“I’m glad to hear you had a good trip,” Erin said before Remy could speak. “I heard on the news there was some weather coming down the coast.”

“Erin.”

“Mind you, I never watch the news—can’t stand all the violence— but I figured if you were going to be late it would be good to know.”

“Erin.”

“But you came home early, so I guess it didn’t matter in the end!” He giggled that same vexing giggle.

“Erin.”

“You should go change out of your uniform and get ready for dinner too. I’m sure Annalee is excited to tell you about school and—”

“Erin!” Erin jumped when Remy growled. He held his chest where his heart laid and stared at Remy terrified.

“Now do I have your attention?” Remy’s brow arched dangerously.

Erin nodded but didn’t speak.

“Good!” Remy pushed the kitchen door open so hard it slammed against the wall, and he pointed to the living room. “Then perhaps you can explain to me why  the living room is a mess!”

“Annalee and I were playing,” Erin answered quietly.

“Playing?” Remy let out a caustic laugh. “It looks like a goddamn tornado came through my house!” Erin flinched and stepped back, wrapping his hands over his arms.

“I planned to have the house cleaned by the time you came back. I didn’t realize you were coming home early—”

“Maybe if you didn’t have the radio blasting, you would have heard the text I sent you letting you know when I landed! What did I say? Hmm? What were my rules about playing music?!”

“No loud music in the house…” Erin mumbled.

“No loud music! And yet I come home to my daughter looking like a refugee, my house a mess, and you playing that god forsaken crap through the halls.”

“I apologize.” Erin shook his head. “It won’t happen again.”

“You’re absolutely right it won’t!”

“Ahem—”

Remy turned his head when he heard someone clear their throat. Henry stood at the door, staring at him with an expression so condemning it knocked the wind out of Remy’s sails.

“Sir. I just wanted to tell you I’m leaving.” The older gentlemen fixed his hat. “You have a good night.”

“Oh, wait, Mr. Henry!” Erin called out after Henry. He hurriedly wiped his hands on his apron and dashed toward the fridge. “Don’t go yet, I’ve got something for you and Mrs. Alice!” He bent down and pulled out a covered dish. “It’s spinach lasagna. Low carb pasta, and low sodium marinara. I made it especially for her.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” Henry lost the edge in his voice and gave Erin an indulgent smile.

“Nonsense.” Erin forced a smile. “After she was kind enough to share the recipe for her apple pie, and you helping me out with the storage.” The Omega’s grin widened as he handed Henry the pan. “Enjoy it. And tell her Annalee and I will come by to take her for a walk if she’s feeling up to it.”

“Will do, Mr. Erin.”

“What did I say about you calling me Mister?” Erin crossed his arms with a playfully stern eye.

“Sorry, Erin.” Henry chuckled and nodded. “I’m sure she’ll be glad for the company. I’ll let her know you’re coming by.”

“Thank you very much.” Erin uncrossed his arms and went back to the oven. Remy blinked at the exchange, trying to understand what the hell was happening. Since when did Henry and Erin have such a good rapport?

“Well…I’m going to be headed home then. You have a good night.” He paused when he reached Remy and gave him a disapproving glare. “Sir.” Henry tipped his hat. He shuffled out leaving Remy still dumbstruck.

When the front door snapped Erin folded his arms and hardened his disposition.

“I hope you’re happy with yourself,” he huffed. “Making a scene in front of Mr. Henry over some toys and crayons.”

“Me making a scene?” Remy’s eyes flew open. “You’re the one who has this house looking like a pig sty!”

“I’m talking about you yelling and screaming like a lunatic. Even Annalee knows how to use her inside voice.”

“Well if you’d shut up for five seconds, perhaps I could get a damn word in!”

“Odd advice from a man who can’t stand not to hear the sound of his voice giving commands.” Erin rolled his eyes. “You’ve been gone two weeks.” He shoved two fingers in Remy’s face. “Two weeks, and the first thing you do is come in here like a general, snarling and ordering everyone around.”

“Are you suggesting that I have no right to be upset?” Remy’s bared his fangs at the mere accusation.

“No! I’m saying you could learn to relax a little and take the stick out every so often! I’m saying a few toys on the ground isn’t the end of the world, Remy.” Remy watched as Erin snatched the apron off and stomped into the living room.

“Oh, I’m  sorry!” Remy followed behind Erin as he cleaned up the toys, hounding him like a feral dog. “Perhaps in your world of rainbows and unicorns, it isn’t a big deal, but I’d like to come home to an orderly  household, thank you very much!”

Erin spun around so fast they nearly knocked into each other. Remy immediately took a step back, but Erin puffed out his chest and stood to his full height. “How about coming home to a loving daughter?” Erin hissed. “Where does that fall in your list of priorities?”

“Don’t you bring Annalee into this!” Remy sneered. “She is at the top of my list! Always!”

“Well, you certainly don’t act like it!” Erin snapped back.

“I beg your pardon—”

“Yes you absolutely can!” Erin cut him off, now raising his own lilting voice. “That little girl adores you! Worships the freaking ground you walk on! All she’s been talking about for the last two weeks is her Papa coming home! And the first thing you do, before you even hug her—before you even say hello— is complain about the state of your house!”

“That is not  true!”

“It is true!” Erin threw him a withering glare before he turned his back on Remy. He threw the dolls in the toy basket. “All she wants is your attention, but you’re too worried about stains on your coffee table and carpet to notice! You’re too grumpy to appreciate how blessed you are!”

Remy reached down and scooped the pillows off the floor, flinging them onto the couch. “Well maybe if I didn’t have to pick up crayons and pillows off the damn floor, I’d be a little less  grumpy.”

“Ha!” Erin scoffed. “Fat chance of that. Since grumpy is your middle name!” Clearly, Erin thought he’d won the argument with that quip. The Omega grabbed the bowls off the entertainment center and sashayed into the kitchen, leaving him alone to stew in his anger. Remy heard the dishes clatter in the sink as Erin began to wash them, muttering under his breath.

Remy moved to follow him into the kitchen, but something cracked under his shoe.

“Goddamit!” He growled and lifted his foot, revealing the glass littered on the floor. “Great Nanny! Leaving glass laying around” He bent down as he huffed, picking the frame off the ground and slamming it on the coffee table.

“Erin!”

“What!” the Omega growled back.

“I need the broom and a trash bag! Some glass broke in here!” Remy scooped what he could and waited for Erin to bring him the broom. When he stood up, he picked up the frame to check the damage. Aside from the glass, it was still in good shape.

“Here you go, Mr. Grumpy Pants!” Erin shoved the broom toward him. Remy didn’t answer. He was staring down at the picture, his mouth settling into a thin line.

“Where did you get this,” Remy whispered, trying to keep his voice from trembling.

Erin froze when he saw the picture Remy held in his hand. He pulled the broom back slowly, and lowered his head before he answered,

“In the storage. You didn’t have any pictures of Annalee’s mother anywhere so I—”

“So you stole it out of my storage!” Remy barked.

“No!” Erin shook his head frowning. “No, I—I got the key and—”

“And went into my storage! Without my permission!” Remy opened the back of the frame, ripped the picture out, and showed it to Erin. “Look at this picture!” He pointed to his wife. “Do you see yourself in it?”

“No…” Erin whispered and shook his head.

“What was that?” Remy demanded.

“No!” Erin whimpered. Remy could see the tears forming in his eyes as he said, “no, I don’t!”

“No! You don’t! That’s because you’re not in it! Because it doesn’t belong to you!”

“I know that!” Erin sobbed out.

“Clearly you don’t! Or you would have never taken this without my permission!”

“I’m sorry.” Erin shook his head. “I didn’t mean any harm…I just…” Erin folded and lowered his head. He wept as he hugged himself with his arms and made himself as small as possible. “I just wanted to help…”

Erin was an Omega in clear distress, and every nerve in Remy’s body drew him closer.

Protect him.

The voice commanded.

"You don't belong here." Remy clenched his jaw and stood up straight, towering over Erin’s delicate frame. “I agreed to give you a chance…” he said, sliding the photo in his pocket. “I’ve done that.”

Erin looked up at him with green teary eyes, nose ruddy and wet.

“I want you gone,” Remy brushed past Erin as he walked away. “You have till the end of the week.”