by Jayce Carter
“You want me to just use you like that?”
“If it means your hands on me, then yes. Make no mistake, my body has made some demands as well, and you touching me? It helps to quiet it.”
She waited for that to frighten her, as if admitting that he wanted her made him more dangerous. That subtle warming in her body, though, the tightening of her nipples and the excitement that sparked beneath her skin were the only reactions.
After a tiny nod, she moved her hands again. She brushed over every inch of exposed skin on his wide chest, lowered her face to his throat and breathed him in.
A low groan from him broke into the room, telling her everything he felt, everything he needed. On the tail end, it shifted into a soft growl, but she didn’t pull away.
No, she pressed her nose harder to his skin, her breath hot against him, more of her body touching his. She grew confident as she went, as her own wants and instincts swept her up and made demands.
She worked her lips down his body as she continued to smell him, shifting from his throat, to his chest, to his stomach. When she reached the waist of his pants, she froze.
Kaidan’s arm, folded behind his head, flexed with want, but he still didn’t move. “You can keep going.”
This is it. Am I going to let James control me anymore? Am I going to let him steal anything else from me?
Her tongue wet her bottom lip, then she undid the button at his waist.
What she was doing, she had no idea. It was as if she didn’t control her body anymore, as though the fear she’d lived with for so long had fled. Now it was just the secret wants, the things she’d shoved away and sworn she couldn’t want, shouldn’t want.
The teeth of the zipper separated with tiny clicks as she pulled it down, as more and more bare skin came into sight. At least, it did in her peripheral vision. She didn’t dare rip her gaze from Kaidan’s, from the steady rock he was for her.
Joshua had been fire, something that made her want to burn, to taste something, something unsafe but worth it. Kaidan was solid, a presence that made her grounded and brave.
So, she took that bravery, that feeling she so rarely experienced, and went with it. She curled her fingers into the waist of his pants and pulled.
He lifted his hips, his hands staying put behind his head. The action reminded her of a sacrifice, of someone submitting before her. It shook her, since the alpha below her was many things, but submissive wasn’t one. He was doing it for her.
She got the pants down, and he kicked them off.
Claire steeled her courage and looked, a soft gasp when she realized he hadn’t worn underwear. It left him exposed to her, and she readied herself for fear.
She prepared for a panic attack, to go running, to chicken out. She waited for the crashing wave of fear to strike her, to drag her under as the panic always had before.
Only, no such fear came. Instead, interest swam through her, settling as heat in her lower stomach, skittering across her skin in waves. A spot of pre-cum sat at the slit on the head of his cock, and when she stared, his cock jerked.
He’d told her to explore, hadn’t he? Told her to enjoy, to have, to try. She pushed aside all else and leaned in, not with her hands, but instead used her tongue to taste that tempting drop.
The moment the salty liquid touched her tongue, a growl of her own escaped her throat. Just as she’d felt when Joshua had fed her his cum, her instinct roared in her head for more. It chanted over and over that he was hers, as possessive as any alpha.
Only, it wasn’t an alpha. It was her. She’d never felt that with James no matter how much of him she’d swallowed down. It had never made a peep. Why now? Why was instinct rattling around in her head and demanding she have more of this man? Of Joshua?
The soft snarl on his lips would have terrified her any other time, but Kaidan remained still. His narrow hips didn’t even lift. He didn’t grab her hair, didn’t force her down his length. He waited, the only movement his chest rising and falling and the occasional jerk of his length as it twitched beneath her hungry gaze.
So Claire continued. She slipped onto the couch, her knees on the cushion straddling a leg of his. She set a hand on his hip both for balance and to keep him still, or at least to feel as if she could. She knew he could throw her if he wanted to.
She wrapped her other hand around his erection in a grip surer than she felt. She stroked him, tried to picture a future when this came naturally, when she’d feel happy to do this, when she’d feel at ease. His sounds would have terrified her had they come from anyone else. Vicious and untamed, they leapt from his chest, from his parted lips, but he didn’t move. He kept his word and stayed still, so the deep rumbles and demanding snarls only made her grow wetter.
Her body knew what it wanted even if she wasn’t ready yet.
She took him in the only way she could at that moment, the only way her body and mind could agree on. She lowered herself and wrapped her lips around his dick.
Every muscle in his strong body went rigid beneath her. It coiled like a beast under her power, as though she alone controlled him. Still, he did nothing, took nothing.
Claire closed her eyes and stopped worrying about anything. She didn’t think about the fact she’d never willingly done this, not clear-headed. She didn’t bother with considering if he’d enjoy it, if she’d make a fool of herself. The sounds he made said he enjoyed it, and she focused only on what she wanted.
She wanted more of his taste. She wanted more of this surrender. Not the surrender of a person who had no choice, but a willing surrender for her comfort.
She moved her wanton lips over his rigid shaft, tongue dragging against the underside of his cock to swirl around the head. She tilted her head, so his dick brushed the soft inside of her cheek.
Before long, her jaw ached from the wide set needed to accommodate his thickness, but she didn’t care. She hollowed her cheeks and stroked her palm against the base of his shaft that she was nowhere close to encasing. She teased him, devoured him, explored each reaction. She savored each drop he gave, felt each kick of his length against her tongue as he fought off his end.
“I’m going to come, love. You might want to stop if that isn’t what you want, because I’m not going to be able to hold off much longer.” His words came out halted, breathless and desperate.
Can I do this?
This time she was choosing. He was leaving it in her hands. Not instinct, not heat, not what he wanted.
What do I want?
Claire closed her eyes and curled her fingernails into his hip, urging him to understand the message, her choice. She wanted this. Whatever it was, even if it was just the moment, she wanted it.
She expected him to reach for her, to force her farther down his length, but Kaidan did none of it. His growl deepened until she felt it more than heard it before his cock jerked against her tongue, and he spilled into her waiting mouth.
The taste drugged her, sating that part of her desperate for this. She swallowed, not needing to be fed it this time, not needing anyone else to offer. Instead, she took.
By the time she pulled away, he had started to soften, and one last drag of her tongue ensured she hadn’t missed any.
The walk back to her cold, empty bed seemed too far, so Claire crawled up Kaidan’s body and placed her cheek on his chest.
He pressed a kiss to her head and wrapped his around her.
She’d worry about the rest come morning.
* * * *
Bryce forced his face to remain neutral when Kaidan and Claire walked into the office.
They walked side by side, close enough they could brush against the other. She smelled of him, the way she had of Joshua the day before.
So, it seemed her aversions centered only on Bryce.
It didn’t shock him. He’d never been as good with women as the other two. Joshua’s easy charm and Kaidan’s honesty drew them in a way Bryce could never quite manage.
He tapped on the keyb
oard at his desk, which he leaned over as he considered how to move forward. Time could help, perhaps, but what if it didn’t? The more Joshua and Kaidan bonded with her, the larger the divide would grow.
Could Bryce remain as part of the group if he and she never developed anything? Could he watch his brothers find that happiness and stay, knowing he’d never find the same?
Kaidan’s frown met him, let him know he’d been staring and that far too much of what in his head had spilled onto his face. The last thing he needed was for Kaidan to interfere, to have him trying to mother-hen Bryce as he did to his females.
Instead, Bryce straightened and kept his gaze off Claire, unwilling to look at her, to risk anyone seeing what he thought. “Any problems?”
Kaidan hesitated too long for it to be an accident before shaking his head. “No. No sign of any issue at her house or anyone following her. I’d guess whatever she’s involved in isn’t a danger to her yet.”
“Does that mean I get rid of this whole babysitter thing?” Claire’s tone bordered between bored and uneasy, as if snark sat on her tongue but she still wasn’t sure about it. At least she didn’t flinch that time.
Bryce finally turned to face her directly, noting the increased color in her cheeks. She looked better, the bags beneath her eyes lessened. Her time with Kaidan had done her well. A good night’s sleep? Some food? Her scent said something had happened, since only the cum of an alpha could alter her scent like that.
“No, not until I understand exactly what you’ve got going on. Just because someone isn’t after you now doesn’t mean they won’t be. The people we deal with are dangerous and their enemies are even worse. You trying to get into our system and our files says you’re after either a client or the enemy of one.” Bryce crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the desk. “So for both your safety and that of our clients, I’m not letting this go, not until we figure it out and deal with whatever problem you’ve created for yourself.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“It wasn’t, but you made it my business when you broke into my office. You again made it my business when you had us service you for your heat. Now? Well, little omega, now you are very much my business.” Bryce allowed every speck of possessiveness to saturate his words, let her see just a spark of the want he had. It rumbled from him between the words, in the soft growl at the tail end of the promise.
Kaidan shook his head before excusing himself, leaving Bryce and Claire facing off. Kaidan had never cared for Bryce’s temper, for the way he let his instincts rule him. While Bryce had control, he was never above giving in to the wants of his instincts. Kaidan would have advised him toward caution, to go easy, but while Kaidan could be marvelous with females, he also tended to spoil them. He’d had too many walk over him, walk out on him.
Her color drained upon Kaidan’s departure, her savior having left her to fend for herself. Not protecting her from the big bad wolf that she saw Bryce as?
Still, Claire didn’t seem ready to give in. “I can’t tell you what’s going on,” she said, as if that were reasonable.
“You can, and you will. You are playing with things and people out of your league. There are people in those files who would have you killed without a second thought. Nothing is worth that risk.”
She pulled her shoulders back, squaring them against him. “Yes, there is. The fact I was willing to break into your office, that I was willing to risk pissing off three alphas should tell you I think it’s worth it.”
Bryce didn’t move, leaning against the desk, watching her. There was some truth to that, the fact she’d risk so much. She wasn’t some naive omega new to the world. She’d gone into that office knowing what could happen, and she’d done it anyway.
“If it’s worth that much, talk to me. Tell me what it’s about. I can help.”
Her lips parted as if she wanted to tell him. It soothed part of his frustration, that spark of trust. It didn’t last long, though, and she pressed her lips together a moment later.
“Then I guess you won’t be getting much alone time.”
She closed the distance between them, coming close enough he could smell Kaidan on her. She stopped when only a breath rested between them. “You can’t do this, can’t just decide you’re in charge of me.”
“Of course I can. If you make stupid choices, if you put yourself at risk, I’ll do whatever needs to be done. You can count on that with me, always.”
She poked her finger against his chest, the spot stinging from the hard jab. “I’m going to do what I need to do, and you won’t get in my way.”
“I won’t? What exactly do you plan to do about it?” He knew he was taunting her, but damn if it wasn’t fun to see her breathing smoke.
“Whatever I have to.”
And she looked like it. She looked as if she’d risk taking him on for whatever she had in her head, for whatever it was she’d decided was so damned important. She didn’t wilt, didn’t give in. No, she didn’t trust him, and she would protect whatever it was from even him.
“I like this side of you.” His gaze dropped to her finger. “I like your bite.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t move back. “I thought alphas all wanted sweet omegas who listened.”
“Now, where would the fun be in that?”
“You’re going to try and tell me you aren’t controlling?”
Bryce set a hand on her hip, grip soft so she could pull away. “I never said that. I enjoy control, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to see you snarl.”
Her gaze darted away. He could almost see the wheels turning, see her pondering, testing if there could be any truth in the words. She stared past him at his desk, his computer.
A moment later, she pulled away. Too soon, far too soon for what he’d like.
“Can you get me some water?” She kept her eyes off him, uneasy.
Bryce wanted to grasp her hand, to pull her in again, to run his fingers through her hair. He wanted to recapture the moment when she’d looked at him, when she’d come closer. He didn’t though. They’d gained some amount of trust between them in that moment, and he wouldn’t risk shattering it.
Instead, he nodded. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”
Claire still wouldn’t look at him, and he could see her walls rebuilding.
Fine. If he could get through them once, even for a moment, they had a chance.
He met Kaidan in the conference room with the mini-fridge, the man pouring over an open file.
“She likes you,” Kaidan said without looking up.
Bryce crouched and picked a water bottle from the small fridge. “I think you’re seeing things.”
Kaidan closed the file to look at Bryce. “She’s avoided men in general and alphas in particular since whatever happened with the last one.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. Skittish doesn’t even start to explain that girl. I’d like to catch whoever the hell turned her into that.”
“It reminds me of a few cases we’ve worked. I keep wanting to tell her not all alphas are the same, that we aren’t all like that, but then I think about all those omegas we’ve helped. I see the ones who made it, the ones who didn’t, and I wonder if she isn’t right. How many of us does it take before it’s all of us? I want to tell her she doesn’t need to be afraid, but doesn’t she?”
Bryce ran his finger over the condensation on the label of the bottle, trying not to see the things Kaidan talked about, the things that kept him up many nights. “You know better than most that we can’t fix everything. All we can do is help those we can. Sometimes it’s putting down a rabid alpha, sometimes it’s rescuing a trapped omega—”
“And sometimes it’s trying to take care of a skittish omega who doesn’t make it very easy?”
“So it seems, but damn if it isn’t shaping up to be the hardest job we’ve taken yet.” Bryce laughed softly and left Kaidan to his work, ready to get back, to see Claire.
Would she be dis
tant again? Would she be spitting fire or fearful or wanting?
He pushed open the door to his office, ready to face whatever mood she was in.
Only, his office sat empty, the chair to his desk knocked back.
Claire had gone through his unlocked computer and run. What a pity for his omega, because he loved a good chase.
Chapter Eight
Claire couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder, even though they couldn’t have found her yet.
And they would. When she ran for good, that would be different. Claire had enough money and contacts to change her name, to get new documents, to leave town so no one could follow her trail, not even the three of them.
While she remained in town, though? While she rented a cheap motel room in cash and flashed her face around town? Yeah, they’d track her down.
What would they do? When they realized she’d stolen their information, would they try to turn her over?
Probably not. They hadn’t seemed willing to do that but giving her to the police wasn’t the worst thing three alphas could inflict on her.
Still, Claire couldn’t bring herself to regret it. When fighting with Bryce—and just thinking about that made her flush in more ways than one—she’d spotted his computer. He’d been working on it when she’d arrived, and he hadn’t locked it again. It meant she finally had access to the information she needed.
At least some of it.
She hadn’t gotten what she really wanted, not a name. Still, the name of the company the alpha worked for was better than nothing. Graystone Enterprises.
Bryce, Kaidan and Joshua had been at Graystone Enterprises doing an install the day she needed, the day from the card she’d found in Jackie’s planner, the card with security codes from the men’s company. It had been the only install they’d done that day, meaning that someone at that company had killed her friend.
The call still haunted her. She’d told Jackie not to toy with alphas. She warned all her omegas to stay away, that the idea seemed nice, but it never worked out. Jackie had been like so many of them, though, drawn to the fire no matter if it burned them. Had Claire been any different before she’d suffered the scars of that choice?