Sweet Nothings (East Coast Sugar Daddies Book 5) Read online

  Still, days after that Christmas party, I tirelessly searched for some sort of company that would compare to what I’d had that night. Omegas were a dime a dozen, and that little trollop in the closet wasn’t any different. The fact that he hadn’t been impressed upon the revelation of my identity still stung. It was as if he was repulsed or… horrified. I knew my reputation could precede me in some cases, but it still didn’t explain his reaction. I shouldn’t have allowed myself to be haunted by the memory. I should have banished it and any further thoughts of that party for the rest of my life. Except it wasn’t as simple as that. My heart ached whenever I thought of that fateful moment in the closet, where I’d had not only the best sex of my life but felt as if I made a real connection. The omega’s scent had been sweeter than most, his cries were music to my ears.

  In my line of business, one doesn’t stay in one place for terribly long. That is to say, I spent a majority of my time traveling and discussing investment opportunities with companies across the globe, but from Italy to India, Australia to the Americas, no one filled the void. It made me want to scream. It took up so much of my time that I began to lose track of what was important: my cash flow. Though it hurt, I moved on with my life. There was work to be done, companies to back, and… omegas would come and go. The only thing that remained permanent was my empire.

  I’d already exhausted my patience dealing with potential investors in Europe, so I didn’t want any complaints as I arranged for Aaron to meet up to discuss the East Coast Sugar Daddies earnings, which had become something of a pet project of mine. It was an appealing concept as a whole: being matched with the omega of my dreams. Except there was no dream omega for me, none that I would readily acknowledge anyway. I could still respect that it had worked wonders for some of our clients, that some of the old fools had even shacked up with their dates and popped out some pups. I couldn’t imagine giving up my life for something as ridiculous as a family, but family had never been a particularly crucial part of my life. I was a self-made alpha, and that was a fact I took great pride in.

  When my plane landed, I double checked to make sure Aaron would be available for our meeting. It wasn’t necessary, really. Where else could the omega go? He knew his place, at least, he should have by that point. When I said jump, his only question should have been ‘how high?’ Frustratingly enough, he seemed unaffected by my celebrity status, but it was easily explained. His father was my best friend, after all. I’d watched the young man grow into a handsome omega who could have stopped lesser men’s hearts-- not that he had such an effect on me. I could appreciate Aaron as a good worker, hell, I could appreciate him as an impossibly attractive omega. But there were lines that even I wouldn’t cross, and sex with my friend’s son seemed to be one of those lines. It didn’t mean I wouldn’t fluster and frustrate the young man. That was part of the reason I enjoyed working above him so much. It was so easy to set him off, even when he seemed to be easygoing with all of the other people in his life. It was like he had some specific issue with me, though I couldn’t place exactly what I could have done to upset him. It wasn’t something worth overthinking, in any case.

  My driver pulled into the parking lot of Almega’s New York branch, an office building that was impossibly tall compared to the surrounding buildings in the city. That was where the East Coast Sugar Daddies app had been conceived, and it was where most of the work running and maintaining the app took place. It was still on a relatively small scale for the time being, at least, as small as one of Almega’s offshoots could be. To ensure our customers had the ideal experience, we went through a process of individually interviewing our alpha customers, and handpicking their closest match. Aaron was in the process of automating the system, which was when things could really blossom. The mere thought of the income we’d be bringing in was enough to bring a tear to my eye.

  I waved off my driver after telling him what time to come back. It felt nice to be home… at least, the closest thing I could call to home. I didn’t find comfort in down pillows and silken sheets, instead rejoicing in the process of increasing earning potential. They, whoever they are, claim that money can’t buy happiness. I was the living and breathing counterpoint to that argument. Nothing made me quite as happy as watching my investments pay off-- corporations that I’d put so much into becoming part of something bigger and better. None could top Almega, of course, but my smaller projects had their draws as well. I reasoned that I was far too busy for a family, and it seemed more practical than revealing my true thoughts about settling down: it was the worst choice an alpha could make. Everything one had worked for essentially went down the drain as you were forced to sacrifice everything for some smaller version of yourself? I couldn’t understand it.

  That didn’t mean my friends refrained from boasting about their little ones and their doting omegas. I wasn’t bitter or cruel enough to shut down their excitement, not entirely. I just had no issue steering conversations back to the subject at hand. Time was money, and I wasn’t going to waste an exorbitant amount of time talking about drooling infants. I wasn’t sure what had me in such a poor mood but everything felt too draining to deal with. Everyone else was an obstacle between me and my goal, which was the success of ECSD. I was alone in my singular goal-- everyone else allowed things to get too muddied up.

  “Hey, Logan,” Cieran piped up as I strode through the front office, but I paid him no mind as I hurried past. I had things to do and places to be. I heard him muttering obscenities under his breath, but I wasn’t in the business of patting people’s asses. I was an alpha, a dominator above all others. Being in charge was as natural as sleeping or breathing for me and slamming open the door to Aaron’s office was second nature, so I wouldn’t allow myself to be discouraged by the immediate glare he leveled in my direction. I smiled cockily, walking with a self-assured swagger that was only befitting of a man of my caliber. It was obvious that he had to forcibly school his expression into one of neutrality, not even offering the slightest grin.

  “Aaron, my favorite underling,” I said teasingly, taking the seat across from him and folding my arms atop the desk. It was a level of familiarity that I knew he would be uncomfortable with, as my closeness always seemed to set him on edge. Predictably, he drew away with his trusty stack of papers clutched in his hands.

  “Logan,” he said by way of greeting, though his voice was obviously strained. I wasn’t sure what I’d done to have my friend’s son in such bad spirits every time we spoke. He was a software programmer, as far as I was aware, simply because his father didn’t want him to be. Everything had been handed to the kid on a silver platter, and he’d not ever had to work a day in his life. Not real work, anyway. Apparently he had insisted upon working outside of his father’s company, so I could only guess ECSD was the next best thing. I’d be a little more annoyed by his lack of respect if he weren’t so damn cute. It was like he thought his surly little sneers were intimidating to me. Me, who had seen him in diapers.

  Perhaps that made my attraction to him a little strange, but that was many years ago. So sue me, I could appreciate a handsome omega when I saw one. Though he may have been off limits, it didn’t stop me from teasing the young man.

  “You know, you should show a little more respect to your elders. You’re lucky I’ve always liked you,” I teased, reaching out to touch his wrist. He tensed, holding his ground in spite of what I may have expected.

  “Yes, you’ve made your appreciation quite clear,” he said dully. “I was under the assumption you wanted to discuss numbers, Logan. I’ve prepared a spreadsheet.

  “Of course, all in due time. For the time being, I have another interest of sorts. You see, I’ve heard wonderful things about the matching process, and the alphas we’ve selected are always satisfied with our choices,” I said, already voicing my plan before the idea was fully formed.

  “Everyone involved is hand selected. Upon automation, things will be less polished, but I’m confident in the final product a
nd willing to answer any questions you may have,” he said as if we were having the most boring conversation of his lifetime.

  “Right, right. So This automation process is essentially the same thing, but streamlined. Upon completion, one would be automatically matched to their perfect omega in the database.” I paused, waiting for his nod of confirmation. “Great. For study purposes, I’d like to go through the profile making process, and I’d love for you to help me along. Do you think you could do that, Aaron?” I smiled, sensing his discomfort immediately. It was obvious he wanted to deny my request but, after all, I was the lead investor.

  “All right…”

  3

  Aaron

  I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me. I wasn’t sure exactly what he hoped to accomplish, but I knew that whatever it was, it would be to my detriment. I refused to meet his gaze, knowing his expression would not be one I was pleased with.

  “So, walk me through this, Aaron,” he said, his voice syrupy sweet. The most annoying thing was, perhaps, that he already knew this process. I knew he had gone through it a thousand times over in board meetings, before the app had even launched and in the conceptual stages, so I knew without a doubt that he was somehow stringing me along. Though I wasn’t sure what purpose it would serve, he was planning to humiliate me somehow. I was determined to see this little farce through until the end, regardless of what the cocky bastard could throw my way.

  “All right so we have some cursory questions, as I’m sure you’re aware.” I paused, looking at him with a deadpan expression. He seemed nonplussed, waiting patiently for me to continue. I brushed a hand through my hair to try and soothe myself, but it did very little to help. “All right. So we’ll go through these cursory questions and then we’ll dig a bit deeper. Most of our clients have some inner desire, a driving force that makes them seek love,” I said with no shortage of disdain. It was obvious he caught onto what I was hinting at, and his expression darkened briefly before he curled his lips in a smile.

  “That makes sense. But seeing as this is just a roleplaying scenario of sorts, we’ll forgo the need for me to have a soul,” he said, sounding all too pleased with himself. It was frustrating, but altogether unsurprising. Every interaction I had with Logan seemed to devolve into some sort of snide banter.

  “So. I’ll need your basic information. Height, body type, orientation, religious preferences--”

  “At any point will you need to know the size of my cock? It seems like a rather important tidbit and I’m happy to share,” he said, cutting me off. I fought the reflex to tell him I knew quite enough about his penis, thank you. Instead I settled for a sigh.

  “We can add that in your biography if it’s so important. Being that this is just a test, I fail to see the need,” I replied, keeping my tone as professional as possible. He chuckled, leaning back in his seat and resting his feet on my desk. My eyes widened at the sheer audacity of the man, but I should have been beyond surprising at that point. Whenever I thought I knew how to handle him, he somehow upped the ante. Ignoring how badly I wanted to shove him backwards, I adjusted my laptop to accommodate his intrusion in my personal space.

  “Don’t be dense, Aaron, size is everything. How do you think I’ve come so far in life?” He purred, crossing his arms behind his head.

  “Probably something to do with you being a soulless bastard,” I deadpanned, knowing he wouldn’t take me seriously. Even if he knew that I was being snide, he wouldn’t call me on it. It wasn’t befitting of a proper alpha to sink to the levels of silly omegas after all. “So, as to the actual questions. Height, body type--”

  “Tall, dark and handsome. Does that answer your question?” I wanted little more than to slap the smirk off his face but I only forced a small smile.

  “I’m guessing around five foot nine, then,” I said mockingly, tapping at my keyboard.

  “You wound me. I’m not a small man by any means.” He pouted. He actually had the nerve to pout at me.

  “True, I suppose it takes a large vessel to contain all of that ego,” I replied by way of brushing him off, entering some cursory information I had gleaned just from knowing him. It would make the process less agonizing if I expedited things, and I really wasn’t looking forward to the meeting dragging on much longer than it already had. “All right so, six foot, three inches. Muscular body type, nonsmoker, social drinker. Agnostic, and all zealots can be shown the door. Moving on.”

  “That all sounds so droll. Certainly there are more interesting facets to this questionnaire. Information you can’t just provide from casually knowing me your whole life. If I’m going to meet my mate with this app, I’d like to get down to the nitty gritty,” he said with a cheeky smile.

  “Of course. What are you seeking in an omega, physically?” I asked, not looking forward to the answer.

  “Slender, but muscular. A man who obviously takes care of himself but isn’t as broad as one might expect of an alpha. Strong enough to take a proper pounding, obviously.” He paused a moment, seeming to gauge my reaction. I kept my expression neutral, dutifully typing in the information he was supplying. “I like blonds. Long hair is always a plus, but a decidedly masculine face. A bit of facial hair, but not too much. Nothing over the top like a bushy beard, but a bit of stubble can be nice.” I glared with him with as much malice as I could muster, knowing he was just having a laugh at my expense.

  “Right. So all of that, and… personality quirks you’re drawn to?” I asked, purposely not taking the bait.

  “I like a man who isn’t afraid to get down and dirty. An omega who is willing to get in touch with his kinky side. Personally, I find vanilla sex to be very boring as a whole. I wouldn’t want some sentimental fool who wants to settle down and have a family. I’d want someone I could have fun with. Someone I could pin under the bleachers at a baseball game and have my way with. An omega who would relish the potential for being caught, bold yet obedient to my demands,” he ranted on, seeming to lose sight of the fact that this was being done for… study purposes, if he was to be believed.

  “So you want a fucktoy,” I said plainly, catching him off guard if only for a moment. His deep brown eyes widened a fraction of an inch, and I watched his demeanor stiffen while I could only smirk.

  “It’d be ridiculous to think I have time for anything else,” he said brusquely, pulling his feet off of my desk and sitting upright to scrutinize me. “There’s no such thing as happily ever after, Aaron. Not in the real world. Life is about power-- exchanges of power, gaining notoriety. There’s no place for love for a man who is serious about his work.” He looked strangely bitter, as if I had hit some kind of nerve. I didn’t want to think much of it, but I’d never seen Logan caught off guard by anything.

  “That seems like a bitter outlook, even for you,” I muttered, my fingers hesitating on my keyboard before I resumed typing.

  “This is a business for the big dogs,” he grumbled.

  “Then why is it that everyone else seems to have found someone who completes them? Even your superiors, dozens of couples we’ve set up through the preliminary run of East Coast Sugar Daddies. If there’s no room for love, where does that leave them? Are they foolish for caring about more than lining their pockets?” I asked the question somewhat coldly while I was putting the finishing touches on his profile. Most of the remainder was easily filled in-- I knew the alpha much more closely than I would like to. His gaze was narrowed upon me, watching my every move as if it would tell him something that he had yet to figure out. I didn’t like feeling like a puzzle trying to be solved, like I was some sort of riddle. There was no puzzle or riddle. I tended to wear my heart on my sleeve, and in spite of the tryst he did not realize we’d shared, I wasn’t making any huge efforts to hide my feelings. I felt true disdain for the alpha, a man who would brag about taking a young stranger’s virginity. Sure, I may have had no right to be upset. I did give myself to him willingly. I hadn’t been forced to stumble into that closet with him.<
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  To that day I wished I could go back in time and stop myself from making such a mistake. There was a part of me that constantly envisioned the well-sculpted physique hidden under his business suit. It was something I desperately wanted to forget, and those weren’t thoughts I wanted to have about my boss, let alone my father’s best friend. He’d even gone as far as bragging to my father about the act itself, though neither of the alphas knew the entire truth.

  “You seem rather caught up in this idea that I’m completely devoid of soul or emotion,” he said coolly, and the words may have sounded wounded if they’d come from anyone else. Logan Bryce was never so easily offended, especially by what we both knew to be the truth.

  “It’s not like you’ve ever done much to disprove the theory,” I said quietly, adding the finishing touches to his profile. For what the experiment was worth, ECSD’s primary investor was now listed in our expansive database. I was sure he’d find some way to make even that a bigger deal than it was.

  “No one has given me reason to try.” He paused as I turned the laptop to face him, considering the screen with a faint smile. “At least you chose a good picture of me. So if I were to press this key, I would be run through the algorithm and be paired up with my perfect omega?” he asked. I nodded wearily, ready for this painful experience to be over. The sooner he was satisfied with his little bout of fun, the sooner I could move on to more important things. Things along the lines of actually working on the infrastructure of the application. I wasn’t terribly surprised when I saw him click the search button, though I was damn sure going to hold it against him.