The Confession

“He knows about the three of us. I can’t risk him saying anything about it to Jack or Connor. Or my mother will know in two point two seconds.”

Heavenly looked away and nodded, but he couldn’t miss the disappointment in her expression as she started shoving her things back into the canvas bag.

Biting back a curse, he moved in behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled his lips against her ear. “I don’t want my mom to find out about us from my bigmouthed brothers, angel. I want to tell her myself, the right way.”

Heavenly tucked her cell phone into the bag, then turned to faced him. “Zach won’t lie for you, me, or Beck. You know that, right?”

He hadn’t considered that, but she made a good point. “I get it and I’ll figure something out, but this isn’t the right time for me to talk to Mom about us.”

“Are you sure? She’s happy right now. Maybe it’s the perfect time.”

At Heavenly’s expectant gaze, guilt splintered his composure. He had to break the news to his mom. He knew that. He simply wasn’t sure how to manage that, not without her losing her shit.

“Not yet. But soon, angel. I swear,” he assured before brushing his lips across hers, then giving her ass a playful swat. “Get moving so I can talk to Zach.”

“Do you want me to talk to him for you?” she asked as they reached the archway.

She was trying to keep him from falling into the black abyss of the past again, and he loved her for it, but he had to start manning up. “No. They’re my brothers. I’ll be fine. Trust me.”

Mentally walling off his memories, Seth dragged in a breath as he made his way to Zach, repeating one important litany: He’s Beck’s brother. He’s Beck’s brother.

The mantra was still spooling through his brain when he and Heavenly entered the apartment where Zach sat on the sectional, yelling at a game show contestant on the big screen. “Pick the cake mix. It’s less expensive than the cold medicine.”

As the door snicked shut behind them, Zach whirled around with fear-filled eyes as he launched off the couch.

“Easy,” Heavenly murmured softly. “It’s just us.”

“Sorry,” Seth added. “We didn’t mean to scare you.”

Zach let out a pent-up breath. “It’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting you two. I always worry it’s—”

“The Chosen can’t find you here, and I should have knocked.” Seth offered an apologetic smile.

“No. It’s your place and I’m really grateful that you’re letting me stay here. Sorry I’m jumpy.”

“It was just sitting here empty. But…” Seth cringed. “Um, it’s going to be kind of full now. I know you’re trying to get your life together, and I hate to invade your peace, but my twin brothers, Jack and Connor, just arrived from New York. They didn’t tell me they were coming because they wanted to surprise me. They don’t have anywhere else to stay, so I hope you don’t mind some roommates.”

“I don’t mind.” Though he kind of looked like he did. “But are you sure you don’t mind me staying? If you need me to, I can pack up my stuff. Just give me a few minutes and—”

“You don’t need to leave. In fact, I don’t want you to. It might be a little tight, but there’s room for all three of you here since the sectional makes into a king bed. The twins can suffer the sofa, and you can keep the bedroom so you still have privacy.”

“Are they all right sharing space with me?”

“If they’re not, too bad. Otherwise, they can find someplace else to stay on their dime.” Seth smirked, hoping to reassure Zach. “Where they sleep is a minor problem. The bigger one is that my family thinks Heavenly and I are a couple. Just a couple. They don’t know about Beck yet. They’re not ready for that.”

“Oh.” Zach’s brows slashed as he digested Seth’s words.

“I’m not asking you to lie for me, and they have no reason to ask about Beck since they haven’t even met him yet. I simply need you to not say anything about the three of us being a throuple.”

“That’s what it’s called?”

“It’s slang, but yeah.” He gripped Heavenly’s hand. “Will you do it? Will you keep the information about Beck and me being in a relationship with Heavenly to yourself?”

He hesitated, then nodded. “Sure. No problem.”

“Thanks, man. I really appreciate—”

A loud knock interrupted him.