And yet, seeing Olivier curled up, tears streaking down his cheeks...
When Eric held him, Olivier had calmed. He’d leaned closer to Eric like Eric didn’t have death on his hands, and with him, Eric had felt... a little bit of salvation. Of hope.
But Olivier also didn’t know what Eric had done.
He stopped by Jenn’s cot again, wondering how he’d ever explain to her the way her mother had died. Then he imagined Alice saying, You should’ve known better.
“Maybe I should’ve,” Eric murmured, imagining winter-blue eyes, and Olivier’s breath on his lips.
With her red hair and green eyes, Jenn looked like Alice. It was for the best that Olivier never saw her, never saw the family Eric had built before he’d lost his omega. Especially now that Eric knew Olivier had lied... not because of any maliciousness, but because Olivier had loved him.
I can’t believe you still do, Eric thought, his chest squeezing.
He didn’t want to break Olivier’s heart. That meant never getting involved with him, never showing Olivier his daughter.
Somehow, that, too, felt wrong.
7
Olivier
“I feel weird every time I step in there,” Levi said, looking askance at the backroom of Olivier’s Strings. “I mean... I can still smell the sex. Nothing against you, Ollie.”
Olivier hid his face in his hands, his cheeks burning. “Stop talking about it.”
He’d been airing out the shop the entire week. Most of the musk had faded from the public-facing shop, aided by the piles of scented wood chips Olivier had left around.
But there was still a hint of the musk, and behind the closed door of the backroom, the evidence of his mating still lingered. He smelled the sex, the carnation, and Eric’s cedar scent.
The only consolation was that no one else knew who the cedar scent belonged to—only Levi. Olivier trusted his friend not to spread the news.
Levi sidled up to him with a thoughtful look. In a low voice, he said, “I can’t get it out of my head. I mean, what does it feel like... you know, doing the thing with your brother?”
Olivier’s stomach dropped. “Don’t say it out loud!”
Levi covered his mouth, glancing around the empty shop.
There was only one other person around. Mrs. Antoinette was hard-of-hearing, poking around amongst the violin care aisle. So, no one was listening. And Levi waited next to him, his gaze expectant.
Olivier couldn’t deny the truth. The day after it happened, Levi had wrinkled his nose at the scent. I thought he was your brother! he’d said.
He’s my stepbrother, Olivier had answered.
“Why are you asking me that?” Olivier muttered. “Sex is sex, isn’t it?”
“But I’ve never slept with my brothers before,” Levi said in a hushed whisper.
“Then go try it instead of asking me!”
Levi’s eyes almost fell out of his head. “What?” he squawked. “I mean, I love my brothers, Ollie, but not in that way.”
“It’s just sex,” Olivier said, so Levi would work instead of asking him things he didn’t want to think about. “You know what that’s like.”
Levi scrunched up his face. “I’ve never fucked someone... well, I’ve never fucked someone I shouldn’t.”
“Just as well you haven’t,” Olivier said darkly. “That’ll save you a lot of headache.”
“No lie, I’ve been imagining what it’s like for you. I mean, Eric’s pretty hot. So I figured you had some hot sex with him. Like, pin-you-against-the-wall kind of hot.”
“You... have been imagining me having sex.”
Levi squirmed. “Yes? I mean, I imagined I was you, and then I imagined Eric was my brother, and... oh gods, this must sound really awkward.”
“Yes, it sounds very awkward.”
Levi winced. “Let’s pretend I didn’t say that. Did it feel weird doing the thing with Eric? Or did you really enjoy it?”
Olivier groaned. “Just go ask one of your brothers, Levi. Maybe more than one. So you’ll get the full brother-love experience.”
“Oh, gods, no.” Levi looked horrified. “That’s just wrong.”
“All of this is wrong.” Olivier sighed, looking down at his belly. He still remembered Eric shoving his legs open, Eric spreading his cheeks, his tongue probing inside. Then his thick cock pushing in, Olivier stretched open around him, and... gods. Just the memory alone had Olivier’s heart thumping.
He’d jerked off to Eric again last night. And every other night, when the side effects of the morning-after pill had worn off a little. He’d shoved his fingers into himself, pretending it was Eric pounding him into the bed.
His heat had faded by now, but from the way Olivier’s bedroom still reeked of musk... maybe all Olivier needed was Eric’s knot, just to complete that mating. Yes, that had to be it.
“It was good,” Olivier said finally.
Levi’s eyes grew wide. “All of it?”
Olivier sighed. “Yes.”
“Even when he was—when he was inside? Or was it better then? Did you take his knot?”
“Gods, Levi.” Olivier blushed. “It was better. Now get working before I fire you!”
Levi yelped, scrambling away. It wasn’t as though there was much for him to do—business had deteriorated further over this week, and Olivier could manage by himself what little sales remained.
He felt bad even thinking about ending Levi’s contract. But when the day’s earnings hardly paid rent... this couldn’t go on forever.
Olivier’s belly ached. He no longer knew if it was dread, or just a lingering side effect of the morning-after pill. After three days of vomiting, his body cramping up... there was no doubt that Olivier wasn’t pregnant.
Which was probably for the best, despite the emptiness it carved into his heart.
I wanted that baby.
Before he could sink into despair, Mrs. Antoinette stepped up to the counter, setting down two boxes of rosin for her bow. She was a portly beta, with graying curls and a sage scent.
“Morning,” she said, smiling kindly at him. “Have you heard about the new store in town?”
Total Sounds? Was there any chance Olivier could’ve missed it?
He forced a smile. “I believe I have! It’s a nice place, isn’t it?”
“Sorry? You’ll have to speak up!” Mrs. Antoinette cupped a hand around her ear.
“Nice
