Chapter 2 #2
“Assholes who are rising above pettiness?” Felix chortles, rubbing his face. His well kept beard has to sting at his palm, but he doesn’t bat an eye in his amusement.
“Yes,” I say. “You in?”
“Fuck yes,” he says. Stepping inside Brice’s office, he twirls his finger in the air to tell him to wrap up his call.
“Yes, of course,” Brice says. “I will absolutely get back to you about that after I bring it to my pack. It seems that they’re ready for me to finish my day and get home. I’ll tell them you said as much. Goodbye.”
Shaking his head as he hangs up, he says, “Apparently, Emilia Richardson from ROWS thinks we’re an abomination and felt the need to call me to tell me that.”
“We’re an abomination that helps the world have really good sex,” Mal says. “If I thought it would do any good, I’d send ROWS a PR package of toys.”
“What about samples of lube?” I ask.
Mal snickers as he makes himself a note in his phone. “I always thought I was going to have to grow up when I started a business with you all. I’m glad I haven’t had to,” he says.
“Well, now that my day is massively better by the fact that we’re delivering a care package of lube to the leader of the Regional Omegas Women’s Society, please tell me why you’re all here in my office. Together,” Brice deadpans.
He’s right to say it like that. We are trouble when we’re together.
“I think we should offer our services to Cupid’s Call for their mixer next month,” I say with a smile.
I’m going to lead with that, because I don’t know if he’ll agree to my plan otherwise.
“There will be packs and single omegas in one place. By offering them gift bags as a sponsor to their event, it’ll give us the perfect opportunity to expand our reach in the community. ”
My words are smooth, and complete bullshit. This is a petty stunt, even if it will make us look fucking awesome when we pull it off. The Naughty Tote isn’t just a lewd company, we really do believe in sexual empowerment. My annoyance and the way I choose to express it is my own business.
Brice gazes at me with his electric blue eyes for a long moment while Mal and Felix freeze. One wrong move and they’ll both cave. Rising slowly, he walks over to me and rips the invitation and envelope out of my hand and peruses it.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with what you’re proposing?” he asks, not at all believing me. “I will say I think it’s a great idea, and will also make people remember us down the line. However, I’ve known you for a long fucking time, and this is a cold invitation. We hate this shit.”
“Relationships need a lead up, and we don’t know Hollis,” Mal agrees innocently. “I suggested that we decline her invitation, but offer her an opportunity to work with us.”
“And also remind her that we don’t appreciate cold messages,” Felix adds with a smirk.
“I guess we should head to the PR closet to create this gift bag, don’t you think?” Brice asks with a dark chuckle. “We’ll offer her the first bag so she’ll know what will be in each bag.”
“Maybe it’ll keep her from meddling so much if she’s coming so hard her eyes cross,” I mutter.
“I fucking knew it,” Brice hisses, smacking me over the head with the invitation. “Oh fuck, that smells really good.”
The words are said almost with a moan, and my eyes widen. Brice isn't typically affected by scent. He lives with seasonal allergies that kick his ass most of the year. I’m very surprised to see how hard he is through his slacks.
“Let’s go see if she’s still in the office,” Mal says urgently. “Remy, stop staring at Brice like you need his cock in your mouth.”
“Why are we all so horny today?” I groan.
“No idea, but we’re going to take the edge off when we get home,” Felix grumbles as he heads toward the PR closet.
All of the different suppliers we work with offer us samples of the different products we commission from them. Some things we try ourselves, others our employees try and come back with an honest review. We obviously don’t want them back, so we call it a job perk.
We really are good bosses, but everyone is tired and on edge. Thank fuck it’s Thursday. I think we just need a long weekend.
In fact…
“Carla!” I call out as I see my secretary. She’s finishing things at her desk so she can leave, and I don’t blame her.
“Yes, sir?” she asks, glancing up and dropping what’s in her hands as if it’ll help her move quicker to do what I need.
“We,” I say, circling the pack, “are not coming into work tomorrow. Please send out a company-wide email that the work day will end at noon tomorrow for everyone."
A brilliant smile lights up her face, and it makes me feel even worse. Carla loves her job, but things have been nonstop go-go-go, I don’t blame her for feeling exhausted as well.
“Have a wonderful weekend,” she says.
As we continue to walk, Brice chuckles under his breath. “I have one call tomorrow, but I guess I’m taking it in the backyard,” he muses. “Are we planning to be lazy and sloppy otherwise?”
“Fuck yes,” I growl under my breath. “I’d venture to say hedonistic even with lots of fucking all weekend.”
“Count me in,” Brice says grinning. “Now, should we include a butt plug with a flared base in this gift bag?”
Malcolm roars with laughter, scaring an intern or two as we pass by them. They’ll never know what we’re talking about, or that their bosses have a large streak of asshole written in their DNA.
If you can’t have fun at work, then why bother at all?
brICE
I’m sure I’m missing portions of the reasons why Remy is so set on doing this, but as someone who puts huge efforts into building relationships with people, I can see why he’s angry about this. I’ve never heard of this girl or her little dating company.
I’m looking forward to meeting the girl with this much audacity and putting her in her place.
We typically drive to work together since we all leave at the same time, and Mal is usually the one who drives.
It’s just how things work out. He’s currently cruising down the street in front of Cupid’s Call looking for a parking spot, muttering about why everyone is in his way.
He has terrible road rage, making our commute comedic as he mutters, yells, and makes vulgar hand gestures toward the other drivers. Outside of this unfortunate character flaw, he is the sweetest alpha that exists.
Hiding a smile, I watch as he slides into a spot around the corner from where Cupid’s Call is located. We’ve once again been saved from the dangers of his road rage.
“Finally,” Mal grumbles, taking a deep breath.
The second he turns off the engine, he goes back to being the incredibly kind alpha that we all fell in love with. I tried to fight it, but about halfway through our junior year of college, we got drunk together and threw caution to the wind. Fuck being careful if it means being miserable.
Looking over his shoulder, his white, even teeth flash at us as he smiles.
“I caught a glimpse of the lights on during the third pass around the block,” he says. “If we miss her, I want tacos for dinner. I deserve them after this traffic.”
“Anything you want,” I promise, opening the vehicle door.
The four of us get out of the SUV armed with a branded gift bag and our invitation, the scent still branded on my nasal passages. I can’t get over how incredible that damn envelope smells. Fuck me.
I may embarrass myself if Hollis is the owner of that incredible scent. I wonder if she would let me drop between her legs and offer to eat her cunt?
My bottom lip rolls inward at my lewd thoughts as we cross the street and walk toward the office, conspicuously silent as we get lost in our own thoughts. It’s not that I would say we rarely are quiet, but it does make me wonder if anyone else is having thoughts like mine.
There are people walking on the sidewalk, and I notice the way they stare at us.
We are four alphas in suits who look fairly different from each other.
Even Felix and Remy have very different styles between Felix’s shorn, closely cut hair and beard and Remy’s more wild, wavy hair with suspenders underneath his suit jacket.
We’re pack without being cookie cutter lookalikes, which is important to us.
Some packs look as if they were all cut from the same cloth and it’s honestly creepy.
Malcolm is the first to the office door, pulling at it only to find that it’s locked. A woman is sitting at a desk surrounded by her warm lighting, and from here she looks both capable and gorgeous. Her fingers are flying across the keys as she speaks on the phone, nodding as she works.
Her hair is pulled away from her face in a single braid while the rest is loose down her back, keeping her from having to push it away.
Her eyes are pulled up to the door as she speaks, and I think about what a shame it is that I can’t see what color they are from here.
Her lips are a damn work of art though, and I can’t stop staring at them as she lifts a single finger to us.
“I can’t even complain that she’s being rude,” Remy grumbles, tossing his bangs out of his eyes. I’m going to have to tie him down this weekend to cut them with the promise of sucking his cock if he’s a very good boy.
He’s allergic to scissors, I swear. Every pack has their quirks, and I’m settled and happy with mine. Omegas aren’t something we want or need to explore.
This is what I continue to tell myself as the woman continues on her call.
“I didn’t think she’d leave us outside like dogs in the cold when we decided to come down here,” Felix mutters. “It kind of cheapens our righteous wrath.”
Our superpower is that we thrive in dramatic spaces, finding the perfect marketing for our products or how to expand our brand.
Felix isn’t wrong though. Minneapolis will have snow on the ground soon, but for fall, the winds are definitely brisk as we wait.
“This does bring new meaning to ‘no appointment, no service,’” I tease, enjoying the way my best friends smile back at me.