bookstore. Honestly, it’s cuteto see you so flustered. But just so you know, I haven’t spent the last three years celibate, like Hayden has.”

“How did you figure it out? He told you about us? About me? About not fucking anyone since me?” Word vomit. Rapid fire questions that don’t seem to bother him, but I can’t be sure. He shrugs.

“He told us some stuff three years ago. Then after you started working for us, I put two and two together that you were the girl from his past. He does talk about you, incessantly, but he didn’t tell me about how he fucked you, if that's what you’re thinking. And yes, he also made it clear that he only had dick for one Omega, and that Omega is in fact you.”

“Oh.”

“You also said you’d only been with one Alpha before. Only taken one knot. I’m good at filling in the blanks. Connecting the dots. Following the rabbit holes and all that.” He waves a dismissive hand.

“Oh.”

I might be broken. Kodiak pulls me tighter to him. “I hope you know I’m keeping you, and the only thing keeping you safe from my Winnebago is Hayden and Declan. Hayden definitely has a voyeurism kink. Likes the idea of everyone seeing something they can’t have, and enjoys seeing you walking around the club with your curves on full display. And Declan is probably still trying to maintain some professionalism, unlike myself. You should cut them both some slack.”

“Not a chance. Well, Declan, sure. He’s my boss. But Hayden betrayed me. Also, you are not locking me in anything or keeping me anywhere, especially not because you don’t want me showing my body at my job where I get paid to show my body… But you can always pay for another dance.” I shrug my shoulders in an attempt to look casual, but I’m sure he sees right through me. My scent and racing heart give me away.

“Oh, I will. I’m waiting for the right moment.” He playfully presses his nose into the crook of my neck and nuzzles me, before leaning back enough so he can rest his forehead against mine. “Would it help if I told you he had a good reason for doing what he did, and it’s taken him a lot to get where he is now?”

I huff, pulling away from him, and turn to a different shelf. “No. And stop defending him. I’m barely willing to consider letting you around to disrupt my life.”

He sticks close to my side, not letting me run away from him. “If it helps, I’m also not asking you to consider anything. Just making sure you understand, I’m very clingy. Seriously. Stage five clinger, here.”

I giggle as he makes a growling sound and nips at me, and we get side eye looks from the other customers.

“You’re silly.”

I dismiss his words and the funny feeling in my chest that they ignite. If I told Kodiak to leave me alone, he would. Hell, I don’t even have to tell him, he’ll get bored soon. Walk away. Leave me behind.

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