Valen groaned, throwing his forearm across his eyes. “I’m too young for a baby.”
“You kind of are.”
“I mean, I’d support Sam and pay for everything. But shit. A baby.” Valen dragged his hands over his face. “I’m not rich like you, Big H. I—I’m almost tempted to suggest marrying Sam. I’ll get an inheritance from my Gran if I marry someone.”
Harris held his breath. Wasn’t sure what to think about that. “Do you want to?”
Valen squirmed. “I don’t know if I could marry him and not fuck up. I can’t do that to Sam.”
“You don’t have to,” Harris said slowly. “I’ll pay for the expenses.”
“I’m not letting you pay it all. I’m taking 80%.”
“That’s too much. 40%.”
Valen snorted. “Are you kidding? That’s my baby!”
But the fact remained that Valen was still climbing his way through the station’s rankings. He was young, and Harris would hate to see him crippled by money. “50-50,” Harris said. “I’ve told you, what’s yours is also mine.”
Valen met his eyes, his cheeks turning ruddy.
“You were serious about that?”
Harris hesitated. “When you said ‘yours’ last night, were you serious?”
“Yeah. I was.”
“Then I was, too.”
Harris watched as Valen breathed in, absorbing that. Then a slow, proud smile spread through Valen’s face. It made something in Harris chest bloom.
Valen flopped onto his back, staring up at the smooth ceiling. “I still can’t believe we’re having a baby,” he said. “I know nothing about them.”
“You’d better start learning.”
Valen pressed his face into Harris’ chest. “It’s kind of sudden.”
“Yeah, imagine what it must be like for Sam.”
“Even worse.” Valen snuffled. “Gods, I would be so pissed if I were him. He didn’t sign up for a kid, you know? And he—he miscarried my last.”
Valen gulped. Harris stroked Valen’s hair. Valen was taking this all in stride—Harris had thought he might throw a fit, but Valen was subdued about this, serious. Can’t believe I’m this fond of him.
“A child’s not so bad,” Harris said. “‘Sides, you’ve been marking him all over. Whole town’s gonna know he’s yours now.”
Valen rumbled low in his throat. “I like that part. He’s mine.”
Harris rolled his eyes. “Gotta take the good with the bad, V. Your omega, your baby.”
“Yours, too.”
Harris breathed in. He would treat the child as his own. He probably should ask Sam about it, when Sam had settled down a little. In the end, it was all Sam’s choice—Harris wasn’t forcing a decision on any omega again. “Pay me back whenever,” Harris said. “But I’ll have you know—I’d planned on paying for that baby in full.”
Valen grinned. “I love you, Big H. And I love Sam, too. No two ways ‘bout it.”
Harris’ breath rushed from his lungs. It seemed easy for Valen, saying I love you to any and everyone. Harris wasn’t sure he could say it, himself. After losing Nicholas... it seemed a risk to love. Fucking hurt to lose people you cared about.
When Valen stared at him, and Harris didn’t answer, some of the light went out of Valen’s eyes.
“It’s okay if you can’t say it,” Valen said, cupping Harris’ cheek. “Or if you don’t feel it. That’s—That’s okay, I guess. You care about the baby.”
Harris tried not to wince. Best not to have Valen invest so much into this relationship—he was better off with Sam, anyway. Sam was younger, was omega. Sam, Valen, and their baby would make a cute family together.
If Harris was the one paying to make that happen, he didn’t mind.
Valen eyed him shrewdly. “At least promise me you’ll get to know Sam better. He’s really sweet. And you told him it was fine to date you.”
“You told him it was fine to date me.” Harris slapped his thigh.
“Ow! At least take him on a ride once, Big H. He needs some sweet, hot loving.” Valen grinned. “And then you’ll get hooked on his tight omega ass.”
Harris rolled his eyes. “Everything’s about sex to you.”
Valen held his gaze for a moment, a hint of seriousness in his expression. No, not everything was about sex to him. It wasn’t all sex with Sam, either.
But then mischief flashed back into Valen’s eyes.
“Hey, you know it’ll be so much easier with him. You don’t need lube, and he’s pregnant, so it’s not like you could get him even more pregnant. And I watched him last week—he really liked your cock. When he took you inside? His eyes went all wide, and then he panted like it was the best thing in the world.”
Harris’ cock twitched. Yeah, he remembered that. Valen smirked.
“Brat,” Harris said. Best not let Valen believe Harris would date Sam. That just... wouldn’t work. Sleeping with one brat was bad enough. Sleeping with two? Falling in love with both of them? Harris would probably regret he’d ever been born.
“Your brat.” Valen grinned.
Harris rolled his eyes. “Sam’s.”
“Nah, both of you.” Valen pinned Harris down and climbed onto him, then caught Harris’ hand. Dragged Harris’ wrist down his own chest, marking himself with oak.
Harris tugged his hand away. “We’re due at the station, V. You gonna explain that to your dad?”
Valen scrunched up his face. “Damn it, Harris. Just once.”
“I already have your scent on my skin.” Not that Harris minded, but he also had a meeting with Valen’s dad today. And Fred Tolstoy knew what his son smelled like. “You might not have your job to worry about, but I do.”
“It isn’t like I share his shifts all the time.” But Valen winced; he knew the risk he was putting them both in. “I’ll look for the scent suppressants. They’re around.”
“You know, if you married Sam, it’d solve all your problems with your dad,” Harris said. “You get your inheritance, and he won’t look twice at me.”
Valen stared at Harris. Moved his lips, but didn’t say a word. “I don’t know if Sam wants to marry me,” he said finally. “I’m not anything like you.”
It warmed his heart, how much Valen looked up to him. Then it made his chest ache, because Valen had potential. He
