Sweet Nothings (East Coast Sugar Daddies Book 5)

by Austin Bates

  Just the same, something was obviously wrong with the base code. I didn’t have the time to scour the millions of lines of syntax, so I focused on the primary functions that the algorithm responded to. I unleashed the day’s frustration by amending large blocks of code that would have done the job just fine. ‘Just fine’ wasn’t enough for me though. This was my passion, though there were people who thought I was a loser because I spent hours at a keyboard. They could join my father in that sentiment, but I was a perfectionist, and knowing the application was going to have a global release made me all the more determined to perfect my presentation. I fiddled with some more code here and there. Nothing that would break the application as a whole, but minor tweaks that would improve performance and accuracy. There was obviously something amiss if I’d been paired with Logan-- sure, his description of his perfect omega described me to a T, but that didn’t mean the attraction was reciprocated. Even with attraction aside, we had nothing in common. Logan was selfish and arrogant, an alpha through and through. There was no room for compromise in his life, and I couldn’t even consider a hypothetical relationship with someone who didn’t pull their weight. I’d have been a glorified pet if I were to commit myself to a relationship with Logan.

  I would readily admit that the primary ECSD investor had his share of attractive features. Carefully tempered cockiness became a self-assured confidence, his greed manifesting in a desire to protect everything he held dear. He was no stranger to sacrifice, though if you asked him as much, he’d say just the opposite. Still, I’d watched from the sidelines as he and my father discussed small businesses that had no chance of succeeding. My dad always insisted that one should invest in a sure bet, but Logan had a softer side that few were able to witness. If they didn’t know the alpha, they probably couldn’t have even interpreted it as kindness. He helped people achieve their dreams, providing the financial footing when all someone had was passion. I’d watched dozens of his investments fizzle out, but for every failed business, there was a small business that grew more and more every day.

  Scowling, I shook off the tender thoughts about the man to whom I’d given my virginity. It hadn’t taken me long to realize I was just another conquest. That’s all Logan could be bothered with-- dominating those who rose against him and then losing interest when they broke. He was fickle, and I refused to accept that out of all the alphas in our database, Logan Bryce was my dream alpha. Satisfied that the algorithm had been suitably adjusted, I ran another compatibility check. It took a bit longer to process, but I could optimize the code once I had something to go off of. I watched the screen with trepidation, photos of handsome alphas in compromising positions flashing across the screen. I winced slightly, regretting that I’d suggested that small customization option in the first place. In turn, the loading screen for alphas treated them to sultry pictures of omegas looking prim and ready to please.

  My thoughts were so overwhelming that I barely noticed that my match had been assessed. In spite of having no use for a romantic relationship, especially one founded on the values of ECSD, I felt strangely excited as I waited for the animation to reveal my ideal match.

  “Fuck!”

  My mind was awhirl with angry thoughts and the foulest words known to mankind, and I resisted the desire to fling my laptop across the room. I’d adjusted the algorithm for heightened accuracy, yet I was still subjected to a picture of a shirtless Logan Bryce, little animated hearts floating alongside his image. That wasn’t even the profile picture I’d given him, and I was somewhat annoyed by the idea that he’d put so much effort into testing the app, just to spite me in all likelihood. It seemed he’d taken the time to make sure he appeared as flawless as he pretended to be. It was an attractive photo, I’d give him that much. It looked as if he had just stepped out of the ocean, moisture clinging to his skin as he posed sumptuously on a sandy backdrop. I only got angrier when I realized that I was staring like some kind of creep, yelling as loudly as I could. I was the only one left in the office at that time, so my anguish shouldn’t have troubled anyone. I folded my arms on top of my desk, burying my face against them with an admittedly petulant whine.

  “Are you okay?” a familiar voice asked abruptly, just by my shoulder. I nearly leapt out of my skin, lurching upright and struggling to hide the evidence of what I’d been doing. Cieran’s soft laughter seemed to indicate he’d already seen my secret shame. “Logan, huh? Doesn’t really seem like your type -- not that I’m knocking your taste. Logan is one hot daddy,” Cieran sighed dreamily. My gaze shifted to him so quickly that I felt my head spin, hoping my expression was as disgusted as I hoped. Cieran only looked amused, raising a brow at me. “You’re too easy to mess with.” I struggled to contain my sounds of annoyance, not wanting anyone to know just how much the whole thing had gotten to me. It was a stupid compatibility quiz, not destiny itself.

  “Never refer to Logan as ‘Daddy’ again,” I said, feeling my stomach lurch unpleasantly.

  “Ah, not willing to share? That’s understandable. So when should I expect my wedding invitation,” Cieran said all too seriously, and for the briefest moment I fell for it. I had never realized just how shrill my voice could get, but it was less talking and more screeching like a banshee. “God, Aaron. What has your Underoos in a twist?” I could only glare at the other omega, having no idea how he could miss the severity of my issue. Perhaps I was blowing things out of proportion, but I wasn’t thrilled to give Logan additional fodder to humiliate me with.

  “Something’s wrong with the program.” I paused, looking back at my computer screen. That cursed animation continued to loop, a faintly romantic melody emanating from my laptop speakers. Cieran snorted, not bothering to obscure his disbelief. Not that it mattered-- all that mattered was Logan not catching wind of this second experiment. “Logan would have a field day with this, and you know it,” I said in an almost pleading tone. Cieran hesitated just briefly before hopping up to sit on my desk. His legs swung to and fro, seeming to sync with the obnoxious ticking of the wall clock.

  “So your only plausible solution is that the program is glitched beyond belief? That seems unlikely, considering how many success stories we list every week. It’s your own program, Aaron. It’s not like it’s going to scheme against you-- unless AI has gotten seriously advanced in the past few hours,” he said without bothering to fake a gentle tone. I was annoyed by how entertained he looked by the whole debacle, and even more angry that he was right. It didn’t make sense for the algorithm to glitch up on two specific profiles, and those profiles alone. We’d not received any bad reviews- hell, it seemed that East Coast Sugar Daddies was the matchmaking app that people had dreamed of for years. Every couple we’d set up had gone on to get married, have children, or commit to each other in one way or another. So if the algorithm wasn’t amiss, then something else was afoot. I would need to rewrite my answers to the questionnaire, perhaps that’s where things got skewed.

  “I’m not sure what the problem is. But it couldn’t have picked a worse match for me if it tried,” I said bitterly as I closed my laptop. Cieran seemed to contemplate my words, the tapping of his nails accompanying the ticking of the clock and the swishing of his swinging legs. I had my suspicions that he’d only come into my office to drive me up the wall, but he seemed genuinely interested in my dilemma.

  “Well, if it’s such a dramatic mismatch, don’t you think it warrants additional testing?” he finally asked, a glint in his eye.

  “What do you think I’ve been doing? I’m trying every possible shift to the code that won’t completely disrupt the app. I’m going to be comparing our answers to the compatibility gauging questions, but from what I’ve been able to tell, everything is working perfectly fine,” I sighed. I was frustrated to be rewarded with a chuckle, fixing the other omega with the iciest expression I could muster. “I fail to see the humor in this.”

  “I can see that. When I said additional testing, I wasn’t referring to obsessing over the source
code to the point that you delete the app altogether,” he said airily. If my expression could get any more venomous, it did in that moment. I prayed for both of our sakes that he wouldn’t have the audacity to vocalize what he seemed to be insinuating. “If the program matched the two of you, there was obviously a reason for it. You’ve tested the mechanical aspects, but you’ve not taken the emotional aspects into consideration.”

  “You’re implying Logan is capable of emotion in the first place,” I hissed, though he was only voicing thoughts I’d been trying so desperately to ignore. No one knew about the incident at the Christmas party, and as such I’d not been able to ask for advice. The one thing I was positive of was that it was a mistake. It could absolutely never happen again. Cieran moved to speak, but my cell phone began to vibrate so hard it danced across the desk. I reached out for it, checking the caller ID with a growing sense of dread. “It’s Logan’s assistant.”

  “Well, I’m sure Logan nor his assistant have any idea about your little crisis. Just answer the phone,” Cieran said with obvious annoyance. I frowned but obliged, not knowing what to do other than answer the phone. The phone call was short, and in spite of my jitters, it managed to calm me down a bit.

  “It’s business as usual. Logan wants me to accompany him to That’s Amore to meet up with a client,” I explained, pushing away from my desk and ignoring the strange look Cieran was giving me. “She didn’t even give me a chance to argue! Regardless of how frustrating this whole thing is, I can’t just throw away my work responsibilities.”

  “That’s not what has me confused.” Cieran’s voice was tentative, and it didn’t seem that he even knew what was troubling him.

  “Well, whatever has set off your super senses is an issue for another time, I need to go home and get dressed. Logan isn’t the most patient man in the world, and he’d ream my ass if I made him look foolish in front of a prospective investor,” I said, immediately regretting my choice of words. God, if I kept it up, people would think I was truly attracted to my boss. The thought made me shiver, though it was becoming hard to tell if it was a bad feeling or not. I strode to the door of my office, opening it and waiting for Cieran to join me. It was one thing for him to barge into my office while I was there, but it was like no one respected anyone else’s privacy. As he stepped through the door, he seemed to realize something. He met my gaze, holding it as he enunciate the statement.

  “Don’t you think That’s Amore is a bit too intimate of a setting to meet someone you’re doing business with?”

  He didn’t even give me a chance to reply before heading back to his own office. I considered giving chase, but regardless of what was going to occur at this meeting, I couldn’t afford to be late. However, I was tempted to just call Logan and tell him that I couldn’t make it. He wouldn’t have any reason to question me. I could make up some excuse about being violently ill, unable to leave the bathroom for longer than five minutes--- but that idea sounded even worse than just going to meet him. Resigned, I stopped by my apartment just long enough to freshen up and get dressed according to the code I’d been given.

  Upon arriving at the restaurant, I managed to steady my nerves before pushing the door open and stepping inside. The lights were dim, candles lit on every table to give the place a more intimate feeling. Not a place for a business meeting, just like Cieran said. My brain screamed for me to turn back, but I could have been misinterpreting things, and I’d look like a fool. I was led to the table that had been reserved, my heart stuttering to a stop as soon as I saw him. As expected, Logan sat at the head of the table, sipping at some fancy chardonnay. I took comfort in the fact that the table seemed to be one that seated three. All I had to do was make small talk until the client arrived. It would be simple.

  Logan was just my boss. Nothing more.

  6

  Logan

  Goddamn Win and his insistence upon making people second guess themselves. Double damn my ridiculous idea to roleplay an interview just to get under Aaron’s skin. It had come back to bite me on the ass several times over, and not in any sort of good way. I liked to think of myself as a man who stands by his choices. Maybe the choice was wrong, and perhaps mistakes were made, but I would not change my position. Some would call it stubbornness, and I’d always called it an iron will. I now recognized it for what it truly was-- utter and complete ignorance. To say I regretted the interview with Aaron would have been a stretch until the very moment I realized I was feeling things for the young programmer. Feelings weren’t exactly my forte, and they had never needed to be. I was an alpha who got what he wanted, consequences be damned. Yet there I sat in the ritziest Italian restaurant in the city, anxiously sipping at what must have been my third glass of wine. Why was I there, waiting for the omega to show up and fix me with that look of general disdain he seemed to reserve for me? That stupid algorithm had gotten to me, and Win taking a hammer to the crack in my armor had caused a large split. I was torn.

  Admittedly, I had felt something in that cramped closet. It could be easily dismissed as lust, because that’s all there had been potential for. Getting hot and heavy wasn’t enough for a person to decide they like someone. I didn’t even know the omega’s name, or anything about his life. One thing was certain, however-- my romp with that omega was in the past. Perhaps I had clung so tightly to the idea of him because it felt so different from every other omega I fucked. I tried to pinpoint why I’d felt that way, especially during the period immediately following the Christmas party. There was some sort of warmth that had flooded my chest from the moment I caught the omega’s scent. There was something comforting about it, though alphas rarely admitted to needing comfort. No one would have understood why I felt so strongly about him, and I truly couldn’t have expected as much. Even I didn’t even understand why I longed for a repeat performance of that night. I was clueless as to why I was desperate to know the features hidden beneath that mask. I regularly cursed myself for being talked into some bullshit Masquerade themed party in the first place.

  Again, that was in the past. What had made that night special was feeling even an inkling of something more than pure and simple lust. As I’d told Win, the chances of finding that specific omega was incredibly unlikely and I didn’t believe in the whole ‘soul mates’ schtick. If I’d felt something then, I was positive I could feel it with someone else. Someone I actually knew… A small part of me was ashamed of even giving the compatibility results merit, but a larger part of me swore by the app. Even if I’d never intended to use it, I was well aware of the relationships that it had contributed to. The algorithm had never been wrong. It was almost creepy how accurate the matches were. I suppose that described how I felt in that moment: creepy. Having flings with younger men was nothing new to me, but those younger men had never been my best friend’s son. I’d never witnessed them grow from an awkward and acne ridden teenager into a gorgeous young man. I should have felt disgusted with myself. It was one thing to flirt around with the kid, have a bit of fun at his expense. However, inviting him to meet me at this restaurant… there was so much more involved. It was beyond silly banter, and there wouldn’t be an office environment where we’d need to maintain our professional air. At least, I knew it wasn’t a work call. My personal assistant hadn’t exactly been privy to my plan, so I could only wonder how she convinced Aaron to come to the most romantic spot in the city to meet his boss.

  It was easy to guess, if I was being honest with myself. Aaron had a work ethic that could not be faulted. If he thought meeting me for dinner would aid in the production of the app, he wouldn’t hesitate. I was admittedly nervous as to how he’d respond to the ‘meeting’ being a glorified date. I’d never concerned myself too much with pleasing a particular person. It didn’t matter if one man didn’t like my vibe, as it were, because there were dozens waiting to take his place. I wasn’t sure where things had gotten so muddied up with Aaron. I had no idea why I wanted to impress him. All of this inner turmoil, just because I had wa
nted to mess with his mind. I hadn’t even known he would be one of my matches. It was just a hunch… a weird hunch, but a hunch just the same. I tried to cleanse my mind of anxious thoughts by sipping at another glass of wine-- how many had there been by then?

  I felt him before I saw him, in spite of how nonsensical such a notion seemed. There was something about Aaron, something you grew accustomed to in his presence, and one of those things was that piercing stare that seemed as if it could peer straight into your soul. Granted, we both knew I didn’t have one of those. The thought of his general vitriol towards me had me rethinking whether or not the date was a good idea. Just about anyone could have told me that it wasn’t. I didn’t indulge those thoughts any further as my gaze landed on him, noting that he was dressed more impeccably than I’d ever seen him. My heart throbbed at the sight of him, a fact I hated to acknowledge. He looked so adorably shy and unsure of himself, fidgeting as he took the seat across from me. It was a table for three, and I may have felt bad for the deception if not for the fact that he’d bolt if he knew the real reason we were there. I found myself unable to form words for a moment, which only served to heighten my frustration. Men never left me speechless and it was Aaron for the love of God. It wasn’t some model I’d bagged after a night on the town, it was just plain old Aaron; a man I saw every day. Someone I’d seen so many days in his lifetime. Was this what it felt to be on the receiving end of my barbs? I couldn’t imagine feeling this unsure of myself all the time. I could barely believe I even felt it then.