Chapter Two
Colin
I was surprised by how drawn to Riley I was. The moment I’d laid eyes on him, my omega had responded to his alpha. I didn’t want to be attracted to him or anyone, but his scent had filled my nostrils the second I’d entered the room and I could think of little else.
I’d been up in the mountains so long I sometimes felt like I’d forgotten how to socialize with new people. Wyatt and Blade had befriended me when they’d stayed at the compound. We’d gotten along well, maybe because at first they hadn’t known much about me. Sometimes when people didn’t know your sad history, it was easier to be yourself. But for whatever reason, we’d clicked as friends. After Peter was born, they’d invited me to visit them in Los Angeles if I ever got tired of hiding away from society. I hadn’t really planned on taking them up on their offer, but I’d grown restless the past few weeks and felt like maybe a change of scenery would be good for me. So I’d made the trip to LA.
“Would you like a beer or something stronger?” Riley’s voice jarred me from my thoughts.
His face was only a foot from my own, and I blushed and sat up straighter. “Beer. Please.” His full lips had been temptingly close, and I was embarrassed by the prickle of heat that swept over my skin at his nearness.
He handed me a bottle and our fingers brushed, sending a tingle zipping up my arm. He shifted as if he too felt it, and then he moved to sit on the edge of his bed. “I’m so glad we’re here instead of at some loud party.”
“Me too.” Blade nodded.
Peter was in his car seat kicking his legs and arms, and making little noises. It was probably best we weren’t in a bar with the baby.
“Do you really have to be on the road for ten weeks?” I asked, sipping my drink.
Riley shrugged. “I have a new single dropping soon, and you have to be out there promoting yourself all the time. People are kind of fickle, and they’ll forget me when something new comes along. Unless I keep reminding them I exist.”
“I admire how accessible you are to your fans. I know the traveling drains you, but you always seem super happy and upbeat when you’re around them.” Blade sat back in his chair, looking relaxed.
Riley snorted. “I could have been an actor.”
“You don’t like what you do?” I asked.
“I do.” He sighed. “I’m living my dream, I guess.”
I laughed. “You guess?”
He shifted his gaze to mine. “Sometimes things aren’t what they seem from the outside.”
“Fair enough. A lot of people think being a bodyguard is the coolest thing ever.” Wyatt set his drink on a coaster. “In reality it can be super dull.”
“True,” I agreed.
Riley glanced at me. “Are you a bodyguard too?”
I had been. But I’d spent the last ten months at the compound in the mountains, and I wasn’t exactly sure how to answer. “Um… I was.”
“But not anymore?”
“I’m trying to get him to come work for Shield.” Blade narrowed his gaze. “He’s got all the certifications, and my boss would hire him in a heartbeat.”
I avoided Riley’s gaze. “I’m thinking about it.”
“You obviously aren’t afraid to engage.” Riley smiled. “You handled yourself nicely tonight.”
“Pfft. I didn’t do much.” My face warmed.
“You broke that jerk’s hold on me.” Riley’s gaze was bright.
“He wasn’t that much of a challenge.” I tried to downplay my role earlier.
“He was for me,” Riley murmured.
I shrugged. “He caught you off guard. No one expects their bodyguard to attack them.”
Blade leaned forward. “Seriously though, Colin, you need to come in and interview with Darcy.”
I was tempted. If my restlessness recently was anything to go by, I was obviously ready to get back to the real world. I was better now. Stronger emotionally. “I’ll do it next week.”
“Seriously?” Blade sounded excited.
“Yeah, I’ll do it.” I was always surprised Blade seemed to care about me. He didn’t even want anything from me in return. There were qualities about him that reminded me of my twin brother, Garrett. But I didn’t really want to think about my sibling right now.
“Very cool.” Riley’s husky voice pulled me from my thoughts and sent a little shiver through me.
“I will need a job, and it’s something I enjoy.” I scratched at the label on my beer bottle.
“Maybe you can be my new bodyguard,” Riley said.
I laughed awkwardly. “Let’s see if I even pass the interview.”
“No way you won’t.” Blade frowned.
“I’ll give you my number.” Riley bit his lower lip. “You know… so you can give me a jingle when you’re official and all that stuff.”
Wyatt whistled. “Riley West just offered to give you his number, Colin. Score.”
I choked on my beer and thumped my chest with my hand. When I was able to speak, I said, “Cool your jets. It’s work-related.”
A sly smile hovered on Riley’s lips. “It is?”
Blade and Wyatt both laughed.
I’d been so long since a guy had hit on me, I didn’t know how to act. I wanted to come off as cool, like this shit happened to me all the time. But in reality, I’d lost my game years ago.
Peter started crying and, thankfully, the attention was pulled from me. I finished off my beer and didn’t say no when Riley handed me another one. Blade gave the baby a bottle, and that seemed to quiet him. Then the conversation turned to Riley and his travels. I was relieved to have their scrutiny off me for many reasons, but that also allowed me to study Riley unnoticed.
He was surprisingly charismatic. At first he’d struck me as almost shy, but then again, I hadn’t met him under the best circumstances. But with the tension gone from him, I caught glimpses of his real personality. He laughed easily and listened attentively, both things that surprised me in a celebrity type. My gaze swept his lean thighs and sinewy biceps, coaxing a warm arousal deep inside of me. I hadn’t hungered for anyone in a while. But Riley’s scent and flirty gaze enticed me.
When he handed me my third beer, his hand lingered against mine way longer than was typical. My pulse ramped up, and my skin prickled with attraction. He was definitely sending me interested signals, and I wasn’t a 100 percent sure about what I should do next. I felt kind of embarrassed to be so lame at this whole seduction thing at my age. But I’d never been big on one-night stands, preferring an emotional connection first before jumping in bed with someone.
A couple more hours passed with lots of laughter and even some deeper conversations about life with a newborn. Wyatt only had one drink so that Blade could get drunk if he wanted. I admired how watchful and attentive Wyatt was to his omega. It made my heart yearn for that sort of thing. I’d always avoided alphas because my twin brother had ended up in a nightmare relationship with one. It had made me super skittish about getting involved with an alpha.
“Fuck. I’m super wasted,” Blade announced suddenly, grinning at Wyatt.
Wyatt’s lips twitched. “Mission accomplished.” He ruffled his mate’s hair. “You needed a night to let loose.”
“We should go.” Blade stood and grabbed the arm of his chair for balance. “Tomorrow is my morning to sleep in, and I may not get up until noon.”
“You deserve it,” Wyatt said softly, his gaze warm. “I’ll handle all the baby stuff. Just sleep as long as you want.”
Blade pointed at the sleeping infant. “You hear that, Peter? Daddy is taking care of you, so don’t even try and make me guilty.”
Wyatt stood and put his arm around Blade. “I think staying out until two a.m. makes this a respectable date night. We can still party with the best of them and go home with our heads held high.”
Blade licked his lips. “Hold on. The date’s not officially over till we fuck.”
Wyatt cringed. “Jesus, Blade.” He glanced at us, his face red. “TMI.”
“Sorry.” Blade chuckled softly. “Told you I was drunk.”
I stood and finished my beer, aware of Riley’s gaze on me.
As Wyatt gathered the baby seat and some loose items, Riley moved up to me, his eyes hooded and glittery. “Stay,” he whispered to me.
Excitement simmered in my gut. “Oh… really? You… you want me to stay?”
God. I was so not smooth anymore.
Riley didn’t seem to mind. “Yeah. Really. We can get to know each other better.”
My nostrils flared as the scent of his arousal hit my nose. “I came with them.”
He twisted his lips. “Ever hear of Uber?”
My laugh was a little too loud. “Right. Yes. Of course I have.”
Blade watched our interaction with a smile. “You coming?”
Looking into Riley’s amorous gaze, I made a snap decision. “I think I’m gonna stay a while longer.”
“Is that right?” Blade arched one brow.
Riley put his arm around my shoulder. “Colin’s a big boy. He can stay out late if he wants, right?”
My face was hot, and I was ultra-aware of the feel of his arm on my back. “I think I can handle a late night.”
“You sure you’re cool with this?” Blade’s expression was more serious than earlier.
I shifted my gaze to Riley’s, and my gut fluttered at the heat in his eyes. “I’m… cool.”
Riley grinned and released me. “Thanks for delivering him to me, guys.”
“Gee, all I can get delivered usually is pizza.” Wyatt smirked.
“Be good to him, Riley,” Blade slurred, moving in a jagged line toward the door. He stopped and faced us. “He’s had enough pain lately.”
Heat flooded my face, and I avoided Riley’s curious gaze. “He’s drunk. Ignore him.”
Blade sighed. “It’s okay to admit you’ve been hurt, Colin.”
Wyatt put his hand over Blade’s mouth. “Enough sharing, dear.”
Blade wrinkled his brow and mumbled something against Wyatt’s hand.
Wyatt opened the door and held it for Blade, balancing the baby’s car seat on his hip. “Come on, honey. Our work here is done.”
Blade gave a chuckle as he stumbled out of the room into the hallway. “Nighty night.” He waved.
When the door closed behind them, the silence in the room was heavy. I turned toward Riley, and he watched me with his eyes dark and sensual. “I don’t want you to think I do this kind of thing all the time,” he said softly.
I swallowed. “This is a first for me.” I grimaced. “I mean, being picked up by a rock star, not sex.” God, could I be any lamer?
Riley laughed and some of the tension dissipated. “Come here.”
I moved closer and he put his arms around my neck. I hitched my breath at the feel of his hard body against mine, his erection poking my thigh. He smelled so good, spicy and clean, even after running around on a stage for almost two hours. I put my hands on his narrow hips and tugged him closer. “Mmm, nice,” I said quietly.
He pulled his head back, and his expression was sincere. “We can just talk if you’d rather.”
I licked my lips. “Whatever you want.”
Running his hand over my chest, my nipples prickled at his touch. “I kind of want to get naked with you.”
My cock pressed my zipper painfully. “Um… sure. Whatever you want.”
He narrowed his eyes. “This isn’t just about me. What do you want, Colin?”
I inhaled his arousal and slid my hands from his hips to just above his ass. “It’s been a while. Sorry if I’m coming off like a virgin.”
His smile was sweet. “I like you.”
“I like you too.”
“I kind of feel like you’re the first guy in a long time who doesn’t care that I’m famous.”
“I don’t.” I hadn’t even known who he was until Blade had played his CD and dragged me to the concert.
“It’s refreshing.” He wrinkled his brow. “A lot of people want to use me.”
I pressed closer, moved by his dejected tone. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
I sighed. “People can be such assholes. You just have to try and find the good ones in the crowd.”
“Are you one of the good ones, Colin?”
“I like to think I am.”
“I think you definitely are.” He leaned in and captured my mouth, the smoky taste of whiskey on his breath. His tongue pushed between my lips, and I opened happily with a groan. Our tongues trembled as they slid together, and he tugged me closer. When the kiss ended, he kissed the side of my mouth and began undoing his shirt. “Let’s get naked.”
“Completely?”
He smiled. “Yeah. Problem?”
“No.” My laugh was jagged. “I just don’t want to strip if that’s not what you want.”
“Oh, I want.” His voice rumbled.
I gulped, unbuttoning my pants and pushing them down, trying to kick them loose from my ankles. I stumbled a little with them tangled around my feet and sat on the edge of the bed. My face heated as I struggled with them. Jesus, he was going to think I was a complete moron if I couldn’t even get my fucking pants off.
“Need help?” He sounded amused.
“Nope. I got this.” I toed off my shoes, and the pants came off easier then.
Now that we were alone, I could sense his alpha much stronger. He was quieter than most alphas I’d ever been around, and until now, his energy hadn’t been terribly aggressive. But his eyes were a lighter brown, and his lust came off him in waves. I could sense his restrained power, whereas earlier he’d seemed easygoing and chill.
“I’m a top.” He didn’t sound like it was negotiable.
My stomach twirled and my cock pressed against the cotton of my underwear. “S… Sounds good.”
He moved to his suitcase that was against the far wall. He pulled a string of condoms and some lube from the inside pocket. Then he moved to the bed, completely unselfconscious, even though he didn’t have on a stitch of clothing. His skin was tanned and smooth with a swirling tattoo that ran down his muscled torso.
I finally conquered my pants and tossed them across the room irritably. Then I stood and pulled off my shirt and underwear. I moved toward the bed, aware my erection could have put his eye out from halfway across the room.
He lay on the bed with a smile, his gaze roving my torso. “I knew you’d have a sexy body.” He licked his lips. “God, your biceps are amazing.”
“Thank you.” Seemed like a stupid response to his compliment, but I couldn’t think of anything else that worked. “Your… your… uh… body is beautiful too.”
He grinned, dimples showing deep in his smooth cheeks. “You’re adorable.”
I crawled up next to him, his scent driving me nuts. I wanted him inside me so bad it was embarrassing. I lay on my back, and he moved to crouch over me. He kissed me again, deep and hungry. I whimpered and put my arms around his waist, pulling him closer. I yearned to feel his skin against me.
He rolled his hips, dragging his sizable dick over mine. I hissed and spread my thighs, aching for him to take me. I felt oddly vulnerable, offering myself to him so willingly. Maybe I should have negotiated who topped who, but it hadn’t occurred to me. I was an omega and he was an alpha, and generally speaking, their needs came first.
When the fire alarm went off above our heads, I just about had a heart attack. It took me a second to recognize what the flashing red light and clanging bell meant.
Riley rolled off me. “What the hell?” His eyes were wide.
I scrambled from the mattress, sniffing the air as I moved to the window. Below on the sidewalk, the yellow lights of the parking lot showed people gathering. “Looks like a fire drill or something.” My cock was still semihard, and I adjusted myself, feeling frustrated at the interruption.
“You think there’s a fire?” Riley’s tone was raised.
“Not sure.” I tugged on my underwear and pants and headed to the door. I pressed my palm to it, checking to see if it was hot. It wasn’t, so I opened the door and found Riley’s manager with his arm raised, as if he had been just about to knock.
He looked panicked, but when he saw me, he scowled. “Who are you?” His expression changed slightly. “Oh, wait. You’re one of those bodyguard people.”
Riley pressed up behind me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Is the building on fire?”
Now that the door was open, the smell of smoke was strong. “There’s definitely a fire,” I muttered. I turned to Riley. “Get dressed. Quick.”
“Shit. Okay.” He moved back toward the bed.
“Why are you here?” Tom still looked confused about my presence.
“None of your business,” Riley snapped at his manager.
Under normal circumstances, I’d have been embarrassed for Tom to find me half-naked in Riley’s room, but the second the alarm had gone off, I’d slipped into protective mode. I wanted to get Riley out of this building as soon as possible. Whether he was my client or not, I felt the need to keep him safe.
Tom still stood outside the door. He coughed a few times and peeked into Riley’s room. Riley came toward us, carrying a guitar case. I frowned. “That’s going to slow us down.”
He widened his eyes. “This is a twelve-thousand-dollar Martin guitar. If you think I’m leaving it behind, think again.”
I clenched my jaw. “Let’s go.”
The smoky hallway had red flashing lights every few feet and sirens going off. Without really meaning to, I’d already made a note of where the fire exits on this floor were when I’d come up earlier that night. Quick escapes were an important part of being a bodyguard. I led them to the big red door at the end of the hall. When I opened it, I was relieved there wasn’t more smoke in the stairwell. My fear was that the fire might be below our floor, which would make getting out of the building more treacherous.
We hurried down the stairs not meeting many people. I wasn’t sure where all the other guests were. We’d evacuated Riley’s room fairly quickly, and I’d expected more of a crowd. Perhaps the hotel wasn’t very booked at the moment or most of them stayed on the lower floors which were cheaper. About halfway down, we rounded a corner and found an older woman knelt over a heavyset man with white hair. He was sprawled on the ground, clutching his chest.
“Help us,” she sobbed. “Something’s wrong with my husband.”
Tom grimaced and looked back the way we’d come. The smoke was thicker now and floating down the stairs after us.
I pushed Riley toward Tom. “Take him down. I’ll follow with these guys.”
“What?” Riley looked confused. “I’m not leaving you here.”
I appreciated his concern, but I just wanted him out of the burning building. “It’s okay. Just follow the stairs. They’ll lead you straight to the parking lot.”
Riley scowled. “I’m not worried about finding the parking lot. I’m not comfortable leaving you.” He shot a nervous look at up the hazy stairwell. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a fire.”
“I’ll be fine.” I didn’t have time to argue; the guy on the ground was turning blue around his mouth. I knew he didn’t have a chance if we didn’t get him to a paramedic soon.
There was a loud boom above us and the building rocked. Riley covered his head, looking up at the ceiling as small pieces of plaster rained down on us. “Shit. What was that?”
“This is why you need to get out of here.” I spoke firmly.
“I can’t just leave you here.” Riley frowned.
“Of course you can.” I wiped sweat off my brow with the back of my arm. “I’ll be fine. I need to carry this guy down.”
“I’ll help.”
“Maybe we should listen to him, Riley.” Tom looked uneasy.
“No.” The look Riley gave me was all alpha. His chin lifted stubbornly, and he shook his head. He glanced at the moaning man. “We’re going to help carry him.”
“The stairwell is too narrow,” I said.
“We can do it.” Riley scowled.
It was clear to me Riley wasn’t going to just leave me without a reason. I pushed the sobbing old woman toward him. “It isn’t good for her to be breathing this air. Help her find the ground floor.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Promise you’ll be right behind us?”
“Of course.” I didn’t want to stay in this building any longer than necessary. I dropped to my haunches and took one of the old man’s arms. I looped it around my neck and hoisted him into my arms. My leg muscles burned as I pushed to my feet awkwardly. The guy was heavy, and he struggled as I lifted him, as if confused about what was happening.
“Honey, it’s okay. He’s helping us,” the woman said through her tears.
Riley put the woman in front of him, and he nudged her down the stairs. He glanced over his shoulder constantly, checking to see if I was behind him. But carrying the guy definitely slowed me down, and I eventually lost sight of Riley and the others. My legs shook and my arms burned as I moved slowly down the winding stairs. I felt like I was never going to reach the bottom, but then suddenly I was there. I was coughing and sweaty by the time I found the ground floor.
Riley was by the entrance waiting for me with his hand over his nose. “There you are.” He sounded relieved. He jumped when the door in front of us swung open, and two firefighters in full gear pushed past us, heading up the stairs toward the fire.
Riley held the door for me, and the cold night air soothed my hot face. Hacking like a ten-pack-a-day smoker, I sucked in the crisp, clean oxygen as I stumbled out of the building, still carrying the older man. There were two fire engines already on scene and two more pulling up as I staggered away from the structure. I headed straight for the paramedic truck, afraid my arms were going to give out. Thankfully, one of the technicians saw me coming, and he met me halfway and helped carry the injured man to the rescue vehicle.
Once the older man was being tended to, I sat on the curb, breathing hard and coughing. I felt slightly nauseated from the smell of smoke, and my arms and back ached from carrying the man down the stairs. Riley sat next to me, staring at the building with his mouth a hard line.
Now that we were outside, we could finally see the actual fire. The top floors above where we’d been were fully engulfed. Angry orange flames spewed from the broken windows, and black smoke billowed into the night sky.
“What the hell just happened?” Riley muttered. His face was smeared with soot, and he looked shaken.
I licked my dry lips, struggling to swallow because my throat was parched. I glanced over at Riley, thankful he was safe. We barely knew each other, but I’d felt like I needed to protect him.
“We’re okay.” I patted his leg.
“I’ve been in countless hotels where the fire sirens went off. But it’s always been a false alarm.”
“Same here.”
He turned to me. “Can I show a guy a good time, or what?”
“I prefer a quieter kind of evening.”
“Me too.” He sighed. “Lucky for that old man you were with us. I don’t know if me and Tom could have carried him all the way down without dropping him a few times. Not to mention I had my guitar.”
I grimaced. “I hope he makes it.”
“Me too.” He sighed. “Thank you for taking care of me. You’re not even on my payroll and you didn’t abandon us.”
“Money isn’t what motivates me.”
He chuckled softly. “I knew I liked you.”