Page 68 of Knot your Good Girl

My hand falls down her back and around her waist, and she looks up through her lashes at me. My heart flutters in my chest as she stares at me, waiting for an answer. And there’s such hope in those gorgeous eyes, but it flickers with an uncertainty. Sometimes I want to let the flicker burn her, other times I want to tell her she is mine.

Fuck.

She’s not mine.

I spin her around so her back is against my chest and spread my fingers across her stomach, pulling her closer to me as my lips brush against her ear. “You wouldn’t get far, Omega.”

Holly doesn’t say a word. I know she hates me using her designation against her.

I feel her body stiffen as she stares ahead. Her eyes fix on my twin two-year-old nieces, who skip into the room, giggling and holding hands, accompanied by my other sister, their mother, Nikki.

I feel a shift in Holly. The air is filled with the lingering scent of her perfume, growing stronger with each passing moment, hinting at her unease or worry.

“Are you okay?” I lower my mouth to her ear and whisper.

She nods. I spin her around to face me and see tears lacing her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

With a shake of her head, dismissing the idea completely. “It’s nothing.”

“Then why are you crying?” Concern simmers in the pit of my gut.

“They’re happy tears. Seeing the smiles on your family’s faces makes me feel blessed to be here. Your family.” She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m just happy.”

I smile. Masking my skepticism and allowing her to believe that I’m completely on board. I do it to make her feel comfortable, because Holly is emitting her perfume like she is worried or about to do something out of the ordinary.

Or...

“Did you take your heat suppressant today?” I ask.

My eyes lock onto her gaze before she glances around her. “I take it in the evening.”

As the bell tinkles, the aroma of roast meat and succulent vegetables wafts through the open doors that lead into the dining room.

The sound of clinking silverware and the smell of food make my always-hungry father finally come out of his office and head toward the dining room. However, he abruptly halts his steps and pivots to gaze in my direction. His gaze lingers on Holly for a moment, before he turns his attention towards me. He already told me he could smell my omega on me.

“Wait,” I say, retrieving something from my pocket. I hand her a beautifully wrapped box, covered in silver paper, and tied with a soft pink bow. “I have something for you.”

“We agreed... We said no Christmas presents. I...”

“This isn’t a Christmas gift. It’s a birthday present.”

As her eyes scan from the box to my face, I can see a hint of surprise in her expression. She swallows. “How did you know?”

“The picture in your bedroom is a giveaway. There is a Christmas tree in the corner, but the two girls in the photo have birthday sashes over their bodies.” I hesitate. “Is that why you’re sad, because you aren’t spending it with your sister?”

She smiles. “We always celebrated our birthdays in the morning and Christmas in the afternoon.” Her voice is barely audible above the deeper voices.

“Open it. And we’ll celebrate properly when we get back to New York.”

She shakes her head. “Thank you, but you don’t have to do that.”

“I want to. If you don’t like it. I can get you something you’d prefer.”

Her fingers carefully grip the pink silky ribbon, unraveling it to expose a meticulously wrapped gift. With a slight push, she reveals a black velvet box nestled inside.

“This already looks too expensive,” she whispers, sliding her finger over the smooth velour.

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