Derick
“We need to go.”
Derick eyed Lane. The set of his jaw said he wasn’t going to be dissuaded of the notion. “My love, let’s give Rue the chance to figure this out on his own.”
He hadn’t even finished speaking before Lane was shaking his head. “Derick, don’t you think we’ve given him enough time to figure himself out? To understand that he’s ours. We love him unconditionally and that he can be loved in that way, not just by us but by others too?” Lane stamped his foot in full rant mode. “He’s holding on to the past in such an unhealthy way. Unless he unburdens himself, he’s never going to be able to love with his whole heart.”
Derick agreed with his husband. He did. Because Derick carried some of the guilt of that. He’d taken a misstep somewhere along the way. The result was Rue’s lack of belief that he deserved happiness. “Yes, love.”
Derick had come to that conclusion when Rue had rung to talk through what had happened with the omegas. When Rue had suggested he move into the ranch house, it hadn’t taken long to notice his reluctance. It had taken another ten minutes before Rue confessed to staying in Bayfield, at Kendrick’s home. Derick had listened and heard the anguish his son hadn’t hidden for both the omegas and for having to return to the ranch. Clearly, he didn’t want to, but felt that his commitment to his job required it.
“Don’t yes love me in that tone.” Lane flounced to the walk-in closet, and Derick groaned under his breath at hearing Lane rummaging around in there.
Where Derick had gone wrong was telling Lane about the conversation with Rue. What Derick hadn’t expected—though why, he wasn’t sure—was Lane’s sudden need for an impromptu trip to Bayfield to meet and vet Kendrick.
They had met him once before. Derick’s impression had been a flirty guy who didn’t take life too seriously. Had he said that aloud? Of course he had, and now Lane was on a mission to find out if Kendrick was just out for a good time when Rue was more invested than Derick suspected he'd ever admit to. Again, had he said that to his husband?
He sighed at his own stupidity when he couldn’t decide if he had done this because he wanted to check in on Rue.
Ever since Lane had discovered that Rue was interested in a throuple relationship, he wanted to show that he supported that. He seemed desperate to demonstrate that nothing would change how he felt for Rue, but Lane’s protective instincts were strong. Derick loved his husband for it, but it was also frustrating when Lane got it into his head that he needed to fix whatever problem any of their sons had. Lane’s idea of fixing things right now was to head to the ranch and spy on their youngest son’s boyfriend—or whatever Kendrick was.
And it’s not what you want to do?
His wolf half wasn’t wrong, and he went into the walk-in closet after his husband, resigned to the fact he might have to manipulate the situation to his favor. “We’ll stay at Vaughn’s winery in one of their cottages. It’s our wedding anniversary next week—”
Lane grinned. “You old romantic,” he interjected, stopping what he was doing to sway sexily towards Derick, his expression making Derick’s pulse quicken.
“No, we have Emmy tonight.” He held up his hands only to find them full of his husband’s ass in the next moment when he expertly leapt at him.
“Then you’ll need to be quick.” Lane nipped at his mouth, a gleam of lust directed at Derick. “Won’t you?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Alphaholes
Silas:Rue, has something happened that you haven’t mentioned?
Rue:Why???
Silas:Dad and Popi are heading your way. Something about their anniversary, so they are planning a trip.
Booker:Shit.They never said a word to me! When are they leaving? I’m gonna need someone to have Emmy. Frey’s potentially gonna have a heat in the next week or two.
Silas:Exactly, they never mentioned it when I went to dinner with Ziggy the day before yesterday. So, I’m thinking something is up.
Laken:That’s a ‘you’ problem, Booker.
Kodi:No, it’s a fucking us problem. Remember the last time!
Laken:How can any of us forget? Oh yeah, Tay escaped last time. Now Silas doesn’t have to deal, living at Ziggy’s. What I don’t get is why we all must stay home and put up with this shit?
Jupiter:It’s our burden in life to carry the weight of Booker’s big ass.
Booker:How many times did you say you’d love a bigger ass as a teenager? You forget how good a memory I have, Jup.
Kodi:Fuck, remember when he cried when the company brought out the new range of slouch pants and they wouldn’t stay up over Jup’s ass.
Taylin:I remember! Didn’t poor Bessie go find a belt to stop being traumatized by Jup’s underwear?
