“So, he’s here?”
“Yes.”
Creed Mikami sighed and rubbed a hand over his bald head. “Do you mind getting Connor and his things together? That way I can take him with me since he’s still sleeping.”
Winter stood up straight the second he heard the other man say he was taking Connor away from him. “You’re not taking Connor away from me.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Of course I am, I’m his fucking uncle.”
“I don’t give a fuck who you are. Connor is not going anywhere with you.”
“Yeah, who the hell is going to stop me. Blood is thicker than fucking water.”
The words hit Winter like a ton of bricks, but he wasn’t going to back down. He was going to do what Caroline asked him, and that was to raise Connor the way she should have.
“Look, I have no fucking idea what your problem is. I’ve been traveling for two days, and in that time, I’ve had to process through everything, and all I want to do is pick up my nephew and find a hotel where we can hunker down for the night.”
“And like I told you, you are not taking Connor anywhere. I’m sorry that you lost your brother, but I lost both of my friends that day.”
“I forgot you knew Richard, too.”
“Yes, and as it states in the letter the lawyer sent you, Caroline was my best friend.” His lip started to tremble, and he bit down on it, he also ignored the pain he felt saying her name. “I was at the hospital when she died.”
“Fuck,” Creed cursed then pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry for your loss as well.”
“You too,” Winter said, meaning the words.
“We’ve gotten off the wrong foot, so how about we call a truce for now?”
Winter nodded, the guy had a point, they’d only been talking for less than five minutes, and most of that was spent with him accusing the man of not showing up at his brother’s funeral. “Do you want to see Connor?”
“Yeah, I do.”
Winter stepped to the side and invited the man inside of his home. He closed the door as Creed waited for him. “His room is upstairs.” He stepped around the taller man and up the stairs. By law Creed Mikami had every right to take Connor away from him. The man was right, blood was thicker than water. Even though he saw Caroline as his only sister, they weren’t blood. But no matter what he wasn’t going to give up Connor, the last link to his best friend.
Winter would hire the best lawyer he could find to make sure that Connor remained in his life. He wasn’t going to give up no matter who Creed Makami was. He turned and looked back at Creed wondering what the man was thinking only to blush slightly when he realized the man was staring at his ass. He should be annoyed, but he was more flattered than anything else. But it still didn’t sway him from his goal, which was keeping Connor in his life.
* * *
Creed followedWinter Di Matteo up the stairs, his mind filled with confusing thoughts. He was instantly attracted to Winter from the second he opened the door, but he had to put his attraction aside and deal with the matter at hand. The omega was a mouthy little thing, and it turned Creed off immediately. When they got to the bedroom, Creed immediately went over to the crib, and his knees almost buckled as he looked at the adorable sleeping child.
He looks like Richard.
Creed reached down to pick up the baby but froze when the omega spoke. “Don’t you dare touch him.”
Creed looked up growling, and pushed his alpha pheromones, completely irritated with the other man. The baby squirmed but didn’t wake up.
“Don’t you fucking growl at me,” Di Matteo said to him. His light blue eyes were blazing with anger. “You’re dirty.”
Okay, that’s fucking it.“I’ve known you for all about ten minutes, and in that time, you’ve insulted me every time you open your damn mouth. Cool it, omega.”
“Or what? You’ll fill my house with more of your alpha pheromones hoping I’ll bend at the knees?” Creed watched as the other man took a deep breath. “I wasn’t trying to insult you; my words just came out wrong.”
“And telling me that I’m dirty sure sounded like the right words to say.”
“I only meant that you need to clean up before you pick up Connor. You said you’d been traveling for two days and he’s still a newborn, I don’t want to chance Connor getting sick.”
“Oh, that makes sense.” He calmed down and reined his pheromones, and truthfully, Creed wasn’t sure why he had reacted the way he did. He was usually slow to anger when someone rubbed him the wrong way. “Where can I get cleaned up?”
