I can’t let him know, Olivier thought, digging his fingers into his belly. If Eric knows, then the rest of the family will know. He’ll lose everyone. And Eric loved the rest of them—Dad and his mom and Cole and Aaron. He had been relying on them to help care for Jenn. Olivier couldn’t possibly take that away from him.
The last time Olivier lied to Eric, that had been ten years ago. And Eric had gone on to have a happy life.
It just meant that Eric couldn’t bear any responsibility for this child. So he wouldn’t be tied to Olivier.
“You’ve never talked about it,” Eric murmured, glancing at Olivier’s belly. “Whose—”
Yours.
“I’m tired,” Olivier blurted, leaning into Eric’s chest. “The puking took a lot out of me.”
He felt bad, changing the topic. But his limbs were heavy, and Eric was distracted. “Take the day off,” Eric said. “I’ll send you home.”
“I can’t! The shop needs me.”
“You can go home, Ollie. I’ll even drive you there.”
“But—”
Eric kissed him, sliding his soft, damp tongue into Ollie’s mouth. Olivier froze. Then he jerked away with a wince, grossed out. “Eric! I just—I smell like puke!”
“I don’t care,” Eric said. “Jenn’s done worse to me.”
“Even so! You’re not sticking your tongue into—”
Eric pressed his hand over Olivier’s mouth, silencing him. Then he glanced at the door, and Olivier realized Cole might still be standing outside.
His stomach shriveled into a cold, tight lump. “Oh, gods,” Ollie whispered, blood draining from his face. “Eric.”
Eric stroked his fingers through Olivier’s hair. “Feeling better?”
“Kind of.” Except Olivier couldn’t move. What if Cole found out? He was already suspicious of Eric.
“I’ll leave first,” Eric murmured. “Sit on the toilet for a bit. Make sure you feel okay before you step out.”
Olivier whimpered. The shop was quiet outside, and there was no way to tell if Cole had overheard.
Eric pulled him into a tight hug, kissing his neck. “It’ll be fine. Cole’s a good person.”
But neither of them knew how Cole would react to his brothers sleeping together. Cole had always been stubborn, rule-following. It was why he did so well as a firefighter.
Olivier bit his lip, squeezing Eric’s hand. “Don’t get hurt.”
Eric rolled his eyes. “We aren’t gonna fight or anything.”
He dropped a kiss on Olivier’s lips, then left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Olivier groaned, covering his face. It felt like everything would crash around him, with each new person who found out.
Outside, it was silent. Eric said, “Thanks for watching Jenn. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime.”
“Doin’ okay?” Eric asked. “I hope Uncle Cole was good to you.”
Eric was talking to Jenn. Jenn babbled, and Eric answered her in quiet murmurs. Was Cole still around?
“About Ollie,” Cole said. Ollie’s stomach twisted.
“What about him?” Eric asked warily.
“That day, when you first moved here from Highton... you smelled like carnations.”
Silence from Eric.
“You didn’t happen to meet Olivier, did you?” Cole asked.
“Does it matter?”
“Not typically.” Cole paused. “But you’ve been smelling like carnation this whole month, Eric. You never said who it was you’re seeing. And just now... Gods, in the bathroom, you—”
Cole heard. Olivier covered his face, his heart pounding.
“I?” Eric sounded challenging.
“Look, I don’t want to make false accusations,” Cole said in a lower voice. “But you and Ollie—you’re brothers.”
“Stepbrothers,” Eric said. “There’s a fine difference, but there’s one.”
Cole fell silent. Worried now, Olivier opened the bathroom door, as slowly and silently as he could. Just outside, Eric stood with Jenn in one arm, his shoulders raised defensively.
“So you’re seeing Ollie,” Cole said, like he couldn’t believe what he was saying.
“Yeah,” Eric said.
Don’t tell him, Olivier thought.
“But you’re brothers,” Cole blurted. “Like, you’re related!”
“Not by blood, Cole.” Eric narrowed his eyes.
“How the hell does that even happen?” Cole asked, disbelief clear in his eyes. “Are you forcing him against his will? Sounded like you were sticking your tongue in places you shouldn’t.”
Ollie wanted to crawl into a hole and die right there.
“I’m not forcing him into anything.” Eric scowled. “This isn’t any of your business.”
“Your omega died two months ago,” Cole muttered. “Shouldn’t you be grieving? Instead of—of... Oh, gods, Eric, please don’t tell me you really slept with him.”
Olivier closed his eyes, pressing his head against the wall. Eric didn’t answer.
“What would Alice say?” Cole asked.
“Alice is dead,” Eric snapped. “Stop talking about her.”
There was pain in his voice, anguish. But Cole ignored it. “Is Ollie just someone you sleep with until you find an actual omega?”
Olivier flinched. Knowing it, and hearing it, were two completely different things.
“Shut up,” Eric snarled, striking out at Cole.
Cole blocked the punch, his eyes flashing. Jenn began to wail, and Olivier tumbled out of the bathroom, leaping at Eric before he got into a fight with Cole.
“Eric,” Olivier said, catching Eric by the arm and dragging him back. “Stop!”
Cole glanced at him. Olivier looked away, his face burning. He couldn’t deny anything Cole had said. Instead, he pulled Eric away from their brother, smelling the whiff of his own puke on Eric’s pants.
“Please don’t fight,” Olivier begged, meeting Eric’s narrowed eyes. “Jenn will get hurt.”
Eric clenched his jaw, glancing at the wailing baby in his arms. He eyed Cole, who had retreated a couple steps, fists clenched, still ready for a brawl. Then Eric drew a deep breath, blowing it out.
“Yeah, I’m not gonna fight,” Eric said. “It’s not worth it.”
Olivier relaxed slightly. Except Cole was still watching them, and every moment that Olivier didn’t deny their relationship, he lost more of Cole’s trust in him.
He should deny it. He should turn Eric away, and pretend none of this had happened.
“Ollie’s mine,” Eric growled. “You don’t know the slightest thing about our history, Cole.”
Olivier froze, his heart sinking. “Eric, no.”
“Yes,” Eric said, meeting his eyes. Jenn wailed. “I’m not gonna run and hide forever. It’s not something you can bury, Ollie. I’m not gonna be scared
