Available [Marked 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by Jana Downs

  “Your number is on here?” Bradley asked.

  “Yeah. I’m a beta so if, for any reason, you have official pack business to discuss and can’t get ahold of the Alpha, myself or my brother can help you out.” The spiel was always the same.

  Bradley frowned as he stared at the section explaining the tattoos and their significances. “You only sleep with availables?”

  Ryan hesitated. Oh what the hell. Let him know what he’s getting into. “I sleep with availables and pack submissives. I don’t have lovers from anywhere else. Keep in mind that availables are fast access for any of the Dominants in the pack, so long as it’s consensual. So if you stayed available, you’d have to be okay with that.”

  Bradley shook his head. Good. The boy needed to come to his senses about that. “If you only sleep with availables or pack submissives, then I am staying an available. It says something about a pack trainer?”

  Ryan gritted his teeth as anger soaked his chest cavity. “Yeah. If you choose that route, you’ll be given to a pack trainer who will teach you how to be a good pack sub boy.” If I don’t beat whoever Alpha assigns to you into a pulp first. The Neanderthal thoughts couldn’t be helped. How was Bradley even considering being an available? They weren’t whores by any stretch of the imagination, but they were willing men who tended to sleep with quite a few of the pack Dominants. The thought of another male’s hands on Bradley did very strange things to Ryan’s control. Namely, it obliterated it.

  Bradley considered him. “I’d get to be with you then?”

  “God, one-track mind much?” Ryan asked. It should not please him. It really shouldn’t. Then he remembered exactly what he was asking him. “You can’t seriously be considering this. Availables are little more than booty calls with tattoos to identify them.”

  Bradley shrugged all nonchalantly and shit. “If that means we have a shot, then I’ll do what I need to.”

  “No,” Ryan snapped.

  Bradley raised his eyebrows. “No? If we’re not dating, you don’t have a choice.”

  That shut Ryan up. Bradley was right. Fuck. He took a deep breath. He really wished Regan was here. He could handle these details and Ryan could bury himself in paperwork and ignore Bradley and his probable submission to another male. Without Regan to act as a buffer, Ryan was forced to think about what exactly he was signing Bradley up for. “I’ll get your paperwork.” An idea, an insane idea, circulated through his cerebrum. As one of the pack’s betas, he could assign a trainer to a new available if it was deemed prudent for an available to receive special training. A particularly difficult submissive or someone completely ignorant of the lifestyle would definitely qualify. If Mustang thought he was taking advantage of the system, the Alpha would beat his ass. Was it worth the calculated risk?

  He wheeled over to the filing cabinet and pulled it open. He thumbed through the files until he found the blank new admission forms. It would have to be entered into the system afterward, but they still kept hard copies. He also grabbed the clipboard they let clients use to fill out their tattoo paperwork and put the five-page-long form on it along with a pen. “I need you to fill this out.”

  “All right,” Bradley said, taking the items from him. He sat back in the chair and began to fill out the forms. “Do you really need a complete sexual history?”

  “If you need extra paper, just let me know,” Ryan said without thinking. He froze. It was something he would’ve said to his brother, and he hadn’t meant the implication his words invoked.

  “Can I just send you a typed list on my iPhone?” Bradley asked. “Otherwise we’ll be at this all night.”

  Ryan’s head snapped up. “What?”

  Bradley was grinning. “Just kidding. I’m not actually a whore despite your oh-so-clever jibe. I haven’t dated in two years, and before that, I only had two boyfriends.” Ryan winced. The kid was practically a virgin. He’d never make it as an available. “How about you?”

  Again, Ryan winced. Yeah. No way am I confessing to not remembering the exact number.

  “More than two,” Ryan muttered.

  Bradley’s grin never wavered. “You want to borrow my extra piece of paper?” Ryan’s lips tilted upward in grudging respect. Bradley could give as good as he got.

  He grabbed one of the laptops that were stored in the drawer under the desk and wheeled back as Bradley’s scent wrapped around him. Damn. Away from the press of bodies at the club, it was hard to shake the honey-and-cream scent. His body screamed at him to get closer, but he ignored it. He couldn’t go after an innocent again.

  He logged onto the pack’s secure network and started entering in Bradley’s information into the database. He hadn’t finished filling it out, but Ryan had some of his information still in the system from his piercing last month. The general information was easily transferrable. The entry codes for the reason for the human’s entrance into the pack would have to be entered into a separate form and sent to the Circle, their governing council. He went to the section that listed the human’s role in the pack. There were only three options, available, mate, and personal assistant. If a human fell into any other category, he or she had to be sent to the Circle in Europe for “cleansing.” Basically, they were either turned or their memories were modified through a series of binding ceremonies. The whole thing kind of gave Ryan the creeps. It would make sense for Bradley to become a personal assistant to take care of the category requirement. It would be a good solution if Bradley would stop being stubborn.

  “What do you do for a living, Bradley?” Ryan asked. Maybe he could find him a job as a PA with someone in the pack, someone far away from him. He could do the cover-up on the tattoo tonight if he could assign him somewhere else.

  Bradley looked up and looked uncomfortable for a split second before he shrugged. “Um, I’m a waiter at Denny’s right now. Mostly I’m an art student. I graduate next fall.”

  An art student really wasn’t useful. He wasn’t really qualified for any of the possible PA jobs unless…Shit! He could not be an intern at Howlers. There were no other art jobs in the little college town where the pack was based. Motherfucker.

  Bradley continued. “I usually sell my art when I want to get a piercings.” That made sense. Howlers was not the most inexpensive shop in town. Usually only the students who were a part of frats, sororities, or those with wealthy parents stopped into their ink shop.

  “I didn’t peg you for an art student. Music maybe. But not art,” Ryan said, his cursor hesitating over which box to check. He did not want to check available.

  Bradley shot him a curious look. “Why not art?”

  “Usually when an art student comes in, they take their time examining the wall art. They flip through the books, really look things over before they’ll commit to even an ear piercing,” Ryan said. “The day you walked into the shop, you beelined it to the front desk and with no hesitation whatsoever told me that you wanted your lip pierced. My brother volunteered to do it because he thought you were hot. You looked right at him and said you wanted only Ryan to touch you. My brother played it off and said that he was me. You called him on it. Looked right at me and said ‘pierce me.’ Art kids aren’t usually bold like that, not even the ones with a crap-ton of ink.”

  “You remember all that?” Bradley asked. He could feel the human’s gaze boring into him. Ryan knew if he looked up their eyes would clash.

  “Yeah. I remember you. You’re hard to forget because you’re a cocky little shit.” The admission wasn’t something he was planning on doing, but it slipped out. He didn’t add that it was the most shocking event of his time working at Howlers. No one had ever been able to tell Ryan and Regan a part with any regularity. Mustang could, but even he got them mixed up on occasion.

  He could almost feel Bradley’s happiness when he spoke. “I like being unforgettable.” He shouldn’t have said that. It just fed Bradley’s massive ego. The size of that ego was insane in the wake of Ryan’s constant rejection. He liked confidenc
e in his submissives. Not that he would ever get to experience Bradley’s submission one way or another. “Okay, I’m done with this,” Bradley said. He handed the clipboard back over the space that separated them. Ryan moved the laptop to the floor beside him and took it back.

  “Now, we need to talk about this available thing,” Ryan said as his eyes zeroed in on the checked “available” box that Bradley had filled out.

  “Bottom line, I want you, you want me. If you are going to be stubborn and only be with me under the circumstances of becoming an available, then I’m doing what I have to do,” Bradley said stubbornly.

  “You could be a PA. I could get you a job answering phones and some shit. It would probably pay more than your waiting job,” Ryan said. He picked back up the laptop. Maybe he’d overlooked something. Surely one of the pack had something acceptable to substitute…

  One look at Bradley’s face and Ryan knew he was in for a fight. “No. I want to be an available. I want to learn how to be a submissive. Get me a trainer.”

  “You don’t even know what you’re asking for, Bradley—“

  “Do not patronize me, Ryan,” Bradley interrupted. “I am a grown-ass man.”

  “Fine!” Ryan snapped, his temper flaring hot. Every Dominant instinct inside him demanded that he go over there and put Bradley in his place, make sure that the human knew that no other male was going to touch him. The image of that tight bubble butt in his hands from earlier ghosted up in his mind. His cock swelled.

  He had no control over the low growl that issued out of his throat. He forced himself to click the available box, and a pop-up came to the forefront of his screen. Do you want to assign a trainer? His fingers banged on the keypad as he filled in his fate. R.y.a.n.A.d.a.m.s.o.n. He hit enter.

  “Fine, boy. Now you’re an available.” He gritted his teeth as he said the rest. “My fucking available.”

  Chapter Three

  Triumph was all Bradley could feel as Ryan made his snarling announcement. He’d won tonight. He might be playing hardball, but Ryan was being extraordinarily stubborn. The attraction was there, but this whole adamant denial based on Bradley’s supposed innocence was just a stupid hurdle. Regardless of whether or not that was accurate, Bradley could make the decision to delve into darker sexual practices. He was twenty-four. Well past his era of uncertainty. He’d started school later than his peers and because of it, had a bit more experience to him than most. If Ryan thought for two seconds that Bradley could be convinced to give up on the one thing in life that made sense, then he was in for a rude awakening.

  “Why do you want to be with me so damn badly?” Ryan asked, crossing his arms over his massive chest. Bradley sighed. How often had he fantasized about this scenario? How often had he come into the shop and imagined Ryan taking him into one of the back rooms?

  Bradley shrugged. “Ever since you pulled me out of the car wreck, I’ve thought about you.”

  Ryan blinked. “I didn’t think you remembered that.”

  “Of course I do. It’s hard to forget the guy who saved my life. I remember looking up at you and thinking that you were mine. I can’t explain it.” He knew it probably didn’t make sense to the other man, but it was just a fact. Ever since he’d seen Ryan, everything inside him had told him in no uncertain terms that the man was his.

  “You are the weirdest person on the planet,” Ryan said, rubbing a hand over his face. “You’re a big believer in fate, hm?”

  Bradley nodded. “Yeah. I am. I like to think of myself as a pretty spiritual person. So when whatever powers that may be urge me toward someone, I don’t question it. My instincts haven’t steered me wrong yet.”

  “So let me get this straight,” Ryan said, staring at Bradley like he grew another head, “some metaphysical being or force told you that you’re my mate and that you and I were meant to be together?”

  Bradley hesitated for a second before he nodded. “When you put it like that, it sounds crazy, but I really do feel that way.”

  Ryan gave a long-suffering sigh and raked a hand through his hair. “Figures. The only time I agree to train a sub and he is nuttier than a bed bug.” Louder, he said, “We’ll start Friday. You won’t be registered to attend the sessions at the community center until next week, so I’ll give you a crash course. Do you have an apartment?”

  Bradley nodded.

  “Pack an overnight bag and come to this address.” Ryan handed him a card. “Bring whatever you need for a long weekend. When you come, make sure you bring me your class and work schedules so that I can get you into the system and start planning out my training for you. Let me make this clear, there will be no sex between us.”

  Bradley frowned. “Why not?”

  “Because I think you’re off your rocker and have some serious hero worship going on. I don’t think it’s a good idea if we become involved like that. I’ll teach you to be a sub, and I’ll teach you the correct responses. Once we work up to going to Riders, we’ll go together and ease you into it. After the exhibition bit of your training, you’ll be open for pack courtship.” He really didn’t look happy at the prospect.

  Bradley didn’t say anything else to argue with him. How was he supposed to articulate the all-consuming need to find Ryan and make sure he put in every effort to make the other man happy? He knew from a human standpoint it didn’t make much sense, but he figured that as a freaking wolf-shifter, Ryan would be a little more open minded. “Can you do a tattoo for me before you kick me out of the shop?”

  “I was going to drive you home. You want me to put more ink on you? Cover up the available mark by chance?” Ryan asked, his voice hopeful. Bradley wanted to scream. Stop being such a bastard to me! Whenever he’d come into the shop, he was sure that Ryan noticed him and shared his interest. This snarling attitude was starting to wear thin. What do you do when you catch a wolf by the tail? Hold the fuck on.

  “I want you to put something from your language on my skin,” Bradley said. He wasn’t sure why he felt the urge to get something else on him, but the same instincts that told him that he was Ryan’s told him to do so. He could picture the ghost of it in his head.

  Ryan frowned. “Haven’t you marked yourself enough this week?”

  “I want something that’s me, not just a title, and I want you to do it.”

  “This is highly unusual, boy. We don’t usually let availables mark themselves with anything in the wolf-tongue they want.”

  Bradley sighed. “Please? Just let me look in the book, and if I see something that strikes my fancy, you can veto it if it says something inappropriate. Sound fair?”

  “How about you look at the book, think about it, and if after this weekend you still want more ink, we’ll put it on together during regular working hours in front of witnesses?” Ryan bargained.

  Bradley nodded. “Fine. Just let me look before we go.” He could practically feel Ryan’s screaming need to escape this shop and him. He’s scared. Why is he so scared of wanting me? Ryan went back under the desk and reemerged with a black binder.

  “Here you go. If you have questions, just let me know.”

  “So what is your favorite position?” Bradley asked, dead pan.

  Ryan snorted, but the corners of his mouth tilted upward in a smile. “Any questions about the book, smartass.”

  Bradley liked making him smile. Without preamble, he flipped the binder open and started thumbing through the odd script inside. Three pages in he found the symbol in his mind. He turned the book around and pointed to it. “I need this one.”

  Ryan frowned. “Why that one?”

  “I don’t know.” Bradley shrugged. “I see it in my head now. What does it mean?”

  “Did your little metaphysical buddy tell you that that one was what you needed?” Ryan asked, his voice a bit mocking.

  Sometimes Ryan could be a dick. Now was one of those times. “Screw you. It’s what I feel drawn to. What does it mean?”

  Ryan didn’t answer for a minute. Instea
d, he seemed to be examining Bradley’s face in hopes of discovering the answer written on his visage. “It means ‘wolf son.’ It’s one of the only symbols availables are allowed to use in that book. I’m choosing to look at it as a creepy coincidence. Let’s go.”

  “Wait, that doesn’t really tell me what it means,” Bradley protested as Ryan went down the hall into one of the closets and pulled out another jacket before tossing it to Bradley.

  “Wear that so I won’t freeze to death on the way back over to twenty-third street.”

  “You know I live over on twenty-third street?” Bradley asked.

  Ryan snorted. “Don’t get excited. I just entered in your address on the computer, remember?”

  “So what does ‘wolf son’ mean?”

  “It means I need to get you home and I need to go find my Alpha. Now drop it.”

  Bradley felt like stomping his foot like a little kid and throwing one hell of a tantrum. If Ryan thought for one minute that he would be bossed around without any information, he was sorely mistak—

  Ryan grabbed his face between his two large hands and tilted his head up for a kiss. An electric jolt went through Bradley’s body as their lips met. How long had he waited for this? He’s trying to shut me up. A part of him just snickered. It was effective. He’d give him that. He opened his mouth to admit the bold thrust of Ryan’s tongue. The man seemed to pour every ounce of frustration and lust into the kiss as their mouths mated in a blatant imitation of sex. The hard ridge of Ryan’s cock dug into the skin of Bradley’s stomach, and his own arousal was mashed against Ryan’s thick thigh.

  Ryan broke the kiss abruptly, leaving Bradley panting and dizzy. “The first thing to learn about being a submissive is to trust your Dominant. I need you to trust me to deal with things, Bradley, or else this is never going to work.”

  “Another kiss?” Bradley asked. If he got more of those glorious mind-fucks he would not need to think about anything ever again. He felt floaty, like he was in a wonderful dream or something. It made perfect sense to obey Ryan’s directive, to trust him with everything.