Page 40 of Knot So Fast
"I'll think about the offer," I say diplomatically, rising from my chair and smoothing down my dress. "Let me see how I feel after I take something for the headache."
I make my way toward the dining room door, my heels clicking against the polished hardwood floors with each step.
The sound echoes through the cavernous space, making me hyperaware of how alone I feel even surrounded by family and household staff.
One of the maids—a young woman I don't remember but who clearly knows me—hurries ahead to open the heavy wooden door for me. But as the door swings open, I find myself face-to-face with a man standing on the other side, his hand raised as if he was seconds away from knocking.
We share a look of mutual surprise, his dark eyes widening slightly as he takes in my appearance.
There's something immediately familiar about him, though I can't place exactly where I might know him from. He's tall and broad-shouldered, with the kind of presence that suggests he's used to commanding attention and respect.
His hair is dark and slightly tousled, like he's been running his hands through it, and he's wearing a suit that probably costs more than most people's monthly rent.
But it's his scent that really catches my attention—something clean and mechanical, like high-quality motor oil mixed with expensive cologne. It's appealing in a way that makes my Omega instincts sit up and take notice, even though my conscious mind is still trying to figure out who he is.
From behind me, I hear my father's voice, and there's a note of surprise mixed with something that might be concern.
"Caspian?"
The name hits like a puzzle piece clicking into place, though I still can't access the full picture.
Caspian.
I know that name, know it's important somehow, but the specific memories remain frustratingly out of reach.
The man—Caspian—is staring at me with an intensity that makes my skin heat up despite the formal setting. There's recognition in his gaze, along with something that looks likerelief mixed with apprehension. Like he's been looking for me and finally found me, but isn't sure what kind of reception he's going to get.
"Auren," he says quietly, and the way he says my name sends shivers down my spine.
There's familiarity there, intimacy even, like he's said it a thousand times before in contexts I can't remember.
I find myself studying his face, looking for clues about our connection.
He's undeniably attractive, with strong features and the kind of confidence that comes from success and achievement. But there's also something almost vulnerable in the way he's looking at me, like he's afraid I might disappear if he blinks.
"Do I... do we know each other?" I ask, hating how uncertain I sound but needing to understand the dynamic I've apparently walked into.
Something flickers across his expression—pain, maybe, or disappointment—before it's carefully hidden behind a polite mask.
"We do," he confirms, his voice carefully neutral. "We've known each other for quite some time."
From behind me, I can hear my parents moving, probably approaching to see what's happening at their front door.
The last thing I want is to have this conversation—whatever it's going to be—in front of them, especially given how tense dinner has already been.
But I can't shake the feeling that Caspian's appearance here isn't coincidental.
Not after the morning's racing announcement, not after the mysterious ticket I found in my mail, not after all the carefully constructed conversations about my future and my past.
Something tells me that this man standing in my parents' doorway might have answers to questions I'm not even sure I know how to ask yet.
And despite my uncertainty about who he is or what he wants, I find myself wanting to find out.
UNRAVELING THREADS
~CASPIAN~
Takingin Auren's appearance feels like being sucker-punched by memory and desire all at once. The sleek black dress she's wearing clings to every curve of her body like a second skin, reminding me with painful clarity of the quiet yet intensely charged relationship we had before the accident changed everything. The strapless gown showcases the delicate collarbone tattoo I used to trace with my tongue, and the deep back slit reveals the elaborate spine piece that tells the story of her racing victories in elegant script I helped her design.
