Chapter 6 #2
“I vote that it’s the wife part,” Morgan mumbles.
“Oh. She’s dead,” Cian shrugs. “I need to start at the beginning. Okay, here’s the deal.”
Sitting in front of me, he leans forward. Blinking, I realize that I dissociated for long enough that Morgan and Cian both have plates of food in front of them.
“Eat,” they growl, glaring at each other.
Huffing out a laugh, I pick up my fork and begin to eat the eggs. They’re fluffy and delicious.
“Go on,” I drawl, wanting to hear it all.
“I was scent matched to someone years ago,” he begins. “I thought I could make her happy, but she left me with just a note that my life was too dangerous. What she didn’t tell me, is that I had a gorgeous baby girl.”
Blinking at him because that’s not what I expected to hear, my newly filled fork clinks onto the plate in front of me.
“A baby?” I rasp.
“She’s in her twenties now,” Cian admits. Morgan does a double take, and I realize that I’m at least not the only one in the dark here. To be fair, I’m the one who has been avoiding his calls. “Bea, her mom, got sick and sent me a letter to tell me about Aisling, but I didn’t get it.”
“Why?” Morgan asks, swallowing hard. He’s just as invested as I am. Hmm, for someone who was curb stomped by Cian, that’s an interesting position to have.
“Nancy hid it,” Cian sighs. “She was my wife, Kevin. She didn’t say a word about how she found, read, and then stuck a dying woman’s words in a drawer to be forgotten for two goddamn years.
Aisling was homeless, alone, and believed she was an orphan.
She worked two jobs to provide for herself.
Why did a sixteen year old have to work so damn hard to survive? ”
“Wow,” I whisper, shaking my head. My mother provided for my brother and I until I turned eighteen.
After that, she’s always been there for us, but I knew that money was tight.
I don’t know if I would have been able to take care of myself completely at such a young age. The world isn’t kind to omegas.
“My daughter created Omega’s Haven with the help of her friend. They’ve expanded their work to transitional apartments for those that need support but have outgrown the shelter, and they created this place too,” Cian says proudly.
“Isn’t it a little odd that you’re in a heat spa that she helped put together?” I ask, shoving a bite in my mouth when Morgan and Cian gaze pointedly at my abandoned fork.
He and Morgan also begin to eat as Cian shrugs.
“My daughter pimped me out to her heat spa, so it’s not weird," he says.
Choking on my pancake, I gasp as he chuckles, pushing a glass of water in my direction. Morgan rubs and pats my back as I struggle to drink water, while my body screams for air.
“Way to bury the lead,” I rasp.
“I promised Aisling that if she could sway a certain percentage of the senior mafia family to sign up for the heat spa program that I’d sign up as well,” Cian says. “Maybe it’s because I didn’t raise her, but we have a very unique relationship. Nothing is really off the table.”
Morgan is staring oddly at Cian. I’m not sure why, but I think Cian may know why.
“I found out about Nancy’s affair with Morgan while I searched for my daughter. I do not forgive easily,” Cian says, his gaze now searing into me. “Nancy fucked around on me with Morgan, and I found out while punishing her for keeping secrets from me.”
“You tortured her,” Morgan snorts.
“Yep,” Cian admits. “I kept her alive until the day I found my daughter. Aisling had just turned eighteen and was walking down a street when one of my men found her. She looks exactly like Bea, but has my birthmark on her hand.”
Raising his hand, he shows it to me.
“Am I going to have to compete with a dead woman?” I ask, the words leaping from my lips before I can take them back.
“Honestly? I have insecurities that Bea left me with,” Cian says, pushing away his half eaten food.
“She didn’t believe that I could keep her and Aisling safe, so she chose a life apart from me.
Their life was hard, but I think they were happy together.
I just wish that I could have been enough for her. ”
That statement hits me in the face, and I realize that I did the same thing in a way to him.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I should have taken your call.”
“Yes, you should have,” Cian grumbles. “I’ve learned that fate has a way of hitting you upside the head.”
“Or pissing on you,” Morgan snorts.
“Okay, I still don’t understand this,” I say earnestly.
“I work in a gentlemen’s club,” Cian tells me. “Not the kind where women dance, the stuffy kind where money talks and walks, and there’s really good liquor. I tend to have my meetings there. I was having one with Ryan Hill when I saw Morgan and followed him outside.”
“I had no idea who he was,” Morgan groans. “As soon as I figured it out, I let him kick my ass. I deserved it.”
“So your ex-wife is dead?” I ask. “Is Ryan?”
“Oh yeah,” Cian says proudly. “Nancy is acting as the perfect fertilizer for my garden, and Ryan was fed to the pigs at a nearby farm. So was his assistant. What is the deal with them?”
“My brother is a drug and gambling addict,” I groan. “He won’t get help, and I guess is now running his mouth about his genius little brother.”
“How much younger?” Morgan asks.
“Five years. I’m tired of saving him. I know that sounds awful—”
“You can’t save everyone,” Cian says, cutting me off. “They have to want to be saved. By the way, are you still pissed off at me, Morgan?”
“Do you want to piss on me again?” he asks.
Cian bursts into laughter, shaking his head. His eyes sparkle with mischief, and I can’t stop staring at him.
“You prick, you know I didn’t piss on you. That was Hayes,” Cian chuckles. “Now, what’ll it be? If you’re still mad at me, it’ll be really awkward when you find my guys packing up your home.”
“That’s a joke,” Morgan snarls. “You don’t really know where I live.”
“My phone is on the ground in the other room, but I sent one of my guys a text asking him to pull both your addresses,” Cian smirks.
“You’re insane,” I say, fighting the urge to swoon.
“You love it,” he says. “Now, I think that you should take today easy, Kevin. Get caught up on your affairs, and then prepare to move in with me tomorrow. You just may not have much furniture tonight.”
“He’s more than insane,” Morgan mutters, his fingers hiding a smile.
“I’ll register the paperwork for our pack today with my lawyer,” Cian says, standing.
Picking up the plates, he begins to clean up in a way that is super sexy. I’m certain he has people who wait hand and foot on him, but you’d never be able to tell by watching him now.
“While Cian is rearranging our lives, are you okay with this?” Morgan asks.
“It would be nice if my brother didn’t have easy access to me,” I muse. “I haven’t seen him in far too long. I don’t even know if he’s alive.”
“I can find out if he is,” Cian suggests.
“I can check cameras in the city myself,” I remind him. “I just don’t know if I want to.”
“Then do it when you’re ready,” Cian says. “It’s not my intention to run your life, but I refuse to have my pack not live with me.”
“Even me?” Morgan says, brow raised.
“Especially you,” Cian grumbles. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. Nancy was opportunistic. She thought she could outmaneuver me, but the rules changed when she wasn’t looking. I hate to be played for a fool, and it fucked with my decision making skills.”
“You don’t regret kicking my ass,” Morgan chuckles, standing.
“Absolutely not,” he says. “Who am I to say that rearranging your insides didn’t help put us on this path?”
“You’re both ridiculous,” I say, hiding a grin.
Finished cleaning up, Cian grabs my hand and drags me to the bedroom.
“Would you like a shower, or do you want to wear our scents on your skin?” he asks me, finding his bag.
“The latter,” I confess. “I’m stealing this hoodie too.”
“It’s yours,” Morgan chuckles.
“Well that’s not fair,” Cian huffs. They’re so fucking competitive. “I’m going to order a hoodie in your size so I can wear it before I give it to you.”
Pulling out a pair of joggers, my lips twitch in amusement. Socks complete my outfit until I leave the room to find my trainers, but first I need to brush my teeth.
Grabbing my toiletries, I walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I swear, as soon as I finish, both alphas are pulling me between them to kiss them. At some point, they both brushed as well, because I can taste a hint of mint in their kisses.
Together, we pick up our things and leave Room Six. It’s been a bubble of time that I hope we get to experience again. Once our shoes are on, we begin walking through the halls.
“Where did you park?” Cian asks.
“In the attached garage,” I reply and Morgan nods that he did the same.
As we pass an office, a blonde pokes her head out, grinning.
“Try to look a little less delighted, dear daughter,” Cian calls over his shoulder, making me realize what’s happening.
Hiding a smile, I watch as Cian turns to speak to Aisling.
“Come to dinner tomorrow?” he asks. “Things will be official by then.”
“I’ll have Evan drop me off,” she confirms. “You don’t need my entire pack over.”
“God, no. I’m easing Kevin in,” Cian says, making a face. “Let’s not scare him again.”
“That’s very cute,” I grumble.
Cian surprises me by hooking his hand around my neck, pulling me closer to kiss my annoyance away until I’m breathing hard.
“I don’t think anyone has called me cute before,” he teases me.
“I…ah…”
I’m sure I’m bright red right now, and I glance over to see Aisling giggling in delight.
“Don’t fight it,” she suggests. “Mafia men don’t take the word ‘no’ very well.”
“You’re going to scare him again,” Cian snorts, turning us toward the exit. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Aisling.”
“Of course, Dad.”
The entire conversation is surreal, and I float on air as we walk out of the heat spa and into the attached garage. Morgan and Cian even walk me to my car.
“This doesn’t feel real,” I confess, looking between them.
“Oh it’s real,” Morgan smirks. “Two alphas who hated each other’s guts until very recently made peace because you’re ours.”
Morgan and I aren’t scent matches. I know that. Yet, he’s right. The pull I have to him isn’t something I can run from, even if I wanted to. I’m bonded to the two of them, forever.
“Every day, we’ll figure things out,” Cian says, pulling me into another kiss. It’s a goodbye kiss, and I whine as he releases me. “My bed is yours if you decide you don’t need the night to wrap your mind around things. I’m not someone who is patient, but I’m trying.”
“We don’t have beds in our homes according to you,” Morgan laughs easily.
He doesn’t seem too put out. At my glance of surprise, he seems to understand my unspoken question.
“I’m somehow not upset about having my life packed up.
It’s hard to imagine standing against Hurricane Cian when you’ve experienced the worst of him. ”
“Pah!” Cian snorts. “I don’t think you’ve experienced anywhere near my worst, and I doubt you ever will. I tuck that away for those who actually deserve it. Even then, I don’t typically get my hands dirty. My bruised ego pulled me back from semi-retirement.”
“Well, I for one, would be much happier tucked between you tonight,” I semi joke.
Morgan and Cian glance at each other and nod warily. Pulling me into his arms, Morgan kisses me hard.
“So I guess we’ll all drive back to my place?” Cian suggests. “I can show you the garden.”
Morgan loses his shit at that, laughing until he’s wheezing. Even my lips twitch in amusement at the morbid comment and Cian curses under his breath.
“Fuck, I didn’t mean it like that,” he says.
I think I’m going to enjoy living with them and being their omega.
“Be a good little omega and follow me home,” he mutters, making me laugh.
“Yes, Alpha,” I murmur.
“I hope you don’t think that I forgot that you haven’t completed our bond yet,” Morgan growls, kissing down my throat. “I plan to fix that as soon as possible.”
Yes fucking please. As Cian told me, fate breaks the plans we make for ourselves, and I’ve never been happier for it. And to think it all started with a promise…
Maybe I need to buy Aisling flowers for pimping out her dad. Would that be weird?
Fuck it. To being weird. I dig it.