“David, has Merchant handed in his evaluations yet?”
He hadn’t thought to ask Merchant that morning if the evaluations were done, and now he wished he had.
Merchant, aside from being a friend of sorts, was a team leader in the mercenary division of Tank Security. One of his unofficial responsibilities was to evaluate the guys they poached from the military. He had a knack for figuring out which soldiers were suitable for the more ethically dubious jobs Tank Security took on, and for weeding out guys with too much moral fiber.
Peter had no use for alphas that couldn’t get their hands a little dirty.
“Not yet, Mr. Tank. Do you want me to call him and ask for them?”
“No. Did you book a table for my two o’clock?”
“Yes, sir. You’re at the Gracia, with a private table.”
Peter felt foolish for asking. Of course David had booked the table. The young beta was good at his job, and he probably didn’t appreciate Peter second-guessing him.
Not that Peter particularly cared what he thought.
Pulling up the file on the client he was meeting with, Peter read over the notes the head of his IT division, Dawn, had compiled for him. Dawn was a serious woman and younger than any of the team leaders in the mercenary arm of Peter’s company, but she was the best hire Peter had ever made. She’d single-handedly enabled his move into IT security, and if things continued as they had for the past two years, her division would soon be more profitable than all his mercenary operations put together.
Which was why Peter was now working in the office full time rather than heading up a team of mercenary contractors of his own. He might enjoy mercenary work, but he enjoyed making money more. If the money was in cyber security, that’s where he’d focus his efforts—no matter how boring it was.
Dawn’s notes were concise and easily understood; laying out the reasons Novotech should hire Tank Security to secure their systems. The most compelling argument? How easily she had breached their security and stolen about a billion dollars’ worth of pharmaceutical research.
Peter snorted. Dawn was ballsy, he had to give her that.
Looking at his watch, Peter decided he might as well head out.
“Should I call down for your car, Mr. Tank?” David asked as he walked past his desk. Peter nodded, heading toward the elevator.He hit the button to go down, and as he waited for the elevator to reach his floor he buttoned up his coat and slipped on his gloves.
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Peter stepped inside and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
It was always a little jarring to see himself dressed up in a suit. He filled out the tailored pants and jacket beautifully, his muscular body displayed just right, but there was something a little too civilized about it for Peter’s taste.
But this was the role he had chosen to play—a boardroom alpha—and Peter would be damned if he wasn’t the most sharply dressed and intimidating specimen in the room. Allowing himself a tiny smirk, Peter adjusted his tie and brushed an imaginary piece of lint off his shoulder.
The Novotech rep wouldn’t know what hit him.
***
Peter made it to the restaurant well before two. He followed the hostess to his seat and ordered a vodka on the rocks. About fifteen minutes later the Novotech rep showed up.
Stefan Stewart. Peter knew that he was a rising star with Novotech, and more dominant than most corporate alphas. Normally Peter would have been offended by the fact that he wasn’t speaking to the CEO, but from what he knew of Novotech’s executive team, Stewart was the best they had.
Peter watched the young alpha walk toward his table. His stride was determined and angry, his back ramrod straight. Peter hoped he wasn’t about to be challenged. He downed the rest of his drink and let his instincts rise to the surface.
Any alpha that saw him now would know exactly what Peter was and what he was capable of.
Peter could win a fight with Stefan Stewart without even breaking a sweat, but tearing apart the company’s most promising young executive wasn’t likely to win him any favor with their CEO or board.
When Stewart caught sight of Peter, he slowed his angry walk and Peter could see him expend effort to calm down. Looking sharp in a perfectly tailored suit and sporting a five hundred dollar haircut, he looked like any other yuppie alpha working his way up the corporate chain.
Peter wondered if maybe once business was wrapped up Stewart might be persuaded to take a detour to the bathroom for a quick turn on his knees. There was nothing Peter liked better than getting another alpha’s mouth on his cock.
Stewart reached the table and Peter rose from his chair.
“Mr. Stewart, thank you for meeting with me.” Peter shook Stefan’s hand, shooting him a grin that he knew made him look wolfish. He squeezed down just hard enough to establish his dominance.
Stefan winced slightly, but he otherwise maintained impressive control. He must have some experience working with alphas more dominant than himself, and Peter couldn’t help but wonder how he’d handle being fucked and knotted.
