Grayson's Double Trouble

by Meg Bawden

“No, I’ll have you in the right protection. Come on, let’s get you in the shower and dress you in the most unattractive bee suit ever.”

  He laughed in response.

  Blair

  Damn it to hell and back. I glared at my phone and dropped it on my desk, and my head followed, slamming on the wood with a loud crack. A hand touched my back, and the strong smell of lily perfume told me exactly who it was. It didn’t help that I felt her fingernails through my thin dress shirt.

  “Blair, sweetie, you okay?” Her breath caressed my ear, and I shifted away from her, glancing at the closeness of her breasts beside my arm from the corner of my eye.

  “Fine.” I stood from my desk and rolled my shoulders. It’d been a long morning already, and sitting for so long had made my limbs stiff.

  She stood with me, her blond eyebrows drawn together as she took a step closer. “Is it the mayor? Trouble in paradise already?”

  I snorted. Trouble in paradise meant that I’d actually spent time with him, but I’d made sure to avoid him since the conference. It hadn’t gone badly. I expected it to be worse, and since Grayson had attended interviews, talked about how much he cared for both me and Bristol, the Cherry Hollow people had warmed up to the idea. It had gone viral, too, with omega activists making Grayson their poster boy.

  Omegas have rights, too.

  Omegas have choices. They can choose who their alphas are.

  The posters were right, of course, but not every town was similar Cherry Hollow. Even with laws in place to protect both omega and alpha rights, omegas were still often treated as though they were nothing more than whores for alphas, bound to spread their legs and beg an alpha to fuck them. Sure, it happened in reality, but that didn’t mean omegas couldn’t choose who they spent their heat with, or even if they wanted to spend it with someone. There were lots of men and women who chose to spend it alone, in agony, with nothing more than an alpha dildo to pleasure them.

  I sighed in frustration. Grayson didn’t have to worry about that right now. Not only did he not have his heats while pregnant, but Bristol was with him, pleasuring him. It wasn’t that I was jealous of Bristol touching him, but rather I wasn’t there to give Grayson the same sort of attention.

  But I couldn’t. Since the announcement, fear had begun eating away at me. It was done now. We’d announced to America, not just Cherry Hollow, that we were going to raise this child together—me, Grayson, and Bristol. The thought was fucking terrifying. It put me in the spotlight, enough for me to receive calls from ex-lovers who wanted to meet up again, who asked questions that I wasn’t comfortable answering. The reminder of what an alpha I was had made me reconsider the whole thing because in the end, Bristol would always be the better man. He could raise a child and take care of an omega in a way I couldn’t.

  “Blair, baby?”

  Jenika’s soft lullaby voice was another reminder of it all because I’d fucked one of our office assistants not three months before I took Grayson home for a drink.

  “I’m not your baby,” I snapped before I could stop myself. I turned hard eyes on her, mouth pulled taut. “I made it clear to you from the start that we’re nothing, Jenika.”

  She smiled, her bright pink lips stretching across her soft, feminine face. “That’s not what you said when you were fucking me.” She slid closer, the smell of her perfume becoming overpowering in the tight corner where my desk sat. “The mayor is a handsome man, but he’s so prim and proper. I bet he’s vanilla in bed. You need someone like me. Fierce as a tiger to take your big cock.”

  Her breasts pressed against my arm and the abort signal flashed in front of my eyes. I shoved passed her, not hard enough to hurt her, but to make a point. Now I wasn’t caught in the tight corner near my desk, I could breathe better. Turning to her, I smirked, gaining some of my façade back. “You’d be surprised what our sweet mayor can do when I get him naked in my bed, sweetheart.”

  A pout crossed her lips. “Blair—”

  “You can pout at me all you want with those pretty lips of yours, but it won’t work. I’m with Grayson now and we’re having a baby.” The words infiltrated into my mind, a reminder to myself that he was having Bristol’s and my baby. Could I really give up both my omega and baby fully to my brother? The thought made my gut clench. No. I couldn’t.

  “Your baby?” She giggled, slapping her hand over her lips. Her long, fake fingernails matched her lipstick. “How do you know it’s yours? Blair, baby, Grayson takes both yours and Bristol’s cock. Rumor around town says Bristol had him a lot more than you. My guess is that baby’s his.”

  “Doesn’t matter whose baby it is by genetics. The kid is still mine.” I shrugged. I expected the jabs to come from someone sooner or later—the “the kid probably isn’t yours” line. “Don’t you have a job to do?”

  She huffed, crossed her arms under her busty chest, and spun on her heel, stalking away to whatever she’d been doing before. I watched her go, and when she completely left our office, I dropped into the chair with a sigh and hung my head in exhaustion. There was no way in hell I could avoid them forever, but the longer I did, the harder it became to talk to Bristol and Grayson.

  I stared at my phone, the lack of response taunting me. All I had to do was grab it and call, apologize, and tell them I’d be over there soon….

  “Blair!” Todd stormed into the room, his shoulders taut and his suit as unfitting as usual. He seemed frazzled today, with his hair a crow’s nest on his head and his eyes nearly boggling out of their sockets. “We have our first mocking interview. From some talk show host. He’s making fun of the entire situation.” His gaze narrowed, lips thinned as if to tell me it was entirely my fault. “The mayor is going to be the laughingstock of America.”

  I sighed and leaned back in my chair. “It was going to happen eventually. Someone would have always made fun of it.”

  “What do you think we should do, then?” He folded his arms over his chest.

  “Nothing. Let the activists defend him. They’re useful to have on our side.” I stood again and stretched my back before shuffling my papers to organize my desk.

  “We’re risking a lot,” Todd murmured.

  “Grayson knew what he was getting into.”

  “Did he?” He fully glared at me now. “I know your type, Blair. You trick them with your handsome smile and witty charm, and once they’re enthralled, you throw them away like a piece of garbage. Exactly the same as you did to Jenika.” He threw his thumb over his shoulder, pointing in the direction our assistant went. “The only problem was that you didn’t expect to get Grayson pregnant.”

  It was true, to an extent. That had been my original purpose, hadn’t it? I did want to bed Grayson, to worship the curves of his body before I tossed him back like the rest of them, but the situation had taken a one-eighty turn so quickly that I had whiplash.

  I stared down at my phone again and returned to my seat. “I’m in love with him.” My words were barely audible enough for me to hear them with my own ears.

  “What?” Todd leaned closer, his fingers splayed on my desk. “What did you say?”

  “I said I’m in love with him.” I raised my eyes to stare at him, jaw tight. “I love him, and I care about him and his baby. He belongs with me and Bristol, and you may not understand or care, or you may think I’m nothing more than a manwhore, but I love him, and I want to raise that child with them.”

  Todd took a step back, dark brows furrowed in thought. I expected more arguments, but all I got was a deep exhale in response. With pursed lips, he turned his back on me and strode out of the office, in the same direction Jenika had gone earlier.

  I glanced at my Rolex—7:00 a.m. I’d been in here since four, and I felt the tiredness weigh me down already. The long days had started straight after Grayson’s speech, with me trying to find anything to keep myself busy, but now Bristol’s words played in my head, about Grayson’s bump and symptoms, and I realized I didn’t want to miss out on that. I wanted to
be there the entire time.

  I stood, grabbed my suit jacket and slid it over my shoulders and then grabbed my car keys and briefcase. As soon as I walked out of the office, I found Todd and Jenika talking low and huddled in the corner of the hallway, but their attention turned to me when they saw me.

  “I’m not feeling well,” I said, earning a suspicious look from Todd. But it was softer, and I hated the growing understanding in his eyes. “Can you cover for me today?”

  Todd nodded. “Go home, Blair.”

  My lips twitched, but I didn’t smile. “Call me if there are problems. The talk show host, Robbie Cane, should be calling us for an interview and—”

  “I know. I want to remind you that I’m the manager of public relations. I’ve been doing this longer than you.” He gestured to the direction of the exit. “Go, and tell the mayor that we’ll be in touch. He deserves his R and R.”

  The phone in the office chose that moment to ring, and Jenika excused herself, strolling back into the office we’d vacated. Todd stepped closer. “I’m glad you love him. He’s a good man and doesn’t deserve to be treated badly.” His eyes narrowed, and a tic began in his jaw. “He risked his career for you and your brother, so he must have strong feelings for you, too. Don’t ruin it.”

  I resisted the urge to salute him. For once, he didn’t sound like he was being an ass. Nodding, I turned and walked away, heading toward the garage.

  It took me a good half hour to get out of town and to the farm. I didn’t have to drive all the way in before I saw them, because Bristol and Grayson were near the beehives in bee suits and hats. They saw me, and I waved at them to let them know I was heading to the house. By the time I’d parked the Lamborghini and headed inside to make myself coffee, they walked through the front door, the protective clothing gone and honey in a container in Bristol’s hand.

  “Hey…,” Bristol greeted carefully, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

  Grayson stared at me, his hands pressed against his belly. Now that he was out of his protective clothing, he wore a pair of pale blue jeans and a plain gray T-shirt that looked too big for him, which probably meant it was Bristol’s. His unsure expression made my heart hurt, and I stepped forward before I could stop myself, gathering him in my arms and laying a kiss on his lips. He tasted of honey and I devoured his mouth.

  “Hi,” I whispered when we broke apart.

  “Hello.” He smiled then, so beautiful and real, and a shiver crept down my spine. How did I stay away for so long? He wasn’t just Bristol’s, but mine too.

  “Are you going to explain yourself?” I knew Bristol wouldn’t stop until he got an answer from me. I didn’t blame him. I knew ways to distract him, to avoid the questions in the way I had when our parents died, but I didn’t want to.

  “I’m not a good person.” I kept my voice strong because I wasn’t going to whisper or be ashamed about what I was about to say. I looked at Grayson as I said it, my thumb stroking his smooth jaw. “I’ve slept with a lot of men and women, including the office assistant.”

  His eyes widened. “You slept with Jenika?”

  I nodded, and a small amount of shame curled in my gut. Shit. “Once. I usually only sleep with people once.”

  Bristol snorted, but I didn’t punch him even though I felt the temptation to. This was hard enough without him making me feel worse. Grayson didn’t look entirely surprised, though, but I couldn’t decipher his expression—it was definitely guarded.

  “I’m not proud of it now that we have you and we’re having a baby.”

  “Is that why you’ve stayed away? Now the truth is out to the public, and you’re afraid your ex-lovers will start speaking up?” he asked gently.

  I nodded. “You’re gaining a social status in America, Gray. People love you, but that also means there will be others searching for their five minutes of fame. What better way than telling the world that one of the twins this famous mayor is with happens to be a manwhore? You’ll be ridiculed. The omega rights advocates won’t like their martyr having me as a partner.”

  “So?” Grayson’s brows lowered, annoyance flashing over his face. “I know who you are. I’ve known from the beginning. Do you think I didn’t know that you wanted to get into my pants for some fun? It’s why I offered you my heat….” Then he laughed. “Well, I thought it was you, but it was Bristol.”

  I smirked. “And you knew it couldn’t have been me because you imagined I had a bigger cock, right?”

  “Piss off,” Bristol snapped, and Grayson and I chuckled. He cuddled closer to me and took my hand, placing it on his stomach. It had expanded slightly, a bulge growing where his flat abs once were, and I couldn’t help but slip my hand under his shirt to touch his bare skin.

  “That’s our baby in there,” Grayson whispered, lips curling. “That child belongs to me, you, and Bristol, and if we’re going to raise this child, we need all three of us. I don’t care who you’ve fucked, but I do care about whether you run whenever you get scared or stand and face your fears, because raising this kid isn’t going to be easy.”

  “I know.” I leaned my forehead against his, fingers still splayed across the taut skin where our child was growing. “It’s why I came here. You’re ours. You’re mine and Bristol’s omega, and I can’t give you or this child up. No matter what.”

  I glanced at my brother then and held out my arm. Bristol stared at it, dark eyebrows furrowed, but then he dropped his container of honey on a hallway cabinet and crowded in on us, wrapping his arms around both our waists.

  “We can do this together,” Bristol finally said, his voice rough.

  Grayson kissed him, his pretty mouth slanted across Bristol’s as their tongues pressed against each other needily before Grayson broke the connection and dragged me into a similar one. I fucked his mouth as if it was his ass and had him moaning under the force of my lips.

  Then I smirked at Bristol, and he rolled his eyes, muttering, “This isn’t a competition.”

  “Not to you, it’s not,” I teased, nodding my head at Grayson and his dazed green eyes. “But I think I won.”

  “You’re still an asshole.”

  I laughed.

  Grayson

  “How many chances am I going to give you?” I asked Blair quietly. We lay in the bed that belonged to Bristol, with me in the middle and the twins on either side of me. Surprisingly, it did fit all three of us.

  Bristol had covered my back with his chest and his soft snores evened out. I faced Blair, who lay opposite me with a guilty twist of his lips.

  It was late in the afternoon when we decided to have a nap. Bristol had been up since some crazy time in the morning, and I usually didn’t do early mornings, but now that we were lying here, I couldn’t bring myself to close my eyes. My alphas were here. Both of them.

  He cringed. “Probably not more than I’ve already had.”

  “You can’t keep running whenever you’re afraid of something.” I curled my arm around his waist, and he shimmied closer until our chests touched. “I told you that before.”

  “I know.” He rested his forehead against mine, kissing me lightly on the lips. His scent filled the room, mixing with the smell of Bristol’s woodsy aroma. I loved being surrounded by them, both physically and by their smell. “How’re your pregnancy symptoms?”

  I shrugged. “I haven’t had many lately. The sick feeling is still there, but not as bad as I was. Maybe a bigger appetite but nothing drastic. We’re going for an ultrasound next week, do you want to come?”

  He didn’t hesitate before he said, “Yes.”

  My heart pounded a little harder and I grinned. “Good. Both Bristol and I want you there.” I stroked his arm. “I chose both of you.”

  “It’s fucking weird.”

  “What is?”

  “Bristol and I always shared things growing up. We’re twins, kind of expected, but I never anticipated we’d share an omega partner.”

  “Does that frustrate you?” I didn’t know if I
wanted the answer. I couldn’t explain why I wanted both of them, but together, they completed me in ways I never expected to feel. My heart felt caught in my throat as I waited for an answer, his mouth pursed in thought. Then I let out a breath when he smirked and shook his head.

  “We never fought over things we had to share.” He kissed me, and I closed my eyes, letting the taste of his mouth wash over me and soothe the fear that had lodged deep inside me.

  “You need to talk to Bristol,” I said quietly. Even though Bristol’s soft snores filled the room, I wanted to make sure he couldn’t hear me if he suddenly woke up. “He loves you. You’re his brother, and I haven’t known him as long as a lot of people in this town, but I can tell that fighting with you tears him apart.”

  “You don’t understand.” His tone sounded broken, defeated, and it was weird coming from his gorgeous lips. “We don’t know how to be brothers anymore. After our parents died, everything went to shit. I left because, well, it’s what I do. I leave. This is the first time in a long time where I haven’t wanted to run away from my responsibilities, even though I’ve thought about it. Bristol’s right, though. I left him to handle it all.”

  I stroked my fingers up his shoulder and neck. “I understand. It’s easier to run, pretend like it never happened, but you can’t run forever. Bristol was waiting right here for you, for his brother to return. Now you’re back, nothing has changed because you haven’t let it. Talk to him without sarcasm or anger. Have the conversation you should have had after your parents’ accident.”

  “Is this how you won your campaign?” he teased.

  I laughed and rubbed my nose against his. His strong arm flexed under my hand. “Maybe, or maybe I’ve seen broken families. My parents never forgave each other for my brother’s death, and I saw them rip each other apart. I won’t let that happen to my alphas, especially if we’re raising this baby together.”

  He sighed and fell deeper into the pillow beneath his head. “I’ll talk to him, I promise.”

  “Don’t put it off for long,” I murmured, but he merely nodded again. I knew what that meant. It wouldn’t happen today, but soon, and I knew when to let it go. Cuddling up closer to him, I pressed my face into his bare chest. Hairs tickled my nose and I breathed in his smell. He never had as much hair on his chest as Bristol, but sometimes he let it go, and I preferred it to a clean-shaven one.