Page 225 of Knot What I Expected

“I absolutely fucking did.”

“Dollar!” Matteo shouts.

Rowan groans and reaches for his wallet. I laugh harder.

God, my cheeks hurt.

My stomach hurts.

I can't remember the last time I've laughed this much. Then Matteo turns toward me.

“What are you, Mommy?”

And just like that, the laughter catches in my throat.

My fingers freeze around my teacup. The matebond tightens instantly.

Rowan feels it.

Of course he does.

His thigh presses more firmly against mine. His hand covers mine beneath the table. He doesn't answer for me.

Doesn't push.

Doesn't even look at me expectantly. He just holds on.

I look at my son.

“I'm your mommy.”

Matteo sighs dramatically.

“I know that.”

Rowan reaches across and steals a piece of chocolate cake right off Matteo's plate.

“Best answer you're getting tonight, Champ.”

“Hey!”

“Alpha tax.”

Matteo's outrage is immediate.

“What's Alpha tax?”

“Means I get cake.”

“That doesn't sound real.”

“It's extremely real.”

“No, it's not,” Wreck says.

Rowan glares at him.

“Whose side are you on?”