Page 19 of Such a Brave Omega
The first thought process I wanted to get rid of was the comparison to Ryder. Bronson was good and kind and sweet because he was, not just when compared to Ryder.
Bronson deserved his accolades independently from my past.
“I’m here. I’m not leaving you for any reason, and whatever we have to work through, we’ll do it together. You’re mine for the rest of my life, Tate.”
The tears came from my eyes on their own. My heart surged with so much love and safety.
It might’ve been the first time my jaw wasn’t clenched. My chest was no longer tight. I wasn’t naïve enough to think these things would never happen to my body again, but for this moment, they’d vanished.
“How about a shower and breakfast?”
I nodded. “I’m starving. What can we make?”
He eyed me like I was the meal. “How about mini pancakes and a yogurt bowl with fruit and granola? Fun and good for you. We need to keep you strong and healthy.”
“That sounds good. But first, I have something to tell you.”
His dark eyebrows furrowed. “You can tell me anything, Tate. Please don’t be scared to tell me anything. Even if I disagree with you or something would make me upset, it won’t change how I feel about you.”
I nodded. That point would take a while to sink in. “I looked around your house the other day. I was in every room and even opened your medicine cabinet and basement. And your YouTube history.”
The alpha’s face erupted with a broad smile, showing his teeth and making his eyes glimmer. “That’s all? Tate, you can go through anything of mine anytime you want. My basement. Myphone. Anything. And I want you to know that now that you’re mine, everything I own is yours. When you’re ready, we’ll get you an ID and your social security card and I’ll give you access to all my accounts.”
Do not compare. Do not compare. Do not compare.
Ryder gave me twenty bucks a week, if I was lucky and was a good boy.
“I don’t know what to say,” I admitted.
“You don’t have to say anything. Let’s go get cleaned up and have breakfast.”
One languid shower later, we got dressed in a sweatshirt and matching pants for me and only gray sweatpants for him. “We need to go buy you some new clothes today, if that’s okay with you.”
I nodded. “Maybe some little things, too, Daddy?”
He sighed. If I wasn’t mistaken, he looked happy. More than happy. “Absolutely. Do you want to help with breakfast? Grab the milk for me?”
While we made breakfast together, we put some music on the TV from a slow-motion cartoon that I loved and calmed me. The modern cartoons revved me up and made me feel jittery.
Once the pancakes were made, Bronson set up some toppings for the yogurt parfait to make it fun. He waited for me to take a bite before digging into his pancakes and bacon. “Are you eyeing my bacon, little one?” he asked, smiling.
“Maybe.”
“Here you go. I’ll never get upset if you get something from my plate, okay? Try not to be afraid of asking for something when you want it.”
“Thank you.”
True to his word, Bronson and I shopped for all kinds of things the rest of the day. Clothes. Shoes. Personal hygiene items just for me. He even got me a tablet so I could watch things inbed or whenever I wanted. He bought me a phone and then we went “little” shopping at a store that carried just those kinds of clothing items. I’d seen lots of really cute outfits on my tour of the club, but I hadn’t known that there were boutiques like this. I never wanted to leave it.
I’d never been so spoiled before. I loved it, but there was that niggling in the back of my head saying there had to be a catch somewhere.
That he was nice now but might not be later.
I pushed them away as best I could. They would come back, but I would push even harder.
I trusted Bronson.
“I was thinking maybe we could set up a playroom at the house? One for you to play in and do whatever you want.”