“No.”
“Truly?”
“The only thing that matters is that he’s yours.”
A tear slipped down Zinn’s cheek. “You mean that.” A statement, not a question.
“Of course. You’re my omega. I’ll never have another.” Valentin rubbed slow circles over his shirt. “And I’m not out of bounds telling you this, since I’ve explained it to Assa and Wes. We might be on a different path than before, but I’ll always be there for you. I hate how everything went down with your parents, but I don’t blame you for not stopping your life to wait for me. I see that you’re happy. And it makes me happy.”
“And also a little sad?”
“That too.”
“Then we’re even,” Zinn said, placing his hand over Valentin’s as the baby practiced kickboxing maneuvers. “I’m happy for you being with Wes and Assa, but a little sad too, even if I can’t explain it. And not just because you’ll live in Ryde’s house.”
“We’ll figure it out. I’m excited to make a life with them, a family.” He tipped Zinn’s chin up. “And you have Calder, whom I like and respect tremendously. But even with that, what I said stands. I will always be there for you…and this baby.”
From the den, Wes loudly teased Calder. They had turned the game on and were rooting for different teams. Assa admonished them for cheering loud enough to wake Ryde.
Valentin and Zinn grinned at their men’s antics.
The pit Zinn had in his stomach earlier faded to nothing. Only the sweet taps of his baby boy kicking remained.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Wes
Wes came home the Friday after the school play to find the downstairs eerily silent. Both Assa’s and Valentin’s cars were in the garage, but when he checked the kitchen, living room, and den, neither man was in evidence.
He was heading upstairs when he heard the telltale rattle of pipes from the main bedroom. At least one of his partners was in the shower, so that’s where Wes planned to be soon. His cock perked up thinking about it.
The door to the ensuite was open. Wes saw Valentin soaping his body through the frosted glass. He stripped off his clothes and padded into the steamy bathroom.
“Mind if I join you?”
Valentin startled, dropping the bottle of body wash on the shower bottom before grinning. “Guess I was in my head. You snuck up on me.” He slid the door open.
Wes stepped in and plastered himself to Valentin’s back, warm water dripping down their bodies. He took the washcloth andbegan rubbing slow circles over the alpha’s stomach, then down to his cock.
“Mmm.” Valentin closed his eyes and tipped his head back as Wes worked his way across his hips.
He appreciated that he could do this. Early in their relationship, they’d revisited his and Assa’s rule about not having sexy one-on-one time with others. As Valentin was their equal partner, they decided it no longer made sense. Wes and Assa had been having sex as a twosome for a dozen years. Were they going to make sure Valentin was there every time now? It would never work, especially considering the alpha’s late hours at The Cracked Heart. So, while they were often intimate as a threesome, one-on-one times were also part of their lives.
And Wes adored these private moments with his alpha.
With Assa, Wes was the most tender version of himself. A Caretaker. But with Valentin, he was rough-edged and selfish. A taker.
He wondered how much time they had.
“Where’s Assa?” he asked.
“Zinn picked him up. They took Lachie to the park. I guess he likes to look at the ducks.”
Wes tightened his hold on Valentin, not missing the alpha tense up at having to mention the baby. Wes and Assa had discussed Valentin’s reluctance to assume de-de duties but had yet to ask him about it directly. They hoped it would improve with time.
But Wes didn’t want to think about Lachie right now, not when his hard dick was poking between Valentin’s cheeks. Did the alpha want to be topped? That was a rare thing they’d only started trying a few months ago, and so far only with Wes.
Negotiating a sex life among three men could be challenging. They were constantly adjusting expectations and desires. Two years ago, he never would have imagined he and Assa wouldhave another partner, nor that they’d be sharing parenthood duties with their son’s birth parents.
