I incline my head, confirming what I wish wasn’t true.
I was already planning to take their case, but there’s no way I can change my mind now.
A fucking scent match?
Seriously, fate? What the hell did I ever do to you?
“I guess it’s good that we ran into you,” I say, avoiding Knight’s gaze. “It saves me from making a phone call.”
He frowns. “Seriously? You’re just going to ignore the fact that we’re scent?—”
“Nope. We’re not doing this. Not here and not now.” I suck in a breath as I feel panic building. “Maybe not ever, in fact. But what we can talk about is your case. I thought about it, and I’m going to take it. I can’t make any guarantees about the outcome, but I’ll do my damnedest to get her free of him. No one deserves to be stuck with someone like him.”
I do a terrible job of keeping the vehemence out of my voice, and I wonder where my ice queen persona has disappeared to. It would be ever so helpful right now.
“That’s great news.” Knight drops into the seat across from us, his eyes lingering on where Prescott’s hand rests on my shoulder. “So the two of you?—”
“Another thing we’re not discussing,” I cut him off. “We were just finishing up lunch. Why don’t we leave you to yours, and when you’re done, you can call the office and Prescott will set up an appointment for tomorrow?”
I feel, more than see, Ven and Mack move closer, and I hold up my hand. Without looking at them, I tell them, “Stay over there. Please.”
Knight frowns as he watches me. “Our lunch can wait. We can totally have the meeting now.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening.” I clear my throat, lacing my hands together to hide the fact that they’re shaking. “When we have our meeting, I need you to use descenting spray if you’renot going to take the blockers. I don’t have a problem with that. I know how blockers can affect omegas. But your alphas need to continue on the blockers. If I catch even a hint of a scent off any of you, then I’ll drop your case.”
Lies. All lies.
Okay, that’s definitely a lie, but they don’t know that.
Knight nods slowly, Prescott’s hand squeezing my shoulder again.
I glance up at him, seeing the questions in his eyes. The two of us are going to have to have a conversation, but we’re not having it here. Not with half the town watching our every move. Not with the three of them here.
Fuck. I need to get the hell out of here.
“We can agree to that. I have some spray in our room, so we can head there and meet you at your office.”
What doesn’t he understand about the fact that I don’t want him in my office today?
It’s not like I can just come out and say that I don’t want them anywhere near me now that I know what he smells like.
Thank fuck Ven and Mack are still using blockers.
If they’re also my scent matches?—
No. No. No.
I can’t think about that.
Guilt roils in my stomach, and I lift a hand to press against the sudden bite of nausea.
I know I was thinking how Christian would want me to move on today, but scent matches? Really?
I’m not ready for this.
I’m barely ready to attempt dating Prescott, and I’ve known the man for six years.
“We have quite a bit of work that we need to do before we’re ready to meet,” I finally say with a tight smile. “We need to getmore information on Fabian and your sister. I need to research cases that may set precedents for your sister’s case.”
