That memory was easy, when Harris had gone back to it over and over, wondering what the hell Valen was doing with him. “He’d been working at the station for two years. Never got along with him.”
Sam’s eyebrows crawled up. “No way.”
“Yes way. Seemed like V needed to be noticed, or something. It was good and bad. Did I tell you? He won the New Employee of the Year award. And he also talked back at me—the award didn’t require him to be polite.”
Sam grinned. Harris squeezed his ass, savored the warmth and firmness of it.
“Valen got on my nerves with everything. He’d clean the bathroom and forget the soap, or he’d clean the truck and miss logging it—but he’d score full marks on the station’s tests, and he’d volunteer to show up when we needed more hands.”
“That’s enough to get on your nerves?”
“He was stealing food from my plate, that bastard.” Harris smiled. “And we’d fight, too. He’d throw the first punch and I’d have to block it, and then he’d get me in a wrestle and I’d throw him down—”
“He won the award even with that?” Sam’s mouth hung open.
Harris shook his head. “I didn’t report those fights. Kinda hard to, when Valen fights like he doesn’t mean it—all he wanted was to grab my ass. So his dad knows we fight, but Tolstoy doesn’t know Valen was asking if I wanted to fight in the bathroom. Or in his bed.”
“You didn’t mind?”
“He looks good.” Harris shrugged. “I wasn’t looking for an omega. Then I figured an alpha wouldn’t hurt. Took months to admit that I wanted him. Then it took more months for me to fight him until we kissed.”
“In the station?” Sam breathed.
“Yeah, in the locker room.” Harris gave a lopsided smile. He’d been horny that day. “Was late, and he was the only one ending his shift at the same time as I was. So when he started that fight, I threw him against the wall. Then he kissed me.”
“Did it stop there?” Sam’s eyes were glued on him.
“Nah. He grabbed my cock. Shoved his hand down my pants. So I let him suck me off. The next time, we ended up in his bed. I told him my ass was off limits. He gave me his.”
Sam gulped. “He doesn’t mind?”
Harris laughed. “You kidding? Valen loves being fucked.”
“I’ve never, um, watched.” Sam squirmed. “I’ve heard you and him together.”
“You’ve heard us?”
Sam nodded. Harris’ interest stirred. Wasn’t like he and Valen had fucked elsewhere in the house since Sam moved in. He leaned in close, kissing Sam’s jaw. “You were standing outside this bedroom?”
“I was.” And now Sam couldn’t meet his eyes.
“How long were you listening?”
“I... don’t know. Until it—it ended.”
“Ah.” Harris kissed his shoulder. Reached down, finding Sam’s cock half-hard. “Did you come, too?”
“A few times. Gods, this is embarrassing.” Sam covered his face. “I swear I didn’t mean anything by that.”
“You’re welcome to watch.” Harris stroked his cock, trailing his fingertips over Sam’s balls. “And if you want, you’re welcome to join in.”
Interest flickered through Sam’s eyes. He looked at the rest of the room—the TV, the fake potted plant in the corner, the wide French windows.
In turn, Harris looked at the point of Sam’s nose, his pale throat... and the dried blood on Sam’s shoulder, where his scent gland was.
Harris froze, his breath catching. He’d bitten Sam last night. Had he... marked Sam? The dried blood was bright red—it could’ve been from Valen, but the timing would be off.
“That mark on your shoulder,” Harris said, his heart kicking. “Is that from me?”
Sam blinked. Reached up to touch the crook of his neck. Winced. “Oh, gods. I think so.”
They stared at each other. What did you say to someone you’d accidentally bonded with?
Another part of him wanted to roar. He had an omega.
“I... had not intended that,” Harris said. “If anything, it should be Valen’s mark there.”
Sam frowned, his gaze drifting to the scar on Harris’ neck. The one from Nicholas.
“That mark isn’t Valen’s,” Harris said. “It’s from my previous omega.”
Sam winced. “But Valen... He didn’t mark you?”
“No.” Harris shook his head. “Besides, you belong with V. You’re his omega.”
“Valen loves you.”
“He loves you, too.”
“That doesn’t mean I should be with him,” Sam said. “You were there first.”
Harris didn’t know what to say to that. He loved Valen—that wouldn’t change. “I’m too old for him. Or for you, for that matter.”
Sam looked incredulously at him. “No, you aren’t.”
“I’m forty-nine. That’s two decades between us, Sam.”
“That doesn’t matter, does it?”
Harris breathed in. Released it, looking around the room he’d been sharing with Valen. It wasn’t something he liked to talk about. “I don’t know. I’m past my prime. I’m not horny all the time like V is. I just happen to be sitting on money. From here on, I’m just gonna have more aches and pains, and white hair.”
Sam frowned. “That may be so, but Valen loves you as you are. And I—I can see why. You’re calm where he isn’t. You know things the both of us don’t. You have so much more experience. And grace.”
“And I’m a hell of a lot more cynical, too.” Harris smiled crookedly. It was kind of Sam to try, though.
“That’s okay. I’m not very positive, either.”
“So... V’s better off with you, isn’t he?” Harris held his breath, thinking Sam might agree. Maybe they’d leave him, go live somewhere by themselves.
“No.” Sam shook his head. “I think... it’s better if the three of us stay together.”
“You think so?”
“Valen thinks you’re better than he is, you know,” Sam murmured, touching Harris’ face gently. “You have the ranks and experience and wealth. He thinks he isn’t as good as you.”
Harris sighed. Valen never told him that. “That’s why he’s been pushing you at me, huh?”
Sam blushed, shrugging. “I feel like I’m separating the both of you by being here. Especially this past week, when you haven’t been
