Chapter Seven
Grayson
Grayson's decision to stay late had been a form of punishment. Penitence for allowing the day to slip by him while he did nothing to help his cause. So then why was the reason for his penitence sitting on the ground in the employee locker room, sleeping with a box of doughnuts in his lap? His eyes had happened to graze past the security camera as Lochlan entered, speaking with the guard for a moment before heading back to the employee locker rooms. Grayson had waited for him to emerge and when he hadn't had made the trip down. He certainly hadn't expected the omega to be asleep on the floor. It didn't smell like he'd had too much to drink. But, he didn't need to be abnormally curious about the omega to know this was odd behavior.
Lochlan looked different when he was sleeping, more honest. There was an authenticity to his expression that wasn't there whenever he looked at Grayson. As if, he constructed a mask when he was awake that he hid behind.
There was a sound to Grayson's right, coming from down the hallway, the security guard. Grayson waved him away before stepping fully into the locker room and locking the door behind him. He wasn't sure why he did it. He only knew he didn't want anyone else witnessing Lochlan in this vulnerable state.
Grayson recognized the box on Lochlan's lap, he'd had it delivered to Lochlan's locker earlier that day on the off chance that the man was too poor to buy food. Having it delivered inside of his locker had been a calculated risk. It was an affront to his privacy, but for the sake of his pride. If Lochlan really was in a bad spot, Grayson didn't want to advertise that.
He took a step forward and heard Lochlan's soft snore. He must have been exhausted if he was already deep in sleep. Grayson knew he had left the building along with everyone else earlier that evening. He'd been watching when Lowe had touched his shoulder.
Grayson had stopped himself from calling HR at that exact moment and having the doctor fired immediately. He'd watched as the spoke and said their goodbyes.
But, Lochlan had left with everyone else. So, what the hell had happened?
Grayson cleared his throat. "Mr. Varner."
Lochlan moaned but didn't open his eyes. Grayson stepped closer, sinking down to his haunches. He marveled at the smoothness of Lochlan's face when he was asleep. Devoid of the stress lines and worry crinkles, he looked removed from life's worries. With a face like that, Grayson wondered why he ever thought to stay away from this enticing omega. Then Lochlan nibbled on his bottom lip in his sleep, and Grayson remembered the lies that spewed from those lips. That didn't mean he wanted to kiss those lips any less.
"Lochlan," Grayson murmured. He raised his hand to shake the omega's shoulder but somehow, his palm traveled up, cupping his sleeping face instead. Immediately, Lochlan turned his face to the side, planting the smallest kiss on Grayson's thumb.
His entire body thrummed with excitement. Knowing the omega was asleep and unable to give consent was the only thing that kept him still. "Lochlan, why are you asleep on the floor?" Grayson asked with a firmer tone, using the rest of his willpower to pull his hand back.
This time, Lochlan's eyelids fluttered open, giving Grayson a peek at his beautiful unmatched eyes. "I'm dreaming," he mumbled lurching towards Grayson as he did.
Grayson had no choice but to catch him awkwardly in his arms, loving the contact while simultaneously trying to create more space between them. He was just glad he had locked the door because if anyone saw them like this, they would have burst out laughing, and then spread the news around the building.
"Wake up," Grayson said sternly. He needed Lochlan to get out of his lap before his alpha urges pushed him toward something he would regret. "Mr. Varner, get up."
His tone must have done the trick because, in a flash, Lochlan scrambled away from him, pulling back so hard, he slammed against the lockers. "What the hell?" he sputtered, crossing his arms across his front, uncrossing, and then crossing them again.
"My sentiment exactly," Grayson said, sliding to sit on the ground as well. Adrenaline still piped through him making him shake. "Why are you here?"
Lochlan's eyes were wide open, but in fear, so Grayson was not able to enjoy them. Lochlan moved swiftly, jumping to his feet he ran to the door and yanked on it, finding it locked.
"Open this door," he demanded without turning around. "Please."
The please nearly had him complying but then Grayson realized the situation he was in. When would he ever get a chance to question the slippery omega? For the company, he reminded himself. Yeah, right. For the company. "Come, sit."
"I'd like to go, please. I'm sure it is safe by now." Too late, Lochlan realized what he had said.
"Safe?" Grayson repeated, a swirl of emotions colliding inside of him.
"I mean because it isn't so busy outside," Lochlan replied with a soft voice and his eyes on the ground.
On any other omega, Grayson might have believed the act. Not on this omega though. He was beginning to learn that when Lochlan looked the part of his gender was when he was the most deceptive. "We have some things to talk about, and I am not unlocking those doors until I talk about them. First thing, you should know that you are safe. I'll sit on my hands if it makes you feel better."
Lochlan mumbled something back.
"What was that?"
"I'm out of suppressors!" Lochlan repeated more forcefully.
Grayson sat straight attempting to look as respectable as possible while on the ground. "I'm a grown alpha, Lochlan, I can control my urges."
Lochlan replied, and although Grayson couldn't quite catch his words, they sounded something like, "I can't."
Grayson was going to have to pretend that wasn't what he heard because if it was, he was going to have to rethink his previous statement about being in control of his urges. "Do you know that this company is my life, Lochlan?"
"I, uh, I know you created the company, that you've been the CEO since its conception."
"Correct. While I've always had a mission, I knew early on that science and biology weren't for me. But what I am great at is encouraging other people to be their best, to work their hardest, continually. It's the only way Davenwood Research and Design has made it as far as it has. It wasn't so long ago that we were a little fish in the pharmaceutical pond and now, we've eaten all the other fish."
"I think that makes you a shark," Lochlan replied, and it may have been the first time Grayson trusted what he said.
"You don't approve?"
"Of course, I do," Lochlan said then as if catching himself.
Grayson ground his teeth together. He was going to crack a tooth soon if he didn't stop but the mixture of having Lochlan lie to him while fighting his attraction toward the feisty omega was a severe drain on his self-control. "Lochlan, we don't have to be enemies," Grayson said, shifting to a more comfortable position with one hand balanced on his knee at the wrist. "Come sit, we'll have a talk, and then I'll take you home."
"I don't need you to--"
"If you think for one second I'm letting you out that door after that little safe comment, you don't know me at all." Grayson cocked his head to the side. He finally had his omega right where he wanted him, and they might as well have had a country between them. Lochlan wasn't scared of him, it didn't feel that way anyway. "You don't know me at all, do you?" he said, letting a little of his frustrations leak out. "You ran from me all those years ago too. I was so fucking worried about you, in the middle of an aggressive heat, pregnant, frail and weak. Why did you run from me?"
He watched Lochlan's gears spinning. Finally, he came to a choice and walked back over, taking a seat near where he'd been before, not quite touching Grayson, but close enough that he could. "I thought you were going to call the authorities. I thought they would take my baby away."
Grayson breathed a sigh of relief, unaware until that moment how important it was that Lochlan tell the truth and stop denying he was the omega from five years before. "You think so little of me?"
"That was years ago."
"So, your opinion of me has changed?"
Lochlan didn't reply, and Grayson silently thanked him for it. At least there was honesty in his silence.
"I still don't know you very well. But, from what I have seen, you do seem to actually care."
"Not quite a glowing assessment of my character."
Lochlan opened his mouth, but Grayson didn't trust his expression. "Save it. I prefer your honesty, Lochlan. So, then what was all that on the first day? Why apply to work in a company led by a man you don't trust?"
"As if I had many options!" Lochlan exclaimed, settling into place against the locker. "I'm sorry I lied. You know I have a kid now, and the circumstances there are...precarious. It isn't that I don't tell many people about him, I don't tell anyone about him."
"Where is the alpha?" Grayson asked, impressed with his ability to keep his words calm.
Lochlan caught his gaze. "Out of the picture." There was a moment of silence, and then Lochlan turned to him, he reached out, grabbing at his shirt with a wild expression. "I know that an omega raising a child alone is unorthodox, but please don't call social services. I am capable."
"You thought I was going to tattle on you? You really don't know me, Lochlan Varner." And why did that make him so sad?
"So tell me about you. Looks like we have the time."
Grayson smiled because that was almost a joke. "No way, I know about me. I'm using this time to learn about you."
"Can I at least ask what motivates you?" Lochlan asked.
Grayson scooted over slightly. Lochlan had stopped grabbing at his shirt, but one of his hands had landed in the space between them, a little closer to Grayson's body than Lochlan's. He was weak, but damn if he didn't want that tiny connection. "Coran," Grayson whispered, amazed. He'd been asked the same question a thousand times before during various interviews and had always given the same stock answer of wanting to see the world in a better place. That wasn't entirely inaccurate as it was just not the whole truth. Coran started as the driving force as much as he remained the thing that continued to propel him forward.
"Coran? Are you married?" Lochlan asked, his nose wrinkled.
Grayson appreciated the apparent jealousy with a bitter sort of joy. He had been as mated as an alpha could be to an omega he'd never had sex with. They'd wanted to wait so that their first time was when Coran went into his first adult heat. They thought it would be special that way. When the possibility of having sex and giving his mate his knot was taken from Grayson, the idea of sex without that connection had felt so empty. He'd had sex still, but not so often these days. Sex without a knot, without meaning, it wasn't for Grayson. Not until now.
"No, I'm not married. Coran was an omega, my omega, mate and best friend. But he's dead now along with my hopes of starting a family with my true mate.
"He left the house in the middle of his first heat. Delirious and scared, he went out looking for a friendly face. Except, he found a group of alphas that were all too happy to help. They say omegas are like slaves to their heats and Coran would have been so confused." Grayson blinked away his emotion, wiping his face with his handkerchief. "Anyway, when Coran was discovered the next morning, he was dead with severe internal damages."
"I'm so sorry," Lochlan said, giving Grayson a half hug as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "I didn't know about that. I didn't know about any of that."
"No one does. Sob stories don't bring in the investors. Moving forward, advancements in science and technology, that's what loosens wallets."
"But, underneath it all..."
Grayson nodded. He didn't need to reply any more than Lochlan needed to finish his sentence. They understood each other.
"I won't tell anyone about your son," Grayson said, squeezing Lochlan's hand. He doubted the omega realized he'd slipped his smaller hand into Grayson's, but Grayson liked it there.
"And I won't tell anyone you have a heart of gold."
"Ugh, please don't. I rely on my reputation as a curmudgeon."
Lochlan snorted as he laughed. He used his other hand to playfully punch Grayson in the shoulder, but Grayson caught that hand too, leaning forward to catch Lochlan's lips with his mouth.
He probably shouldn't have started the kiss, especially after all that business about how he was such a grown alpha. But the moment felt too perfect. Lochlan's face had looked too handsome. He'd meant for the kiss to be light. It was ill-advised and kissing with any more passion on his side would just make it all worse. Except, he hadn't counted on his body's response to claiming the other man's mouth.
How could he when he'd never been punched so squarely in the chest with the urge to touch, own and protect? He moaned low in his throat and deepened the kiss, finding Lochlan just as willing as he was to continue. He regretted locking the door. How else was he expected to stop when the threat of being discovered didn't exist?
Despite all the reasons he had to stop, Grayson couldn't find one big enough to make him.