by Grace, Aria
"Oh, hey. Looks like the furniture has arrived." Farron nudges my shoulder as several delivery men begin rolling in various couches and lounges on carts.
"I guess that means it's time to get back to work." I shake away my reverie and look down at my planner again. "We've got a long day ahead of us."
As I start toward the delivery men, I notice a uniformed police officer entering the room behind them. A moment later, he's joined by another officer.
I frown and look back toward Farron who shrugs. When I turn my attention back toward the door, the cops are moving toward me.
To my surprise, they pass me and continue toward Farron.
"You're the omega with a Mr. Garrett Clayton, are you not?" the officer asks in a cordial tone.
"We…are his omegas," Farron says, gesturing to me with a grin.
While I appreciate his desire to include me, I kinda wish he'd left me out of it. One of the officers turns to look at me but neither of them say anything to me directly.
"We need you two to come down to the station to answer some questions," says the first officer.
"I'm sorry, what's going on? What does this have to do with Garrett?" I demand, instantly on edge.
"I'm afraid we can't discuss that at the moment." The officer is polite but firm. "We just need you to answer some questions. It will only take a few minutes of your time."
I look sidelong at Farron. His complexion seems to have slightly paled, but he's managing to maintain of aura of calm. I admire his ability to handle unfamiliar situations with such grace. He never appears intimidated or uncertain about anything.
He waves around the room at the preparations that are still in progress. "We're kind of in the middle of preparing for an event. Can this wait?"
"I'm afraid not." The officer's tone has become insistent and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "The sooner you get this over with, the sooner you can get back to work."
Farron takes a deep breath and then finally nods in agreement. "Very well then. Are you going to load us up in a squad car like common criminals or what?"
"If you have a vehicle, you can drive it down to the station. We'll follow you to make sure you get there safely." The officer's words are kind, but the implication is a little more severe. They're making it clear that we have no choice in the matter.
"I guess we should get going then." Farron nods to me and heads toward the doors.
My thoughts are completely focused on Garrett, and a million different scenarios run through my head. We don't know what's happened to him or why they want to speak with us. After his late night and sleeping in this morning, I worry he might have gotten caught up in something nefarious. Maybe he got into an altercation after we left the house this morning.
The worry running through me is almost more than I can stand. I haven't even told him that I love him yet.
The drive to the police station is filled with a terrifying silence. Farron seems to be caught up in his own thoughts, and I don’t know what to say to distract him. All we can do is comfort one another with our presence. After we know what’s going on, we'll handle it together.
Once we're in the police station, the entire process is pretty straightforward. No one tells us why we're here, just that we need to answer some questions about Garrett. It's not until I get upset and start demanding answers that we're finally told the truth.
"There was a break in last night at Omegas R Us on the other side of town. We have video footage placing your alpha at the scene just before an altercation took place. The proprietor of the establishment is currently in the hospital in critical condition." The officer taking our statements looks at us each in turn. "So, let me ask you again, where was Garrett last night?"
38
Farron
I don't remember walking out of that police station. I think Jason must've lead me down the steps toward the parking lot. It's difficult to be sure. One minute I'm numbly answering questions, and the next, I'm outside and sitting on the hood of my car, trying to wrap my head around what just happened.
"They haven't accused him of anything yet. It's an ongoing investigation." Jason is recapping the situation for me because it still doesn’t add up in my mind. "We don’t need to worry yet. Whatever is going on, we'll figure it out."
"It just doesn't make any sense." I look up at him. I'm trying to keep myself from freaking out, but it's hard. It's not every day that you're forced to answer questions about your alpha who was supposed to be at work. "He said he was working late. He wasn't supposed to be on that side of town. What was he even doing there?"
“I don’t know either, but we’ll go home and find out.” I’m impressed with how calm Jason is.
I shake my head slowly, wishing I had answers to the questions they asked. But my thoughts are a jumbled mess, and I can't quite keep them all together in my brain.
"Do you believe he's guilty of what they're saying?" Jason asks me bluntly.
I start at his question, equal parts offended and upset. But, truthfully, I don't know what I believe. I don't think Garrett is capable of that sort of thing, but I also know he was incredibly upset by the way Frank treated Jason and me. It's not outside the realm of possibility that he might lose his temper and go off on the guy if he thought we were being threatened in some way.
"Well, I don't think he'd put someone in the hospital." It takes me a moment to decide what to say next. "And I don't think he'd cause thousands of dollars in property damage…but I don't know what's going on here. Why would he lie about where he was going to be if he wasn’t trying to keep something from us?"
"That's something we're just going to have to ask him directly." Jason wraps his hand around my bicep and cuddles into my side. "But we’re in this together. You don't have to do it alone. We'll go talk to Garrett and find out exactly what our alpha was up to last night. Okay?"
I nod in agreement. He's right. There's no reason to jump to conclusions right now. We need to give Garrett the benefit of the doubt. He's earned that right.
We climb into the car, and Jason takes the wheel. I'm grateful that he's here because I don't know if I could drive myself home right now. I'm not freaking out, but I’m not quite in my right head either. As far as I'm aware, this is the first time Garrett has ever lied to me. And as much as I hate doing it, I catch myself questioning other things he might have lied about.
I know I'm probably overreacting.
In fact, I’m painfully aware of the fact that my reaction is disproportionate to the situation. That makes me think it might have to do with the pregnancy hormones currently raging through my body. I've heard they make some omegas irritable and prone to hysterics. While I don't think I'm hysterical, I'm definitely more emotional than usual.
When we get home, Garrett's car is still in the driveway. With a sigh of relief and anticipation, I climb out of the car and storm inside. At least we can get to the bottom of this without a lot of running around.
To my surprise, Garrett is sitting on the sofa by the fire, waiting for us.
"I heard you two had a bit of an ordeal today," he says, looking up at us and smiling softly. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
"Babe, what's going on?” Jason takes up position on the sofa directly beside Garrett. “No one would tell us anything directly. All we know is there was a break in at Omegas R Us, and you were spotted near the crime scene."
Before he can even answer, I stand in front of him with my hands on my hips. "Why did you lie to me last night when you texted?"
Garrett sighs and shakes his head. "I shouldn't have done that." He takes a moment to explain to us that he was watching Omegas R Us for any sign of what Frank might be up to. "I didn't see the break in. I had already left by the time it happened, but I guess my car was caught on a security camera in the parking lot. So, they brought me in for questioning, and I showed them the notes I'd been taking."
"You were stalking our business rival less than two days before the party that's supp
osed to help us win our customers back?" Jason seems to be torn between being impressed and annoyed.
"Look, I know it wasn't the smartest decision, but I wanted to help. The good news is, I was able to give the cops a bunch of information they didn't have before. They told me they don't think I'm actually involved in the crime, which I’m not." Garrett holds up his hands as if trying to proclaim his innocence. "I'm just sorry they brought you two in. I know it's really inconvenient right now."
"Then why did you come home so late?" I ask him directly. "You slept in late this morning, so you must not have gotten in until well after midnight. What's going on Garrett?"
Garrett frowns at me, clearly hurt by my confrontational tone. "I went to pick up a surprise for you two. I wanted to make up for coming home late and…and lying to you. I was going to tell you the truth about everything."
The expression on his face makes my chest hurt. I immediately feel guilty for being so accusatory.
"The thing is…I've been feeling a bit left out lately," Garrett admits. "You two are throwing yourselves into this project so completely, and I couldn't be prouder. I just don't know how I fit into the grand scheme of things anymore. It's not enough for me to go out and spend all day earning money. I want to be more use in your lives beyond feeding you breakfast and occasionally sexing you up." His soft grin is forced and does nothing to dampen the pain in his eyes.
"Garrett…" Jason lays a hand on his knee. It's clear he sympathizes with how our alpha is feeling.
"I just wanted to help." Garrett clears his throat and reaches for my hand. "I thought that if I could get some insight into Frank's plans, I'd be able to do that. But I didn't learn anything. So I lied to you guys for nothing and got you dragged into the police station for questioning. This is the first time in my life that I feel like a failure as an alpha.” He pauses for a moment then rises from the sofa. "I was going to save this for the night of the party, but I think we need this now…"
He steps past me and retrieves two small velvet boxes that were hidden in a vase on the mantelpiece.
My heart rate spikes, and I drop onto the sofa beside Jason.
With a nervous smile, Garrett kneels in front of us and opens the boxes one at a time. Inside are two matching, white-gold rings, inset with tiny glittering diamonds. They're gorgeous but practical, and I'm immediately impressed by the sense of style that surrounds them.
"I want to be with the two of you for the rest of my life." His voice catches as he removes one ring and slides it gingerly onto my ring finger. "I want these rings to serve as a symbol of my commitment to you." He lifts the second ring from the box and slides it onto Jason's finger.
"I'm sorry for lying." He looks me right in the eye with the sincerity I’ve grown to expect from him. "It seemed so innocent at the time. I just wanted to help you, and I didn't want you to worry about me. I've felt guilty about it ever since. I drove all over town last night before I found a jeweler that would open his doors for me. That's why I was out so late."
Jason is the first to react. He throws his arms around Garrett's neck and begins showering him with kisses. "You're such a big dumb alpha sometimes." His eyes are wet as he sits back beside me. "The only reason we've been able to pull such late nights and early mornings is because you're there to support us. We've been throwing ourselves into this project because we want you to be proud of us. You're more than just that guy who cooks us breakfast and knots us when we need him. You're the reason we’re doing everything we do."
Jason's words sink into my heart and snap me back to reality. I meet Garrett's gaze and my thoughts clear. My eyes begin to tear up as I throw myself into my alpha’s arms.
"He's right. You're a bit of a dummy." I chuckle as I nuzzle my face against his neck and inhale the scent of his aftershave. "If you're feeling left out, just tell us. We're not mind readers, and we're not trying to exclude you. The three of us are in this together, but we can't do that if you're sneaking around doing your own thing."
"I know, I'm sorry…" He reaches out and pulls Jason into the hug with us.
I love the feeling of all three of us being squished together like this. It fills me with an overwhelming sense of peace.
"You guys… All of this has made me realize something important." Jason sounds serious as he leans back from our embrace. "There’s something that’s long overdue, all things considered." He takes a deep breath, and when he looks up at us again, his eyes are shining with the threat of tears.
"I love you both more than I ever thought possible. I can't stand the thought of losing either of you." He kisses us each in turn, and then sniffles as he tries to stem his emotion. "I can't thank you enough for accepting me into your lives. I just…fuck, after this morning, I knew I had to tell you guys how much you mean to me.” Jason takes a deep breath and looks Garrett right in the eye. “I love you, Garrett.”
Garrett kisses Jason gently. "I know you do. I love you too, just as deeply as I love Farron. I feel like the three of us have been together since the beginning of forever. I want nothing more than for us to stay together for the rest of forever."
Then he turns to me next, smiling through the tears streaming down his face. “I love you, Farron."
I grin and lean in for a kiss. "Jason, I love you too."
39
Garrett
I take a deep breath before advancing into the venue where the party has just begun. My omegas have thrown themselves into their work and pulled together a miracle of epic proportions.
The decorations are spot on and give the entire room a high class feel. Clients are scattered throughout the room socializing, eating, drinking, and seemingly enjoying themselves.
Several omegas from Omega for Hire are providing entertainment via live song and dance performances on the brightly lit stage. Others are milling around, cycling through the guests and making sure everyone feels like their needs are being met. No one gets left out, everyone gets attention. That's the entire premise behind this party. So far, it looks like it's going well.
I hover near the back of the room and lean against the bar where the bartender is serving drinks and chatting up guests. I think he’s another one of Farron's omegas, but I can't remember his name. He asks me what I'm drinking, so I give him an order for three drinks. One for me and one for each of my omegas.
With a borrowed tray in my hands, I sweep my eyes across the crowd, looking for my guys. It doesn't take me long to spot Farron and Jason along the far side of the room. Jason seems to be intently making notes on a clipboard while Farron is watching for any sign of trouble. They work together so perfectly that it makes my heart flutter in joy.
Expertly lifting the tray and balancing it on one hand, I make my way through the crowd toward them.
"Would you two sexy gentlemen like something to drink? I had these prepared especially for you." I grin at them over the top of the tray.
To my surprise, they don't take their drinks immediately. Instead, the exchange glances and smile somewhat sheepishly.
"Why don't you set that down and come with us?" Jason tugs on my arm gently while Farron takes the tray and puts it on a high table.
I have no idea what's going on, but it's been far too long since the three of us have had more than a few moments alone together, so I don’t really care. I obediently follow them out of the room and into the lobby.
"Um…over here," Jason beckons as he ducks down one of the halls leading away from the lobby and toward the private meeting rooms.
I'm beginning to get a distinctly sexual vibe from the two of them. It's been a while since we’ve all been together. Too long, clearly. If I'd had some time to prepare, I might have been better equipped for the occasion. Not that I’d ever turn down the chance to have a quickie with them, even if it is in a broom closet.
We duck into a storage room that's a bit more spacious than I was expecting.
Before I can say anything, my men stand shoulder to shoulder in front of me with their hands behi
nd their backs.
"What is this?" I cock my head to one side, surprised by their stance. "You guys are gonna have to tell me what I'm expected to do here because I honestly have no idea."
"Well…" Jason looks over at Farron and they seem to be holding a silent conversation with their eyes alone.
After what feels like an eternity, Farron speaks up. "We have something important to tell you."
They both hold out their hands, and they're each holding a card that contains one half of a message. It takes me a moment to put the words together in my head.
"You're…going…to be a…dad…" My voice trails off as they open the cards. Inside of each is a close-up picture of what looks to be a pregnancy test showing a positive result. "I don’t… You mean… You're both pregnant?" I swallow the lump in my throat as they nod in confirmation.
"We found out a few days ago." Farron’s eyes are brimming as he palms his flat belly. "But we wanted to wait until after we got the blood tests back to confirm the results."
"Our first scan is tomorrow." Jason looks nervous as he steps closer to me. "All three of us are going to march down to the clinic and get our first look at the babies."
"Guys…I…" Words fail me as I feel hot tears spill down my cheeks. I never thought I could be so happy. I'm not a crier, but I guess when it comes to my omegas, all bets are off. I wrap my arms around them and crush them to my chest. "This is one of the happiest moments of my life."
"Garrett, there’s one other thing." Jason's voice is soft as he steps back. "Farron and I have decided that we want you to take a more active role in managing Omega for Hire."
Farron nods in agreement. "You told me once that you could stop running all of your business ventures, and we'd still be able to continue living the way we do for the rest of our lives. So, we’re asking you to do it. Come work with us. I like managing the omegas and the clients, but when it comes to the business stuff, I still feel like I'm floundering. If you were running the show, I think we'd have a lot better shot at success."