Page 59 of Love Me Knot, Part One (Knotty Omegas #1)

I squeeze her, happy she’s giving us her true feelings even when it’s hard. “You’re welcome, kitten. Now, how can we make this right?”

I’m not sure about my brothers, but I’m thinking about something hot, wet and?—

“Let me pay something.”

Fuck no.

We all growl and Daphne bats at us with limp hands. “Hush. If I’m going to stay here, I want to pay the rent I agreed on. It’s only fair.”

“Little muse, I don’t think?—”

“Agreed, but not full price. Half.” Dez whips his head around at Connor’s interruption, but our pack lead only has eyes for Daphne. I hate the idea of her paying us anything, but him with my life.

Daph straightens. “Three-quarters.”

“No. A quarter.”

“This isn’t how you negotiate.” Dez and I watch like a tennis match, gaze ping-ponging between them as she throws her hands up.

“It is today.” Connor crosses his arms, smirking. “I won’t accept anything more than half.”

“Fine, but I pay full utilities.”

“Agreed.”

Daph chews her lip until Connor tugs it out of her mouth. He keeps his thumb on it, stroking the skin softly until she shudders. I don’t think she realizes he’s inching closer until their mouths almost touch. “We want something in return, though.”

“Other than my compliance?” she teases, a little too breathless to make it land.

“Obviously.”

“What do you want?” Daph’s so suspicious I nearly laugh.

“Stop fighting us about courting gifts.”

This is why Connor’s in charge.

When she starts to complain, he kisses her into silence.

“On top of the normal things like dates and spending time together, gifts are an alpha’s way of showing we care.

That we can provide. Fighting you on every little thing is exhausting.

Not only that, it’s hard to build the trust that courtship is intended for when we’re battling over shit like buying dinner or mowing your side of the lawn. ”

“You’re saying if I stop arguing about your courting gifts, you won’t go behind my back about the bills?” Daphne looks like she’s just waiting for him to pull the lever, her voice so cautious my chest squeezes.

“Correct. Let us take care of you, angel. Oh, and we want to see your store.”

“What?” Out of everything he’s asked for, that trips her up. She stumbles and we nearly crack heads trying to steady her. “Why do you want to see that?”

My brothers and I share a glance before Connor cups her cheek. “Because it’s a huge achievement and you deserve your pack’s support.”

Daphne Barnes is a force of nature, but she folds like a cardboard box at that. Her fingers dig into his collar, pulling him down until their mouths touch. “Agreed.”

The kiss relaxes all of us, returning equilibrium to the pack. It’s unnatural to be out of sync from our omega.

Connor nuzzles her cheek, slathering her in his scent until she purrs. “Thank you, angel. You don’t understand how much this means.”

“You’re welcome.” Daph leans over to kiss me, then Dez, before dropping back to her feet. Her fingers twist in the hem of her shorts, dragging them higher on her thighs and I’m not the only one who can’t look away. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something, but I don’t want you to get upset.”

Oh, shit. She’s breaking up with us. No, she’s ending the courtship. Oh my god, she’s walking away. Even though I know that’s not what’s happening, my head is screaming, danger, danger!

Before I can go into a full-blown panic attack, Daphne wraps herself around me. “Breathe, babe.”

“Like it when you call me that,” I choke, trying to soak in her scent. It’s not upset anymore, just tense. Nervous. What the hell does she have to be nervous about?

She waits patiently while I sort my shit out and doesn’t complain when I haul her into my arms because I need her closer. “You ready?”

“No,” I mumble. Daphne’s sweet laugh lifts some of the stress away so I can listen. “Okay, fine.”

“I have a court date in a few days, and I’d like you guys to be there.” We’re all stunned silent. She waits, then squirms with discomfort at our continued silence. “I know it’s late notice and you’re busy, but I just thought that—you know what? Never mind.”

“Nope. Not doing that.” I lean down for a hard kiss, breaking her negative thoughts the way she broke mine. “We’re glad you asked.”

“You are?”

“Absolutely.” Dez’s gentle smile barely conceals his displeasure. Not for Daph, but because she’ll be in the same room as her former alphas and, possibly, her dickhead parents. “Text us the date and time. We might not all be able to come, but at least one of us will be there.”

“Thank you. I don’t want to go by myself.” Daphne’s eyes cloud and this time, I know they’re happy tears. She blinks them away, but it’s clear how much this means.

“Never.” I kiss her, offering a promise with my body that only she can hear. You don’t ever have to be alone again.

As always, things get carried away until Daph wrenches back, cheeks flushed, lips swollen and that cotton candy scent absolutely everywhere. “Okay, enough. I need to shower and then we’ll have dinner at yours, okay?”

My brothers and I share a grin while I swat her ass, smiling at her sharp laugh. “Go ahead. We’ll get cooking.”

We watch as she rushes for the house. My heart’s going to bust out of my chest if it gets any bigger. “She’s coming over for dinner willingly.”

Dez wraps an arm around my shoulder and squeezes. “ She asked us. ”

Connor nudges my shoulder. “She’s not going to fight the gifts anymore.”

Considering how much worse things could’ve been, I think we’re all happy with the outcome of our little talk.

It’s not until we’re inside washing our hands at the sink that Dez turns to Connor. “You’re not really letting her pay rent, are you?”

“I said I would and I am.”

“But we don’t need the money.”

Con smirks as he chops washed vegetables on the cutting board. “Maybe not, but we have an omega suite to outfit, don’t we?”