Page 50 of In Knots

“Yes.” He leans forward and kisses my knuckles. “Will you sleep with him too?”

I close my eyes again. I can speak the truth with him. I’m not afraid. “I want to.” I open my eyes and watch the skin of his gland quivering. “Is that OK?”

“Yes, Omega. I’d like that.” He inhales my scent and then blows it out slowly. “I’ve got to go, princess.”

“Where are you going?”

“Back to the pack house. I have work today. We all do.”

“Can I come? Later, I mean, to see where you work.”

He strokes his thumb along the side of my hand. “I think it would be boring as hell for you. We’ve got a lot that needs doing. We wouldn’t be able to give you the attention you want.”

“I wouldn’t expect any attention. I just want to see. I’m curious.”

He considers this for a moment. “Ahh fuck, princess, you know I can’t say no to you.”

I smile and kiss the warm gland on the back of his neck.

* * *

I have Jonathan drive me to the spa, keeping up this ruse of a girlie day out. I just have to pray he doesn’t talk to the other staff and realise I’m lying.

When he leaves, I give it ten minutes, and then I call a taxi, arriving at the address Ryan gave me a half hour later.

I’ve never really given this side of town much consideration before, although I’ve driven through it plenty of times. The houses are smaller here, and crammed along the main road, the paint work dirty with grime. Graffiti marks the undersides of the bridges and neon signs advertise the betting odds on horse races, fried chicken and cheap alcohol. Several shopping trolleys are abandoned on pavements as well as wheelless bikes chained to lamp posts.

“You sure you got the address right, miss?” the taxi driver asks, examining me in the rearview mirror.

“Yes,” I tell him.

As the vehicle pulls up outside the garage, I see Bear stroll out into the sunlight, wiping his hands on a rag and squinting in my direction. He spies me through the window and jogs over to open my door. He offers me his hand and I climb out.

“Ryan said you might show up today.”

“I said I would.” He waits while I pay the taximan, then gestures for me to follow him through into the workshop where I can hear the growl of an engine and the clank of tools. The place stinks of oil and petrol, but I don’t find it offensive. It’s a smell I’m beginning to like. It reminds me of these men.

“Well, we’ve got a fuck load to do today. We’re behind on a few jobs so no funny business.”

“Funny business?” I ask him.

He cocks an eyebrow at me and his gaze sweeps down my form, lingering on my bare legs.

I chew on my lip. “I just wanted to come see where you work.”

“Sure you did, sweetheart,” he shakes his head, motioning towards an office with a desk and some chairs, before turning and striding away.

I hover by the desk, a little unsure what to do with myself. The sounds of the men working ring out around me, and as I peer further into the shadowed workshop, I can make out two pairs of legs poking out from beneath a car and Cam sitting inside another vehicle fiddling with the electronics.

I shift my weight from foot to foot, then I spy a kettle plugged in by the desk, a small fridge tucked beneath the counter.

May as well make myself useful.

I fill the kettle and switch it on, then wander into the depths of the workshop. Cam spots me first and ducks his head out of the car.

“Hi there, sweetheart. You OK?” I think for a moment that he doesn’t recognise me, then he gestures to the pairs of legs. “Buzz and Ryan are busy working at the moment.”

“Oh, I know. I just thought I could be helpful and make some tea and coffee.”

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