Wei Ying woke to the scent of sandalwood and sex. The ache behind his eyes from drinking too much was familiar. The aches in his body, especially his backside, were not. He shifted slightly to ease it, only to find himself restrained. And to realize he was naked, covered only by a bedsheet. His eyes flared open, rapidly taking in the luxuriously appointed bedroom, and the alpha standing by the foot of the bed, unbuttoning his shirt.
Lan Zhan.
The lap on the nightstand cast a soft light on the man's perfect bone structure. Wei Ying's eyes slid to the perfectly tailored shirt, partially unbuttoned and showing the elegant hollows of his collarbone. The expensive silk of it hugged the alpha's broad shoulders, reminding Wei Ying of the strength of the man. Images from earlier that evening crashed into him, flooding his mind with the hazy memory of overwhelming arousal.
Lan Zhan's heavy-lidded eyes, looking fiercely down on him as Lan Zhan pinned him against the alley wall. The feel of the large, strong hands gripping his body.
"Mine," Lan Zhan had said.
"Yours," Wei Ying had agreed, not even sure what he was agreeing to, only that it was true in that moment.
"Mark your words, Wei Ying."
The impossible feeling of having Lan Zhan driving into him, filling him up so full that there wasn't even space for Wei Ying's thoughts in his own body.
Wei Ying had asked Lan Zhan to make him not think, and the man had delivered. Was sex always like that, or was it only Lan Zhan?
As though feeling his gaze upon him, Lan Zhan looked up, his beautiful face unreadable.
Wei Ying should probably be concerned about his current predicament. A glance around the room showed no windows, and only one door. There was no sign of Wei Ying's bag, which meant that - even if he were able to free himself of his bindings before Lan Zhan noticed and stopped him, he would still need to search for his bag.
He should be panicking. Just because they'd fucked didn't mean Lan Zhan was on his side. Wei Ying wasn't a fool, at least he'd never considered himself one. But even laying as he was, bound hand and foot to the Lan enforcer's bed, Wei Ying felt no fear. He wondered if he was just stupid, or dick drunk.
But his instinct had been to call the Lan alpha when he was spiraling. And if Lan Zhan had wanted him dead, he'd had more than one chance.
Wei Ying's body had always metabolized alcohol faster than most people's. It was unlikely he'd been passed out for more than an hour, but he already felt most of the haziness gone from his system. He might still be a little buzzed, but nothing more than that.
So it wasn't just the alcohol's influence when he felt his blood heat under the intensity of the alpha's hooded gaze as he silently watched Wei Ying take in his situation. Wei Ying would admit, if only to himself, that he was glad he'd gotten to experience a night in the infamous Hanguang-Jun's bed. He'd never felt attraction to anyone else like this. He might never feel it again. It wasn't like he led the kind of life that would allow him to settle down and raise a family, at least not in the traditional sense. It would have always been a shadow of regret if he'd gone on with his life and never tried to reach for this, to have this experience.
He wasn't going to regret it.
Even though Lan Zhan would likely move on to the next omega when he returned to Gusu, Wei Ying would enjoy this moment of having Lan Zhan focused on him. If this was his one chance to know what it was like to be intimate with someone in this way, what it felt like to share an alpha's bed, even if only temporarily, then he was going to experience it in full.
He smirked, looking up at the knots as he fisted his hands on the rope, testing their hold. The sheet slid from his chest and pooled around his hips. He could feel the heat of Lan Zhan's gaze on his body, and the scent of sandalwood in the room was growing heavier. Most people who had seen his body while knowing who and what he was expressed fear, not arousal. Wei Ying arched slightly, wanting to see how far he could push it. Whether he could make Lan Zhan snap the way he had in the car.
"Lan Zhan. I thought you were exaggerating when you said you were going to tie me to your bed." Wei Ying looked around. He'd never been inside a yacht before, but the slightly rolling motion of the room and the lack of windows in an otherwise luxurious-looking bedroom gave him a sense of where he was. It amused him that Lan Zhan had decided on basically the same route out of Nightless City as Wei Ying himself had been planning. Though Wei Ying's approach would have been more along the lines of 'hiding inside a dirty cargo hold' rather than 'tied to a bed in a fancy yacht'. At least Wen Ning wouldn't be worried. He'd see Wei Ying's marker moving along the route they'd discussed.
"Mm. Wei Ying needs to learn the consequences of his actions. And you owe me some answers."
It was probably not a good thing that the dangerous tone in Lan Zhan's voice was making Wei Ying hard. But he could see the growing bulge in the alpha's trousers as well, so at least he wasn't alone. Lan Zhan had managed to find him when no one else could. And - more importantly - he'd managed to catch Wei Ying. Even though Wei Ying had been drunk at the time, it still was impressive. If Lan Zhan wanted to mix business with pleasure, Wei Ying was not going to object.
Wei Ying tilted his head to the side and grinned, but his eyes were dark with challenge. "Then why don't you try to show me, er-gege. See if you can make me answer all your questions."
Lan Zhan looked at him a moment, his expression unreadable, then he continued methodically unbuttoning his shirt, pulling it off and folding it neatly before setting it aside. The movement was almost ritualistic, a show of control. It made Wei Ying want to see just how far he could push Lan Zhan before his control snapped.
With his shirt removed, Wei Ying had a clear view of the narrow band of blue clouds tattooed around Lan Zhan's left bicep. That marked him as an inner circle of the Lan family, the same way Wei Ying's lotus tattoo had.
"Is this the special Hanguang-Jun interrogation tactic?" Wei Ying asked. "Getting your targets so worked up that they forget they're supposed to be keeping secrets?"
The white tank top Lan Zhan wore beneath it did nothing to hide the sculpted muscles of his pecs and abs, or the deep contour of his collarbone. The fabric was thin enough that Wei Ying could see the shadowy outline of some sort of tattoo beneath it, but not what it was. He knew a bit about the markings of other gangs. Somewhere on Lan Zhan's body would be a blue cloud, and somewhere would be a sword. Depending on his current rank in the organization, there would be others.
"Is Wei Ying keeping secrets?" Lan Zhan asked, his voice sounding cold and disinterested.
Wei Ying would almost have believed it, except there was no disguising the lack of boredom in the alpha's body. Lan Zhan's hands drifted down to the fly of his pants, his eyes latched on Wei Ying. Wei Ying watched the way Lan Zhan had to pull the waistband of his pants forward, sliding the zipper down over the long, thick outline of his erection. He removed his pants as neatly as he had his shirt, but Wei Ying hardly noticed it. All of his attention was fixed at the sight of Lan Zhan's dick, swaying slightly where it hung heavily between his thighs as he moved, pulling against the silk of his boxers.
Wei Ying felt an answering heat in his own body, even as he eyed the size of it warily. How had that ever fit inside of him? Wei Ying felt his hole clench at the thought as he shifted. Something warm and wet leaked from inside him, and his eyes widened as he realized what it must be. He thought back to the time in the car, and realized that he hadn't even thought about protection. Given how much alcohol he'd consumed, his own lapse in judgement might not be so surprising. But Lan Zhan had a very clear reputation on that point. The man was known for being coldly controlled and deliberate in everything he did.
That included sex. Lan Zhan was meticulous about birth control, according to the other omegas. Not only did he always wear a condom, but he also required that the omegas he was with had been on suppressants for at least six months prior to having sex with him, and they had to submit the bloodwork to prove it. For all Lan Zhan knew, Wei Ying was't even on suppressants. And even though getting pregnant outside of a heat was unusual, it wasn't impossible.
"Wei Ying,"
Something on Wei Ying's face must have shown, because Lan Zhan was studying him again, with a tiny furrow between his brows.
"Lan Zhan. This better be your cum in my ass, and not some other alpha you pimped me out to," Wei Ying said, trying to cover his shock by saying something inflammatory.
It was one of his go-to strategies. The Lan hated the sex trade, and Lan Zhan bristled at his words just like Wei Ying had hoped. Though his eyes also drifted down to look at Wei Ying's lap, as though he could see through the sheet and view the evidence of Wei Ying's words.
There was something about the intensity of Lan Zhan's gaze that had Wei Ying feeling more in control, despite being the one tied to the bed.
"Lan Zhan! Look at you, having sex with kidnapped omegas in the back seat of your limo without a condom. This wasn't something listed on your dating profile," Wei Ying teased.
Lan Zhan's ears flushed pink, which Wei Ying found utterly delightful. The man was still frozen, his hands fisted at his side as though angry. Or maybe holding himself back?
"Good thing I take heat suppressants, or you might have ended up knocking me up." Wei Ying tilted his head to the side, studying Lan Zhan's reaction to his words, trying to read him. Lan Zhan had already fucked him. Yet he didn't seem to be in a hurry to get to the interrogation part, despite his earlier words.
He expected Lan Zhan to be embarrassed about being caught out thinking with his dick, but overall relieved at learning Wei Ying was on suppressants. What he did not expect was to see Lan Zhan's eyes darken, shifting to Wei Ying's abdomen.
That was… interesting.
Wei Ying bent one knee, which tugged the sheet down to nearly his hip bones. He let it fall to the side in a way that drew attention to the concave dip of his stomach.
"Ooh! Does Lan Zhan like that idea? Does Lan er-gege wish he'd fucked a baby into me?" He didn't really have a plan at the moment, but riling Lan Zhan up seemed like as good a strategy as anything while he tried to figure a way out of the ropes. If the side effect was getting fucked a second time, he wouldn't complain.
"Shameless." Lan Zhan's eyes narrowed in annoyance, but there was no mistaking the growing wet spot on his boxers. Wei Ying found himself suddenly remembering just exactly how it had felt to have Lan Zhan hard between his thighs, driving into him. Wei Ying's legs shifted slightly apart, and he felt his skin prickle with remembered heat. Lan Zhan's eyes followed the movement, and he slowly slid his hand over the tented white silk of his boxers.
They both should know better than to get distracted like this. Wei Ying should be focused on getting out of there, and Lan Zhan should be asking his questions. But the scent of arousal was building in the room, with neither of them making a move to get down to business. Wei Ying wondered why the pull was so strong between them. Was it normally like this? If so, he understood a bit more what everyone was always going on about sex for.
When Lan Zhan had fucked him in the car, Wei Ying had been dizzy with alcohol and adrenaline. Most of it was a blur of overwhelming arousal. Lan Zhan must have carried him in here after he passed out and tied him to the bed while he was out. It was slightly embarrassing.
But it was also pretty arousing.
"You gonna fuck the information out of me, er-gege?" Wei Ying asked, annoyed when his voice came out a little more breathless and a little less taunting than he had been aiming for.
"Mn." Lan Zhan shoved his boxers down, leaving them on the floor as he stepped out of them rather than placing them carefully with his other clothes. Wei Ying reveled in the small sign he was ratling Lan Zhan's composure as the man gripped the ridiculously high thread count sheet and pulled it slowly towards the foot of the bed.
Wei Ying's lips parted on a gasp as the soft fabric slithered over his erection. He hadn't even realized he was hard, he'd been so focused on watching Lan Zhan.
"Fuck. Lan Zhan. Are you really-?"
Wei Ying's words cut off as Lan Zhan tossed the sheet aside, then moved onto the bed to kneel between Wei Ying's legs. He slid his hands under Wei Ying's knees, pushing them out and up towards Wei Ying's waist.
Wei Ying wondered what he was doing, until he saw Lan Zhan's gaze focused on his hole, where the alpha's cum was still slowly leaking out of him. Lan Zhan's eyes were dark, his dick flushed a deep purple-red. The scent of sandalwood and something heavier spiked in the room.
"You like that, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked, pulling his legs back as far as the restraints allowed. "You like seeing the proof that you've been there?"
Lan Zhan's grip on his knees tightened, his fingertips digging in a pressing against tendon and bone, the large hands holding him with a brutal strength that went right to Wei Ying's dick.
"Yeah. You do, don't you? You must have been so frustrated," Wei Ying continued, wetting his lower lip with the tip of his tongue. Lan Wangji's golden eyes tracked the movement. "Having me walk out of your club. Then escape from the gala."
A muscle twitched in Lan Zhan's jaw. A drip of pre-cum from his cock landed on the sheet.
Wei Ying pulled on the ropes, levering his shoulders up off the mattress. It still didn't get him to eye level, but the intent was clear.
"Knowing I was right next door to you, wearing your shirt, the whole night while your men searched for me. Alone in your bed when you could have been fucking me. "
Lan Zhan's eyes flashed, and Wei Ying found himself yanked down flat against the mattress as Lan Zhan pulled his knees down until his arms were straining, at the limit's of the ropes' slack.
"Stop. Talking," Lan Zhan bit out, settling Wei Ying's thighs around his hips before shoving three fingers in him.
Wei Ying arched up at the sudden stretch, feeling the wet slide of Lan Zhan's long fingers inside him.
"Feel that, Lan Zhan? Feel your seed inside me, marking me all up with your scent?"
Lan Zhan's lips pulled back slightly in a snarl that the alpha was clearly fighting, but Wei Ying could feel the way the man's fingers pressed against his walls as they moved inside him, as though rubbing his cum in deeper.
"Feels like you put a lot in me. Did you fuck me again while I was passed out?" Wei Ying asked. He honestly had no idea how much seed alpha's usually spilled, but it did feel like a lot.
"No," Lan Zhan snapped, looking like he wasn't entirely happy about that fact.
"Did you want to, er-gege ?" Wei Ying sucked in a breath as Lan Zhan added another finger. He really didn't need much prep given it hadn't been that long since they had last fucked, but Lan Zhan seemed very interested in the feel of himself inside Wei Ying. "I wouldn't have minded it. Did you want to have me in your bed, at your mercy, loose and unconscoius and there for you to fuck however you like?"
Lan Zhan's fingers pulled out, and Lan Zhan glared down at him.
"I will fuck Wei Ying however I like, regardless."
Wei Ying felt his stomach clench at the sheer flood of lust that went through him at the words. Before he could even think of something to say in response, Lan Zhan was shoving his knees up to his shoulders and pushing in.
"Oh, fuck ," Wei Ying gasped out, his eyes falling shut as his neck arched back in pleasure.
Now that the sensations weren't as blurred as much by alcohol, he could feel every inch of Lan Zhan as he pressed into him, filling him up so tight it was hard to breathe.
"Is that what Wei Ying wanted?" Lan Zhan asked as he rotated his hips slowly, once, before pulling out and slamming back in.
Wei Ying opened his eyes to see Lan Zhan looking down at him intently.
"Did Wei Ying want me to fuck him after he passed out? Is that why you called me from the bar?"
He pulled out and slammed in again, leaving Wei Ying gasping for breath, unable to respond.
"Is that why you let me hear what the other alpha was saying?" Lan Zhan asked, pinning Wei Ying equally with his gaze, his hands, and his dick, holding motionless for one breathless moment.
"And if it was?" Wei Ying asked. He honestly didn't know what he had wanted when he called Lan Zhan from that bar. But the way Lan Zhan looked at him, the way all of Wei Ying's focus was centered on the feel of Lan Zhan moving inside him, gripping him tight… maybe Lan Zhan was right. Maybe this had been what he'd wanted.
Lan Zhan pulled back and thrust into him again, unrelenting this time, not even pausing before driving in again. Wei Ying's mind went blank, unable to process anything beyond the sight and sound and feel of Lan Zhan fucking him. It was so much better than alcohol at turning his hyperactive thoughts off.
Why had he never tried this before?
"Yeah, that's it. Fuck me," Wei Ying said, his shoulders straining when he tried to reach down to grab Lan Zhan's hair and remembered that he couldn't. All he could do was take it.
Lan Zhan's breath was coming in short grunts as he fucked into him, their skin becoming slick with sweat and making wet slapping sounds as their bodies came together. He could feel Lan Zhan's cock start to swell, the friction ramping up and the stretch bordering on painful.
Wei Ying loved it. How had he gone so long without ever knowing this was something his body could crave?
"Are you going to cum in me again, Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying whispered hot and dark against the top of Lan Zhan's head as he sucked a harsh line of bruises along the length of Wei Ying's throat. "Fill me up with even more of your seed? Are you going to try to fuck a baby in me?"
Lan Zhan flat-out growled, biting down on the muscles of Wei Ying's neck just barely far enough away from his scent gland to not be a mating bite. His knot latched as he came deep inside Wei Ying. Wei Ying felt shudders ripple through Lan Zhan's body over and over where they were joined.
Lan Zhan wrapped a large hand around Wei Ying's cock, and - in just two strokes - Wei Ying felt his body draw taut with his own orgasm. The hot splash of his cum landed on his stomach and chest, and Lan Zhan watched him intently until the last tremor had made its way through his body.
Lan Zhan leaned down and kissed him roughly, open mouthed and dirty. They were still tied together, though Lan Zhan had let go of Wei Ying's legs so he could stretch them out, though they were still bound. His shoulders ached, with his arms still stretched above his head.
When he was able to focus, he saw Lan Zhan looking down at his chest. It took him a moment to realize he was looking at the tattoo. The mark of the Jiang top enforcer. Wei Ying had always worn the mark with pride. Now, he didn't know how he felt.
As if reading his thoughts, Lan Zhan traced a fingertip over the mark.
"You could have it removed."
Wei Ying couldn't help the flinch at the words.
"No." Not yet. Not unless he was sure.
"Or… you could add something to it," Lan Zhan's tone was tense, and weighted.
Wei Ying looked up to see the man looking down at his eyes, no longer focused on the tattoo.
"Add something?" Wei Ying asked, frowning. He knew he was missing something, because Lan Zhan was not a man to waste words, and the way the Lan enforcer was looking at him carried a lot more weight than a simple discussion of tattoo aesthetics.
"Cloud," Lan Zhan said, his gaze unwavering.
Wei Ying's eyes immediately went to the band of pale blue clouds that encircled Lan Zhan's bicep, marking him as one of the inner circle of the Lan Triad.
"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying breathed, then forced out a laugh. The idea of joining one of the other Triads might have crossed his mind, but more of a self-indulgent day-dream. Having a family again.
Safety.
But even if the Lan were willing to take on a failed enforcer who couldn't keep his organization safe, they wouldn't be interested in one who was waging a one-man war against two of the most powerful syndicates in China.
"Don't say things you don't mean. I thought you were supposed to be immune from getting sex-drunk. Don't you already have like… your next 10 omegas lined up or something?"
Wei Ying tried to shift away, but they were still tied by Lan Zhan's knot. Lan Zhan's face hardened.
"Not as my omega," Lan Zhan said, and Wei Ying ignored the way the words cut into him, even though he already knew the score walking into this. "Wei Ying has skills the Lan lack. This has been made clear in recent events."
Wei Ying turned his head to the side, not wanting to look at Lan Zhan at the moment.
"Ugh, how long until your knot goes down? I was passed out last time. Could we maybe not have a fucking job interview while your dick is in my ass?"
Lan Zhan stiffened, and Wei Ying kept his face determinedly turned away. "My shoulders are starting to hurt. Can you at least shift up so I can move them? Unless this is part of the whole interrogation tactic."
He could feel Lan Zhan looking at him, but he kept his face resolutely turned away. Finally, the alpha slid his arms around Wei Ying, lifting his body and moving him up higher on the bed so the strain on his shoulders was relieved.
Because his eyes were so focused on looking anywhere but Lan Zhan, Wei Ying noticed the duffle bag that was open on the nightstand by the bed. He vaguely remembered it was the bag that Lan Zhan had carried the ropes in when he'd tied Wei Ying up in the car. The bag was open, and Wei Ying could see a box of condoms (which, evidently, Lan Zhan had decided not to use), but his gaze caught on the edge of some sort of canister, with the elastic strap of a face mask peeking out from within the bag.
As soon as he realized what he was looking at, he turned his gaze up to look towards the ceiling, just over Lan Zhan's shoulder, before the alpha noticed the direction of his gaze. He might have just found his ticket out of there, but only if Lan Zhan didn't figure out what he was up to beforehand.
"Thanks," Wei Ying said, rolling his shoulders. He forced himself to look at Lan Zhan, noticing the small furrow had reappeared between the man's brows. "Any chance you can just untie me? I mean, I'm going to need to like, go to the bathroom and clean up at some point."
Lan Wangji's frown didn't ease.
"You don't want to come to Gusu."
Wei Ying rolled his eyes. "Your Dragon Head would never go for it."
Lan Zhan's expression did something complicated that Wei Ying couldn't quite parse.
"Oh?" He asked.
Wei Ying shifted again. "Lan Zhan. I know that there is a lot of your blood in your dick right now. I swear, it's filling up like… half of my body at the current moment." Wei Ying felt Lan Zhan's hips give an involuntary flex at the words. This time, Wei Ying's laughter was more genuine. "But think about it. I killed Jin Guangshan's nephew. The Nie think I killed their top captain. I also just killed the son of Wen Ruohan. That's just the most recent shit I've done. On top of that, I'm about to release enough information and evidence on the Jin and Wen operations to get them shut down. If word got out I was working for the Lan, there's no way this wouldn't end up in a huge war. Wen Ruohan has dirt on everyone . He's going to take down as many people with him as he can. If he thinks the Lan were behind this, he's going to go all out. And every other syndicate, no matter how small, would turn on the Lan out of fear they would do the same to them."
Lan Zhan's face remained expressionless. "Wei Ying also has access to all the information the Wen have. And is in the position to decide what gets released and what does not."
Wei Ying didn't reply. It wasn't like he hadn't thought about using that. But a lot of the threads were tangled. He needed to make sure he released enough evidence to get Wen Ruohan taken out for good, or he was a deadman, and so was Wen Ning and probably A-Yuan and Wen Qing. If Lan Zhan could figure out who he was, so could someone else.
"Were the Jin involved in the Jiang massacre as well?" Lan Zhan asked.
Lan Wangji's knot was finally starting to go down. Wei Ying shifted, wincing slightly as the knot started to slip free. He needed to break the overwhelming feel of having Lan Zhan inside his body. Lan Zhan grabbed his hips, stopping him for a moment before adjusting the angle and pulling out. It was still a little too soon, and Wei Ying hissed at the flare of pain that went through him, but he needed to be at least somewhat physically separated for this conversation.
Lan Zhan didn't move far, staying with his torso still cradled between Wei Ying's thighs, his hands on Wei Ying's hips. Their scents were still tangled as much as their bodies had just been.
Wei Ying wondered how much he should tell the Lan alpha. It would be good to have an ally. The Jin and the Wen already had all the information they needed to connect the dots and track back exactly who the Yiling Laozu was. The fact that they had not done so up to this point only showed that Lan Zhan was smarter.
Even though he'd just accused Lan Zhan of having his thoughts clouded by sex, Wei Ying knew he wasn't necessarily faring any better. But the closeness of their bodies and their scents played both ways. He could not detect anything in Lan Zhan's scent other than residual arousal and protectiveness. If Lan Zhan viewed Wei Ying as a threat, his scent would betray him even if his face did not.
Wei Ying already had powerful enemies. Perhaps it was time to secure a powerful friend.
"No. They weren't. At least, not directly," Wei Ying said.
Lan Zhan's eyes didn't so much as flicker with surprise. Wei Ying wondered how much the man already knew. There were not many places he could have come across the name Wei Ying.
"They were involved in… other things."
"The orphanage in Yiling." Lan Zhan said. "You killed their men in the hotel."
Wei Ying gave a slow nod, his mind racing with the pros and cons of revealing more vs holding back. Lan Zhan had already figured out so much. It was only a matter of time before he found the rest. It would be better if Wei Ying told him first, if he was going to try to build a tie with the Lan enforcer.
"But that's not the main reason," Wei Ying said.
"The Dafan Wen," Lan Zhan replied steadily, and Wei Ying realized it had been a test.
He wasn't sure how he felt about the fact that Lan Zhan had been able to get so much information about him so quickly. It was no wonder he'd risen through the Lan ranks. The head of the Lan syndicate would likely take Lan Zhan's advice seriously. They wouldn't have promoted him this far if they didn't. That made him a valuable ally.
"You know about that? Lan Zhan! How much time did you spend digging to find that!" Wei Ying laughed, making an effort to break Lan Zhan's careful study of him, not sure how much his face was revealing.
Part of him couldn't deny the heady rush of adrenaline at knowing how much Lan Zhan had been focused on him, to find so much so soon. But it was also dangerous, because Lan Zhan could have an agenda Wei Ying was not aware of. Or the Lan Dragon Head could.
"Mm," Lan Zhan said, sliding his hand up over the plane of Wei Ying's stomach. For some reason, it made Wei Ying flush even though the man had touched him so much more intimately before.
"How did you find my name?" Wei Ying asked, laying back against the pillows. His body was already responding to Lan Zhan's touch, and he tried to keep focused on their conversation.
Lan Zhan lifted his gaze from Wei Ying's stomach, though he didn't stop his exploration of Wei Ying's torso with his large hands.
"Yiling orphanage. They had a report of a child with your name. They looked for you."
Wei Yiing frowned. "But that could have been anyone."
Lan Zhan thumbed one of Wei Ying's nipples, causing Wei Ying's body to arch in response.
"It was a month after Wei Changze's death. That tied you to the Jiang."
"But I could have just been dead. At the Jiang, I was Wei Wuxian to everyone except..," Wei Ying trailed off, fear surging through him, instantly dousing the arousal that had been simmering in his body.
Lan Zhan had made the reservation to go to Lotus Cove. Had he gone there without Wei Ying's knowledge? Had he done something to Jiang Cheng or Jiang Yanli to get them to talk?
Lan Zhan's hands stilled, but did not let go.
"Wei Ying. Jiang Yanli came to see me in my club," Lan Zhan said calmly.
"Shijie came to see you? What… why? " Wei Ying asked, his pulse still racing at the thought of bringing danger to her doorstep after so many years of trying to keep her safe. "Did you… is she… Lan Zhan! What happened?"
"Jiang Yanli is fine. We spoke for less than thirty minutes. She was… concerned," Lan Zhan said carefully.
Wei Ying had never been more frustrated by the Lan enforcer's sparing speech as he was in that moment. "Lan Zhan. What happened? What did you talk about?"
"She wanted to remind me that Wei Ying had allies. And she asked me to tell you that she is engaged to Jin Zixuan. She was concerned that Jiang Cheng's… emotionalism… would prevent you from reaching out."
Wei Ying's mind reeled. Shijie had gone to a Lan enforcer's club and warned him off ? He would have put his hands over his eyes if they weren't still tied to Lan Zhan's bed posts.
"You can't hurt her," Wei Ying said. "She doesn't understand how our world works. Jiang Fengmian kept them out of a lot of it. She doesn't know what it means to challenge you in that way."
Lan Zhan's hand began to move again, sliding up over Wei Ying's breast bone and along his throat to cradle the cut of his jaw. "If Wei Ying were in my organization, then anyone he considers his family would fall under my protection."
Wei Ying swallowed, his body going utterly still. It was a threat. But it was also an offer.
Having the backing of a major crime family would make many things much easier. He would have access to resources that he currently didn't. There could be someone other than him who kept watch on not just the Jiang siblings, but also his make-shift family in Yiling.
But it would also come with strings. Offers always did. Wei Ying didn't mind the idea of having his skills put to use, but Wen Ning might feel differently. What if the Dragon Head changed his mind, or decided he wanted Lotus Cove as part of his operation? Wei Ying might trust Lan Zhan, but he didn't know the man who would be the one who actually called the shots.
"Lan Zhan. Don't make promises you can't keep."
Lan Zhan looked at him with an intensity that left Wei Ying feeling almost breathless.
"I do not lie." He ran his thumb over the sharp cut of Wei Ying's jaw before sliding it over the plush rise of his lower lip. "I can keep Wei Ying and those he cares about safe."
Wei Ying wished he could talk to Wen Qing. She would know how to ground him, to keep him from doing something stupid. He wasn't sure how to read Lan Zhan. Every cell in his body was telling him he could trust this man. But what was that even based on? The fact that the alpha had been able to track him down and fuck him until he forgot all about Wen Chao? Wei Ying might be willing to bet his own safety on that, but not Wen Ning's, Wen Qing's or A-Yuan's.
He turned his head away, breaking the contact between Lan Zhan's fingers and his mouth, trying to get his brain to think about anything other than the feel of Lan Zhan's hands on him, or the way his scent heated Wei Ying's blood.
"So bold, Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying said, flashing his weaponized smile as he tried to sort through the thoughts and scenarios racing through his head. "Take a man to dinner before you propose."
Lan Zhan's eyes narrowed. "I am offering a business arrangement."
Wei Ying stamped down on the sharp cut that sliced through him at those words. " Of course! Lan zhan already has plenty of other omegas to fuck. What you need are hacking skills. But I'd have to talk with my partner about that. Before I agree to anything."
Lan Zhan's jaw clenched, but Wei Ying ignored it.
"Speaking of which, they are probably wondering why I haven't contacted them yet. I know you grabbed my bag when you threw me in the back of your limousine. I need to use my phone to make a call."
Lan Zhan didn't respond. For the first time since Wei Ying had woken up, Lan Zhan looked away.
"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying said carefully. "Where is my bag?"
"It is not on the boat," Lan Zhan said, finally.
That was not the answer Wei Ying had wanted to hear.
"Where the fuck is it, then?"
"It is on the way back to Gusu. Via an alternative route."
Wei Ying let out a huff of a laugh. "Well, if whoever the driver of that 'alternative route' doesn't want to end up with a car that decides to drive off a cliff, you better have a computer I can use somewhere on this yacht."
Lan Zhan did not look pleased. "Your partner?"
"Will absolutely assume that I'm dead if he sees my phone traveling without me."
Lan Zhan observed him for a moment, then pulled back. He gracefully stood, seemingly heedless of his near-naked state, and walked over to the closet. Wei Ying watched the way the powerful muscles in his glutes and thighs moved as he walked. The broad shoulders and toned biceps narrowed to his tapered waist, and Wei Ying could easily remember how effortlessly the man had been able to incapacitate and carry Wei Ying back in the alley.
Lan Zhan was an apex predator, and Wei Ying would do well to remember that. It was unfortunate that the thought of it made Wei Ying only want to provoke him more, to keep his focus only on Wei Ying.
Lan Zhan came back holding a laptop, which he set on the nightstand.
"I will type for you," Lan Zhan said.
Wei Ying looked at him, trying to decide how hard to push. Lan Zhan was clearly used to being obeyed. Wei Ying had never been one to take orders well. It was time that the alpha realized that. He needed to use the bathroom, and he was hungry. He wasn't going to stay tied up to Lan Zhan's bed for the next twelve hours it would take to get to Gusu.
"No, you're going to untie me." Wei Ying narrowed his eyes, letting his full Yiling Laozu persona bleed through.
Lan Zhan's lips compressed, his eyes flickering along Wei Ying's body, which was full on display, without even the thin sheet anymore for modesty.
"No."
Wei Ying felt his frustration flare. He didn't want to make Lan Zhan his enemy. But he wasn't staying tied to the fucking bed indefinitely.
"I'm not giving you my password for accessing the site I need to access. You're going to have to untie me if you don't want your man to become a target. I'd estimate he has less than an hour at this point."
The stubborn set to Lan Zhan's jaw did not lessen. Wei Ying decided that threatening the alpha might not be the best approach, so he switched gears.
"Ok, look. You're clearly working through some trust issues with respect to me, which… ok, fair. But you can't leave me tied to your bedpost until you get tired of fucking me and move on to the next omega on your list. I need to go to the bathroom. I'm hungry. You told me you could keep me safe. Was that a lie? Because this…," he looked pointedly at his bound wrists and ankles. "... isn't exactly the kind of 'safety' I was hoping for."
Lan Zhan looked like he might dispute it, but then he finally spoke.
"I will release you to use the bathroom. You may use my laptop for five minutes. Then I will re-tie you."
Wei Ying smirked. "Lan Zhan! I'm hurt! You don't trust me?"
At Lan Zhan's glare, Wei Ying laughed. "Ok, fair. But I'm not going to let you tie me up again."
"What does Wen Ruohan have on the Lan," Lan Wangji asked.
Wei Ying breathed out. Yeah, he hadn't thought it would be that easy. He tried to think through the risks of talking vs not talking. If he told Lan Zhan only some of what he knew, the man might believe him and let him go. But if he found out later that Wei Ying had lied, it would end any chance of having an ally. (Or anything else, but Wei Ying was trying very hard not to think about that, since it wasn't really on the table.)
But if he told Lan Zhan everything , then there was a chance that the Dragon Head would view Wei Ying as a liability, and hunt him down as soon as Wen Ruohan was dead.
Telling Lan Zhan nothing was the worst of all three options, because then there wouldn't even be a temporary alliance and the triad would likely assume the worst about what he might know and hunt him down regardless.
He had a headache, and his mind kept going in circles trying to figure out what to do. Not to mention that he didn't even have his laptop here so anything he said would have to be from memory alone. Even if he tried to tell Lan Zhan everything, he might miss something important.
"Fuck," Wei Ying said, closing his eyes to block out the sight of Lan Zhan standing next to the bed, looking down at him. "I'm so fucking tired, Lan Zhan. Can't we just like… not do this right now?"
Lan Zhan sat down on the bed next to him, not quite touching, but close enough that Wei Ying could feel the heat of his skin warming the air between them. Wei Ying must have looked even more tired than he thought, because it looked like Lan Zhan's eyes seemed to soften for a moment. But it was only for an instant, and then the enforcer of the Lan Triad was back.
"If I knew Wei Ying would still be here when I woke up, I would wait. But I will not untie you until I know if my organization is at risk."
Wei Ying figured he sort of deserved that. Honestly, if it had been any other enforcer from the Lan, Wei Ying would probably already be under the knife. The Lan might have more 'moral' boundaries than the Wen or Jin when it came to human trafficking and drugs, but they were just as ruthless when crossed.
"Look. I can't access any files without my phone and my laptop. If you wanted to interrogate me to get all the details, you shouldn't have sent my bag off with your guy."
"I will take Wei Ying's word on what is in them," Lan Zhan said steadily, as though that wasn't a completely ridiculous statement. " We can discuss what to do about it later. Right now, I want to know what Wen Ruohan has on my family."
"Yeah. Right. OK." Wei Ying needed to not lose his mind on the fact that Lan Zhan said he trusted Wei Ying enough to take his word on something that could potentially destroy his organization. Because that was… not something Wei Ying was capable of processing at the moment. "He's going to try to grab anyone he can to help pull himself out of the hole he's about to go down. Any info that gets leaked on the Lan is going to come from him, not me. I can only delete the stuff I know about, but that isn't a guarantee he doesn't have hard copies somewhere." Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan. The man had a reputation for being ruthless. But he was not a liar. "Do you give me your word that you will do your best to keep your boss from hunting me down if I tell you what I know?"
Lan Zhan down looked at him, a flicker of something unreadable on his face.
"Look, I know you can't promise me I'll be safe. I'm not going to ask you to go against the Lan Dragon Head. I just…," Wei Ying sighed. What was he even doing? There would really be nothing Lan Zhan could do.
"The Lan will not hunt Wei Ying just for knowing. If you leak the information to others, that will be different."
Wei Ying knew Lan Zhan couldn't really control if the first part of his statement was true, but Wei Ying decided to try. He needed an ally. Lan Zhan could be a powerful one.
"Ok. Ok. Look," Wei Ying tried to sit up, but was hampered by the ropes tied to his arms and legs.
He was starting to feel cold, and the muscles in his arms and back were aching. But there was no way Lan Zhan would let him go until he knew the level of threat his organization was facing, which Wei Ying understood. He would have done the same for the Jiang, had their roles been reversed. Lan Zhan slid his arms under Wei Ying's body, easily lifting him and moving him into a more comfortable position that strained his arms less. Wei Ying tried very hard not to think about the core strength required to lift an entire grown-ass man from the position Lan Zhan was reclined in. It was a little bit of a struggle.
"Ok," he finally managed, earning a look from Lan Zhan that showed the asshole likely realized the source of Wei Ying's distraction. "A lot of what Wen Ruohan has is about sex and drugs. Who's using, who's cheating. That kind of shit, on a lot of political and high profile business figures and their families. I don't know if any of them are in the Lan pay, but the list is really fucking long."
Lan Zhan nodded tersely. It was not a surprise and - given the Lan's tendencies - it meant they were minimally exposed.
"He has a lot on the Jin, because they do business together. There's a lot on human trafficking. I didn't see anyone from your organization in there, but - honestly - even if it is, then you're fucked because that's going to go public in less than six hours whether you kill me here or not. The files are already lined up, and they'll be sent with or without my help."
Wei Ying narrowed his eyes at Lan Zhan, looking for any sign of concern, but Lan Zhan just looked impassively back at him.
"Ok. So, yeah. The Jin and the Wen were involved in each others' business. A lot. So they are going to get hit pretty hard. Hopefully hard enough that they don't have time to come after me, but that's not a guarantee. They own a lot of people, and I'm releasing it to more than one party but… it's still a gamble with the kind of money they have. I'm also releasing all the records on the Jiang massacre. That's non-negotiable."
Lan Wangji inclined his head in acknowledgement. Neither of them mentioned Wen Chao's accusations. It didn't matter, either way.
"They didn't have nearly as much on your family as they did on a lot of other syndicates. They had information on your father."
Lan Zhan's gaze sharpened, and Wei Ying continued.
"Just that he had been the Dragon Head and that he was dead. They had some stuff on the insider trading, but not a lot, and much of it was speculative. I didn't cross-check it with the business execs they had dirt on, though, so there's probably some exposure for you there. And they had the location of one of your warehouses. Before you ask, I checked and it was one of the ones that the Jin got from Su She, which I would imagine you're already handling." Wei Ying frowned. "And there were some exchanges with the Wen that looked like they were planning on having someone hit your warehouses and make it look like it was the Nie."
Lan Zhan's head snapped up at that.
"You have proof?" Lan Zhan asked.
Wei Ying nodded. "Yeah. Wen Ruohan was pretty dumb about keeping receipts on his shit. Sucks for him, but great for me."
Lan Zhan frowned. "Do the Nie know?"
Wei Ying tilted his head to the side. "Not from me. I was thinking of telling Huaisang, but… I guess I'm telling you instead."
Lan Zhan hummed, the sound low and pleased, his hand sliding down to grip the sharp cut of Wei Ying's hip bone.
"Anything else?" Lan Zhan asked, as his large hands slid up over his hips to grip around the narrow span of Wei Ying's waist.
Wei Ying sucked in a sharp breath, his thoughts scattering momentarily as goosebumps raced over his skin. The chill in the room he'd felt a few minutes earlier had vanished, as his body temperature started to rise again. He vaguely remembered Lan Zhan had just asked him something.
"What?" Wei Ying asked, feeling irritation flash at the amused look in Lan Zhan's eyes.
"I asked Wei Ying if there was anything else."
Lan Zhan's tone was calm and detached, but Wei Ying could feel the solid heat of the man's erection against his hip. He forced his brain to pay attention to the question. He wasn't going to embarrass himself by needing to ask a third time.
"Uh. There was, um, a lot to go through. But that's what I noticed at first pass. Mostly I was trying to decide what would be the fastest way to get Wen Ruohan arrested before he could find me and kill me."
"Logical." Lan Zhan said, his gaze dropping to Wei Ying's mouth, then continuing down along Wei Ying's throat and over his collarbone. "Who else has access to the data?"
Wei Ying tensed, his mind briefly clearing from the haze of arousal that had been building. It was a logical question for Lan Zhan to ask, but it was also a dangerous one. He was not going to paint a target on Wen Ning's back.
"I don't know who has access to Wen Ruohan's system," Wei Ying deflected, even though he knew that was not what Lan Wangji was asking. "The fact that Wen Chao had a password was not a good sign, but he only had given Wen Chao low-level access. But Wen Ruohan could open it up if he wanted to."
Lan Zhan lifted his head up to look at Wei Ying.
"But you got access from Wen Chao."
Wei Ying gave a cocky grin, and felt Lan Zhan's hands tighten around his waist. "All I need is a toe in the door. Once I'm in, I can access whatever I want."
Lan Zhan's gaze darkened, and his hands slid down from Wei Ying's waist to grip the rounded curve of his ass.
"Wei Ying is skilled."
Lan Zhan flexed his hips slightly, just enough to draw Wei Ying's attention to where the thick, solid length of Lan Zhan's dick was beginning to grow.
"Mmhm. Skilled at dirty tricks," Wei Ying said, letting his legs fall wider apart in invitation. "Does Hanguang-Jun carry out all of his interrogations naked?"
"Skilled," Lan Zhan reiterated firmly, shifting closer so that his cock pressed more firmly against Wei Ying's hip. "And no. Only in this specific case."
Wei Ying breathed out a laugh.
"Wei Ying. Who else in your organization has seen the data?"
Ah. Lan Zhan wasn't going to let him off that easily. The man was annoyingly competent.
"Hm. Organization is a bit of a stretch. It's just me and my partner. But we have a contingency system set up. Sort of the cyber equivalent of a dead man's switch. If we both get taken out, the system is set to send everything to three different media sources and two different government agencies. All of it. Not just the stuff on the Wen."
Lan Zhan stilled at the clear warning, and his eyebrows raised slightly. "Just the two of you? There are rumors you are starting your own syndicate."
Wei Ying laughed. "Nah. I don't want that. I never really wanted to be the one in charge. I was happy under Jiang Fengmian." Wei Ying's smile faded at the words.
"My offer from earlier still stands," Lan Zhan said, brushing his thumb over Wei Ying's cheekbone.
Wei Ying wished he could read Lan Zhan better. The man's eyes bore into him, but Wei Ying couldn't tell what was going on behind them.
"Let me finish the Wen situation. That way, if it goes sideways, no one else gets pulled in."
Lan Zhan's gaze seemed to shutter, and Wei Ying wondered what he'd said wrong.
"We will discuss it later," Lan Zhan said, levering his body up to begin untying one of Wei Ying's wrists. The disappointment of Lan Zhan pulling away from him was washed away by the shock that the Lan enforcer was actually untying him.
"You're untying me?" Wei Ying asked. He had made the argument for why he should be released but hadn't really expected the man to actually let him go.
"Wei Ying can use the bathroom." Lan Zhan side-eyed Wei Ying. "There are no skylights here. Then we will shower and eat. When we arrive in Gusu, I will have my driver bring your bag and we can go through the information."
Wei Ying wouldn't have untied himself if he were in Lan Zhan's position, but he certainly wasn't going to argue. He also was not going to agree. Once one wrist was free, Wei Ying moved to untie the other, but Lan Zhan batted his hand away.
"Here," Lan Zhan said, taking the laptop he'd retrieved earlier and setting it on the bed by Wei Ying. It looked almost unused. Lan Zhan opened it up, and Wei Ying rolled his eyes when he saw that there wasn't even a fucking password on it.
"What the fuck, Lan Zhan! I know you guys don't do much with tech, but you don't even know that you need to use a password ?"
Lan Zhan breathed out an annoyed breath. "This was the laptop I used with your drive, and for the link you sent. I don't use it for anything else."
"Hm," Wei Ying allowed. "Ok, fine."
Lan Zhan quickly untied Wei Ying's other hand, then handed him the laptop. There was something about the quiet proficiency with which the alpha undid the ropes that had caused heat to curl low in Wei Ying's belly. He pushed it aside as he quickly scanned the device to make sure there was nothing on it that could record his keystrokes, then launched the browser to find the site he needed.
When a large hand wrapped around his ankle to position it for easier access to the knot, Wei Ying felt his cock start to lengthen again against his stomach.
Lan Zhan lifted his gaze to look at Wei Ying's dick, then met his eyes for a suspended moment.
"Focus, Wei Ying."
"Ugh. Fuck you." Wei Ying briefly considered kicking the man in his smug face, but decided against it as he quickly typed out a message to Wen Ning while Lan Zhan finished unwinding the length of rope around his other ankle.
Once the bindings were released, Lan Zhan rubbed the reddened skin with his hands as he studied Wei Ying's body.
"Wei Ying should eat more. I will have food brought while we clean up."
The words were not that different from what Jiang Yanli might have said when they were younger, but somehow both the tone and intent seemed completely different. Lying naked, still half-hard, in an alpha's bed while he talked about wanting to feed him just… hit differently.
Wei Ying looked to the side and pulled his legs up, deciding he didn't want to read anything into it and get caught out. Lan Zhan was not his mate. This was just sex, and information exchange.
"Ok. I'm going to just…," Wei Ying said, tilting his head towards the bathroom.
"Mm. Do not lock the door," Lan Zhan said. "I will join you in the shower."
Wei Ying arched an eyebrow. "You're going to take that off?" He nodded at the tank top that Lan Zhan was still wearing.
Lan Zhan only looked at him, then went over to pick up his phone. He wasn't surprised. The Lan was particularly secretive about their ranks. No one outside of the organization was allowed to know. Even inside the organization. There was incredible secrecy about who the top members were. It greatly reduced the chance of assassinations, if the enemy didn't know for sure which member to target.
Wei Ying logged out of the website and scrubbed the browser history. He didn't wait to see what Wen Ning wrote back, because he didn't want Lan Zhan to ask him about it. He'd told Wen Ning what he needed to know.
Wei Ying walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He looked at himself in the mirror, his hair tangled and falling around his shoulders, his mouth kiss-bitten and red, his eyes wide and still slightly glassy.
He was a mess.
But he was a mess who had successfully killed Wen Chao and gotten away with it. And he'd just been fucked by one of the highest-ranking crime families in China, who was now offering him a job.
It had been a busy day, and he wasn't even fully sober.
He went to the bathroom, then started the shower heating. His shoulders ached, whether from the ropes or the body lock, he wasn't sure but a nice, hot shower sounded amazing. He wondered idly where the water went, if it poured directly into the river or was stored somewhere for later disposal. The water heated rapidly, steam billowing out and filling the room. He stepped into the stream, assuming Lan Zhan would join him when he'd finished whatever business he had to take care of.
He squirted some of the body wash into his hands, the steam activating the sandalwood and bergamot scent that Wei Ying associated with Lan Zhan's skin. He began washing himself, trying not to think too much about how he liked the idea of having Lan Zhan's scent on him.
He wondered if Lan Zhan was finally going to let him see his tattoos. He had a pretty good idea of what the man was already, but he understood the caution, especially for a syndicate as secretive as the Lan were.
Wei Ying heard the bathroom door open and close, then the shower door opened.
"Don't turn around," Lan Zhan said, moving behind him under the shower stream to press his entire body flush up along Wei Ying's.
His big hands slid over his hips to settle possessively around Wei Ying, pulling their bodies tight together. It struck Wei Ying that, despite having had sex twice already, this is the first time Lan Zhan has been fully naked with him. He could feel Lan Zhan's cock, already hard, pressing insistently against the curve of his ass, and the smooth, flat plane of his chest against Wei Ying's back.
"Mm. Either that was a very good phone call with your crew, or you were thinking about me in the shower while you were on your call," Wei Ying said. The heavy steam in the shower was combining with his rapidly growing erection to make him feel light headed. Though the fact that he hadn't eaten since the night before probably didn't help, either.
"Fuck," Wei Ying said, letting his head fall back against Lan Zhan's shoulder as the man dug his thumbs into the meat of Wei Ying's ass, spreading it open and gripping it tight.
"Yes," Lan Zhan gritted out, his voice low and rough in Wei Ying's ear.
There was something about the alpha's urgency that set an answering call in Wei Ying's blood. Wei Ying was still unused to how fast his body responded to the man's touch. How quickly all thoughts were washed from his mind by the rush of arousal that flooded his system. Wei Ying had never been able to fully shut off his thoughts in the past, unless he drank himself unconscious. The press of Lan Zhan's body against his, the scent of the man's arousal, the feel of his tight grip on Wei Ying's body didn't leave space for thoughts of anything else.
It was dangerously addictive.
"Is it always like this?" Wei Ying asked, bracing himself with his hands on the cool shower tiles as Lan Zhan slowly pushed into him. "No wonder you do this all the time. Maybe I shouldn't have closed my profile on the dating - Ah, fuck!"
"No." Lan Zhan slammed into Wei Ying hard enough to make his hands slip on the tiles, and Wei Ying splayed his hands out to brace himself better. Lan Zhan pounded into him relentlessly, his fingers gripping Wei Ying's hips with bruising force.
Lan Zhan reached forward with one of his hands to wrap around Wei Ying's dick, the water only partially reducing the friction as he moved his hand in time with his thrusts. It wasn't long before Wei Ying was cumming, his body arched and shaking.
He could feel Lan Zhan's dick swelling, but unlike the other times, Lan Zhan pulled out. Wei Ying heard a wet sound, then felt the hot jets of Lan Zhan's cum painting his ass and the back of his thighs.
Wei Ying felt like the room was spinning, and he braced himself against the shower wall, focusing on breathing and keeping upright as he tried to reorient himself. Lan Zhan's arm snaked around his waist, holding him steady. They stayed like that for several moments breathing each other in, until Wei Ying's body stopped shaking.
"There will be food soon," Lan Zhan said, reaching out to grab the body wash to clean them both.
"You know, pulling out doesn't actually decrease the risk of pregnancy. Especially not when you already came in me twice," Wei Ying joked, closing his eyes as Lan Zhan's soapy hand closed around his softening, over-sensitized dick.
"It would not be convenient if we were knotted for the next thirty minutes. Wei Ying needs food and rest."
As if on cue, Wei Ying's stomach growled. Lan Zhan quickly finished cleaning them, then shut the water off. By the time Wei Ying had gathered the energy to lever himself away from the shower wall, Lan Zhan had already slipped into a white terry bathrobe. He grabbed a large, fluffy white towel and gently began drying Wei Ying off with it.
Wei Ying laughed, though there was something about the gentleness of the act that had a wistfulness seeping into his bones. He had to remind himself again that this was just temporary. "Lan Zhan. I can actually wash and dry myself, you know."
"Mm." Lan Zhan acknowledged his statement but continued to gently dry Wei Ying off.
When they came out to the bedroom, a tray of food was already laid out. It was very late at night, so there wasn't a large variety, but there were lychee, sliced mango, and some steamed buns. Wei Ying's hunger hit him hard at the sight and scent of the food.
He picked up a steamed bun and bit into it, not even minding when it turned out to be filled with vegetables instead of meat. Lan Zhan dished up some of the fruit and more buns onto a plate, handing it to Wei Ying.
"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Wei Ying asked between mouthfuls.
"It is past dinnertime," Lan Zhan said, placing another lychee on Wei Ying's plate.
Wei Ying would have felt bad about wolfing down food in front of someone who was not eating, but Lan Zhan seemed to be enjoying watching him eat, putting more food on Wei Ying's plate as Wei Ying ate. Wei Ying could see the tiredness in Lan Zhan's frame, which - fair. It was probably close to two in the morning, and they'd fucked three times that night.
"So. What happens now?" Wei Ying asked as he finished his meal.
"Sleep," Lan Zhan said, gesturing to the bed. "We will speak more in the morning."
Wei Ying noticed that someone had changed the sheets while they were in the shower. It was a little embarrassing, but probably Lan Zhan had this happen with all the omegas he fucked.
Wei Ying was definitely tired. He would nap a bit, but he knew he would have to leave before morning. Being with Lan Zhan was making it hard for him to be objective. And he needed to get back to Wen Ning and A-Yuan and Wen Qing before they worried too much.
He could tell Lan Zhan was waiting for him to object, but Wei Ying knew it would be pointless. Lan Zhan wanted him to stay, and Wei Ying needed to go. He accepted the new toothbrush that Lan Zhan offered while Lan Zhan went and pulled on loose pajama pants and a fresh tank top. Wei Ying dressed in the soft pajamas Lan Zhan offered, feeling a little surreal. Like it was a date or a childhood sleepover, or any number of other things Wei Ying had heard about but never experienced.
Wei Ying didn't even object when Lan Zhan took a length of the rope and bound their wrists together before they got into the bed, the sheets cool and crisp. Lan Zhan was studying him the entire time, clearly aware that they were not in full alignment about how things were going to play out.
He noticed that Lan Zhan's duffle bag had been placed on the nightstand, likely by someone who noticed the condoms and erroneously assumed they would be used. Lan Zhan was watching him, his face unreadable as they lay down in the bed together.
"I can protect Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said, laying an arm over Wei Ying's hips. Wei Ying wasn't sure if it was meant to be comforting, or a reminder that he was not free to leave. "You don't need to keep working alone."
Wei Ying gave a slight smile, then closed his eyes. He tried not to think too hard about how nice it would be to have the backing of an organization again. Maybe after things landed with the Jin and the Wen, he would have been open to something like that. But right now, all he was was a liability. If Lan Zhan brought him in and things went sideways, Lan Zhan would be called on the carpet. As a small, mobile target, Wei Ying would be harder to hit back against.
It just wasn't meant to be.
"Let's sleep now. You wore this poor omega out. I'm not used to it like you are, Lan Zhan."
He could feel the alpha's gaze on him, but he kept his eyes firmly closed. Lan Zhan kept his arm possessively over Wei Ying's waist, pulling him in close. After a while, his grip slowly loosened, and his breathing evened out in sleep. Wei Ying knew that untying the knot would wake the Lan enforcer. You didn't live long in this business if you slept too soundly.
Wei Ying shifted closer to the edge of the bed, and Lan Zhan's grip tightened, but he didn't wake up. Slowly, Wei Ying reached into the bag and felt around until he found what he was looking for. He carefully pulled the nitrous oxide canister out, going slowly to avoid making any noise or moving his body too abruptly. He made sure the mask was attached properly before slowly moving it to hover over Lan Zhan's face, not quite touching his skin. Wei Ying pressed the nozzle, releasing a stream of the gas that Lan Zhan had intended to use on him, if he had resisted in the alley. Lan Zhan's breathing was slow and steady. Wei Ying didn't need to give him too much. He just needed Lan Zhan to stay asleep long enough for him to untie the rope.
He felt a pang of regret, but it really was the best for both of them that they parted ways before the Wen and the Jin came hunting for him. He'd keep his word to Hanguang-Jun and keep the info on the Lan safe. Hopefully that would be enough to set them up as potential allies.
Lan Zhan's face was slack, and Wei Ying put the canister back in the bag. Lan Zhan's slow, steady breathing didn't fluctuate in the slightest when Wei Ying untied the knot that bound their wrists together.
Wei Ying hesitated, looking down at Lan Zhan as he slept peacefully on. The man was beautiful. So fucking beautiful. Wei Ying wished that was the only thing that drew him to Lan Zhan. It would make walking away from the alpha's offer so much easier.
But Wei Ying wasn't going to put Lan Zhan at risk for Wei Ying's gamble. No matter how trusted an advisor he might be to the head of his organization, there were some calls that had to be made only from the top. He hoped they could still be allies. Either way, Wei Ying wouldn't regret the time he'd spent in Lan Zhan's bed. He leaned down and brushed a soft kiss across the alpha's lips.
It was time to leave.