Page 39 of Knot Made to Break: Part Two

“Shouldn’t be,” Tommy muttered.

The silence after that stretched long.

Upstairs, Kit was soaking in her bath, relaxed and comfortable. I hoped she was breathing easier. That the hot water was helping ease the tension from her muscles. That maybe, just maybe, she’d get a full night of sleep without jerking awake from some memory she couldn’t outrun.

Dimitri stood. “We’ve got a plan. Now we follow through. We finish this.”

I rose too, the chair creaking under my weight. My voice was low when I spoke. “D… what if it’s not just Alec? What if this runs deeper than we thought?”

My older brother didn’t blink. “Then we burn it all down. And we rebuild from the ashes.”

Tommy cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders like he was ready to go ten rounds. “I’m gonna check on Kit.”

Marco stubbed out his cigar. “I’ll come with.”

Dimitri clapped my shoulder on his way out. “You good?”

I met his gaze, knowing the answer didn’t matter. “I will be. When this is done.”

He left, and the room fell into silence behind him.

I poured another drink. The amber liquid caught the firelight before I took a slow sip.

Soon, we’d know who the rat was. Soon, we’d be done playing defense.

And if anyone came for Kit again—Alec, Rocco, or the devil himself—they’d learn real quick just how lethal love could be.

sixteen

KITANIA

Something was going down.The signs were everywhere—hushed conversations that stopped when I entered a room, the increased security around the penthouse, and the way my mates kept exchanging those loaded glances they thought I didn’t notice. If I had a million dollars, I’d bet every last dime it had something to do with Rocco.

Whatever it was, my mates were being tight-lipped about it, despite how many times I’d asked them what was going on. All I knew was that Dimitri had set an elaborate trap, all in favor of rooting out the mole and taking out the threats against us.

I was worried, but all four of my mates kept promising me things would be different this time. Apparently, their plans were ‘hush-hush’ and ‘need to know,’ but as much as I appreciated their protection, Ihatedbeing in the dark.

It was strange. The Omega part of me was happy to let them handle it while the stronger woman I was becoming wanted to assert herself and demand details.

Dimitri’s hand clasped protectively around mine as we rode in the back of his sleek black SUV.

“You’re quiet.” His brown eyes, which were usually sharp and cutting when he looked at others, were soft when he looked at me.

“Just thinking.” I turned to look out the window, watching the city blur past us as we headed... somewhere. Dimitri hadn’t told me where we were going, just that he wanted to take me out for the afternoon. A date, he’d called it, with that rare half-smile that never failed to make my heart skip.

But I wasn’t fooled. Not entirely. “This is a distraction, isn’t it?”

His fingers tightened around mine. “What makes you say that?”

“Because I’m not stupid, D.” I sighed, turning back to face him. “I know something’s happening today. I just don’t knowwhat…”

Dimitri sighed and scratched at the dark scruff of his beard. “Kit—”

“Please. Just tell mesomething.” I cut in, my voice smaller than I’d intended. “You promised none of you would get hurt. How can you keep that promise if we’re not there to help your brothers with whatever you’ve got planned?”

His tattooed hand gave mine a squeeze of reassurance. “And I meant it. We all did. Now that we know what we’re dealing with, we’re a step ahead instead of a step behind.” He sighed, then relented. “You know we have a mole in the organization. We’ve planted a number of false leads to the men we suspect could be double-crossing us. One of those is going down today. If Rocco makes a move, we’ll know who our mole is. We’re prepared for every outcome. And that’s why you’re with me today, away from any potential danger. We’ve planned everything down to the minute. Trust me, Kitten.”

My anxiety eased at his words, at the steadiness of his gaze. His confidence was contagious, and for better or worse, I nodded.

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