Page 88 of The Knotty Omega

“Yeah? What’s that?’

“I love you.”

“That’s not a band name—oh.” I stop myself, realizing what she just said, and my heart somehow feels like it’s stopped but is also pounding a million miles an hour at the same time.

“You…love me?” Of course she does. I can feel it in the bond every time she looks at me but there’s always that voice in the back of my mind that questions if I’m reading it right. But to hear her say it.

“I do, sunshine,” she says, twining our hands together as I turn to look at her. “So much.”

I fucking love it when she calls me sunshine. Makes me feel cute as hell.

“Baby girl, I have loved you since you walked up to us at that restaurant, pissed as hell.”

A laugh startles out of her. “Ollie, you didn’t even know me.”

“No, but I knew I wanted to. I could see it in you, even then, Tink. The fire behind that sweet exterior. The determination to stay true toyou. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that you climbed me like a tree after—ow!” I laugh as she swats my arm. “But all of this to say, Cady, that I love you. I’ve been in love with you, and I will always be in love with you.”

“You know, you can be a real sweet-talker when you want to be,” she murmurs, leaning in closer to me, her beautiful face aglow from the setting sun.

“Oh, baby girl, you have no idea.” I tilt my head down, meeting her lips in a soft, sweet, sipping kiss. My hand moves up to cup her cheek as she tastes me, running her tongue across my lower lip. Her hand grips at my wrist as my tongue delves into her mouth, licking and sucking at her tongue. She moans into my mouth as her perfume wafts up into the air between us, and I realize we better stop before this either evolves into a public indecency charge or ends with us sending feral alphas nearby into a riot.

We separate, gasping in breaths of air, and she swallows roughly, looking into my eyes. “I love you, Ollie.”

“I love you too, Cady.”

***

“Oh my god,” Tink whispers to me as we creep up to the loft at nine fifty-nine sharp. “Is Titus playing Call of Duty?”

“Nah,” I whisper back as we inch closer to Archie and Titus, who are both on the couch facing the TV with controllers in their hands. “He’ll only play Halo. He’s obsessed with the energy sword.” Mattie is laying on the adjacent couch, his eyes flicking between the TV screen and his phone.

“Did you kids have fun?” Archie teases, not looking away from the TV as he shoots at Titus’ character. “We felt a burst of happiness from both of you about an hour ago.”

“God fucking dammit, Arch! Stop spawn camping!” Titus growls, standing up as if that will increase his playing skill. He only lets Archie talk him into playing video games when he’s stressed out. Our outing must have done a bigger number on him than I had thought.

“We did,” Cady smiles brightly next to me, bouncing on her heels, but not elaborating on what that burst of happiness was.

“Hey guys, what's going on?” Simon yawns, coming out of his room. He had tried to stay up after his twenty four shift at the hospital but no doubt conked out shortly after Tink and I left for our date.

“Oh, you know, just kicking Titus’ ass at Halo.” Archie grins, glancing at Simon.

“Ollie, get in here,” Titus grumbles. “We’ll play teams and the winner gets to sleep in angel’s bed tonight.” He shoots her a wink that makes her blush.

“Then I get Simon!” Archie cheers, and both Titus and I groan.

“Wait, I never agreed to be on Titus’ team! I want Simon!” I pout, settling on the floor in front of Ty and Arch.

“Too bad, asshole. You got me.” Titus laughs, handing me a controller.

Simon sighs and settles next to me, clearly accepting his fate. Out of the corner of my eye I see Cady crawling on top of Mattie to lay down on top of him, chest to chest. His hands immediately drop his phone and wrap around her, and she snuggles her head under his chin.

Well, shit, how did I get sucked into Halo instead ofthat?

I don’t have time to think about it though, because the game is starting and now I’m determined to win. Fuck the blue team.

Simon, as always, destroys all of us with his sniper rifle, but at least he doesn’t camp at the spawn point likesomepeople.

You know what? Fuck this. Tink and I shared a declaration of love tonight and I deserve a spot in that damn nest. I look over to see Mattie has mysteriously disappeared with our omega. That sneaky Italian.

---