Page 110 of Knot All That Glitters: Part 2

Still, my alpha doesn’t like that her attention is so wholly captivated by them. Hale doesn’t either, if the way he growls and grips the back of her neck is any sign. His thumb strokes over his mating mark, making our omega shiver. “Do you need a reminder of who you belong to, omega?”

She relaxes into his grip and gives him a sunny smile. “Not at all, alpha,” she purrs, finally pulling her gaze from the other men in the room. “I know who I belong with.”

North settles into an empty seat at the table and leans back. “We were invited,” is all he says as he props an ankle on his knee.

“You most certainly were not,” Belinda snarls. “Get out.”

“We invited them,” I say, cutting off the argument before it can happen.

Belinda grits her teeth. “They aren’t members.”

Hale chuckles. “Oh, no, they aren’t. You’re right about that.”

“Then why are-”

“They’re owners,” Haven says, cutting her off again. She laces her fingers together and rests her forearms on the table. “Or I suppose they will be.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see The Cardinal pack exchange a confused look.

Belinda gives a cruel, vicious laugh. “No, you silly thing. They aren’t. It’s impossible.” I have to bite back a growl at the condescension in her tone, but my girl just gives her a sweet smile.

Haven’s head wiggles back and forth. “Nothing is impossible,darling.You see, you own the business, but we own the building.”

Belinda’s mouth drops open like a fish. “I-What?”

Haven shrugs and drags her perfectly manicured finger over the table, coyly. “Yes, you see, we did some research and found the Mr. Hanes here is deeply, deeply in debt. So much so that he’s gone into foreclosure on this building.”

“You didn’t,” Belinda hisses at him. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“We were all too happy to scoop up the property,” Hale says lazily, twirling a strand of Haven’s hair around his finger. “Been wanting to get into real estate.”

Belinda’s nostrils flare, but then she straightens. “So you’re going to give the building to me? For helping you?”

All of us chuckle, low and deep. Haven’s giggle is a bright bell in comparison, ringing through the room. “No, you silly thing,” she trills, repeating the condescending name Belinda called her. “We’re going to give it to them.” She motions with one delicate hand at the Cardinals.

North’s boot drops to the floor with a thud as he leans forward. “Pardon?”

Haven shrugs. “We bought you a building? And the business if you want it.”

“You did not,” Belinda snarls at my girl and she’s met by eight growls of warning.Eight.It appears the Cardinals don’t like alphas snarling at omegas any more than we do.

“Well, no, I suppose we didn’t,” Haven says. “Technically, it would be a new business. But most of the members of Shock and Awe have agreed to terminate their memberships and move to a new one.”

North’s brows arch. “You’re effectively handing us a business worth millions of dollars?” I like the way he keeps his gaze on Haven, not with lust or want, but with… respect. Like he respects her and her position here. “Even after we kidnapped you? Left you in that parking lot?”

Haven’s lips twitch into a small smile. “Well, yes. Since you were doing a job for my pack when you kidnapped me… And there is the matter of the other issue you helped us with.”

North nods slowly. “Yeah, but I told your men that was pro bono.”

“Dude was a dick,” one of the twins says. And my pack grunts in agreement.

Haven waves a hand. “Well, regardless, we have this building and this business and we don’t have the time or the inclination to run it, so if you want it, it’s yours.”

“This is preposterous!” Hanes shouts, making Haven wince. “You can’t just come in here- you promised when you bought the building that this wouldn’t affect the business!”

Creed runs a soothing hand over the back of Haven’s head and Hale leans forward, pinning the sweating man with a look. “And it won’t. You still own your business. It’s not our problem if your clients are ready for something new… something a little cleaner, more legal.” This he says with a look at North, like a warning.

The other alpha gives a nod of understanding.

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