“Hello?” he said, sliding the door shut behind him.
“Gray?”
His heart stopped. “Jameson?”
“Thank fuck.”The low voice on the other end blew out a breath.“Do you have any idea how hard it was to find your new number?”
“Did you ever consider that it might be for a good reason?” Grayson managed. How the hell had his brother even gotten his new number?
“Whatever, that’s not the point.”Jameson paused, as if searching for the right words.“Pa tried to kill Dawson.”
Grayson’s back hit the wall and he slid down onto his heels. “What?”
“It was real bad, Gray. I came home and found Pa whalin’ on him with one hand and chokin’ him out with the other. I pulled him off, but it took Daws a while to wake up again.”
“Is he okay?” Grayson whispered.
“He’s beat up,”Jameson muttered.“Doc says cheekbone fracture.”
“Oh my god…”Grayson felt sick. He’d run off to save his own skin, without wanting to consider the repercussions for his brothers. He always assumed he’d gotten the brunt of their parents’ abuse, for the crime of being an Omega, and that his brothers would be able to take care of themselves.“Where are you now?”
“Some shit motel in Gainesville.”
Grayson’s head jerked back in shock.“Gainesville? Why—?”
“Daws found you. Don’t ask me how, you know how kids are with technology and stuff. We got no one else to ask.”
Grayson pressed his head into his palm. “You need money? A place to stay?”
“Both, ideally.”Jameson hesitated.“We thought… maybe you could get us to Miami.”
Grayson’s jaw dropped. “Youwant to come to the Mermades?”
“I know, I know, just listen. Ma and PA were pissed when you left. They said you went off to get knocked up or something—”
“Yeah, I get it,” Grayson interrupted. “I don’t need the details.”
“So… you’re really an Omega?”
Grayson sighed. “Yeah. I am.”
“Damn…”Jameson was quiet for a moment.“Are you… pregnant?”
Grayson let out a humorless laugh. “No.”
“Oh. Well… We did some pokin’ around, me and Daws. Tried to learn a little more about the Mer and Omegas and stuff. I can’t lie and say I understand it all, but Daws and I never had anything against the Mer. We just said all that shit to keep Ma’n’Pa off our backs.”
Grayson found himself unable to formulate a response.
“Everyone says they hate the Mer because they’re ruinin’ humanity and masculinity but… I dunno, you can’t help it can you? And they ain’t forcing nobody. They’re doin’ some good for the environment and… Well, we didn’t mean those things we used to say.”
“Jesus, James,” Grayson said, grasping for levity. “I’m impressed. I didn’t know you could read.”
“Shut up. You gonna help us or not?”
Grayson chewed his lip, mind racing. “I’ll need to do some research. Most of the humans who come here are Omegas. I don’t know how a normal human goes about getting over here. But what about Dawson? You’re an adult, but Ma and Pa have custody of Dawson for another three years. You can’t just take him.”
“Yeah, well. I thought of that too. We got a CPS case open now, and I’m goin’ for custody of him. They said I should have a steady job and a ‘support network,’ whatever that means.”
