Page 60 of Trick Knot Treat

My stepmother looks like a female version of Jace, except her dark hair is dyed their natural colour. If she stopped her weekly treatments, it would be silver-white. She isn’t skinny, but she’s not fat either. However, where Jace’s face is open and friendly, hers is shrewd and cynical. She looks like she doesn’t even know what the word smile is.

“My dearest family, how happy I am to see you. You just missed dinner.” My mocking tone hits true.

They turn on me.

“What have you done this time, Clint?” my dad roars. “Kidnapping?”

I shake my head, pretending nonchalance, while my heart is racing. I’m never sure if I hate him or love him. Perhaps I hate who he is but love the memory. Or maybe the memory was a lie, and this is who he’s always been.

Either way, I do not like my father.

“Kidnapping? Nonsense. It was a daring rescue,” I say and regretfully pout at my last bit of pizza.

“How dare you ruin his date!”

I grin at them. “I am his date.”

Brenda gasps and then swoons. My dad catches her. I swear, they practice this at home to get it perfect.

“How could you do this? You’ve made your mother so upset.”

“She is not my mother, and why can’t I be happy, too? Why isn’t there enough to go around for everyone?”

“Because you can’t-” Brenda snarls, waking up from her faint like a miracle was just performed.

“Are you trying to interfere in my pack-making event, Brenda?” A voice thunders.

Lorelei Sol swans into my dining room like the queen, and I am seriously a convert. I will bow to the empress of Sunshine Cove for the rest of my life. I gleefully watch my parents squirm.

I find it concerning that everyone is walking willy-nilly into my home, though.

“Jace, come with us!” Brenda snarls. “We can fix this.”

Everyone looks at Jace. I expect him to say that he’ll go with her. Our eyes meet, clash. If you leave, I will never ever forgive you, I mentally scream at him. He must hear me because he drops his chin, just a bit.

“No, I made a deal. I have to see this out.”

“JACE!” she shrieks.

“Ma’am, we have Trick Knot Treat business, please see yourself out of my house,” I say and pick up my pizza, trying to look calm despite the ache in my chest. I chew on the pizza, not tasting a thing, and then the strangest thing happens.

A hand rests on my leg, just above the knee. Someone giving me comfort where no one else can see. A touch that startles me and rekindles the crush I’d long since given up on.

“Lix?”

He looks at me with those gold-green eyes. He doesn’t smile. I have no idea what he’s thinking, but this is everything.

I slide my hand down over his fingers. He doesn’t pull away. Zaire gets up and walks to the front door, making sure my parents leave.

And I see a future. A brilliant and beautiful future with two omegas and a family. One that doesn’t have requirements and conditions for love.

And I want it.

Chapter 15

Khione

Iput my chin on my hand and stare into space. There are so many thoughts in my brain, but all I can hear is my father telling me, ‘kick them in the balls, it fixes everything’.