Page 43 of Knot Their Opening Act

When I finally close my eyes, satisfied she’s safe in my arms here until morning when I’ll have to slink back to my own room, I realize—I may know she’s our scent match. But if Kai’s off his drugs, he fucking knows too.

And he hasn’t told us.

But I can’t keep this secret from anyone. I want the world to know. And that will have to begin with confronting my front man. And asking what the fuck he’s been doing hiding our Omega—because he was off the suppressants duringTen to One. He had to have known, three years ago. Three whole damn years.

It was his decision to have her kicked off the show before it started. And what makes this all worse is the crude shit he rattled off during the set tonight, about how shewould with him. Knowing what he must know, and also knowing how much she detests him, this feels like too big an injustice to ignore.

All of that conversation can wait though. First thing in the morning, Jez is the one who needs to know the most.

CHAPTER20

Jez

Not all thatmany hours later, I blink awake. Sunlight has found its way in past the blackout blinds. But I’m so warm, cozy, and surrounded by the fluffiest pillows, the softest blankets, my own fleece from home?—

—and an arm.

I blink some more. Not just any arm, but Holden Pearce’s arm.

I have had sex with two of them. And not just sex, but I’ve taken his knot, too. Two Alpha knots in less than a day.

This fact alone pulls me out of my reverie, and yanks my body upright. I untangle myself from Holden’s bare, muscular arm which slips to the makeshift nest on the hotel room floor. He’s dead the world. And damn, as I stand and cross the room to step into the shower and prepare for the journey down to Leeds, I wince with each movement.

I amsore. Not just from his knot, but every muscle in my body screams in protest after clinging to that climbing wall.

The steamy water rains down on me as I wash the dried remnants of last night’s activities from my body. For just this moment, with no one to watch, forgetting I took two knots of my sworn enemies, I lean my head back into the streaming shower, close my eyes, and smile. It was magnificent.

Right now, I can’t care about anything else. He filled me, he eased me through my heat, and he is a breath of fresh air I never could’ve known I needed until he appeared beneath me. God, what a way to find out.

Clean, dry, and dressed for the first bus journey of the tour, I’m hopeful my heat is behind me. Nowhere near as frantic and long-lived as I’d been given to believe. Maybe due to the length of time I’ve been on suppressants—all of my adult life and then some. I don’t know any different, apart from everything the media, friends, and acquaintances say.

For example, I know that Viv’s first heat with her pack was basically a sex riot behind closed doors in Manuel’s apartment for five days. So far, mine’s been two. And it seems bearable—except when I’ve been on stage, leaving the stage, backstage, or, basically, anywhere where these four gorgeous, fit, but unfortunately very Fable Alphas happen to be. The moments in-between, where I’m alone in my room, grabbing food with Caylee, or doing vocal warm-ups or sketching out new songs, I’m unaffected and feel quite normal. It’s just whenever?—

It’s just whenever I’m around Fable on Fire.

I look in the mirror at my air-drying blue waves, probably in need of a slight trim. Another thing that Viv always nags me about if she doesn’t go ahead and book the appointment for me. My eyes shine with restfulness despite the few hours I actually slept. I feel revived in a way I could totally get used to.

“Jesamine—are you in there?”

Holden’s voice comes through the bathroom door. It’s one of those kinds that slide into the wall, a pocket door I think they call it. Makes me think of pocket dimension. And if I really had one here, my thighs are beginning to feel like they’d pull Mr Pearce into it and go for round two. Then maybe three. Then maybe?—

Maybe my heat isn’t gone after all.

By the time I round the corner and walk a few feet into the main room to face my slumber party guest, my panties are definitely damp, but the joggers I’ve pulled on are dry for the moment.

“Hi,” I say, suddenly shy.

He sits up, looks down, and widens his eyes comically. “Guess I didn’t pull any clothes back on last night.”

“That’s okay. I don’t mind.” I give a tentative grin and he stands and walks toward me, his cock already at half-mast. Something about him just breathes sunshine on a sprawling beach, a coconut drink in my hand, coastal birds hanging lazily in the air. He chills me out. He’s like the human equivalent of a swim-up bar. I just want to lay there in the shade, watch the world go by with a drink in my hand, and not worry about the fact that I’ve just fucked another of Kai Hartley’s band members.

My shoulders tense up as we stand a few feet away, him naked, me dressed with slick soaking through my clothes.

“Heat still in action, huh?” Holden smiles, and his dimples are just ridiculous. Blue eyes, sandy hair, short on the sides, longer on the top, and an impressively-speedy beard growth.

“Ah, yeah. You can tell, I guess.”

“I most certainly can. And as I said before, I’m here for it. If you need any more assistance?—”

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