Page 20 of The Knotty Princes Club

Wesley frowns before he composes himself.

I place my hands on the table. “That’s only because she would never talk to her brothers about you. But she tells me everything.” I smile with my words, flicking my attention to Holly. She waves at me with a laugh as Jordan spins her around.

Wesley lightens up, his stern face softening. “Really?”

“Let’s just say that I would love to tell you, but this guy right here doesn’t want to ever hear about anything that’s on Holly’s mind.” I wink at the broody beta and rest my head back on Arsenio.

Beckett howls a laugh and punches Wesley. “Told you.” Turning to Arsenio, he meets his gaze. “I have no problem with Holly liking my pack mates. I thought you knew that I wasn’t like all the other fuckers of the Pack Regimes.”

Arsenio shrugs, his protectiveness of Holly peeking through with every comment and gesture he does. He won’t let his guard down despite their alliance because Holly means a lot to us and our pack. “Just making sure.”

Arsenio’s phone chimes, giving Beckett, Isaiah, and Wesley a chance to excuse themselves to join Holly and Jordan. I watch them all surround her, circling her in a wall of muscle she clearly enjoys, her smile widening as she twirls, sending her pale blond hair sweeping with her movements.

Arsenio groans and slides me off him and onto the seat. He pulls out his phone and glances at the screen. “It’s Enzo.”

I peek at the screen as he reads.

Baby Brother: Wilder got in touch with the dealer again. He’s sending someone your way with what Holly needs. Only she can complete the transaction. Donahue wants to establish a relationship since they’re going to her and not us. It’s the only way this will work. We’ve arranged an agreement that lets him continue to travel to Platinum Shores as long as he doesn’t bring that shit into Gilded Sands.

“He’s fucking crazy,” Arsenio says, tensing.

I snatch the phone from him before he can tell Enzo as much.

Me: Kinsey will escort her since she knows how to handle the situation.

I type as if I’m Arsenio.

Baby Brother: Like hell you will, baby.

Of course, he knows it’s me. Arsenio would never just agree to send me with Holly to meet with a drug dealer.

Me: So you’re telling me that you want me to just standby and not help my sister since Arsenio can’t? I don’t think so. That’s how this arrangement is going to work. I’ll be fine. I took a suppressant pill like she did. We won’t be setting off any dumbass alphas.

Baby Brother: You’re in so much trouble.

Snatching the phone from my hand, Arsenio steals it away to dial, and puts it up to his ear. He slides away from me, mumbling under his breath, trying to keep his conversation with Enzo a secret. I hear the words kill, Wilder, and dangerous but not much else. Arsenio hangs up the phone and turns his attention to me.

I hold my palm up to him, stopping him before he can even say anything. “The only way I’m not doing this is if you go all alpha on me and make me submit to you right here and now. This is something I’ve done dozens of times. I’m not backing down this time, Arsenio.”

He flares his nostrils, resembling Wilder in this moment. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was about to call me a brat. I know he’s thinking it.

“I know you want to protect me, but you need to trust me to handle this. The dealer won’t hurt an omega. They won’t touch us because they know whose pack we belong to. They mostly don’t want the confrontation with an alpha, especially when it comes to suppressant pills.” I grasp Arsenio’s hand, squeezing his fingers. “Now, do you know where they want to meet? It’s an unspoken rule that we must be early. They’ll want to scope things out to make sure this isn’t a set up by the authority.”

Arsenio growls, the rumble of his annoyance vibrating through me. “We are the authority.”

I lift and drop my shoulders. “You can be nearby. Just keep out of sight. I’ll handle this.”

“You shouldn’t have to handle anything.” Arsenio’s scent grows even warmer.

I’m sure it’s taking everything in him not to completely deny me. I don’t usually push back this hard, but I want to prove not only to him but also to myself that I’m strong enough. I don’t know exactly what comes over me. I’m sure it has to do with the suppressants and the fact that my emotions are wild and that he’s going to go into rut with my heat. All I know is that my mind is set. Should I feel bad that I have put him in this position? Maybe. Wilder would never allow me to get away with us. I think we both know it. Arsenio is determined to stay calm and collected. He always has been.

His phone chimes again with another message. I look at him expectantly, waiting for him to show me what Enzo said. I’m sure he’s just as upset. This is something that Desmond should’ve handled with me, but it wasn’t in the fates. I wouldn’t give up this moment with Arsenio either. A little drug deal isn’t going to ruin it. If anything, it’ll solidify my desire to remain strong even in these uncertain circumstances.

Holding up his phone, he glances at the screen. “The dealer is five minutes away. They want you in the back alley. I don’t like it. I think we should just wait for some other time. This is too abrupt. I haven’t had a chance to study the area to guarantee your safety.”

“They do it like this on purpose. You just have to trust that I can handle myself. I know how to act in front of other alphas. So does Holly. We’ll be together.” I stretch up and kiss him softly, feeling the tightness of his mouth as he resists giving into me. So, I don’t stop until he can’t. He groans against my mouth and brushes his lips to mine, igniting desire inside me. “If you can just give me this, I’ll give you whatever you want later. I do want this night to be yours.”

His groan turns into a purr, and he reaches between my legs and touches me gently, gliding his finger over the seam of my body, realizing I’m not wearing any panties. “God damn, sugar. You’re going to set me off. It’s taking everything in me not to pull you back onto my lap to fuck you right here.”

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