Page 62 of Knot a Bad Idea
Malicious compliance.
“Did you come here by yourself?” Sophie asks, frowning. “They arrived without you.”
I keep my smile polite despite the thudding in my heart. “I had business back at home,” I say. “With my café.”
Sophie scoffs. “They haven’t moved you in yet? That’s ridiculous. If you need to be closer to your café, why haven’t they bought you a house yet?”
I blink, the question catching me off guard. “What?”
“You should all have a packhouse together,” she says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “They should get you one closer to your home, if it's important to you. I’ll talk to them. They’re being so stupid.”
I open and close my mouth. “Uh?—”
An arm slips around my waist at the same time a delicious scent of eucalyptus and mint swirls around me.
“Liam, you haven’t bought her a house yet?” Sophie gapes at the Alpha standing next to me. “She’s your Omega. What’s wrong with you?”
It’s easy to lean into Liam’s embrace and rest my head against his chest.
I missed him so much, and I have the frightening urge to cry.
But he doesn’t need to know that. I’m just doing my part as an Omega with her Alpha.
Liam presses a kiss to my hair, and I ignore the painful thrumming in my heart.
“She can have as many homes as she wants,” he says. “We’re just waiting until she’s ready.”
My stomach sinks, but the smile stays on my face.
Sophie looks horrified. “April,” she says, her mouth open in shock. “They want to give you the world. They’reso in lovewithyou!” she smacks Liam’s arm playfully. “Trust me. Just let them do it!”
The champagne churns in my gut, and I have a horrifying image of vomiting all over Sophie’s dress.
They’re not in love with me, obviously.
It hurts to hear the lie from Sophie’s mouth.
I turn out of Liam’s embrace and finally meet his gaze.
His forest green eyes are so full of warmth and happiness that I can only look at him for a moment before turning away.
“I need to use the restroom,” I say smoothly. “I’ll be back.”
And before Sophie can offer to go with me, I hurry away from them.
I don’t know what I’m doing.
How can I keep my charade up if one look from Liam is enough to send me to my knees?
He smells like home, like happiness, like…
Love.
I’m not having these thoughts right now. My job is to bemaliciously compliant.
But still, I hurry past the ballroom and down hallways, looking for a restroom just so I can catch my breath.
This event is held at a restored Victorian estate, and no matter how many winding hallways I rush through, I can’t find the damn bathroom.