Chapter 8

Someone is going to pay dearly when I find out who took my omega. Every resource at my disposal has been dispatched. Eventually, someone will come across something concrete. And not that bullshit video Will tried to play off as Laken.

I don't care what it looks like or what he thinks.

That woman wasn't Laken.

There's every possibility Will paid someone to manipulate the security footage. There would be plenty of recordings of her going in and out of his penthouse. He could use those to splice together to make her look guilty, but I'm not falling for it.

Someone stole a shitload of product from Will's penthouse the day Laken went missing. Only, I know it wasn't her, because her coworkers confirmed that she was at work during the time of the break-in.

It wasn't even a fucking break-in.

Whoever did it had a key.

Add in the fact no one has seen the little omega in five days, and I'm about to burn this city to the fucking ground to get some answers.

Nothing makes sense, no matter how hard I work to try to shove the pieces of information together.

She was mine before that night two months ago, but those events solidified it.

I'll do whatever it takes to find her.

Even turn to my family for support, if necessary, which is something I long ago swore I would never do.

And I wouldn't.

Not for anyone except her.

Two Months Ago - The Night Before the Prologue

I pour a more than generous swash of bourbon into my glass before helping myself to a hearty swallow.

If I hadn't seen the proof with my own eyes, I would have trouble believing it.

But I have.

I've heard it with my own ears as well. That means I have some soul-searching to do.

Swirling the liquor in my glass, I lean against the counter.

Six years ago, it seemed like a brilliant idea to put Will in place as the figurehead for my up-and-coming empire.

The idea was sound.

Allow the masses to believe my business was his.

Any enemies looking to seek revenge or to topple the organization by taking out the head would be completely unaware that they just tipped their hand to the true adversary in waiting—me.

The lowly enforcer might be collateral damage, but what I wouldn't be was the primary target.

And over the years, that idea served me well.

Except, now, William's aspirations have grown too large. He'll need to be handled, but managing that might very well topple the empire I've worked so hard to attain.

And at the same time, even the success I've found doesn't feel as satisfying as it once did.

I struck out on my own nearly ten years ago.

Furious and resentful at being passed over for my birthright, I had a point to make.

My fathers specifically chose not to name me as heir because they knew I would put an end to a massive piece of their business. They still hold the old-school belief that, to be successful, they need to participate in the skin trade.

And yet, I've made a literal fortune, on my own, with very few preexisting connections and only dealing in drugs and weapons.

I'm no longer that twenty-one-year-old kid who set out with nothing except resentment for the family that betrayed him. The points I hoped to make a decade ago hold no value to me now.

It's a lonely endeavor to be separated from one's family, but it's been a worthy one, in my case. My family has created so many enemies; it's a blessing to no longer be associated with the Barrett name.

I'm aware Will hopes to double-cross me. He might not be brave enough yet, but I'm sure, in his mind, it would be simple enough. If he kills me, he could simply step into the role he's been playing for the last six years.

I'm tired.

At this point, I would hand it over if he just asked. Not that he wouldn't run it into the ground within six months, but that would be his problem.

He used to be a friend.

He also used to have some intelligence, but his role has made him boastful.

The door to Will's penthouse opens and closes.

I take a much larger swig of my bourbon when I spot Laken.

The stunning little omega shouldn't be here right now.

She shouldn't be in Will's realm, period.

If she'd been five minutes earlier, she would have caught him with his side piece.

Will seriously doesn't have many brain cells left, but that's what happens when you sample your own product.

If my upbringing taught me anything, it was that.

If you run a strip club, you don't fuck the women. Well, unless you're my uncle Torin, but that's how he got my two cousins, so I guess it took him a while to catch on to that family rule.

I frown at my empty glass, setting it down on the counter with a clank.

Laken startles at the sound, swiping at her eyes. Her head tilts as she spots me. "Holy shit! You scared the hell out of me."

"If you're looking for Will, you just missed him," I inform her, refilling my glass.

The bottle is strangely empty after topping up my tumbler.

"I know," she whispers. "They didn't see me, but I definitely saw him making out with Kennedy as they got out of the elevator. She's my coworker. I thought she was my friend. Whatever. I came to drop off his key and leave a very strongly worded break-up letter."

"Strongly worded, huh?" I laugh, snatch my glass, and take another long swig.

If I don't, I might track down William and end him prematurely. Not solely for the betrayal against me that I learned about earlier tonight, but also for his generally slimy behavior when it comes to women.

Laken is beautiful. She works hard, never complains when he's late, and is surprisingly easy to be around for one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen.

I don't feel an ounce of guilt that I'm the reason he's rarely punctual. There are a few perks to being the boss, not the figurehead.

If he actually gave a shit about her, I might have some compassion, but he doesn't, and the more time I spend around Laken, the more my obsession grows.

I'm not above playing sneaky to get what I want, and these last few months, my system has craved one-on-one time with the little omega more and more.

She's loyal.

She's never once flirted or said something that indicated she wanted me, too, but she saw Will for who he really is tonight, meaning all that could change.

Laken approaches, yanking off her crossbody purse. She tosses it onto the counter, stepping up to my side. "Could I have a sip of that?"

I quirk an eyebrow. "Be my guest, but you won't like it."

Whenever I've seen her drink, she goes for a fruity cocktail or occasionally a beer. Neither has close to the alcohol content or taste of bourbon.

"Yeah, probably not, but my nerves are shot." She grabs the glass, taking the tiniest sip. "Oh God, that's actually terrible." She sputters a choked cough. "So bad."

I grab the glass, finishing it off.

That was a three-thousand-dollar bottle of liquor.

Luckily, I have plenty more in my unit, and it's only across the hall.

"I came here tonight to break up with him. Did you know that? I mean, before even seeing that he's a cheating dick."

I almost laugh. "No, I did not, but I think you made the right call."

"I've tried to end things a few times, but I'm not good at confrontation."

I imagine she's not, but that's most omegas. Their instincts push for them to please alphas. Having an uncomfortable conversation, such as a breakup, would be difficult to convince her system to go through with.

"You could have told me," she says, sighing. "How many times have we talked over the last few months?"

"Quite a few," I admit, studying the few light freckles on her nose and the top of her cheeks.

Every time I see her, it gets harder to keep my hands to myself.

"So, everyone knows he's cheating on me, and no one decided to mention it?" Her lips push together as her head shakes. "I'm going to have to find a new job. I'm so embarrassed." She leans back against the counter.

I slide to the side, caging her in with my arms. "You don't have anything to be embarrassed about. I don't know how long that's been going on, but tonight is the first time I've seen them together."

I made a big fucking mistake getting this close to her.

She smells like cherries and vanilla with hints of something else I can't pick out.

My nostrils flare as her hands come to rest on my waist. Her eyes are breathtaking on a normal day, but seeing them sparkle as she stares up at me under her lashes is dangerous for both of us.

Her fingers dig into my back as she pushes up onto her tiptoes.

I've had a shit day too, and it's been a long time since I've had a woman try to kiss me. I've wanted her for so long, but I also don't want her to use me for revenge.

I hesitate, and her eyes pop open.

The look on her face makes my chest tight. She tries to duck under my arm, but I lower my elbows, trapping her between me and the counter.

"I am so embarrassed," she whispers as her cheeks redden.

I bump her face to the side, bending to get close to her ear. "I'm sure you can tell by now how compatible we are. That makes this a dangerous game to play if you just want revenge." I tug on her earlobe with my teeth, and she whimpers.

My cock jolts at the sound.

She melts into my chest, which doesn't help me stay rational at all. "Locke?"

"Yeah?" I growl between licking and sucking her neck.

She wiggles against me as my hand slides up her thigh and under the material of her silky dress.

"Y-You," she moans. "I want you."

I kiss my way from her neck to her jaw to her plush lips. I'm so preoccupied with sucking in deep hits of her scent that I barely register her cool fingers brushing my lower stomach as she works my belt open.

"Are you sure you want me?" I ask, my lips brushing hers. "Or would any hard cock do right now?"

Her sharp teeth dig into my lower lip as she nips at it. "I said I want you, and I meant it."

She's so fucking potent, it makes me foggy just breathing in her pheromones.

My hands cup her ass, and I lift her to sit on the counter as I settle between her thighs.

She tugs me closer, using the front of my jeans as leverage. Once I'm within reach, she hungrily attacks my mouth.

It's cute.

Or it would be if I wasn't acting like a feral alpha.

Our tongues dance in the air as she pops the button on my jeans. The backs of her fingers brush over my lower stomach as she caresses my skin.

I'm a little surprised she doesn't grab my cock, but it's been so long since I've been with anyone that I've almost forgotten what I'm supposed to be doing.

It's been six long years of being Locke Beckett, Will's number two.

I spent the first few years after leaving New York trying to get my footing. After I established the basis for my business connections and brought Will on, I lived my role.

There was more on my mind than women or even casual hookups.

My hand slides up the back of Laken's neck and into the hair at the base of her skull while I bring the other between us to tease the front of her panties. Her heels hit the tile floor, and a second later, her feet dig into my ass. She tries to pull me closer as she begs into my mouth.

I give her hair a solid tug, and it only makes her more ravenous as she wiggles her hips. "Do you need more, kitten?"

She nods, pulling her lips from mine in the process.

"Please?" Her nipples pop through the fabric of her thin dress, and it's clear she's not wearing a bra.

I'm more transfixed by her swollen, pink lips and the way her chest rises and falls in rapid pants. My cock jerks in my jeans. It's so hard, I'm surprised it hasn't busted through my zipper.

Laken grabs the bottom of my shirt, ripping it up and trying to pull it off. I have to release my hold on her to make it happen, but I help her get it off and toss it toward the living room.

The little omega does the same with her dress, and the edges of my vision get hazy as I take in her bare tits. The sight of her tiny pink panties, drenched in the front, makes me growl.

Laken's head snaps to the side, and she bares her neck. I've never been with an omega, but the move is one hundred percent true to her designation. The whine that slips from her lips as her shoulders tremble pushes me over the edge.

"Arms back," I growl, yanking her hips to the edge of the counter. Using my hands under her ass, I'm able to pull her panties off in one swift move. I shove them into my back pocket and hit my knees.

Luckily, I'm tall as hell, with a long torso. It puts her slick cunt only inches from my face.

She bites her lower lip, staring down at me as her shoulders tremble.

"You know you're fucking beautiful. You get that, right, kitten?" I kiss my way up her right thigh. She's got kind of a pear shape, and I'm fucking enamored with every curve. "You smell like cherry pie with vanilla ice cream. Like a perfect dessert just waiting to be devoured."

"Locke," she moans.

I lick over her hip bone, and Laken huffs. Her fingers dig into my long hair, and she yanks my mouth to her pussy before spreading her knees even wider. It's ridiculously cute that she's willing to shove me where she wants me to go.

My tongue flicks over her engorged clit, and her sweet taste explodes in my mouth.

Pre-cum dribbles from my tip. It's got to be a biological reaction because all I can think about is filling her so full of my scent that another alpha wouldn't think to look twice at her.

My jeans are still strangling my shaft, so I work a hand down, unzipping and giving my cock some room. I slide my ass from side to side, letting the material fall down my thighs, and give my length a few pumps.

My instincts might prove to be a problem. No matter how hard I try to focus on making her come, my system won't stop obsessing over how to breed, bite, and claim her.

It takes considerable effort to drop my cock, but I wrap that forearm around her lower back to keep her steady. Her feet bounce against my shoulders as she rides my face.

I'm torn between teasing her clit and tongue-fucking her hole. Bringing my other hand up, I work two fingers inside her while testing different pressures and patterns on her clit.

It fills my chest with pure alpha pride as she uses her hand in my hair to shove me deeper.

"Locke, oh…" Her words turn undecipherable as her legs shake. Her walls mold to my fingers, no matter how hard I work to stretch them. She's concerningly tight, and after this, I am sliding inside her. "Yeah, right there, but harder. So. Much. Harder."

Circling her clit with firmer pressure from my tongue, I begin to finger-fuck her with deeper strokes.

I wish I could praise her. To tell her how incredible she tastes and how fantastic she's going to feel wrapped around my throbbing cock, but my mouth is preoccupied.

Her entire body shakes as her moans get louder.

I tighten my hold on her lower back to keep her upright and crook my fingers with each plunge into her cunt.

Nipping at her hood makes her combust.

Hot slick fills my mouth as she sobs.

I wish I had a better view of her face, but her hair falls in the way as she curls forward.

My balls get tight as she milks my fingers. It's wild, feeling her channel trying to lock me in place, and all my brain can focus on is what that will feel like wrapped around my length.

I smirk, kissing her clit and trying to be gentle as she comes down.

"Too much," she says, pulling my hair.

I toe off my shoes as I stand and kick out of my jeans the rest of the way.

"Want to see what you taste like?" I don't give her the chance to object as I shove my tongue into her mouth. My knuckles hit the counter next to her hip as I push her backward and lean over her.

She's frantic as she grabs for my shaft. Her eyes widen, filling my chest with pride.

"Whoa, will those hurt?" Her feet dig into my hips as her thumb teases down my ladder piercings. "Doesn't matter. Let's find out."

She guides me to her opening.

She's so incredibly slick that even my crown brushing through her folds is enough to knock out rational thought.

I groan as she shimmies closer and impales herself on my tip.

My hand wraps around her hip as I leverage myself over the counter, pushing off the floor with my feet to bury myself deep.

She arches toward me, plastering her tits to my chest as her mouth falls open.

A loud moan slips from her lips, and it only spurs me on. Pulling out, I thrust inside her again while her nails dig into my lower back.

The counter makes for an awkward angle. Sliding my hands under her ass, I lift her. She immediately wraps herself tighter around me for support.

Laken doesn't let the change in location stop her. Her fingers dig into my shoulders as she uses her feet as leverage to fuck herself deeper onto my shaft while I aim for the couch.

"It's kinda incredible that you're able to hold me up like this." She grins bashfully. "The angle is pretty great too."

She gushes around my length, and my impulses go haywire.

If she likes this angle, we can make it happen.

I spin, slamming her back against the wall near the dining room.

I move a hand to cradle her jaw.

She's so beautiful, it takes my breath away. There's something so innocently sweet about her pink cheeks and the look on her face as she stares up at me from under her lashes.

Her cunt ripples around my piercings, and my thoughts turn much more hedonistic.

Images of breeding her and fucking her with a round baby belly bounce around my mind.

"Holy fuck," I growl, diving for her mouth.

"Harder," she whimpers into the kiss, nodding frantically.

I move my hand to her throat, squeezing just a bit to see how she likes it. Her shoulders curl, leaving the wall as she trembles. It spurs me on as my hips slap into hers.

I practice rolling my pelvis against her clit on each stroke as I stare between us.

My cock is wet with her slick, and if I wasn't foggy, I might realize I'm not wearing a condom. The way her inner walls ripple has my dick jumping as it thickens.

Fuck.

I'm about to embarrass myself. It's been too long to hold out as her eyes fall shut and her mouth parts.

I'm too drunk on her pheromones to make good choices.

Feeling her clench around my shaft sends me into full-blown rabid territory.

Forget feral.

I'm acting like one of those rabid alphas they tranquilize.

"Locke…" My name sounds like a plea slipping from her swollen lips.

I pull out and slam home, only stopping when my knot brushes her opening. It's tempting to consider pushing it inside her, but being able to fuck into her is really doing it for me.

Slick leaks out over my shaft as her core convulses around my length.

I try to hold back, but my balls get tight, and I growl, exploding inside her.

Laken thrashes around the wall, moaning and arching as I freeze.

The pleasure gets so extreme, it's hard to keep us both upright. Once I can finally move again, I work out and back in, staring at my cum dripping around my shaft.

It makes my vision hazier, and the next thing I know, I'm ripping her off the wall and carrying her to the table. Her back lands against it as I crawl over her curvy form.

Her skin feels warm against mine as she stretches up to kiss me. "Please don't stop. I've needed this so bad. I think it's you I needed."

If she's playing me, she's incredibly strategic.

My chest gets warm and fuzzy as my tongue dances with hers. My abs burn and glutes flex with each slap of my hips into hers, and on one particularly deep rut, my knot slides inside her opening.

A euphoric feeling pulses through my entire body as she moans and begs.

My knot swells, locking us together. Everything outside of Laken disappears as my impulses scream to claim her now.

I breathe through the urge to bite her, and instead, brush my fingers over the top of her head as I nip at her lips.

She's everything.

Completely fucking perfect.

And mine from here on out.

I ramble all of that like an alpha lost to the haze of rut. She's not even in heat, but her pheromones thump through my system like she is.

"Rut," she demands, clawing at my ass. "And don't stop. Ever. I need you to keep fucking me until I stop feeling like I'm burning alive. So, forever. Just don't ever stop."

I smirk.

She's exceptionally fucking cute, commanding me to be her eternal sex toy.

Strangely enough, I'm here for it.

She comes so many times, her legs and arms tremble.

I growl, filling her cum-soaked cunt again. "You know you're mine now, right, kitten? You really shouldn't have let me slip inside you. Not unless you meant to make me feral for you."

"I'm good with that," she whispers, smiling so brightly, my heart races. "God, Locke. I don't think sex has ever been this enjoyable." Her hand moves to my cheek, and she brushes her fingers over my beard. "My pheromones have me all sleepy. If I fall asleep, please feel free to fuck me awake."

I'm not quite sure she understands how dangerous it is to tell someone like me something like that. "Is that an ongoing offer? I'd be very careful of the consent you give."

She laughs. "You're not nearly as scary as you think you are. Fine, you've got my permission until I revoke it."

I growl, diving for her mouth. Her inner walls clench around my shaft as I suck in her pheromones, and everything gets hazy all over again.