So I told them. About my mum's laugh and my dad's terrible jokes. About the caravan they'd bought for holidays before the sickness took them both. About being eighteen and alone and trying to figure out how to survive.
Fritz's hand found mine under the table. He didn't say anything. He just held on.
"What do you want?" Hastings asked. "After this. After the baby."
I didn't know how to answer that. A week ago, I would have said money. Security. A place to live that didn't leak.
Now I didn't know what Iwanted.
"I want to not be cold," I said finally. "I want to not worry about the electric meter. I want to wake up and not be afraid."
Etienne's hand settled on my lower back, warm and steady.
"You're safe here," he said.
I wanted to believe him but also knew that my time here had an expiry date.
“And you. How did you know you were a pack,” I asked.
“Hastings and I worked together and just blended.”
“Are you all in a relationship?”
Hastings laughed. “Absolutely not. What makes you think that?”
“I wondered about the baby thing. First I thought you had an omega who couldn’t give you what you needed. Then I thought perhaps you were gay.”
Hastings shook his head. “We’re brothers, Presley. Nothing more. We love each other and nobody will break what we have, but we’re not lovers. Anyway, I need to get some sleep Fritz and I have an early flight in the morning.”
“I’m sorry if I offended you.”
Hastings turned and stared at me and muttered, “You didn’t. And I’m sorry this business meeting has become unavoidable. I’d like to get to know you more before theheat kicks in.”
I nodded. “It’s okay.”
"Etienne will stay with you," Fritz said.
"I'll be fine."
"We know." But the look that passed between the three of them said otherwise. Like they were worried. Like leaving me was harder than they wanted to admit.
After dinner, Etienne walked me to my room.
He lingered at the door, his hand braced against the frame.
"I have a match tomorrow," he said. "Would you come watch?"
My heart stuttered. "You want me to come?"
"I want you to see what I do. Who I am when I'm not here."
"Okay."
He gave me a devastating smile. "Good."
Then he leaned in, pressed a kiss to my forehead, and left.
14
