Chapter 10 #2
He and Branson didn’t speak much on the elevator ride to his floor, or the short walk down the hallway.
The path was so familiar now that Tarius didn’t have to look for the apartment number.
Branson unlocked the door, and Tarius followed him inside the cozy space that smelled like coffee and Branson’s woodsy cologne.
“I guess I should give you a key, huh?” Branson said as he shut the door behind them. “Seeing as how we’re engaged and all.”
His shy smile was too adorable not to kiss him.
“If you want to.” Tarius squeezed his hip.
“Engagement can mean anything we want it to mean, just like our relationship is ours to create. But if you do want to give me a key, I promise not to abuse your trust. I won’t sneak in and rifle through your things for blackmail material. ”
Branson chuckled. “I keep all my blackmail material password protected.”
“Damn.”
“Do you want coffee? I can make a pot.”
“Sure, thanks.”
Tarius settled at the kitchen table while Branson got the coffee brewing.
Branson grabbed a package of sugar cookies from the cupboard and brought those to the table with him.
“So the big question is who else do we tell about all this,” Branson said.
“Obviously, you should tell your parents. Um, your sire and Liam.”
“I definitely need to tell my sire, and since he can’t keep a secret from Liam, he’ll need to know.
What about all our brothers? They don’t need to know the specifics until after the DNA test, but Emory has an inkling that something’s going on.
Holding him off over the weekend is going to be a challenge. ”
“You’re right.” Branson picked up a cookie and studied it like it held the answers he needed. “I might be able to tell Emory and hold off on Caden, but if I tell Em, he’ll want to tell Eriq. I guess if we keep it to just who lives at the house? Triplets aside.”
Tarius chuckled. “I don’t think the triplets are going to know or care about this for at least another year or two, when they’re doing more than knocking down blocks and mimicking Uncle Branson’s cuss words.”
“Hey, I am very careful not to cuss in front of the toddlers. I’ve heard all the stories about how much I loved to repeat cuss words when I was three, and the last thing I need is for Shylo to start running around the house screaming ‘Oh shit!’ like I did.”
“I remember something similar when Linus was about that age, but I don’t know who he picked it up from.
” Saying his baby brother’s name reminded Tarius of last night’s huge accomplishment: Linus dancing at the Gala with his bondmate.
Linus had been so confident, so strong, as he and Miko danced among family and friends.
It was Tarius’s favorite memory of last night, right next to dancing with Branson.
Branson finally took a bite of that cookie then put it down.
Chewed and swallowed, and he gazed longingly at the coffeepot, which was beginning to spew its final drips of liquid into the carafe.
“I guess it’ll depend on who’s at the house when I go over.
Dad needs to know, and probably Em, too.
Even if Eriq is home, he’s discreet. What about you? ”
“I’m discreet.”
He snorted and flicked a cookie crumb at him. “Dork. You’re going to tell your sire and Liam?”
“Yes. I’m honestly surprised they haven’t bombarded me with texts or calls yet, considering we were at the Gala together, and then I didn’t come home last night.
Liam is incredibly perceptive when something’s up with one of us kids.
” It would never not be strange to refer to himself as a kid, since he was the same age as Liam, but Liam was an omegin and had a deep, parental streak that extended to all three of Isa Higgs’s older children.
“Linus is still at home, but I bet he’ll be too infatuated with Miko to notice anything’s up with me. ”
“Probably. They are very sweet together. I’m glad Linus had Miko during his recovery.”
“Me, too.” And while Linus could walk on his prosthetic using a cane, his recovery was far from over.
Linus was determined to run again, to climb stairs, to do all the things he’d once done with two natural legs.
Maybe even learn to play soccer again. Their family would rally behind whatever Linus wanted to do.
“So, um, should we tell our parents together? One pair at a time?” Branson stood to pull two mugs out of the cupboard.
“Well, since we’re announcing an engagement, I think together is better. Probably seem strange if we aren’t.”
“True.” Branson chuckled as he poured them each coffee, careful not to drip. “For all my cousins and friends love to tease me about being a bachelor, they’re going to shit bricks when they hear this news. Not the long-lost brother thing, but being engaged after only just announcing we’re dating.”
Tarius smiled as he accepted a steaming mug of fragrant coffee. “We march to the beat of our own drum.”
“I don’t think there’s even music for whatever our drum is beating.
” Branson returned his smile, though, positive emotions shining in his eyes.
“You know, for the first time since I got served, I feel like things are going to be okay. For as mad as I was at my parents, they didn’t do anything maliciously.
They obeyed a gag order and kept me safe. ”
His insides warmed with pride, and Tarius reached out to squeeze Branson’s wrist. “That’s a very mature perspective. You’re giving your parents a lot of grace.”
“They’ve earned it, especially Dad. I helped him proofread his memoir.
I know the darkness he carries with him.
I don’t want to cause him more pain than he’s already endured, you know?
I can be selfish with my anger for a little longer today, but I can’t keep it up.
That’s not who I am. It’s not who I want to be. ”
“I’m glad.” Tarius stood and pulled Branson into his arms. Hugged his boyfriend tight, simply to feel him against his chest. Feel his heart beating, his breath tickling his neck, scent his cologne and, beneath, Branson’s unique scent.
Beta noses weren’t as attuned as alpha and omega noses, so scents were typically difficult to discern.
But not Branson’s, not when Tarius knew what his kisses tasted like.
How it felt to sleep close beside him and feel Branson’s breath on his cheek.
“I can’t believe I have another half-brother.” Branson pulled back, but kept his arms tight around Tarius’s waist. “And I guess another half-brother-in-law? It’s so surreal.”
“But also a wonderful gift?” More of a question, asking so he didn’t say the wrong thing.
“An unusual gift, but yeah. Kind of wonderful. Even though there is the slimmest chance the DNA test will be negative for a match, I don’t think it will. I believe we’re brothers. No one could make up a story like that without knowing the truth behind it.”
“Agreed.” Tarius glanced at the microwave clock. “Do you want to talk to your folks now? Or wait until after dinner?”
“Hmm. One sec.” Branson disentangled so he could send a text. Tarius waited, and a reply dinged back quickly. Branson replied. “Dad doesn’t have anything planned for dinner. I said we’d pick up some takeout and bring it over around six, to eat and talk.”
“All right.”
“Do you want to invite Isa and Liam to join us?”
Tarius’s heart kicked up a notch, but this was what they’d planned on doing.
Not just dropping the long-lost brother bomb, but their brief engagement and very imminent marriage of convenience.
But also their love. Maybe not the big, messy, showy love that their friends and brothers had found, but it was a love they both treasured.
A love that Tarius believed, deep down, could endure through any hardship.
“Yes, I do,” Tarius replied. “I think it’s a good idea we tell everyone at once.
My dad knows how to be discreet for a few days, and while Liam will be chomping at the bit to talk about your brother news with Jaysan and Brogan, he’ll respect your request to keep quiet.
He did keep the fact that Peyton and Layne were pregnant and mates from his friends for weeks, remember? ”
“Very true.” Branson grinned, seeming truly relaxed for the first time all day. “Now the really important question is…where do we order dinner from?”
Tarius laughed and went straight for the drawer where Branson kept his collection of takeout menus.