The walk out of the building is mortifying, but I keep my face buried in Ridge’s chest and refuse to make eye contact with anyone.

    Being an omega is embarrassing at times.

    I’m sure it’s hard for betas to hide the scent of sex, but it’s even worse for alphas and omegas because of our overactive pheromones.

    Everyone on that floor had to have known what was happening.

    Things get even more stressful as Hartley helps me into the backseat of his SUV. He leans close, brushing his lips over mine, and I can see the exact moment that he realizes Ridge and I bonded.

    His eyes widen, and he pulls back, studying my face.

    “I was going to tell you. I just thought that conversation would be better one-on-one.” I smile tightly.

    Trigg wasn’t joking when he said Hartley had a fan club. Even for as long as we were wrapped up in Keir’s office, Hartley was still talking to a bunch of guys I didn’t recognize by the time we made it out.

    “I get it,” he says, kissing my cheek.

    I try not to let it hurt my feelings that he didn’t give me a real kiss, but it kinda does. He carefully closes the door as Trigg climbs into the back passenger seat.

    Hartley climbs into the driver’s seat, and I watch the back of his head. Okay, this counts as ring at the back of his head. He didn’t evene to look for me when I was in the office, then he didn’t give me a real kiss.

    I swear my moods were never this erratic before I got pregnant, and I can only hope they go back to normal once I give birth. I’m sure it was a shock to learn that Ridge and I bonded, but I have to believe Hart will understand once he calms down.

    Trigg stretches an arm over, patting my thigh. “Things have been chaotic, but I have a gift for you that I’ve already held onto for longer than I nned. I would like to give it to you soon.”

    I nod and link my fingers with his.

    I’m honestly surprised how well he took the newspared to Hartley. Everything is moving at super speed, and the baby will be here before we know it.

    I just need to get things settled between the four of us before she makes her arrival. It would be a whole lot easier if all three of them weren’t exceptionally stubborn.hr

    Trigg helps Hartley unload the boxes and bags from Hart’s SUV. It’s all stuff they grabbed from Harrison’s house.

    Ridge and I need a shower, but Trigg makes a big deal about us not showering alone, just in case Ridge were to pass out. However, that idea only solidifies that I’m not letting my injured alpha bake in the hot water by himself, which ends in a very awkward shower for the three of us.

    Ridge is yful and teasing.

    Trigg is hyperfocused on ensuring we all actually get clean.

    I’m annoyed with both of them.

    “How does it feel to be the world’s most boring cock-blocking dick?” Ridge heckles.

    “I’m genuinely surprised you’ve survived this long,” Trigg retorts. “So focused on your baser desires rather than caring for your omega. If I were you, I’d be embarrassed of myself.” He continues soaping my middle, like all he can concentrate on is the goal he had when he climbed into the shower. “Now that you and Quincy have bonded, I’ll be the one who has to continually focus on keeping you alive.” Trigg pats my hip. “Thank me for keeping the useless Neanderthal alive.”

    I roll my eyes, smiling at Ridge. “He’s just joking.”

    “Hardly,” Trigg says with a snort.

    “I do a fine job of keeping myself alive,” Ridge mutters, looking strangely pouty.

    I get back to scrubbing his stomach and hips as a distraction, but seriously…

    Is this what my life will be like forever?

    Listening to grown men bicker like children?

    They better up their sex game if this is what I’m going to have to endure for the next fifty or sixty years. I’m going to need a lot of really incredible orgasms to overlook the constant arguing.

    I almostugh at the thought.

    “And yet, I’ll be the one you look to when you need your bandages reced,” Trigg says, getting one final jab in.

    Next time, I might just let them shower together while I snuggle up with Hartley.

    If he even still wants me…

    Shit.

    I need to check in with him as soon as the shower from hell is over.hr

    Trigg stays in the bathroom to help rebandage Ridge’s gunshot wound, but as soon as I pull my dress over my head, I go searching for Hartley.

    He’s bent over near one of the dressers, dropping some type of clothing into the drawer, and I exhale in pure relief.

    Okay, so he didn’t run the second I was preupied.

    Thank God.

    My ankles are swollen, which makes waddling over a slightly ufortable experience, but I smile as Ie to a stop at his side. “Getting settled in?”

    Hartley stands to his full height and swipes his hands off on his jeans. “Yeah, I picked a corner of the closet and shoved my stuff in it.” His hand swivels, gesturing at the dresser. “Then I needed somewhere to put the things that couldn’t be hung up. Hopefully this is okay.”

    “I’m sure it is.” I rock on my feet, trying to move enough to make the weird shooting pains in my soles stop. It’s almost like they’ve gone to sleep, but not quite.

    He nods. “My dads have their own bedrooms, but Ridge put us in here?—”

    “You wanted us to stick together,” I remind him.

    “I did,” he says, reaching out an arm and wrapping his hand around my lower back. “But now you’re bonded to Ridge, and it feels like I’m supposed to give the two of you time alone, but I have nowhere to disappear to. Trigg and Ridge both have their own rooms.”

    My handse to rest on his shirt as I stare up at his handsome face. “If you need your own space, I’ll go clean the room Knox was staying in.” I try to get a read on where his head is at, and my brow furrows. He’s not giving me anything. “I can understand wanting a little breathing room or somewhere that’s solely for you. I just hope you would tell me if you’re rethinking wanting to be together. I’m not sure if I was supposed to ask before bonding Ridge?—”

    “No,” he says firmly. “I saw thating a mile away, and more than that, I get it.” The throbbing in my feet and lower legs gets worse, and I lift my left foot, shaking it from side to side, and Hart frowns. “Are you okay?”

    “My feet and ankles don’t feel great, but I’m fine. I really want to stay on track with this conversation.”

    Hartley sighs. “You’ve had so much going on. This is the kind of thing you need to speak up about.” He guides me over to the bed and pulls back theforter. “Lie down, beautiful. I’ll get you a couple pillows from my side so you can elevate your legs.”

    Climbing onto the bed isn’t a pretty process, but I get situated while Hartley shoves two pillows under my ankles.

    Once that’s done, he sits on the edge of the bed, facing me, and tucks a wet strand of hair behind my ear.

    I wish he would say whatever is bothering him. His warm fingers brush over my cheek, and I pull a hand up, cupping his.

    “Tell me what’s bothering you. Please?”

    His blond waves fall over his forehead as he shrugs. “I’m just wondering where I fit in here. Ridge and Trigg are both dangerous—highly trained—whatever you want to call it. That’s not me.”

    “Hartley,” I whisper, my chest aching with spillover difort from him.

    “Trigg is supposedly your soulmate. You and Ridge are having a baby?—”

    “Before we ever even came here, you said paternity didn’t matter.”

    “I did say that, and it’s still true,” he says as his blue eyes bore into mine. “I’m so fucking excited to meet the baby. I guess it just feels like…” He shrugs. “What do I bring to the table that you can’t get from them?”

    “A sense of normalcy? Comfort? You?” My head shakes. “You’re what I can’t get from them. There’s a perfect piece of my heart carved out where you shoved yourself in. Please don’t ever question how much you mean to me.”

    His eyes sparkle as he studies my face, and my stomach flip-flops. He’s one of the most attractive guys I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to believe he could have any feelings of self-doubt, but I must not have done enough to reassure him how much he means to me.

    All rtionships areplicated, but trying to mesh their three unique personalities into one family pack is harder than I ever could have imagined. I’m always going to have to be aware of not identally showing favoritism or leaving one of them out.

    “I would be lost without you, Hartley,” I say, praying the sincerity in my words rings through to him. “I care about you so much. When I envision the future, you’re right by my side for every step of it, and I hope you want that too.”

    “I see the same things. I’m with you, beautiful.” He leans closer, kissing me.

    My lower lip is swollen and tender, but I ignore the slight difort and focus on Hart’s smell. That fresh, snowy, woodsy scent that is distinctly Hartley.

    His tongue swirls around mine, and a low growl vibrates out of his chest. He pulls back all too soon, and I find myself chasing his lips.

    He chuckles. “I love it when you do that. It makes me feel like you can’t get enough of me.”

    “I really can’t.” I grin back. “I just want you to befortable, and if you aren’t, I need you toe talk to me about it so we can fix it.”

    “I’m an adult. I’m responsible for my own emotions. I’m still adjusting to this new normal, but if it’s something big, I will address it.”

    A sharp pain flickers through the bond, and my right shoulder starts to throb. Gasping, I pull a hand up to rub at the ache. “Holy shit. That’s Ridge’s pain.”

    “Damn,” Hartley says. “That much filters through?”

    “I guess so.” I was distracted by the seriousness of our conversation, but now that I’ve noticed the throbbing ache, it’s getting worse.

    “All right, let me run and grab Ridge’s meds.” Hartley pats my thigh. “Rest and keep your legs elevated. I’ll make sure I note it on the chart, but I want you to focus on yourself and the baby.” He leans close and gives me another quick peck before climbing off the bed and standing.

    I really don’t know what I would do without him.

    “Think about what you want to eat.” He takes off for the hallway with the nest and the bathroom. “We might need to break down and order groceries for delivery, but for now, think about which restaurant you’re craving.”

    My insides light up.

    He really does know how to sweet-talk a pregnantdy.