Page 17 of Knot Letting Go (Knotty Streak Omegaverse #4)

“Thanks for meeting with me so soon after you got back.” I walked alongside Talis on the boardwalk with the seagulls screaming overhead. Clouds hung low in the sky, but enough sunlight peeked through to warm the day.

Levi ran along the beach with Lillianna, helping her to fly the colorful kite they’d brought back from their honeymoon for her. The streamers danced in the air and my daughter shrieked with delight.

“Anything for family.” Talis gave me a nod, but there were no smiles between us. The heaviness of the situation was crushing my shoulders with its weight. “You didn’t say much in the text. You can speak freely now. Levi will keep Lillianna busy for as long as we need.”

If only I could give her a normal life, but my father and Giovanna’s family ruined that.

I wasn’t threatened to marry into the Pacetti family, and while part of me regrets that decision, I would always make the same choice if it gave me Lillianna.

She was the best thing in my life, and I was going to make damn well sure she was safe.

On top of it was the threat to Aubrielle. While I was certain Lorenzo wouldn’t kill Lillianna, he wouldn’t have any qualms about doing whatever horrible things he wanted to Aubrielle. I had to protect her too.

“As you know, Quill and I have been cutting ties to all of the businesses and organizations my father had dealings with. Very few of them have been good for Birk Industries and above board.” I glanced at Talis who nodded.

“One of these groups is the Pacetti family. The problem here is not only are they fighting to keep their fingers in our business, they’re Lillianna’s family. ”

“We came across them in our research last year when checking into your father. You were married to Lorenzo Pacetti’s youngest daughter, right?” Talis wore dark sunglasses, but I could tell his gaze was constantly scanning the area. I didn’t doubt he was one of those types that was always on duty.

“Yes, Giovanna. We weren’t compatible, but our fathers wanted to cement their dealings with family ties.

Despite what Lorenzo and his sons are like, Giovanna was quiet and agreeable.

We had Lillianna, and two years later, Giovanna, her mother, sister-in-laws, and niece were taken out by a rival family.

I was very lucky Lillianna wasn’t with them that day. ”

“Thank God for that.” Talis echoed my sentiment. We both looked toward the beach where the bird of paradise kite was flying high and Lillianna was trying to dance like it. My heart ached with how much I loved her. If anyone hurt her, I would tear down the world to get to who was responsible.

“I’ve had very little contact with Lorenzo directly since I lost my wife.

He’s made no effort to spend time with Lillianna or even ask about her well being.

Until two days ago.” We stopped and I leaned against the thick railing of the boardwalk.

Rage boiled inside of me. The nerve of the fucking bastard to come to America and approach my daughter without permission.

“He followed my driver who took Lillianna and her nanny to the beach, and he talked with them. Thankfully Lillianna didn’t think anything of it other than her Nonno had come to say hello, but both Gavin, my driver, and Aubrielle were shaken.

Apparently Lorenzo said something to Aubrielle that scared her. ”

I clenched my teeth and swallowed a growl. There wasn’t any doubt I hated the man before, but after the incident at the beach, I was feeling murderous. I hadn’t felt this sort of fury when Giovanna died, but Aubrielle…

She was already under my skin. Last night, her scent had spiked when I entered Lillianna’s room.

Aubrielle couldn’t deny her desire for me, but she was fighting it.

I admired her strength of will for wanting to do the right thing.

I was losing my own battle in that regard.

Yet I had to keep my defenses up. I couldn’t let our compatibility distract me from the danger that loomed over us.

“What did he say?” Talis had stiffened and his jaw twitched. Everyone who had met Aubrielle liked her. She was like a rare and delicate flower which everybody wanted to shine upon and nurture. Plus, with her being Callista’s best friend, Talis would be extra protective.

“I don’t know. But if you’ve done your research on them, you know what sort of fucking foul things they’ve done.” Too many crimes to list, but top on that list was providing Omegas for the black market. Bile rose in my throat.

“Yeah, I know, and I’m sure you’re aware of even more.” Talis didn’t ask, and I didn’t tell him. We weren’t here for anything else other than to protect Lillianna and Aubrielle.

“I need to up my security for the manor. Any tech you think we need, install it. I also want a bodyguard to go with Aubrielle and Lillianna wherever they might go. Gavin is a solid guy, but he’s not trained.”

“All that we can do. I’m assuming you want it done as soon as possible.” Again, it wasn’t a question. Of course I wanted it done as quickly as they could.

“Just let me know when your team can come to the manor.”

Talis gazed at Lillianna and Levi, laughing madly at the kite’s antics in the increasingly wild winds.

“I have no doubt Evander and Levi will want to take a bodyguard shift themselves, because I want to. I’d offer all of us, but we always have one of us with Callista and Isabella.

” He turned to me with an expression hard to read behind those sunglasses.

“You’re all more than welcome to come stay with us on the island for a while.

No one can come or go without us knowing.

Callista would love to have you all there. ”

My sister would love it, and the same for Lillianna and Aubrielle. But there was one problem: Aubrielle was in heat.

I couldn’t tell Talis that, though. It would raise a thousand questions, and I didn’t have the answers to most of them. There was also part of me that had my hands gripping the railing so tight it was digging into my skin. Aubrielle was my Omega, and I didn’t want her around any other Alphas.

Mine.

I exhaled and shook my head. Not mine. I needed to stop thinking that way.

“Thanks. Maybe for a night or two on the weekend?” I offered and then smoothly poured forth the best excuse I could muster.

“I have a lot of work to do this week, and I prefer to have Lillianna nearby. I have no doubt of the security of your island, but Birk manor is our home. Plus, I’m sure you all want to settle in after the wedding and honeymoon, get back into a normal schedule.

There are four of you, but I bet Isabella keeps you all on your toes. ”

A small smile touched Talis’ lips which I recognized as a father.

“Yeah, she does.” His watch beeped at him and he glanced at a text message before turning back to me.

“The offer stands if you change your mind. I’ll get a hold of you later today with the schedule.

Do you want men at the manor twenty-four seven? ”

I furrowed my brow. I didn’t want men at the manor at all, but to keep Aubrielle and Lillianna safe… “Do you think it’s needed?”

“Maybe for a week or two and then see what happens.”

That made sense. Just seeing armed security might be enough to dissuade Lorenzo from doing anything stupid. Yet the stone in my gut told me it wouldn’t be as easy at that. The bastard was very like my father. Once he sunk his teeth into something, he wasn’t going to let go.

With the wind getting stronger, Levi had reeled in the kite, and he and Lillianna ran up the beach to the boardwalk. Both of them were grinning widely.

Lillianna threw her arms around my legs. “Daddy! My kite is so beautiful. Like a sky mermaid. Levi says we can come visit this weekend, and we can fly the kite again. Can we go? Please?”

“Yes, sweetie. I’m glad you had so much fun.” I stroked her head, trying to smooth back the curls which had slipped free of her braid.

“Yay!” Lillianna cheered. The best sound in the world.

Levi folded down the kite, trying to keep the wind from snatching it away. “Callista mentioned coming into town on Wednesday to visit too. She’ll be bringing Isabella.”

Lillianna squealed with excitement and snatched my hand.

“Daddy, we have to get fabric for Isabella too, and make her a baby mermaid tail. I bet Aubrielle will know how to do it. Babies don’t know how to swim, so we need to get her a floatie that looks like a fish.

That way she can come on adventures too and be safe. ”

As my daughter rambled on, I caught Levi leaning toward Talis out of the corner of my eye.

He jerked his head to the direction which led back to the parking lot.

I didn’t hear what he said, but I peered over my shoulder to see a tall man in a dark suit leaning against his car. Not someone dressed for the beach.

I didn’t need to have heard Levi to guess it was likely one of Lorenzo’s men. He was following me. No. Even as I thought that, I knew what the actual truth was: he was following Lillianna.

My free hand clenched into a fist and I bared my teeth. If he came near my baby, I would kill the bastard.

“Daddy?” Lillianna tugged on my arm. I blinked, trying to put on a neutral expression as I returned my gaze to her. “Daddy, can we bring a picnic? It was so much fun when Aubrielle and I did it. Plus food for our friends in the sea. Enid makes the best seashell cookies.”

“A picnic sounds fun, but I think the sea creatures can find their own food. They don’t want food from the land.”

“That’s right.” Levi crouched down. “Some fish eat other fish and then even bigger fish eat those fish and then—”

“Sharks eat them!” Lillianna declared as the wind whipped at us.

“Yeah, big ol’ mean sharks. But mermaids are faster.” Levi winked and gave her a hug. “It was so good to see you, Lilli. Now when you get home, you make sure to explain to anyone how to properly fly the kite who wants to fly it. Have fun and we’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, Uncle Levi.” Lillianna squeezed him back and then accepted a hug from Talis too. “By, Uncle Talis.”

“Take care, Lilli.” Talis stood and held out his hand to me, which I shook. “We’ll get things scheduled right away. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you.” I motioned with my gaze to the parking lot and he gave a subtle nod.

Levi stepped over and shook my hand as well. “We’ve got this, Kon. Come to the island to visit any time. Or even send over Lillianna. We’d be happy to have her.”

I nodded and took the folded kite from him. “Thanks again.”

Lillianna shouted her goodbyes to them again as they walked toward their car. The man in the suit slipped into his car and drove off before they were within a hundred feet. No doubt the Pacettis knew who Callista’s mates were. I wanted to hope it worried them, but Lorenzo was arrogant as fuck.

“Let’s get home before the rain starts, sweetie.” I tucked the kite under one arm and took her hand with the opposite one.

Lillianna swung our hands together between us as she sang what I could only guess was a Disney song about the sea, adding in her name and Aubrielle’s.

I put the kite in the trunk and then buckled her into her carseat.

She was still singing as I sat down behind the wheel.

A few fat drops of rain started to fall and splattered against the windshield.

I glanced at my phone to find a text from an unknown number. Seeing its area code was Italian, I frowned and opened it.

No words, only a photo of Aubrielle. My heart hammered as red tinged my vision.

She was in the garden behind the manor. Her hair was loose and waving in the wind, and she had a faraway look in her eyes as she bent toward a blooming rose bush.

The fuckers. While there were no words, the threat was clear.

My Omega.

I’d kill Lorenzo with my bare hands if any of them came near Aubrielle.

I hissed through my teeth and sent a text to Quill and the staff asking if any of them knew where Aubrielle was.

Placing my phone into the dashboard mount, I cranked the engine and zipped out of the lot.

Before I even made it to the road, Enid had responded saying that she’d had lunch with Aubrielle and she was sitting in the garden.

Lillianna launched into another song, thankfully oblivious to everything else. I would end this war with the Pacettis and she would be safe. Aubrielle would be safe. I would protect them with everything in me.

Even if that meant playing dirty like Lorenzo.