Chapter 4
Four
Brady
Confronting your lovers took an emotional toll on a person I wasn’t prepared for.
Luckily, I had the bestest best friend in the world in Jae, and he came with an amazing alpha that put all other alphas, especially those jerks Gio and Xavier, to shame.
No, really, Curtis was the perfect match for my sweet omega friend.
I really couldn’t have asked for a better person to come along and see the worth in Jae.
Once we got the hell out of that cursed clinic, sorry, but Jae could not go there again.
I was happy to let Jae drive us to Curtis’ place, where he was now living.
Some omegas had all the luck. Okay, Jae had gone through it with a cheating ex, so maybe it was just his turn for some good fortune because Curtis had everything: not just a job but a business, a house, loving family, a solid network of friends, looks, and a little nest egg.
The house they lived in was super cute. All on one level, it was neatly kept with a tidy yard out front and plenty of space out back. It gave such a peaceful vibe, not that I could truly enjoy it. I barely gave it a look as Jae led me inside and went straight for his bedroom.
My heart hurt more than I thought possible over the two men I’d been slowly handing my heart to. I thought I’d been guarding myself these last few weeks when I figured out something was wrong, but that was a lie. This cut deeper than I was prepared for.
I fell apart, wrapped up in my friend’s embrace until I couldn’t cry anymore and fell asleep.
When I woke, it was because I sensed an alpha in the house.
My omega instincts were screaming at me to protect my pregnant friend.
I only relaxed when I realized Curtis had returned home.
The large alpha was sympathetic when he entered his bedroom and found me sitting up, stroking Percy who had joined us for our impromptu nap.
“Hey baby, I brought dinner. Would you like to eat it in here?” The tender way Curtis spoke to Jae while gently smoothing his hand up and down Jae’s back as my friend woke stirred envy in me.
Not for Jae having Curtis in particular, just for having found the type of alpha I wanted for myself: a caretaker, exactly like Curtis’ Mate Match bio had said.
Watching the happy couple, I vowed I would sign up for Mate Match once I was ready. Once Gio and Xavier were out of my system, I was going for it and finding real love.
My stomach gurgled once I caught a whiff of the smell of melted cheese and the tomato sauce from the pizza.
Despite my heartbreak, it tempted me into taking a slice.
Curtis really was too sweet when he offered to let me stay in his bed with Jae for the night, but the cozy setup in the office, with the privacy it offered, was far better.
The cherry on top was the Percy cuddles.
There was something I needed before I could work those alphas out of my system. I had to have answers.
Xavier had texted me multiple times. He had tried to call, too, but there was nothing from Gio. It was as if I didn’t matter to him at all, which stung. I’d thought he had been a part of what we were building. Now it seemed like he didn’t care to give me an explanation for the other omega. Jerk.
It was late by the time I was ready to call Xavier.
I sent a text to Gio first–a big mistake–wondering what, if anything, he would say to me after the clinic.
He hadn’t called out to me like Xavier had, and that bugged me.
Did he not care about me at all? When I got the reply, I wished I hadn’t bothered since it had me spiraling.
Brady
When were you going to tell me about her? Did I mean anything to you? You made all those promises.
Gio
That wasn’t down to me. You were Xavier’s omega. His pick, not mine. He made the promises. I just went along with it to make him happy. It was never that deep. Don’t overthink it.
Oh, it wasn’t that deep? Wanting to have an unprotected heat wasn’t that deep? What would he have done if I’d gotten pregnant? With how slim my chances were, there was no chance of me having an abortion. That baby would have tied me to them for life!
Brady
Fuck you, Gio. You know you made promises to me you never intended to keep. Getting you banned from the app did everyone a favor. You’re just another alphahole. I wish I’d never met you.
It didn’t take long for Gio to fire back a response.
Gio
Same, hon. You ruined my marriage. If I don’t get Xavier back, I’m going to do everything I can to ruin you. Stay away from my husband.
My heart tripped. Ruined his marriage? What the actual fuck was he talking about? Instead of sweating over it, I chose to get my answers from the source. Xavier had reached out to me half a dozen times already.
It barely rang before I heard his tear-soaked voice. “Brady?” Why was he so upset? I was the one who had been wronged.
“Hey, this is me giving you a chance to explain what the fuck is going on. Gio just texted that I ruined your marriage, but you looked pretty cozy with that omega.” My tone was cold, hard, with just the hint of the tears I was struggling to hold back.
There came a shuddering sigh. “Would you believe me if I told you I only found out about Candice today? That the clinic was all an act?” I scoffed. There was no way I was buying what he was selling. “I’m serious, Brady. They only told me today.”
“How could you not know?” I burst out, utterly stunned.
“How did you know?” he shot back. “I’ve been wracking my brain for hours, going over and over in my mind. There were signs he was having an affair. I was working up the courage—”
“Hold on,” I paused, trying to wrap my head around it. “You weren’t with her?”
“Yes, well, no.” His words stumbled over each other in his haste to get them out. “Months ago. Before you.”
“Not since then?”
“No. There hasn’t been anyone other than Gio since you. I swear it, Brady. What I said about your heat, about the plans we were making, I meant it.”
My heart softened fractionally at the pain and honesty he infused into every word. “Explain.”
So he did. Xavier told me how they took turns bringing in a third, usually from a hookup app that favored polyamorous people.
Candice was Gio’s pick. They were with her together for a weekend, but ultimately, they decided not to take her through her heat.
Xavier said he didn’t mesh well with her and he preferred male omegas. Exactly as I thought.
Eventually, they decided to reach out to me as Xavier’s pick. We clicked, or at least he and I thought we did. After our initial few dates, Xavier asked Gio if they could keep seeing me. At no point did Gio communicate that he was still seeing Candice. Xavier wasn’t with her again.
It was only in the last few weeks, as Gio distanced himself from both of us, that Xavier realized something was really wrong in his marriage.
He spoke to his friends and was getting ready to confront Gio about the late nights and business meetings.
Except Gio and Candice ambushed him and laid out their plan for all three of them to raise the babies just before the appointment.
“Twins?”
“Yeah. I was as shocked as you were. I think Gio would have waited until she gave birth if it wasn’t for Candice losing her job. She lost her insurance and Gio needed to use ours—”
“And you would have found out when you saw the bill.”
“Right. I swear I didn’t know. Those babies aren’t mine, but Malik told me I’d have to get a paternity test as part of the divorce.” I knew about his best friend, Malik, and how the omega lawyer was in family law and was also pregnant. “I still don’t know how you knew.”
“The clinic appointment was on Gio’s calendar. I think he knew I was onto him, so he had to confess. Probably figured out I knew, so he set you up at the clinic,” I grumbled. Xavier made a noise of agreement.
“How did you miss the pregnancy vitamins and the underwear? Seriously, there were traces of her all over the apartment!”
Xavier gave a humourless chuckle. “I’ve been so wrapped up in you, in worrying about my marriage, and cases at work, I think I just had the blinders on.
We pay a service to clean, and I thought the hair ties were from them.
I didn’t know those were for pregnancy. It didn’t occur to me to read the damn bottle. ”
I could tell Xavier was beating himself up over it. Xavier had been painfully, brutally honest with me. I had no doubt that he had spoken the truth. “Are you okay?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Not really. I’m living with my moms. My marriage is over, and the thing I’m most worried about is losing you. Tell me I’m not going to lose you.”
My heart throbbed, my instincts pushed me to soothe my alpha.
“I can’t tell you that. It’s not a good idea for us to be together right now.
” I poured it all out. The secret worries I held close to my chest. “There’s too much for you to work through.
Is it really over between you and Gio? How can I trust that you won’t ditch me for them?
She can give you a family. There’s no guarantee that I can. ”
“If I have you, then I don’t need that! Please, Brady!” I heard a choked sob.
My eyes filled with more tears. “Not just now. I can’t be your omega for a while. Maybe once the divorce is final and you’ve had time to think—”
“I don’t need time to think. It’s you I want.”
“You say that now, but will you say that once those babies are here and when you miss your husband?” I demanded in a hard tone. “I’m not a toy for you to play with and throw away when something better comes along.”
“Brady… that’s not how I see you. What can I do to make you see—?”
“Give me space. Get your life together. Get your divorce and then heal. Maybe get some therapy. I dunno, Xavi.” My sigh was long and loud. “I’m exhausted. I’m sad. You and Gio were special to me, but I don’t know if we can work just as us two. Just leave me alone for a bit, okay?”
I ended the call, then blocked his number, then Gio’s for good measure.