by Nora Phoenix
Palani’s eyes widened. He had not seen that coming. “How?”
“He injected me with something that knocked me out cold, then placed me in my car and waited for me to wake up. As soon as I did, he called me on my phone to make sure I was okay. I was…God, I was ashamed of myself. If he hadn’t used that stuff on me, I would’ve…”
The anguish on his face was palpable, and it told Palani how deeply he regretted this. “What did Robert say?”
“He asked that we never speak of it again. And to never meet in person again. For obvious reasons, I agreed to both.” His eyes sought Palani’s. “Can you tell me what made me lose control this way? And does it have anything to do with Rob taking his own life?”
Palani nodded. “Yes. But I have one more question. Please be assured I’m not judging you, but if Rob hadn’t intervened, what would have happened? Would you have been able to stop?”
“No.” The answer came swift, even as Leigh hung his head. “I would’ve raped him. And it would’ve been rape, because he clearly told me he didn’t want to have sex with me. But it somehow didn’t register at that time…it didn’t matter to me. All I wanted was him and I was determined to have him. Pardon my bluntness, but I would’ve fucked him six ways to Sunday had he not taken me down. I’ll be forever grateful for his precautions.”
He wiped a tear from his left eye before looking at Palani again. “I’ve thought about this constantly since he passed, as you can imagine. The fact he didn’t want to meet, that he had this syringe, it tells me he expected this to happen. What did he have?”
He couldn’t refuse him this information after this brave confession. The man deserved peace of mind. “My guess is he had a mutation called the Melloni gene.” Palani explained what he had discovered about the gene so far but didn’t mention what he’d found out about the rest of the McCain family.
“Oh, god…poor kid.”
“It also means this wasn’t your fault, Mr. Leigh. Researchers are still studying what the gene does exactly, but it does seem to affect alphas in an extreme way when the omega is close to his heat.”
“Extreme, that’s one way to call it…and as much as I respect you for telling me it’s not my fault, we both know that’s not true. I hold myself to a higher standard than most alphas, and I should have been able to resist what my body was telling me to do. I’m disappointed in myself and what you explained only ameliorates that slightly.”
Palani understood. “I can appreciate your ethics, but the fact that he affected you this way despite you being mated and not being gay says a lot, just pointing that out.”
Leigh looked pensive. “I hadn’t thought of it that way,” he said.
“How long ago did this incident take place?” Palani asked.
“Six months. I offered to pay for counseling or therapy, but he got upset with me for bringing that up… I spoke to his mother at the funeral, and she said Rob struggled with chronic depression. I guess he never told her about what happened, because she was grateful to me for employing him… God, I felt like such a hypocrite. What made it even worse was that he was their oldest. Apparently, she’d struggled with infertility for years until she became pregnant with him, then with three more. He was their firstborn, their pride…”
His pain hung in the air. Nothing Palani could say could make it better, so he waited, giving Leigh the opportunity to recompose himself.
“Did you tell your wife?” Palani asked.
“Yes. Not at first, but she could tell something was troubling me, so she coaxed it out of me. She was shocked at first, but then understanding. She called it a chemical anomaly, a freak reaction.”
“Sounds like a smart woman.”
“She is,” Leigh said, a soft smile on his lips for the first time since they’d started talking about Robert. Then his face tightened. “Does it only affect male omegas? My oldest son is a beta, the middle one an alpha, but my daughter is an omega. If necessary, I’ll get her tested.”
Palani could barely prevent his mouth from dropping. Leigh was asking a question he’d never even considered. All the victims, so to speak, he’d heard of had been men, but that didn’t mean girls were immune. His research had never mentioned gender as far as he could remember. Hell, that could mean Tiva was…
“Let me make a quick phone call to check,” he said, his phone in his hand before he was even finished speaking.
Enar answered on the second ring. “Yeah?”
“It’s me,” Palani said. He’d forgotten for a second about their drinking-binge yesterday before calling him. Not that now was the time to bring it up, but boy, this was awkward.
“You’re in my phone, Palani. What’s up?”
Apparently, Enar wanted to pretend it never happened. Okay, worked for him. “Question.” He’d go straight for business, maybe that was easier for both of them. “Does the gene only affect men?”
“There are no known cases of women with the gene. That doesn’t mean it’s one hundred percent sure they can’t get it, but it does suggest they’re not likely to. Why?”
He had to ask, of course. “Still investigating,” he said, hoping Enar would get the hint.
“The McCain family?” he asked.
Enar remembered the name. Palani didn't know why, but it made him happy. “Yes.”
“I’m doing a little digging myself today. Wanna stop by tonight so we can compare notes?”
“Stop by?” he repeated, his stomach in knots.
“Yes. Or I could come to your place. My last call is at five, so around six thirty?”
Palani swallowed. “I’ll come to you.”
“Good. You know the address. Be careful.”
He hung up before Palani could say another word and he closed the screen. He looked up to find Leigh watching him with an amused expression. “Sounds like you got roped into a date with an alpha, tonight.”
18
It had been a stupid excuse to see Palani, obviously. All Enar could think of when Palani called him was that he needed to see him again. He had thought of little else but Palani since he woke up. After he’d deposited the contents of his stomach into the toilet, he’d taken a hot shower, berated himself for being utterly stupid and solemnly vowed to never drink again. Once he’d made that decision, his mind had gone to Palani. What had happened the previous night?
Enar had vague memories of being way too candid, of oversharing, as he tended to do when he was drunk. Another reason never to touch liquor again. What the hell had he told Palani? He couldn’t remember, but he’d complimented him on his mouth, he thought. And something about Vieno’s ass, which was embarrassing as fuck.
The one crystal clear memory he had, the one that was etched into his brain and his soul, was the sensation of falling asleep in Palani’s arms. The beta had held him as tenderly as if Enar was a child, and it had been perfect and painful at the same time that out of everyone, it was this sassy beta who’d seen a glimpse of the real Enar. The Enar he tried so hard to keep hidden because he couldn’t show that part of him.
Was it even a part of him, though? Or was it the real him? It had become increasingly confusing. He tried hard to conform to what was expected of him as an alpha, but yesterday, all his barriers had come down and he’d acted on what he craved more than anything: to be held. And Palani, bless him, hadn’t rejected him. He’d kissed his head, mumbled something along the lines of “Sleep well,” and Enar had been out like a light.
And in a few hours, they would meet again. He could only hope that his excuse to meet tonight hadn’t been as pathetic as it had sounded to his own ears. Even if that had been the case, Palani had still agreed to come see him. Only after he'd hung up the phone had Enar realized that inviting Palani to his house again was not the smartest idea. Sure, the beta had been to his house the previous night, but it had been dark and they’d headed straight for the bedroom. Seeing it in the light of day was an entirely different matter, especially since he was working and wouldn't have time to do much
cleaning. And after having lived with Vieno for five years, Palani was used to a clean house.
Enar pulled up a mental picture from his living room as he drove to his next patient. Books stacked on every available surface, and dust everywhere, except for the kitchen, which he did keep spotless. No food poisoning for him because of bad hygiene, thank you very much. His personal bathroom was clean too, but the rest of the house was…not. Oh well, there was nothing Enar could do about that now.
He had to be grateful Palani hadn’t taken him up on the offer of sleeping in the guest room since he couldn’t even remember when he’d last washed the bed linens or had aired it out. When had he become such a slob? Probably around the same time he’d decided working seven days a week was better than sitting at home and being confronted with how much his life sucked.
He stayed busy all day and had barely time to grab a shower before Palani showed up. When the doorbell rang at six thirty on the dot, he took a fortifying breath. Palani didn't look as confident and self-assured as he usually did, which was comforting. Apparently, Enar was not the only one who had trouble navigating what had happened between them and their complicated relationship.
“Hi,” he said somewhat stupidly.
Palani answered with a similar greeting.
“Come on in.” As Palani walked past him inside, a whiff of his smell tickled Enar’s nose. “How have you been?” he asked.
“Since last night, you mean?” Humor laced Palani’s voice. “Better than you, I would expect. Though you look remarkably well now, considering.”
Enar’s hand shot out to grab his wrist, just before Palani was out of reach. With a gentle pull he made him turn around. Palani’s eyes were twinkling. Sassy little shit. “Are you making fun of me?” Enar asked, but he couldn’t keep the laughter from his voice.
“I wouldn’t dare, Doc,” was Palani’s quick reply.
“We both know you have no trouble whatsoever mocking me.”
Palani’s face sobered. “I wasn’t mocking you, you know. When we…”
Enar still held Palani’s wrist, but gentler now. His fingers caught Enar’s racing pulse. Not quite so cool and collected now, was he? “I know.”
And he did know. It had never been Palani’s intention to mock him or even get Enar to spill something he’d planned on keeping a secret. The man had made a joke that Enar had taken too seriously until it had been too late to give the appropriate reaction. By then Palani, smart as he was, had figured it out.
“I didn’t mean to…”
One small tug and Palani fell against him. Enar shut that smart mouth with his lips, jolting at the first touch of Palani’s wet tongue in his mouth. Then Palani’s right hand grabbed his neck to pull him closer and his left hand landed on Enar’s ass and he stopped thinking at all.
Their hungry mouths attacked, then slowed down to explore. Fuck, he tasted like breath mints and a hint of coffee and something sweet and Enar couldn’t get enough. He traced his lips with the tip of his tongue, Palani trembling against him. “Your lips are chapped,” he whispered. “You should use lip balm.”
“Yes, doctor,” Palani whispered back, before coaxing Enar to open up again. He slipped his tongue in with confidence and proceeded to kiss him until they both ran out of breath.
Finally, they both pulled back, their face an inch apart, both panting. Palani’s eyes had grown darker, his pupils big. His lips were swollen and red, still glistening from their kiss. Enar gently swiped them with his thumb. “Palani, I…”
“Shh,” Palani said, putting his index finger against Enar’s lips. “Don’t speak. Watch. You’re about to see something no man has ever seen before, so make sure you pay attention.”
He took a step back and when Enar was about to protest, Palani sank to his knees, his eyes never leaving Enar’s.
“What are you doing?”
Palani’s lips curved in that trademark mischievous smile of his. “You have a hard time following instructions, don’t you? I told you, shut up and watch.”
His hands reached out for Enar’s buckle and he unbuckled him with ease, before popping the button of his jeans and dragging the zipper down. All that time, his eyes were trained on Enar’s, gauging his reaction.
Enar bit back the same question he’d asked before—no, following orders didn’t come easy to him as he always struggled to surrender—and forced himself to be patient. When Palani freed his cock, he had a good idea where this was headed. But why?
Palani’s eyes darkened even more. “I believe I owe you a blowjob…alpha.”
His willing submission roared through Enar, a rush more powerful than anything he’d ever experienced. “Why?”
“Because we had a bet that there would be a next time…and I lost. I want you to fuck me again. For real, this time. And I always keep my promises, so I owe you a blow job.”
He brought his mouth toward Enar’s cock, already leaking in anticipation. Palani’s eyes stayed focused on Enar, even as he licked the head of his cock, smacking his lips when he tasted the precum, then suckled. “Damn, you taste good,” he whispered before dragging his tongue all the way from the top down to the base. “And you’re so fucking big. I’ll never be able to take you in completely.”
Enar swallowed, sweat breaking out all over his body at the sweet torture Palani was bestowing on him. “So you do know how to sweet talk…”
Palani pulled back and smiled. “Is it working?”
“Did you reckon you had to convince me to fuck you again?”
It was meant as a joke, but Palani’s smile disappeared. “Maybe.”
Enar blinked. “I don’t want your pity…”
Palani rose to his feet in a fluid move, grabbed Enar’s hand and put it on his crotch where he encountered a throbbing member. “Does that feel like pity to you?”
Enar shook his head.
“This week has been hard for me, and judging by your need to blow off steam yesterday, it seems like it wasn’t a walk in the park for you, either. All I want is to feel good for a while…and you do, too. Can we do that for each other, Enar? Make each other feel good?”
Enar nodded, mesmerized by Palani’s words, the way he rutted against Enar’s hand, the sexy gravel in his voice. “I can get behind that,” he said.
Palani grinned. “I was counting on you getting behind me.”
Something broke free inside Enar and he laughed. “I remember warning you before I’d put something else in that bratty mouth of yours.”
“Refresh my memory.”
Still laughing, Enar took his mouth again, shoved his tongue deep inside Palani until he moaned. Enar walked forward until Palani had his back against the wall and dug in for real. His hands got busy, unbuttoning Palani’s jeans and shoving them down until his erect cock sprung free. His large hand circled around both their members, squeezing them together.
“Mmm,” Palani groaned into his mouth. He kicked down his jeans and underwear and Enar did the same with his own.
“Can I take a rain check on that blowjob?” Enar whispered. “‘Cause I’d really like to be inside you…”
Palani kissed him again, a deep, wet kiss, then scraped his teeth along Enar’s bottom lip. “I’d really like that, too.”
Enar smiled as he took a step back to whip off his shirt, sighing in admiration as Palani stood naked before him. “Mmm, you’re so gorgeous.”
Palani flashed that smile that made Enar’s insides tickle. “So you told me...though you were dead drunk at the time, so I wasn’t sure how much you meant it.”
Enar groaned in embarrassment. “I’m never gonna live that down, am I?”
Palani grabbed his wrist and yanked him against his own body again. “Nope,” he said before kissing him again. “You also waxed poetic about Vieno’s ass,” he teased when they came up for air again. “So I fear my ass is not up to your high standards.”
The lightheartedness warmed Enar. He’d never experienced sex like this, where he was kissed breathless one se
cond and teased the next. “I’d better perform a thorough examination.”
He grabbed Palani’s shoulder and forced him to turn around. The beta got the hint and placed his hands flat against the wall for support, pushing his ass back. Enar took a step back to admire his tight body. No, his ass wasn’t as round as Vieno’s but it was firm and it fit his body perfectly.
Enar stepped in and let his finger trail Palani’s spine from his neck all the way down, causing him to shiver. “You’re beautiful,” he said before pressing his mouth to the beta’s neck to follow the same path with his lips and tongue, scraping his teeth across the taut skin.
“You said you were in a hurry,” Palani said breathlessly, as Enar was on his knees, kissing the last bit of Palani’s back above his crack.
“I changed my mind. I wanna explore every inch of your body because it makes me happy…and you know you'll love it.”
He blew a hot breath over Palani’s cheeks, watching with satisfaction as they clenched and relaxed again. “Spread your legs.”
The beta obeyed even though Enar hadn’t used any compulsion. He let his hands roam Palani’s ass cheeks, the muscles tightening under his touch. He kissed his left cheek, then nibbled his way around, over the top of the crack, onto the right one. His golden skin was salty but tasted like a savory snack to Enar.
“Bend over deeper.”
After a slight hesitation, Palani widened his stance even more and lowered his arms to push his ass back farther. It exposed his alluring, gorgeous, pink hole. Enar blew on it and smiled as it fluttered.
“I prepped,” Palani said, his voice cracking.
Enar’s smile widened. “Did you now?” He trailed Palani’s crack with his index finger all the way from the top to his balls. “Any particular reason you’re mentioning that now?”
“No. I thought you might want to…Oh!”