Page 2 of Forbidden Taste
The music shifts, taking a darker, more desperate turn, Riley hunching over the keys, his eyes squeezed shut. There’s so much feeling there, so much he’s pouring into his music. The tears are still falling, my fingers curling against the glass, itching to reach through. To touch him. To wipe them away and ask what’s breaking him like this.
My body responds against my will, heat stirring through me, my cock pressing against the seam of my jeans, my knot starting to throb. I let out a shuddering breath, once again remembering how wrong I am as Riley hesitates and then the song sours, his fingers slipping onto what seems like the wrong key. His body tenses, the raw emotion on his face shifting to disappointment.
Riley’s hands drop to his lap, not even bothering to wipe his tears as a slow clap breaks the quiet. My heart sinks into my stomach as an Alpha steps out from the dark corner of the practice room, an authoritative presence that has me wanting to size up rather than back down. I’ve seen him around Riley before, constantly hovering, offering small, unwanted touches that Riley seems to shy away from.
Riley’s head snaps up and the peace on his face shatters. His lips twist into a scowl, eyes narrowing. All that tranquility—gone.
The Alpha moves closer, shaking his head almost in amusement. The air seems to shift in the room, Riley’s doe eyes widening as his scent sharpens, his sudden movement sending the piano bench crashing to the floor. “Riley, did you forget I was here?” the Alpha says, his voice smooth but edged with something sour. Citrus. Like too much lemon and acid.
“No, I just…” Riley’s voice falters. He steps back, arms crossing over his chest, obviously uncomfortable and pissed at the same time. I still find him adorable, his cheeks twinged with pink, his nose scrunched up in defiance. “Ben, I didn’t forget you were here but I also told you that I don’t like it when you do that.”
The Alpha snorts, stepping closer. “First off, it’sBenjamin.You’ll address me with respect.” He reaches forward, pinching Riley’s chin between his fingers hard enough to draw a gasp from the Omega. “Second, I’ve done nothing but watch you fuck up the final pieceyetagain. There isn’t long before finals and I won’t be mated to a failure.”
There’s a few moments of silence as Benjamin holds him like that, Riley’s chin twisted up at an awkward angle before the Alpha presses his lips to the Omega’s. It’s firm, claiming,possessive.My gut twists at the scene, jealousy winding through me, drawing out a snarl I can’t hold back.Mine.
“Fuck,” I mutter against the glass, bowing my head against the surface. Riley isn’t my anything but I can’t seem to tell my instincts that, the rage clawing up my throat anyway. I want to step into that room and shove Benjamin off before claiming Riley for myself.
That woulddefinitelygo over well.
Unable to stomach what I’m seeing any longer, I twist around to leave, tripping over the lounge by the entrance. My bag slips and I hit the ground hard, knee slamming into the tile, pain jolting up my leg. “Shit,” I cry out, scrambling to my feet, hoping and praying that I can disappear down the hall unnoticed.
I’m not so lucky.
The door swings open, Riley’s big brown eyes staring up at me as I stand to my full height. My face heats, a blush crawling up my neck, our scents colliding—spiced apples with roses and honey. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—” I start, but he cuts me off.
“Are you actually going to come in, or are you just going to stand there like you always do?” His voice is soft but there’s a challenge in those words, daring me to do the one thing I’ve been dreaming for months. He knows. He’s seen me. How long?
Before I can answer, his hand wraps around my wrist, small delicate fingers gently tugging me inside. I frantically look around for Benjamin, knowing that an Alpha like him would not allow me in Riley’s space.
“He left out the side,” Riley tells me, pointing to the door just behind the piano. A giggle follows at the obvious confusion on my face. I don’t know why I’m in here and I also have no idea when Riley even realized I existed. “Now, tell me,” he releases my wrist, taking a small step toward me until he’s the only thing I can see. “You’re always out there. Why?”
two
RILEY
I hold Leo’s hand, my fingers gripping his wrist as I pull him into my practice room. My heart’s hammering so loud I’m sure he hears it. His skin’s warm against mine while I’m losing it inside, geeking out like some starry-eyed fool. That spicy apple scent rolls off him like warm apple pie in the middle of fall, and it’s been driving me crazy for months. I’ve seen him out there, in the halls and in between classes, that big Omega lingering by my window, and I fell in love at first sight. Every almost meeting after that has just been torture.
I even coated my apartment in his scent—candles, sprays, anything to recreate the fantasy of him pressed against me. But I could never get him alone. Not until now.
And it’s that fucking Alpha—Benjamin Taylor’s the problem. That Alpha my parents chose hovers constantly, his sour citrus stench choking the air. I already catch hell for growing up rich, for being the golden Omega, but it’s worse with him around. Hisinfluential family makes him untouchable, and he’s always there, acting like I’m his.
I hate it but without throwing an epic tantrum, I’m forced to receive his advances in public. Thank fuck, he’smostlya gentleman.
But now I’ve caught Leo, the guy I’ve been drooling over in private. He pulls back a little, his wrist shifting in my grip, and that’s when I turn to look at him. We’ve never been this close before, which is why I never realized how pretty he is. People avoid him because he’s not a typical Omega but he’s adorable. Freckles dot his face, orange-red curls framing his sea-green eyes, ones I want to get lost in.
He swallows hard, his deep voice cutting through my haze. “Why did you bring me in here?” There’s a tremble to his words, something I didn’t expect. He’s almost… timid which just adds to how adorable I find him.
Unfortunately, that’s when I get the fullness of his rich scent, my body trying to respond to it. A shiver runs down my spine as I release his wrist, trying to swallow the moan that’s bubbling up in my throat. I suck my bottom lip between my teeth, my eyes glancing at the side door Benjamin left minutes ago. The man seemed to up and disappear seconds after telling me I was a failure and that awful kiss I can’t wait to scrub away from my memory.
The air seems to shift the longer I remain silent and suddenly, I don’t know how far to push this. Frankly, I didn’t think I would have to push at all. My eyes flick back to Leo. “You’re not allowed to answer a question with another question, Leo,” I finally say, trying to sound steady.
His blush deepens, pink flooding his freckled cheeks. “This is your practice room,” he mutters. “And that’s your Alpha.”
And that’s where the problem lies. Fucking Alphas. “Yes, my parents spend lots of money but no, that’s not my Alpha. He just thinks he is.” I twist my hands together, nerves buzzing under my skin. Leo’s face scrunches up as he glances at the side door as well before focusing on me again.
“If he’s not your Alpha, why did you let him do that? It didn’t seem like you enjoyed that kiss.”
My laugh slips out, an unbidden sound that I rarely make. Leo’s more than right. I fucking hated it. The urge to tell Leo everything is on the tip of my tongue. With Benjamin, it’s suffocating, like I have to obey. But with Leo, it’s different. Iwantto. I want to submit, to make him happy, to see those eyes light up.
