Page 26 of In Knots

“Fun?” I pause, the salad leaf I’d speared with my fork dangling in mid-air. “Same as everyone else, I guess.” I take a bite and chew. “Oh, I take photos.”

“How cute. Like a little hobby. I think every omega should have one.” I grind the salad between my teeth until it’s completely obliterated. “What do you take pictures of? Flowers?”

“Yeah, flowers,” I say.

I place my fork down and push my plate away. I don’t care if he resents the fact I’m wasting the food he’s paid for. I can’t eat another mouthful.

He starts to tell me about the triathlon he has coming up in a couple of weeks, his training regime and game plan. My mind wanders, although I play the game of seeming interested, nodding my head, smiling at the remarks he considers witty.

Finally, he puts down his own knife and fork, his plate empty, and I could almost cry with relief. Now, surely, we can go?

He leans back in his chair, taking a leisurely sip of his wine and peering at me over the rim. His tie’s not sitting straight on his chest anymore, it’s a little crooked and his hair flops into his face. He swipes it away.

“Would you like some dessert, Omega? Or do you want to get out of here?”

How does he think this date went? I’m hoping he’s as bored with me as I am with him. Then we can agree together that this isn’t going to work and throw a bucket of very cold water on our parents’ ambitions. However, the smirk on his face tells me I’m not going to be that lucky.

“I think maybe home?” I say. “My parents–”

“Aren’t going to mind if you stay out with me.”

“Oh no, my father’s gets all twitchy if I’m out late–”

“Darling, that won’t be a problem.” He motions to a passing waiter for the bill. “Let’s get out of here.”

I don’t want to go anywhere else with him, but I guess I’ll leave that argument to the car. So, I follow him into the balmy evening and he sets off speeding down the road.

“How about we go park up somewhere?” he says, resting his palm on my thigh. I flinch and, even though my dress acts as a barrier, my skin crawls with his touch. I yank my leg away and his head swings sharply around. He frowns at me.

“You really are an up-tight frigid little thing, aren’t you?”

“I would like to go home now.”

“And maybe I’d like to sample the goods before I make my purchase.” He yanks the car to the right and I’m thrown violently in my seat.

“My father–”

“Your father wants me to claim you.Myfather wants me to claim you.”

“But I don’t,” I say, my voice not as determined as I’d like it to be.

“Well, no one really cares what you want, Omega.” He spits the name omega through his teeth as if it’s something dirty and beneath him.

“That isn’t true,” I say, although I’m not entirely convinced. Would my parents force me to mate with a man I didn’t want to? I know they’re fed up with waiting, that they want me off their hands and mated to an alpha who brings them additional status too.

He stamps his foot on the accelerator and I’m forced backwards in my seat, my chest tight as I struggle for breath.

“When we’re mated, I won’t tolerate this,” he says, his voice full of a venom that makes me flinch away from him. “I don’t care to have an omega speak back to me like this. If you aren’t going to put out, the least you can do is keep your mouth shut and do as you’re told.”

“Take me home,” I repeat, my teeth clenched together, my hands curled into tight balls, my fingernails sinking into my palms.

“And what if I don’t want to?”

I clasp my fingers around the door handle and tug hard, swinging the door open. A car in the next lane swerves and leans on the horn.

“What the fuck!” he shouts. “What the fuck are you doing?”

I reach for my seatbelt.

“OK, OK,” he cries, swinging the car towards the pavement and slamming his foot down on the brake.

My forehead hits the dashboard as I crash forward in my seat.

I pull myself back up, meeting his eye. I’m sure mine burn with hatred and his show no remorse, no empathy.

“Get out, then,” he snarls. “If you want to go home, you can find your own way there.”

Snapping off my seat belt, I stumble out of the car, my head throbbing from the impact. I’m just about to close the door behind me, when he adds, “You’re going to be my mate, Omega, whether you like it or not.”

I slam the door shut in his face and step away. He’s off in a flash, zooming through the traffic, leaving me alone on the deserted street.

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