Page 24 of Knot Their Girl
Gideon nods once. “It is. She seemed comfortable with you the night of the choosing ceremony. I want her to be comfortable once she moves in, and I’m hoping your presence might help with that.”
I can’t help it. I bark out an incredulous laugh. “You’re saying she accepted an offer? Fromyou? What—” And then I think back, to what Raeka said after she got back from the restroom:she spoke with an older alpha. I mocked her, thinking nothing of it at the time, besides scolding her about being alone with another alpha.
Was that alpha Gideon Chase? A growl nearly leaves me, but I’m able to stop it from surfacing before either my brother or Gideon can hear it.
Agrowl? Fuck. Don’t know where that came from.
“The whole point of having me with her that night was to scare off any potential suitors. She didn’t want any offers,” I say.
He doesn’t flinch at my hard tone. He simply says, “That may be, but that doesn’t change the fact that she did accept an offer from me. She’s moving in Friday. I would like you to move in then as well, provided you’re accepting the job.”
“I—”
Darius talks over me, “Of course he accepts the job.”
I wasn’t going to say anything of the sort, and I shoot my brother a deadly glare, but Darius is an über like me, and he’s not playing, so he matches the glare with one of his own. For the next few moments, we’re locked in a glaring contest, neither one of us wanting to back down.
“I’m no bodyguard,” I breathe out the words through my teeth.
“You are whatever this company needs you to be,” Darius says, matching my intensity. “You’re taking the job. You’ll sign whatever NDA Gideon wants you to, and you’ll move into his home until it’s decided your presence there is no longer needed. Until then, your apartment and all of your bills will be handled by me personally.”
I don’t want to back down. Backing down isn’t a part of my DNA. Still, I remind myself that this job would involve seeing Raeka again, and that’s the only reason I relent and mutter, “Fine.”
Raeka. Raeka who accepted an offer from the alpha beside me. She must have a thing for older men, because someone like Raeka could get any alpha she wanted if she actually tried.
“Thank you, Pax,” Gideon says. “Hopefully I can make Raeka feel welcome and safe in my home so that your presence won’t have to be long-term. That said, I hope we can both agree that her comfort and safety should be our top priority.”
Well, I guess Gideon and I see eye-to-eye when it comes to that, at least.
I don’t know if I trust him. Hell, I don’t even know if I like the guy, but I sure as hell don’t believe he charmed Raeka to accept an offer. No, there has to be more to this. She was so adamant about not getting any offers that night. What could have possibly changed so quickly? What kind of promises did this odd alpha make her?
I force out a smile. “Yes, her comfort and safety is definitely top priority.” For me, anyway. For him? The jury’s still out. I don’t trust him farther than I can throw him, and given his slender frame, I’m sure I can throw him a good ways.
Huh. Guess that saying doesn’t really work unless you’re talking about someone you absolutely can’t throw at all.
Raeka Whittenhall. I’ll be seeing her again.
I shouldn’t be excited, but I am.
Chapter Twelve – Raeka
My family wanted to come with me on move-in day. Nicole stayed home from school—and my mom let her so she could see me off. My dad even took the day off from work. But I convinced them that I wanted to go home with Gideon, start our new life together quickly and all that shit. My sister knew better, but my mom was just so happy to hear that she didn’t put up a fight at all. And my dad? I think he’s still skeptical, but hopeful.
When Gideon comes to pick me and my suitcases up, the family piles outside and watches him load the SUV. My dad helps him, and as they exchange pleasantries, my mom decides to get in one more lecturing session.
“Now, living with your alpha is going to be different,” she says. “Being away from your family, your hormones are going to kick in more often. It’s always best to let them take over. Fighting them will only make you both miserable—”
I roll my eyes. “I know, Mom.” I’m sure she says more, but I tune her out. Beside her, Nicole stands, watching me with big, sad eyes. “Don’t look so sad. We’ll still see each other all the time.”
My sister rams into me for a hug, and I let her hug me for as long as she needs as she mumbles, “I’m going to miss you so much.”
“I’ll miss you too,” I tell her, meaning it. Out of everyone in this house, my little sister is the only one I can stand to be around—even if she sometimes does nothing but echo our mom’s talking points about how wonderful it is to be an omega.
The guys finish loading the vehicle, and Gideon shuts the trunk, the action causing Nicole to finally unentangle herself from me. She wipes a tear away from the corner of her eye andgoes to stand beside our mom, who drapes an arm around her shoulders and hugs her close as they both gaze at me.
Gideon and my dad approach, the former saying, “You ready to go?”
I nod once and step away from my family. My dad stands beside Gideon, giving me a warm smile. “Good luck, kiddo. We’re always a phone call away, got it?” He gives me a bear hug before joining Mom and Nicole near the front door.
