Knot Without You: An Omegaverse Romance

Chapter 32

Chapter

Thirty-Two

Dropping a hand on my brother’s shoulder I steer him in the opposite direction of where I really want to be, next to her. “Let’s go talk.”

He twists under my touch. His rebuttal hits in an instant, but it’s exactly how I would react if I was in his shoes. But Steel means the world to me, his pain is mine and if I can give him any quick comfort I will.

“You remember that day at the hospital when you called me and told me you’d finally got Ma and Harley out of there?”

He grunts a response as he guns it across the lawn towards the lake’s edge.

“In the same call, you told me to ice any and all connections. Steel, I had just met her. Not even five minutes before you called we were locked in my room.”

“Mav there fucking her too?”

I get he is pissed off and he’s entitled to it but for him to be so instantly vicious towards Tristan has my control slipping.

Thankfully, Mav nabs my hand as he jogs past me and Steel before spinning around in front of him and walking backwards. “You know I wasn’t, Steel. I was with you.”

Steel goes to step around Maverick, but Maverick stops him with a hand against my brother’s chest making it impossible for Steel to ignore him. “Hey, we’re good.”

“We’re so far from fucking good,” Steel snarls before throwing his hand up. “Was this your plan from the start? This is who you’re leaving me for?”

I rock back on my heel. It’s the first time Steel has ever said out loud that he and Maverick are more than pack mates. I’d always thought they might be, but neither of them had previously ever come out.

“No. I said I was done with the club. I never said you.” Maverick’s eyes flick in my direction, and when he speaks next, it’s quieter but I still hear him. “Jesus, Steel, I’d be by your side forever if you let me, but I won’t stand around and watch Rex or any of them keep drawing you into their shit. And I’ve told you that a hundred times or more.” He talks slowly to my brother, his eyes so full of emotion, it’s overwhelming and despite the fact I’m intruding it doesn’t stop Maverick spilling his heart out. “I’m done—but never with you. And you have to get why I didn’t tell you or Tyson about Tristan, right?”

“When did you meet her? How long ago, huh?” Steel hisses.

“The day Rex showed up when we were at Tunda’s, you remember that? I’d finished a job that day to get some fast cash for Harley and then in the next fucking breath we were cruising the streets and he’s throwing around how he’s going to get even with King and needs a replacement. I did a job with her and yeah, I think… I mean, I know she is my scent-match.”

And I see the exact moment Steel puts the timing together, because his scent gets bitter but his shoulders slump for a second.

“She’s an Omega. What do you think he’d do if he knew who she was? But worst of all Steel, you said yourself you’d go get one for him.”

Steel’s chin flicks up defensively. Maverick doesn’t waver in the way he keeps looking at him but Steel’s wound up tight, he’s vibrating in rage. And I know my brother, he’s got the biggest heart, but Mav knows him too, and he reluctantly walks away, knowing Steel needs space.

He’d be so hurt by us blindsiding him, his head would be full of voices and questions.

Maverick avoids looking at me as he walks back towards his bike. In no time the rumbling bass of his bike vibrates over the lake as he rides off.