Page 12 of Knot Letting Go (Knotty Streak Omegaverse #4)

It was one minute after nine. Aubrielle was late. This wasn’t like her.

I’d only known her for a week, so I shouldn’t be able to say that promptness was one of her characteristics. But for some reason, deep in my soul, I felt like I knew her. As if she had been in my life for years. It made no sense, but something had to be wrong to make her late.

I paced the length of my office. Lillianna had drifted off while I read to her, exhausted from her day at the beach.

I hadn’t seen her this happy since her mother was alive.

She’d been a quiet child when it was just the two of us, and when we moved to Oregon with Quill and Callista around, she’d opened up and smiled more often.

Yet with Aubrielle, it was like Lillianna was finally the girl she was meant to be.

Vibrant and laughing and so excited for everything.

And it was all because of beautiful, nurturing Aubrielle.

Who was now two minutes late.

This would not do. Aubrielle had been quiet at dinner and barely ate. Whatever happened with Lorenzo had thoroughly shaken her, and I needed to assure her that I’d protect her. That bastard would never frighten her again.

Not just assure her, I would protect her. My upper lip curled with a soft snarl. No one and nothing would ever harm her.

I marched to the door and swung it open to find Aubrielle standing there with her hands clutched in front of her. She gasped and her red-rimmed eyes shimmered. She’d be crying.

Everything in me roared to tear down the world and rid it of whatever had upset her. I squeezed the door handle and stepped to one side. I breathed out slowly, trying to maintain control. “Please, come in.”

Aubrielle murmured a thank you and walked around me as far as she could as she went to the other side of the room. The musky scent of her nearly knocked me off my feet. It was because I still held the door that I remained standing.

Holy fuck. I’d been enchanted by her scent before. The sweet honeysuckle and rose perfume that was so natural and feminine. Now it wrapped me up and kidnapped all my common sense.

Omega. Mine.

I turned away from her as I closed the door.

My dick was rock hard and demanding I take her.

Was this what it was like to scent match with someone?

I hadn’t been compatible with Giovanna, so I had nothing to compare it to, but everything I’d heard from friends said that this was exactly what was happening.

Aubrielle and I were compatible.

The door clicked but I didn’t drop my hand from the knob.

She hadn’t taken the seat in front of my desk, but stood in front of it, wringing her hands. “Mr. Birk, I want to apologize—”

“Apologize for what? You’ve done nothing wrong.

” I pushed away from the door and stalked slowly toward her.

She was trembling and glanced at me through her long lashes.

A rosy flush colored her creamy skin and her full lips were slightly parted.

They’d feel so perfect around my cock as I slid it between them…

What the hell was I doing? It didn’t matter if we were compatible. She was my employee and Callista’s friend. If I bent her over my desk right now, every moral person in the world would say I was taking advantage of her.

“Then why…?” Aubrielle’s voice was barely more than a whisper.

“Sit.” I pointed to the chair, and she lowered herself down to perch on the edge. Perfectly poised, with her back straight and breasts perk. Oh, good girl. With her long hair up in buns, her neck was bared. My jaw twitched with the urge to kiss along her throat and bite her, claiming her as mine.

I reached out to grab her, but yanked my hand up at the last second to grip the tall back of the chair.

“Miss Smyth, there are a few things I wanted to talk about this evening.” Like how hot she’d look laid out on my desk with her legs spread as I fucked her hard.

“You’re doing an extraordinary job with Lillianna.

Her imagination has exploded, and she’s already showed me a few new words she learned this week.

Not only does she adore you, but she’s so happy.

You’re exactly who she needs in her life right now. ”

Aubrielle was exactly what I needed, but I couldn’t have her. I forced myself to walk around to my side of the desk.

“Oh.” Her eyes were wide and surprise burned on her face. “Thank you. Lillianna is a joy, and it’s my pleasure to be her nanny.” She squirmed, moving further to the edge of the chair. Her head dropped, sadness claiming her features again. “But…”

“But nothing.” I wouldn’t have her thinking anything that happened with Lorenzo was her responsibility. “What happened earlier was not your fault.”

Aubrielle stiffened and grew swiftly pale. “You know… what happened?”

“Of course, Gavin let me know.”

“Gavin?” She squeaked and lifted a hand to cover her mouth. “How?”

She was still terrified. I fucking loathed Lorenzo all the more for it. “He saw it all.”

“Oh God.” Aubrielle bent forward, covering her face. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I’d been trying very hard to follow the Omega laws—”

“None of it was your fault.” I repeated and found myself coming around the desk.

She was scared and upset and needed comfort.

There was no way I could resist. “Lorenzo Pacetti is Lillianna’s grandfather, but he is no friend of the family.

He’s nothing but trouble. I will make certain you have proper security the next time you and Lillianna go out, but it’s best if you stay in the manor and on the grounds until I get that sorted. ”

I took her arm tenderly and lifted her from the chair to press her against me.

If I hadn’t been certain we were compatible before, I was more than sure of it now as every Alpha instinct snapped into overdrive.

My arms tightened against her as I scanned the room for unseen enemies, daring anyone to try to take her away from me.

“Oh no,” she whimpered and tried to slip free. Heat radiated off her body and her scent wrenched up another notch.

“It will be alright. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I rubbed my cheek against her silky hair as a soft purr rumbled in my throat. “You’re safe. You’re mine.”

“What?” Aubrielle pushed against my chest, but I wasn’t going to let her go. Not ever.

Her wriggling only made me more aroused. My purr ramped up to close to a growl. One bite and she’d be mine. I brushed my fingers along the length of her neck.

“Mr. Birk!” She knocked my chest with her elbow and pulled away from me. “This isn’t proper. You’re my boss. I shouldn’t be around any Alphas, and… Oh God.”

Aubrielle wrapped her arms around her abdomen and squeezed her legs together. I didn’t need to see the wetness in the material of her skirt to know her slick was flowing. She wanted me as much as I did her.

“Let me take care of you.” I reached for her again and she skittered away.

“No! You aren’t thinking properly. It’s because I’m an Omega, and now you can’t control yourself because…

” She stumbled toward the door. “Because I’m starting to go into heat.

I can’t stay here. There’s no way I can keep working…

” Tears sprang free of her eyes. “It’s my fault.

I shouldn’t have let Quill touch me. I’ll go pack my stuff. ”

My teeth gritted together. Quill touched her?

Aubrielle made it to the door and yanked it open. She ran from the room and I rushed out the way she went. I made it to the bottom of the stairs before I grabbed the railing and stopped myself.

Dammit. I was probably scaring the shit out of her chasing her through the house.

Yet I couldn’t let her think that I was an Alpha asshole or that she would lose her job.

I needed to comfort her, to make everything right, but I still had enough wits left about me to understand she didn’t want to see me right now.

But what I could do was make her feel safe. My fucking brother…

I stormed up the stairs to the third floor. Quill. The bastard. He used to always have a woman or two on his arm, taking whatever lover he wanted and just tossing them away when he was done. Aubrielle was not to be toyed with.

He wasn’t in the game room or exercising, and not in his bedroom either.

But the hatch to the roof was open.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Aubrielle in tears. She thought it was all her fault, but she didn’t know Quill.

Once up the spiral stairs, I spotted Quill sitting in a chair with his back to me and a bottle of cognac on the table beside him.

Of course he’d be drinking. The fucker couldn’t stay away.

Not only did he upset Aubrielle, but he had gone back to his old ways.

I told him if he ever did, he was out of the house.

I refused to have any such behavior near Lillianna.

He fingered the neck of the bottle as I approached. I spotted that he had his earbuds in and couldn’t hear me.

I grabbed the back of the chair and thrust it forward, launching him forward to his knees.

Quill twisted to look at me. “What the fuck?”

Something broke free inside of me. I didn’t even give him any warning as I punched him in the face.

Aubrielle in tears. Mother-fucker.

“Kon! Fucking hell!” Quill scrambled back and got to his feet. He rubbed his jaw and gestured to the bottle. “I wasn’t drinking. Shit. You can see for yourself the bottle hasn’t even been opened.”

I took another swing and he dodged. “You’re out of the fucking house. Bastard.”

“Jesus, Kon! Listen to me.” Quill held up his hands. I didn’t want him to talk. I wanted to fight. “I’m not drinking. I just needed it for a bit. A reminder that I beat it. That I’m strong enough to resist.”

Not strong enough to resist a sweet Omega though.

“Aubrielle.” My next punch clipped his shoulder. His body went rigid, standing straighter and more solidly on his feet.

Quill scowled at me. “What the fuck are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.”

“You touched her,” I growled and pushed him.

He pushed me back. “I offered her my hand to help her onto the roof. That was it. I didn’t know we were compatible. When she didn’t want to talk about it or be near me, I let her go. I didn’t do anything. But man, she’s perfect. I want—”

My next shove had him stumble closer to the edge of the roof. She was mine . “She was upset. Crying. She thinks it’s her fault and wants to leave. But you’re the one who is going. Never go near her again.”

Primal fury shook my fists. I wanted to kill him. Never had I wanted to harm anyone, but I wanted my own brother dead.

“She can’t leave!” Quill attempted to go around me toward the stairs, but I blocked his way. “It’s not her fault. Neither of us knew. We can’t let her fucking leave!”

He tried going by me again, but I refused to be moved.

I imagined his body shattered and broken on the ground. Aubrielle would be safe from him.

“What’s gotten into you?” Quill’s eyes widened, realization settling on his face, and he nodded once. “I see. You too, huh?” He stepped back and clenched his hands into fists as he stood ready to fight. Finally. “I’m not giving her up. I’ll fight for her.”

“Good.”

We launched ourselves at one another, fists flying. Last one standing would get the Omega.

And that would be me.