32. Casey
THIRTY-TWO
Casey
Casey
Everything happened so quickly. First, I was taking a pregnancy test in a pharmacy bathroom, and then I fell asleep in Adam’s bed, cradled in his arms. I was so overwhelmed, I didn't even have a moment to catch my breath.
Adam stood up in front of his sons and told them it was his baby growing inside me.
The meaning was clear enough, even without an explanation.
And now Marshall and David knew everything.
There would be no more hiding in the shadows.
It was all out in the open. I thought it would be terrifying, but all I felt was relief.
Adam’s earthy pheromones stirred me awake the next morning.
After all the stress, I expected to wake up exhausted, but after a night beside Adam, I was anything but.
His arm was slung over my side, keeping me close as we slept.
Did he even move at all? Wiggling away, I almost got my foot off the bed before he grabbed me and slid me back into his embrace.
His arm snagged me around the waist, a gruff growl rumbling from his lips. “Where do you think you’re going, omega?”
With what little space I had, I twisted around to face him. His eyes were closed and his mouth was open, as if he might fall back asleep. We had never woken up together before. One of us always left before the other was awake.
It was nice to see him so unguarded. His beard was scraggly, a reflection of the unkempt state of his red curls. Sunlight crept through the windows, bathing him in a warm, yellow glow.
Beautiful.
His eyes slowly opened, revealing a bright green gaze that fixed on me. It sent a shiver through my entire body. “Morning,” he greeted, his voice low and husky with sleep. “I’ve been waiting for so long to wake up next to you.”
I’d also dreamed of this, a day when we didn’t have to hide. When I could wake up beside him and not be afraid of someone discovering us. There were still things to deal with, but not right now. Not yet.
A deep blush crept across my cheeks, warming my skin wherever he touched.
His fingertips brushed my face. The hand around my waist tickled the edge of my hips.
Our feet slid together under the blanket, entangling our limbs even further.
This was nice. No one needed us. We could lie in bed for hours if we wanted to. Side by side with my Alpha.
“How do you feel about the baby?” he asked.
Now that the initial shock had passed, it left room for other thoughts. “What if the tests were wrong? It could be cancer, or something else. I could be dying.”
“Sssh,” he whispered as he pulled me against his broad chest. Adam’s earthy scent brought me back from the edge before the panic set in. “We’ll go see a doctor today and make sure. I promise I will take care of you, baby or no baby. You’re mine now. If you want to be.”
“Are you…” I almost couldn’t say it out loud.
“I am. Casey, I want you to be my boyfriend. And later my husband, if you’re open to it. If not, I will be devoted to you in all ways that matter, and we’ll raise our baby together. I’m in this with you, Casey.”
Every part of me wanted to say yes, but I still had unfinished business.
“I can’t answer you yet.” A knot formed in my stomach.
“I wouldn’t have said yes. To Marshall’s proposal, I mean.
I was going to tell him the truth last night, before I found out I was pregnant.
I was writing it on my phone so I knew what I wanted to say.
But then I realized I missed my heat, and the tests were positive.
Everything happened so fast after that, and he was proposing before I could say anything.
If you hadn’t stepped in, I would’ve told him. I should’ve done it weeks ago.”
“I know. You’re not the only one to blame, Casey. I was wrong to make you hide like that.”
“No. I’m sorry I made you wait for me. I was too afraid. I was terrified of giving myself to you. Of letting you in. Fully. Without anything between us.”
“And now?”
“I’m not scared anymore.” I burrowed my head against him, seeking refuge in his warm, freckled skin. “I never let myself love anyone before you. I kept my heart locked away so I wouldn’t get hurt. But you made me realize I deserve more.”
Tucking his finger under my chin, he tilted my head to meet him, his green eyes peering into mine. “I should’ve asked you to be with me that night in the sunroom.”
My heart fluttered, skipping a beat when he leaned down for a soft kiss, an echo of the consuming desire we had always felt since that first day.
“I wish you had,” I whispered against his lips. His kiss became ravenous, consuming me with each press of his lips. His tongue traced the seam of my lips before delving inside, tunneling against mine with quick thrusts.
Could we really just stay under the covers right now and have sex before breakfast? There was a very uncomfortable conversation waiting for us when we left this bed, and neither of us was looking forward to it.
Just when I thought this was going to end with me breathless beneath him, Adam gave me a lingering kiss on the forehead.
“I won’t go further. Not yet. The next time I have you, I want you to truly belong to me.
” He gently petted my head to calm me down after our steamy kiss.
I couldn’t even complain because I wanted the same thing.
I wanted to end this spiral of shame and finally allow myself to have the one thing I swore I would never have again.
“Time to get up,” I declared. His green eyes echoed the ache in my chest. His hand found mine, and with a gentle tug, he guided me away from our warm bed.
Adam refused to invite anyone over until I’d eaten breakfast. Once my belly was full, Marshall agreed to come over. At my request, everyone else left the house to give us some privacy. Adam was reluctant to leave me, but he obeyed as dutifully as I did when he was the one giving orders.
With a full belly, I sat on one couch with Marshall on the other, his gaze fixed on the coffee table between us.
“I, uhh,” I said, my voice almost deafening in the uncomfortable silence.
“I should start first. I know I lied to you and went behind your back. I cheated on you with your own father. I…” A lump formed in my throat as I swallowed, and I blinked hard to hold back tears.
“I tried so hard to resist. I know that doesn’t help.
It’s the truth. I would’ve never…” I focused on the potted plants, trying to regain my composure.
“You couldn’t resist?” he asked. I dared to meet his gaze and saw a flicker of curiosity despite the betrayal etched on his face.
“He didn’t force me. That’s not what I meant.”
“No, I know. As if my dad would ever force someone. He’s been alone for twenty years.
He was perfectly capable of resisting temptation, until he met you, it seems.” My face burned red.
“Your pheromones reacted to him? As if you literally couldn’t stay away?
” How did he know? I could only manage a nod as my voice failed me.
“Huh,” Marshall responded, leaning back against the couch.
“There’s this new theory in the medical community, a pheromone connection of sorts.
Secondary gender specialists have been studying it.
Apparently, it’s been around for as long as we have, it’s just so uncommon that we never had a word for it.
I’ve been reading all the white papers, studying what causes the connection and how it works. ”
It sounded so clinical when he said it, as if this was a disease or an infection.
“A… connection?”
“Scent matches. Pheromones that are so compatible, you literally can’t resist the pull you feel to each other.
Most people thought it was just love, or attraction, but it’s deeper than that.
It would also explain…” He gestured to my stomach, his lips pressed into a thin line.
“Fertility is higher with a scent match.” The anger eased out of him, and he ran his hand through his hair with an intrigued grin.
“I thought it would be years before I saw one in person. Could’ve been better circumstances, though. ”
“Marshall, I’m so sorry.”
He waved his hand, shutting down the idea with a firm, “No, don’t. If this is a scent match, then you had no choice.”
“I should’ve told you the day it happened. You have every right to hate me.”
“Casey,” he whispered, his eyes darting to the ceiling.
“You already broke up with me. It was before I even brought you here.” What was he talking about?
“You got drunk with Devon and Lyle to celebrate finishing a project. I’d just gotten off a shift when you stumbled home.
You’re pretty open when you drink. As I was putting you to bed and laying a blanket over you, that’s when you said it.
I want to break up. I thought I misheard, but you repeated it when I said I didn’t hear you.
I barely slept that night. When I brought it up the next morning, you didn’t remember any of it.
“I almost thought it was just a joke, but then I wondered if maybe… maybe you wanted more, and it scared you. Maybe you’d changed your mind about being more serious, but you couldn’t deal with that.
So I figured it was up to me to take the next step.
I asked you to visit Oakridge because I was going to propose.
When the time came, I chickened out. I just kept hearing you breaking up with me.
And after that, I figured it would just take time for you to get over your fear.
But… I see now that I was wrong. I may not have known you were fucking my dad, but I knew you wanted to end things. I knew before you even met him.”
That made me feel worse. I broke up with Marshall, and I had no memory of it. I didn’t even remember wanting that before I met Adam. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. We can share the blame for this, if you’d like.
It doesn’t change what you did. But then again, it doesn’t change what I did either.
I should’ve talked to you, and tried to understand instead of assuming you were pulling away out of fear.
” Pausing, he fiddled with his thumbs for a minute as he chose his next words.
“I love you, Casey.” I couldn’t say it back, not in the way he meant it. “Do you love him? My dad.”
My heart flew to my throat, and I struggled to take a full breath. “W-what?”
“Do you love Adam Wilson?”
How could I not love him? Every day I spent by his side had changed me. Every moment in his arms was bliss. Every touch, every kiss. But I hadn’t said it out loud yet. It had remained a silent pledge deep inside my heart.
“I… I do. I love him.” The words released a shackle around my heart, the last remaining chains of my past.
Marshall nodded, his eyes darting away. “Good. I can let you go, then. I know you’ll treat my dad right. And he’ll be good to you. He seems tough, but he’s a teddy bear when he’s in love.” A teddy bear that gets off on spanking me. “Will you move here?”
I’d just confessed my true feelings, but now there were a million other things to consider. “I uhh… I haven’t thought about it.”
“You should. You’ve got the baby to think about now.
” With his jaw clenched, he took another long pause before continuing.
“I’ll go back home and have someone pack your stuff.
Let David know when you’ve decided on your plans, and he’ll tell me where to send everything.
” It was so clinical. But I knew that’s what he needed, and didn’t argue.
“I don’t really want to say this, but… I’ll regret it if I don’t.
I’m… happy. For you. You’ve kept yourself closed off for far too long, and let’s face it, I wasn’t your forever partner.
I’m happy you’ve finally found something real. ”
I expected him to yell at me. Taking it all in stride was almost worse. Maybe I wasn’t the one he was mad at. “Are you angry with him?”
“Oh, yes. I’m furious. You were halfway out the door when you met him, but as far as my dad was concerned, you were mine. It will take me longer to forgive him. I just need time before I can see you together.”
“Of course.”
Giving his legs a quick slap, he stood, and I did the same. “Go to an OB. I want my little brother to be healthy.”
“We don’t know it’s a boy.”
“It’s a boy. My family is good at one thing, and it’s making boys.” I followed him to the front door, and he slipped his shoes back on. He still couldn’t meet my eyes despite the smile on his face. “Take care, Casey.” Not Case. Just Casey. And then he was gone.