“If I don’t get the boards for the Barstate account I’m going to start firing people and I’ll start with you,” I yelled at Tommy from Art department before slamming the phone down.

Three huge meetings this week, a fuck up on the temp receptionist’s part. There was definitely an aneurism in my near future. The agency wasn’t even two years off the ground yet. Already had beaten Vance at his own game, the bastard tried to screw me over once that fucking chief found out I was gay. That took care of itself, his ex-partner on the force took his own life and took him along for the trip.

The door opened and the red-faced lead of the art department came in with the storyboards he should have finished hours ago.

“It’s about time, Tommy.”

“My name is Jake, Tommy quit last month,” the man said, he was breathing pretty hard, he must have run the whole way. Good.

“I thought I remembered Tommy being darker and wearing a dastār. Show me what you have. Next time don’t take so long.”

“Don’t worry, we have an intern starting today. He’s from PIFA, I’ve seen his portfolio, he’s good. He’s really talented and smart to boot.”

“At least someone will be.” Tommy didn’t move. “This is where you leave, Tommy.” The man huffed and walked out the door.

“It’s Jake,” Tommy said as he left.

Looking at the boards, I realized the new boards were shit. After a few corrections, I rang for someone from the art department to come back and collect the boards with my changes.

A few minutes later someone tapped lightly on the door. “I can’t bitch you out while you’re out there, get in here.”

Instead of anyone I knew, it was a shaggy blond twink. He was in jeans and an ugly sweater that looked like the boy’s mom bought it for him. This intern was hopeless, too bad he was hot even in ugly clothes.

“What the fuck took you so long? I don’t have all day, take this back to Tommy. I’ve made the corrections I want.” The twink looked at me like I was crazy. “Well?”

“Mr. Kinney?” The confused face did not go away.

“That is the name on the door. Geez, are you what they are calling smart these days?”

“I’m sorry, I think you’ve mistaken me for someone who works for you. If I were unlucky enough to be working for you my first stop would be HR. You should be the hostile workplace poster boy.”

Who did the blond little twink think he was talking to? I could buy and sell him if I wanted. The kid looked like he was living in a cardboard box on the street. Most people were intimidated by me but the twink was looking at me like he was examining a bug under a microscope.

“If you don’t work for me what the fuck are you doing here?”

“I asked the receptionist who owned the corvette in the parking lot.”

“It’s not for sale.”

“Yeah, about that…I kind of hit it.”

Time stopped. What the fuck did the kid just say? He hit my present to myself after getting my first major account for my own agency. This was a dead kid.

“What the fuck did you say?”

The boy had the decency to look ashamed. “In case you didn’t notice, it’s pouring down outside. I pulled into your parking lot to let it pass. I accidently turned too soon and scrapped your passengers’ side and knocked off the side mirror.

“I’m going to sue your ass for everything you have.” Rage, complete rage was all I felt.

The boy put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a set of keys and a wallet. “Here it is. I have a rusted ’73 Cutlass and 15 dollars in my wallet. I don’t have any credit cards and only have 44 dollars in my bank account.”

“Please god, tell me you have insurance.”

The boy started to bite his lip, not a good sign for me. “Well, I did…until last month and I had to bail my boyfriend out of jail for panhandling. He wasn’t even panhandling, he was preforming. He does that to make extra money, the owner of the store near him called the police. The cops didn’t even care about the truth. I ended up having to pay the bail with my car insurance money. It lapsed.”

“That’s fucking great. How do you expect to pay me to get my car fixed?” I could easily pay to fix it and I would because I knew this little asshole wouldn’t be able to afford it.

“Guess a blowjob won’t even cover the tax,” the kid said.

That was interesting, the kid was hot. Not my usual type. He was small, blond, and young. I liked young but out of high school young. I liked my freedom more. I didn’t fancy having my dance card filled up in the state penitentiary.

“You can’t fix everything with a tight ass and fuckable mouth. That’s going to cost me thousands to fix. If you think you’re worth that you majorly overestimated yourself.”

The kid rolled his eyes. “I was joking. I would never cheat on my boyfriend. We’ve been together since we were fifteen.”

Counting down in my head was the only think keeping me from strangling the kid who hit my car. Talking about his boyfriend and poorness, like he didn’t do the damage.

“I repeat…how are you going to pay for the repair?”

“My grandmother told me last night she has a cold. She’s pretty old, she may not get better.” The boy paused and then frowned, looking upset all of the sudden. “I didn’t mean that, I don’t want her to die.”

I rolled my eyes now; this kid was too much. Maybe if I call security, they could rough him up and I would at least get some satisfaction out of the whole ordeal.

“I’m calling the cops.”

“No, please. If they find out I don’t have insurance they’ll charge me.”

“That’s my problem how?”

The blond was panicking now, I could see it in his face. “I’ll do anything. Please, don’t call the cops. I came in and told you when I could have just driven away.”

That was true but I still didn’t like it. “How much do you make at your job?”

His shoulders sagged. “Yeah, about that…I had to take a week off without notice. I was fired last week.”

“Christ, kid.” This kid was a freaking walking after-school special on the danger of stupidity.

“Justin. Justin Taylor, not kid.”

“I know I’m going to regret this. I’ve got a busy few months ahead. Why don’t I hire you temporarily until you can pay for the damages.”

“What kind of job?” he asked suspiciously.

“I need a Personal Assistant; my office assistant is much too busy and important to do things like getting my coffee or picking up my dry cleaning.”

“I need every Thursday off.”

Little fucker, here making demands after I give him a hand up. “Why?”

“That’s my business, I’ll work weekends if you need but Thursday is non-negatable.”

“If I have to fire you, you’ll regret it. Understand?” The twink nodded. “Go down the hallway to the right, at the end of hall is the HR/Payroll. They’ll get take care of your paperwork.”

“Thank you, sir.”

After the twink left I called Mary in Payroll to get everything ready for him to start. I have a feeling I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life.

Later at the diner I decided that I needed to back out of the deal. There was no reason I should help the kid out. It was the kid’s fuck up. The world is a tough place and the sooner he realizes he can’t use his pouty mouth and big blue eyes to get out of serious trouble the better.

The apartment was dark when I got home. It was unusual for it to be dark this late at night. Ethan didn’t go out after a certain time at night. If it was dark out, he was home. When he was younger, he had gotten jumped and robbed of the money he had earned while playing.

When I had met Ethan we were fifteen at a fine arts camp. Then we both got accepted to the same fine arts college. Sadly, I couldn’t go because my asshole father disowned me and refused to pay my tuition. I had to live vigorously through Ethan. But since I was a visual artist and Ethan a violinist, it wasn’t the same. His friends were also complete snobs and thought I was freeloading off of Ethan. If they only knew I paid for the rent, utilities, and food. Ethan used his money for his own wants. Just because Ethan was in school and living his dream and I was prep cook at a dive of a restaurant didn’t make him better than me. Well, I was a prep cook. Now I seem to be a personal assistant for a man with an ego the size of Alaska.

Looking around I noticed Ethan’s ugly vase his grandmother gave him was no longer on the wobbly shelf they got at a thrift store. His music stand was also not at the end of their bed like it always was, just so I could trip over it going to the bathroom. In fact, I didn’t see anything of Ethan’s that wasn’t garbage he found on the street. I noticed the flashing light on the answering machine and knew what it was. I thought about deleting it without listening, but I had always been a glutton for punishment. Pressing the play button, I prepared for the worst.

“You have 1 new message and 3 old messages. First new message.”

“I know you’ve noticed I took all my things out of the apartment. I’ve tried, really, I have. You’re going nowhere and I need someone that has goals in their life. You don’t even have a job anymore. I’m going to be someone someday and you riding on my coattails isn’t what I want for my life. I’m going to stay with Francois until I figure out my next step. I do wish you well. Take care of yourself, Justin. Bye.”

It was funny, I had always wondered what I would feel if Ethan left. I had always thought I would be devastated. Turns out it just made me hungry, maybe it wasn’t the leaving just that I hadn’t eaten since this morning.

The thing was, ever since I turned sixteen, I’ve had plenty of offers, before sixteen if I was perfectly honest. Ethan hadn’t liked that and said guys with a high body count were disgusting. So, I didn’t entertain the idea after that. But this was the first since I was fifteen that I was completely free to do anything I wanted. The first thing I was going to do was pack my messily ass shit and move the fuck out of this hellhole. I smiled remembering that Ethan hadn’t wanted me on the lease because he didn’t trust me. I wonder how long it will take him to realize I’m not going to pay the rent anymore. I hope not before he’s thousands of dollars in debt.

“Shit,” I muttered to myself when I remembered I was thousands of dollars in debt.

When I went to sign the paperwork, my mouth dropped at how much I was going to be paid. I would make more in one week than I had in a month at my old job. With any luck I would have him paid off in a few months’ time. Even though I hadn’t worked a day yet, I wanted to keep the job even after he was paid off. Jobs like that don’t come up every day. If I didn’t get to keep the job, I would just hit his car again.

Grabbing the phone, I dialed my best friend Daphne’s phone. It was good she never got annoyed with my as she calls them “drama queen” moments.

She answered on the third ring. “Someone better be dying or in jail,” she snapped.

“Does homeless count?” I asked, hearing her groan. “Did I interrupt something?”

“Yes, but what’s new about that. Hey, stop, give me a minute.” She was clearly talking to someone else.

“I was just wondering if you still needed a roommate?”

“Shit, Justin that was three years ago.”

“So, is that a no? Because I’m tidy.” There was laugh on the other end of the phone and it wasn’t very ladylike.

“You not only make a mess you are one. But you’re my mess. Come over tomorrow and we’ll work on your unhomelessness.”

I didn’t think that was a word, but she was the one in college. We said goodbye and I let her get back to whoever’s dick she spit out to talk to me.

“Fuck this shit.”

I wasn’t going to stay here one more night. There was no way that I was going to sit at home and lick my wounds. Ethan never wanted to be part of Liberty Avenue more than playing on one the street corners where most tipped him more for his ass than his playing. But I was single now for the first time in my adult life and I was going to make the most of it. Maybe I should be sad Ethan left but we weren’t suited for each other. He wanted to be rich and famous, and I wanted to hold a pillow over his face until he stopped moving. You see? Different priorities.

Most of my clothes were outdated and baggy. Thankfully, I could still wear the clothes I wore in high school. The bad part was it was because we didn’t eat very much because bills were more important. Well, I didn’t eat, Ethan usually ate at his friends’ houses. I hope they get food poisoning. That wasn’t very nice to think but they hated me long before I hated them. I was able to find the last outfit my mother had gotten me. She didn’t like Ethan any more than Daphne did, but I knew she didn’t buy tight clothes for me because she wanted me to go out and get laid.

The jeans were a bit tight, my mother still thought I was twelve. I cut the bottom off the white shirt, showing off my mid-drift.

I grabbed my license but left my wallet in the apartment. Sliding my license in my back pocket, I was ready to go. Only problem was I didn’t know where to go. I knew most of the clubs were membership only. Well, the worst they could do was turn me down.

I decided to try Poppers, mostly because it didn’t look as intimidating as Babylon. The bouncer let me in with no problem, he did grab my ass as I walked by him though.

As I returned from my second time in the backroom, I noticed Ted had joined Emmett and Michael. They were all in god awful relationships. Ted with the twink that almost killed him. Michael with the professor and Emmett with some secret athlete. If I cared I would be curious. Babylon really wasn’t that great tonight, mostly trolls roaming around. Maybe it was because I couldn’t get an annoying blond twink out of my head. Wondering what the blond’s boyfriend looked like. Was he a shaggy-haired blond that couldn’t drive too?

“Did you really hire a kid that hit your car?” Ted asked, probably getting the story from Michael.

“Yes, he didn’t have a job, he can’t pay me back without employment Theodore.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “I told him it was a stupid thing to do. He could be a thief and rob you blind.”

“His job will to be to pick up my coffee and dry cleaning. What do you think he will steal?”

“I don’t know but I wouldn’t trust him with anything more than ten dollars,” Michael snipped.

“Noted.”

“Oh my god. Would you look at the little Angel twink that just walked onto the dancefloor,” Emmett gushed. “Times like this I wish my type wasn’t bigger and taller.”

Brian turned to see where Emmett was looking and almost cursed. There was his brand-new personal assistant, practically leading a leather daddy by his nipple ring. Was that Justin’s boyfriend? He had said he’d been with him since he was fifteen. That man had to be at least forty.

It didn’t take long for my new PA’s eyes to land on me. Stay there you fucking twat. The blond apparently didn’t heed my unspoken demands because he started walking towards me, Mr. Leather Daddy following, I could practically see the cartoon hearts over the older man.

“Hi, fancy seeing you here,” Justin said.

“Could say the same to you. Thought you would be home sleeping and preparing for your first day.”

“Introduce us to your friend,” Emmett said, pushing me out of the way a little.

“This is my new Personal Assistant, Justin Taylor.”

“You’re just scrumptious,” Emmett squealed. “And who is this big, beautiful man?”

Justin looked confused until he turned around and saw the leather daddy who was leaning on the younger man’s back.

“Oh, this is Daddy.”

“I didn’t know your high school boyfriend was the principal,” Brian ground out.

“Daddy isn’t my boyfriend.” The blond laughed and so did the mountain of a man in leather chaps behind him. “Got home tonight to find my boyfriend moved out. I haven’t been with anyone else…ever. I was fixing that tonight. Went to Poppers, but some creep wouldn’t leave me alone, so I went to the Meat Hook. The freak followed me, but Daddy came to my rescue. I wanted to try here next, and Daddy was so kind to walk me here and use his membership card to get me in. My real-life hero,” Justin gushed. I wanted to vomit with how thick he was laying it on.

It was a good thing the kid had been locked down for most of his teenage and young adulthood. He was disgustingly cheerful. The kid’s boyfriend just broke up with him and he’s acting like it’s the best day ever. Goldilocks seemed to want to try all different types of men on to find the right porridge.

“Kirky! What are you doing here? You never stray too far from the Meat Hook,” a tall, thin man of about thirty in only jeans said the leather daddy.

The older man seemed to blush, but it was hard to see with all the hair on his face.

“Just doing a favor,” he said just loud enough to hear. The daddy nodded in Justin’s direction before talking to him. “Are you good now?”

“Yes, Daddy. Thanks for helping me out. I’ll be fine now; this is my boss.”

When had I volunteered to be his bodyguard? Once the leather daddy and his friend had wandered off, there was an awkward silence between them. But before long, Justin spoke up and I wish he hadn’t.

“Have you ever blown a guy with a Prince Albert? It was weird. He seemed to like it; Ethan had always complimented my skills there. But Daddy’s piercing kind of tasted like my mom’s sterling silver.”

It was hard not to laugh at that. Cock piercings were pretty normal, but I had never heard them described like that. Even Michael who had looked suspicious laughed.

“So, for payment the man wanted head? Sounds right,” I told him.

Justin smiled. “No, he was just one of the many blowjobs I’ve given tonight. My jaw’s a little stiff now to be honest.”

The boy wasn’t sticking his toe in the in the casual sex pool, he was jumping in with no lifejacket. It would be a miracle if he didn’t have a line of drooling middle-aged men following after him at the end of the day.

“A tip, use mouthwash, a lot of it,” I told him before I went off to find my next conquest.

The gorgeous hard body that I had in the backroom was awful. Where had to learned to take a dick in his mouth? After the third time his teeth connected with my dick I told him to fuck off. With any hope my new employee would be gone when I got back to the bar. Luckily, he had gone somewhere else because my friends were alone.

“Did the twink go home? He should he has work in the morning and I won’t go easy on him because it’s his first day.”

Ted smirked before Emmett broke out laughing but it was Michael’s worried expression that really caught my attention.

“What did I miss?” I demanded.

“He went to the backroom with two guys,” Ted said, smirk still on his face.

“No, he didn’t,” I told them.

“Yeah he did,” Emmett agreed.

“I just came from there; I can tell you he did not go there. Spill Mikey, why do you look like you just lost your comic book collection.”

“It’s just the men he left with; I know them. They aren’t creeps or anything, but they are hardcore into the BDSM scene. I just worry that because he’s newly single he might do things he would regret.”

“Fuck, they’ll either take him home or back to the Meat Hook.”

“They have a sex dungeon at home,” Michael said, looking uncomfortable.

That made me look at Michael more carefully. I could see both Emmett or Ted go along with two men to their sex dungeon but not Michael. Hell, I had to go with him to get tested the first three times. Mikey didn’t even like getting a shot at the doctor.

“That idiot kid is going to get himself killed. Do you know where they live?” I asked Michael not liking where this night was going. Just because they didn’t do permanently damage Michael didn’t mean they wouldn’t hurt Justin; Michael has been on the scene as long as I have been. The boy had very pale skin, a man with a whip’s wet dream. That boyish face with those innocent big blue eyes didn’t help.”

“Yeah, I know where.”

The place wasn’t too far but I still worried about what had happened to the kid in that time. I would never forgive myself if these men hurt him. I should have told him to go home, I’m his boss he would have to listen.

“This is it,” Michael said in a whisper. All four of them were standing outside a metal door. “This door leads to the dungeon. They don’t lock it, well they didn’t when I was there. They wanted whoever they were playing with to know they could leave if they wanted.”

“Isn’t that darling, doesn’t helped if they are tied down,” Ted muttered.

“Just shut up, all of you,” I told them. I reached out for the doorknob. Michael had been right it was unlocked.

Quietly as we could, we descended the steps to where the dungeon was. I could hear the sound of a whip hitting skin but there was no yell or even a grunt. There was a red curtain that cut off the steps from the dungeon. Moving it to the side, we walked in.

I was not expecting what I saw. There were two completely naked men. A big, muscle-bound man was hooked to a St. Andrew’s cross. A smaller man but not by much was holding a whip and by the look at the other one’s back he had just been whipped.

“Just like that, stay there, don’t move,” a voice from the other side of the dungeon said.

I didn’t even have to look to know who it was, but I did look. There sitting on some bondage bench was his new PA, he was fully clothed and had his legs crossed while drawing in a sketch pad.

“WHAT THE FUCK?” I couldn’t help but shout.

Three sets of eyes landed on me. I could feel how tense Michael and Ted was behind me.

Justin smiled and it looked so pure and innocent, which was a contrast to the devices of torture he was surrounded by. Looking around I saw devices I didn’t even know what they were, and I was far from a novice in the lifestyle. It wasn’t something I really went for, but everyone was young once.

“What are you doing here?” the one with the whip asked.

“I was looking for him,” I said, pointing at Justin.

“Why?” Justin asked, getting up from the sex bench he had been sitting. “I was dancing with Bill and Phil, and we got to talking. Phil is a PIFA alumni, he’s also on the board. I didn’t have anything thing to show him because my ex threw away my portfolio and said it was a mistake. Since they didn’t look good he thought they were trash. But Phil said if I sketched them using that thingy, he would use it as a submission. Not only would I get reaccepted, but he thinks he can get me a scholarship. They’re sex club gives one away every year.”

“And he knew you were a great artist, how? Must have been one hell of a dance,” I snapped. The little twat stupidly went to someone’s house because this crazy offer. He was too naive to be left alone. Did his ex ever let him out of the house?

“No, I blew Bill for the chance while Phil stood over us and jacked off. It’s on video if you want to see.”

“Get your stuff, we’re leaving,” I told him.

“I can’t I’m not done with the sketch.”

That’s how all of us ended up watching a live BDSM show while Justin sketched. There was times Justin had them stand still for way too long to not be awkward. It was already nearing morning when we left. Tomorrow the boy was going to be a zombie.

The next morning, I was greeted by an excited rabbit in my office. I had only gotten two hours of sleep. There was no way he had more than I had.

“How are you so chipper?” I said, irritated.

“Oh, Phil took me to a very nice diner this morning. The waitress was so nice. She kept bringing me food and coffee. I had four cups. I can’t understand why my mom was against me ever having any. I’m going to have it every day but not without the sugar and creamer, which was disgusting. I was tired until I had it but I’m not tired anymore. Ethan said coffee was for people without personalities. Next time I see him I’ll tell him how wrong he was. He was also wrong to say he was average size in the cock department. After all the ones I saw last night, he’s on the small side. I should have known better when he said wouldn’t bottom because mine was weird. I just guess weird means just bigger than him. Oh, you wanted coffee, what kind do you want? I wouldn’t mind getting myself another cup.”

“I don’t need coffee and you sure as hell don’t need anymore. Go the art department and get the boards for Rexin account. I have a meeting with them today.”

The boy practically skipped out of the door. Nope, there was not way I can keep him around. I would strangle him before the week was out.

The phone ringing woke me up. My whole body hurt; I wish I couldn’t remember the night before. I made such a fool of myself, there was no way I could go to work and look Mr. Kinney in the face. That was going to be torture.

“Get up and turn off your alarm. It’s not as bad as you think,” Daphne yelled through the door.

“It’s worse than I think. If he doesn’t fire me on the spot it’ll be a miracle. Everyone will be talking about me.”

Daphne didn’t bother to knock; she walked in and threw my car keys at me. “You’re responsible for half the rent and utilities. This job is a dream, you’re an errand boy for more money than both of us made last year. So, you sexted your boss, worse things could have happen.”

“You don’t know, you have no idea of the things I wrote.”

Daphne sat down on my bed and held out her hand. “Give me your phone.” After I handed her my phone I buried my face back into my pillow. I couldn’t watch her read what I wrote.

“Jesus, Justin, can you really bend that way?”

“No. I don’t even think it’s possible. What was I thinking?”

“You weren’t thinking last night, vodka did all the thinking.”

Last night had been a bad one. I went to Babylon like I had since I got dumped last week. But last night I saw Ethan and Collier at Babylon, making out on the dance floor. Mr. I’m Too Mature For Places Like That. I also knew something was up with Collier even though Ethan called me paranoid.

“I really messed everything up, didn’t I?”

“Royally. Let’s go over what happened last night. First, you started drinking when you saw Ethan. Then you started throwing olives at them. When the bartender told you to stop, you left the club went to that diner, asked for a cup of mayo, and left. Went back to the club, gave the bouncer a handjob so you didn’t have to pay the entrance fee again. Then went all Carrie on them and threw the mayo at their bodies. You’ve never been athletic, and it all ended up in their faces. You yelled MONEY SHOT, then went the bouncer was making you leave and banning you for life. All that in front of your boss. I had to come pick your drunk ass up and take you back to the all-night diner to get some food and coffee in you. While waiting for the food, your boss came in and sat with his friends. The you started the sexting. Your boss got up and left the diner around “I want to fall asleep with your cock in my mouth.” That was last night in a nutshell.”

“Kill me now, there is no way I’m going to work today or…ever.”

“Buckle up, Sunshine, this is a new day, and you have to live with your actions.”

I sighed, I hated it, but she was right. This was on me; it wasn’t even that I was jealous that Ethan was now fucking his best friend. No, they were probably fucking for a while. It was just the hypocrisy of it all. “I guess it could be worse, I could’ve stripped,” I said with a chuckle.

“That was just for me when we got home, and you offered to suck my cock.” She was smiling widely at me, and I knew she would never forget this. She’ll tell this story on her deathbed. It wouldn’t start out as a deathbed, but once I put a pillow over her face she’ll have no other option.

By the time I got to work I was feeling almost normal. The embarrassment from last night was dimming. I wasn’t the first to ask their boss if they knew what sounding was…probably. If I didn’t die of embarrassment first, people would forget. Brian doesn’t seem like the kind of man that gossips with employees so maybe no one know.

Walking through the door I knew I was right. No one even batted an eyelash. Passing Cynthia’s office, she called me inside. Going inside I saw her pensive face.

“Please sit down, Mr. Taylor.”

Yesterday I had been Justin and we went to lunch together. Now I was Mr. Taylor. I’d been fired enough times to see where this was going.

“Don’t give me the whole spiel, just say it.”

“If you want. You’re fired. Do you want to know why?”

I opened the door back up and stepped outside. “No, I know.” Leaving her office, I went to Brian’s office. If he wanted to fire me he would have to do it himself.

Instead of knocking on the door I went in without getting permission.

“YOU FIRED ME?”

Brian looked up from desk, he was on the phone and writing something down. The older man glared, and I shrank on the spot.

“I’ll have to call you back Sheryl,” Brian told the person on the other end of the call.

“That was my head accountant. What was so important to disrupt me? Someone people have to work…unlike you.”

This bitch, he dares to say that shit to me after firing me. “You didn’t have to fire me. I’m not the first person to get drunk and do something they regret.”

“I did have to fire you. You didn’t just send me those texts. You sent it to all the numbers you had. That’s a work phone and all the numbers were already on it when you got it. I’ve been putting out fires all night. Four of my best clients wanted to know if I was fucking my PA, if that was what kind of agency I ran. HR wanted to write up a sexual harassment report. Firing you was just the best and easiest for both of us. Now please get out of my office. Your last check will be sent to you in the mail.”

What could I say to that? He was in the right to fire me. The things I said in those texts would make a sailor blush. “I get it, I hope there isn’t any lasting damage.” Brian ignored that and didn’t look back up at me.

“You’re hired.”

“Really?” It couldn’t be this easy. I bet having sex on screen would get boring. But as I looked around, the more I wanted to give this the old college try. “I didn’t know cocks really came in that size,” I said more to myself.

“Really, really. I’ve been looking for a fresh face with great skin. You’re sure Brian is fine with this?”

“What does it matter? He fired me.”

I knew he was friends with Brian, but it shouldn’t have anything to do with hiring me. There wasn’t a lot of opportunity to make enough money to pay Brian off that wouldn’t take more than a year.

“Shit. I don’t think I can hire you.”

What the hell? “I’ll blow you.”

“I’m dating someone.”

“And?”

“Christ, you really are perfect for Brian.”

That caused me to pause. What did he mean by that? “What do you mean?”

Ted sighed as he sat down at his computer. Sounds of sex and moans were pretty loud. I could hear them being given directions on what to do.

“The reason Brian fired you may not have exactly what you think. If he wanted to he could smooth over the text with his clients and HR. But he figured you were getting too clingy after a week. If he fucked you, you would try to make something out of it.”

What?

“He does have an ego doesn’t he? Thinks he’s god gift to gay community. I would rather gargle glass than have any part of him near me.” So, Brian thought I would become obsessed with him. After I got hired, Brian seemed annoyed anytime I talked about my new sex life. Brian was jealous, he had to be. Well, he hadn’t seen anything yet. “Give me the job. You already said I was hired. Trust me I won’t leave you disappointed, I’m very bendy.”

Ted’s face got a little red and I knew I had him. Brian was going to burst a blood vessel. This was perfect. “When do I start?”

“Tomorrow, if I’m still alive.”

“Don’t be mad,” Ted said, pulling up a chair at my table.

We were at Woody’s having a drink. After the last few days I’d had, I needed a keg to forget about it, but settled for a few beers with a whiskey chaser. My clients were easier to fix than HR, she really wanted Justin’s balls. The firing wasn’t even my idea but when you’re a boss you have to make hard decisions. My plan was to let things cool down a little and get him on at another job. I’ve got a few people I’ve met through work that could hire him in an entry level position maybe with an art department.

“I’m sure I won’t care.” I took another pull of my beer.

“IhiredJustinforthesite.”

“Try and speak words.”

After a moment and a long drink, Ted finally spoke. “I hired Justin for the site.”

It took a minute to register what he had said. “It sounded like you said you hired my ex-PA to fuck on your disgusting website.”

Ted’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t say it was disgusting before. I’ve never seen you act like this. What is this kid to you?”

That was a question I hadn’t predicted. Why was I acting so different with the kid? He was too young, too naive, and too sheltered. Somehow that boyfriend of his had kept him in the dark of the world around him. Justin went from his mother’s kitchen table to an overbearing boyfriend who was possessive enough to keep the rest of the gay community away from him. It was because he knew Justin would find a better offer in seconds on Liberty Avenue. I didn’t have to meet the ex to know that he wasn’t good enough for the blond.

“It’s dangerous,” I answered because it was.

When Emmett thought he was being stalked there was no help for him. Why would they help some gay who put himself in that situation. But Emmett knew how our world worked and he’s a damn good fighter when he needs. I once saw him take down a man twice his side. The guy was hitting on him and wasn’t taking no for an answer. Once he tried to drag Emmett into the back room, he laid him out. Emmett had height and his childhood to aid him. Justin didn’t have any protective instincts it seemed. How could he be so stupid to go with two men to their house who he didn’t know?

“All my entertainers have top notch security. They are walked to their car and if they don’t have one they are drove home by security.”

“So, you’re saying people don’t get attacked in their home?”

“Brian, you fired him. He needed a job. He will make more money at JerkatWork than he ever would making minimum wage at a coffee shop.”

For some reason this answer pissed me off more. “Call him and tell him the job is not available anymore.”

Ted didn’t usually show his anger, but he was getting angry. Good, so was I. There was no way Justin could protect himself.

“Brian, I say this as a friend, stay away from him.”

It was like a physical blow. Why would Ted tell me to stay away?

“I can’t,” was all I said before walking away. If Ted wouldn’t rescind his job offer I would have to get Justin to rescind his acceptance.

“BRIAN!”

Looking behind me I saw Ted looking at me with a pleading look. “What?”

“Let him go. We both know after you fuck him you won’t have any interest in him. Just let him be, let him find someone who can give him what he needs. We both know as soon as he gets attached you’ll break his heart. Do what you could never do for Michael. End it.”

For hours I had been staring at my computer in my office. No work had been done since I spoke to Ted the night before. My eyes went to the clock that I have been ignoring for the past hour. Justin was supposed to have arrived at JerkAtWork an hour ago. By now Justin was probably in middle of an orgy. This was wrong. Grabbing my suit jacket, I left. There had to be something I could do.

As I entered I could hear Ted “directing”, ruining a kid’s life. If Justin ever wanted to be respected as an artist, fucking on camera would ruin it.

“Bend down, Jay,” Ted said so loudly I could hear him before I saw him.

Without thinking I burst into the camera room and grabbed Ted. “Where is he?” I demanded.

“Who? Do you mean Justin?”

“Of course, I mean Justin. Who else would I be talking about?”

“He called and said he couldn’t do it. Something about his boyfriend.”

“He got back with that prick?”

“I didn’t get that feeling. I think he was using the boyfriend as an excuse. I’ve had guys chicken out before. My guess once he was letting his brain do the thinking instead of his anger, he realized it wasn’t something he wanted.”

That was good, it proved the blond wasn’t as dumb as he had been acting. I had done some dumb things in my early twenties but nothing that could have lasting damage like Justin almost did. “Do you know where he is?”

“Don’t know and don’t care. I have a job to do right now. I do know if my ex was sniffing around and I just quit a job I needed, I would probably be at a bar as soon as it opened.”

It was possible that Justin was at a bar. Although he wasn’t 21 yet, he didn’t need to be. His lips and ass would get him anything he wanted from the losers who hang out at Woody’s once it opened.

Woody’s was the first place I looked and got lucky. Justin was nursing a beer that had already got warm. There was a troll that was old enough to be my father hitting on him. Justin seemed to be ignoring him. My gaze dropped to the creep’s hand start to rub the blond’s thigh. Before I could do anything Justin pushed the hand off and smiled. He whispered something in the man’s ear, the man leaped up like he won the lottery. Soon he ran to the door with a huge grin on his face.

“Taking up hustling now?” I asked, annoyed.

Justin’s head swung around and looked at me. For a moment there was a big grin before it was replaced by a scowl. It was as if a kitten was trying to be angry. Best not to mention it to him, he probably has the claws too.

Justin stood up and laughed. “No. I told him I wasn’t interested but I knew a guy looking for a sugardaddy. Told him to come back around 10 tonight and I’ll introduce them.”

“What?”

“Met a nice guy who just quit JerkAtWork, he said if he was having sex for money he would rather it just be with one guy. Oliver isn’t a creep so I think it could work.”

Anger started to fill me again. “It didn’t look like you were enjoying him feeling you up.”

“If I got mad at everyone who touched me without permission I would be mad all the time.”

Memories of being young and vulnerable came back to me. After I went to college I swore to myself no one was going to touch me without my say so. I guess it’s a right of passage both for gay boys and straight girls. There had to be some straight men too.

“Point taken. I heard you quit your job before you started.”

“I told a few friends trying to work my head around what I would be doing. Someone told Ethan, he came to Daphne’s and called me every vile name in the book. So, I accidently messaged all of his friends and told them he had a small cock and was a premature ejaculator.”

“Is it true?”

“It was a bit unfair actually, I’ve seen smaller. Like his new boyfriend Collier.”

“How do you know?”

Justin started laughing. “Collier is a secret flasher. He flashed a bunch of people near the Andy Warhol Museum. Guess he didn’t see me, but I saw him. When he gets caught Ethan is going to be so embarrassed. He hates anything that makes people judge him.”

I couldn’t help but laugh with him. If the new boyfriend gets caught, Ian will want to crawl in a hole and die. Good. “What are you going to do jobwise?”

“Oh, I was already hired.”

“Do you have to take your clothes off this time?”

“That’s up to you, boss.”

“What?”

“Cynthia called an hour ago and hired me back as your PA. She said she smoothed it over like you should have. She gave me a signing on bonus to work with you.”

“She didn’t have the right.”

“Really? She seemed to think she had the right.”

She did and now I was regretting it. “I can’t do this again.”

“Take me to bed like you wanted from the beginning. I’m sure after that the sexual tension will be gone and you can act like a boss and not an overly jealous boyfriend.”

“I don’t act like an overly jealous boyfriend.” Yes I was but I wouldn’t admit it. Sleeping with Justin before he started back as the PA did make sense. You know, in the way that it was the stupidest idea in the world. There was no way I would take him up on it.

“So, you want to go back to your place?”

Instead of answering I pulled him up by his hand and led him out, him laughing the whole way back to my flat.

We got almost to Brian’s loft, he had said, when he got a call from his son’s mother. I knew he had a son but didn’t think much about it. His son had tripped while playing and fell off his mothers bed. So instead of going to Brian’s loft and fucking the night away, we were spending it in the ER waiting room. I could tell Brian was worried, it was a different side of him. The father side of him.

After a while, a blonde woman came out into the waiting room. “Brian!” she cried and threw herself into his arms.

“How is he?”

“He broke his arm; he’s got a cast. I’ve never seen one put on a child so little. Come on, he’s been asking for you.”

Brian left without a backwards glance at me. I started to feel very out of place. I shouldn’t be here. It was too late at night to call Daphne; she had a big exam tomorrow. Swallowing my pride, I called the only person I knew would come get me.

“Jesus, Justin, I was sleeping. That’s what people do at 2 in the morning.”

I smiled and looked up at Forbes. When I met Forbes he was one of Ethan’s friends. He also was very different from all of them, he wasn’t a musician or any kind of artist. Forbes majored in business and marketing at Carnegie Mellon. Now he was working in some job he hated that barely had anything to do with his degree. A glorified coffee boy he had told me when he started. Ethan had ended the friendship because he thought Forbes paid too much attention to me. Forbes played football in high school and had not lost his shape. I have to admit, if I was going to cheat on Ethan during our relationship it would have been with Forbes.

“Can you just take me back to Daphne’s,” I begged.

“That’s twenty minutes the other direction from my place. Just come back with me and I’ll drive you back in the morning.”

“My car is behind Woody’s on Liberty Ave.”

“Fine, I’ll take you there in the morning. Let’s go, I’m tired and have to go to work early tomorrow. God, I hate that place.”

I leaned back against the warm seat, my body aching and not from fun but sitting in the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room.

“Want to tell me about it?” Forbes asked after I sighed.

“Did you know Ethan broke up with me. Didn’t even have the courage to do it to my face. Left me a Dear John message on the machine.”

Forbes looked over at me sharply, I couldn’t figure out what the look he was giving me meant. “You should have been the one to leave him. He was a tool, he’s aways been a tool.”

I laughed. “Then why were you his friend?”

“To get closer to you.”

I paused as I was going to start changing radio stations. “What?”

“Remember the first time I met you?”

It had been at a party, one that Ethan actually invited me to. We were sixteen and didn’t even know anyone at the party. Ethan had just heard about it; I didn’t know he wasn’t invited either until we got there.

“You were all over this tall, blond guy with a lip piercing.”

“And what did you ask him?”

“If it rusted in the shower.”

Forbes pulled into a vacant parking lot before shutting off his truck. “From that first moment, I wanted you. But you were only sixteen so very off limits.”

“And I was with Ethan, right?”

“That wouldn’t have stopped me. He was a tool. I only made friends with him because you were such a princess and wouldn’t give me your number.”

“You just said I was too young.”

“I could wait, I did wait.” And without another word he leaned over and kissed me. I froze. So, Ethan had been right about Forbes wanting me.

Finally the need to breath became an issue and we parted. “Wow. Uh, what was that? You’ve never acted like you wanted me before.”

“I have, but you never seemed to share those feelings. While you were Ethan I decided to let you see him for who he really was. When you didn’t I sort of gave up. I won’t let my chance pass by.”

I hesitated; Forbes must have noticed. “Umm…”

“What? I’m too late. You’re already with someone else, right?” Seeing such a strong, sure man look nervous was endearing.

“Well, not really. I was planning on having a one-night-stand with a guy that I’ve had some sexual feelings for. But he’s an ass and I think I’d end up killing him if I had to spend a full day with him. I really did want to have sex with him though. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve blown tons of guys since Ethan left but haven’t found anyone I wanted to have sex with. He’s gorgeous and an asshole, it’s probably something to do with my dad.”

“Gross. I’ve met your dad.”

“I know right.”

“Does that mean he’s older than you? My age?”

Forbes was three year older than me. “He’s twelve years older than me.”

“Does he need a cane to get around with?”

I laughed. “Stop, there is one big reason I shouldn’t sleep with him. He’s my boss.”

“Dude, even if you tell me to fuck off and don’t want to give us a go, do not sleep with him. You’d be giving him too much power over you. Then any time he’s mad at you he’ll use it against you. Take a word from experience, it was the biggest mistake of my life. Why do you think I’m still stuck being a coffee boy?”

“Oh, Forbes,” I said before pulling him into a hug. Maybe Brian’s rush to the hospital had been a good thing. I’m going to be working for Brian, I need to stay a real employee. Anyway, Brian was probably right, I would probably get too attached.

“Let me take you back to my place.”

“That was already the plan.”

“To my bedroom.”

“Oh.” I thought about it for a moment. I knew Forbes, the man is loyal to a fault and every ex he has is still a friend. That has to mean something. Looks like I would be getting laid tonight after all.

“I’d like that.”