Branson shook his head. “Only my parents and Tarius know so far. I haven’t told my brothers yet. I just…I need the DNA test.”
“I get it. It’s okay if you don’t want to talk to me before we get the test results.”
“No! I mean, do you have a pen and paper?”
Jeuel grabbed one off Paxton’s desk and Branson gave him his mobile number. Jeuel didn’t have his own mobile, so he gave Branson the number for the halfway house he was staying at, as well as the name of the house manager. It gave Branson the ick, and only because of the stories he’d heard from Uncle Braun about his brief stay in a halfway house. Before omega care standards in Sansbury changed for the better.
“We’ll talk again soon, Jeuel,” Branson said. “I promise.”
Jeuel smiled brightly. “We will. Goodbye.”
“We’ll be in touch, Mr. Paxton,” Papa said. He hit a button, and the screen returned to blue.
Branson sagged into the desk chair, still clutching Tarius’s hand tight, brain running at a thousand miles an hour. So many questions and concerns and uncertain future actions, but his heart told him that Jeuel was his brother. No question. He could have picked Jeuel out of any lineup of seventeen-year-old omegas.
My brother. Goddess protect him until I can.
“Tarius,” he said before his brain thought better of it. “Does your offer still stand?”
Tarius gazed down at him, his uncertain frown melting into a tender smile. “Of course, it does.”
“Then my answer is yes.” He stood and clasped Tarius by the shoulders. “Yes.”
“Excellent.” Tarius kissed him firmly on the mouth. “We’ll make this work.”
Papa cleared his throat. “Branson? What’s this offer you’ve accepted?”
Branson straightened his spine and turned to face his father. “Tarius and I are getting married. As soon as possible.”
TEN
Announcingthe marriage plan and actually putting it into motion were two entirely different things.
They could go straight to city hall, fill out the paperwork, and say their vows in front of a justice of the peace, like a lot of beta couples did. Especially poor couples who simply wanted to be married without the big ceremony or expensive party afterward.
Branson had never imagined any sort of formal wedding, had never really imagined himself getting married, so the expeditious route appealed to him. But this wasn’t only about him. Tarius had a big, extended family, too, who might have thoughts on such a hasty marriage, and who might want a big celebration.
We have so much to talk about.
“You’re getting married?” Papa said, perfectly flummoxed. “Just like that? We only found out you were dating last night.”
“I know this is rushed.” Branson swiveled the desk chair around so he could stand and face his father. A man he loved and respected with his whole heart, but he now saw through the eyes of someone who’d been deceived by him. “And we probably wouldn’t be talking about this so soon, if not for Jeuel, because my chances of getting custody go up if I’m married.”
“Son, I don’t want you changing your entire life around for?—”
“Why not?” Branson’s temper flared. “You changed my entire life when you told me my sire wasn’t actually Krause. At this point, I think I have the right to change whatever the hell I want to change. And for the record, this was Tarius’s offer to me, so he’s all-in.”
Papa’s eyes narrowed. “Marriage shouldn’t be an act of convenience to help a court case, it should be about love and passion, and about spending the rest of your life with that person.”
Branson tried not to bristle at the “passion” remark. Goddess, but not everything in this world boiled down to sex. “I do love Tarius. Maybe it’s not the lead-with-your-dick way that alphas and omegas love when they feel the mating bond, but it’s our own way of loving and respecting each other.”
He reached out, and Tarius clasped his hand. Slid over to him, a silent sentinel, steadfast by Branson’s side. “I do love your son, sir,” Tarius said. “I want him to be happy, and if this step toward helping Jeuel, if this makes Branson happy? I’m all in.”
“All in with basically adopting a traumatized teenager?” Papa asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Where would you three live? Or four, if you take in Trei, as well? Branson has a one-bedroom apartment, and you live with your folks.”
