Chapter Five
Gatlin
If Hendrix said dude one more time, I was going to fire him on that point alone.
“You think this job is boring, dude?” I snapped. “Find another one.”
He didn’t flinch. He never did. Hendrix was laid-back, floating through life without a care. But, he was cool under pressure. That was a good point for him, but he was getting on my nerves.
Everything had been getting on my nerves since the other night when I thought I saw my mate on the street.
“Someone is pissy tonight.”
“Yeah, well, let’s just scan the monitors. Do our jobs.”
For once, Hendrix stopped talking. We sat side by side, scanning the club for anything off.
Dungeon monitors worked here as well, dressed in regular club attire, walking around, making sure everything was safe.
Sometimes alphas and omegas blurred the lines of consent, but we strived to make Cuffed a place where people could always be secure in expressing themselves.
That’s why this place thrived.
“There’s a shitload of people tonight.”
I nodded. He’d lasted about three minutes not talking. That might’ve been a record. “It’s trial membership night.”
“Oh, that’s right. The club is getting a lot of attention with the press as well.”
“Yep.”
I was about to get up and walk around when I spotted someone on the screen. I leaned in while pinching my thigh to make sure I was not asleep. Shaw. He stood at the bar, ordering a drink.
He smiled at the bartender and tipped him.
Goddess, he looked delicious. Something had changed about him. He’d gained weight in the best way possible. That night we were together, he was so lean, my wolf wanted to feed him before we fucked.
But now? He looked well. His cheeks weren’t gaunt. His shoulders squared. He was sure of himself this time.
“I’m gonna go walk around,” I said, hoping Hendrix hadn’t noticed how I zoomed in on Shaw.
“Yeah, I bet you are. No mingling, boss. You’re on schedule.”
Damn it.
“I saw someone I know. Don’t make a big deal.”
He put his hands up in surrender. “Far be it from me…”
I left before he could make another comment.
Hendrix was right. The place was packed.
The music blared in my ears, the bass matching my heartbeat or maybe the other way around.
The lights bounced with the beat and revealed crowds dancing along and some of them not dancing at all.
Others huddled in corners, whispering, kissing, and more.
At this kind of club, sex happened and not always just at the stations or private rooms.
It took time to meander through the people to get to the bar, all the while praying and hoping that Shaw would be there when I arrived. I might officially go nuts if he wasn’t.
As though Fate had planned this all along, the crowds parted when I got to the bar area, and there he was. A few years older. His hair was different. I almost couldn’t move, afraid that he would disappear.
Shaw wore a fitted black shirt and even more fitted black pants. Leather cuffs at his wrists. Black boots.
He was downright lickable.
“Shaw?” I called out, but of course with the music and noise, he couldn’t hear me. Shifter hearing only went so far. I moved closer. Slowly. I didn’t want to spook the omega. “Shaw?” I repeated once I was in front of him.
Then he looked at me, and the entire fucking world stopped. I didn’t hear the music anymore. The lights could’ve been off for all I knew. And the people around us, they disappeared. “No way,” he said with complete awe in his voice. I was glad I wasn’t the only one.
“You remember me?” I asked, trying not to be creepy. Didn’t know if I succeeded or not.
“Of course I remember you, Gatlin.” My knees went weak hearing him say my name. The last time I’d heard it from him, I was buried inside him, while he came over and over again.
“You’re here.” Apparently, I was the king of obvious tonight. “It’s great to see you.”
“And so are you. Here. You…” He looked at my name tag. “You work here? You live in this city? Here?”
Yes. Here. The omega was clearly nervous.
“I do. It’s…it’s nice to see you.” Nice didn’t cover it.
My fingers flexed, so desperate to reach out and touch him.
I scented the air and even though we were surrounded by others, his peaches and cinnamon scent hovered above the others.
That had changed about him as well. He was once whiskey and warmed bourbon but now, he was sweet, sweeter than anything I could’ve imagined.
He said nothing, looking around, nervous. I hoped it wasn’t my presence making him nervous. Though his scent had changed, there was no other smell on him. No alpha had claimed him. At least, not yet.
“Are you here with someone?” I had to ask. There was no way I would be able to live with myself if I didn’t find out. Hell, I could barely live with myself as it was.
“No. I came because…the trial membership.”