Julian stood in the private training room of the syndicate’s downtown compound, waiting.
The door opened and Nikolai walked in alone.
Tall.
Broad.
Alpha.
The kind of presence that filled the space before he even spoke.
Nikolai looked him over once, slow.
“You’re the new one.
Julian.” “Yes.” “They told me you’re the best they could find on short notice.
I don’t trust short notice.” Nikolai stepped closer.
“Take off the jacket.” Julian did.
He wore a black fitted shirt underneath.
Nikolai circled him.
“Arms up.” Julian raised them.
Nikolai’s hands ran down his sides, checking for weapons, then lower, over his hips, the outside of his thighs.
The touch stayed clinical at first.
Then it lingered.
“You’re tense,” Nikolai said.
“Omegas usually are around me.
Even the ones on blockers.” Julian kept his voice even.
“I’m not here to scent.
I’m here to keep you alive.” Nikolai’s mouth curved.
“Prove it.” He moved without warning.
A sharp strike toward Julian’s ribs.
Julian blocked, stepped in, and the sparring started hard and fast.
Fists, elbows, knees.
Nikolai pressed him, testing reach and reaction time.
Julian matched him, redirecting force, staying close enough to control the distance.
They ended up locked, chests pressed together, breathing hard.
Nikolai’s hand slid up the back of Julian’s neck and gripped hard.
“Good reaction,” Nikolai said against his ear.
“But you’re holding back.” “I’m not here to hurt you.” “You’re here to protect me.
That means you need to be able to put me down if someone else is trying to.
So stop being careful.” Nikolai shoved him back and came again.
This time the contact turned heavier.
Bodies collided.
Nikolai pinned Julian against the wall, forearm across his throat, knee driving between his thighs.
“There it is,” Nikolai murmured.
“Your pulse just jumped.
And something else.” Julian’s scent blockers were holding, but the pressure of an Alpha this close, this dominant, was already working under them.
Heat licked low in his gut.
His cock started to thicken against Nikolai’s thigh.
Nikolai noticed.
He pressed harder with his knee, grinding once, deliberate.
“Interesting.
The professional bodyguard gets hard when I pin him.” “It’s adrenaline.” “Bullshit.” Nikolai’s free hand dropped between them and cupped Julian through his pants.
Firm.
Possessive.
“You’re already leaking a little.
I can feel it.” Julian’s breath caught.
“This isn’t part of the job.” “Everything is part of the job if I say it is.
I need to know what happens when someone gets past your guard.
I need to know if you’ll freeze or fight when an Alpha puts hands on you.” Nikolai squeezed.
Julian’s hips jerked forward before he could stop them.
“See?
Your body already decided.” Nikolai’s voice dropped lower.
“On your knees.” Julian’s jaw tightened.
“No.” Nikolai’s grip on his throat shifted to the back of his neck again, forcing him down.
Julian hit the mat on his knees, eyes level with Nikolai’s crotch.
Nikolai unzipped with one hand and pulled his cock out.
Thick, already half-hard, the head flushed.
“Open.” Julian looked up.
“This is how you test every new guard?” “Only the ones who get hard when I pin them.
Open your mouth.” Julian did.
Nikolai pushed in, slow at first, then deeper, until the head hit the back of Julian’s throat.
Julian’s eyes watered.
He took it.
Nikolai held him there, hips rolling in short, controlled thrusts.
“Good.
Throat works.
Gag reflex is manageable.” Nikolai’s fingers tightened in his hair.
“You’re going to take all of it.
And you’re going to stay hard while you do it.
I want to see how well you function when your body is already trying to submit.” Julian’s cock throbbed inside his pants.
He reached down to adjust himself and Nikolai caught his wrist.
“No.
Hands behind your back.
You don’t touch yourself until I say.” Julian locked his hands behind him.
Nikolai fucked his mouth in steady strokes, using him, watching every reaction.
Saliva ran down Julian’s chin.
His own scent started to bleed through the blockers in thin, sweet traces.
Nikolai inhaled and smiled.
“There you are.
Underneath all that control.
Omega.” He pulled out, cock shiny and fully hard now.
“Stand up.
Pants off.” Julian stood, wiped his mouth, and shoved his pants and underwear down.
His cock sprang free, already wet at the tip.
Nikolai looked at it and hummed.
“Nice.
Turn around.
Hands on the wall.” Julian turned.
Nikolai stepped in close behind him, one hand spreading him open, the other pressing two fingers against his entrance.
He was already slick.
The stress and the Alpha’s proximity had done that much.
“Fuck,” Nikolai said quietly.
“You’re soaked and we barely started.” He pushed both fingers in without warning.
Julian’s back arched.
“Tight.
Responsive.
You clench every time I move.” Nikolai worked him open with slow, deep strokes, curling his fingers until Julian’s thighs started to shake.
Then he pulled them out, lined up, and shoved his cock in to the hilt in one hard thrust.
Julian’s forehead dropped against the wall.
A broken sound left his throat.
Nikolai didn’t give him time to adjust.
He fucked him hard and deep, one hand locked around Julian’s hip, the other reaching around to stroke his cock in the same rhythm.
“You take it like you were made for this,” Nikolai growled against his neck.
“Every time I bottom out you get wetter.
Listen to that sound.
That’s you.
Opening for me.” Julian’s voice came out rough.
“This is still a test?” “This is me deciding whether you’re worth keeping close twenty-four seven.
Whether I can trust you not to break the first time someone puts a hand on you.
Or a cock.” Nikolai thrust harder.
“You’re not breaking.
You’re dripping down my balls.
You’re going to come on my cock while I’m still testing you, and then you’re going to thank me for the opportunity.” Julian’s orgasm hit him hard.
He came with a choked cry, spilling over Nikolai’s fist and onto the wall.
Nikolai kept fucking him through it, relentless, until Julian was shaking and oversensitive.
Then Nikolai buried himself deep and came with a low, satisfied sound, flooding him.
They stayed locked together for a long moment.
Nikolai’s mouth brushed the side of Julian’s neck, right over the scent gland, but he didn’t bite.
“You’re hired,” Nikolai said.
“Effective immediately.
You stay at my side.
You sleep where I sleep.
You don’t leave the room without telling me.
And if those blockers start failing again, you tell me before anyone else smells it.” Julian’s voice was hoarse.
“Understood.” Nikolai pulled out slowly, watching his own come slip down the inside of Julian’s thigh.
He slapped Julian’s ass once, hard enough to sting.
“Get cleaned up.
We leave for the evening briefing in twenty minutes.
And Julian?” “Yes.” “Next time you get hard from me touching you, don’t pretend it’s just adrenaline.
I already know what you smell like when you want it.
Now I know what you feel like when you take it.” Nikolai zipped up and walked out, leaving Julian braced against the wall, still dripping, pulse racing, and already wondering how the hell he was going to survive the next twenty-four hours without his cover blowing wide open.