Chapter Fifty-EightWes
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Wes
“ W ill you stop? ” Evan put a hand over Brennan’s to keep him from making the window of the limo go up and down. Again. Something he’d been doing for most of the ride from the house to wherever it was Riley and Grace were at.
“Sorry.” Brennan pulled Evan close. Evan put his head on Brennan’s shoulder.
Brennan didn’t like cars–even big limos. But his mom insisted that we arrive at her gala in a limo. Now, the car reeked of his agitation.
I pulled a bottle of bourbon from the bar. “Shots? One or two to take the edge off?”
The queen mum wouldn’t be amused if we arrived drunk. But I didn’t like doing these completely sober, either.
“Please.” Brennan nodded, still clutching Evan like he was a buoy.
I poured everyone a drink.
“To this being quick and painless.” Brennan raised his and knocked it back.
“Hey, can we talk about something?” Evan asked, drinking his up.
“Of course.” Brennan frowned, as he held out his glass for me to pour him another.
I frowned too, because I got a hint of anxiety through the bond.
“My heat is coming in two weeks. We’re still going to the cabin, right?” Evan inquired.
“Yep. Got my time off locked in.” I nodded, pouring myself another, too. We were going for the whole week, though his heat would only be a couple of days. Riley had a spring break trip with her sisters.
“I’ve got my time off, too,” Jett said, putting his empty glass with Evan’s.
Brennan’s frown deepened. “Of course. Did something fall through with Ri going with your sisters?”
“Noooo.” Evan shook his head.
“What about Grace? We’re not leaving her at the house, are we?” Jett’s head tilted.
“That’s what I wanted to talk about,” Evan said, the anxiety still riding strong.
“She doesn’t have to come if you don’t want her to. We’ll send her to the sister pack. They like her,” Brennan quickly said, arm still tightly around Evan.
“But she can come if I want her to?” Evan perked.
“Should I take her somewhere for part or all of the week?” Spencer offered, looking up from his phone. “There’s so many things I’d like to show her. I can arrange to have food sent.”
“That’s a good idea.” Brennan nodded.
“But I want her to be there.” Evan’s lower lip jutted out in a slight pout, his scent going sour.
“I know you do. I want her there, too. But is she ready for that?” I asked. I’d been thinking about that a lot.
“Maybe? We’ve been talking about it–but it’s also as much all of your decision as hers,” Evan said.
Jett’s head cocked as a strand of black hair escaped his ponytail and fell in his eyes. “How do heat pheromones–and rut pheromones–affect gammas? While they make me feel high, they don’t knock me over the head and compel me to fuck for days without food and water.”
“I worry about that, too,” I admitted. “I don’t actually know.”
“Your bond is still weak,” Brennan pointed out. “She probably won’t get the onslaught of feelings like Jett does.”
I grimaced at the mention of the bond. Everyone, including Luc, Mrs. Beekman, and our couples’ therapist, were still making me feel shitty about it not being strong.
At least it looked like the police investigation was wrapping up.
The Center would still keep an eye on us for a while.
Even Evan seemed to have a stronger bond with her than me.
Evan whined, and I squeezed his hand. Brennan held him tighter.
“It’s not a no , it’s a concern for her comfort,” Brennan soothed, giving him a kiss. “I’m guessing you want her there, in the nest with us, not just hanging out with Spencer.”
Evan sighed, nuzzling him. “I’d be okay with that if it’s all we can agree on. But I’d like her with us at least part of the time.”
“She’s that important to you, isn’t she?” Brennan looked thoughtful.
“Of course she is. I bonded with her–and we feel each other.” Evan glared. He looked at me. “You still want her there, right?”
“Of course I do. I only worry that she isn’t ready.
” It was an orgy. In the fog of pheromones, the usual lines blurred, which was where the joke about not talking about what happened in the heat nest came from.
While we regretted nothing, there was also a huge amount of trust built up between the four of us, which enabled us to give in and have a certain degree of vulnerability.
We could choose to hold ourselves back. But I’d also understand if Brennan and Jett weren't ready for her to be there either.
“I’m okay with it,” Jett said. “But I think we shouldn’t bring her in until after at least the first round, since that can get intense.
We should let her know that she can come and go as she pleases without offering any reason or feeling any guilt.
It’s going to overwhelm her, and while I’ll do what I can to buffer, I can get pretty affected in the thick of it. ”
“You’d be okay with her there?” Brennan peered at him.
“Um, yeah. I’m a little curious.” Jett shot Evan a look, who replied with a coy smile.
Huh.
Brennan looked out the window. “We’ve just never…”
“I know, that’s why we’re talking about it,” Evan replied. “We might not be ready for pussy at our sex party, and I understand that.”
Caroline hadn’t participated in Evan’s heats–and he hadn’t taken part in hers. Which had caused tension. They hadn’t synced either, which usually happened in two-omega packs.
“Jett’s plan seems like it could work. Spencer, she could hang out with you, right? When she needs a break?” I asked. My biology would compel me to stay with Evan.
Spencer seemed very engrossed in his phone. He looked up. “Of course. I enjoy spending time with her.”
He always seemed on the periphery of the pack, so it would be nice for him to be drawn in a little more. And, well, I knew all about their kiss and her falling asleep on him in the movie theatre.
“Though…” Spencer looked at Brennan. “I don’t know what it is like for mate pairs like them, but you should be prepared if her biology compels her to be with him the same way yours does.”
“True. I didn’t think of that. Yeah, if we keep her out, but she’s crying at the door for me, I’d let her in, just like I would for you,” Evan said.
“Fuck, when you put it that way…” I raked my hair with my hand. Right. They were mated. She could very well be as compelled to be with him as we were.
“Bren? I know you aren’t besties yet, but…” Evan gave him a pleading look.
Brennan rubbed his chin. “Can I give this some thought? While it’s your heat, and I want to make you happy, this isn’t an easy thing for me. Though Spencer made a good point.”
“Please. I see the effort you’re making, and I appreciate it.” Evan leaned in and gave him a kiss.
“I didn’t even correct her when she, once again, played Volkov too fast.” Brennan looked pleased with himself.
“Same menu as usual?” Spencer asked, still on his phone. He usually made the post-heat feast.
“Please?” Evan batted his eyelashes.
“Of course. I’ll get the boat out of storage if the weather is nice.” He went back to his phone.
“Okay, so I’ll talk to Grace, and Brennan will think about it,” Evan confirmed.
“While we’re discussing things, I want to clarify that I like Grace and I fully intend to formally court her.” Spencer’s eyes met mine as he put down his phone.
“Please, take her to all the science things and galas and stuff. She had fun with you at the last one,” I replied. Yeah, she could people so we didn’t have to.
“What if I do more than science things?” Spencer prodded. “What if I teach her tennis or golf? Perhaps whisk her off to places she’s never been? I can’t wait to hold her hand and walk along the beach in the moonlight. Do you think she’d like to scuba dive with me?”
“The beach?” I’d sort of wanted to take her to the beach first. Because she hadn’t been here .
“Doesn’t she like the beach?” He frowned.
“I was planning a beach trip for the pack during the summer,” Evan replied.
“No. I…” I stopped. It sounded silly to say it out loud.
“Oh, I see. Does this mean I shouldn’t take her to the annual PIIP Symposium? I got us added since it’s invitation-only. She wanted to tour PIIP and see the particle cutter,” Spencer said. “We want to do some investigating for our project now that she’s formally joining the team.”
I thought for a moment. Wow, a romantic trip to an exclusive science convention. That sly dog. “That sounds like something she’d love.”
“Pretty sure that’s just a meh ocean. We’ll take her to a better one,” Evan said.
Spencer tapped on his phone. “I will refrain from taking her to good oceans until you do, but anywhere else is okay?”
“That’s fair,” I replied. “Please, teach her all the boring sports.” I grinned at Spencer. “Seriously though. She loves dancing with you and Jett in the living room.”
“Grace catches on fast.” Jett nodded.
Brennan looked out the window. Evan put his head back on his shoulder. Jett reached over and squeezed Brennan’s hand.
“Brennan, do you wish for me to wait?” Spencer asked. “I’m not trying to push things. I just haven’t felt this way about someone in a long time.”
Brennan shook his head. “This is a me problem, not a her problem. I’m happy that you’re at a point where you want to pursue her.
But, once again, we’re not ready for her to join the pack yet.
At the very least from a purely legal standpoint, even without the investigations.
Though we now have a lawyer who isn’t Katie. ”
“I appreciate you trying,” I told him. “She’s been loading the dishwasher the way you like.”
“True. She still holds her mug weirdly.”
“Such random things to be bothered about.” Evan rolled his eyes. “Spence, treat my girl like a princess, okay?”
A smile danced on Spencer’s lips. “It will be my privilege.”