“Here,” Ben said, setting the bag of donuts next to him. “Would you like a drink?”
“I’ll get it,” Dom said. He met Jesse’s eyes, his gaze dark. Jesse’s heart skipped.
Gods, this wasn’t over, not by a long shot.
Dom grabbed a permanent marker and a paper cup. Then he wandered over, pausing before he wrote JESSE in large letters across the side.
It always felt so strange when Dom used that name.
“What do you want to drink?” Dom scooped some ice into the cup.
You wasn’t the correct answer. Not right now, anyway. So Jesse pulled out one of the sodas he’d brought along, cracking it open. He had half a mind to take his cup from Dom, too—he didn’t need Dom waiting on him.
Except Dom came up to his side, smelling deliciously like blackwood. He eased his fingers between Jesse’s hand and the soda bottle. Tingles shot all the way up Jesse’s spine.
“I can pour it myself,” he muttered.
“Allow me.” Dom tickled his palm. “Release the bottle, Sinclair.”
And now Dom was speaking to Jesse, and Jesse alone. Jesse tried awfully hard not to smile.
“You like this,” Dom whispered, his sharp gaze missing nothing. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the corner of Jesse’s lips, and Jesse’s entire head went up in flames.
“Oh,” York said.
“Seriously? You didn’t know?” Alec elbowed him.
Jesse wanted to burrow into the ground like an ostrich. “Nothing happened!”
But Dom only growled, sliding his arm around Jesse’s waist in a smooth, possessive gesture. “Anyone hits on him, you answer to me.”
York gave a catcall. Alec winked. Ben beamed so brightly, Jesse felt even more embarrassed.
“Gods.” Jesse wanted to go home. He was done here. Then Dom pressed the paper cup into his hand, full of fizzy soda.
“Sorry.” Dom met his eyes. “Should I not have?”
“I don’t know.” Despite how awkward he felt, none of the other guys had actually judged them. They’d gone back to chasing the kids, or tending to the barbecue, or... not minding him and Dom at all. Like this was a normal thing.
Dom pulled him closer, his touch warm and sturdy against Jesse’s back. It was... comfortable. Good. Jesse had been curious about being held like this back when he’d seen it happen with Gareth and Flores, except the reality of it was so much better. Dom was holding Jesse, his touch a very visible claim.
Dom kissed him full on the lips, a firm slide of skin on skin, his breath brushing across Jesse’s cheek. Jesse leaned into him, needing more. He’d been missing their kisses for weeks.
“About time, Dom,” Gareth said behind them.
Startled, Jesse shoved Dom away, spilling soda all over the table. Dom scowled. “Leave us alone.”
But Gareth only rolled his eyes. “Yeah, tell me that the next time you treat everyone to a show.”
Jesse groaned, grabbing some napkins to soak up the spill. Gareth’s omega, Flores, came up to help. Then Dom joined in, and they had the table dry in seconds.
Dom still had his arm around Jesse’s waist, like he didn’t want to let go.
“So,” Gareth said speculatively, looking between Dom and Jesse.
“Stick your nose elsewhere,” Dom told him.
“Worried I’d steal yours?” Gareth laughed. “I’ve already got my own boy, Dom.”
Flores blushed, digging his elbow into Gareth’s ribs. But Gareth’s observation made sense. It seemed that both Gareth and Dom had a thing for younger partners.
Or does he just like me because I’m young and he thinks he can boss me around?
Jesse wasn’t sure what he thought about that.
“Mine,” Dom growled, tightening his arm around Jesse. Despite his thoughts, Jesse’s heart tumbled. Another flush threatened to crawl up his face.
“I’m going to cook some food,” Jesse muttered. So he could duck under the radar for a bit. He slipped away from Dom, heading over to where Perry, York’s omega, was poking at the charcoal. At least, it was quiet there.
Some time later, when they’d gotten the hot dogs lightly grilled, Jesse searched out Dom again. The rest of the team had shown up; Dom was in the middle of all the adults and children, sitting at the tables with some foam project boards.
Someone had drawn a giant snake across the boards; the older kids were painting it with vivid colors.
“Oh, no,” Perry said next to Jesse. “I thought Caleb was making things up when he told us about the snake truck.”
“Harris gave Alec the go-ahead,” Jesse said. York and Perry’s son, Caleb, was something of a snake aficionado. Then he’d gotten his best friend, Izzy, in on the obsession. Somehow, the trouser snake innuendo had become an inside joke at the station. “So Alec’s taking a snake truck to their school next week.”
Perry groaned, covering his face.
“It’s just snakes,” Jesse said.
“If all the alphas at the fire station have snakes, then does that mean you can build a giant snake house in there?” Caleb asked, pushing his large glasses up his nose. “So all your snakes can come out and play together?”
Perry started choking. Jesse wasn’t sure if he should help thump Perry’s back.
“But we’ll need to see pictures!” Izzy added. “Or do you go to each other’s houses to show off your snakes?”
“I’m sure the snakes have a great time together,” Alec said, clearing his throat. Perry just coughed harder. Jesse finally gave in, thumping on Perry’s back so at least he was helping.
In his excitement, Caleb’s paintbrush flew through the air and hit Dom square in the face.
Yellow paint splattered all over Dom’s nose and cheeks. Jesse thought Dom would grumble. Instead, Dom handed the paintbrush back with a grin, wiping the paint off his face.
That was... unexpected.
Soon after, a toddler raced around and crashed into Dom’s back. Flores ran after the child, sheepish. But Dom just turned the kid around, nudging him back. And the look on his face... it was soft. Friendly. Maybe a bit wistful.
With a jolt, Jesse realized that Dom did actually want a child. He’d seen Dom with kids at the various station open houses, but he hadn’t paid attention back then. Mostly, Jesse had been busy being awkward around children. He’d always felt like an impostor, pretending to be friends with them.
And now he just felt even more like an impostor—not wanting to carry this child, not being able to give Dom the baby he wanted.
He turned back to the grill, his heart thumping.
“Are you okay?” Perry eyed him warily. “You’re breathing hard.”
“How—How do you decide that you want kids?” Jesse croaked, figuring that Perry wouldn’t mind his stupid question. Perry was a professor at Meadowfall College.
Perry looked surprised. “Well... I had mine because I knew I loved York. And I wanted his babies.”
What did that even feel like? Wanting a baby? “Do you just magically know how to care for them? Is that an omega thing?”
Perry laughed. “Actually, there are books and courses and videos out there. I had to do my research, too.”
“Oh.” Jesse poked at the hot dogs, his thoughts churning. If an omega wasn’t naturally good at parenting, then what chance did Jesse have?
“Do you...?” Perry glanced at him curiously.
Jesse looked down at his abdomen, trying not to panic. Should he tell Perry? Did he want anyone to know? “I—I have a thing,” he blurted, pulling his shirt up a little, just enough to show Perry a sliver of the scar. “You can smell it on me.”
Perry frowned. Then he sniffed, and his eyes widened. He’d recognized the honey scent. “How?”
Jesse sighed. “Stem cells. I don’t know.”
And maybe he hated science, just a little. Most days now, he felt like he was two steps away from a breakdown.
Perry’s concern changed into something more determined. He dug around i
n his pocket, handing Jesse a name card. “Email me. I’ll send you some resources. Whether or not you want the child, you have options.”
“Okay.” Jesse breathed in deep, tucking the card into his pocket. He had options. And Perry wasn’t judging him, either. “I’ll try.”
Perry squeezed his arm, giving him an encouraging smile. Jesse smiled back. He felt a bit better.
“Hey.” Nate stopped on Jesse’s other side, meeting his eyes. “Got a moment?”
His expression was serious, more than Jesse wanted to see on him. Which could only mean one thing: bad news. His stomach churning, Jesse followed Nate away from the pavilion. “This isn’t about the Facility, is it?”
“Larson’s out of jail.”
23
Bite Me
Jesse’s stomach plummeted to his feet. Larson, out of jail. Armed with scalpels and tranquilizers and needles and things. He could be anywhere. He could be on his way here, ready to drag Jesse back onto the operating table.
Jesse swayed, his thoughts swimming. “Fuck.”
He’d taken up several self-defense classes by this point. He’d gotten black belts in a couple of martial arts styles. He’d learned to fire a gun. Hell, he had a semi-automatic pistol in his bike trunk.
But someone like Larson? That monster was far more scheming than Jesse could ever be. Jesse had his defenses. None of them would work against tranquilizers. Or sneak attacks. Or vans pulling up next to him, shooting him and dragging him into their depths.
He swallowed, his heart scrambling against his ribcage. “What do I do?”
Nate winced. “Stay low. I’ve been looking out for pictures of you floating on the internet. They’ve been taken down whenever possible.”
“Thanks.” Jesse tried to gather his bearings. Unease pumped in his veins, crowding out his thoughts. He couldn’t think. Could hardly breathe, even. He needed to disappear, he needed to lash out.
His entire body felt as though it would shake apart.
“I’ve got your back here.” Nate squeezed his shoulder. “Thought you’d want to know as soon as you could. If you’d rather not stick around, that’s okay. Find some company. Lie low for a bit.”
Jesse turned, his ears ringing. He thought maybe he’d tell Dom he was going home. He didn’t know. His apartment didn’t feel all that safe right now.
Scarcely had he stepped under the pavilion, when Dom was in front of him, all sharp eyes, smelling like blackwood. “I need to go,” Jesse said.
“I’m coming with you.”
Jesse didn’t even question him.
Dom wrapped his arm around Jesse’s waist, turning to the rest. “Hey, we need to be somewhere,” Dom said. “We’ll see you in a couple days.”
Most of them waved. Alec gave a wolf whistle. Dom scowled, and Alec sobered up. That was funny, though; Jesse cracked a smile.
It was only when they were almost to the parking lot, that Dom asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jesse shook his head, his heart still pounding. “Bad things.”
“How bad?”
Jesse didn’t answer. He stopped by his bike, unlocked the trunk, and took the buried holster. “Bad,” he said.
Dom’s lips pressed into a thin line; he watched as Jesse’s hands shook, trying to clip the gun to his waistband. Not that any of his practice would help if he couldn’t hold his weapon straight. But it made him feel a little bit safer.
Dom opened the truck’s passenger door for him. Jesse would’ve protested, but it was all he could do to climb in. Dom left the door open; Jesse yanked it shut, trying to suck enough air into his lungs. It felt like his insides were trying to crawl out.
“Closing the door,” Dom said.
Jesse nodded, breathing in deep. Then he breathed again, over and over, trying to get enough oxygen into his body. But he thought of Larson, and scalpels, and his heart clunked horribly in his chest.
He was an alpha, and yet... he felt so out of control. So damn vulnerable.
He needed to not feel like himself.
“I need to be somewhere else,” Jesse muttered, his throat too tight. “I need to stop thinking.” Need to focus on something else. Anything else. “Please.”
“My place or yours?” was all Dom asked.
“Yours.”
Then they were out of the parking lot, taking the familiar roads through Meadowfall to Dom’s place. Jesse couldn’t help scanning the streets, hoping he wouldn’t glimpse an unwanted face.
Dom narrowed his eyes. “What did Nate tell you?”
He’d been watching, then. Jesse had nothing left to hide from him. “The—The person who did this.” He showed Dom the scars on his arm. “He’s out of jail.”
Dom’s entire body tensed. “Fuck. Where is he?”
“I don’t know.” Jesse hated that he hadn’t asked. Maybe Nate didn’t know, either. “He’s probably looking for me. But I need to stop thinking about it.”
“We’ll do that.” Dom reached over, squeezing Jesse’s hand tightly. His fingers were callused, hot, and the pressure was almost painful. But that was good. It helped Jesse focus. Jesse brought Dom’s hand up and bit his knuckles, then the back of his hand. Then he turned it around to expose Dom’s wrist, where the blackwood scent was strongest.
Jesse bit him there, too. Lightly. So he wouldn’t leave a bonding mark.
Dom growled, his breath hitching. He liked being bitten on his scent gland. Jesse bit him there again. Then, he did it harder. Hard enough that Dom’s entire arm spasmed.
“Fuck, Sinclair.”
“I want you to bite me,” Jesse said, the words falling off his tongue. “I want you to mark me. So he knows I’m not his anymore.”
Dom bit off his groan, his eyes flashing. “You hear what you’re asking.”
“Yeah.” Jesse wrapped his lips around Dom’s scent gland, and sucked hard.
The truck swerved. Dom jerked his hand away, his chest heaving, his musk filling the air between them.
There was a prominent bulge in his pants now. Not big enough yet. So Jesse reached over and grabbed his cock, and it thickened beneath the fabric. Dom snarled. “Wait until we get home, damn it.”
That was better. That was a good promise. “What happens if I don’t wait?”
Dom’s eyes glinted with danger. “You’re that ready to bend over, huh, Sinclair?”
“Is that what you’re gonna do?” Jesse’s throat went dry. “Fuck me so hard, I can’t sit?”
“I’ll fuck that hole so raw,” Dom breathed, “you’ll beg me to stop.”
Jesse’s hole tightened. “I won’t.”
They pulled into Dom’s driveway. The truck hadn’t even stopped before Jesse leaped out of it, his pants tight, his fingers working his belt. Unbuckling it. It was broad daylight, and Dom growled when he reached Jesse, snatching Jesse’s hand off his clothes.
“Wait until we get inside,” Dom hissed.
Jesse yanked at the buckle with his other hand. Dom’s eyes flashed; he reached behind and shoved his fingers between Jesse’s asscheeks, up against where his hole was. It squeezed tight. Jesse wished his pants were gone, so Dom could push his fingers right inside.
“Obey me,” Dom whispered, his breath hot in Jesse’s ear. “Or you won’t get anything in here.”
Jesse spat in his face. Dom gathered the fluid with his fingers and licked it off, his musk filling Jesse’s lungs. And the smile that curved his lips was savage, animal.
“I’m gonna ruin that hole, Sinclair,” Dom breathed. “You’ll have to beg with your safeword before I stop. And maybe I won’t.”
Need seared through Jesse’s veins. He hadn’t seen this side of Dom before. The side that was dangerous, the side that could ruin Jesse and leave him so drunk with pleasure, he wouldn’t even care.
The moment Dom opened the door, Jesse shouldered past him, stepping into the house. Dom shut and locked the door. Footsteps thudded behind Jesse, catching up with him—too fast. Dom grabbed Jesse and slammed him against
the wall, and he shoved his hand down the back of Jesse’s pants, down his underwear, pushing between his asscheeks.
Dom ground his rough fingertips against Jesse’s hole, his teeth sharp on Jesse’s ear. “I warned you,” Dom whispered.
And he thrust his fingers in dry, their entrance burning as he forced Jesse to open around him, pushing deep inside.
Jesse groaned, his cock shoving desperately against his pants. “Fuck you.”
“Yeah, keep saying that.” Dom scissored his fingers inside Jesse, spreading him wider. “You’ll take every inch of my cock in here, Sinclair. ‘No’ won’t make me stop.”
Jesse grew so hot, he leaked. He shoved at Dom, elbowing him, hooking his thumbs into Dom’s pants to try and yank his clothes off. Dom’s laughter rasped against his ear; his chest burned against Jesse’s back. With his other hand, Dom fumbled with his belt—but the fingers inside Jesse never stopped moving. Over and over, they pushed inside him, skirting his prostate, grinding against his sensitive flesh, winding his need higher and higher, until he couldn’t think. All Jesse knew was that Dom was inside him, and he needed more.
“Know something?” Dom growled, nudging that spot ever so lightly. Shocks of pleasure radiated through Jesse’s body. “I threaten to ruin your hole, I tell you I won’t stop, and you get so fucking wet in here.”
He mashed his fingers ruthlessly against Jesse’s prostate; sparks exploded through Jesse’s vision, and he couldn’t breathe.
“Fuck.” Dom groaned, rutting against Jesse’s hip. “You do this to me, Sinclair.” He shoved his pants down, his cock straining, a hot, dark length skimming Jesse’s fingertips. Jesse reached for him, pumping it—gods, it would open him so sweetly.
“You don’t know how to use that thing,” Jesse hissed.
Dom growled, amused. And he wrapped Jesse’s hand around his cock, thrusting viciously into his fist. “Too gentle?”
Jesse grew so hot inside, he knew Dom must’ve felt it. Dom swore, his breath rushing out of his lungs. But he only fucked harder into Jesse’s hand, fast, deep thrusts that would stretch Jesse, claiming all of him. Jesse arched against the wall, his hole squeezing, needing to be filled. Right now.
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