Page 163 of Knot So Social

He chuckles and herds me inside.

“Next time, should you take Jock with you?” I ask, staring at the patch of dirt on the floor. “He could use the run.”

“I thought about it, but wanted to ask Joel’s permission,” he admits.

“Oh, fair call.” I head back to the kitchen to look for a dustpan

Alessandro trails after me. “Can I make something for you? Coffee?”

“No, I’m doing it this morning, if that’s okay?” Mostly because I want to show off my skills.

“Coffee made by my omega? I can’t wait.” He sounds genuinely excited.

When I pull out the dustpan, he takes it from my hands and goes back to the entrance, cleaning up what the boxer dragged in.

I get the beans brewing and froth the milk. Anxiety stirs in my heart when I set the completed coffee in front of Alessandro. I’ve worked hard on my barista skills but maybe he won’t like it. Then again, I’m realizing I need to readjust all my expectations. These alphas don’t mock what I have to give them.

Sure enough, Alessandro’s impressed by my milk pouring skills and his soft coos of praise over the heart shape slide straight to my own soul.

“It’s so beautiful! I cannot believe you made this at home, even though I watched with my own eyes. I thought this was only possible in the café. Such skills, cara mia!”

I get plenty of people praising me online, but it hits different in person. More real.

“Thank you,” I mumble, cheeks heating.

Alessandro places his hands flat either side of the mug on the table. “How can I even drink something so beautiful? Destroy the artwork? No.”

When he shakes his head, I pick up the cup and take a sip, making the froth shift lopsidedly.

“Like that,” I tell him, setting it in front of him. “I can make you another later, or tomorrow morning.”

A gleam enters his dark eyes. “And the day after that?”

I snort and turn away to hide my burning face. He’ll keep asking about the day after that right up until he says “forever.”

“Yes,” I whisper under my breath while finishing off my own cup.

Once I sit down next to him, I ask, “Do you have plans today?”

Alessandro sips his coffee and hums in appreciation. “I need to check if I have work to go to."

The way he phrases that tolls a warning in my head. “You don’t know if you have any?”

He shakes his head. “I discovered yesterday that . . . bad rumors about me are circling this neighborhood.” The alpha’s jaw twitches before he looks up, meeting my gaze. “Saying I tried to harm the person who . . .”

The pain in his eyes twists my belly. I cover his hand. “Alessandro, I don’t believe them.”

He tops my hand with his. “That’s all I need, cara mia. I couldn’t bear if you thought the worst of me.”

I blow out my lips. “People don’t roofie themselves, and I saw how helpless you were.” Squeezing his hand and hoping some of my strength flows into him, I ask, “How do we fight the rumors?”

His Adam’s apple bobs hard. “I do not want to fight, but if I have no work . . .”

I remember that first year alone, when I had no skills, no personal care, not even a home to shower in. No one wanted to hire me, and it ate at my self-worth every day. I lean into his shoulder, hurting with him.

After a moment I growl under my breath. “That’s defamation, Alessandro, and we can prove economic loss if you already had clients booked and they cancel.”

He shrugs. “I do not have the money to fight in court, cara mia. That is how the world goes.”