Love's Liability

by Flynn Eire

  “You have kids? You’re gay,” he accused. “And it’s Mr. Henning to you.”

  I turned enough to see him shrug. “Not a conversation to have in front of my kids, and not your business. And cut the shit, Tristan. I never gave you the respect you think you deserve before. I certainly won’t when I’ve built a name for myself all on my own. Come on, guys, let’s get you out of the cold.”

  “Wait—”

  “I don’t answer to you, Tristan, I never have,” Zeke snapped.

  “I’m Wyrok.”

  Zeke snorted. “Get in line. There’s about three dozen Wyrok here that outrank you.” He headed for the garage, and I saw he was shaking for reasons that had nothing to do with the cold.

  I wanted to keep Tristan from following, but I knew my brother, and he was a dog with a bone and more trouble would come unless this was settled now. I did however make sure I was between them.

  “Tristan, this is private property and mine, and I’m telling you to leave,” Zeke said when he saw my brother still there.

  “There’s no way you own this huge house,” Tristan snapped. “You’re a servant, nothing more, and would never amount to more.”

  “Just like Zara?”

  “Of course,” Tristan agreed out of reflex.

  I turned and punched my brother, shocking the shit out of him. “Have enough class to watch how you speak of the dead at least, Tristan. She loved you. You didn’t deserve it, but she did. At least talk about her better when she’s not alive to defend herself.”

  He ignored me. “I want to know who these children are. She dies, and her gay brother suddenly has children.”

  Zeke snorted. “I’ve been with women. Bisexual leaning towards men is a better description, as if it’s any of your business.”

  “What are your names?” he asked the kids directly.

  “Green,” Evan blurted.

  “Pink,” Ethan echoed.

  That threw Tristan a moment, and then he looked at Zeke. “What are their real names?”

  “Why do you care?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at him but then smiling widely. “Oh, you think they’re yours?” He threw back his head and laughed. “No, they aren’t. Zara was always incredibly careful, knowing the last thing she wanted to be was a mistress or someone who was accused of getting knocked up to mate into a family. She was on birth control and—”

  “No she wasn’t,” he argued.

  “Yes, she was,” he said easily with a smirk. “She wasn’t anywhere near as blind and accepting as you thought. She loved you because she saw something in you that made her think you could be a good man one day. The moment she learned that would never happen and you were cheating on her, she was gone.

  “Our parents disowned us both when we left because we should have been servants instead of being allowed to better ourselves. Whatever, it’s all bullshit, but that’s why they didn’t say anything. They act like we never existed. I sent them notice when she died in a car wreck, and I never heard from them. I buried her.”

  He glanced from the twins back to Zeke. “You can prove that?”

  “In what world do you have the right to ask me to show you her death certificate?” he whispered in horror. “Have you no shame? Does all your money and upbringing rot you until there’s no decency in you?” He shook his head. “You want to see her death certificate, use your connections that you could have used to find her. Find the police report for the car wreck, I don’t care, just leave.”

  Relief filled his eyes, and I knew why when Proximo stepped into the garage. “Hey guys, how was the nap?”

  “Proximo!” Evan cheered, catching on he was here to help.

  “You know these children?” Tristan demanded of him.

  “Watch your tone with me, kid,” he warned him before picking up Ethan and peppering his face with kisses. “Yes, my cousin was their mother.”

  “And where is she?”

  Proximo shot him a look that most would cower from, but my brother had too much ego that tended to overrule his common sense. “She didn’t survive their birth. Zeke has full custody as their father, but he doesn’t cut off our family from them.” He made a slash through the air with his hand when Tristan went to open his mouth. “Who are you, and why do you have the arrogance to demand answers of me?”

  “He’s here to drag me home and saw Zeke and started acting all weird,” I answered with a sigh.

  Tristan snarled in my direction. “If they are Zara’s children, I have every right to know that, as they would be mine then too.”

  Zeke snorted. “No they wouldn’t. She was dating someone else when she died. How do you make that leap? Without any logic?”

  “She would never have dated anyone but me.”

  “She would have and did so…” Zeke’s eyes went wide. “You loved her. For all your bluster, you aren’t completely heartless and loved my sister.”

  “Watch your next words,” I warned Tristan. I did it for Zeke’s sake; personally I would have loved another excuse to hit him.

  He nodded, swallowing loudly. “I may never have loved her as she loved me, but your sister was a special woman, and she had a place in my heart as did anyone who she cared for.”

  Zeke snorted again. “Not our parents. Well, I’m glad you didn’t completely see her as disposable, but you did enough damage and hurt her where you don’t have any claim over her or even if she had children.” He shook his head when Tristan went to argue. “You didn’t mate her. Even if she had children and you were the father, she would have had full custody to name whoever she wanted as their guardian.”

  “Oh, but it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve taken children from a mother,” Proximo accused, probably sensing his fear. “Ethan, why don’t you hang out with Linden.” I took the toddler from him, kissing his face when he looked worried. “We’re going to go have a nice chat and with Seneca so he knows that your parents are ignoring his protection, which he’s given to Linden.”

  The moment Tristan was gone, Zeke sank to his knees, still holding Evan. I brought Ethan over and hugged all of them as Zeke let out silent sobs as he shook in my arms.

  “It’s over, it’s all over now,” I whispered, praying that was the truth.

  “Why did you say nothing?”

  “Because I know Tristan, and the moment I tried to interfere, he would have latched onto the idea harder. Dragging him out of here before he got plausible answers would have just added fuel to his fire.”

  “I thought it was that,” he admitted, leaning against me.

  “So that guy is really…” Verge trailed off, not wanting to say it with the twins around or maybe not out loud so anyone else could hear ever.

  Zeke nodded. “Who I’m protecting the twins from.” That wasn’t his actual question, but still, he got the idea for sure. He looked up at me with awe. “You were badass. I’ve never seen you go against your family, and when I heard you yelling in the driveway, I didn’t get who was there, but when I saw it was Tristan, I think you standing up to him shocked me more than seeing him.”

  “I’ve always wanted to, but it would be more trouble than it was worth until Seneca helped me get free.” I leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I would have done it a million times over to keep you safe, I swear it. They mean nothing to me compared to you and the twins.”

  “I believe that and apparently so do they,” he chuckled, staring at Ethan clutching both of us as we surrounded them. “I seriously just need to call it a day and have a few drinks or a whole bottle of Mark’s vodka.”

  “Once the twins are asleep and in bed we can absolutely do that,” I promised. “If it’s in the tub we’re sharing full of bubbles, all the better.” I smiled as he blushed at the visual. Hey, that was better than freaking out.

  Way better.

  8

  “Stay still,” I told Linden again as I moved my hips. He was completely incapable of letting go and simply enjoying the fun if I took charge. “You are loving this so just enjoy it.”


  “I do love it,” he moaned, running his hands over my thighs. “You go so slow and it’s delicious and it drives me insane. I react by wanting to help.”

  I brushed my lips over his as I moved my hands on either side of his head as I kept riding him. “Part of it is punishment.”

  “I said I was sorry,” he growled as he moved his hands to my ass.

  “I will tie you down.”

  “Uggghhh,” he groaned, reaching up and grabbing the headboard. “Fine, I’ll be good.”

  “Oh, you’re always good,” I purred as I moved faster. “And you didn’t say you were sorry, you said you helped me replace all the marshmallows you ate.”

  “I had help,” he reminded me. “But I am sorry. I’m very, very sorry. For the record, it was worth it. They are so fucking good, and I get the sweet torture of slow making love with you riding me. I will misbehave again and soon.”

  “You had help? Should I punish them this way too?”

  He snarled and rolled us, done with the game. “You are mine, Zeke. I would beat them up if you want, but none of them are getting even a taste of you.” He thrust with each word, hard and harder in the way I loved. “I made friends and stole treats. Sorry, but none of them touch you.”

  “I would have given them to you,” I gasped as he hit that perfect spot in me. “Things are so crazy I thought I was missing what I’d done or forgot. Don’t make me feel crazy.”

  “I won’t, I’ll be good,” he promised. “They were so damn nummy. The only thing nummier is you.”

  I bit back a smile. He was completely addicted to the new marshmallows I’d come up with that the twins had helped me on. They had mint and green tea swirls so they were two different greens, and then I’d put shamrock quinns in them for a bit of fun and extra color. They were two inch cubes when I cut the pans down, and then I covered them in chocolate. Yeah, they were good.

  They were Linden’s favorite though.

  “You’re setting a bad example for the twins by eating so many sweets. You’re going to get fat,” I teased him.

  “Fatten me up,” he grunted, picking up the pace. “I’ll just work off the calories on your body.”

  “Fine by me,” I moaned before orgasming. He followed me over, giving me that look I’d already deciphered as debating if he would beg for another round or settle for one time.

  “We should mate,” he whispered against my lips.

  I giggled as he kissed me. I couldn’t help it. I was full of happy, post-orgasm hormones, and he’d been asking me to mate for weeks now. Always in such a sweet way that it was growing difficult to turn him down.

  “It would be good for the twins, give them stability so they know that we’re real,” he explained, coming up with a new argument.

  “True, but it’s too soon for it to work that way and instead would shock them to have a new dad who they might worry would take me from them,” I said gently. “Not yet. Maybe soon we can get engaged.”

  “I’m going to keep asking,” he grumbled, burying his face in my neck and running his fangs over my skin. “I won’t give up on making you mine.”

  “I don’t want you to. Though I could use a bit more convincing of why I put up with you.” I gave him my best bratty smile that he loved.

  He growled and flipped me over, moving me into a tight ball before fucking my brains out. I could barely catch my breath when he used his strength and speed like that, and the orgasms were so different from regular sex they started to hurt towards the end. Finally he came too, and my body couldn’t stop twitching, mini-orgasms still wracking my body.

  “Good convincing,” I groaned, sore and loving it.

  He chuckled, his tongue running along the shell of my ear until I shivered. “I love how you turn me down. Fuck, I am so addicted to you.”

  I blinked up at him, my mouth dropping open when he smirked at me. “You bastard. You ask because I feel guilty for turning you down and let you screw my brains out.”

  He rolled his eyes at me. “First, you’d let me do that if I asked without tricks. Second, I mean it when I ask. Third, you’re a brat to goad me into it, so don’t act morally superior when I’ve just learned your game.”

  “That’s fair, but my body is not going to be able to move on its own for a while, so you have to be in charge,” I warned him.

  “I like being in charge of you,” he reminded me as he gave a few shallow thrusts of his still hard cock. “Will you blow me in the shower again?”

  “No, you ate an entire batch of marshmallows. That was for an order.”

  “I’ll roll out all the truffles you have in the fridge and get all the taffy you did into wrappers and boxed.”

  “You make a convincing plea of penance,” I muttered, knowing full well I would give him what he wanted, but wondering how far I could push it. “Laundry?”

  “Yes.”

  “Vacuum the suite?”

  “Fine.”

  “Move into the suite next door instead of having one at Gaius’s?”

  His breath caught. “Do you see that as the next step? I would have asked to move in but…”

  “Too confusing for the twins,” I told him. “Yes, the next step I think.”

  “Yes.” He gently pulled out of me and rolled to his feet with me in his arms.

  I decided to be a brat about something he refused to talk about since he’d found out. “How do I know you don’t want me for my money instead of my impressive nocturnal skills?”

  He sighed as he carried me to the bathroom. “You are such a damn brat.” He sat me on the counter and started the shower before cupping my face. “Zeke, I don’t want your money. I want my back pay from centuries of being a warrior and Wyrok my parents are holding hostage. I would have my own money, and it would be probably what you have or more. I want to provide for you and the twins.”

  “I don’t need you to, Linden,” I said gently. “I don’t want you to. You might be as old as dirt and scary Wyrok, I might even let you boss me around in bed and take charge to help out, but I only want a partner in my life.”

  He slowly nodded. “You are my equal, I truly meant that and feel it. I mean provide in protection and taking care of you the way you take care of me. I want to give as I get. Is that so wrong?”

  “No, not at all. I just needed to know that was your answer and not something else.”

  The shower was warmed up by then, and he brought us inside, washing me up as he kissed my skin and touched me as if I was the most important thing to him in the world. I believed I was. He’d more than shown that.

  Proximo and all the other Wyrok were completely impressed by how I’d poked at Tristan when he’d come here to get him to think about the family bastards collective so Proximo had probable cause to get involved instead of just off what I’d already told them. I wasn’t stupid. Someone someday would find out it came from me and why it was such an issue. Yes, what I’d done had been a risk but a calculated one.

  Others thought I had balls the size of the moon to risk it and poke someone that old and well connected. Fuck, I wouldn’t have done it on my own. Proximo had been right there. It ended up being the perfect path to take to get things moving given how connected the Henning family was. He had been inquiring about children he thought maybe someone he had dated had with interest in taking them.

  So it wasn’t exactly like there were just rumors or speculations thrown against the wall and something might stick. Still, the investigation was slow going and they were having to do it right so nothing fell apart given who they were going up against. I was just happy someone was taking it seriously and we weren’t at the center of it.

  Proximo did ask for Zara’s death certificate and the police report saying she’d died in an accident. I could see the questions in his eyes when I’d given him copies, and finally he’d asked how I’d gotten it.

  I had shrugged. “I was involved with two cops who loved to boink my brains out when Zara had flown out to me, and I told them t
hat the father was emotionally abusive and planned to take the twins in case he chased after her. When she died giving birth, they offered. Like they liked me and they liked my candy and they wanted to protect my sister and the twins.”

  “I’m going to skip the ‘boinking’ part,” Linden grumbled.

  I shrugged. “Don’t get pissy though if I send them gifts now and again to their station. I owe them a debt that I might really never be able to pay. They handled so much and helped me to do what was right and protect the underdog who was in over his head.”

  “Yeah, send them whatever treats they want,” Linden agreed, dropping the topic.

  His family also had to back way off of him. When the head of the Wyrok heard that Tristan had come to drag Linden back home even when he was on orders, she laid the smack down and threatened to kick out any other Hennings and bar any new ones if they were going to try and use the Wyrok for their bullshit.

  She also submitted the proof of payments being made into accounts seized by his family, so hopefully he would get his money. It was what was due him.

  But I just wanted him. I wanted the twins safe and to love Linden, be with him forever. It’s what I’d always wanted, and I was one of the rare, lucky few to win the prince of their dreams and have them love him back.

  So yeah, he could have all the blow jobs in the shower he ever wanted. I wouldn’t even be upset the next time he ate a batch of marshmallows. Fuck, I owned a confectionary. I could make double batches and sacrifice one for him as thanks for loving me.

  The End

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