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

I’d come to Birk manor for my best friend’s wedding and ended up making a huge change in my life.

When Callista told her brother I’d be perfect for the nanny job, I wanted to run and hide.

There was a proper way to go about securing a job, and this wasn’t it.

Yet what I’d been doing hadn’t been working.

So instead of panicking—alright, I was still freaking out—I allowed myself to be grateful and excited.

It took over half an hour for everyone to say good-bye and be on their way.

Callista had hired a ride share service to bring me to the manor, and I sent a text to cancel the car that was scheduled to arrive later in the morning to bring me back to eastern Oregon.

This would be my home for the next while.

Home. This huge mansion. It would take some getting used to.

One of the housekeepers directed me to Konstantin’s office. Or should I be calling him Mr. Birk? That would be the more professional thing to do.

I stood in front of the door with my hands trembling. I’d smoothed down my skirt three times, but nothing calmed my nerves. I didn’t want to keep my new boss waiting. Yet the knowledge I was about to step into a room alone with an Alpha… Maybe I should have had the housekeeper accompany me.

Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, I reminded myself that Konstantin was a proper gentleman.

Callista assured me he was very respectful, and I have not witnessed anything contrary to the fact.

He was not his father, a man who had terrified me the few times I’d met him when I visited Callista and Kienna during our school years.

I knocked, gently. It was still early in the morning after all.

“Come in.”

Konstantin’s voice sent a shiver through me. It was crisp and deep with a little Italian accent. I listened to a lot of romance audiobooks, and his voice was just as sexy. More so. It was mysterious, foreign, and powerful.

I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, standing near it with my hands clasped before me.

He stood behind his desk, gripping the edge of it.

His dark gaze bore into me for a few seconds before he gestured to the chair in front of him.

“Please, have a seat. I have everything ready to go over with you.”

As I moved forward, the scent of his space—of him—rolled over me.

My nose was attuned to a variety of perfumes, but his was a magnificently complex one.

Oakmoss and vanilla with a hint of lemon zest and mint with deeper notes of vetiver.

I’d never smelled anything like it, and it was almost as if I’d had a shot of alcohol with how heavily warm and light I felt at the same time.

I wet my lips and swallowed. “Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Birk. I will not disappoint you.”

Konstantin slid smoothly into his chair, his eyes never leaving me. “I hope not, Au— Miss Smyth. Lillianna is the most precious thing in the world to me. I want what’s only best for her.”

“Of course.” As any good parent would want.

He wanted someone who would be good for his daughter, and I wouldn’t work for anyone who didn’t have their child’s best interests at heart.

“Please ask me anything you wish to know. I can give you the URL to my resumé and provide for you references other than my friends, if you wish.”

“I’ve already located your resumé online.

It’s very impressive.” Konstantin tapped the mousepad on his computer, scrolling along a page.

“You’re almost done with your degree. One year left.

Top of your class at St. Anne’s and on the dean’s list at your college.

While you were at school, you volunteered at a local primary school as a teacher’s assistant and with the Big Sisters organization.

Have you continued to do any work since you graduated from St. Anne’s? ”

Was he impressed? And why did I really want him to like me?

He could hire the most experienced nannies in the world, and likely next to his previous one, I had a tiny resumé.

I wound my fingers together on my lap, squeezing them together.

“I would have liked to continue my volunteer work, but those were through programs at St. Anne’s.

They sent me to environments safe for unclaimed Omegas.

I do not get the same guarantee now that I’ve graduated. ”

He nodded and leaned forward a bit. “I assume you still live with your parents then?”

“With my father, yes. My mother passed away two years ago.” My throat constricted, and I looked down at my hands.

What I wouldn’t give for her support right now.

She was my biggest cheerleader. I tried to swallow, but couldn’t.

He didn’t need to see my grief, but it popped up at the most unexpected times.

Konstantin said nothing for almost a minute. He then quietly rose from his chair and went over to a small fridge. “Would you like some water? I find the air in the manor dry at times.”

“Yes, please.”

He took out two bottles of water and poured them into glasses with ice. The cubes clinked against the glass as he brought one to me. There was something different in his gaze now. It was still intense, but deeper? I didn’t know what to call it, and I hoped it wasn’t pity.

“Thank you.” I dipped my head and sipped some water.

Konstantin returned to his seat behind his desk, setting his glass on a marble coaster.

He picked up a stack of papers and laid them in front of me.

“I’ve provided for you the schedule our previous nanny used, but feel free to change it as you wish.

I want to prepare Lillianna for kindergarten in the fall.

She’s a smart girl and bilingual with English and Italian.

She’s learning to read and working on her math skills.

You must be prepared to be with her from when she wakes to when she goes to bed unless I’m there.

You’ll have Sundays off—so no worries about today—and sometimes another day depending on my work schedule.

You will also have four weeks of vacation time to use as you wish, but you must let me know at least two weeks ahead of time when you’ll be gone so I can arrange other care.

” His chest heaved as if he had taken in a breath and didn’t want to let it go.

He gave his tie a subtle hard yank before continuing.

“When school starts in September, I will need you to drop her off and pick her up. A driver and a car will be provided for you. You are not responsible for any cleaning. I already have staff for that. Your job will be to focus on Lillianna alone. Does this sound good to you so far?”

I glanced at the schedule. It was all work and no play, and that wasn’t how I wanted Lillianna’s time to be spent. All of what he said was amazing. I nodded and tried to organize my questions in my head, but he continued on.

“You will be given a suite near Lillianna’s room.

Feel free to decorate it as you wish. All your living expenses will be paid for.

You’ll take meals with Lillianna. Anything you need you can come to me and I’ll get it.

” Konstantin tapped the stack of papers.

It was the only thing that distracted me from the way his lips moved as he talked.

Smoothly sinful, especially the way he emphasized anything.

“I’ve printed out the entire contract for you to go over at your leisure.

I’ve made it only for a year, because you’ll finish your education at that point. Do you intend to become a teacher?”

“I do.” It’s all I’d ever wanted to be since I was a small child.

“An admirable career choice.” He said everything before so formally, but these words suddenly melted like warm caramel.

Maybe it was admiration in his voice, but there was a heat that went straight between my legs.

“You’ll have full medical and dental coverage.

I’m offering a starting salary of one hundred thousand, but if you’re wanting to negotiate… ”

Negotiate? There was no hiding my shock. My jaw dropped and I swiftly covered my mouth with a hand. I’d expected to earn half that much.

My heart was suddenly racing. Did he think I was more experienced than I actually was?

This would be my first paying job. I’d done volunteer work, but that was just a few hours a week.

“Mr. Birk,” I almost stuttered his name with my nerves jangling through me.

“Sir. I’m not sure what you were paying your previous nanny, but I don’t want to misrepresent my experience or—”

Konstantin held up a hand. “You aren’t misrepresenting anything. Did you need me to pay you more?”

“What? No!” I squeaked and nearly spilled my water.

I lowered it to my lap and tried to find the words to explain to him what I’d meant.

I didn’t want to blow my chances at this position before it even started.

He must have thought I was a flake. “I only wanted to make certain you knew that this was my first job, and that you weren’t expecting—”

“What is the most important part of this job?” He interrupted.

My stomach tightened and I stilled. “Lillianna. Her happiness and well-being.”

His eyes locked with mine as if he were reading every thought in my head. “That’s why I’m hiring you. You have my daughter’s best interests at heart.”

Oh God. The genuineness of what he said wedged in my chest. He was a father who loved his daughter so much. The salary wasn’t about my worth, but what he thought of Lillianna’s time. I wanted to promise him that I would give Lillianna my all and hug him.

Hug him. To feel his body against mine. The strength of his arms around me, the hardness of his chest, his hot breath on my face…

The office door swung open, and I startled, spilling a splash of water on my skirt.

I hid it in the folds and turned to see Quillon Birk.

He was the younger of the two brothers and had that same dark and handsome allure.

Yet his chest and shoulders were broader, his hair longer and tousled on top, and his robe…

Holy hell. It was halfway open and there was nothing underneath but luscious tanned skin.

“Well now, hello. What’s happening here?” His gorgeous grin was punctuated by a flirty dimple in his left cheek. There was a wicked glimmer in his eyes like he wanted to eat me.

“Quill, you remember Callista’s friend, Aubrielle Smyth.” Konstantin stood and came around his desk. He folded his arms and positioned himself a little in front of me. “She has agreed to be Lillianna’s new nanny. We were just working out the details of her contract.”

“Really? How absolutely wonderful.” Quill approached, opening his arms as if he might sweep me up in an embrace.

He was nearly naked and smelled like a seaside paradise.

Mandarin laced with cinnamon, with a hint of lavender, cypress, and benzoin.

A complicated and utterly male scent so different from his brother’s. “Welcome to the family, Aubrielle.”

I pressed myself back in the chair. Another Alpha. I’d be sharing a house with two of them. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.

Konstantin put a hand on his brother’s shoulder to keep him from taking another step closer.

“Don’t scare her off.” His statement was hard and jagged.

“You’re to give her some space to get used to living here.

Please keep in mind she’s under my employ, and you’re not to distract her from her job. And Jesus, Quill, put on some clothes.”

Quill glared at Konstantin for a few seconds before he was smiling again. “Of course. I have nothing but respect for her.” He winked at me and my face heated. “Lilli is going to be very excited that you’re here. She was over the moon spending time with you, Calli, and the girls.”

Even though I could still feel the blush in my cheeks, I smiled.

Having her get ready with us for the wedding was so much fun.

Lillianna had been so fascinated by us doing our hair, makeup, and donning our fancy dresses, doing a little fashion show as we did.

Callista had mentioned her mother had passed away when she was little, and it was clear Lillianna missed being around all that feminine energy.

“Yes, well, if you don’t mind—” Konstantin’s phone buzzed on his desk, and he twisted to look at the screen.

His lips pressed together as he frowned and his whole mood darkened.

“I have to take this call. Miss Smyth, if you would like to take the contract and go over it, and we can talk again over lunch. Quill, show her to the nanny’s suite and let her get settled in. ”

“Gladly.” Quill went to the door and opened it with a sweep of his arm. “My lady.”

My smile widened a little. His flirty and laid back energy was the opposite of Konstantin’s. I stood and repressed the urge to curtsy to my new boss. I set down my glass and picked up the contract and schedule. “Thank you again for this opportunity.”

Konstantin nodded as he pressed his phone to his ear and greeted the caller in Italian. He remained standing, watching me intently as I exited his office. Even when the door closed, it was as if I could still feel his eyes on me.

“Damn, I’m glad to get out of there. Who works on a Sunday morning?” Quill shook his head with a light laugh and held out his arm to me. “Me, I’m having the best morning ever. How about I take you on a little tour as I bring you to your suite?”

My breath caught in my throat. If he was a Beta, I wouldn’t think twice about accepting his arm, but he was an Alpha, gorgeous and so very male. He was almost flashing me how male he was. On top of that, his scent called to me, luring me in with lusty thoughts in my head.

Dammit. I couldn’t. I was already breaking Omega laws being alone with an Alpha—twice now by being in Konstantin’s office—and there was no way I was going to risk my position here.

Quill raised his brows and something in me started to crumble.