“Should I let Papa call Karter?” he asked Tarius’s shoulder.
“That’s your choice, Bran. I think waiting until you talk to Jeuel is a good idea. You can hear everything from his mouth, so you know for sure what he wants. You can judge his intentions for yourself.”
“I wonder if he looks like me.” While he would always have his omegin’s green eyes, Branson saw less of Kell in his reflection as he got older. No one else in the family had a chin dimple, and his hair was different than his siblings. Much straighter, and it didn’t curl when it got long, unlike the twins.
Tarius squeezed the back of his neck. “He’d be so lucky to look like you. You’re gorgeous.”
“You’re biased.”
“And yet not wrong.” Tarius eased him back so he could press a soft kiss to Branson’s mouth. “We’ve got a little over an hour before we need to leave for the office. Do you feel like grabbing something simple for lunch?”
“Not really, but I should. I’m scared, Tar.”
“Scared of what?”
“Of liking him. Of wanting to help him. Of blowing up my life here and hurting the twins. Of causing Dad pain by bringing the offspring of his rapist into our lives.”
“Hey.” Tarius cupped Branson’s cheeks in his palms and held him steady, eyes locked and full of sympathy and understanding. “You’re the offspring of his rapist, and he loves you with his entire soul. Do you really think he’d judge another child for something that can’t be helped?”
“No, of course not.” Branson hadn’t considered that, and he appreciated the reality check while his own brain refused to think logically.
“We both know your omegin would be the first in line to help another omega in trouble, no matter who his parents are. You can’t blame the child for the sins of the parent. Look at your friends. Peyton and Layne and Aeron and Karson. The Lee siblings. Their sires were rapists, but your friends are all wonderful people, living full, happy lives.”
“I know. You’re right about our parents’ sins. But what if I can’t help Jeuel? What if the judge decides I can’t be Jeuel’sguardian, because I’m an unmarried beta? What if we get his hopes up, and he has to stay all the way out there in Sonora?”
“Then we do everything in our power to convince the judge you’re the best, most stable option for Jeuel.”
Branson grunted. “So, I win the judge over with my sparkling personality?”
“No, with your honor, your integrity, and your clean record. Your parents are amazing role models. Your uncle has been the mayor for multiple terms.”
“But you work in the court system. Will all that matter if the judge is a Traditionalist? If he goes, whelp, sorry son, you’ve got good credentials, but you need a husband.”
Tarius’s eyes narrowed briefly before his expression settled into a confident half-smile. “Then let’s get married.”
NINE
“Then let’s get married.”
Tarius blurted out the words before his brain caught up with his tongue, and his chest heated with embarrassment. He was stuck on finding every way possible to ensure Branson got custody of his little brother—if that was Branson’s final decision on the matter, and Tarius had no doubt it would be—and Tarius’s subconscious mind had snagged the simplest solution.
Married beta couples in Sansbury who had been vetted for the adoption list could legally foster unmated or widowed omegas, typically until the omega found a mate. It could be a month, it could be up to two years or more, depending on the situation. Each was different.
The solution made perfect sense. Right?
Branson gaped at him, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, his eyes rounded in shock. Then he shook his head, his expression settling into a placating smile. “You’re ridiculous, but I appreciate the offer.”
Tarius stood straighter and tightened his grip on Branson’s hips. “It’s not ridiculous. It could help you.”
“Yeah, it could, but marriage isn’t something you do on a handshake agreement to win a court case.”
“Sure, it is. Way back when Liam first came to live with my dad? When Mancini tried to take baby Layne away? Dad and Liam talked about mating as soon as Liam’s next heat hit, so they could face Mancini in court as a mated pair.”
Sometimes, Tarius had a hard time remembering his life before Liam and Layne walked into it twenty-plus years ago. Liam had been part of a cruel, underground fight ring, which pitted pregnant omegas against each other in fistfights. The constabulary raided the ring, thanks to intel from escaped omega fighter Jax Jenks, and saved five pregnant omegas, including Liam. Dad had been instrumental in establishing the beta-couple fostering rules, and Liam had gone to live with Dad and Demir, while five months pregnant with Layne.
Thirteen weeks after Layne was born, Layne’s sire Hank Mancini had tried suing for custody of both his son Layne, and his mate Liam. After quite a bit of drama, Mancini managed to briefly kidnap Liam, but Liam caused a car crash, and Mancini eventually died of his injuries. Those few hours had been horrific for their family. Tarius still vividly remembered sitting in the apartment he’d shared with Aven, worrying about his family’s safety, until he finally got the call that everyone was found and alive.
“Your sire and Liam are different,” Branson said. “They felt the mating bond before they agreed to mate. We’ve only been dating for two months.”
