Olivier flushed darkly. “You don’t have to be responsible for me, you know. I mean...”
Eric kissed his belly button, his heart warming. “Still mine.”
“You really don’t have to. Cole’s been giving you trouble, hasn’t he?”
Eric shrugged. “He can go fuck himself.”
“Eric!” Olivier looked horrified. “He’s our brother!”
“He can mind his own business,” Eric muttered.
Cole had been asking, What are you going to tell Jenn when she gets older? Are you going to say you slept with your stepbrother? Is she going to be bullied at school for that?
Eric hadn’t any answers. He’d been leaving Jenn at his parents’ place more than he should, because he was busy chasing Ollie’s ass, wanting to mark his omega, bed him, breathe his scent.
Yeah, he had been a bad parent. Would be so much easier if he could have both his daughter and his omega in the same place.
“Want my knot?” Eric growled. “It’s kinda big now, though.”
Ollie glanced between them, where Eric’s knot was half its full size, and growing bigger by the second. He sucked in a tempted breath, opening his legs wider. “Yeah.”
“I don’t want to hurt you with it.”
“I’ll take it.”
Olivier’s slick had been cooling on Eric’s cock. Warily, Eric slid back into his omega, groaning when Ollie’s warmth wrapped around him, a stark contrast from empty air. Olivier’s eyelids fluttered shut. Then Eric’s knot snagged against his hole, and Eric pushed carefully against it, wary of stretching Olivier too far.
Ollie began to open around him, his body tight, sending a jolt of pleasure down Eric’s spine.
“C’mon,” Olivier said, hooking his legs around Eric’s waist to pull him deeper.
Eric resisted. “What if I hurt you?”
Ollie tugged on him. “I’ve had worse.”
That made Eric pause, a cold chill sliding down his spine. “What?”
Olivier looked away then. “I’ve taken a—a whole knot before. This isn’t so bad.”
But it had hurt, hadn’t it? Olivier didn’t look the least bit happy about it. Wary now, Eric slid out of him, pulling Olivier into his arms. “Ollie.”
Olivier whined. “I wanted your knot!”
“I can’t hurt you, okay?” Eric studied him worriedly, all his senses jangling with alarm. “That time you took a whole knot—it was outside you before that.”
“Yeah.” Olivier squirmed. “I know you’re judging me for it—”
“I’m not.” Eric gritted his teeth. “Did it hurt?”
Olivier shrugged. Eventually, he nodded.
Eric’s chest squeezed. “Who did it to you? Were you—Did you want it to happen?”
It took the longest time for Olivier to answer. He looked everywhere but Eric. With each moment that passed, the dread in Eric’s stomach grew. “Ollie. Answer me.”
Olivier bit his lip. “I don’t know,” he said eventually. “I don’t remember.”
“How can you not remember something like that?” Eric asked, incredulous. “You were in pain, damn it!”
Olivier sighed. He turned and pulled a pillow across his face, his voice muffling. “It was an ex, okay? I hate talking about him.”
Eric froze, staring at Ollie’s bare chest. He hadn’t known about that trauma. Shouldn’t Ollie be afraid of sex? “So the things you do with me...”
“I want that,” Ollie said, lifting the pillow to peer fearfully at Eric, as though he thought Eric might pull away like he had with the knot. “Please don’t stop.”
“You... trust me not to hurt you?” Eric asked.
Olivier huffed, amusement darting through his eyes. “Yeah. I trust you. You didn’t even have to ask that, Eric.”
Eric wanted to probe further. He wanted to know every single detail, so he could hurt whoever had hurt Ollie. But if Ollie didn’t want to talk about it, forcing him to would be a dick move.
Eric sighed, burying his face in Ollie’s chest. “Okay. We won’t talk any more about it.”
“Thank you.”
It wasn’t like Eric deserved thanks for it. He hadn’t stopped that alpha from hurting Ollie. Hadn’t been there for the omega he’d promised to protect.
Eric stroked Ollie’s hair, watching as Ollie settled back on top of the pillows, his body limp with the exhaustion that crept back.
The pregnancy had been taking its toll on him over the past month. Some days, when Eric dropped by the shop, Olivier looked dead on his feet. Eric had brought him home, given him a shower, and tucked him to bed.
Other days, days like today, Ollie would beg to be fucked. Eric would give in, and they’d lie together in bed, Eric aghast at how much time he was spending in bed with his brother, both of them naked. Alice had died ten weeks ago.
The memories of Alice still sliced Eric’s heart raw. Sometimes, he wanted to lash out at something, someone. Except he’d end up hurting people. So he’d turned to Olivier and buried his feelings, buried his cock into his omega.
It probably wasn’t healthy that way, either.
“That baby mine?” Eric asked.
Olivier opened his mouth to answer, then realized what Eric was asking. He shut his mouth, turning away.
Eric narrowed his eyes. “You know my answer is the same, whether it’s a yes or no. Why won’t you tell me?”
Olivier flinched. Eric felt a stab of guilt. “Sorry,” he said, reaching over to stroke Ollie’s waist. “I just... I don’t get it. It’s no big deal to me. You’re carrying a baby. I’ll help you care for it.”
Ollie’s gaze flew up. “You—you will?” he asked, his voice choked. “Even if it’s not yours?”
“Yeah.” Eric slid his knuckles down Olivier’s belly, stroking him there. There was a child inside, possibly someone else’s. But that was how Ollie felt when he looked at Jenn, wasn’t it? A child he didn’t bear. It wasn’t fair to let Ollie take Jenn’s burden, and it wasn’t fair for Eric to never know if this child was his.
But maybe that made things even between them.
“You shouldn’t. It’s not your child.” Olivier sighed.
It wasn’t his? Eric stared at Olivier’s belly, disappointment filtering through his veins. And there he’d been hoping... Well, he’d wanted it to be his baby inside Olivier. “Oh.”
Eric let his hand fall away from Olivier’s abdomen, unsure if he wanted to touch his omega there. It wasn’t his child. He’d said he’d care for it, but... it still wasn’t his.
“Go home, Eric. You should be spending time with your daughter, not me.”
Guilt crept through Eric’s gut, cold and oily. He thought about Jenn’s toothy smile, then Ollie, with his soft, shy gaze. He shouldn’t be thinking about Ollie’s baby, when he had his own to return to.
Alice’s voice murmured in his head, Our daughter is yours too, you know. Take better care of her.
Yeah, he knew that. Jenn had looked far too much like Alice this morning, and maybe Eric had been hiding from Jenn, and his grief.
He still couldn’t escape it entirely. When he looked down at his left hand, his bare ring finger itched. Should he have waited to fuck Ollie? Maybe. Maybe he shouldn’t have gotten involved, to properly respect Alice’s death.
Eric lay back and dragged his arm across his eyes, his chest suddenly empty.
Olivier nudged Eric’s calf with his toes. “Go back to Jenn.”
“Guess I should.”
Olivier narrowed his eyes. “So why aren’t you?”
“It’s not like you have a chil—Ah, shit. You’re pregnant. Sorry.”
Olivier clicked his tongue. “You have a child. Care for her, Eric. Do you need me to chase you out with a broomstick?”
“Would be easier if she’s here,” Eric blurted. “So I’m not traveling between you and her, you know?”
Olivier bit his lip. “I don’t want to be the reason Jenn’s not getting any care.”
“Mom’s with her. And p
robably Cole, too.” Eric made a face. “Cole likes her a lot. Think that bastard’s more interested in a baby than an omega.”
“I didn’t know that.” Olivier squirmed onto his side, touching his fingertips to Eric’s chest. “He always seemed so... young to me.”
“He’s grown up over the years.” Eric grinned lopsidedly. “Our little bro’s all mature now, you know.”
Olivier sighed. “That’s good to hear.”
Eric wrapped his arm around Ollie, pulling him close.
“About... you moving in,” Ollie began.
Eric perked up. “You made a decision?”
Olivier looked away. “Maybe. I was thinking... you could have your own privacy. You could share the guestroom with Jenn. And have your own space. And... I won’t bother you.”
Eric narrowed his eyes. “What if I want you to bother me?”
Olivier’s cheeks flushed red. “I-I mean, more than I already am.”
He looked down at his bare body, dragging his leg up to hide his cock. This was a sight Eric couldn’t tire of: Ollie with his cheeks dark, his blue eyes warm and soft. “I don’t care how much time I spend with you, you know,” Eric said.
“I care. I think we—we should have some boundaries.” Olivier shrugged uneasily. “Like with Dad and your mom. If... you move in, I can’t be here when they show up.”
Eric froze. He hadn’t thought about that. “You’d rather not see them, huh?”
“I haven’t visited them in a while. It’d be awkward.”
It would, especially with their mingled scents, and all the musk of sex. “I’ll tell them not to visit without warning.”
Olivier still looked uncomfortable. “If you really want to.”
“Nah, I won’t tell them where I’m moving to,” Eric said. “If that’ll help you relax.”
“That’s not fair to you, is it?”
“I’m moving into your space,” Eric said. “You should have the first say on anything.”
Olivier sighed.
Eric squeezed Ollie’s hand. “If anything makes you uncomfortable, tell me. And I’m not going to ask you to care for Jenn, all right? That’s not fair to you.”
“But you can’t watch her the whole day.”
“I’ll drop her off at Mom’s if I need to,” Eric said. “Then there’s Cole, and I think Dad might chip in to help, too. They’re going on a picnic this Saturday. I’m bringing Jenn along. You... wanna come?”
Olivier hesitated. “What do you do at a picnic these days?”
“We eat. Cole’ll probably play ball with Aaron, and Dad will want to take Jenn around the park. Mom’s the one dishing out the food. It goes on all day, and it’s pretty great.” Eric was looking forward to Saturday, spending time with Dad and Cole and everyone. Except Ollie wouldn’t be there, and that... was wrong.
Olivier looked wistful then. “Must be nice, getting along with everyone.”
The unfairness of it gnawed at Eric. “You could come join in.”
“I don’t think I’m welcome.” Olivier hunched his shoulders, picking at the bed sheets. “I... haven’t spoken to any of them in a while.”
“Surely Dad wants to see you again,” Eric said. “Or Cole or Aaron.”
“I guess. I just... haven’t thought they’d want to.”
“Sure they do.” Eric frowned. Didn’t they? Cole did seem kind of protective of Ollie. So... maybe there was hope.
Olivier shrugged, looking weary. Eric’s heart sank.
What did it feel like, having no family to count on? How had Olivier even gotten through all these years? Eric gathered him close, trailing his wrists down Olivier’s arms. “I have your back, Ollie. I might not be enough, but I’m here.”
Olivier cracked a smile. “That’s generous of you.”
Eric shrugged. “Everyone needs support. I’ll be yours.”
Olivier blushed, and Eric kissed the tip of his nose.
“If you need, I can help with Jenn,” Olivier said hesitantly.
“Really?”
Olivier nodded. “I don’t know much about babies, but I’ll learn. So... you know, you can get some time off, too.”
That made something in Eric’s chest swell, like a slow, sturdy force pushing against the bars of a cage. He swore to himself he’d return to Jenn. Just... after a little more time with Olivier.
Spending time with Ollie like this... Eric felt like he had a purpose again.
“Thanks,” he said, curling protectively around his omega. “I really appreciate that.”
Olivier looked shyly away, and Eric couldn’t help kissing him. He rolled onto Olivier, pinning Ollie to the mattress.
Ollie squawked. “Eric!”
Eric kissed his forehead, fondness filling his chest. “Mine,” he growled, wrapping his limbs around his omega. “Whenever you’re ready for me and Jenn to move in... we’ll do it.”
“I’ll tell you when I’m ready.” Olivier smiled, his eyes sparkling. “Very soon.”
16
Eric
Eric packed the last of the cardboard boxes into his trunk, his pulse skipping with excitement. Today was the day. Ollie had finally agreed to the move, and Eric couldn’t wait to adjust to his new home.
“Be sure to call,” Mom said to Eric, smiling sweetly at Jenn. “Won’t you tell me where you’ve moved to? I want to visit.”
“We’re not ready for visitors yet.” Eric strapped Jenn into her car seat. “I moved in with Ollie.”
He dropped Ollie’s name on purpose, carefully, watching his mom from the corner of his eye. It had taken Ollie a further two weeks to agree to the move. Then, Eric had spent the following week packing up all his things.
Through these weeks, Eric had been keeping an ear out for mentions of Ollie. Somehow, Olivier’s name never seemed to come up at the family’s dining table.
“You... what?” Ever so slightly, Mom’s smile hardened. The powder on her face cracked.
“Olivier,” Eric said. “You know, dark hair, blue eyes, about this tall. My stepbrother.”
Mom narrowed her eyes. “You’re keeping in touch with him?”
“Yeah. I’m moving in with him.”
“Why would you do that?” Mom grimaced, a look of discomfort flitting across her face.
Eric’s heart sank. “Why shouldn’t I?”
“He’s a bad influence.” She clicked her tongue. “I’ve never warned you enough, have I? Stay away from him. Move out. Change your number.”
“What?”
“He’s a prostitute,” Mom whispered, glancing around them as though she was afraid the neighbors would hear. “Don’t you know? He was picking up alphas at the Christmas market. He might be infected, Eric.”
“What the hell,” Eric said, his stomach turning. “The fuck are you talking about?”
He’d prepared himself for this, hoping on the off-chance that Ollie might have been lying about his mother. But seeing Mom now, whispering about Olivier like he was some sewer rat... Eric had never seen her like this before.
“I saw him at the market,” Mom said, her lip curling in disdain. “Someone offered him twenty dollars for the night. He took the money and they left.”
Well, Eric hadn’t known that. It sat like a cold stone in his stomach, the thought of Ollie sleeping with someone else. But that was in December, and he’d only started seeing Olivier in January. “That’s none of my business, is it?”
Mom narrowed her eyes, tapping her red nails on her arm. “You’re protecting him.”
“Yeah. So what if I am? He’s my brother.”
“He’s a cheap, sick pervert.” Mom spat. “You don’t believe me, do you? When you were a child, Eric, when you were a child, that boy masturbated and left his scent on you. He’s a child molester. He’s a criminal. He should be locked up!”
Olivier had? That, Eric didn’t know. He tucked that information away to ask Ollie later. “You never told me about it. You should’ve.”
“I was protecting you!”
Mom scowled. “You should be thanking me.”
“Why do you hate him so much?”
“I’ve just told you!”
“You could’ve taught him things,” Eric said, his heart heavy. “It’s not like he’s a bad guy. He’s your son.”
“He’s not my son,” Mom said, her lips quivering. “He doesn’t belong at all in this family.”
Eric froze. How could she say all this about Olivier? How had he never known? “He’s my brother.”
“He’s better off dead,” Mom said.
Eric turned then, his ears ringing, his heart pounding so hard he couldn’t think. “I don’t believe this.”
“Don’t ever bring him here,” Mom said. “I’ll not have him under my roof. He’ll contaminate your daughter, just you watch.”
She stalked up the driveway. Then she slammed the front door, and Jenn babbled, reaching out for Eric.
Woodenly, he turned to the car. Looked at Jenn, who was smiling up at him. “Sorry you had to hear that,” Eric said, feeling as though he were someone else watching all this unfold. “Let’s get you home, yeah?”
Jenn smiled, her upper tooth a small white nub. At least, the teething had paused and she’d stopped crying.
The drive back passed in a whirl. Mostly, Eric thought about his mother, remembering the times she’d laughed with him and Cole and Aaron. He thought about her driving them to music class, he thought about her excitement when he’d gotten into that special pre-college program in Highton.
She was someone he’d loved, and respected.
Then he remembered He’s better off dead, and his mind went blank. How did you even treat your son like that? Sure, Ollie was her stepson. But this?
Olivier had known, hadn’t he? He’d refused to accompany Eric to pick up the last of his things.
How long had he suffered that sort of abuse? Why had he never told Eric?
How could Mom smile at Eric, then turn around and say shit like that about Olivier?
When Eric pulled up to Ollie’s apartment, Ollie was standing just outside the elevator lobby, his arms wrapped around himself, his nose pink from the cold. He hurried down to where Eric parked, a hesitant smile on his face.
“I hope you got all your things,” Ollie said, waving at Jenn through the car window. “I’ve made space in my closet for the rest of your clothes, and I’ve—”
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