Bound To The Broken Alpha (Amy and Daniel) novel Chapter 186

Chapter 33

“Did Knox tell you to stall me?” I ask.

He smiles. “I’m just looking out for you.”

“You mean playing jailer.”

“Company policy,” he says. “No stairs for people in stilettos.”

“What’s your name?”

“Joseph.”

“You’re not a very good liar, Joseph.”

“Must be my Christian roots.”

“How much did he pay you?”

“Who?”

“Haha. Funny.”

I drop the umbrella and sidestep him, bolting down the stairs before he can stop me.

He doesn’t follow. I figured he wouldn’t. Anything else would’ve crossed into kidnapping territory.

At the bottom, I slip into the elevator and ride it down, adjusting my coat and ignoring the sting in my thighs with every shift. When the doors open to the main floor, I step out and start scanning the hallway.

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There they are.

Finn. Knox. Victoria.

Finn sees me first and immediately crosses the space, wrapping me in a hug before I can even speak. His

and warm.

arino S

“I’m so sorry,” he says into my hair.

“It’s okay,” I whisper. “I’m fine.”

are tight around me, grounding

He pulls back, inspecting my face. “Were you crying?”

“I’m fine, Finn.”

My eyes dart to Knox. He’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Beside him, Victoria gives me a long look, her attention alternating between me and Knox, who still hasn’t moved or looked away from me.

“Let’s go back to the house,” Finn says.

“That’d be a great idea,” Victoria adds, stepping forward. “This party has really worn me down.”

I want to speak to Knox. Say something. Anything. But my throat is dry.

Finally, I manage, “See you tomorrow, Knox.”

He doesn’t respond.

“Come on, Sloane,” Finn says.

I follow, letting him lead me away, but after making it a few steps

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toward the exit, Knox calls behind us.

“Wait.”

We turn.

“Finn,” Knox says. “You’ve stalled enough. What’s your answer? Are you in or not?”

I stare at Finn, curious, but he looks away, guilt written all over him.

“I’m in,” he says quietly. “But do it tomorrow. So nothing goes wrong.”

“Great,” Knox says. “Do mine tonight.”

Finn clenches his jaw, then turns without a word and starts walking, pulling me along. I follow him, casting one last look over my shoulder.

Knox is staring at me.

He blows a kiss. Mouths, “Goodnight, Kitten.”

My stomach flips.

I turn around again, suddenly needing to know what their code words back there meant.

“What was that about?” I ask Finn.

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

We walk out of the building and into the parking lot. I see Victoria heading to her car just ahead as I climb into the passenger seat of Finn’s father’s ride.

Finn starts driving.

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Chapter 33

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His finger taps against the steering wheel. Again. Again. The silence in the car is heavy.

I check my phone.

I don’t know why I expect to see a message from Knox.

There’s nothing there.

It makes me… ache.

I glance up to find Finn quickly looking away.

“What is it?” I ask. “You’ve been acting weird the past few minutes.”

He hesitates.

“I just… I have this thing I want to ask you,” he says, voice low. “But I don’t know how.”

“What thing?”

“Promise to be honest?”

“When have I ever lied to you?”

He exhales. Long. Heavy.

“Sloane, do you have feelings for me?”

My heart skips. “What?”

He keeps talking. “It’s not like I never guessed you were crushing on me in college. I mean… who didn’t?”

My pulse quickens.

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“I just need to know if it ever went beyond a silly crush,” he says, his voice tight. “Was our friendship ever real? Or have you spent the last ten years just trying to get in my pants?”

***

~~FINN~~~

***

To be honest, the words sounded a lot better in my head when I formed

them.

There’s a difference between planning the perfect conversation and actually speaking it out loud. Sloane’s eyes are locked on me now, narrowed. I’d been searching for the cleanest way to honor Knox’s deal, because I know my brother–he’s unhinged, and he meant every word he said. So I have to do this. Let Sloane go. Even if it’s just for now. Knox’s obsessions don’t last long. They burn bright and fast, and then they’re gone. He’ll move on. I’ll get Sloane back. And Delilah–Delilah will be mine once again. That’s how this plays out. That’s how it’s supposed to play out.

But I can’t do it.

I can’t.

The moment I picture Sloane not speaking to me, not sitting beside me, not texting me to tell me how stupid I am, not looking at me like I’m still some kind of good–it’s like the air’s been sucked out of the car. My chest tightens. My breath shortens. She’s been my only real friend for years. The one constant. The only thing that’s ever made sense. If I lose her, what the hell do I have left?