Happily Ever Alpha_Until Emma

by Aspen Drake

  Abbott and I have access to the women at Pearls, so we aren’t feeling any kind of pinch when it comes to easy sex. But there aren’t many places right in the area where you can get laid by clean, attractive women who aren’t shooting up their earnings as soon as you step away.

  I take a drink then place my glass back on the table. “So, you bought it already? Now what’re you gonna do with it?”

  Abbott smiles and rests his hand on my forearm and then reaches across the table to do the same on his brother’s. “I think the question is, what are we going to do with it?”

  “Oh, no. No way.” Jason pulls away from his brother’s grip. “You can run a whorehouse if you want to, but I’m not. I have a reputation to think about.”

  Abbott waves away his brother’s concerns. “It’s hardly any different from being co-owner in Pearls. Just wait until you hear me out.”

  I take a big swig from my glass, knowing I’ll need a buzz just to get through this night. “Okay, shoot.”

  “I think we should get into the consulting business,” he says as he grabs a piece of bread.

  Oh, hell. This should be good. “What kind of consulting?” I take a piece of bread as well, hoping it’ll dull the light headache already beginning to form behind my left eyeball.

  “Relationship consulting. See, we bring in beautiful women,” he looks at Jason and shrugs, “we can even bring in some guys if you want.”

  Jason just shakes his head without acknowledging Abbott’s comment. We’ve known Jason is gay since high school, but he’s never actually come out to any of us. We’ve tried to get him to admit it, but I’m not even sure if he’s even admitted it to himself yet. We’ve never seen him in any sort of relationship, so maybe he just takes care of himself with porn. I don’t know if he thinks we don’t know or if he thinks we’ll have a problem with it.

  Either way, it’s an unspoken truth among our friends.

  “These women will be relationship consultants. Our ‘clients,’” he uses air quotes around the word clients, “will pay for ten or fifteen minutes of relationship coaching.”

  “Why would they do that?” Jason asks.

  “Because relationship consulting is legal. It’s something they can justify to their wives if they’re ever questioned. Fuck, they might even be able to use their flex benefits to pay for it.”

  I raise my hand to interrupt him. “How much are they paying for this fifteen-minute coaching session?”

  “I don’t know. A grand? Maybe two?” Abbott doesn’t seem too concerned with those kinds of details right now. “Anyway, as soon as they’re done with their official session, the girls will still have forty-five minutes available to ‘hang out.’ If they choose to invite their clients back to their room ‘off the clock,’” again he uses air quotes, “there’s nothing illegal about that.”

  “You might be on to something,” I concede. It’s a little more flagrant than I am usually comfortable with, but any action would be happening behind closed doors between consenting adults. That’s at least a little more discreet than women walking around fully nude on stage at Pearls. I look Abbott in the eyes and smile. “I’m in.”

  We both turn to Jason and wait for his response, knowing he’s always the tough nut to crack.

  “No way.” He pushes away from the table as if he’s going to get arrested just for sitting too close to us. “Why do you need me, anyway? You guys have enough money to make this happen without me. I don’t need this kind of trouble in my life.”

  Abbott gives him an indulgent look, placating him. “You know why we need you, Jay. You’re our planner. You see things we don’t think about. Besides, who will help me pick our male consultants?” He winks at his brother, and Jason’s cheeks pink up just a bit. Though I’m not sure if that’s from fury or embarrassment.

  “Fuck off,” he says quietly to Abbott before looking back at me. “You’re really on board with this idea? A whorehouse?”

  “I’m on board with capitalizing off all the horny, rich bastards in this town who are looking for local ‘relationship advice.’” I hold my tongue as the server refills our glasses from the bottle on the table. As soon as we’re alone again, I raise my glass up to Abbott’s. “And if that means I can hook up somewhere more comfortable than a wooden chair in one of Pearls’ back rooms, all the better.”

  As predicted, Jason takes some persuading. He lists about a million reasons why it’s a bad idea. Some are completely valid points, proving that what Abbott said was true. We do need him to be the brains of any real business ventures we undertake. And Jason knows that too. Despite being scared to admit his sexuality or even admit that he has any…Jason cares for his brother and would do anything to protect him.

  So, by the time our dinner plates are cleared, we’ve gotten him to agree to at least consider partnering with us. It’s not a firm commitment yet, but a maybe from Jason always turns into a yes.

  “What about the consultants?” I ask between bites of raspberry tart. “You got anyone in mind?”

  “A few.” Abbott pulls up a notes app on his phone and slides it across the table so I can see it. “I’m thinking Vickie and Angel for sure. Maybe Timber and Everly. That’s my first round anyway. If they all say yes, I might reach out to a few friends with clubs in the area to see if they have anyone looking to make a few extra bucks during the day.”

  “You’re thinking business hours?” I hadn’t given much thought to when the consultants would be working, but most meetings and doctor’s appointments take place during the day, so that makes sense.

  “Yeah, at least in the beginning.” Abbott hits a few buttons on his phone and pulls up a PDF file. “Here are some notes I’ve got so far. I’ll send them to both of you, but basically, we’d have most girls on-site during the day. Maybe one or two nights a week we can do evening sessions, but I think the opportunity here is during regular working hours.”

  “I agree.” At first glance, Abbott’s notes look better than I expect. He’s obviously put some thought into this. “And we won’t be cannibalizing Pearls.”

  “Exactly.” Abbott claps my shoulder in agreement. “I still want those guys in the club at night with all their cash… But if there are daytime dollars to be had, we might as well grab those too.”

  Jason chuckles quietly. “Will it ever be enough, brother?”

  Abbott gives his brother a slow grin as he pulls a Cohiba Behike cigar out of his pocket. “Ya know, Jason, I don’t think it will.”

  “Um, don’t you owe me a box of those?” I point at the cigar he’s holding between his teeth but won’t light inside the restaurant. “From that bet you lost.”

  Abbott laughs and pulls the stogy from his mouth then offers it to me. “Oh, yeah. This is yours. The box might be a few short, but it’s in my den. Remind me to give it to you when you come by.”

  “Asshole.” I brush the wet cigar away from my face.

  Abbott just sticks it back between his teeth as he turns to his brother. “Have you decided yet?”

  Jason is staring at the untouched plate of fruit in front of him before he quickly glances at his brother and then me. “You really want to have guys in there too?”

  Abbott laughs out loud as I fight to hold back a smile. “I knew that would get your attention.”

  Jason smiles shyly then digs his fork into a raspberry. “I’m just wondering.”

  “Yeah, I know you are.” Abbott loves teasing Jason. I think that’s part of the reason why Jason has never admitted or denied being gay. But if he’d just fess up, Abbott would back off and be completely supportive. I hope Jason figures that out before he’s too old to enjoy being out and proud. “For a friend, right?”

  Jason doesn’t look up at him. “Yeah, maybe.”

  “Perfect.” Abbott pulls out his credit card and hands it to the server just as she approaches with the bill. “Then you tell your friends that if they’re looking for relationship consulting with a man or a woman, you know of a place that will be a
ble to service them.”

  Just the mention of being serviced makes me think of Emma and how she took my cock down her throat like a pro. Fuck, now my dick is half hard, and I’m stuck with these guys for at least another half hour. “How soon do you think it’ll be before the servicing can begin?”

  “I’ll talk to the girls this week. If they’re on board, we can probably be up and running within a month or two. I met with Trevor and Cash from Mayson Construction this morning and got a bid. They can start on Monday and think the fascia work will only take a few weeks. Most of the other renovations are already done. It was in decent shape when I bought it. I just needed to convert a few banquet rooms into small offices.”

  “What do you need from me?” Jason asks, surprising both me and Abbott at how quickly he’s come around.

  “That’s the spirit, Jay.” Abbott’s wide grin mirrors my own. “I’ve got a preliminary business plan worked out, but you guys should take a look to see if there’re any holes. Whatever you say goes. While you’re doing that, I’ll work on procuring our consultants.”

  “Need anything from me?” I take the last bite of my tart. “Other than money?”

  Abbott shakes his head. “Nope, that’s it. I’m tied up in the real estate, so if you bankroll the operating costs while we get going, you can probably avoid most of the day-to-day dealings, if you want.”

  I do want.

  My attorneys can get me out of any mess that might come from being associated with a place like this, but I don’t have much interest in hanging around too often. Whether it’s a group of hookers or a group of consultants, they’re all after the same thing.

  Dollars.

  And as soon as they know I’ve got some, I go from predator to prey.

  And that’s only fun when it’s on my terms.

  Chapter 13

  Emma

  When I get home Wednesday night, Eli is packing his bag. I set my mail and purse down then put my hands on my hips. “Where are you going?”

  “I’ve got a couple jobs lined up. Thanks for letting me crash here. I know you hated every minute of it.”

  “What kind of job? Where are you going?” Although I do kind of hate having him stay on my couch, I like knowing he’s safe. And alive. Besides, having an extra person in the apartment is somewhat comforting. As soon as Rick moved out, I realized I don’t like living alone. I keep trying to convince myself that I’m strong and independent and don’t need human companionship, but the reality is that I do.

  A lot.

  And I don’t get it at work. I have brief interactions with people throughout the day, but no real friendships or conversations. Just a polite hello and goodbye on my way in and out from deliveries, but that’s not the same as companionship. And as annoying as Eli is, having a companion isn’t the worst way to live.

  He zips up his bag and places his palms on top of it for a minute before looking up at me. “I’m not giving him any money.”

  Oh, great. Not this shit again. “So, what are you gonna do?”

  “I’ve been talking to some friends up in Seattle. They have a business that could use an extra set of hands. If I run a few jobs for them, they’ll take care of my problem in Vegas.”

  Okay, now I’m actually starting to get worried for him. It sounds like he’s walking from one hornet’s nest to another. “What do you mean run jobs for them? Are you talking about drugs?”

  Eli holds my gaze for a moment and shakes his head. “Not drugs.”

  “Then what, Eli? Just tell me.”

  “Dammit, Emma. Why can’t you just let this go? The less you know, the better. I don’t want you to worry.”

  “News flash, Eli. I’m already worried. Now, stop playing games, and tell me what the fuck you’re up to.”

  “Guns.” He stares at me, challenging me to say something about it. “I need to move some guns from Mexico to Seattle. That’s it.”

  “Oh, that’s it?” I walk the length of my small dining area then back, pacing out my frustration. “You’re just gonna drive over the border with a trunk full of weapons, and you don’t think anyone is gonna notice? Are you an idiot?” For the record, he is.

  “I’m driving a boat, brainiac. They’re hiring me to sail up and down the coast a few times, and then they’ll get rid of that pimp in Vegas who’s looking for me.”

  “Who you think might be looking for you. You have no idea if he actually gives two shits about you.”

  Eli shakes his head, causing me to stop pacing to look at him. “I do know. My friend Kenton told me that he’s put a hit out on me. Two hundred grand.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense.” I pull out a chair from the table and sit down then wait for him to do the same. Reluctantly, he sits down too. “He’s already lost half a million to you. Why would he spend another two hundred thousand to kill you? It would be cheaper to just cut his losses.”

  “He doesn’t care about the money, Em.” Eli leans back in the chair so his head is parallel to the ceiling, something he does when he’s super pissed or emotional. I don’t know which applies to this particular situation. “I’m a witness. Maybe there’s some heat on him for that woman’s death. I don’t know, but I do know he’s willing to pay to have me killed. If I don’t take him out first, someone will take me out for the bounty on my head.”

  “God, Eli.” I rest my elbows on the table and run my fingers through my hair. “How do you get yourself caught up in this shit?”

  “I’m sorry, Em.” He rubs the back of my neck. “I shouldn’t have gotten you involved in this mess, but now that I have, you might be in danger too. That’s even more reason for me to get rid of this guy.”

  “What if we just pay someone to take him out?” Not that I have money for that, but two hundred thousand sounds better than the half million I thought I was gonna have to help him find.

  “This guy is badass. His price won’t be that low. His bounty would be ten times what mine is.”

  “Two million dollars?” I can’t even wrap my head around that kind of money. “We can’t do it…no way.”

  Eli wraps his other arm around me and holds me for a minute. “I know, Em. That’s why I’m doing these jobs. If all goes well, I can earn enough in a month to take care of this dude. Once he’s gone, I can start living my life again.”

  “Unless you end up in prison.” I pull away from him and stand up again, resuming my pacing as my mind works through this new information.

  “I won’t, Em.” He laughs quietly but there’s no humor in the sound. “And if I do, at least I’ll be safe there. I’ll have protection long enough to testify against him for murder. But it won’t come to that. I promise.”

  I walk right up to him and press my finger into his chest. “Don’t you dare make a promise that you don’t know you can keep. Our father made one of those to my mother, and she never saw him again. Be better than him, Eli.”

  “Fine, sorry.” He backs away from my accusatory finger. “But I promise to try everything in my power to come back. You’re the only person I have to live for, and I want to make sure you’re taken care of.”

  I hold back the snarky comment I want to make about me being the one to take care of him. Because even if it’s not completely obvious, he has been there to take care of me during my darkest times. And no matter what happens in our lives, I know Eli will always have my back. Just like I’ll always have his. “Just take care of yourself, and get your ass back here as soon as you can. The apartment is too clean and quiet when you’re not around.”

  He pulls me against his chest and kisses the top of my head. “I promise to try, sis.”

  Eli rarely calls me sis, but every time he does, it reminds me that he’s the only brother I have. The only one I’ll ever have. And if he doesn’t make it back, I’ll be all alone again.

  ~**~

  Thursday drags.

  I usually don’t notice the time when I’m working because I’m running from delivery to delivery, but today feels like t
he longest day on earth. And I’ve only been working for three hours. I groan when I see my next delivery is to James Lighting.

  And, of course, Rena placed the order. Great, just what I need. Although, maybe he is just what I need. Now that Eli is gone, that particular stress is also gone, but a whole new batch of anxiety and tension has replaced it.

  The only good thing about this delivery is that it’s for sushi from Yoshi, which means I’ll get a free lunch out of it.

  It’s almost two in the afternoon when I exit the elevator in front of Rena’s desk. She looks almost giddy when she sees me. “You can take it into his office, dear. He’s expecting you.”

  I walk into Sebastian’s office with his food, but something Rena said doesn’t add up. “How were you expecting me? You can’t request drivers, and there are tons of us working today. How did you know I would be the one making your delivery?”

  Sebastian grins as he leans against his desk. “I have my ways. Now, would you like to join me?”

  “Oh, thanks. But I ate on my way here.”

  Sebastian’s eyes lock on me, and I feel his gaze penetrating into my core as he waves me toward his desk. “Are you sure? I ordered plenty.”

  No shit. That bag weighs a ton. “Thanks, but Yoshi always has something ready for me when I pick up deliveries there.”

  If Sebastian is disappointed, he hides it well. “What about that dinner? Or do you have people at home waiting for you?”

  I cock an eyebrow in his direction, confused by what he’s saying. “What people? You know I live alone.”

  Sebastian doesn’t look away, which makes me feel like he’s looking for a lie. I want him to concede, tell me he’s mistaken. But he doesn’t.

  Of course, he doesn’t.

  Instead, he opens a container of food then unwraps his chopsticks from the paper package they were delivered in. “I thought so, but I was driving down your street last week, and I thought I saw you walking with a man and a child. Needless to say, I was surprised.”

  He must be talking about the day Eli and I took Owen to McDonald’s. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was babysitting, and the man is my brother.”