Chapter 18
Emerson rushed to catch up with Harrison, his stomach twisting painfully.
While his brother had seemed okay with what he’d seen, it might’ve been an act.
Harrison had too much integrity to explode in front of someone whose last name wasn’t Walker.
Those were saved for private moments. His brother would never air family drama in public.
He was still reeling from Randall throwing him out and couldn’t handle another brother’s loss.
Emerson wouldn’t let Harrison walk away without knowing they were actually okay.
He wasn’t expecting full acceptance—but the possibility that Harrison would keep an open mind was the only way he’d sleep that night.
“Harry!”
Harrison paused midstride and turned to face him. He’d stopped near an arc of light from a security post at the end of the dock. Emerson jogged up and searched his brother’s face for hints to his thinking.
They stared at one another a few seconds, the silence growing awkward. Emerson shoved his hands into his pockets, his mind going blank. What the fuck did he say? He opened his mouth to explain things, but nothing came out.
Harrison gave him a weak smile. “It’s okay, Em. We can have a couple of beers and shoot the shit another night.”
Emerson winced, dragging his gaze from Harrison’s knowing one. “You know that’s not why I came to talk.”
“I know,” Harrison said, his tone low. “But you don’t owe me an explanation.”
“I do.” He lifted his gaze to his brother.
“You don’t,” Harrison repeated. “I didn’t have to explain my sexuality, did I?”
Emerson fought against the tickle at the backs of his eyes. He forced a grin. “Well, actually… you did have to explain you were mating two omegas.”
Harrison snorted with laughter. “True, but only because our relationship is a little different.”
“So’s this,” Emerson said in all seriousness.
“Is it, though? It’s two men who are attracted to one another. Does it really matter that they’re both—” Harrison paused. He glanced around them before finishing, “Alphas?”
“The fact you had to check if the coast was clear answers that question.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter to me,” Harrison said. “You’re still my brother. Nothing’s changed.”
Emerson released a steady breath, the backs of his eyes prickling even more.
Harrison grinned. “You also seem to have forgotten that I was there the first time you two met. I could tell then that there was something happening. I’d already guessed you might be… you know.”
“I suspected you’d caught more than you let on.”
“You couldn’t take your eyes off him. Em. He couldn’t stop staring at you, either. You could literally feel the electricity in the air.”
Emerson eyed his brother, the knots in his stomach unclenching a bit.
“I only have one important question for you,” Harrison said.
Emerson stiffened. While he wasn’t out to those closest to him, he knew a few alphas who were. They all complained about one specific inappropriate question they’d been asked at least once, and he hoped like hell Harrison wasn’t about to ask it.
“Does being with him make you happy?”
Emerson chuckled, relieved not to get the expected. He met his twin’s gaze full on and nodded. “Being with him is…” His mind went to holding Dash in his arms and how right it felt. None of the others had. Just Dash. He didn’t want to let go. “He’s everything I want.”
“That’s all that matters. If this is the man who brings you joy, I’m happy for you.”
Emerson walked forward and grabbed his brother in a bear hug. Harrison wrapped his arms around him and held on tight.
“Thank you,” Emerson whispered, his voice raspy. He was overcome with the love he felt for his brother, especially when he’d been terrified of losing it for so long.
“I love you, Em.”
He tried to control himself, but a tear escaped one eye. He wiped it away and stepped back. “I love you, too.”
They stared at one another in the pale light. Emerson couldn’t help but feel their relationship had been immediately transformed. The distance he’d always forced between them no longer had a place there. A weight was lifted.
“I should get going. Dash is waiting for you,” Harrison said before he turned to go.
“See you Monday.”
Harrison waved but immediately spun and stalked closer. “Okay… I have another question.”
Oh fuck…
“You weren’t cheating on Dash with that guy I caught you with on the boat, were you? Because I might have to kick your ass if you were.”
“No. I wasn’t. Dash refused me initially and demanded I leave him alone, which I begrudgingly did. That guy was me trying to forget what I felt for Dash—and failing miserably at it.”
“Do you mind me asking… what is between you and Dash?”
Emerson shrugged. “No idea.”
“Had you not both been alpha, I would’ve been sure two mates had met that day.”
Emerson’s gaze flew to Harrison’s. It had felt like that to him, too. “We all know that’s not possible.”
“A beta turning into an omega wasn’t something we thought possible a few years ago and look at Cassidy now. Because of him, I get called a greedy alphahole for having two omegas.”
Emerson glanced around to ensure they were still alone. “Too bad you can’t tell them you’re covering for your twin brother who has an alpha instead.”
Harrison chuckled, but the laughter faded. “Why can’t I tell people that?”
“We’d go to prison, Harry.”
“No, I mean in general. Why is it so bad? Why can’t alphas be together? There aren’t enough omegas being born. Two alphas together—”
Thins the herd. Emerson smiled, hearing Dash’s voice in his head.
“Leaves more omegas for the alphas who want them.” Harrison frowned. “What’s so funny?”
“You just reminded me of something Dash said last night.”
Harrison lightly punched Emerson on the shoulder. “Speaking of Dash, go. That kiss looked pretty hot and heavy. I’ve cockblocked you long enough.”
“Thanks, Harry,” Emerson said.
Harrison saluted him and walked towards one of the two Fire Department pick-ups parked in the marina’s lot. Emerson waited until his brother had started his and pulled out before he returned to the boat. Dash jumped up from one of the built-in benches on the deck, searching his face.
“Sorry I took so long,” Emerson murmured, staring at the handsome man he had no right to want to hold on to.
“From your expression, I assume that went well?”
Emerson nodded. “It did.”
“He won’t tell?”
“Of course not. He’s happy for me.” Emerson swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. “For us.”
Dash’s eyes widened for a second after the word ‘us’ was uttered.
Emerson took a step closer, a war raging inside.
His conversation with Davis fought on one side, his brother’s acceptance on the other.
Being together was dangerous, but they both knew the hazards and the consequences they might face.
Dash had already worked up a plan to negate the risk to his employees and his partner.
Yet the strange, overwhelming need to protect Dash roared within. Emerson didn’t care about himself. He’d accept his fate if it came to that. But Dash? No… he couldn’t do that to Dash.
Dash lifted the six-pack he’d set down before rushing off to stop Harrison and bent to pick up the bag at his feet. “How about we go inside and finish our conversation?”
Emerson stared at him, silent a couple of seconds. Dash stood by the door, hands full and at the ready. Emerson saw the moment doubt crept into Dash’s mind, and he hated having caused it.
“You asked me why I’d done an about face,” Emerson asked. “Now it’s your turn.”
“Nature abhors a vacuum,” Dash replied.
Emerson frowned, confused.
“One of us had to hold onto hope,” Dash said.
Inhaling a shaky breath, Emerson struggled to not drag Dash close and kiss him again. “Hope for what, though?”
Dash didn’t answer at first. The soft glow of the safety light washed over him as the boat gently swayed in the water, rocking them back and forth. A lone seagull flew overhead, releasing a soft cry as it passed.
“That we can find a way to make this work without causing the world to end.”
Emerson’s fists clenched at his sides. The need to be closer sucked the air from his lungs.
“Can we go inside?” Dash asked, glancing down at his full hands.
“Yeah,” Emerson said as he rushed forward to unlock the door.
He held it open so Dash could pass through. As soon as the door was closed behind them, Dash shoved everything onto the kitchen counter and dragged Emerson into his arms. Their lips clashed, their kiss hungry. Need coursed through Emerson’s veins.
Their clothes flew off, landing all over the salon and kitchen, until they were once again naked in one another’s arms. Dash shoved him back onto one of the couches and knelt between his spread thighs, his cock gripped in one strong hand.
“I never got a chance to do this last night,” Dash murmured before laving the head of Emerson’s cock and gathering the leaking precum on his tongue.
Emerson gasped, the heat of Dash’s mouth enough to make him come on the spot.
He threaded his fingers in Dash’s short locks and held on, lifting his hips to help urge things along faster.
Dash’s strokes were a bit hesitant at first, but he soon licked Emerson greedily, lapping at the precum dribbling. He moaned as he tasted Emerson.
Watching his cock disappear into Dash’s mouth made it hard to hang on to reason.
He clutched at the edge of the couch and heard fabric rend under his fingers.
It didn’t take long for the tension to grow overpowering.
An orgasm was soon within reach. Closer and closer it loomed, his entire body tightening with anticipation.
“I’m gonna come…”
At the last second, Dash pinched the base of his cock, under his knot, and stopped the momentum.
“Not fair,” Emerson groaned. He panted a few times, his head falling back to rest on the wall behind the couch. “I was so close.”
“I want you to come inside me,” Dash said, rising to his feet with a determined look on his face.
“I’m going to wind up hurting you if we don’t slow things down in that department.”
“Quit it,” Dash snapped. He spun and lowered himself onto Emerson’s lap. “I know my own limits.”
Emerson worried Dash might not, but the only way to test those limits was to push against them. Any doubts fled as Dash sank onto his cock and took him all the way to the knot.
He groaned, gripping either side of Dash’s hips.
With them both facing forward, Dash lay back against his chest, seated in his lap and full of his cock.
Emerson growled, the tight grip around his shaft putting his teeth on edge.
He nuzzled Dash’s neck while they both sat still, giving one another space to adjust.
Dash was already lubed. Emerson sighed, appreciating the forethought.
“You came prepared, hmm?”
“What do you mean?” Dash asked lazily as he moved his hips a fraction of an inch up and down Emerson’s cock.
“You’re already lubed,” Emerson said before kissing the shell of Dash’s ear.
Dash’s body tensed, and he went still.
“A premeditated plan to fuck.” He kissed Dash’s neck again, just below the ear. “It’s pretty fucking hot, alpha.”
“Is it?”
“You came with a plan to seduce me,” Emerson whispered against his ear. “You’re a naughty boy… and I like it.”
Dash relaxed against him. He rose a bit higher and came back down over Emerson’s cock.
“Not like I had to try all that hard to seduce you,” Dash said, looking over his shoulder and grinning.
“How can I tell you no?”
Dash rose even higher and slid back down.
Emerson wrapped both arms around Dash’s body to give him stability.
Dash took it and ran, riding Emerson’s cock faster and faster—and pushed them both to the edge.
The second he came down over Emerson’s knot, they simultaneously orgasmed, Dash’s cock shooting onto the floor, the release unaided by either of their hands.
Their roars of pleasure continued as Emerson’s knot inflated and locked them together. Emerson’s cock spasmed over and over, filling and breeding his alpha.
Dash collapsed back against him. Emerson held him even tighter as they panted, drawing in big gasps of air. He could feel Dash’s heart thundering under his ribcage. It pounded as fast as his did.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this,” Emerson said before wiping some sweat from his brow. “You’re sure it doesn’t hurt?”
“I’m fine, Em,” Dash said.
It was the second time Dash had used his nickname. Only his family called him that. No man had the right to use it outside the Walker clan.
Except his alpha.
His brother’s comment whispered through his mind. Had you not both been alpha, I would’ve been sure two mates had met that day.
Emerson pressed his lips to the back of Dash’s neck and spread small, gentle kisses there as his cock pumped the man full of seed.
It was wild how comfortable it already felt to have Dash in his arms, locked together like that, both of them vulnerable in the aftermath of their desire.
It was even wilder how much he didn’t want to let go.
“Dash?”
“Yeah,” Dash said, his head lolling back and resting on Emerson’s shoulder.
“What’re we doing here?”
Dash was silent for a moment. He rolled his head to the side and looked at Emerson. “Besides fucking?”
“We’re both risking a lot…”
“Not this again,” Dash grumbled.
“I’m not arguing that we shouldn’t,” Emerson said. “But why? Why are we both so willing to risk it all for a man we barely know?”
Dash rolled his head forward, staring up at the ceiling. “Because… we fit.”
“We fit. That’s your best explanation?” Emerson asked.
Dash scrubbed his face with both hands, tensing. “I don’t know, Emerson. I’ve just been fucked brainless and you want to define the undefinable? Can we not do this? I’d rather enjoy being with you.” Dash scoffed. “While we can.”