Page 69 of Knot All That Glitters: Part 2

She glares at us one more time, then rolls up her window and turns on her car. Jude backs up and blocks traffic, letting her out of the parking spot, and then he pulls into the vacant space. I have the door open before he’s turned off the car, slipping and sliding in the slush on the sidewalk as I barrel toward the red door of the club.

“Wait!” Creed barks, making my rapid footsteps stall out. “I smell her.”

I back track to him and then inhale deeply and sure enough, there’s the faint pineapple and smoked chili scent of our girl. A scent like no one else.

“Alley behind the building,” Jude mutters, taking off at a run.

The rest of us are right on his heels, slipping and sliding. This goddamn slush hampers even an alpha’s superior agility.

We round the corner to the alley and I let out a breath when I see her standing in the snow, legs exposed to the elements, a wool coat draped over her shoulders. But god, she must be freezing.

Any relief I’d felt at finding her safe and apparently whole withers when I see who she’s talking to. Belinda Graves. Co-proprietor of the seediest sex club in the city.

The way she’s looking at our girl? Like she’s found some kind of prize? Oh, fuck no. My alpha claws at my chest, urges me forward until I can get Haven away from the danger she doesn’t realize she’s in. “Haven!”

“Boys, lovely to see you again so soon,” Belinda drawls lazily and I watch as Haven stiffens up. Her head twists slowly away from the madame of this establishment to focus on us, hurt clear in her stare. She wasn’t here for all that long, but she undoubtedly knows what this place is, what men like us come here to do. What we did before she came into our lives.

But one taste of my little mouse and I didn’t want anyone else.

“Imagine my surprise when the key card I gave you was logged unlocking multiple doors in restricted areas. Only there was no sign of the Calloway pack anywhere. Instead, I find this delicious little morsel wandering in areas she definitely shouldn’t have been.”

I stiffen at that, at the implied threat, at the way Belinda strokes a proprietary hand over the back of Haven’s perfectly curled hair. Her gaze follows the movement and then drags up to the four of us. No doubt noting how we’re all trying like hell not to storm forward and yank our omega away from this woman.

“Will you be coming in for a visit? Bring your omega with you? Give us a show?”

My lip pulls back in a snarl at the idea of anyone but us seeing Haven like that. “Not today,” I say, holding out a hand to my omega.Not ever, I add silently. “Come here, mouse. Let’s get you home and warm.”

She hesitates, her gaze flicking between my outstretched hand and Belinda. That hesitation guts me. She’d rather stand out in the freezing cold chatting with a stranger than take my hand.

In the end Belinda takes the choice from her, stroking a finger down her cheek in a way that has my alpha prickling. “Go,” she urges my girl. “They may be complete idiots, but they’ll keep you safe. And you can’t stay here.”

Haven peers up at her, nibbling on her lower lip before she sighs and nods. “You’ll be in touch?”

“Fuck no,” Jude bursts out, but both women ignore him.

“I will,” Belinda says. “We’ll set up a time to chat. It was good to meet you, Haven Bell.” Our girl gives a little wave and watches as Belinda retreats into the club. The four of us stay perfectly still, watching Haven as she stares at the closed door for a beat, then another.

With a sigh, she turns on one sky high heel and looks at us. “I’m not in the mood for a lecture,” she tells us.

A harsh laugh barks out of me. “Oh really? Well, too bad it’s coming. What the hell were you thinking? Coming here by yourself?”

“Coming here at all.” Jude shakes his head.

“Dressed like that,” I add, because holy fuck, that dress is too short, barely covers the bottom curve of her ass, and the neckline is so low it’s a wonder I can’t see her areolas. Though her nipples are proudly standing up in the cold.

She shrugs like it’s not a big deal. “I figured they’d be more likely to let me in if I hussied it up a bit.”

She’s not wrong.

“It’s literally freezing out, angel,” Tic says, looking pointedly at the snow on the ground.

“Well, I wasn’t planning on spending so much time outside, now was I?” she snaps back.

“Little mouse.”

“You weren’t doing anything.” She throws her hands up in frustration, and I note that the tips of them are turning blue. “None of you were moving forward with getting rid of my father. And I don’t know… I had todosomething!”

I run a weary hand over my face, then hold it out to her. “We’re talking about this later. Once you’re warm and aren’t in danger of getting frostbite.”

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