Alluring Attraction

by Zoelle, A. F.

  “Then why don’t you just ignore him for a change?” Ryder suggested, hoping for once that his friend would listen. “He can’t play you if you aren’t playing at all, right?”

  Jake conceded with a shrug, “Yeah, I guess. Sorry, man. God, he pisses me off so much!”

  “I noticed,” Ryder dryly replied, rolling his eyes at the obviousness of the remark.

  Realizing that nothing further could come of their discussion, Jake asked, “So how are you feeling, anyway?”

  “Much better now,” Ryder answered, blushing at his own innuendo and the memories of who had made him feel better and how.

  “Do you want to grab lunch?” Jake requested. “It’s my treat, to make up for being such a dick earlier.”

  Even though Ryder wanted to go home and try to sort out his complicated feelings about Hunter, he smiled at his friend as he agreed, “Yeah, sure.”

  “Awesome! So what sounds good?” Jake asked as they began deciding where to go eat.

  Unwilling to entertain such dangerous thoughts about the nature of his relationship with Hunter when he was hanging out with Jake, Ryder forced himself to be an active participant in their conversation. It was a welcome reprieve. Ryder knew the troublesome thoughts would be back the instant he was alone, but for now the problem of Hunter could wait.

  Ryder heaved a heavy sigh as he blankly stared at the book in front of him, unable to pay attention to the words on the page. It had been a long day and he was exhausted. Between Hunter and Jake, Ryder didn’t know who was worse.

  Resting his head on his desk, Ryder closed his eyes and wished that things weren’t so complicated. He was getting more and more confused by everything and he wasn’t sure what to do anymore.

  A quiet knock on his bedroom door distracted Ryder. He sat up straight and tried to act normal as he called out “Come in.”

  Kyle entered Ryder’s bedroom and asked, “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

  “No,” Ryder reassured his cousin with a small smile as he turned his chair around to look at Kyle. “What’s up?”

  “Um, do you have a minute?” Kyle hesitantly questioned as he sat down on Ryder’s bed.

  Furrowing his eyebrows, Ryder asked, “Is everything okay?”

  “That’s kind of what I wanted to ask you,” Kyle replied with a wan smile.

  Ryder asked, “What do you mean?”

  Looking down at the floor as he tried to gather his thoughts, Kyle finally explained, “Well, you haven’t been yourself recently and…”

  “And?” Ryder prompted, sensing where the conversation was heading and wondering how to get around it.

  “And I’m worried,” Kyle finished his thought, looking up at Ryder with genuine concern. “You and Jake are always fighting, plus you seem so distracted lately. Did something happen?”

  Running his fingers through his hair in agitation, Ryder met Kyle’s gaze. “What did he tell you?” Ryder asked, sounding resigned and exhausted. “Let me guess: Hunter?”

  Feeling a little guilty, Kyle sheepishly nodded as he confirmed, “Yeah, but it wasn’t anything specific, he’s—actually, we’re all a little concerned.”

  “Since when did everyone start giving a shit about Hunter?” Ryder irritably muttered, sounding harsher than he meant to be.

  Kyle was taken aback by Ryder’s response and he tried to tactfully answer, “Even you have to admit that Hunter’s been—”

  “We have two classes together,” Ryder interrupted to explain, “and yeah, we talk sometimes, but what’s the big deal? He’s my rival, not my enemy. Apparently Jake can’t understand the damn difference.”

  “Look, I don’t know how to say this without upsetting you,” Kyle stated, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

  “Go ahead and say it,” Ryder told him as he braced himself for the worst.

  “You promise you won’t get mad?” Kyle timidly asked as he worried his lower lip.

  Getting annoyed, Ryder told him, “Just say it, Kyle.”

  Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Kyle proceeded to awkwardly say, “Jake told me about Cole Corporation.”

  “Probably more than you ever wanted or needed to know,” Ryder joked, although he wasn’t completely kidding. Jake tended not to understand boundaries.

  “Yeah,” Kyle agreed with a quiet chuckle before turning serious once more, “but he told me about President Dragon and how he thinks the guy looks like Hunter.”

  “So?” Ryder asked, trying not to betray himself.

  Kyle remained silent for a moment as he assessed Ryder before finally guessing, “It is him, isn’t it? That’s why you keep getting into fights with Jake.”

  “Fuck,” Ryder whispered as he rested his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. He knew that he could never lie to his own cousin, but this wasn’t how he wanted to deal with it. “Kyle, I—”

  Getting up from the bed and walking over to Ryder, Kyle crouched down in front of him and gently touched his arm in reassurance. “It’s okay,” Kyle softly tried to comfort Ryder.

  “No, it fucking isn’t!” Ryder vehemently swore, refusing to look at Kyle. “And Jake—”

  “Still hasn’t figured it out,” Kyle interrupted to say.

  “He’s going to,” Ryder darkly predicted, fearing the worst. “He almost has.”

  Kyle softly sighed as he tried to figure out how to handle the situation. “You’re protecting Hunter, aren’t you?” Kyle asked, knowing how his cousin was.

  “Who the hell knows?” Ryder replied as he finally dared to look at Kyle.

  “It’s more than that, isn’t it?” Kyle realized.

  “I don’t know,” Ryder sighed, resting his chin on his hands. “It’s complicated.”

  Smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, Kyle offered, “For what it’s worth, I fully support you, no matter what happens,” before adding impishly, “and Hunter, too.”

  Ryder’s jaw dropped in disbelief and he defensively questioned, “What exactly are you implying?”

  “That everything suddenly makes a lot more sense,” Kyle coyly answered. “I’ve seen the way Hunter looks at you.”

  “Since when?” Ryder exclaimed, completely in shock.

  “Probably since the first time you scored higher on a test than him,” Kyle said playfully, although he suspected there was some truth in what he said.

  “Impossible,” Ryder denied, although he could feel the telltale blush on his cheeks.

  Kyle was relieved that the tension seemed to have dissipated and he teased, “Well, how long have you noticed him?”

  “We are not having this conversation,” Ryder groaned, feeling horribly embarrassed.

  “Why not? Emily and I have suspected something for a while now,” Kyle justified with a shrug. “You agreed with us in the past that there was something more to his obsession with you. It makes sense, if you really think about it.”

  “I’m glad you think so,” Ryder sarcastically muttered, “because it’s confusing as hell.”

  Standing up and patting Ryder on the shoulder before giving it a reassuring squeeze, Kyle said, “You’ll figure it out.”

  “Let’s hope that Jake doesn’t,” Ryder muttered.

  “It’ll be fine,” Kyle said with more confidence than he actually had. “Hey, do you want to grab dinner with me and Emily?”

  Realizing what Kyle was trying to do, Ryder politely refused, “No, I’m not going to crash your date, but thanks.”

  “It would just be friends hanging out,” Kyle said, knowing that Emily wouldn’t mind under the circumstances. “You could bring Hunter if it would make it less awkward for you.”

  “You did not just say that!” Ryder incredulously exclaimed, completely floored.

  “Sorry,” Kyle apologized with a laugh, although he was far from repentant. “I’ll see you after I get back, okay?”

  Nodding his agreement, Ryder agreed, “Sure, have a good time.”

  “Do you want us to br
ing you back anything?” Kyle offered.

  “I’ll fend for myself,” Ryder said as he waved Kyle away. “Oh, and Kyle?”

  Pausing before leaving, Kyle asked, “Yes?”

  “Thank you,” Ryder sincerely told Kyle, grateful for the support.

  “Any time,” Kyle replied with a happy smile. “Have a good night.”

  “I’ll try,” Ryder replied, feeling relief from the pressure he’d been feeling.

  Ryder tried to return to his reading after talking with Kyle, but to no avail. He kept getting distracted by thoughts that were best left alone.

  Needing something to take his mind off of things, Ryder went into the bathroom and started the shower. He stripped out of his shirt, languidly stretching as he did so. Ryder was unbuttoning his pants when he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror, causing him to pause. Turning to properly face his reflection, Ryder was shocked by what he saw.

  Evidence of Hunter’s displeasure stubbornly remained on Ryder’s skin: a small hickey on his hip. Ryder looked down to see it for himself, not fully trusting the image in the mirror. He felt compelled to touch it, to confirm its existence beyond a reasonable doubt. Once again returning his focus to the mirror, Ryder watched himself run his fingers over the mark, staring at it in disbelief.

  Ryder gently poked at the mark, feeling the faintest hint of sensation. He remembered receiving it and blushed slightly. That fiercely dominating look in those possessive blue eyes—Ryder was affected by them even now. He could feel the familiar heat flaring to life inside of him and swallowed hard, trying to smother the internal fire.

  He felt an inexplicable need to keep touching it, to continue exploring the boundaries of Hunter’s wrath. Ryder was reminded of how the whole incident started: in the bathroom. He remembered how Hunter had come to stand behind him, the looks they exchanged in the mirror. It had fascinated Ryder to watch Hunter kiss his neck, to see those expressions he normally missed.

  Starting to get aroused again, Ryder got into the hot shower. He tried to blank out his mind and ignore anything related to Hunter, but it was a futile effort.

  Although it wasn’t the first time that Ryder had touched himself while thinking of Hunter, he still felt self-conscious about the act. That didn’t stop him from letting his free hand traverse up to toy with a nipple. It felt good, but it still wasn’t enough.

  Ryder remembered the feeling of Hunter’s lips against his neck and the sound of his smug little laugh. He continued slowly jerking off to the thought of Hunter’s strong hands on his body.

  Leaning against the wall, Ryder gasped at the chill it sent through him, but he didn’t let it stop him. Instead, Ryder trailed his hand lower, slipping it in between his thighs and spreading them further apart. He fondled his balls before tilting his head back against the tiles with a soft groan that echoed as he slowly worked himself up into a frenzy, all while imagining Hunter pressed close against him.

  Ryder was so lost in fantasy that he didn’t notice when his hand wandered from his balls and moved toward the place that seemed to fascinate Hunter most. Ryder shuddered when he remembered the way Hunter’s fingers always seemed to stray to his entrance. Obviously, there was some pleasure to be had there, but that didn’t stop the nervous flutter in Ryder’s stomach every time Hunter’s fingers started to probe the sensitive area.

  As his own fingers started to explore there, the weirdness of it pulled Ryder from his fantasy as he realized what he was doing. Panting a little as he moved his hands away, Ryder was so close, yet he couldn’t bear to bring himself to completion.

  It was dissatisfying to pleasure himself when compared to the way being with Hunter made him feel. All it did was make him long for Hunter’s touch even more, which made Ryder growl in irritation at his insatiable need to see his rival. And yet, thinking about Hunter’s reaction to the hickey sent a thrill of excitement through Ryder as he brushed against the mark with his hand. Imagining the smug sense of self-satisfaction that Hunter would approach him with made Ryder react on a hormonal level, immediately making him think about visiting Cole Corporation.

  Once the idea had formed, Ryder felt the familiar sense of excitement at the prospect of seeing Hunter soon. He found himself hurrying through his shower without any further thought to self-gratification, unable to deny himself the pleasure of Hunter’s presence, disturbing as that need was to him.

  After all, there really was no substitute for being buried deep in Hunter. Ryder refused to settle for jerking off when he could enjoy the real thing.

  As Ryder once again skulked into Cole Corporation under the cover of night, he wondered if the shame of it would ever go away. His eyes immediately sought out Ishi, who smiled at Ryder as he approached the counter. The others greeted him, “Good evening, sir.”

  Politely nodding, Ryder was relieved when Ishi walked around the desk and gestured for him to follow her to the elevator. He eagerly followed her and asked, “How are you?”

  “Fine, sir. And yourself?” she politely returned as she pushed the fifth floor button. Ryder found it unusual, but he didn’t comment on the deviation.

  When the doors opened, the floor looked like a typical business corridor and Ryder followed her into the second room on the right. It was a minimalist lounge with large leather couches and low glass tables.

  Instinctively looking around for Hunter, Ryder realized that there was no other door to enter from and he looked questioningly at Ishi. “Where is he?” Ryder finally asked, confused by Ishi remaining next to the small wet bar.

  “He will be available in about an hour,” Ishi answered, “so I’ve brought you to the VIP lounge to wait. Can I get you anything to drink?”

  The news hit Ryder harder than he would have thought. “Is he with someone else?” Ryder hesitantly questioned, unaware of the sudden tension in his stance.

  It was against company policy to disclose that information, but the answer was obvious enough without being spoken. Her gaze softened in sympathy at Ryder’s noticeable upset and Ishi couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “I will come retrieve you when he’s available,” she softly replied, her non-answer telling Ryder everything he needed to know.

  “Sure,” Ryder flatly replied, although he was barely aware of speaking. It was only once Ishi left that Ryder’s thoughts began to race and he anxiously started to pace, all the former joy at his visit gone.

  Ryder logically knew that Hunter working at the brothel meant that countless others had touched and experienced him, but he tended to ignore the broader implications of it. There was a small comfort in knowing that no other patron would “know” Hunter as he did, but Ryder had to question what that meant.

  Ryder had thought he was starting to get to know Hunter, but he still didn’t understand why his rival was working at such a place. All Ryder had were unconfirmed theories based on unsubstantiated assumptions. The issue suddenly seemed to take on a new importance and Ryder growled to himself at his troublesome flood of emotions.

  Ryder couldn’t stop imagining what was going on upstairs, couldn’t stop himself from picturing Hunter with someone else. It was easy to think of Hunter on top of a woman, pleasuring her skillfully with his confident and dominating nature. Thinking of Hunter thrusting into a submissive male made Ryder stop pacing as the image played out further.

  His mind stubbornly superimposed himself as the one on the bottom, wrapping his legs around Hunter’s waist and embracing him completely as they moved in unison to the heights of pleasure. Ryder couldn’t help but find the thought arousing, but it hit him hard that he wasn’t the one with Hunter—some other paying customer was.

  Even though Ryder logically understood that there were others, he couldn’t stand the thought of it. Ryder hated that he was one of many that Hunter was obligated to by financial transaction. And yet, it still felt like there was something more going on between them, an undeniably deep connection that was a more genuine link than money. Was it real or simply another fabrication created by
the illusions of the brothel?

  The thought of being with Hunter under these circumstances was suddenly a lot less appealing and Ryder felt the urge to flee. Although Ryder knew that the brothel practiced safe sex, he suddenly felt dirty, used, and pathetic. I’m no different than the rest of them, Ryder mentally sneered, feeling a brief flash of self-hatred.

  Ryder cared about Hunter as a person—not for his President Dragon persona—which was the real problem. He didn’t want to be lumped in with the rest of the brothel patrons.

  Moving with sudden determination, Ryder left the small room and walked back to the elevator. Even though part of Ryder’s conscience argued that he should stay so that no one else could be with Hunter during that time, he couldn’t bring himself to wait while having such disturbing thoughts.

  Ryder knew it was hypocritical of him to suddenly be freaked out by the thought of Hunter with another person, but the more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. Would Hunter moan the same way for someone else as he did for Ryder? Would Hunter make them feel the same way as he made Ryder feel? They were troublesome questions that hurt far more than Ryder cared to admit.

  The ride back down to the lobby was quick and Ryder tried to sneak out without notice, but failed to do so.

  “Sir, is everything okay?” Ishi’s voice called out to him, a note of genuine concern in her voice.

  Unaware of how his troubled expression betrayed his emotional turmoil, Ryder stated, “Yeah, I…I can’t tonight, sorry.”

  Ishi started to protest, but Ryder had already started to walk away. Frowning sadly as she watched him go, Ishi suspected the real reason Ryder had left in such a rush. But there was little that Ishi could do except wait until she went to assist Hunter, when she could explain to him what had occurred.

  It was a relief to crawl into an unoccupied bed and Hunter relaxed into the comfort of his luxurious sheets. As much as Hunter hated his bastard of an adoptive father, at least the man provided the best that money could buy.