His. Ollie, the baby, and Jenn. They were all his.
And the old cage in Eric’s chest creaked, its rusted iron sides falling apart as the burdens holding it faded away.
Eric broke the kiss, leaning back so he could meet Olivier’s eyes. Ollie beamed, his smile wet and beautiful.
There wasn’t a more perfect person in the entire world.
Eric closed his hands around Olivier’s, about to slip the ring onto his finger. Then the bells on the shop door jingled.
It wasn’t opening hours yet. They turned, Ollie freezing against Eric when they found Dad stepping into the shop. Eric got to his feet. Stepped in front of Ollie, protecting his omega. His stepbrother. His husband-to-be.
“Dad,” Eric said stiffly.
Olivier touched Eric’s hand. “I asked him here,” Ollie said quietly. “I—I had no idea you were going to propose. Sorry. He... might’ve seen.”
Eric lifted his chin defiantly.
Dad met Eric’s eyes, then Olivier’s. And then he glanced at Olivier’s swollen belly, his jaw tight. “I did see. I... was not aware you were going to propose, Eric.”
“Ollie accepted it,” Eric growled. “I’m providing for him and our children no matter what.”
He expected Dad to diss them and leave. Except Dad bowed his head, stepping forward.
“These past few months, you and Olivier have been visiting your mother,” Dad said, chagrined. “For Eric to do that, I understand. But Olivier—that’s... that’s kind of you.”
Eric blinked. Dad was acknowledging what Mom had done to Ollie. And a surge of satisfaction welled up in his chest.
Olivier shrugged. He’d popped into the house for the briefest of moments; it was the longest Eric could convince him to visit his bed-ridden stepmother. And it took a lot from Ollie to do that, so Eric hadn’t pushed him any further.
“I tried,” Olivier mumbled, looking away.
“I still don’t know if I condone this,” Dad said, nodding at them. “But that’s not the reason why I’m here.” At Eric’s confusion, Dad sighed. “Eric—I’m sorry for turning you away. I do still consider you my son.”
“That was my surprise,” Olivier said quietly.
Eric stared. Then his throat tightened; neither he nor Olivier had been welcome with their parents. Their visits had been terse, awkward. So this... Just having Dad accept him again... Eric felt like crying.
“Yeah?” he croaked. “But what about Ollie?”
Dad exhaled, looking old. “I consider Olivier my son, too. It doesn’t make sense to cast the two of you away just because I don’t agree with your choices.”
Behind Eric, Ollie made a soft, choked noise of surprise. He struggled to his feet; Eric had to help him up. Then Olivier waddled a few steps closer to Dad, afraid to go any closer.
Eric stood by his omega. Wrapped his arm around Ollie’s waist to lend him support. “So... Ollie and I,” Eric began awkwardly.
Dad took another step forward. Then he closed the rest of the distance, pulling them both into a tight hug. “You’re still my sons,” Dad whispered, his arms warm and sturdy around them. “I should be lending you support, instead of severing our ties.”
Eric gulped, trying not to cry. But Ollie sniffled, and it was difficult not to keep his own tears back.
So he held Ollie’s hand, breathed in Dad’s padauk scent, and for the first time in a while, felt like he had his family’s support again.
“Thanks,” Eric mumbled, dashing away his tears.
Dad patted them on the back, pulling away. Then he eyed their hands. “If you’re engaged, then where are your rings?”
“But—” Olivier squirmed, his nose blotchy. “But I thought you didn’t want to see this, Dad.”
Dad cracked a smile. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear your rings. You’re proud of being bondmates, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” Eric said, feeling braver. “We are.”
With Dad watching, Eric slipped the smaller ring onto Ollie’s finger.
It didn’t fit right—Ollie’s hands had swollen with the pregnancy. Eric sighed, pressing their foreheads together. He wasn’t sure what he’d been thinking, giving Ollie a ring he couldn’t wear. “Sorry. Shoulda gotten it resized.”
“It fits better on my pinky,” Ollie said. “What if you make it a pinky promise? That we’ll get married.”
Would that help? Eric pushed away his doubts, sliding the ring onto Olivier’s last finger. It fitted better there—it still wasn’t the right finger, but Ollie could wear it. Ollie wanted to wear it. He would marry Eric, and they would raise a family together.
“It’s a promise,” Eric murmured, his heart full.
“Good enough,” Dad said, cracking a smile.
That made Eric smile, too.
Olivier slid Eric’s ring onto his finger; this one fitted perfectly.
“Maybe you should get pregnant the next time,” Olivier mumbled. “So you, too, can have a ring that doesn’t fit.”
Eric snorted. Dad chuckled, and Levi lowered his phone. Eric had forgotten that he’d asked Levi to record the whole thing.
“So, wanna go down to the park?” Eric said. “I was planning for us to go feed the ducks with Jenn.”
Jenn heard her name, racing over with a big grin. Ollie was about to reach for her when he clutched his belly, grunting in pain.
Eric’s stomach squeezed. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s a contraction,” Ollie said through gritted teeth. “And I think... I think my water broke.”
37
Eric
Eric panicked. He gathered Jenn up in his arms, his stomach flipping.
Ollie was going into labor soon. The baby would be here in the next day or so, and Eric wasn’t ready.
Wasn’t ready for the baby, wasn’t ready to share his omega with their new family addition, wasn’t ready for the danger of complications that childbirth involved.
He’d lost one omega. He wasn’t prepared to lose another. At that thought, his nerves twisted tight.
“Eric,” Olivier murmured, holding his hand. “It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not.” Eric pulled Ollie close, his heart thumping.
These few months, he’d read up on childbirth again, made sure he knew what he needed to prepare for. But that also involved reading about the things that could go wrong—placenta abruptions, hemorrhages, blood clots...
There were other complications, too, that Eric was afraid to think about. Didn’t want to imagine Ollie in his arms, Ollie’s life fading away.
“I’ll be okay,” Olivier insisted, narrowing his eyes.
It said something, didn’t it, that Eric was deathly afraid of losing Olivier? “I’ll stop worrying when the baby’s here,” Eric muttered.
“Decide on a name,” Ollie said. “Maybe that’ll help distract you?”
“Taylor,” Eric blurted. It had been one they’d been considering. “Fits both girls and boys.”
Olivier chuckled. “Taylor it is.”
“I third the name,” Dad said.
Eric blinked; he’d completely forgotten that their father was still around. “Thanks, Dad,” he said. “Now, back to worrying.”
Olivier elbowed him in the ribs.
He turned to Levi, bobbing Jenn in his arms. “Levi—sorry, didn’t see this coming today. Could you watch Jenn for a bit? I’ll drop by in case she needs anything. But Ollie and I will probably be at the hospital all day.”
They’d discussed bringing Jenn to the labor ward and having her around at birth, but at eighteen months, she was refusing to stay put in one spot. Made it difficult for Eric to watch her, when all his attention would be fixed on Olivier.
“Sure,” Levi said, shrugging. “You know where to find me.”
“You could always ask Cole for help,” Olivier said, wriggling his eyebrows.
Levi gave Ollie an incredulous look. “Shut up.”
“Maybe.” Ollie grinned.
“I wo
uld kick your butt so hard,” Levi muttered. “Maybe when you aren’t pregnant.”
Eric shook his head exasperatedly. “His butt, not mine. I’m not sticking up for you on this, Ollie.”
Ollie pouted, and maybe Eric was a little bit swayed. Then the next contraction rolled around, Ollie paling as he clutched his belly.
“We’re going,” Eric snapped, giving Jenn a quick hug. “Be good, Jenn. Don’t make Levi pull his hair out. Leave some for Cole.”
“Hey,” Levi squawked.
Brad waved, and Ollie hugged Jenn. And then they were off to the hospital, Eric double-checking every single intersection just to make sure the roads were completely safe.
Everything went by in a whirl. They got Ollie checked in; Ollie changed into a hospital gown, and Eric was squeezing onto the hospital bed with him, running his wrists all over Olivier’s body. Marking Ollie as his.
“You’re being paranoid.” Olivier snuggled into Eric’s chest, the honey scent of his pregnancy stronger than ever.
“I want you to know that I love you,” Eric said, low and forcefully.
For a moment, Olivier eyed him, thoughtful. Then he asked, “Is this about Alice?”
Eric breathed out the weight in his chest. “Yeah.”
Because Alice had never gotten to know what Eric felt about her. Eric had been thankful for her friendship, he’d been grateful for her support, and she was gone before he could ever tell her Thanks for the memories.
So Eric clasped Olivier’s hands, holding them to his lips. “I want you to know. If anything ever happens to you, or to me, and I don’t get a chance to say it—I love you with all my heart. Every day you’re in my life, I count it a blessing.”
Olivier swallowed hard. “The same goes for me,” he croaked. “I love you with every bit of me, too. Not that anything will ever happen. Knock on wood.”
Eric cracked a smile, running his fingers through Ollie’s hair.
Then Ollie hunched forward, clutching his abdomen. Eric swore, rubbing Olivier’s back. “You’re doing great, Ollie. It’ll be fine.”
It was a long moment before the contraction passed, though. Eric held his bondmate, smoothing his palms down Olivier’s body, just holding him. Promising Ollie that he’d be there no matter what.
Ollie panted, a sheen of sweat on his skin. Eric closed his eyes. The labor would take a long time for Ollie’s first child.
The first hour, they sat and waited.
The second hour, Olivier turned on the TV.
The third hour, Eric’s phone rang.
He winced at the number—it was the Total Sounds corporate office. Eric hadn’t heard from them ever since they’d let him go. He didn’t miss his bosses, but his employees—those guys had been a great bunch.
Eric’s current job was a manager at a telephone company, but it was nothing like working in a music store.
He missed being able to help Ollie’s shop, too... not that Olivier’s Strings needed as much help these days.
After that evening with Brad and the crowd, Ollie’s stream of customers had been steady. He’d hosted some live gigs at the store, he’d done a tiny percussion workshop for children.
Ollie’s Strings was starting to flourish again, and Eric was so proud of his omega for seeing it through.
“Do I want to take this call?” Eric asked, glancing at Ollie. “It’s the people from Total Sounds.”
Olivier winced. “I guess? It’s not like we have much to do other than wait.”
Eric sighed. Ollie was right. So he hit the Answer button. “Eric Lancaster.”
“Eric,” the general manager of Total Sounds, Mr. Banks, said. “How have you been?”
“Fine,” Eric said drily. “My omega’s in labor right now.”
“Oh!” Mr. Banks paused. “Should I call you back?”
Eric met Ollie’s curious gaze. “Now’s fine. What’s up?”
“There’s an opening for a regional manager at Total Sounds,” Banks said. “Are you interested?”
Eric’s heart skipped. “Why are you offering me this? You hired someone to replace me.”
“Lewinsky—the last person—he wasn’t a good fit. We’ve been receiving complaints about his marketing strategies and staff handling.”
“And you’d rather have me take the position than someone else?”
After a pause, Banks said, “Yes. The employee turnover was also much lower when you were around. We had fewer cases of shoplifting, and the general customer sentiment ranked a lot better.”
That sounded positive. Eric brushed his thumb over Ollie’s fingers, weighing his options. “I’m back with my bondmate, you know. The owner of Ollie’s Strings. If you hire me again, you’ll have to deal with that.”
“I understand,” Mr. Banks answered. “The staff drew together a petition to bring you back as regional manager, Eric. That’s the real reason why I’m calling.”
Eric stopped breathing. The staff had done that? He hadn’t been especially lenient as a manager—all he’d done was help Julia with her locker, and cover Bick while he collected his kid from childcare.
There were probably other things he’d done, but they were small things he’d do for anyone else.
“My going rate is six grand a month,” Eric said. “You’ll have to beat that.”
“Eight grand,” Banks replied. “But with a five-store expansion into the area around Highton.”
Eric covered the mic on his phone, meeting Olivier’s eyes. “Total Sounds wants me back as their regional manager. Eight grand a month, and I’ll have to travel between here and Highton. Do I take it?”
Olivier stared wide-eyed at him. “You’re asking me? That’s a lot of money, Eric!”
“Yeah, and you’re my omega,” Eric said. “We make decisions like this together.”
Ollie blushed, squeezing Eric’s hand. “Go ahead. I mean, if it makes you happy.”
Eric hesitated. There would be traveling involved, some time away from his omega.
But as the regional manager of Total Sounds, he could ease up on the competition for Ollie’s shop. And that would make Olivier happy, wouldn’t it? More money for their children, and perhaps Eric would be able to help Ollie’s Strings, too.
“Is it an issue if I have a vested interest in the competition?” Eric asked Banks. “Just the one store.”
Banks paused. “It’ll be fine,” he said eventually. “If you improve Total Sounds’ public image at the same time.”
“I’ll take the job,” Eric answered.
“Thanks,” Banks said. “We’ll be getting the paperwork ready. Will next week be a good time for you to come down and fill it in?”
“That works. Thanks.”
Eric ended the call. Glanced at Ollie, who was biting down a smile.
“You’ll get big and famous, and you’ll become the CEO someday,” Olivier said, nudging Eric in the side. “You’ll forget about little old me.”
Eric snorted. “I’d rather quit than forget about you.”
“Really?” Ollie’s grin spread through his face. “If you ever get into trouble at Total Sounds for associating with me...”
“Then I’ll leave that place. It’s not worth it, Ollie. You’re the most important.”
Eric set his phone down, gently tackling Ollie with a bear hug. Ollie laughed. Eric wrapped himself around his omega.
He froze when the midwife knocked on the door, clearing her throat. Olivier’s face turned a bright red. Eric coughed, extricating himself from Olivier. At least, he hadn’t been touching Ollie anywhere inappropriate.
“Be gentle with him,” the midwife chided, bustling in. She was a plump, short beta with reading glasses perched on her nose. “Olivier’s a delicate flower!”
“Not all places,” Eric said beneath his breath. Ollie stuck that cruel point of his elbow in Eric’s ribs.
Eric met Olivier’s eyes, promising with a look to get back at him later. With a mess of kisses, probably. Or maybe a grope. Ollie blus
hed.
They waited as the midwife took Ollie’s vitals, then the baby’s. Eric held Ollie’s hand, remembering the gravity of their situation. He could still lose Ollie.
“It’s gonna be okay, right?” Eric asked.
“Everything will be fine,” the midwife said, clucking. Then she pulled on gloves, made Ollie open his knees, and pressed two fingers into him.
Mine, the possessive part of Eric said. He couldn’t help growling. Olivier bit down a smile.
“Always grumbling, you alphas.” The midwife clicked her tongue at him, did a final check on Ollie, and then bustled off.
Eric gathered Ollie in his arms, just cradling him. Except Ollie went into another painful contraction, wheezing. Eric’s heart ached.
“Sorry for getting you pregnant,” Eric said, rubbing Olivier’s back. “I’d take that pain if I could.”
“It’s fine,” Ollie panted, pressing his face into Eric’s chest. “I want this baby just as much as you do.”
Eric did want this child. He wanted to know what Taylor would look like. Wanted to take the baby and Jenn and Ollie out to the park, on family trips and vacations, where all of them could be themselves, be happy without anyone judging them.
“When Taylor grows up, I’m gonna tell them how much you went through because you love your babies,” Eric murmured, stroking Ollie’s back. “And they’re gonna love you more than ever.”
Ollie said nothing, but his growing smile told Eric all he needed to know.
The contractions increased in frequency. Eric held Ollie’s hand, until the midwife said he was fully dilated. Then Ollie gasped, his hair matted with sweat, his body straining with his labor.
“Push,” Eric said. He knew he wasn’t supposed to. But the midwife was telling Ollie to push, and Eric wanted to help, too. Wanted to matter.
“Shut up,” Olivier growled, baring his teeth. “I’m fucking pushing, Eric!”
Then his contraction swept through him, and Ollie cried out, gripping Eric’s hand so tight, it felt as though his fingers would come right off.
Eric bore the pain. Held Ollie by the shoulders, pressing kisses to his forehead. “Just a little more. You can do it. I know you can.”
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