Page 78 of Hard Knot

I nod slowly, her words sinking in.

She slides my glasses onto her face, adjusting them until they sit just right.

“Then own it,” she continues, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me close. Her breath is warm against my ear as she whispers, “Life is short, Felix. No way are we walking through it pleasing people who don’t give a damn about us.”

Her words land like a punch to the chest, leaving me breathless in a way that has nothing to do with her proximity.

I want to respond —maybe something sarcastic, maybe something profound— but I catch movement in my peripheral vision.

Carter’s presence is impossible to miss.

He’s stepped closer, his broad frame looming just behind Elizabeth, his expression unreadable except for the sharp hunger glinting in his dark eyes.

“She’s got a point,” Carter says, his voice smooth and tinged with humor. “And maybe you’ll actually listen, since it’s not coming from one of your bros, but from an Omega who actually gives a damn.”

I grunt, my grip tightening slightly around Elizabeth’s waist as I try to tamp down the growing heat in my body.

“Go away, Carter.”

“Nah,” he replies easily, his lips quirking into a wicked grin. “See, I lasted watching the whole blowjob thing with Holmes. Barely. But this?” He gestures vaguely at us, his gaze trailing over Elizabeth’s body like he’s memorizing every inch. “No way I’m surviving this right now. Not without appeasing myself.”

Elizabeth’s head tilts slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing her features as Carter steps even closer. His arm moves in a smooth, deliberate motion, wrapping across the front of her neck. His touch isn’t rough, but firm and commanding, as if daring her to move away.

“Look back at me, sweetheart,” Carter murmurs, his voice low and gravelly.

She does, tilting her chin just enough to meet his gaze.

Their lips hover inches apart, the tension between them palpable.

“You like those piercings of Felix’s?” Carter asks, his tone teasing but with an edge of something deeper, darker.

Elizabeth doesn’t hesitate.

“Yes,” she replies, her voice steady, though her blush deepens as the word leaves her lips.

Carter grins, his eyes glinting with satisfaction as he leans in and captures her mouth in a hard, unyielding kiss. His grip tightens slightly, holding her firmly in place as his lips move against hers, devouring her like he’s starving.

A low groan escapes him, muffled by the kiss, and he pulls back just enough to mutter against her lips.

“I can smell how fucking aroused you are.”

Elizabeth’s blush deepens, her gaze flicking briefly to mine before she admits.

“I’m on my last pair of scent-blocking panties...and I’ve probably drenched these too many times to do justice anymore.”

Carter groans, his forehead pressing briefly against hers as if he’s trying to gather his composure. I, however, feel my restraint slipping. Her confession sends another jolt of heat through me, and I feel a boldness rising that I hadn’t expected.

“Then maybe,” I say, my voice rougher than usual, “we should remove them. They’re pretty useless now that they’re soaked with slick.”

Carter’s head turns slightly, his gaze locking with mine, and the approving smirk he gives me sends a surge of adrenaline through my veins.

Elizabeth’s reaction is more hesitant.

She glances up at Carter, her blue eyes wide, her lips parted slightly as though silently seeking his permission. He’s clearly savoring the moment, his posture radiating dominance as he tilts her chin upward with two fingers.

“You’re looking at me like that,” he murmurs, his voice a low growl. “Like you need me to say yes.” His lips brush against hers again, just barely, before he pulls back and meets my gaze. “Let’s do it. I’ll lift her up enough so you can slide them off.”

The room feels charged as Carter slides his arms around her waist, lifting her effortlessly until her hips hover just above my lap. My hands move instinctively, brushing against the soft fabric of her dress before finding the waistband of her panties.

---