by Aiden Bates
"Luke." Jay crossed the room, latching onto his arm. He probably thought he was stopping Luke from doing something he'd regret, but his warmth was comforting because it gave Luke the strength to stand up to his stepmother's glare .
"Get out of my house," Luke said, pointing at the door .
"Harry..." she wailed, sobbing loudly into his shoulder .
Luke watched his father look at him, then at her, and he grit his teeth and turned to stare at the wall .
"Meredith, you should go ."
His neck popped as he jerked back around to stare in surprise. With an air of long practice, Harry extricated himself from Meredith's deadly talons, setting her on her feet in the doorway .
She was so startled that she forgot to keep up her act. "What?" she asked, her voice cracking .
"Luke has guests, and you're making a scene," Harry said, pulling out his wallet. "Here's a couple hundred dollars. The house on Melrose is stocked with enough food to last a couple weeks, and the bills are paid ."
"You're throwing me out?" she asked. Her lip quivered artfully, but the lines between her brows were getting deeper as Harry pressed the cash into her hand. "You're throwing me out !"
"I'm throwing you out," Luke said, stepping up next to his father and crossing his arms .
"Shut up, Luke," she snapped. "Go play house with your little slut, Mommy and Daddy are talking." She turned back to Harry, her hands fisting around the money. "It's not even his house! You think I'm not fully aware that Robert owns this building ?"
"This is my house," Luke growled, reaching for his phone. Jay caught his hand, phone already pressed to his ear. "And you'd best watch your mouth when it comes to talking about my fiancé ."
"Security is on their way," Jay said suddenly. "If you don't want to cause an even bigger scene, you should leave ."
Meredith laughed cruelly. "If they so much as lay a hand on me, my lawyer can be here in five minutes ."
"Meredith, this isn't going to look good in court," Harry said, running a hand down her arm to try and soothe her. She slapped it away .
"I'm not leaving until you sign the damned papers," she hissed. "You want me to disappear so you can feed Robert's happy family fantasy, then that's my price ."
"Leave him out of this," Harry growled .
Jay tried to intercede, and Luke caught him around the waist. Cody was there a second later. "Let's go to the kitchen, okay? Nobody needs to be here for this," he said, wrapping one massive arm around Jay's shoulder .
"But..." Cody dropped a pointed look at Jay's waist, and he subsided with a frown .
"Robert will want the company," he said, pushing Jay and Teddy into the kitchen and positioning himself so that he blocked the door. He met Luke's eye and nodded .
"What's wrong, Harry? You don't want me to tell everyone how that freak has been panting at your heels for the last thirty years?" she taunted, her voice rising until Luke was very grateful that all the condos on this floor were empty .
In the distance, the elevator dinged, and Luke watched his father swallow back whatever he'd been about to say. "Go home, Meredith. It's Christmas Eve, and I don't want to argue with you ."
"I'm calling my lawyer," she said, loud enough for the security guards coming down the hall to hesitate .
"Call the police," Luke told them. "This is above your pay grade." One of the men nodded gratefully, getting on his radio .
Marcus rested a hand on his arm, leaning in as they watched Meredith dig her phone out of her coat. "Where do you want us?" he asked, gesturing at Kurt .
"Keep her out of the kitchen," Luke said. "I don't want Jay to have to deal with her ."
"Get over here," Meredith snapped into her phone before stabbing the power button .
"Don't drag this out," Harry said. "We can talk about the divorce after New Year's, but I already told you that I'm not signing away the trust fund I set up for Luke's children ."
Luke jerked, staring at his father in surprise. Harry wouldn't meet his eyes .
"It doesn't matter if you sign or not. Luke doesn't have any kids, so the fund is still in your name. I've already filed the paperwork to have it added to the settlement, along with my half of your company." She stabbed him in the chest with one long finger. "You can go to hell, you piece of shit. I'm getting what I deserve ."
"If only," Marcus muttered, shifting slightly as Nikolai slipped back out of the kitchen .
"I know people," he said, draping himself along Cody's side .
"No," Cody said regretfully, the muscles of his arms bulging as he shifted .
"That company existed before you were ever married. You aren't entitled to it." Luke took a step forward, gratified when she stepped back .
"Shut up!" Meredith shrieked. "I know my rights. I never signed a prenup, and all it takes is the right judge, and I get everything ."
Luke smiled, and she took another step back. "Unless all company contracts are written in such a way as to exclude you from any share of participation. Which they are," he said, satisfaction leaking into his voice. "I know because I review them every year ."
She lunged at him, getting in one good swipe of nails across his face before someone dragged her back .
"For God's sake, woman. Can't you keep yourself under control for fifteen fucking minutes?" A tall, blond alpha glared down at her, his face set in forbidding lines. She didn't seem to care, but Luke felt all the blood flow out of his face .
Even after ten years, he'd never forget Victor Danville .
"What the hell are you doing here?" he growled, one hand pressed to his stinging cheek. He was grateful that Jay was in the kitchen .
Victor glanced at him without a hint of recognition. "I am representing Mrs. Carter." He offered his business card with a flourish .
Luke laughed. "I know who you are, believe me." The other man preened like it had been a compliment, and he bit his tongue to keep from saying anything he'd regret .
"Go get in the car," Victor told Meredith, his voice stern .
She ignored him completely. "Is what he said true? You said I could get half the company, Victor," she whined .
"We'll discuss it later, Meredith," he said, casting pointed glances at their audience. Luke felt like telling him that he was wasting his time; crowds only ever encouraged her to greater antics .
"I want to discuss it now," she said, her voice hitting a pitch that made all of them wince. "You promised that I would have more than enough money to live off of for the rest of my life ."
"And you will," he snapped. Lowering his voice, he bared his teeth at her in the kind of smile you'd see on an alligator. "There's still the trust fund ."
"Actually, there isn't ."
Luke winced, turning slowly to watch Jay walk across the room, his head held high .
"Jay? What are you doing here?" Victor said, his eyes narrowing. "Still sponging off people with better sense than you ?"
"Hey," Luke growled, stepping forward, but Jay got there first .
"Actually," he said, leaning against Luke's side, "I have money of my own now, or did you not realize that Dad left me more of the estate than Mom?" From the way Victor's eyes widened, he hadn't. "I'm here celebrating Christmas with my fiancé," Jay continued, flashing the ring. "And this time next year, Luke and I will be celebrating it with our daughter ."
"Or son," Luke said, failing to keep the amusement out of his v
oice as both Victor and Meredith dropped their heads and stared in dismay at Jay's waist. The bump wasn't much, but it was easily visible in the fitted shirt he was wearing .
"No!" Meredith screamed, her face twisting with rage. "No, no no. How? Where did you even come from? I sent that other little slut to Taos, and there was no one !"
Too stunned to react, Luke tucked Jay behind him, grateful when his father stepped between them and his wife's meltdown. "You sent the invitation to Liam?" he said, his voice breaking .
"Meredith, I think you should leave. Now," Harry said. Luke swallowed hard as his father crossed his arms and loomed in the doorway .
"The police just pulled up," Robert said, poking his head out the door of the kitchen. "May I recommend a tactical retreat ?"
"They took their time," Cody muttered, shifting aside as the older omega squeezed by .
"Christmas," Nikolai said, stepping away to stand at Robert's shoulder .
"You should go, Meredith. You don't want mugshots getting out to the ladies of the board," Robert said, more kindly than Luke would have been able to manage .
"Oh, shut up. You just want me out of the picture so you can indulge in your creepy fantasies," she snapped .
"Meredith." Victor tried to nudge her toward the elevator, but she just slipped around him like water .
"He's never going to love you back, you disgusting freak. That's why he paraded all those women in front of you for years ."
"Leave Robert out of this," Harry said, stepping forward until he was looming over her .
Unconcerned, Robert reached out and dragged him backward by the back of his belt. "Really, Harry? I haven't needed an alpha to fight my battles since I was fifteen ."
Luke watched in shock as his father subsided with a grumble. "That's not what you were saying in Cancun," he said sulkily .
"And the next time I'm being mugged, you are more than welcome to jump right in and help. Where was I?" Robert asked thoughtfully. "Right. The police." As if summoned by his words, the elevator dinged, and two uniformed officers stepped out, immediately going over to consult with the security guards who were watching like they wished they had popcorn. "And there they are ."
Victor had stepped back, separating himself from the goings-on, but Meredith didn't seem to notice. Stalking forward until she was nose to nose with Robert, she spat in his face. "Only a blind man would miss how you flaunt yourself in front of him, but you're never going to have him ."
"So you've said," Robert said, wiping his cheek with a grimace. "Unlike you, dear, I've never placed any requirements on my friendship with Harry. I'm aware that he doesn't return my feelings, and that has nothing to do with the fact that he's still my best friend ."
Luke missed Meredith's reply as his father stumbled into him, their shoulders crashing together. He caught him by the shoulders, steadying him as he stared in shock at the back of Robert's head .
"What?" Harry said faintly, and Luke was surprised when he started to laugh .
"Sirs, if you'll step back," one of the officers said, stepping forward. "We'll take it from here ."
"Like hell you will. If you lay a hand on me, I'll sue. I'll have your jobs," Meredith said, yanking her arm out of reach. "Victor, tell them ."
"Meredith, as your lawyer, I advise you to cooperate with the officers." Victor stared down the hallway as she swung around to glare at him .
"Oh no, you don't," she hissed, swatting at the officer who was still trying to get a hold on her arm. "You don't get to abandon me now, you bastard ."
"We should go into the kitchen," Jay said, tugging on Luke's arm. He was watching Harry with a concerned expression. "Let them take care of this ."
"You know," Victor said, his voice pitched to carry over Meredith's, "I wouldn't invest too much into your relationship. You haven't known him long enough to realize this, but my stepson is known for his flightiness. He barely stays in one place long enough to settle down. My poor wife has been left worrying that he's died half the time ."
"Hard to settle down when you're homeless," Luke snapped, trying to urge his father toward the kitchen. Harry was practically a dead weight in his arms, and he was grateful to pass him to Cody as Nikolai urged Robert further into the condo. "And you're wrong. I've known Jay for a decade. You probably don't remember, but I stayed at the lake house one summer." Victor's eyes widened, and Luke smiled tightly. "I loved him just as much then as I do now ."
"Oh, and Victor," Jay said calmly, leaning around Luke's arm. "I'd worry less about Mom and more about your legal practice. I'm sure Mr. Carter's lawyer was smart enough to hire a private detective to find out if she was cheating on him. I can't imagine what the Bar will have to say about your affair ."
Victor paled, his composure shattering for one long, satisfying moment .
"Get your hands off me," Meredith screamed, grabbing the vase off Luke's hall table and flinging it across the hall. It shattered with a crash, and one of the officers pulled out a pair of handcuffs .
"Alright, lady. That's it. You're coming with us ."
"We've got this, man." Cody shut the kitchen door in his face, so Luke didn't see what happened next, but judging from the screaming, it wasn't pretty .
"And here I thought I was going to be missing some of my family's traditions by not going to my grandmother's house for Christmas," Teddy said as they all breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sure Kurt feels right at home, too ."
"It's not usually that loud," Robert said, stealing the glass of what looked like orange juice and smelled like paint thinner out of Teddy's hand. He downed it in one long swallow and handed it back .
"It's fine," Teddy said. "We're used to it." He wandered further down the counter and started mixing up another drink .
"I'm never doing that again," Luke said, pulling Jay into a tight hug. "That is never happening again ."
"Agreed," Jay said, his breath unsteady against Luke's neck. He leaned up on his toes, his lips soft and swollen from where he'd been chewing on them as he stole a kiss. "You should talk to your dad," he said, barely a breath before their lips met again .
"Why?" Luke asked, frowning as he glanced at his father. Harry was propped up on the counter, his shoulders slumped as he stared at his shoes. He didn't look great, but then again, none of them did. "How did you know Victor was having an affair with Meredith ?"
"Lucky guess," Jay said, shrugging. "I actually did read those letters. Call it morbid curiosity. He used to visit Aunt Carol and bring her pictures of me. She was lonely, and he used that against her. I figured it wasn't the last time." He bit his lip again. "Go talk to your dad ."
Luke went where he was pushed, reluctantly dragging himself over to lean against the counter with his dad. "So, that sucked," he said, trying to think of something nice to say .
"What?" Harry glanced up at him, his eyes vague. "Oh, Meredith. Yeah. I'll have to tell the lawyers to get on that affair information." He glanced off to one side and jumped a little, returning his eyes to the floor .
Frowning, Luke gave his father a longer once over. He hadn't sounded even the slightest bit upset about finding out his wife was cheating on him, and he'd barely reacted to the sounds of her screaming outside the door. He looked... stressed, the lines around his mouth deep. At the same time, there was the faintest hint of red climbing up his cheeks that in anyone else Luke would have called a blush .
Across the room, Robert and Teddy were sitting at the bar laughing at something, their gl
asses almost empty again. "We're going to have to pour them into bed tonight," Luke muttered, watching the way Teddy's glasses slid sideways on his nose .
Harry glanced up, following Luke's gesture, and immediately dragged his eyes back to the floor. He fussed with his shirt, smoothing the buttons, and cleared his throat. "Robert can hold his liquor," he said, his voice pitched a little higher than normal .
"Teddy can't," Luke said. He looked from his father to his uncle and back again, a fragment of a thought itching at the back of his mind. In the doorway, Jay was waving his hands around under the shadow of the island .
When it hit, it hit all at once .
"Holy shit," Luke blurted. "You didn't know !"
Jay groaned, leaning forward until his forehead was pressed to the granite, and Robert and Teddy just stared .
Harry didn't seem to notice. "Of course, I didn't know," he grumbled. "Do you really think I'm that big of an asshole? I wouldn't have wasted twenty years of my life if I'd had a clue ."
Even with enough of Nikolai's vodka in his blood to tranquilize a horse, Robert picked up on their topic of conversation. "Oh, Harry. Honestly, you notice when your assistant takes an extra two minutes on his break, but you've never noticed when anyone is attracted to you until they throw their panties at your head." He shook his head fondly .
"Thirty-five years." Harry, in contrast, didn't sound half as blasé. "Thirty-five years, and you've never said a word." He stalked across the kitchen to loom over his best friend .
Luke followed, ready to hold his father back, but Teddy just caught his arm and dragged him back a few feet. "This is the good part," he said, spilling orange vodka down his chin when he missed his mouth on the next sip .
"What would be the point?" Robert asked, waving his drink nonchalantly. "You had Sarah. And then you had Vicki, and then Toni, and then Vanessa, and then Rachel, and then..." He let the sentence trail off when Harry growled at him. "And let's be honest, darling. It's not like I needed you to spell it out for me ."
