Page 11 of Knot So Sweet (Leather and Lace #1)

Chapter 10

Candi

V iper sat at his desk, head bowed over a stack of papers, the quiet scratch of his pen the only sound in the room. The scent of leather and pine hung thick in the air as I stepped into the Steel Serpent president's office, the door creaking shut behind me.

I was here for The Omega Den, nothing else, I reminded myself.

But who was I kidding? My traitorous cunt was already dripping and eager to satisfy the alpha in the room. Viper's gaze lifted, and as our eyes met, a predatory smile spread across his face, sending a shiver down my spine.

God damn him for being so sexy. He was older, rugged, and had a clean cut beard.

"Candice, what a pleasant surprise." His voice was a low, velvety purr. My stomach twisted at the sound of my full name.

I hated it—Candice.

It reminded me too much of my past, of the things I was trying to leave behind. I didn't want to be anything like the woman I was named after; my mother. But when Viper said it, something deep inside me, something undeniably omega, had clenched with an unwelcome ache.

Fuck. Get your shit together, Candi.

"Were you eager to see me, sweetheart?"

"No," I muttered.

I tore my eyes away from him, forcing myself to look anywhere but at the smug alpha behind the desk. That’s when I spotted Ghost.

"Ghost," I breathed his name softly as I drank him in. He didn’t look away, didn’t even flinch. He just kept watching me with those intense, unreadable eyes, as he was leaning against the far wall, so still, so quiet, I hadn’t even noticed him.

What Pixie told me about his brother, Chaos resurfaced. I met his gaze, and my heart rate spiked as I caught him studying me just as intently. If I thought Viper was intense, Ghost was something else entirely.

He was dark, dangerous, and deadly.

"Hello, princess ." I shivered at the way he dragged out the word, each syllable dripping with dark intent. His voice was a low, dangerous purr that sent a jolt of something primal through me.

It was as if he was savoring the taste of the word on his tongue, letting it wrap around me like a noose, tightening with every second.

Fuck, even across the room I was utterly captivated by this man. My knees even knocked together, threatening to give out on me.

"I didn't see you there," I said as a blush coated my cheeks. I was too on edge around these alphas. I didn't know what to do with myself. Ghost was the most intimidating man I’d ever met—more so than his president.

The aura of danger that clung to him was suffocating, and the intensity in his gaze made my skin prickle. I wiped my hands on my black jeans, trying to steady the tremble in my fingers, and met Viper’s gaze once more. His eyes were still locked on me.

He had just watched me eye fuck his enforcer.

Viper saw right through me. Saw just how much Ghost affected me. I expected to see jealousy like I did with Benson, but I didn't.

All I saw was heat.

"Have a seat, sweetheart," Viper rasped, his voice a deep, gravelly sound that sent a shiver down my spine and made the hairs on my arms stand on end. He gestured to the chair across from him. I hesitated, but after a moment, I forced myself to walk on shaky legs over to his desk and sat down. At least the desk was between us—a small barrier.

Being in such close proximity to these two alphas, in their own territory no less, with their potent scents thick in the air, had my instincts screaming at me to submit or flee.

The mix of pine, leather, and a hint of whiskey warmed my chest and clouded my thoughts. My fingers drummed nervously on the armrest as I tried to shake the unease gnawing at my insides.

This was my first time in the Steel Serpent clubhouse, and I had no idea what to expect. The room was bathed in silence, the tension growing with every passing second. It was driving me insane.

I was starting to lose my cool, questioning why I’d come here in the first place. Another wave of slick gathered between my thick thighs, a reminder of my heat. That was why I was here—to get security in place, so I could ride out my heat in safety.

Alone. I reminded, my greedy, desperate body.

I met Viper’s gaze, his eyes so dark they seemed to absorb the light around them. I could feel my nostrils flaring as I waited for him to speak. I was too nervous to utter a word, fearing he might see right through me. He had a way of reading me with unnerving ease.

He raised a thick, black brow, as if taunting me, suggesting he could read my thoughts through mere body language. My fingers snapped the band on my wrist repeatedly, and his gaze shifted to it briefly with a frown, before returning to my face. The rage in his eyes made me flinch.

No, I wasn’t going to speak first. I crossed my arms over my chest and his gaze dipped to the swell of my breasts, making him chuckle, a deep sexy rumble. Viper had made this deal, yet he hadn’t even tried to pursue me. The uncertainty, the not knowing what he was thinking, was driving me insane.

I just wanted to reopen The Omega Den and restore some sense of normalcy to my life. But was that still the only thing I wanted? The question lingered, unwelcome and unsettling as I sat under the weight of his intense gaze, my heart pounding in my chest.

I snapped the band around my wrist a couple more times, the sharp sound cutting through the tension in the room.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Viper asked gently. The endearment made the omega in me preen, despite the internal battle. Damn biology.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. His thick, corded arms were devoid of tattoos. A stark contrast to Ghost, who had inked sleeves along both arms and his neck. Viper's gaze again zeroed in on the band I was snapping. I immediately stopped, my heart racing so fast I feared he might hear it.

Fuck, please don’t ask.

"What did you need, Candice?" His gaze lifted to mine expectantly, making my mouth go dry. What I really wanted was for him to call me sweetheart again while he—

I shook my head, trying to clear the inappropriate thoughts. My eyes darted to Ghost, who remained in the corner. The scene felt like a tense good cop, bad cop routine, only heightening my unease. Every alpha I’d ever known had an agenda, except for my brother, Owen. I knew better than to trust Viper’s easy charm. His casual demeanor felt like a thinly veiled maneuver, and my remaining composure snapped.

"What is it you really want from me, Viper?" I blurted out, unable to contain the frustration and fear that had been simmering for weeks.

Pixie had advised me to be a straight shooter, so I held the Serpent’s president’s gaze, forcing myself to meet his intense stare, despite the knot tightening in my stomach. My pulse raced, each beat growing louder in my ears as his eyes darkened, a shadow creeping across his expression.

He stood slowly, like a predator circling prey, and rounded the massive oak desk that separated us. The air between us thickened with each deliberate step he took, his boots echoing on the wooden floors.

My heart hammered harder against my ribs, my body betraying the calm facade I was desperately trying to maintain. A cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck, and I resisted the urge to wipe it away.

When Viper finally stopped in front of me, he was too close. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body, and smell the intoxicating mix of leather and whiskey that clung to him.

His presence was suffocating, consuming every bit of space around me, until it felt like there was no air left to breathe. He sat on the edge of the desk, leaning forward on his knees to bring us closer to eye level. The proximity made my skin tingle with awareness, and I silently cursed myself for reacting this way.

Viper’s rough fingertips brushed a stray lock of hair away from my face, the calloused touch deceptively gentle. That small, intimate gesture sent a sharp shiver down my spine, like a spark lighting up my nerves.

My body betrayed me further as my nipples tightened into hard peaks beneath my shirt, making my breath hitch in my throat. I clenched my teeth, trying to mask the reaction, furious with myself for how easily he affected me.

He stared at me with those sharp, predatory eyes, and I felt as though he could see right through me. "I told you, Candice," he finally spoke, his voice a low, dangerous growl that rumbled from the pit of his stomach. "I want you as mine. I made myself clear, didn’t I? I protect your little club, and you give me a chance."

He tilted his head slightly, as if assessing me, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. "Were you here to sample what I’m offering? I’ve been waiting for you."

Yes. The traitorous thought whispered in the back of my mind, heat swirling low in my belly, tightening my core. My body wanted to give in, to melt under his touch. But I couldn’t—I wouldn’t.

My breath hitched, and panic seized me as I forced the words out.

"W-what? N-no, I mean—" I swatted his hand away from my face, the contact jolting me back to reality. I had to regain control, but it felt like I was grasping at sand slipping through my fingers.

"I need security cameras and whatever else you guys do for the club," I stammered, the words spilling out faster than I intended. "I need it done sooner rather than later."

I launched into a rambling explanation, trying desperately to steer the conversation away from whatever Viper had planned. "We’ve had issues in the past, and with the reopening, I want to make sure we have the best setup possible. It’s crucial for everyone’s safety. I’m talking about state-of-the-art cameras, motion sensors, everything. I need that place secure and… under control."

My voice quivered slightly, betraying my frustration and nerves. I wanted him to focus on the task at hand—on what I needed—but his intense gaze remained fixed on me, unreadable, as if he were toying with me. The tension between us crackled like a live wire, and I could feel my grip on the situation slipping.

I stood abruptly, needing to put some distance between us, needing space to breathe. But the moment I moved, I felt something solid behind me. My heart skipped a beat as my back collided with a hard, unyielding surface. I turned slowly, my stomach dropping as I looked up.

It wasn’t a wall.

It was Ghost.

His broad chest was pressed against my back, his vibrant green eyes burning into mine with a hunger that mirrored Viper’s. My pulse quickened, my throat tightening as I realized just how precarious my situation had become.

Fuck.