Deion walked from the front door to the kitchen and back to the front door again. Over and over again. He looked continuously at his wristwatch and chewed nervously on his lower lip. Tonight, he would either have his heart broken or become happier than he had ever been before.
The smell from sweet potato pie and the fried chicken made him think of home, and he smiled. Joy had asked if he could cook his favourite food instead of meeting up at a restaurant as usual. Deion was happy that she wanted to eat at home. It was, after all, more suitable to talk about their relationship in private. But because he was meticulous, he had to clean every corner of the apartment, and that had taken several hours.
Deion had called his mama back home for her recipe for the sweet potato pie and fried chicken, and he even called Auntie Lisa in Atlanta for the recipe for her famous pork ribs and cornbread. He had to answer the two nosy women's questions about Joy and even hear the disappointed sound in his mama's voice when she learned that Joy was a beta. His mama was a kind person, but it didn't change the fact that she preferred only alphas in the family. Deion ignored her, which his mother had told him to. His mother was different from his mama, even though she also was an alpha. She didn't care what gender anyone had, as long as her kids were happy. And Deion was used to it. His ex, the girl that was the reason he moved to Tokyo in the first place, had been an omega, and his mama had been devastated, convinced that the girl was a golddigger and that she was only after Deion's money. Deion knew it wasn't true, and it caused him not to speak with his mama for over a year. Well, his ex-girlfriend wasn't a golddigger, but she cheated on him instead. But, Deion never regretted moving to Japan. After all, Deion met Shiro, and he loved that guy like a little brother. And if he hadn't meet Shiro, he wouldn't have met Doctor Joy Clemens.
Deion was back at the door when the doorbell buzzed, and he had to force himself not to open the door right away. He waited a few seconds, collected himself, and opened the door with a charming smile. Deion wanted to act confident and cool, but when he stood face to face with the black-haired beauty, he couldn't even get a word out, and he lost his smile. Her catlike eyes and those lips that she had painted a soft pink made his heart race. Deion just stared at her until the woman started to laugh.
"Am I that sexy?"
"Yes," he answered without thinking.
Surprised by what he said, they both stared at each other and then both of them burst out laughing.
"I'm sorry. Please come in," Deion said when he finally stopped laughing and let the woman in.
He took her black coat and put it on a hanger.
"Have you been here before?" Deion asked, and Joy nodded.
"Simon let me and the kids stay here for a few weeks after I left my former husband."
Deion heard the bitter tone of Joy's voice, and it made him feel a bit anxious. Deion was sure that Joy liked him. He was experienced enough to recognize the signals she was sending. But if anything could stop them from having a romantic relationship, it was her previous marriage. Joy's former husband had been a successful marketing director and an alpha. Deion got the impression that it had been a happy marriage. Until Joy learned that her husband had a harem of omegas all over London. Every omega was at the bottom of society, poor and desperate for money. Most of them weren't British citizens, and they were all unemployed, with barely a roof over their heads. Her husband gave them money but just enough so they could buy food and pay the rent. He wanted them to depend on him, so they would never leave him. He even had eight kids with eight different omegas, which he didn't care about at all. He didn't even know his children's name or age.
After learning the truth, Joy didn't fall apart. She wasn't sad nor devastated. Instead, she was absolutely furious. Not because her husband cheated on her, but because he treated other human beings like they were worth nothing. In the divorce settlement, Joy got the house, their holiday cottage in Dorset, and the cars. And Joy sold everything and gave most of the money to the omegas and their children. That was two years ago, and Joy was still angry about it. But Deion didn't want that to stop them. He knew that if she only allowed herself to trust him, they could have a relationship that would last.
"It smells lovely," Joy said and walked to the kitchen.
"Do you want a beer?" Deion asked, and Joy nodded.
That was one of the things Deion liked about Joy. She looked like a first-class lady, but she was down to earth, had the most amazing laugh and could drink like a sailor.
"Dear God, yes! Work was bloody awful."
Deion opened the refrigerator and took out two bottles of Peroni. He knew that was the brand Joy preferred. Joy took the bottle, and they toasted. After downing half the bottle, Joy put it on the table.
"Do you want any help with the food?"
"No, you sit back and relax. And there's a lot of beer in the fridge."
Joy watched as Deion put the food on the table, and her eyes grew big when she the amount of food he had made. There were ribs, fried chicken, different kinds of greens, cornbread, and hushpuppies.
"You really went all out!"
"Well, you wanted to taste my favourite food. I hope you'll like it," Deion laughed, and the look he gave Joy made her feel all hot inside.
She quickly started to fill her plate and dug in.
"Oh my god, it's soo good," she moaned, her mouth full of chicken.
Deion laughed, and his eyes tindered.
"Mama will be glad to hear that."
"So what kind of person is your mama? We have actually never spoken about our family," Joy said.
Deion knew she was right. Every time they met or talked on the phone, they talked about themself, their jobs, about Joy's kids or Shiro. But they never talked about their family or childhood. So while they eat, they talked about how they grew up, and they realised that their childhood had been completely different.
Joy's parents were quite old when they had her. Her father, Farooq, was from Pakistan and moved to England rather late after his former wife had died. He went to live with his oldest son in Newham. After a few years, he met Sharon from Newcastle, and the beta couple got Joy after five years. Sharon was then forty-five and Farooq fifty-six. Joy lived with her parents in Newham until Farooq died of bowel cancer when she was six years old. Then she and her mother moved to Southwark. Joy had always wanted to be a doctor, and her mother did everything for Joy to achieve that dream, sending her to the best schools they could afford. And it was when Joy attended university she met Finian. And through Finian, she met her husband, a colleague to Dorian's father, Keith.
While Deion had four older siblings and his both mothers lived. Deion had grown up in Ladera Heights, and his mother Patricia was a lawyer and his mama Dinah was a former model and now an actress for a daytime soap opera. Both were born and raised in Los Angeles. Deion's older brother played basketball as a point guard. His oldest sister was a singer, while his second brother was an actor and his second sister a swimmer.
Deion had always been pushed to succeed. His mama wanted him to follow in her footstep because ever since he was little, Deion always got a lot of attention for his good looks. But Deion refused. He didn't want anything to do with acting, sports, or modelling. He loved music, but he didn't want to sing, so he decided to become a manager because he wanted to help others fulfil their dreams. And even though his mama wasn't particularly happy about his choice of career, his mother was, and she, as usual, told Deion to ignore his mama.
Joy and Deion talked a lot and laughed even more during the whole meal, and when they were finished, both of them were feeling a bit tipsy from the alcohol and stuffed from the food. Deion started to take away the plates and declined Joy's offer to help. While he filled the dishwasher, Joy leaned back in the chair and glanced out through the window. She took a sip of the beer. The smile had faded from her face.
"Do you like it here in London?" She asked but didn't turn to look at Deion. The rain had started to fall outside, and it hit the window hard.
"Yeah, it's nice, but it rains too much," Deion laughed while he put the plats in the dishwasher.
"It does, doesn't it?" Joy said and laughed, but it didn't sound sincere, and Deion glanced at her.
She looked troubled, and it worried him.
"Do you think you will stay here?"
"Well, Shiro is going to live here now, so yes."
It wasn't very noticeable, but Deion could see a hint of relief on her face, and it lit a sparkle of hope inside him.
"Do you want me to stay?" He asked, and his heart hammered in his chest.
"Yes."
Silence followed, and Deion stared at the woman who glanced at him.
"I would like to kiss you," Deion said in a trembling voice, and Joy smiled.
"Then kiss me."
Deion didn't hesitate. He walked across the kitchen, leaned down, and captured Joy's lips with his. She responded and put her arms around his neck, bringing him closer.
What Deion hadn't expected was that Joy seemed to had wanted this as much as he did because it didn't take long before he was panting and had to stop for air. Joy looked at him with heated eyes, and her lips were slightly parted.
"I like you, Deion. I like you a lot, and I think you're bloody perfect."
Deion could cry out of happiness. He was so in love with this woman that he didn't know what to do with himself.
"I really, really like you too," he said and kissed her again.
Joy got up without breaking the kiss, and she clung to Deion.
"Do you want to be my boyfriend, then?" Joy asked between the kisses, and Deion nodded eagerly.
"More than anything."
The kisses got even more passionate, and Joy started unbuttoning Deion's's black shirt. Deion followed her actions and unzipped her black dress. The dress fell to the floor, and Deion gazed down at her, and he could have sworn he was in heaven.
"Bedroom," Joy said, her mouth on Deion, and still kissing and undressing each other, they walked to the bedroom.
Deion was about to carefully put Joy on the bed when the woman suddenly pushed him, so he fell heavily on the bed, and she immediately straddled him.
"I haven't been with anyone for over two years, and I've wanted to shag you ever since I first saw you."
Deion caressed her cheeks and looked affectionately at her.
"I'm all yours."
Joy groaned, sounded like a lioness in heat and kissed him again. And as she did, her hands stroked Deion's muscular chest. Deion moaned as she pinched his nippled, and he could feel his cock twist inside his boxers. And his hands went to her back where he was about to unhook her bra. Then suddenly his phone rang. They both stopped, but Deion shook his head.
"I'll call them back later. Come here," he said and kissed her chest.
But the phone rang again. Deion wanted to ignore it, but he could feel that Joy was unfocused. And when his phone rang for the third time, Joy got off him.
"It might be important," she said, her voice filled with worry.
Frustrated, Deion groaned, but he got up and walked to the hallway, where his phone was lying on a shelf. It was kind of hard to walk. His cock was as hard as hell. But he got there and picked up to phone. And as he did, it called for the fourth time. Deion frowned until he saw Ikumi's number, and ominous, he answered.
It wasn't Ikumi that called. It was Eamon, and the boy sounded exhausted. Deion went ice cold when he heard Ikumi cry in the background. Eamon told him that Finian was at the hospital and Dorian was going to stay overnight. Keith and Simon had offered to stay with Shiro, but Shiro had told them that they didn't have to. But Eamon didn't think that Shiro should be alone. The omega was acting rather strange.
Deion didn't hesitate. He told Eamon that he would be right there, and when he hung up, he turned to Joy, who was sitting by the bed with a scared expression on her face. And when Deion told her what had happened, she became pale. Finian was one of her closest friends. The woman immediately began to put on her clothes.
"I'm coming with you. I have known Eamon and Caoimhe since they were babies. I'll take care of them, and you focus on Shiro and Ikumi."
Deion looked at Joy, and his heart was filled with warmth. He was head over heels in love, and there was absolutely no turning back.
"You are amazing," he said and kissed her on the forehead.
"I could say the same to you. Boyfriend," she replied and winked, and that made the tall, muscular alpha blush.
After taking a cab, they got to the McCallister resident, and the atmosphere was heavy. Everyone was sitting on the sofa. Ikumi was sitting on Shiro's lap, and Caoimhe leaned forward with her head in her hands. Eamon was stroking her back with his hand, and he looked drained.
When Ikumi saw Deion walk into the living room, she darted up from the sofa and threw herself at the tall man, hugging his waist.
"Ojisan," she cried.
Deion picked her up like she didn't weigh a thing and held her close.
"Hey, baby girl," he said and kissed the top of her head.
He then looked at Shiro. The omegas eyes were swollen and red, and he looked worn.
"Have you heard anything?"
But Shiro didn't respond. It was as if he didn't hear Deion.
"Dad called just a few minutes ago. Daídai is sleeping now," Eamon answered.
"Good," Joy said from behind Deion, and it wasn't until then the children noticed the black-haired woman.
"Joy," Caoimhe called out, and just like Ikumi had done, she rushed to her feet and embraced the taller woman.
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm scared. Daídai is always so strong. What if he dies?"
Caoimhe was sobbing, and Joy stroked her back, trying to calm her down.
"I know it's scary, but these things happen. The doctors will take good care of your Daídai."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. When Samuel was born, the umbilical cord was around his neck, and he wasn't breathing. But the midwife and the doctor helped him, and now he's fine. You know that because you see him every day at school."
Caoimhe thought over what Joy just told her, and after a while, she nodded.
"Yeah, well, he's weird, but that probably hasn't anything to do with that"
Joy burst out laughing and nodded.
"Yeah, he is a bit weird, isn't he? Which twelve-year-old collects stamps nowadays?"
As Joy and Caoimhe talked, Deion smiled. He was impressed by how easily Joy managed to get Caoimhe to feel better. She was a strong woman, and that made her even more attractive.
Joy then turned to Eamon and gently stroked the boy's red hair.
"Why don't we go to the kitchen and get us some hot chocolate. That expansive one from France. I know Finian has a stash in the cabinet."
Eamon didn't say anything, but he nodded and stood up. His face was red, and his eyes were swollen.
"Come, Ikumi. I bet there some cream as well. And perhaps marshmallows. Dorian loves that stuff."
Ikumi looked first at Deion, who smiled and encouraging her. He nodded. He put the girl down on the floor, and she hesitated until Caoimhe waved at her to come. Ikumi glanced at Shiro, but her father was staring at the floor. It was like he didn't hear them at all.
"Go on, sweetie. I will take care of your otōsan."
That convinced Ikumi that it was alright of her to leave, and the girl walked up to Caoimhe and followed after Joy towards the kitchen. The black-haired woman stopped at the doorway. She let the children go before her and turned to look at Deion. She smiled at him. It was a kind smile filled with compassion, and it made Deion feel calm. He really loved that woman.
When Joy left, Deion turned around and walked up to his best friend. Shiro didn't look up even when Deion squatted down in front of him and took his shaking hands in his.
"How are you holding up?"
Shiro flinched, startled and stared at Deion. Surprised that the man was suddenly there in front of him.
"I don't know," he said, and his voice trembled.
"It was scary, right?"
"Yes. And when I saw the blood, it felt like my whole body turned to ice. What if something happened to Finian or the baby? Dorian said that he couldn't live without Finian, and I thought I understood that I would be okay if I died as well. But I can't. I have Ikumi. I need to be there for her. But I'm scared. They will hate me, and Dorian will throw me out."
It was like Shiro woke up from shook, and he stared at Deion with an almost hysterical expression on his pale face.
"Dorian would never do that. He loves you."
"But I can't do this. Not now!"
"Do what? Shiro, calm down. "
"I can't tell them," Shiro talked fast, and he grabbed Deion's hands hard.
Deion was seriously worried for his friend. He had never seen the otherwise calm Shiro like that before.
"Tell them what? Please, Shiro, you're not making any sense."
Shiro burst out crying and put his forehead against their clutching hands.
"I can't tell them that I'm pregnant."