“No! No, I’m perfectly fine. This is something that I’m asking you both to please keep to yourself for a few more days, until I get DNA results back.”
“DNA?” Liam shared a befuddled look with his mate. “What on earth is going on?”
“Do you promise? Nothing leaves this house.”
“We promise,” Isa and Liam said in perfect synch. Like the long-time mated couple they were.
Branson sipped his wine to wet his parched throat, then launched into a slightly condensed recitation of everything that had happened, from being served at the Gala, to speaking withJeuel and Trei today, to his and Tarius’s agreement that they both wanted to do this, and for all the best reasons. At the end, Isa still seemed confused, Liam was directing upset looks at Dad, and Dad simply watched him with a contemplative half-smile.
I hope he approves.
Turning his life upside down to help a sibling was absolutely something Dad would have done for Uncle Braun, if given the chance. Dad had to see this was the best course of action.
“Krause Iverson was never your sire,” Liam said, hurt radiating off him.
“We had good reasons to lie about that,” Ronin replied. He told Liam and Isa about the NDA, why it had been necessary, and why the agreement had been breached by Uty. Each time Branson heard the explanation, it became clearer and clearer. It had never been about deceit; it had been about safety.
“So, getting married,” Isa said, “is all for show, to improve Branson’s odds of getting custody?”
“It’s not all for show, Dad,” Tarius replied, a bit of bite to his voice that was…kind of sexy. “We do care about each other. We respect each other. And maybe this is happening sooner than it would have, but when has anything in our collective families been normal or simple?”
“Aven’s marriage was pretty straightforward.”
“What about Demir’s?”
Isa frowned.
“You knew about this,” Dad said directly to Papa. No accusation, only a statement of fact.
Papa nodded. “We discussed it in my office after the call with Jeuel. It’s unconventional, but it will improve Branson’s custody case.”
“I know.” Dad looked at Branson, so much love shining in his eyes that Branson wanted to weep. “I’m so proud of you. Taking a huge, life-changing step like this.” His gaze shifted past him toTarius. “You make Branson happy. I’d be so proud to call you my son-in-law.”
Tarius squeezed Branson’s hand. “Thank you, sir.”
“Gosh, I think we can all drop the sir’s now that we’re going to be more officially family than just through Eriq.” While Eriq wasn’t blood-related, he was technically Demir Lars-Higgs’s stepson (despite only being ten years apart in age), so he was a grandson-in-law to Isa and Liam, and a nephew-in-law to Tarius. Now they’d all be direct in-laws to this branch of the Higgs family.
“Agreed,” Isa said. “I admit, this is a shock, but if this is truly what you want, Tarius, then you have our full support.” He turned his intense stare onto Branson. “I genuinely hope things work out with your new brother, Branson. You’re doing a selfless thing, trying to gain custody of someone you’ve never met.”
“He’s my family.” Branson sat up straighter in his chair. “Maybe we’ve only spoken for an hour via telecomm, but I know he’s my brother. He’s going through a lot, and I want to bring him someplace that’s safer for omegas. Sansbury isn’t perfect, but it’s way better than Sonora.”
“Yes, it is,” Papa said. “And I agree with Branson’s decision to do this. Kell, I know we dropped this in your lap today, but?—”
“I am completely on board,” Dad interrupted. “Branson has a generous heart, and I wouldn’t expect him to do anything less than everything.”
Anything less than everything.Branson loved the sound of that. “Thank you, Dad.”
“You’re welcome. I’m always on your side. I love you.”
Branson stood and met his omegin at the corner of the table. Opened his arms and accepted a warm, familiar hug from the man who’d loved and protected him since his conception—a man he trusted to always, always be on Branson’s side.
Tarius’s heart swelled with joy at the sight of Branson fiercely embracing his omegin, especially after throwing so much anger last night. His gut had told him that no matter how furious Branson was in the moment, the fury wouldn’t last. Too much love existed in the Cross family for there to ever be a permanent rift between parent and child.
“So are we,” Liam said, mostly to Tarius, since Branson was still hugging Kell. “On both of your sides in this. And I understand why you want it kept quiet until the DNA test comes back. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure isn’t a hundred.”
“Thank you.” Tarius hadn’t doubted that Liam would understand, but Dad was a touch harder to read. He rarely wore his emotions on his sleeve like Liam did.
“So, what sort of wedding are you thinking about? You don’t seem like the type who’d want an ostentatious celebration at the Porter estate.”
