Chapter 20
OOPS, WE FORGOT THE C-WORD
Aaren froze too. “Um. No. I’m not.”
How had they forgotten to use condoms? The thing was, Aaren had his BC pills ready to go; he had known his heat was coming up. He hadn’t wanted any consequences if he spent his heat with Ballus.
Then he had met Hades, and... He had completely forgotten about the pills.
“Fuck,” Hades said.
“I think that describes our situation very well,” Aaren said bravely.
Hades looked pained.
“It’s my fault,” Aaren said miserably, thumping his forehead against Hades’ shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
Hades wrapped his arms around Aaren, looking troubled. “Why would you say that? This is my fault. I should’ve remembered the condoms; I wasn’t in rut yet. You weren’t thinking clearly by the time we started this. Fuck.”
Hades looked away, self-recrimination heavy on his face. It didn’t suit him. Hades was supposed to be happy. At least, Aaren wanted him to be.
“We can share the blame,” Aaren said. “I was so excited about meeting you that I forgot my pills.”
Hades dropped his gaze to Aaren’s belly. “And now...”
“It might not take?” Aaren said. “It’s not like heat sex guarantees conception.”
It just skyrocketed the possibility.
And Hades had produced several loads of come. All of it was now knotted inside Aaren, at a time when he was the most fertile.
Hades had an unreadable look on his face. “Which are you more comfortable with? Discussing the possible consequences now, or after we do a test a couple weeks from now?”
“We should wait, I think.”
Hades nodded slowly. Then he cradled Aaren’s face with his hands, looking into his eyes.
“Sweetheart. You know that whatever happens, I will support you every step of the way, right? If you get pregnant, if you don’t.
If you want to keep the baby, or if you don’t.
It’s your choice and I will help you regardless of what you choose. ”
Aaren’s heart swelled. “Really? That sounds like a huge promise.”
“I want to be responsible for your needs,” Hades murmured. He leaned in and nudged their noses together. Then he pressed a kiss to Aaren’s lips, one of those sweet kisses that Aaren couldn’t get enough of.
Relieved, Aaren sagged forward, kissing Hades several more times before nuzzling into the crook of his neck. “Okay.”
Hades slowly rubbed Aaren’s back. They were both covered in drying fluids, but that was okay. Hades was holding him. Aaren had everything he needed.
When he looked up, he realized that Hades was frowning. “Are you still blaming yourself?”
Hades sighed. “Well, that too. But I was thinking about Ballus.”
Ice stabbed through Aaren’s veins. “Oh fuck. Him.”
“If...” Hades wet his lips. “If it happens that you get p—If it happens that there are consequences from today, I’d much rather you stay with me instead of him.”
“Is that because I told you not to punch him?” Aaren blurted.
“That, and because I don’t want him to hurt you, by accident or otherwise.” Hades’ eyes flashed.
“He hasn’t hurt me before. Physically, anyway.”
Hades shook his head. “I don’t want to risk it. Besides, I can take care of you so much better if you move in with me. You’d be so much happier.”
Aaren sagged. “You’re right. It’s just... I’ve already spent six months on that stupid contract.”
“What if we manage to rework that contract, and you start the year over with me?”
Aaren stopped breathing. “It’s possible?”
If it was, if he could spend a whole year with Hades and have that count for the contract instead... Why, oh why, did his stupid self waste all that time with Ballus?
“We don’t know for sure if it’s possible, until we get a lawyer to review it,” Hades said.
Aaren sighed, deflating. Hades had a point. “Maybe I can use my inheritance to pay for the lawyer’s fees?”
Hades shook his head. “I’ll pay for it.”
“I can’t ask you to do that, it’s so much money!” Aaren said, horrified.
Hades was pensive for a while, his thumbs rubbing circles into Aaren’s hip. “How about this. We split the cost equally, 50-50. I’d much rather pay more, since I’m the alpha and I have more resources than you—”
“50-50,” Aaren said mulishly. “I will have money after I get my inheritance.”
Hades watched him. Then he huffed, leaning in to kiss Aaren softly on the lips. “Okay. We’ll split it evenly. But if you need any help at all, I’ll be happy to do 70-30, or 80-20, or all of it.”
“That’s a big if,” Aaren grumbled. “This is my fuck up. I will do my part to fix it.”
Hades grinned, brushing his fingers through Aaren’s hair. “You’re already doing plenty, just by being you.”
“That’s kind of hard to believe, but okay.”
“You are,” Hades said firmly.
He was so earnest about it that Aaren believed him. He bowed his head, giving Hades his submission.
Hades’ gaze grew warmer than before. He trailed his wrist over Aaren’s forehead and down the side of his cheek, marking Aaren with cherrywood.
“Mine,” Hades murmured.
“Hopefully soon,” Aaren said.
The next few days passed in an odd mix of fast and slow moments.
Hades searched for a lawyer that matched their needs. Aaren did his shifts at the Wine Shack. In between, Hades dropped Aaren off at Ballus’ house to check that he was still alive.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Ballus growled when he caught Aaren at the front door. “You’re supposed to be in my bed, offering me your ass.”
“I got a second job!” Aaren said. He and Hades had agreed that he wouldn’t end this thing with Ballus prematurely, at least not until the contract had been legally changed.
“Oh?” Ballus sniffed, somewhat mollified. Then he looked greedy. “Does that mean you’re going to contribute more to the rent?”
Ugh, Aaren thought, trying not to roll his eyes. “They’re not paying me yet. Maybe when I get paid at the end of the month.”
Hopefully that was enough time to get the contract straightened out.
“End of the month? What kind of crap employer does that?”
“It is what it is,” Aaren said with a shrug. “But it means I won’t be around as much. I’ll make you enough food for a few days at a time.”
Ballus curled his lip. “What do you mean, I have to eat the same thing every meal? That chicken soup was bad enough. I had to eat it for three straight days.”
Aaren wrinkled his nose. “Don’t you have to go to work?”
Ballus unzipped his pants. “Yeah, but bend over first. I want to get off.”
Ugh, Aaren thought again. “I’ve been having diarrhea. I shat myself five times today. I can feel another explosion coming.”
Ballus made a sound of great disgust. “Well, sit on the toilet and give me your mouth.”
“I also projectile vomited seven times,” Aaren said, pretending to look green. He swayed on his feet. Then he gagged. “Do you think my vomit will go up your dick if I did it hard enough?”
“UGH,” Ballus said, zipping his pants back up. “You’re disgusting and worthless. I’m the only one who does any real work around here.”
He stormed out of the house and slammed the front door. Soon enough, his truck left the driveway.
A minute later, there came a knock on the back door. Aaren went to open it.
“I really like that you’re coming through my back door,” Aaren said.
Hades’ smirk made his toes curl. “I’ll just come inside, then.”
“Oh yes,” Aaren said, eyeing the bag of groceries Hades set on the counter. “Unload your booty treasure through my back door.”
Hades laughed. “Did you memorize Emmy’s pickup lines?”
“No! I came up with that one all by myself!”
Hades looked so proud; it made Aaren feel weightless inside.
Together, they unpacked the ingredients—chicken breasts, vegetables, cornstarch, sauces, and rice.
Aaren started on the chicken, dicing it into cubes and placing them all into a large mixing bowl.
Hades measured out the cornstarch since his hands were still clean; Aaren mixed it into the chicken.
While the chicken was resting, they began chopping the veggies that would go into the stir-fry.
Hades got some rice going in a saucepan.
“He wanted sex,” Aaren said when their conversation about most-hated pests slowed down. “I told him I’ve been projectile vomiting and having the runs. Should’ve told him it was explosive.”
Hades snorted. Then he began laughing so hard, he had to stop chopping his green onions. “Oh, sweetheart. What will you come up with next?”
“Some other kind of illness,” Aaren said. “Or maybe I should just get real close and try to throw up on him.”
Hades dissolved into more laughter. Then he sobered up and narrowed his eyes. “Okay, let’s be serious for a minute. The first thing he did when you told him you were sick, was to flee?”
Aaren curled his lip. “Well, he wanted to put me on the toilet so he could use my mouth. That’s where the projectile puking came in.”
Hades shook his head, revolted.
While the rice was cooking, Aaren stir-fried the chicken and transferred it onto a holding plate. Then he fried up the vegetables, added the chicken back in, and coated them liberally with a spicy, savory sauce.
Hades stole a piece of baby corn with a fork, yanking it out of the pan before Aaren could smack his fork away.
“Hey!” Aaren cried indignantly.
“Mmm. It’s delicious.” Hades petted his ass. “Just like you.”
Aaren rolled his eyes, but he was grinning.
When the food was ready, he plated a serving for each of them, then packed the rest away for Ballus.
“This is delicious,” Hades said, smiling around a mouthful of chicken. “Tender and juicy.”
“That’s the cornstarch doing its magic,” Aaren said.
Hades sighed. “You have to learn how to take a compliment, sweetheart.”
“Just like how I learned to take your cock?”
Hades’ smile turned sharp. “Perhaps you need to take both at the same time.”
He tangled their feet together, his grin growing when Aaren blushed.
When they were done with supper, Aaren stood up with his plate. Hades caught his wrist—at the same time black spots burst through Aaren’s vision. Aaren swayed and made himself stay upright.
“Sweetheart?” Hades got to his feet hurriedly, eyes narrowed.
“I feel weird,” Aaren said. “Dark spots. And maybe my head is kind of stuffy.”
Hades frowned. “Sit down. I’ll do the dishes, and we’ll go home.”
“‘Kay.” Aaren said, sitting down. This felt better.
Actually, the longer he sat, the worse he felt. Was he catching something from Ballus’ house right now? Or was this from the night he slept over when Ballus was sick? He wrinkled his nose.
I can hang in there for a while more. It’s not that bad.
He watched muzzily as Hades rinsed the dishes and set them out to dry.
“Why isn’t the dishwasher working, anyway?” Hades grumbled.
“It broke and Ballus hasn’t fixed it yet. He said it’s cheaper for me to wash the dishes.” Aaren rolled his eyes, but it made everything feel even worse.
“Fuck him,” Hades said. “Except not really. No one wants to fuck his ass. I’m done. Let’s go home.”
Aaren barely found the words to respond. Hades looked around and grabbed Aaren’s phone. Then he scooped Aaren up with one arm, turned off the lights, and carried Aaren out through the front door.
The next morning, Aaren woke up with a terrible cold.