1
Cedric
“So, Mr. Langston…”Sterling didn’t glance at the papers in front of him, some of which Cedric knew were his resume and cover letter. “I’m not going to waste your time with questions meant to psychoanalyze you. What I want to know more than anything else is why, after five years away from The Shepherd, you’ve decided to come back to vie for a managerialposition?”
To sit across from Aurora’s one and only Sterling Holt, owner and manager of kink club The Shepherd, was an honor. Cedric smoothed his hands down his thighs, cognizant of his posture, and looked Sterling in the eye. He hadn’t come so far to waste this opportunity. If Sterling remembered him from his short-lived membership at The Shepherd, Cedric took it as a good sign. There was silent trust already established between them—a relationship that other candidates might not have, if only he could explain his way around his longabsence.
That wouldn’t be difficult. There was a reason why he hadn’t come back to the club, and if Sterling didn’t understand it, it washisloss.
“Vie isn’t the right word for it.” Cedric held himself with his back aligned but his shoulders loose. His posture conveyed confidence, but hinted at familiarity he hoped would help ingratiate himself with Sterling. Age didn’t mean anything—all that mattered was that he appeared to be in control when speaking with men in positions of power. And Cedric was in control. His genes had already taken care of half the work—now all he needed was to make sure he sold himself as the total package. “Vie would suggest that I’m on a level playing field with your other skilled candidates. The truth is, I’m not—I’m ahead of thecompetition.”
A playful glint sparked in Sterling’s eyes, accompanied by a charmed, upward curl of hislips. “Oh?”
“Not only was I a regular member of The Shepherd who maintained excellent standing for a year-long period, but since my departure, I’ve aligned my life in ways that have strengthened my appreciation of the community. As is listed on myresume,I—”
Sterling folded his arms on the desk and leaned forward an almost imperceptible amount. The light in his eyes changed from playful to paternal. Cedric wasn’t sure whether he should be humbled or humiliated. Sterling was almost twice his age, after all. A look like that could easily be patronizing. But Cedric’s gut told him that Sterling’s intentions were nothingbutpure.
“Forget about the resume, and forget about all the canned interview responses you’ve been practicing in front of the mirror in preparation for today. I want to hear about your life fromyou. Tell me about what you do, and tell me why you’re passionateaboutit.”
The request swelled like a balloon in Cedric’s chest, its presence not stemming from fear or anxiety, but from pride. Of all people, Sterling wanted to hear about what he’d done with his life. It was an interview, sure, but the kindness in Sterling’s words and the quiet domination he exuded resonated with Cedric. He fed off Sterling’s vibe and mirrored it. If Sterling wanted to be approached as an equal, then it was what Cedric would do. Age separated them, but there was no reason to disparage himself simply because his experiences were limited by time. Cedric had done a lot of growing in the last five years. It was time to show off who he’dbecome.
He would make Sterling understand histruth.
“I’m a professional Dom.” Cedric kept his posture straight but his shoulders relaxed. He met Sterling’s eyes when he spoke, staring down those pools of blue to make it clear that he wasn’t afraid. The prestige Sterling held over him would not divide them. Cedric was worthy. “Over the last four years, I’ve made a name for myself in the kink community as a professional, dependable, and courteous service provider. I deliver release from the pressure of modern life for men and women both, of any genetic variation, but I specialize in omegaservices.”
“Why omegas?” Sterling’s eyes showed mild interest sharpened by something Cedric couldn’t quite put his finger on. Engagement? Curiosity? Whatever it was, it left him feeling eager to continue to explainhimself.
The answer came easily. “Because omegas deserve release just as much as anyone else. The men and women who seek my services give their all in competitive fields, and strive to maintain positions of authority. Alphas and betas in high-pressure jobs have been the ones who traditionally seek submission, but there is a stigma around omegas seeking the same—as though if they go after what they really want, it makes them weak, or that giving in to the pleasures of submission is inextricably linked to their biological drive. In my opinion, the truth is far more nuancedthanthat.”
It was as if he’d flipped a switch in his head. The words he spoke were formal and structured, but they rolled from his tongue like he was chatting with an old friend. Sterling had invited him to open up, and so Cedric had—but that was no excuse to get sloppy. He was professional in what he did, and he was determined to show Sterlingasmuch.
Sterling’s interest didn’t lessen. “Explain.”
“Omegas are like anyone else.” Cedric spoke with conviction, and he spoke with truth. He’d stood by his ideals since his eyes had been opened at The Shepherd almost seven years ago, and he wasn’t about to back down from them now. “No matter what society or the media says, I fully support the Omega Rights Movement. These are intelligent, dependable, and hardworking men and women who deserve to be treated the same way anyone else is treated. They work the same high-pressure jobs, suffer from the same stresses, and work toward the same hopes and dreams that we do. So why not offer them the same kind of release?” Cedric searched Sterling’s face for signs that he wanted to interrupt, but he found none. With Sterling’s unspoken permission, he kept talking. “Professional Doms and Dominatrixes have offered private services for alphas looking for release from their stressful lives since forever, but who has stepped in to fill the need of omegas looking for the same relief? It’s not about genetics, and it’s not about a sense of natural superiority… what I do, I do because theydeserveit.”
“And how do you know that you’re not overstepping your boundaries?” Sterlingasked.
Cedric got the impression that this wasn’t part of the job interview anymore. The professional slant in Sterling’s voice, once so prominent,wasgone.
It didn’t matter. Cedric sat up a little straighter, made sure to meet Sterling’s eyes, and replied with sincerity. “I know because I’m not afraidtoask.”
The statement hung heavily between them, thickening the air as it set the tone for the rest of the interview. Cedric refused to look away from Sterling’s gaze. The interview made him nervous, but he wasn’t afraid. He would not compromise on his beliefs, even if it meant he had to pass up the job that would changehislife.
Even if it meant he had todishonorher.
Sterling arched a brow thoughtfully. “I’m curious astohow—”
The office door flew open. The doorknob struck the wall guard with a metallicchankthat made Cedric jump. His eyes had been trained on Sterling—he hadn’t been expecting theinterruption.
Sterling, however, looked unperturbed. When he spoke, he did so with affection laced with controlled exasperation. “Welcome home, Adrian. I wasn’t expecting you back so soon. I’m in the middle of aninterview.”
A young man stormed into the room, his dark gray suit and formal white shirt only made less casual by the infant he cradled against his chest. Done up in a pink onesie spotted with little yellow ducks, she curled her fingers around her father’s collar and tugged. Short, downy blond hair covered her head. But it wasn’t the sudden appearance of the man or the strange contrast of business-professional against paternal that widened Cedric’s eyes—it was his identity. “Adrian?”
None other than Adrian Lowe stopped in his tracks and diverted his attention from Sterling to Cedric. The hardened look on Adrian’s face softened with confusion. He squinted at Cedric, brows knit together, like he wasn’t sure that Cedricwasreal.
To be fair, Cedric wasn’t sure that what he was seeing was real, either. The last time he’d seen Adrian Lowe was right before they’d graduated high school. There’d been rumors in their group of friends about the tragedy the Lowe family had been through during the summer break between high school and college, but Cedric had never been involved enough in Adrian’s life to concern himself with the details. To see him now, a baby clutched to his chest, standing in Sterling’s private office above The Shepherd, was a shock Cedric hadn’t bracedhimselffor.
Adrian spent a long moment looking at Cedric, then flicked his gaze back to Sterling. He squared his shoulders. Irritation read clearly on his face, and Cedric couldn’t help but feel like it was meant to be directedathim.
