Page 11 of Give Me You
Akira laughs, the sound low and rough with sleep. He stalks forward, closing the distance between us with slow, deliberate steps. "Cancel it."
The command in his voice makes something in my chest tighten. I'm about to argue, to insist that I'm fine and I need to go, but Akira cuts me off before I can get the words out. His expression turns more serious, the amusement fading.
"I might be a lot of things, but I'm not throwing you out on your ass this early in the morning," he says.
My mouth opens again, but he continues before I can speak. "I get that you're your own man, and I respect that. I get that none of what happened tonight means anything." His eyes lock on mine. "I also know that if you stumble back into your apartment at this hour, there are going to be a lot of fucking questions and your brother is going to be doing everything in his power to frame a certain narrative."
He's right, and I hate that he is. If I show up at the club right now, at two in the morning, looking like this, smelling like this, Zaden will have a field day. He'll twist it into something it's not, use it as ammunition against me with the investors. They already think I'm irresponsible for being pregnant without an Alpha. Showing up disheveled and reeking of sex will only confirm their worst assumptions.
I sigh, my shoulders sagging with defeat. "I can't stay here."
Akira laughs again, but there's no mockery in it this time. He shakes his head, running a hand through his messy hair. "Well,you can't go out looking like that. I'll set you up in the guest bedroom if that makes you feel better, and then one of us will drive you back over toAurum Pulsein the morning." Before I can argue, he holds up a hand. "Don't argue with me, Emilio. I'm really fucking pissed off right now because what I sell isn't supposed to be used like that." His jaw tightens, anger flashing in his eyes. "I saw the fear in your eyes, okay? Fucked me up a little. Now, get your sexy ass in that bedroom and we'll figure out a game plan tomorrow."
The genuine anger in his voice surprises me. He's not just annoyed or inconvenienced. He's actually pissed that someone used his product to drug me. There's something almost protective in the way he's looking at me, and it makes my chest feel tight. I'm not used to people caring about what happens to me. Most people just see me as the Omega running the club, the one who's supposed to have it all figured out.
I nod slowly, not trusting my voice. Akira gestures down the hallway as I walk to the bedroom beside Liam's. When I open the door, I see it's already set up with fresh sheets pulled back invitingly and a glass of water on the nightstand. The room is simple but comfortable, with soft gray walls and blackout curtains. Someone took the time to prepare this for me.
"I figured you'd try to dash," Akira says from behind me, his voice closer than I expected.
I turn to look at him, a frown spreading across my lips as a question bubbles up before I can stop it. "Why does it fucking matter to you? And if you say some bullshit about me being pregnant or an Omega, I'm going to kick you in the fucking balls."
Akira laughs, the sound genuinely amused this time. His lips curve into a smirk, and he shakes his head. "That'll only make my current predicament worse." He waves at his crotch, and before I can stop myself, I drop my gaze. The Alpha is hard, hiscock creating an obscene tent in his sweatpants. The outline is clear, thick and demanding, my breath catching in my throat at the sudden need to help him with his currentpredicament.
Heat floods through me, my body responding despite my exhaustion. I meet his eyes and step back, knowing I shouldn't complete what I'm thinking right now. This is a bad idea. A terrible idea. I should just go to bed and then leave in the morning since the Alpha won't let me leave right now. That's the smart thing to do. The responsible thing.
But something about the lingering taste on my tongue from Akira begs for more. The memory of his hands on me, the way he looked at me during the heat spike, the way he commanded the situation without being cruel about it. It's all too fresh. Too tempting. My body is still humming with the aftereffects of being knotted, and part of me wants to chase that feeling again.
"Goodnight," I manage to say, but I stutter over the words. My voice betrays me, coming out breathy and uncertain instead of confident.
Akira tilts his head, his pupils dilating, his expression turning almost predatory. "If you need something, Emilio, you need to tell me what it is. I'm not my brother."
My face flames red, heat crawling up my neck and spreading across my cheeks. The implication in his words is clear, especially as his scent thickens in the air between us. "Liam makes me ask too," I mumble, wondering why I told Akira that. "I don't need anything, though. Goodnight, Akira. Thank you for the room. I'll cancel the taxi."
The lie tastes bitter on my tongue. I do need something. I need to stop thinking about the way Akira's hands felt on my skin, the way his voice sounded when he was talking me through the spike. I need to stop wanting things I shouldn't want from people I can't trust with anything more than my body.
Akira steps up to me, closing the distance in two strides. His hand comes up to my cheek, his thumb dragging across my skin. Then he presses his thumb against my lips, and I part them without thinking. It's instinct, pure and simple, my body responding to the Alpha's touch before my brain can catch up.
His taste explodes on my tongue, my lids falling closed as I suck on his thumb before I can stop myself. A desperate whine escapes me, the sound snapping me back to reality. Horror floods through me as I step back and put distance between us.
"What are you doing?" I ask, my voice wobbling as I fist my hands at my sides. I'm not sure if it's from fear or arousal or some combination of both.
Akira's expression is dark, his eyes locked on mine with an intensity that makes it hard to breathe. "I figured out what my brother sees. And since none of this shit means anything, I thought I might take care of the problem I'm having."
I shudder, my body responding to the promise in his words. This is exactly the kind of thing I should be running from. But instead, I find myself rooted to the spot, unable to move. "Right," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "This is just sex."
"And then in the morning, we go our separate ways," Akira agrees. "You'll see us tomorrow evening like normal and we don't have to talk about it."
No strings attached. No expectations beyond tonight. It's exactly what I need, what I've always needed. But the mention of Liam makes me hesitate. "But Liam…"
Akira's lips curve into a slight smirk, amusement flickering in his eyes. "We're all adults here, Emilio, and you two aren't dating. But you're welcome to ask him. I'm sure he'd love to join."
The image of both of them, together, focused on me, it's overwhelming. My breathing quickens as my eyes dart toward Liam's bedroom. Part of me wants to knock, to wake him up andsee if he'd actually be okay with this. But another part of me is too scared of what his answer might be.
I look back at Akira, studying his face. There's no judgment there, no pressure. If I say no, if I walk into that guest bedroom and close the door, I know he'll let me. That knowledge makes it easier to nod slowly, my decision made.
I never get fucked the way I want on a regular basis. Too many people talk. Too many people have expectations or try to use it against me later. They want something from me, whether it's access to the club or bragging rights or a way to control me. But Akira and Liam have never been like that. They've always been straightforward, honest about what they want. And if Akira is offering without any of the consequences, without any strings attached, I'll take it.
Akira
