Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
ATLAS
From the moment I laid eyes on Jude up on that stage, I was captivated. The way he moved, as if the stage was made for him.
To say I was intrigued with my new dancer is an understatement, but never did I think that he was mine.
When he came into my office, the sweet fudge smell I picked up back in the main part of the club was his. His scent. The same fucking scent that caused every thought in my mind to go out the window. All I could think about was him. Tasting him, fucking him, making him whine for me.
I just found my scent match and now I’m watching him leave. He gives me one last look over his shoulder, a smile that has my heart fluttering and a sense of loss settling in.
I want to tell him not to go. I want him to stay, maybe even bring him back to my place, get to know him better but this is a lot to take in.
And he already has an alpha. Someone I really want to meet.
Everything happened so fast, my head is still spinning as I try to process what just happened.
I don’t regret it. Every second with him was perfect.
But now as I sit behind my desk, the smell of his slick lingering in the air, the reality of what just happened is settling in.
I told Jude about Briar. That I was seeing someone who was very important to me.
Briar and I have only been seeing one another for around a month now, and have gone on a few dates. I don’t know where this is headed, but it’s everything I’ve been wanting.
I finally have the girl I’ve been pining after for years.
Just because Briar and I are taking things slow, it doesn’t mean that I want to just give up on the idea of making her mine.
What would Jude think about that? Or his alpha?
Would they be open to adding another omega to the mix, or would they prefer it just be the three of us?
The idea of letting Briar go leaves an ache in my chest.
We have a connection, a pull and I’ve wondered more than once if she wasn’t on suppressants and alpha blockers. Could it be hiding both her scent and preventing herself from smelling any alphas?
Maybe we’re not, maybe we just have this natural need for one another.
Either way, scent matches or not, I want Briar and I’m hoping more than anything that seeing her isn’t a deal breaker.
Letting out a heavy sigh, I run a hand through my hair, grabbing at the roots.
“What have you gotten yourself into, Atlas?” I mutter to myself.
I’ve gone from no omegas, to possibly having two.
The thought both thrills and terrifies me.
But I’m not getting any younger. I want a pack, omegas to spoil, and now a fellow alpha to have as a friend, possibly even more?
It’s my dream to be in a pack where we’re all together. There’s never too much love to go around.
I know I have a lot to give, and I want to give that to Briar, to Jude and his alpha. If they allow it.
I’m just about to fix myself up, clean off my desk and get back to work when my office door opens.
My eyes widen, lips parting in shock as Briar steps into the room.
I watch as her nostrils flare, no doubt picking up the scent of sex in the air.
My heart starts to race, panic settling in.
“So.” She licks her lips, this look of nerves I don’t see from her often flashing on her face. “You have a scent matched omega, huh?”
Guess we’re having this conversation now. Let’s hope I haven’t just fucked this all up and lost Briar before I’ve really gotten to make her mine.
brIAR
I swapped shifts with one of the girls at the club, taking an earlier one. I’ve been doing that a lot lately since I started seeing Atlas.
It’s not often we have the same days off, but when we do, we hang out. It’s been nice. He’s so funny and sweet.
We’ve just clicked. What we have feels right.
We’re taking it slow because of me. I’ve never felt like this for another person and it terrifies me.
I don’t want to go all in right off the bat and end up regretting it.
Not that I would. It’s just so easy to lose yourself in something good.
Especially when it’s something you’ve been craving for a long time.
Or should I say someone.
Before the night we found out one another's dirty little secrets, we only saw one another when I visited his club, he visited mine or if I saw him around town.
We both wanted the other, feeling that pull but we didn’t actually really know the other person.
It’s been fun. I want more time with him.
That's why I’ve been swapping whatever shifts I can.
I know Atlas is working tonight, but it doesn’t matter to me. I like hanging out at the club and this gives me more time with him.
There's great company and the drinks are free. What more could I ask for?
When I get to The Rusty Pipe, it’s packed. I’m not surprised, it’s a Friday night.
The music is loud, the chatter is flowing and the overall vibe feels… different.
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something’s changed about this place since the last time I’ve been in here.
People cheer, seeming to enjoy whatever girl is on stage.
I wonder if it’s Lacy, or Candy. Maybe Mindy?
Heading deeper into the club, I chose to check out the stage first before heading to get a drink, wanting to know who everyone seems to be going crazy over.
But when the stage comes into view and I catch sight of the dancer moving gracefully in the cage, I see that it’s not a girl.
It’s a man. A very beautiful man. He’s got blonde hair and a killer body. He’s wearing black straps that cross over his toned chest, a pair of black leather chaps and a thong.
Like a moth to a flame, I gravitate toward the stage, finding a seat as close as I can get.
But like I said, it’s packed. Everyone here seems to be feral for this man and I don’t blame them.
He’s something magical, like the stage was made for him.
I’m hypnotized as I watch him move, the way he bends, the look on his face like he loves being up there.
Before long, his set is over and I find myself disappointed. I want more. I could sit here all night and watch him.
Needing to know who this new dancer is, I get up and head towards the back, hoping to catch him.
Perks of having the owner be obsessed with you is I get free reign of the club.
Atlas has asked if I wanted to come here sometimes to sing, but I turned him down.
Club 21 is the only place I feel safe enough to let my true self shine. I couldn’t imagine myself singing anywhere else.
So if he wants to hear me sing, he’s going to have to come to me.
I give some of the girls a smile and a quick hello as I pass them, heading towards the back stage.
I’m just about to turn the corner when I see Lacy guiding the man down the hallway.
For a moment, I think she’s bringing him to the dressing rooms but when they pass the door, continuing down the hall towards Atlas’ office, my nosy self has me following.
Not wanting to be seen, I hang back as Lacy brings him into the office. I watch her give him a shove inside with a small laugh before turning around and heading my way.
I don’t bother trying to hide. She gives me a smile. “Ah, curious about the new dancer?” she asks me.
“I am,” I nod. “He’s something else.”
“You’re telling me. I’m jealous of the way he can move. He used to be a ballerina.”
My brows jump. “Really?” That would explain the gracefulness of his moves. I wonder why he’s working here.
When my eyes flick towards the office door, Lacy lets out a laugh. “I’ll let you get back to your snooping. But if the boss asks, you never saw me. Got it?”
“Got it,” I laugh.
Lacy continues down the hallway and I quickly rush to the office door. Just as I’m about to reach it, the words, “Bet you didn’t think you’d meet your scent match at the strip club today, huh?” Has me stumbling to a halt.
Did he just say scent match?
My heart starts to race, this gross feeling settling in the pit of my stomach.
“Close the door,” Atlas growls, and then the door is being slammed shut.
I stand there, stunned, not sure what else to do.
Atlas found his scent match. Does that mean we’re over?
Years of pining after one another and it was all for nothing.
What about the connection we have? Something like that can’t just go away overnight.
A million different things run through my mind, but I shut them down.
I’m not the kind of person who allows my thoughts to run wild. It’s better to get the facts than assume.
So, I decide to stay and talk to Atlas, to ask him what this means for us.
Only, when the omega doesn’t come out after a few moments, I start to worry.
Then there’s a moan and a grunting sound from behind the closed door.
They’re fucking in there?
I’m not sure if I should cry, or be turned on.
All the worst thoughts try to consume my mind, but I shake them away. Atlas isn’t the kind of guy to fuck around on me. I know that if it wasn’t for the fact that they’re scent matches, that omega wouldn’t be in that room with him right now.
Not wanting to torture myself with the sound of the two of them together, I move away from the door, leaning against the wall.
I start to grow impatient with the need for them to be done.
I want this man to leave so I can talk to Atlas, yet for some reason I have the urge to talk to the omega too.
Not to chew him out for taking my man, because the fact is, Atlas isn’t mine.
At least not yet. But I’d like him to be. If this omega will even allow it.
But there's something about this man that has me wanting to know him better. To just, be around him.
When the door finally opens and the omega walks out, I panic. As much as I’d like to talk to this guy, now is not the time.
This time I do hide, ducking into one of the rooms, letting the darkness of the dimly lit hall hide me.
I watch him, the smile of pure happiness on his face a stab to the heart.
No, Briar. No jumping the gun. Talk to Atlas. See where his head’s at.
But I can’t seem to leave my hiding spot, even though the omega is gone now.
You can do this. Go in there, ask what’s going on, what this means for the both of you.
It takes me another few minutes to finally get my feet to move. I make my way over to his office door, not bothering to knock and just open it.
I let it swing open, Atlas’ eyes snapping over to meet mine.
His eyes widen, lips parting in shock.
The smell of the room hits me hard. Sex and something sweet that I can’t quite put my finger on.
A wave of arousal hits me and I have to resist the urge to clamp my thighs together.
The smell of them together shouldn’t get me this turned on. But it does.
“So.” I lick my lips, a wave of nerves settling in. I hate it. I’m never the person to be this unsure about something. Maybe I should have saved myself the risk of heartbreak and stayed away from Atlas. “You have a scent matched omega, huh?”
He blinks a few times before clearing his throat. “I can explain.”
“What’s to explain? You met your scent match. I know it can be a powerful thing.”
At the mention of scent matches, my mind flashes back to the worst night of my life.
The feeling of his hands on me, taking what he wanted while I wished I was dead.
I didn’t get that chance to enjoy the life changing moment of meeting my scent match, because my scent match was the devil.
The only good thing that came from that moment was my body and mind realizing that even though Ryan was my scent match, that everything in me wanted to give over to him, that I didn’t. I realized what was wrong, that he was bad, that I needed to run.
“Briar?” Atlas’ voice snaps me back to the present.
“Sorry.” I chew on my lower lip. “Anyway. You have nothing to be sorry for. It’s not like you can pick and choose these kinds of things. It just happens when it happens.”
“I didn’t know. Not until he came into my office.”
“Oh, trust me, I heard him cumming in your office,” I laugh awkwardly, trying to make light of the situation and failing.
Atlas just looks embarrassed.
“You heard?” he asks, sounding guilty.
“I did,” I nod. “So, I’m just going to outright ask you.
What does this mean for us? I don’t consider this cheating, because well, again, scent matches.
I know instincts kick in and all logical thoughts can go out the window.
And we’ve only been on a few dates, haven’t labeled anything.
But, if we’re going to end whatever we have going on, I’d rather do that now and not be fucked around. ”
“End things?” His eyes widen. “I don’t want to end things.”
“You don’t?” I hate the surge of hope that rushes through me.
“No, Little Rose.” His voice goes soft as he makes his way around his desk.
I nearly melt at the mention of his nickname for me.
“I don’t want to end things with you. I want you just as much now as I did yesterday. Meeting Jude doesn’t change how I feel for you.”
“Jude,” I whisper his name. It’s a pretty name for a beautiful man. I blink, shaking my head, “It doesn't?”
Atlas shakes his head, his hand reaching out to cup my face.
“I want you both. That is, if that's something you can consider? I know he’s a stranger to you, hell, he is to me too,” he chuckles. “But I want to get to know him better, for you to meet him and do the same. He also has an alpha.”
“He does?”
“Yeah. A female,” he grins. “You like girls, right?”
I can’t help the smile that takes over. “Yes, I like girls. But not just any girl,” I roll my eyes.
“How about we set up a time to meet the both of them, to get all of this out on the table. If we communicate with each other what we want out of this, then hopefully we can agree on something that works for all of us.”
It took a lot for me to take that leap in trusting Atlas. Could I do that with two other people?
“But what about our secrets? The whole reason I didn’t let anything happen between the two of us was because I couldn’t be with someone while keeping such a big secret. It’s not fair. And it’s something you’re going to need to disclose to Jude as well.”
“I know,” he nods. “I know. And I will. I think we just need to do it one step at a time. Starting with getting everyone together to talk. Is that something you can do?” He searches my eyes, trying to get a read on how I’m feeling.
I can see this means a lot to him. And honestly, I want to meet Jude, and his alpha.
It couldn’t hurt to just talk. Who knows. Maybe this could end up as a good thing.
Life surprised me once with Atlas, maybe it will shock me again. Hopefully in a good way.
“Alright,” I agree. “Set up a time for us to meet up. I’m working all week, but I can make time. And who knows, maybe they’ll happily look past the murders if they like us enough,” I joke.
He huffs out a laugh, pulling me into his arms. He smells of his omega, and fuck, I don’t hate it.
“We can only hope.”
Yeah. I really fucking hope.