Page 51 of Believe it or Knot

I shake my head in disbelief, a smile pulling at my lips as tears of relief fill my eyes. “Oh, god.” I swipe at my cheeks and then beam up at them. “Thank you. I have-I’ll find a way to repay you. Not just the money. I’ll come up with something to show my gratitude. I swear.”

Gray gives me a soft smile, smooths his thumb over my cheek to catch a lone tear. “You don’t have to repay us, sweet thing. We’re happy to help.”

I press a kiss to his wrist before shaking my head. “I’ll come up with something.” What that might be, I have no idea. It’s not like they need anything. They can buy whatever they want. They don’t even need me to actually pay them back the money they’ve loaned me, but I’m determined.

“Free burgers for life,” I mutter, even though it’s still not enough to show my gratitude.

“Here’s how you can repay us,” Liam says, nuzzling my cheek again.

“Liam.” Rafe’s voice holds a warning that the omega is apparently happy to ignore.

“Hire more people so you can take some time off.” My brows jump in surprise. That was not at all what I was expecting. “Then you can come into the city with us. We can take you out. Wine and dine you. Show you what it's like to live there.”

My cheeks flush bright red at the reality of what he’s saying. Liam Cordova wants to take me out in public in a city like Granton, where people will recognize him, where the paparazzi will lurk around every corner, eager to get a shot of him.

It won’t be like here in Lake Kilrose, where no one really cares all that much.

Where we can go to dinner and be left alone to enjoy it.

It’s not that people here don’t recognize Liam for who he is, but it’s more that they… respect the normal societal boundaries and don’t overstep except for a few busybodies.

I turn toward the omega next to me. “You mean you want to take me out on a date?”

He glances around at the restaurant, at the food on the table and the other diners. “Isn’t that what we did today? Did I read this all wrong?” He asks, sounding a little worried.

I reach out and lace my fingers with his, hurriedly. “No… I just… I guess I didn’t realize this was a date. I thought it might be like friends hanging out, because…”

Liam slides his gaze to the side, right to Gage and murmurs, “Do you normally let your friends finger fuck you to orgasm in public?”

My face goes hot, hot, hot, and I look over at Gage. His hands fist on the table, knuckles white, jaw tense. He looks as pissed off and growly as ever, maybe even more so. It’s clear what Liam is asking, but I can’t exactly respond. What am I going to say? That Gage has never touched me remotely like he wants me, but I’ve dreamed about it myself?

I shake my head. “No, my friends don’t do that.”

“If you don’t let friends do that to you, how can we be friends, Sorrel?”

I know he doesn’t mean anything by it. I know he’s making a point. But I can’t help but feel like the point he’s making is that they’re not actually interested in me, just my body. A sex thing like he said days before.

They’re ‘dating’ me intending to fuck me, but they aren’t actually interested in more than that.

If that’s the case, a part of me questions, why would they go through the trouble of paying off the Stillwell pack, and apparently beating most of them so badly they had to be hospitalized?

I don’t have an answer.

I lick my lips and shoot a glance at Liam before saying softly, “I guess we’re not.”

Gage’s glower grows, but he doesn’t say anything. “I-I’ll have to think about it,” I murmur, not looking at anyone. “About taking time off, I mean. It’s just hard for me to get away.”

Liam squeezes my thigh. “Maybe Gage can help,” he says cheerfully. “You two are such good friends. I’m sure he’s worked at the Shack before. Maybe he could run it for you while you come spend some time with us.”

The fork in my best friend’s hand bends under the strength of his grip. I cast him a worried look when his expression only grows stormier. “Gage has never actually worked with me. His parents didn’t want him to.”

Liam gives a lazy shrug. “It’s just flipping burgers. How hard can it be?”

Gage sucks in a sharp breath, and the rage on his face is apoplectic. I know he’s about to explode. He’s hit his limit. I also know that Liam didn’t register the insult he just lobbed my way.

The truth is, running what amounts to a fast-food joint isn’t all that complicated. There’s a reason flipping burgers at a fast-food restaurant is a first-time job for teenagers all over the world.

But it still stings.

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