Page 90 of Knotted their Beauty

“What,” I bark as I answer.

“Baron?” Arlo asks hesitantly.

I sigh long and low as my shoulders drop. “Sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“Are you okay? You haven’t been answering my texts.”

I put him on speaker and switch to my texts, seeing three unread messages from my sweet omega. “Shit, I didn’t even hear my phone. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I knew you were working on the van, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need us to come help or anything.”

“I’m good, little omega. I’m going to be a while longer, I just got back with everything I need, but I’m good.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come out and help?”

“Positive. I got it, no worries.”

“Okay. Keep us posted. Let me know when you’re on your way.”

I smile a little and nod, “I will. Love you, baby.”

“I love you, too, Alpha,” he says dreamily. “See you soon.”

Then I get to work.

I work my ass off for the next two goddamn hours because there was more going on with the van than I realized, but I’m finally finished, starving, and ready to go home and eat that roast my omega has probably been making Lennox wait to eat until I get there.

I finish cleaning up my mess, picking up all of my trash and tools before I climb into the driver’s seat, sweaty and smelling like ass, and just when I go to turn off my hazards, a set of headlights breeches the horizon.

Headlights on that same fucking sedan, with that same fucking lady driving, who slows down and gives me a finger wave as she goes by.

And there’s that goddamn feeling of dread again.

Chapter

Thirty

ARLO

“Cali!” I yell, grinning as she jumps out of her father’s SUV and runs toward me. She’s having an independent streak, and doesn’t want to have anyone help her in and out of the car according to her grandmother.

I don’t see the harm in it as long as Cali is waiting until the vehicle is at a complete stop.

I catch my sweet, gorgeous girl and swing her into my arms as she hugs my neck tightly.

“I think she missed you more than me,” Ves grumbles with a grin.

“She adores you,” I murmur. “Ugh, let’s not do such long vacations with grandma again, okay?”

It’s been a month, but may as well have been much longer. Yes, I’m dramatic as hell, but I can’t help it.

“I miss playing hide and seek!” Cali squeals happily. “I love grandma and Uncle Henry, but they don’t make my grilled cheese the way you do.”

She says it as if it’s a secret and I smother a smile as I walk her inside. How else do you make a grilled cheese sandwich? Ves shrugs when I make eye contact with him as he follows me into the rental.

“Grandma prefers to bake and plan trips,” he explains. “Real food tends to happen at restaurants. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Cali is a homebody. It’s one of the reasons the rental makes better sense while you’re staying with me. I need to enroll her in online school because I can’t stomach the idea of having you guys go back to Los Angeles.”

“I like this place,” Cali decides. “Is there a park nearby?”