Page 122 of Bully for Sale

“Where’s Ned?” Amos asked, walking over with his arms outstretched for a baby. Ezer passed him Ollie. “I’d like to say goodbye before I go.”

“I’m not sure.” Sundy started squirming, so Ezer led them all over to the big U-shaped sofa he’d so hated at first. He sat and lifted his shirt—he enjoyed wearing his clothes again—and began to feed his hungry son. “Ned said he had some important errand to run and might not be back for the rest of the day.”

“You didn’t request more information?”

“Olli was feeding, and I was half asleep.”

“Ah. Of course.”

“I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

“Well, thank him for me, will you? He’s been generous letting me stay here so long.”

“I think he’s enjoyed it. His father didn’t bother to come home to help out, so I think he liked having a parental figure here.”

“You say that like he wanted his father home. I get the impression he’s rather over the man.”

“Yes, he’s not happy with him right now.”

Silence hung between them. There was so much to say about so many things. But neither of them seemed to know where to start. Finally, Da said, “Your father would like to meet the babies.”

“George can meet them when hell freezes over,” Ezer said.

“I meant Finn.”

Ezer paused, remembering the small alpha he’d met that day on the beach. He’d been pleasant enough, but he wasn’t sure yet he wanted to invite him into his life or into his children’s lives. “What about his omega? His other family?”

Da bit into his lip. “He confessed it all to Young, that’s his omega. It went about as well as you might expect, and Young asked him to leave for a few months, to take some space so he could reconcile with the truth. I don’t think he knew Finn would come to me, but of course he did. I’d let him know I had my old lakeside apartment back, that I was in a better place, and that I would like to see him.”

“So you’re a couple then? Living on George’s money?”

Da snorted. “I suppose so. For now. Finn will eventually return home. He misses his family, and he does love Young. He and I have something too fiery to maintain a life together. It’s all passion and no substance. He’s a good man, and I’m still in love with him. I know I always will be. But he deserves the stability of his home with his omega.”

“I’m sorry you lost some of your time with him by staying here to help me.”

Da shrugged. “Finn and I will never truly be over. He’ll find time to come to me when his omega permits it. I didn’t miss out on anything with him by spending these days with you. Besides, I needed to be here to face what I’d done to you.” He cleared his throat.

“Da, I forgive you for what part you played in this,” Ezer said, watching his da kiss Ollie’s head. “But only because I don’t know how else to move on. You and George thought you were doing the best thing for me, even if you weren’t.”

“You’re not happy with your alpha? Ned is so devoted.”

“I am. For now. I can’t guarantee that I will be in ten minutes, even; he used to anger me so much. But, yes. I like Ned, and I’m growing to love him. He’s a good person, and he loves the babies, and he loves me. But I should have had the right to determine my own path. Every omega deserves that.”

Da kissed Ollie again, his eyes downcast. “I understand.”

“I want to know what you’re going to do for my brothers. Father’s way of making matches for them can’t stand. Now he’s abandoned them. It’s only a matter of time before he reconsiders and tries again with Flo. But that’s wrong. Don’t you see? They should be allowed to make matches based on love.”

“Your brothers?” Da asked. “What can I do to help? It’s not as if I can stop George from his business schemes, and that’s all your brothers are to him. Business assets.”

“Don’t you see how wrong that is?”

“Of course I do, but one day you’ll learn too, Ezer. You need to play within the rules of their game. And that’s why I planted the seeds in your father’s mind that Ned was the boy to handle you. When he came to apologize after that incident at my old apartment, I could see it in him. The potential. The goodness.”

“I deserved a life first. I wanted to go to school. Study mathematics. Sell my heats.”

“I know. This is better.”

Ezer sighed, the baby at his chest had stopped feeding and was now asleep, half-suckling but mostly drooling. He pulled his shirt down, and cuddled Sundy close. He smelled delicious, like baked bread and sweetness.