Kell wasn’t quite sure what to make of Ronin the next morning. He seemed…different somehow, and Kell couldn’t put his finger on exactly how. More determined, maybe? Ronin made breakfast with a smile on his face and ease in his body, and Kell half-expected him to start whistling. He didn’t comment, though.

Ronin served them up big plates of scrambled eggs, sausage links, and toast with butter and jam, along with juice and coffee. It was similar to every breakfast Ronin cooked, except it was different, too. Kell got through two bites of eggs before he couldn’t stand it.

“Okay, what’s up?” Kell asked.

“What do you mean?” Ronin countered.

“Did you have some kind of sudden breakthrough in our defense last night? Because you’re practically skipping around the apartment this morning.”

“In a way, yes, but also no.”

Kell put his fork down. “What does that even mean?”

“My omegin called last night, because he could sense I was distressed.”

“Really? I’ve heard of some omegins who have a kind of psychic link to their children, but I’ve never met one before.”

“He has it,” Ronin said, then shoveled eggs into his mouth.

“So he sensed you were distressed about the case?”

“Yes, but we spoke about the one particular part of the case I’m worried over the most. Okay, worried isn’t the right word. Concerned, I suppose?”

Kell was worried about every single aspect of his case, but he was also the one accused, not the lawyer. If they failed, Ronin wasn’t the one facing prison. Or the gallows.

Ronin put his fork down and moved to kneel next to Kell’s chair. Kell’s pulse jumped at the blatantly submissive position, and his skin buzzed with heat when Ronin took both of his hands and squeezed them tight. “I want you, Kell Etting Iverson. I’ve bonded with you, I’m attracted to you, and I want you to be mine. It’s all I can think about when we’re together, and it’s all I can think about when we’re apart. I want to love and protect you for the rest of our lives. I want to make you happy every single day.

“I know you’ve been hurt, and I know you don’t trust easily, and I don’t blame you for that. And I’m not asking for a commitment right this second, but I couldn’t go another day without telling you how I feel. I want to be your mate, and that won’t change, no matter how the trial goes. This alpha is on his knees, asking you to be his mated omega.”

Kell’s eyes burned with tears. His heart beat erratically in his chest, and he was having trouble getting a good breath. He believed Ronin, he did. Ronin had been truthful with him from the day they met. Solid and kind, always going out of his way to make sure Kell felt safe and protected. And he trusted Ronin as a person. He did.

He wasn’t sure he entirely trusted Ronin as an alpha, and fuck Krause and Senior Iverson for that. Fuck his own father for that, too. For so thoroughly shattering his ability to trust alphas that he couldn’t simply take Ronin at his word.

All Kell’s insecurities came up and out in one loud sob that made his chest ache and his throat burn. He launched himself at Ronin, needing the comfort of his big, strong arms and the solid wall of his chest. The woodsy scent of him that smelled like home. Trust. Love. He didn’t cry. He wasn’t sure he had any tears left, after these last few months, but he gasped and wheezed while he clutched at Ronin’s shirt.

Ronin rocked him gently, making soothing sounds. One hand rubbed his back, while the other held him by the back of the neck. Kell never thought he’d find solace in that particular touch—not when Krause would grab him there hard enough to bruise. With Ronin, it was safe, not hurtful. It was Ronin silently saying, “I’ve got you.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Kell whispered after a lifetime had passed.

“You don’t have to say anything right now, little one. Just think about what I said, because it’s the truth. On my life and the lives of my family, I will keep you safe if you let me.”

“I want to believe you.”

Ronin shivered. “I know you do. So allow me to continue proving it.”

Kell nodded, then pressed his forehead to Ronin’s neck. He inhaled, then exhaled a long, slow breath as his body calmed. “I want everything you’re offering, but I’m afraid.”

“I know you are, and I understand why. I’m not asking for the moon right now, only a chance to stargaze with you for a little while.”

“I like your metaphor,” Kell said with a chuff of laughter. “It’s romantic.”

“I’m glad, as I feared it sounded cheesy.”

“Nah.” He lifted his head and took in Ronin’s wide, glittering eyes. His gentle smile and unshaven cheeks. Golden skin and black hair. So beautiful. “I’ll never understand how you can look at me that way, knowing what’s been done to me.”

“I look at you this way because I care for you, Kell. I look at you this way, because I see your heart and mind, and you’re more than your body. More than your past.” Ronin cupped his chin, holding him steady. “And you said it yourself. Things were done to you. Against your will. How could I hold any of it against you?”

Kell flinched. “I hold it against myself.”

“Please don’t. Please try to see yourself as I see you. You’re a kind, beautiful soul with love to give, a brother who adores you, and a man who wants to treat you like a prince for the rest of your life.”

The words soothed some of Kell’s fear, but not all of it. Krause had never made any such declarations during their very brief courtship. He’d promised Kell a big house, servants, and a life where he’d want for nothing—except the one thing Kell had wanted the most, Krause had never given him.

Love.

Krause hadn’t loved him, and Kell hadn’t loved Krause, either. Their entire relationship had been built on the alpha/omega dynamic, not their personalities or emotions. And Kell had suffered greatly for it for three years before being set free, either by his own hands, or the hands of another unknown person. He’d never felt with Krause the way he felt with Ronin. Not even close.

Ronin was truly his alpha and bondmate.

But Kell still didn’t have the courage to claim him.

He did, however, have the courage to test the waters without leaping in feet-first. Kell slowly raised his own hand to press against Ronin’s cheek. Fingers slid backward into Ronin’s silky black hair, and he drew Ronin down. Into a soft kiss that released a host of nervous butterflies into Kell’s stomach. Nervous and excited, because kissing Ronin felt right.

Every single thing about Ronin felt like home.

Ronin didn’t deepen the kiss or try to direct it, giving over all control to Kell. Curious, Kell parted his lips and nibbled at Ronin’s, getting a stronger taste of the man. And only when Kell made an encouraging sound did Ronin do the same, his entire, big body trembling with the force of his restraint. Kell swiped the tip of his tongue against Ronin’s lips, and he growled softly.

Loving that sound, Kell did it again, questing a little deeper onto Ronin’s mouth each time, until the strong taste of Ronin hit Kell in the balls. It didn’t arouse his dick, but oh my, Ronin tasted like everything Kell had ever wanted in his life. He explored every inch of Ronin’s mouth, unbothered by the erection pressing into his hip. Ronin wouldn’t do anything without Kell’s express permission.

My alpha.

He began drawing Ronin’s tongue forward with his own, retreating, overjoyed when Ronin followed. That thick muscle licked into Kell’s mouth, tasting, discovering, and Kell allowed it, because it felt so damned good. Kell loved kissing most of all, and Ronin was amazing at it. Giving and taking. Insistent, but also unhurried. Exactly what Kell wanted.

Ronin made no move to change their position, no attempt to push Kell to the ground, or otherwise trap him. Instead, he allowed Kell to nudge Ronin onto his back without breaking their mind-blowing kiss, leaving Kell’s smaller body stretched out on top of him. Ronin rested his hands on Kell’s hips, holding him steady without holding him down.

Kell curled both hands in Ronin’s hair and kissed him. He fucking existed within Ronin, in every spot they touched and every stroke of their tongues. Every press of lips and nips with teeth. Ronin could have easily flipped them over, caged Kell in, and taken anything he wanted.

That he continued to lay there passively and allow Kell to control this spoke volumes in its silence.

I want this man so much.

But giving in and offering to be his mate was cruel, considering everything Kell was facing. To become Ronin’s first mate, and then be split apart by the court system, would devastate Ronin. Kell couldn’t do that to him.

He could comfort Ronin. Hell, he could even love Ronin. But until his fate was decided, they couldn’t mate.

That was for later, though. For right now, Kell continued to kiss Ronin for a long, blessed time. And for the first time in ages, Kell found a semblance of peace.

* * *

Braun Etting-soon-to-be-Bloom was going out of his mind.

He’d had zero contact with his older brother Kell for over a week, and while in the past it wasn’t unusual for them go months at a time without speaking, these were extenuating circumstances. Kell had been whisked away to an unknown, secure location by his lawer—a man who was basically a stranger to Braun.

Sure, Braun’s bondmate Tarek vouched for Ronin and his character, but that didn’t stop Braun from fretting over Kell’s current mental state. Not only was he accused of murder, he was locked up somewhere with a strange alpha, and that had to be fucking with Kell’s mind a little bit. Kell had no reason to trust alphas.

Braun was also stir-crazy, stuck in the small cottage he shared with Tarek. Ever since the arrest, reporters had been dogging Braun and Tarek for information, and it had gotten so bad that Braun had to quit his part-time job at a television repair shop. The owners were sympathetic, and they promised he’d have a job again when the trial was over and media fervor died down, but for now, Braun was safer at home.

The law made it illegal for the reporters to set foot on Tarek’s property without express permission, so no one was banging down the door, and Braun could enjoy the peaceful backyard, but they lingered on the sidewalks, vultures smelling fresh kill.

Braun hated all of them for the lies they continued to spread about Kell. Tarek had begun limiting Braun’s access to the evening newscasts, both television and radio, and he threw their daily newspapers directly into the trash. But Braun saw and heard enough to make him physically ill.

Friends of Krause had begun talking to reporters, telling wild stories that painted Kell as some sort of sex-crazed, orgy-fancying whore, willing to take any alpha cock he could get. Braun raged at those men, because he knew better. He knew his brother, and if any of those men had ever had sex with Kell, it had been against his will.

Kell had been dubbed The Killer Omega by the media, and Braun hated them for it. For all he knew, Kell still hadn’t recovered his memories of that afternoon. Braun believed in his soul that if Kell had done it, it was because he’d had no other choice. Kill or be killed. But Ronin couldn’t argue self-defense without those memories.

So many news stories speculated on why Kell had done it, and they had no actual facts on which to base the stories. Only once in a while did someone comment on Kell’s medical records, or the recent loss of his only child. Few wanted Kell painted in a sympathetic light, because a murderous omega got better ratings than an abused spouse story.

And Braun had been ordered by both Tarek, Ronin, and the court against speaking directly to reporters about what he knew. Ronin said it was part of his strategy in court, to conceal as much about Kell’s past as possible until it could be used to blow the prosecution’s case apart. Braun understood, but he hated the lies. He hated not being able to stand up for his big brother, like Kell had stood up for him so many times when they were children.

Finding a twelve-man jury whose opinion of the case hadn’t been affected by the media would be impossible. Proceedings would begin next week, and jury selection could take days, if not weeks.

The entire thing made his stomach sick and his head hurt.

Tarek came out of their bedroom, dressed sharply in a white button-down shirt and black slacks, with a black and white striped tie. He stopped short when he spotted Braun pacing the living room. “I’d ask if you slept at all,” Tarek said, “but the worn path on the carpet says otherwise.”

Braun stopped mid-step and looked down. The carpet wasn’t worn, but the joke helped him relax a fraction. “I slept a little,” he admitted, “but I kept tossing and turning, so I came out to the sofa. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Is this because we have a trial date?”

“Basically. Before it was a nebulous thing that might happen. Now we know for sure it will.”

Tarek opened his arms, and Braun went to his alpha willingly, wrapping himself up in the bigger man. His spicy scent warmed Braun from the inside and calmed his racing heart. Tarek could always do that when Braun was freaking out. After Braun’s bleak upbringing and Kell’s own nightmare with Krause, Braun had never thought he’d trust an alpha, much less fall in love with one. And be ready to officially mate with him during his next heat.

A heat approaching in less than six weeks. But it was difficult to get excited about such a thing, while his brother was suffering.

“Do you think they’ll give you your job back?” Braun asked.

“I hope so.” Tarek was dressed up to meet with the head of the constabulary about his extended suspension. They hadn’t been able to prove Tarek meddled with a schedule that allowed a group of traumatized omegas to be left unguarded long enough to sneak them away from the hospital to safety, but Tarek had been suspended pending an internal investigation.

Today, he was going in to find out if he was getting his badge back. Braun hoped so. Not only because Tarek loved his job, but because if Tarek was officially a constable again, then he might be able to facilitate an in-person meeting with Kell. Braun longed to speak to his brother again, to know how he was feeling and coping. If he was okay in his situation with Ronin, because Braun didn’t know Ronin well enough to trust him.

He only had Tarek’s word to go on that Ronin wouldn’t coerce Kell into something he didn’t want.

“It’s out of my hands whether they fire me or reinstate me,” Tarek said. “But at least I’ll be out of limbo. If I’m fired, I’ll start looking for another job. If not, I can get back to work.”

“Helping people and solving problems.”

“Exactly.” Tarek kissed the top of Braun’s head. “I know you’re worried, firecracker, but you need to have faith.”

“In the court system?”

“In Ronin. He’s a brilliant attorney with an almost unbeaten track record at winning his cases. It’s why he made partner so young.”

“How can I trust a man I barely know?”

“You’ve spoken with Ronin.”

“Officially and about my testimony. It’s not like we’ve had a personal chat over coffee and scones.”

“You eat scones?”

He pinched Tarek’s ass. “Not the point.”

“I know, I’m sorry. And he was here for dinner when he first arrived in town.”

Braun grumped, because yeah, Tarek had a point. Ronin seemed reliable, but this was still his brother’s life at stake.

“Why don’t we put it all on the back-burner for a few hours,” Tarek continued, “while I go to this meeting. Afterward, we’ll have more information about moving forward. If you can get an observed session with Kell, then I’m certain Ronin will be present. You can get to know him, as well.”

“I hope so. He’s got my brother’s life in his hands.”

“And I’m certain he understands that. Remember, he knew Kell when they were teenagers. He traveled hundreds of miles by train to be here. He has every reason to fight as hard as possible to get Kell free of these charges.”

“Thank you for that.” Braun leaned up on his toes to kiss Tarek on the mouth. “Good luck at the meeting.”

“Thank you. Set the alarm after I leave.”

“I will.”

He watched Tarek collect his suit jacket, keys, and mobile, and then he left the house. Braun turned the deadbolt, then set the alarm on the newly installed system. After the first time Senior Iverson showed up at the house demanding to see Braun, Tarek had been extra cautious, and he’d looked into upgrading his security camera bluff into reality. So far, Senior Iverson had stayed away from Braun, but he was doing enough damage behind the scenes, smearing Kell’s reputation all over the media.

These past few weeks, spending all their time alone, occasionally inviting over their beta friends Serge and Dex, had been a strange kind of dream. A horror show was happening in the outside world, but inside of their cottage, it was somewhat peaceful. They watched television; they gardened; they played board games with their friends; they made love. And then Braun would remember why he shouldn’t be having such a good time, and he’d feel guilty for laughing at one of Serge’s funny hospital stories.

Serge visited him the most. A nurse at the provincial hospital, he’d been the first adult to truly befriend Braun. He and Dex had saved his ass—quite literally—from a pair of drunk alphas, and they’d been his introduction to Tarek. Serge had helped Braun through his first heat. Kell would love Serge, if they ever met.

When they meet. Gotta have faith, right?

Faith wasn’t an easy thing for an omega who’d spent his entire life being told he was worthless, a burden, and only worth what his womb could produce. Considering the fertility issues that plagued both Kell and their omegin, Braun wasn’t sure he’d be able to get pregnant. So mating with Tarek during his next heat didn’t scare him very much—one ejaculation during heat was highly unlikely to result in pregnancy.

If it did, they would deal with it. If not, they would continue to use condoms and hope for the best with each heat, until they found a doctor willing to sterilize Braun. He and Tarek had both watched Kell’s only birth nearly kill him, and Tarek didn’t want to risk Braun’s life in childbirth. Braun felt the same. He’d never dreamed of raising children, only seen it as the future waiting for him as an omega. Now that he had a future mate who had no strong feelings about being a father, Braun saw a different future for himself.

He watched television for a while, careful to avoid any mentions of local news, until boredom set in. He desperately wanted to go for a run around the block, but Tarek would skin him if he put himself at the mercy of the press, so he spent some time doing basic exercises on the living room carpet. Stuff he remembered from school gym class, like jumping jacks, pushups, crunches, and running in place. Not what he wanted, but better than nothing. His lack of real exercise, coupled with Tarek’s amazing cooking, was letting him go soft around the middle.

Tarek loved that his skinny, angular frame was filling out. “More of you to nibble,” he often said in bed.

The house line rang, startling Braun into tripping over his own ankles and nearly falling. He checked the ID box. Unfamiliar number, so he let the machine pick up the call, which it was set to do after three rings.

Static instead of a voice, and then, “There are videos. Find the video feed.” Stranger’s voice, heavily disguised. The call ended.

Braun stared at the red, blinking light announcing the new message. Seven words seared into his brain.

Videos of what? Of who? Where were they?

He picked up the receiver and redialed the number.

“The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected.”

Of course it fucking had! Braun used his mobile to call Tarek’s, his pulse jumping and mouth dry. Tarek didn’t answer, probably in his meeting, so Braun left a message. “Someone left a weird voice mail on our answering machine about videos, please call me back.”

He paced for exactly twelve steps before his mobile rang. “Tarek?”

“Are you okay?” Tarek asked. Of course he’d be worried about Braun first.

“I’m okay, a little freaked out. Listen.” He played the voice mail for Tarek. Twice. “What do you think?”

“I think it could be a clue, someone trying to help out Kell’s case.”

“Then why wouldn’t they call Ronin directly? Why be secretive?”

“Depends on the source. If this person feels as if his life is endangered by coming forward, this might be his way of reaching out. I’m going to send a constable over to get the information and phone number. Sit tight, okay?”

“Okay. Wait, what about you?”

Tarek laughed. “I’ve been reinstated. I’m a constable again.”

Braun whooped so loudly he imagined Tarek probably pulled his mobile away from his ear. “That’s amazing news!”

“Yes, it is, and I’m able to start back right away. And I have even more good news for you, sweetheart.”

“About Kell?”

“Yup. I’ve spoken to both Ronin and Constable Jenks, who’s overseeing the case, and they agreed to a formal, recorded meeting between you and Kell in one of the rooms here at the station. That way the prosecution can’t argue either of you tried influencing the other’s testimony, as long as you don’t talk about the case at all.”

“Anything, as long as I can see him.”

“We’ll set it up for this afternoon, all right?”

Braun’s heart nearly beat out of his chest with joy. “Yes, thank you! You’re the absolute best.”

“Anything for my omega, you know that.”

“I do. I love you.”

“Love you back. I’ll see you in a few hours, okay?”

“Okay. Bye.”

Braun was still unsettled by the vague voice mail, but overjoyed that he was going to see his brother today. They couldn’t discuss the case itself, which was annoying, but also understandable. Braun would adhere to any rules necessary if it got him into the same room as Kell. It had been too long, and he missed him so much.

And more than anything, he needed to hear from Kell that he was okay, and that Ronin hadn’t laid a finger on him. Braun wouldn’t be responsible for his actions if Ronin had.