“Logan, you in here?” asked Jackson, pulling open the door to his brother’s studio.
“Yeah,” Logan answered, bending over his drafting table, sketching out a proposed floor plan of a Scottish house for Angus’ preliminary approval. “Close the door.”
“Squawk! Eat my meat! Eat my meat! Squawk, squawk.”
“What the fuck!” Jackson stared at the pink parrot perched atop the bookcase. “Did he say what I think he said?”
“Squawk! What the fuck, what the fuck, squawk!”
Rolling his eyes, Logan threw down his pencil. “Look what you did! How am I ever going to clean up his language if you insist on teaching him new stuff? And that reminds me, I thought you decided we couldn’t use that word anymore because of the pups, so why areyouusing it?”
“Squawk! I love cock, I love cock, squawk!”
His jaw dropping, Jackson stared at Logan. “Queenie is gay?”
“Kieran thinks so. All I know is his former owner was gay, so I assume that’s where he picked it up.”
“Holy sh… I mean, wow! So this is why you insisted he remained covered yesterday when you came home?” asked Jackson.
“Uh-huh. With Daniel talking now, I wasn’t going to risk it. Queenie has quite a vocabulary…and not the kind you want Daniel to learn.”
“Squawk! Where’s my daddy, where’s my daddy, squawk!”
“Oh my gods, he’s hilarious!” Jackson said, cracking up. “Does he say anything…normal?”
“Not that I’ve heard. I’m trying to teach him ‘polly wants a cracker’ but…”
“Squawk! Polly wants a cock, polly wants a cock, squawk!”
Now in stitches, Jackson collapsed onto the couch. “Queenie has a one-track mind,” he finally got out between peals of laughter.
Joining his brother on the couch, Logan chuckled. “He really does. Kieran loves him and wants to find him a mate but I’m not sure I’m ready for two Queenies yet.”
Studying his brother, Jackson found what he was looking for. “You’re happy.”
Returning his brother’s stare, Logan nodded. “I am.”
“Kieran?”
“Absolutely. In spite of my problems, faults, issues…whatever you want to call them, he sees me for who I really am, and he loves me with his whole being. How can I not be happy when I have someone like that in my life? Every day he gives me his joy of living, his unwavering support and trust…and his love…so pure…sometimes I pinch myself just to make sure he’s not a dream.”
Nodding, Jackson said, “I owe him a lot.”
“What do you mean?” asked Logan.
“He gave me back my brother, the one I knew was deep inside you, the one I missed so very much.”
Running a hand over his face, Logan hid his emotions at hearing his brother’s words, finally understanding how hard his morose behavior had been for Jackson to handle. Looking at his brother, he said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you…it was the only way I could cope with our father and, by the time he died, it was too late for me to change.”
“I knew that…it’s why I never pushed you.”
“I appreciated that more than you know.” Inhaling, then slowly letting his breath out, Logan grinned, “Now since we’re done with true confessions, is there something you want?”
~/~/~/~/~
Carson stared at his office door after Jackson left. Still holding his pencil, his knuckles turned white as the strength of his grip grew. When the pencil finally lost the battle, the snap sounded like the crack of a bullwhip, bringing him back to unwelcomed reality.
He couldn’t believe it. Once more, the Fates had passed him over, choosing Hunter, instead, to receive a mate. And if that wasn’t enough, now his brother was going to tell his cousin all their secrets. Staring at the brokenpencil in his hand, he finally faced the truth he’d been hiding from—he wasn’t deemed good enough by the Fates to deserve a mate. It was the one thing he’d longed for and prepared for his whole life—to become the very best Alpha for his mate.
