Page 28 of Rejected by My Stepbrother Alpha (Billionaire Shifter Club #1)

T he Question Game

Ivy

“What’s your favorite color?” Adrian asked Asher as he scooped the last bite of pie onto his fork.

I grinned and took a sip of my iced tea. All throughout dinner, Adrian had been asking Asher random questions. He had a seemingly endless supply of them. Asher began to fire off his own questions in return. It had become a game between them.

“Hm,” Asher said and tapped his chin in thought. It warmed my heart to see that he was really thinking about his answers to Adrian’s questions. “I would have to say blue, but not just any kind of blue. Blue like the sky on a clear day.”

Adrian nodded seriously, like he was storing this information away for later.

Asher’s hazel eyes flashed to mine, and a flush crept up my neck. One could say that my eyes were sky blue…could that be the reason it was Asher’s favorite color?

Stop right there.

I needed to quit obsessing over Asher. It hadn’t been right for me to flirt with him in his office this morning.

Of course, I enjoyed the tension between us.

Our kiss had my legs shaking with desire.

And the fact that he had pots of ivy hanging up in his office?

That had made me want to forget how complicated our situation was, lock his office door, and have my wicked way with him.

But I needed to figure out if I wanted to tell him that Adrian was his son before I could even consider the possibility of pursuing anything with Asher.

Even though I was annoyed when Damian had pulled me aside to ask if it was a good idea for Asher and Adrian to spend time together when neither of them knew the truth, he did have a point. It wasn't fair to either of them.

“What’s your favorite food? Obviously, besides key lime pie,” Asher asked.

“Hm,” Adrian said and tapped his chin just like Asher had done a moment ago. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning. “Probably mac and cheese. My mom makes the best extra cheesy mac and cheese.” Adrian looked at me, then his eyes slid over to the last few bites of pie on Asher’s plate.

“That’s nice of you to say, honey,” I said. “Especially since that mac and cheese comes from a box.”

Adrian smiled brightly. “That’s why I love it!”

My sweet boy.

“I’d like to try your cooking someday,” Asher told me, and leaned back in the booth.

I chuckled. “My cooking consists of adding extra cheese to boxed macaroni and reheating frozen chicken nuggets.”

“I’m not much of a cook myself,” Asher admitted, and we shared a grin. “With our crazy work schedules, I guess it’s hard to find the time.”

“Exactly,” I said.

Asher turned his attention back to Adrian. “Man, you were right. This key lime pie is the best I’ve ever had.”

“I told you!” Adrian said, bouncing in his seat with excitement.

“But I’m so stuffed. Do you mind finishing off my slice?” Asher asked. “You’d be doing me a favor, really.”

Adrian looked hopefully up at me. “Can I, Mom? Please.”

“Of course,” I said.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Adrian pulled Asher’s plate toward him and dug in with enthusiasm.

Asher caught my eye and winked. Happiness filled me as I realized that he had seen Adrian looking hopefully at the rest of his pie just like I had. I knew it was a small thing to give up, but it meant a lot to me. Asher seemed as in tune with Adrian's wants and emotions as me.

After Adrian was finished, Asher paid the bill despite my protests. The sun was descending slowly in the sky as the three of us walked to the playground. Adrian walked in the middle of us. On the way, the two boys continued their question game.

“What's your least favorite food?” Asher asked.

“Mom, what's that green leafy stuff that was on my chicken and rice soup at the hotel restaurant the night we first got here?”

“Cilantro,” I answered.

Adrian shuddered in disgust. “Yeah, that stuff tastes like soap to me.”

Asher's eyes widened with interest. “It does to me, too.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Asher giving me a curious look. My stomach swooped. I'd heard that thinking cilantro tastes like soap was genetic. Was Asher aware of that fact, too?

“If you got to have one wish, what would you wish for?” Adrian questioned.

Immediately, I felt Asher's heated gaze on me. My pulse quickened, and my breath caught in my throat. Our eyes met, and the tension between us was electric. My heart was beating so loudly that I was afraid he’d be able to hear it. Asher only looked away when we had to stop at a busy crosswalk.

Asher smiled down at our son. “I’d wish for unlimited key lime pie.”

“That’s totally what I would wish for, too!” Adrian responded, nodding enthusiastically.

When it was safe to cross the street, I reached for Adrian’s hand, but paused when I saw that Asher was already holding his other hand.

I swallowed down the intense emotions threatening to overwhelm me as I grabbed Adrian’s other hand.

As we crossed the street hand in hand, I knew what I would wish for.

I’d asked for the three of us to be a regular family enjoying a normal night of dinner at the diner and then spending some time outside.

I would wish that things weren’t so complicated and every night could be like this one.

But after everything that has happened between Asher and I, how could that wish ever come true?

My walls keeping Asher out, continued to crack as I watched him play with our son. As soon as we arrived at the crowded playground, he had taken off his suit jacket, rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, and joined Adrian as he played on all the colorful equipment.

I was standing on the side, content with watching them laugh and continue their question game as they slid down the neon green slide, climbed across the monkey bars—Asher had to cross his legs so his feet weren’t touching the ground—and hilariously tried to use the red seesaw.

This ended in me having to lift Adrian off his side and teasing Asher about not understanding simple gravity.

Now, they were swinging on the swings, chatting happily. Asher’s white dress shirt had grass stains and a smudge of dirt on the side, but he hadn’t even noticed. There was a happiness in his eyes that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

I sighed wistfully as my eyes roamed over his white shirt. The hard lines of his muscles were easy to see through the light fabric. With a jolt of jealousy, I noticed that I wasn’t the only woman staring with desire at Asher. Some of these women even had their husbands by their sides, too.

I could feel the pull from our damaged mating bond frantically tugging me towards him. The more I watched him interact with our son, the more insistent the need for Asher was.

Another little boy around Adrian’s age walked up to the swings, and Asher skidded to a stop. I couldn’t hear what the kid was saying, but I assumed he was asking if he could have Asher’s swing because all the other ones were occupied.

Asher nodded and stepped back so that the boy could sit on the swing beside Adrian. My son and the other boy got to talking as Asher walked up to me.

“Honestly, I wanted to keep swinging, but how could I say no to a little kid?” Asher joked.

My heart slammed against my chest as he stood beside me, close enough to touch.

“Adrian really likes you,” I said, and the next moment, our son waved excitedly at Asher.

After he waved back, Asher turned to me, his expression turning serious.

“I really enjoy spending time with him, too…” I couldn’t even draw a breath as I waited for him to ask the question I knew was coming.

“Who’s his father? Is it Damian? Is it anyone I know?

Or is it someone back in the ColdCrest Pack? Please, Ivy, will you tell me?”

I let out a shaky breath as our eyes locked together.

Tell him.

I was sick of keeping this secret. Asher and Adrian deserved to know the truth. I needed to tell them. It was the right thing to do.

My stomach tightened with anxiety, but I summoned my inner strength.

I could do this.

“Asher I—“

Then, a horrible sound cut through me like a knife. A terrified scream rang through the playground, filling me with cold dread.

Adrian!

That was his scream of terror. I’d bet my life on it.

My head whipped to the side, and my blood ran cold when I saw a hooded person snatching my son and hauling him away.