Ollie trembled. Eric curled his fingers against Ollie’s wrist, right over the marking he’d left there.
Ever so slightly, Olivier relaxed. Eric stroked his back, just holding him. Just savoring Olivier in his arms again, whole and intact.
“Okay,” Ollie whispered. “I understand.”
More at ease now, Eric touched the round bump of Ollie’s belly, seeing the dirty shoe prints on them. And then he couldn’t breathe. “Is the baby okay?”
“I think so,” Olivier said, sniffling. He ran his hand over his belly, his cheeks swollen, his lip bleeding a little. “It doesn’t hurt. He didn’t press that hard.”
But it had been so wrong, that sight—Zan stepping on Olivier’s belly. That was Eric’s baby in there.
Eric wanted to go over to Zan’s limp figure, and punch him again. But Ollie was fine now. So was the baby. Carefully, he set his hand on top of Olivier’s, allowing Ollie’s fingers to tangle with his. Eric’s pulse quickened.
“I still love you, you know,” Eric murmured.
Ollie’s breath hitched. He stole a glance at Eric, his throat working. “But... but you were disowned.”
“I’d rather be disowned, than lose you. Okay?” Eric brushed his lips over Ollie’s temple, cradling his omega against himself. “That’s how much you mean to me.”
Olivier made a face. “That wasn’t what I wanted for you. The family means so much to you, Eric.”
“I know. But it’s ultimately my choice to make, Ollie. Not yours. I choose you.”
“You shouldn’t.” Olivier looked down uneasily.
“There’s someone I want as my omega,” Eric murmured, gingerly stroking Ollie’s swollen cheek. “That person is sitting right in front of me, and he has my baby in his belly. His name is Olivier, and I love him.”
Olivier’s eyes widened. He shook, and his eyes brimmed with tears. “Eric, I...”
Eric forgot himself. Just leaned in, brushing their lips together. Olivier’s lips were chapped against his, but they parted eagerly for him. No one else’s breath had ever felt so good on Eric’s skin.
So Eric kissed him slow and deep, licking at Ollie’s lips, his teeth, reacquainting himself with every part of his omega’s mouth. Olivier sighed against him, his nails biting into Eric’s thighs, his tongue soft and damp against Eric’s own.
It was perfect. Olivier felt like home. Like Eric’s. The only thing that would make it better was if Ollie was his again. Eric slipped his fingers through Ollie’s hair, filling his lungs with carnation and honey.
“I want you to promise me some things,” Eric murmured against his lips.
“What?” Olivier breathed.
Eric broke the kiss, staring into Ollie’s eyes. “I don’t want you to lie to me again.”
Olivier hesitated. Eric cradled his cheek, rubbing his wrist against Ollie’s jaw. So there was a bit of his own scent on Ollie’s skin. And yet, Olivier couldn’t answer.
“Ollie.” Eric stared hard at him. “You know I love you. I’ve said it more times than I can remember. But I need to know what you feel about me, so I don’t make the wrong decisions again. I don’t want to leave thinking you don’t love me. I don’t want to misunderstand because you were hiding the best parts of you away.”
Olivier blinked hard. “The—the best parts of me?”
“Yeah. The parts of you that see the good in everyone, and the parts of you that are mine.”
He pressed his palm over Olivier’s heart. Ollie blinked hard, whispering, “I can’t believe you still love me.”
“I do,” Eric murmured, kissing him again. “I love every bit of you. Even the parts that make me want to pull my hair out.”
“The—the parts of me that’s an asshole?” Ollie bit his lip.
“Yeah, that too. I’ll take that if it means I get every part of you.” Eric stroked his thumb over Ollie’s lip. “And in return... you get all the terrible parts of me, too. Like the parts that beat up Zan.” He gave a self-deprecating smile. “And, you know. The rest of me.”
Olivier choked up, his eyes a blur with how close he was. “I love you, Eric. I’ve just been so afraid to say it.”
Eric’s heart swelled. He cupped Ollie’s face in his hands, kissing him soft and sweet. Ollie loves me.
Ollie returned the kiss, hesitant and eager at the same time. It was a joy and comfort to taste him again. So Eric breathed him in, trailing his wrists down Ollie’s neck, his arms, tangling their tongues together. It had been way too fucking long.
“Want to bring you home,” Eric growled. “Make you mine. I want our baby, and I want to make a family with you.”
Olivier whimpered, leaning in. “If you’ll have me.”
“I want all of you,” Eric murmured.
Ollie smiled through his tears, ever so beautiful.
Eric nipped on Ollie’s lower lip, thinking about bringing Ollie home, marking him thoroughly. Making Ollie writhe beneath him, his body tense with pleasure.
The backdoor opened then. Eric broke the kiss, almost growling at the interruption.
Levi poked his head out, staring at Zan’s limp figure on the ground.
Olivier winced. “Is he... dead? He’s been out cold an awfully long time.”
Eric glanced over. “Maybe. Call the police?”
Levi cringed. “I’ll do that.”
He disappeared into the shop, leaving the door ajar.
“What if he isn’t dead and he comes back to hurt you?” Olivier mumbled, eyeing Zan’s figure uncertainly.
Eric thought about it. Didn’t want Zan coming back and taking things out on Ollie again—and the children. Wariness prickled at his senses. “Want me to check?”
Ollie winced and nodded.
So Eric stepped over, holding a finger under Zan’s nose. No breathing. He pressed a couple fingers to Zan’s wrist. No pulse.
“Think he’s dead,” Eric said, victory surging through his veins, along with a tiny undercurrent of alarm. I killed him?
Olivier whimpered, his eyes growing wide. “Are you going to jail?”
And now Eric wasn’t sure about things anymore. He’d only just found Ollie again. Did this mean he wouldn’t get to see their baby being born? Or hold Ollie in his arms?
Eric made his way back to Ollie, pulling Ollie close. Needed to run his wrists all over Ollie, just so
