Page 43 of Believe it or Knot

“Was, biscuit. I was a sharpshooter.” There seems to be something else that follows that statement, something he leaves unsaid, but I don’t know what it could be.

“They’ll have to have a shoot off sometime,” Liam says, nuzzling into my neck and inhaling. “See who’s better.”

“Me,” Gage says at the same time Rafe states, “I am,” before continuing.

“Regardless, I’ve got the highest score here.” Rafe smirks over at Gage, who narrows his eyes in a glare. “What do you want, conejita?” The bodyguard asks me, draping an arm around my shoulders and tugging me into his chest.

I scan the items that the attendant points out to me. “The purple unicorn, please.” He’s fat and soft and squishy, like an off brand Squishmallow, and I adore him as soon as I have him in my arms.

“He’s going to look so cute with my teal blankets on my bed.” I pop up to my toes and brush a kiss against Rafe’s cheek. “I love him. Thank you.”

Rafe turns his head and brushes a gentle kiss against my lips. “You’re welcome, conejita.”

“I could have gotten that for you,” Liam says, sounding like he’s pouting.

“Yeah, okay,” Gage growls in his pissed off voice. Though I don’t know why he’d be pissed off. Surely he’s not upset that Rafe got the high score?

Liam lifts his sunglasses off his nose and eyes Gage. “What about you growly? You wanna catch me a unicorn?”

I laugh. “Gage is banned from any of the games requiring hand eye coordination.” The guy behind the counter nods and jerks a finger at a board with a picture of my best friend on it. From seven years ago, but still undeniably him.

“He wins every damn time. Repeatedly.”

Gage folds his arms over his chest, looking smug. “I won nearly every stuffy for Sorrel when we were seventeen. Isn’t that right, biscuit?”

I nod and hug my unicorn closer. “Yep. And ever since then, he’s been banned.”

Liam eyes the picture of a seventeen-year-old Gage. “Huh. I never realized this is a thing that people actually do. Put pictures of ne'er-do-wells up to keep them from ne’er do welling.”

I laugh and squeeze my new unicorn plushy. “I’ve only ever seen them do it with Gage.”

The big growly alpha shrugs. “What can I say? I’m special that way.”

Track 11: Line by Line

This might sound crazy, but I’ve never been to a fair before. Not as a kid, and certainly not as an adult. I’ve been too busy. Far too busy to do something as mundane as have fun for the sake of it.

Don’t get me wrong. My life is plenty fun. I love my job, I wouldn’t change it for the world, and Gary and Rafe make sure I take time to relax and recuperate, especially after a heat, but that usually means going to a hidden tropical island and hiding from… well, everyone.

It rarely includes something like this.

This vibrant, pulsing, oil scented and noisy fair.

We’ve been all over the grounds, eaten our weight in greasy fair food, ridden countless rides—well, mostly Sorrel and I have ridden the rides while the alphas stand by. The only time they climb onto one is when our girl or I beg them to ride with us, otherwise they all wait at the exit gate with Clarence, Sorrel’s new unicorn. I fucking love that she named him that.

“I’m having the best time,” I say to Sorrel, nuzzling into her neck and letting her lavender soothe me, even as it makes my cock hard. “This has been the best day. Thank you for coming with us.”

I love the flush of pink in her cheeks, love that her sun-kissed olive skin is warm and smells like sunscreen and coconut. Love that she’s been smiling all day, not the fake one she gives when she doesn’t want anyone to know she’s uncomfortable or faking it.

She hugs her purple unicorn closer and turns to press a quick kiss to my cheek. It’s so sweet and so unexpected coming from her, that I pull up short and stare at her, making Gage curse when he crashes into my back. “Jesus, Cordova, warn a guy!”

I glance over at him, a smirk pulling at my lips. “Warn a guy before you grind your cock on his ass, Wagner.” I quip back, grinning like a loon when Sorrel laughs, tipping her head back and showing off the smooth line of her throat. My eyes latch onto the spot I want to bite, internally claiming it as mine, even if I have to fight all these alphas for the right for my bite to be front and center.

I need the fucking world to know that she is claimed. Mine.

If the low, hot growls coming from the three men around us are any sign, they’re all feeling the same thing.

Sorrel’s cheeks go an even brighter pink as she drops her chin, aqua eyes wide. She clears her throat and looks around at anything but the four of us. “So, uh, what else do you want to do? Any rides in particular you want to make sure we hit before we go home?”

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