Chapter Twelve #2
Ford leaned against the counter with a smirk and nudged Chase.
“I betcha that’s michua tea. It’s a combination of peppermint, ginger and raspberry leaf,” he explained, as Lucky grew more obviously frustrated, speaking so low Chase couldn’t make out the words.
“It’s an old wives’ tale. Omegas use it after a first heat, to promote a safe pregnancy. ”
Chase choked on a sip of beer. “He doesn’t need that.”
“Not yet.”
The omega father and son argued in the living room in hushed voices while Ford shot Chase a satisfied smirk.
“It looks like papa is hoping for grandkids. It’s gonna be an interesting night, meda.”
* * * *
“Are you both going back to campus tomorrow?” Detective Jonah Darro glanced at Lucky, who was smart enough to shovel a piece of apple pie in his mouth and feign a smile.
Chase wished he could be so nonchalant, but Jonah was an intimidating presence, and it seemed like even Ford was on his best behaviour tonight. “I can’t afford to miss many more days,” Chase replied, though it would be hell going back mid-week. He dreaded the amount of work waiting for him.
Ford sipped his beer. “I’m glad that’s behind me. I’ll be spending tomorrow catching up on paperwork and tracking thugs.”
Lucky stabbed another corner of pie. “I can only imagine the nightmare of work that’s waiting for me when we get back.” He sighed dramatically and stared at the piece of pie like he wasn’t sure if he wanted it.
“I’m sure your friends have missed you.” Xavier lifted the jug from the middle of the table to refill his glass of water and Lucky’s.
He smiled, clearly cheered by the reminder.
“You got a good group of friends, flower,” Ford added, with a hint of wistful adoration. “According to Ross, you had twelve missed calls the night you got nabbed.” He smirked and met Chase’s eye. “Half of those were from this one.”
The teasing was tame compared to what Chase expected. “I’m less bothered with catching up on the work than hearing the gossip.”
“I’m sure your mother took care of that.” Xavier laid a hand on Lucky’s wrist, sharing a meaningful look with Jonah. “She called us personally, once you were found. She promised that you would be well taken care of and that you’d found your mate, which meant you were saved from the worst.”
Lucky nodded, subdued by the reminder of what might have happened if Chase hadn’t felt the bond. Chase slipped his hand over Lucky’s, entwining their fingers to remind him that he wasn’t alone.
“I bet you weren’t expecting me,” Ford said, to lighten the tone.
Jonah snorted, folding his arms over the edge of the table. “Not on your life. How many omegas have two mates?” He tutted and gestured to Lucky, a small smile appearing. “Might have known our resident troublemaker would be a rare case.”
Lucky released Chase’s hand to push his chair from the table. He walked around to kiss Jonah’s cheek, then lifted his coffee cup. He disappeared into the kitchen, only to come back with a steaming hot cup that he placed in front of his father.
“I love you, Father.” He kissed Jonah’s temple, then gathered plates.
Chase was glad that, even if the reminder of the last week hurt, Lucky was strong and could move past it with time.
He hoped that soon it would be nothing more than a bad dream that sometimes came to mind, rather than something visceral and within touching distance.
Lucky deserved to find peace with his near escape.
* * * *
Ford
Turned out he hadn’t been wrong about Xavier. They’d barely made it halfway through dinner before he asked about their bonding ceremony and their timeline for having kids, because he needed to ‘be prepared’. Detective Jonah Darro, on the other hand, had been quiet and reserved all night.
It was a relief to escape at the end of the night, except he hated leaving Lucky behind.
He’d become used to all three of them occupying the same space, being only in the other room from one another.
Ford wouldn’t have argued if Lucky had wanted to stay with Chase, or come home with him, but he seemed happy to be with his parents and he couldn’t complain.
Lucky would move out eventually. Why rush?
He drove Chase home, halfway across town into an industrial area where Chase owned two apartment blocks.
The only resident currently in either building was Chase while he worked on making the rest habitable.
Ford commended his efforts, but from the sheer size of the project, it couldn’t be close to finished.
“How do you manage?”
Chase removed his seat belt. “I don’t. I’ve been thinking I should move out and let a manager take over my apartment. They can oversee the workmen I’ve already contracted and finish the rest.”
“Why would you move?”
Chase raised an eyebrow and blatantly fought a smile.
“Now I have an alpha and omega mate, I figured we’d move in together after the bonding ceremony,” he hinted, and leaned in to grace Ford with a rare, smiling kiss.
“Go home and sleep, darlin’. You’re not gonna last long, if this is news to you.
” He opened the door to slip out into the cold night, paused to check the road was clear, then crossed and waved before heading inside.
Ford figured he was right. He should have known better than to ask, but it wasn’t for want of hoping.
He hadn’t been sure what Chase’s plans were, especially if he’d wanted to finish the buildings before moving onto a settled, bonded life with his omega.
He hadn’t had a chance to ask Lucky, either.
He seemed like an omega who would want to finish college, maybe go into further vocational training.
Figured that an ORTa notorious for not caring or settling down would be given two mates who needed him to be steady and secure.
* * * *
“You get home and sleep! I want your ass in here at eight tomorrow,” Sykes shouted, as Ford left headquarters close to ten o’clock, finally heading home.
He’d been halfway there after dropping Chase off when he’d gotten the text from Sykes asking him to stop by headquarters to sign paperwork.
Wynna had wanted him back at work tomorrow, actively working on Lucky’s case, but there would be no point if he hadn’t signed his forms first. Boss Lady was a stickler for the rules, which meant Ford would only get his ass handed to him, with a twenty-four-hour leave, if he didn’t do this tonight.
As mentally and physically stretched as he was, Ford wanted to resolve Lucky's case before he took time off.
He swiped his access card to leave and stepped out into a chilly night.
His car was parked in the closest space to the front entrance, but Ford cursed the broken light above his spot.
He sent a text to Sykes to have it looked at before morning—maintenance should get it fixed in case there was an emergency overnight.
Slotting his key into the car door, Ford hovered his hand over the door handle, surprised to sense someone approaching him from behind. He spun, instinctively reaching for his belt even though he wasn’t carrying a gun tonight.
Jesi froze, the hand reaching for Ford’s shoulder pausing mid-air. “You’re jumpy tonight.”
Ford leaned on his car door. “Didn’t you go home hours ago?”
Jesi tucked his hands into his oversized jacket. “I stopped by the gym. I’ll be working right up until the bonfire, so I’m getting in extra training.”
It couldn’t be easy being the only omega in the ORT, always expected to be weak and incapable. Jesi did a good job reminding them all to leave their prejudices at the door, but that was a heavy burden to carry alone.
Ford had almost forgotten about the bonfire.
Maybe if they could get this Lincoln thing out of the way, he could bring Lucky and Chase as a chance to get away from the bad shit and let them mingle with his workmates.
The annual get-together was usually for those who were currently on break from active undercover work, the tech department and all administration crew.
The bonfire gave them an outlet, a chance to mingle outside of work, to talk with people who understood the toll the job took.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you outside work in ages,” Jesi said with sad eyes.
Seeing that look made him crave one of Jesi’s healing hugs. No matter what he was going through, how hard it had been, or how long he had to endure, one of Jesi’s hugs always made him feel better. He supposed it was how Lucky felt when he hugged his papa.
Jesi wasn’t someone he forced contact on though, so it was a relief when he stepped into Ford’s space for a hug Ford wouldn’t refuse. The second Jesi was close, he wrapped his arms around him and buried his nose into his hair.
Jesi had been one of the first omegas he’d rescued.
Jesi had been young and uneducated about the truth of the Market and omegas.
He hadn’t even understood what Heatwave was, had never had a heat, and had lived a horrific life of abuse and confinement.
Ford wished he’d never seen the dark side of omega life.
After years in the clutches of the Market, Jesi had taken matters into his own hands to free himself, with the full intention and expectation of dying soon after.
Ford had arrived just minutes before he got his wits together enough to end his own life.
He’d never had a closer call in his entire career, until Lucky came into his life.
Tipping his head up, because he was a five-foot-four shortie, Jesi smiled. “Do you have time for coffee?”
“For you? I have time for coffee and dessert,” he promised, since he had no other plans tonight.
Just a lonely night at home, waiting for tomorrow morning when Lucky and Chase would brighten his life.
“Barry’s?” Barry’s Bar-n-Grill was the go-to hang-out for ORT guys, the place closest to work. “Did you bring your car?”
“I took the bus.” Jesi stepped back to release him from the hug.
Holding out his hand, Ford felt his heart flutter when Jesi accepted, trusting him with that contact.
“You can tell me over coffee.” He lifted an arm around his shoulders to lead the way to Barry’s.
They were long overdue a catch-up, and he felt like celebrating Jesi’s victory of surviving public transport.
Jesi was a good reminder that they needed more younger agents—ORTa who weren’t tied into bonds, with mates and responsibilities outside the ORT, who didn’t have kids to leave behind.
Wynna was actively recruiting younger agents, as there was a team of guys in their forties who wanted to step back from the rescue team.
After losing four guys to an explosion at a Euphoria factory a couple of years ago, they were running low on agents young enough to last in the job for more than a few years.
Hell, if it wasn’t for Lucky, he’d have recommended Chase, because he had everything they were looking for.
But if he recommended Chase, where did that leave Lucky?
Waiting at home, never knowing if either of his two alpha mates would come home from work?
Spending two years alone while they were undercover, or having them come back from two years of duty different men than they’d left?
It had never bothered Ford, but he’d been in the job eight years, and there was no way he’d last much longer.
He’d already put in his transfer from undercover work to a retrieval team, who were only called in once the undercover crew had done their work.
Now he’d found his mate, he was glad he’d taken that important step, because he’d only be gone days, if not hours.
If the transfer had any chance of being approved, he needed more new guys to come in and take his place.
Ford had served his time.
“How d’you feel ‘bout me being around more?”
Jesi beamed up at him as they approached the front steps of Barry’s. “I’d love it. I imagine that feisty omega mate of yours would love it more.”
Ford smiled, hoping his transfer would come through. Jesi wasn’t an omega for claiming, but he was all the family Ford had, if he didn’t count Lucky and Chase. No matter what happened between them, Ford held onto the hope and stability they promised.