Page 112 of Knot So Sweet
"What?" I touch my face self-consciously. "Do I have something..."
Heat floods my cheeks. "Stop looking at me like that. We just established I need time to recover."
"Doesn't mean we can't look," Garrick points out. "Or appreciate."
"Or think about what we'll do later," Liam adds with a grin that's absolutely wicked.
"You're all terrible." But I'm smiling as I say it. "Now someone help me pack my stuff because apparently we're moving today."
What follows is controlled chaos. Garrick disappears to get boxes from the bakery's storage. Liam starts carefully packing my books, organizing them by genre because of course he does. Xaden tackles my closet, which isn't much. I didn't exactly bring a huge wardrobe when I ran.
I sit on the bed, folding clothes and trying not to think too hard about the fact that I'm packing up my life again. Even if thistime it's different. This time I'm not running away, I'm running toward something.
"This is everything?" Xaden holds up my single suitcase, the one I arrived with months ago.
"I travel light." Always have. Mark taught me that lesson early. The less you own, the less they can take away. "Most of what I have is here already. My laptop. Books. Couple changes of clothes."
"We'll get you more," Garrick says from where he's taping up a box. "Whatever you need."
"I don't need much."
"Not about need." He looks up, meeting my eyes. "About want. You're allowed to want things, Violet. Nice clothes. Books. Whatever makes you happy."
The casual statement makes my throat tight. You're allowed to want things. Such a simple sentence that I'm only just learning to believe.
"I want soft blankets," I say quietly. "And throw pillows. And maybe some plants that I'll probably kill but I'll try anyway."
"Done." Xaden's already making notes in his phone. "What else?"
"That's it for now." I fold another shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles. "I'm not used to thinking about what I want. Give me time to figure it out."
"You've got all the time in the world," Liam assures me.
We finish packing quickly because there's really not that much to pack. Two boxes of books. One box of kitchen stuff I'd accumulated. Clothes in the suitcase. My laptop bag. That's it. That's my entire life, fitting into the back of Xaden's truck.
Pathetic? Maybe. But also freeing. I'm not weighed down by possessions or memories or things I'm afraid to lose. Everything I truly need is standing in this apartment with me, helping me load boxes.
The drive to the pack house is quiet. I'm in Xaden's truck, sandwiched between him and Garrick while Liam follows in his car with the rest of the boxes. The road curves through tall trees, climbing higher into the mountains.
I've been to the pack house before. Quick visits where they'd make me dinner and I'd leave before it got too late. But I never stayed. Never claimed space. Never let myself believe I deserved to.
Now I'm moving in. Making it permanent.
"Nervous?" Garrick asks, his hand finding mine.
"Terrified," I admit. "What if I'm terrible at this? Living with other people? Being pack?"
"You've been living with us for three days," Xaden points out. "Granted, most of it was sex, but still. You didn't kill us."
"The bar is very low apparently."
"We're easy," Garrick says. "Feed us. Don't hog all the hot water. Try not to break anything expensive."
"Those are literally the only rules," Xaden agrees. "Everything else we'll figure out as we go."
The pack house comes into view, and my breath catches. It's beautiful. Modern but warm, all wood and glass and stone. Three separate structures connected by covered walkways, with a main common area in the center. Mountains rising behind it, trees surrounding it, like it grew naturally from the landscape.
"Welcome home, Violet," Liam says from behind us as we all pile out of the vehicles.
