Page 13 of Down Knot Out
The rich, sweet scent hits me like a hug, and a little sigh slips out as I take it from him. Our fingers brush, and the heat that blooms at the contact has nothing to do with the drink.
“Thanks.” I pop the rest of the sandwich into my mouth so I can wrap both hands around the cup.
Nathaniel’s arms come back around me, tucking the jacket closed. “I should have brought a blanket.”
I lean against his chest. “Why when you can keep me warm?”
He starts to purr, the vibrations traveling through me, and I sigh with contentment as I take a careful sip. Rich, smooth chocolate spiced with a hint of cinnamon.
Perfect.
Everything about this is perfect, and I feel almost safe.
He props his chin on my shoulder. “Something you want to talk about?”
The question startles me, since we’ve been talking this whole time.
I swallow my mouthful of chocolate and look around. “Oh, uh, Holden outdid himself with the picnic basket, didn’t he?”
“He did.” Nathaniel’s lips press to my temple. “If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s okay. But it’s not good to hold things in for too long. As Blake keeps telling me, we’re stronger together.”
Keeping my mom’s debt and Louie’s threat hidden had put us in danger, I understand that. But things have been moving so fast, and I’ve been handling everything alone for so long, I’m never sure when it’s right to unload on them when I’m not part of the pack yet.
But should I even be joining the pack without putting all my cards on the table?
It’s these kinds of thoughts what keep me up at night.
I cradle my hot chocolate in my lap and stare out at the waves. “The man I grew up thinking was my father kicked my mom and me out of the Sinclair pack after a DNA test proved I wasn’t his daughter.”
He hums but doesn’t speak, already knowing all this.
“And then my mom bound me to her loan shark, so he’d keep giving her money. Then also extortedmefor money once my books becamepopular.” God, my life sucked. “Only she falsified my DNA, which meant the courtship with Louie was all invalid, but no matter how much I think about it, not even my mom would screw over the Santaro pack, sowhy?”
“Louie never said anything?” Nathaniel asks.
I hang my head. “On his yacht, he said I was the key to making his dreams come true. When I asked what he meant, he said I’d find outafterwe were bonded.”
Nathaniel growls at the suggestion that I’d bond with another Alpha before he cuts it off with a hard exhale. “That’s never going to happen now. And no one from the Santaro pack has approached you, right?”
“No.” I straighten with alarm, the idea never having crossed my mind. “Do you think that’s a possibility?”
He shakes his head. “Louie didn’t appoint an heir. They’ll be too busy infighting over the next head for a while. Their casinos alone are worth billions. They were in the process of scouting a location for their newest all-inclusive when Louie died.”
My mouth gapes. “How do you know all that?”
“Blake’s father put in a bid to build it once theysettle on the location.” He rubs my arms. “Is this what’s been bothering you?”
“Some of it.” I take a sip of cocoa and whisper into my mug, “I have nightmares.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” He takes the mug from my hands and sets it aside before shifting me to face him. “Is that why you’ve been holing up in your room every night? Because you don’t want to disturb any of us?”
Unhappiness stings with the threat of tears. “It’s unattractive and jarring. Might scare you away.”
“Or not being alone might keep the nightmares at bay.” He cups my cheek, drawing me to face him. “If it doesn’t, one of us will be there to hold you until you can go back to sleep.”
I sniffle and blink quickly. “You’re very logical.”
“It’s one of my best and worst qualities.” His lips quirk. “Blake tells me so.”
