Page 91 of Knight With Benefits

“Let us out.”

He eyed me as if he wanted to argue, but if we could hear the motorcycles, his enhanced shifter senses were strong enough for him to be sure of what caused the noise.

Sighing, he shook his head but moved aside and held the door open for us.

“They just might kill me for this if it’s not them.”

I wasn’t sure if he was serious, but I couldn’t find it in me to care enough to stay. If Carl was outside, I needed to see him.

The dim hallway that led outside felt longer than I remembered, but we finally emerged into the night just as the rumble cut off. It was too dark for me to see far, but the bond in my chest pulled me toward the hulking shape on the far left of the three motorcycles.

“Carl?”

I wasn’t sure where the other two women had gone or how I’d crossed the distance between the door and the looming figure. None of it mattered except making sure my mate was okay.

“Yeah, I’m here. I’m okay.”

A sob caught in my throat as I threw myself into his arms.

“Hush, Beautiful. Everything is alright. Adam and the others are gone, and I don’t think they’ll be targeting you anymore.”

While it was a relief to know I didn’t need to worry about my business being damaged, or that someone was going to kidnap me, there was still a stab of pain. I doubted there was anything that could heal the rift between me and my eldest, and while I realized it wasn’t my fault, it still hurt.

“What happened?”

Carl was reluctant, but he finally told me what they’d faced when they had arrived at The Hangout, my heart stumbling at the scene he described. He assured me David and the two Knights were okay, but it broke my heart to know my son had been involved in the situation. He truly wasn’t the man I’d dreamed he would be. I could only hope maybe time would bring sense.

“I hope you’ll forgive me.”

I’d been lost in thought after Carl had stopped speaking, so I looked in question. The darkness in the lot behind the church left his face in shadows, but I didn’t need to see to know he was looking down at me with a worried expression.

“For what?”

“I told him I better not see him again. That he couldn’t come back to Hell. I know he’s your son, but we—”

I tugged on the back of his neck, pulling him down to silence him with a soft kiss.

“I know. It wouldn’t be safe. It’s okay.”

I could still feel his unease through the bond, but I wasn’t angry with him. Carl was trying to protect all of us, and I knew it wouldn’t be safe to allow Adam to come around. It was part of the reason I hadn’t told him where I was going in the first place, because some part of me knew he would ruin what I was trying to build.

Pressing my forehead to Carl’s, I stood there, soaking up his presence and trying to release my worries and guilt. Logic had no say over emotions, and I knew it would take a long time to accept this was how things had to be, but the weight of everything was crippling.

“I love you.”

The quiet confession stole my breath, and I lifted my head to search for his eyes. I hated that I couldn’t see through the dark and all I could do was pull him in for another kiss.

“I love you too, Carl. Even if I didn’t want to.”

His little huff had my lips ticking up, warm spreading inside me. No matter what happened, I knew he would be by my side for the rest of my time, steady and supportive as we both battled our demons to make a place for ourselves and the happiness we found together.

***

“I’m going to puke.”

“That would be a lovely smell for your customers when they come in. I’m not sure you have time to mop again.”

My hand flew to the side without conscious direction, smacking into Carl’s belly. A little over a month ago I’d have been horrified at committing such a thoughtless action to an alpha, but Carl had changed my life in more ways than one.

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