Once upon a time, Olivier had stolen the cherries off his birthday cake, and Eric had taken a beating in his place.
Once upon a time, Eric had sniffed at Olivier’s wrist and murmured, You smell good.
Once upon a time, Eric had kissed him, and desired him.
To have Eric back in the town they’d grown up in, Eric with the baby girl he’d created with his omega... That wasn’t something Olivier wanted to see.
Eric had moved on.
Olivier swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. His phone weighed heavy in his pocket, Eric’s post still glaring in his mind.
He knew he should reach out, see how Eric was doing after his omega’s death. But what good would Olivier be? He’d been absent from Eric’s life for a decade. He’d lied to Eric, and said, I don’t love you.
Over the years, Olivier had regretted that most.
How did you tell someone I never stopped loving you? How did you say I wish I had you back by my side?
On Olivier’s birthday ten years ago, he’d received the greatest present, and rejected it. He’d walked away from his stepbrother, walked away from everything they’d shared, and his life had fallen apart that very night.
Best that he stepped away, give Eric a chance to find his own future, than keep his stepbrother for himself. Eric could’ve been disowned, or he could’ve lost his place in that prestigious pre-college program.
And now... Olivier was just a failure of a person, with his floundering shop, his string of failed relationships, and little to show for all this time he’d been alive.
“Hey, you okay?” Levi asked, stopping next to Olivier.
Levi was bookish, slender, and bespectacled. Unlike Levi and his jasmine scent, Olivier smelled like carnations.
Olivier had hired Levi some years back to help with the store, when business had been better. But now that Total Sounds had set up two branches on either side of Meadowfall, Olivier’s sales had taken a dive. He wasn’t sure he could keep Levi on for much longer.
“I’m okay,” Olivier said, not meaning it.
Levi frowned. “You need some rest, you know. You’ve been pulling some late nights. I saw you changed all the price tags.”
Olivier winced. He didn’t know how else he could compete with the bigger chain stores, when they’d been pricing their stock cheaper than Olivier could match. If he lost his customer base... where would he go?
“You have eye bags, Ollie.” Levi looked sternly at him.
Olivier sighed. I really don’t want to fire you, Levi.
The phone buzzed in his pocket. Glad for the distraction, Olivier pulled it out, staring at the unfamiliar number.
Levi nudged him. “Are you answering it?”
Olivier hesitated. He didn’t have anything left to lose. If it was a telemarketer, or a wrong number, he’d just end the call. But if, for some reason, it was an alpha who needed someone to bed for the night...
He hit the Answer button, pressing the phone to his ear. “Hello?”
There was silence at the other end of the line. Then someone rumbled, “Ollie?” and there was no way he could mistake that voice for anyone else.
It was Eric.
Olivier had seen a couple videos on Eric’s Facebook page, videos from when Eric’s omega was still alive. Eric had looked happy then, talking with his wife. Watching those videos, Olivier had burned with envy.
Eric wasn’t for him.
But how often did you get an alpha calling you, an alpha with broad shoulders and sun-kissed pecs, an alpha whose swimming trunks had ridden low, revealing the V of his hips, the crown of his cock a faint line against the fabric?
How often did the alpha of your dreams speak right into your ear?
Why are you calling me now? Olivier wanted to ask. His voice snagged in his throat. Instead, he blurted, “How’d you get this number?”
“Found your name in the town register,” Eric rumbled. “I’m in Meadowfall.”
Olivier stopped breathing. Eric was here. He could imagine Eric with those strong hands and intent eyes, and lips that smiled so easily at his omega. He remembered watching Eric in one video, swinging his baby daughter into the air.
Eric had everything. And Olivier wanted to see him. Wanted to touch him, smell him.
He wanted to know if those years he’d spent with his brother—whether those had been a dream. Whether Eric had forgotten that kiss.
On Olivier’s eighteenth birthday, Eric had touched him between the legs, made him come. And that handjob... Olivier had replayed it over and over in his mind, adding to it, fantasizing about more.
He was ashamed of it, how much he still wanted Eric.
“Look,” Eric said. “I—”
I can’t do this, Olivier thought. He’s my brother.
Before Eric could say another word, Olivier ended the call, his hands trembling. Then he tucked the phone back into his pocket, and closed his eyes.
He couldn’t forget how Eric had smelled, the day he’d presented as an alpha. Eric had smelled like cedar, like Ollie’s, and Olivier remembered Eric’s breath on his face, the hunger in his voice.
Sometimes, on a lonely night, Olivier would think about Eric. He’d wonder what it’d be like to curl up in bed with his brother, the way they’d done years ago.
Eric’s pecs were more defined now, his shoulders wider, his body hard and hot. Maybe Eric would let Olivier borrow his cock. Maybe he’d knot inside if Olivier asked, just so Olivier would know what it felt like to belong to his alpha, for once.
Then Ollie realized he was still at work, he was in public, and Levi had just seen Olivier thinking about his brother’s cock. Olivier’s face scorched.
“Who was that?” Levi asked, waving at Olivier’s phone.
Olivier fought down a groan. “My—my brother.”
Levi looked at him oddly. “What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You look like he told you something horrible.”
Olivier swallowed hard. He couldn’t meet Levi’s eyes.
Levi crouched next to him, looking at him in concern. “Did your brother insult you?”
Olivier shook his head. He could never let Levi
