Page 22 of Knot Enough

TWENTY-ONE

After she had calmed down, I was left sitting on the couch waiting for her as she got ready.

Not everyone admitted it yet, but we wanted her.

I’d made peace with what happened that night when Valerie took Kim and Lennox from us.

If we couldn’t escape the past, we would never be happy.

Things had been getting better. We wanted to make her feel good and then . . .

Fuck.

I don’t know.

She wasn’t Valerie?

As she threw on a shirt and I tried not to go backwards, but she was here because of her guilt. Rath didn’t fuck around. When he obsessed over something, it drove him to madness. He needed to know everything about it. I know he put the time and effort into watching her before he took her.

There was no way he grabbed the wrong woman, but if he did, that was a whole other can of worms. If she was innocent, the atrocities we’d committed were unforgivable.

We raped, chained, and carved her. No amount of apologizing would make this okay.

In the beginning, I didn’t want to go down this path, but I didn’t stop Rath or anyone else.

I’m as guilty as the others. Even more so than Axel because I didn’t even try to fucking feed her.

As sobs wracked her body, I’m filled with self-loathing. Right now, we’re at a point where the guys are confirming her story. I don’t care if what she’s said is a lie or not; there was no doubt in my mind she belonged with us.

The question was: did we deserve her? The answer was clear. We didn’t.

She paced back and forth, her chest rising and falling rapidly. I needed to get her out of this house. We both needed air to think things through. She ran her hand through her beautiful hair, yanking a handful before turning to me.

“Rath hates me,” she groaned angrily.

“That’s not true,” I rasped through the guilt that clogged my throat. She raised her head and lifted her chin to glare at me. Even with her eyes swollen, cheeks red, and a runny nose from crying, she was beautiful.

“Don’t lie to me, Oak,” she hiccuped.

“He’s been cruel because he thinks you’re Valerie,” I whispered.

“You believe me?” she asked. Her eyes round with hope.

“I believe you,” I promised. “Just. . . trying to make sense of it all now.” Her chin trembled as she threw her arms around my neck.

“I know it’s absolute shit right now, and it probably isn’t the best time, but let me take you out.”

“Like a date?” she rasped.

“Like a date,” I repeated. With a quick glance at the doorway, her shoulders slumped, and she pulled back.

“Do you think that’s a good idea right now?”

“I think we need to touch grass. Let me do something nice for you.” My voice cracked on the last half as she searched my eyes.

“You’re right. I’ve been stuck in this house for long enough. It’s about time you pampered me,” she teased. I offered her a smile, and she got up. She offered me her hand, and I stared at it a second before I interlocked our fingers and stood up.

“What do you want to do?” I asked as I led her out.

“Coffee, and a chocolate croissant.” The Sweet Note came to mind as I grabbed my keys.

“First stop, a cafe. I know just the spot.” She giggled as we headed down the hall. I opened the door for her, but she didn’t budge. Her gaze was behind me as the night’s cool wind blew her hair back. I watched excitement and nerves blend.

“What is it?” I asked as a tear broke loose, stolen by the breeze.

“I haven’t been outside since the winery,” she rasped.

Her words were a punch to the gut. I’d been mad at him that day.

I knew something was up, but deep down worried he was playing with someone outside of the pack.

She squeezed my hand, and I remained quiet.

This wasn’t about me. The best I could do was hold her hand and wait until she was ready.

One thing I knew for sure: we’d never lock her away again.

Chocolate brown eyes slid to mine, and she smiled sadly. One side of her lip curled to reassure me when she was the one crumbling inside. She took a deep breath, and determination flashed before she stepped out.

“You’re so fucking brave,” I murmured. Her lips parted, and she laughed. She shook her head and walked past. I followed her down the same steps Rath brought her up. When we got in the car, I promised myself I would make this the best trip to town.

Over the next hour, she’d inhaled her croissant and nursed her latte with extra whipped cream.

I’d urged her a million times to grab what she wanted, but she stubbornly tried to scan through the sales racks only.

After I reminded her by saying Rath’s name, she remembered we were here to put a dent in our wallet.

Then she was grabbing one of everything in her size and throwing it in my arms.

“That’s my girl,” I hummed as she held a black skirt to her front. She put it back on the rack and shook her head.

“As if. That would show everything,” she scoffed.

“That’s exactly why you’re getting it,” I said and grabbed it.

“Definitely not,” she huffed as she tugged it toward her. I dropped the clothes onto the ground and pulled her close.

“Believe me when I tell you the alphas will be eating out of your hands,” I murmured as I turned her around. Her back to my front, I held it up in front of her as I looked at her reflection. She followed my gaze.

“I don’t think so,” she mumbled as her cheeks flushed.

“Look at those curves. You’re fucking beautiful, Butterfly. It’ll show us that ass of yours. I know you can feel me. As hard as I am, do you think I’m lying?” I growled.

“Okay,” she whispered.

“What was that?” I asked, needing her to see what I see.

“Okay, I’ll get the skirt,” she grumbled.

“Why?” I asked, poking her for an answer.

“Because I want them to. . . want me,” she whispered.

“They do, baby. Trust me.” I bent down and picked up the pile of clothes and nipped at her ass on the way up. She squealed and went back to shopping.

Two hours later, she was trying on clothes, but I’d already purchased everything she so much as glanced at.

I’d gone into the changing room with her, but seeing Lennox’s name carved into her flesh was a bucket of ice-cold water on my head.

That’s not the mark she should be wearing.

No amount of shopping, treats, or begging would ever make up for it. We would never be good enough for her.

The door creaked open, and the soft slap of her bare feet against the floor drew my gaze. My lips parted as she came out in that black skirt and a cherry-red leather corset that stole my breath.

“Fuck, Butterfly. You look. . . ” For the first time, she threw her head back and laughed. A real one. Her eyes arched into crescent moons, both corners of her lips tilted up as her shoulders shook.

“You were right about the skirt, but fuck the Alphas, I feel great in thi—” she squealed as I pushed her back into the room until her back hit the wall and closed the door behind me. I dropped to my knees, ran my hands up her calves as she looked down at me.

“This is where we belong. On our knees. You’re fucking beautiful. Put your leg on my shoulder and bless me with the opportunity to suck your soul out of your pussy,” I whined.

“Taste me, Oak. Show me what it feels like to be worshipped.” Her words were my undoing.

I grabbed her ankle and lifted. Watching as her skirt rolled up.

I rested her leg on my shoulder, and my throat dried as her lips spread for me.

I dipped and trailed kisses up her inner thigh.

My gaze darted up as I kissed her pussy.

I groaned. Her heat feels so good against me.

Her eyes were heavy as I dragged my tongue up her core.

I could taste our Alphas in her, and I moaned.

I repeated the action and loved how her thighs trembled for me.

My nose rubbed against her clit, and she jerked.

“So. Good.” The words rumbled in my chest as I licked her like a man starved. Fingers speared through my hair as she grabbed me with both hands.

“Tongue fuck me, Oak. Please, I need you.” She whined, fucking whined, and I almost came in my pants.

I wrapped my mouth around her pussy and sucked. She ground against me as my tongue speared in and out of her. The taste of her is all I needed to come. Fuck . I sucked her clit and then flicked it with my finger.

“Oak,” she begged. For what? I’m not sure. Maybe more.

I shook my head viciously as I stuck my tongue as deep as I could. Nails dug into my scalp as she fucked my face.

“Don’t stop.” Her pleas urged me on, and I kept that rhythm up.

I laid my palm on her pelvic bone and used my thumb to slide up and down on her clit.

I stared up at her as her mouth fell slack, saliva dripped from her bottom lip as she came.

Hard and fast on my face. I switched from left to right with my face to lapping up her juices.

By the time I was done, my face was drenched.

I got to my feet and caught her around the waist before she collapsed.

“Holy shit. That was amazing.” Her breath was ragged, and her cheeks flushed. She was the epitome of perfection. I lowered my gaze, locked on her lips as she leaned up.

Knock, knock, knock!

“Excuse me. I’m going to have to ask you two to leave.” The attendant’s voice rang through the door. My Butterfly’s lips parted and her eyes widened as she covered her mouth.

“Fuck me,” she gasped.

“We’ll be right out,” I called through the door. As heels clacked away, we burst into laughter.

“I can’t believe we did that!” she giggled. After I smoothed out her skirt, I took her hand and opened the door with a smile.

“I already bought everything. Let’s go home and do that again,” I teased.

“Kill me now,” she muttered as I pulled her out behind me.