Page 84 of Bully for Sale

Ned seemed happier, too, and when Ezer laughed at something he’d said, Ned’s eyes gleamed as if Ezer had declared him the best alpha in the world and sworn his undying love.

Ezer had enjoyed that expression so much he found himself wishing to see it again. He didn’t even feel shame about how this desire was a clear sign he was giving in, becoming the thing his father had wanted. He didn’tcare. Helikedit. He wanted to feel this goodforever. It was so much better than being sad and scared.

The morning Ned when truly left for school for the first time, Ezer got up, too, ate breakfast with him, sucked his dick one last time, and waved him off, before heading up to the pool area to nap. His stomach was rounder than ever before. There were small movements coming from inside—slight pops and thumps—though it seemed soon for that.

Sitting naked in the sun, he giggled over the fact that he was finally the round, happy omega everyone had wanted him to be. Okay, so maybe nothappy, but he was cheerful, calm, and way too well-fucked to be argumentative now. In fact, he thought he was ready to do the thing he’d most wanted and dreaded doing since he’d first arrived.

If he could just figure out how to operate the damn tablet.

He fiddled with the device Ned had left with him, telling Ezer he could use it to call his brothers or Amos whenever he wanted. But the initial set-up included reading a little, and that was defeating him. Normally he would have felt frustrated and angry about it, but the seminal proteins had seeped so deeply into him, tamed him so thoroughly, he couldn’t be bothered to get mad. Maybe he’d take a nap instead.

“Do you need help, sir?” Earl said.

Ezer almost jumped at his voice. Did the man have cat paws for feet? “I can’t set this up,” he said, holding the tablet up to Earl. “Take it back to the nest, please. Ned can set it up later.”

“I could help.”

Ezer wasn’t sure what to say. If he accepted, then Earl would guess that Ezer couldn’t read. If he didn’t, then he’d look like a fool who couldn’t figure out simple tech. “All right.”

Earl put the pitcher of lemonade he’d brought for Ezer down next to a glass to pour it in. “Here. Let me see.” He started the set-up process and glanced at Ezer with questioning eyes only twice before handing it back. “My brother had dyslexia,” Earl said. “The swimming letters? The moving words?”

Ezer lifted his eyes to him.

“He was one of the smartest men I’ve ever known, but he could never read a full sentence.”

Ezer’s throat tightened. “Yeah?”

“Yes, sir. Now, should I help you with anything else?”

Ezer examined the tablet. The calling app seemed easy enough. He checked, and the numbers were solid and still as ever—he’d long lived in dread that they’d start moving too. Experimentally, he pushed in the number he’d memorized for his brother Shan.

“I think I’m good.”

“All right. Just call out to me if you need more help. I’m here for you, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Ezer waited until he was sure Earl was back in the house. Not just in the open-air living room, but farther inside behind closed walls, before calling Shan. He was surprised when his call was answered on the first buzz.

“It says it’s Ned Clearwater calling,” Shan’s voice cut through, as a chaotic scene of a ceiling, and then a floor, followed by a cluttered vanity table came into view on the tablet screen. Ezer recognized Flo’s room. “I think it’s Ezer!”

“It’s me,” Ezer said, as the screen continued to show sincere excitement from his brother, based on the way the camera careened around, one moment covered by a hand and the next showing the floor again.

“It’s him!” Flo’s face filled the screen. “Ezer, are you all right? Are you safe?”

“Yes,” Ezer answered. “I’m safe.”

Shan grabbed the phone from Flo and then his golden-brown eyes peered through the screen at Ezer. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Ned treats me well.”

“Good,” Flo said. “If he didn’t, he’d have to answer to us.”

A silly threat, but it warmed Ezer’s heart all the same.

“Pete had the baby,” Shan said. “They named him Prince.”

“Prince?” Ezer scoffed. “What kind of name is that?”