Page 29 of Knotty New Year

Huh.I’d never known the words “conference call” could work as well as a cold shower.

If he vanished into his office all day like he had last night, I wouldn’t get the chance to talk to him about what was on my mind. Namely, the way he’d started making decisions for me. Like what I’d told him last week I wanted in my life was still the same, even though we were mated now.

The situation was different now, as if my perspective had shifted completely. Sure, I wanted to work and maybe even finish school, but my inner omega needed something more: security.

So I gathered my courage, held up my hand where his mother’s ring hung loosely on my fourth finger, and cleared my throat. “Do you think we could set a date? Plan for when we’ll tie the…knot?” I asked, squeezing him inside me. He let out a groan of pleasure, and I sent up a silent prayer of thanks to the Goddess of Kegels.

When he could speak again, he answered, “Whenever you want.”

“Wait. Whenever? Like, in a year, or in… a few days?” I tried not to squeak, but couldn’t help it. My heart was suddenly racing.

He went still. “Oh, not that soon. I’m sure you’ll need time to plan.”

“Oh. Of course.” I wasn’t about to admit I had a Pinterest board with every detail of fourteen separate dream weddings planned out, along with potential inspo bridegrooms. Well, Henry Cavill and Tom Hiddleston and a few others, but those were my pre-Paxson ideals. I’d need to replace their pics with him.

“Your mother seemed pretty set on getting you married, even to someone clearly inappropriate.”

“You mean Andreas?” I smothered a giggle at the unmerited jealousy in Pax’s voice.

“That was the pathetic little alpha’s man’s name, yes. Andreas Vanderwall III.” Every syllable dripped with disdain. “Weak-chinned, narrow shoulders, watery eyes. I’ll have to see if he wants to participate in a clinical trial for a new testosterone booster.” Then he grumbled something about bedwetting and internet porn addiction.

“After you sweet-talked her, Mom probably already started planning the…” I almost saidbaby nursery, but didn’t want to freak Pax out entirely. Mom’s greatest dream was to see me settled down and popping out grandkids, like a human-sized gumball machine.

“Just remember, there’s no rush,” Pax insisted, his knot shrinking as the combined topics of Booger Nose and my mother did their work.

His phone began vibrating on the table yet again. “Who’s calling so much?”

“My PA or Dr. Murray, most likely.”

“Wait, a doctor? Are you sick?”

“Paxson Pharma, remember? Dr. Murray is a genius, our top research scientist. Degrees from Cornell, Johns Hopkins… Truly a great mind. Anyway, there are some very worrying things going on,” he murmured as he rolled out of bed.

“What kind of worrying?” He hesitated before picking up his phone, looking torn between answering it or me. “Pax, it’s okay. I don’t need details. Just big stuff, huh?”

“Very big. Life-or-death big, I’m afraid. But I’ll get it all sorted out.” His voice trailed off as he checked the phone. “Ah, no. This one’s from Lin, Benjamin’s mother. She knows work has blown up for me, and wants me to get you on a plane to Colorado early. They’re all desperate to meet you.”

“Right.” I swallowed hard. “Time to meet the future in-laws.”

He grinned, and I was suddenly breathless at how handsome my mate was. “They’ll love you. We always try to ring in the New Year together at Paxson Lodge, in Telluride. All ten of us, plus any spouses or significant others—that’s only Ben Senior and you this year—and a small staff.”

“Sounds fun,” I lied. “Our first vacation together as mates. Should I get some gifts for them?” But he was already in the bathroom, the shower running.

Billionaires probably didn’t need presents. But everyone loved cookies.

And stress baking was a time-honored tradition in the Kane household. I knew exactly what I was going to do today while Pax worked.

Chapter13

Pax

Iscratched at my forearm where Candy’s mating bite was burning again. Well, not a burn. More of a sensation of light pressure, or pulsing. It had started yesterday—the morning after we’d come back home—and was getting more pronounced by the hour.

I’d never heard of a mating bite getting infected, but something was wrong with mine.

Not that I had time to deal with physical pain. One of my head researchers was coming by this morning to share an extremely concerning report and discuss our response to it.

Somehow, omegas in New York and New Jersey were experiencing heats, even though they’d been prescribed Paxson Pharma’s flagship product, our combined fertility and heat suppressant. I was almost certain there was something wrong with a batch of the drug, but there was always the outside chance that some omegas had developed a resistance to the drug. Before I met with the board, I needed to speak to the only person who would know.

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