Pursing my lips, I return his greeting with much less enthusiasm. He smiles brighter, not offended by my grumpiness. “I’m making breakfast burritos. Well, technically, Shepherd already made them; I’m only reheating them. Anyway, are you hungry? We’ve got bacon, sausage, and veggie.”
My stomach rumbles at the thought of food. The sound makes Foster’s lips twitch, but he doesn’t laugh at me. “Yeah, I’ll take one with bacon. Kaitlin will want the veggies.” He gives me a thumbs-up and turns back to the stove. It takes a lot of effort not to check out his ass in the low-slung basketball shorts he is wearing, but I somehow manage.
“Thirsty, Mommy.” Kaitlin ducks beneath my arm to look into the fridge. “Can have choco milk, please?”
“Sure, I’ll get you a glass. Foster is heating breakfast, so why don’t you go take a seat at the table?”
I turn to find Foster watching us with a soft smile on his face. “What?”
“You’re a great mom,” he tells me.
Tears flood my eyes, the breath catching in my lungs. Four long years, and not one person has ever said that to me. No one has complimented me on surviving a loveless marriage and nearly single-handedly raising our daughter while my husband focused on his career and the church. It should feel good to hear. My heart should warm, but it doesn’t because I don’t believe them.How can I?Look at last night. The obvious repercussions of the emotional abuse and gaslighting my daughter has already experienced in her short life.
“I’m not.” Swallowing down the thick emotions clogging my throat, I grab a cup from the cabinet and pour Kaitlin’s milk. A hand grips my shoulder, turning me until I’m forced to faceFoster. His palms frame my cheeks, those mesmerizing light blue eyes trained on mine.
“No one is perfect, Hannah. We’re all doing our best to survive. Raising tiny humans isn’t easy, especially not when you are stuck in an abusive situation. You’ve done the best you could.” He leans closer, pressing his nose against mine. “You aren’t alone anymore, either. We are right here, willing to help. We’re all in.”
A sob lodges in my chest. The tears I was fighting start to trickle down my cheeks. Why are they trying so hard?I’m not worth the effort. I have too much baggage. A kid who depends on me, and another on the way. All I will do is bring chaos and drama to their lives. Can’t they see that?
“Shhh, don’t cry, beautiful.” Foster’s arms wrap around me, pulling me against his chest. I bite my lip hard to stifle the sound of my cries, not wanting to alert Kaitlin to what’s happening. I’m afraid that it might scare her to see me break down. Leaning my cheek against Foster’s heart, I trace his freckles with my eyes. Counting them to distract myself from the overwhelming emotions still crashing through my mind.
The faintest scent of buttery lemons reaches my nose. It’s sweet and flaky, like a lemon tart. My mouth waters, stomach rumbling at the thought of enjoying something so sweet. As I pull away, wiping my face on a kitchen towel, I realize the scent belongs to the Omega standing in front of me. Of course, he smells as delicious as his Alpha.
Fate is tempting me, and I don’t know how much longer my heart will be able to last without falling for these men.
As Foster plates breakfast and delivers it to Kaitlin, making sure her burrito pieces are cool enough they won’t burn her tongue, I center myself. I’m still married legally, so I cannot act on any feelings that develop between us. At least not until I can finalize my divorce.
Shepherd joins us as we sit down at the table. He’s soaked, and I realize as I glance out the window that it’s raining. That means no pool for the day, so it looks like today will be for cuddles on the couch and a movie.
My body feels stiff, my neck sore from sleeping at an odd angle. I groan as I sit up, rubbing my stomach above my hips. A nap on the couch was a terrible idea, because now the muscles there are extremely tense.
Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I notice the television is shut off. A glance to my side tells me my little bug is also missing. I wait for panic to rise, but it never comes.I feel… safe?Safe enough to trust that wherever my daughter is, Shepherd and Foster have their eyes on her. While I don’t foresee myself suddenly relying on both men to take care of us, it feels nice to have a little help.
When I convince myself to push to my feet, I search them out. I find them out back, near the tree line. Foster is pushing my happy girl on a tire swing. Her laughter fills my heart with warmth, giving me hope that the awful way Colin treated her hasn’t done permanent damage. My shoulder leans against the back corner of the house, where I am hidden from the afternoon sun. The post-rain heat is humid, making my clothes stick to my body in uncomfortable ways.
A bath sounds amazing right now, but can I really-
“You’re awake.” I jump, not realizing Shepherd made his way over to me. He raises an eyebrow, lips twitching as he fights a laugh. Tossing him a scowl, I cross my arms over my chest.It’s the wrong move, apparently, since it draws his gaze to my breasts. Heat briefly fills his eyes before he forces himself to look away.
Arousal isn’t a feeling I’m used to. For a long time, I believed I was incapable of feeling it at all. Being here with these two has quickly proven that to be incorrect. Wetness is building between my legs, drawing forth a need unlike any I’ve ever experienced.
“Y-yes. I apologize for-”
“Nope. No apologies. You needed to rest; we ensured you got to.” His tone leaves no room for argument. I could push, but I won’t. I’m grateful for their support. “Now, what else would you like to do with your free time? Because our Omega isn’t going to give up his little princess anytime soon.”
Heat colors my cheeks as I take in his words. He called FosterourOmega. As if they have already claimed me as part of their pack. They have to be crazy, diving headfirst into this Fated connection without pausing to think about the potential repercussions of being with me.
“A bath,” I hedge. “If there is time for one before dinner.”
Shepherd grins. A real, blinding, ear-to-ear smile. “We’ll make sure you have time. Go, relax. Kaitlin is safe with us.” The ferocity in his sharp, golden-brown eyes tells me he means his promise. These men would do anything to protect her. To protect us all.
While the tub fills with warm water, I pull my hair up into a messy bun. Perhaps I should dye it like Omen has. I’ve never changed the color or done anything more than get it cut. What color would I even choose? I cannot imagine myself with something wild like hot pink, but I could go darker? A rich mahogany? Not that it matters, I won’t be able to touch it until after the baby arrives.
Sinking into the water, a relieved sigh slips through my parted lips. Having some of the weight taken off my lower bodyfeels amazing. My muscles relax, leaving me limp and drowsy. The nap I’d taken earlier helped marginally, but a full night of restful sleep still sounds amazing.
As I soak, my thoughts wander. Going over every tiny interaction between me and the two men outside. From soft smiles to heated winks, I’m quickly growing used to the easy affection they offer. And we haven’t even kissed yet!
Is this normal for Fate-matched mates? To feel so comfortable together so soon after meeting?
