“Okay,” he said eventually.
“Good.”
Brad tucked the cardboard box away on the highest shelf of the medicine cabinet, behind the pill bottles. Then he opened the first aid kit, cleaning Ian’s wounds. Ian gritted his teeth through the sting of it. Watched as Brad cut off a strip of gauze, pressing it against Ian’s wound.
“You aren’t going to throw a fit at me?” Ian asked weakly. “Or... or leave?”
Brad met his eyes. “You want me to?”
Ian shook his head vigorously. “I just... thought you would.” He sighed. “I broke my promise.”
Brad pressed a kiss to his temple. “It’s not something I’ll throw a fit over.”
Ian cracked a disbelieving smile. “That’s too kind of you.”
“I want you to get better. Yelling isn’t gonna solve anything.” Brad rolled his eyes. He taped the gauze down, then wrapped his arms around Ian, nuzzling Ian’s ear. “I can’t believe you think I’d leave. Over this?”
Ian squirmed. “Well. What... would you leave me over?”
Brad snorted. “I don’t know. If you told me to, probably.” He looked uncertain for a moment. “You won’t tell me to leave, will you?”
Ian sighed, pressing his face against Brad’s shoulder. “Only if I think it’s good for you.”
Brad narrowed his eyes. “I’ll decide that bit for myself.” He paused, then made a decision. “I’m staying forever.”
That sent warmth through Ian’s cheeks. He chuckled, leaning into Brad’s strong chest, savoring the solid wall of his alpha. “You say that now.”
“I’ll say it all the time.”
It was naive of Brad, perhaps. All of this was too good to last.
But while Ian still had Brad smiling warmly at him, Brad’s heat soaking into his skin, he couldn’t help wanting more. Wanting to know what it would be like, the day he became someone Brad was proud of.
It seemed like a long ways off, but someday... maybe Ian could become a person Brad admired.
20
Brad
Ian was still asleep when Brad woke the next morning.
For a moment, Brad held his omega and breathed him in, filling his lungs with honey and rose. It was peaceful, waking up with Ian. Just holding him, cradling Ian against himself. Times like this, Brad felt needed, when Ian was small and vulnerable, and Brad could protect him from everything else.
Ian slept, his back pressed snug against Brad’s chest. Brad caressed Ian’s skin. Followed Ian’s side down to his hip, then curved his hand against Ian’s belly.
It was rounder now. At four months, the baby was developing well. Brad had been touching Ian’s belly, admiring the way Ian’s body harbored their child.
He’d missed out on all of Gwen’s birth. So being able to witness Ian’s pregnancy now... it was something special. Felt like Brad could help Ian this time.
He pressed kisses down Ian’s back, pausing at the bandage on Ian’s arm.
Last night, Gwen had asked Brad for a new storybook, and Brad had said okay. He’d chatted with her, and by the time he’d closed her bedroom door, Ian was missing, and the hallway bathroom had been locked.
Seeing Ian in the bathroom, blood dripping down his arm... Brad had been horrified. And then he’d thought about the way Sue had looked at them—because that was what had triggered Ian, wasn’t it? Sue finding out about their relationship. Ian hated that.
It made Brad wary. That had been his fault, him initiating the kiss. Not only that, but he hadn’t the power to help Ian retain his job. Even if Harold Saxon was his father, Brad had little power to change his father’s mind. And when that involved such a huge part of Ian’s life...
Brad should’ve been more careful. Should’ve respected Ian’s boundaries better.
I can’t be his alpha if I keep fucking up. He deserves better.
Feeling guilty, he kissed down Ian’s waist. Clambered over Ian to his other side, pressing his nose to the silvery lines across Ian’s skin—the stretch marks. Ian was self-conscious about those, too.
Brad nuzzled Ian’s abdomen. Wondered if their baby could hear him now.
He kissed Ian’s belly, then murmured, “Morning. I’m your dad. Your other dad’s still asleep, but he’ll be awake soon. I think you know his voice better than mine since you hear him talk every day, but I’m only around here and there. When I can. I’m a firefighter at the station, but I’m attending your dad’s classes, too.”
Ian stirred, so Brad paused. Waited for Ian to settle back into slumber. Then Brad pressed his lips to Ian’s belly, holding Ian’s thigh.
“I want you to know that we’re both waiting for you. You’ve got a sister—her name’s Gwen. And you’ve got a beautiful, fantastic omega dad. He’s the best person I know, and I was thinking about marrying him. He’s my bondmate now. I want to make it official, though. I want your dad, and I want you. Gods, I’m rambling. I hope I didn’t bore you to sleep.”
Ian snuffled, throwing his leg over Brad’s shoulder. Brad grinned. He nuzzled down Ian’s belly, nudging at Ian’s cock with his nose. Then, his sac, too.
Ian smelled like musk and old sweat. When they’d finally gotten to bed last night, Brad had stripped down Ian’s clothes and massaged his back. Then he’d clambered onto Ian and slid inside him, and Ian had moaned into the pillow.
They’d gone slow, Brad murmuring in Ian’s ear, Ian’s knuckles white on the sheets. Ian had shivered and come beneath Brad, his breathing ragged. Then they’d gone to sleep, and Brad had held Ian until he woke.
He kissed back up to Ian’s belly. “If you could convince your dad to marry me, that’ll be great,” he said to their baby. “No pressure or anything.”
He thought he felt something move in Ian’s belly, but it was probably his imagination. Brad cupped Ian’s ass, nuzzling his omega.
Ian stirred, mumbling. “Did you just... you want to marry...?”
Brad grinned, his spirits lifting. Ian was awake. “You heard?”
“Mmph.” Ian buried his face in the pillows, his thigh dragging against Brad’s shoulder.
