Chapter 18 Chapter Eighteen - Don't Hate The Game, Hate The Player

Chapter 18 Chapter Eighteen - Don't Hate The Game, Hate The Player
DALLAS'S POV

Dallas pulled Carter off his cock with more restraint than he'd known he possessed, watching as it slipped from those pretty, abused lips with a wet pop that went straight to his balls.

Carter looked up at him in confusion, his expression so perfectly innocent and bewildered that Dallas almost laughed out loud.

He was so fucking adorable. A smartass nerd with glasses and terrible fashion sense trying to play seductive porn star. 

Dallas would probably still get hard for him when they were old and grey and in their nineties, but right now, kneeling on the carpet with his mouth red and swollen and his eyes wide behind those ridiculous glasses, he looked fucking perfect.

"I only came to see how you were doing," Dallas said, tucking himself back into his pants with unsteady hands. 

His cock protested the loss of that warm, wet heat, but he ignored it. "I had the pack doctors come see you while you were asleep. They gave you a few things for your exhaustion, saline through an IV to keep you hydrated, some vitamins, that sort of thing. Harmless human medicine, nothing that would hurt the baby."

Carter's confused expression deepened, a small wrinkle appearing between his brows. Dallas wanted to kiss it smooth.

"I have work to attend to," Dallas continued, forcing himself to step back and put distance between them before he gave in to the urge to fuck Carter's mouth properly.

"Pack business that can't wait. And if you keep riling me up like this, I can't promise I won't fuck you until you pass out again. You need rest, not another round of sex."

Carter looked genuinely disappointed. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a gesture that shouldn't have been as erotic as it was, and nodded glumly, his shoulders slumping.

But he smirked, so quick Dallas almost missed it, the tiniest flicker of a sly smile. A look so subtle that anyone else would have overlooked it entirely.

Dallas could practically see the wheels turning behind those expressive eyes.

Carter was playing him.

Dallas wanted to burst out laughing right there at how absurd it all was.

Of course, it made no sense for Carter to have done a complete 180 so quickly. 

The man had been trying to sneak out of a third-story window naked less than twenty minutes ago, screaming furiously about prison wardens and lawyers. 

And now he was suddenly desperate to submit? Calling him Alpha without a single sarcastic tone in his voice?

Impossible.

And although Dallas did genuinely enjoy this pretend obedient side, the soft touches and willing kisses, the sight of Carter on his knees. 

He preferred the fiery, combative version far better. The Carter who cursed at him and fought back and glared at him like he was contemplating murder.

That was his mate. Not this passive imposter.

"You know," Dallas said conversationally, crossing his arms and looking down at Carter with dark amusement, "that was a very good attempt. Quite convincing, actually. I almost believed you for a second there."

Carter's eyes widened, a flash of panic crossing his face before he could hide his expression. "I don't know what you—"

"Please." Dallas crouched down so they were eye-to-eye, getting close enough to see the gold flecks in Carter's hazel eyes. 

"You were trying to seduce me into lowering my guard so you could find another escape route. Probably hoping I'd be so distracted by your mouth that I'd forget to lock the door on my way out, or maybe you were planning to steal my phone out of my pocket while I was coming down your throat."

He tilted his head, studying Carter's reddening face. "It was clever. Creative, even. I genuinely almost believed the act."

Carter's face flushed a deep, shameful red, both from embarrassment at being caught and from anger at being read so easily.

"Fuck you," Carter spat, the false sweetness fading from his voice instantly. 

All that pretend vulnerability disappeared, replaced by the sharp-edged fury Dallas knew so well. "You arrogant, insufferable, manipulative—"

Dallas kissed him, swallowing the rest of that angry rant. 

Carter made a muffled sound of protest but didn't pull away, and when Dallas finally broke the kiss, Carter was breathing hard, his eyes blazing with rage.

"It was fun while it lasted, though," Dallas murmured against his lips, unable to keep the smile out of his voice. "Watching you try to be all sweet and submissive when I know you wanted to bite my dick off the entire time. Very entertaining."

"I hate you so much," Carter hissed.

"I know." Dallas stood, offering his hand to pull Carter up from the floor. "But I think I'll give you a little reward anyway. For effort, if nothing else. Do you want it?"

Carter eyed his hand suspiciously before accepting it, letting Dallas haul him to his feet. "Do I get to pick what I want?"

"No." Dallas's smile turned sharp. "Because then you'll ask me to let you go, and you know I can't do that." He paused, watching Carter's face carefully. "But I will let you leave the room."

Carter blinked rapidly, like he thought he'd misheard. "Really? You mean it? You're not just messing with me?"

"Of course. I'll send Balfour to watch over you and give you a tour of the mansion. He's harmless, I promise. Well, relatively harmless." 

Dallas ran his thumb along Carter's jaw, a possessive gesture he could never. "I'm sure you can find a few things to keep yourself busy while you get used to this place. Books, maybe. We have an extensive library."

For the first time since Dallas had caught him at the window, Carter's expression brightened with genuine interest and he smiled.

The change was so quick and genuine that Dallas felt a warm feeling of affection deep in his chest.

"I like to write," Carter said hesitantly, testing whether this was another trap. “I’ve been doing it for years, documenting my life.”

"I'd actually like to make a journal entry. I've had a journal for every day since I first..." He trailed off abruptly, the look in his eyes going distant and unhappy.

"Since you first what?" Dallas prompted gently.

"Forget about it." Carter shook his head, closing off whatever sad thought had caused him to make that face. "It's not important. I just, I think I if I have to stay then I could maybe get a remote job online. Do some kind of freelance writing work while I'm... while I'm here."

Dallas's expression hardened immediately, his jaw clenching. "No."

"Excuse me?" Carter's asked, his voice going sharp and defensive.

"I have more than enough money to take care of you and our child," Dallas said firmly, using the tone that made his pack members snap to attention.

"I will not let you work, nor will I permit you to do any other strenuous activity. You're pregnant, Carter. You need to rest, to take care of yourself. Stress isn't good for the baby."

Carter looked like he was about to fight, Dallas could see the argument building behind his eyes, and he could practically hear the furious retorts forming on his tongue.

But when he saw the furious set of Dallas's jaw, he apparently thought better of it. His mouth snapped shut and he frowned, only grumbling under his breath.

Smart man.

"Balfour is a good man," Dallas continued, softening his tone slightly. "He practically raised me after my mother died. My father was always busy with pack business, so Balfour stepped in.”

He finished, “He was the one who taught me everything I know about being an Alpha. You'll like him, I think. He has a good sense of humour, and he won't try to intimidate you like some of the others might."

Carter was quiet for a moment, processing Dalla’s words. Then he sighed, biting out. "Fine. Thank you."

Dallas raised an eyebrow, waiting expectantly.

Carter's jaw tightened, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and Dallas waited, watching the internal struggle happening behind those expressive eyes. 

Finally, through what looked like great effort, Carter bit out: "Thank you, Alpha."

He acted as though it physically pained him to call him that, and Dallas had to suppress a satisfied smile.

"Good boy." Dallas turned toward the door, warmth flooding through his veins. 

"Balfour will be here shortly. In the meantime, don't do anything that'll make me bar that window. I'd hate to take away your view."

He paused with his hand on the doorknob, glancing back over his shoulder with a wicked smile that he knew would infuriate Carter.

"Also, make sure you don't have any underwear on by the time I get back tonight."

He shut the door on Carter's sputtered outrage, yelling a string of very creative curses that was faintly audible even through the heavy wood.

Dallas's smile widened as he walked down the hallway, pulling out his phone and scrolling through his contacts.

He found the number he needed and pressed call, listening to it ring twice before a familiar voice answered with crisp efficiency.

"Yes, Alpha?"

"I need you to do something for me," Dallas said, his voice dropping into the cold, commanding tone that he reserved for serious pack business. "It's about my brother Marcus…”