Page 31 of Knot Letting Go

Talis gazed at Lillianna and Levi, laughing madly at the kite’s antics in the increasingly wild winds. “I have no doubt Evander and Levi will want to take a bodyguard shift themselves, because I want to. I’d offer all of us, but we always have one of us with Callista and Isabella.” He turned to me with an expressionhard to read behind those sunglasses. “You’re all more than welcome to come stay with us on the island for a while. No one can come or go without us knowing. Callista would love to have you all there.”

My sister would love it, and the same for Lillianna and Aubrielle. But there was one problem: Aubrielle was in heat.

I couldn’t tell Talis that, though. It would raise a thousand questions, and I didn’t have the answers to most of them. There was also part of me that had my hands gripping the railing so tight it was digging into my skin. Aubrielle was my Omega, and I didn’t want her around any other Alphas.

Mine.

I exhaled and shook my head. Not mine. I needed to stop thinking that way.

“Thanks. Maybe for a night or two on the weekend?” I offered and then smoothly poured forth the best excuse I could muster. “I have a lot of work to do this week, and I prefer to have Lillianna nearby. I have no doubt of the security of your island, but Birk manor is our home. Plus, I’m sure you all want to settle in after the wedding and honeymoon, get back into a normal schedule. There are four of you, but I bet Isabella keeps you all on your toes.”

A small smile touched Talis’ lips which I recognized as a father. “Yeah, she does.” His watch beeped at him and he glanced at a text message before turning back to me. “The offer stands if you change your mind. I’ll get a hold of you later today with the schedule. Do you want men at the manor twenty-four seven?”

I furrowed my brow. I didn’t want men at the manor at all, but to keep Aubrielle and Lillianna safe… “Do you think it’s needed?”

“Maybe for a week or two and then see what happens.”

That made sense. Just seeing armed security might be enough to dissuade Lorenzo from doing anything stupid. Yet the stone in my gut told me it wouldn’t be as easy at that. The bastard was very like my father. Once he sunk his teeth into something, he wasn’t going to let go.

With the wind getting stronger, Levi had reeled in the kite, and he and Lillianna ran up the beach to the boardwalk. Both of them were grinning widely.

Lillianna threw her arms around my legs. “Daddy! My kite is so beautiful. Like a sky mermaid. Levi says we can come visit this weekend, and we can fly the kite again. Can we go? Please?”

“Yes, sweetie. I’m glad you had so much fun.” I stroked her head, trying to smooth back the curls which had slipped free of her braid.

“Yay!” Lillianna cheered. The best sound in the world.

Levi folded down the kite, trying to keep the wind from snatching it away. “Callista mentioned coming into town on Wednesday to visit too. She’ll be bringing Isabella.”

Lillianna squealed with excitement and snatched my hand. “Daddy, we have to get fabric for Isabella too, and make her a baby mermaid tail. I bet Aubrielle will know how to do it. Babies don’t know how to swim, so we need to get her a floatie that looks like a fish. That way she can come on adventures too and be safe.”

As my daughter rambled on, I caught Levi leaning toward Talis out of the corner of my eye. He jerked his head to the direction which led back to the parking lot. I didn’t hear what he said, but I peered over my shoulder to see a tall man in a dark suit leaning against his car. Not someone dressed for the beach.

I didn’t need to have heard Levi to guess it was likely one of Lorenzo’s men. He was following me. No. Even as Ithought that, I knew what the actual truth was: he was following Lillianna.

My free hand clenched into a fist and I bared my teeth. If he came near my baby, I would kill the bastard.

“Daddy?” Lillianna tugged on my arm. I blinked, trying to put on a neutral expression as I returned my gaze to her. “Daddy, can we bring a picnic? It was so much fun when Aubrielle and I did it. Plus food for our friends in the sea. Enid makes the best seashell cookies.”

“A picnic sounds fun, but I think the sea creatures can find their own food. They don’t want food from the land.”

“That’s right.” Levi crouched down. “Some fish eat other fish and then even bigger fish eat those fish and then—”

“Sharks eat them!” Lillianna declared as the wind whipped at us.

“Yeah, big ol’ mean sharks. But mermaids are faster.” Levi winked and gave her a hug. “It was so good to see you, Lilli. Now when you get home, you make sure to explain to anyone how to properly fly the kite who wants to fly it. Have fun and we’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, Uncle Levi.” Lillianna squeezed him back and then accepted a hug from Talis too. “By, Uncle Talis.”

“Take care, Lilli.” Talis stood and held out his hand to me, which I shook. “We’ll get things scheduled right away. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you.” I motioned with my gaze to the parking lot and he gave a subtle nod.

Levi stepped over and shook my hand as well. “We’ve got this, Kon. Come to the island to visit any time. Or even send over Lillianna. We’d be happy to have her.”

I nodded and took the folded kite from him. “Thanks again.”

Lillianna shouted her goodbyes to them again as they walked toward their car. The man in the suit slipped into his car and drove off before they were within a hundred feet. No doubt the Pacettis knew who Callista’s mates were. I wanted to hope it worried them, but Lorenzo was arrogant as fuck.

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