Chapter 3 Emilio
Emilio
I move into the main floor of the club, and immediately am surrounded by noise and bodies and energy.
People call out hellos and heys, hands clasping my shoulders as I pass.
I've always loved the attention. It's one of the things that makes being an Omega worth it, the way people gravitate toward me, the way they want to be near me.
Omegas preen under it all, and I'm no exception.
I smile and nod, exchanging quick greetings as I weave through the crowd.
But then someone accidentally brushes against my stomach, and I frown.
The touch makes my skin crawl. I step back, putting distance between myself and the person who touched me, not that they even noticed.
They're already moving on, lost in the music and the lights.
But I notice. I notice the way my whole body tensed up, the way I wanted to snap at them for getting too close.
I push forward, trying to shake it off, but it happens again.
Someone bumps into me, their hand grazing my side, and I have to bite back a snarl.
My heart races a little faster, anxiety creeping up my spine.
I don't like this. I don't like how wrong it all suddenly feels, how every touch makes me want to pull away and find somewhere quiet to hide.
Some part of me wants to run back upstairs and curl up in my nest to block out all of the chaos–the very same chaos I’ve found excitement in.
Blowing out a deep breath, I refocus on my destination, finding Otto a few steps ahead of me near the VIP section.
When I finally reach him, he stares at me with that curious expression of his, a bit of concern lingering in his eyes but I wave him off before he can say anything.
I don't want to make a big deal of it. It's fine.
I'm fine. But even as I think it, I know it's a lie.
The doctor warned me about this. She said that as the pregnancy progressed, I might not want to be around people as much.
That I wouldn't want the touch, that some part of me biologically would need an Alpha's touch instead.
A caress, something softer and more specific than the casual contact of strangers.
I grimace at the memory of her words, at the way she said it like it was inevitable.
Like I didn't have a choice in the matter.
I hate that she’s right.
I walk up the steps to the VIP section, and one of the security guards undoes the barrier to let me through.
The music is slightly quieter up here, which, thank fuck for that.
There are plush couches and low tables, bottles of expensive liquor lined up on shelves that glow with soft blue light.
It's exclusive, intimate, and exactly where I need to be right now.
I scan the room, looking for any issues, my eyes landing on one of the tables near the back.
There's a familiar face sprawled out on the couch, legs stretched out like he owns the place.
Liam Stark. He's leaning back with one arm draped over the back of the couch, his expression relaxed in a way that makes my heart flutter.
Where I find Zaden and most other Alphas annoying, Liam makes me feel something entirely different.
We had a thing months ago, back when I was still trying to get pregnant.
He was one of the many men I let myself fall into bed with, but unlike the others, he's someone I very much still use when the time is right. Right now? That's exactly what I need.
I stalk over to the table, my pulse quickening with every step.
Akira, Liam's brother, is sitting across from him.
They look identical, save for their hairstyles.
Akira's hair is longer, falling to his cheek on one side, while Liam's is cut short, cropped around his head.
Both of them are covered in tattoos, dark ink crawling up their necks and shoulders in matching patterns.
They're both Alphas, both dangerous in their own ways, and both entirely too attractive for their own good.
Akira grins when he sees me, his eyes glinting with amusement. "The man of the hour coming to visit us peasants."
I snort, rolling my eyes. "Only because my fucking brother can't get his head out of his ass. What did you bring here today?"
Akira leans forward, resting his elbows on the table between them. "Just a small batch of that new mild heat drug. Safe in small quantities. Promise, scouts honor."
I raise an eyebrow. "I'll be the judge of that. We have a new investor here, so I need to make sure it won't be in conflict with anything. Excuse me, I need to borrow your brother."
Akira laughs, waving a hand dismissively. "By all means. I can't get the fucker to stop talking."
I laugh despite myself, the sound surprising me. It's the first time I've felt anything close to relaxed all night. I look over at Liam, who stands without saying a word. He doesn't need to. We both know what this is.
It's all under the guise of showing Liam where the security will be stationed, of course.
He works as Akira's enforcer and his security, so with such a big evening for Neon Dreams, it makes sense that I would ensure he understands all of the ins and outs.
However, that's the last thing on my mind right now.
We barely turn the corner before Liam speaks, his voice full of the same concern that was on Otto’s face. "Hey, what's wrong, Mili?"
I grimace, my cheeks heating at the nickname. "I told you not to call me that."
He gave me that name months ago, amongst many of the other pet names he whispered in my ear when we were tangled up in bed together.
It's embarrassing how much I like it, how much it makes my stomach flip every time he says it.
The enforcer steps up closer to my back, his presence warm against me, and I walk a little faster toward one of the private rooms at the end of the VIP wing.
I push through the door, Liam following and closing it behind us.
The moment the lock clicks, the noise from the club is muted, leaving just the two of us now, the tension in my chest easing slightly.
Liam slowly pulls me back to his chest, his arms wrapping around me, and I let out a little sigh I didn't mean to make.
Being held by an Alpha shouldn't feel this good. I hate myself for being weak and needing this, for letting my biology dictate what I want. But I can't help it. Liam nuzzles the back of my head, his breath warm against my hair, my lids fluttering closed.
"Talk to me," he murmurs. "What's going on?"
I shake my head, trying to pull myself together. "We don't need to talk. Just fuck me, okay?"
Liam's grip tightens a bit, his voice dropping lower. "That's the only stipulation I have, Mili. You tell me what's wrong, and then I knot you like your greedy little hole needs."
I bite back a whimper, my body already responding to his words. My hands come up to grip his arms, and I hate how desperate I sound when I speak. "Zaden is trying to take over my shit again, okay? Happy?"
"Not really," Liam says, his tone becoming more serious. "Because he's always doing that. What happened today?"
I hesitate, my throat tightening. I don't want to tell him that my investors don’t want to support me because I’m fucking pregnant.
I don’t want to tell him that I need this because too many people brushed against me on the main floor and now I just need something familiar.
"I… I don't want to tell you. I can't. Just fuck me, please? "
The words come out like I'm pleading, and maybe I am. I need the distraction, the release, the way Liam makes me forget about everything else for a little while. I need his touch, his scent, the way he holds me like I'm something precious, even though we both know this is just physical.
Liam is quiet for a moment, and I’m sure he's going to push me for more answers. But then he just sighs, his warm breath fanning my neck again. "Okay, okay. I got you, pretty boy."
The relief that floods through me is almost overwhelming.
I turn in his arms, pressing my body against his, and Liam cups my face in his hands.
His dark eyes search mine, looking for answers he won’t find.
He doesn't like that I'm keeping secrets from him.
But he's not going to force me to talk about it either, and I love him a little bit for that.
Not that I'd ever tell him.
Liam leans down and kisses me, leaving the gentleness from before behind us.
It's rough and demanding, his teeth catching my bottom lip as his hands slide down to grip my hips.
I moan into his mouth, my fingers tangling in his short hair and let myself get lost in it.
The stress of the meeting, the threat from Charles, the lie I told about having an Alpha, all of it fades into the background as I let Liam have control.
He walks me backward until my back hits a small table, his body pressing against mine.
I can already tell he's hard, the thick line of his cock pressing against my stomach, the need to have him inside me growing with every passing moment.
I want his knot stretching me open, filling me up until I can't think about anything else.
Liam pulls back just enough to look at me. "You sure this is what you want right now?"
"Yes," I breathe, my hands sliding down to tug at his belt. "Please, Liam. I need this."
He searches my face for another moment, and then he nods. "Alright, Mili. I got you."