Chapter （Untitled）
Peter made his way into Chad’s apartment building, shaking his head at the lax security. The front door was held open by an old office chair, and though there was a moving truck parked on the curb, there were no people in sight to prevent any old criminal from waltzing inside.
The entry leading to the stairs was old and worn, and Peter couldn’t help the disdainful twitch of his nose as he took in the dilapidated mailboxes hanging on the wall. He located the box belonging to Chad, the blocky handwritten letters obviously written by the young alpha making him smile.
Moving through the entryway, Peter started climbing the stairs.
He wondered how he would handle it if he had to live in a place like this.
Not well, he guessed. Peter liked his home to be quiet and locked up tighter than a bank.
It was different when he was out in the field; he expected to be on high alert to the point of hyper vigilance there, but at home he liked being able to relax and let down his guard.
Arriving on the third floor, Peter opened the door leading out of the stairway. The door creaked, and Peter cringed at the sound.
Why had nobody thought to oil the hinges?
Shaking his head at the general decay of the building, Peter found Chad’s apartment.
Looking at the lopsided numbers on the door listing out 304, he wondered if the young alpha had money troubles.
His salary should be more than enough to pay for a better apartment, and that he’d settled for what was clearly a small studio a good twenty-minute drive from the training facility was strange and suspicious.
The door separating Chad’s apartment from the hallway was obviously thin, and Peter knew without a doubt that a good blow with his fist would have the whole thing falling off its hinges. How Chad could feel safe behind a door like that was beyond Peter.
Rapping his knuckles on the flimsy wood, he stood back and waited for Chad to open the door. He squared his shoulders and puffed up his chest, his cock pressing against the front of his pants at the thought of seeing the young alpha again.
“Shit, he’s early!”
Peter could hear Chad’s voice through the door, loud and panicked and obviously caught unawares. He wondered who he was talking to. A second later the door crashed open.
“Peter! Hi!” Chad stood in the doorway, wide-eyed and wearing a suit that Peter would rather burn than let anywhere near his closet. His tie hung loose around his neck, wrinkled and limp like Chad had tried and failed to tie it multiple times.
The whole effect was adorably charming.
“I was just getting ready,” Chad said, slightly breathless but not unhappy. Peter tilted his head, projecting calm, and looked past Chad toward the alpha standing behind him. Chad saw where he was looking and startled like he’d just remembered the other alpha’s presence.
“Oh, sorry! This is my friend Topher. He was trying to help me figure out how to tie my tie,” Chad gave his friend a look like he hadn’t been at all successful in that endeavor. “But it’s not looking good. Topher, this is Peter Tank. He’s the guy I’ve been telling you about.”
Peter watched the other alpha with narrowed eyes, the young man staring back like Peter was a wild tiger that had suddenly been let loose inside the room.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Peter said, baring his teeth in a smile. He didn’t want to be rude to Chad’s friend, but right now he was in no mood to share the young alpha.
“Maybe you could help me?” Chad asked, holding up the ends of his raggedy tie. “I usually just keep the knot tied and ready, but I accidentally undid it.”
Peter was about to tell Chad that he didn’t need a tie, but then it occurred to him that tying the silk and polyester blend around Chad’s throat, firmly tightening the knot under his Adam’s apple, might be worth having to look at the ugly thing all through dinner.
His balls tightened at the thought of what other things he might put around Chad’s neck—like a collar.
“Sure.” Peter grinned and took a step forward, crowding into Chad’s personal space.
He lifted his hands to Chad’s throat, pressing the flat of his fingers to Chad’s neck as he picked up the ends of his tie.
Chad breathed in sharply at the touch, craning his neck to look up at Peter’s face.
He looked open and vulnerable, and Peter could think of so many things he wanted to do to him to replicate that look.
Fastening the knot tight, holding it in place and pulling the end of the tie down until it verged on discomfort, Peter looked at Topher.
The young alpha clearly got the message. Chad belonged to him.
Letting his palm slide down Chad’s chest, Peter clapped his pec before stepping back. Chad’s breathing was labored, and he looked like he’d completely forgotten about Topher standing behind him.
Blinking, licking his lips and swallowing noisily, Chad looked down. Peter saw the exact moment he noticed Peter’s clingy shirt and shiny leather pants. His pupils dilated, and his mouth opened so that his jaw hung slack.
Peter was more than pleased with the reaction.
“I’m sure your friend has somewhere he needs to be,” Peter said, not looking away from Chad. He turned to Topher with a stern expression. “It was nice to meet you, Topher.”
Topher took the hint and rushed past him and Chad, sticking to the edge of the doorway as far away from Peter as possible, and practically ran down the hall. Chad was jerked out of his lusty haze by all the noise, and looked after his retreating friend like he was confused by his sudden departure.
“Bye, Topher…” he said, his voice sounding a little hoarse. Topher pushed into the stairwell with a wave goodbye, crashing down the stairs like a herd of elephants.
They were finally alone. Without saying a word, Peter grabbed Chad by the shoulder and manhandled him into the apartment.
He kicked the door shut with his boot and spun the dazed young alpha around, slamming him into the door.
Chad let out a grunt of air at the impact, staring at Peter with wide eyes.
Peter grinned, knowing that this particular smile made him look practically evil, and advanced.
Chad held up his hands almost like he expected Peter to attack, or like he wanted to reach out and touch him. Either way, Peter grabbed the proffered wrists and pinned Chad’s hands over his head as he leaned down to capture his mouth in a kiss.
Peter felt savage. Wild. He thrust his tongue into Chad’s mouth like he was laying claim to it, licking around his teeth and biting down on his lower lip hard enough to make Chad whimper.
Peter wanted to own him. The urge to shove Chad’s head to the side and fasten his teeth to his throat was overwhelming. Peter needed to control himself. Releasing Chad’s mouth, keeping his hands pinned over his head, he stepped back and wrestled his instincts under control.
Chad watched him, confused and undeniably horny, biting his lip in a way that did nothing to help Peter’s effort.
“You look nice,” Peter said, releasing Chad’s hands. He had never felt his control slipping like this, but he was pretty sure he had his instincts under wraps. “Are you ready to go?”
Peter reached out and fixed Chad’s shirt, squeezing his shoulder before stepping back and turning around to look for the jacket that went with Chad’s suit.
Chad looked confused by the sudden change in tempo.
“Are we…?”
“Yes?” Peter asked, finding Chad’s suit jacket hanging on the bathroom door. He carried it over to the younger alpha.
“I liked it when you kissed me,” Chad said. It looked like he was getting his own instincts under control, and as he straightened up he shot Peter an accusatory look that would have landed any other alpha on the floor with Peter’s boot on their throat. “Why did you stop?”
Peter couldn’t help but smile at the indignation in Chad’s voice. There was nothing about Chad’s present attitude that was submissive, but Peter found he didn’t care.
“Because we need to get going,” Peter said. He handed Chad his jacket. “And because I like making you wait.”
Chad’s pupils dilated and his breath hitched. Peter reached out and cradled his neck, thumb resting under the corner of his jaw.
“Like that, do you?” Peter’s voice was smug. Chad nodded, a blush spreading over his face.
“Good,” Peter nudged Chad away from the door and stepped into the hall, waiting for the younger man to follow. “Are you coming?”
Chad nodded hastily and scrambled out of the apartment, pulling on his jacket and falling into line next to Peter as he walked down the hall. Putting his hand on Chad’s lower back and sliding it up until he was gripping his shoulder, Peter steered him down the stairs and into his car.
He couldn’t be happier with how the night had started.
***