Ford
In the mood he was in, he wasn’t ready to go home alone.Unable to shake the need burning through his veins, Ford went to Barry’s bar and sulked in a booth by the back door.Grabbing his mobile, he pressed dial on a number he shouldn’t be calling.
After three rings a wary voice answered.“What’s wrong?”
Ford tapped out a cigarette, grateful he was allowed to smoke inside.“I need a drink, but I ain’t meant to drink alone.”
Chase heaved a harried sigh.“Where are you?”
He hung up and texted the address, hoping Chase would be smart enough to get a taxi.Ford would happily leave his car in the parking lot overnight and walk back in the morning, since he only lived two streets away, but this wasn’t a neighbourhood Chase should be caught in at night.
He was halfway through a pint of beer and a plate of chips when Chase walked through the front door.He looked delicious, like the Chauncey Walker from the society pages—swanky in a suit, the jacket draped over his arm, no tie and the top few shirt buttons undone.No one stopped themselves from looking as he clocked Ford in the dark corner.He walked with confidence, like the dive bar was his regular haunt, a slight swagger that made Ford curious.
He was fucking sexy tonight.
Chase laid the jacket on the back of a chair and sat across from Ford, raising an eyebrow at the beer on the table.“You started without me.”He flagged a passing waitress who was twice his age, but when Chase smiled, she melted like a fucking omega in heat.“Hi.Can I have three shots of whiskey, a large scotch and two beers?Whatever you have on tap.Thanks.”He ordered with a quiet confidence that the waitress responded to instinctively.
If Ford hadn’t been salivating over the suit, that show would have sealed the deal.“That’s a lotta drinking.”
Chase sank into his seat.“I was on my way to a political dinner for my father when you gave me an excuse to ditch.”
“Something to do with your folks?”
“Yup.”
Ford sat back and dared to risk a smack.He slid a socked foot over Chase’s ankle, earning an instant frown of confusion that faded when he planted his foot in Chase’s crotch.The angle was awkward and his knee was hitting the underneath of the table, but Chase raised an eyebrow and his knees dropped open.
“You said you weren’t supposed to drink alone.”
He scrunched his toes and Chase licked his lips.Ford stopped and leaned over the table, his feet bracketing the work boots he’d taken off half an hour ago.“That’s all I’ve had since dinner,” he explained, tipping his head to the half-drunk beer on the table.
Chase laid his forearms on the table.“Are you high?”
“Just horny.”
Chase swallowed, his eyes darted away, then returned with a steely determination.The waitress arrived with his tray of drinks and Chase instantly downed two of the shots.Gritting his teeth, he slid the scotch towards Ford and split the two beers.
“To not drinking alone,” Chase toasted, lifting the last shot.He waited for Ford to clink his scotch off the tiny shot glass, then downed the drink in one gulp.
* * * *
For the next hour, Chase barely broke eye contact as they talked about Lucky and his worries about his family.Ford discovered a lot about Chase in that hour.He didn’t shy away from asking questions, growing more open and confident with a few beers.He ranted at the injustice of Ford’s work mates fucking up his case and gushed adoringly over Lucky, barely beyond tipsy thanks to his Override.
All night, only one thought pushed beyond all the others.Chase had never been sexier.
When Chase called a taxi to get him home, Ford walked him outside and hissed at the sting of a chill wind.A stream of light fell on Chase from a street lamp like a golden halo, his shirt was barely ruffled, suit jacket slipped on to fight the cold, and Ford couldn’t resist.
Ford grabbed Chase by his suit jacket and kissed him.The reckless alpha melted into his arms, kissing back with a desperate need that matched whatever was burning through Ford’s veins.He pushed Chase against the wall to ground himself, and rolled his eyes when his hair was held in a tight, punishing grip.
Fuck, Chase could kiss.He licked decadently at the tongue invading his mouth and got a handful of Chase’s backside before headlights flashed in the street.He broke away just as Chase’s hand grazed his hard cock, trapped behind his jeans.
Chase made eye contact, his blue eyes scrunched with worry.“You’ve gotta stay with us, okay?We need you.”
Ford wasn’t sure what that meant, why he sounded scared, or why he was bringing that up now.“I’m fine.I’ve been cleared from therapy and I’m getting back into the case.I’ll get it resolved soon.”He could see Chase wasn’t convinced, but hewasfine.Ford kissed him and broke off with a breathy, “Fuck,” as the bond intensified.Every time the bond strengthened, it felt like relief, like he could finally breathe after an interminable time underwater.
Chase released a shaky breath and grasped his arm.“I’m scared,” he whispered into his throat, a brave admission for an alpha.“I’m scared every time Lucky’s on his own, even though Lincoln isn’t out there, wandering around.I’m scared of a lot of shit lately, so you have to be okay, because I can’t do this alone.I can’t be Lucky’s only alpha.I’m not strong enough.”
Stunned by the brutal honesty, Ford pulled Chase closer.He’d watched alphas suffer the same misconceptions, unable to express how they felt about their work with the ORT until a failed case or gentle omega cracked their protective barriers.
