But how? Olivier didn’t have an answer.
He looked at the floor, begrudging their stupid red carpet, their wide aisles, the fluorescent lamps shining down on the products.
“Bick, get over to the cashier stands,” someone rumbled in the next aisle over, in a voice that was so familiar it couldn’t be. “Julia, grab another box of 32-gig flash drives from the back. We’re clean out.”
Olivier kept his head down, his thoughts racing. It couldn’t be Eric. It just sounded like him. He’d step over to the next aisle and it’d be some sniveling alpha with scary eyes and a leering smile—
Someone crashed into him from the side. Olivier’s balance flew out the window; he wobbled, crying out. He was going to fall. He was going to hurt.
Just before he did, someone caught his arm, a warm, sturdy grip that hauled him back upright. There was a whiff of cedar, a solid chest, someone with a starched white shirt and a gleaming name tag.
“Sorry, that was my faul—” The man stopped talking.
Then there was silence, and Olivier looked up, his heart pounding.
A few inches away, Eric’s mouth fell open. “Ollie?”
8
Olivier
If briefs could drop on a whim, Olivier’s would have. Eric looked good. He’d gelled his blond hair into sleek spikes, he was clean-shaven, and there was a whiff of subtle cologne on him. And pinned on his broad chest, the silver name tag read Eric Lancaster, Regional Manager.
Those words burned into Olivier’s eyes.
It couldn’t be. He was seeing things. But Eric held a walkie-talkie in his hand, and it crackled.
“Eric?” someone said over the walkie-talkie, their voice tinny.
Eric held Olivier’s gaze. Then he lifted the walkie-talkie to his lips. “Here. What did you need, Alex?”
“I’m going on my fifteen-minute break,” Alex said.
“Noted,” Eric answered. Then he lowered the walkie-talkie, and Olivier still couldn’t believe what he’d seen.
Eric was a manager at Total Sounds. Not just any manager, but one in charge of multiple stores. This store. And probably the other one in Meadowfall, too.
“You—you didn’t tell me,” Olivier whispered, his thoughts whirling.
Eric knew Olivier had a music shop. Eric had stepped into that store, he’d fucked Olivier in the backroom. And this entire time... Eric had been the one to destroy Olivier’s business, hadn’t he?
His mouth bitter with betrayal, Olivier backed away from Eric.
“Ollie, listen—” Regret flashed through Eric’s eyes “—I didn’t know until last week.”
“You didn’t know?” Olivier shrugged out of Eric’s grip, his chest hurting. “You didn’t open these stores last week, okay? You knew even before you—even before you...”
You knew even before you slept with me.
How could Eric have done that? Without even apologizing?
Eric winced. “I’m sorry. Ollie—”
“Don’t call me that.” Olivier turned, struggling to breathe. I thought I could trust you. “You were just trying to screw me over.”
There were people looking now, some of whom were Olivier’s regulars. He couldn’t stay here, couldn’t make a fool of himself even though he wanted to lash out.
So he turned and strode to the exit, blinking hard. All he needed was to hold back his tears. He needed to keep himself together, and when he was alone, he could cry.
I thought I wouldn’t fuck up with Eric. But it’s just getting worse.
Olivier barreled out through the doors, his vision blurring. He swiped at his eyes and took a hard left. He wished he’d driven here. Then at least he could lock himself away in his car, and hide his face.
I trusted Eric.
He headed for the back of the store, stumbling, holding onto the wall so he didn’t fall flat on his face. The sounds of traffic faded the further he got.
When Olivier was far enough from the store entrance, he slowed down, his heart thudding miserably. He shouldn’t have gotten so excited about Eric. Shouldn’t have given himself to Eric last week.
Were you just using me?
Footsteps thumped behind him. They caught up, faster than Olivier could walk. Then strong arms wrapped around him, and Olivier knew who it was, even without smelling him.
“I’m sorry,” Eric murmured, pulling Olivier snug against his chest. “This wasn’t—I didn’t mean for you to find out like that.”
“You didn’t mean for me to find out at all,” Olivier blurted. His face crumpled then, and he hid it in the crook of his arm so Eric wouldn’t see how upset he was. “Just—Just leave me alone. I don’t need you.”
But Eric pulled him closer, sliding his hot palm up Olivier’s chest. “You need someone.”
Then Eric turned him around. Olivier looked down, trying to hide his face. Instead, Eric caught his chin, tipping his face up.
His red-brown eyes bore into Olivier, worried. Olivier cringed, looking away.
“I hurt you,” Eric said.
Olivier blew out a shuddering breath. He didn’t want to be vulnerable to Eric anymore. He couldn’t. Eric had betrayed him. “You didn’t.”
“I did. And I’m sorry, okay?” Eric leaned closer, so their faces were inches apart and his breath was hot on Olivier’s mouth. “But you can’t forget that you’ve hurt me too, Ollie. The day before I left. That night—”
“That night shouldn’t have happened,” Olivier said.
“I kissed you that night,” Eric growled, his eyes dark. “And I meant it when I kissed you. I still think about it.”
You do?
Olivier trembled, closing his eyes. He didn’t want to remember that night. Not when it had been his eighteenth birthday, and Eric had presented as an alpha that very same afternoon. Eric had asked to meet him on the fire escape at their old apartment. Then Eric had kissed him, touched him through his pants, and Olivier had come against him.
That night, Olivier had realized who he wanted his alpha to be. It was Eric.
It was still Eric now, and despite Eric being a manager of Total Sounds, despite him ruining Olivier’s business... Olivier didn’t hate his brother at all. He still loved Eric.
And he wanted to stay in Eric’s arms, except he knew he shouldn’t.
Olivier looked away. “Leave me alone.”
“No. I won’t.” Eric slid his fingers through Olivier’s hair, pulling him closer. Then he dragged
