Stay (His Command Book 3)

by Piper Scott

  It was a strange feeling, to know that in the next few hours, Sterling’s life would change forever—that until the end of time, he’d be a father. He’d considered the situation before, marveling that he’d had a hand in creating the tiny life inside of Adrian, but to be confronted with the news that he or she was about to make his or her grand debut was different from any wonder Sterling had felt before.

  He sat bolt upright in bed as Adrian hobbled up, momentarily too shocked to know what to do. Then, like an elastic stretched to its limit before it snapped back into place, Sterling shot up from the bed and braced Adrian as he made his way across the room. They’d already packed an overnight bag, and they’d come up with a plan for when labor did start, but now that it was real instead of abstract, Sterling could remember almost none of it.

  He was going to be a father.

  “Let’s go,” Sterling announced. He kept a hand on the small of Adrian’s back, supporting him as he dressed. No matter how scatterbrained he felt or how nervous he was about Adrian’s state during the delivery, he had to hold himself together. Right now, Adrian needed him more than ever. It was up to Sterling to be there for him no matter how panicked his thoughts.

  “Will you still love me even when I’m in the middle of labor?” Adrian asked as he wiggled into his t-shirt.

  “Yes,” Sterling said without hesitation.

  “When I’m cursing you for doing this to me?”

  “Yes.”

  “How about when I—”

  “Enough hypotheticals.” Adrian was dressed, and Sterling had never stripped. “It’s time to go. The sooner you get in to see Dr. Harris, the better I’ll feel.”

  But Adrian didn’t go. He snagged Sterling’s sleeve and held him in place, forcing him to turn so they were face to face. The dreamy, affectionate look Sterling associated with subspace still rounded Adrian’s eyes, and it hit Sterling’s nerves like a punch in the gut.

  When Adrian looked at him that way, Sterling was his pawn—a plaything that Adrian had wrapped around his little finger.

  “Sterling?” Adrian asked, suddenly very serious.

  “Yes?” Sterling asked, preparing for the worst.

  “No matter what I say in there, no matter what I do, I want you to know that I still love you.”

  The panic fled. Sterling’s nerves vanished. The tension dragging down the bottom of his stomach let go.

  All it took was one statement to let him know that they were going to be okay. He didn’t need to worry about depleting himself any longer—he’d found someone to love, and in him discovered someone to love him in return.

  “I love you, too, Adrian.” Sterling smiled and ran his thumb across Adrian’s aching jaw. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

  Epilogue

  Adrian

  Adrian only told Sterling he wanted him dead three times. The rest of his suffering was channeled into informing Sterling that he was never, ever allowed to put his dick anywhere near Adrian’s ass again.

  Fourteen hours of labor later, the pain paid off. Lilian Francis Holt was born just shy of five in the morning, bald and wailing, but healthy as could be.

  The first time Adrian held her, her skin pruned and still covered in vernix, he wailed, too. For the first time he had physical proof of what his heart had known all along—he had a new family. For as long as he lived, he would be a father, and Sterling would be there by his side, sharing in the responsibility.

  They’d taken two broken homes and made them whole.

  The next twenty-four hours stretched on for an eternity. Sterling alternated between cooing over Lilian and lavishing Adrian with enough praise and attention that he shamelessly slipped into subspace in his hospital bed. The mellower, longer-lasting high that came from Sterling’s brand of sensual domination was just as good as the highs Adrian had experienced during the few times he’d allowed himself to be traditionally dominated.

  Under Sterling’s command, he made the most of his downtime in the hospital. The scarce times Sterling left the hospital room to bring back food didn’t even bother him. How could they when it was so clear he had such an attentive partner looking out for him?

  On the way home, they visited Gabriel at Stonecrest. Lilian, wrapped up in blankets and sleeping peacefully, was the star of the show. Counselors and patients alike stopped by to see her, their eyes kind and their praise flattering, and Adrian felt more at peace with his decision than ever.

  “You make a beautiful family,” a woman whose name tag read Torres said in hushed tones.

  Adrian liked to think that was true.

  When Gabriel entered the visitation room, his eyes lit up the brightest of all, and the way he smiled without reserve when he held Lilian gave Adrian hope that before long, he’d make outstanding progress. During private meetings with Counselor Kendrick, he’d told them not to worry about how ineffective therapy had been so far—that it was normal that an omega so deeply traumatized needed plenty of time to heal. Hopefully, knowing he had a loving, stable family waiting for him would help.

  If it didn’t, Adrian hadn’t given up hope—there were alternative therapies they could try, and no matter what it took, he was determined to find one that worked.

  When the visit was over and they returned to the house, Adrian was exhausted. Sterling dropped him off outside The Shepherd, allowing Adrian to unbuckle Lilian before he drove the rest of the way to the parking garage. Adrian had his own set of keys now, and as he made his way up the stairs with his daughter in his arms, he realized how strange that was.

  His own keys. A boyfriend. A daughter.

  Serious relationships were new to him, but Adrian would be lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying every second of it.

  Ready for a nap, Adrian headed through the penthouse to Sterling’s old office. In the months before Lilian’s arrival, they’d spent time remodeling it. Sterling had moved his desk and filing cabinets into the guest bedroom—vacant, now that Gabriel had gone for treatment at Stonecrest—to install her baby furniture. A crib, a changing station, and a rocking chair occupied the space business essentials used to fill, but Clarissa’s childhood drawings remained, as did the collage of pictures Sterling kept on the wall.

  A collage that was now joined by something new—an unused corkboard with the same dimensions as the collage.

  Adrian frowned, trying to piece together when the corkboard had gone up, and what its purpose was. He didn’t have to wonder for long. In the distance, the back door opened, then clicked shut. Adrian heard the turn of the lock, then the familiar gait of Sterling’s footsteps as he headed down the hall. Before long, Sterling came through the nursery door. Adrian saw a flash of white in his hand before he turned to face the corkboard, effectively blocking Adrian’s view of it.

  “What’s going on?” Adrian asked uneasily. “I didn’t know that you’d made changes to the room.”

  “I did it a day or so before we left for the hospital.” Sterling stood in front of the corkboard and lifted the object in his hand until he’d positioned it by the top left corner of the board. There was no more hiding what it was—a picture.

  Adrian couldn’t help himself. He held Lilian to his chest and peeped over Sterling’s shoulder in an attempt to see what its subject was.

  The photograph was recent, and candidly taken. Adrian, face red and brow sweaty, cradled a newborn Lilian against his chest. Sterling stood at his side, face so full of love that it read even at a distance. A thin hospital blanket was pooled on Adrian’s lap, messy in a way that was clearly organic.

  Adrian sucked in a tiny breath. He didn’t know what to say.

  “This is the first time the nurse put Lilian in your arms,” Sterling explained. He finished pinning the picture in place, then stepped back to stand beside Adrian as Adrian gawked. “I’d asked one of the nurses to snap a picture on my phone while it happened, and I had it developed yesterday. One of the times I stepped out of the room, I stopped by a kiosk and picked it up. I want to capt
ure every moment of our lives together—our journey forward as a family. I thought this would be a good first entry.”

  There wasn’t anything Adrian could say. If he opened his mouth, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold himself together. When words failed him, he laid his head on Sterling’s shoulder and took in every small detail of the picture.

  He remembered the overwhelming joy he saw on his face, but he also saw the pain. Pain that Adrian would gladly live through again, if it meant their family would grow. He’d only known Lilian for a day, but he was already in love.

  Pain was only temporary—love was eternal. Sterling had taught him that. Adrian would never doubt it again.

  “And I’ve got the second picture planned already.” Sterling nodded his chin toward the board, but didn’t otherwise move. Adrian appreciated his stillness—it meant he could keep his head on Sterling’s shoulder.

  “What is it?” Adrian asked. He pushed away the tears and held himself together. “Her first smile?”

  “No.” Sterling kissed the top of his head. “The moment I ask you to marry me.”

  Adrian lifted his head. He spun on the spot, careful of Lilian. Eyes wide, he stared Sterling down. Sterling, meanwhile, produced a black tungsten band from his pocket and presented it to Adrian on his palm.

  A camera flashed. Adrian looked up, eyes too blurry from tears to see what was happening right away. A few blinks cleared his vision, and he spotted Clarissa standing in the doorway. She winked at him.

  “The choice is yours to make—my heart has already decided.” Sterling faced Adrian, curling a finger beneath his chin to delicately lift his head. “I love you, Adrian. I don’t want to play at family anymore—I want to make it real. I want to make us real.”

  All of the dark days had led Adrian to believe that a moment like this would never happen—that he’d never find happiness in the way he wanted. For an impossibly long time, he’d believed that family was a burdensome necessity, but Sterling had shown him otherwise.

  Family was about love no matter what, but it was also an ethereal creature that grew and waned as time went on. There would be times when he didn’t see eye to eye with those he loved, or times when his demons clawed their way from his depths to sabotage all that he’d worked so hard for. What mattered was that the family Adrian had found with Sterling made him want to keep trying, because the good times were so good, he never wanted to let them go. As long as there was love and understanding, the bad times wouldn’t last forever.

  Adrian wouldn’t let them.

  “I want that, too.” Adrian didn’t allow doubt from his past to muddy the moment. He had a family now—a man who loved him, and a daughter who needed him. He had his degree, and in a few months, he’d start looking for work while he simultaneously worked to further his education. What he’d lived through didn’t define him—he’d made his future what it was, and now it was his to enjoy. So enjoy it he did. He tilted his chin up and kissed Sterling certainly and sweetly, Lilian sheltered between them.

  Family was what he made of it, and in Sterling, Adrian had found a family worth staying for. As the ring slid on his finger, he made a commitment to always do his best with those who found their way into his life—Sterling, Gabriel, Clarissa, Lilian, and any souls still to come, whether they were his children or not. The walls that protected Adrian’s heart from abuse had fallen long ago, and they would never rise again.

  With Sterling there, he wouldn’t need them anymore.

  His heart belonged to Sterling and Lilian now, and with them it would stay.

  Bonus Scene

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  About the Author

  Piper Scott debuted as a trio of authors looking to write together for fun. Their collaboration led to three novella-length books (Love Me, Save Me, and Keep Me,) before life sent them in different directions, leaving just one author with an omegaverse plot bunny that wouldn’t leave her alone. Obey was born several months later... but the plot bunny never left—it multiplied.

  Left to her own devices, Piper Scott writes scorching but heartfelt contemporary omegaverse romance about men you can’t help but fall in love with.

  Want more from Piper? Sign up to receive bonus content and news about her newest releases at http://eepurl.com/cw6BMD, or hang out with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piperscott/.

  Also by Piper Scott

  His Command Series

  Obey – Omega rehabilitation counselor Owen doesn’t need an alpha in his life... but that doesn’t stop Crawford from giving him his collar

  Beg – Recently liberated from omega rehabilitation therapy, Lucian’s only just learned to say “No.” It’s too bad that night after night, Marcus makes him whimper, “Yes!”

  Stay – When an accidental pregnancy forces troubled omega Adrian to bond with the alpha he hates, Sterling, the arguments aren’t the only thing bound to get hot

  Heal – Broken omega Gabriel needs an alpha to hold him together, to love him, and to give him a family... and professional Dom Cedric just might be the man for the job

  Breathe – When a scorching online relationship leads to an unexpected pregnancy, Oli has to decide whether Marshall’s terrible secret is something he can shoulder, or if he’s better off alone

  Rutledge Brothers Series

  Love Me – When Seth escapes from The White Lotus brothel and runs into Army vet Thaddeus, he sets into motion a series of events that will shape his world—and his heart—forever

  Save Me – Elijah didn’t asked to be saved from the brothel that kept him warm and fed, but when he meets omega rehabilitation counselor Silas, he starts to think that maybe salvation isn’t so bad after all

  Keep Me – Sweet Nathaniel’s life changes forever when his path crosses with doula Harrison after Nathaniel’s missing brother returns home pregnant

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