Page 113 of Knot Going Down

I understand her restlessness. I really do, but her frantic energy isn’t helping. My little apartment already feels like a cage—one Ava’s pacing like a wild animal.

My mind has been a wreck ever since we left the guys at the dock yesterday. I’m spiraling nearly as bad as Ava, but I keep my smile in place, trying to be here for her as much as I can.

We need more distraction methods. We’ve already had sex in all three rooms, gone shopping, done face masks, and eaten copious amounts of ice cream. We even went over to Meggie’s for dinner last night, which went better than expected considering everyone’s history together. Lucas was a godsend,asking questions, making connections, and generally keeping the conversation flowing. At the end, Meggie even apologized to Ava for how she treated her and pulled me aside to say she’s happy for us.

But none of that matters when our alphas could be in danger.

“Is he actually a crime lord?” Lucas asks, pushing up from the armchair, more amused than alarmed. “Chefão?”

Ava rounds on him. “Does it matter? He’s dangerous. And Knox and Declan are walking straight into his lair with no backup.”

“Lair?” Lucas lifts an eyebrow. “You make it sound likechefãohas a cape and a trapdoor over a shark tank.”

Ava shoots him a glare that could level a grown man. I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that glare. Someone needs to calm her down, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be Lucas.

“Declan’s a trained federal agent,” I say quietly, stepping between them before Ava erupts. I touch her arm, sliding my hand down until our fingers interlace. “And Knox has spent his entire adult life around these people.”

“Shortadult life,” Ava interjects with way too much sass. “He’s twenty-three.”

“The point is he knows how to handle himself.” I squeeze her hand, trying to ground her. Maybe trying to ground myself, too. My insides feel like they’re shaking, vibrating with the tension I can’t seem to put anywhere. Is this how Declan’s work always is? If we bond, will we feel this desperate anxiety every time he’s on a job?

Ava doesn’t squeeze my hand back. She stares at the blank TV screen, jaw tight. “We should be there.”

“We don’t even know wherethereis.” I let go of her and sink onto the couch, head in my hands. This is going to be a long night. They told us they’d call and check in after the wedding,but how are we supposed to wait that long? My own inner anxiety mirrors Ava’s outward panic, and I can only imagine how much worse it’ll be hours from now when we still haven’t heard anything.

“Actually…” Lucas leans casually against the wall, suddenly looking too innocent for his own good.

“What do you meanactually?” I ask slowly.

He hesitates for a beat too long. “I might have… turned on shared location tracking. On Declan’s phone.”

“Youwhat?!” Ava and I say it at the same time.

“Why?” I ask, my chest already tightening.

Lucas shrugs, not quite meeting our eyes.

“Did you do that to our phones too?” Ava covers her chest with a palm, voice low and dangerous.

He gives her a sheepish little smile. “Maybe.”

Ava glares. “Lucas.”

“Okay, yes. Fine. I did. I did not do anything with it, I swear. It just made me feel better. Knowing I could check in. That I was not totally cut off from you.”

“Stalker much?” Ava crosses her arms, but there’s no heat in her glare.

“I was not going to use it,” he mutters. “It just felt… safer. Like I was still connected. Remember,” he adds with a pointed finger, “I had a one-way ticket back to Brazil. When I woke up yesterday morning, I was supposed to get on that plane.”

I believe him. And from the way Ava’s expression softens, I think she does too, even if she doesn’t want to admit it.

“Well,” Ava says, already in motion. “You're using it now. Pull up Declan’s location.”

I blink. “Wait, what?”

Ava turns toward me, eyes blazing. “We’ve got a wedding to crash.”

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