Page 32 of Knot Broken

“Friends with benefits?” She settled her elbow against the bar as one brow rose slowly. “Friends…” A barman appeared, and she ordered us another couple of wines. That probably wasn’t smart, but I’d need it to get through this interrogation. “That’s not friend behaviour. A quick fuck and then, if you’re lucky, he’ll throw you an old t-shirt for clean-up. That’s the usual FwB bullshit. So, when are you going to see them again?”

I took a sip of wine to both settle my nerves and give myself some time to formulate a reply.

“I’m not sure,” I ended up saying, which was accurate.

“Not sure? What the hell? This is the first time I’ve ever seen you with sex face.”

She gestured in my direction.

“Sex… face?”

“Y’know, that smug look people get when they’ve been getting the good D.” With a grumble, she looked down at her phone and started scrolling through her contact list. “The one I’d very much like to be wearing right now, but nope.” The phone was set aside. “If it was me, I’d be clearing my roster for these guys, booking them solid before someone else gets their claws into them.”

And that was the problem.

“Someone will,” I said. “They might call me omega as a kink thing, but they have an actual omega out there, fated to be their one and only. I can’t let myself catch feelings for them. They are literally not my men.”

“Ugh, fine…” For a second, Helena settled back on her stool, but when she looked out across the crowded bar, she obviously saw something she liked. “Well, if you’re not gonna lock the hot alphas down, how about him?”

Turning around was a mistake. Turning around and seeing Christian Harris AKA The Hottie Upstairs, was an even bigger one. While our office was filled with men in suits, no one seemed to wear one like Christian. One of the young, up and coming lawyers in our legal department, he strode through the office seemingly unaware of the feminine sighs he left in his wake. Being on the receiving end of that sexy, crooked smile of his was enough to make anyone’s day.

And apparently, he was about to make mine.

We looked around at the exact same moment, which was bad, but right when I went to glance away, he smiled.

“Fuck, he’s smiling at you,” Helena said. “Nads⁠—”

“There’s no way.”

I looked back, expecting to see some gorgeous woman behind the bar, but unless Christian had a taste for middle-aged men, that wasn’t it.

“He’s coming over!” Helena exclaimed.

To buy a drink, I reasoned, swallowing a big mouthful of mine. For the friends he’s hanging out with.

“OK, let’s get you ready,” my bestie hissed. “Undo that button.”

“What’re you doing!” I shout whispered back as my cleavage suddenly deepened.

I’d been forced to buy new shirts to deal with my stupid pre-menstrual breasts.

“Damn, are these guys amateur plastic surgeons as well?” she said, staring at my boobs. “Because I don’t remember you being that busty.”

“Everything’s kinda swollen right now.” I clutched at my shirt neckline. “Pretty sure I’m getting my period.”

Except this wasn’t my usual shit where even the lightest of touches on my breasts felt like razor blades. No cramping or bloated stomach either. If anything, it was flatter. The waistband of my pants were starting to gape, despite absolutely no attempt at dieting on my part.

“Well, let’s make PMS work for us, not against us for once,” she whispered, right before sitting back and smiling.

“Ladies.”

Goddess, his voice was as deep and sexy as I remembered it. I looked up, thinking he was talking to Helena, only to find him staring down at me. Hazel eyes, I hadn’t realised they were that colour. It felt like I could count the green flecks in them, right before they creased around the edges as he smiled.

Reminding me of another set of eyes that were quite a different colour.

“I’m Christian.” He offered me his hand, but I just stared at it. “Christian Harris. I’m up in⁠—”

“Legal.” I almost barked that out. Feeling my cheeks flush, I smiled ruefully. My hand took his and whoa, I felt a little flutter in my stomach as he gripped it. Or maybe lower. “You’re upstairs in legal.” He looked at me expectantly, probably because I hadn’t let go of his bloody hand. “Sorry, I’m Nadia, this is Helena. We work down in finance.”