Page 45 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

King scowls. “Don’t call her that!”

But there’s something in my throat. Something that I cannot contain. I stare at him, my face twitching until a giggle bursts out. King and Rolly turn to face me completely, but they both look so surprised that I laugh harder.

“Um, do not tell Sage I broke her!” Rolly hisses.

I double over, laughing until tears stream from my eyes, until I feel hollow, and my stomach aches.

King holds out his hand. I think of all the oranges, and I reach out. It takes all my courage. His hand engulfs mine, and his skin is rough, but he holds me like I’m porcelain, and leads me back down into the bunker.

Blaze watches from the kitchen, but he doesn’t comment, doesn’t make a single sound. His eyes just feel heavy.

King picks me up and puts me on the island. Blaze holds out half an apple. I stare at the offering, feeling butterflies and this giddy fear. It’s just an apple. Take it.

I take his apple. He makes a sound that I can’t translate and walks out, leaving us alone and taking the tension with him.

“Do you like chocolate?” Rolly whispers.

I turn, finding his face right next to mine, but he’s not even looking at me, his eyes are on the doorway.

I nod.

With a wicked smile that has my stomach flipping violently again, he vanishes into the walk-in pantry and comes out with a box of pasta. He puts a finger to his lips, reaches in and brings out five chocolate bars.

He brings them over to me.

“Take whichever one you want.”

I hesitantly take one that has a cherry and coconut inside. He grabs another one, chucks King one, and then darts back in, putting the box back.

“Stolen chocolate always tastes better.”

I eat slowly; my back stiffens when I catch Pix’s scent. I always loved raspberry jam, especially when it was hot. It reminds me of days sitting at the shelter with kind betas giving threads of hope.

“Pix, come play with us!” Rolly whines.

Pix walks in, ignoring him, and goes to the sink, filling up his drink bottle. Rolly bounces into him, but Pix shoves him off and turns, raising his hand.

I dart between them, closing my eyes, bracing for the blow.

It doesn’t come. I feel sick. The chocolate bar has fallen from my hands, the space is ripe with alpha tempers.

The silence turns brittle and then shatters.

“No. No. No. No.” Rolly growls, his voice rising. “No. You don’t step in front of me, you don’t step in for anyone.”

He grabs me, but when Pix reaches for him, Rolly lets go, whirls, and steps into the omega, snarling, and in one dangerous move, hurls the omega up against the wall away from me.

“Get out of my sight,” Rolly says in a voice that is low and full of menace.

“Daega,” Sage calls.

I’m trembling, shaking. King pulls me into his arms again, and I collapse against him.Why did I do that? I didn’t even think it through. What is wrong with me?

“Rolly!”

“He did this, touching and flirting, trying to get a rise out of Rosewood. Pushing everyone to their limits, acting like a child,” Rolly hisses.

Sage doesn’t argue.