Page 116 of Seen Knot Heard

“That’s a good idea. But…do you think it’s safe to retrieve my story from it first?” I want back the words that gave me solace when Louie had me locked up. They were a way to escape my imprisonment. “Everything else can burn for all I care. But I need that file.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Holden turns back to the laptop.

As he works on transferring the file to a thumb drive, the glow from the screen flickers across the planes of his face, highlighting the curls brushing his ears and the thick fan of his lashes.

How could other Omegas not realize he was the prize of the Misty Pines pack?

“So,” he says, tone casual, “how did your breakfast with Dominic go?”

The question catches me off guard, and my cheeks warm with a telltale flush. Does he know? Did he see me almost kiss Dominic?

“It went well,” I squeak. “We’re working through things.”

“That’s good,” he says softly. “I’m glad you two are talking again. Dominic’s been through a lot.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

Holden runs a hand through his curls as he hesitates, as if debating how much to reveal. “Just that he’s not the same guy he was back then. He’s worked hard to become someone better. Someone worthy of love.”

He leans against the counter, his broad shoulders hunched slightly. “His therapist suggested contacting you back in college, but he refused. He was so sure that interfering in your new life, even to apologize, would hurt you more.”

A lump rises in my throat, and I blink away the sudden sting of tears. All those years of thinking Dominic hated me, that I meant nothing to him.

But would I have been open to receiving his apology? Probably not. I had been prepared to leave the island at the first sight of him. If he’d shown up at my door, I would have slammed it in his face.

“I had no idea,” I whisper.

“I know.” Holden’s expression softens with understanding. “But you’re here now. You have a chance to heal, to build something new. And I think that’s pretty amazing.”

My heart stutters. “Holden…”

“I know it’s not my place.” He holds up a hand. “And I’m not trying to influence you either way. I want you to be happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. And if there’s a chance you can find happiness with Dominic, I want that for you both.”

How can one man be so good?

I step closer until we stand mere inches apart. This close, the darker flecks of green stand out in his hazel irises, and the threads of copper in his curls catch the light. “Youmake me happy. You’re one of the best things in my life. I need you to know that.”

“You’re one of the best things in mine, too,” he whispers, his words turning rough at the edges.

A flash on the screen catches his attention, and clearing his throat, he returns to the laptop.

With a final click, he ejects the thumb drive and holds it out to me. “Here you go. Your story is safe.”

Our fingers brush as I take the drive from him, and a jolt of electricity races through my veins at the fleeting contact.

With a quiet purr, he catches my hand, tugging me closer again. “What about everything else? You doing okay?”

“Yeah.” I burrow my head against his chest, breathing him in. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

His lips press to the top of my head. “You’ll never have to find out. I’m not going anywhere, sugar. Not now, not ever.”

My throat tightens with a swell of emotion, but before I can formulate a response, he releases me to pick up the laptop. “I’ll go relieve Dominic of babysitting duty and give this to him. He has a whole pile of electronics to package up for recycling in the garage office.”

“Okay, I’m going to try to do some work.” Not that I think I can focus right now.

But I need some alone time to process everything. To untangle the knot of feelings brought on by everything that’s happened over the last twelve hours, between my time spent with Nathaniel and Blake, Louie’s unwelcome gift, and my almost-kiss with Dominic.

“Sounds good.” Laptop in hand, Holden backs toward the door. “Can I bring you up lunch in a bit and check on you?”

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