Page 74 of Seen Knot Heard

Anger rises that they would dare call her after everything they put her through. “I’m guessing you’ve tried to block the number?”

“It never stops my mom.” She tips her head back, blinking away the tears. “I swear, she would have made a great investigator if working wasn’t too low-brow for her. I’ve changed my number several times. I don’t know how she always finds me.”

I remember the person Chloe thought she saw in the garden. “Maybe she hired an investigator to keep tabs on you?”

Chloe blanches. “Oh my gosh, that’s something she would do.”

She stares at the drawer in horror, her breaths coming faster. Knowing an oncoming panic attack when I see one, I leap to divert it.

“Would you like to go for a walk in the garden?” I gesture to the window above her desk. “We could get some fresh air and stretch our legs a bit.”

Chloe’s head jerks up, surprised by the sudden change in topic. Then a small, grateful smile tugs at her lips. “That sounds nice. I could use a break from all this.”

She gestures at her computer, weariness in the motion, and my heart aches. I resist the urge to pull her into my arms, to hold her close and promise that everything will be okay. We’re not to that point yet, but hopefully soon.

Instead, I wait for her to put on shoes, then hold the door open for her as we step out into the hallway. The scent of her fills my nostrils, feeds an ache in my body, and unfurls longing for the completion of my pack. My fingers flex with the desire to dig out a new plot in the garden and plant a lilac tree.

We walk downstairs in silence, our footsteps echoing on the hardwood floors. The heat of her body radiates next to mine, and electricity crackles between us with every accidental brush of our arms. It’s maddening, this attraction, this pull that draws me to her like a moth to a flame.

But I know I can’t act on it, no matter how much my body screams for her touch. So I content myself with being near her, with drinking in the sight of her as we step out into the sunlit garden.

“It’s so beautiful here.” She draws in a deep breath and releases it with a soft sigh. “Like something out of a fairy tale.”

“It’s one of my favorite places,” I admit softly, not wanting to disrupt the intimacy of the quiet space. “Somewhere I can go to clear my head and find a bit of peace.”

Admiration lights Chloe’s face. “Kyle mentioned that you created this space?”

“It’s a hobby of sorts. I find it grounding to dig my hands into the soil, nurturing living things and watching them grow.”I shrug, trying to downplay the compliment, but I can’t quite hide the pride I feel in the space. “It’s a way to create something tangible, something real.”

“I wish I had something like that,” she confesses. “Something to hold on to, to make me feel… I don’t know. Less broken, I guess.”

“What are you talking about?” My finger touches her chin, tipping her face up to mine. “You create entire worlds in prose. That’s far more difficult than gardening.”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far. Words are just a place for the imagination to live.” Chloe takes a deep breath as she tilts her face up to the sky. “This garden is for the soul.”

My breath catches at the way the sun illuminates her delicate features, and the breeze plays with her hair. I can’t wait until the garden blooms in full, can’t wait for afternoons of sitting out here together.

I clear my throat, not wanting to startle her out of the peaceful moment. “It’s a beautiful day.”

“It is.” Chloe looks up at me. “Thank you for suggesting a walk. I needed to get away for a bit.”

I shove my hands into the pockets of my khakis. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She sighs, reaching up to fiddle with her collar. “My mom’s been leaving non-stop messages about me canceling the courtship with Louie and demanding that I go back and beg his forgiveness. She’s scared that he’s going to freeze her credit cards and demand she pay her debt in full.”

Her hand lifts to her throat. “I’ve been paying her way for so long because she held Louie over my head like this constant boogeyman. Now that I’m free, I want nothing to do with either of them, but she’s still mymom. I hate how weak, howguiltyI feel for choosing to put myself ahead of her greed.”

A surge of anger rises at her words, at the thought of anyone guilting Chloe for escaping a toxic situation. At the same time, I understand where she’s coming from.

I take a step closer and duck my head to see her expression. “You did the right thing. You’re brave for escaping. Don’t let anyone make you doubt that.”

Tears shimmer in her eyes, and she whines low in her throat, swaying toward me. I can deny myself, but I can’t deny my Omega when she’s in need.

With a rumble, I pull her into my arms, her body fitting mine like we were designed for each other. Sighing, she snuggles in, her soft sniffles and tiny nuzzles drawing a purr from me.

I cup the back of her head, massaging her tense muscles. “Your mom is an adult who made her own choices. She abused her role to force choices on you, too. It’s hard now to cut the tie, but toxic people poison everyone they come into contact with. This is what you need for your mental and physical health.”

“Thank you.” She rubs her cheek over my chest before stepping back, and I’m forced to let her go. “I appreciate you saying that.”

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