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"Finn, I know marrying me wasn't what either of us wanted." Drew rested his hand on Finn's shoulder. "We can make it work. We're a good match." Finn exhaled, crossing his arms over his chest. He wanted to believe this. Under normal circumstances, he might have believed this. Now, he didn't know what to think. Finn Balor had come from Ireland on a scholarship to one of the most prestigious boarding schools in New York State. A diploma from Flair would open many doors, due to their long history of prestigious alumni. While there, he'd been given the opportunity to be mentored by Hunter Helmsley, CEO of Helmsley's, a chain of discount stores. Finn knew something strange would come of being an Omega ward to the Helmsley empire, an old money, very prestigious Alpha family. Yet, the offer had been too good to pass up. Hunter promised him the world, with the understanding he might be called upon to help him. Finn agreed, never realizing his help would come in the form of arranged marriage. He could have backed out- After all, Hunter offered him the option. Finn considered it but then realized he couldn't do it. Hunter's influence had enabled him to receive the finest education he could afford. Upon graduation, Hunter gave Finn the best contacts to start his career. With a little bit of help, he'd become one of the city's hottest artists. When Hunter came to him with the idea of marrying Drew McIntyre, Finn felt he could hardly refuse. "I don't doubt that." Finn exhaled, as he searched for the words. He held no ill feelings towards this man. It was a situation he had no control over. "It is a strange situation. Let us solidify our merger by having my son marry your son." He stopped, realizing he might have sounded harsher than he intended. None of this was Drew's fault. His only issue in any of this was the fact he was the sort of Alpha every mother wanted for their Omega. In the grand scheme of it, he was his family's bargaining chip. "Fucked up, right?" Drew stared at the carpet, dragging the toe of his boot against the grain of the carpet fiber. "One second, you're learning how to run a department store and the next, you're married to the adopted son of your store's biggest rival." McIntyre's Department Store was beloved by many people. Everyone seemed to have fond memories of shopping there over the years. Yet, the decline of the mall meant an overall loss of business. In order to save the brand, they had merged with Helmsley's, a discount chain similar to Marshall's. For some strange reason, they sealed the merger with the marriage of their eldest son, Drew to the desirable Omega ward of the CEO. "It is what it is." Finn slowly rose, staring around the penthouse. A wedding gift from Drew's family, it had once belonged to a long-deceased great aunt. The apartment hadn't been renovated or touched since sometime in the late 1970s. "Aunt Trudy was a touch eccentric." Drew lightly fingered a green velvet drape, ignoring the cloud of dust erupting from the fixture. "Da said you were welcome to come to the store and pick some new furniture if you wanted." Finn exhaled again, taking a second glance around the apartment. From what he understood, Ermintrude never married and had no children. Why had she needed so much space? "You're nervous," Drew commented, squeezing Finn's shoulder. "I can smell it on you." He began to massage his shoulder in a gentle rhythm. Finn shifted, still unused to Drew's touch. Rumor had it he was a bastard in the board room, refusing to let anyone best him. He was a force to be reckoned with. As it turned out, he was a teddy bear while away from prying eyes.The clock began to chime, telling them it was almost three in the morning. "We've had a busy day." Finn murmured, his eyes suddenly growing heavier. "I know you wanted a honeymoon but I imagine it would be easier to get away when the merger settles down." Drew nodded, covering his mouth to stifle a yawn. They'd been in wedding mode since early that morning. The first ceremony had begun at 10:30 AM with the final reception toast ending just before midnight. Silently, he offered Finn his hand. Finn accepted, watching Drew's fingers close around his wrist. He exhaled, wishing he had the words. Still unfamiliar with the layout of the apartment, Finn allowed Drew to lead him to their bedroom. After a few moments, Drew stopped in front of a heavy oak door. "Here. You can sleep in here." This felt strange. For some reason, Finn had expected they would share a bed. Instead, it looked like Drew intended for him to sleep alone. Would anything in this arrangement make sense?
Apparently not.
"Good night," Drew muttered, leaning in. He pressed a soft kiss to Finn's cheek. "I'll see you in the morning?" Finn tightened his hands into fists, doing his best to avoid letting out the scent of sadness. "I'll be down the hall." Finn turned, watching Drew shuffle down the hall. Not even married for 12 hours and he was already alone.Finn opened the heavy door, and found himself immediately overtaken by the scent of dust and mothballs. Apparently, this room hadn't been aired out in several decades. "Hunter..." he mumbled, pulling the curtains open. After a second, he pushed the window up, allowing a burst of cold air to enter. It didn't do much to ease the smell but at least, Finn didn't think he would be sleeping with the ghost of Aunt Trudy. Suddenly, his mentor's voice filled his head. Hunter had gone out of his way to teach him many things. The most important of those things being....A Helmsley always gets what he wants. Finn spun around on his heel, heading back towards the door. If memory served him correctly, Drew had lived in the apartment for the last two weeks, meaning whatever room he was in did not smell like Aunt Trudy. Once the bedroom aired out and the linens were refreshed, he would be content to sleep in there. Studies showed that it did a marriage good to sleep separately. They needed to make this work. The same study hadn't said anything about dead great-aunts and mothballs, but Finn figured those smells would be a detriment to a new marriage. He stopped in front of the only door with a strip of light coming from beneath it. This had to be Drew's room. Reaching out, he knocked. "What?" Drew sounded odd- a cross between annoyed and almost startled. "Oh, wait. Forgot. Come in, Finn." Finn blinked in surprise. Had Drew actually forgotten they were married? Then again, it was a fairly new development. "Finn?" Now, Drew just sounded mad. "Come on." Finn pulled the door open, surprised to see Drew still up and about. He stepped in, breathing in the rich scent of leather, citrus and some scent he couldn't quite identify. He watched Drew finish undressing, remaining silent the entire time.After a second, Drew sunk in front of a vanity and began to run a soft bristle brush through his long dark hair. "Here." Finn walked behind him, taking the brush from his hand. Drew turned, glaring at him. "Hush." "Do not tell me to hush," Drew hissed, leaning back. "I'll humor you though." Finn bit back a sarcastic comeback. The last thing he wanted was to get in a fight about this. All he wanted to do was help his husband while making the best of an awkward situation. "If you let me help you without glaring, I wouldn't tell you to hush," Finn said matter of fact. He began to work the brush through Drew's hair, taking careful action to avoid snagging any stray snarls or tangles. "Your hair is beautiful.""Thank you- it's my one act of rebellion against Da." Drew glanced up, giving Finn a cocky stare. "You're still dressed." "About that." Finn set the brush down and grabbed a black hair elastic from the other side of the vanity. He snapped it around the top of Drew's ponytail and began to plait his hair with expert precision. "You remembered." Drew seemed genuinely surprised. "I mentioned that once on our first date." "I do care about you." Finn snapped another elastic around the end of the braid. "Besides, Bayley made me learn to braid and I figure it shouldn't be a wasted skill." "Bayley's the one married to the musician?" Drew pushed back from the vanity and rose. "Think I like him. He's odd." "That's Elias." Finn shrugged. "I don't get it but then again, it's not my life." "You're still dressed?" Drew phrased it as a question. "Was the room not suitable?" "About that." Finn loosened his tie and pulled it off in one swift motion. He tossed it into the hamper and glanced up, more aware than ever of their extreme height difference. "I cannot sleep anywhere that smells like mothballs and Aunt Trudy." He crossed his arms over his chest as he took a step back. "I can find you another room?" "Here's a novel idea." Finn unbuttoned his shirt before letting it slide off his shoulders. "You have a king-sized bed and your room doesn't smell like Aunt Trudy.""You want me to find another room?" Drew shot Finn an incredulous look. "It's...what...why?" "Why don't we sleep together?" Finn unbuttoned his pants. Slipping them off, he stood in front of his husband wearing just a white tank-top and a pair of black boxer briefs. Part of him felt incredibly exposed. It was the most Drew had ever seen of him. Part of him felt invigorated. He hadn't ever been one to take control but doing it this time felt right. "I'm a cuddler," Drew mumbled, avoiding Finn's gaze. "Repeat that?" Finn planted his hand on his hip. He couldn't have heard Drew correctly. "I've been told I'm a cuddler." Drew pulled off his dress shirt and tank-top, leaving him in just black boxers. "I mean...it's never bothered me but I didn't want to..." His voice drifted off. Finn bit back an annoyed comment. His husband had tried to force him to sleep with the ghost of Aunt Trudy to hide the fact he liked to cuddle.Maybe there was more to those stories than Finn had given credit to..."Doesn't bother me in the slightest." Finn pulled back the covers and slid between the sheets. Between the expensive Egyptian cotton sheets and the plush mattress, it was the best bed Finn had ever been in. "Come on." "Are you sure?" Drew settled onto the edge of the bed, casting a wary look over his shoulder. "Yes." Finn did his best to not sound as annoyed as he felt. "Here." He reached over, pulling Drew to the bed. After some careful manipulation, he got Drew under the covers. "Hands here." He moved Drew's hand so they rested around his waist. Drew pulled Finn close against him. "If you're uncomfortable, please tell me." "You're good," Finn murmured, tucking his head beneath Drew's chin. "Good night, Husband." "Sounds odd," Drew mumbled, turning the bedside light off. "Good night." Safe in Drew's grasp, Finn drifted off to sleep. This was much better than sharing a bed with the ghost of Aunt Trudy.
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"Do you regret it yet?" Bayley sat in the middle of the bed, her legs pulled into a half lotus. She gazed up, giving him an expectant look. "What kind of question is that?" Finn glared at her. He knew she hadn't approved of him agreeing to the arrangement but he also didn't need a constant reminder. "Do you regret your shotgun bonding?" His words held just enough bite to drive his point home. "Ouch." Bayley gently cradled her swollen belly as she drew back. "Okay, I deserved that but ow." She glanced down. "Kid, your uncle still loves you. Mama just has a big mouth." "Yes, I do." He plopped on the bed, scooting close to her. Pulling her into a tight hug, he drew his lips close to her ear. "I am determined to make this work." Finn had been officially married for 39 hours. While most couples were still starry-eyed and planning their happily ever after, Finn and Drew were in the running for 'most awkward couple of the century'. If a stranger passed them, they would assume the men were old college roommates, instead of Husband and husband. "That bad?" Bayley gently ran her fingernails up Finn's arm. "You tell me everything so spill!" Finn Balor met Bayley Rose on the second day of his freshman year at Vassar. She'd been late to English and found the only open seat next to Finn. They bonded over an analysis of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, and the rest was history. "You think this room is bad now?" Finn gestured around with his hand. "This is after 36 hours of scent neutralizers and freezing myself out. We're not even talking grocery store neutralizers. This is the stuff you buy when someone goes into an unexpected heat at the dorm and you need to make the dorm 'Alpha friendly'." Bayley blinked, taken aback by his words. "Well, um, it won't be that bad once we liven it up!" As she reached his neck, she cocked her head, as if she weren't sure what she saw. "No, he hasn't marked me yet." Finn pulled back, doing his best to ignore his best friend's aghast look. "We're just to where he actually kisses me when he leaves for the office. I do not want cheek kisses from my husband." He nibbled his lower lip as he contemplated his last sentence. "Okay, I lied. I do not want my 'husband' to only kiss me on the cheek." They had somehow survived the first awkward night. It turned into platonic kisses, awkward hugs and Drew becoming more and more comfortable with Finn beside him at night. Finn didn't mind that part. He remained partially convinced Aunt Trudy haunted the apartment. "Well, don't forget- as long as you're unmarked, the marriage can be annulled." Finn knew she only spoke the truth. They would need to get around to that eventually but right now wasn't that time. This arrangement still felt too new. "Moving on." Bayley rolled her eyes. "Have you found the art studio yet?" Finn groaned, pushing off the bed. He hadn't wanted to find an art room until he had a better idea of how to rid the space of the traces of dust and moth balls. He didn't want to focus on painting when everything smelled so bad. Well, there was no time like the present. "Come on." He offered Bayley his hand, helping her off the high bed. "Didn't want to go alone?" "Well, I figure if Aunt Trudy gets me, I have a witness." Finn let out a weak laugh, wondering if Bayley believed him. He wasn't exactly afraid of the apartment but he also found its size overwhelming and its atmosphere creepy. Plus no one had given him reason to believe Aunt Trudy didn't linger. "You big baby!" Bayley squeaked, poking him in the arm. "Let's find you an art studio!" Finn subconsciously knew the penthouse was huge but it was only as they explored that the true size of it came through. It amazed him to realize they had seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms. Of the seven rooms, two were occupied. That left 5 potential art studios. He would just need to actually pick one. Yet, as they explored, it became evident none of them were 'right'. One room was too small- Bayley claimed it was a nursery but Finn wasn't sure. It could work if he hadn't needed the paint cart. Musty 1930s furniture made the next room they found a definite no. If that hadn't been bad enough, the painted walls showed a lovely shade of pea green. The third room ended up being perfect. This room was painted a dark carrot orange. From what he could see by the light streaming through the blinds, all the furniture looked vintage- probably 1940s. It wasn't his normal style but he knew he could make it work. "This isn't terrible." Finn flipped the light on, waiting for the old fixture to kick on. "Doesn't smell like mothballs." "Always a plus!" Bayley sounded cheery as she worked to pry the window as open as it would allow. A thick layer of dust coated everything Finn saw. It required a lot of work to make the space usable but that seemed reasonable. In this nightmare, everything required an immense amount of cleaning. "How did you not find this space?" Bayley asked. "If I'm here, I'm either with Drew or in my bedroom." Finn gestured around the room. "Even if we have kids- and at this point- that's a big if- it's still more space than we will ever need." "It's cute." Bayley tied back the curtains, sneezing several times as a thick cloud of dust came out. "So much dust..." "Welcome to my world." Finn plopped down in the rolling chair, ignoring the dust coming out in another thick cloud. "I would much rather have a small house in Norwalk or Darien." "One day!" Bayley exclaimed with a hopeful grin. "True." Finn nodded. "One day..." If we make it that long. He added mentally.
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"We've been instructed to go away this weekend." Drew stared across the dining room table. "Da said we could use the cottage." Finn set the heavy silver fork down. He had to think about this one. The cottage? There was a cottage?"Didn't know we had a cottage." Finn took a long sip of wine. He didn't want to snap at Drew but he also didn't want to be told what to do. He needed to be patient and roll with it. "My parents have a beach house, a cottage and a country estate." Drew exhaled. "He thought we might like a change of scenery." Finn didn't want to think his father-in-law had an ulterior motive, and yet, that man was insanely obsessed with the continuance of his bloodline. He could see through his shenanigans from a mile away. If I send them somewhere remote, maybe they'll have a honeymoon baby and I can show off my progeny. Finn found men like Edmund McIntyre to be thoroughly predictable. "Not against it." Finn picked his fork up again and resumed picking at his plate of Pad Thai. He shook his head, knowing he needed to do something about the kitchen next. They couldn't live off takeout for the next millennium."I just wasn't aware there was a cottage." "Fine. We leave for Connecticut tomorrow." Finn stifled a flustered groan. Having spent so much time around Hunter, he knew how to carry himself with a certain grace. A Helmsley never lets themselves get pushed around. Either fight it or let it go. This counted as an unnecessary argument. He didn't mind getting out of the city. If anything, the clean air would do him some good. On the other hand, he despised being told what to do."Did we just..." Finn rose, taking his plate with him. "Never mind." He washed the dish, deciding it best to put as much space between them as possible. Finn rarely lost his temper but he could feel it coming. He didn't want that to happen. Maybe a hot shower would soothe his nerves."Oh come on!" Finn hissed as a blast of icy water covered him. "We're supposed to be living the good life." With his shower now ruined, Finn toweled off. If anything, he wanted to go to sleep and forget this miserable night. "Hunter, hope this is worth it," Finn grumbled, pulling on a pair of gray sweatpants. "You gave me the world and..." Before this, Finn hadn't subscribed to archaic beliefs and practices. An Omega could marry an Omega. An Omega didn't need an Alpha to be happy. Love mattered more than caste. None of that mattered now. Look at the mess he'd gotten himself in!With the help of Bayley, they managed to rid the bedroom of most of the smell. Finn didn't think he would have a problem sleeping in there. With the window kept wide open, he readied for bed. Finn settled onto the pile of down pillows, sinking into the plushness. He tossed and turned. This didn't feel right. "Two nights and..." Finn shook his head. No, he wouldn't allow his mind to go there. Finn came to Flair with the understanding that their graduates got the best opportunities. He wanted the change to grow his artistic talents and go on a grand adventure. The full scholarship promised that. Well, Finn had gotten his grand adventure.Married to a curmudgeon with no social skills...A light knock pulled him out of his thoughts. "Yeah?" he called, fixing his gaze on the door. "I thought you'd be coming to bed?" Drew stepped into the room. "We managed to get most of the smell out." Finn moved over, making room next to him. "Thought you would want your bed back." For a brief second, he swore Drew look almost hurt. Finn stifled a frustrated groan. He hated seeing Drew hurt. "Didn't say that." Drew exhaled, turning as if to leave. "I can go..." Great. Finn had actually managed to make Drew pout. He did the only thing he could think of in an attempt to make it better. "Come on." Finn reached over, patting the empty space beside him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Do you understand why your father sent us all the way out here?" Finn pulled his sunglasses up, resting them on top of his head. He wrenched the door open, sliding out of the rented Subaru. "I have my suspicions." Drew stepped out of the car, and moved over to Finn. "He means well?" Drew sounded as though he weren't so sure of that. "Right." Finn gazed up, meeting Drew's eye. "While I'm thinking about it, I have a doctor's appointment on Monday. They want to adjust my suppressants." He blinked, noticing Drew's blank look. "Madeleine wants to meet you." "Oh." Drew pulled his phone out, and glanced at the screen. "I'll get Lacey to put it on my schedule."Finn shivered at the mention of his husband's assistant. He and Lacey didn't get along on a good day. She seemed to naturally dislike him. This didn't bother him. As far as he was concerned, the feeling was mutual. "Sounds good." "So, here we are." Drew pulled a unicorn key chain out of his pocket and dangled it off his index finger. "Let's see what we've gotten ourselves into." Finn swallowed, hoping to break up the lump in his throat. At least the cottage was smaller than the penthouse. He couldn't get lost. Watching Drew disappear inside, he cringed. That stream of swears coming from his husband's mouth did not sound very good. "Promise you won't yell?" Drew called over his shoulder. Finn bit back a wave of laughter. In the 3 days they'd been married, this was the most chill he'd seen Drew. "That bad?" "Come see!" Drew stepped back, opening the door wider. "I had no idea this would be... see for yourself." Finn ran up to the cottage. He didn't want to think it could be that bad. Then again, the peeling lime green paint didn't exactly inspire confidence...Holding his breath, he stepped through the doorway. So far, it just seemed like a rundown cottage. Nothing seemed particularly bad.
What could Drew have noticed?Then, he looked to the left. "What the fuck...?" The rest of the question disappeared in the air as his eyes widened in stunned surprise. All the furniture was from the 1980s, right down to the Avocado green cushions. The walls had been deliberately painted a dinghy gray. The worst part was also the strangest. "Why is there a fully-made full sized bed in the living room?" Finn rushed over, squatting down to examine the mattress and linens. "These are new, and feel expensive." He ran the edge of the duvet between his thumb and forefinger. "Your guess is as good as mine." Drew reached down, resting his hand on Finn's shoulder. "Da warned me this was a fairly new acquisition, but he swore it was good to go." Finn spun around, gesturing around the room with a broad sweep of his hand. "He wasn't lying. This furniture is perfect!" "Eleanor." Drew pulled back, sinking into a wing-backed armchair. "This has Eleanor written all over it." "Eleanor?" Finn sat on the edge of the bed, giving Drew a questioning look. "Have I met her?" "Somewhat?" Drew stared up at the ceiling, as he searched for the answer. "Remember the Beta in the green dress?" Finn squeezed his eyes shut, as he tried to remember. There had been so many people at their wedding that he could hardly recall who had been there. Also, he was horrible with names on a good day..."Mum sat her in the back with the acquaintances?" Finn shook his head. That still didn't sound familiar. "Red-headed Beta with a thick southern accent?" "Oh!" Now that made sense. "Vaguely." Drew huffed in exasperation. "Moving on." "Who is she?" "Da's mistress. Mum knows about her. She doesn't care as long as he keeps her away." Finn nodded, doing his best to hide his surprise. She knew her husband had a mistress and she didn't care? "I don't question my parents and their personal lives." Drew shrugged. "I can't stand Eleanor though. Literally hate her." Finn knew Drew's family had different values. In his experience, few old money families were far from normal. Realizing the familiar way Drew's mother treated someone she didn't like startled Finn. Would the same thing be expected of him? "Do you have a person?" It was a question he hadn't thought to ask before the wedding. "Not quite." Drew's voiced quivered with hesitated. "I- there was someone before you- but Da took care of that." Da took care of that. What did that even mean? Did Edmund McIntyre make someone disappear?"Rather not talk about it." Drew coughed, trying to hide his comfort with the conversation. "So, are we going to make the best of it?" Finn nodded reluctantly. What choice did they really have?For one thing, they were already in Connecticut. "Thank you," Drew mumbled. "I know this isn't your idea of a good vacation."That didn't even begin to describe how he felt about this. At that particular moment, it seemed better to be in a pool of hungry piranhas than vacationing in a weird cottage decorated by his husband's father's mistress. "Do we need groceries?" With the familiar pounding of a tension headache threatening to strike, Finn knew he needed an escape. A grocery run would be the perfect excuse to leave. Drew rose from the chair, lazily ambling into the kitchen. "Oat milk, olives, a bottle of Brut. Asparagus water." "Asparagus water?" Finn called back in disbelief. Despite his time with Hunter, he'd just never learned to appreciate things like that. "Eleanor." Drew somehow managed to make this sound like a perfectly reasonable explanation. "Do you mind...?""Not in the slightest." The further Finn got away from the strange cottage, the better it would be for him.
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"Should we feel guilty that we've eaten out every night this week?" Drew asked, pouring water into a crystal wine glass. "No, but then again, I don't cook." Finn sighed, spearing a piece of broccoli on a tine of his fork. "There's a meat market by the grocery. Maybe I'll actually attempt cooking this weekend." "Mum offered to lend us Mary Ellen." Drew rose, taking his empty plate with him. He groaned, reading Finn's expression. "I know you don't want help. You want to do it yourself. What are you going to do when the children come?" You assume we'll make it that long. Finn didn't mean to sound so pessimistic. He just didn't know what to think. If they had kids, it wouldn't be for years. "Finn, please answer me." Drew heaved an exasperated sigh as he took on his Alpha voice. Finn imagined this was what he sounded like in the boardroom, when one of the junior executives pissed him off. "You don't want help- what about the children?" "Well, if you haven't noticed, I paint." Finn jumped up, as anger and frustration coursed through him. He hadn't meant to lose his temper, but it had been a long week of random things he couldn't explain. Drew wanting an answer on children who didn't yet exist pushed him over the edge. "I can easily wear a baby and paint." He dumped the remnants of his meal in the trash can and set the enamel plate in the sink. Then, ignoring Drew trying to explain himself, Finn stormed into the living room. Finn knew he acted like a child but he didn't care. It was either this or getting into a screaming match over hypothetical children. Since that felt utterly pointless, it made sense to do this. Grabbing a pair of red silk dividers, he set it up around the living room bed. It wasn't ideal but they were also in a one-bedroom Cottage. One made allowances when throwing a tantrum.Life wasn't supposed to be this hectic. He had assumed it would be weird to get used to the situation, but he also hadn’t expected it would be like this. “This was a horrible idea,” Finn mumbled, pulling the blankets back from the bed. “I hate this.” Falling onto the mattress, he jammed the pillow over his head. None of this made sense but he would prevail. Didn't he always?
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Finn woke to find the cottage eerily still. He assumed this just had to do the fact he was used to the noise of the city. Straining to listen, he noticed the faint sound of someone breathing. He wasn't alone in the living room.He slid out of bed, curious about the sound. He knew it had to be Drew, but where was he?Finn’s jaw gaped open, as he noticed Drew curled up on the too-small sofa. A crocheted peach and brown afghan lay on top of him, covering him in his rest. Finn shook his head, unable to believe this. Seemingly, there would be no end to the oddness of their relationship. You’re mad at him. Finn tried to keep this thought at the front of his mind. He couldn’t allow his affection for the man’s awkwardness to cloud his judgment.Then again, Finn Balor was not a particularly cruel man. Reaching over, he gently grasped Drew’s shoulder and gave him a firm shake. As mad as he was, he couldn’t let his husband sleep on the couch. It felt like a great way for Drew to destroy his back. Finn didn’t want that on his conscience. “What?” Drew grumbled, sleepily batting Finn away. “Let me sleep.” “Come on.” Finn shook him a little harder. “If nothing, I take the couch and you take the bed.” “Fine.” Drew rolled off the couch, and wrapped an arm around Finn’s shoulders. “You’re with me.” Finn guided his husband back to the bed. In the eight steps it took to get there, his anger dissipated into a mild annoyance. As hard as he might, he couldn’t avoid the pangs of affection beginning to form. Maybe there was some hope for them after all.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Madeline spun around, her face fixed in a look of serenity. She tried to hide it, but Finn knew the truth. She was annoyed. He didn't blame her. Her appointments were highly coveted, and they needed to start on time. One late appointment set her entire schedule considerably back. Drew was 18 minutes late. "We'll just reschedule." Madeline reached up, massaging her temples. "Use condoms until we meet again in case your dose is off." Finn held back a peal of bitter laughter. One couldn't get pregnant from the sex they weren't having. "Sorry, Mad." Finn shook his head, ignoring the burn covering his face. "He said it was on the schedule." "It happens to everyone at least once." Madeline relaxed as she spoke. "You're hardly my first patient with an executive husband." Finn nodded, still trying to shake off his embarrassment. "Thank you, Mad." "You're fine, Finn." Madeline reached out, squeezing his shoulder. "Let Marissa know you need my first appointment for next Thursday. I want your suppressants adjusted before your next heat." Finn made the appointment, doing his best to keep the small talk to a minimum. He knew Marissa would talk for hours if he allowed her to and he was in no mood. "Sounds good." Finn flashed her a smile as he accepted the reminder card. "I'll drag him in." He walked out, doing his best to calm down before he called Drew screaming. This was the kind of thing he swore he wouldn't tolerate. He could be the kept Omega of a wealthy Alpha but that wasn't what he wanted. The tinny ringtone burst from his phone, pulling him free from his thoughts. Finn stopped, pulling his phone free from his pocket. It surprised him to see Hunter's name on the display. "Hello, Fake Dad," Finn teased, the nickname slipping off his tongue. "Can I help you?" "Haven't talked to you since the wedding! Have to check on you!" Hunter's voice boomed with laughter. "Steph said we should get together soon." Finn shifted towards a bench in front of a cafe. How honest should he be? Things weren't bad but they also weren't great."Finn?" Hunter sounded worried. "What's wrong?" Married life wasn't what Finn expected it would be. Drew was odd- somewhat far away and quite aloof. Yet, Finn found him strangely charming. "Finn, answer me." Hunter's voice dropped to the cool stillness that made him such a threat in the boardroom. "What is it?" "Oh, sorry, Hunter. Got distracted." Finn cleared his throat. "Drew's an odd one but we get along. Spent the weekend at his dad's Connecticut house." Finn laughed, remembering the awkwardness. They'd never made it past the strange living room bed, finding it more comfortable than a bed Drew's father had probably shared with Eleanor. "Oh- that. He told me he'd bought a cottage." It had almost been nice. They'd mainly cuddled, doing their best to avoid focusing on the oddness of the cottage, and more importantly, their situation. Just two strange guys, doing their best to get along. "I just..." Finn drifted off mid-sentence. "It is what it is." "Let me know when we can get together." After a few moments of idle chatter, their call ended. He didn't mind talking to Hunter, but he also needed a chance to figure out what had happened to Drew. His phone buzzed again, pulling Finn out of his thoughts. He assumed it was Hunter, having forgotten some crucial piece of information. Then, he checked the display.Drew. "Can I help you?" Finn didn't even attempt to hide his distaste. "I just saw your message. I'm so sorry. The Accounting meeting went long, and Lacey accidentally scheduled the appointment for tomorrow and-" "Always the assistant's fault, right?" Finn knew he sounded bitter but for once, he didn't care. This was not the happily ever after he'd always wanted, and he was tired of playing nice. Then again, they'd only been married a week. He probably needed to be patient. Still, that didn't matter in that moment. "I'm sorry, Finn. I don't know what else you want from me." "Sorry." Finn decided to back down, giving Drew a chance to atone for his mistake. "It's been a long day." "You're telling me." Drew inhaled sharply, as if about to tell Finn something he knew he wouldn't like. "Promise you won't yell?" "I love when we start a conversation off like that." Finn stopped at another bench, deciding it best to sit down for this one. "Go ahead." "My parents are coming to dinner." Finn's jaw gaped open. He wanted to speak but wasn't sure what he could say to that. His cheeks burn with a mix of anger and frustration. He wanted a chance to get their lives going, but he knew it would never happen as long as Drew's parents kept getting involved. It seemed fair to say Drew's family would be the death of their marriage before it even really got a chance to begin. "I promise I'll make it up to you." Drew sounded desperate. "Da caught me off guard and I..." "Couldn't say no, I see." Finn groaned. "Fine. You owe me." "Name your price." Drew heaved a sigh of relief. "You get to run interference whenever your dad asks about our plans to procreate." Finn blew out a breath. "Also- we're doing dinner with Hunter and Steph." "Plans to procreate?" "Yes. We both know your dad's going to ask when we intend to expand the brood." "Oh." Drew sounded confused. "I don't know why he's so eager for us to have kids." Finn understood. Until the advent of Amazon, Edmund McIntyre had led a charmed life. He had a near-perfect family, while running a thriving business. Then, the rise of online sales forced him to merge with a chain of discount department stores.His oldest Alpha son having a baby with the city's most desirable Omega would put them right back into that 'perfect' sphere.Finn didn't have the patience to explain that to Drew."It'll make sense in time." Finn began walking in the direction of the market. "Any dietary restrictions?" "Mum doesn't eat fish or any gassy veg. Da doesn't eat chicken, and hates refined sugar." Finn stared up at the cloudless blue sky. He was in over his head on this. He exhaled, suddenly feeling quite tired. "Pasta?" "Quinoa only." Drew clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Thank you again." Finn could only manage to curse under his breath.
---
"Do you need our decorator's number?" Finn jerked his head up, feeling Drew nudge him in the ribs. He hadn't meant to zone out, but most of the conversation hadn't applied to him thus far. He had spaced during the salad course, and only chimed in if he had something to contribute. "Oh no, Margie, I appreciate the offer but no thank you." Finn pushed a tomato around his plate, as he carefully contemplated his words. "We're waiting until Drew's vacation to do it ourselves.""This apartment has so much potential with a little work." Margie glanced around the dining room, shaking her head. "She really is quite good." "Mum, we're still getting settled, but we appreciate it." Drew reached under the table, finding Finn's hand. He squeezed tightly. "I hope we get a grandbaby soon." Edmund's gaze darted between Finn and Drew and back. "That would be amazing." "In due time, Da." Drew exchanged an awkward look with Finn. The look plainly said You were right- don't say it.Finn shot Drew a smug look. Something about this made him unexpectedly hopeful. He couldn't wait to see what happened once they were on the same page. The thought of them being unstoppable suddenly didn't seem so odd. "Best to have them young." Edmund nodded to accentuate his point. "Don't be old chasing after your kid." Finn took a long sip of red wine, as he searched for a comeback. Edmund had no right to tell them how to live their lives. "We'll do it when we're ready." Edmund grew so flustered that he could only stammer and stutter. This was a man used to getting his way, and yet, here he was- mouthed off to by his Omega son-in-law. Drew flashed Finn a sly smile when his father had his head turned. He clearly enjoyed someone putting his father in his place. Drew stopped, bringing his lips close to Finn's ear. He leaned in close enough for Finn to smell the wine on his breath. "Thanks." Finn just nodded.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Don't give me that look." Bayley struggled to her feet as Finn rushed over to the bistro table. "I hate that look. Oh I hate that look!" "What look?" Finn opened his arms, pulling her into the best hug he could manage, considering her size. Her belly made it difficult for him to pull her close. "You swallowed a small planet, and I can't believe how cute you are!" She squealed with faux enthusiasm. "This is horrible. I almost punched my neighbor the other day for saying that- I just gave her a smile and continued on but still..." "I would never say that," Finn mumbled, pulling his chair back and sitting down. Reaching for the menu, he pulled it close, scanning it. Nothing sounded good.All he wanted was to eat chocolate and hide in his art studio. Madeleine had a family emergency, necessitating an appointment move. Her suggestion in the meantime was for Finn to do his best to just get through his next heat. It was never a bad idea to take a med holiday and allow your body to reset. Finn, against his better judgment, agreed. "Aren't you due soon?" Finn knew he should know the answer to this, but he couldn't remember. Honestly, it felt like Bayley had been pregnant forever. "Few weeks." Bayley shook her head as she rested her locked fingers on top over her belly. " Kids in my family tend to be go early, but kids in his family tend to go late." "So- Baby arrives exactly on their due date?" Finn laughed. "We'll see. Hard to tell." Bayley's nostrils flared as she narrowed her gaze. "What's wrong?"Finn felt his cheeks warm as her fiery stare bore into him. He should have known she would pick up on something. For the last 10 years, she knew him better than he knew himself. "On a med holiday." He groaned, fanning his face with his hand. "Going as well as you might expect." "Finn!" Bayley squeaked, already sounding every bit like a mother. "Why the hell would you be that irresponsible?" "Didn't do it on purpose." He fixed his gaze on a spot over her shoulder, as he did his best to avoid her angry stare. "My first appointment was canceled due to an emergency board meeting, and then, my second appointment was canceled due to Madeleine's family emergency. She suggested I ride this out." "How irresponsible." Bayley reached out, pressing the back of her hand to his cheek. "You're burning up." "I'm fine, B." Finn shook his head, doing his best to appear 'normal'. He didn't want to worry her. She needed to focus on herself. "No, you're not. Quit lying." Bayley crossed her arms over her chest. "Doesn't Madeleine know you have a history of stressful heat?""Swear I'm fine, B. " Finn sipped on a glass of water. "Will get through this.""Come on." Bayley pushed back from the table and struggled to her feet. "We're going to the penthouse." Finn tried to stop her. He didn't need her worrying about him. He did his best to weakly protest but she would hear none of it"Nope. We're going to the Penthouse and I'm getting your husband to take care of you." Finn know Drew was touchy subject when it came to Bayley. She had hated the idea of an arranged marriage and couldn't believeFinn would be okay with that. "He's busy." This was partially a lie. While he assumed Drew was busy, he didn't know this for a fact. Also, Finn just didn't want him there. "Oh, he gets more and more endearing." Bayley paused, offering him her hand. "Come on." The cab ride back to the apartment felt tense. He knew she meant well, even if she irritated him. She always had his best interests at heart. and he needed to keep that fact in mind. "Keys?" Bayley stopped just in front of the building entrance. She planted her hand on her hip and impatiently tapped her foot against the sidewalk. "Nothing's going to convince you I'm fine, is it?" Finn dug around his pocket, pulling his keys out. He dropped them in her outstretched palm. "Not when you look like that." Bayley shook her head, as she stepped through the open door. "Still cannot believe she would do this to you. What if you'd run into a rogue Alpha?" "Bay- it's 2020. I don't think we have to worry about my honor." Finn stepped onto the elevator, ignoring the curiously concerned look of the doormen. "I'm fine. Just give me some chocolate, and I'll be fine." "Finn, didn't any of your mothers teach you not to argue with a pregnant Omega?" Bayley paused, jabbing the elevator button marked PH. Finn knew when he fought a losing battle, especially when it came to Bayley. She wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. It wasn't in her nature. He didn't blame her. He knew he would act the same way if the situation was reversed. "Here we go." Bayley stepped out of the elevator and into the vestibule. "Home sweet home." "That door is stubborn." Finn watched, as Bayley inserted the key into the lock, turned it and shouldered her way in. "Never mind. You're tougher than you look." "Told you once- being pregnant doesn't make me delicate." Bayley shrugged, holding the door open for him. "Lead the way to your bedroom." Finn reluctantly led her to the room he usually shared with Drew. On a normal day, he would have retired to his bedroom- he didn't like being in Drew's space without him. It felt weird. Today didn't count. All he wanted was to saturate himself in Drew's scent, and hope he felt better. "I'm going to close my eyes for a bit." Finn sunk into the bed, and wrapped an arm around Drew's feather pillow. "Is that okay?""Alright." Bayley pulled the blankets over Finn, and stepped back. "I'll explore, and make myself at home." "Promise me you won't clean!" Finn vaguely remembered a recent phone call, where Bayley- on her own until Elias returned from a European tour- cursed the fact she had run out of things to clean. "I make no promises. I'm eight and a half months pregnant, nesting and my house is spotless." Bayley shrugged. "Just rest. I'll be okay." ---Finn woke to cool lips on his temple. His eyes fluttered open, surprised to find Drew hovering over him. "You're home." He glanced over to the red numbers of the electric clock-radio. 7:15 PM. "At a reasonable hour." "Heard you weren't feeling great, and your best friend's hard to say no to." Drew laughed gruffly- a sound that made Finn's stomach flutter with frenetic energy. "Though- surprised to see her cleaning the kitchen, and making Lentil soup. Didn't think we had lentils." "Grocery delivery." Finn vaguely remembered Bayley asking to borrow his phone for Instacart. He'd been so out of it that he told her to do what she needed. "Tried to tell her not to but she insisted." "Never argue with a pregnant Omega." Drew laughed, as he changed into holey jeans and a t-shirt. "I'll be right back. I offered to let Bayley stay the night- she agreed. Guess she's tired of being alone. Said I'd get her a shirt to sleep in and show her where the laundry is." "So good," Finn mumbled sleepily. He sat up, as Drew walked out of the room. To his surprise, a single red rose rested in a crystal vase. A bar of Burnt Caramel Hawaiian Sea Salt Dark Chocolate sat against it.Something told Finn they came from Drew. Bayley would have gotten Hershey's Kisses or a Kit Kat- she lived simply and did the same for those she loved. This had Drew McIntyre written all over it. Maybe there was hope for them yet.