Page 87 of Knot That Difficult

I nod.

“Good,” he says. “Now you’re stuck with me.”

“Tell me what happened,” I demand, and he raises an eyebrow.

“What normally happens when an Alpha mates an Omega,Ben.I bit her.”

The front door opens, and Connor enters, then looks at both of us. “Where is she?” he demands, his breathing heavy. His coffee scent is stronger than usual, and his eyes are dilated.

“Hi, babe,” Ace says, grinning. “Our mate is in her nest.”

I have the urge to punch him.

Ace may be taller than me, and most likely stronger, but I’m quicker.

A soft whimper comes from the bedroom, and Ace moves to step out of the kitchen, but I block him.

“Get the fuck out of my way,” he snarls.

“Tell me what happened,” I snap.

The ache to go to Devyn is deep in my chest, but I force myself to ignore it.

Connor rushes out of the room and down the hallway to the bedroom.

“I already told you what happened,asshole,” Ace hisses. “If you don’t get the fuck out of my way, I will knock you out. I don’t care.”

I should know better than to get between an Alpha and his Omega, but I’ll be damned if I don’t get answers. “There’s more to it. When did the bite happen?”

Ace glowers at me. “In the parking garage. Is that what you want to hear,detective? In the parking garage, against her car.”

My mouth falls open in horror. “What?”

“In. The. Parking. Garage,” Ace hisses. “Nowmove.” He shoves me, but I shove right back.

“What did you do to her?” I slam him back into the kitchen, fury radiating from me. “You forced the mating bond in thegarage?”

He falls against the cabinet, then shoves me back against the stove, a pot falling to the floor. My back throbs, but I don’t care.

Aceroarslike a fucking monster, his eyes full of fury. “You think I forced her? You think I wouldeverdo something like that to hurt her?”

I swear to god, if I had my weapon on me, I would draw it on him.

There’s no way she asked for it in a parking garage. There’s no possible way she wanted that.

“You’ve known her for less than amonth.There’s no way?—”

“Guess what, asshole,” he spits, grabbing me by my shirt collar and hauling me up against the cabinets. “I did exactly what she asked me to do because I’m a fuckingAlphaand I found my mate.” He leans closer into me until our mouths are almost touching. “And you’re stuck with me. So get fucking used to it.”

My head spins.

Sheaskedhim to do it? In the parking lot?

Devyn’s always wanted it to be special, so why…

It’s not my proudest moment, but I cock my fist and punch Ace right in his stupid fucking mouth.

I don’t get violent. Devyn hates violence.

---