Zinn felt a modicum of sympathy for his omega parent. He knew it was Father who drove the decision-making in their family. Still, he would never forgive Daddy for being so complicit, for never standing up for Zeller, and for always choosing his husband and their family’s reputation over his children’s happiness. His blood boiled with the certainty thatbothhis parents would have been perfectly happy for Jem to be a philandering husband, for Asher to be a miserable accountant, and for Zeller to be married to a boorish-but-well-connected alpha, as long as it benefited the Parkenson family name.
Zinn realized that if he’d never met Valentin, all three things would likely have come to pass.
Antoni fixed his forlorn expression on Zinn and he felt unwilling sympathy. But it didn’t alter his resolve.
He recalled Antoni pleading with him to accept his parents’ decision, telling him, “I don’t want you to waste your life being sad, Zeller. It would be best if you putthe appendectomybehind you.”
Zinn would be forever thankful that Antoni helped get his baby to Wes and Assa, but that gratitude did not extend to forgetting what had been done to him. It never would.
He sighed resignedly. The stone walls of the exterior appeared dull in the sunlight. Like the dreariness could swallow him whole. They needed to get this business done quickly and get out of here.
“It’s good that Father and Daddy are alone,” Asher said. “It’s best we speak to them without an audience.”
Zinn nodded. “I want the others there too, though. Let’s text them.”
“You said the people in the cars are your family?” Antoni asked.
“My partners,” Zinn responded, emphasizing the plural. “And my children.”
Antoni’s eyes widened as Asher tapped on his phone.
“Can you tell our fathers we’ll be inside shortly,” Zinn asked Antoni. “Please give them the heads-up that I’m with Asher, and also that my family is with us.”
“I’ll let them know. They’re in the library.” Antoni went back inside the house, leaving the door ajar.
“Let’s get this over with,” Zinn said to Asher, scratching the back of his neck. “Now that I’m here, I realize just how badly I want to be gone.”
“Agreed.”
A few minutes later, the rest of the men and the children crunched their way up the gravel walkway from the direction of the parking area.
Calder held a drowsy Lachie in his arms. “It took a while to get everyone out of the cars,” he said, kissing the crown of Zinn’s head. “The little guy was still asleep.”
Zinn ran a hand over the baby’s wispy curls and Lachie grunted unpleasantly. “Oh, goody,” Zinn said, grinning. “He’s always such a pill when his nap doesn’t go right. Maybe he’ll be extra cranky for my parents.”
Wes and Assa chuckled, and Wes took the baby from Calder, patting his back.
“How did it go?” Assa asked.
“It’s surreal,” Zinn said. “Seeing Antoni. But how else could it have been?” He could hardly believe that he was about to confront his parents. “At least there’s no one else around.”
Assa squeezed his biceps. “You’re truly okay?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
“Did you really grow up here, Daddy?” Ryde asked.
“Me and Uncle Asher.”
“I knew your family had money.” Jordie whistled. “But not like this.”
Behind them, Valentin trailed up the walkway, observing the grounds.
Zinn walked over to him. “What’s going through your mind?” he asked softly.
Valentin rocked back on his heels. “It was strange pulling into the staff lot because it was empty. The last time that happened was…”
“My heat.”