Page 109 of Knot a Bad Idea

“You don’t have to take on everyone else’s burden, Donovan,” I say softly.

He nods. “I’m aware. I still want to, though.”

He squeezes my hand, and I stare off into the ocean. “You killed my captor,” I whisper.

“Did Vincent tell you that?”

I look back at him in surprise. “You know Vincent? Skylar’s Vincent?”

He quirks his lip. “My private investigator knows him.”

“Skylar told me, actually.”

He furrows his brow, and his scent grows spicy. “I’m sorry for a lot of things, April, but I will never be sorry for knowing that coward is no longer on earth,” he says darkly. “I realize thatmay be frightening, but…I can’t find it in myself to apologize for that.”

I’m not sure how I feel about casually discussing murder at his ex’s wedding, but here I am doing it.

“I’m not frightened,” I tell him. “I probably should be. But ever since I came back from that place, something has been wrong with me?—”

“Nothing’s wrong with you,” Donovan snarls. “You’re perfect.”

I choke out a laugh. “Hardly. I lied to you since we first met. I didn’t tell you who I was.”

“I did the same thing. I liked you because you sawme, not just the nameAxton.”

“And I wanted you because you didn’t see some broken, defective girl.”

He shakes his head and takes a step closer. “I see everything in you,” he breathes. “Everything I could ever want. My apology will never be enough, I know that. But I would behonoredif you would give me a second chance. I won’t waste it, April.”

“What about the contract?” I whisper.

“It’s null and void. It’snothing,” he snarls. “It was a stupid piece of paper because I was too much of a coward to ask foryou. I wanted you, and I wanted youguaranteedto me, without the chance of losing you.”

Tears spring to my eyes. For so long, I was convinced he didn’t truly want me, and this was just for business purposes.

“You should have told me,” I say finally.

He looks unsure. “There’s something else I need to tell you,” he murmurs. “And I’m not sure if you’re going to like it. But I’d rather be honest than keep it from you. I don’t want to do that to you anymore.”

I nod, anxiety churning in my gut.

“When you were gone,” he says, swallowing, “I…heard you. In my head, when you weren’t there. My therapist says they’re auditory hallucinations.”

I freeze. “…oh.”

There should be alarms blaring in my mind.

I know that. Ishouldbe disturbed.

But I’m not.

“I’ve also heard it can happen with your mate,” he says lowly. “So…I’m not exactly surprised.”

My breath catches.

He’s all but admitting what I’ve suspected for a while.

We’re mates.