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Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Delcy trembled against him as he deepened the caress, sweeping his tongue past her parted lips. He relished the taste of her, softer and sweeter than any coffee. As she tentatively responded, he felt a heady rush of satisfaction, pleased by her acquiescence.
When he finally broke the kiss, Delcy looked thoroughly dazed. She blinked up at him, lips pink and swollen from the force of his passion.
“I... I should go,” she stammered. With a hurried farewell, she turned and rushed from the office.
Jaxon let out an amused chuckle as he watched her hasty departure.
“You don't waste any time, brother.”
Colton simply smiled, the last vestiges of his earlier dark mood vanishing beneath the glow of triumph that suffused him. He took another sip of coffee, his thoughts lingering on the tempting taste of Delcy that still clung to his tongue.
Outside the office, he noticed his employees frozen in place, their attention rapt and eyes wide as they took in the intimate scene that had unfolded. More than one jaw had dropped open in shock at the sight of their usually stern boss smiling and kissing the omega barista.
Colton paid them no mind, secure in the knowledge that Delcy belonged to him and Jaxon alone. He turned and stepped back into his brother's office, anticipation already building for their next encounter.
* * *
In the sprawling expanse of Colton's penthouse, two brothers sat ensconced in leather armchairs that reflected their disparate personalities. Colton, with his aura of enigmatic darkness, settled into the chair like a king upon a throne, the weight of his presence commanding every inch of the room. The soft glow of city lights spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a subdued light that seemed to dance with the shadows around him.
Jaxon lounged across from him, all radiant energy and effortless charm. Where Colton's colors were midnight and storm clouds, Jaxon was sunshine and clear skies. He had an innate ability to brighten even the most austere environments with a grin that seemed to promise adventure and laughter.
Their differences had been the bedrock of their relationship since childhood—Colton, the brooding strategist who played chess with life's challenges, and Jaxon, the impulsive dreamer who saw life as a playground. Growing up in the lap of luxury had not dulled their competitive spirits. They had vied for everything from grades to sports accolades, each victory a notch on an invisible tally that only they kept score of.
Now, as adults at the helm of Sterling Enterprises, their competitive edge hadn't dulled. If anything, it had sharpened into something more potent, more driven. Yet despite their rivalry, there was an unspoken pact between them—a brotherly bond that nothing could sever.
And then came Delcy—quiet, resilient Delcy with her skittish demeanor and eyes that held galaxies of untold stories. She was an enigma wrapped in modesty, her allure not found in opulence but in her genuine essence. Both brothers were drawn to her with an intensity they hadn't experienced before. She wasn't a fleeting desire or a passing fancy; she stirred something deep within them, a yearning for something real and raw.
Jaxon broke the silence that had settled over them.
“We need to figure out how we're going to proceed with Delcy,” he said, leaning forward as he rested his elbows on his knees.
Colton shifted in his chair, a silent acknowledgment.
“Yes,” he said, his gaze locked on the report sprawled across the coffee table, a dossier on Lydia Hamill and her connections to Delcy. “The report doesn't make sense,” he mused aloud. “Delcy's world is light-years away from Lydia's.”
Jaxon picked up the papers, scanning through them once more.
“Lydia's not even an alpha,” he pointed out, his brow furrowing slightly as he read over the investigator's findings again.
“Born from an alpha father and beta mother... youngest of three...” Jaxon continued to mutter details under his breath. “The only beta alongside her estranged mother.”
Colton nodded thoughtfully.
“Delcy's parents worked for Lydia's family. It seems they grew up together.” He could not help but wonder how two people from such divergent worlds could maintain a friendship when everything about their lives was so starkly different.
“Maybe it's not friendship as we know it,” Jaxon suggested with a shrug.
Colton considered this for a moment before responding.
“Possibly. But Delcy doesn't strike me as someone who would endure superficiality for long.”
They both knew Delcy had been unwittingly caught in Lydia's web, dragged into this game without knowledge of the Alpha Gold Club or its implications. The realization settled heavily between them, a silent agreement that they would shield her from Lydia's machinations.
The conversation turned back to Delcy, how they should approach her now that she'd entered their orbit so unexpectedly yet completely.
“We need to be careful,” Colton said firmly. “She's already wary around alphas.” His protective instincts surged at the thought of anyone causing Delcy discomfort or harm.
Jaxon stood up and paced the room, a restless energy about him that echoed Colton's own inner turmoil.
