Harrison smiled softly, though he still looked exhausted. Considering he was chasing after a serial arsonist singlehandedlyandstarting a new relationship at the same time, he had to be.
“I think I snapped a little when you asked about dinner earlier. I didn’t want you to think I didn’t want you around.”
Emerson’s chest tightened. He saw the emotion in his twin’s eyes and wasn’t prepared to get into it then and there. They’d grown too distant over the years. “I wasn’t really trying to snag an invite on date night. I was just busting your balls.”
“Ah,” Harrison said. “Well, I appreciate you keeping this quiet for now.”
“No worries.”
“And… maybe I can do the same for you down the road. You know… if you had a new relationship you wanted to keep quiet for whatever reasons.”
Emerson’s gaze jumped to his brother’s. “Why would I need to hide a relationship?” He scoffed before Harrison could answer. “You know me. I just fuck around. No omega’s tying me down.”
“Yeah, sure,” Harrison said, an odd light in his eyes. “But even so… you know I’ll protect you, right?”
Emerson held his brother’s knowing stare, the urge to share his secret clawing in his throat. A car came roaring into the garage and sped past them, forcing them to step out of the way.
He clapped his brother on the shoulder, the moment passed. “You gonna be okay to drive home or do you want me to drive you there?”
“It’s only a ten-minute trip. I’m fine,” Harrison said. He paused, grinning. “Plus I got a nap in, so… I think I can make it home.”
Emerson hoped so.
“Yougood to get home?” Harrison asked.
“I’ll grab a trolley.”
“Where’s your truck?”
“I drove in with Dad. My truck’s at his place.”
Harrison frowned. “I can drive you over there?”
“Nah. Get your ass home,” Emerson said, backing up a few steps. “I have an errand to run anyway. Text me when you get home so I don’t worry, heh?”
Harrison met his gaze, a hint of a smile on his lips. “Will do.”
Emerson watched Harrison climb into his work truck and pull out before dragging out his cell to call their youngest alpha brother, Randall.
“Hey, where are you?”
“Work,” Rand replied, the sound of ringing phones and murmuring in the background.
“I was hoping you might want to grab a drink.Ifyou’re close to getting off?”
“What do you want?”
Emerson walked out of the parking garage. After pausing for a passing car, he trotted across the street toward the trolley line. “To see if you wanted to hang out with your handsomest, smartest older brother.”
“Surrrree…”
“Oh, webothknow I’m totally the finest and brightest,” Emerson joked.
“Uh-huh. You’re also the brother who never calls me unless he wants something,” Randall said.
“That hurts.”He winced, grabbing his chest in mock pain. The ache was real, though. Randall wasn’t too far away from the truth but not for the reasons he probably thought.
“Just tell me what you want, Em.”
