I stood in front of my family as a leader. Though the bar had been targeted, I was still in the camp that we could fix things with enough push. Technically, we still had time to pay our debt before the bank could foreclose the property. However, if we were going to survive this, we’d have to think smart.

“We’ve been given a chance,” I said.

“A chance?” Sawyer asked.

“A chance. And I’m not taking no for an answer. We fight back, or we perish,” I said.

When I woke up that morning, something had changed inside of me. My night with Hunter was freeing, and hearing someone tell me I was worth fighting for made me want to reciprocate the feeling. I liked him—a lot.

Admittedly, that frightened me. People were so quick to change their minds, especially in the fast-paced world we lived in. As I fell further and further into the depths of his grasp, I felt more vulnerable than ever.

“Somebody’s full of energy today,” Sawyer joked.

My brother was a capable man, but I could see how worried he was. Being a father while owning a broke bar didn’t go hand in hand with each other. I felt Marcus backing away from him each day, and they were both starting to snap.

“Big brother, I’m going to need you to realize something,” I said.

Sawyer stood up, face aging from exhaustion. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t ever need to listen to you. I’ve got my shit in order. Do you hear me?”

Marcus threw his arms in the air with disappointment. “You didn’t listen to a word I said last night, did you?” he asked.

Sawyer’s mouth dropped, and the faint wear of stress marks was visible in the light above us. “I listened, but you both are acting naively. We can’t waste time sitting on street corners every single day. Somebody has to come up with a viable plan for the money issue. If we can’t pay the rent, we’ll get forced out, regardless of the development project,” he said.

I sat down and shook my head. We had the whole block on our side, and they were just as ready as I was. Maybe it was an impossible dream, but it was all we had left.

“Remember when we first moved here together?” I asked him.

He nodded silently. Together, we thought about how hard things were back then. Marcus worked as a police officer, and the whole world seemed to be designed to split our family up. They fought against the odds, and they found their second chance.

“You used to be a fighter,” I said. “I don’t know what happened to you this year, but I don’t recognize you anymore.”

Taking my shirt with his fist, he pulled me closer to him and gritted his teeth, kicking the stool out from underneath me. “Don’t fuck with me, little brother.”

I pushed him off, but the amount of energy I used was unexpected. Sawyer’s heavy body fell to the wooden floor, and Marcus ran to his aid. “What the fuck have you done?” Marcus eyed me furiously.

“It’s okay,” Sawyer said, pushing himself back onto his knees.

“Sawyer, I’m sorry,” I whispered.

I felt like my life was starting to spiral again. The happiness I felt earlier was already going away so fast, and that worried me more than anything.

I choked on my words, feeling the tears start to form in my eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Marcus dusted off his shirt as Sawyer stood up. He was a forgiving man, but it was clear that I had hurt his pride. “Look, I’m going to head home. You can do whatever you want. Just leave me out of it.”

Sawyer stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind him. That left me to face the wrath of his omega, Marcus. “Get a grip, Matthew. You’re losing us.”

Soon, everyone had left, except Theo. I sat down and leaned against the bar. At first, both of us were silent, but as I looked at all of the photos of the bar on the wall, I felt nostalgic.

“You’ve been here for more than a decade, Theo. This place must mean something to you,” I said.

Theo sat down with me and ran his hand across my upper back, patting down gently. “Places have their era. Sometimes, you have to know when it’s time to pack it in,” he said.

“Bullshit,” I muttered.

Theo chuckled and leaned against the bar with me. “We can focus on all of the bad shit in our lives, or we can build something bigger with the people we love,” he said.

I gave him a sidelong glance, but I knew that he was right. Theo was always right because he never let himself fall into the drama.

“I did meet someone,” I admitted.

Theo’s face widened with excitement. “Really? Who is he?” he asked.

“Oddly enough, I met him on Times Square,” I said.

Theo frowned, but a faint chuckle left his mouth. “You mean, on the night you got yourself booked?”

“Yeah, but that’s irrelevant. What matters is that I really like him. Hunter treats me like I’m worth a damn,” I said.

“Of course he does. You are worth something, Matthew,” Theo said, standing up to circle over to the other side of the bar. “And before you tell me to give you the inventory sheets, I’m offering you a day off. I got it today.”

I held up my hands in protest. “No way. You work too hard as it is,” I said.

Theo didn’t waste any more time looking at me. He pulled out the clipboard and started to go over the checklist. “Get out of this sad box and spend some time with your new guy,” he said.

I stared at Theo, but he wasn’t going to change his mind. I ran and hugged my boss, kissing the side of his cheek. “Thank you, Theo. I think I needed this.”

“Go on. Get out of here and have some fun,” he exclaimed.

I drove to my house so I could figure out what outfit to wear to Hunter’s penthouse. It was the most extravagant flat I had ever been to, and I wanted to wear something a bit nicer than a floral patterned tee.

When I arrived at the front door of my building, there was a package waiting for me on the foot of the staircase. Carefully shaking the box, I held my ear and listened intently. It had to be another gift from Hunter.

I felt the rush of excitement force hearts into my eyes. Receiving gifts wasn’t my love language of choice, but it sure could brighten my day. Holding it against my chest, I ran upstairs.

Once inside my flat, I tore into the package. As I threw open the box, I gazed at the most revealing leather harness I had ever seen.

At the bottom was another note. “Wear this tonight. Love, daddy.”

I stripped out of my clothes and looked at my dull, naked body in the mirror. I held the leather harness up and sighed.

“I cannot wear this,” I said aloud.

I was ready to pack up the fetish gear when I heard my phone ring in the other room. I ran and quickly answered the call.

“Do you like your outfit?” Hunter’s deep voice could persuade me to like anything, but I was feeling self-conscious and a little bit overwhelmed.

“Hunter, I’ve never put one of these things on before. I’m going to look ridiculous.”

“Put it on,” he commanded before hanging up the phone.

I scoffed and tossed the phone onto the couch. “Okay, Mr. Grouch,” I whispered. “I’ll put the damn thing on.”

Walking back inside my closet, I turned the mirror around and put the outfit on. I felt the tight leather straps conform to my body. With zero confidence in my looks, I turned the mirror around and twisted my backside to show off my bare ass. I was pleasantly surprised.

I grabbed a fistful of cheek and smiled.

Last but not least, I put on the silver choker that he bought me. As the leather hugged my chest tightly, I finally felt like a true submissive.

I loved every second of the feeling.

* * *

Above me, a few storm clouds were brewing. “Shit,” I exclaimed as I heard the crack of thunder ring out loudly across the city sky. I didn’t have much time before the rain started to crash over my head. Luckily, I was wearing a large trench coat that doubled as a raincoat.

Once inside, I ran up the flight of stairs in search of Hunter’s warm arms. Knocking twice, I waited until he opened the door. When he did, he took a step back with care.

“The rain got me,” I said. “But I’m here.”

“Matthew. My God, you’re soaking wet!” He calmly walked into his bathroom as I stood shivering and dripping in the hallway.

When he came back into sight, he draped the towel in front of him. I burrowed my body into the center, and he enclosed it around me. “Pumpkin, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize it was going to rain.”

I couldn’t help but notice how gentle his touch was. “It’s okay. I’m just glad I’m with you now. Today was rough,” I said, trembling against him.

“You’re here with daddy now,” he said.

Falling into his chest and arms, I focused on his breathing and felt lighter than a tiny bird. “I missed you,” I said.

“I’ve missed you too.” He kissed the top of my head. “More than you can imagine.”

I leaned my head into his sternum and breathed in his scent. His cologne was dark and rich, probably some high-end fashion brand’s scent, shipped from some foreign country for thousands of dollars. When Hunter released my body, he beckoned me inside.

“I’ll boil us some tea. You must be freezing,” he said.

I dropped my towel and trench coat onto the tile floor, revealing my new outfit. “A warm mug of black tea sounds great,” I said.

Hunter gawked and sucked in an energized breath. “It fits perfectly,” he whispered to himself.

I slowly twirled my body, laughing awkwardly. “You’re saying that because you knew I was nervous about wearing it tonight.”

He eagerly shook his head, running his fingers across the leather straps and pulling to test the resistance. “No. I’m really not. You’re the perfect fuck-toy for daddy.”

He spun me around and bent me over, smacking my ass with strength. “Perfect,” he grunted.

When Hunter let me go, I walked over to his windows and smiled to myself. Looking down on Times Square was such a surreal experience. Standing that far above everyone felt pretty cool.

“This place is incredible, Hunter. The first time I came here, it didn’t hit me,” I said.

When I turned around, he had the tea ready for me. “This place? This is nothing. I’ll probably sell it at the end of the month.”

My nerves were starting to act up again. I took a sip of the bitter tea and swallowed it slowly. “You’re moving away?” I asked.

He pulled up a seat at the long, kitchen table, and I sat down. Standing behind me, he started to massage my shoulders with enough force to make my endorphins go crazy. “This flat was never a permanent settlement,” he said.

I looked at him curiously. “What is it that you do, exactly?”

It was a simple question, but Hunter seemed to be taken aback by my interest. He clapped his hands together and smiled, finally taking a seat. “A little of this. A little of that,” he said.

“Come on. You can tell me. It’s not like you’re in the mafia or something,” I said. I was a little taken aback when Hunter didn’t smile. “…you’re not in the mafia, are you?”

His lips tightened, but he couldn’t hold back his bubbly laughter. “I wish my job were as exciting as that!” he exclaimed.

“I’m sure it’s more exciting than doing inventory for a bar,” I said.

Hunter shrugged and leaned back in his chair, but he placed his hand against my thigh. “Real estate is hardly exciting,” he muttered. “But I’ve decided on something bigger for my future. For the first time in my life, I’m going to quit my job and retire.”

I grabbed his hand and moved it toward my crotch. “How are you going to continue to afford to buy me such nice things?” I joked.

Hunter ran a gentle finger against the underside of my chin. I cocked my head and lowered my eyelids, waiting for his warm kiss. “That’s the beauty, my kitten. We have enough saved up to last a lifetime.”

“We?”

Was I in his vision of the future? Crushing his lips against mine, I sucked in a deep breath and felt my pleasure zones pulsating underneath my cock. Now more than ever, I needed him.

“That depends. It sounds like you have a lot going on at home. Maybe you need time to decide,” he said.

“The truth is that I don’t feel ‘at home’ anymore,” I admitted, though I felt guilty for doing so.

“You’re home here,” Hunter whispered, lips gently brushing against my temple. He kissed down my face, stopping when he reached my clavicle. “Do you feel at home here? If it makes you feel better, you can take the money I offered whenever you want.”

I nodded and looked into his deep, dark eyes. Their almond shape brought me in, and I soon felt okay with lowering myself further for him. “I know that. But this is too special. Let’s not complicate it.”

Dragging my lower lip upward with a gentle bite, he opened his eyes and stared into mine, pulling against the leather straps to let me know he was in control.

“You’re mouth tastes like dark chocolate,” I whispered, caught in a daze.

“Let’s move to the couch. I want to be closer to you,” he said.

On the couch, I collapsed against Hunter as he lifted my thighs into the air and thrust his hips forward. I felt how hard he was, and it frightened me, but as I found myself relaxing over time, I let him have his way.

Pressing my legs together, Hunter began gently kissing up my ankles, lips tasting my most sensitive places. “Finally. I get a taste of you,” he grunted.

He fell to his knees and looked at my body like it was a work of art. His tongue hungrily poured out from his mouth like warm syrup, sending chills across my body. “Hunter. I want you,” I whispered.

Hunter rubbed his fingers around my puckering hole. “I want you too.”

“Then, take me,” I said, mouth falling open with lust.

He raised his mouth up to kiss me before leaning over my trembling body. I was so nervous with him each time we hooked up, but he knew how to kiss me to make it better.

His breathing was heavy and direct as he lowered himself over my body. He thrust his cock over my sac and gently rushed his pelvis back. We were together now, mouths enclosing a secret only we knew the language of.

I looked down as he slid a gentle finger inside of me. Arching my back forward, I breathed in and focused. No, the pressure wasn’t bad, but with a cock as big as his, it might take some getting used to.

With his free hand, he cupped my face and slid in a finger. He pressed it firmly against my tongue and moaned inward. “Need you now,” he managed to groan.

“I’m too tight, daddy,” I whispered.

He removed himself from me and nodded toward the bathroom. Grabbing a bottle of lube from the cabinet, he came back and waved it in front of his chest like a shiny new toy. “That’s why I have this, sweetie,” he said.

I pressed my hips forward and felt the cold liquid as he poured a thin line across my rim. I let him ease into me. We were aligned together by our desire and the aching need that kept the fire in our eyes going. I rolled my hips back, allowing him to slip a second and third finger inside like a fork sinking into a perfectly baked cake.

“Fuck yes,” I whispered.

“I’ve got four fingers inside of you, kitten,” he said.

With wide eyes, I gazed down at my open hole. Hunter had his hand funneled inside of me like he was churning butter. He lowered his head and tongued my nipple, biting lightly.

“Hunter,” I moaned with him.

As soon as I was used to the shape of his hand, he slid it out and spanked my cheeks, quickly grabbing the bubble-like flesh and pulling me even closer to him. He held my ass steady with a sharp grin. “I love watching you push against me. Would love to see you work my cock with that sweet ass of yours, darling.”

I could feel the air rush against my hole. I was gaping and ready for him, and he was the perfect shape for me. His cock was huge, but it was the right cut. Hunter looked down and held it in his hand.

“I’ve been a good boy. I’ve waited long enough,” I said.

Hunter poured another line of lube across his cock, shining it all the way down his head to the spongy underside of his shaft. “You have been so patient,” he said.

“So, where’s my reward?” I asked.

A deep grunt exited his mouth, and his palm gripped me. Pushing my legs together, he tenderly pressed forward.

Propping his forearm against the butt of my spine, he drove in deep and kissed me.

“Oh, fuck yeah. Take this fucking cock,” he rumbled.

As he thrust back, his pupils widened with bliss. I had never fucked a man like him before. In the past, I always found myself with guys my age. Hunter wasn’t that much older, but he knew things.

His gentle power was enough to keep me whimpering for more, and when he turned me over on my stomach to toy with my ass, I let out a howl of pleasure.

After another forceful spank, Hunter clasped his hands around the leather straps of my harness, bucking me against the side of the couch. With his masculine hips, he thrust, and I forced my hole back for him.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” I screamed.

“I love it when you work it against me,” he moaned.

Each time he pulled away from me, I squeezed his powerful arms and begged him with my eyes to come back. There was a comfort in his command and care, and it was something I was regressing into, like an old memory or breathtaking event.

Falling forward, he kissed the crook of my neck, repeating curse words and faint moans. A vein pressed against his throat as he drove all his might into me.

When he was on the verge of letting himself go, he slowed down and stared downward. “Where?” he grunted.

“Where do you want to?” I asked, gazing back at him.

“You know what I want,” he said.

I bit my lip and pushed back against his cock. He exhaled harshly and sucked in another breath of hot air. “You’re the boss,” I said.

Lost in the moment, all I wanted was to feel and connect on a deeper level with him. There was nothing I hated more than a knot-proof condom to steal all the intimacy away from a precious moment.

Hunter turned me back around but stood on his feet, near the large windows. “I want you here,” he beckoned.

I laughed, looking down at the mass of color and people below. “But everyone will see us,” I said.

“Good,” he said. “I want every guy in the world to know what they’re missing out on.”

Hunter propped me up against the glass, and I wrapped my thighs around his waist. “You know how to make a guy feel good,” I moaned, right as I felt him enter me again, suddenly bigger and more pronounced.

As the people of Times Square walked below us, he glided into me, never once breaking eye contact. He pumped slowly, but each time he got close to the edge, he stopped himself and caught his breath.

“This isn’t just some stupid game,” he whispered. “I really like you.”

My cock hardened straight into the air when I heard those words. “But do you really mean it?”

He held a finger to my lips and kissed it, whispering, “I’m not like the other guys.”

The urge to release was making us crazy. Lowering to the floor, he motioned for me to get on top.

With one hand on my ass, and the other gripped tightly around my cock, he guided me over him until I felt the pleasure give way. I had to blow.

Hunter kissed my ear. “You can do it, kitten. Cum for daddy,” he moaned loudly.

Rocking his wrist back, I felt the bone-shaking pleasure of my orgasm swell within me. My hole tightened, forcing Hunter to squirm below me. The force of pleasure shot me against his chest.

“Cum.”

“F-F-F-uuck!” I winced back and shook. I felt my taint and hole jerk erratically. Ropes of cum painted my chest and abdomen as I writhed against the floor.

Hunter let out an exasperated cry of deep pleasure as he forced himself upward into my contracting hole. I pumped him until I felt the warm nectar spill out inside of me, spreading across my walls.

Suddenly, Hunter’s neck tightened, and his mouth opened wide with strain. I knew what that look meant—he was in the process of knotting, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it, even if I wanted to stop him.

But I didn’t want him to stop. I wanted to feel what that felt like, the closeness and strange desire that comes over an alpha when he knots. Trapped in our orgasm, I could see that there was something in our souls that pushed us together. We were engaged in more than just a fantasy now. This was body against body—us coming together to declare that we would never be alone again.

Never without daddy.

I smiled as Hunter drove upward one last time, desperate to get as much of his seed into me as he could. Leaning over him, I panted and kissed his chest. He wrapped me in his arms and laughed with relief.

We closed our eyes, and all was silent except for the booming knocks of our hearts against our chests, and the rush of air flooding our lungs.

This was turning into something deep and real. It wasn’t just some crazy fling.

That night, I didn’t open my eyes again. I wanted to stay lost in the dream and idea that love can really exist with a man like Hunter. This had to be more than a kinky fuck.

I just hoped he thought so too.