Page 13 of All That We Keep (Always Yours #3)

Maceo

Hearing them fuck upstairs was fun for the first thirty minutes but realizing that they weren’t going to finish any time soon meant I had to leave.

I was hard and on edge and I needed an outlet.

I also knew that Blake needed time to decompress and adding more horny knots to the mix wasn’t the answer.

More time with the adorable Keller Alpha, though, definitely was.

However, now I’m at a nesting store, staring at a wall of pillows that are all some version of orange, ranging from burnt tangerine to electric pumpkin, and none of them look like what Luca described when he listed colors the first time we shopped for pillows weeks ago.

I’ve already made two trips, one with watchet blue pillows and electric chartreuse blankets.

My eyes hurt but Luca mentioned orange or pink, granted, I’m a little confused on the exact color he asked for.

Blake doesn’t care so long as it’s soft.

I look down at the list and groan, realizing it’s ‘sunset yellow’ I’m looking for. Fuck.

My gaze travels over to Grayson who’s running his fingers along a velvet blanket that looks a different shade each time it’s touched. The pure happiness on his face eases my frustration but not by much. “How the fuck are you not ticked off with all this?”

Grayson turns to me with a knowing smile that carries just a hint of exasperation.

"Because the look of absolute joy Luca gets when he starts placing all this around his nest is worth it, not to mention when Blake finally gives into his instincts as well. This also might be the last nest they make together. Deltas don’t always make nests but with another Omega in the pack, they tend to share.

It just depends so I want to make this one special. ”

I hadn’t even thought about that. I was kind of swept up with my own designation bullshit and realizing how much of it made sense.

In one evening, my entire world just kind of exploded but in a good way.

I kind of hate that I never knew. I wouldn’t have had to suffer the way I had but I also wouldn’t have ended up with the Kellers.

“You think we’re staying in your parents’ house, don’t you? ”

Grayson nods as he drags his hands through his hair before pulling it into a ponytail.

“I do. It’s a little bit more out of the way and we don’t have to deal with a reception or anyone else.

We started looking into houses at some point but that died off.

Now with the babies… the main place just isn’t big enough and we wouldn’t have anything set up fast enough. Fuck, we didn’t even ask…”

I just smile, shaking my head as I move closer to him.

“Deep breaths, Grayson. It’s fine. I like the idea and I think it’s perfect.

Your parents might have been a little paranoid with all of the locks but it means that the babies will grow up safe.

” I reach up to cup the side of his neck, the Alpha tensing in shock before leaning into my touch.

“One day, it’ll be the five of us with all of our children…

one day when my bite will be on your shoulder too. ”

I’ve been dreaming about that for a while. Ever since I became an official part of the pack. Ever since Grayson fell apart between Luther and I in their kitchen.

A blush creeps up his neck, my cock thickening in my pants as his scent thickens. The reaction is so genuine and unguarded that it hits me right in the chest with want.

"Fuck, I love that color on you," I say, my voice dropping a few octaves lowers.

Grayson clears his throat and deliberately turns back toward the pillow display, though I can see him fighting a smile.

"Focus on the goddamn pillows, Maceo. Luca specifically said sunset yellow, and this entire section is sunburnt orange.

We're in the wrong aisle." He shoots me a look that's half accusatory and half amused. "You suck at this."

I can't argue with his assessment, so I don't try.

"You're talking to the guy who thought he'd be alone for the rest of his life.

You're lucky if I even had a fucking pillow in my old apartment, much less knew the difference between sunset and sunburnt anything.

We only have an hour before Luther has to meet Kai at the café so we have to hurry up. "

Grayson stops pretending to examine pillows and turns around to face me fully, his expression suddenly more serious. "You're going with him to that meeting, aren't you?"

I stay silent, which is answer enough. We both know that Luther shouldn't face Kai alone, especially when we have no idea what information the other Alpha wants to share or what his real motivations might be.

Grayson nods like he expected as much. "You realize none of that is hurting my feelings, right? You're not replacing me or taking over my role in the pack."

There's something in his tone that makes me pay closer attention, a sincerity that cuts through the casual banter we've been maintaining while shopping.

Grayson steps up to me again, pressing himself against me.

"Maceo, I never liked those kinds of meetings anyway.

I'm not confrontational at all, which is why I don't even work on the same floor as Luther at Keller Industries.

" His expression grows more earnest as he continues.

"Having you around to handle the big intimidating Alpha shit with him is a fucking relief.

" He pauses, seeming to realize what he just said. "Fuck, I mean..."

A playful grin slides across my face as I wrap an arm around his waist, my other hand settling around his neck again. "I quite like that description, but maybe I'll do big intimidating Gamma shit to you instead."

Before he can respond, I lean in and kiss him with all the passion that's been building between us during this domestic errand.

My tongue finds his immediately, and the kiss turns deeper and more demanding than is probably appropriate for the middle of a nesting store.

Grayson melts into me, his hands fisting in my shirt as he kisses back with equal intensity.

He moans softly against my mouth, the sound going straight to my cock and making me want to find the nearest private surface to continue this conversation. But we're in public, surrounded by pillows and judgmental shoppers, so I force myself to maintain some semblance of control.

When we finally break apart, Grayson immediately reaches down to adjust himself, the Alpha pointing down at the end of the aisle, mumbling ‘sunset’. I can only chuckle as the outing ends in awkward silence, the sexual tension still building as we climb into the car, the back stuffed with pillows.

“This…”

“Making a quick stop by my place for a few things. There’s some documents in the safe that Luther had me keep as well and I’m not sure when we’ll have time to grab them later.” I check the time, clocking that we still have about forty-five minutes before the meeting with Kai. Still enough time.

When we pull up outside my apartment complex, Grayson stares up at the modest brick building with an expression I can't quite read. "I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this."

I can't tell if he's disappointed or just surprised by how normal and unremarkable my living situation is. The building isn't fancy by any means, but it's clean and well-maintained, the kind of place where working professionals live when they want something affordable but decent.

"You don't have to stay in the car," I tell him as I get out. "It'll only take a few minutes."

We climb the two flights of stairs to my apartment, and I unlock the door to reveal the space I called home for the past several years.

It's pretty bland and empty, furnished with the basics but lacking any real personality or warmth.

A couch, a coffee table, a small dining set, and not much else to indicate that anyone actually lives here.

Grayson steps inside and looks around with the careful attention of someone trying to understand a puzzle.

"I never really brought anyone over here," I explain, suddenly seeing the space through his eyes and realizing how sterile it must seem.

"Just have a seat, I guess. I’ll just be a couple minutes. "

I disappear down the hall and stuff a few of my suits into a bag, knowing that I can dry clean them later.

There’s no trinkets or pictures to speak of, nothing personal to grab, and nothing else special that would make a difference if I’d left.

It takes all of two minutes to grab documents from the safe before changing the code and heading back out into the living area, Grayson’s lost look meeting my eyes.

"Did Luther ever see this place?"

"Jealous?"

"No, I just..." Grayson trails off, seeming to struggle with how to articulate whatever he's thinking.

I walk over to where he's standing by the window, reaching up to cup his face in my hands before kissing him hard.

"Hey," I say against his lips, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes.

"I didn't hate living like this. Sure, I thought the world dealt me a bad hand for a while, but I wasn't angry about it.

" I run my thumb along his cheekbone, grounding myself in the warmth of his skin.

"It was comfortable, and knowing Luther had my back at work made it bearable." I was angry. I was furious that I didn’t fit anywhere but I don’t want Grayson to know that.

I kiss him again, softer this time but no less intense.

"Knowing that I have a pack now, that I have you and Blake and Luca and Luther, makes that part of my life worth it.

Every lonely night, every takeout dinner eaten alone, every weekend spent working because I had nothing else to do - it all led me here. "