Mom glared. “I do not tolerate anyone sleeping around. Least of all anyone I call my children. I will not be related to such vileness. Cole, Aaron—don’t you agree?”
She was doing this, in front of Ollie and his brothers and their father. As though Ollie deserved to be humiliated like this.
“His choice, not yours,” Eric snapped. “Having multiple partners doesn’t make anyone vile.”
Mom scowled. “What have you become, Eric? Has he contaminated you, too?”
And that flipped a switch in Eric. “For years,” he seethed. “For years, you’ve told him that he’d go to jail because he loved me. You told him he was a pervert, you’ve never made him feel welcome in our family at all. You’re supposed to be his stepmom. All you’ve done is treat him like shit.”
Mom glowered, her shoulders taut, her makeup stark on her face like a facade.
Eric wanted to say more. But it was Ollie’s story to tell, not his own. He’d already said too much as it was.
Dad sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I thought we’ve been over this, Wendy.”
“That’s not fair,” Aaron said. “Ollie’s our brother.”
“I had no idea,” Cole muttered.
Olivier looked at his feet, his expression downcast.
“We’re leaving,” Eric said. “Text me if you’d like to talk, but I’m not gonna listen to any bullshit you say about my bondmate.”
Dad pursed his lips. “We’ll need to speak about that,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “But at some other time, Eric, Olivier.”
At least, he wasn’t disowning them right now.
But he still could, and the possibility of that was heavy, weighing down on Eric’s heart. He gathered Jenn into his arms, grabbed the baby bag, then tugged Ollie out of the restaurant.
It was only when they’d stepped outside that Olivier sucked in a shaky breath. “Sorry,” Ollie mumbled. “That was... that was rough.”
Eric couldn’t imagine the anxiety Ollie must’ve gone through. Being shamed by his stepmother, his father barely giving him a kind word...
Ollie picked at his skin, and Eric slipped his arm around Ollie’s waist, kissing his ear.
“We’re going home,” Eric murmured. “Do you wanna go elsewhere to eat? I have a favorite pizza place downtown.”
Ollie smiled wanly. “That’d be nice. I’m sorry about today. You should’ve come here alone, Eric. At least you’d still have the rest of them—”
“Naw,” Eric said. “I’d rather be with you.”
Olivier’s smile wobbled, but it was brighter now. Jenn clapped her hands, babbling, and Eric kissed her, too.
“Well, I’d rather be with you and Jenn. You’re my family.” Eric squeezed Olivier’s waist, turning when the front door opened behind them.
Wyatt poked his head out, grimacing. “Hey, I heard bits of your conversation back there. Sorry about that. I can relate.”
Eric shrugged. “It’s fine, you don’t have to feel bad for us.”
“Here.” Wyatt thrust a couple of brightly-colored vouchers at them. “Your next meal here is on Raph and I. Feel free to come back sometime.”
Ollie gaped. “You don’t have to!”
Wyatt smiled crookedly. “We’ve been through what you have. Really, accept these. We figured you’ll need something to cheer you up.”
Olivier hesitated, longing in his eyes. So Eric took the vouchers, nodding at Wyatt. “Thanks,” Eric said. “We really appreciate it.”
Wyatt waved. Eric brought Olivier back to the car, securing Jenn into her car seat.
Had this really been the best idea? Letting the rest of the family know, and putting Olivier through all that pain?
Olivier climbed into the passenger seat, silent through the drive. Eric reached over to squeeze his hand. “Feelin’ okay?”
Ollie shrugged. “I guess.”
He didn’t seem so certain, though. Even though Cole and Aaron seemed to support them... would they still, now that Eric had left them with their parents? Would Mom convince Dad and his brothers that they should kick Olivier out of the family?
“Things will turn out okay,” Eric murmured, turning down the street to Olivier’s favorite restaurant instead.
“I hope so,” Olivier said softly, his expression still uneasy. “I’m not sure we should’ve told Dad that the baby’s yours.”
He cradled his belly, his body small in the car seat. Doubt twinged in Eric’s chest.
He remembered Alice sitting next to him, Alice’s smile bright on the day the accident happened.
Eric had fucked things up for her, hadn’t he? And he was starting to do it to Ollie, too. Ollie had his relationship with Dad, but now... what if Dad lost any love he had for Olivier? There was no way Eric could make up for that.
He studied Olivier from the corner of his eye, only to have a car change lanes right in front of him.
Then the car braked, and Eric’s sedan was moving way too fucking fast.
Eric slammed hard on the brakes, the seat belt shoving hard against his chest. They jolted to a stop inches from the other car, Eric’s heart pounding.
Shouldn’t have been distracted.
“Gods,” Olivier breathed, his face pale. Jenn began to cry in the backseat.
“Sorry,” Eric said, his ears ringing. Couldn’t help remembering the flashing lights, the blood.
“It’s fine,” Ollie said, still staring at the other car. “We’re all okay.”
But Eric’s nerves had frazzled, and his hands shook. Could’ve crashed. Could’ve been Alice all over again.
The traffic lights were red. When they turned green, it took a while for Eric to get the car moving.
That had been close. And both Ollie and Jenn had been in the car. What if Eric hadn’t stopped in time? What if there had been a truck in front of them instead?
Olivier squeezed Eric’s thigh, his gaze knowing.
“Don’t worry about it,” Ollie murmured. “We’re fine.”
“Yeah,” Eric said. They really were fine. Things were still okay, and he still had Ollie. But a tendril of uncertainty snaked around his heart.
He could do better this time around. He would.
25
Olivier
Olivier cracked his eyes open, the dregs of a raw salmon dream teasing his stomach.
He was hungry. He needed a taste of fresh pink-orange salmon, and he knew for a fact there wasn’t any in his fridge. Could he buy some right now? The clock read 7 AM.
Next to him, warmth lingered in
