Page 78 of Knot Made to Break: Part Two

His large hand covered mine, thumb brushing my knuckles. “We could,” he said, surprising me. “For a little while.”

I rolled on my side, propped my head on my hand, and looked down at him, searching those hazel eyes for signs of teasing. But he was completely serious. His expression softened in a way few ever got to see.

“Just pull the covers over our heads and pretend nothing exists beyond this room?”

His mouth twitched in something close to a smile. “Wouldn’t be the worst plan we’ve ever had.”

I let myself imagine it for a moment—days spent like this. Quiet. Close. Safe. No Rocco. No knives at our backs. Just this nest, these bonds, these men.

“Maybe we could use some of these blankets and build a fort,” I added lightly. “We could make Marco wear a chef’s hat, cook for us, and deliver the food.”

Gio chuckled like the good sport he was, playing into my wistful dreams. “You’d love that.”

“I really would.”

But the moment couldn’t hold. Reality tugged at the edges, refusing to be ignored.

One way or another, we were going to have to deal with the danger. End it so we could move on. So we could have the peaceful future we were building toward.

“He’s never going to stop,” I whispered, the words small and brittle.

Giovanni’s jaw flexed, his voice a low promise. “He will when he’s dead.”

It should’ve scared me, but it didn’t. Not coming from him.

My hand found the mark he’d left at the crux of my neck and shoulder. His eyes tracked the movement, going darker. Without a word, he mirrored it, fingers brushing the place I’d bitten him in return.

The bond flared between us—hot, and tingly, and alive.

“We’re bound now,” he said. “Woven together. And if the world wants a fight… it’s getting all of us.”

I laced my fingers through his.

“One heart,” I said quietly. “One pack.”

He squeezed. “Exactly, Dolcezza.”

The fear didn’t vanish. The danger didn’t disappear. But it didn’t feel so sharp anymore—not here, not with him. Not with all of them, just a breath away.

And for now, that was enough.

GIOVANNI

I kept my stride relaxed as we walked along the sidewalk, takeout bags from Vino’s swinging lightly from my left hand. My right stayed free—old habits. Kit matched my pace beside me, her shoulder occasionally brushing against my arm in a way that sent little sparks across my skin. Two of our guys trailed ten feet back, another positioned ahead at the corner—close enough to intervene, far enough not to crowd us. Finding that balance had been tricky, but the smile on Kit’s face as she took in the storefronts made it worth the effort.

The spring air carried hints of coffee from a nearby café, mingling with the scent of Kit’s signature whenever a breeze ruffled her hair. I breathed it in, committing it to memory the way I cataloged everything about her. The way her eyes widenedslightly at a colorful display of scarves. The unconscious tilt of her head when something truly captured her attention. The delicate movement of her throat when she swallowed.

“What?” she asked, catching me staring.

“Nothing.” I shrugged, offering a half-smile. “Just like seeing you enjoy yourself.”

A blush crept across her cheeks, making my chest tighten in that unfamiliar way I was still getting used to. It never used to do that untilher. She looked away, but leaned closer to my side—always gravitating toward one of her mates. Today it was my turn.

A group of college kids approached, laughing and taking up the entire sidewalk. I subtly shifted us closer to the storefronts, angling my body between Kit and the strangers. My eyes flicked to Nico at the corner, who straightened slightly, hand drifting beneath his jacket. The kids passed without incident, but my muscles only unwound when they were well behind us.

“You know you do that, right?” Kit asked, voice soft.

“Do what?”

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