“I see… that’s strange. I wonder what they’re doing here.”
“Probably the same as us. Trying to get laid.” With Foster’s words, the two of them sighed at their own failure. It looked like no one was going to win the wager.
Chapter Two
The two men lingered at the bar, drinking copious amounts of alcohol that had little to no effect on their bodies. The bartender couldn’t fathom how they weren’t drunk out of their minds by this point. He expected them to slur their words. For their cheeks to turn red and ruddy. For them to stumble and act childish, but it never happened. Despite the shot glasses piling up around them, they seemed completely sober.
“You see that?” Foster whispered, his back against the counter and a glass of whiskey in his hand.
“Hmm?” Lloyd swiveled in his stool, looking out at the crowd.
“That whelp right there is passing around Dragon’s Breath.”
“What?” Lloyd narrowed his eyes, his pupil’s momentarily turning into slits. To his surprise, he watched two normal-looking men passing a bag full of crushed red petals. “I can’t believe it… so the whelps are in here to sell drugs?”
“Seems like it.” Foster shook his head in disgust. “Leave it to the whelps to get caught up in a dishonest business like that.”
Suddenly, right after the bag was handed off from one whelp to the next, the receiver dashed off. He collided with the wall of people, trying to wiggle his way through any opening that might appear. It was obvious that he had no intention to pay for the drugs he had just gotten.
The dealer quickly grabbed him by the neck, slamming him into the ground. In a flash, the dealer’s fist recoiled back and made contact with the buyer’s face. A hiss escaped the buyer’s lips as he reached up, his nails growing long and claw-like, trying to lash out at his attacker.
Without thinking, Lloyd walked up to the scuffling whelps and pried them apart. Their eyes grew wide when they recognized the dragon prince. Their legs dangled in the air as Lloyd held them in the air. “You two should be ashamed of yourselves.” He growled, his voice dark and malicious. “I should have you imprisoned for your crimes.”
As Lloyd displayed his strength, a crowd of people surrounded him, watching him as he held two grown men in either hand like they weighed nothing at all. Rumors started to spread around.
How is he doing that?
How can he pick up two men at the same time?
He must be on steroids or something.
Maybe he’s one of the bouncers.
Before Lloyd could bash their heads together, Foster appeared, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Put them down. You’re making a scene.” He whispered through clenched teeth. He smiled at some of the people that were watching them with wide, fascinated eyes.
Foster looked down, spotting the bag of Dragon Breath on the ground. He was about to grab it when a third whelp swooped in and snatched it. Instantly, he disappeared as he ran through the nightclub, making his way for the exit. Foster was hot on his trail in a second. His body moved like a well-oiled machine, his arms pumping and his feet crashing against the floor. His messy brown hair fluttered with the speed of his movement. Before anyone could even realize what was going on, Foster tackled the third whelp to the ground.
“Give that back!” The whelp screamed, reaching for the bag. His eyes were bloodshot and his features pale. His pupils were thin little lines. This whelp was an obvious addict who would do anything to get his fix.
“Fat chance.” Foster scoffed. “I wouldn’t let vermin like you even come close to this ever again. Just be glad I caught you and not Lloyd. He would’ve made minced meat out of you.” The whelp gulped at the mention of Lloyd’s name. His fingers shook and he stood there in Foster’s gasp, trapped.
Suddenly, he snapped. He lashed out at Foster. He grabbed hold of his hair and pulled on it hard. Foster, taken by surprise, howled with pain before he kneed the whelp in the stomach. The addict recoiled, but quickly regained his posture and rammed his body into Foster. They collided into a table. It broke under the weight of their bodies as they rolled around, throwing punches at each other.
The whelp hissed and fought with all his might, but as Foster grew angry, his nostrils flared and a puff of black smoke rushed out of his mouth. It encased the whelp’s face, burning his eyes. The lesser dragon clutched his face and backed off before Foster got up, pinning his arms behind his back. “One more move and I break your fingers one by one.” He whispered into his ear, his grasp tightening around the whelp’s wrists until he whimpered with discomfort.
“What’s going on here?” The crowd had dispersed by this point, put off by the violent fight scene. Emerging from the crowd of people still gathered around the fiasco, a woman with white-blond hair and a body full of luscious curves appeared.
Lloyd and Foster both stared at her at the same time. Lloyd nearly licked his chops when he saw the big beautiful woman that appeared before him. With her hands on her wide hips, she stood with an air of confidence and power that he was immediately attracted to. He could feel his body reacting in ways that were foreign to him. He gulped down the fire forming in his stomach as his eyes ran up and down her body, taking in her every inch.
A few feet away, Foster was fixated by her plump pink lips and perfect face. She had a smile that could kill. Her eyes sparkled like jewels as she looked around, amused, glancing from Lloyd to Foster. “What are you boys up to?” She asked once more, her lips slow and seductive as she formed her words. Foster found himself staring at her face for longer than he intended, his cheeks turning red as she finally made eye contact with him. It was only for a fleeting second, but it was enough to send his heartbeat into overdrive. He looked away, and studied her white hair, appreciating the softness of the curls framing her heart-shaped face. Her skin was a milky white. Flawless. Plump, kissable lips, pursed in a soft pout. Light blue eyes the color of the sky. Foster moved his eyes down to her chest. It nearly spilled out of her shirt. He stared at the soft-looking skin that almost seemed to have a certain shine to it, wondering what it would feel like cupped by his palms. Eventually, he broke his gaze and his eyes wandered along her every inch, her every curve. He nearly licked his lips just looking at her. The woman had a voluptuous hourglass figure with hips that begged him to dig his fingers into. Foster gulped. This woman was perfect.
“These three were causing trouble. We stepped in to help.” Lloyd finally answered her question. He flashed her a smile, still holding the two whelps in his hands. They looked away, mortified that they were even in this situation to begin with.
“Yeah we saw the whole thing!” A few members in the crowd pitched in.
“The two guys were going at it and this guy just broke them apart just like that!”
“Then the skinny one tackled the third to the ground. It was insane.”
The woman listened to the crowd and nodded. “And what do you have to say for yourselves?” She addressed the whelps now, expecting an answer but they were silent. “I see… I think that’s proof enough of your crimes.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Would you two mind escorting them out for me then?” She asked and stepped forward, her hand resting on Lloyd’s arm. The large bracelets she wore on her wrist clunked together. Lloyd nodded immediately, feeling a surge of energy run through his veins as he marched to the exit and tossed the whelps outside.
Foster was bubbling with jealousy before he finally followed his step-brother, dragging the unwilling addict along. He ground his teeth together and kicked the whelp to the curb. “Don’t let us see you three in here ever again.” His voice was like venom as he made the threat. “Or you’ll all be sorry for it.” Without another word, he walked back inside, determined to talk to the gorgeous woman before Lloyd could get another chance.
She was still standing there when he got back to the bar. “Thank you again for handling the situation.” She smiled in response. Of all the curves on her body, her smile was definitely the sexiest, Foster
thought. He shuddered, feeling a slight squeeze around his heart as he stepped forward and flashed her his best smile in return.
“There’s no need to thank us.” He said smoothly. He ran his fingers through his hair slowly in order to distract her as he stepped closer.
“Oh, but I do. We’ve been rather short-staffed lately. I only have one bouncer to take care of this whole place and it simply isn’t enough.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Why don’t you two come upstairs with me and we can share a drink together?”
By this point, Lloyd had returned. He was standing next to Foster, a glint in his eyes. “We would love to.” He answered honestly. He walked past Foster and took the woman by the arm, letting her guide him wherever she wanted to go.
Foster was seething with anger at this point. He couldn’t let his step-brother waltz off with this gem of a woman. Quickly, he caught up with them and grabbed her other arm.
She giggled, finding herself sandwiched by two incredibly handsome individuals. “I was going to offer you jobs as bouncers, but if you keep this up I might have to make you my escorts.” She tossed her hair back over her shoulder, showing off her delicate neck. The two men glanced down, their hormones raging with lust. Foster could picture himself gently running his lips along the side of her neck, leaving behind a trail of kisses until he reached her full chest. On the other hand, Lloyd was already imagining what it would feel like to sink his teeth into her, to suck on her skin and leave behind a hickey.
Finally, with naughty thoughts running through the minds of both dragons, they reached a narrow stairwell. Hesitantly, they let go of the beautiful woman and followed her up independently. Their eyes were glued to her voluptuous ass as it swayed back and forth with her every step.
On the top floor, the woman approached a door with the words Emily Moore stamped on the transparent glass. “Right this way, gentlemen.” She turned the knob and stepped in.
They found themselves in a small room with a couch, TV, and a floral rug. The light fixture was a sparkling chrome color, hanging on a thick chain. When Lloyd accidently slammed the door behind him, it swayed with the reverberation. “Please. Make yourselves comfortable.”
The two men looked at each other for a moment before they sat down on the worn-out leather sofa. They watched the woman as she walked into the adjacent room. The open layout of the space allowed them to see into the kitchen. It was moderately furnished with a stainless-steel refrigerator and an electric stove. “What can I get you boys to drink?” She asked as she opened a cabinet stocked with liquor bottles.
“I’ll have a vodka,” Lloyd answered.
“Any specific brand?”
“Whatever is your favorite.” He responded.
“And for you?” She looked over at Foster. Her blue eyes twinkled as she took in his delicate features. Her long, tear-shaped earrings hung off her earlobes. A matching necklace wrapped around her neck, its pendant snuggled between her breasts. She noticed him staring at her before she grinned, her round cheeks turning pink. Trying to remain subtle, she batted her long eyelashes and looked down, appreciating his clean-shaved look and lithe figure from the corner of her eye. For a split second, she wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his full head of hair before she reminded herself that she had only just met this man.
“I’ll have a whiskey.” She nodded and poured the drinks before bringing them into the living room.
“Anyway, I never did catch your names.”
“You never asked.” Lloyd pointed out.
“I suppose you’re right.” The woman laughed, her chest quivering with the effort.
“I’m Lloyd.” The woman looked at him and grinned. He had a rugged handsomeness that the other man was lacking. His face was square in shape with a broad forehead and a chiseled, well-defined jawline. His light, deep-set green eyes and neatly-trimmed facial hair softened his expression a bit. Gentle flecks of gold decorated his iris. His nose was large and crooked. It looked like it had been broken several times. Still, such imperfections gave it a sort of endearing quality. Emily wondered how he had broken it, but with his powerful neck, broad shoulders, and muscular physique, it wasn’t hard to guess he had probably been in a few brawls. All of this only added to his already unlimited manliness.
Eventually, she stopped staring and nodded before turning to his companion, waiting for an answer.
“I’m Foster.”
“It’s nice to meet you Lloyd, Foster.” She smiled, dazzling the two dragons with her beauty. “My name is Emily and I’m the owner of The Den.” She leaned back in the loveseat, crossing one leg over the other, causing her white dress to hike up her leg, exposing her thigh. Foster eyed the hem of her dress as he fidgeted in his seat, feeling his arousal grow as he tried to picture what kind of panties she was wearing. Boy shorts or a nice tiny thong? Maybe she wasn’t wearing any panties at all…
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Emily.” He managed to spit out the words even as the blood from his brain rushed down his body and gathered in his dick. He shifted, trying to get in a position that would hide his growing erection.
“So, you own this place then?” Lloyd asked as he sat up, his hands on his knees. His square face was cool and collected. His light green eyes sparkled as he stared at the attractive woman.
“Yes, sir.” Emily grinned before her face darkened and she looked down, running her hand over her thigh. Her bright red fingernails grazed her skin. “But possibly not for long. Money is tight around here and I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep those doors open.” She sighed and looked up at the chandelier. “That’s why I’m so short-staffed. I’ve had to let a lot of people go and still, things aren’t improving.”
“That’s too bad.” Foster frowned, seeing the woman’s plight. “Have you tried anything else?”
“I’ve tried to stock up on some cheaper alcohol, but then the patrons aren’t happy with it. I can’t catch a break… Honestly, soon I would need a miracle to keep this place running.”
“So why did you offer us jobs as bouncers?” Foster asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
“Oh. That was more of a joke. I couldn’t pay you two even if I wanted to…” She looked around her home, her light blue eyes darkening as she spotted a part of her rug that was a lighter color than the rest. “I’ve even started to sell some of my own furniture to help keep The Den alive, but the bills just keep stacking up.” As Emily said all this, her words took on a heavy tone. The depression of her situation was starting to show and even her bubbly and confident personality wasn’t enough to keep it at bay. “Anyway… don’t let me get you two down with my problems. I just wanted to thank you for handling the situation downstairs.”
She got up and walked to the kitchen, pouring half a can of cola into a tall glass and then adding in an ample amount of flavored vodka. She leaned against the wall and looked at the two men sitting on her couch. “I’ve never seen you two here before, are you guys new?”
“Yeah, it’s our first time here,” Foster answered before Lloyd could even part his lips. He glared at his step-brother, feeling a sense of jealousy raging within his chest. It was in the shape of a small pebble and the more Emily and Foster looked at each other with that deep-set passion in their eyes, the more it grew. It quickly turned into a stone and then a rock and finally, a boulder. It was starting to weigh Lloyd down as he ground his teeth, his fists tightening by his side.
“We’re actually from out of town,” Foster said smoothly.
“Where are you from?” Emily asked, cocking her head.
“Queens.”
“Ah, not NYC natives then. But not too far.”
Foster nodded with a smile. Emily returned the gesture before downing most of her drink in one go. “Well, I do owe you guys, so feel free to come back whenever you’d like. I can’t pay you, but I can throw a free drink or two in your way.” She finished her glass and set it down on the counter with a small clunk. “Now if you’ll e
xcuse me, I have some work to do.”
The two dragons nodded hesitantly before they got up and straightened themselves out. Emily walked up to them, offering her hand. It was only as she stood before them that she realized how much taller they really were. They towered over her even as she wore four-inch heels. “I hope to see you again.”
Foster nodded and squeezed her hand in a polite handshake. He stepped aside, reluctantly allowing Lloyd to express his salutations. The dragon prince grinned and leaned down, his lips approaching Emily’s earlobe. “You’re very beautiful, Emily.” Before she could say anything, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her body close to his.
Her eyes grew big and her cheeks grew rosy at the proximity. “T-thank you.” She stammered, her words lost in her throat. As she looked into Lloyd’s gentle green eyes, she saw a spark flashing through them. Her heartbeat quickened as she rested her hands on his chest, feeling his rock-hard muscles through his thin shirt.
“You’re welcome.” He smirked down at her, squeezing her a little tighter before he finally let go. He gave her a suggestive wink before following Foster out the door. Emily was left standing in the middle of her living room, her mind buzzing with excitement. The blood in her veins felt like they were laced with pure adrenaline. She had the urge to rush out the door and ask the two men to stay the night, but at the same time, her feet were rooted to the ground. She stared at the door, her heart hammering in her ears, drowning out every other sound.
On the other side of the door, Foster was livid. “Why did you do that?” He hissed in Lloyd’s direction.
“Do what?” Lloyd asked, an innocent expression on his face. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked down the stairs, acting like he had done nothing out of the ordinary.
“You know damn well. Don’t get too confident. That girl is mine.” Foster threatened.
Alpha's Love (Rocky Mountain Shifters Book 3) Page 44