Page 60 of Believe it or Knot

Maybe all of his declarations of wanting me were just words. Maybe he thought he wanted me, but after having me realized I’m not who he wants to be with. Nevermind that it was mind blowing for me, the best sex I’ve ever had, with Liam on the Ferris wheel coming in at a close second.

He never said he loved me, never claimed me as his in a permanent way. He didn’t even scrape his teeth over my neck like he was considering biting. While we were making out, yes, he did, but during the act? He’d kept his mouth far away from any part of my body, saying he wanted to watch me when I came.

But now I wonder if he just didn’t have the urge at all to bite me. If it just never occurred to him.

An alpha would do that, right? With someone they wanted to keep forever, they would consider sinking their teeth into the flesh of the person they wanted to claim. Even if… Even if it wasn’t the right time, they’d be tempted.

I don’t think Gage was.

In the wake of that disappointing realization, I’m secretly glad Gage doesn’t come to Granton with us. It hurts, but I don’t want him to force himself to be with me out of some kind of misguided loyalty to our friendship or because he thinks that’s what I want.

He deserves to be happy with whoever will do that for him.

Even if it’s not me.

I shove the thought and the pain it causes away and instead focus on the city growing ever closer. We’re all piled into one car, my bag in the back. When they saw I’d only packed the one, I’d received some arched brows, but I’ve never been someone who needs a lot of extra things. I pack light, I always have. Even if I’d been tempted to bring extra clothing, some outfits the Cordova pack bought for me.

But I’d ignored them in favor of my own clothes.

If I’m doing this, I want to be me. I want to be comfortable. And I’m not sure I’ll be comfortable in a thousand dollar cocktail dress. I’d be too worried I’d rip it or spill something on it and that’d be a thousand dollars wasted… on me.

I just can’t bear the idea of that.

I did pack some of the bra and panty sets that they’d bought, though. They’re just too pretty and fit far better than any of my worn out cotton ones. And apparently, I enjoy wearing something so pretty under my clothes. It makes me feel more confident, even if I’m just wearing jean shorts and a t-shirt over top.

Joey sighs from the front passenger seat. Rafe is driving and I’m wedged between Liam and Gray in the back seat. I feel the alpha and omega exchange a look over the top of my head. “What’s up, Joe?” Gray asks, smoothing his hand over my thigh and giving it a squeeze.

Joey twists in his seat, his gaze lingering on where Gray’s hand rests, the arm Liam has over my shoulder, before he meets the alpha’s eyes. “I know Liam said no working this week because…” The tightness in his mouth tells me what he thinks about this pronouncement from the omega. “Well, anyway, we’ve just received an offer from IndulgScents. They want you to be a spokesperson for an upcoming campaign, Liam.”

Liam leans forward eagerly. “No shit, really?”

Joey nods, feeding off the excitement. “Yeah! Cicely Blake herself reached out! She wants to set up a meeting for the day after tomorrow. You’ll fly to meet her in Monmouth and discuss the details. I’ll go with you, of course.”

Liam slumps back against the seat, thumb swiping over my shoulder, back and forth. “Nah, not this week. Maybe next week.”

Joey looks at him, eyes wide with disbelief. “This is IndulgScents, hon. The biggest retailer of perfumes and scented products in the country and maybe even the world. You can’t just-”

“He can actually,” Gray says lazily, but there’s an underlying thread of warning in his tone. “It’s in his contract that he can decline all requests for sponsorship. He’s declining to meet with Cecily Blake this week. If she would like to meet next week, we can make that happen.”

“You knew that, Joey,” Rafe says, flicking on a blinker and turning off the highway. “You should have immediately responded with the option of meeting later this month. None of us are working this week.”

It’s unsaid that they aren’t working because of me. Because I’m visiting the city with them and they want to spend as much time as they can with me. Joey’s eyes flash with anger, but he quickly turns back to face the road. I wonder if Liam and Gray saw it. The resentment, the anger toward me.

“Right, of course,” the assistant says, tapping on his tablet. “I’ll do that right now. Do you think Tuesday of next week will work? Or will Sorrel still be with us then?” The question is polite enough, but the tone is… off. Snide.

Next to me, Liam tenses, straightening his spine a bit and his scent shifts the tiniest bit, edging into burned graham crackers and bitter lemon.

“Tuesday should be fine,” Gray says, arm sliding over my shoulders to grip the back of Liam’s neck. The omega immediately takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly as the tension drains from him.

Liam looks down at me and kisses my temple, nuzzling into my hair. “But you should take the rest of the week off, Joey,” he says, not moving his mouth away from my skin. “Since we won’t be working, there’s not really anything for you to do for us. For me.”

“What? No- I-I- there’s plenty I can do for you!”

“I don’t think you want to hang around the pack house while we fuck our girl in every room, Joe,” Gray says pleasantly.

“Gray!” I shriek, my face turning bright red as I whip my head toward him.

He laughs and kisses the tip of my nose. “What? You don’t think that’s gonna happen?”

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