Chapter 26 #2
“Eh, you know Father. He’s stuck up his own ass.”
“How are we so different from the rest of them?” Ren asked. The question hung in the air, clearing some of the tension until I could breathe again.
“Same answer as to why Uncle Errol’s so different from Father, I suppose. Though, fuck knows what the answer is.” Barber huffed out another laugh and stood, walking toward the counter where the cash register was. “I’m gonna get a drink. Want one? I got bourbon.”
Oli glared. “You have alcohol under my counter?”
Barber waved a finger at him. “Uh uh, Oli. This isn’t your counter anymore. You can’t tell me what to do.”
Oli grumbled under his breath, and I swear I heard something like “you’re a child” somewhere in there.
“How about we leave you both to talk alone?” I pointed at Barber, then moved my finger toward Ren. “No killing each other. No fighting. No arguing. If either of you come back with any more bruises or cuts, I’ll let Pa deal with both of you. Am I clear?”
Ren chuckled then and it sounded nice, a note of relief that made my shoulders relax. Warmth spread through me as I leaned down to kiss him gently on the lips.
“Be good,” I said.
Oli did the same.
While Barber watched curiously, he didn’t say a word. I didn’t put it past him to give Ren a warning not to hurt either of us, but that was between them.
I gave Barber a hug and Oli did the same before we left—after a promise we’d be back in an hour. We could let them hash it out. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be blood.
“What should we do?” Oli asked, smiling.
“We can get lunch, and you can tell me why you lied about there being problems with your car,” I responded with a knowing smile.
“Because I’ve checked the Subaru from bumper to bumper.
My buddy Scar checked it, too. There’s nothing wrong with it.
We even had someone else in the shop check it.
Then, I went over it again because I didn’t want you to get stranded somewhere. ”
Oli groaned and hid his face. “Why are you so wonderful?”
“You can’t sweet talk your way out of this. Fess up.” I nudged him.
He mumbled something.
“Excuse me?”
“Oh my God, I wanted a reason to talk to you! Okay?” he howled, but he was still hiding behind his hands, refusing to look at me.
I started laughing and couldn’t stop.
The hour came and went, and by the time we picked Ren up, he was quieter than usual. I didn’t ask questions and neither did Oli.
We went to Ren’s apartment and settled in for the night. His home had become ours in a weird way and his king-size bed fit all of us. I still lived with Pa and Oli stayed with his mom, so this was the best place for us to be us.
The dog-size rat—okay, ferret—stared at me with its crimson eyes as I sat on the couch. He scurried closer, and I tensed as he climbed up the arm of the couch and bounded toward me. Oli and Ren were in the kitchen, making dinner.
Mr. Fucking Wiggles was hesitant, almost like he could sense my unease.
He watched me with those beady eyes, head cocked.
Taking a deep breath, I held out my hand, palm up.
I wasn’t sure how to play with a ferret.
I’d never had one. Or any pet. My grandpa had an elderly dog I’d loved, but when she passed on a few years ago, my heart broke into pieces.
I wasn’t sure I could go through another loss of an animal.
Finally, Mr. Fuc—Mr. Wiggles—scampered closer and ran up my arm before I realized what he was doing.
He jumped from my arm to my lap and circled a few times, then settled down there, burying his face into his fur.
I froze. He snuggled in deeper, letting out a tiny sigh that stole my heart.
He looked sweet this way, a small creature who was comfortable enough to go to sleep on me.
Every bad thing I’d ever said about him was thrown out the window because fuck, how could I hate him? He was too damned adorable.
“KC, are you ready—” Oli paused as he came around the kitchen island, a small smile curling his mouth. “Aw, he likes you!”
“He does?” I kept my voice low, scared of waking Mr. Wiggles.
Ren joined Oli, smirking. “Definitely. Ferrets like the smell of their owner. If he’s sleeping on you, then he feels safe with you.”
Oli crept closer, his feet quiet on the vinyl.
He lowered himself onto his knees in front of me, scratching his fingers gently through Mr. Wiggles’s neck fur.
Mr. Wiggles, well, wiggled and I could see how he got his name.
He blinked open his eyes and glanced up at me, as though he thought it was me petting him.
“Aw, he’s looking at his mama.” Ren fell onto the couch beside me, arm curled around my back. He patted his lap, and Oli took it as a gesture to sit there, ass planted firmly on Ren’s thighs and pelvis.
“Mama? Why am I the mama?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “What about Oli?”
“He’s a kitten. Clearly, he’s our pet.” Ren ducked as Oli attempted to halfheartedly backhand him across the chin.
“You are such a fucking asshole.” Oli pouted.
Ren laughed and swooped forward for a kiss, but Oli turned his head away.
“Fuck off. No kisses for assholes.”
I chuckled quietly, so as not to disturb Mr. Wiggles, who’d decided to snuggle back into a ball on my lap so he could sleep again.
Ren nuzzled Oli’s neck and nipped the skin there. “I’m joking, Kitten. I’m daddy, KC can be pa.”
“And what about me?” Oli raised his eyebrows, daring Ren to open his mouth with another joke. “If you say something related to an animal or pet, I’ll knee you in the balls, and we’ll never have kids together.”
“Careful about your next words,” I warned Ren. Watching them sent warmth through me. Ren still gave Oli shit, but I supposed it was because he was the easier target. It took a lot more to rile me up. Even so, Oli knew it was loving jokes, I hoped, and he took it with a gentle smile.
“You can be dada.” Ren winked.
“Asshole,” Oli muttered, but he settled back against Ren’s chest. He held his hand out to me, and I took it, laying a kiss on the back. Then, Ren got a kiss on the lips.
“I love you both,” I whispered, the quietness of the apartment hugging me close and sending a wave of calm through me. This was what I wanted the rest of my life to be. A home with the two men who made my heart thump with excitement.
“I love you, too,” Oli said.
“Me too,” Ren agreed.
I didn’t know what the future held, but I was ready to tackle it with my guys. I couldn’t wait.