Page 85 of Knot That Serious

Eli swallowed, because he was right. As much as Eli was annoyed at Jack for always having an alpha on his arm, at least he had someone. Eli only ever had Jack, because even the few people they rode with weren’t close to her.

She pursed her lips. “You’re not exactly an unbiased third party.”

“No,” he agreed. “But I’m a good listener.”

“You’re just going to tell Jack everything I say,” she pointed out.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Do you want me to keep it between us?”

Eli frowned. “You’d lie to Jack?”

Eli was lying to Jack.

Beckett shook his head, pulling at Eli’s toes and chuckling at the pops he got out of them. “I won’t lie. I’ll just tell him you asked me not to say anything.”

“And he’ll respect that?”

Beckett’s lips twitched. “Well. I might get a persuasive blow job out of it, but my lips are sealed. Promise.”

Despite everything they’d been through together, her cheeks flushed at the casual, intimate, confession.

There was just one problem. She wasn’t actually dating Raj. It was pretend! But… she could indulge Beckett. Just a little.

“Alright,” Eli said softly, hesitantly. But even if Beckett did directly run to Jack with this, wasn’t that what she wanted? So Jack would be jealous? And realize his feelings for her, according to Raj?

Eli took a deep breath. Was she about to do this?

Beckett dug another thumb into her heel and she moaned.

Okay, fine, yeah.

“I ran into Raj after Jack and I had an argument at the bakery.” That was true. Look, she wasn’t even lying.

Is that really something to be proud of?

“Ah,” Beckett nodded. “He told me about that.”

“I yelled at him,” Eli admitted. “And I felt bad about it, so I was a mess. I parked my bike and I was half-afraid you’d be up here,” she told him, then felt she had to elaborate because hurt flashed across his expression. She dug her heel into his thigh. “I didn’t want someone to talk sense into me yet; I just wanted to be hurt for a bit.”

Beckett nodded, though his frown didn’t ease up.

“I ran—literally—into this huge alpha. I don’t think I breathed the first three minutes after, that’s how hot he is,” she gushed. Eli shook her head. That wasn’t a lie, either.

Actually, Eli didn’t really lie at all. She told him about the diner, how Raj had been unbelievably sweet and understanding and listened to her vent. How he was an unbiased third party, and didn’t take sides.

“Then he asked me if I’ve ever been courted and I told him no.” More truth.

Beckett’s thumbs paused for a second before continuing. “So he asked me if I wanted to be, just to see what it felt like. And, I mean, it’s not like I have any other, uh, suitors.” Eli didn’t know why she was defending herself. Just because Beckett and Jack helped her through her heat, didn’t mean they had any claim on her. Therefore she should not feel guilty for dating this alpha, right? Even if it was fake?

“So he’s picking me up this evening,” she finished.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Beckett asked, averting his gaze.

“Not yet. He said it would be a surprise.”

“Cute,” Beckett interjected.

“I know, right? No one’s ever planned a surprise date for me before.” The betas that Eli usually dated were casual, low-key. No intricate dates necessary.

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