“You can call the police if you want. You can call the FBI. You can call the goddamn president, if that’s how far you want to take it. I’m not going to stop you. But you know what the sadthingis?”
There was silence from her end ofthecall.
“The sad thing is, you’re never going to get anywhere, no matter how many people you call. You don’t control us. You don’t own us. We’re omegas by birth, but we’re not omegas by spirit. And do you know whythatis?”
Now that Adrian had started, he couldn’t stop. The person he’d used to be was back, but he recognized his anger, and he allowed it. He wouldn’t let himself be stepped on. He wouldn’t stand by meekly as his mother attempted to ruin Gabriel in the same way she’druinedhim.
“Because there is no difference between our spirits. All of us arehuman,and all of us are motivated by the same things. Love. Safety. Stability.Family. You don’t have any say on what Gabriel says, or does, or thinks just because you think you’re above us. That’s not how thisworks.”
“I am hismother.”
“And I’m his brother.” Adrian gritted his teeth. “And you know what? Ever since my first heat, I’ve let you and Dad walk all over me. I’ve bowed my head and I’ve listened to what you had to say because I felt guilty—guilty that I’d let Gabriel slip through my fingers, guilty that I’d turned into such an asshole after being smacked down time and time again, and guilty that I couldn’t be the son you wanted. Even after Dad locked me in my room and wouldn’t let me out, even after you wept for weeks and weeks about how I wasn’t who I was supposed to be, I tried to please you. I went to goddamn college hoping that maybe if I got a degree and was successful in business, you wouldn’t think I was such afailure.”
Blood rushed in Adrian’s ears like the sound of the sea, drowning out any reply. If his mother said anything, he couldn’t hear it. He was too incensedtocare.
“But I’m done now. I’m done. You aretoxic,and you know what? Dad is, too. You got into my head and made me into this hateful creature, and I can’t take it anymore. Not now that I’ve found a welcoming home—not now that I’ve found someone who can see through the monster you made, someone who tries to lift me up instead of shovemedown.”
“You will bring Gabriel home right now, Adrian. You’ll doit,or—”
“No.” Adrian was done listening. He was done holding his tongue and bowing his head when it came to his family. All these years he’d believed he’d deserved it, first for being born the wrong way, and then for losing Gabriel. But he was done with punishing himself. He deserved to be free. “I’ve found someone that values me for who I am and somewhere I want to be. I’m not going back home to you. I won’t. And Gabriel won’t, either. Not unless he decides to do it of his ownfreewill.”
It didn’t matter if Sterling heard. It didn’t matter what Sterling thought. If it turned out Sterling didn’t want him like he claimed he did, then Adrian would move on with his life. He’d find a job, get an apartment, and make it work on his own. He wouldn’t be treated like a second-class citizenanymore.
“I’m calling thepolice!”
“Good.” Adrian’s voice cracked, the only sign of the emotional turmoil building up inside. “Have fun wasting your time.Goodbye.”
He hung up, clawed the back panel of the phone open, and yanked the battery before she had time to call back. It hurt more than he cared to admit that his parents would never understand how wrong they were—that they’d never know that in a few short months, they’d be grandparents—but Adrian had to stand up for himself as well as the ones heloved.
“I’m proud of you,” Sterling whispered from just behind him. He slid a hand over Adrian’s hip, and Adrian’s bravery deflated. Silent tears rolled down the sides of his face. “It took courage to do what you did. You should be proud ofyourself.”
“I am.” Adrian brushed the tears away. “It’s just… it’s hard. It’s hard standing up for what’s right when you’ve allowed what’s wrong to dominate your life for such alongtime.”
“It will get easier.” Sterling kissed the back of Adrian’s head, and Adrian closed his eyes. “I promise. Our situations aren’t quite the same, but I’ve had to make hard choices like that, too, and I know how much ithurts.”
“Family is what you make of it.” Adrian swallowed the lump in his throat and rolled over so he was chest to chest with Sterling. They were both still nude from the night before. “I’m learning that now. I’m learning that thanks to you, and the way you cared for me and Gabriel even when you didn’thaveto.”
“I love you, Adrian.” Sterling stroked his arm, and as he did, the chemistry between them bloomed all over again. Just when Adrian thought he was used to it and that it would fade into obscurity, it rose back up with such crushing presence that Adrian fell in love all overagain.
Adrian’s throat tightened. He closed his eyes and cuddled against Sterling’s chest while Sterling loosely held him. Sterlinglovedhim.
And he loved Sterling too, with all hisheart.
“Not only because you’re pregnant with my child, but because you’reyou. When I asked what I asked, I did it not because I feel a sense of obligation toward you, but because Iwantyou. I want to see if we can make this work. My heart already knows thatwecan.”
After the mountains Sterling had moved and the pain he’d endured for the sake of being by Adrian’s side, Adrian knew that it was true. He’d lashed out at Sterling verbally, challenged him, pushed his buttons, and hurt him for selfish reasons, but Sterling had never given up on him. Not only that, but he treated Adrian with unparalleled kindness—the kindness Adrian had always needed, but had never felt worthy enough toreceive.
Circumstance had thrust them together, but now Adrian didn’t need to justify staying by Sterling’s side. Once, he’d thought Sterling was a construct—a man who thought he ruled over all, and whose image was carefully crafted in order to boast his superiority. Now Adrian knewotherwise.
Sterling was kind. He was gentle. He didn’t need harsh or scathing words to assert his dominance, just as he didn’t need whips and chains. The way he lived his life and the way he treated others reflected on his character. Adrian had been blind to it before because he hadn’t realized kindness like thatexisted.
And yet here Sterling was, ready to comfort him after one of the hardest phone calls of Adrian’s life, willing to take in his younger brother after a terrible tragedy, and eager to step into the unexpected role of father without batting aneyelash.
Adrian had put it off for months, but there was no more sense in denying what his heart told him was true. He looked into Sterling’s eyes and spoke the words he knew Sterling had been waiting to hear. “I’llstay.”
31
Sterling
