Olivier looked away. “Maybe. I was thinking... you could have your own privacy. You could share the guestroom with Jenn. And have your own space. And... I won’t bother you.”
Eric narrowed his eyes. “What if I want you to bother me?”
Olivier’s cheeks flushed red. “I-I mean, more than I already am.”
He looked down at his bare body, dragging his leg up to hide his cock. This was a sight Eric couldn’t tire of: Ollie with his cheeks dark, his blue eyes warm and soft. “I don’t care how much time I spend with you, you know,” Eric said.
“I care. I think we—we should have some boundaries.” Olivier shrugged uneasily. “Like with Dad and your mom. If... you move in, I can’t be here when they show up.”
Eric froze. He hadn’t thought about that. “You’d rather not see them, huh?”
“I haven’t visited them in a while. It’d be awkward.”
It would, especially with their mingled scents, and all the musk of sex. “I’ll tell them not to visit without warning.”
Olivier still looked uncomfortable. “If you really want to.”
“Nah, I won’t tell them where I’m moving to,” Eric said. “If that’ll help you relax.”
“That’s not fair to you, is it?”
“I’m moving into your space,” Eric said. “You should have the first say on anything.”
Olivier sighed.
Eric squeezed Ollie’s hand. “If anything makes you uncomfortable, tell me. And I’m not going to ask you to care for Jenn, all right? That’s not fair to you.”
“But you can’t watch her the whole day.”
“I’ll drop her off at Mom’s if I need to,” Eric said. “Then there’s Cole, and I think Dad might chip in to help, too. They’re going on a picnic this Saturday. I’m bringing Jenn along. You... wanna come?”
Olivier hesitated. “What do you do at a picnic these days?”
“We eat. Cole’ll probably play ball with Aaron, and Dad will want to take Jenn around the park. Mom’s the one dishing out the food. It goes on all day, and it’s pretty great.” Eric was looking forward to Saturday, spending time with Dad and Cole and everyone. Except Ollie wouldn’t be there, and that... was wrong.
Olivier looked wistful then. “Must be nice, getting along with everyone.”
The unfairness of it gnawed at Eric. “You could come join in.”
“I don’t think I’m welcome.” Olivier hunched his shoulders, picking at the bed sheets. “I... haven’t spoken to any of them in a while.”
“Surely Dad wants to see you again,” Eric said. “Or Cole or Aaron.”
“I guess. I just... haven’t thought they’d want to.”
“Sure they do.” Eric frowned. Didn’t they? Cole did seem kind of protective of Ollie. So... maybe there was hope.
Olivier shrugged, looking weary. Eric’s heart sank.
What did it feel like, having no family to count on? How had Olivier even gotten through all these years? Eric gathered him close, trailing his wrists down Olivier’s arms. “I have your back, Ollie. I might not be enough, but I’m here.”
Olivier cracked a smile. “That’s generous of you.”
Eric shrugged. “Everyone needs support. I’ll be yours.”
Olivier blushed, and Eric kissed the tip of his nose.
“If you need, I can help with Jenn,” Olivier said hesitantly.
“Really?”
Olivier nodded. “I don’t know much about babies, but I’ll learn. So... you know, you can get some time off, too.”
That made something in Eric’s chest swell, like a slow, sturdy force pushing against the bars of a cage. He swore to himself he’d return to Jenn. Just... after a little more time with Olivier.
Spending time with Ollie like this... Eric felt like he had a purpose again.
“Thanks,” he said, curling protectively around his omega. “I really appreciate that.”
Olivier looked shyly away, and Eric couldn’t help kissing him. He rolled onto Olivier, pinning Ollie to the mattress.
Ollie squawked. “Eric!”
Eric kissed his forehead, fondness filling his chest. “Mine,” he growled, wrapping his limbs around his omega. “Whenever you’re ready for me and Jenn to move in... we’ll do it.”
“I’ll tell you when I’m ready.” Olivier smiled, his eyes sparkling. “Very soon.”
16
Eric
Eric packed the last of the cardboard boxes into his trunk, his pulse skipping with excitement. Today was the day. Ollie had finally agreed to the move, and Eric couldn’t wait to adjust to his new home.
“Be sure to call,” Mom said to Eric, smiling sweetly at Jenn. “Won’t you tell me where you’ve moved to? I want to visit.”
“We’re not ready for visitors yet.” Eric strapped Jenn into her car seat. “I moved in with Ollie.”
He dropped Ollie’s name on purpose, carefully, watching his mom from the corner of his eye. It had taken Ollie a further two weeks to agree to the move. Then, Eric had spent the following week packing up all his things.
Through these weeks, Eric had been keeping an ear out for mentions of Ollie. Somehow, Olivier’s name never seemed to come up at the family’s dining table.
“You... what?” Ever so slightly, Mom’s smile hardened. The powder on her face cracked.
“Olivier,” Eric said. “You know, dark hair, blue eyes, about this tall. My stepbrother.”
Mom narrowed her eyes. “You’re keeping in touch with him?”
“Yeah. I’m moving in with him.”
“Why would you do that?” Mom grimaced, a look of discomfort flitting across her face.
Eric’s heart sank. “Why shouldn’t I?”
“He’s a bad influence.” She clicked her tongue. “I’ve never warned you enough, have I? Stay away from him. Move out. Change your number.”
“What?”
“He’s a prostitute,” Mom whispered, glancing around them as though she was afraid the neighbors would hear. “Don’t you know? He was picking up alphas at the Christmas market. He might be infected, Eric.”
“What the hell,” Eric said, his stomach turning. “The fuck are you talking about?”
He’d prepared himself for this, hoping on the off-chance that Ollie might have been lying about his mother. But seeing Mom now, whispering about Olivier like he was some sewer rat... Eric had never seen her like this before.
“I saw him at the market,” Mom said, her lip curling in disdain. “Someone offered him twenty dollars for the night. He took the money and they left.”
Well, Eric hadn’t known that. It
