Page 11 of Knot Going Down (OlympicVerse #3)

EMILY

T he airport is like a hive full of angry wasps—loud, fast, chaotic.

The hum of voices buzzes in every direction, punctuated by sharp announcements in rapid-fire French I don’t understand.

People weave around me with practiced urgency, dragging suitcases like tails, dodging one another with the grace of seasoned travelers.

I, meanwhile, am rooted in place, clutching my crossbody like a life preserver, eyes darting from one overhead sign to the next, trying to decode the unfamiliar words while anxiety presses against the base of my neck like a rising tide.

Meggie and I were supposed to stay in Paris for another week after the Olympics, but after Dante got injured—and she went into heat!—they flew back early. And when Declan found out, he changed my ticket to fly back with him.

At least, that’s what we planned. Now, looking at the Departures board, seeing flight after flight canceled, who knows what will happen?

Nervous energy makes my stomach roll. I don’t like when plans change. Staying in Paris with Declan could be fun, but staying in Paris with Declan and the man he has in custody? Not so much.

As if he can sense my unease, Declan’s dog Gunner rubs up against my leg. He looks intimidating, but I’m learning he’s a big softy who thinks he’s a lapdog in a linebacker’s body. He claimed my lap in the taxi like a cat with boundary issues. I’ve been picking dog hair off my leggings ever since.

“Stay close.” Declan squeezes my hand.

I giggle, trying to put on a brave face. “Not sure how I could do anything else when you’ve got a death grip on me.”

He loosens his hold slightly before giving me a quick peck on the temple. My heart twists at the tenderness of it. I wasn’t supposed to develop real feelings for Declan. It was supposed to be a fun fling at the Olympics. That’s it. That’s all it can be. I don’t date alphas.

“Hey, at least you’re not handcuffed to the guy,” Knox says, with a playful smirk, holding up their joined hands so the shiny metal clinks. Despite his smile, there’s something dark lurking in his eyes. Even after all these years, I can still read him like a book, and I hate seeing him like this.

Someone bumps into me, and both Declan and Knox growl as Gunner barks. I put on a bright smile for the stranger, even though my insides feel jittery, then turn back to Declan. “I’m fine. Let’s just go see if we can get on a different flight tomorrow or something.”

Declan gives a gruff nod.

Knox chuckles. “Sorry, princess, I don’t think anyone’s getting out of here anytime soon. If they’re canceling that many flights, it’s gotta be big.”

Declan grumbles under his breath, but doesn’t correct Knox.

“Well, then, we’ll get to enjoy Paris more.

” I try to look at the bright side, but my chest feels tight as I think about it.

How would staying even work? The Olympic village is closed now, so I can’t stay there.

Declan already checked out of his hotel.

Would we even be able to find two more rooms?

If I end up staying someplace with Declan and Knox together, I might die.

My smile is so big it hurts my cheeks, but I don’t think either of them are buying it.

An announcement comes over the intercom in French, and every muscle in Declan’s body tenses. He’s the only one of us who speaks the language. As soon as it ends, it repeats, this time in English.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we regret to inform you flights have been grounded until further notice due to a widespread software outage affecting air traffic control towers across Europe. Our teams are working diligently to resolve the issue. At this time, we do not have an estimated timeline for when normal operations will resume. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”

That tightness in my chest clenches, making it harder to breathe. If flights are canceled for days all across Europe, hundreds of thousands of people will be trying to get out once they’re back up and running. We could be stuck here for weeks.

“Is this like terrorism?” I manage to say the question without my voice wavering, a feat I’m proud of given the airport announcement. Something throwing off flights across multiple countries has to be huge.

“Remember Europe basically fits inside Texas, sweet pea.” Knox shoots me an easy smile. “Something taking out multiple air traffic control towers across lots of countries here is like a storm grounding flights in New York and New Jersey.”

Europe would absolutely not fit inside Texas, but I appreciate him trying to calm my nerves.

“Can we take these cuffs off, big guy?” Knox jangles the metal at his wrist. “Love the kink, but I’m starting to chafe. Gotta lube me up next time. Or at least get me some lotion.”

Declan’s glare could make a kid put a stolen cookie back in the jar.

I’m supposed to start at a new job in three weeks. Declan and Knox have been vague about what kind of deal they struck, but they made it clear there’s something Knox needs to be at in a little over a week. We can’t stay here.

I glance around, and it hits me, every person here has somewhere they need to be.

“It’s all gonna be fine. It’ll work out.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince myself or them.

Declan doesn’t say anything. He’s already pulling out his phone, texting, as he tugs Knox and me through the crowd with Gunner right on our heels.

Declan’s a big guy, bigger even than Knox, and he’s got the kind of presence about him that has people jumping out of his path, but my shoulder still bumps someone’s.

I look just in time to see a woman teeter on her heels and fall.

“Ava?” I pull my hand out of Declan’s, stopping to help her up. “Are you okay?”

“Oh em gee.” The moment Ava’s on her feet, she flings her arms around me.

She smells like she’s dumped an entire bottle of perfume on herself, and I cough into her shoulder as she squeezes me tight.

A loud, clumsy sneeze bursts out of Gunner, followed by a big tail wag as if to show how proud of himself he is for the noise.

“I thought your flight went out early this morning,” I say.

She looks down at her hand clutching her little rolling suitcase. “I… um… was late and missed the flight.” Weird. She left our place freakishly early. “I’ve been trying to get on another one all morning, but no luck. And now this!” She waves a hand dramatically and almost smacks a man walking past.

I grab her and pull her off to the side where Declan and Knox are waiting. Her gaze immediately drops to the handcuffs.

“Um, Ava, this is Knox.” Explaining the restrained man first seems like a good idea, until I get to the part where I have to say why he’s in handcuffs. “He’s… he’s…”

“A convict, caught selling illegal scent blockers and heat suppressants to omegas,” Declan says, direct as always.

“A hero,” Knox corrects with a smirk, “helping omegas take control of their bodies.”

Ava’s eyebrows lift with something like interest. “You have suppressants?”

“Not anymore,” Knox says. “The big mean DEA agent took ‘em.”

Ava gives Declan an assessing once over, almost like she’s fully noticing him for the first time, fully taking in that handsome assuredness that drew me so quickly. He gives her the same slow perusal, a scowl firmly planted on his face.

A slew of feelings I can’t understand attack me.

Ava is a beautiful woman, and she’s always gravitated toward alphas.

Declan and Knox are both irresistible in their own way.

Declan with his calm power. Knox with his bad boy attitude.

But the possessiveness I feel is more confusing than just not wanting her to steal them from me—which is ridiculous. They don’t belong to me.

Knox… well, that’s in the past. And I’ve made it clear to Declan that this doesn’t last once we’re back in the States. I refuse to get attached to a man who could so easily leave me if some sweet-smelling omega comes along. But the sensation in my chest feels more like protectiveness than jealousy.

I pull Ava closer to my side, suddenly realizing I’m still holding her hand.

“And you are?” Ava’s voice is colder than normal. It’s the one she used to use with Meggie and me. I’m starting to think it’s the one she uses when she feels threatened.

Declan takes a step toward me, snakes his arm possessively around my waist and tugs me flush against his body, keeping his eyes on Ava the whole time. “I’m Emily’s alpha.”

“What?! No.” My voice is so high I sound like a mouse. I push against Declan’s chest. “I mean, we’ve been kinda seeing each other. He’s the one I told you about. This is Declan. But, um, it’s?—”

He kisses me so soundly it steals all the fight out of me.

A rumbling growl comes from Knox. Ava gasps and, for some reason, grabs my hand again even while my lips are locked with Declan’s.

My eyes are still open, and I see Declan’s gaze slide behind me to her.

What the hell is going on? While I love kissing Declan, there’s something in this kiss that feels like it’s not for me as much as for them.

Stupid possessive alphas.

“On second thought, let’s keep the cuffs on.” Knox’s eyes are locked on my lips. “I’ll share.”

The territorial sound from Declan is unholy.

I push him away, gasping for breath.

“Great, okay, yes.” I try to sound more chipper than I feel. No one wants a Debbie Downer around, as my dad used to say. “Maybe we should figure out what we’re doing now that flights are canceled. Can we drive to another airport or something?”

“I’ve still got the… um, rental for one more night.

” Ava wrinkles her nose. The rental house.

The place my brother and his packmates just knotted my best friend during her surprise heat.

I’d rather eat vomit. The place is probably disgusting, since I doubt any of them had time to clean it up or air it out.

They barely made it back for their last water polo match after Meggie’s heat.

“We could all stay there while we figure something out.” Ava looks at me as she makes the suggestion.

“Perfect,” I say, even though that’s far from what I think. “It’s all working out already.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I slide it out, grateful for a distraction from the confusing energy swirling around our small group. Declan picks up his phone as well, and dials someone.

Lucas

I heard flights are canceled. Did you make it out alright?

I shoot him a quick response that we didn’t, vaguely aware of Declan speaking angrily into his phone. “I can’t control air traffic control towers, Curtis,” Declan says as another text pops up on my phone from Lucas.

Lucas

I may have a solution to your problems. A way for you to get back to America. If you do not mind a little pretending.

“I know we need to be back by next week,” Declan growls into his phone. “What do you want me to do?”

Gunner tilts his head and moves closer to Declan.

Wrinkling my brows, I try to guess what Lucas could possibly mean.

“What’s that look for?” Ava asks.

I show her my phone. Knox looks over my shoulder so he can read the message too.

“Who’s Lucas?” he asks.

“The hot Brazilian rugby player Em’s been chatting up.” Ava smirks.

Declan hangs up right at that moment, his eyes narrowing.

“Not chatting up,” I say quickly. “We’re friends. Harrison knew him from the last Olympics, and we hung out a little. That’s it.”

“Right.” Ava’s tone is disbelieving.

“How hot is he?” Knox wiggles his eyebrows.

“Hooooot,” Ava says.

Declan growls and pulls me into his side.

Ignoring the discussion about how attractive Lucas is, I hold up my phone for Declan to see. “He says he has a way for us to get home.”

“How would a rugby player have a way to get back to the States?” Declan asks, tone suspicious.

“Let’s find out.” Ava snaps my phone from my hands and hits the call button before I can protest.