by D. J. Heart
The rest of the evening seems to pass in an instant. Evan and Chad hang out mostly with Evan’s friends, talking about the same things they usually talk about at lunch, though Evan notices a difference in them as they start getting drunk.
“No, but! You’re so cute,” Kate says at one point, sprawled out in the couch, with Evan sitting on Chad’s lap next to her. “I mean, look at your little face. I just want to pinch it!”
“Please don’t,” Evan laughs, making Kate laugh like he’s just said the funniest joke in the world. Chad curls his arm around Evan’s waist a little tighter.
Soon after that someone turns the music up, a beta Evan doesn’t know moving to the middle of the floor and starting to dance. Within seconds three other people have joined him, and by the time the song is over the whole room is jumping up and down.
Evan drags Chad out of the couch, jumping up and down like everyone else, while Chad acts like a party pooper and just stands there as Evan dances around him.
It’s great.
When people start getting really drunk, Chad says that they have to leave.
“I’m so glad you came,” Johan says, words slurred and sincere. “And I’m glad you’re friends with us. You’re really cool.”
Evan blushes, not sure what to say.
He goes with, “I’m glad we’re friends too,” and Chad pulls him back.
“Goodnight everyone!” he says to his little group of friends, minus Alex and Kate, as he heads out the door.
“Bye!” they say together, waving at him.
Evan had the best night.
***
Chad had fun watching Evan have fun at the party, but he’s happy to leave. Hugging Evan close, the two of them make their way out of the dilapidated apartment building, heading for their car. It’s parked on the curb, just around the corner away from the main road.
Chad freezes.
An alpha is waiting for them by their car. He’s tall, about Chad’s height, body thick with muscle. When he sees Chad and Evan the strange alpha sneers, coming toward them with long aggressive steps. Chad pushes Evan behind him, baring his teeth.
Who the fuck is this guy?
The strange alpha attacks, shoulders down, and barrels into Chad like he’s trying to tackle him. Chad rolls with it, using the alpha’s momentum to trip him and put him on his back. The alpha grunts, bouncing right up before Chad has a chance to do anything else.
“Who the fuck are you?” Chad growls, keeping himself between Evan and the strange alpha, assessing the situation. The stranger is strong, but he’s clearly not trained to fight.
The alpha doesn’t answer, sneering at Chad and preparing to attack again. This time he comes at Chad more carefully, and Chad has to revise his opinion. The man can fight.
“I’m going to kill you, your omega, and your alpha,” the stranger growls, darting forward and landing a punch on Chad’s jaw. Chad knocks the arm away, punching the alpha back, landing a hard blow to the side of his head. In the background, Chad can hear Evan on the phone with Peter.
“I don’t know! He was waiting for us,” Evan says, sounding scared.
Chad ignores him, focusing on the threat. He and the strange alpha circle each other, each looking for an opportunity to get past the other’s defenses.
Needing to end this, Chad darts in, taking a hit to the stomach, and kicks the alpha’s legs out from under him. When the alpha goes down, he pulls Chad with him, and the next thing he knows Chad and the strange alpha are on the ground wrestling.
Chad struggles. They’re evenly matched, neither one managing to get the upper hand, and neither one willing to back down.
Chad hears the roar of a motorcycle. He looks toward the sound and sees nothing but a bright headlight hurtling toward them at breakneck speed. The bike comes to an abrupt halt, toppling over and sliding away as the rider jumps off.
It’s Peter, and he looks furious. Peter walks right up to where Chad and the strange alpha are fighting, the strange alpha having increased his struggles now that a new player has arrived on the scene. Peter reaches down and grabs the strange alpha by the back of his collar, yanking him up and lifting him off the ground, slamming him into the wall of the building next to them and pinning him with a big hand on his throat.
Chad breathes fast and hard, keeping his eyes on Peter and his adversary. It’s amazing how easy it is for Peter to bat away the man’s attempts at defending himself.
“You attacked my mate,” Peter growls, sounding feral and dangerous. “Why?”
The strange alpha growls, clawing at Peter’s hand to get away, but Peter ignores him.
“My dad and brother. I know you’re the one who killed them. I know how you work,” the strange alpha snarls, still clawing at Peter’s hand and arm to get away, not able to reach Peter’s face or any part of him not covered by his leather jacket and gloves.
“Who?” Peter asks, though Chad knows that Peter is well aware of who the alpha is talking about.
“My father, Rick Adams, and my brother William Adams. I know they were going after you, and you killed them for it.”
The alpha reaches into his coat as he’s talking, no longer clawing at Peter’s arm holding him against the wall, and pulls out a gun. Peter sees it before Chad has a chance to call out and warn him, yanking the alpha forward and snapping his neck before he has a chance to so much as lift his arm, much less fire.
Chad watches, shocked, as his attacker drops to the ground like his strings have been cut. Peter just sighs, turning around and walking over to Chad.
“You okay?” Peter asks, crouching down and putting a big leather-clad hand under Chad’s arm to help him up. Chad stands, feeling numb. He nods.
“Good. Evan, come here,” Peter says. Evan steps closer. The omega’s eyes are wide, and he’s shaking like he’s cold.
“Will you be okay taking Evan home?” Peter asks, pulling Evan close and rubbing his back, one hand on his neck pushing Evan into his chest.
Chad nods. “Yeah. I should… just give me a few minutes, okay?”
Peter nods. “Go sit in the car and leave when you’re both ready. I’ll deal with this.”
Chad nods, turning and pushing Evan into the front seat of the car, getting behind the wheel. He still can’t believe that the man had a gun, and how bad it could have gone had the man pulled it out sooner.
Reaching over and squeezing Evan’s neck, the omega relaxing under his hand, Chad starts the car and heads home.
***
Peter sits the alpha up against the wall, grabbing an empty bottle of beer he finds a few feet away and putting it in the dead alpha’s hand. Stepping back, he looks down at the dead man, satisfied that he just looks drunk and pathetic and not dead.
Next he calls Merchant to deal with the body. He hangs up the minute he’s given his location, in no mood to listen to Merchant’s comments right now. After calling Merchant, Peter calls Dawn and angrily demands to know why there was no mention of a brother in her file. She apologizes and hangs up, promising to call him back with more information. Peter waits.
“Half-brother,” Dawn says when she calls back. “The son of a mistress. Senator Adams never acknowledged him. I’m sorry, I should have caught this.”
Peter sighs. He can forgive Dawn one mistake. “Don’t let it happen again.”
“No, sir.” Dawn says, voice tight. Peter knows she feels worse having failed than any punishment or lecture he can come up with. He hangs up, staring at the body of the alpha he’s killed. He’s not sorry, though he wishes Chad and Evan hadn’t had to see it.
Merchant shows up ten minutes later, whistling when he sees the body by Peter’s feet.
“You’re on a roll, Peter,” he says, looking over the scene.
“Just take care of it,” Peter growls.
“Who is it?”
“Illegitimate son of Senator Adams,” Peter says, stepping away. “What do you think?”
Merchant studies the scene, then nods to himself. “Wrong part of t
own. Robbed… I’ll move the body and arrange it so that no one asks too many questions.”
Peter nods, leaving Merchant to it.
***
When Chad and Evan get home, all Chad wants to do is curl up around Evan under the covers and go to sleep.
“Why do you think that alpha attacked you?” Evan asks, head resting on Chad’s bicep, Chad’s arm slung over his chest.
Chad debates whether he should tell the truth, and then decides that Evan might as well know. It’s one thing to withhold information, but Chad doesn’t want to outright lie.
“He was Detective Adams’s brother. He’s mad because he thinks Peter had his dad and brother killed.”
“You mean Detective Adams is dead?” Evan asks, surprised.
Chad tells him that he is.
“Did Peter do it?” Evan asks, hesitant.
“Probably,” Chad says, though he knows that the chances Peter had nothing to do with it are slim to none. “Peter doesn’t react well to people messing with him.”
Evan nods, not saying anything.
“Does it bother you?” Chad asks, not wanting Evan to be scared of Peter, or to think badly of him.
“No,” Evan says. “I’m glad he’s dead.”
Chad is a little shocked. Evan doesn’t just sound like he’s fine with it. He sounds viciously satisfied.
“Really?”
“He was a bad person, and he was mean to you,” Evan says, pushing back and pulling Chad’s arm tighter across his chest.
Evan doesn’t say anything else, falling asleep just minutes later. Chad lies awake, not able to sleep. He’s happy that Adams’ brother decided to fight him like a real alpha. If he’d been more of a coward, Chad and Evan would be dead, and Peter would be left all alone. It makes Chad cold just thinking about it.
Chad is still awake when Peter tiptoes into the room, stripping quietly before crawling into the bed and pressing up behind Chad’s body.
“You’re awake?” Peter asks, lips on Chad’s neck.
“Yeah.”
“Are you mad at me?”
Peter sounds wary, but not like he feels guilty. Chad has decided that he isn’t mad. He’s glad Peter dealt with their enemy, even though it’s not how he would have done it.
“No,” Chad says. He can feel some of the tension leave Peter’s body.
“Is Evan okay?”
Chad snorts. “Yeah. He’s very happy with you. Remind me never to get on his bad side.”
“Really?” Chad can feel Peter’s grin against the back of his neck, and he rolls his eyes.
“Yes. Apparently, Adams deserved what he got for being mean to me.”
Peter laughs, curling his arm around both Chad and Evan’s bodies. Chad sighs. He loves being in the middle of Evan and Peter like this. Holding Evan, being held… it’s the best.
“I knew I did good picking him,” Peter says. Chad grins. He couldn’t agree more.
“I’m glad you’re not mad,” Peter says, sounding relieved. Chad doesn’t answer, but he moves his hand so that it’s lying on top of Peter’s, curling their fingers together over Evan’s chest.
Closing his eyes, Peter’s breath on the back of his neck, Evan’s heart beating under his palm, Chad goes to sleep.
***
Four months later…
Evan is so excited he thinks he might vibrate out of his skin. He has his first ever exhibit the next evening, and Peter and Chad are both coming to see it.
Well, it’s not just Evan’s exhibit. All the freshman art students have something on display, but that doesn’t make it any less fun.
“Is Trick coming?” Evan asks Mark. His bodyguard has relaxed a lot since Trick went to live with him, though he’s much more strict with Trick than Peter or Chad are with Evan. Trick seems happy, though, which makes Evan happy.
“We’re coming,” Mark says, for the millionth time. Evan grins. Mark is taking him home, and they’ve reached Peter and Chad’s private elevator. Evan had stayed late at school to help make the gallery ready for the show the next day, not leaving until the clock hit ten p.m., and both Chad and Peter will have been home for hours.
“Great. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Evan says, pushing the button to take him to the penthouse. Mark shakes his head, waiting until the doors close before he leaves. Evan feels a little bad for keeping him away from Trick, but not really. After the show he’ll have summer break, and Trick will have Mark all to himself.
Evan rides the elevator all the way up, wondering what he’s going to wear to the show. Tara and Alex have both said that they’ll just wear what they always wear, that the art is the important thing, but Evan agrees with Johan and Kate that he wants to look nice.
Maybe the gray pants with the blue shirt?
The elevator doors open, and Evan rushes into the apartment. Being in a good mood is fun, but being in a good mood while spending time with his alphas is even better.
“You’re finally home,” Peter says, meeting him in the hallway. Evan stops and stares, drool leaking out of the corner of his mouth.
Peter is wearing a pair of skintight leather pants, knee-high boots, and a leather motorcycle jacket with matching gloves. His chest underneath the jacket is bare and glistening. He looks hot and dangerous, and Evan wants to get down on his knees and crawl to him.
Seeing no reason not to follow the instinct, Evan does.
Peter laughs. “Come on. Chad has been waiting for you in the bedroom. I told him he could come when you were here to make him, and he’s very eager for you to join us.”
Evan has reached Peter’s feet, and he pushes his face into the space between Peter’s legs, rubbing his face against the inside of Peter’s leather-clad thigh. It smells like leather and alpha, the musky base scent of Peter overpowering everything else.
“Or maybe you want to be mean, huh? Make him wait a little more while we have some fun?” Evan shudders, pulling away. Making Chad wait is Peter’s thing. Evan just wants to make both his alphas feel as good as possible as fast as possible.
“Up you go,” Peter says, reaching down and picking Evan up like he weighs nothing, throwing him over his shoulder. Usually Chad is the one who likes picking Evan up like this, and Evan grins when he sees how much higher up he is with Peter.
He can’t wait to tease Chad about that later.
“Same rules as always,” Peter says as they near the bedroom. “You don’t have to do anything, but don’t do anything I tell you not to do. Now, what’s your safeword?”
“Red,” Evan says, humoring Peter. He knows the drill.
“Good boy.”
Peter drops Evan down to the floor, walking behind him with his hands on Evan’s shoulders, leading him into the bedroom.
“Evan’s home,” Peter says cheerfully. Evan’s eyes go wide when he sees Chad. Peter has hung him from the ceiling, wrists pulled up and far apart, legs spread as wide as they’ll go, toes barely touching the floor. Chad is sweaty and panting, his cock an angry red color, a tight strap of leather tied off at the base of his shaft and balls.
“Think we can take this off?” Peter asks. He walks right up to Chad and pumps his cock, tracing the thin strip of leather preventing him from shooting his load.
Chad, who Evan has just noticed has a huge gag stuck in his mouth, nods vigorously. His eyes are wide and desperate, pleading with Peter to let him come.
“What do you think, Evan?” Peter asks, turning to Evan with a devious smile.
“I think you should let him come,” Evan says, his own cock pressing against his pants, so hard he feels like he’s going to burst a seam.
“What if I make you choose?” Peter asks, dropping Chad’s cock and walking up to Evan. Having Peter’s attention on him when he’s in full alpha dom mode is almost more than Evan can bear, but he stands his ground.
“What if I only let one of you come, huh? Who would you choose?”
Evan swallows. “Chad,” he says, hoping that Peter won’t make good on his threat.
Chad’s cock looks like it hurts, it’s so hard and red.
“Good boy,” Peter says, voice deep and rumbling with approval. Evan shudders. “You hear that, Chad? What a good omega we have?”
Chad nods, looking at Evan with a happy expression.
“I’ll make you a deal, Evan, for being such a good boy. If you can make Chad come in less than five minutes, without taking off his cock ring, I’ll let you come too. If you fail, you don’t get to come until tomorrow. Your time starts… now.”