Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Victor

I wanted to trust Vivien. I'd spent my entire life wanting to trust Vivien and feel as close to her as a brother should feel to his sister. She listened as, between me and Simon, we explained the bigger picture of what was going on with our family and with Victory Holdings, and as we set out a framework for what we wanted the new bylaws to contain, but I wasn't a hundred percent certain she would stick to the plan.

"I'm sure Dad can be talked around," she said as we drove into Barrington, the very first rays of dawn painting the eastern horizon in shades of violet and pink. "He's not the unreasonable ogre you claim he is."

I tightened my hand on Simon's head. My poor, brave omega was so exhausted after everything we'd been through in the last few days that he'd slipped down to rest his head on my leg and had been dozing off and on as the conversation had wound up.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked. "Because a hell of a lot depends on assuming your father won't fly off the handle and try to seize control of the company over my dead body, literally."

Vivien made a dismissive sound and waved her hand. "I don't think Dad was responsible for whoever you think chased you through the night and tried to get you to drive off a mountain," she said, far too ready to forgive her father for wrongdoing.

"Then who else was it?" I asked her pointedly.

Vivien didn't have an answer. "Well, whoever it was, I doubt they were actually trying to kill you. Maybe, if Dad was involved, which is a huge maybe, they were just trying to run you off the road so you would have to call for help, and then the police would have come and snatched you up. Then Dad would have arrived at the police station on his white horse to explain how it was all a big misunderstanding so that you would owe him for your freedom."

I had my jaw clenched throughout her explanation, and it twitched in frustration at her theory. Because it was plausible. I hated it, but it was definitely plausible that Uncle Vincent was trying to embarrass me instead of kill me to weaken my position with the board.

"Whatever the case, I'm not taking any risks," I said, stroking Simon's head in my lap.

That made me think of an entirely different set of risks I wasn't willing to take. We'd reached Barrington, but I didn't know where to go when Vivien asked where the limo should drop us off.

"We can't go back to my place," I said with a sigh. "The police were already there when we left, and they'll be watching the entire condo complex."

"We could go to my house," Simon said, lifting his head and sitting up straight, proving he'd been listening to the entire conversation. "I don't think they would be there."

I smiled, feeling so proud of my omega's intelligence and quick thinking.

"That's a good idea," I said, hooking two fingers through the ring at the front of his collar and tugging him close for a kiss. "My clever boy."

Vivien made a sound, and when I peeked at her, she was rolling her eyes.

That expression changed when she raised both hands and said, "By all means, live whatever lifestyle you want, whether I think it's weird or not."

I frowned at her, taking the comment harder than maybe I should have. Her dismissal of my and Simon's relationship was one clue that we could never be as close as I might have wanted us to be.

I wasn't sure how much that mattered, even if it hurt in a core family wound sort of way. I had Simon now, and from our earlier visit to Mason and Hayden, I had them as family now, too. I just hoped I would be able to say the same about Simon's parents.

That whole thing came to a head way sooner than I'd hoped it would as soon as the limo dropped us off at the bottom of the drive leading up to Simon's family's house. I shouldn't have been surprised that the Kipling family home was practically a mansion in the ritzy section of Barrington. Both of his parents were lawyers, after all, and corporate law was extremely profitable.

The house was an attractive and stylish brick colonial-style building that would have been right at home on a Christmas postcard, covered with snow and decorated with lights. The yard was beautifully landscaped, and the whole thing smacked of people who took pride in their accomplishments.

There was also an unmarked police car sitting in the driveway.

"We don't have to go inside if you don't want to," Simon said, squeezing my hand as we stood staring at the house and the car and everything we had to face. "We can find somewhere else to go."

I sighed and rubbed my free hand over my ridiculously stubbly face. "No," I said, letting out a breath. "We can't keep running from this. Whether my uncle has real, dangerous intentions in mind or whether he's just sending the police after me so he can rush in and play the savior later, we have to deal with this and set the record straight ourselves. And besides, I need a computer to pull up the bylaws so we can be ready for the meeting later."

"Yes, Master," Simon said, both as an agreement and to show me the unfailing depths of his support.

That was a pretty concept, but the second we walked around to the side of the house and Simon knocked on the back door, I wished we'd just walked away.

A tall, commanding alpha and a gorgeous and graceful omega, both middle-aged, were sitting at the kitchen table, talking to a tall, dark-skinned female alpha in a suit who I thought I recognized. At Simon's knock, all three of them turned to the kitchen door. Since there was a window in the door, as soon as they saw Simon, it was pandemonium.

"Simon!" the omega shouted, leaping up from his chair and rushing to the door. "Oh, thank God! My baby is safe!"

Simon had two seconds to glance to me and say, "Sorry," before the door flew open and the omega, Simon's papa, grabbed him and pulled him inside, straight into a hug.

"Simon, sweetheart, we've been so worried!" his papa wept, hugging him tightly and pulling him deeper into the kitchen.

I stepped in with them, fighting my instinctual urge to growl and snatch and fight anyone who would lay a hand on my omega, even if it was his papa.

The other two alphas in the room stood and glared at me, in the case of Simon's dad, and frowned at me, in the case of the female officer, both giving me the feeling I was in serious trouble.

"You're home, you're safe," Simon's papa went on, brushing a hand over Simon's head as the hug continued.

Of course, that meant it was no time until his hand brushed across Simon's collar.

His hands froze, and he jerked back quickly to gape at Simon's collar, noticing the wrist restraints as well. "My God, what has he done to you? What have you done to my baby?" he demanded of me.

"Papa, it's okay," Simon said in a quiet, mortified voice as he pulled out of his papa's embrace. "Nothing bad has happened."

"Nothing bad?" Simon's dad said, stepping aggressively forward, like he would grab Simon and then fight me.

Like hell that was going to happen, even if the man was Simon's sire.

"I can explain," I said, holding up both hands. I then held one out to Simon in a sort of silent command.

Simon moved immediately to stand at my side. I could feel that his instinct was to kneel at my feet, but that would have just caused more problems.

"Explain?" Simon's papa gaped, looking like he wanted to attack me. "You've kidnapped my son and disappeared, even though half the Barrington police force is looking for you, and then you bring him back here looking like this, and you think you can explain ?"

"Papa, didn't Hayden or Mason call you to explain?" Simon asked. I could feel alarm and frustration from him, as well as lingering shame. I didn't like any of those feelings.

"Hayden? What does Hayden have to do with this?" Simon's dad asked.

Simon huffed out a breath and rubbed his eyes, which only exposed his wrist restraints more. "You'd think that when we showed up at their house late at night and borrowed their car, they'd at least think to call the two of you to let you know everything is okay," he said.

"Explain," Simon's dad said, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Mason called me instead," The female officer said.

I glanced from Simon's dad to the officer.

"Detective Shirley," she said, uncrossing her arms and reaching a hand to me. "Special Investigation Unit of the Barrington Police. I've been called in to get to the bottom of this, though I got here only a few minutes before you did, and we haven't covered the whole story yet. I worked on the kidnapping of Hayden Kipling, now Canton, as well," she added for Simon's parents.

The dots connected as I remembered where I'd seen the woman before. She'd been mentioned in the media's coverage of Hayden's kidnapping.

"I can help you sort this all out," I said. Since no one offered me a seat or a coffee, which I really could have used just then, I went straight into saying, "This is all about a power struggle between my uncle, Vincent Woodbury, and myself over control of our family company, Victory Holdings."

"How did my son get involved?" Simon's dad said, planting his hands on his hips in an aggressive gesture. "Why is he wearing restraints?"

I felt a strong wave of embarrassment from Simon. I felt the same sheepishness over coming clean to Simon's parents, but I tried to mask it.

"Simon and I met through a certain…dating app," I said, hoping to go for the least amount of embarrassment possible. "Without divulging too much personal information, all I'm going to say is that the nature of our chosen relationship is no one's business but our own. Although I understand from Hayden that the two of you are familiar with these things." I glanced to Simon's papa as well.

His dad and papa exchanged looks.

I blinked as I suddenly recognized a warm, pulsing light that seemed to encompass the two of them. More than that, I began to see a thousand tiny strings and threads of light that entwined around both of them, joining them together.

My jaw dropped. I'd never seen a bond before. Only bonded couples could see the bonds in others.

It was beautiful. It didn't matter how tense the moment was or how deeply in trouble Simon and I were, I was completely blown away by the dazzling display of Simon's parents' bond.

"Are you listening to me?" Simon's dad demanded, shaking me out of my observation.

"I'm sorry," I said, blinking rapidly. "I've just never seen a bond before. It's…amazing."

Both of Simon's parents blinked as well.

"Oh my God," Simon's papa said, sucking in a breath. "You're bonded." In an instant, his emotions shifted from anger to joy. "My baby has found a mate!"

I'd never seen the mood in a room shift so hard so fast. Simon's papa rushed at him and threw his arms around him again for another hug, but this one was celebration instead of anxiety. Simon's dad glanced between me and Simon so many times that it was almost comical. Bizarre as it was, I could tell he wasn't upset with me anymore. Confused, yes, but not upset.

"Couples don't bond by force," he said, as if explaining to himself. "Only if there's a genuine connection and real love."

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," I said, feeling more confident to take charge of the situation. "It was a sudden and somewhat accidental bonding, but I'm gladder than I can say that I've found my soulmate."

I subtly reached for Simon, pulling him gently out of his papa's arms and tugging him back against my chest. I wrapped my arms around him and breathed an internal sigh of relief that I now had my omega secured in my arms.

"This changes the situation," Det. Shirley said, watching everything unfold with a puzzled look. "It's not proof Mr. Kipling here wasn't kidnapped, but it changes things."

"I wasn't kidnapped," Simon confirmed. "I've been with Victor willingly this entire time. And I can confirm that his uncle, Vincent Woodbury, is trying to undermine him over conflict within Victory Holdings. But if you'll give us the chance to explain, we can tell you what's really happening with the company and the family and why Vincent Woodbury is causing trouble."

I was so proud of Simon. Everyone else was startled. And tired. I had the feeling we'd all been up most of the night.

"Frederick Kipling," Simon's dad said, stepping forward and holding out his hand to me. "I've been remiss in making introductions." As I shook his hand, he went on with, "This is my husband, Oliver Kipling."

"Ollie," Simon's papa said, shaking my hand with a broad smile after Frederick was done. "But you can call me Papa."

I shook his hand with a quick smile. The mood in the kitchen had changed so fast that I was still reeling.

"Victor," I said to both of them. "And it's a pleasure to meet both of you."

"I'm glad this has been sorted," Det. Shirley said, "but I'm going to need more information about what's going on and why the force brought me in to investigate a kidnapping that didn't happen and Mason asked for my help at the same time."

"Yes, I'd like to know what's going on, too," Frederick said.

"Why don't we all have a seat at the table, I'll make some coffee, and we can sort everything out," Ollie said, hurrying to the side to get started with the coffee.

It was a frustrating conversation, but a good one. I was exhausted, as was Simon, who sat so close to me on the chair beside mine that he might as well have been sitting in my lap. I felt like I'd explained the circumstances of Victory Holdings and my family a dozen times in the last day or so, and the faint headache from lack of sleep and dehydration that pulsed behind my temples wasn't helping the situation.

I shouldn't have been surprised when Frederick asked, "What provisions exist in the bylaws for Victory Holdings that would allow you to make such drastic changes to the long-term governance of the company?"

I'd never been happier that Simon's parents were well-versed in corporate law.

"To be honest, I haven't read through the bylaws in years," I said. "I need to pull them up and make changes for the board to vote on while we're here. As I recall, there is a provision to change things, but I'm operating a little bit on a wing and a prayer when it comes to changing them to keep the company together, if the board votes to take that action. They still might side with my uncle."

And the possibility that Uncle Victor might be able to talk Vivien around to his point of view, meaning I would end up as the one voted out of a leadership role in the whole thing, was still nagging at the back of my mind.

"You can use our computer to access a copy of the bylaws," Frederick said. "Ollie and I can look over them for you before this meeting later."

"We would be honored to serve as your counsel in this case," Ollie added.

"We could even draft a set of revised bylaws, including whatever specifications you need," Frederick said.

I was exhausted, but I still had enough of a brain to say, "All that's really needed is the ability to oust a family member without the entire company dissolving. And to get rid of that draconian non-compete clause my uncle put into place."

"Mason said something to Victor about the two of them potentially doing business together," Simon mentioned with a smile. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

"It would," Ollie said, smiling between me and Simon like he loved the idea of me not only joining the family through a bond, but through business as well.

"Leave this with us and we'll handle it," Frederick said.

Their kindness nearly knocked the wind out of me. I so wasn't used to being part of a functional family that actually stuck together and supported one another. It was a far cry from the competitive nature of my own family, so much so that it just about short-circuited my brain. How could people who had only just met me, and who could see the collar and restraints that marked the nature of my and Simon's relationship, just offer support that could only be hired for tens of thousands of dollars? How could anyone be so nice?

Simon rested a hand on my thigh under the table. "We'd be grateful for any help you can give," he said softly, glancing from his parents to me, then smiling softly. "But right now, we really need to get some sleep before the board meeting this morning."

"Yes, of course," Ollie said, getting up and taking everyone's empty coffee cups. "You two go nap for a few hours."

"I still have some questions," Det. Shirley, who had listened to the whole conversation about Victory Holdings like she was taking mental notes, said. "Not about the kidnapping. I can see now that is a non-event. I have questions about your uncle's business dealings. They connect a little too perfectly with some other things I've been working on."

"I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have about it," I said, trying to fight through my exhaustion.

"Later," Det. Shirley said, holding up one hand. "You're clearly exhausted, and you have bigger fish to fry at the moment." She reached into the inner pocket of her jacket and handed me a business card. "Here's how to contact me if you need to."

I thanked her, grateful for her help.

We all stood and a round of goodbyes were said as Det. Shirley left. Then Ollie insisted on showing Simon and me through the house to Simon's bedroom, even though Simon obviously knew where his own room in his home was.

I could tell his parents were treating him differently, though, and I didn't think it was the collar and restraints. They accepted our roles so readily that I knew everything Hayden had hinted at earlier was true. The way they treated Simon now was more like a respected guest, like a married son, rather than their baby.

"They're acting like we're already married," Simon said, by way of an apology, once we were alone in his room, beginning to undress for what I hoped would be a few hours' sleep.

"Well," I said, "aren't we, in a way?"

Simon caught his breath. "Are we?" he asked, hope and uncertainty radiating from him.

I approached him and helped him out of his shirt. I didn't stop there. Piece by piece, I stripped off everything he was wearing, down to his socks and shoes.

When Simon stood naked, wearing just the marks of his service to me, already growing hard, I clasped my hands on both sides of his beautiful, tired face and tilted it up to me.

"Simon Kipling," I said, holding his gaze with a hard stare that I could feel melted him straight into his slave place. "You're mine. I own you. You are my possession in every way…and you are my heart. You are the air in my lungs and the cum filling my balls." I couldn't hide the wicked grin that took my lips with that last comparison.

"You will marry me," I went on. "I want our bond to be on every level, physical, social, and spiritual. You are my everything, and I want the world to know it."

Simon drew in a shaky breath. "Yes, Master," he whispered, his lip wobbling. He then added. "I love you."

I smiled even more. "I love you, too, sweetheart," I said, then slanted my mouth over his for a kiss.

It was a sweeter kiss than my alpha wanted to take from him, but for that moment, my heart overrode those rough, possessive instincts. That primal alpha, the one that wanted to own and subjugate and put Simon in his place with my cock, was a major part of me, but it wasn't everything about who I was. Especially after the kindness I'd been shown in the last twenty-four hours, I felt the softer, caring part of me, the part that would one day be paternal, rising up to caress and embrace my omega as well.

We stood at the very beginning of being entirely new people, hopefully better, more fulfilled people. I was so excited about it that I could hardly contain myself.

"Now," I said, back to sounding harsh and cruel as I took a moment to breathe in Simon's sweet, omega scent. "Into bed with you."

"Yes, Master," Simon said breathlessly, then rushed to do exactly as I'd ordered.