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Chapter Sixteen

Jax

J ax stole glances at the other four men.

They’d all felt it. When Ronan had used that voice . He hadn’t heard many alpha voices in his life. Growing up in a beta neighborhood, he’d almost forgotten they were a thing. It wasn’t as though alphas used them in the workplace or out at the grocery store.

Alpha voices were for providing comfort to loved ones. For taking control. Hearing Ronan’s felt intimate in a way he hadn’t been expecting.

“Give it back, Kino!”

The more rough-and-tumble twin, Garin, interrupted Jax’s thoughts. The irate boy hauled after his brother, who had snatched a ball away.

“Gents!” Niall called out. “If you can’t play nicely, without arguing, your ball is going to become my ball very fast.” He turned to Jax, giving him a clear this is what I put up with all day look.

“Sorry, Niall,” Kino called out. “I was just messing around.” He gave Garin the ball back and the three boys started shooting baskets at the mini hoop on the side of the patio.

The kids’ antics relieved the tautness that had descended on the table a moment ago. But even without the overt tension, an undercurrent remained.

Ronan and Teal eyed their young omega neighbor seriously.

Jax thought about how the couple had welcomed Niall into their bed.

Were they interested in Sorcha? From their body language, he gleaned that the three men were not already lovers.

Sorcha practically reeked of innocence. But based on the way he’d responded to Ronan, along with the clear bond between him and Teal, it was obvious the young omega shared their desire. Even if he didn’t realize it yet.

Jax had never met a couple like Ronan and Teal, the way they loved so freely.

All afternoon, Jax watched Niall interact with them.

The way Ronan squeezed Niall’s shoulder in thanks after the beta tracked down a missing spatula.

An amusing moment when Teal swatted Niall, teasing him for having a third portion of casserole.

And this was in addition to the times Niall seamlessly helped with the kids, cutting up Zayne’s hot dog or making Garin use his napkin.

So many instances illustrating how at-home his boyfriend was in this house.

But it didn’t bother Jax. Because he no longer felt outside of it. He’d hoped to come away from the day with a better understanding of Niall’s relationship with the couple. He hadn’t anticipated being brought into the fold.

Now he saw that this up-close view had been an initiation into their world. Unintended or not.

He had no other recourse but to enjoy getting to know Ronan, to joke around with Teal.

To learn more about each of the boys and be proud of the important role Niall played in their lives.

He especially liked that last part, since the adorable little guys had already captured his heart.

His tattoos awed the twins, and they asked a lot of smart questions about the beta neighborhoods.

At one point, tiny Zayne crawled into his lap with a book.

If the husbands had been worried that Jax and Niall’s relationship might mean Niall leaving their lives, now the opposite was clear. Jax would be absorbed into their family, not pull Niall away from it.

The rhythmic tapping of Sorcha’s foot bouncing against the cement drew Jax out of his thoughts as the five men sat at the table.

The younger omega sat between the two betas. He darted furtive looks at the husbands and smiled shyly at the children. Niall patted Sorcha’s knee, offering what reassurance he could. The delicate man blushed at Niall’s touch, crimson cheeks highlighted by his white-gold hair.

Jax imagined Sorcha was experiencing the same thing as him. The feeling that he had a place here, even if he wasn’t sure how to navigate it yet.

What was it Niall said months ago? That the people he loved never left his heart, that his heart just got bigger. Jax felt that now. There was just more in the air. More love, more admiration, more respect, more friendship, more laughter.

An infinity of possibilities.

And now Jax was in the heart of it. Making it bigger. Making it more . So was Sorcha.

Jax turned to the young omega. “I’d love to hear about your furniture making.”

Sorcha hesitantly spoke about his latest projects while Jax listened attentively. Teal left the table to assemble the sundae bar and Ronan began cleaning the grill. Seeing that his boyfriend had Sorcha well-engaged, Niall gathered up the boys to wash their hands.

Once the others were out of earshot, Jax confided in Sorcha, “This is the first day I’ve spent a lot of time with Ronan and Teal. They’re really great.”

Sorcha watched Ronan with reverence. “I can’t believe they’re my neighbors,” he whispered. “Ronan is such an amazing alpha and, of course, the entire state knows about Teal. But even though I’m younger and basically nobody from nowhere, they always treat me like I’m important.”

Jax felt a wave of compassion for the omega.

“You are important, Sorcha. And it’s obvious Ronan and Teal care about you in a way that goes beyond being neighbors.

” Sorcha stared at the ground and Jax deftly returned to his original thought.

“Like I said, I’m glad I came today. Happy I met you, too.

Now I see why my boyfriend loves working for the family so much. ”

“Yeah, Niall really loves the McGinns,” Sorcha said before slapping a hand over his mouth.

“Uh…sorry, I meant he loves the boys, not, like, Ronan and Teal… I mean, he loves them too, probably—obviously—but just like a normal amount, not like extra love or anything…” Sorcha’s neck flushed. He exhaled. “I’ll stop talking now.”

Jax surmised Sorcha had guessed Niall’s history with the couple. “Niall definitely loves Ronan and Teal,” Jax said slowly. “They were especially close before he met me.” He kept his gaze level to make sure the red-cheeked omega understood him.

“Oh,” Sorcha replied. He bit his bottom lip and waited a few beats before asking in a hushed tone, “You don’t mind that they were ‘ especially close ?’”

“No.”

The omega appeared bewildered. Jax thought it might shock Sorcha to learn that, not only did Jax not mind the couple’s past with Niall, he was increasingly open to a broader idea of what their relationship could be in the future.

Jax watched his boyfriend march the boys to the folding table. Ronan came up behind Niall and absently rested a hand on his back, as though he’d done it so many times he didn’t even realize it was happening.

And Jax couldn’t stop his imagination. He was helpless to do anything other than picture the alpha’s strong, capable hands doing other things to Niall.

Had those powerful hands massaged the fleshy cheeks of Niall’s ass?

Had he penetrated Niall’s passage with those thick fingers?

Had he kissed him with that pouty mouth, or run his stubbly jaw along the sensitive insides of Niall’s thighs?

And where had Teal fit into this? Had Niall fucked the omega?

Or had the omega fucked him? Had Niall tasted his omega slick?

What did it taste like? Had Ronan fucked them both, one after the other?

Jax imagined the big alpha watching Niall fuck Teal, before jacking himself and covering the two men in his cum…

Fuck. Where had that very-specific thought come from?

Jax couldn’t stop the scorching images from forming in his head. All triggered by witnessing one friendly touch of Ronan’s hand on Niall’s back.

Things had changed for him. Jax knew it when he’d spoken with Niall, knew it when he realized making Niall happy was a million times more important than possessing him. He didn’t want to possess Niall. He didn’t want to put any limits on their love.

Within the tight confines of his jeans, Jax’s cock plumped. He shifted awkwardly in his seat. Sorcha didn’t notice because his eyes were also fixed on Ronan and Niall. Jax noticed the young omega stared not only at the alpha, but at Jax’s boyfriend as well.

Jax huffed a laugh. Was there something in the water in this duplex?

The laugh caught Sorcha’s attention. “What?” he asked, as Teal came out with paper towels and a jar of cherries.

“Nothing,” Jax said.

Zayne skipped over and tugged Jax with one hand and Sorcha with the other. “C’mon Sor-ca and Jaxey. Make a sundae.”

“Yeah Jaxey ,” Niall teased.

Ronan held out a bowl of ice cream to Jax. “I scooped you some coconut. Niall said it’s your favorite, but I can get you something different if you’d like.”

“This is good. Thanks.”

Ronan gave Jax the bowl with one hand. With the other, he carelessly brushed against Jax’s lower back, the same way he’d done with Niall a moment ago. The touch of his fingers lasted only a second, but Jax felt it linger as Ronan turned to help Kino with the caramel sauce.

***

“That was really something when Ronan used his alpha voice, wasn’t it?” Niall laughed as he and Jax entered their apartment, throwing his keys onto the counter.

They’d spent the drive home debriefing, agreeing the afternoon had been a success.

Jax was still trying to figure out how to tell Niall about the racier thoughts he’d had.

He knew Niall wanted him to be more comfortable with Ronan and Teal, but he doubted that had included Jax having wild fantasies about Niall with the couple.

Jax assessed him thoughtfully. “You haven’t heard him use it before?”

Niall froze. “I’ve…uh…heard it a few times.”

By the pink tinge of his boyfriend’s face, Jax didn’t have to guess how Niall had been subjected to Ronan’s alpha voice. Jax circled his arms around his boyfriend, pulling them together by his belt loops.

“Well, I’ve never heard an alpha voice before. You never mentioned how sexy it was.”

Niall peered at him. “Yeah.”