“The ones of you and him.” Zan shrugged, leaning against the building. “That was scandalous, you fucking the Total Sounds manager. I forwarded a few things to their corporate office some time ago. What kind of deals did he offer you? Or were you exchanging fluids and inventory goods at the same time?”
The pictures Eric had mentioned. The ones that had gotten Eric into trouble with his boss. Zan was the reason why Eric had been fired.
Olivier stared, his heart sinking. “That was you?”
“Of course it was me.” Zan ran thick fingers through his greasy hair, pushing himself off the wall. “That fucker had the nerve to hit me.” Zan rubbed his nose. “Healed right, at least.”
His nose had healed crooked, and he was missing a tooth. But the rest of him was brawny, taller and heavier than Olivier. Zan stalked forward, towering over Olivier like an ogre.
Ollie couldn’t run. Not fast enough, not without risking a fall. He wrapped a protective arm around his abdomen, backing away.
It was Zan’s fault. Zan got Eric fired. But if Eric never came to help Olivier at Pigeon’s... Zan wouldn’t have known about Eric.
It was my fault Eric lost his job.
Zan grabbed a fistful of Olivier’s hair, yanking him forward.
His scalp burning, Olivier shoved at him. “Don’t you have another omega?”
“A few. None quite as responsive as you.” Zan smirked, hauling Ollie closer. “They aren’t as much fun to play with.”
Then he lowered his lips to Ollie’s, and Ollie’s skin crawled.
He heaved himself out of Zan’s grasp, his stomach turning. The shop was too far away. Ollie couldn’t get there without Zan catching up. What if he yelled?
“No?” Zan chuckled. “Where’s the alpha you’re saving yourself for? Or is he only showing up for sloppy seconds?”
Olivier shuddered with revulsion. “Get away from me,” he breathed, his heart smashing against his ribs. “You can’t touch me here.”
“Oh? Then where can I touch you?”
Before Ollie could run, Zan grabbed his arm, twisting Ollie around to face the wall. Then he shoved Ollie against the brick.
Ollie barely had time to throw his hands out, taking the impact to keep his belly safe. Pain jolted up his palms.
“He should’ve known better,” Zan drawled, sweeping his heavy hand down Olivier’s back. “You’re business rivals. But maybe he just liked the control over you. All he had to do was pull some ads, and your shop would’ve gone belly-up. Of course you fell for it.”
Olivier edged away from him. That wasn’t true... Or was it? Eric did have the upper hand with Total Sounds. He could’ve sunken Olivier’s Strings at any time. Hell, he was the one who had brought Total Sounds to Meadowfall.
“You don’t know him,” Olivier said quietly.
Zan raised his eyebrows. “So you knew he was going to leave you. Did he give you this mark?”
He touched the bonding scar on Olivier’s neck, his fingers a vile pressure. Then Zan brushed his thumb over it, almost like a lover’s caress, and Ollie’s stomach turned. Had Ollie known that Eric would leave? Maybe.
But deep down, Ollie had hoped that Eric would stay. Eric just didn’t love him enough to.
Zan tapped on Olivier’s belly. “Ever thought about selling this one? I can fetch you a good price. But I want a fifty-percent cut.”
Olivier inched away, a bitter taste on his tongue. Unlike Eric’s touch, Zan’s finger felt like slime on his body. “Never.”
Zan’s eyebrows crawled up. Olivier held the wall for support, taking a slow step backward, then another. But Zan followed him down the building.
I need to get away. Need to run.
But what was the point, when Eric wouldn’t be waiting? Olivier wasn’t a good person. He’d lied to Eric. He’d said shit about Eric’s mom and his late wife, and Olivier deserved to be beaten up for that.
Maybe only then would he be worthy of Eric again.
His heart fluttered with hope. If he could be worthy of Eric, for once... Ollie had never looked forward to a beating so much in his life.
He stopped trying to run. Wrapped his arms across his belly, his pulse thundering in his ears.
“Oh?” Zan grinned, cupping Ollie’s cheek with a clammy hand. “What’s this? Decided to give yourself to me?”
“No,” Olivier said. “I’m not sleeping with you. But if you want revenge for the time Eric beat you up, you can take it out on me.”
His voice trembled. Zan’s eyes gleamed with malice.
“Ah,” Zan said. Then he grabbed Olivier’s hair and yanked him forward, and pain burst across his face.
It hurt more than he remembered. Zan hit him again and again. Ollie jerked away, his face throbbing, his body screaming at him to flee.
He’d spent so long trying to get away from Zan’s claws. And now Zan was back. Ollie remembered the pain and the screaming, the days of endlessly wondering why he’d done this to himself.
There were times when Olivier had cried, and Zan had smiled at him and said, Good boy. And his face had blurred into Wendy’s. Gods knew Wendy had said those exact same words, with that same cruel smile.
If I hurt, will Eric forgive me for everything?
Zan shoved him up against the wall, wrapping his cruel hand around Ollie’s throat. “Love it when you choke,” Zan murmured. “You make the most fantastic sounds.”
He squeezed painfully around Olivier’s neck. Ollie couldn’t breathe; his lungs burned.
Maybe he wouldn’t survive this. Maybe he wouldn’t get to see Eric again.
Maybe Eric would take one look at Olivier all beaten up, and he’d decide to search elsewhere for an omega.
Ollie’s face stung, his throat hurt, and in that moment, when Zan stared down with his crooked teeth, all Ollie wanted was to be held by Eric again.
Just once more, just so he could feel Eric’s arms around him.
Just once, so he could remember what Eric’s love felt like.
It didn’t matter what Ollie was or wasn’t, so long as he could have his alpha back again.
Except Eric wasn’t here.
Hot tears rolled down his face; he struggled weakly, his heart shredded
