by Esme Beal
“Must be tough. Being in charge of your own crew isn’t easy from what I understand.”
“Nothing’s hard if you enjoy it enough. The Chargers like to do their part to clean up the West Bay. These days, it’s getting harder to find a problem to solve than to actually fix it.”
“I’ve noticed. This town is changing.” I looked around the bar and noticed despite how many patrons there were, everybody seemed to be on their best behavior. Even the meanest looking men were minding their own business with smiles on their faces while they chatted. “It’s like you’d be better off starting a problem to fix than finding one.”
“I’ve got no complaints. I’ve been in the West Bay long enough to know this is all for the best. How about you?”
“I haven’t been in town for very long. Just a few months.”
“And how are you enjoying Snow Falls?”
“It’s…” I laughed when I realized the only reason I was in Snow Falls was because of my crew. “It’s an honest living. From what I can tell, everybody’s just trying to get by. I can respect that.”
“And how are you getting by?”
“Just fine. I’m not looking for a man to save me. There’s nothing you need to worry about, Cade.”
He leaned against the bar counter, his back against it. He looked onto the dance floor while he took another sip of his beer. I noticed some of the ink on his arms and the muscles of his bicep. The guy was definitely in good shape but I wasn’t about to point that out to him. His physique or even his handsome face wasn’t even the most noticeable thing about him though. Just standing there, the guy had a confidence he couldn’t fake. If I didn’t already know he was the man who ran the Chargers, I would’ve believed him anyway.
“Minnow’s,” he said. “Any reason you picked this place?”
“I figured it’s a good place to get lost in. It gets rowdy and loud but everybody minds their own business.”
“Speaking of which, I don’t suppose you’re gonna tell me what that was all about back there at Hagen’s.”
“What’s there to tell you? I was talking business with Pico and we didn’t see eye to eye.”
“I’m hoping you weren’t trying to give the guy a hard time. From the looks of his bar, he has it hard enough.” Cade slowly turned and looked at me. I looked into those striking blue eyes of his and couldn’t help but laugh. He kept staring at me though, just waiting for my response.
I shook my head and took another sip of beer. “Nothing you need to worry about. Pico will be just fine.”
“I wasn’t talking about Pico.”
Underneath all of that confidence of his, Cade almost looked like he cared. It was a strange sight in a place like this. I swallowed another gulp of beer and shook my head with my eyes locked on his.
“Like I said, I don’t need any saving, Cade.”
“Good. Because all I wanted was to have a beer with a stranger. Sometimes you just need to get away, you know?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I know.”
I looked out onto the dance floor with him. I sat silently at the bar while he leaned up against it next to me. We watched all of the couples moving to the music drowned out by loud conversation.
“I’m not a dancer,” he said.
“Me neither.”
“I don’t know much about you, Brock. I’m sure you’re an interesting guy. But right now, none of that matters. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I sighed a deep breath, my eyes still focused on the couples dancing in front of us. There was something about the way an Alpha smelled. A scent so masculine you could tell what they were thinking just from the way it flooded your thoughts.
Cade knew I could smell it. He didn’t have to say another word.
“I know a place. You feel like hanging out, Brock?”
“Sure… Let’s hang out.”
Chapter 5
CADE
I had a nice little place all to myself in the heart of the West Bay. I could hear all of the gangs and bikers and police sirens even when I was laying my head down at night. That was more relaxing than anything because I knew it was something I never had to worry about personally.
That made it even easier for me to invite Brock over to my place.
I had every reason to be suspicious. The guy was new in town but I didn’t know much else about him. That didn’t matter. When you had an Omega ripe for the taking, you had to do it.
Brock didn’t look like other Omegas though. The thick beard. The slicked back hair. The muscles and the tats. He was a man who knew how to handle himself. That meant it would be more satisfying when I did what I planned on doing with him tonight.
He knew it, too. His brown eyes told me everything. He gave me a narrow gaze as he leaned against the wall next to my apartment. A few beers had made him a little more honest about his intentions but I figured he would be willing if he was completely sober.
“Don’t touch anything,” I said.
“What?”
“In my apartment. Don’t touch anything… unless I tell you to.”
He raised an eyebrow at me with a sly smirk growing on the corner of his lips. “You think I wanna rob you?”
“It’s the West Bay. It’s always a possibility.”
He took a step toward me. He was a few inches shorter, so I didn’t have any trouble looking him in the eye. He was so close I could smell the pheromones coming off of him. You could always tell when an Omega wanted it.
“I know why I’m here,” he said bluntly. “You know why I’m here. How about we stop wasting each other’s time?”
His honesty made me grin. I hesitated for a moment. Soaking up the anticipation of what was about to happen made it that much more satisfying when it did happen.
I kept my eyes locked on him as I pushed the front door to my apartment open. I stepped into the darkness with him right behind me. My place was a mess. Didn’t need to clean it up. Not for myself and not for any of my guests. Something told me Brock didn’t really care.
He closed the door behind him. As soon as I heard a click, I spun around and pounced. He didn’t resist as I pinned him against the wall. Our lips intertwined with each other in a messy kiss. His beard rough against my cheeks reminded me of just how manly this Omega was. It was always more satisfying to take a man who was strong.
We wrestled with one another as we made the slow walk toward my bedroom. Our lips smacked and echoed through my living room. Wet kisses were accompanied by groans from both of us.
Our hands were busy on one another’s body. I would’ve tore his damn shirt off him if it took longer than a second. Thankfully, our clothes didn’t put up a struggle. Shirts and jeans. Shoes and socks. Boxers and briefs. We left a trail toward my bedroom until we were both naked.
I wrapped my arms around him, digging my tongue deeper into his mouth. His hard length swelled against me. I returned the favor, letting my rigid cock press on him just the same.
“Give it to me…” He moaned into my ear while I trailed my tongue over his muscles. I couldn’t refuse his offer.
I pressed my hands on his shoulders and pushed him back on the bed with a hard shove. He fell on his ass in front of me. The moonlight shining in from the window gave me just enough light to see all of him.
Brock was handsome. The thick beard gave him a rugged appeal you didn’t usually see with most men. The only thing more chiseled than his cheeks were his abs. And the rest of his body was just as sculpted. His arms. His shoulders. His chest. Up and down his legs. The man looked like he took care of himself. Yet still, more interesting than that was the cock that he stroked in his fist. His opening was probably soaking wet right underneath it.
“You like what you see?” He narrowed his eyes at me, his reluctance nowhere to be found.
“Not bad.”
“Not bad, huh? I think it’ll feel a lot better than it looks.”
“What if I just wanna look? I think I’m comfortable right where I am.”<
br />
I stood at the edge of the bed and watched as he crawled toward me. He kept his eyes locked on me, crouched on all fours in front of me.
“Fine,” he said. “Just look.”
He stuck his tongue out and licked the underside of my shaft. I couldn’t help a sharp breath as my cock twitched. He sealed his lips around me and lowered his face down. Watching such a masculine man go down on me made my knees buckle.
I was never shy about taking what I wanted. In Brickstone, there were plenty of guys more than willing to please me. Brock though… There was something so satisfying about watching a man go down on me. The man looked like he was enjoying it more than I was.
I braced myself, putting a hand on his shoulder while he bobbed his head back and forth. My hips started to move on their own. I pushed my cock so far down his throat he gagged. He took it well though. He didn’t protest when I kept my length inside of him. He just groaned with my mouth full of him. The only other sound was the spit dripping down his chin.
My desire started to burn even hotter inside of me. My balls tightened up against my body. The edge was close and I was about to explode.
“Not yet…” I grunted. “Not yet…” I quickly pulled his face off of me and pushed him back on the bed. He got on all fours and quickly turned around, so I didn’t need to move him in position.
I got right behind him and slapped his ass, priming him to get ready. I gripped his cheeks and spread him to see he was just as primed as I was. The wetness from his entrance and leaking down the inside of his thighs made me throb even harder.
“Just give to me already, dammit—Hngh!”
Shutting him by shoving my cock inside of him made me smirk for a split-second. I pushed as deep as I could, burying myself to the hilt. His insides tightened around me. There was nothing quite like the wet warmth of an Omega who wanted it. I could’ve told just from the way his body was reacting.
Brock wasn’t shy about letting me know.
“Harder! Harder, dammit! Fuck me harder!”
“You got a filthy mouth…”
“Stop talking and give it to me!”
Brock’s desperation was enough to make me smile again despite how good it was taking him. But I couldn’t deny my desires for much longer.
My hands wrapped around his tapered waist. I pounded into him deeper and deeper like I was trying to split him in two. The pounding of our bodies grew louder. Wet flesh echoed through my apartment bedroom. Our rhythmic thrusts moved with the mattress squeaking underneath us.
“Harder!”
There was no denying it now. Everything swelled up inside of me and I was about to explode. Brock’s throaty moans grew more desperate.
“Harder! Come inside of me! Give it to me!”
He kept shouting at me. I gritted my teeth and stared down at his sweaty, muscled back while I pushed myself right to the edge.
“I’m gonna come inside of you… Every drop…”
“Yes… Please… Do it…”
A few more rapid thrusts and I found my end. My cock throbbed with an explosion of my seed. Thick spurts of cum fired from my tip. I stayed planted inside of him, shudders of my orgasm making my whole body shake. I squeezed my grip tight around him to make sure he couldn’t move.
I held on for as long as I could before collapsing on top of him. My chest pressed against his back.
Sweaty. Hearts racing. Breaths deep. Muscles aching. My desire left me in an instant, replaced by exhaustion. Not that I had anything to complain about. There was something comforting about resting on top of an Omega I just mounted.
Brock didn’t seem to mind either, resting peacefully while I recovered.
It took me a few moments before I was finally able to pull out and roll over. He rolled onto his back. He looked peaceful, his face pointed at the ceiling with his eyes closed.
I thought about saying something but there was nothing. He and I both know there was only one reason he came over. No reason to make it complicated.
Chapter 6
BROCK
Tony’s Diner was bustling that morning like it usually was. Families who were trying to have a nice breakfast. Single men who looked like they were on their way to work. Some homeless men and women who were just looking for some place comfortable until the sun got rid of the morning frost. From bikers in the West Bay to businessmen from the Northside, there were people from all over Snow Falls who came out to Tony’s.
I couldn’t help but smile at the scene. It was part of the reason I didn’t feel so out of place with the man sitting across from me.
Cade didn’t look much different from last night. His hair was a little messier. The scruff on his chin was a little longer. But the man was still ruggedly handsome. I didn’t regret a moment spending time with him.
“How often do you do this?” I asked.
He took a sip of coffee, his blue eyes focused on the view outside. “You’ll have to be a little more specific.”
“Inviting a guy out for a drink. Taking him back to your place. Then offering him some breakfast the next morning.”
“I don’t keep track of it, so I couldn’t tell you how often I do it. Every now and then, I guess. Is it that strange to you?”
“Offering a guy a drink? No. Taking him home? No. But breakfast the morning after? That’s not something that happens every day.”
“And how often do you do this?” he asked.
“Having breakfast with guys I spent the night with? Not often.”
He turned back to me and gave me half-a-smile. Even just sitting there, the confidence oozing from him was hard not to notice.
“Sounds like you need to spend time with guys who are more appreciative of you,” he said. “Don’t worry though. I know how it works. I only come to Tony’s for the flapjacks like everybody else.” He gave me a wink and I chuckled in response.
“There’s room for everybody here at Tony’s Diner. Why not a couple of guys who hooked up the night before?”
“That’s the spirit.”
I took a sip of coffee. The sugar and caffeine gave me a nice little boost to put me in a better mood than I was already in. The memories of what we did the night before lingered in my thoughts.
“What’s your deal?” he asked.
“My deal?” I raised an eyebrow.
“You’re some new guy who came to the West Bay. I’m guessing you’re in a crew. Doesn’t seem like you work in an office in the Northside.”
“What makes you say that?”
“One, you don’t have the style. People who work in the Northside wear suits and ties. Two, if you did have a suit at home, you’d definitely be late for work. And three…” He looked me up and down, a grin growing on his lips. “You just aren’t the type.”
“Hmm… You’re lucky I had a good time last night, otherwise I’d be offended.”
“Lucky me.” Another wink and another sip of coffee made him look as endearing as he did since I met him.
The waiter arrived with our food. A plate of pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon plopped down in front of him. It reminded me of the breakfast I just made for the whole crew the morning before.
Cade wasn’t shy about digging in, working his knife and fork on his food like they were gonna take it away if he didn’t eat it immediately. I chewed on a piece of bacon and looked out the window.
“You don’t gotta tell me,” he said. “Your business is your business. Last night was just about the sex. If two consenting men can’t hook up without making it awkward then I’d never hook up in the first place.”
“I’m glad you understand. You handle your business and I’ll handle mine. It doesn’t have to be anything more than that. Hell, I’m doing it just for the pancakes.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “Nothing personal.” I winked before taking another bite of bacon.
“Well, Brock. If you’re ever around, feel free to stop by Brickstone. Can’t promise you a free drink. Can’t even promise you a good time. But the Chargers are a
lways around if you need a hand. We watch out for everybody in Snow Falls, not just in the West Bay.”
Cade was strange. He ate so sloppily like he didn’t care that someone would call him messy. He talked so openly about sleeping with me he didn’t care about offending me. But underneath it all, I could still tell how polite he was.
My curiosity got the best of me.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
Cade shrugged and took another mouthful of food.
“Why are you doing it? How come the Chargers are taking it upon themselves to be the police in the West Bay—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” He put his hands up. “You can say whatever you want around me. Hell, I heard how filthy your mouth was last night. But don’t ever call me that word. You take that back now.”
“What? Police? But isn’t that what the Chargers do?”
“We don’t police. We’re not cops getting into other people’s business looking to lock people up. I know how it works. I’ve been living there my whole life.”
“Okay, okay. How would you describe it?”
He chewed on his bite of food while looking up at the ceiling of the diner. “I like to think the Chargers keep everybody in check. We ain’t nosy. We just make sure nobody starts anything. That make sense?”
“Makes sense. That still doesn’t answer my question though… Why?”
“You’ve been here for a few months. You don’t even need to be here for that long. Just spend a minute on these streets and you’ll know something is wrong.”
He put his knife and fork down then leaned back in his seat. His eyes shifted out the window, toward the view of the Southern Block.
“Unless you’re in the Northside, Snow Falls isn’t perfect. You’ve got all the people struggling here in the Southern Block. Then you’ve got all the gangs in the West Bay.
“For me and Bryce, we lived on these streets. We had a choice. Struggle in the Southern Block and hope someone like Ashton Webb would come along. By the time he did, we were already grown. Our other option was to tough it out and try to make it in the West Bay.
“That’s what we chose. We lived through the violence. We lived through all of the bad jobs just to make ends meet. We lived through the people who wanted to take us down. He and I made it through all of that. Now we’ve got a successful business. He’s got enough money to take care of his kid. I’ll be damned if I let that child go through the same experience I did. There’s no need for anybody to go through that. So when you ask me why the Chargers do what we do, don’t look at yourself or whatever crew you’re rolling with. Just think about what it’s like for some kid who’s got no choice.”
