33. Meggie

33

Meggie

I told the guys I feel fine, but that may have been a bit of a stretch. I don't feel like I'm going to crawl out of my skin anymore or like I'll die if I don't have an orgasm. The cramps have stopped, I can focus again, and my scent is almost unnoticeable. But I'm still longing for a knot like I never have before.

Breathing through the desire, I duck my head and hurry my steps as we make our way outside and past the crowds yelling, "USA! USA! USA!"

Oz keeps his arm around my shoulders, steering us away from Olympic fans and onto a quiet side street where we become just one of the crowd. I look down at my feet and try to keep my face covered with the hat. It's unlikely that Declan will fall for it. He seems like a smart guy, and seeing the way Oz is protecting me will be enough for him to piece the puzzle together. I just have to hope he cares enough about Em to let her best friend slide under the radar and get away with this.

I glance up and see the sign for Café Au Lait hanging over a blue awning. There are little tables out on the sidewalk and Knox is casually sitting at one. He's leaning back with his feet crossed at the ankle and two coffees in to-go cups on the table. For a moment, I feel bad about doing this. He can be an asshole sometimes, but I always got the sense that his confident swagger was an act he put on and there might be something deeper underneath. I try to remind myself he's a criminal and I don't really know him, but I still feel like I'm pushing him off a cliff to save myself and my men.

"Hey, beauty," Knox says as he spots us. "And beast." He smirks and nods at Oz. "Nice to see you again."

Oz doesn't reply, he just crosses his arms and glares. "Let's get this over with."

Knox's gaze narrows, but he keeps the smile on his face. "Sit down. Let's catch up. I got you a coffee. I would have gotten a second if I knew the big guy was coming with you."

The first time I bought drugs from Knox, he gave me a rundown of how to avoid looking suspicious. Quick hand-offs were one of those things he said not to do. He always tries to keep sales looking like friendly hang outs, whether it's at a bar, a club, or a cafe like this. If we don't follow his guidelines, he'll get suspicious.

Palms sweating, I pull out the seat across from Knox. There isn't another chair at the tiny table, so I expect Oz to take one from the table next to us, but he takes the seat I just pulled out and tugs me down onto his lap.

"Cozy," Knox smirks, pushing the coffee he isn't drinking in front of me. "So how've you been?"

"You know, same old, same old," I laugh awkwardly, trying to hide the way my voice shakes. The to-go coffee cup isn't hot when I pick it up, so Knox must have waited for us for a while, which is surprising. He might like deals to last long enough to look like normal interactions, but he doesn't hang around unnecessarily.

I pick up the drink and take a sip. No liquid comes out. Knox gives me a look that seems like it's supposed to mean something, but I don't pick up on what he's trying to communicate.

"How about you, tattoos?" Knox asks, turning his face towards Oz, but still keeping his eyes on me. "How's your mom?"

Oz growls. "What do you know about my mom?"

"Nothing, man." Knox holds up his palms. "Just making conversation."

I tilt the cup up more and something small and hard falls onto my tongue. It's got the same metallic taste as my normal suppressants. I give Knox a look and he returns a subtle nod.

I can't swallow pills without liquid, so I steal his coffee, washing down the taste. "Needed to compare the two," I say to cover my move.

I feel more relieved now that I've taken a suppressant, but the feeling immediately vanishes when a crippling cramp hits deep in my abdomen. I bite my lip hard enough to taste blood. Oz's nostrils flare and Knox's eyes become as wide as saucers. Shit.

Knox leans over the table and whispers, "That coffee won't help if you're already…"

He doesn't need to finish the sentence. Oz shoots to his feet, forcing me up with him. This isn't a quiet corner or an empty cafe. There are people everywhere of all designations and way too many alphas.

An alpha at the table nearby lets out a deep groan, noticing the intoxicating scent of an omega in heat.

Oz growls at the other alpha, a show of dominance that just turns me on and makes more sweet smelling slick pool between my legs.

Coming here was a really horrible idea.