Illicit (The Wrong Alpha 3)

“If sex felt bad, people wouldn’t have it,” Anthony said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“I’m not talking about sex.”

Anthony’s arm tightened around him. “I know,” he said, his tone a little strange.

Silence fell, thick with all the unsaid words, things they didn’t talk about. There was no point in talking about those things and ruining the moment.

Sighing, Liam squirmed even closer to Anthony, nuzzling into his armpit. Even the faint scent of Anthony’s fresh sweat was appealing to him, somehow. He breathed in deeply.

“Are you sniffing my armpit?” Anthony said.

Liam blushed, shooting him a look from under his eyelashes. “It smells good,” he said defensively when he saw that Anthony was smiling.

Chuckling, Anthony pulled him up and kissed him softly. “I’m not judging, kitten,” he murmured, rubbing their noses together. “You smell so good to me, too.” He smiled crookedly. “That’s what has gotten us into this mess, isn’t it?”

This mess.

Liam swallowed the sudden tightness in his throat.

As a rule, they didn’t talk about what they had been doing—about how wrong it was. They both knew it was wrong, and they did it anyway; there was no use stating the obvious.

Yet somehow, hearing Anthony acknowledge what a mess their relationship was hurt. It was illogical, but it hurt all the same.

“I guess,” Liam said with a faint smile, hoping it wasn’t obvious how upset he was.

But of course Anthony noticed. He always did. His blue eyes seemed to see through him, read him like an open book. Although Liam didn’t like feeling transparent, perversely he kind of loved it too, loved how attuned to him Anthony was. Most people didn’t notice anything, buying his smiles and nonchalant act. Not this man. He seemed to see all of his insecurities, all the ugly, conflicting emotions that lay behind the bland smiles.

“It is a mess,” Anthony said, his expression grim but his eyes unbearably soft as he gazed at Liam. He took Liam’s hand and kissed his fingertips, one by one. “I know I should stay away from you—I have no right, not when I’m—” He grimaced. “I don’t even know if I can offer you anything. This is irresponsible as fuck.”

Liam frowned, a little confused by his words. He didn’t expect Anthony to offer him anything—they both knew it wasn’t possible. They could never be anything, not in the eyes of society. If people found out about this unnatural attraction between them, they’d be ostracized; their entire family would be.

Do you care? whispered a voice at the back of his mind, a voice that had been becoming increasingly loud lately.

But before Liam could ask what he meant by that, Anthony pressed his lips against his, effectively killing his train of thought.

Liam moaned, parting his lips eagerly. Fuck, he could never get enough of this man.

“You’re so sweet I could eat you,” Anthony whispered hoarsely, their breaths mixing. “Baby.”

And then he was kissing him deeply, and there were no more thoughts.

Only this man.

***

Of course, with the way they were carrying on, they were bound to get caught, sooner or later.

But their luck ran out in the worst way possible.

Jules was the one to come across them again—but this time they weren’t just kissing.

Liam was bent over Anthony’s desk, with Anthony taking him from behind. Liam was facing the door, so he could clearly see Jules’s wide-eyed face. Liam cried out, half in horror, half in pleasure, as Anthony’s cock hit something in him just so.

Jules slammed the door shut, but even the horror and mortification of being caught didn’t lessen Liam’s need. He couldn’t stop himself from pushing back on Anthony’s cock, couldn’t stop craving his knot.

When he finally got it, thick and perfect and stretching him to the limit, Liam groaned in relief, grabbing Anthony’s hand and intertwining their fingers.

It felt so good. So perfect.

How could something so wrong feel so good, so right?

***

Jules was furious. “How could you? You lied to my face!”

Liam swallowed, his stomach churning with guilt and shame.

What could he say in his defense, really? His actions were indefensible. Sickening.

“I didn’t lie,” he whispered, looking at his pale hands. “It’s just stronger than me.”

Jules scoffed.

“I’m serious,” Liam said quietly, without looking up. “I know it’s wrong, but sometimes I feel like—like I can’t function without him. His eyes, his scent, his hands on me—it’s—I need him. I can’t give it up. He’s all I want, Jules. Fuck, it terrifies me how little I care about the wrongness of it when he’s close.” His eyes were burning. “He feels like mine. I know he isn’t, but he feels like mine.”

There was a long, stunned silence.

“I’m going to talk to him,” Jules finally said.

He left the room before Liam could stop him.

Chapter 14

Jules had never been shy about speaking his mind.

But he’d never expected that he’d have to confront his eldest brother—his family alpha—about something like this.