CHAPTER 1: DANGEROUS LIASIONS

It had already been a helluva fucking morning, and it hadn't even started yet. At eight am, Justin Taylor was ready to climb into his own bed and stay there for the rest of the day. His trick from last night... James, Joseph, Jerry or whatever-the-fuck his name was, became a nuisance the minute he opened his mouth this morning. Truthfully, he was a degenerate even while Justin was fucking him into the mattress, but since he was getting his dick serviced, the nonsense spilling out of the man's mouth could be overlooked. Justin knew better and should have stuck to his usual type.

Despite having the most enticing ass Justin had seen in weeks, it was clear that Jehosephat...Jacob...John, was definitely the ‘relationship' type that Justin had always avoided. But he was hot, with a tight ass that wouldn't quit, so Justin had quelled his instantaneous need to run the other way, ignored the red flags and went home with the dude. When he'd woken up to find his dick pleasantly encased in the warm wet mouth of Jeremy...Jeremiah...Jonas(?), Justin had stretched and accepted the blow job. Having a nice hard cum first thing in the morning was always a pleasant way to start the day. Justin reached up and grabbed the trick, tossing him onto the bed beside him.

He quickly sheathed himself and rode Jude...June...Josh...hard until he came. Afterward, Justin found his still-hard cock back into the greedy man's mouth being sucked with vigor. Everything was right in Justin's world at that moment. It wasn't until the ‘J' person decided that after swallowing Justin's cum that it would be a good day for them to spend the day in bed getting to know each other that Justin decided it was time to get the fuck out of there...FAST! Justin dressed in record time, grabbed his motorcycle keys while whatever-his-name-was in the shower and opted to hit the nearest coffee shop on his way to his condo.

After he ordered his usual mocha latte, and was about to sit down to enjoy his most anticipated and silent (thank fuck that coffee didn't talk back or make plans) pleasure of the day, he'd bumped into a whirling dervish dressed to the nines, with his briefcase swinging and his head stuck in the New York Times business section. "You think you might want to watch where you're going?" Justin said eying the stranger up and down. From what Justin could see of the clothes and shoes, the man's taste was impeccable. But when he looked up slowly from his perusal, he was pleased to see that the view had only gotten even better.

Brian Kinney was having the morning straight from Hell. First, had been the trick who stayed too fucking long (And just how the fuck had he allowed that to happen?). Then there was the fortunate arrival of Mikey, to kick out said trick, which almost immediately became an exercise in patience during his queen-out of century (apparently he and Ben were at odds over their adopted son). But to add to Brian's trip to Brimstone City was the call from waspy Mother Earth herself, Lindsey, reminding him that he was supposed to have dinner with her and the Bull from Bitchville, who just happened to be carrying his second child later that evening. If Brian could have remade himself into Flat Stanley and mailed himself to a land far, far away he would have!

But then again.... "Perhaps I didn't want to watch where I was walking. If I had, I might have missed you," Brian answered the smart-mouthed blond in front of him.

Justin answered the man with a smirk of his own. "Charming. Well, seeing as I have what I want, I should probably get going." Justin made to move past the brunet, but was stopped by an arm blocking his path. "Hey..."

"What's your hurry? We're only just beginning to know each other," Brian purred in the young blond's ear. Damn he smelled good...like sex and forbidden candy.

"I have a meeting to get to soon, but perhaps I'll see you around. By the way, my name's Justin.

"Brian. And yeah maybe we'll see each other around. Or perhaps we could see each other in the restroom before you leave."

Justin laughed heartily. "Ordinarily, I might take you up on that. But I just finished fucking, so I'm sated for awhile. Later, Brian." There. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Adonis.

Brian laughed and shook his head as he watched the small-statured, bubble butt blond's retreat. "Later, Justin," he called back, and was gratified to see the sunshine bright smile grace the younger man's face.

All throughout the day, Brian kept flashing back to the last time he'd seen the delectable blond. The irony was that even though the coffee shop was close to his house, he very rarely went there. The only reason this morning was different was his need to get out of the loft and away from Michael as fast as he possibly could. Between Lindsay and Melanie with baby number two on the way, and Michael clinging to him and their youth as if he were a drowning man, Brian had begun to feel suffocated. Thankfully he had Kinnetik and a few other business ventures, which required him to be sane and allowed him to focus on more than ‘the family' and their problems.

The knock on the door interrupted his reverie.

"Morning Bri," Ted said as he entered the office. "I have the latest specs on that company we were thinking of picking up. Taylor Industries is definitely looking for a new Ad agency to work with. Apparently, the CEO of the company has decided to dump Vanguard due to their overpriced, inferior work."

Brian chuckled at that. "Well Gardner had to know it was bound to happen, since the best of the best work here. You can't beat good taste. And fuck if we're not worth every penny we charge. So what exactly do they sell other than electronics?"

"The owner, Mr. Taylor, has branched the company out into the video game market. According to their return last quarter, which is public record, the move was extremely smart and forward-thinking on his part. With one of the leading video game brands not releasing a new gaming console outside of their current bestseller since 2014, while the other company isn't coming out with a new system until next year, he's in prime position to make a killing in the market."

"Strange that some old guy would be thinking of marketing to kids, isn't it?" Brian asked, genuinely puzzled by the company's new direction.

"That's where you're wrong, Brian. First of all, the new CEO is actually only twenty-six and about to be twenty-seven in March. Secondly, this isn't Mr. Taylor's first foray into the video game market. He was the inventor of Rage I, II and III all before he sold the rights when he was eighteen, making him one of the youngest millionaires in the world, even before he inherited two multi-billion dollar corporations. I would say that he is highly qualified to take the company to the next level. If we can land the account, no doubt he'll catapult us, too."     

"Well I guess we better set up a meeting then," Brian said as he reached for his phone. "Cynthia, what does my schedule look like for next Tuesday?"

"So far, you have John Remson flying in for next Wednesday's meeting, but you're to have dinner with him on Tuesday night. After the Remson meeting, you're supposed to fly out on Wednesday night for the meeting with Brown Athletics on Thursday."

"Wait- why am I flying out to meet with Leo Brown? I thought it was his turn to come here."

Cynthia sighed. Brian was notorious for these kinds of questions. "It was, but remember he broke his leg when he slipped on one of his wife's pearls while they were dancing?"

Brian chuckled at that. He remembered that it had taken everything in him not to laugh while Leo's secretary was on the phone relaying the news. However, she had no such qualms about the slight chuckles, which escaped her during the call. "It's no problem, Cynthia. I'll be on a flight and in Chicago in time for the meeting. In the meantime, I need you to get Frank in here. We're going after the Taylor account, and I want my best on this."

"That would be fine as long as you don't have Frank work on it," Cynthia muttered, but Brian heard her.

"I know you and he have had your differences in the past--"

"So have you," Cynthia countered.

"But I really want to ask him who he thinks is the best qualified on the staff to handle this account. This will be their exclusive assignment for the next week."

"I can save you the trouble, you know. Tell Frank you want Marcia Jackson. I know for a fact that she's not overly busy right now. In fact, she is under-utilized due to Frank's jealousy."

It was Brian's turn to sigh. He knew that there were problems between Frank and the artistic staff he was in charge of, but not to the degree Cynthia was hinting at. "Fine. Call down and tell Frank that I want to see Marcia. What makes you so sure she's the right person for the job?"

"Considering that she graduated PIFA last year with the second highest GPA and has a secondary degree in Advertising, which she paid for herself, I would say that she's you in an artistic-head-in-the-clouds-but-determined sort of way. I personally think you two will work well together. And I'm never wrong."

Both Brian and Ted laughed at her statement. It was true. Cynthia was the lifeblood of Kinnetik whereas Brian was the guts of the organization. They had been working together over ten years both starting in the bowels of Ryder Advertising fresh out of college- he as an Assistant Copywriter and she as a Research Assistant. It had been a lot of grunt work in the early days of their careers until he saw his opportunity and brought Cynthia along for the ride.

Together they were always ahead of the trend instead of riding the current wave first with Ryder, then with Vanguard when it changed hands and now with Kinnetik. Cynthia had proven her worth over and over again; he would have been a fool not to trust Cynthia's judgment over the years. And Brian Kinney was never a fool. "Okay, Cyn. Get her down here asap. I think I have an idea of how to win the account."

"Care to share, Bri?" Ted asked. He had total faith in Brian and from what he knew of Justin Taylor on paper, they would get along well. This could certainly boost Kinnetik's bottom line, which is what Ted was most assuredly interested in.

"I'm going to go for a Rage-ian track. I know since he sold the rights we can't use the direct images, but we can use the same concept then apply it to the advertising. Since he's a young twenty-something there's two ways to market this: either we can up the sex factor, or we could downplay it. It really depends on who he'll be targeting the gaming system to."

"If it helps you any, there will be two systems marketed. One will be for children, and geared towards education while making it fun. He scored 1500 on his S.A.T., so that was a big factor for him. It couldn't have been fun studying all those hours to make that type of score."

"1500? What the fuck? Poor nerdy guy," Brian commented, shaking his head. He couldn't help the subsequent snicker though.

Ted laughed. "I wouldn't say that. Besides who knows how many times he's gotten laid by now? He's a fucking billionaire, so ass is just falling at his feet by now, I'm certain."

"Very possible but continue, Ted."

"The other video game system is going to be geared toward adults eighteen and up. Although the kid games can be played on the adult system, the reverse cannot happen. That will make parents of young children particularly happy, because it means they won't be able to sneak around and play the games rated Mature."

Brian was impressed with Ted's knowledge. "It definitely sounds like it will be a success. Now we just have to come up with a kick-ass campaign to wow Nerd Guy and all will be well."

"Well if anyone can do that, you can Brian," Ted assured him.

"The fact that Gardner couldn't meet the vision of young Taylor is definitely in our favor. In spite of your age Theodore, you can be young and hip when you want to be."

Ted laughed again. "I'll leave young and hip to you. I'll happily sit and play with my numbers, while doing the occasional presentation to Son of Dandy Lube."

"You better not let Blake know about that indiscretion. He won't let you hang out with me anymore," Brian said as he smiled. He really did enjoy this ‘new' Ted. He had really proven himself to Brian after his foray into recreational drug use. Ted had become a self-assured, self-reliant man and finally had self-esteem. Brian was proud of him....but he'd never tell the older man that. "Get the fuck back to your office and crunch the numbers. I expect a full financial report by five, and a preliminary figure on how much all this will cost, so that I can have legal draw up a contract."

"You're that sure we'll get it?"

"If Cynthia says this girl, Marcia, is the best artist we have for this particular account, and if she can follow my instructions to the letter, we'll get it."

Cynthia, who had been listening to Ted and Brian's conversation while arranging Marcia's entrance into Brian's office, finally spoke. "Don't worry Ted. Marcia will have me to back her up. I've been majoring in Kinney-speak for quite a long time. Just don't scare the poor girl to death, Brian."

"What? I'm harmless," Brian defended himself.

"You're also full of shit. And I mean that in the most loving way possible." Cynthia hung up, chuckling even as she heard Brian and Ted laughing at her response.

The rest of the day was a flurry of activity. After meeting with Marcia, Brian had to admit that Cynthia was once again, correct in her assumptions. Marcia, although reasonably cleaned up in a black short-sleeved silk shirt and a well-tailored pair of slacks for the professional setting of Kinnetik, was everything Brian could never have imagined she could be. Jet black hair which was parted neatly in the center hung long in two ponytails on the side of her head. Her eyes, which were probably the greenest shade he could ever recall seeing, shone like emeralds from between long lashes lined with kohl.

Marcia had numerous piercings in her ears and one in her eyebrow, but what really caught Brian's attention the most were her tattoos. Along each arm were some of the most fascinating, and intricate designs he had ever seen. He reached for one of them, raising an eyebrow at the choice of subject and asked, "So I guess you're a fan of Rage, huh?"

Marcia smiled brightly before answering, "Definitely. I'm also a big fan of Rage's creator."

"Justin Taylor? How so?" Brian couldn't help but be intrigued.

"He was the only one to beat me out for the highest GPA in PIFA. You should really see his work."

"I think right now, I'm more interested in seeing yours," Brian said, while filing away that bit of information for later. It seemed that his meeting with Justin Taylor was about to become very interesting indeed.

Marcia pulled out her portfolio, and handed it over to Brian. As he went perused it, Brian went through everything he wanted for the campaign, while she drew out different scenarios. Marcia knew when he wanted something changed, even before he spoke on it. She also had no qualms about giving her opinion to Brian, even weighing the pros and cons of his idea against the current trends in the target markets. It helped that, she wasn't only familiar with the Rage games, but was a bonafide gamer in her own right during her off hours.

So Brian considered her an expert regarding the art and graphics on this account. He had to admit, if only to himself, that the girl was great; definitely a hidden gem in the sea of artists he employed. After about two hours of steady work, and upon Brian's orders, Cynthia had worked with Ted and Marcia to set up a private office specifically for her own use. It was to be accessible only by a key code which she, Brian, Cynthia and Ted had. As Cynthia hinted, Marcia did not trust Frank.

Brian knew the time was coming that something would have to be done about his current Art Director, but he was less anxious to have it be so. His main concern at the moment was not only Marcia's talent, but her ability to get along with Cynthia and Ted. But from the running commentaries the three of them had kept up since he and Marcia had emerged from his office, Brian no longer felt the need to worry in that quarter. He even decided that he owed Cynthia a big raise, plus a finder's fee after all was said and done. Being able to hone in on Marcia's knowledge of the franchise and gaming, along with her artistic abilities, Brian felt reassured that they would woo Mr. Taylor to Kinnetik in no time.

At seven, he decided to call it quits for the day. He knew he had to put in the appearance at Muncher Mansion before Lindsey had a fit and Melanie would once again mouth off, even though she was carrying his kid. Sometimes he still just wanted to push her down in the cellar and lock her in. Terrible? Maybe, but Melanie could sometimes evoke violent fantasies that way.

He just hoped that her poor attitude wouldn't affect his child that way.

Later he planned to meet Em, Ted and Blake at Woody's and then off to Babylon. He paused as he began to turn off the lights in his office. Part of him felt really guilty for hoping that Michael and Ben stayed home tonight. It wasn't that he didn't want to see them; he just didn't want to be a witness to their arguments. He was tired.

All Brian wanted to do was smoke, drink, and fuck which was not too much to ask in his book. With that thought in mind, he headed out to fulfill both his duty and his pleasure.

Justin's day had gone in a similar vein to Brian's. The biggest surprise was getting a call from someone named Cynthia Moore regarding a meeting with Kinnetik. He knew from research that the up and coming ad agency had several CLIO awards under their belts from the last four years, beating out several New York firms and Vanguard Agency as well. He could almost understand how and why that had happened. Gardner Vance was a man with very little vision of what today's market actually looked like.

Sadly, that mediocrity transferred itself down to his staff as well. His grandfather had used Vanguard for years before Justin inherited the company. The sales weren't bad, per se, but there was always room for improvement. And if Justin was nothing else, he was an overachiever. He was the best at what he did and expected the same of everyone who worked for him; nothing else would do.

When he advised the board that he was taking the meeting with Kinnetik, there were some grumbles, particularly from Arnold Scheffield, who was his grandfather's right hand man before his passing. Justin did his best to ignore him until the man thought to intimidate him.

"Your grandfather would NEVER agree to meet with a man like Brian Kinney," the older man spat venomously at the younger.

Justin smirked before he made the statement he was sure to piss Arnold off. "I'm sure that's why my grandfather had the forethought to leave the company to ME, and not YOU. Kinnetik is a forward-thinking company. And although we at Taylor Industries are steeped in tradition, we also have become a company which thinks outside of the box. So we're at an impasse, I guess."

"He was supposed to leave it to Craig, Justin."

"But he didn't, Arnold. So now that we've established for the millionth time that my sperm donor was passed over in the inheritance line, we can move on to business. Now if you'd like to keep your job, I'd advise you to shut up and accept what is, and not what you want. Anyone else?"

Justin looked around noticing the others who looked as if they wanted to say something, but didn't dare. He and his grandfather had talked before he passed away, and although no one else knew the reason of why Craig was passed over, Justin did. The man was a bigot. The funny thing about Arnold wanting Craig in charge was that the older man was a closet case of the first order. The only other people who knew that were Craig and Grandpa Taylor,  since he and Arnold were best friends.

Had Arnold had his way, Craig would have fired the man without good reason or severance pay, but Arnold didn't need to know that.

Continuing on with the meeting, and looking every now and again at Arnold's fuming face, Justin explained the new track the company was entering. With the video game market booming, it was in Taylor Industries best interest to grow with it. The fact that most units also offered live-streaming worked to their advantage as well. Although their electronics line remained high-end, they could afford to stretch their imagination and invest in a method of longevity for the company and that was not based in televisions and stereos alone. He motioned for Margaret Covington- a really old name for someone only twenty-seven- to take the floor.

He had taken to calling her Maggie the Magpie, but in a good way. In all honesty, she was generally a quiet sort, except in the arena of numbers, which was why she was his most trusted accountant, and kept people like Arnold from squawking at him at every turn. "Justin, the new market strategy you came up with is ready. Everyone, I included a copy with the other portfolios for the meeting. It's the red folder." Once she was assured that everyone found the correct item. she began, "From the layout and the beta testing, which cost only a fraction of what we're looking to spend on advertising..."

"...And just how much are we spending on advertising?" Arnold asked in his surly voice. If there was any other way, Justin would have him removed from the board while he would still be able to keep his job. But his grandfather's instructions in terms of his best friend were clear.

Gritting his teeth and swallowing hard before answering, Justin managed to be civil when he spoke. "We're spending a quarter of a million dollars on advertising to start."

"That's preposterous! Your grandfather..." Arnold raised his voice in protest.

"Is NOT HERE; he DIED in case you've forgotten," Justin yelled back.

The room grew silent immediately, each member of the board afraid to move or breathe out of rhythm for fear that the usually-patient and gracious young man would begin to hand out pink slips. Most of the staff and Board members had learned early on that Justin Taylor was not a man to cross, or question. He was as decisive in his decisions as his grandfather before him and he had no problem displaying his authority when warranted. And this was one of those times. Justin cleared his throat again and took a calming breath before looking at his grandfather's oldest living friend again.

Making sure to hold Arnold's eyes captive, and letting every ounce of cold and controlled fury he felt show through his own, he began speaking. His volume was so low, that all of occupants of the room leaned forward in their chairs to hear him, but there was no mistaking his words. "Understand this. My grandfather knew what the plan was before he died and left this company to me. So this is not as out of left field as you would think, Arnold. In any event, if you can't get with the new program and regime around here, you will find yourself tossed out on your ass. I will not be harassed, bullied, undermined and any other action you can think of to get me to do what you think I should.

"In the grand scheme of this company, and the new direction we are moving in, your old ways and ideals do NOT matter. One more outburst from you in this regard, and I will ban you from all further meetings. The next step from that will be out the door with only half of your pension in tact. This is the last warning you are going to get, and it's ONLY being given out of respect for my late grandfather's memory and your age. Maggie, please continue."

"Sure, Justin," she said, hiding her smile within her folded lips. She really couldn't stand Arnold either. Since she was a third-generation accountant for the Taylors and their respective businesses, she knew all about what Arnold was planning to do behind Justin's back. And she wasn't having any of it!

Arnold's ultimate plan was to force Justin into turning over the company to Craig, who he felt he could manipulate. He didn't agree with the fact that the first thing Justin did when he took over as CEO of Taylor Industries was to fire Craig Taylor. He did it after finding out that Craig was embezzling company funds to keep his mistress in style within a New York penthouse with an unlimited spending account. As his accountant, Maggie took great pride in the knowledge that she had saved Justin's inheritance from being squandered, which was something her own father would not have done since he was also loyal to Craig. It was the hidden connection between the three of them, which was always concerning to Maggie.

But she would keep her own counsel until asked.

Clearing her throat, she continued with her comments before Arnold had so rudely interrupted. "Honestly, Justin, if we're going to spend this amount of money in the advertising, the company really can afford to go all out for it. Brian Kinney used to be a partner in Vanguard Agency before he quit due to a difference of opinion with Gardner Vance. It wasn't a slight, or impulsive move on his part. He didn't agree with taking on a very specific high-profile client, and Gardner had told him that if he didn't he was fired. Due to being ethically and morally outraged, Mr. Kinney decided to quit. The good news for him was that there was a clause within his contract with Vanguard that had alluded to that very situation. It stated very clearly that Brian could not be forced to work with any client in which the business relationship was not conducive to the growth of the company. Since he couldn't work with the client in good conscious and wouldn't renege on that, Gardner had to buy Mr. Kinney out of his contract and the latter used the money to start Kinnetik."

"Out of curiosity, how much was letting Brian Kinney out of his contract worth?" Justin was dumbfounded by how much Maggie knew about Kinney and Kinnetik. Well the man sure isn't dumb.

"The contract stated that if Mr. Kinney was to be bought out of his partnership, he would receive seventy-five percent of all the accounts he'd brought in. Mr. Kinney brought in ninety percent of Vanguard's total accounts four years ago."

"Holy shit!" Justin whispered. "Kinnetik is a multi-million dollar company. I always wondered how it was able to reach that status in so short a time, since it's still relatively new."

"I'm on pretty good terms with the CFO of Kinnetik. Ted Schmidt was my mentor during my internship at Wertschafter's Accounting. He and I haven't lost touch. On an even more personal note, I think we would be fools not to go with Kinnetik." At Arnold's look of contempt, she decided to remind him that she owned more stock than he did in the company. "It's a move that Mr. JJ would have approved of, and as a major shareholder, I also do." That ought to calm Mr. High-and-Mighty Turncoat Scheffield down.

Justin Joseph Taylor, the current CEO's grandfather would have wholeheartedly approved of a man like Brian Kinney in more ways than one. But that last thought she would keep to herself. Smiling inwardly, she watched as Justin digested the information she'd given on paper and her personal thoughts. That was one of the things she loved about Joseph and Justin. They never discounted her opinions or her business acumen the way Arnold and Craig often did.

And she knew that Justin was filing away the information she had given for a later time to ask more questions about it. 

"Are we done with the new business for Taylor Industries for today?" Justin asked his assistant.

"We're okay for this meeting, Justin," Mark Evans answered. When Justin took over as the CEO of Taylor, he had called Mark in to act as his assistant. They hadn't seen each other for many years prior, but had kept in touch especially after Justin sold the rights to Rage. Although that was Justin's baby, the blond had paid Mark a hefty sum for the idea which sparked it. "Next on the agenda is Winston Inc., and then the conference call with Microsoft."

Justin rolled his eyes, but honestly he was enjoying himself. There weren't many twenty-somethings that could say they were in charge of two multi-billion dollar companies, yet still receiving residual income from a business venture that had been thought up in his teens. Just like with Taylor Industries, Justin had inherited Winston Inc. from his maternal grandfather, Matthew. Originally it was supposed to go to his mother, but after she married Craig, it was mandated that the company go to the first-born grandchild which just happened to be Justin. But unlike Craig, who was embittered by the turn of events, Jennifer Winston-Taylor was damned happy about it.

She acted as the Chief of Operations for the company and was perfectly happy in that role.

"Am I scheduled to go over to the building or are they coming to me today?"

"We're here, Sweetheart," he heard the greeting from the door. "Hello everyone and Arnold," Jennifer said. Ever the well-bred WASP, she had no problem speaking to anyone...except Arnold, who she had never been able to stand.

"Jennifer, you're looking well," Arnold replied frostily.

"Nice of you to notice," she responded coolly, before turning to Justin. "Are we early?"

Justin smiled at her. She didn't fool him for a second. "No. You're actually right on time, Mom. This meeting is over."

They watched as everyone, except for Maggie and Mark, collected their briefcases and portfolios then file out of the room. Arnold stared daggers at both Jennifer and Justin before leaving, which the blond Taylors returned without flinching. As soon as Arnold left the room, Justin shook his head and rubbed his temples before returning to the head of the conference room table. It had already been a trying day, but it was nowhere near over yet.

Jennifer noticed her son's tension, and also knew the source. "If you keep frowning like that you're going to end up old and wrinkled before your time," she joked and was gratified at the resulting laugh from her son.

"You know that's not going to work on me. As much as you frowned at me when I was a kid, you still don't have any," Justin replied.

"Why do you think I spend a fortune on that anti-aging shit from France?"

"Because you're a shopaholic?" Justin asked laughingly, while dodging the stack of papers in her hand. "Well come on, let's get down to business, shall we? I have a conference with Microsoft after this."

Jennifer nodded. She worried about Justin, but she knew he needed to work as much as possible. It kept his mind from running amok most days and kept his depression at bay. She was just happy that his smile was there front and center today of all days. She mentally sighed knowing that it was possible the change could occur at any time; she just hoped it wouldn't.

"The new amounts that Maggie listed are right here," Jennifer started.

Justin took a look at the financial reports of their real estate/ interior design and fabric empire. It would surprise most people how business savvy Grandpa Winston was. While his peers and their families invested in air travel and railroad, he did too. But he also invested heavily in real estate and surprisingly, in fabric. He put as much money into commercial properties as he did into silk, cotton, wool, leather and even at some point that Justin wasn't sure about, lycra.

His grandfather then had the forethought to combine his businesses so that when one expanded, the other parts of his company did as well. As a result, whenever they rented or sold a property- be it house or business- it was fully furnished with high-end materials from Winston's, and specific to the location. There was even an option to keep the furnishings once the occupants relocated, which could be attached to the initial sale price of the property or to hire the interior design staff to decorate the new location at a discounted rate once they moved. Many took the second option, which in turn grew the interior design portion of the business. Noting all of this, Justin was in awe of his grandfather's genius and at the same time appalled at how much people were willing to spend on high-end furnishings.

But those same people were the cornerstone of the Winston Empire so he didn't balk too much when handed the responsibility.  

"How's the production schedule?" he asked.

"So far everything is right on target," Jennifer replied.

"Why only ‘so far?'" Justin asked, having a feeling he already knew the answer.

"I heard from Katherine," Jennifer replied, then dropped her eyes.

Katherine Goodall, otherwise known as Kitty LaRue, was his father's current girlfriend. But she also worked for Justin. He had given her the nickname because she looked like one of his dad's favorite burlesque stars from yesteryear. "Let me guess, Craig is refusing to let her leave the house while failing to actually get off the couch himself."

Jennifer nodded. "He's threatened her more times than she could count in the last week. He's also drinking a lot more. Fortunately the last time he locked her in the basement, Kitty had the good sense to put her phone in her bra and called me."

"And why am I just being told about this now?" The anger in his voice was more than evident. No he wasn't thrilled with the fact that she'd taken up with Craig Taylor. However, that was her choice, but he didn't want Kitty hurt either.

"Neither she nor I wanted to worry you, Sweetheart. You are under a lot of pressure trying to handle both companies. Neither of us thought the situation would escalate like this."

"Really? Why not? I mean sure, we all tried to warn her about his abusive tendencies, and she remained willfully blind to his supposed charm. But now, add excessive drinking and violence to the mix, and what do we have? A fucking monster!"

"Craig was never like this before, Justin. He was..."

"Emotionally and mentally abusive, Mother. There is no better way to put it. He was that way with you, with me and with Molly before she..." He cut off his statement and closed his eyes, willing the tears that were threatening to come away. He couldn't afford to rehash all of this now, not while Jennifer was dealing with her own pain. "Look, I'll fly out to New York tomorrow. Call Kitty and tell her I'm coming, but tell her not to tell Craig under any circumstances."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll decide when I get there. What I do know is that this cannot and will not continue. It's not only bad for Kitty's health- which is most important- it's also bad for business. She was the Production Coordinator and Buyer for Winston Incorporated long before she was Craig Taylor's plaything. He needs to be reminded of that and she needs to remember it.

This isn't her fault, and I'm not blaming her per se. But long story short, Kitty is the breadwinner in that household right now. However, she has to work in order to get paid. This isn't charity or a babysitting service, and I refuse to let Craig treat it as such. He's spoiled and he feels entitled; needs to grow the fuck up already, and he needs to be told! If Kitty's not willing to stand up for herself so that she can do her fucking job, that's fine. But then don't expect me to pay her salary either. Although I would hate to do it, she is replaceable and I won't hesitate to do it. Everyone works here."

Jennifer was a little taken aback by Justin's stern tone, but she couldn't disagree with him. Justin displayed the same work ethic her father did, and there was no doubt that he would be proud of the businessman his grandson had blossomed into. He too would have tried to solve the problem before issuing such a resolute promise. Jennifer instinctively knew this was Craig and Kitty's last chance before Justin took swift and definitive action. "Justin just... just be careful. Craig is a loose cannon right now," Jennifer warned.

"Don't worry, Mom. If anyone can handle Craig- fag or not- it's me! Now let's get back to the matter at hand."

Within the next four hours, Justin had finished up the meeting for Winston Inc., having also decided that a new direction was needed to increase sales, to include the younger and hipper market- a decision wholly supported by Jennifer. Justin also finished his conference call with Microsoft, which was kind of hilarious considering he was releasing his own video game system. But per his contract with them as a recurring consultant for the Rage franchise, and since they were planning on releasing a new game in the near future, he would adhere to it and test out the new game. He managed to speak with Daphne just before her next meeting over in Italy. As his International Representative in Winston Inc., her job was paramount to keeping a foothold in Europe. She would be back at the end of the week.

Hopefully I can convince her to finally take a much needed vacation.

He laughed silently at that last thought, and rubbed his hands over his eyes. He was tired. For the past seven years, it had been non-stop work for both of them. Between graduating college- first CMU and then PIFA- plus the death of both of his grandfathers and managing the subsequent inheritances, Justin didn't know what a vacation was. But work was what got him through the rough times, much like today. Would that it could help me at night.

Justin shook off the morbid thought before it had a chance to take root. He had a lot of ‘living' to do, but mostly he had a lot of forgetting to do. Making his way out of Taylor Industries, Justin decided to go and do just that. Hours later, Justin found himself in the middle of the dance floor at one of his favorite haunts... Babylon. Having already been there for the better part of two hours, Justin had about four shots of his favorite, Jim Beam, had done a bump and had just swallowed a tab of E.

He was feeling no pain. The potential trick du jour of the moment was grinding his young tight ass up against him to the hypnotic beat pulsing from the deafening speakers up above. Justin could feel the vibration throughout his sweat-drenched body even as the confetti fell from on high. He was flying and loving every fucking, lustful minute of it. Unbeknownst to the blond at the center of Club Babylon's universe, he was being watched surreptitiously from the second floor catwalk.

Brian loved the new layout of his club. The bar, conveniently placed at his back, and the lounge and seating areas at the end of the semi-narrow corridor afforded Brian an unhindered view of the dance floor beneath his feet. Gone was the former metal floor which reminded Brian of the many fire escapes he'd seen which littered buildings in places like New York City; instead everything around him was high-end glass and chrome, much more his style. The third floor of the club held his office, the manager's office and Brian's personal VIP lounge. Yes! Babylon was definitely the playground of Brian Kinney, the undisputed king in the gayborhood known as Liberty Avenue.

And as such, it was almost time to claim its newest attraction as his own... at least for the night. Brian watched continuously as the blond he'd met as Justin earlier that day grinded sensuously to beat of the music. The blond's eyes were closed, his luscious lips slightly parted from his exertions as his hands roamed the body molded to him. His delectable ass was encased in the tightest jeans Brian could imagine the two globes snugly fitting in; the boy was definitely a welcome sight within his kingdom. He kept feeling the tug on his arm, an action he was deliberately trying to ignore.

"Brian? Oh Briiiaaan.... HEY BRIAN, I'm talking to you," came the whiny, insistent voice of the man standing next to him.

"What? What is it, Mikey?" Brian asked as he refocused his attention back on the dance floor, even as he extricated his arm forcefully from the hand gripping him.

Ted, Blake and Emmett were approaching from his left side, having made their trip to the bar for their own refreshment. Emmett smiled wide at Brian already knowing where his full attention lay. "Michael, can't you see the man is busy?" Emmett asked while he peeped the blond. "Mmm-hmm, I sure wouldn't mind being busy with him myself."

"Put your eyes back in their sockets, Honeycutt. The guy's a bottom," Brian said.

"With an ass like that you'd think so but not from what I've heard, Mr. Kinney," Emmett singsonged. "By the way... Don't call me Honeycutt. Anyway, I have it on good authority that he only tops Tops and he only uses the Twinkies for snacks. They say he's just as good as you are."

"Oh yeah? Where did you hear that?" Brian was intrigued by the new information about Justin. The enigmatic blond had been plaguing this thoughts all day, like a puzzle that Brian wanted to solve. He looked young and innocent but their conversation that morning and the way he grinded on the Twinkie snugged up to him, bespoke of sex and unabashed sensuality. If nothing else, Brian was a committed hedonist and by all accounts coming from Emmett, Justin was too.

Brian tuned back into the conversation just in time to hear: "Besides, no one's better than Brian," Michael chimed in. "You need to get your source checked, Em."

Emmett rolled his eyes at Michael better known as the ‘Brian Kinney fanclub of One'. Personally he loved Brian like a friend or the mischievous older brother who he could feel ambivalent about at times. But Michael had the whole hero-worship persona down to a science. Em always wondered what would happen if someone restarted Brian's long-dead heart and he fell in love for the first time in his life. He didn't think Michael would take it well, even though he had his own ‘hunka-hunka  burning love' called Ben Bruckner.

"If you say so, Michael, but Ted was with me when I heard it. Does he need his ears checked too?"

Ted shook his head. "Leave me out of this, Em. Besides the blond in question is now heading to the backroom. I would dare say that Brian could definitely find out what he needed to know if he went and took his own peek."

Brian smiled for the first time that evening. "Why Theodore, I think that's the best idea I've heard since leaving the office. I think I will." Brian began to move off but was impeded by an insistent hand again.

"But Brian, I really need to talk to you!" Michael insisted.

Brian sighed loudly and shook the hand off again. Closing his eyes for a split second, he reined in his temper before calmly saying the words he knew Michael dreaded to hear. "Later, Mikey." And without further ado, he proceeded to the nearest steps on his way to catch the blond in action.

Upon entering the backroom, he was greeted by the sights and smells which never failed to stir his senses. Men, lots of men, were either fucking or getting fucked; the cacophony of voices demanding harder, faster, or shouting ‘I'm cumming' reached his ears. Brian looked around taking notice of everyone and everything in the blue-lit room when he finally spotted his prey. Standing against the opposite wall, it didn't take but a moment for his cock to be out and down an anonymous throat.

Justin was off to the side with a twink of his own, getting sucked off. Brian watched as he gripped the kid's head hard, guiding the mouth on his cock. Brian nearly laughed aloud as he saw Justin pinch the nostrils of the younger man's nose shut even as he forcefully shoved his full length down the kid's throat. Only when the kid gagged did Justin let it go.

"Now you know what I mean when I say swallow around my cock, right?" Justin asked the kid and when he nodded, Justin smiled. "Good boy. Now swallow until you make me cum."

Brian had to hand it to the blond; his brand of teaching had the desired results. Justin began to fuck the boy's mouth just as another trick came up to Brian and offered to suck him. Brian tilted his head in the affirmative, never taking his eyes off Justin and his own trick. The moment the blue eyes opened and locked with his hazel eyes, Brian was transfixed. He was gratified at once when Justin's eyes registered surprise at first and then obvious lust. Brian matched his movements in the trick's mouth to Justin's, wishing that it was the pink, luscious lips of the blond staring at him.

For Justin's part, he was enjoying the ‘foreplay' between he and Brian. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about the man all day, despite of what he had going on. When he'd walked into Babylon tonight, he had thought...hoped, that maybe he would run into the handsome brunet. He knew the minute Brian walked in, even as he danced and flirted with dozens of men before deciding on the one blowing him. He watched as Brian began to pump languidly in and out of his trick's mouth, wishing that he was in front of the man.

If he tasted as good as he smelled that morning, Justin decided that it would be worth it. Justin very rarely went down on a trick; he reserved that for those he deemed special... Well, at least for the moment they were together anyway. Visualizing his mouth around Brian, sucking him and tongue-fucking him, Justin increased his rhythm. The trick gagged around him again, which caused a slight smile to surface on the blond's lips.

Well he's gotta learn to give proper head, now doesn't he?

He knew he wasn't small, but he had more girth than he did length. He wondered if Brian would be able to take all of him. He pulled his trick's hair harshly again even as he fucked steadily into the welcoming, warm and wet mouth. Faster, harder and deeper he moved, watching as the man across from him did the same. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Justin let loose, enjoying the sensation of the trick's tonsils contracting rhythmically in an effort to drink all of his essence while giving the sensitive head of his dick a good massage. When he was done, he pulled the boy up to his feet, placed a light kiss on his lips and sent the trick on his way.

"That was quite an interesting performance," Brian said, making his way over to Justin. He had finished his own orgasm as Justin had, eyes planted firmly on the blond's face. Brian couldn't wait to see that face under him and because of him.

"Likewise, Brian," Justin answered as he finished straightening out his clothes. He moved toward the entrance of the backroom. He looked back at Brian questioningly. "You coming?"

Brian smirked. "Not yet," he answered. But definitely soon he thought to himself as he followed Justin to the bar.

Their emergence from the backroom was not lost on many of the occupants within Babylon's walls, primarily Brian's friends. Emmett was the first down the stairs followed, closely by Blake, Ted and of course, Michael. Each of the men fought their way through the crowd of dancing bodies in their quest to find out what happened... Or to stop what had the potential to happen, depending on how one looked at the situation. Emmett smiled brightly upon reaching the duo at the bar, taking time to order him another Cosmo before asking, "So... you two have met?"

"Obvious much, Honeycutt?" Brian stated without heat. He was much too relaxed at the moment and happy that he and Justin had met again... although he would never admit it to any of them.

Emmett first threw a warning look at Brian at the use of his last name, but then recaptured his sunny disposition. Michael was doing enough scowling for everyone milling about. So smiling his full-shine on, signature gap-tooth smile, he said, "Well you can't blame a queen for being curious, Brian."

"Nah. I suppose I can't Emmy Lou but really..." Brian chuckled. "Anyway, this is Justin. Justin, this is Emmett, Ted, Blake and Michael."

Justin responded with a simple "Hey," to the group as a whole. He noticed the dynamics, chuckling at the three hearty responses he received back and a barely uttered ‘hello,' from the shorter brunet. He shrugged even as he asked for another Beam and turned his attention back to the dancefloor. Justin watched as the one called Michael pushed and squeezed his way in between himself and the brunet Adonis he was hoping to fuck very soon. As he reached for his glass, Justin smiled briefly as he felt the smooth heated touch on his hand from Brian, who was standing just out of his reach. The action sent a brief jolt of electricity from the point of contact, zinging through his skin straight to his dick. Justin smiled wide, but kept his attention on the action in front of him.

Brian looked over to Ted and Blake, who were swaying ever so gently to the music. He shook his head in wonder at the two of them. Ted Schmidt happy at last, who would have guessed? He noticed how calm the man seemed and even Blake was when he was with Ted; a huge change in the man who used to be known as Babylon's wild Crystal child. He was glad that they both had cleaned up their act from their individual meth addictions. A sober Ted and Blake was much better than their self-loathing counterparts.

The most dour expression in the bunch was seen on the face of his best friend. Brian almost felt bad for Mikey being unhappy with his life at the moment. Michael and Ben were still fighting over the littlest hustler's presence in their former happy heteronormative home. He could respect what Ben was doing, having run away from home himself a few times. There were times Brian wished someone had rescued him from the house of horrors he'd grown up in.

But wishes were for people who were underachievers, not Brian Kinney. What Ben was doing was classic Zen-Ben, both loving and noble. Brian couldn't understand why Mikey couldn't see that especially since he, Debbie and Vic had practically done the same with Brian within just a week of knowing him when they were fourteen. Brian was shaken out of his reverie again by Michael.

"Brian, I'm ready to go now," Michael complained.

"Okay. Have a great night then, Mikey," Brian answered. He knew exactly what Michael had expected.

"I was hoping you could give me a ride," Michael said, folding his arms and pouting. Usually such an action would garner Michael what he wanted and he knew that. "Even though we‘ve been together all night, we haven't had a real chance to talk about everything. Fuck, Brian, you know I can't talk to Ben right now! And I can't talk to Ma or Uncle Vic either since they agree with Ben; you're all I have." Michael's eyes began to fill up with tears as he said the last.

"Mikey..." Brian said, hesitatingly. Somehow Brian felt trapped in a web of his own making, but he suddenly wasn't so sure that he was actually the sneaky spider this time.

How many times? How many times had it always come down between wants and needs between he and Michael? Brian wants X; Michael needs Y. Sometimes he just wanted to say fuck it all and disappear and leave everyone to handle their own lives, especially Mikey. But the first time he did that, all of the ‘family' including Deb, Vic and Mikey were ready to draw and quarter him.

It was during Michael's 30th birthday party. Deb had asked- no, begged- Brian to let Michael be happy; to let him build a life with David Cameron, who was probably the most pompous ass Brian had ever met. The funny thing was that when Brian took steps to achieve that end, when Brian made sure that the friendship between he and Michael would end, no one...NO ONE came to his defense. Not until later when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, also known as Loudmouths, Inc. the Ted and Emmett division, had figured out the wild and elaborate hoax of severing the long-standing run of the Brian and Mikey show, a life together stuck in perpetual reruns, until Brian pushed Michael out of it. Afterward, no one even thought to apologize; just took the whole incident as Brian aka Beelzebub reaping his due, but that was okay.

If it made them all feel better, it was okay and if they couldn't see the truth of the matter, fuck'em all.

Justin saw where this was going; watched all the different emotions playing across Brian's handsome face. Michael was hellbent on having Brian to himself. He chuckled inwardly even as he said, "Perhaps some other time, Brian."

The sudden smile and instantly dry tear ducts on Michael's face didn't go unnoticed by the blond. But Justin didn't say anything, even as the look became undeniably more smug. Instead Justin let himself be guided into a state of peace about the whole thing. He knew that despite what the insipid little man was trying to do, he and Brian would have their one-night stand, fuck each other's brains out, suck each other's dicks off and then in the morning leave the same way they came... as strangers, who were sore in all the right places but still had no attachments, no apologies, no commitments, no excuses, no questions and no regrets between them. And that was the way Justin loved it.

The music had changed again to a mix of house and cha-cha and Justin couldn't help the sway of hips even as the melody kicked in. "Viva Columbia" was one of his absolute favorites. He moved over to Emmett, who was also letting the music move him. "Wanna dance?"

Emmett smiled. "Well I was hoping you would ask, Hot Stuff. Let's go shake our tailfeathers!"

Justin lead the way to the dance floor, feeling the heat of hazel eyes on his back. He was happy to discover that Emmett was a very good dancer. He himself loved to dance whenever he got the chance. There had been so few opportunities for him lately. Although he was still a bit buzzed, he was now sober enough to really enjoy himself.

Meanwhile back at the bar....

"Well Brian, it's time to go NOW," Michael punctuated every word as he continued to fold his arms while glaring at the blond dancing with Emmett, and pat his foot impatiently.

Brian rolled his eyes heavenward before responding. "Michael, go home to your husband. As for me, I'm not ready to leave yet."

"What? You're gonna ditch me over some trick?!"

Brian thought about all his small interactions with Justin since they met at the coffeeshop earlier in the day. "Justin is NOT a trick, Mikey. And even if he was, what I do in my life never was and never will be your business. It really is time for YOU to go home, Michael and talk to Ben."

"But Brian..." Michael whined.

"No, Michael! Just no. All night I have listened to you whine and complain about what's wrong in your marriage. This is NOT my problem...it's yours! And you have to decide whether you want to fix it or not. I suggest you think about that on your way home. I have other plans."

Brian turned his head to look at Justin and Emmett dancing against each other. Although there was nothing really salacious in their movements, Brian still was a bit uneasy about Emmett touching Justin. That was new. Leaving Michael and his problems behind at the bar, he went out to the middle of the crowd to join them. At Brian's approach and glare, the trick who was about to wrap Justin in an embrace from behind backed off.

Brian took the opportunity to grasp the gyrating hips of the blond and pull him into his body. His eyes met Emmett's over Justin's head. Emmett smiled and shifted a little to the left to dance with the man Brian had warned off a few moments before. Brian then turned Justin in his arms so that they were facing each other. He leaned in but was stopped just a moment before the contact.

"I thought you were going," Justin said loudly to be heard over the music.

Brian shook his head in the negative and shrugged. "I'm exactly where I want to be. Mikey's a big boy; he can take care of himself."

"So what do you want to do?" Justin asked as he pressed up against Brian. The song's haunting female voice began to half-beg, half demand to be kissed in spanish and Justin felt the plea resonating deep inside of him. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to drink from the lips of the tall brunet.

Instead of answering, Brian bowed his head and captured the plump lips before him. Just as he'd imagined hundreds of times since meeting the blond, the lips were the softest set he'd ever kissed. Brian pressed against them more firmly, coaxing them to open for him. At first, it seemed like Justin wouldn't but when he did, Brian swooped in wrapping his tongue around the inside of Justin's mouth. The mixture of Beam and cigarettes was heady to Brian as he continued his oral exploration, the heat it was generating settling down into his groin.

Justin moaned just before he ended the kiss. He couldn't remember a time he was on the verge of losing himself so completely during an exchange. Justin was used to and comfortable with control, but it was strange with Brian. No, he wasn't looking to become a submissive, but the tall brunet just made him feel different somehow. It made him want to do something he'd never done.

Looking deep into Brian's eyes, he asked, "Wanna get out of here?"

Brian smiled at the blond and answered. "Your place or mine?"

"Yours. I'll follow you," Justin answered.     

"I'll meet you outside," Brian said and parted ways with Justin for the interim. He watched from a distance as the younger man collected his leather jacket and helmet from the coat check even as he sought out Ted. He was secretly relieved not to see Michael anywhere in sight. He was just too close to blowing up at his friend again, especially if he heard Ben and Hunter's names in the same sentence for the millionth time in twenty-four hours.

"Interesting catch you have there, Bri," Ted said while still holding on to Blake.

"I know but then you wouldn't expect anything less of me, now would you, Theodore?"

Both Ted and Blake chuckled as Emmett made his way over to Brian. "Leaving so soon, Loverman?"

Brian snickered. "What the fuck was in those frilly-frou-frou drinks, Honeycutt?"

"Hey you know the rules, Brian. Don't call me Honeycutt but seriously, I hope you know what you're doing with that hot young thang."

"I always know what I'm doing, with ‘hot young thangs' or otherwise."

"Yes but this one..."

"Save it. I don't want to know. In and out with a maximum of pleasure and a minimum of bullshit, that's the deal. And based on what you told me earlier, Em, I have a feeling that Justin is the same way."

Both Ted and Emmett nodded. "He is but..." Ted tried again.

"Then there shouldn't be a problem," Brian said matter-of-factly. "Now you dames have fun. Theodore, I'll see you bright and early. There is another matter I need to discuss with you in the morning. Don't be late."

"You're not coming to the diner in the morning for breakfast?"

"I don't know, we'll see. Besides I'm not sure I can deal with another episode of ‘The Novotny-Bruckners and the Restless' so soon after tonight. See ya ladies," Brian said as he moved toward the exit.

Emmett and Ted continued to watch as Brian collected his jacket from coat check and made his way out of the exit doors through the throng of men milling about the entrance. Emmett turned to Ted, "Do you think we should have told him who Justin is?"

"Wait- what do you mean?" Blake asked.

Ted sighed. "Remember that really huge account I told you about? The one that was worth a quarter of a million dollars and that Brian has garnered a meeting for next week."

Blake nodded. "I vaguely remember that we talked about it. I know that the young man is the CEO of two major corporations. Why?"

"Blake, you've just met Justin Taylor, the CEO of both Taylor Industries and Winston Incorporated," Emmett said, allowing Ted to gather his wits about him.

"The guy who left with Brian? He's... oh my God!"

Ted nodded. "Exactly. The boss is screwing the account and doesn't even know it."

"Fuck! That meeting is probably going to be awkward as hell when they meet again," Emmett said.

"You might not know the half of it, Em. According to Justin's accountant, Maggie... you remember her don't you? Well according to her, based on how well Kinnetik does with Taylor Industries, he might utilize us for Winston Inc, too. That would be another ninety million dollar account."

"You can add HoneyGrass Elegant Creations to that list, Teddy," Emmett said, quietly.

"What? Emmett, what did you and Vic do?"

"We've been looking for more space for some time and although we plan on still keeping the store on Tremont, we've also been looking for larger industrial space."

"And let me guess, you've found the perfect spot."

"Indeed we have right inside of the Winston Building, which also includes full and exclusive use of the banquet hall as a venue. In addition to that, we just signed a deal with the company for the exclusive use of their linens whenever we have a catering event to do which as you know, is more often than not. Although they take a percentage of the profits, we still keep the lion's share to pay for staffing and other expenses. In return, we are their exclusive catering company, which is why HoneyGrass does not pay rent in the Winston building. Since they average about 18 corporate parties and business meetings per quarter, we will more than pay our rent in service. Plus we get more free publicity and the referral of a well-established Fortune 100 company."

"Damn. Justin Taylor could fuck all of us if he wanted to... and without lube," Ted said, shaking his head.

"He won't do that, Teddy. Vic knew his grandfather, Matthew Winston, which is why we are getting such a good deal among everything else. From what Vic told me, Matthew was a major investor in the first restaurant he opened before he found out he was sick. When Matthew found out, he bought the restaurant and resold it, then placed the money in a trust account for Vic to help him and Debbie out with the expenses for his meds. Matthew also fixed it so that Vic was an investor for the new restaurant venture, keeping him with a steady income until the restaurant closed some years later due to the new owner's death.

"When Matthew tried to offer Vic the money to keep on top of his medication costs, Vic told him that he'd already done enough for he and Deb. Then after Vic got really sick and decided to take the trip to Italy, Matthew found out and paid for it. I think he may have had a thing for Deb during high school when they all met but well... you know how arranged marriages go. Unfortunately, while Vic and Deb were on vacation, Matthew passed away although they weren't sure from what. He left some money in Deb's name to pay for the hospital bills, medication costs and the house because he knew that Vic wouldn't have accepted it."

"But instead of taking care of themselves and their business, they used it to help Michael out of whatever mess he'd created for himself, and going in the hole financially." Ted frowned remembering the first year he did their taxes and finding out that they had loaned Michael a vast sum of the money left to them-- money that still to this day had not been accounted for. He would almost stake his life that it was for some comic book paraphernalia, but he couldn't prove it so he never mentioned it. Shaking himself from that thought he said, "I really hope Brian knows what he's doing, Em. None of us can afford an unfavorable fallout from this dangerous liaison."

Emmett bit his bottom lip as he digested Ted's words. It really could end badly for all of them if things were to go wrong between Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor. But then he remembered what else Vic had told him about the young blond and breathed a little easier. "I don't think so, Teddy. Matthew Winston raised his grandson to keep business separate from pleasure."

"I can't believe neither of you said anything to Brian," Blake said shaking his head.

"I hadn't met Justin face-to-face so I didn't exactly know what he looked like," Emmett explained.

"And I only know of all of this because of the company portfolio and the picture Maggie sent over to me earlier. This is one helluva clusterfuck by anyone's standards," Ted said.

Em nodded. "Granted it does look bad, but then again what if it turns out to be something really good? I don't think Brian would intentionally fuck all of us in the process of getting laid."

Ted sighed. "I'm not so sure he's the one I'm most concerned about, although I worry about how Brian is going to take this news, too." He shook his head watching as Brian followed in the same direction Justin went. As he headed out of Babylon, in the other corner under the illusion of darkness, a certain brunet by the name of Michael Novotny-Bruckner glared after his quarry. He pointed Emmett and Blake in Michael's direction, and said, "Yep there is definitely bound to be trouble."   

Blake rolled his eyes. He was confused as to why Michael refused to let Brian live his own life, especially when he had a partner like Ben who would do almost anything for him. Blake knew deep down Ted was right in naming the ‘trouble' coming, but that was Brian's problem to fix. Deciding that it was time to inject what Ted would call his ‘Twinkie Wisdom,' Blake said, "Hey you two, stop worrying! We shall see what we shall see in the end. If Brian and Justin's interaction tonight is any indication of what will go on in the future- or at the very least, later this evening- then you both have nothing to worry about."

"And if it isn't?" Emmett asked.

"Cross the bridge when you get to it and stop borrowing trouble, Emmett. And that goes for you too, Teddy. No matter what, you can't fix what has no evidence of being broken. Now let's dance."

Blake took both Ted and Emmett by their shoulders, then led them out to the dancefloor. Holding each of their hands, he maneuvered and manipulated their actions until they finally began to enjoy themselves. For the interim, all thoughts of doom and gloom were forgotten and Blake was satisfied.

CHAPTER TWO: EQUALLY MATCHED

The next morning, Brian woke up alone in bed, his ass and body pleasantly sore from a vigorous night of fucking. At first the memories caused a smile, then a frown as he remembered WHY his rectum was twitching with every breath he took, experiencing its own brand of aftershocks from the edging he'd endured, the pounding his ass had taken and the orgasms he'd had- both wet and dry- at Justin's hands.

When Brian had first laid eyes on the twink, he had thought that Justin would be easy pickings. Blond and gorgeous, Brian had never imagined what a fucking tiger in bed the seemingly innocent young man was. The ever-present twinge in his ass was currently reminding him.

Brian remembered watching Justin from the door just before they left Babylon last night. Watching Justin climb aboard the Ninja which matched his eyes was a major turn-on. Justin looked completely at home and in command of the machine; looked as if it was built specifically for him to sit upon.  All he remembered thinking was that he wanted nothing more than to be the next thing that Justin rode with such ease.

He watched in his rearview mirror as Justin followed him on the motorbike, weaving in and out of traffic behind him. Back in the parking lot, they had decided that since Brian's place was closer, it was the place that they should be. Brian could tell each time Justin's thighs gripped the bike, each time his ass bounced on the seat when he hit a bump in the road. Brian found himself growing harder and harder with each passing mile on their way to the loft.

When they had arrived and both men set the alarms on their vehicles, they walked into the building. Once inside the elevator, they wasted no time getting to the matter of foreplay. Brian remembered the brief taste of Justin's lips he had at the club and couldn't wait another second more before indulging in the addictive taste again. Grabbing the shorter man by the scruff of his neck, Brian plunged his tongue into Justin's mouth. He met no resistance as the younger man's tongue dueled heatedly with his own.

Brian's tongue circled Justin's as their lust climbed higher and higher with each pass. It was hard and merciless- animalistic- each man growling in pursuit of dominance. It was a few minutes before either man noticed that the elevator had arrived at the entryway of Brian's loft.

Stepping through the sliding metal door, Brian watched Justin take in his new surroundings. He immediately began to divest himself of his clothing as Justin still stood in the entry, face turned up toward the lighting fixtures within the elegant space. Brian couldn't tell what was going through the young man's mind but he wanted to be sure that this one-night stand was indeed going to happen.

"Coming in?" He asked gently which surprised him. Brian was always full of impatience when it came to fucking so his tone shocked him even more than it startled Justin out of his reverie.

Justin stepped further into the space and slid the metal door closed behind him. Brian watched as the man licked the most luscious lips he'd ever kissed before Justin said, "Nice place. I like your kitchen."

Brian smiled at the memory of how young Justin seemed in that moment. He knew that he wasn't afraid of sex. But it was almost...kind of sweet how Justin was trying not to rush the inevitable. As Brian laid there, he shook his head at himself for thinking in those lesbianic terms. He allowed his mind to fast forward a ways until they had finally made it into reaching distance of each other again.

Brian finished divesting himself of his clothes and unashamedly presented himself to Justin. The blond had walked into the open arms without hesitation, but with a determination to experience everything the night would offer them both. The passion between them, reignited itself, burning them both up with lust's flame as they returned each others' kisses and caresses with questing fingers and marauding tongues. He and Justin worked together to divest the shorter man of his shirt. Brian was surprised to find that the man had a nipple ring.

For some reason, even with every new revelation being revealed, it was that one he was probably the most curious about. He was sure there was a story behind it. But as he mentally cleared his thoughts, Brian realized that it was something between them that would never be discussed. This was only for one night; only a night to indulge every secret fantasy he could possibly have about the blond, before they both moved on. Brian didn't hold any illusions about what their association in that moment was, and he was sure that Justin didn't either.

Hell the way they had met in the first place, and what little conversation they had in the coffee shop put how things were going to be between them on full display. He still found himself chuckling occasionally about why Justin wouldn't go into the bathroom with him. It was proof enough that Justin was just as much of a rolling stone as he was. There would be no meaningful conversation, or action beyond getting their mutual needs met for tonight. And they were both okay with that.

As he continued to lie there, Brian flashed back to the feeling that Justin was holding some important decision from him. The distance in his kiss caused Brian to ask, "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing of import," Justin stated, as he leaned in and recaptured Brian's lips.

Brian accepted the action, but his curiosity of the man he was intent on fucking into the mattress was getting the best of him. Between kisses, Brian said, "Word on the street is that you're an amazing Top." He could feel the slight smile, and one last soft press of the blond's lips before they disengaged.  

Justin nodded his head. "I am. But the same can be said of you."

"Well then all this foreplay leaves us hard, and at an impasse, wouldn't you say?"

Justin moved closer to Brian before saying, "I'll make a deal with you. I'm good at making deals, and something tells me that you'll jump at this chance."

"Which is?" He couldn't help but be intrigued by the twink, who was apparently no twink at all.

Justin's crystal blue eyes deepened as he looked Brian directly in his eyes. A small smirk played at the corner of his lips as he began. "How would you like to be the ONLY man on Liberty Avenue to ever get into my ass? And in return, I want into yours."

On the one hand, Brian was anxious to accept the offer. Justin's ass was the most luscious ass he'd ever seen- and he had seen a LOT of ass in various colors and sizes. He was Brian Kinney, after all. But there was more than that with Justin. Brian couldn't help but relish the idea of popping the blond's cherry, so to speak. His forthright and nonchalant manner even in what must have been a terrifying experience was an absolute turn-on to Brian.

Bottoms were often seen as vulnerable people. However, the truth was that they, as a species within the gayborhood, were some of the strongest and most self-assured men around. Brian knew what it took to put their faith in someone; to allow even a stranger that they wanted to get fucked by to take liberties with their bodies, and trust that they wouldn't be harmed in the process. Most of all, those men trusted THEMSELVES! They believed wholeheartedly in the moment that their choice of willing top was the correct one.

Most times, it was a win, but in some other instances... not so much.

With that thought in mind, Brian answered, "I would love to be your first fuck, Justin. But there is one problem with your proposal... I don't bottom for anyone." Brian was completely unnerved by Justin's response.

Instead of the tantrum and expected walk-out of the blond twink from the loft, he received a mega-watt smile ahead of the words that he'd felt to his very soul. "You will." And then there was no more talking as Justin took the lead in getting Brian to relieve his ass of its virginity.

Brian couldn't help but return the smile, even as he led the man to his bed over in corner of the huge open floorplan. As they moved, Justin divested the last bit of his clothing in preparation for being taken. Brian took his time kissing Justin again. He realized the enormity of the moment for Justin. The one thing Brian would never want to do to the young man was ruin any further want or need to bottom in the future.

Although Justin wouldn't be the first guy whose virginity he took, for some reason Brian sensed that this initiation would be the most important one. With that thought to the forefront of his mind, Brian began the same conversation about their sexual history he'd had hundreds of times with the other men who had graced his bed. Once they both gave their HIV and STD testing history, Brian began kissing Justin a bit more forcefully than he had during their previous encounters. Brian was determined to snatch every thought that wasn't of himself- what they were doing- out of the man's mind. Brian wanted Justin fully engaged, and wholly present as he introduced him to his dick.

Brian shifted down Justin's body, alternating between sucking kisses and fast, concentrated flicks of his tongue upon various erogenous zones on the alabaster skin, including the flat pink nipples adorning the creamy torso. He took the adorned nipple between his teeth, before pushing his lips forward and latching onto the earring placed there. He relished hearing Justin's gasp, and feeling the renewed writhing beneath him as the younger man's back bowed to get more of his tit into Brian's mouth. Brian nearly laughed aloud as he felt the long fingers digging into his scalp, bringing him closer while Justin moaned almost incoherently. But he actually did laugh when he heard the surprised ‘Oh' escape Justin from the most unexpected action of Brian flipping him over as easily as he would pancake.

Be realigned their bodies so that he was fully laid out on top of Justin. Beginning his descent, Brian bit into the enticing shoulder beneath him. He knew that it was only hard enough to leave an imprint, but not to break the skin. Brian took great pleasure in licking the slight sting away, before shifting to give the other shoulder the same attention. Justin was subtly pressing his plump ass against Brian's groin, causing the older man to press his hips even firmer into the squirming man.

Before the temptation to dick down the writhing derrierre got to be too hard to resist, Brian decided to move even further down Justin's back, letting the sounds of passion seep into his bones as the young blond began to moan and beg and plead. A fine sheen of sweat covered the soft skin, even as Brian continued to lick a path straight to where he most wanted to be. Justin was the perfect combination of sweat-salty and sweet. The scent emitting from the man had Brian practically salivating in anticipation of where he would stop next. Yes, he looked forward to being Justin's first fuck, but first he needed to partially slake his own thirst.

Brian parted the slightly flushed globes of Justin's ass, hearing the younger man's breath hitch. As he puckered his lips and blew a gust of warm air on Justin's exposed rosebud, Brian watched in satisfaction as the orifice contracted when air ghost over it. He smiled, in response to the winking rosebud before doing it again. After a few moments of playing a little more, Brian took his first taste. The violent shudder that raced through Justin had Brian leaning in for an even more thorough exploration.

"More," Justin moaned, even as Brian was already obliging the demand. He was almost desperate to hear the next erotic sound come from the constantly writhing man.

Brian grasped Justin's hips in a fierce hold, as he continued to delve into the tempting ass, spread open for his enjoyment. The resulting gasps and groans emitting from Justin almost made Brian cum; every sound like a caress to his own nerve endings. But he was determined to hold it for as long as he could. He was amazed at what just the sound of Justin's voice did to him. With every moan, groan and answering wiggle, Brian found himself aching to hear more.

To give more. And that never happened!

Once more focusing on the moment, Brian adjusted Justin's hips at a more acute angle to meet his mouth more fully. He snaked his tongue between his lips, entering Justin slowly but firmly. It was a very rare occasion for Brian to rim anyone, but the taste of Justin had him rethinking all of his past experiences. The clean, fresh smell of him assaulted Brian's senses. With every inhale, Brian wanted more.

Brian set an alternate rhythm- inhale, lick, dive- which was driving the man beneath him into a frenzy. Every time Justin appeared to get used to the rhythm of Brian's tongue, the brunet would change directions causing Justin to begin a litany of pleadings and demands. The final demand was cut short by the orgasmic seizure, which rent through the luscious body Brian refused to stop tongue-fucking. Brian chuckled, even while continuing to feast on the finest ass of his acquaintance.

"Fuck! Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuuuuck," Justin chanted as wave after wave slammed into him. 

Only after Brian felt the last spasm of Justin's hole around his marauding tongue, did Brian stop. "Turn over, and I will," he nearly growled at the blond.

Justin's orgasm nearly triggered his own, and Brian wasn't anywhere near through making Justin beg. He waited while the young man rolled from his stomach where he'd collapsed, to his back, his half-spent cock resting against his belly. Brian smiled into the sparkling cerulean eyes, which now watched his every move. Brian licked his lips purposefully, allowing his gaze to caress the nice-sized cock laying comfortably against its owner. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such a wet and sticky boy, Justin. I guess I'd better clean you up."

And taking Justin's dick deep down his throat, Brian proceeded to do just that. Swallowing around the bulbous head, Brian proceeded to give Justin a blowjob worthy of the Stud of Liberty Avenue. He licked around the rim, before plunging down to the root. Justin nearly came up off the bed when Brian stabbed his leaking slit with his pointed tongue. Brian felt slender digits carding through his hair, encouraging him throughout his ministrations.

He placed his large palm on Justin's stomach, feeling each contraction and ripple as Justin helplessly pumped into Brian's mouth. Brian looked up to see Justin's mouth full of his fist, muffling the deep gut sounds emitting from him. Reaching his other hand upward, Brian disengaged the offending hand advising Justin that he wanted to hear him. Instead of placing the hand on the bed as he might have done, Brian joined their fingers over Justin's stomach, enjoying the surprise and sensuousness of the action. Justin's eyes had, once again, darkened and Brian could tell his second climax of the night was near.

Brian redoubled his efforts, relishing the near-screaming sounds Justin was making. The younger man's hand was tearing at his scalp even as Brian met every thrust with his mouth. He gripped Justin's hips firmly, stilling the blond's movements as he once again deep-throated the over-stimulated young man. Brian clenched and released the head of the fully-engorged cock, making Justin beg for what he wanted.

"Fuck...me...please....Brian, fuck me.....Bri....an....now...please," Justin stuttered out, as Brian continued to torment him.

In answer, Brian introduced two saliva-slicked digits into Justin's ass, immediately grazing the prostate. Brian kept caressing it, while alternating between the stimulation to Justin's tip. Finally, Brian had reaped his reward with his first taste of Justin's cum. He allowed the salty, semi-sweet taste to languish on his tongue before moving up Justin's body to share the taste with him. Justin hungrily kissed Brian, as he ran his hands all over the sweaty brunet.

"Are you ready, Justin?" Brian rasped out.

He was more than ready to pound into Justin. His dick felt almost as if the slightest breeze across the head of it, would cause Brian to spontaneously combust. Factor in Justin's scent, and his almost nonexistent refractory period, and it was a recipe for explosive sex that all Brian's future encounters would be judged by. But for some unknown reason, he decided to dial back the heat for a moment; wanted the younger man to really enjoy his first experience as a bottom. But he wouldn't examine his reasoning until later, if at all.

"Fuck me, Brian," Justin whispered against the brunet's lips. .

Brian couldn't contain the low growl, which escaped him at the plea. It was in that moment Brian understood he'd found another man who enjoyed fucking as much as he himself did. Everything he'd suspected about Justin was spot-on, right down to that Engergizer vibe he suspected Justin kept a tight leash on when they were getting blown in the Backroom of Babylon. But it was amazing to have it confirmed in the most elemental way, at a such a crucial time where Brian would really see what the young man was made of. And there was no pretense or artifice about any of it. 

Without hesitation, Justin laid back and was preparing to turn over when Brian stopped him. "No."

Justin's eyes narrowed. "What the fuck do you mean ‘no?' I said fuck me damn it!"

Brian chuckled at the vehemence in the blond's voice. He's going to be one fucking bossy bottom, he thought and couldn't resist his delight in the knowledge. Or his pleasure of getting to experience it firsthand. "I didn't mean that I wouldn't fuck you, just that I didn't want you to turn over." Brian laughed aloud at the twin looks of chagrin and relief, flitting across the beautiful face. There was no other way to describe the almost-angelic countenance of Justin. If there was, Brian hadn't found it.

Justin grunted and laid down, while Brian gathered the necessary items from the bedside draw. Taking the expensive lube in hand, Brian squirted some on his fingers, momentarily relishing the silky feel of the liquid before applying it to Justin's waiting hole.

Justin startled a little. "It's cold."

Brian assured him in turn, "It'll heat up. Now put your legs on my shoulders." Once Justin complied with Brian's orders, Brian didn't waste any time entering the anxious and lusty younger man.

"Ah...ah...AH!" Justin exclaimed. Once lodged fully, Brian held still even as Justin asked him, "Does it always hurt?"

Brian looked down at the man holding equally still beneath him. He knew from experience that Justin was absorbing all the pain but he also knew the pleasure that awaited them both. "A little, but that's a part of it. Now relax," Brian said, watching Justin intently. He could see the exact moment that the momentary pain had subsided; could feel the second Justin's body began clamoring for more.

Brian took his time sliding in and out of Justin's body, loving the tight fit around him. He couldn't remember ever having been in a tighter ass, even when the man purported to be a virgin. Justin met his every thrust tentatively, until Brian could hear the soft moans escaping him. He caressed the flush skin until he was able to reach beneath the blond to grip his shoulders fiercely. Brian leaned in for a kiss, which Justin met with passion, tangling his tongue with Brian's own.

The action drove Brian's cock deeper, hitting that special place inside Justin that Brian knew was the pleasure center of a man's ass. Justin trembled as Brian relentlessly fucked into him. The pleasure was mounting to a fever pitch within Brian, but he was determined he wasn't going to get off first. Pleasuring Justin was a wholly unique experience. Sure he'd had other guys who were ‘exclusive' tops before, but none held a candle to the man beneath him; of that fact Brian was instinctively sure.

He thought back briefly to what Emmett had said in the club, and hammered into Justin again with unerring precision. He wasn't upset, just intent on satisfying the man. If Em was to be believed, and Justin was proving that he was, the tall queen had advised Brian that Justin was as insatiable if not more so than he himself. He was hellbent on lasting until Justin came... and it just might.

Brian felt sharp nails scratching at his back, the blond ordering him to fuck him harder, faster and deeper. Brian obliged as Justin moved with him, holding his cock in a vice grip deep inside the slippery channel. When Justin contracted his abdomen in an effort to get more leverage, Brian cried out, feeling the squeezing sensation on his dick. Their coupling picked up speed, and almost became violent as each man fought for dominance. Their mutual orgasms took each man by surprise as Justin erupted between their bodies, while Brian basically tried to crawl inside Justin's body on his last powerful thrust into the clenching hole.

Breathing heavily, Brian collapsed on top of the insensate man, willing his heart to slow to its regular beat. Usually Brian would smirk and snark before kicking the trick out. But not now. In fact, he was at a loss for words. Justin had not only surprised him, but he actually managed to tire him- the ultimate fucking Top- out!

Dismounting from Justin and rolling onto his side, he didn't even utter a word when the blond cozied up to him, using him as a pillow as the cooling endorphins lulled him to sleep. For Brian's part, he wasn't even aware when his own arm pulled the tempting little piece of blond boy ass closer, thus allowing himself to join Justin in his own restorative rest. Bringing himself back from his memories of probably the most memorable night of his sex life, Brian got out of bed. Even though Brian would have preferred to stay there, unfortunately in his daydreaming, he had lost track of the time. He now only had an hour before his early morning meeting to do last minute prep, which included reading over a contract for the third time to make sure that the fine print as well as the bold terms the contract.

He couldn't afford to be any less than focused on the task at hand, as not spelling the contractual terms out in plain english and fair to both parties involved, could ultimately cost Kinnetik millions. Brian wasn't about to have that shit. Obscure language in contracts was something Brian always had a problem with while working at Vanguard. It often allowed Gardner Vance to benefit when he shouldn't have, and ultimately leaving the client with little or no legal recourse. Brian, and therefore his staff, believed in fairness, but also worked hard to put their money where their collective mouth was.

It's why while Kinnetik is steadily successful, Vanguard had become a sinking ship and money pit.

Brian turned on the shower, before going over to the toilet to relieve himself. Once finished, he moved off to the sink, determined to keep focused on the tasks at hand. He was finding that trying not to think of his previous night was as difficult as trying to get a straight answer out of Lindsay when she's lying. He chuckled at the wayward thought, and continued his progress on the otherside of the restroom. He was just about to turn on the water, when he was surprised by a paper napkin taped to the mirror above the sink.

It read: 'Call or not; it's your choice. But this time, you don't have a reason NOT to call. It's all on you, though. Had a great time.'

Brian felt a smile creep up, in spite of his intention to stay indifferent to the tersely-worded letter. Before it even registered what he was doing, Brian had read the napkin three times in succession. It was only the steam, now reaching out beyond the glass door, that somewhat reminded him of his responsibilities. Standing under the hot spray of the shower, Brian remembered the positions the young blond had coaxed him into with nothing more than a subtle movement of his hips. Justin was a confident and competent Top and Brian breathed a sigh of relief knowing that for all of Justin's passionate fucking, he had been both careful and respectful of Brian's body.

Justin wasn't forceful, which Brian would have automatically balked at. Instead he was firm in his directive, but also watchful for any signs of discomfort or fear, both of which Brian had felt on the very last occasion he actually did bottom for someone. Brian wasn't sure how he knew to look for such things, especially since Justin seemed relatively innocent-looking but since he was never one to really give a shit. But Brian decided to let it go, making the conscious choice to just be grateful Justin was a considerate lover. It wasn't like they were ever going to fuck again, so what was the use.

But....

Brian emerged from the shower, determined not to give the matter another thought. He had an important meeting to prepare for, and no thoughts of a blond twink was going to ruin his chances to move Kinnetik forward. As for everything else that seemed to be between him and Justin, it beared repeating that he would put THOSE thoughts from his mind. And any regret he might feel, could fucking go unacknowledged. He had a ‘no repeats' rule for a reason, right?

Right!

So Brian was especially surprised by himself when he picked up the phone, and sent a text message to the very same man he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he shouldn't have.

~AC~

Justin stifled yet another yawn, as he sat aboard his private jet heading to New York. Outside of two hours sleep last night, Justin had been been running on copious amounts of coffee, Beam and sex. Basically, it was business as usual. Well not exactly... He mentally shook the thoughts from his head in reference to sex, and his run-up and run-in with the Stud of Liberty Avenue.

The most hilarious thing about the entire situation was that Brian didn't know who Justin was but everyone, who was everyone had heard the name Brian Kinney before. Justin didn't put it together, until they were just about to leave the club. He had gone over to his motorcycle, when one of his former tricks had asked him if he could have round two. Justin had rolled his eyes, which was answer enough, but the disappointed would-be-lover-instead-of-TRICK had snarked at him. He'd told Justin that he was about to get exactly what he deserved, fucking with the likes of Brian Kinney.

Justin had laughed in the guy's face for believing that Brian's one fuck only policy would really bother him. Justin was known for his hit-it-then-quit-it lifestyle much as Brian was. But upon further thought, it was then Justin decided he should get something out of the deal as well. When Justin had proposed the idea of fucking Brian in exchange for his ass' virginity, he was sure that the older man would balk. He also knew that Brian agreeing to it initially would be reneged on when it came time to reciprocate.

So Justin had taken the matter in hand, so to speak. As far as Justin was concerned, they had both earned their reputations on the Avenue and beyond it. And as such, Justin would never willingly let the Ultimate Top have one up on him. If Brian was the King, Justin was the Crowned Prince. And that was the way it would be... 

Equals, especially in this.

After about an hour of sleep, Justin had woken up to find his bedmate wrapped around him. Initially, it gave the blond pause. Justin wasn't the type to cuddle, not even with a fucking teddy bear as a child. He didn't generally like entanglements of any kind. The fact that Brian didn't as well, lessened Justin's anxiety somewhat and allowed him to really look at the beautiful man.

There was no doubt that Brian was a fucking wet dream come to life. But even in sleep, he was gorgeous. His slender yet well-formed limbs displayed muscle, but not grotesquely so. Justin had been with enough gym bunnies and juice pigs to know that he wouldn't have been attracted to Brian, if he was built like that. Brian was statuesque in a sense, and that appealed to Justin's artistic sensibilities.

Justin extended a finger to trace the contours of Brian's face and body, stopping every so often to make sure the man was still asleep. In anyone else's eyesight, Justin's actions would have been considered stalkerish or alarming. But it was his way of committing the fabulous face, and form to memory. Brian shifted onto his back when Justin had reached a particularly sensitive spot. He almost laughed aloud as the tall man sprawled spread eagled on the bed, obviously forgetting that he had a houseguest.

One he had made a very lascivious deal with.  

Justin smiled brightly in the dimly lit room, forming an idea. As he settled himself between Brian's legs, he took one more opportunity to gaze at him from his vantage point. Brian's body was virtually hairless. Justin figured that from the way Brian's loft looked, Brian had an aversion to anything that signified untidiness, and that extended to his body. Justin reached out to stroke the neatly trimmed bush, which pillowed Brian's impressive member.

Justin eyed the appendage skeptically at first, unable to believe that something so seemingly small had the ability to make his ass feel like he'd taken a canon inside it. He winced, and then chuckled at the imagery his brain insisted on forming. Only he could find the humor in a situation where his ass hurt... literally. But he couldn't regret it, even amid the twinges causing him a bit of discomfort occasionally as he readjusted himself on the bed.

He supposed that Brian was as gentle as he could have been in that situation, and Justin was grateful for it. But being able to stare down at Brian Kinney, in his unguarded state, was more than worth it. Justin leaned down to place a small peck on Brian's member. He watched in satisfaction as it began to twitch, signaling that it was inclined to wake up. While he had been asleep, he'd had visions of riding it but he wouldn't yet.

First, Brian would make good on the deal they made. Then if anything else happened before sunrise, it would all be considered as part of the ‘one night only' experience. He didn't have a doubt in his mind that Brian would agree to the same.

With that thought in mind, Justin leaned in and took the entire length into his mouth. Swirling his tongue around the head, Justin caught a drop of pre-cum and swallowed it right down. Deciding that he liked the taste, Justin worked to draw more copious amounts out of the slumbering man. Deep-throating Brian, Justin treated his dick as if it were the best and messiest popsicle he'd ever had; licking it up and down before taking it back into his mouth again and holding it at the back of his throat. He couldn't resist the small hum of satisfaction which escaped his throat, as Brian's dick continued its climb toward full hardness.

Spotting the lube nestled inside the duvet, Justin dislodged Brian's dick from his mouth with a pop. Taking the tube in hand, he squirted some of the liquid that Brian had used on him an hour ago, with a slight smile on his full lips. He admitted to himself that it really did feel nice on his fingers, but it felt even better inside of his ass. Justin giggled in surprise at the fact his hole had begun to tingle and twitch again with that thought. Later, but first...

Moving carefully to separate Brian's legs a little farther, Justin went back to sucking Brian's cock, while running his index finger around Brian's ass hole.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Came the sleep-sexy voice from the top of the bed.

"Do you need an instruction manual, or is one-on-one tutoring required?" Justin snarked back, before he went back to pleasuring a semi-reluctant Brian.

"Very fucking funny, Justin, but I'm not fucking laug..." Justin had taken that opportunity to quell Brian's protest for the moment by sliding his finger inside. He immediately found Brian's gland, causing the man to gasp out his name. "Justin..."

"Yeah?"Justin asked, sardonically. He knew what Brian was feeling, because he'd made Justin feel the same way. Adding a second finger to join the first, Justin asked Brian, "Do you want me to stop?" A jab of the prostate punctuated each syllable of the question.

Brian moaned in response, while Justin continued drawing pleasure from the man. Reaching up with his other hand, Justin tweaked Brian's nipple while he used his throat to squeeze the head of Brian's dick again. Pulling back the same fingers briefly, he allowed a little of the saliva he was using to coat Brian's dick to drip onto his fingers, before returning them to the puckered nubs of Brian's chest. Justin chuckled as Brian held onto fistfuls of his hair, sending the vibrations through the brunet. He enjoyed watching as Brian's composure and resolve slip from a little to a lot within just a few seconds. 

"Damn it, Justin.... F.... fuck!"

Justin came up with a wicked grin on his lips, looking Brian straight into his eyes. "You know, Brian, it's not polite for me to talk in the middle of a meal, especially not with my mouth full." Justin chuckled again at the stream of curses leaving Brian's mouth, as Justin resumed his treatments to Brian's nipples, cock and ass.

"Damn fucking twat!" Brian exclaimed as Justin stroked his sensitive gland again. "Fuck me already, you fucking...."

"What was that? I couldn't hear you over my own slurping," Justin taunted.

"I swear Justin if you don't..."

"Alright, alright, I'm coming...well soon I will be, and so will you," Justin promised as he flashed Brian a smile. He was gratified when the older man couldn't help himself in smiling back at the feisty blond.

"You know you should really be spanked, Justin."

"Later, if you're lucky. Now roll over," Justin ordered.

"Bossy bottom," Brian muttered but Justin heard him.

"Not now, I'm not," he said, applying a firm smack to Brian's ass.

Justin applied a little bit more lube, then re-inserted his fingers. He added a third to be sure that Brian would be as comfortable as he could make him. Justin didn't have the longest cock. However, he was longer than most would expect for his height, and thick. He definitely didn't want to hurt the man, who had been so caring of him during his own entry.

"Justin, please..."

"Patience, Brian. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. Just..."

Before Brian could finish his sentence, Justin slid the condom on, and advanced into Brian. His progression was slow, stopping every few centimeters to allow Brian to take more of him at his own pace. When he would feel Brian pushing back of his own accord, only then would Justin move a bit more forcefully until Brian's body clamped up again. This went on for several minutes, and Justin could tell that Brian had meant it when he said that he wasn't used to bottoming. But although Justin was certain it had been a long time ago based on how tight Brian was, he was relieved that Brian knew exactly what he was doing when it came to the act.

But even with that knowledge, Justin could still feel the anxiety rolling off of Brian in waves. He wanted to ask what had happened, but this wasn't about that. It was about two men, wanting to get off and find solace in countless orgasms. Justin had his own demons, for certain. But no way in hell was he about to let them ruin the moment- the only moment- the two of them would ever share.

When he had reached bottom, Justin paused again, feeling Brian's body stretching to accommodate his girth. Justin held still, even as Brian quivered with the sheer sensation of being filled. Brian's long arms reached back to grab Justin's ample bottom, pulling the blond into him a fraction further. Both Brian and Justin gasped at the sensation of Justin's cockhead pressed tightly against the walnut-shaped bundle of nerves within Brian. It was then that Justin couldn't hold himself still anymore, and began to move.

At first, Justin moved shallowly, carefully gauging Brian's reaction to being penetrated. The soft gasps and pleadings for more told Justin that the man was enjoying himself. Justin kept the slow and easy pace, until Brian became more demanding. Sliding his hands up the long expanse of Brian's back, Justin gripped Brian's shoulders, and moved forcefully within him. He could feel Brian pushing back with equal fervor, as he increased his pace.

Rotating his hips on each downstroke, Justin drew grunts and groans from Brian, which caused him to smile in return.

"That's it, Big Boy. Tell me how you like this dick," Justin crooned. "You like it, don't you, Brian?" Justin punctuated the question which a sharp plunge, nailing Brian's prostate mercilessly. At Brian's continued silence, but hearing the slight hitch of Brian's breath, Justin warned, "Tell me or I'll stop."

"No," Brian gasped out.

Justin twisted his hips, releasing a small keening cry from the man beneath him. "No to what, Brian? No you don't like my dick? Or no, you don't want me to stop?" Justin ceased his movement until Brian was, once again, coherent enough to answer the question.

"No...don't you fucking stop," Brian growled, the sound muffled while he was biting on the pillow under his head. Justin knew that the usually stoic man was very close to losing all control. Thinking of how he wanted the scene to play out, Brian's voice brought him out of his reverie. "Justin...please...fuck me, damn it!"

Justin slid into Brian so slowly that a snail would have seemed as if running. His actions of innnnnnn sloooooowly and out quickly had Brian writhing frantically, trying to get more of Justin. Justin held to the same rhythm as he continued to talk dirty to the brunet; some of the erotic words causing the already tight orifice to squeeze Justin's cock even harder. Justin moaned in response to the stimulation. There was nothing on earth more gratifying than fucking Brian Kinney, although Justin would never say that aloud.

One particular gaspy moan Brian emitted, told Justin that Brian was close to begging to be fucked hard. So the blond redoubled his efforts before the words could even form on Brian's lips. Once again increasing the speed of his thrust, Justin hammered into Brian's gland, eliciting a masculine scream in the process. Justin inched his fingers between Brian's thighs, while still driving into Brian's feverish body. He caressed Brian's perineum area, stroking the prostate gland from the outside of Brian's body in counterpoint to the constant milking of it on the inside.

Justin spent untold minutes leading Brian to the edge of ejaculation only to stop, causing expletive after agitated expletive to explode from Brian's mouth. He couldn't help but enjoy seeing Brian come undone at his hands. Finally taking pity on the exhausted brunet, Justin stroked inside Brian's ass relentlessly, each stroke taking them up higher up passion's peak. Not soon after, Justin felt Brian shudder as they moved in harmony to climax. One of Justin's hands found its way tangled within Brian's hair.

The blond yanked back on the dark locks harshly, turning Brian's head so that he could kiss him. Justin swallowed the moans emitting from Brian, his own surfacing from deep inside of him. His tongue tangled with Brian's tasting the lust that was eating at both of them. He pulled back and growled, "Come for me," before joining their lips together in a heated kiss, once more. Sweat pouring off of the laboring men, it didn't take long for them to reach their crests within moments of each other- Brian shooting his load first.

They had fucked another time with Justin topping the Top, before he'd snuck away just before sunrise. He was still silently smarting about the message he'd left Brian on the napkin before exiting the stunning loft. He just couldn't figure out what the fuck possessed him to do something so idiotic; something he would never do in a million fucking years. But he had, hadn't he? And he would have to live with the end result, pass or fail.

At the sound of the message app chiming on his phone, he decided that it was a momentary insanity bought on by cum-soaked braincells. He would never repeat the lapse in judgment again, so this uncharacteristic incident was best forgotten about. There! That settles it! Justin resolved to himself.

Well, that is until he saw the message on the phone...

New Message from 412-678-0552

You know you could have woken me up. I'm running late for a meeting because of you.

Justin couldn't help the snicker that escaped him. He replied:

Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realize that instead of nursing on your dick, I was supposed to play nursemaid instead. You probably should have warned me...or better yet paid me to be your wake-up call.

He actually did laugh out loud at the next text:

Smart-mouthed twat! I told you that you needed a spanking.

His response: Promises, promises. You really shouldn't make them unless you intend on keeping them. It isn't polite to get a person's hopes up only to renege in the end.

Brian: Who said anything about reneging? Besides my ass HURTS! You definitely have to pay for that.

"Justin? Justin, are you paying attention? This is serious," Maggie scolded him. She was currently trying to fill him in on the deplorable state that Craig's business was in.

Justin shook his head, eyes still on his phone. He frowned slightly at being interrupted, and even moreso for the reason. "You should probably have let me wake up first, before trying to ruin my day."

Maggie retorted under her breath, "You should probably find yourself in your OWN bed once in awhile, then this conversation would be a moot point."

Justin raised his eyes from his cell phone to focus the narrowed orbs on his Accountant. "Consider yourself extremely lucky at this moment, Mags. I value your expertise at handling my money and business. However, I will NOT tolerate any criticism of how I spend my time away from said business. Now I will listen to what you have to say in a few moments, not before." Once he had made his point to Maggie, he softened his tone, "Why don't you pour yourself a cup of coffee? It's too early in the damn morning for this type of argument."

Knowing that she was dismissed for the time being, she threw an exasperated look over at Mark before making her way over to the coffeemaker. The good thing about traveling on the private jet, as opposed to a commercial flight, was that Justin kept an assortment of his and his personal staff's favorite items aboard. As generous of a boss as he could be, Justin Taylor was also a selfish, and sometimes a self-absorbed asshole. Although from the soft smile playing across his lips as she studied him beneath her lashes, Maggie wasn't so sure that all was as it had always been with her boss. She would have to keep her eyes open regarding this sudden change in his demeanor; they can't afford to be caught off guard in any regard.

Justin was, once again, engrossed in the banter that he and Brian had been enjoying before he was so rudely interrupted by real life. He honestly couldn't believe that he and Brian were actually texting the morning after the most exhausting night of sex he'd ever had.

New Message from Brian: So what are you wearing?

Justin, once again, laughed aloud. Brian had the strangest ability to make him do that. "Boss...Hugo Boss." He chuckled at his response, instinctively knowing that Brian would appreciate the humor.

Brian: Ahhh... so young Justin is a fashion queen? Good to know.

Justin: No more of a queen than you are. I thought that I had proven that last night.

Brian: Well I could always have another lesson in my office at lunch.

Justin closed his eyes as visions of what could have been happening assaulted his psyche with images of he and Brian naked. Sorry Brian, but I have to take a raincheck. I am currently on a plane to New York, and my business might take me all day although I hope not.

Brian: I guess I'll have to settle for the usual fare then...

Justin: Kung Pao Chicken? Beef Wellington? Justin could almost hear Brian's snort, as he pushed ‘send' on his phone.

Brian: Very funny, but no... I think I'll either head over to Lucky's, or order in.

Justin's nostrils flared slightly at the thought of the gay gentlemen's club, which offered everything from the mundane to the intensely erotic. He was a co-founder of the place; having been one of his first investments after he developed ‘Rage.' He paid his partner, Charles Lucky, a tenth of his portion in the profits of the club to keep his name officially off the record because of his dual CEO status. Thankfully, there hadn't been any major issues with the club, so to Justin it was money well-spent. But in turn, Charles couldn't make any major decisions, or changes to the club without talking to Justin first.

Justin texted back: I hear membership to that place is pretty steep. And they only give one-time only guest passes. Are you sure you can afford it?

Membership to the club was $110 thousand a year, but it was all-inclusive. There was even a restaurant on the lower level, and a dance club on the upper floors. Whether the patron visited once or every single night of the year, each was afforded the same privileges as the next guy. Justin thought of how ironic it was that both he and Brian owned the two hottest spots in Pittsburgh. Whereas Babylon catered to the everyday gay guy, Lucky's had a strictly upscale clientele and employed an array of rent boys, who performed within the club or for private affairs such as the one Brian was suggesting.

It gave him a perverse sort of pleasure to know that the Stud of Liberty Avenue was a regular patron of his establishment.  

Brian: I've been a member since its inception so yes, I think so.

Justin: Well good. I would hate for you to go broke over...lunch. Justin snickered at his response, somehow knowing that Brian would find the humor in it, too. I really need to calm this down, he thought. Brian was too fucking likeable. He texted: My plane is about to land. So I guess I'll talk to you soon. Thanks again for last night. It was truly unforgettable.

Brian: Likewise. Later.

Justin couldn't resist the impulse, and so penned ‘Later' back to Brian. He was definitely wondering what the fuck had he been thinking in doing so. It wasn't like they were in a relationship, or something just because they had fucked.... and fucked often...and fucked well!

Justin shook himself of the resulting images that ensued with his mental references to how he spent his night, attempting to fight the bewildered smile threatening to burst forth. A gentle throat-clearing rudely broke him out of his reverie, but he supposed it was for the best. Dwelling as he had was so uncharacteristically him, that he was beginning to scare himself a little bit. He could only imagine with Maggie and Mark thought of the new strangeness overtaking Justin at one of the most inopportune times.

"All done?" Maggie asked, returning from the bar near the cockpit area.

"Yes," Justin answered simply, unwilling to give any more that one-worded answer.

"Good. Now can we get back to business?" The testiness in Maggie's voice was unmistakable. Justin was about to answer with terseness of his own, but was again interrupted.

"Don't answer that quite yet, Justin," Mark said, from his place seated across from Justin. "Personally, I want some assurances that whatever it is that has you practically vibrating with lust, excitement, or whatever else will not end up on the front page. We really don't need any more additional publicity than what is likely to be caused by the news Maggie needs to tell you about Craig. If there is a chance that there is another skeleton about to jump out of the metaphorical closet, then as your assistant and interim publicist until we hire or reject Kinnetik, I need to know now."

Justin narrowed his eyes at both of his employees, thinking that they represented good reasons NOT to hire friends in the first place. On the flipside of that coin, they were excellent at what they did and their loyalty was never in question. But he really didn't think that what he did last night- and with WHOM- was any of their business. And he said so.

"Suffice it to say that I passed a very satisfying night, without any risk to the parties involved."

Mark laughed. "Ever the WASPy diplomat, Justin. I'll let it go for now, but seriously with Arnold and Craig lurking in the wings ready to swoop in and take over Taylor industries again, you need to be careful. I know that you are used to doing what you want, when you want and however you want, but you can't fly under the radar as you have in the past. You ARE the CEO of two major corporations, and an artist of note; anonymity is no longer an option."

Justin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying formulate his thoughts. He knew that there was some truth to what his assistant was saying, but it didn't make him any less determined to live life by his own rules. It was time that he establish that. "You think I don't know that, Mark? Maggie? Look, I'll be careful at least for the time being. But I WILL NOT stop living my fucking life. And you nor anyone else in my camp will demand that of me, am I clear?"

"Yeah, you're clear, Justin. Just stay that way my friend," Mark stated. "Now Maggie really needs to fill you in on all the developments with Craig."

And for the next half hour, Justin sat listening, stone-faced to all of his sperm donor's latest exploits. It was time that he dealt with Craig Taylor... and the older man would not like the results.

~AC~

"Brian, Michael is here to see you....again. But this time Lindsay is with him. Should I send them in?" Cynthia's voice came through the intercom, sounding exasperated. She was watching from her office as the front desk receptionist was trying her best to remain professional with the blond harridan and her sidekick, Idiot man.

Brian noted that it was happening more and more. His usually uber-professional assistant was better at hiding her feelings than most, except possibly him. So the fact that Cynthia was no longer willing to do that, just proved what Brian had been thinking for awhile now. Things were getting out of hand. "Yeah send them in. But I want you and Theodore in here as well. Also have Fred come because after I say what I have to say, I want them escorted out and not be allowed back in for any reason. Gus is still allowed, but his mothers and Michael are not to be allowed passed the reception area."

Cynthia did as Brian has requested, first calling Ted and then Fred to meet her in the lobby. While she waited, she thought about Brian's uninvited guests. Michael and Lindsay were Brian's oldest friends. Although ‘friends' might be too strong a word. Really they were more like the opportunistic leeches of Brian's life.

Cynthia has been working with Brian for years, beginning at the Ryder agency and then at VanGuard before starting Kinnetik. And in all that time, she'd had numerous occasions to observe the trio, and she hated what she concluded. Michael and Lindsay were extremely selfish and self-centered people. But it was their sense of entitlement that grated the most on her nerves. Anytime they showed up to the busy agency unannounced, they expected to be given immediate and unfiltered access to Brian.

Once in recent history, Michael had even gone so far as to scream Brian's name repeatedly after being told that Brian was in a meeting. When Brian had made his appearance after having Ted take over the meeting, Cynthia was more than shocked and angry that the whole reason for Michael's scene was for Brian to meet him at Woody's to discuss his need for Brian's money for a mortgage payment on his little rundown store. When Brian had asked him what he did with the money he knew that Ben had given him, Michael's response had been that he needed to buy the first edition of Wonder Woman collector figurine, which took precedence over the mortgage payment since it would likely not be up for sale again any time soon. Cynthia had been absolutely appalled at the man's inability to take care of his own business, yet had the audacity to expect a quick bailout by Brian. Upon hearing the news, Ted had advised Brian, both as his personal accountant and the CFO of Kinnetik Incorporated, NOT to give Michael any more money.

Although Brian had listened to Ted with regards to Michael, dealing with Lindsay and Gus' list of needs was a different matter altogether. The trouble with Lindsay is also compounded by the fact that her partner Melanie is pregnant with Gus' soon-to-be sibling. Although Mel would rather gouge out her left ovary with a rusty knife- her words, not Cynthia's- than to ask Brian for additional money, Lindsay has no such qualms. Cynthia had to stand back, and watch Brian get used over and over and over again by the manipulative bitch without saying a word. She knew that Brian wouldn't fire her for speaking her mind, but it would definitely put a strain on their friendship.

And yes, Cynthia really considers Brian a friend. So saying, she was now trying to put on her best cordial face as she greeted Brian's ‘best friends' while taking them back to Brian's office. Once inside, she immediately took her usual seat before Michael and Lindsay could make themselves comfortable, and motioned for Ted to do the same. Ted raised an eyebrow upon entering the office behind Cynthia and Fred as Lindsay and Michael trailed in his wake. When she subtly inclined her head for Ted to take his seat, he obliged immediately.

Noticing the stiff set of Brian's shoulders, and the fact that the brunet was barely keeping his temper in check, there wasn't a doubt between Ted and Cynthia about what was going to come next. To look at Brian Kinney, one would think that he is unreadable. But Ted had been given a crash course in knowing the actions and reactions of Brian from the beginning of starting Kinnetik. And whatever wasn't immediately obvious, Cynthia had taken the time to explain to him. Lord knew if anyone had written the Brian Kinney Operating Manual- Overachiever Edition, it was Cynthia. So with her by his side, guiding him safely through the minefield of Brian's temper, Ted had seen all facets of Brian's personality. Instead of continuing to hate the man he'd always envied, Ted had learned to respect Brian over the years. He had seen with his own eyes just how determined, and driven Brian was about making himself into the successful businessman he had become since Ted was introduced to the arrogant ad exec-turned-entrepeneur many years ago.

Like many people who Brian held at arm's length, Ted had originally thought that Brian had fucked his way to the top- nailing the accounts in more ways than a signed contract so to speak. And that may have been true in the earlier days of Brian's career as an Advertising Executive, but it hadn't been true for at least the last ten years of Brian's success. However, it wasn't hard to see that at most, that assumption was just another of the mindless-Michael-mythsbeing spouted, yet again by someone who thinks they know Brian, but so obviously doesn't. Ted was amazed to learn that Brian Kinney had the uncanny ability to reinvent himself whenever it was necessary, a gift that Ted himself had only just learned. Unfortunately it had taken his foray into the mind-altering drug addiction, which had caused him to lose himself for a time.

It was Brian and Emmett, who had helped Ted onto his own process of rising as a pheonix from the ashes of his previous of his former self. And under their guidance, Ted was able to transform himself into the self-assured man he was continually growing to be. So if nothing else, Ted knew that he owed Brian his loyalty. He just wished the two people, who were standing milliantly within Brian's offic, would remember that they owed Brian as well. Ted broke his reverie to tune into the verbal tantrum Michael was throwing. For her part, Lindsay just stood off to the side with her arms folded across her chest and tapping her foot in a pretty good imitation of a mom getting ready to scold a wayward child.

"What the fuck are they all doing here? We need to speak with you ALONE, Brian," Michael complained, causing Ted to roll his eyes.

"They are here because I want them here, Michael, unlike the two of you. So they are staying." Brian looked at both Michael and Lindsay, waiting for the objections that he was sure were coming. He was met with frosty silence from them. "Well, get on with why you felt the need to barge in here this time," Brian demanded, annoyance ringing clear in his tone.

"Well now that you're NOT in a fucking meeting, perhaps you can FINALLY talk to me. I would have talked to you last night at Babylon, but you ditched me for that skanky blond asshole. I didn't like it, Brian; I needed you, Brian. You owed it to me to put MY needs before whatever wants you had, after all the times I've been there for you! And I want a fucking apology right now," Michael demanded, folding his arms across his chest, while narrowing his eyes as if waiting for Brian to acknowledge his mistake.

Before Brian had a chance to rebut the litany of Michael's accusations, Lindsay broke her silence. "He's right, Brian. Michael really needed to speak with you about him and Ben. How could you put getting your dicked sucked by some anonymous person above your best friend? I'm so disappointed in you, Brian. I wonder if this is how you will act if Gus and the new baby need you."

Ted rolled his eyes at Lindsay's speech. It was no secret that she was still trying to get Brian to relinquish his parental rights to Gus. It had already been decided that he would also not be giving up his rights to the new child either. At first, Lindsay and Melanie were pissed off about it. But then Melanie had a change of heart somewhere along the way. Perhaps it helped that Brian was spending more time with his son than she was able to do since she was now seven months pregnant.

Or it could very well be that Brian had been putting money into Melanie's hand to make up for her decreased caseload since the doctor placed her on bedrest for the remainder of the pregnancy. He'd proven to her that he would honor his word to take care of her when Mel had to level with him. Whatever it was, Ted was glad that she had jumped off of the Lindsay/Michael Judgement and Entitlement Express, and had began to form her own opinions about Brian as a person. They might never be best friends but it was a start for the two head-strong, hard-headed brunettes. Brian began to speak in a quiet voice; so low that all of the occupants of the office had leaned forward to hear him.

"I'm only going to say this once, so you both need to listen very well. You both are NOT to come here again, especially with the bullshit YOU deem important. This is not a playground, a picnic or a park; it's my business! I don't need, nor want, to have to deal with whatever bullshit Kindergarten games you and your fucking partners are playing this week. I don't want to speak about Gus, unless he is here to visit. I most certainly DO NOT want to talk about what each of you supposedly need with regards to my money! From now on Lindsay, if you have any monetary requests, they are to go through Ted and I will require a receipt. Melanie has already agreed to do this. And although your agreement is NOT necessary, it will be the way things are from now on.

"As for you Michael, I told you last night and I will say it again...figure out what the fuck you want where your marriage is concerned. If you're going to be there, be THERE and NOT HERE in my fucking office, harassing me to fix another one of your fucking problems. You're married for fuck's sake; ACT LIKE IT! Do what other grown-ups throughout history have done. Grow the fuck up, take care of your business and solve your own fucking problems!"

"But Brian," Michael whined only to be cut off by Brian, who had clearly lost all patience.

"Fred, I need you to escort Mr. Novotny-Bruckner and Ms. Peterson-Marcus out of the building. They are not to be allowed back in for ANY reason, barring that Lindsay has my son and/or the new baby with her. Even then, she is to wait in the reception area while I spend time with my children. Outside of that circumstance, which should be extremely rare, there is NO reason to let her into the building again. Please advise your staff that if either Mr. Novotny-Bruckner, or Ms. Marcus-Peterson get past the front door, it's an automatic pink slip with nary a question asked."

"Brian, you're going too far," Lindsay stated, the frost in her tone evident.

"Am I, Lindsay? Let me assure you that if I could go even further, I would. You two have barged in here for the last time!"

"I can't believe you, Brian! I need you to fix this for me. This thing with Ben is..."

"YOUR FUCKING PROBLEM!" Brian yelled, and then ran an impatient hand through his chestnut hair. "Jesus, Mikey when are you going to grow up? You know what... I'm not doing this anymore! Unless it concerns my children, which this shit here today clearly does NOT, I don't want to fucking know about it. Now if you'll kindly leave, I have a business to run." Brian nodded at Fred as he ushered a pouting Michael and a stewing Lindsay out of the Kinnetik building.

Once the door closed behind them, Cynthia said, "Thank you for finally doing that, Boss. I have wanted to do that for some time now."

Brian chuckled, but couldn't help his curiosity. "How long?"

"Since we worked for Ryder," came her quick reply.

His eyes widened at that revelation. He knew why she hadn't said something before now. Cynthia was the consummate professional, only overstepping the boundaries of their working relationship in the most extreme circumstances. He admired her for it. But sometimes he wished she would just act and deal with the consequences later.

"From now on, Cynthia, if you deem it necessary don't hesitate to do it. I will back you."

A silent look of understanding passed between the old friends, and business associates. Without words, Brian had just told her that she was his official second-in-command. Ted cleared his throat interrupting the tender moment.

"I'm glad you told Lindsay of the new arrangement between you and Mel. As you know, Mel has been wanting to do it this way for some time now, but Lindsay's always had a reason why it wasn't necessary, or prudent- as she said repeatedly- to do so. I had feared that with the new baby coming, Lindsay was going to find a way to need ‘more.'"

"Yes, well. Mel said that Lindsay's shopping habit has been getting out of hand for the last year or so, even before she had to stop putting in so many hours at the law firm. By the way, did you bar all access to Gus' college fund? I know that I had given both of them access, but I no longer trust Lindsay not to wheedle the codes out of Melanie somehow. At a later time, I'll name an executor to my will and power of attorney. I think it can wait a bit. In the meantime, Ted, I want you to take over those duties. Have legal draw up the papers immediately so that I can sign them within the hour. Michael is NOT to make any decisions concerning me should something happen medical or otherwise."

This shocked Ted and he said so. "Why, Brian? I thought you trusted him with your life."

"I did until he started talking about how much I owed him. That is a debt I have paid for over and over again, and I'm through with it. He's still my friend to a degree, but the best friend I had as a kid is dead to me. That friend would never have thrown that part of my past in my face," Brian said, sadness in his voice.

Every time something went wrong in liitle Mikey's world, those were always the first words he said to Brian. It has been so frequent that even Debbie had adopted the theory that Brian owes Michael for taking care of him when he was either beaten up by his parents, or drunk and stoned out of his mind to forget them. Brian shook himself before refocusing on what mattered in the here and now. There was no use in dwelling on a situation which was as unlikely to change as Michael and Lindsay were able to change their avaricious personalities. And even if they were, he would still would believe it; they were experts at lip-service without action.

"Alright, enough of this shit. Let's get down to Kinnetik business." And he pulled out the packet of papers he'd been studying before his two former best friends had barged in his office.

Meanwhile in New York....

Justin exited from the plane ready to do battle. He was seething, just beneath the surface, at the news Maggie and Mark had imparted in reference to Craig's business. The reason the man hadn't turned a profit was because he wasn't opening the store, opting instead to play fucking kidnapping games with Kitty. It was evident that Craig was trying to ruin Taylor Industries from the inside. Justin had already known that Alfred- the closeted jackass- was firmly in his dad's pocket.

But there was someone else trying to sabotage Justin's inheritance, and the Taylor legacy. They just hadn't figured out who it was yet.

Thirty minutes later, Justin alighted from the limousine that had picked him up from the airport. Ordinarily, he would have opted to drive himself. But Justin just didn't have the patience to do so today. He needed a cooling off period- or at least a chance to simmer, instead of boil- and the traffic in Midtown would definitely not have been conducive to that. Justin was beyond pissed off at the latest antics of his sperm donor, and it was time that Craig Taylor either shit or get off the pot.

Arriving in front of Kitty's house, Justin ordered Maggie, Mark and his bodyguard Daryl to accompany him inside while he instructed his driver to keep the car running. He didn't bother to knock. Instead, Justin used the key she'd given him the last time that Craig decided to lock her within her own home until he saw fit to release her so she could go to work. Oft times, he wondered what the hell the beautiful woman saw in Craig Taylor. As far as Justin was concerned, not even good looks could cover up the ugliest personality, so really, what was it? He remembered asking his mother the same question once before.

She had told him, "Your father could be generous, charming and witty whenever the mood suited him. And it suited him a lot, until his place in your life was assured. Then just as a snake sheds his skin, Craig takes off his mask. Unfortunately by the time it's realized, it's already too late and Craig has you and YOUR freedom in the palm of his hand."

Justin thought back to that conversation, which was just over a year ago. He still marveled that his mom had been so honest with him. But then again, how could she not be after all that Craig had put him, and Molly through in addition to Jennifer? There were many times Justin wished someone would throw Craig in a well, and then conveniently forget to call for help. Even now, Justin shivered inwardly at the thought of him and Molly being at the mercy of the madman Craig had intended for Molly to marry.

There was a distinct advantage to growing up wealthy. The ability to buy what you want, live where you choose and do what you desired was and always would be associated with that small five letter word...M-O-N-E-Y! But what very few people have ever spoken of was the disadvantages. The kind where men with money only want more of it, and would sell their own mother for the privilege. And that way of thinking was what had resulted in the permanent estrangement of Craig Taylor with both his son and daughter.

Because of Craig's inherent greed, he sold Molly through marriage to Christopher Hobbs- a man presumed dead, until proven otherwise.

Justin had known Chris since the sixth grade. Originally, they started out as pseudo-friends. Justin was popular with everyone, and Chris being the new kid in school at the time, stuck to Justin. They had been neighbors all their lives, even though Chris had gone to a different school for a time. No one knew the reason he wasn't attending his former school anymore, except that it was bandied about that there was some sort of altercation and innuendo flying about Chris that very few kids could understand, but didn't want to ask their uppity parents about.

In retrospect, it was one of the questions that Craig Taylor should definitely have asked when it came to giving away his only daughter in matrimony.

The ‘friendship' came to a head one day in the equipment room of their high school. Both boys had gotten detention for talking during class. The conversation was innocuous enough, so there wasn't anything within it to have a litter of fucking puppies over. But the teacher was a dick and had a hard-on for making entitled high school brats pay for something that technically wasn't their fault. They didn't ask to be born rich- they just were- and Mr. Dixon always felt threatened by it.

So Chris and Justin were assigned clean-up duty that afternoon. Although Justin hadn't minded much, Chris was pissed off because he was missing football practice. They began to talk about girls, at first, again semi-harmless... well harmless enough as long as Chris' opinions about each of the girls didn't get around. But after the running commentary on catholic girls not believing that anal counts as sex,  the conversation took what Justin would later consider to be a very weird turn.

Everyone knew that Justin was gay. He wasn't one to hide himself, no matter what that term entailed. He wore who he was proudly, and that included his sexuality. To him, it wasn't the sum total of who he was. He was an honor student, a gifted artist, a young man with a bright future, and heir to two fortunes.

Basically, Justin never thought a little thing like who he fucked would ever factor into his existence beyond getting laid. That wasn't the case for Chris Hobbs.

Dragging Justin into the darkest corner of the small room, Chris began to fumble with Justin's clothes before the blond could register what was really happening. When Justin stopped him, Chris became enraged. He began spewing all manner of hate towards him, but Justin was never one to take an insult without giving one back. So Justin taunted the young jock, until Chris finally admitted aloud that he was bisexual. Then he went on to press his advantage with Justin again, who knew by then that Craig and Chris' father were in talks about an arranged marriage between him and Justin's sister Molly. Justin told him that when everything was done- if they decided that Chris and Molly weren't a good fit- then he would deal with Chris in the manner the he was begging for. But until then, Justin wasn't going to fuck or be fucked by Chris Hobbs.

Before he could get Chris to verbally agree, the outside door to the equipment room opened and Dixon was calling for them. Justin pushed Chris out of the room hastily to distract the bastard teacher, giving Chris the chance to straighen his clothes. The last thing either of them needed was for the football coach to catch on of his star players in a state of undress that wasn't easily explained away. Even though Justin had never betrayed Chris' confidence, Hobbs decided to make Justin's life a living hell all the way through senior year. Justin knew that it wasn't only embarrassment over almost having been caught by Dixon, but also Chris' version of a temper tantrum at having been denied what he wanted from Justin.

Unfortunately their fathers agreed to the arranged marriage between Chris and Molly, which was definitely NOT to the young girl's benefit at all. Justin tried repeatedly to talk Craig Taylor out of it, which often gained him a slap or two or twenty-six along with several lectures about obedience in the process. Each time Molly had come back from being forced out with Chris, she was withdrawn and angry. Justin tried his best to console her, telling her that they would get her out of the nightmare she was trapped in somehow. Each knew his sister was doing her best to believe him, but she was slowly sinking into despair at her reality until Justin could make good on his promise.

He didn't have much time at all. The marriage was to take place only three days after she had graduated high school. She wasn't even allowed to apply for college despite her high GPA, and numerous scholarship offers to Ivy League schools. According to Craig Taylor, Molly didn't need an education since her only job was to birth the next Hobbs' heir and a spare. To him, and many other men within their social set in reference to women, her only value was between her legs.

Both Justin and Jennifer were horrified and appalled by Craig's actions and opinions of his daughter. They continued to everything they could think of to extricate Molly from the situation her callous, greedy father had put her in. But to no avail. The situation had come to a head right after Molly's ceremony of matrimonial slavery. And neither could be sorry about the end result.

Justin had been trying the entire morning to get her away from the house, before her father came looking for her. Craig Taylor had taken extra precautions to ensure that Molly would be at the altar, and had blocked both Jennifer and Justin from seeing the bride until she arrived at the church. Craig escorted a weeping Molly down the aisle as he squeezed her hand tightly, advising her to shut the fuck up and do her duty. He almost gleefully told her that he was getting a quarter of a million dollars for selling her to the highest bidder, and that no amount of sniveling was going to ruin it for him. Molly began to cry harder at her father's admissions, while he kept the smile plastered on his face.

All during the wedding ceremony, Jennifer and Justin had been kept at a distance. They had tried to stand up for Molly when it was time to protest the nuptials, but Craig had his goons standing close by and they were promptly escorted out of the church. Once they were declared man and wife, Chris took a firm hold of Molly, bypassing all of the well-wishers and ushered her into the limo. Jennifer had sent Justin along to head them off, knowing that Craig had arranged for the deflowering of his daughter before the reception began. He wasn't leaving anything to chance so that the Hobbs family could back out and declare an annulment.

As Justin and Daryl hid in one of the closets at the Hobbs' estate, they could hear Molly screaming even as the limo drove up the long winding road to the main house. He wanted nothing more than to go to her as he stayed in his hiding place, being assaulted by the sound of her cries for help. Within the enclosed space, it was hard for both Justin and Darryl to hear the accompanying sounds of blows being delivered to her body, as well as the material of her wedding gown being ripped in the distance. When he heard a door slam down the hall, Justin raced out of his hiding place ahead of his bodyguard looking for anything that would stop Chris assault on his sister. The room next to the closed door provided Justin with the perfect item.

Gripping it tightly, he moved toward the room, constantly listening for the impending arrival of the clueless revelers for the reception. Justin inched closer and closer to the blood-curdling sounds, until he finally reached the door. Twisting the doorknob, he found that it was locked from the inside. Justin directed Daryl to move to the other side of the doorjamb. While hiding in the tight space of the closet, Justin told him that above all he was to get Molly out of there, and leave him behind to deal with Chris.

Although Daryl had nodded his acquiescence, Justin knew that Daryl would do right by both Molly AND him. Refocusing his attention, Justin pretended to be one of the servants, scratching at the door softly and affecting an accent that Chris would buy. Justin heard the young man shout in protest at the interruption, cursing loudly at his whore of a wife while threatening to fuck her so hard she wouldn't be able to stand at the reception. After one final yell and confirmation that Chris was on his way to the bedroom door, Justin gripped the Louisville Slugger even tighter in his hand. Daryl crouched down in a ready position, prepared for anything that Hobbs would possibly do once he saw who was at the door.

The door creaked open a fraction of an inch before Justin and Daryl crashed through it, knocking Chris down to the floor. Justin wasted no time employing the bat to every corner, and crevice of Chris Hobbs' body as Daryl rescued Molly. Deafening screams of horror and pain filled the air, as Justin kept hitting Chris with the bat. Blind rage consumed him as he thought of every time Molly had been made to beg, and cry, and plead for mercy. He thought of his father and his dastardly machinations, all for the sake of fucking money; for the helplessness he felt in not being able to protect her from the piece of shit, who was squirming at first, but then laid still on the hardwood floor.

After getting Molly to safety, Daryl had come back in time to stop Justin from making the final blow that would have ended Chris Hobbs' miserable life. In haste, Daryl picked the bloodied man up from the floor, even as Justin stopped to take a look around the space. What he saw caused his mouth to drop in shock, and then rage. The only piece of furniture in the room was a St. Andrews cross. It didn't take much imagination to know what Chris intentions were, or what he had been doing when Justin and Daryl had interrupted him.

Justin had made a decision right then that would change destiny for them all, most especially Craig Taylor.

Bringing himself back to the present, Justin entered the house. He wasn't surprised to see the foyer or many other rooms in disarray. It was apparent that the physical altercation between Kitty and Craig had been violent this time. The blood splatter on the walls looked fairly fresh, as if someone had taken blood red paint and smeared it. In all the time that Kitty and Craig had been together, Justin couldn't remembering things getting that bad between them.

He continued to look around the downstairs, going from room to room. He kept hoping that somehow he was seeing things, or that his over-active mind was playing tricks on him. The continual knocking from the cellar door confirmed it wasn't. The house looked more like a crime scene, than it did the million dollar house it was. More accurately, the entire place looked like they were on location of a horror movie. 

But no, this is what another one of Craig Taylor's toxic relationships have been reduced to; a pile of expensive rubble.

"Daryl, let Kitty out of there. Maggie, go with him. She's going to need medical attention again. Try to talk her into pressing charges. Tell her if she doesn't this time, she's fired and evicted. To stay with Craig would means she's stupid, and I don't have time for stupid people. Daryl, after you let her out, meet me upstairs in the office. It's time Craig and I had a little chat."

"Justin, a word of caution..." Mark began, only to be cut off in a deadly serious tone by his boss.

"The time for caution is past, Mark. Next time, he's going to kill her. How would that be for publicity?" Justin asked sarcastically, as he moved passed his assistant, knowing exactly where he was going.

The further into the house they moved, the worse the scenes became. Lamps and other expensive furnishings were either turned over, broken or stained. The custom made mirror at the end of the long hallway, looked as if a body had gone through it. Justin had never seen so much carnage in one house, even while living with Craig for the many years he was married to Jennifer. He was never more thankful Jennifer had filed for divorce after hearing everything that happened with Molly; saved herself from this type of fate.

Now it was time to save Kitty...whether she wanted to be saved or not.

Entering the office with Mark on his heels and Daryl just alighting onto the stair landing, Justin looked around taking in the appearance of the office. It was the only place in the entire house which remained perfectly in tact. The neatly lined bookshelves, full of priceless tomes and artifacts, still looked as it did the last time he had visited. The air was smoky, the room well lit. it wasn't hard to see that the room was well lived in, and diligently taken care of.

Craig was stretched out on the couch, a tumbler in one hand the Times in the other. Although he looked as if this was any other morning and he was just simply reading the paper, the light snore emitting from his open mouth told a different story. Justin walked over to the sleeping man, taking in every ounce of the man he used to call Dad. He was unshaven and his clothes unkempt; the stench of alcohol coming through his pores was strong enough to fell an elephant. Even his reading glasses looked drunk, hanging off of a nose whose veins were beginning to protrude through the skin.

Justin knew an alcoholic when he saw one, but this was something more than just drinking.

Justin raised his hand, then extended it in a whip-sharp downward motion. The loud slap resonated throughout the otherwise silent room. "Wake the fuck up!" he yelled, watching in satisfaction as the older Taylor's head snapped back, and he fumbled around to keep himself from falling sideways off the couch.

"What the....What the fuck are you doing here, Justin?!" Craig stuttered, before really registering that he had been slapped out of his slumber.

"What the fuck do you think I'm doing here, Dad?"

"Don't call me that!"

"Fine by me," Justin shrugged. "I was only trying to be somewhat pleasant, but I'm sure I can come up with the appropriate name for what you really are. Hmm, got it! You're a FUCKING DISGRACE! There. Better?  I think so. Well I also think that it's time that you either clean up your shit, or get the fuck out!"

Craig wiped the wetness from the side of his mouth with his shirtsleeve as Justin looked on in disgust. Curling his lip in his pansy assed son's direction, he asked, "What the fuck are you going to do about it, huh Justin? Toss me out? You don't have the fucking balls to threaten me, let alone make good on it."

Justin reined in his temper. He would like nothing better than to toss Craig's ass out of the fucking window, not even checking afterward to see if his ass hit the concrete right. But Mark's words played themselves over in his head at that moment, and although Justin would fight internally against every inclination to kill Craig, it didn't mean that he would let Craig win. "Hand me your firearm, Daryl," Justin said calmly.

"Jus-"

"Quiet, Mark. Not. One. Fucking. Word. Craig here keeps insisting that I am a pussy. Well we will see which one of us is more likely to get fucked right now." He turned just as Daryl unholstered his gun, placing it gently in the palm of Justin's hand.

Justin looked at the silver Smith and Wesson, marveling at its weight and smooth texture. It wasn't the first time he'd held a gun, nor would it be the last. However, he could appreciate a quality weapon when he felt one. Removing the safety, Justin placed the gun on the coffee table between Craig and himself.

"What the fuck is the meaning of this, Justin?" Craig looked from his son back to the gun set before him.

"Put it in your mouth and pull the fucking trigger, Craig. Since you are determined to kill yourself, why not do us all a favor and make it quick. I have businesses to run, and no longer have time for your childish games."

"Fuck you, Justin," Craig screamed at him.

"No, Craig," Justin stated calmly. "You're not my type. You see I like MEN, not little fucking boys who think they are. You think you can run roughshod over anyone who doesn't get with your program, don't you? Well you son-of-a-bitch, I'm NOT Kitty! You will not continue to try to fuck me over, because the next time you try, I will personally put a bullet in you."

"You're bluffing! You don't have the--" the rest of the sentence was cut off as the barrel of the gun placed in his mouth.

Justin's eyes narrowed at Craig, seriously enjoying the look of surprise and horror in the blue eyes so like his own. He held the gun steady even as he watched the sweat begin to break out on Craig's forehead. Justin leaned in closer as he cocked the hammer on the gun, loving the sharp inhale of breath Craig took as he realized how easy it would be for Justin to pull the trigger and blow his brains out. "Careful, Craig. You really have no idea what I have the balls to do, or how big they really are.

"There are two things that I've come to tell you though: You're fired, that's number one. Your ONLY job was to make a success of the small franchise I created for you, and you couldn't even do that. The second thing is, you are banned from all of Taylor Properties and that includes this house. If you set foot on one centimeter of land I OWN, you will not only be arrested, but convicted of trespassing. I'm through funneling money into the bottomless pit called Craig Taylor. Whatever you have in the bank, find a way to grow it because that's the last red cent you will ever get out of me."

"YoucantdothisJussinKittywon'tleyou" Craig mumbled around the barrel of the gun.

"Huh? I can't understand you. Speak up," Justin said, laughing at the look of desperation in Craig's eyes at being told to repeat himself. With a last chuckle he said, "I guess I should stop you from playing tonsil-hockey with the barrel now." Carefully Justin removed the gun, but not before allowing the silver weapon to clang against some of Craig's teeth.

Craig covered his mouth in pain the moment Justin freed the gun from his oral cavity. He threw a murderous look at his son, who stood boldly before him, daring him to say anything derogatory to him. That was always a source of contention between he and Justin. No matter how many beatings he dished out to the young blond, Justin would stare stoically back at him, willing himself not to cry. Craig, in his anger, would always punch Justin harder and still Justin wouldn't bow down to his wishes.

Since becoming CEO of both family fortunes, Justin was even more implacable and impervious to Craig's machinations. There seemed to be no way to bring his son to heel. He couldn't even use the two women in Justin's life that the young man would do anything for! Jennifer and Molly had taken great delight in disabusing any remaining illusions of control Craig thought he had; a situation that Craig would be hard-pressed to forget anytime soon...

At Justin's impatient kick to Craig's foot, he repeated what he'd been driven to protest around the barrel of a gun. "You can't do this, Justin. Kitty won't allow me to be tossed out like yesterday's trash. She loves me."

Justin laughed. "That was her mistake, and apparently yours too. You see, although this house is in Kitty's name, I pay her salary. How is she going to afford the mortgage on this place without a job? And since Mom owns the mortgage that Kitty is using, I doubt that she'll grant your EX-girlfriend an extension since it means that you will still be living here. I want you gone within an hour. And don't bother looking for Ms. Kitty. She's on her way to the hospital, and then the precinct to put in a restraining order against you. The same will be filed in Pittsburgh, and wherever our offices are. So gather your belongings and get the fuck out! Officer Haynes, who is downstairs, will be more than happy to drop you wherever you want to go."

"Where the fuck am I supposed to live, Justin?!"

"I don't give a fuck, Craig, but it won't be here." And with that Justin, Mark and Daryl filed out of the room, leaving Craig to stew in his own hatred.

Justin might have decided to be merciful on the way over, but that had evaporated once Justin had seen the house. He didn't even need to see Kitty to know just how badly she was beaten up. He sighed, thinking, It's time to hire another buyer.    

CHAPTER THREE: FROM THE INSIDE

Brian felt the blond's presence, even before he reached the door to the backroom. The air inside the club was as sultry as it ever was, but it was more. More electrifying. More alive. Just...MORE.

And it was all stemming from the most notorious place in Gay P.A.

Over the years, Babylon's backroom had become a mecca of sorts, offering up a place to have some of the most torrid and tawdry fantasies of a gay man fulfilled without the fear of censure. Freedom was the name of the game, and no one was more free than Brian Kinney. At least, he used to think so... until he met Justin Taylor. More than a little relieved that Ted was taking over the club's duties for the night, and that Michael was nowhere to be found, Brian stepped inside the entryway which was highlighted in yellow.

The alcoves against the walls were filled with men fucking in pairs, or having orgies amongst themselves. It was no great surprise to find Emmett among them, ass raised and getting his needs met. Business had picked up for the Nelly Queen, and he and Drew were still on hiatus until the football star could navigate the waters of what it meant to be an out and proud gay man. So it was good to see that Em wasn't sitting somewhere in a corner pining away, while waiting for Drew to become a grown-up in the Gayborhood, instead of an aged Twink. Brian stood and watched for a few minutes, remembering the one time- or in reality the many times in one night- that he and Emmett had fucked.

The tall queen was new in town back then, and somehow even among the no names and numbers rule both men silently agreed to, he and Em had struck up a strange kinship. Giving him a few pointers on how to become a better bottom, it was good to see that Emmett had never forgotten the lessons. Which was evident by the screams from the top he was controlling, without much effort on his part. If Brian was considered the Ultimate Top, Honeycutt could be thought of as the Consummate Bottom. Although from what Brian had experienced the previous night, Emmett could definitely have some competition in that arena.

But he would keep that thought to himself. 

The raised dais, bathed in red, took up the center of the large space where there was a caged chamber in which BDSM play was allowed. Doms and their submissives engaged openly in scenes of various types as onlookers gawked or jerked off, wishing it was them in either role. After pausing briefly to witness a culmination taking place, Brian passed through the plastic dividers- reminiscent of the types found in chop houses- to the green section of the backroom. The color symbolized an area where anything goes. If you were looking for a bed or couch, the idea of love or just a quick fuck, it could be found under green lights.

But Brian knew exactly where he was going, and what he was looking for...or more importantly, whom.

Crossing through another set of dividers at the other end of the backroom, Brian saw his prey immediately. The blue lights were shining directly down onto his blond hair, giving the young man an ethereal glow. The room itself allowed for the forbidden vibe, as if one was fucking in an alley without the worry of law enforcement fucking it up with a summons. Brian knew exactly what the trick in front of the blond was feeling, as all the feelings from the night before came rushing back to him. He felt the same quickening in his own body, as he watched Justin bend the trick over, preparing him.

Brian could see the mesmerized look on Justin's face, as he watched his fingers disappear in and out of the trick. Cold, calculating and meticulous, Justin finger-fucked the trick hard, waiting until the small whimpering moans became loud pleas to be fucked. Brian stood off to the side on the opposite wall, wanting to have a prime spot to watch the real action begin. He couldn't help but lick his lips as he watched Justin roll the condom over his thick cock, immediately lubing it with his open palm afterward. Brian remembered how the younger man had tasted, and had to resist the urge to smack his lips at the memory as Justin began to seat himself inside the warm, nameless hole he was fucking.

A trick had come to place himself in front of Brian, so he closed his eyes briefly as he felt his zipper being pulled down to free his turgid cock. Moaning aloud at the warm wet suction, Brian closed his eyes a moment to enjoy the sensation as he pretended the trick on his knees was Justin. Opening them back up, he wasn't surprised to see them connected with the blue eyes of the man he desired.

~AC~

Before the plane had even touched down in good old Pittsburgh, Justin was ready to disembark his jet. He already knew he was heading to Babylon for the evening. Stopping briefly at home, Justin wasted no time getting into the shower. The trip and confrontation with Craig had left Justin reeling, and he just needed a mindless escape for a while. While under the spray of the hot water, he thought about calling Brian but decided against it figuring that he wouldn't be good company for the man he desired.

All he wanted to do was get fucked up, fuck and then return to his life as he knew it in the morning. No harm. No foul and most importantly, no demands unless it came from a trick begging me to make them come.

While fucking his third trick in the two hours since arriving at Babylon, he couldn't help but feel dissatisfied. Not one seemed to have the power to make him forget his own name, even with the E and many shots of Beam he had consumed. The trick writhing in front of him was no different. It wasn't until he looked up and noticed a pair of intense hazel eyes regarding him wantonly from across the narrow walkway, that Justin had felt alive. Fucking the trick in front of him harder, he allowed his mind to travel back to the night before when the first dick he'd ever had in his ass pounded him into the mattress, and the tightest ass he'd ever been in squeezed around him in reciprocity.

To say that his night with Brian Kinney was unforgettable would be an understatement. The fact that he remembered his name, or the experience at all, would be considered very out of character in certain circles. Justin continued to hold Brian's eyes captive as he pumped his hips, the idea of being fucked again by the brash brunet eating at the fringes of his mind. Before Justin knew it, he was feeling the telltale tightening of his abdomen and the quickening deep within his core. He saw that Brian was in the same state of arousal, while never allowing his eyes to leave the glittering ones regarding him.

Justin found himself mirroring the same movement, when Brian's teeth caught his bottom lip as his nostrils flared at his impending orgasm. Each of them sped up their movements; Brian grabbing the trick's hair, fucking vigorously into the proffered mouth while Justin's elegant fingers tightened their hold on the sturdy hips of the bald man he was fucking into oblivion. Unable to hold back a moment longer, Justin let his orgasm crest just as he heard the enticing gasp-moan-sigh Brian released into the suddenly still air of the backroom. Before either trick had a chance to offer their names, or some other meaningless platitude, Brian and Justin quickly made their way to each other. The tricks looked on in disbelief as they watched the mesmerizing pair kiss frantically, as if they each hadn't just engaged in some form of intercourse with someone else.

Whether the discarded men were standing there or not, it was clear to any onlooker that it didn't matter to the beautiful and wanton men, whom everyone wanted but apparently only desired each other. Moaning through the kiss, Brian asked, "Your place or mine, Sunshine?"

Although Justin really needed to think about it, he found that he couldn't with Brian's tongue dancing with his own. The rapid beating of a heart he'd thought long dead, and the rushing of hot blood through his veins had him answering before he could second guess himself. "Mine."

Brian tore his mouth away from Justin's, grabbed his hand, and led him out of the side door in a hurry. "Where are you parked?"

"I'm not. I took a car service here. I wasn't really planning on leaving sober," Justin confessed, although he wasn't sure what made him be THAT honest with someone he'd technically just met. He just felt like Brian would be the one person, who might understand him...well at least, in that moment.

Brian nodded. "I had the same plans, so I didn't bring my car. I guess I should dial the service then."

As Brian pulled out his cell phone, Justin was already speaking into his issuing fast and efficient orders. The first thing Brian noticed was his tone of voice, which was soft but firm and brooked no questions, or disobedience. Not for the first time since yesterday morning, Brian wondered just who was this man-child who could wield authority like the most seasoned adult. He had sworn that no matter how much his curiosity got the best of him, he would not ask Justin about his personal life. This thing they were doing was for fun, nothing more.

If a budding friendship came out of it, then so be it. But it was a want, not a need. The only need Brian had right then was to be buried in the hot tight ass, currently moving away from him towards the curb. Brian followed the direction of Justin's eyes, and watched in amazement as the long stretch black limo rolled to a stop in front of them. Before Brian could make a statement, Justin turned to him and kissed his wide open mouth, letting his tongue travel up both sides of Brian's before the taller man could figure out what was happening.

Pulling back, Justin almost laughed aloud at the stunned look in Brian's eyes as well as the gawking onlookers, wondering what was happening. "Close your mouth, dear," Justin said sardonically. "Or at least close it until we get to my place, so I can make good use of it."

That jarred Brian out of his momentary stupor, as the limo driver held the door for them. "Don't worry, Sunshine. I won't be the only one with a full mouth before this night is through."

Justin turned into Brian's body, pressing his erection hard against Brian's thigh. "I'm counting on it," he said, before turning and brushing his ass sensuously against Brian. Justin then climbed into the vehicle, settling himself while trying to temper his tremors of anticipation. 

Brian chuckled low in his throat, as he followed Justin into the limo. As they moved into the traffic and away from Babylon, Brian spotted Michael and Lindsay in line waiting to get in. He again, laughed low at the surprise waiting for them when they finally got into the club. He pulled out his cell phone to call both Ted and Emmett to give them a heads up, and to tell them that he hadn't been in the club. When they asked where he was now, he looked over at Justin and said, "Out with a friend," and hung up the phone.

The meaning, and tone of Brian's voice was not lost on Justin. "Out with a friend, huh? Is that what we are?"

Brian shrugged. "I suppose we can be, after all we're fucking. Nothing wrong with having a fuck buddy."

Justin snickered. "That's true, but the few fuck buddies I've had don't know anything about my life, especially about the fact that I have a limo at my beck and call."

"Speaking of which, what are you? Some sort of rich kid or something."

"Or something," Justin answered back.

"And how did you get that way?" Brian was genuinely curious.

"On my own, I became a millionaire at eighteen. Plus thanks to a little talent, and a lot of intelligence I invested wisely. After attending college, I inherited two fortunes, which I still manage today."

"So technically you're a trust fund baby?"

"You could say that, but it wouldn't be accurate. I happen to like to work and am not a lazy, shiftless, arrogant asshole," Justin said passionately, thinking about his father. Fortunately for the young blond, the limo driver alerted that they were arriving at his residence.

The ride up to the main house was silent as Brian took in the lighted path on what was otherwise a dark road. He imagined based on what little he could gather from the darkness around him, that the land they were traveling was either a large park or a sprawling estate. He received his answer upon seeing the looming lit structure at the end of the quarter-mile driveway. Punching in another security code, Brian watched as the wrought-iron gates slid back to allow entry.

"You live here?"

Justin laughed seeing the surprise on Brian's face. "Sometimes." But that wasn't exactly true.

Justin stayed at this house, which he considered his home, most of the time unless he had business the next morning downtown. The condo was also useful for tricking in privacy; something he rarely did anymore. His other residence, which was far more stately, was reserved for when he needed to be at the airport the following morning. It cut down on the long commute from here. When his father kicked him out the first time, this was where he escaped to.

It had once belonged to his grandfather Winston, and held a special place in his heart. He had never felt at home anywhere else. Because of this, it was understood by his family, friends and staff that whenever Justin was in residence here, he was not to be disturbed with personal visits. It was okay if they called but other than that, his home remained private. He still couldn't quite place what compelled him to bring Brian there, but he wasn't regretting it.

For some reason he wouldn't examine too closely, he wanted Brian to see it.

Entering the mansion, Brian's jaw dropped in surprise. It's not that he hadn't expected it since the outside of the house looked as it did. What he didn't expect was the feeling of home amid the opulence. Although classically decorated befitting a country manor, it still felt stately yet comfortable. The first thing Brian wanted to do was take off his shoes, and feel the hardwood floor underneath his feet.

Some of the older man's thoughts must have shown on his face, because after hearing a slight chuckle to the left of him, he heard the thump of boots hitting the floor wantonly. Brian followed suit without having to be told to do so, and followed Justin into the rest of the house.

"Which do you want to do first?"

Brian snickered. "What exactly are you offering?" He was blown away by the bright smile that greeted his question.

"Well it depends on if you want a tour of the house that so obviously has your attention or.."

"Or?"

"You can have another type of tour altogether." And with that statement, Justin began to strip down, carelessly letting his clothes fall where they may.

Brian moved closer in response, taking the near naked young man by the waist and pulling him toward his aroused body. He was delighted at the tremble  he felt ripple through the blond's body. Lowering his head to the crease where Justin's shoulder met met his neck, Brian nuzzled a bit, enjoying the earthy smell mixed with the lemon verbena fragrance of Justin's shoulder-length locks, and another scent that was pure Justin. "What do you want?" Brian's voice asked, deepening as he felt the pulse at the base of the blond's throat quicken slightly.

"Punishment."

Brian's eyes shot open, not sure he heard the younger man correctly. Asking again, he was shocked when he'd received the same answer without hesitation. He stepped back from Justin, looking into the earnest blue eyes which regarded him. Justin swallowed hard under Brian's gaze and his tongue flicked out to wet his full lips. Brian's own tongue followed the movement, feeling the predator within him awaken fully.

"What exactly am I going to punish you for?"

Justin was as surprised at himself as Brian was when he uttered his desire to be punished. The tricks at the club should have been more than enough to satisfy his body's needs, but they weren't. Justin was in touch with himself enough to know that a special kind of pain mixed with pleasure was what he craved tonight, and Brian seemed to be the only one he trusted to fulfill it. He wasn't sure how far he was willing to go, only that he needed to feel marked. There had only been a few instances in his life that Justin had felt this clawing need with such intensity; three nights in which he felt completely out of control where he felt as if he were bursting into a million pieces, yet disappearing into a void at the same time.

The night his grandfathers had died; when he was announced as the CEO to each of their companies; the night his own child had died because of a heart defect. Those times afforded Justin the luxury of losing himself in the acts. They absolved him, and freed him of the feelings of guilt, shame and fear. But this time was different. This time instead of taking the punishments while doing the fucking, this time he would take them and be fucked.

It was a heady experience. Focusing in once again on Brian, Justin heard the last question as Brian asked it again. "What exactly am I going to punish you for?"

Realizing that he had to tell Brian something, if not the truth, Justin bit his lip before replying, "Fucking three tricks, isn't that enough?" He almost creamed himself when he saw the small smirk appear on Brian's lips.

"I would think that would have been a pleasure, instead of a need for punishment."

"You would think so, but they weren't very good." Justin tilted his head to the side regarding Brian. "Plus didn't I break my promise to call you when I got in?"

He knew he was reaching for anything that wouldn't expose his real reason for wanting it. But at the same time, he would do just about anything to meet his needs in this moment. He could have gone to his own club to have this, but then demands would have been placed on him. And quite frankly, Justin had had enough of that for one day. He didn't think he could handle anymore.

Brian stayed silent as he watched Justin. He could tell that whatever it was bothering the man wouldn't be said until he was ready. Brian wrote the book on avoidance, as he'd done much of that in his own life. But there was something in Justin's eyes that took this impasse beyond a mere want to a bona fide need. And for some reason that Brian was afraid to name, he wanted to satisfy it.

Moving decisively towards Justin, Brian turned the young man around so that his back was to his front. Still fully clothed, Brian's hands toured the naked body in front of him, molding every inch of the nude frame under his hands. He smiled when he heard Justin's breath hitch at the contact. Brian continued his explotation, allowing his hand to trace the contours of the younger man's face, and throat before stopping at his nipples and pinching them hard. A sharp gasp from Justin, turned into a quivering whimper, as Brian did it again.

"Should I punish you for lying too, Justin?" Brian purred into the shell-like ear before nipping at it.

"H...How do you know I'm lying Brian? You barely know me," Justin protested, even as Brian's fingers pinched him again releasing a deep moan. The deep chortle against the sweet spot behind his ear made Justin press his ass back seeking more pressure.

Brian ground his clothed cock into the pleasantly plump ass pressed hard against him, before roughly bending the blond over the back of the waist-high sofa. "Like recognizes like, Sunshine. Surely you know that, so don't play games." Brian brought his hand down hard on the upturned backside.

The contact of Brian's first slap to his ass had Justin reeling. The first rush of release engulfed him, even as the pain and shock from the action made his eyes water. Thinking back to what had happened with his father that afternoon, Justin felt the weight of guilt lifting. Blow by possessive and decisive blow, Brian released all of Justin's pent up anger, hurt, and shame, replacing it with passion, zest for life, and a clear mind. As the open palm continued to connect with his flesh, Justin burned with passion unlike he had ever experienced.

It consumed his mind, and all he wanted in that moment was the next blow. He needed it! Ever so often, Brian would dip his fingers into Justin causing a gasp, followed by an immediate groan of pleasure when the marauding fingers would graze his prostate with the utmost precision. Justin couldn't get enough, which he indicated by raising his ass and pushing back, even as he sometimes squirmed to get away from the punishing strikes to his sore ass. Without warning, his lover increased the speed and strength of each smack to Justin's tenderized behind, and he couldn't hold back his imminent release any longer.

The tremors rocked Justin like a rogue wave, crashing against the shores. Still riding the crest, it hadn't registered to Justin that Brian was far from through with him. Brian was beyond turned-on by Justin's needy, and wanton display. Although he didn't engage in any form of BDSM often, with Justin it was a revelation. The more Brian meted out, the more Justin wanted.

Not for the first time since meeting the young blond, did Brian wonder just what he was getting himself into. Brian knew he was heavy-handed, and unlike most, he knew his own strength. So when Justin pushed his ass out after Brian had introduced his fingers into the act; when Justin bent deeper and begged for more, Brian couldn't resist the temptation to make the young man scream. What he hadn't expected was that the spanking would result in culmination, nor the look of pure pleasure, which graced Justin's face amid the punishing blows Brian kept dishing out. Apparently, beneath that angelic appearance was a slut for pain... and Brian couldn't say he was displeased by it.

Justin's reaction caused his own lust to burn hotter than hot, and when Justin released his seed onto the back of the leather sofa, Brian couldn't rein it in any longer. Moving to stand in front of Justin, instead of his former position behind him, Brian stripped in record time. Reaching over and securing the younger man's pale hips in an iron grip, he used all of his strength to unceremoniously pull Justin over the high back of the couch, standing him up. A startled gasp escaped the blond as Brian regarded him, letting him see just how much their impromptu scene had affected him. Without a word between them, Brian watched as Justin dropped to his knees before him.

He hissed at the first contact of Justin's tongue on his member, which was aching and leaking profusely in anticipation of the acts to come. The moan that escaped Justin as he took Brian into his mouth, shook Brian to his core and he instantly knew he wouldn't last long. Before Justin could get the rhythm going to unman him, Brian pulled the younger man to his feet and sat on the sofa. The sensuousness of the leather beneath his bare ass, provided a cooling relief against his own overheated skin. Still silent, but the looks they passed each other speaking loudly, Brian rolled the lubed latex sheath over his cock and motioned for Justin to mount him.

Brian almost laughed aloud at the sudden look of uncertainty which crossed the blond's features.

Instead he smiled slightly, and opened his arms in welcome to Justin. Watching as realization dawned in the blue eyes, Brian smirked as he regarded the way Justin lowered himself onto him. Brian stuck his tongue out as Justin's abdomen passed his lips on his way to settling himself onto Brian's lap. A little giggle escaped Justin, and Brian couldn't help but smile at that. When Justin's weight was resting comfortably on his thighs, Brian leaned forward, kissing Justin until the young man was once again flushed and breathless.

"You love riding motorcycles, Justin; love feeling all that horsepower between your legs. The vibration against your balls must almost set you off each time you hear the engine roar, or you traverse a particularly bumpy road." Brian continued to kiss him as he pointed out these little observations about Justin.

"Yeah," Justin whispered, as he continued to kiss and nibble Brian's lips.

"Well, ride me like that. I want you full of abandon and wanton." Brian noticed the sudden shy look, and marveled at the absence of Justin's normal confidence. He spoke again. "Last night was the tutorial in riding my cock. Consider this the actual test."

Justin snickered. "And what happens if I don't pass?"

"Then you'll have to do it again until you get it right," Brian retorted, shifting slightly to position Justin's hole directly on the head of his cock. He pushed in, catching Justin's lips in a torrid kiss as the younger man groaned out his pain, which turned into the most sensual groan of pleasure.

Snatching his lips away once Brian hit bottom and grazed his prostate, Justin said, "I guess then I'd better fail with flying colors." He wiggled again, loving the fullness within his ass.

Brian laughed aloud. "Just don't fall off." Brian bucked into Justin, relishing the grunt of gratification emitting from Justin.

Over the next several hours, Brian and Justin fucked hard, fast, slow, and sensual, each man never getting enough of the other. If they had stopped to think about it, they might have panicked at the closeness both were feeling towards the other. It was so unlike either of them to give repeat performances, and even less so for Justin to allow someone he'd just met anywhere near his ass. But he had with Brian. The instinctive trust he felt in the Stud of Liberty Avenue would continue to confound the younger man, but he wouldn't think about it as Brian drove into him once again.

Nor would Brian have thoughts of his own unmitigated changes because of whatever-the-fuck it was between them. They had by tacit agreement decided not to name it, not acknowledge it, not think about it, but to just go with it. And that was the way it should be.

~AC~

The next morning, Brian awoke with a start. It took him several moments to realize where he was, or why he was draped with a blanket while sleeping on a plush rug in front of a fireplace. He almost laughed at the image looming in his sleep-fogged mind of Michael finding him in a place like this, content and happy. The odd thing was that Brian really WAS happy. Or more accurately, he would have been if he'd known how the fuck to get to the bathroom in the massive mansion.

Picking himself up off the floor, he donned his jeans leaving the top button undone. Calling out for Justin, it was then that Brian heard loud music playing from the upper levels of the house. It took him awhile, but he retraced his steps back to the entrance of the house and found the massive marble staircase. Barefoot and shirtless he ascended, following the sound hoping to come upon the missing blond and not some dancing housekeeper, who he would probably scare out of her wits with his bleary eyes and bedhead. Reaching the landing of the first flight of steps, Brian wasn't surprised to find another short flight both to the right and the left of him.

Continuing to be led by the pulsating beat, he took the stairs to the left and headed down the hall to the restroom. As he relieved himself, he listened closely to the lyrics of the song "Personal Jesus" and almost laughed aloud as he remembered the first time he'd heard that song. It was on the night he had decided that he could not under any circumstances work with Stockwell any longer. There had been a murder of a young hustler, and Deb was doing what Deb always did with the lost boys of the neighborhood. She had organized P-Flag, staging marches and protests for the police to launch a full investigation to bring the perpetrator to justice, but they kept getting stonewalled by the Stockwell administration.

After one such protest, where Debbie had literally called the illustrious ex-police commissioner a homophobic prick to his face, he had Debbie thrown in jail for Disturbing the Peace. The charges were dropped, but Brian had seen and heard enough to know that Deb was right. So Brian did his job as the Ad Exec hired to take Stockwell's campaign to the next level, but after hours Brian worked to dismantle the campaign. On the night of a rally at the Gay and Lesbian Center, Debbie and many other P-Flag supporters called Stockwell out to answer for all of the unsolved murders and assaults within the gay community. It wasn't until later that evening, when his double-life was discovered.

Brian had gotten home, and was in the middle of fucking his latest trick while Marilyn Manson was belting out ‘reach out and touch faith', that Stockwell had discovered that Brian was also gay, after he entered the loft without knocking. Brian and the trick never made it passed his desk where the stereo was, and since the loft was pretty much secluded, Brian hadn't bothered to close or lock the sliding door. He knew that his friends were all out celebrating the momentary downfall of Stockwell, so he wasn't expecting company. It didn't help matters that Stockwell had also arrived there in the presence of that brown-nosing, schmoozing scuzzbucket, Gardner Vance. Definitely a double fuck moment within both Brian's personal life and his professional career.

When he'd heard the gasps of the two men regarding the scene, Brian sarcastically asked, "What's the matter, Jim? Never seen two guys fucking before?"

He carelessly detached his condom-covered cock from the trick's ass, disposed of the cum filled rubber and stood there naked and proud. His defiant posture alone dared either man to say anything derogatory to him within his own home. Both men left without a word, still stunned at what they had witnessed. After kicking the trick out, Brian knew he had just fucked himself out of a job, and began to plan his future. His main goal, first and foremost was finding a way to rid his life of idiots like Vance and Stockwell.

Gardner tried to fire Brian the morning after Stockwell fired the Vanguard Agency, but Brian was ahead of him and had consulted Melanie. She appeared in the office with him in an official capacity, and made both men aware that Vance couldn't fire him. As Brian's lawyer, Melanie had put a clause into Brian's contract that neither man was aware of. But it was one that Brian would turn out to be extremely grateful for. Under the terms of the contract, once Brian was made a partner in the firm he could not be fired for any reason short of embezzling funds.

In short, if Gardner Vance wanted Brian out of Vanguard, he would have to buy the brunet out of his contract, which Gardner did without realizing the personal cost to himself. Brian later used the money to build a campaign against Stockwell and had won; the rest of the money was used to start Kinnetik. Since there wasn't a Non-Competition Clause included in Brian's contract, he decided that he would go after the companies he had won for Vanguard Advertising. Most of the companies had gone with Brian immediately, buying themselves out of their contracts at a record rate. They knew Brian's work and his work ethic, and thought Vance a fool for buying him out.

Somehow it had also leaked out about Brian being responsible for the downfall of Stockwell's campaign, and the companies had decided that they wanted a true visionary and someone willing to take risks on their behalf at the helm of their advertising campaigns. Those who initially stayed with Vance, tried to use Kinnetik to run their ad campaigns after their contracts with Vanguard had expired. But unfortunately for them, Brian had to turn them down. Thanks to the successful campaigns he worked on for his once-former clients- who also became Kinnetik's premier clients- a host of new business came Brian's way, and his staff was being overworked as it was. Although Brian was a hard boss, he was also fair with his staff, allowing for them to have paid time off as well as their weekends.

If Brian had to work, so be it. But most of his staff consisted of people with familial obligations, and Brian wouldn't allow his own ambitions to stand in the way of what he'd missed as a child growing up in the Kinney household. So he had advised the interested parties to wait until the following quarter to ask again, hoping that Kinnetik would be able to get a handle on their workload and could provide the customized campaigns his clients were learning to expect from the dynamic young agency. He was amazed and proud that they did on the strength of his prefessional reputation, and Kinnetik had taken on all but three of his former clients, who proved themselves to be homophobic assholes. Since Kinnetik had grown in such a short amount of time, Brian had no problem attracting and recruiting their biggest competition, and giving them the campaigns at a discounted rate while his former clients suffered the consequences of their slurs and threats.

Cynthia had decided to rename the company slogan to ‘Kinnetik- Screwing the Competition One Account at a Time.' Although they were still known as the company which never slept, within the inner circle of clients, the idea stuck and the company began to grow. And years later, Kinnetik was still thriving, having achieved success both domestic and abroad, while two of those businesses Brian had rejected had to declare bankruptcy right alongside Gardner Vance.

~AC~

Coming upon a room with bright light pouring from it, Brian was surprised and delighted to find the young man he had spent his time looking for. Justin was standing there in front of a large canvas covered in paint. The early morning sunlight filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows bounced off of his shining blond locks turning them an enticing shade of gold along with his sweat-laced alabaster skin. Brian couldn't help but note the strong muscles of Justin's back as he moved effortlessly across the canvas, slashing alternate lines of black and red across the gray and white basecoats; the way the rippling biceps and triceps belied the tender way he always embraced Brian after sex. Studying the painting and its creator, Brian could literally feel the agitation in every stroke the brush made onto the surface.

And even though Justin wrung his enticing ass to the music, the movements were stilted and jerky, not smooth the way they were whenever they danced together. It was laughable that Brian could pick up on all that in his short acquaintance with Justin, but there it was. And for the first time in his life, Brian longed to connect with the untamable force of nature.

Feeling himself being watched, Justin placed the brush down. He stood back to view his work. Whereas painting and sex usually calmed him, this morning it hadn't and Justin wasn't quite sure how to take that. He had entered the room hours ago trying to escape one of the many nightmares which haunted him for years. The only thing that had grounded him upon waking was that he wasn't alone.

Brian was there, but he was sleeping. The fact that Justin had wanted to talk to Brian about the dreams, scared the shit out of him to the point where Justin had to get up. Moving himself from underneath Brian's sprawling, slumbering form, Justin donned his jeans and headed to his studio. At first, he stared around the space in silence, not wanting to turn on a light or disturb the darkness as he tried to get his wayward thoughts back under his ironclad control. It was something he'd learned to do as a young man living under Craig Taylor's roof.

No one was allowed to make any noise if the man was sleeping or there would be hell to pay. He and Molly had endured beatings, and undue punishments simply for being children and doing what kids did. Jennifer had gone through the same hell. Justin remembered the time he had first learned to cook, and wanted to wake his parents up with a surprise of breakfast in bed. Unfortunately for him, he forgot that a boiling pot meant that he needed the oven mitts.

Justin had dropped the hot item, which had caused Jennifer and therefore Craig to come running to see what the commotion was. After Jennifer had tended to Justin's burned palm, Justin received another sort of palm altogether- right to the face. He remembered being told to shut the fuck up since real men didn't cry and was threatened with reform school, if he didn't cease his tears immediately. It was the first of many instances that Justin had learned not to show any of his emotions, other than anger. Even more, Justin had learned that no man could ever be trusted, especially those in a position of power of authority over him.

He was only eleven.

So for years afterward, Justin's life had become a battle of wills with his father. Craig wouldn't let up on Justin, no matter how hard the young man worked to exceed all of his expectations. The older Taylor just had to keep pushing the younger, and the younger pushed back even harder. Justin refused to be intimidated by Craig in any form, unlike Molly and Jennifer. After the kitchen incident, Justin had started doing what was right for himself and oft times, that meant disobeying his father or calling Craig on his bullshit, even if it earned him a beating.

Allowing his mind to call up the memories, Justin remembered his grandparents making comments to Jennifer about how angry Justin had become and how withdrawn. Jennifer had told them that he was just becoming focused as his father had wanted him to be. It was then that his grandparents had decided to take matters into their own hands. Justin began spending as much time with his grandparents as he could, much to Craig's displeasure. When Craig would complain about it, Justin's grandfathers had threatened to cut Craig out of their wills if he tried to keep Justin and Molly from them.

In retrospect, Justin thought the fact that he wasn't bendable to Craig's will- and that Justin was a millionaire in his own right, not just by inheritance- was the source of constant contention even in his adulthood. It didn't help that Justin soaked up knowledge like a sponge, always wanting more of it. Whereas Craig demanded that Justin play a sport, Justin in turn dug in his heels and focused more on art and cultural pursuits. It not only drove his father crazy, but Justin had the support of the two patriarchs of his family, something Craig never seemed to obtain. Through Grandfather Winston, Justin got to pursue both his artistic and business side, while Grandfather Taylor taught Justin about international business and about life in general.

Through both of them, he learned how to manage his fortune. And when Justin made his first million, they had not only been proud of the man Justin had become, but taught him how to manage his money through investments. They had encouraged Justin when he wanted to take risks, stating that it was his life and it was up to him the way he wanted to live it. Justin had decided that he wanted to be happy, whatever-the-fuck that entailed and he was. At least he was, until Daphne had become pregnant.

Doing what all teenagers do, he and his best friend had been experimenting. Justin had known for a long time that he was gay. But as most gay teens do, he wanted to be sure that he wasn't mistaken. In turn, Daphne wanted to lose her virginity to someone she trusted to take care of her physically and emotionally. Her boyfriend at the time, Glenn Reeves, was certainly NOT it.

So during one such session, she had asked him to fuck her. She had already given Justin several blowjobs, so that she could learn to deep-throat correctly. Justin reluctantly agreed, after eliciting her promise not to get weird after they did the deed. After fumbling around with everything from lube, to condoms and everything else klutzy teens do during their first time, Justin finally penetrated Daphne. It was then that Justin had learned that being a gay teenager didn't negate the fact that he could rub against a tree- or in this case a chick- and get hard.

For Daphne's part, she had wondered what the big deal was. At least, that was the case until Justin's cock had rubbed against a certain spot within her, and then she understood what having the elusive g-spot stroked felt like. And honestly, a lecture in health class really didn't do the experience justice. Justin had done his best to make sure she was comfortable during the experience. He may have been fantasizing about fucking the hottest guy in their class while pumping in and out of Daph, but that didn't mean he didn't care about her.

She was still his best friend, and would be after the sex was all over.

They had decided to keep that part of their relationship a secret, only using each other sexually if their specific desires were not available to them. Daphne had kept her promise not to get weird, and begin to start falling for Justin afterward. Therefore Justin was right there to comfort her, when Daphne had caught Glenn in the girl's bathroom during lunch with September Summers. She had joked that she was glad she hadn't given him her virginity because with his tiny dick, she wouldn't have felt anything. Justin had told her that she would probably still be a virgin, if she had.

The two of them had laughed, and went about their business.

Six months later, Daphne had missed her period, which was unusual. She and Justin had shared everything, including Daphne's mood swings during that time of the month. Jennifer had often joked that perhaps they really were twins, since they were also born on the same day to their moms, who were also best friends. After a week of Daphne feeling sick and still no show of her menstrual, Daphne and Justin headed down to the free clinic, just to make sure that something serious hadn't happened. At seventeen, they were still in shock when one of their teachers was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the tender age of twenty-six.

It was something they had never thought could happen to someone so young, and Daphne was growing paranoid. Justin had suggested the clinic when he'd heard one of the boys in gym class talking about his recent run in with the ‘clap', and how they took him in without a problem since he was the legal age of consent. If he required anything other than the requisite shot, they would have to have his parents permission. Justin figured that it would be nothing for Daphne to be able to ask some questions, and perhaps have a blood test or give up some pee to get a clean bill of health. Withdrawing some money from his personal account, Justin paid cash for Daphne to be seen, although the consultation was free.

He even paid extra for her test results to be rushed, only concerned about putting his friend out of her worry-induced misery. When Daph emerged from the exam room with swollen eyes, Justin was all set to march to the back of the office and punch the person who had hurt her. Grabbing his arm to stop him, it was then that he heard the words that would forever be etched in his mind. "Justin, I'm pregnant."

To say that he had been stunned, and sad would be an understatement. He was upset that he had hurt Daphne in such a way, and all because of the foolishness of being oversexed teens. He and Daphne agreed that they would keep everything a secret, until they could decide what to do. Fortunately, Daphne carried small, looking only like she had picked up a few pounds, instead of the fact that she was carrying another person within her. Justin had needed advice so he had gone to his grandfather Winston, telling him that a ‘friend' was pregnant and too far along to get an abortion.

His grandfather had picked up on the inflections in his voice immediately, and after hearing the entire story decided to move Justin into his home, before telling Craig or Jennifer about the baby. Instead, there was another problem altogether facing Justin when he had arrived home that night. Justin had been to Liberty Avenue many times to meet with his business manager, who was gay. Justin had been honest with both of his grandfathers about his sexual orientation before he decided to work on the Rage video games, so they would not be shocked by the content. As a result, they decided that he should have someone manage his money, who could relate to him not only as a financial advisor, but as a gay man.

It wasn't long before they pointed him in the direction of Adam Strausse. The older man had taken a liking to Justin immediately, and the two struck up a friendship. Consequently, they often met at the Liberty Diner so that Justin could eat while they discussed the latest happenings with his money. On that particular afternoon after Justin had dropped Daphne at home, the young blond went to the Diner for his usual meeting with Adam. Instead of business as usual, Justin needed to talk to Adam about starting a fund for the care and expenses of his unborn child.

At first, Adam was stunned by Justin's revelation. It wasn't everyday he'd heard of a gay guy getting his straight female friend pregnant, the natural way. But then putting that shocking thought aside, he went over the particulars of what Justin already had banked, his cash on hand and what it would cost to give a monthly stipend to Daphne. They had concluded their meeting, and had gone outside to say their goodbyes with the usual kisses and hugs of friendship. Craig, who had been riding along Liberty Avenue, had seen the entire exchange.

When Justin had arrived home later that evening, he was promptly slapped and yelled at for being on Liberty Avenue. Craig screamed that he would not have a cocksucker for a son. Since there was no rhyme or reason that Craig should have been on the strip known as the Gay District of Pittsburgh, Justin had promptly pointed out the fact that Craig's presence there was as questionable as Justin's right to be there in his eyes. Another fight between father and son ensued, which ended with Justin battered and bruised then trounced out of his house with nothing, but the clothes on his back. When Justin arrived at Grandfather Winston's house, it had been late and the old man saw red as Justin related all of the information to him in detail.

Grandfather Winston then called Grandfather Taylor, relating all that Justin had told him. They devised plans to deal with Craig in the only way, which mattered to him. They rewrote their wills the next morning and while Justin was in school, went over to Justin's former residence. After speaking with Jennifer, and advising of what they had planned to do, she willingly helped them pack up Justin's room. They had also advised her of the situation with Daphne.

Contrary to Justin's expected initial reaction, Jennifer and Malorie, Daphne's mother, had suspected for some time that the youngsters were experimenting, even as they knew that Justin was gay. They called Malorie and advised her that Daphne could be moved into the Taylor mansion to put her out of the orbit of Malorie's husband and Craig. Without hesitation, Mal had packed Daphne's belongings and decided to tell her husband that Daphne would be staying with Grandfather Taylor full-time so that he could groom her in international business, like he was doing for Justin. They both knew how much Daphne wanted to work for that company so Gregory hadn't been upset by Daphne's leaving, even if he did wish that she would reconsider a career in medicine. By the time the sun had come up, Justin began to paint his feelings onto the canvas.

He remembered when Daphne had given birth to his son, how tiny and precious the baby was. He remembered the reactions of his Grandfathers at seeing their lines continued with a new generation, beginning with Joseph Frederick Taylor. But there was something grievously wrong with the child. Daphne was able to bring the baby home from the hospital, but had to take him right back when she noticed that their son had stopped breathing while she was breastfeeding him. After many days and nights in the hospital, Joseph was diagnosed with Pediatric Infective Endocarditis- an infection of the surface on his heart.

It was determined that the reason he had stopped breathing initially was because of a severe lack of oxygen. Reactions among the parents of Daphne and Justin were very different. While Gregory, Malorie and Jenn were genuinely saddened, having gotten over their initial shock to becoming grandparents, Craig had gloated, lauding that it was proof that gays shouldn't have kids. It had taken everything within Justin not to kill his father, deciding instead to concentrate on his child and comforting Daphne, who was taking everything exceptionally hard. The grandfathers had demanded that Justin and Daphne leave the hospital to finish their educations, since there was nothing else they could do for young Joseph.

They found it hard to keep their grades up, but they managed to do so with the reassurance of their families, who kept reminding them that they didn't have time to wallow in self-pity. They had to create lives for themselves as parents so that Joseph could be proud. It gave them something else to focus on besides their child's imminent death. One year later, Daphne and Justin stood by the grave saying a final goodbye to their reason for living. It had been a tough year; amid the surgeries and graduation, and having to make adult decisions that they were in no way ready for.

Daphne couldn't help, but blame herself for not knowing enough to ask the right questions during her prenatal visits, and Justin couldn't stop blaming himself for not being able to help his son or his best friend. Justin had turned to drugs to dull the pain, while becoming a workaholic both in school and at both Taylor Enterprises and Winston Inc. He barely slept, always having the recurring nightmares of seeing his son with all types of tubes coming from his tiny body, or the ones which featured Craig heavily. Daphne had also become a workaholic, which resulted in her falling asleep behind the wheel. It was a miracle that she was still alive, having smashed her car which had caught fire just after she had managed to escape even with both of her legs broken.

Justin painted put it all on canvas- the devastation, the heartbreak, the anger, the fear, the fights and finally the rebirth that had come two years before his grandfathers had died within months of each other. And now there was Brian...

~AC~

He turned to the man, sitting on the futon near the door of his studio. Brian still had that freshly-fucked look, and it made Justin's mouth water. It was kind of funny seeing him sitting quietly, when Brian Kinney was a man who never seemed to stay still. Justin had noticed that about him. Even when the brunet was asleep, his eyelashes fluttered constantly indicating that his mind never rested.

Justin wondered about it, but he would never ask.

"Good morning," Justin smiled at the staring man.

"Morning, Sunshine." Brian rose from the couch, and made his way towards the blond who was still standing in front of the painting. Bending his head, Brian reached around the younger man and began molding the pliant body to his own. He kissed him softly at first, allowing the kiss to turn passionate as it went on. "I was wondering where you had disappeared to," he said huskily.

Justin moaned at the sound of the sleep-sexy voice near his ear. He couldn't help his body's instantaneous reaction to the brunet towering over him. Justin rested his head in the crook of Brian's neck before answering. "I just needed to be here."

Brian nodded. "And did it help?"

"I don't know."

Brian looked down at the younger man. "You're still angry?" He watched Justin open his eyes at that comment. He chuckled softly at the shock and confusion in the expressive blue eyes, even though the upturned face remained impassive. "Like recognizes like, remember?"

It was Justin's turn to nod his agreement. He would never understand why he felt so close to this man, when he hadn't with so many others. He hadn't even felt as comfortable with Daphne before, or since Joseph's death. So it surprised him even further when he said, "I pulled a gun on my father yesterday."

Brian kept his face neutral, but his eyes widened slightly. Understanding dawned clear in his psyche about Justin's insatiable need to be punished last night. Shrugging his shoulders, Brian replied, "Well I've had my own parents. It's a fate worse than death."

Justin snickered, before it turned into a full-blown laugh. Brian joined in, relieved that he had dispelled the dark clouds in the young blond's eyes.

Quieting his laughter, Justin asked, "Aren't you even curious to know why?"

Brian smiled, drawing the younger man even more fully into his body. He breathed in Justin's scent, allowing it to fill his nostrils and his soul at the same time. "I figured you'd tell me about this painting when you are ready."

"I think I am, but on one condition."

"And what would that be?"

"Spend the weekend with me?" Justin asked, the hesitance ringing in his voice.

In answer, Brian lowered his head again, kissing the plump lips until they were both breathless.       

CHAPTER 4- M.I.A.

Saturday Morning...

Michael stormed into the Diner early Saturday morning. He was determined to be there no matter what time Brian decided to show his face. Michael had already been to the loft and left pissed off when he found out that his key no longer worked. Brian wouldn't answer his phone calls. This was just plain fucking unacceptable especially after all the times that Michael had ditched his dates with Ben to be there for the man.

In short, Brian owed him his time!

He still couldn't believe that the man had him thrown out- BANNED- from Kinnetik while Ted stood there passively and watched. Michael had a few choice words in mind for him too. Ever since he started working for Brian, Ted had become more and more secretive. It was constantly appearing that Brian trusted Ted more than he had ever trusted Michael. It was time that Ted understood his place in Brian's life, and it was up to Michael to ensure that he did.

"Good morning, Baby. What are you doing here so early?" Emmett's soft voice greeted a silently fuming Michael.

"Oh hi, Em. How are things? What are you doing here?" Michael deflected. The last person he wanted to see right now was Emmett but he knew that he could do a lot worse than keeping company with the flamboyant man. "You look like you haven't slept all night. Everything okay?"

"Just peachy keen and fine and dandy. I had to give an overnight party after I left Babylon last night. The party didn't start until midnight and just ended about an hour ago. I thought that I would come and get something to eat so I could just go right home and crash."

"What the hell kind of party starts at midnight?" Michael shook his head. He would never understand why Emmett took crazy jobs instead of just getting a real one like everybody else. And he'd gone and dragged Uncle Vic into his bullshit! "My uncle didn't go with you, did he?"

Em shook his head. "No, I told Vic to sit this one out. Besides he and Rodney had made plans before the request for our services came through. He'll be happy to know it went well though. This morning they were all happy and we gained a new shoe-in for clientele."

"What the fuck?! How could you gain any new clientele from an all night orgy?" Michael shook his head, disgusted. That was just like Emmett...always thinking with his dick.

"Orgy? Who said anything about an orgy?" Emmett huffed. "I'll have you know Michael that I was handling a slumber party for the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. The reason the party began so late was because all of the WOMEN present, run their own successful companies and had their own responsibilities to tend to before getting on a plane to fly cross country to have their annual ‘Girls' Weekend.' This is the first time they are having it on U.S. soil for over a decade and my client wanted it to be extra special."

"And she hired you?" Michael laughed sardonically.

Emmett joined in the laughter, being just as sarcastic as the man sitting across the table from him. Then stopping the laughter as abruptly as it began, Em pasted a look of mock-innocence on his face, equipped with batting eyelashes and a wide smile. It was time to take the little sanctimonious prick down a peg or two, and gladly! So making sure that his sugary-sweet voice would carry across to all of the patrons in the filled Diner, he asked, "And how is your business going, Michael? I noticed the padlocks on the property yesterday as I was heading to the new facilities of HoneyGrass Elegant Creations."

Michael squinted his eyes at Emmett from across the table, the sudden laughter dying in his throat at the mention of his own failure. "That's not funny, Emmett! This is all Brian's fault."

Emmett was about to respond when he noticed the newcomer enter the diner. Waving madly, he called, "Yoo-hoo, Teddy. Over here."

Ted had thought for sure that Emmett would skip breakfast this morning. No doubt his best friend had to be exhausted after enjoying last night's festivities at Babylon, then leaving to cater the all-night slumber party of some of the most financially powerful women within the corporate sector across the globe. Kellie McQuaid had called him this morning to personally thank him for recommending HoneyGrass to her. Although he was happy to listen, it was far too early in the morning to hear about Emmett's success. Not that he wasn't happy for his best friend or Vic, but damn!

Slumber Interruptus! 

She had rung his phone at seven-thirty on the one morning per week that he always slept in. But after the stimulating phone call, Ted had given up on going back to sleep, deciding that he'd come into the Diner for an early breakfast. After that, he would happily answer the lure of cost projections, which always served as a surefire way to wake up. Many times over the years, the thrill of maximizing services without breaking the bank, but finding the tax breaks and increasing a profit margin acted as effective as a jolt of caffeine to his analytical brain. Working on the newest business venture for Kinnetik, and the possible expansion of Brian's baby was just the boost of energy Ted needed.

"Well if it isn't Benedict Arnold Schmidt," Michael sneered.

"And good morning to you too, Michael," Ted answered, sliding in next to Emmett. He leaned over and gave the man a kiss on the cheek in greeting. "I hear congratulations are in order, Em. Kellie McQuaid called me this morning singing your praises."

Emmett gushed. "Aw shucks, thanks Ted. But it really was a pleasure working for her. I'm sure that she, and the other ladies don't get to spend a lot of time to just be gal pals, instead of ruling their businesses with an iron-fist. So it was an absolute joy for me to help them all unwind. Oh, and speaking of businesses, Michael was just about to tell me why his shop's foreclosure was all Brian's fault. Do go on, Michael. Tell us why you feel that way."

Emmett knew he was starting shit, but at that point he couldn't care less! Michael was always a little bitch, never one to take responsibilities for his own actions. Instead, he would whine and complain so much and so loud that a coma was more appealing than staying conscious. Yet, while the rest of the gang had to take care of themselves, it was expected that they would all rally to repeatedly save his ass so that he could remain blameless in Deb's eyes. So for him to insult Emmett for having a successful career, while he sits there shifting shit to make his irresponsibility Brian's fault, wasn't going to be tolerated.

"Fuck you, Em. And you too, Ted. You just stood there and let Brian throw me out yesterday. What kind of friend are you?!"

Ted had replaced his coffee cup on the table, after taking a sip of the strong brew. He sighed, resigning himself to having to actually address this issue with Michael. Somehow, he remained in delusional hope that Michael may have seen the error of his ways in barging into Kinnetik with all the finesse of a bull within a china shop. But as usual, poor victimized Michael couldn't see anything past his own delusion of self-importance. Well it was time to put his behavior into perspective for him, even if it didn't do any good; at least he can't say that he wasn't told.

"I'm the kind of friend that has a certain loyalty and respect for the man, who is not only my friend, but also my boss. I'm the kind of friend that agreed with Brian's actions wholeheartedly, not only because he's my boss, but because he's my friend. Yesterday wasn't the first time that you'd come into Kinnetik with the sole purpose of being a miserable schmuck. It's just lucky for us that this time, our clients hadn't arrived for the meeting before you and Lindsay stormed into Kinnetik. And why? It was simply because, FOR ONCE, Brian told you both to handle your own problems as any adult would. The company is really busy, and we all have enough to deal with at the office as it is."

"That's no fucking excuse! I'm his best friend; he should make time for me."

"If you were truly his best friend, Michael, you would understand that he has a lot of people counting on him to do his job. People whose salaries he pays and look to him for guidance and leadership."

"And you've just become the head cheerleader in the Brian Kinney fanclub, haven't you, Ted? I remember a time when you couldn't stand the asshole," Michael retorted.

Ted nodded, suddenly ashamed and very weary of Michael's whining. "Yes, that's true, Michael. I couldn't see the man behind the myth. I was insecure and jealous, never realizing just how hard Brian worked to make himself a success. But once I started working for him, I got to see what others don't. A man who is hard, but fair; a man who is driven and expects no less out of those he associates with. It's always amazing to me that you laud about being Brian's ‘best friend' to all who would listen, but you really don't know the man. Why not just say it the way it really is? Brian is your best friend, but you are NOT his."

"How dare you?!"

"I dare very much, thank you for asking." Ted turned to Emmett then. "I take it that this latest temper tantrum has more to do with the fact that Michael couldn't get into the loft?"

Emmett's eyes widened at that news. "He couldn't? Michael, you couldn't get in this morning to berate Brian while he was still abed? Well that must be what burned your ass."

"Why would he do that? And then he isn't answering my calls..." Michael slammed his hand down on the table, before snatching it back just as quickly. As expected, he folded his arms across his chest, while effecting the same petulant pout he does when he's not getting his way. "I just want to fucking talk to him!" 

Seeing Michael in that state, Ted had a pretty good idea why Brian was avoiding Michael. "Well if it helps, Michael, Brian is unavailable this weekend. He's out of town."

Emmett looked at Ted closely. "You mean..."

"Yeah. Brian called me this morning after I got off the phone with Kellie. He said that he would be pretty much unavailable for anything, until the first meeting on Monday morning."

"WHAT?!" They were interrupted by the high-pitched screech from the other side of table. "He can't be out of reach until Monday! Does Lindsay know?" Michael complained.

"I don't know if she does, but I know that Mel does."

"Why would Mel know instead of Lindsay?"

"Perhaps because she is pregnant with the latest Kinney. If anything happens, Mel knows how to get in touch with Brian. And before you and Lindsay team up for whatever reason you are thinking, Michael, Brian has already spoken directly to Melanie. He told her that she'd better produce a body if she calls and says it's an emergency."

Emmett laughed. "I guess you will just have to try and solve your problems on your own, Mikey. It's hard being an adult isn't it?"

"Em, put your claws away now," Ted whispered, chuckling softly.

"I would, but..." Emmett rolled his eyes, before addressing the grown child mumbling to himself across the table from them. He sighed deeply, before saying, "Michael, my advice is that you talk to your husband."

"I can't." Michael whined, again.

"Why not?" Ted asked, genuinely curious.

"Ben threw me out. I found out that he went through with Hunter's adoption, which is why he couldn't give me the money to pay for the store. I was hoping that after Brian apologized to me for yesterday, he would let me stay with him."

Both Ted and Emmett laughed in response, and then harder at Michael's subsequent frown before Ted spoke. "Michael, if you're waiting for Brian to apologize for putting his business needs ahead of your own, you'll be waiting forever. He has nothing to apologize for. In fact, you owe him one. As far as you staying at the loft, forget it. Brian won't let you continue to interrupt his professional life, nor his personal one. He meant it yesterday when he said that it had to stop. You know how Brian is when he takes an idea into his head. If you're not careful, you're going to lose even the little bit of friendship you have left now."

"But he's my..."

"BEST FRIEND," Emmett finished for the whiny man, in the perfect tone Michael always used. He was so sick and tired of hearing that. Ted was right on the money with what he'd said about Brian and Michael's relationship. "Get over it, already! Brian is many things: your crutch, your excuse, but NOT your best friend. That title has already been filled... by YOU. And here's a bit more honesty for you, Michael. He is not going to have time for you the way he did when you were fourteen. I find it almost funny, yet tragic that when things were going right with you and Ben, you treated your best friend, Brian as if he was one of your action figures. He was put on the shelf of your life until you had need of him, or until you wanted your faithful playmate because you were bored and Ben was busy. Well with any luck, Brian is about to have a ‘playmate' of his own. So it's time you learn to deal with your own shit, and let Brian lead his own life! Are you ready, Teddy?" Emmett asked, ready to get away from the constant whine.

Ted shifted himself out of the booth, allowing Emmett to slide out behind him. Placing a gentle hand on Michael's shoulder, he waited until the man looked up at him. "Give some thought to what Emmett and I have said, Michael. The first thing you need to do is figure out how you want to live your life. Then figure out how to achieve that on your own."

As they moved off, Emmett could have sworn he'd heard Michael say that he was going after Brian. Emmett sincerely hoped that he was suffering from sleep-deficient delirium because if he wasn't, Michael's life was about to get a whole lot harder. He wasn't sure that his eardrums could handle that.

~AC~  

Melanie was in the kitchen, making her third cup of tea in as many hours. She was, once again, contemplating for the umteenth time the wisdom of carrying Brian Kinney's kid. She had been forced to do so more times than the law should allow, ever since finding out his sperm had taken root in her womb. The trip of it all was that these particular thoughts did not stem from the brunet, who had gotten on her nerves throughout the years more times than she could count. No, her latest source of mental contention came from none other than her own wife.

Lindsay had been an outright pain in the ass, since yesterday afternoon. When Melanie made the mistake of asking the tall blonde what her problem was, she had gotten an earful resulting in the headache that would not leave. Lindsay had once again involved herself with Michael's business, and this time it wasn't going to bode well for their own marriage. She had been idle before when Lindsay would join forces with Michael before in an effort to corner Brian. If Melanie was honest with herself- and she was- part of her felt that he should have to take the brunt of discontent Mel and Ben were feeling about their partners, since he seemed unwilling to put his foot down in reference to their constant stalking; thought he enjoyed Michael and Lindsay's attention, while basking in her and Ben's discomfiture. 

But these last few months had opened Melanie's eyes to a lot she hadn't been privy to, prior to being ordered on bedrest. 

Melanie knew all about the situation between the Novotny-Bruckner's, having handled all of the paperwork for Ben to adopt a former hustler, who entered the life of prostitution courtesy of his own mother. Michael had not been happy with Ben's decision, saying that he didn't trust Hunter. But Melanie hadn't bought the excuse. Melanie knew that, like Lindsay was with Brian and herself, Michael was afraid of his portion of Ben's money diminishing when the kid had immediate needs. Michael wasn't ready to become a parent, Ben was.

And even knowing that, Michael had entered into a long-term relationship with Ben. His opportunistic little ass said all the right things, while hoping he could change the professor's mind about children. But as always, when it was time to show and prove, Michael pouted and threw evey tantrum imaginable in the hopes that the inevitable wouldn't happen. And usually, it might have worked; hell, it worked more times than she could mentally calculate over the years. But this time, needless to say that Michael's plan to keep Ben all to himself, had not only failed spectacularly, but now it resulted in Ben ending the relationship as of yesterday morning.

As Lindsay was relaying all of this to Melanie, the attorney's phone rang. It was Ted, and Melanie automatically knew that it was a call that would get to the bottom Lindsay's problem. She listened intently as Ted outlined the latest stipulations in the agreement between she and Brian. Mel had agreed and signed the paperwork weeks ago, so there wasn't an identifiable issue with them. Well not until he mentioned what had happened at Kinnetik between Brian, Michael, and Lindsay earlier in the morning.

The ranting blonde's temper tantrum had been made all too clear then.

Lindsay was being denied immediate access to Brian's offices, which was something Brian had already done regarding his loft. She'd almost been tempted to dance naked when she found out he'd finally changed his locks; something she'd been hinting at him to do ever since she and Lindsay decided to have Gus. Brian, himself, had acknowledged it was past time he did, but he wanted to let her know since it affected how Gus, the new baby and Melanie would be able to reach him in an emergency situation. The locksmith had dropped the new key by the colonial she shared with Lindsay while the blonde was with Michael. Melanie was advised that while she had a key, Lindsay was not to know of it, and that she was to call Brian's new cell number before calling his regular phone so that he would know it involved the kids.

Melanie was surprised and grateful, even though she worried how this new development would affect her marriage. For years, Melanie had hated Brian. There was just something about him, which rubbed her the wrong way. But even as she stood listening to Ted fill her in over the phone amid Lindsay's mumblings, she began to wonder why. She couldn't understand why she allowed herself to make him into some Big Evil, when it was so obvious that Michael and Lindsay should have been casts in those roles.

It was apparent that Brian was prepared to take care of his children. Consequently, when the doctor put her on bedrest, the man's generosity had also extended to her via Ted. Her only orders were that Lindsay was not to know of the new arrangement, which involved a detailed expense report for any and all needs incurred while she was forced to stay home and after the new baby was born. Brian said that he would tell Lindsay when the time came for her to know. For her part, Melanie had found the arrangement to her liking, since Brian wasn't lording her circumstances over her the way she had expected he would.

In fact, it was very similar to the agreement she wanted to put in place for Gus from the very beginning; an agreement which Lindsay was completely against, citing that it would breed distrust among the three parents.

Melanie hung up the phone with Ted, without giving any indication of who she was listening to. Lindsay had continued her rantings, which became louder once the call was disconnected. She still couldn't believe that Brian had thrown his two ‘best friends' out of his office and ordered the security guard that they were not to be allowed back in. Mel couldn't blame Brian one fucking bit for doing that. To her mind, he should have done it much sooner than he had.

She remembered Ted telling her about Michael storming into Brian's office, while he was doing a presentation with a lucrative client not too long ago. The client had threatened to walk if Brian ‘didn't get his personal life under control.' Ted and Cynthia had taken over the meeting, while Brian went to deal with Michael's incessant whining. Which wouldn't you know, was all about Brian not answering his call regarding Brian coming out for a drink with him at Woody's. Hearing that made Melanie doubly glad that she had not chosen Michael to be the sperm donor.

She could handle a child who was a control freak, much like Gus. Preferred it even, but she refused to raise a chronic complainer like Michael. She would never understand how Debbie did it! If Michael was her child, she probably would have looked for ways to constantly drop him on his head to give him some fucking sense, or trip him until he learned to talk without sounding like a sick crow. The one saving grace Mel had was that she was sure the kid she carried would be more likely to kick ass, rather than grow up being one.

She was brought back to the present by the sound of soft footfalls on the wooden stairs, leading down to the kitchen. Lindsay must have finally arisen, and thought that Mel was in her home office. Although technically on bedrest, she was still allowed to provide research support for the ongoing cases that were initially hers at the firm. Mel happily absconded there to avoid arguments with Lindsay, which were more stressful than being pregnant and working full-time. Lindsay stopped short as she entered the kitchen.

As the blonde made her way to the coffeepot in the far corner of the table from where Melanie was seated, she decided that a little cordiality wouldn't hurt. "Good morning, Lindz. Did you sleep well?"

Lindsay slammed the coffee pot back onto its station, before answering coolly, "Fine. Not that it would have mattered anyway."

Melanie closed her eyes. She had hoped that Lindsay would have been able to see reason after their conversation, which came in the form of a screaming match yesterday. "I'm sorry you didn't sleep well. Is there anything that I can do?"

"No. I think you have done enough actually."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Lindz?"

"It means that there is nothing more to be said. You have made your position more than clear about my feelings."

"What? Because I agreed with Brian that you and Michael shouldn't have barged into his office? Lindsay, you have to understand where Brian was coming from. I mean, not too long ago, Brian almost lost a client because of Michael and his need for constant attention. I'm surprised that you jumped on his ‘Woe is Me' bandwagon, although I don't know why I should be. You've been pulling your own attention-seeking stunts for years. Brian's finally had enough... and so have I."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Are you threatening me, Melanie? I guess you forget that you wouldn't even be having a baby if it wasn't for me."

Melanie knew that Lindsay would, once again, throw it in her face that if she hadn't talked to Brian for Melanie, the brunette wouldn't have gotten the chance to be a mother. That was Lindsay's manner of operations though. Whenever she needed to feel omniscient and omnipotent, she would throw up what she had supposedly done into the mix. Melanie wasn't going to fall for it this time. It was time that Lindsay either shit or get off the pot.

Lindsay needs to decide what is more important: Me and our family, or having some supposed power over Brian.

With that thought in mind, Melanie resolved herself to say what she should have voiced years ago. It was coming down to choices that Melanie was going to have to make to protect her own mental health. Inhaling deeply, Mel breathed out, "I'm tired, Lindz. I'm tired of your manipulations and power-trips. So here's the situation in a nutshell babe: either you stop this bullshit of trying to run Brian's life, or it's over between us... and I take Gus with me."

"What? You can't do that!"

"Actually I can, since you're acting like an unfit basketcase. And I'm sure that Brian would have no problem backing up every single instance where you have put your needs above that of our family. You're doing it again right now! I don't know what the fuck it is with you and Michael, but both of you are assholes who can't see anything but what YOU want and think you deserve. If you ask me, neither of you deserve shit!"

"How dare you speak to me that way?! Besides, I can't believe you of all people are defending Brian's actions. I guess carrying his baby would make you feel like you owe him your loyalty," Lindsay sneered. She was pissed when Melanie laughed at her, instead of arguing back.

"Think what you will, but right is right and wrong is wrong, Lindsay. You have until tonight to make your decision. Regardless of what it is, Gus, the baby, and I will be okay. We'll lose nothing by staying or going. You, on the other hand, will lose everything. Think about it." Melanie left the kitchen, cup of tea in hand and headed to her office.

Although she knew that Brian would be unavailable, she called his regular cell phone to let him know what was going on. This wasn't considered an emergency, and she really was okay. In fact, she felt better now than she had in years, having said what she needed to. After leaving her message, she called Ted for him to come and get her and Gus for the day. Without hesitation, told her that he was on his way.

If nothing else, Gus and I are entitled to a day of peace. I'll deal with whatever fallout later. With her resolve firmly in place, Melanie left the office in search of her son.

Lindsay sat in the kitchen, listening as Melanie moved from the office to upstairs. She wondered what she was up to now. There was a time when Melanie, and her reactions, were as predictable as the sun rising or setting each day. Melanie hated Brian, and Brian hated Melanie; a situation that Lindsay had dilligently cultivated down through the years. Of course, her ultimate goal was to make Brian realize what an asset she was to him with her WASP manners and connections.

To Lindsay, Brian was someone she could mold into the man she wanted. He was beautiful, intelligent, and eager to learn, and hungry for success. His attention to detail was second to none, and the way he moved... It was like watching lightning move across a field- precise, yet fluid. Plus, he fucked like a dream.

So when she had met Melanie, she couldn't help but notice how similar to Brian the young brunette woman really was. They both had lucrative careers, drive, determination, a hefty bank account and an amazing sex drive. Other than one being a man and the other a woman, the only other difference was that Melanie had a very overt jealous streak. Lindsay discovered it the first time Mel and Brian met, and she has been playing with it ever since. When she and Melanie decided that they wanted a baby, it was decided that Lindsay would carry it.

Mel was on the fast track to making partner in her law firm, and getting pregnant would have been the wrong time for her. Plus, with her diagnosis of endometriosis back when they were in college, there was no guarantee that Mel would be able to carry a baby at all, much less full-term. So it just made sense that Lindsay would have the baby since she was 100% healthy, and could take up to a year off from her job as an Art History teacher at Carnegie Mellon while still retaining full medical benefits. When it came to choosing the father, Mel had wanted a frozen ‘pop' from the local sperm bank. She said that it would be better for all involved- or not involved- such as was the intention. But Lindsay was having none of that!

For close to two years, Lindsay and Mel argued about it. Mel argued the definition of what an alternative family really meant, while Lindsay had stuck to her guns. She told Melanie that it would be Brian or no one. Eventually, Mel had given in to Lindsay's wishes, and it was just the opportunity the blonde had been waiting for. To Lindsay's mind, getting pregnant with Brian's child was a way to come full circle since she had often dreamed of having his baby during their halcyon days at Penn State.

After conception, Lindsay would call Brian with all sorts of reasons. She would whine and coo that he should stop by, so that he would be there when Mel arrived home from work, much to her partner's dismay and Brian's displeasure. She would make sure he showed up to her ultrasound appointments when Melanie was present, or to take her shopping when Melanie had to cancel because of a court appearance. She would always make a big deal of his presence, while secretly enjoying Mel and Brian's antagonistic association. She was always so excited, and excitable during her pregnancy, so having Mel and Brian fighting over her gave her hours of joy and entertainment.

All of these those situations combined helped to keep confusion going between Mel and Brian, while Lindsay was able to play the peaceful lesbian in the middle. But now she didn't know when, or how all of that changed. It was apparent that Mel and Brian had come to some kind of understanding behind her back, and it was messing with every goal she had ever set for herself. She had intended to live like a queen, while seeming to be happy with what Melanie could or would provide. She had to find a way to get back into Brian's good graces and get him to release the vice grip on his checkbook once again.

Deep down I know Ted is responsible for all of this, since he's Brian's accountant. That must change immediately, but how?

Michael's problems with Ben were fortuitous- or so she initially thought- because she would be able to get into the office to see Brian about her own financial issues while seeming to help Michael with his. To her way of thinking, if Brian was going to write a check for Michael while she was there, he could write one for her too. All she had to do was chime in with her passive-aggressive, heavy-handed guilt, and Brian would admit the error of his ways by issuing a check to be forgiven. Only that wasn't how things played out. And that was just fucking unacceptable!

She still couldn't believe Brian's audacity in cutting off all her access to his money. After being unceremoniously tossed out of Kinnetik, Lindsay had gone to the bank to withdraw money from Gus' trust account. When that hadn't worked, she tried to draw funds against his college fund. When the teller had asked her for the new codes, she nearly passed out! She had found out that Brian had changed them immediately after her last withdrawal, and it didn't just extend to Gus' trust account and college fund.

Melanie had also changed the codes on her personal account. Unfortunately, that only left the limited funds in their joint account, which was just over a hundred dollars since Melanie had already paid the household bills for the month. Ted was also Melanie's accountant and had obviously advised both Mel and Brian to block her access to their money. It was an untenable situation. He really MUST GO!

After leaving the bank, she had gone to the loft, expecting to wait for Brian until he came home. It was a habit she indulged in often, since he couldn't avoid her then. So she was more than a little surprised when her key and code didn't work. She called the security company's number listed on the little advertisement advising that the apartment was protected. It was barely noticeable, but as Lindsay had seen the little obscure notice dozens of time, when she actually adhered to the rules of etiquette and knocked on Brian's door, she had no trouble locating it.

Once the call connected, Lindsay told the person on the other end of the phone she was Brian's wife, and had somehow misplaced the new code. When the operator asked for the new security clearance answers, Lindsay had fished around her mind, throwing out every series of numbers and code words she could think of in that moment. It hadn't worked, and only served to have her look like an intruder to the operator on the phone who continually told her that she was wrong in a bored tone. Out of patience and ideas, Lindsay finally she hung up only for her cell phone to ring a minute later. Noting that it was Brian, she answered in a hurry, complaining that her code didn't work and demanding that he call the security companyto put her on the list as one of the residents of the loft.

The laughter on the other end of the phone was distinctly female, and Lindsay's hackles rose immediately rose. Hearing that tinkling little sound had literally sapped the rest of her forebearance, such as it was. Cynthia had advised her that Brian was not going to change the codes, and that the police were on their way. As Lindsay stood there in the hallway arguing with Cynthia, the police accosted her via both the stairs and the elevator. She was promptly escorted out of the building, and advised that the next time she entered without the expressed permission of the owner, she would be arrested for trespassing.

When she relayed all of this to Melanie, all she had received was a lecture about Brian being right. No sympathy. No empathy. Hell, not even a modicum of apology to soothe her wounded ego; just a continuation of the 'Brian was right to ban your ass', speech. It was not the support she had been expecting to receive!

Melanie had said that she was tired. Well so was Lindsay! She was tired of settling for things, instead of living her dreams. Melanie had told her that she needed to make a decision, and that Mel was going to take Gus with her if it was the wrong one. Lindsay had tried to call Brian to tell him of the threats, but the phone had gone directly to voicemail.

She pounded on the kitchen table in frustration, before deciding to try the Kinnetik offices. The voice mail came on with that fucking Cynthia's voice, advising that she should call back during regular business hours when someone would be happy to speak with her. She called Michael, only to find out that Brian had gone away for the weekend and wouldn't be available until Monday. That was just fucking unacceptable! So she tried the number that Brian had termed as the ‘child emergency hotline.'

"The number you have reached is has been changed or disconnected," the disembodied voice of the automated operator came over the speaker of the phone. "No further information is available. Good Bye."

Barely suppressing the urge to hurl her phone into the wall, Lindsay marched into Melanie's office. Searching through the brunette's rol-a-dex sitting in plain view, Lindsay examined every single little card, to no avail. There weren't any new numbers in there. She'd even checked Melanie's phone records for her landline, but  there was nothing new there either!

Finally traversing the stairs, in search of her wayward wife, Lindsay was determined that if she had to wrestle the cell phone out of the pregnant woman's hands, she would get the new number to Brian. "Melanie!" Lindsay yelled, opening and slamming every single closed door on the second floor. "Melanie, where the fuck are you?! MELANIE!! I'm not fucking playing! This has gone on long enough! I don't know what the fuck kind of game you and Brian are playing, but you can't keep me from talking to HIM!"

Melanie listened from the bottom of the stairs as she put Gus' baseball cap on his head.

"Why is Mommy yelling and saying bad words?" he asked.

Mel looked down into the confused, yet wide-eyed eyes of child, who looked so much like his father. She couldn't deny that Brian must have literally poured over ninety percent of his DNA into the little boy. She continued to search his face, for any sign of his bio-mom. The only thing that would give away that Gus was even possibly related to her would be implied in pictures and on his birth certificate; Gus was all Kinney. That fact used to bother Melanie, but now she could only hope that the child she carried had inherited the same genes that Gus had been blessed with.

Continuing to caress the side of his little face, she answered in as much of a reassuring tone that she could muster at the moment. "She's having a crazy moment, honey."

"Well she need a time out," he said. "That what she always gives me when I have my own cwazy moments."

Mel laughed in spite of herself. It was something Brian would have said, and she couldn't help but agree. Sobering quickly though, she imparted a life lesson she hoped with all her heart, Gus wouldn't need again beyond this moment.  "Gus, always remember that you can't fix foolish or crazy."

"I'll 'member dat, Mama," he said stoically, even as they headed out the door to Uncle Teddy's car.

Yes, she thought. Stupidity is a disease. And Michael and Lindsay are definitely contagious.        

CHAPTER FIVE- TRADING UP

While Justin was busy handling several business phone calls, Brian decided to check his voicemail messages. He chuckled, listening to Michael and Lindsay's initial phone calls. But then he became increasingly annoyed as the calls not only continued, but had become more demanding. Michael had lost his store due to nonpayment for the fourth month in a row. Yes, Brian knew about that, since he and Ted had talked to him about Michael's continued abuse of his and Ben's money, while Michael spent the store's meager profits frivolously; always believing that Brian or Ben would save his ass and his store.

Ben had gone through with adopting the littlest hustler, Hunter. When the professor had asked Brian for his opinion about it, Brian's only response was to do what he thought was right, and for him to allow Michael to do the same. Ben obviously did and Michael was angry about it. Well, Michael would get over it... or not. Brian no longer cared which it was going to be.

He was learning a little more everyday about just how Michael's brand of love worked. As long as you were doing what Michael thought was right- or doing for him period- Michael loved you. But as soon as a person didn't treat Michael like he was the center of their universe, that person was on Michael's hit and shit list. Basically, it meant that Michael would make a nuisance out of himself. He would show up wherever they were just to pout and whine; to make himself out to be a victim at every turn.

But his tried-and-true modus operandi backfired for the first and last time, when he tried to do it to Brian right before he was tossed out of Kinnetik for good. Brian had had enough of the guilt-trips from Michael to last his, and someone else's, lifetime. He simply refused to give into Michael's latest round of tantrums; he was much too busy for that. 

Lindsay's messages were a bit more detailed. At first, she wanted him to know that she forgave him before asking him for money. Then she let him know how disappointed she was that he no longer trusted her; an obvious result of her trying to access Gus' accounts again. Brian was elated in that moment he'd taken Ted's advice and blocked all of her access to. Considering that she was thrown out of Kinnetik, alongside Michael and also locked permanently out of the loft, Brian had no doubt that Lindsay would have cleaned out the accounts out of spite.

Lindsay's list of ever-growing grievances kept increasing by leaps and bounds, finally culminating with Brian being blamed for Melanie delivering an ultimatum to her. According to Lindsay, if Brian could bring himself to be who he truly was, and to stop trying to change Melanie's opinion of him, they would all be able to go back to the way things were before Gus was born. According to Lindsay it was a time they were all happier with their lot in life. At first, Brian was appalled by what Lindsay had implied; that Mel hating him was all that was good and right in their little world. But the more he thought about it- the more he replayed every episode of apathy, contempt and discord between Melanie and himself, while Lindsay decided to play peaceful lesbian in the middle- Brian realized just how far his friend had gone to create chaos between Mel and Brian.

Sadly, he'd bought into that bullshit for many years, as did Melanie. But with Ted's help, they continued to thwart Lindsay's plans to develop dramas between them. The fleeting thought of his wish for Mel to leave Lindsay actually surprised him, and he shook himself of the notion. It wasn't his business, and honestly, he wanted his kids to have a safe place to grow up. But knowing his own history as Jack and Joan's offspring; being raised in a home where both people were unhappy with the lives they chose, Brian began to question his belief that Mel and Lindsay should bite the bullet and stay together for the sake of the kids.

In retrospect, it hadn't been healthy for him mentally, physically or emotionally. Was he prepared to subject his children to a warzone, even if it was a fairly quiet one, where the silent treatment was often the weapon choice? He would have to seriously evaluate his reasoning of trying to keep together a so-obviously-broken home for the sake of his children. But first, he had to decide what he would do about Lindsay. And that would involve making a call to his attorney, Donovan, along with Ted and Mel.

As Brian sat there pondering what he was going to eventually have to do about Michael and Lindsay, he heard Justin yelling in the other room.

"What the hell do you mean the contract was cancelled? I didn't do any such thing," Justin said. The young man blew out a calming breath, while Brian stood watching him from behind.

Brian could only hear one side of the conversation, but it seemed really important. There was a tenseness to the set of Justin's shoulders, but it was the terseness of the young man's voice which had startled Brian the most. Looking at the man he was beginning to consider his part-time lover, one would never think that the blond possessed the ability to be as forceful, and stern as he was being to the person over the phone. Justin was definitely a conundrum, and the more that Brian was learning about the man, the more intrigued he became. It also made him horny as hell watching Justin in action like this.

"Fuck it! I will deal with them myself. In the meantime, have the plane fueled and ready to go," Justin said, just as Brian wrapped the younger man inside of his arms while kissing his neck. He hung up the phone, never wishing for a classic phone more. At least, in the old days the mechanism actually had a receiver and a hook to slam it upon to convey just how pissed off he was. It was much more effective than the soft, politically-correct sound of today that signified a disconnected call. 

"Trouble? Whatever happened to spending the weekend in sexual paradise together?" Brian asked, running his tongue languidly over the shell-like ear leaning into the action.

"Yeah... well it appears the idiot that donated the sperm to create me, canceled a very lucrative contract with one of my biggest distributors."

"How big? Who's the distributor?"

"Prada. My company supplies their material. Or at least we did, and we will again as soon as I get to New York."

That one word stopped Brian instantaneously. "What the hell do you mean ‘Prada?' The Prada...as in, a good portion of my shopping addiction?"

"One and the same. So I need to make a call, and get on a plane as soon as possible. The flight is only..."

"I know how long the flight is; I've taken it many times myself."

"So... do you want to come with me?" Justin bit his lip, while gauging Brian's reaction to his question.

"It's a business trip for you. Do you think I should?" Brian couldn't honestly say that he didn't want to go, but he wasn't the type to let anything distract from his career. And he didn't think Justin was either.

"That's true, it is. But this is also cutting into my pleasure. And a lot of pleasure can be had on a business trip."

"I must say your offer is rather tempting," Brian said.

"Well is there anything I can do that will make it not only tempting, but actual fact?" Justin wiggled his eyebrows, causing Brian to laugh.

He couldn't deny that he was enjoying his time with the enigmatic young man; he wasn't ready for it to end yet. It still amazed Brian that he hadn't tired of Justin. In all honesty, for the interim, he couldn't see that happening for awhile yet. They were still having fun, without all the other clingy bullshit that might have surfaced after what was supposed to be just a one-night stand. Besides, with all the insanity Michael and Lindsay were cooking up, it would be good to get out of town...at least, for the weekend.

"Let's get moving. Shower first, and then I have to stop by my place to grab some clothes and my briefcase. I might as well get a little work done, while you're off wheeling and dealing."

Justin placed a kiss on Brian that he knew curled the man's toes. He wouldn't deny that he was glad Brian had agreed to accompany him. He was enjoying his much needed respite so far, and didn't want it to be cut short because another of Craig's chronic fuck ups. Brian would certainly be a welcome distraction as well as a major stress reliever. The way he saw it, it was a win-win all the way around.

He broke the kiss reluctantly, but knowing that if he didn't get a move on, they would never leave. "Come on. Let's get in the shower and go get your things. And I promise to take care of you on the flight."

"I like the way you think Justin, especially since that kiss..."

Justin smiled his trademark mega-watt smile. "Yeah, me too."

They took care of their ablutions, taking every opportunity to touch and fondle, using the time to heighten their awareness of each other. Whenever things began to get too heated, one of them would back off to allow the other to calm his libido. Getting out of the shower, they dried each other off, and then it was time to get dressed. Brian followed Justin into his bedroom, first and foremost out of curiosity. The first thing that had caught his eye was the large four-poster bed with stairs surrounding it.

It kind of reminded Brian of an altar, which made it even harder to believe that Justin hadn't fucked there. Sapphire blue silk draped the bed as well as the floor-to-ceiling bay windows, providing extraordinary natural light into the large space. The entire room screamed seduction, from its decadent materials to the other furniture, including a one armed chaise lounge. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to wrestle Justin over to the bed. That bed just begged for him to fuck his host senseless, while sliding along the sheets.

Brian dragged his eyes in the direction of the younger man... and nearly fell over from shock! There, on the other side of the bedroom with its double doors wide open, was Brian's dream closet. He watched as Justin pulled out his garment bag, hanging it on one of the doors. Brian could feel himself just about ready to drool as he stepped into the space.

Every designer within the closet had their own section full of suits, casual wear and the shoes to match. Going further into the space, Brian was even further surprised to find jewelry cases, as well as chests for underwear surrounding a plush seating area. The room itself screamed masculinity, with its onyx and marble cabinetry and flooring. But the charcoal colored pinstriped furniture was soft to the touch. Again, a place of decadence that literally screamed at Brian.

"Sweaters and suits," Justin said, smiling at Brian's reaction. Although he was looking in another direction most of the time, he couldn't help but feel Brian's every reaction to being inside Justin's very personal space.

"What?" Brian asked, pulling his eyes from the room to rest on Justin's naked back.

"The material is made out of the same material our high-end clients use to make cashmere sweaters and suits."

Brian continued to run his hands over the fabric thinking, If this is the same material companies like Prada and Armani used to make their clothes, no wonder it costs a fucking fortune. He couldn't get enough of caressing the material, feeling every single texture used as upholstery. "Why the hell would you want to leave this room?"

Justin laughed. "I used to not want to, but then where would my businesses be? I used to use it as my hiding place, when I wanted to be left alone. I still do sometimes, even though I live here by myself. Sometimes I just shut myself up in here, so that I can honestly say I didn't hear either of my phones ring."

Brian chuckled in response. "I can't say that I would blame you for that. But you seem to be juggling your businesses just fine."

"Not if I don't get the DeCampos back. I mean sure, I have other lucrative accounts and it's not a problem for me to drum up new business. But we have a long history with Prada, and I refuse to blow it because of some vendetta Craig has."

"Craig?"

"Yeah. My sperm donor. He's an asshole and his sidekick is, too. Which reminds me..." Justin picked up his cell phone, pressing the number one at the same time, while ushering Brian out of his newfound playpen. He chuckled at the brunet's reluctance to leave. "If you're good, I may let you come back sometime."

"Promise?" Brian teased back, in a little boy voice.

Justin aimed a well-placed smack to Brian's ass. "Promise. Now can you do me a favor and grab that garment bag, then meet me at the limo? I'll only be a minute, but there's something I have to do first."

Brian looked carefully at the man before him, as he tapped his foot in impatience. Gone was the playful demeanor of a moment ago, and back in its place was the businessman. As he descended the stairs, he heard:

"Hello, Mom. Look, we have a problem. Craig and Arnold have been fucking things up again. I'm on my way to New York now to deal with the DeCampos, but in the meantime, I will call Daphne and Molly on the way as well as security for the building. Arnold is history, and I want him gone by the time I get back on Monday morning. I don't want a trace of him left in my company! I need you to call the car company, and have his car repossessed immediately. I also want an eviction notice delivered to him today, make it for a month from now. That's as charitable as I'm willing to be. I'm not going to keep letting the fucker get away with this traitorous shit, while collecting a salary from me. He wants to side with Craig, well GOOD! Have at it, but he won't do it on my dime. You can release half his pension, but not a penny more. Have Maggie draw up the severance check, but the medical insurance and that of his lover, stops immediately. Most of all, and I think that you will love me even more than you already do, since you get the pleasure of firing his ass. I want to promote from within the company, so have Molly arrange interviews on Tuesday morning. His position within the company can't remain vacant for too long."

Brian heard the whole spiel by the time he reached the bottom of the stairs. He almost felt sorry for whomever this Arnold person was. Justin's justice was swift and ruthless, even with the partial pension. He could only imagine how one so young had come to be in such a position, but damn! The boy- the man- was competent.

Brian admitted to himself that he wouldn't have been an angel of mercy either, had someone within his business double-crossed him. His respect for the man he only knew as ‘Justin' was growing by leaps and bounds... and so was his desire for the blond. 

Justin bounded out to the car with his cellphon, still seemingly attached to his ear. Putting the person on hold, he issued a tersely-worded order to his driver. "6 Fuller, corner of Tremont, James, and step on it. The plane is scheduled to leave in a half hour."

"Right away, Sir," the chauffeur responded, looking into the rearview mirror at the man beside his boss.

James almost laughed aloud at the look of shock, and supreme lust, gracing the man's countenance. He would imagine that Justin Taylor had not yet told the stranger who he was. James had known the younger man all his life, having driven for Alfred Winston since his teen years. Any other time, the chauffeur would have called Justin by his given name, and there wouldn't have been a problem with it. But hearing Justin in business mode, James refrained from doing so.

He knew whenever Justin was like this, something was terribly wrong. James was also aware that when his employer was in this mood, things which wouldn't normally provoke the young blond, would set him off easily today. He wasn't taking any chances on being that something for Justin Taylor with the explosive temper. He'd never been on the receiving end of it, but Justin has been known to make even the most seasoned staff burst into tears the moment after he'd read them the riot act. No, it was not a good idea to piss Justin Taylor off further than he was already.

"Mark, I don't care what kind of shit he thinks he can say to the press; I want him fucking gone! Do you know how much the DeCampo account is worth? Of course, you do! Then why are you feeling the need to question my judgement? Well Arnold should have thought of that before he got involved with Craig. If you don't want to join him on the unemployment line come Monday, you'll stop questioning me right now. Now I am on my way to New York, and this is the LAST of this particular conversation I'm having! I'll call you when I get there." Justin disconnected the call, rolling his eyes at nothing in particular, but thoroughly annoyed at the moment.

Brian had once again listened to the conversation, amazed at Justin's poise despite his urge to yell. He could feel Justin vibrating with rage in the seat next to him, and thought he'd better do something to ease the silent tension building inside the younger man before he exploded. "So are we going to have any fun at all on this trip? I mean I could sing and dance for you but..."

Justin snickered. "I'm afraid to hear you sing and as for dancing, although you're a great fuck, outside of the bedroom your hips have a mind of their own when it comes to music, and they are never on the beat."

"Perhaps I just never had the right guidance. Besides I don't dance just for dancing's sake."

"Oh, so it's a mating call then?"

"Worked for you."

Justin smiled then. "So it did. But it helped that your reputation preceded you."

"Well who can you trust if not the Tell-A-Queen network of the gay grapevine? They are always ready, willing and able to exaggerate my exploits."

"No exaggeration was necessary last night." Justin placed a kiss on the smirking lips, before continuing. "Or the night before. But I assure you, your reputation is not only well-deserved, but equally-matched."

"Care to test that particular theory, young Justin?"

"All the way to New York, if you're willing."

"You're on."

They arrived at Brian's building, and the younger man advised that he would stay in the car, otherwise they would never get out. Brian entered the loft for the first time since leaving it the night before. It still amazed him to feel, and know that no uninvited guests had been within his elegant four walls and a floor. After yesterday's fiasco with Lindsay, and this morning's frantic message from Michael about not being able to get into the loft, Brian was damn glad that he had the forethought to change both the locks and the alarm codes. Cynthia had taken great pleasure in relaying all of her conversation with Lindsay.

Even Brian had to laugh at Lindsay's audacity to demand that he call the security company to put her on the list. Fortunately, the company also kept a recording of the conversation with Lindsay, and sent Brian the sound clip via email of the entire exchange. He had brought Ted into the office along with Cynthia to listen to the tall blonde at first try to wheedle the customer service representative, and then try to guess every code that Brian would have possibly used to gain access to his abode. There was no way Lindsay would have guessed Bubble Butt Blond Blue Ninja 3527 as Brian's new passphrase to the loft. He was glad that he had changed it with the security company, before things went bad with Michael and Lindsay.

The former passphrase of ‘Battling Brunets 611116' would have possibly been too easily for Lindsay to guess, as it was Brian and Mel plus their birthdays- his June 11th, and hers November 6th. It must have meant something that Justin made such an impression that Brian had thought to honor the twenty-seven year old in some way he wouldn't forget him. But Brian wasn't prepared to examine that reasoning too closely.

Against his better judgement, Brian pressed the rapid flashing red light of his answering machine, as he began to gather his things. The first call was naturally from Michael, sounding frantic as he always did. The gist of his call was telling Brian what he already knew. Michael and Ben were finished. He had forced Ben into making a choice between himself and Hunter, and Ben had chosen the kid.

Brian couldn't blame Ben one damn bit, since Michael was being an asshole. He couldn't manage to feel an ounce of sympathy for his former best friend, who was proving time and again what a narcissist he really was. Hunter was what Brian could have become, had he not had Vic and Debbie. Although Michael was there, and often took credit for helping Brian, he really didn't take care of Brian the way the older adults had. Which was why the next message, which was from Debbie, stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey, Brian. I don't know what to do about Michael. Ben kicked him out and Michael was by yesterday, and again this morning. I was hoping that you would have some sort of solution for him, although I won't blame you if you're reluctant to help the asshole. I can't believe I raised him to be this selfish! Could you, at least, talk to Ben and get him to take Michael back? Michael thought that you should let him stay with you, since you, in his words ‘acted a fool on him.' And ordinarily, I would ask you to, but I won't do that. Em and Ted said that you've met someone and I'm really glad about that, but I can't let Michael stay here. The detective has finally come up to sniff, and I'm not letting him off the hook without getting myself laid. I can't do that with Michael around. Do you know how many years it's been? No? Well neither do I, since it's been too long! Please help me Brian, if you can."

Brian winced at the reference to Deb's sex life, or in this case, the lack thereof. If there was one thing that would deflate his dick, it was the idea of hetero-sex, and especially where Deb was concerned. He needed to clear his mind before his dick shriveled up, and fell off at the thought of Deb getting fucked. Yikes! There were just some things he didn't ever want to think of, or visualize, the mother of his heart doing, especially not with the tempting piece of blond boy ass currently waiting for him inside the limo.

I need to fucking hurry and finish packing, so I can get my cock into the blond to cleanse the entire message from my damn psyche ASAP! Shit, I'll probably end up with nightmares with that shit redplaying in mind! No fucking way! Fuck! I'll need a shrink or an exorcism, if this horror is even too much for Justin's tight ass to dispel.

Brian shook his head and grabbed his garment bag out of the closet. Following Justin's example, he packed three suits- two Prada and one Armani, a pair of sweatpants, two pairs of 501s, his Gucci belt and 2 pairs of Prada boots- one to dress up if need be and the other his favorite pair of motorcycle boots. He chuckled at the thought of Justin's reaction to them. The blond would probably demand to know how Brian had gotten his hands on a pair before this season's official line came out. It paid to do their advertising, but Justin didn't need to know that.

As he collected his choice toiletries, he listened to the last two messages on the machine, which were from Lindsay. The first seemed innocent, although Brian knew her well enough to know when there was an ulterior motive involved. Of course, she made mention that she could no longer access Gus' accounts, or Melanie's for that matter, and that she was sorely disappointed that he no longer trusted her. She wanted Brian to tell her what to do so she could earn his faith in her back. And Brian might have even been tempted for a brief moment, until he heard the follow-up message.

"Brian, I don't know what the fuck kind of game you and Melanie are playing, but it ends right fucking now! Do you know that the bitch had the nerve to remove OUR- mine and your- son out of this house! Do you?! I'm tempted to call the police on her, and if she doesn't bring him back here within the next forty-five minutes, I am going to do just that! Since you seem to be in touch with the little bitch, you'd better warn her that I am not fucking around! First, the both of you block access to your accounts from me. I'm her wife and I'm the mother of your only child! How can you two conspire against me?! You straighten this fucking shit out Brian, or you will both be sorry! I swear to God, you will!"

The phone call disconnected, as Brian stood there in shock. He had never heard Lindsay sound so... so... unhinged before. Was she always like that? All he knew was that something had happened, and he sure as fuck wasn't sure what. Brian hurried over to his desk, opening a drawer and grabbing a folder labeled with Gus' name.

Placing a host of documents inside his briefcase, he grabbed the rest of his belongings and exited the loft in a hurry. Haunted by the idea of being delayed by either Michael, Lindsay or both, he remembered to lock the door and set the alarm code, still putting nothing passed his supposed best friends. They were both proving that there was very little they weren't willing to try to suit their own ends. With luck and the idea swimming around in his head, he wouldn't have to deal with at least one of them for much longer. Brian pressed the number 2 on the keypad of his phone, activating the speed dial function.

Reaching the limo, he threw his bags in and kissed the blond who was at first smiling, and then frowning. "Something wrong?" Justin asked, noticing the slight tremble in Brian's hand, although the man's look was reasonably calm.

"Plenty. There's no easy way to ask this, and I'll explain it later. But would you mind if we have company on this trip?"

"Who, exactly?" Justin could feel the tension rolling off of Brian in waves from his place inside the limo.

"I promise that I will explain in a moment," Brian reassured the blond, even as the person he had dialed finally picked up the phone.

"Ted Schmidt."

"Hey Ted, it's Brian."

"Well I figured that since I have caller ID. The question is what is someone, who is supposed to be unavailable this weekend, doing dialing my number?"

"Listen...please tell me that Gus and Mel are with you? Cynthia, too?"

"They are, along with Emmett. He's still wired from last night's party, and the run in at the Diner with Michael. We are all trying to calm him down."

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay look, I need you all to meet me at the airport." Turning to Justin he asked, "Which airline?"

"No airline. Tell them to meet you at the hanger for Taylor Industries."

Brian stopped in surprise. "Pardon me, but did you just say Taylor Industries? As in multi-billion dollar corporation, Taylor Industries? I thought your family was into fabric and high-end furnishings."

Justin smiled a mega-watt smile at Brian then. "They are but..." Justin extended his hand in Brian's direction, prepared to properly introduce himself to his lover of a few days. "Hello Brian Kinney of Kinnetik, I'm Justin Taylor, CEO of both, Taylor Industries and Winston Fabric and Merchandise Incorporated. I am also the developer of the Rage video game franchise, and an occasional consultant to Microsoft. I have several business ventures beyond those I mentioned as I am sure you do as well. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance...well officially anyway."

Brian's shock was still evident, even as he took the proffered smaller hand in his. "I see that we really need to talk."

"Not necessarily need to, but it will be nice to do so just the same. You should finish your phone call first though, since Ted- whomever he is- is screaming in your ear and you haven't even noticed."

Justin just kept surprising him with shit! But when he thought about the sternness and self-assurance the younger man displayed earlier in the morning, things began to make perfect sense. The man, who he had shared his body with countless times in the last few days, was no ordinary trick. Shit, truth be told, Justin Taylor was not a trick of any kind at all. Brian couldn't deny that the conundrum sitting beside him had, once again, spiked his curiosity in ways that had nothng to do with sex.

If he really had time to dwell on that notion, he would have probably jumped out of the moving limo. Or, at the very least demanded to be let out at the nearest bar, so he could get wasted and quell his sudden lesbianic tendencies. He'd never had a desire to know about the men he'd fucked before beyond the usual necessary details: how big was his dick, how tight was his ass, what the trick was into and how many times he could make them come before he became bored and kicked them out. He hadn't felt any of those things with Justin. Instead he only wanted more of everything from conversation to sex, and everything in between. 

Brian brought his attention back to the matter at hand, before he started oozing estrogen and growing tits. "Ted listen...don't worry about packing anything that isn't work related; tell Cynthia the same. Justin has to go to New York, and we all are going with him. I'll explain on the plane. We can always get the things we need, like clothes and such. Have Cynthia call and get the usual suites at the Westin. Did Marcia forward you the artwork for Monday's presentation?"  

"Yeah she did, but why is that important n.... Oh my God, is that who??"

"Just get to the fucking airport, Ted! I'll explain everything, and another thing... Don't tell anyone except Vic, and only if you have to. The last thing I need is for Michael and Lindsay wreaking their brand of havoc this weekend. I think we all could use a rest from them."

"Brian, we're getting in the cars now, but what about the documents in the safe? Do you need them?"

Brian thought a moment, before telling Ted to go ahead and grab them. He had the copies but if... well he wouldn't think about any of that. "I'll call Donovan when we touch down in New York." He disconnected the call, just as they arrived at the airport.

They boarded the plane. Justin advised the staff that they would have additional passengers boarding in a little while. He also called Maggie for her to accompany him to New York, advising for Mark to stay behind. Instead, she was to bring Peter Brandt, his corporate and personal attorney with her. Since the plane was equipped to seat twenty people, there was no worry about the space being too cramped.

Settling themselves in seats to await the influx Justin said, "So do you want to tell me why our fuck-a-thon is being curbed a bit?"

Brian cleared his throat and adjusted his jeans, which had suddenly become too tight at the Justin's tone uttering the word ‘fuck-a-thon.' He would never know what it was about the blond that enticed him so much, to not only enjoy the most amazing fucks, but his company as well. Add to that the fact that Justin's bank account made his own look like he'd been working at McDonald's by comparison, was no shortage of astounding to him. It allowed him to be able to let his natural guard down in terms of his financial assets; something he could never do with Michael and Lindsay.

"My son's mother is rampaging, and I don't want him- or his other mother, who is pregnant with my other child- to be caught in the crossfire."

"Very succinct, but what exactly is she threatening to do?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Oh I don't know. Perhaps it's the talk of original documents, along with the fact that a little boy- I assume it is a little boy since you aren't that old- is involved. And the fact that you just basically organized an escape using my fucking plane, which I will toss you out of within the blink of an eye if you don't give me the whole story... now."

Brian looked hard at Justin. On one hand, he wanted to tell the younger man to go fuck himself; that he didn't owe him shit. Brian's business was his own, and he had always been a very private person. But the fact was that in this moment, he needed to keep Mel and Gus safe along with the new baby. With the way Lindsay sounded on the phone, he knew he couldn't trust her to back down from her threats, and would use Gus to lord it over both him and Melanie.

Brian may have deserved her wrath, since this was all about her revoked access to Gus' accounts, and therefore Brian's money. But Mel had followed suit, so that they would have ample cash while she was technically out of work due to her pregnancy. He couldn't in good conscience leave Mel's fate with Lindsay up to chance. So Brian had done the only thing he could think of at the moment, while still being able to make himself happy in the process. It was a happy medium for all of them, and also an opportunity to speak with Mel about his plans without Lindsay's carping and interference.

"Fine. The short version is..." Brian began, only to be cut off.

"Just answer me this one thing?"

"Okay."

"Is what you and the others are about to do illegal?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is the other baby's mother a fugitive? Does she need to go into hiding because of an abusive ex, or anything like that?"

"No, nothing like that. Although Lindsay could be termed as mentally and emotionally abusive, she hasn't gotten physical, yet. But after the message I just heard on my answering machine, I couldn't leave Mel to take her chances, especially since she has Gus with her."

"Gus?"

"Our son. Lindsay birthed him, but in all honesty, Gus is just her meal ticket... or so she thought. I barred all her access to my bank accounts for Gus, which she just found out about yesterday. I did it at the same time I changed the code and locks to my loft. I had to have her and my other ‘best friend...'"

"Ah, the whiny brunet?" Justin asked, already knowing the answer.

"Michael...yeah. I banned them both from my office, too. Although he is still allowed to go to Babylon, which I also own. The both of them cornered me in my office yesterday, and I was just simply fed up with them. Now that I think about it, I have been for a while now. So I've been taking measures to put them, and their idea of ‘friendship', into the proper perspective within the scope of my life. Let's just say that they have made some decisions I have, finally, decided that I don't have to pay for."

"I take it those decisions include money."

"Among other things."

"What things?"

Before Brian had a chance to answer, Brian heard the sounds of his family bounding up the stairs to board the plane. Brian couldn't help but smile as he heard the loud screech of the smallest passenger.

"Daaaaaadyyyyyy," Gus screamed as he launched himself into the waiting arms of his father.

"Hey Gussie! Are you ready to go on an adventure?"

Gus nodded. "Sure am, Daddy. Mama told me there was gonna to be a pwane, but I not believe her until we gotted here." Turning to look at the stranger looking at them, Gus asked, "Who he?"

"‘Who is he?'" Brian corrected, with a smile. "This is Justin, and he's a very special friend of mine, who said that you all can come with us."

Gus went over to the blond, who was still staring at Brian in wonder and a small bit of envy. Holding out his hand, Gus said carefully, "It nice to meet you, Jus. Can I call you Jus? It sound a lot like my name, which is Gus."

Justin couldn't help but smile at the boy, who couldn't be any more than four years old. He took the smaller hand in his, squeezing it lightly and bouncing it up and down in a handshake motion. Justin was delighted to hear him giggle at the motion. "It's very nice to meet you too, Gus, and it would make me very happy if you were to call me Jus. I think both of them are very good butch names."

"Okay, but what butch mean?"

"It means very manly and strong," Justin answered him.

"Daddy, is that why you call mama that? I mean, she very strong but she not manny like you."

Brian couldn't help the snicker that escaped him at Gus' reasoning, or the fact that Melanie scowled briefly, although there was a slight twitch of her lips to indicate her amusement. "Yes, your mama is very strong, but it's just a funny name I call her sometimes. Right, mama?" Brian turned to Melanie for her to let him off the hook. He knew that she was letting him linger there and watching him squirm for the sheer enjoyment of it, before deciding that he'd been punished enough.

"Your daddy's right, Gus. It's just a play name your dad gives me sometimes, just as I call him a wuss or a yellowbelly."

"Yellowbelly? Really, Mel?" Brian asked. No one had really ever been able to call him a coward before.

"Well it's one of the lighter euphemisms I've used to describe you, Kinney, until recently." Closing the distance between she and Brian, she stretched out her hand to greet their host. "Melanie Marcus, and you're Justin Taylor. I- or I should say we, as in my wife and I, own some of your work."

"Work?" Brian asked facing the blond.

"Brian, you know the painting in the living room that you like? The one that reminds you of Babylon or some other boys-only club you frequent?" At Brian's continuing puzzled look she said, "The one you bought for us when I finally caught up on the mortgage payments as a congratulatory gift?"

"The one called ‘Lucky'." Brian nodded. "You painted that?"

Justin smiled shyly, something  Brian had never seen him do in the few days they had known each other.  "Yeah, some years ago. I was hoping that one found a good home as I usually do with most of them."

"Why most?" Brian noticed the hint of sadness at the end of the younger man's statement.

"Remind me to tell you about it sometime, but for now, I would like to meet everyone else. My staff should be here soon, so we can get the trip underway. Mel, are you going to be okay flying? I could always ask the limo to transport you to New York."

Mel waved her hand. "I would brave just about anything to be out of this town as soon as possible, Justin. Besides I know that Brian won't let anything happen to me while we're gone. I promise to have a full five hours rest, Oh Mighty Kinney." She had noticed Brian start to latch onto the idea of her riding instead of flying, but she wasn't having any of that.

"If you need to lie down once we take off, there is a fully equipped bedroom, which includes a television in the rear of the plane. There are several dvds back there. If none of those are to your liking, it also works by satellite so that you can watch actual television. My mom uses this plane sometimes, so there's no doubt there's a bunch of chick flicks back there." Melanie laughed Justin's wry look as he mentioned his mom's preference of movies.

"Don't worry, Justin. I'm sure I'll be fine with whatever you have back there, but I prefer action movies. There's nothing like watching a lot of butt-kicking and stuff blowing up."

"Brian, you didn't tell me that Melanie was my kind of woman," Justin said, smiling.

"Yeah, she's a real butch," Brian said, his familiar smirk firmly in place and answered by one from Melanie in return.

"Not that I'm trying to break up this sudden love fest, but we should probably tell you what's going on," Ted said. He was still worried about Mel flying, but knew that the headstrong woman and his equally opinionated boss, wouldn't budge, regardless of his opinion now that Brian was resigned to let Melanie fly the friendly skies. "Ms. Peterson is off her rocker!" Ted looked a little chagrined, but managed to curb what he really wanted to say due to Gus' presence.

"How about this... while Justin takes care of the real reason that he was going to New York in the first place, and once we get Gus settled with the marvelous distraction of television, we can hash out all of the situation. I think he's been subjected to enough drama for one day." Brian's suggestion was met with approval.

Maggie and Peter arrived at the plane, and after the brief introductions were made, they were underway. Gus was fascinated by everything having to do with the plane. His enthusiasm was catching among all of the passengers. Brian, who was seated next to Justin, was transfixed over Gus' excitement, even as Melanie smiled upon the little boy indulgently. All too soon, the plane leveled out and the ‘Fasten Seatbelts' sign went off, indicating that everyone was now free to move about at will.

As agreed, Mel and Brian went to the spacious bedroom situated at the rear of the large cabin. The room screamed of understated elegance and decadence, much in the same way Justin's bedroom had done back at the mansion. Justin came in just as Gus situated himself in the center of the enormous bed. He took a flying leap from the doorway, and landed right next to the giggling boy.

"Comfortable, little man?" Justin asked.

Gus nodded. "Yes, Jus. Are you gonna watch tv with me?"

"Only for a little while, but then I have to go and be an adult." Justin made a funny face, eliciting a new round of laughs from Gus and his parents.

"Why did you grow up if you no like it?" Gus asked.

"Well, young Gus, I didn't have much of a choice, just like you won't. But along with the not so fun times, there are some really amazingly fun times. Let me ask you...do you find taking a nap fun?"

"No." He shook his head vigorously, with a frown on his forehead. "I no like them."

"Well adults would love to have time for a nap during the day, but most of us work very hard. So that's a downside for both children, who would rather be up all the time and adults, who really like to sleep. Do you like to play?"

"Yes." Gus looked at Justin like it was a silly question. The look was so much like Brian's that Justin almost laughed aloud.

"Well, so do adults. But we spend a lot of time working, so that you can play and nap and eat and have movies to watch. So that is the downside to being an adult. Do you know what a bill is?"

"Yes."

Justin was surprised, but he was very interested in hearing Gus' answer. "What do you think it is?"

"Somefing Mommy and Mama have ‘cussins ‘bout all the time."

Justin did snicker then. I don't doubt there's a lot of cussing involved, but not the way Gus means it, he thought. "I don't doubt that they discuss the bills a lot, but it's because they have to make money so that you can live in a house, watch tv and eat. Oh and let's not forget about you having clothes. All adults have bills, and they have to have money to pay them. So you see, there are some good things to being a grown up but some not so nice things that go with it. I'll bet that you feel the same way about naps, bedtimes and sometimes vegetables too, huh?"

He loved to see the evidence of Gus' thoughts show on his little forehead. If his son had lived, he would have been just a little older than Brian's. And although Justin was happy interacting with Gus, he couldn't deny that he still missed the chance to have this similar conversation with his own. Unlike his own father, Justin had always found children fascinating.

"And baths too," Gus said cutting into Justin's reverie. "I no like those. Do ‘dults like those?"

Justin met Brian's eye before answering. "Baths can be fun. You can splash the water around the tub, and occasionally have a water fight with your moms, or even your daddy. So based on that, I can say that adults like bathtime, too."

"Gus, I'm sure that Justin has to go do the boring adult stuff now so that we can all have fun together later. Your mama and I will be right outside the door okay," Brian said, beginning to usher Melanie through the open portal. "We'll come and get you when it's time to buckle up to land okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. Are you and mama gonna do boring ‘dult stuff, too?"

"Yes."

"I just think of somefing," Gus announced, his finger raised in the air as if having an idea.

"What's that, Gus?" Melanie asked.

"I no grow up." He smiled, assured in the knowledge that he had the best idea ever, and his mama and dad would agree with him since it would keep them young too.

He knew there was always talk around him when they thought he wasn't listening, about his dad hating growing old. In his four- almost five- year old logic, if he refused to grow up, then his daddy would always be happy with him. And with the new baby coming, maybe mama would be happy that she could see her feet again. That would only leave Mommy to get happy again, but he wasn't sure how to help her do that since she seemed to only want daddy to help her.

"But you have to grow up, Gus. You don't want to always stay little forever, do you? That would mean you would always have to ask someone to pour you a glass of milk when you wanted it," Mel reasoned.

Gus thought about what she was saying, and then responded. "I would like to get bigger, but I only want to do fun stuff. No work like what Jus was talkin' bout."

"No, you can't grow up to be Michael," Brian said, before he could catch himself.

He closed his eyes, expecting Melanie to scold him. Admittedly, she would be right since Gus was at the age where he soaks information like a sponge. The last thing he needed was for that statement to come back to bite him in the ass. So he was surprised when he heard a laugh in the form of a cough from Melanie, and loud guffaws coming from the other room where Ted, Cynthia and Emmett were. Melanie ostensibly cleared her throat, before responding.

"Your daddy is right, Gus. You have to grow up and find something that you could make lots of money doing. But we have a long way off from that, son, and plenty of time for you to just be an adorable little munchkin for all of us adults to love. Okay?"

Melanie leaned over and placed a kiss on the top of Gus' head, before following Brian out of the room with a puzzled Justin in tow. Looking back, Brian and Mel were happy to see Gus already engrossed in his movie. Someday Gus might ask exactly what his dad had meant in reference to his Uncle Mikey, but thankfully, the time for that conversation wouldn't happen today.     

CHAPTER 6- MAKING MOVES

“I want a divorce,” Mel said suddenly.

Mel, Cynthia, Ted, Em, and Brian were all sitting around one of tables in the seating areas at the back of the plane. Justin and his business associates occupied the other, and were heavily engrossed in discussing strategies to deal with the latest ignorance from Craig Taylor. Brian would have loved to be over there as well, especially since it was looking more and more like Kinnetik was going to become the official public relations firm to handle all of Justin Taylor’s businesses. But he had to stay over on the other side of the plane to deal with the fallout from his personal life.

“Why would you want that, Mel?” Emmett asked.

“Are you sure?” Cynthia asked at the same time.

Mel looked to them first, and then to Brian. “I know that you said that you wanted Gus raised around people who loved him and each other, but I really can’t deal with her anymore, Brian.”

He looked into Mel’s eyes, silently acknowledging all that she wouldn’t say aloud. Hurt and anger were accompanied by sadness, and pleas to be free. He recognized all of the emotions from years ago, living inside the hellhole of the Kinney residence for seventeen years before he received his scholarships to college. He recognized those same looks as he thought about Michael and Lindsay, when he had stepped out of the shower this morning. It was the look of weariness.

“I know what I said, Mel, but that didn’t mean I wanted the kids raised in a battleground. From personal experience, I would never allow a child of mine to be raised like that. So if you want to leave, go. All I ask is that you remain safe, and accessible to me so that I can see Gus and this new little one. I never thought that I would want to be a father, but now that I am, I take that very seriously, as you know.”

She nodded. “I know, Brian, and if there was any other way…”

“No… you shouldn’t have to apologize for meeting the needs of your mental health. In fact, no one should stay in a farce of a marriage just to make someone else happy, including the kids. I would much rather have been raised in a single-parent home with one happy parent than raised in a combat zone I was, with two people who couldn’t stand each other. The only casualties in such a situation are the kids; I don’t want that for mine.”

“So what do we do first?” Cynthia asked.

“We?” Mel looked genuinely puzzled by Cynthia’s question.

“Yes we, Melanie. I don’t think any of us at this table is about to let you face this battle totally alone. While you have to deal with Lindsay face-to-face, the rest of us will be working behind the scenes. To that end, Brian, I think we need to have Donovan take Mel on as a client.”

“But that’s a conflict of interest since he’s Brian’s Family Law attorney, isn’t it?” Ted asked.

“Not necessarily,” Mel confirmed. “Since this isn’t about Gus’ custody, and Brian and I don’t have any issues right now about the bun still baking, this isn’t a conflict of interest, even though Lindsay might see it that way.”

"Who gives a fuck what Lindsay sees?” Brian growled. “The bottom line is that she is wrong on so many levels. And after that message she left on my answering machine this morning…”

“What message?” Cynthia asked. “Nevermind, I’ll just play it myself.”

“What are you talking about Cyn? It’s not on my voicemail at the office, but on the answering machine at the loft.”

“I know that Brian since there weren’t any calls that came into Kinnetik this morning. But if there had been, Lindsay would have also known that she is blocked from getting through, even to be hung up on if she calls from another number. So is Michael. Fortunately, they both have very distinct voices, and inflections that make trying to fool me or your secretary, impossible.”

“So how do you propose…”

“You know, Brian, someday you’ll learn not to doubt me or my resourcefulness,” Cynthia said, as she pushed the talk button on her phone, then pressed the button for the speaker function.

Adjusting the volume so that although they could hear it clearly but Gus couldn’t, they all listened to the vocalized threats of Lindsay against Mel and Brian. Mel gasped, and began to tear up as Lindsay stated that she should call the police, even as Brian inwardly cringed as Lindsay’s voice became more and more shrill. He nearly jumped when he felt a pair of arms slip around his shoulders; the mop of blond hair caressing the side of his face as they continued to listen. Only when they finished listening, did Justin speak.

“So Mel, have you decided what you want?”

“To be free of her,” came the strangled reply.

“Then you shall be. What is it that she wants?”

“Outside of Brian? Money- first, last, and always.”

“So let’s give her what she wants,” Justin said matter-of-factly.

“No. She’ll only want more. And besides I can’t let you do this,” Melanie argued.

“First, you aren’t letting me do anything. And secondly, I didn’t say I was going to make it easy on her. She wants money; I’m going to point her in the right direction of how to get it and in the meantime, fix it so that you are free and clear.”

“What are you thinking?” Brian asked.

“You’ll see when we get to New York. I think I have just the person to make Lindsay wish that she’d never crossed paths with you and Mel. But first, we have business to discuss. Also there is also the matter of your best friend. I don’t know how he found out who I was, but he did, and is about to drive my sister crazy. He showed up at my office yesterday, screaming down the halls looking for you. If he didn’t leave on his own, my mom and sister would have happily thrown him out... bodily. They may look delicate, but they are more than capable of handling that mouse of a man. And if Daphne gets ahold of him...”

“Daphne? I thought she…”

“She works for the fabric side of the company. She was away, but she should be back on her way to the States. If he knew like I know, he would not pull that shit with her. What’s his deal anyway?”

“You want the short version or the long story?” Emmett asked.

“How about the short version for now, and we save the long one for nights when we have nothing to do.” Justin smiled at the tall queen. He could easily see himself becoming friends with the guy, even outside of their business dealings.

“Well that’s easy. It’s the same problem that Lindsay has.”

“Money?”

“If only that was all, then we would have saved his store, if for no other reason than to keep him locked in it,” Ted answered, rolling his eyes.

Justin thought about it for a moment, before smiling. “Oh… so not only is he broke and looking for Brian to fix his problem, he’s also got an eternal boner for him. Well sorry for Michael whatever-the-fuck-his-name-is, that particular seat is already being occupied.”

“Oh yeah?” Brian asked, with a sly grin.

“Yeah… and you have to admit, nobody does it better.”

“Or tighter.”

“Hotter.”

“Wetter.”

“Boys! Can we PLEASE concentrate on the bitches and business? I think you can both settle that particular argument later,” Cynthia scolded them, while chuckling at how easily they got distracted. She never thought in a million years that Brian would meet his match, but apparently he did. She couldn’t wait for Lindsay and Michael’s heads to start spinning around, and the green shit come flying out of their mouths. They will both undoubtedly let their inner-Linda Blair loose, knowing that Brian Kinney is firmly out of their orbit and now circling around a hot blond fuck machine. “So now that we have a secret plan in place for Lindsay- really can’t wait to find out what that is, by the way- what do we do about Michael? We can’t just throw money at him because that’s what has gotten His Assholeness in this mess in the first place.”

“We could always give him something new to focus on. Didn’t you say he was into comics?” Justin asked.

“He is, but his comic store just went kaput because he chose to buy toys, or as he calls them ‘collectibles,’ rather than pay his store’s mortgage.” Ted stated.

Justin’s little ‘hmm’ of thought instantly had Brian on alert. It still amazed him how in tune he was with the man he’d only just met days ago. But he could see the wheels turning and before Justin could let the thought pass his full lips Brian said, “No. Absolutely NOT, Justin. You will not turn yourself into the stalked just to save me the trouble.”

“What are you talking about?” Justin asked, annoyed at having at least part of his thought discerned.

“No, Justin. If you give Michael a centimeter of the way in, he will increase that to a worldwide hole, where you’ll never get rid of the invasive fucker- trust me I know. So no… no comic books, no video game franchise…. No introducing him to people who would help him develop his crackpot ideas. You did Rage; Michael will lead you into a rage and you’ll end up in jail for killing his ass. I have developed a liking to said ass in the last few days; I don’t want to visit it behind bars.”

Everyone laughed at Brian’s impassioned plea, but they all couldn’t disagree with Brian’s assessment at all. Michael was a leech, much like Lindsay. He wanted it all- felt entitled to it- but didn’t want to expound any energy for the reward. Plus he would take Justin’s handout, while happily stabbing the man in the back if it cleared his way to Brian. So the answer was no.

“Well what do you suppose then?”

“I think I have an idea, but I need to find out if that door is still open to him first.”

“You mean…” Emmett started.

Brian nodded. “If I would wish the plague Michael has become on anyone, it would be David Cameron. So let’s see what happens when I call him.”

“Isn’t he still living in Portland?”

“No. I’ve heard that he moved to New York, but I’m not sure where. I only know that it isn’t in the city, and that the nearest airport is about three hours away. It allows David to make it in and out of the City to treat his patients so my guess is that he’s living on Long Island somewhere….probably out by the twin forks.”

“Let me do some digging when we get there, and I’ll find the answers to both your problems. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the rest of the flight and talk about your ideas for my campaigns.” Justin suggested.

And after planting a luscious toe-curling kiss on Brian to gain his agreement, that’s exactly what the occupants on board did while Mel went to rest, as promised, with Gus.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lindsay was at her wits end. No one was returning her calls. Despite being told to stay away from Kinnetik, she went there anyway. It was strange on a Saturday to see the parking lot devoid of cars. Although Michael had told her that Brian would be away for the weekend, he’d not mentioned Ted.

Usually if Brian wasn’t at the office on the weekend, Ted definitely was. Thinking that she might find out where Brian was and whom he was with, she headed to the Diner, knowing that if Brian had mentioned where he was going to be to anyone outside of herself, or lately Melanie, it would be Deb. She heard her before she saw her, as usual, hustling and bustling around the Diner, waiting tables amid the cacophony of raised voices. It had been awhile since she had stepped foot into the bastion of all things in Gay Pittsburgh. She was surprised to find a  little twinge in her heart of nostalgia for the place and its matriarch.

But that feeling was short-lived when she found herself being scowled at by the foul-mouthed, red wig-wearing waitress, hands settled on her ample hips and gum popping loudly in an eatery which went suddenly silent.

“What do you want?” Deb asked, already belligerent in her question.

Lindsay decided to take the passive-aggressive route, while answering Debbie. “Aw Debbie, don’t be like that. I just wanted to see you that’s all.”

“Uh-huh,” Deb returned noncommittally. “Well now you have seen me. I am alive, well, dating, and kicking. So now you can just march your flat little behind back out the same way you came in. There is nothing for you here.”

Instead of following Deb’s edict, Lindsay sashayed over to the counter, firmly planting herself on one of her stools and turning the cup in front of her over in silent demand of coffee. In response, Deb decided that she would continue with business as usual, and urged the patrons of the greasy spoon to do the same. Lindsay seeing this, figured she could wait Deb out as long as she needed to in order to get the information she wanted. After several hours though, Lindsay decided that perhaps she needed to rethink her strategy, as Deb kept serving everyone but her, and she was still there in the same spot both coffeeless and conversation-less. She had finally had enough!

Speaking loudly she said, “I could have been out of here hours ago, if you had just talked to me.”

“You should have figured out hours ago that I have nothing to say to you. I don’t believe in wasting my words. When I speak it’s important...unlike you. So if there’s nothing else, you can follow the orders I gave four hours ago, and get your ass out of here.”

“Of course, there is something else. I want to know where Brian is and I want to know it NOW!” She stamped her foot, and folded her arms over her chest to show Deb and everyone else that she meant business.

Instead of the response Lindsay expected, Deb gave her a round of applause, the other patrons following suit. “You do a remarkable imitation of my idiot son. You two should go on the road. I heard Hollywood is looking for new actors to do a remake of Dumb and Dumber. You and Michael could certainly fit the bill. As for your question, I will give you the same information that I gave him. Brian is visiting the land of Nunya this weekend.”

“What? Where is that? Do you have the name of the hotel? I’d like to leave a message for him. It concerns Gus.”

Lindsay fired off her questions and excuse in rapid succession, but had Deb not known the entire story as told by Dumb the First, also know Michael Charles Novotny, she might have believed Dumb the Sequel, who was certainly Lindsay Peterson.” “I know that you are lying Lindsay, but then that is what you are truly good at. I know that Gus is safe and sound with Melanie, both of whom you have yet to ask about. For the record, and before you pull another idiotic untruth out of the crack of your nonexistent ass, be advised that I am well aware of why you and Michael are looking for Brian. You both heard that he is interested and spending time with someone who is his equal in every way, and it certainly isn’t you two fuck-ups. My advice, get a life, or better yet, remember the life you have because you’re about to lose the two best things that ever happened to you. Brian is living his, and is about to discover what he has been missing all this time, much like I’m finding with Carl.”

Lindsay blinked as Deb finished speaking. It was obvious that she heard nothing beyond Brian and finding someone else. That can’t be happening. It fucking won’t happen, not if I have anything to say about it! “Deb… the hotel?” Lindsay demanded, through gritted teeth. “Where the fuck is Nunya?”

“It’s located on the island of NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!! Christ, how can you be so fucking obtuse?! You’re about to lose everything because you want a man- A GAY MAN- that will NEVER be yours. And the way you’re going, Melanie and Gus won’t be either. But please do go on and keep fucking up. I’m going to sit back with a bucket of popcorn, watching your fucked up version of “This is Your Life” and laugh while you’re left behind to pick up the pieces. Now get the fuck out, and don’t come back until you have your head on your shoulders instead of in Brian’s ass. Bye now.”

Deb turned her back on Lindsay, while the younger woman stood there in shock. She knew in that moment she needed to find the only person who wanted Brian more than she did, and make him her ally. She needed to find Michael, but where to look?? Between the two of them, they would come up with a plan to rid themselves of their biggest competition as they had done with every trick before. It was the only time they were ever united in a common goal. When they were finished with this usurper, then the two of them could resume their antagonistic brawl for the top spot in Brian’s life. There was no room for a third person… she would make sure it stayed that way.  

CHAPTER SEVEN: COLLISIONS AND COLLUSIONS

“I’m here, Mom,” Molly announced, as she walked into the large office with its floor-to-ceiling windows. She was dressed in her red suit, blonde hair tied back in possibly one of the most severe buns her mother had ever seen her wear.

“Where have you been all morning?” Jennifer, who was dressed similarly in black and gray, asked. “I called you right after I received the callback from Justin.”

“I know. After I climbed out of bed- no, I won’t give you his name- I went to speak with Tom Brandt.”

“Peter’s dad? What for?”

“After yesterday’s fiasco, with the pest screaming with the high-pitched voice in the lobby, I asked him to do some surface digging. His preliminary report discovered that his name is Michael Charles Novotny, and a more shiftless, lazy bastard has never walked the face of the earth. Apparently, he is the best friend of Brian Kinney, which is the name of the man whose name he kept screaming as he interrupted the meetings, and general workflow within the Taylor building yesterday. If this is whom Mr. Kinney chooses to associate with, I think we need to rethink our potential association with Kinnetik Enterprises.”

Jennifer bit her lip in response. She had done her own digging in reference to Brian Kinney, upon hearing word that Justin scheduled a meeting with the man on Tuesday. It was then that she had also discovered that Justin and the man were involved, in a sense. Although based on her son’s reputation, and that of Mr. Kinney’s, neither man would be in their liaison for much longer. In fact, that they were together again not twenty-four hours ago, was too long by their own usual standards.

Jennifer held no illusions about her son, and had faced the facts about him a long time ago. Justin had a wandering dick, and wasn’t in the slightest shy about pointing it to whatever hole took his fancy at the moment. She’d seen it in person many times when they were out and about, even sometimes during business lunches where the client was only too happy to keep her company while Justin tended to his body’s needs. He was a fascinating young man, who could seem relatively harmless so for clients it was fairly easy to overlook Justin's proclivities. He had no shame and based on the reports she’d received about Mr. Brian Kinney, he didn’t either.

“I don’t know, Molly. On paper, Kinnetik is beyond impressive, and just what Taylor Industries will need to boost sales.”

“But at the cost of our company’s reputation? I don’t…”

“Molly, let’s leave that for Justin to decide. I have it on good authority that like Justin, Mr. Kinney lives his life by a certain code of ethics. I’m sure that Mr. Novotny’s actions- although they might reflect poorly upon Mr. Kinney personally- have nothing to do with Kinnetik’s reputation as a top-notch advertising agency. As for the man himself, let’s wait and see. Justin has already met the man and apparently they have… similar interests. By all accounts they seem to get on well, and we know that's a rare situation, simply because people tend to look at Justin and see a kid. Now we know that’s far from the truth, but based on what I’ve heard, Mr. Kinney doesn’t have any such qualms about Justin’s ability to run both corporations. The real question is, if while he is taking on the business, with the potential to take on Winston Inc. as well, will Kinnetik be able to handle the public relations aspect? After this meeting with Arnold, I don’t doubt that we will need a more experienced spin doctor than Mark is used to handling.”

Molly mulled over what Jennifer was telling her, knowing that Jennifer made some valid points. It was just that she worried about her brother, not only with what Craig Taylor was trying to do to the company, but especially to his ex-wife and children. Daryl had called her to tell her of Justin’s confrontation with Craig the day before. The cancelling of the DeCampo account happened yesterday just after the company closed business for the day. Craig was slick and thought that word wouldn’t get to them before Monday morning, when all the paperwork would have a chance to be filed.

When Molly had received word, she immediately called Daphne just before she boarded her plane and told her to go to New York to meet with the DeCampos and Justin. Daphne had suggested that Molly try to find out what number the call came from. Cesarino DeCampo, the Head Buyer for the DeCampo family, called her back personally to tell her the number, Molly was livid. The call had come directly from Arnold’s office within Taylor Industries. Although one business had nothing to do with the other, everyone knew that Justin was the CEO of both companies, therefore it wouldn’t have seemed strange to have a call go to clients from within either building. Not only had Arnold fucked up by using his direct office line, but also by stating that the order had come from Craig Taylor, CEO. Cesarino had asked her if that meant Justin had finally given into Craig’s demands. Molly had told him that Justin would speak to his father personally about the matter, but Justin was still the head of both corporations and was not relinquishing that authority, especially to the likes of Craig. Cesarino, who knew all about the circumstances of how Justin had come to inherit both companies, told her that he would let his father know, and that although they were scheduled to return to Milan, he would make certain that the trip would be delayed.

As a result, Justin was on his way there, along with Maggie, Peter, and Daphne. She could only hope that the hard-driven Cesare DeCampo didn’t underestimate Justin and try to throw his weight around. Although they have known each other a long time, Cesare has never dealt with an irate, headstrong Justin, since Alfred was always the one to conduct these particular negotiations. But Justin had learned his lessons from his Grandfathers Alfred Winston and JJ Taylor well; he was no longer the young man Cesare would have to the forefront of his mind. Hopefully Donatella will be the cooler head to prevail. In the meantime, she had to know if Kinnetik was willing to take them on as clients sooner than later, because that snake bastard Arnold was striding through the door.

“I want to know the meaning of this,” he demands, slamming the yellow envelope down on the massive mahogany desk.

Jennifer, who had taken her seat behind the desk shortly before advising Molly of the plan regarding Kinnetik, picked up the envelope delicately before opening it. Moving deliberately slowly, she pulled out the stack of paper, perusing it. She snickered at the tersely worded letter Justin had included in the package. She knew that he didn’t have time to write it this morning, so it was apparent that Justin had already prepared it in advance. “Well Arnold, it looks like you have finally done something that my son couldn’t forgive you for.”

“It looks to me like I’m being fired unfairly.”

“Unfairly? Really?” Molly sniped, earning her a beady-eyed glare from the man standing in front of the desk.

“You, young lady should learn not to interrupt when adults are speaking.”

Molly gripped her mother’s shoulder lightly to stay her mother's defense. Since Arnold felt he had the right to address her, she would issue her own response to his idiocy. “Arnold, there are exactly two adults in this room, and sadly, as old as you are, you aren’t one of them. You and my father choose to play high school bullshit games yet I’m considered the child?”

“What are you talking about? I know of no high school games,” Arnold sputtered.

“She means the phone call you made yesterday from within your office at Taylor Industries, cancelling a lucrative account with the DeCampo family.” Jennifer looked at the man steadily, noticing all of the emotions flitting across the suddenly florid countenance.

“I don’t know what you are speaking of,” Arnold tried again.

“Sure you do, since you spoke with the owner’s son instead of Cesare himself. Did you really think that the number couldn’t or wouldn’t be traced to you? It was truly the mark of someone careless and ignorant to pull this stunt Arnold, and now it’s cost you your job, your insurance, your status within the company, and half your pension.”

“You can’t do that!”

“Sure I can,” Jennifer purred, “And I am, with Justin’s blessing. Furthermore, you didn’t read the fine print on the renewal contract you signed. The benefits you collect upon the premature termination of your employment, are up to the discretion of the CEO of Taylor Industries. Justin is actually being very generous by letting you keep half your pension- the part you actually paid into, mind you. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t keep anything. Also enclosed in this envelope is the eviction notice, in which he gave you a month whereas I would have your ass tossed out immediately. As for any personal belongings you had in your desk at the building, you can pick them up from the security desk downstairs when you leave. We’ve already had it emptied and your belongings brought here so that you had no reason to make a second trip downtown. After all, cab and bus fare can be expensive. Consider this my gift to you since you no longer have access to the company car we leased for you. Your severance check is inside the envelope Arnold. Spend it wisely. Byron, we’re done with him.”

“One final word of caution Arnold,” Molly chimed in. “I wouldn’t look to or rely on my father for anything. The one stipulation in the will that you didn’t know about, and Grandfather didn’t want you to, although I need to break faith now, is that Justin was named CEO to protect your ungrateful ass.”

“What do you mean?” Arnold asked brokenly, suddenly feeling older than he ever did.

“Grandfather knew that if Craig found out that you and George were more than the cousins that he thinks you are, you would have been fired without any recourse since there weren’t any laws that protected a homosexual’s civil rights until recently. So all that pussyboy plotting you were doing with my father against Justin- a fellow homo- would have led to you being jobless, homeless, and penniless, if Craig the Cunt had his way. Happy now? Do you feel like the big man you were trying to be? I doubt it. Enjoy your life Arnold, and try to gain some fucking sense at long last. You’re too old to act like a brand new fool,” Molly said, handing the stunned older man the envelope.

Byron was waiting behind the older man, ready to escort him out. Jennifer and Molly watched as Arnold walked as if the weight on the world was on his shoulders. It was quite different than the determined strides he used to enter the office. Neither woman could find it in their hearts to pity the arrogant man. Justin had been warning him for years to mind himself and to stop siding with Craig. As far as they were concerned, Arnold deserved everything that just befell him; to have his eyes pried open to how Craig had used him, at great cost to himself.

Molly picked up her cell phone, which was resting on the table. Dialing the familiar number, she connected with Justin’s cell and left the message on his voicemail. “It’s done. Call me when you get this. We need to talk about Novotny.”

“What do you have in mind?” Jennifer asked her daughter, when she hung up.

“I don’t know yet, but I’m willing to listen to your advice about Kinney and Kinnetik. I guess we’ll have to see what Justin says about all of this. But he can only make an informed decision with all of the facts. Do you know if Justin knows about the man, who could be considered Brian’s stalker?”

“I doubt there is much that Justin doesn’t know, since technically he and Brian run in the same circles...or should I say fuck circles around the regulars inhabiting Liberty Avenue. But if there really is something developing between Brian and Justin, I think Brian- who lives his life openly and unapologetically- will give Justin all of the information he needs to know.”

“Are you thinking that Justin may have found his elusive match?” Molly smirked at her mother.

“I don’t know about all of that." Jenn laughed in response. "But I do know that if there is more there between them, it will be entertaining to watch the two most unattainable men in this Burgh try to fight the inevitable.”

Pouring cups of coffee for both her mother and herself, Molly proposed a toast. “Well then… let the games begin!!”

“You know, you would make a horrible announcer, Mol,” Jennifer laughed right along with her daughter, happy that her once vivacious child was finally letting herself feel once more. Next up… Craig Taylor must pay!

~AC~

“Fancy meeting you here, Michael,” Lindsay said, as she sat down without waiting for an acknowledgement.

Michael looked up from the coffee cup he was staring into. “What do you want Lindsay?”

“Oh now, Michael… why are you sounding so dejected? Things can’t be that bad.”

“Oh no? Well let me think… my best friend of about twenty years has ejected me from his life; I’ve lost my husband and my job; my mother won’t even speak to me or help me out, and although I’m living above the store, since I no longer own the building, I have to pay five-hundred a month in rent. No, things couldn’t possibly be that bad. Oh and to top it all off, I found out who that fucking blond Brian’s been hanging out with is.”

Lindsay’s ears perked up at the last statement, after tuning out most of the Novotny Whine Express. “Well, who is he? Surely he must be some twink that you can get rid of; you’ve done that before. I’m sure Brian will thank you.”

“Wrong, Lindsay. Fucking wrong! I went to his office, thinking Brian was there because he wasn't at Kinnetik. I was tossed out like yesterday's trash! I still have the bruises on my ass to prove it.”

“Well there you go. A lawsuit should keep the little blond fucker busy. Where does he work?”

“He doesn’t work there, Lindsay. He OWNS the company!”

“Surely you’re mistaken. The boy you described to me couldn’t be more than twenty-one.”

“No, he’s older than he looks. After I heard his name bandied about the Diner, I went to the library, and did some research on him. His name is Justin Taylor. Not only is he the CEO of Taylor Industries, but he’s also the CEO of Winston Inc.”

“So, he’s a trust fund kid. I’ll bet his Daddy is just thrilled that his baby boy is gay, and has taken up with the notorious Brian Kinney.”

Michael shook his head. “That isn’t the only way he makes his money. As if that isn’t enough, he’s also a famous artist and the creator of the Rage video game franchise.”

“Famous artist?" Lindsay scoffed. "I doubt that, since I’ve never heard of him. I know just about everyone in the Art World.”

Michael gave her a skeptical glare. “Apparently not, Oh Ms. High-and-Mighty Art World Enthusi-ASS since you own one of his pieces, and don’t even know that you do. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if Mel has decided to take it with her. It’s probably worth a small fortune. I remember Brian buying it as a gift for Mel paying off the house.” Michael pulled out his cell phone, typing ‘Justin Taylor’ into the search engine. Flipping it around, he showed it to her. “Here, this is the piece that has been in your house for more than four years. It’s called Lucky. But you know that, right?” He sneered, taking back his phone.

“Fine. So what, he’s famous. Even famous people are vulnerable, Michael; probably even moreso than the rest of us. We just have to find the angle in which to get to him.”

“Nope! Tried that, too. Other than hanging out at Babylon and fucking, there isn’t anything else out there to get him away from Brian. He’s just as unapologetic as Brian is, Lindsay. He’s not going to be embarrassed, or blackmailed into anything that could ruin him.”

“Oh ye of little faith,” Lindsay said, as she pulled out her own cell phone. “Lynette, it’s Lindsay, darling. Is Daddy there? Yeah, I need to speak with him about a little PI work, if possible.” Fifteen minutes of frivolous conversation with her sister and her father, and Lindsay got his agreement to look into Justin Taylor's background for her. Turning back to her coffee-shop companion she said, “See, Michael. It’s all about who you know. Now let’s come up with a plan for when we do receive the information. Daddy said it should take about a day.”

Michael smiled at her for the first time since she sat down. “Good, I’m looking forward to getting my best friend back.”

“Me too, Michael. Me too.” Lindsay sipped her coffee, thinking of all the ways she would indeed get Brian, while Michael chattered on listlessly. If he only knew her thoughts, he might not have been so willing to accept her help. But that was a lesson she would be glad to impart to Michael, as soon as Brian was hers.

~AC~

“So basically, you’re telling me that nothing can be done?” Craig paced Roy Johnson’s office, as he had been doing for the past two hours. “He’s just going to get away with this shit?”

“Looks that way, Craig. Not only that, but with Kitty pressing charges against you for assault and battery, he had every right to fire you and evict you from the premises. Why didn’t you take his offer of rehab when you first started getting out of control?”

“I wasn’t out of control dammit!” Craig yelled. He was itching for another sniff of coke, but with Justin blocking all access to the business bank accounts, including the one he set up for the small branch Craig was supposed to grow, he had no way of paying his dealer this time. Craig had a total of three hundred dollars in his personal account and that would have to last him until he could sue Justin. But Roy was sitting there telling him that he didn’t have a case. “Besides, the fucker pulled a gun on me.”

“Really? Is there any proof of such a claim, Craig?”

“Can't you have the weapon subpoenaed or something? It belonged to his bodyguard. Surely my DNA would be on it.”

“That sounds about as far-fetched as you being sober right now.”

“I am sober!”

“You’re not supposed to lie to your lawyer, Craig. When was your last hit?”

Craig sighed. “Four hours ago. It was only a gram, not enough to keep me sated.”

“You need detox. It’s the only way to show that you are apologetic, and may actually keep your ass out of the State Pen. We could say that due to your substance abuse, you had a moment of temporary insanity and impaired judgement while arguing with Kitty. Since she’s gone back to you several times before, her claim could be looked at as a case of Stockholm syndrome.”

“Kitty loves me.”

“Many people love their abusers.”

“I didn’t abuse her.”

“Craig, I saw her medical report. You dogged that woman! Honestly, if I was her, I would have pressed charges against you, too. I would make it stick so long that you would never see the light of day again. But I’m not Kitty, and you’re very lucky that you paid my retainer up for the year, before Justin removed all your access to the other Taylor accounts. Otherwise you would have been stuck with legal aid.”

“Then what the fuck am I here for?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out the same thing, since you don’t seem interested in taking my legal advice. But if you want to go to trial, that’s fine. I’m paid whether you win, or do time. From the looks of this case, you’ll be doing hard time. Let’s not forget the embezzlement charges against you as well, since Justin gave you money to open and grow a Taylor Electronics franchise. You haven’t. Did that money go up your nose as well?” When Craig looked at him with fear in his eyes, Roy had his answer. “I’ll call Jennifer. Maybe she will be the least bit sympathetic, and have you checked into the rehab upstate by the evening.”

“No, she won’t. She’s a bitch, and has turned Kitty against me. Call Justin instead.”

Roy laughed. “You really think he’s going to do anything for you? He’s already dealing with your spite and ill-will regarding the DeCampo account. Your bullshit also gave him reason to fire Arnold Scheffield. Happy now, Craig?”

“He would… he would never fire Arnold! His grandfather must be turning over in his grave.”

“Can, will, and did Craig. And it's all thanks to you and your vendetta. For the record, we both know that J.J. would have approved of Justin’s actions. The man may have been his best friend, but siding with you branded the bastard a traitor. There is more to that story, but I think I’ll let you find that out on your own.”

“You tell Justin that if he doesn’t agree, I’ll go to the press. That amateur, Mark can only spin this tale so much that Justin won’t personally take the hit.”

“That’s the other thing, Craig. Mark is no longer Justin’s publicist for big things. I believe he mentioned that Justin was entertaining Kinnetik, since he fired Vance for his lack of vision.”

“The man who runs Kinnetik is a faggot!”

“Just like your son, Craig. In fact, I would suggest you become more politically correct when speaking of Justin, or homosexuals in general. Your bigotry causes people to turn off their ears, when you’re making a plea to save your ass. Everyone is different in their own way.”

“You sound just like one of them.”

“I should, but only because I’m a well-to-do black man, born and raised in the ghetto of Brownsville, Brooklyn. Needless to say, I’ve faced my own share of hatred and discrimination, even within my own community, for being a light-skinned black. So again, Craig, you should temper your speech since it isn’t politically correct to be a hate monger.”

“Just fucking call Justin! And as for Kinney, wish him luck in spinning this shit if Justin decides to be an asshole.”

“If he does, it will just prove that the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree, since it’s clear who his asshole tendencies stem from,” Roy said, as he picked up the phone.

CHAPTER 8: ROTTEN APPLES

"So here is what we know about your company so far, Mr. Taylor... you want to do more than take it to the next level, you want to explode onto it. The current demographic of twenty and thirty-somethings aren't enough, since they leave out the whole younger generation. But believe it or not, with the introduction of certain interactive gaming systems, even the baby boomer generation has gotten in on the craze of video games. No longer are grandparents and great-grandparents content to sit on the sidelines, allowing the children to have fun. They, too, want to experience the giddy and carefree days of their youth, while having something in common with their children and grandchildren. To that end, I say we expand your vision a bit." Brian pitched to Justin, and his team.

As Cynthia and Marcia presented the boards, Ted and Maggie were already hard at work figuring out the cost. Using the premise of the Rage videogames Justin was famous for, Marcia had created an interactive sequence using 3D drawings. Justin smiled, impressed that they had thought this far ahead, while he had been questioning this very idea. It was innovative on Kinnetik's part. And if Justin loved nothing else, he loved those willing to take the initiative, not just sit around thinking about it.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "Well it seems as if you've thought of everyone. I think the systems games can be modified even further, to also include people who are disabled. So the question is: where do you see this campaign going and what are the costs?"

"First, we introduce the two new gaming systems. As a preliminary package, they will get the console and two new games, based on the demographic they are purchasing the system for. With the children's package, they get one educational game and the other geared toward a family fun night. If the purchase is for personal use and the patron is over the age of 17, they can have the choice of action/adventure or sports-related, which will encourage them to buy the necessary accessories to play it. As for the senior sect, I would suggest packaging with the family or sports games only. Sure, there may be some that like the action/adventure games, but the family-friendly and sports games will help them learn how to use the system, first and foremost."

"Interesting concept, Mr. Kinney. Will Phase II of the campaign run similar to Phase I, or haven't you gotten that far yet?"

Brian chuckled, and winked at Justin. "Mr. Taylor, the one thing that you will find, should you sign with Kinnetik, is that we always look at the big picture first and work backwards, not the other way around."

"I suppose that's why you have become so successful in such a relatively short amount of time. What other services can Kinnetik offer in terms of beyond the campaigns for our products?"

Cynthia chimed in, "We offer our clients an array of services, including acting as our client's official publicist. Since our involvement with a company also affects our bottom line, it behooves us to be involved in all aspects of their public relations."

"I like the thought of having a full-service company, who doesn't just focus on our advertising. In light of my current personal issues, this would mean that you would also take on all aspects of our press coverage. Are you prepared for that, as well?"

"Does it specifically relate only to Taylor Industries, or are we also talking about Winston, Inc.? I should warn you that if you are seeking our services for both companies, the fee does go up. But to be fair, we might be willing to negotiate," Brian said, already seeing the possibilities, financially and personally. It wasn't his way to mix business and pleasure, but with Justin Taylor, he couldn't seem to not want to.

"It would extend to all my business needs, Mr. Kinney. I have several, including a lucrative art career and several galleries. To be fair, we- my family and I- expect some trouble from two former employees, one of which is my sperm-donor. Mark, who has been filling in as my publicist since I fired the last one, has done his best thus far. But this is more than he is qualified to handle. It's bound to either go away or get ugly. I need to know that you won't run from the fight."

Brian, Cynthia and Mel exchanged looks while Ted simply guffawed, disguising it as a cough. Brian asked, "How extensive was the investigation you did on me, Justin?"

Justin smiled. "Enough to know that you were no danger to me, Brian."

"And what did you think of the reason why I left Vanguard?"

"I have to admit that I was impressed. You didn't compromise your integrity, even while you still did your job during office hours. The problem is that my life, my career, and my business are not something I can turn on or off. It is 24/7 for me."

"Be that as it may, I think I can safely say that we will meet the challenge with the same grace we always do. My team has been with me for many years, even before Ryder Advertising became Vanguard. I hand-selected those who came with me, and hired a few newcomers who are of a like mind to be the best. Like anywhere else, there are a few glitches, but our clients are never the ones to know. We handle our business in house and believe in career growth, even from the janitor. That said, I don't think you will ever have to question our dedication to our clients. I personally oversee every single account and every client has a direct line to me, regardless of who their representative is within the company."

"Good to know. Do you have the contracts?"

"I do. Although Donovan will be there once we touch down in New York, Melanie is also well-versed in the standard contract for Kinnetik and will be happy to answer any questions you or your staff have. As quiet as it is kept, Mel helped me to draw up the contracts when we first began Kinnetik, and has stayed on as a consultant since. I would offer her the job as one of my Corporate attorneys, but she's a prideful bitch."

"Thank you, Brian, for that glowing recommendation. It's a wonder I haven't taken you up on your offer with that stellar review," Melanie said, from the table where she was seated with Ted and Maggie. "Mr. Taylor, if you and Mr. Brandt would like a few minutes to confer, as Brian said, I will be happy to answer your questions."

Peter was already going over the contract, and the fine print of the document. Like Maggie, Peter had been a legacy employee of Taylor Industries, who also worked for Winston Inc. Since he also served as Justin's personal attorney, Justin trusted Peter implicitly to guard his interests at all costs.

As Peter and Melanie began to go over the finer details, Justin's cell phone rang. Looking at the Caller ID, he rolled his eyes before answering. "What is it?"

"Just thought you would like to know that your father is thinking about going to the press. I told him that you would probably pay for him to go to rehab, but that his job and title within Taylor is finished," Roy Johnson said.

"Roy, I don't give a shit what Craig does, except if he overdoses on my property. He and Arnold are on their own. Besides, I don't believe in wasting my money. It would definitely be a waste to put Craig in rehab, because he doesn't want help and he would have to be honest- two things he's totally incapable of."

"Justin, please... do you know what this will do to you personally if Craig makes good on his threats? I don't give a shit about him, but I do care about you."

Justin sighed. He'd known Roy for many years, and knew that the man genuinely did love him. "I know Roy, but this... it is a chance I have to take. Craig keeps starting fires that I have to put out. Not only that, he's an addict and expects me to let him run my businesses into the ground by supporting him. He let himself get out of control. Until he really hits rock bottom, there's nothing any of us can do for him. Perhaps while he's locked up, he'll be able to detox and get the help he needs. But it can't- it won't- come from me. Not this time."

"Alright, Justin. Alright. Have you decided on Kinnetik as a publicist? From the looks of it, you're going to need him sooner rather than later."

"Yes. Peter and Brian's attorney are going over the contracts right now. Thankfully they brought their laptops, so there won't be any delay."

"Good. I would ask you once more to reconsider, but I know you too well, Justin Taylor."

"Glad that you've finally figured that out after all these years, old man." Justin laughed, before becoming serious again. "I guess that all there is left to say is for you to do your best by the bastard. Don't let his shit destroy the reputation you've worked so hard to build. Craig is a lost cause, but I know you have to honor his contract."

"No hard feelings?"

"None whatsoever. My war with Craig has nothing to do with you and me. We're still solid. I'm in New York to deal with the DeCampos personally. I'll see you when I can."

"Alright, young blood. See you soon."

After they hung up, Justin sat silently for a time. Realizing that he needed his space, Brian sat quietly and observed the younger man. He seemed much too young to have the weight of the world on his shoulders like that. Yet Brian couldn't help but respect how Justin carried himself. Even now with his blue eyes taking in the scenery, Brian didn't detect a deflated bone in his body.

Justin's posture was strong, his brow furrowed in quiet determination. Strength of character, and will poured off of him in waves. Brian couldn't not admire that. He recognized so much of himself in the way Justin approached adversity- head on, no running, no apologies, no excuses, no regrets. And not for the first time did Brian notice the difference between Justin, and the people he had once regarded as his best friends.

Michael would have whined, and complained until the people around him had bloody ears. Brian couldn't determine whether it would happen because of the high-pitched decibel, or from his victims trying to tear the ears off the sides of their heads. Meanwhile Lindsay would have ranted and raved before giving into the demands. Not Justin. No, Justin Taylor silently weighed his decisions, acted with decisiveness and bore the consequences with class, dignity, and elegance.

He didn't expect anyone to fix his problems, or justify his actions. Justin didn't look for approval, or wallow in self-pity. Brian suspected that, even in his capacity as Justin's publicist, the statements and sentiments he made would come directly from Justin. It would be his job to spin the words to make them palatable for the public, but they would still have Justin's sentiments all over them. Brian smiled at that. He was convinced, now more than ever, that he and Justin Taylor would make a formidable team.   

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Captain speaking. We'll be landing in New York within the next twenty minutes. We are preparing now for our descent. I ask that you make sure your chairs are in their upright position, and request that all electronics be turned off at this time."

As everyone prepared to follow the Captain's instructions, and Emmett went to drag a sleeping Gus from the bedroom on board, Justin slid into the seat next to Brian. He unflinchingly signed document after document, hiring Kinnetik as the premiere company to handle all Public Relations. This included all facets of advertising for Taylor Industries and Winston Inc., and any public statements concerning the CEO and his family. The same would apply to all of Justin's other businesses, which would be discussed once they reached the hotel. It was one hell of a BIG deal, both figuratively and literally, but Brian was looking forward to the challenge.

"So, Mr. Kinney, I hope you're ready to put my money where your mouth is. You're the official publicist the moment we touch down."

"I'll put your money where my mouth is for now, but later, I'll show you what other things my mouth is good for." Brian told him quietly.

Justin smiled brightly at Brian's suggestion, a shiver going through his body. "I'm looking forward to it."

~AC~

Lindsay decided that while she was waiting for the detective report from her father, she would be proactive in laying the groundwork to bring Brian to heel. Walking into the lobby of Taylor Industries was the first move in accomplishing that goal. Looking around, she noticed the exquisite artwork lining the walls and the sturdy yet elegant architecture of steel, chrome and glass which complimented the artwork. She could literally stand there all day and marvel at the talent displayed all around her; the place literally screamed innovative creativity to her.

"May I help you?" the voice of a woman took Lindsay out of her reverie.

Lindsay turned to face the most elegant woman she had ever seen, even if she was noticeably younger than she was herself. "Ah, yes. I'm actually here to speak with Justin Taylor or any member of his family. You see my...husband, is on a business trip this weekend and I was hoping that I could speak with Mr. Taylor about not hiring Kinnetik."

The young woman eyed her suspiciously for a moment but covered really well. "Well, I'm Marlinda Taylor. Perhaps we should adjourn to my office to discuss this in more detail. I'm particularly interested in knowing why my brother should take your advice in not hiring your husband." Molly stated. There was something fishy about this woman's story, but she would play the bitch's game. And she knew her mother would also be interested in hearing this. "Excuse me a moment. I just need to confirm that my mother is still within the office."

Molly placed her call while surreptitiously watching the tall bleach-blonde in front of her. If there was one thing Molly knew, it was a greedy woman. She'd spent much of her life dealing with her father who was as avaricious as anyone could get. So much so that she had basically been sold to the Hobbs family for their heir-apparent. Well that was until Chris disappeared and she was able to get a rush annulment, thanks to Justin. Molly recognized the same type of ruthless regard in the woman currently pricing every piece of Justin's artwork in her head.

Speaking into the phone with Lila, their joint Executive Assistant, Molly confirmed that Jennifer was still within the office taking care of the last minute details of Arnold's termination. She also made sure that Lila knew to increase security in the lobby, effective immediately. Turning back to their uninvited guest, Molly decided right then that no matter what her brother said, she would be hiring Kinnetik if for no other reason than to stick in the uppity bitch's craw.

"Mrs...."

"Kinney. Lindsay Peterson-Kinney," she said, smiling at the way the name rolled off her tongue.

"Mrs. Peterson-Kinney, this way. My mother and I will definitely speak with you about Kinnetik's owner. I have to tell you though, we've done a thorough background check on him and his company. There wasn't any mention of you, outside of being the mother of his son."

Lindsay frowned, anger flashing in her eyes that was quickly masked. "Well... well, the marriage is new. It's only been a few weeks, so it's possible that all the paperwork hasn't been filed yet."

"Oh, of course," Molly said, although she knew that wasn't how the system worked. She would play with Lindsay for now. But she highly doubted that Jennifer would.

Entering the office, Lindsay once again was in awe of the tasteful elegance of the furnishings. More artwork hung within the space, along with two large painted portraits. Molly watched Lindsay once again as the woman stood analyzing the quality of work and the potential cost of each piece.

"These are fantastic!"

"Thank you. I'll let the artist know."

"The artist? Who is he? I would definitely recommend him to the most reputable gallery in town. I'm very close friends with the owner of the Bloom Gallery."

"I'll be sure to let my brother know."

"Your brother? Your brother painted these?"

"Indeed, Justin did," Jennifer spoke up. "My son is a man of many talents, including running both companies. Please have a seat. Molly, did you call and delay our other appointments?"

"I asked Lila to do it, Mom. Also the other jet is being prepared now for our departure to New York within the hour."

"Well then I suppose we should get down to business then. Ms. Peterson, what can we do for you?"

"I prefer Mrs. Kinney, Mrs Taylor. It's my married name now."

"Oh, I was not aware," Jennifer stated as she pulled out a file from the drawer. "As I understand it, you are Lindsay Anne Peterson, daughter of Ronald James and Maureen Nancy Hobbs-Peterson. Maureen was often called by her middle name, since she shared a first name with her grandmother. Nancy and Ronald had three children- one of which was a twin to your older sister, Lynette. The deceased baby girl was the original Lindsay Peterson. You came along a year later. Let's save time, and not go through all of your formative years. Instead we'll jump ahead to when you attended college, after graduating St. Mary's High School.

"Originally you attended Carnegie Mellon, until you met a Rebecca Tucci and also a Michael Novotny. Your parents thought that Rebecca was a bad influence on you, so they had you transferred to Penn State. You and Michael became friends through your frequent trips with Rebecca to Liberty Diner, located at 1222 Liberty Avenue. There Rebecca and Michael would talk- incessantly, I imagine- about their best friend Brian Kinney, who was attending Penn State on dual scholarship for academics and soccer. From that day to this one, you and Brian remained friends, until recently. You have a partner named Melanie Marcus, who Brian initially despised- I suspect that was your influence- but they have since become civil to each other, mainly because she is carrying his second child. The offspring of you and Brian's was named Gus Kinney Marcus-Peterson, and was begot upon your insistence. This is from the investigator's report I received as recently as Thursday morning. Justin had gathered his own intel weeks before, when he first considered Kinnetik a viable business to align his companies with. This is mine, obtained purely for personal reasons. Need I go on, MISS Peterson?"

Lindsay swallowed hard, hearing her entire life laid before her, even some things she wasn't aware of. It was then that she realized that coming to the Taylor building, trying to throw a monkey wrench in Brian's business deal so that he would concentrate more on her, was as big of a mistake as Michael had made. She decided to try a different approach to her goals. "No, there is no need to go on any further, Mrs. Taylor. However, I would like to point out that Brian working for a company as large as yours would limit time with his son, and future child. I'm here in their best interests."

"Lindsay, do I look like a fool to you? I have raised two successful children, who were both millionaires before they were eighteen. No, their money was not received by ill-gotten gains, nor a trust fund. It was EARNED, because of their superior intelligence, determination, and the ability to know good opportunities when they see them. It also extends to them knowing when the people around them are full of shit. I suspect they inherited their bullshit detector from their grandparents, and myself. So you don't get to come in here and lie about everything, then expect us to roll over and believe you. I will be sure to let Brian know that you were here, and your opinion about how he runs his business." She was gratified to see Lindsay's look of arrogance, and self-righteousness turn into one of horror. Not even the rouge on her cheeks could cover the fact that she had turned pale at the mention of Brian finding out about Lindsay's visit. Good!

"A word of advice," Molly added. "Stop thinking with your pussy, which he will never want by the way. Leave Brian and Justin alone, because you should be advised, you aren't prepared for the consequences if you piss Justin off."

"Is that a threat?" Lindsay gasped, seeing all her carefully laid plans and contingency plans being wrenched away from her.

"No... we Taylors don't make threats. Threats are beneath us. We make promises, and are not afraid to follow through with them. Also, you might want to warn your parents that the promise also extends to them. I never did like Nancy. The Hobbs family is a blight on the world of WASP. I'm sure the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree where she is concerned. After all, she raised you. Now, we have a flight to catch, so good day, Miss Peterson." Jennifer said.  

Molly and Jennifer watched as Lindsay nearly stumbled on her way to the door in an effort to look dignified. Once the door closed behind her, Molly turned to her mother. "I still have my reservations about Justin's involvement with Brian Kinney. But I must admit, the man needs help, if that bitch and the twit that was kicked out yesterday are the people he considers friends."

"He has two other friends, but they are nothing like Lindsay and Michael. The thing is, those two will do and say anything to keep Brian alone, since neither one of them will ever have him the way they want. I think you need to actually read the investigator's report, Molly. There is a lot more to the man Brian Kinney has become, than what is presented now. It's a true ‘Rags-to-Riches story.'"

"So you've read the entire report?"

"Yes I have, and let me just say that Brian and Justin have met each other's match in ways that both men cannot have bargained for."

"Well if firing Arnold and dealing with Lindsay Peterson was the morning's entertainment, I can't wait to see what the afternoon and evening brings."

CHAPTER 9: SOUR GRAPES

Daphne Chanders walked into the headquarters of Prada USA division, fairly pissed off. Instead of going back to Pittsburgh, she received a call from Molly Taylor about Craig and Arnold’s latest antics. After sleeping in hotels for the better part of ten months- her choice, but whatever- she longed for her own bed. Her job was primarily as an International Liaison between Winston Inc and Taylor Enterprises, along with acting as the primary contact for Justin’s other personal businesses. It was a career that she generally loved to distraction and a much needed, very welcomed diversion after the death of her son.

However, over the last six months her role had been reduced to that of a fucking fire extinguisher. Arnold, for some reason, was determined that Craig have the inheritance he was passed over for. There was more to that unholy alliance than met the eye. Like Justin, she knew that J.J. Taylor placed the company in Justin’s hands to protect his best friend Arnold from the same homophobic asshole he was hellbent on supporting. None of them could figure out what kept Arnold backing a man who would toss his ass out faster than a seasoned whore turned tricks without change to spare.

But one thing she was certain of... if Craig and Arnold’s flat and fat asses weren’t fired for this latest round of bullshit, she swore to herself that she would castrate them both before burying them alive with their dicks in each other’s mouths. She was that tired of them! Sighing for the third time in as many minutes, Daphne adjusted her suit, which she had changed into just before the approach to JFK International Airport, and refreshed her makeup while staring into the restroom mirror. A little pressed powder, a little lipgloss, and barely a touch of charcoal gray eyeshadow to match her silk shirt, and VOILA!

Done, except for her hair! I may be utterly exhausted but thank fuck, I don’t look like I am, she thought to herself. She felt the anger at the assholes trying to creep up again, but she didn't have time to let it fester. It was time like this- the times when she needed to redirect her anger- that she was glad she had to actually put in some real effort with her hair; the act grounded her. Pulling out her hard-bristled brush, she began to tame her naturally curly hair into a semblance of the straight style she favored when attending meetings.

Once finally where she wanted it, she took some water into her hand and mixed it with a little gel to slick into her hair. She allowed her ponytail in the back to hang long, instead of effecting the severe bun she always wore. After the long flight, she just didn't have the patience to twist and knot the hair at the base of her neck. The DeCampos already knew to expect her, so that small mark of casualness wouldn’t be minded. And for that she was grateful.

During the limo ride to the office building in Midtown, she had a moment to think about the situation. From what she had gleaned from Molly, this was deliberately done because of some altercation Craig had with Justin. She needed to figure out exactly how to work that angle, especially with Caesar DeCampo. He was very similar to how Craig Taylor was, but without the overt idiocy. He also believed that as the man- the patriarch- of the family, his will was to be obeyed at all times, without question.

It had taken many arguments between him, and his wife to get him to be at all flexible when dealing with his grown children. But every now and again, that stinking thinking would rear its ugly head. She could only hope that this wasn’t such a time. The last thing Justin needed to be told was that he should respect a man, simply because they shared DNA. If Caesar even looked like he would direct that thought to her boss and best friend, Justin would flay him alive.

And that would just be one more fire for me to put out. No, the best person to talk to first would be Donatella, who was the real power behind the high-fashion empire. Although Caesar had the presence which made the company what it has become, Donatella was the beauty and brains of the operation. She knew how to handle people. And although there wasn’t a doubt that Caesar loved Justin as his own son, there was still the matter of their ginormous egos to contend with.

Between Donatella and her, they would have to find a way to keep the two headstrong men from acting as bulls in a china shop, each wrestling for some sort of control over the other. Alighting from the elevator, Daphne made her way to the reception desk. “Good Afternoon, I’m Daphne Chanders here to see Donatella DeCampo.”

“Do you have an appointment?” the young receptionist asked, looking at the computer screen. She had yet to make eye contact with Daphne.

“No I don’t but…”

“Well then there is no way you will be seeing Ms. DeCampo today. She does not take unsolicited interviews.”

Daphne’s already frayed nerves were grating even further, when the little chicken-head sniffed as she looked her up and down. Trying for a calm she certainly didn’t feel, Daphne said, “As I was saying, Miss, she will see me. It’s regarding one of her biggest accounts. Kindly call Shelly, her personal assistant, which is clearly the position you are bucking for but will never have, and tell her that I am here. NOW!”

Before the receptionist, who had narrowed her eyes at Daphne, began to speak, she heard her name being called. Turning to look for the accented male voice, she was surprised and delighted to see Cesarino DeCampo just coming off of the elevator.

“Daphne, what a lovely surprise. You are as beautiful as always,” he said as he kissed each of her cheeks.

“You’re not bad on the eyes yourself, Chaz. You are still going by that name when you are here in the States, aren’t you?” It was a running joke between them since people always either mispronounced his name, or confused him with his father.

“Yes. My American name suits me just fine when I’m in America, thank you very much. Are you on your way to see Father? Is Justin with you?” He looked past her, trying to detect the presence of the blond. Daphne laughed at his transparent look of disappointment.

“Justin will be along shortly. He is still en route from Pittsburgh, I imagine. We only received word of this debacle, while I was on a plane heading back from Italy.”

He nodded. “Arnold, how do you say… really stepped in it this time, huh?”

Daphne laughed at the carefully worded saying uttered in his accent. “Yes, he did. And Justin is beyond pissed this time. I will be surprised if the idiot is able to keep his job. I hope Craig has a way of digging him out of the hole he’s made for himself. I mean, after all these years…”

“I know. Father had a similar problem once, remind him to tell Justin about it. In the meantime, I imagine that you will like to talk to Mother first?”

They were moving to the elevator when the receptionist called out. “Uh, Mr. DeCampo, she doesn’t have an appointment. I doubt Mrs. DeCampo would be happy for the intrusion, especially on a Saturday.” She scowled in Daphne’s direction as Chaz uttered a host of epithets at and about the little upstart, causing Daphne to suppress a chuckle.

Schooling his own features into one of polite indifference, while turning back to her, he said, “She doesn’t need one. Any and I do mean any of Justin Taylor’s representatives are welcome here with or without an appointment, any time of the day or night. Thank you for trying to do your job efficiently, but in future, you would do well to remember that if you don’t know something, you should ask.  Come on Daphne, Mother will be most anxious to get all of the information on this latest insanity courtesy of Craig Taylor.

Daphne moved behind Cesarino, fighting the urge to turn back and stick her tongue out at the still-pinched faced chick at the desk. But above all things, she considered herself a consummate professional, and would not allow the insignificant young woman to drive her to becoming petty. Daphne Chanders was above that. Keeping that in mind, she straightened her spine just that tiny bit more and readjusted her head to that arrogant stance all WASPs were known for. As she turned in the elevator, just before the door closed, she could see the effect it had on her temporary, unimportant nemesis.

Yeah bitch, I’m the real deal; you’re the fake.

Chaz noticed and laughed. “Arrogance becomes you, my beautiful wise one.”

Daphne flashed him a huge smile. “It always has. I just try to make the peasants that cross my path feel to be my equal.” They shared a laugh as the doors opened, and Daphne realized that it was show time.

~AC~

The flash of numerous cameras blinded each of them, as they alighted from the corporate jet of Taylor Enterprises. Although not unexpected, it was still a nuisance. Melanie and Emmett were doing their best to shield Gus, as they made their way to the waiting limousine through the throng of reporters shouting questions. They were followed by Ted, Maggie, and Marcia, who were only too happy to enter their mobile safe haven. Fortunately Donovan had arrived and was waiting for them at the hangar.

He moved towards his boss and Justin, hand outstretched. “Interesting return to New York you’re having, Brian.”

“Well what can I say? You know how much I like to make an entrance.” The two men laughed, which was joined in by Cynthia. Donovan had worked with them for such a long time, that their repartee was old hap for her. “I suppose I should introduce you to our newest client, although judging by this crowd, it shouldn’t be needed.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Taylor, even if I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Likewise, Donovan. Unfortunately, the reason I’m in New York can’t be helped. This is all his doing.”

Donovan nodded. He had already been brought up to speed during Brian’s flight there. “Well, I’m sure between Mr. Brandt and I, we’ll figure out what actions we can take against him, if that’s your wish.”

“It is, but for now I’ll refrain from doing so. Making any overt challenges to him right now will have him playing the victim card. It doesn’t matter though, since nothing he does will make me bend over for him.”

“Okay, the idea of that is just disturbing, on so many levels,” Brian drawled, causing the others to laugh. “In the meantime, you’re going to have to make a statement, Justin.”

“My statement is more than clear. Craig Taylor can go to hell. But then the devil himself would probably kick him out for trying to overthrow the government there.”

“Although, I’m inclined to put it to the press just like that, the fact that you share DNA would likely cause this situation to get even more out of hand. That said, I think we have enough people- cast and crew, not to mention the spectators- here to hold an impromptu press conference. This way Craig cannot deny the facts, no matter what his irrational mind might come up with next.”

Justin paused, seeming to think of all the angles this debacle could be spun to his advantage. Coming to a decision, he said, “Fine, Brian. But make it count.”

Brian smiled at the young CEO, his cockiness matching the order Justin had issued. Being flanked by the attorneys and Cynthia, Brian walked confidently to where the press was gathered. Raising his hand, he was immediately gratified when silence reigned. He smirked inwardly, thinking that there must be a reason why this story garnered such interest, where the press was eager- almost rabid- for answers that a simple hand gesture quieted the hungry crowd. Clearing his throat, he began.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, my name is Brian Kinney, CEO of Kinnetik Enterprises. However, my current role is that of Mr. Taylor’s official publicist. On the occasions that my client requires this service, it will be either myself or the Chief of Operations for Kinnetik, Ms. Cynthia Moore, who will stand before you to issue any official statements in Mr. Taylor’s personal interests, or that of his companies. Accepting the word of any substitute, will certainly result in legal ramifications. Now, I will start by saying the information you have been given is true. However, there were mitigating circumstances which you were not made aware of.

"It is true that Craig Taylor has been, in a sense, disowned by the Taylor family. The reason for that is private, however, publically I will state that the continued affiliation is not conducive to business goals and needs. In fact, it has proven to be downright detrimental. I will take your questions, but please keep in mind, that we reserve the right not to answer them. At any point during this press conference, which we are graciously giving without being asked or harassed, we also reserve the right to dismiss ourselves. This is a business trip and not one of pleasurable pursuits, so we do have a tight schedule to keep. This is your opportunity to ask decent, and fair-minded questions; it is advised that you use it wisely. I’ll take the first of your inquiries now.”

Justin stood by and watched a veritable master at work, even further convinced that he’d done the right thing by hiring Brian’s firm. It was fortuitous that the company also specialized in public relations. He thought back to all the times Mark had been put in the unenviable position of being his mouthpiece. The confidence and grace Brian exuded was vastly different from the cold sweat his friend would almost always break into. Justin could understand why Kinnetik’s fees were astronomical to many, but listening to Brian answer or field questions with charm, dignity, and the occasional bit of flair was mesmerizing. In Justin’s mind, it was money well-spent.

A red-haired reporter spoke up then. “Why the sudden secrecy? The Taylor and Winston families have always lived their lives openly, with nothing to hide. So why now?”

“It’s not that they aren’t living as openly as they have before; it’s that now there is more at stake. Understand that we are not here to bad-mouth the senior Mr. Taylor, but merely to point out the fact that while you have been given the truth, you have not been given the whole story. What brought you here today is only the tip of the iceberg. I would advise you to do your research before you print, or visually report anything.” Brian says.

“So your client believes it’s his right to disown his father?” Another reporter called out. Already Brian could tell the man was not only a homophobe, but a man a lot like his own father had been. The blue veins in his hawkish nose were very telling to Brian.

“In this case, yes. Craig Taylor has been given numerous chances to clean up his act and grow the business his son kindly gave to him, after he was disowned by his own father. There were various contretemps between J.J. Taylor and his son, resulting in Craig Taylor being passed over to inherit.”

“What were they?” The reporter narrowed his eyes, as if daring Brian to withhold the information.

Brian smirked. “Amongst other things, J.J. Taylor employed people from all walks of life, including those of alternative lifestyles. The late great Mr. Taylor did not wish to see any of his employees, who have done their jobs to the best of their abilities and make the company as successful as it is, unfairly terminated based on sexual orientation or unwillingness to change their lifestyles to suit Craig Taylor. There are also a host of single parents in the company, who would have been turned out simply because they are either unmarried or divorced.”

“And why is that wrong? Mr. Taylor is obviously conservative and believes in family values.”

“So much so that he would rather children starve than have their parents continue to earn a decent wage with support, such as Tuition Reimbursement, Childcare, Flex Spending accounts, and the like. Mr…”

“Robertson. John Robertson with the Sun Times.”

“Mr. Robertson with the Sun Times, I realize that you are a conservative man who writes for a newspaper, which pushes that specific agenda. I respect you for holding to your values. However, I also believe that the press should be impartial and not bigoted in any form, or fashion when reporting the news. It is therefore, my belief, that you are standing here with an article already written based on fabrication and conjecture. You are hereby publicly warned again that ANY word that is deemed inappropriate, including that of your personal beliefs that children should obey their fathers, even at high costs to themselves, will result in slander and defamation of character lawsuits. I’m not sure what your relationship is to the senior Mr. Taylor, or what you stand to gain by publicly challenging Justin Taylor’s position as the head of his family. But I can assure you that whatever it is will come out, and the same ditch you are trying to dig for my client, will be the one your career will rot in. Keep that in mind, Sir. I have time for one more question...”

A small blond woman at the front of the crowd spoke. “Mr. Kinney, according to Craig Taylor, he asked his son for financial help but was refused. Can you tell us why that is?”

“Since it is a matter of public record, I can. Justin Taylor has had to financially rescue Craig Taylor numerous times. Now whereas Justin is not a selfish man and understands that there is more than enough fortune to take care of his family, he is also not unnecessarily wasteful. He honors his legacy, cultivating and growing his businesses in order to keep those employed within his company in a manner of living that they have been accustomed to. He believes in fostering the same family-like legacy, which his grandfathers left within each of their companies.

"That said, on many occasions, Craig Taylor abused his son’s generosity and loving spirit. This time, Justin offered to place Craig in a facility that would get him the help he desperately needs, but he was refused. Plain and simple, Craig Taylor wants money. Although I will not publicly state the reason, I will advise you again to do your research, since it is also a matter of public record, even though it is also being held for possible litigation. As for my client, he has done his best by the man who sired him, but now he’s through. You can only help a person, if they genuinely want it; it’s clear that Craig Taylor does not. That’s all we have time for today. Thank you for welcoming us to New York, and we’ll see you soon.”

As Brian moved off from in front of the press, who were still shouting questions at him, he ushered his party to the waiting limo. Melanie and Emmett looked shocked, but Ted’s look was that of pride. He had seen Brian conduct these sort of interviews on many occasions for their other clients, and it never failed to amaze him what a consummate spin doctor Brian was. As for Justin, he couldn’t stop beaming at the man, realizing just what Brian had done for him.

“Brian, you were brilliant! My mother and sister are going to love you. Hell, even I’m tempted to.” He laughed.

Brian folded his lips in at the compliment. “I just gave them what they wanted… the whole truth, but without incurring lawsuits. Basically, your wish of consigning Craig Taylor to hell was just accomplished. Once all of the information about the abuse of his live-in girlfriend, the attempted and deliberate sabotage of his business and yours, and his continued drug abuse come out, there won’t be a place he can run or hide. No one will blame you for washing your hands of him.”

“Except that bigoted bastard Robertson,” Justin grumbled.

“Don’t worry about Robertson; I know his type. There is some connection between him and Craig, which is obvious. I’m pretty certain that while the press is digging, they will find that too. We just have to be patient and wait. In the meantime, you have businesses to run, so do that. Mel, Donovan, and Peter, make sure you keep your eyes open. I don’t trust any of them not to embellish the facts they were given.”

“Brian, I hate to bring this up but… well, it’s come to my attention that Lindsay is having Justin investigated. According to Molly, she arrived at the corporate office this morning, pretending to be your new wife,” Maggie said.

“WHAT?!?!?!” Mel, Ted, and Emmett yelled even as Brian laughed. “What the hell is so funny about that, Brian?” Melanie asked, fuming that Lindsay would be that desperate.

“Well you don’t think she thought this up all by herself, do you? That is something that Michael probably convinced her to do, since he hasn’t been able to catch up with me. Better some action instead of inaction while they wait for the investigator’s report, right? Justin, didn’t you say he was thrown out of the building yesterday?”

“Yeah, he was. Molly saw to it.”

“Well there’s your answer. Lindsay and Michael would try anything to bring Brian to their sides. The sad thing is that they are bound to get even more desperate, especially Lindsay, since Gus isn’t within reach this time,” Emmett pointed out.

“So I guess we just sit tight and wait for the next ignorant move,” Brian said. “In the meantime, we go about our lives and Justin owes me for services rendered this morning…”

“I’ll write you a check.”

“No, I have something a little more… personal, in mind.”

Justin smiled wide at Brian’s suggestion. “I’ll look forward to it.”

~AC~

Michael barreled into the coffee shop, mentally exhausted from just having his ass handed to him by his mother. Then realizing that he was running late for this meeting, he practically ran the entire distance between the Diner and Birch Street Cafe. Her ass better be here, or I'm gonna be pissed for rushing around for nothing! Sweating profusely and looking around, he finally spotted her. She was sitting there sipping her coffee, and staring off into space like she’d just been given the shock of her life.

He pushed through the crowd amid various ‘heys’ and ‘watch where the fuck you’re goings,’ uncaring of the near-carnage of hot beverages he’d left in his wake in his anxiousness to hear what she’d found out. He sat down as if the chair was indeed a lifeline before addressing her hurriedly. “Sorry, I’m late, Lindz. Ma was in rare form today!”

“No matter, Michael. And besides Deb is rare form everyday, but I suppose that’s considered normal for her.”

Michael let that comment pass, as the last thing he wanted was to get into an argument with the one person still talking to him. But she sure was one to talk about parents though; at least, his supported his sexuality! But that was a conversation for another day. “So what did you find out? Has the investigator’s report come back yet? How close are we to getting rid of Brian’s new piece?”

“Nothing. No. Not a chance,” was her sullen response.

“Huh?”

Lindsay sighed harshly. “I found out nothing, except that his mother and sister are high-class bitches. Did you know they had the temerity to have ME investigated?! They knew chapter and verse about my life, including my parents’ lives. My mother has a lot to answer for! And no, the investigator’s report isn’t going to come back either. Apparently, Mrs. Jennifer Taylor called my father after I left that accursed building, and told him the real reason I wanted the report... not the one we came up with, that I was simply checking up on Brian for Gus’ sake.

"My father told me that I was a fool to fuck with the most powerful family of Pittsburgh; one of the most powerful ones in New York, too. In no uncertain terms, he’s withdrawn his unwitting support of our cause, told me to find a fucking life and not to contact him unless it has something to do with me suddenly becoming straight and deciding to marry his business partner’s son. I would rather be dead than marry that fish faced, Harold Archer. His mouth-breathing alone makes my stomach turn, but the idea of his sweaty, protruding gut rubbing against me continuously in his imitation of having sex...well, I draw the fucking line at that!” Her voice had escalated with every word, which had all activity within the cafe ceasing.

“Lindsay! Lindsay, get ahold of yourself,” Michael warned, narrowing his eyes at the other patrons staring in their direction. His glare was collectively returned for a few moments until the other customers finally decided he wasn’t worth the effort, and resumed their own quiet conversations and ordering. “So does this mean that piece of blond boy ass is untouchable? There has to be something!”

“Oh, there’s something alright...his father, Craig Taylor. But at the moment, there is nothing that can be done about, with or for him.”

“What do you mean?”

“According to the latest press conference, given by none other than Brian Kinney himself, Justin has decided that unless Craig enters rehab, the court orders and charges of drug abuse stand.”

“What? How did you find out about them if the investigator’s report hasn’t come back yet?”

“Since it’s all a matter of public record, I used Mel’s contacts within the police department to get an inkling of what’s going on by pretending to be her. People are so stupid! Anyway, her contact called the New York precinct closest to a prominent neighborhood in Central Park. I figured trying that area would be closest to where the Taylors actually live, and I was only half right. Craig Taylor lives- or should I say lived- in that area until as recently as last night. Justin evicted him, although his live-in girlfriend still lives there, for now.”

“So?”

“So the contact was only too happy to relay all of the information to me: why he was disowned by both Justin’s grandfather and now Justin; how long the family feud has been going on; what sparked the feelings of contempt… everything! Did you know that Justin was a father at eighteen, but the baby died? It was kept from the public, but was the subject of a loud argument and fight between Craig and Justin, one which resulted in J.J. Taylor disowning Craig. My mother probably knows more, since Jennifer also mentioned something about the Hobbs family. I know that Marlinda Taylor was engaged to my mother’s nephew awhile back and married him, but the marriage was annulled. No one has seen the young man since.”

“You don’t think…”

“I don’t know, Michael. But I suspect that if we find young Christopher, Justin will be too busy cleaning up that mess to be bothered with Brian.”

“And maybe, just maybe, Brian will finally come to his senses regarding his real friends, without that piece of blond boy ass trash to cloud his vision.”

They clinked cups, deciding on a plan to find the missing Christopher Hobbs, each hopeful that his return would bring about the destruction of Justin Taylor. How funny was it that they never even noticed how the people around them had, once again, gone extra quiet and were listening attentively to every single word said.  

CHAPTER 10: DAMAGE CONTROL

Daphne, in the company of Chaz, walked into the lavish offices of the matriarch of the DeCampo family. She always marveled at Donatella’s proclivity to change the decor of her designated work environment according to the seasons. Daphne imagined that if she had but time and inclination, she would have happily done the same with her own home and office. But alas, she was much too busy for that. Once again, she thought of how much she missed her home, but duty called.

“Hello Shelly, is Mother still in the office?” Chaz asked the woman, who was typing away on the computer.

“Absolutely, Chaz. In fact, she’s been expecting you and Ms. Chanders here. It’s nice to see you again, although I wish it was under better circumstances,” Shelly said.

“Likewise, Shelly. How are Jessie and the kids doing?” Daphne asks, smiling.

“Oh they’re fine. Bigger pains in my ass everyday, but they are all well. Thanks for asking. Will Mr. Taylor be along soon?”

“He will be along with his new team.”

“Ah, I caught the press conference a little while ago. The man with him… Brian Kinney… not only is he a looker, but it’s said that Kinnetik is the best in the business. I will say that he handled the press masterfully.”

“I haven’t seen it yet, but I know that if Justin decided to hire them, they have to be a good fit for both companies. With the crap Craig is trying…”

“Yeah, it looks like Kinnetik is about to earn its money just in the first week alone,” Chaz said, before knocking on the door leading to his mother’s office.

“Come in,” the strong voice ordered, even as it went back to speaking fast and furious Italian. To say that Donatella De Campo was pissed would be the understatement of the year.

“What’s happened?” Chaz hurried back into the lobby, and whispered the question to Shelly.

“This thing with Craig Taylor isn’t as cut and dry as it may seem. Your father is on his way back from the Hamptons, determined to be here to confront Justin about his mistreatment of Craig.”

“That’s quite possibly the most idiotic move I think I've ever heard of Cesare intentionally making,” Daphne advised. “I can tell you right now that Justin is not going to be in any mood to hear criticisms of how he has decided to handle Craig. There is a history there that you all are not aware of, as it should be, since it’s a family matter. But this last attempt of Craig’s to sabotage Justin was indeed the last straw! Family or no, Justin is not letting Craig Taylor get away with anything anymore.”

Chaz nodded. “I agree, Daphne, but you know my father…”

“And so do I,” came the heavily-accented reply. “Daphne, it’s lovely to see you again, although I know this is far from a social visit.” Donatella DeCampo reached out and embraced the young woman before ushering her and Chaz into her office.

“Thanks for having me on such short notice. I trust, aside from this unpleasantness, that you are well?”

Donatella smiled tiredly. “I am, despite this nasty business I’ve been dealing with all morning. Craig ought to be shot with shit, rinsed off with piss and then shot again for stinking!”

Daph and Chaz laughed. They were both aware that behind the elegant facade Donatella showed to the public, she had some really colorful sayings. “I believe that all of us are inclined to agree with you.”

“Not all…”

“Ah, I take it Caesar is wholly discontent with the way of things, is he? Well, I’m not afraid to tell you that he’ll just have to remain so. Justin’s not budging on this, and honestly, I don’t blame him.”

Donatella crossed over to the sitting area within the office, signaling for the two young people to join her. She took her time pouring out the three cups of coffee, adding milk and sugar to Daphne’s while leaving hers, and her son’s black. After they all took a fortifying sip, she spoke. “I know I have no right to ask as it is family business, but I can’t help being curious about what brought all of the previous little skirmishes to a head like this. To Caesar, it just looks as if Justin is not doing his duty by his father, and helping him in his time of need. But I know Justin; I know better.”

Daphne realized that she had two choices: either leave one of their most lucrative accounts in the dark about the inner turmoil within the Taylor family, or treat the DeCampos like the friends they have always been, since back when Matthew Alfred Winston first started doing business with Prada, Incorporated. Both JJ and Alfred- as he was known mostly in business circles- always tried to foster a family-like atmosphere with employee and client alike, so to leave the DeCampos in the dark at this juncture and still ask for their business, would besmirch the relationship the Taylors and DeCampos have built over the years. Making the decision, Daphne placed her coffee cup down and began to tell Donatella and Chaz the story of the Tumultuous Taylors.

~AC~

Fucking hell! Fucking unholy HELL! As he sat there listening to them, he knew he had to get word to the others. There was no way he was going to let them do this to the people he considered friends. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number.

FUCK! It went straight to voicemail, so he left a message to call him back as soon as possible. He decided to try the one place he expected everyone to be, and still the machine kicked on. Scrolling through his phone again, he remembered that he had Ted’s number. Around the fourth ring, the call connected.

“Ted Schmidt.”

Making his way outside of the bustling coffeeshop, he was finally able to speak. “Ted, it’s Ben. You won’t believe what the fuck Michael is up to now… and with Lindsay’s help!”

~AC~

As Ted listened, he was at first shocked and then he became angry. But he knew that he had to keep a cool head. While everyone else was checking into their rooms, Ted went over to the bar area. Ordering a club soda for himself- even though he wanted something much stronger- Ted continued to listen to the detailed account of the conversation Ben had gleaned within the confines of the coffeeshop.

“I mean it was amazing, Ted. Everyone within the place had gone silent, and they didn’t even notice. That’s how involved they were with making their plans. I guess it was fortuitous, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to overhear everything. I know that the Avenue is going to do everything within their power to stop the two idiots, but it never hurts to be forewarned. All I can tell you is that the young man who’s missing is the same young man that Justin’s sister Molly, had been married to and annulled from in the same day. Why or how that happened, no one knows as of yet. The good news is that according to Lindsay, her father isn’t going to help her get the information. But I don’t know about her mother. Apparently, there is some bad blood between Nancy Peterson and Jennifer Taylor.”

As Brian’s employee, the core of Ted’s job was to head off financial disasters. But as a friend, his job was to protect Brian. This was one of those times that he had to do just that. Not an easy task, especially since the man he may need protecting from is the only one he seems to want. Ted cleared his throat.

“I’ll relay all of this to Brian, Ben. In the meantime, alert Deb and Vic to this latest asshole avalanche. Brian is beginning to get attached to the young man, even if he won’t acknowledge it. And I think the feeling is mutual. Both are like lone wolves, and the fact that they…”

“I know, Ted. I know that I have had my issues with Brian in the past, but they were never his fault. It was all Michael. It makes me glad that I never went through with the Legal Domestic Partnership here in the States, so now I am free and clear of him in all facets. Dissolving the partnership in Canada shouldn’t be too hard, or be too long a process. The attorney I had when I was thinking of buying property up there, was all too happy to help me get the ball rolling. She really couldn’t understand why I was with such an imbecile- her words, not mine. But right now, I worry for Mel. She and Lindsay were together a lot longer than Michael and I were.”

“I know. But if it eases your mind any, Mel has already decided that she and Lindsay are through. In fact, I have to talk to her straight away. No doubt if Lindsay attempts to hire another private investigator, she’s going to approach Melanie with some cockamamie bullshit story about why she needs money immediately. I need to know what’s in the joint account, so that I can have her move it fast.”

“You do that, Ted. Look, I’d better get back in there and get back to my corner. I left Hunter in there. If he heard anything else, expect a call back.”

“No problem, I’ll leave my cell on. And Ben… thanks. On behalf of Brian and the rest of us, thank you. I know that the situation with Michael…”

“Think nothing of it, Ted. If truth be told, I’d been contemplating leaving Michael even before Hunter came along. For me, his reaction to Hunter’s advent in my life left me with no other choice. He knew that I always wanted to be a parent, and that I’d given up hope of it a long time ago. I know now that he only stayed with me for stability.”

“How are you so sure? I mean, I know what I’ve always thought, but to hear you say that…”

“It was evident in the way he spoke about Hunter, and tried to talk me out of adopting him. When he gave me the ultimatum of choosing between him and Hunter, I knew then that it was all about the money and never about what I needed. He actually threatened to sue me for everything if I went through with it. You can’t get any plainer about what was important than that.”

Ben and Ted said their goodbyes with a promise to be in touch later, if necessary. Ted couldn’t believe how Michael had them all fooled for such a long time. He couldn't believe how Michael seemed so innocuous, when in reality, he was probably one of the most dangerous people in their lives. If he was feeling the emotional scars from Michael, he could only imagine what all of this was doing to Brian, who not only had to deal with Michael but Lindsay as well. And now adding the secretive and seductive Justin Taylor to the mix of it all…

Ted moved forward quickly to the elevators, determined to get the whole story once and for all. The entire way up to the fortieth floor, Ted replayed all that he knew of Justin Taylor so far. Although a trust fund baby, he was also a self-made man. He was the heir of both of his grandfathers, and considered to be the head of the family from both sides. That alone would give him contacts all over the world, but…

If Justin had anything to do with the sudden disappearance of Lindsay’s cousin, Christopher Hobbs, they needed to know why, and fast! Given what he knew of the young man so far, and how similar he is to his own friend and boss, Brian, there wasn’t a doubt in Ted’s mind that there was certainly some truth to this accusation. Like Brian, Justin Taylor was a man of action, and a fixer by nature. The question was: why and what exactly did he do? What did he have to gain by making the young man fall off the face of the earth, and who else knows?

Stepping off the elevator, Ted turned left and marched straight to Cynthia’s room. He needed to fill her in on the latest developments, and garner her thoughts on how best to handle this. He knew they needed to gather the answers without coming right out and accusing their newest, and most lucrative client of foul play. He knocked urgently, hoping that she was still in the room. He breathed a sigh of relief, first at finding her there and secondly, finding her putting the finishing touches on her outfit.

“I see Brian has been hard at work already,” he said wryly.

“Indeed he has, which doesn’t explain the reason you aren’t dressed,” she said, as she was putting in her earring.

“We have a problem,” he told her, rushing into her suite.

“I know. One of which is that you are not in your room, changing out of your jeans and tee.”

“I’ll get there, but first, I have to tell you about the phone call I just got.”

“Let me guess. Michael and Lindsay…”

“Are plotting.”

“What else is new? They are always plotting, but that has nothing to do with…”

“Well if you would let me finish, you’ll understand why and how this is important right now!” He yelled at her, causing her to blink first and then narrow her eyes. The look is so reminiscent of Brian in that moment, Ted was tempted to run and hide. But he knew that wasn’t an option. He had to get this out. “Look, Cyn, I’m…”

“Sorry is bullshit and as long as it doesn’t happen again, I can let it pass. But next time, I’ll chop your dick off and mail it to Blake as a parting gift, before I kill you. Got it?”

Ted swallowed hard at the imagery she painted. If there was one woman on the face of the earth he wouldn’t cross, it was Cynthia. She looked fragile, but the woman of his acquaintance was anything but that and he knew it. “Yeah.”

“Good. So what had you so frazzled about the latest episode in Delusion Land?”

Ted crossed over to the minibar, and grabbed himself another club soda. After gathering his thoughts again, he proceeded to inform her of what he knew so far. “Ben called and said that he’d overheard Michael and Lindsay reformulating plans, now that Lindsay’s father is not willing to help her with information. Based on a confrontation she had with Justin’s mother and sister this morning at Taylor Industries, Lindsay has decided to look for someone named Christopher Hobbs. Apparently, he’s her cousin.”

“So?”

“So, it turns out… well according to Ben, that this Christopher, whomever he is, was married to Justin’s sister, Molly. However, the marriage was annulled within hours of the nuptials and Christopher had disappeared.”

“Okay, but what does that… wait a minute! Are you saying that…”

“It’s possible that Justin may have had something to do with his sudden disappearance, and if he did, we need to know why. The last thing we need is to have Lindsay be the dick she is, and go to the press with this accusation. Or even worse would be for her to uncover where Hobbs is, and be able to convince him to make trouble. We have to get ahead of this shit before it blows up in all of our faces, especially because we are now his publicists. If Taylor goes down, so will we.”

“Wait a second, Ted. You are getting ahead of yourself, and letting your natural tendencies towards neuroticism run wild. It could be nothing at all.”

“I doubt it, but okay. So how do we put this to Justin, without coming off accusatory in the process? He’s just as secretive as Brian is.”

“But he’s also just as honest from what I’m gathering. No, he won’t offer up reasons and explanations, but I don’t think that he will shirk the truth if a question is asked directly.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“As you’ve said, he’s like Brian. And if there is one thing I know about Mr. Kinney, it’s that he unfailingly honest… with others, at least. He may lie to himself in reference to the things that may or may not bother him in order to cope. But when it comes to shedding light on the truth in reference to others, he doesn’t hold back. I suspect that Justin Taylor is the same way. I’ve worked with Brian for many years and I’ve never seen him run or hide from a fight, especially regarding his reputation in this business. This won’t be any different.”

“So what are you suggesting?”

“Let’s go see Justin. No doubt that he is with Brian right now.”

Ted snickered. “In that case, are you sure it’s a good idea to interrupt them? I mean, you saw them on the plane.”

Cynthia smiled back. “Yeah, we all did. But again, Justin is like Brian. He may be horny as hell, but he’ll indulge after the meeting with the DeCampos. From what I gathered during my brief conversation with Maggie and Peter, Justin will need to keep his edge when dealing with Caesar DeCampo.”

“Well then, I guess we’d better go.”

“No, we will go and get you dressed first. There’s no telling how long the conversation will take, and I know that Justin is going to be in a hurry to make it to the DeCampos’ office in a relatively short amount of time. Right now, Daphne Chanders is at the office, meeting with Donatella DeCampo so that buys us some time.”

“Let’s hope so. This thing with the DeCampos, it affects us too, you know?”

“Yes, and in ways that Justin Taylor cannot imagine. I wonder how he’s going to take it, finding out that we also do their advertising. It’s not common knowledge yet.”

“It’s strange. For a man who doesn’t like secrets, Brian sure has a lot of them. Justin and Brian are more entwined, business-wise, than they know.”

“They are. And it’s going to either make us, or break us. But if this- whatever the fuck it is they are doing- works out...”

“Michael and Lindsay are…”

“History.” They say together and both smile at the thought.

~AC~

As soon as they entered the room, it began. The door hadn’t even closed all the way before Justin was on his knees, divesting Brian of his suit pants and underwear. He had wanted to get Brian down his throat since he’d first seen him that morning, looking delectable in just his unbuttoned jeans without a shirt. Once he’d seen Brian in his suit, he longed to be the material draping his naked body underneath. To know that it was the material from his company caressing the soft skin, muscle, and sinew just added fuel to his ever-growing fire.

Then the way he masterfully played the press during the impromptu conference… Justin couldn’t contain the lustful thoughts, running untamed in his head. It had taken herculean strength of will not to ravish him within the limo. But now, there was nothing stopping him from doing so, except time constraints. But he would have this!

Swirling his tongue around the head, Justin deepthroated the writhing man above him again, wanting nothing more than to bring them both the pleasure that had been building since early this morning. This wasn’t going to be a slow and easy blowjob. Just as Justin’s ass had claimed Brian over and over from the time they had met, he was determined that his mouth was going to brand Brian as his. If he had stopped to only examine that thought, Justin might have run screaming from the room all the way back to Pittsburgh in an effort to outrun his wayward thoughts. But at that point, he didn’t care.

“Oh… my… fucking… Justin, please…” came the breathy gasp from Brian, as Justin sucked hard.

Yes! That was the response he wanted; Brian begging for him. Justin tightened his jaws and redoubled his efforts, milking Brian’s cock with everything he had in him. He swallowed hard around the head, snaking his hand up under the tailends of Brian’s silk shirt until his fingers reached the protruding little dots of Brian’s sensitive nipples. He was gratified that the pulling of his hair intensified the moment his fingers connected.

With each tug, Justin felt his own dick dancing within the confines of his own pants. He would have loved nothing more than to get naked, and have Brian ass finishing him off. But that would come later… And so would he! Holding Brian’s member within his throat and flexing his throat muscles ever so tightly, he tasted the creamy natural nectar he’d been striving for.

Brian’s fingers convulsively flexed as wave, after wave of the most intense orgasm he’d ever received from a blow job crested. It was like he couldn’t stop himself from slamming into the mouth attached to him, still sucking him even while he felt the rhythmic clenching on each of his nerve endings. He didn’t want it to end but he knew it had to. As he stood there, knees buckling and his body trembling, he stared down into the blue eyes regarding him lustfully. The intensity there caused Brian to shudder, not in revulsion, but in confusion and understanding.

Not for the first time, he wondered what it was about this enigmatic man he’d only met days ago that was keeping him so enthralled. Justin Taylor was succeeding where many others have tried and failed. And all without a single effort on his part. But what was more telling was that Brian didn't mind it in the least. Before he could examine the thought even further, there was a knock on the door.  

“I, uh, guess we’d better get that,” Justin said, rising to his feet.

“Whomever it is better have a damn good reason, since I was about to get into your ass.”

Justin laughed. “On the contrary, Mr. Kinney. It would have been me getting into your ass. But I’m short on time, and that particular experience deserves to be savored.”

Brian’s response was cut short by the urgent knocking, which was quickly escalating to banging. ‘Fuck! Alright, keep your pants on! I’m coming!”

“You just did that,” Justin said with a self-satisfied smirk.

“And I would be again, if it wasn’t for the incessant pain in the ass at the door,” he said, smiling. Opening the door, he was surprised to not only see Theodore, whom he suspected it was, but Cynthia as well.

Pushing past him, Cynthia cut right to the point. Directing her gaze at Justin, she spoke calmly to him, “I need you to tell me everything you know about the disappearance of Christopher Hobbs.”

At Justin’s stunned expression, Brian knew that whatever it is, it wasn’t good. “What’s this about?” he asked.

Ted huffed out a long breath. “Lindsay had gone to the Taylor building this morning, pretending to be your wife. That much we all know, and she’d gotten her ass handed to her by both Jennifer and Marlinda Taylor. But afterwards, she met with Michael. It turns out that Christopher Hobbs is Lindsay’s cousin. She knows that he was married to Molly at one time, but that the marriage was annulled within a couple of hours. Ben overheard her and Michael’s plans to find him.”

“Fuck! Shit! Damn! This is another…”

“Justin, what is it? Look, you have to level with us NOW! There is no time to waste, and there is much more riding on this than you know.”

“What are you talking about? This doesn’t affect you; NONE OF YOU!” Justin yelled, his explosive temper shocking them all to silence for a time. Taking a few calming breaths, he said. “Christopher Marc Hobbs was a hateful young man, who needed to be gone… and he needs to stay that way.”

“What do you know, Justin?” Brian asked quietly. “Please, you have to tell us. If word of this gets out… look, just tell us that you didn’t murder him; that there isn’t a body that’s going to turn up where you will be the first suspect.”

Exasperated, Justin ran his hands through his hair and went over to the minibar. Finding the bottle of Beam, he poured himself a healthy glass before speaking. “He isn’t dead, although I wish more than ever that I could’ve killed the fucking bastard. In order for you to understand where he is, you have to understand why. Several years ago, Chris and I went to school together and a more sexually confused person I’d never met. He cornered me and tried to rape me, but that was timely interrupted by one of the teachers in the school. The Hobbs family had approached Craig about Chris marrying my sister. Of course, knowing how lucrative such an arrangement would have been, Craig jumped at the chance to marry his daughter off to one of the most prominent families within our community. They ranked probably fifth, with us being first. The families in between the ranks already were aligned with others within our set, so Craig’s first available choice would have only been the Hobbs family.

“We all begged him to reconsider, but he wouldn’t hear of it. My grandfathers all, but ordered the rejection of the Hobbs offer. We later found out that Craig was trying to cover up some seedy business dealings, and Molly was the bargaining chip he needed to keep Samuel Hobbs’ mouth shut. With an heir and a spare, Samuel Hobbs was sure to keep what he knew about Craig in the family, since it would also besmirch the Hobbs name. It didn’t help that- although Molly never verbally confirmed- it wasn’t hard to discern that something appalling had happened between her and Chris during their enforced dates. Anyway, as a result, Craig wouldn’t let anything deter his plans for Molly, so two days before Molly’s graduation, Craig caused a major problem between both companies that caused my grandparents to be away, both from the graduation and the time the wedding was scheduled.

“On the day of the wedding, he deliberately blocked all access to my sister, forcing her into matrimonial bondage with the jerk. The plan that Craig and the Hobbs father and son had come up with was to have Molly’s virginity taken care of by any means necessary, before the reception, so that even when Mom and I caught up to her, there wouldn’t be anything we could do about it.  So yes, it’s true that Molly was married for an hour to the fucker, and that I arranged the hasty annulment.”

“How?” Cynthia asked gently. Listening to Molly’s story brought back her own painful memories, about the family she had left behind many years ago. It was eerily similar to what she endured, and how Brian extricated her from her stepfather’s influence while they were working at Ryder, and he’d found her.

“My bodyguard and I arrived at the Hobbs mansion, where the reception was to be held. You could hear her screams from the body blows she had been receiving, echoing around the empty house. Chris was yelling at her, calling her a whore and a host of other epithets. But Molly wasn’t completely helpless; she fought back as best she could in that contraption of a dress. Even as we heard the rips of the material and the slaps, Molly continued to fight back. A door slammed in the distance, causing Daryl and I to speed up. I won’t go into full details of what we found, or the state of the room after I pretended to be a servant to gain access, but I had Daryl carry Molly out while I used a Louisville Slugger on Chris. All I remember was feeling blind rage at what Molly had endured; what I had endured in my defense of my sister. By the time Daryl came back, I was about to deliver the blow I knew would’ve killed him. As Daryl began to clean up the room around the unconscious man, I made a conference call to my grandfathers. They, in turn, called a mutual friend of theirs…”

“Who was it?”

“Dimitry Kosekova.”

“Dimi… do you mean the owner and operator of the largest network of male escorts, here and abroad? How the hell did they know him?!” Brian asked, shocked and at the same time admiringly. He had some of the most beautiful men, gay, straight, and indifferent available.

Justin smiled. “One and the same. Anyway, they told Dimitry of the situation and he agreed to help us on the condition that he be given to him immediately, and that no one know. Seems that Chris had made an enemy of Dimitry’s nephew, Kuren, and he had been complaining about the idiot since we all began high school. I knew there were some problems, but not the lengths Dimitry would go to rectify them.”

“So Hobbs is alive then?” Ted asked.

“Yeah, he is. I get a full report on the bastard on the ‘anniversary’ every year. He’s Dimitry’s personal servant, and is never allowed out of the man’s sight. If Lindsay and Michael think that Chris would be willing to come back here, they would be terribly mistaken. Not only has Dimitry made Chris his bitch-boy, but also holds the one thing Chris values.”

“What’s that?”

“His inheritance. Dimitry holds the controlling interests in Hobbs Construction. He allows Chris to attend the meetings with him as long as they don’t happen in Pittsburgh, or any other city Molly and I are visiting at the time. Although he has no say in matters, it allows him to at least see his mother and father on occasion. However, if Christopher defects or betrays Dimitry in any way, Hobbs Construction gets dismantled completely and Hobbs will have earn his keep within the brothels Dimitry has in Amsterdam.”

“So basically Dimitry Kosekova is like another Charles Lucky?” Ted asked, amazed at the story as a whole. He didn’t know what to expect when he’d walked in, but it wasn’t this.

“Sort of; he’s more like me,” Justin smiled. Brian looked at him closely and at Justin’s imperceptible nod, Brian had finally figured out the silent partner in his own favorite establishment. “Dimitry is my supplier, and has been since I started Lucky’s with Charles when I was seventeen.”

“Oh fucking hell!” Theodore said, nearly passing out from the shock. ”I’m never ordering lunch again!”

CHAPTER 11: BANKRUPT

PRADA INC.

NEW YORK CITY

“So you have made an appearance, which means your illustrious employer cannot be far behind,” Cesare entered his wife’s office, scowling.

“Nice to see you, too,” Daphne responded wryly at the man. “Although, I think it wise that Justin had me come beforehand to explain the circumstances. It isn’t what you are being led to believe, Sir.”

“Be that as it may, no circumstance can justify what young Justin is doing to his father.”

“Cesare, sit down and SHUT UP!” Donatella interjected, before Daphne was forced to tell him just what she thought of his reasoning. “Chaz and I have spent the last hour in conversation with Daphne, being filled in on all the surrounding issues concerning Craig and Justin. As I’ve told you, you are so focused on being right  that you forget we know what kind of man Justin has grown to be.”

“Non mi interessa quale sia il ragionamento, la famiglia dovrebbe restare unita. E a proposito di ciò, non dovresti parlarmi in quel modo!" (I do not care what the reasoning is, the family should remain united. And speaking of that, you should not talk to me like that!)

“Beh, se tu non fossi un tale idiota, non ci sarebbe ragione per me. Togliti le paraorecchie metaforiche e fatti notare che il padre NON lo sa meglio!” (Well if you weren't such an unmitigated jackass, there would be no reason for me to. Take off the metaphorical earmuffs, and get your head around the fact that Father does NOT know best!)

“Mother, Father, PLEASE remember that we have guests!” Chaz exclaimed before turning to Daphne. “I’m sorry that you had to witness this difference of opinion. Contrary to looks at the moment, they really do love each other.”

“Of course, they do, Chaz,” Daphne responded, laughing. “My mother used to call my father an unmitigated jackass whenever he was being unreasonable, too. Although, she usually followed it up with a flying shoe to hit him. I just learned to duck and run for cover. Signor D'aCampo, se mi permetti di chiarire alcune cose, forse otterrai una migliore comprensione della situazione nel suo insieme.”

“Yes, let her! Ceasare, you really do NOT know best right now. You should allow Daphne, or even better yet, Justin, to give you all the facts before you jump to Craig Taylor’s defense. In fact, while we wait for Justin, why not watch the press conference you surely missed while you were airborne. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how it was and is being handled. And afterwards, Daphne can tell you the whole story if Justin has not arrived by then,” Donatella told him.

Pouring him a cup of coffee and sitting him down, Donatella loaded the press conference as broadcasted by CNN. Like it or not, this was big news in their world, and affected their business relationship with Winston, Incorporated. Cesare and Donatella prided themselves on remaining scandal free, both within their public personas and their personal lives, and demanded the same from their children. Consequently, they oft disassociated themselves from companies, who weren’t willing to lead their lives in the same manner. This situation with Craig Taylor was jeopardizing that.

“How does Brian Kinney fit into all of this?” Cesare asked, after the press conference closed out.

“Apparently, he and Justin have a relationship of sorts,” Donatella said, noncommittally.

“Well as publicists go, he chose well to go with Kinnetik.”

“Although true, that wasn’t exactly what I meant.”

“You don’t mean…”

“I don’t know, but it is possible. From what Daphne has told me, they met a few days ago and have been- how do you say?- joined at the hip ever since.”

“Is that going to be a problem for you, Chaz?” Cesare turned to look at his eldest son. He was well-aware of the feelings that the young man had for Justin Taylor. It broke his heart that Chaz’s feelings were not returned. For the most part, Justin would have been an excellent addition to the DeCampo family.”

“I’m fine, Father. Although I am a little disappointed, he’s chosen well if indeed they are in a relationship. I can’t fault Brian Kinney for moving fast to snatch Justin up. He is a catch.”

“We don’t know that it’s really the case as of yet, only that they have been hanging out together,” Daphne soothed before clearing her throat. “Either way, Signore DeCampo, I think it’s time you’re told the real reason for the contention between Craig and Justin.”

“I’ll take it from here, Daph,” Justin entered the office accompanied by Brian, Ted, Cynthia, and Donovan. “Signore e Signora D’aCampo, è un piacere rivederti entrambi, anche se in queste circostanze non piacevoli. Permettimi di presentare il mio staff …”

(Mr. and Mrs. DeCampo, it's a pleasure to see you both again, even if under these less than pleasant circumstances. Allow me to introduce my staff...)

“Ah, no introduction necessary. How are you Brian, Cynthia, and Ted?” Donatella crossed the room to them. “Imagine my surprise upon discovering that we share a friend in common.”

“Donatella, as lovely as always. Justin and I met a few days ago, although I just learned his last name this morning.”

The light of laughter entered her eyes. “Ah, you’ve been a bad boy, haven’t you, Brian?”

“Sì, e se mi permetterà di dirti quanto male, mi meriterò sicuramente una sculacciata più tardi (Yes, and if he'll allow me to tell you just how bad, I'll certainly deserve a spanking later)..." he answered, raising his eyebrow and causing the older woman to laugh.

“You’re already due several spankings, Brian. I’ll be happy to add this one to the ever-growing list.” Justin smirked. “In the meantime, I believe that Cesare and I need to come to an understanding forthwith.” He looked to the older man, who nodded his head imperceptibly at Justin’s words.

“Perhaps we should get comfortable within my office for this conversation, Justin?”

“Indeed we should, but I would like Brian to accompany me.”

“What? You don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that, Cesare. I’ve always enjoyed our relationship, both business and personal. But I want to do this as I mean to go on, and that includes having full disclosure with my publicist and friend.”

They left Donatella’s office, walking down the hall and entering the elevator to travel one floor up. Alighting from the all glass enclosure, they entered Cesare’s palatial office. Brian stood in awe of his surroundings. Unlike Donatella’s office, which bespoke of comfort and luxury, Cesare’s gave the feeling of being completely outside, while overlooking the New York skyline. The triple-paned windows were devoid of drapery of any kind, but protected from the high winds the city was known for.

It was as silent as a tomb as he continued to study the chrome and white furnishings, even as Cesare continued to boot up things around him, including the marble fireplace that graced the sitting area.

“I take it you’re in awe of what you see, Mr. Kinney?” Cesare said, a smirk to his lips.

“More than you know. I have to admit that if I was ever inclined to move my offices to New York, this would be the type of office I’d want.”

“It behooves me to use Donatella’s office when we have meetings and such, so that she is always comfortable in her surroundings. When she doesn’t want to be bothered, or needs to cool off from heated arguments, she uses this space as her oasis. It’s why very few people know of it. As for me, it’s decorated to my specifications. Class, glass, and chrome are all I need to feel at home while here at work.”

They moved over to the leather sectional at the far end of the room. Justin, already knowing where everything was, made the coffee while Cesare and Brian were settling in on the sofa and conversing about the upcoming fall campaign for Prada’s line. Listening attentively, the young man was once again in awe of Brian’s business acumen. Only this time, it was in reference to the advertising portion of Kinnetik’s business. Once again, he couldn’t help but be gratified that he’d made a damn good choice aligning himself with Brian Kinney and his associates.

“So, tell me why you feel that cutting Craig off is the right thing to do,” Cesare demanded, as Justin finished serving them and took his seat.

Justin bristled at Cesare’s opening, but cleared his throat and reined in his temper. He didn’t want this meeting with the head of one of his largest accounts to become unnecessarily contentious, but he wanted to make his stance on the shenanigans of Craig Taylor clear.

“It’s not that I feel it is the right thing to do, but that it is. Based on what he and Arnold have done so far, you cannot tell me that you wouldn’t have done the same thing if someone was trying to sabotage your business relationships. The fact that the man in question and I share DNA is of no consequence.”

“Bullshit, Justin! I can’t imagine that I would ever have to write-off my sons in the manner in which you have done your father.”

“Be that as it may, my decision to do so will stand,” Justin mutinously stated. He took another calming breath. “Cesare, you have to understand my position. This decision was not made lightly, nor is it just because I am angry with Craig. It’s been a long time coming, since before I even inherited from both my grandfathers. Craig began his campaigns against me back when I was a teenager.”

“So this is a vendetta?”

“No. But I won’t deny that I’m taking satisfaction in the fact that he has fucked with me for the last time without me fighting back.”

“Justin, I beg of you to think of what you are doing. I don’t want to have to end our relationship, business or otherwise, because I cannot condone what you are doing regarding your own flesh and blood. You know how I feel about family!”

“Yes, I do. And believe it or not, I feel the same way. Which, in essence, is what this is all about.”

“Justin, you need to tell him all of it in order for him to understand,” Brian interjected. He knew that Justin was trying to protect his entire family, even Craig to a degree, by remaining silent. But if he was going to retain the very lucrative contract of Prada, Inc, he could no longer hold onto his ideals in this situation. “Give him all of the information, including the dark parts you don’t want him to know, and see how Cesare feels about it afterwards. It’s the only way Cesare will be able to make an informed opinion, not just one based on conjecture and a belief that your father is being unjustifiably maligned.”

Justin sat for a few moments, and thought about what Brian had said. Originally, he had thought to come up here and just lay out the facts of what Craig has done lately. But upon hearing and processing what Brian said, he knew that he had to give Cesare everything. That included the things that Justin really didn’t want to talk about; the things that even Brian didn’t yet know. He sighed, resigning himself to what he knew he had to do for all their sakes.

“In order for you to understand why I am the way I am in reference to Craig, you have to know where this all began. To say that my father is one of the most spiteful, greedy and hateful men walking the planet would be giving a compliment.”

“I’m sure you have to be exaggerating. Whenever I met with him, he was always gracious.”

“Of course he was, Cesare. You have something he’s always wanted besides your business.”

“And what’s that?”

“Power. You have major influence, not only within the largest fashion houses, but with people in general. They listen to you and trip over themselves to do your bidding.”

“You don’t.”

Justin laughed. “Indeed, that’s true. I’ve been groomed and raised to be a ruler; to have complete control, and handle it well. Although, Craig and I shared a similar upbringing through my grandfather, J.J., that’s where the similarities between us end. Whereas both of my grandfathers, Alfred and J.J., taught me to be fair-minded and that having money is a privilege not be squandered, Craig ignored that lesson entirely. His sole purpose in life is acquisition. Now whereas that is not an unworthy trait to have, it is when the people around you becomes pawns to get it. I could handle the unnecessary beatings that came to me from his hands. But when he used my sister, Molly to get what he wanted, I drew a very BIG line in the sand. He’s steadily been trying to erase it. Or more accurately, pretend that it doesn’t exist. But this time he crossed it, beginning with his latest arrest and ending with you.”

“I never quite understood why Alfred put you in charge of his company. It’s not that I didn’t, or don’t think you can handle it. I do. But it just seemed like such an awesome task to place on your young shoulders. I suppose what you’re going to tell me played a huge part in all of this?”

“Quite. Many don’t know it, but Daphne and I were teenage parents. Our son was born with a heart defect, and passed away shortly after his first birthday.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Brian murmured. He couldn’t believe, knowing all he knew about Justin so far, that he’d experienced something so traumatic and still maintained his sanity. He didn’t think he could have done the same in reference to Gus.

“Thanks, but we’re better now. He would have been ten yesterday.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m telling you now.” Justin gave him a small smile to negate the harshness of his answer. “Anyway, unlike Daphne’s parents, who at least had a modicum of sympathy for both of us, Craig gloated and laughed that it was my punishment for being a gay man and Daphne’s for being a whore.”

Cesare gasped. “He said that?!”

“Indeed he did, and as many times in as many public venues as he dared afterward. To say that my grandfathers were angry would be an understatement. It resulted in them taking immediate measures to pass him over for inheritance. Consequently, I was already being groomed to take over since Craig had already proven himself to be unstable, even if most of his shenanigans were kept quiet. Before Daphne and I experienced the loss of our son, I had already made my first million within the video game community, and through making sound investments. I showed the initiative needed for succes, even before grandfathers J.J. Taylor and Alfred Winston took me under their wings to take me further. I took our legacy seriously, whereas Craig would have used it as his personal piggy-bank and playground. But that still wasn’t the full extent of our problems. That actually came in the form of a sexually-confused young man with a major hard on for me, but being forced to marry my sister at all costs.” Justin then relayed all the events leading up to the hasty annulment, and sudden disappearance of Christopher Marc Hobbs.

“To sum it up, Cesare, Craig is a menace to my family; he’s a menace to the legacy of the Taylor and Winston brands and most importantly, he’s a menace to himself. I cannot, in good conscience, allow him to wreck the houses that my grandfathers built, simply because he cannot get over his spite and jealousy of me. I cannot allow him a means to control my mother and sister again, in any capacity. And if that means that I lose you as a friend and client, then so be it. You always preach that family is important, well I’m protecting mine in all facets. I will not apologize for that!”

~AC~

WESTIN HOTEL

NEW YORK CITY

While the team members of Kinnetik and Prada were hashing out the details of their contract, Mel was at the hotel having a meltdown. Thankfully, Gus was asleep in the bedroom, while she stayed on the couch. Emmett had gone out to make sure they had enough clothes, and toiletries to get then through all of next week. She still wasn’t sure what she was going to do, even after already deciding to divorce Lindsay. It was very telling that she didn’t feel the least bit sad for the end of her marriage.

For so many years, she’d questioned what she was doing with Lindsay Peterson. It wasn’t just her obsession with Brian that made her doubt Lindsay, but just the overall character of the woman she knew. At first, Lindsay was caring, loving even, and attentive. They would sit and talk for hours about everything and nothing. They had fun doing little romantic things, like taking walks, catching a movie, or whatever else took their fancy.

The problems came when they were discussing one of their friends, who had just had a child with her poly-partners. Tracy was involved with Isaac and Stephanie. Basically she had the best of both worlds, and there was no jealousy among them. For whatever reason, Lindsay took the idea into her head that the same could work for her and Brian where Lindsay was concerned. And so the quest for Gus began.

Mel couldn’t have been happier than when Brian refused. Over and over again he said ‘no’ to Lindsay’s pleas. And where Brian would just ignore her, Michael’s whine would jump in, loudly proclaiming that Brian was never going to be father material, so her uterus was just going to have to go to a sperm bank. She still didn’t know why or how it happened, but suddenly Brian said yes, and nine months later Gus was born. Looking back on it, she supposed that it was Michael’s very vocal and opinionated doubt in him that broke Brian’s resolve, instead of Lindsay’s constant flattery.

But now, whatever it was, she is glad for it. Brian had proven himself to not only be an amazing father to Gus, but a good friend to her, even when he had no reason to be. Hearing the lock in the door go off, Mel rushed into the bathroom to wash her face. She knew that there would be too many questions that she wasn’t quite sure how to answer. Hell, one question right now would be too much!

Splashing water on her face, Mel tried her best to get herself together.

“Mel? Mel, where are you?”

She sighed, as she continued to stare at herself in the mirror. She wished that she could blame her current state solely on hormones. But she knew that no matter how much she tried to cover it up, they would all be able to see her sadness. It wasn't even really sadness for her marriage; it was because of the need to start over. But how does one really explain that without it being misconstrued as something else entirely?

Resigning herself to what was obviously meant to be, she called back. “I’m in here, Em. I’ll be out in a moment.”

“Well hurry, Darling. The food is hot and I want you to be able to eat it that way. Lord knows, I do not need Big Bad coming down on me for you becoming a microwave mama more than you ought to.”

She snickered, and came out to find him bustling around the dining room area, preparing to take everything outside to the terrace of the suite. He was humming some little ditty that was almost unrecognizable, until he got to the chorus of the song. As he belted out, ‘I will survive. I will survive! Oh as long as I know how to love I know I’ll stay alive,’ she couldn’t help the tears that began to stream down her face. The lyrics to the song just hit differently today than it did in the past. Em looked over to her, and wordlessly walked over to place his arms around her.

“Sugar, I want you to listen to me, and hear me well. Lindsay, for you, is no great loss. For many years, we’ve all sat silent at times, watching her systematically destroy the Melanie Marcus that we’d first met. It’s what she does, Honey. I won’t say that it’s what she’s been taught because we all have been taught things, but choose whether or not to continue in that vein when we get to be adults. Lindsay made her choice and as a result, she’s not only losing Brian and Gus, but a woman who loved her beyond all reason. So pick yourself up, celebrate the end of your indecision, and like the Glorious Ms. Gloria Gaynor, don’t only survive Honey, but LIVE!!”

“How do I do that, Em?”

He smiled that wide, open-hearted smile he always had in reserve for her. “Well first, we dance ourselves over to the terrace and get you fed. Then we get you dressed to the pregnant nines to meet Big Bad and Blond Baby for dinner. No one should sacrifice style for comfort, so no more of this mu-mu nonsense! A heifer you are NOT! You are a vibrant woman, glowing and growing with new life, not a brood mare! And finally, we take this one moment at a time. If you can keep breathing through the moments, surely the days will get easier. My Aunt Lula taught me that when my family ousted me, and you know, she was right. I’m better right now than I’ve ever been; you will be, too.”

Taking her by the hand, he began his famous ‘Praise Jesus’ dance, and encouraged her to do the same, moving to his tuneless humming of the chorus ‘I Will Survive’. By the time they reached the terrace, Melanie was laughing through her tears… but they were no longer tears of sadness. They were tears of joy, borne of finally being free.  

~AC~

BIRCH STREET CAFE

PITTSBURGH

Ben and Hunter sat, listening in horror to what Michael and Lindsay continued to plan. The abject nerve of those two! It pissed both, Ben and Hunter, off to find out the depths that Lindsay and Michael were willing to go to in order to see Brian remain unhappy. True, Ben wasn’t always a fan of his former trick. But the one thing he could say about Brian Kinney, is that he never lied to him about his motives for doing anything.

And Brian also never sat in judgment about Ben’s life choices, the way Michael had. Although the censure wasn't always obvious, it was still there. The unflattering comments Michael often uttered, were usually hidden behind false smiles and seemingly-innocent innuendos. Whenever he was called on his meanness, he would follow it up with some kind of platitude, or a 'I didn't mean it like that'. But on the few occasions Ben had gone to Brian, he had given Ben solid advice, part of which led him to now being a father to the son of his heart.

“So what are we going to do, Dad?” Hunter asked, catching Ben off guard. Up until this moment, he’d just been ‘Ben’ to the young man. So it was with great effort that Ben held back tears at hearing the endearment, which fell so naturally from Hunter’s lips.

Clearing his throat, Ben rallied. “All we can do at this point, son, is continue to gather the information and filter it to Brian through Ted. Michael and Lindsay shouldn’t be allowed to get away with what they are trying to do to Mel and Brian.”

“So should we follow them like spies do in the movies?”

Ben laughed. “No, I don’t think that’s necessary, but we certainly can use Michael’s superhero complex against them.”

“How?”

“He calls himself Brian’s savior, but in reality, if that was the case he’d be staying as far away from Brian as humanly possible, since he’s toxic. So is Lindsay.”

“Glad you figured that out before he sucked the life out of you,” Hunter said wryly.

“Touche, youngster. Touche indeed.”

“I just never really understood why you were with him.” Hunter shrugged. “I mean, anyone could see that you and Michael had almost nothing in common. Love really isn’t that blind, is it? Because if it is, then I have to question it on every level.”

Ben heard exactly what Hunter was really asking. “Listen, Hunter… there really is no rhyme or reason, when dealing with romantic love. It's one of life's greatest mysteries. But the love from a parent to a child is different. Now, I know you have every right to question me and my motives for wanting you, especially given your history with Rita…”

“Yeah, it doesn’t exactly inspire blind faith.”

“Yes. She left you emotionally bankrupt. Sadly, Michael did the same thing to me, and Lindsay did the same thing to Mel. But the thing is that all of us have a chance to rebuild what they took from us. To not do so- to give up before we even begin to try- means they’ve won.”

“So we don’t. I don’t know about you, but I simply refuse to give the people who should have simply been swallowed the satisfaction. Poor Deb, though. I mean, she’s forever going to be linked to Michael. Whereas his father got a much deserved break from the whiner of the century.”

Ben laughed. “Though you’re right, I think Deb can more than handle it, don’t you?”

“Yeah, that is one tough broad. I was in the Diner when she handed Lindsay’s flat ass to her. It was the stuff of legends.”

“Well, I’m sure it was definitely well-deserved. But… oh shit, I can’t even believe she pulled this!”

“What?” Hunter asked, following the direction of Ben’s surprised gaze.

“What the hell is Nancy Peterson doing in here?”

“Guess we’re about to find out, since she’s heading over to the Twin Twits table.”

~AC~

“Lindsay, I don’t appreciate being summoned, especially to a place like… this,” Nancy sneered, as she pulled out her handkerchief to wipe the seat before sitting down.

“Sorry, mother, but in lieu of my conversation with Daddy this morning, I thought the club would be the wrong choice.”

“Yes, your father told me about your unfortunate run-in with the Taylor women this morning. More uppity shrews I have never met! You are being a fool to go after them, Lindsay. Why are you?”

Lindsay looked at her mother, with tears in her eyes as Michael looked on in shock. “They are taking everything from me, Mother. Well, not them, per se, but her fucking son is ruining my life!”

“Language, Lindsay. You must maintain your dignity at all times.”

“How can you expect that she would when we are being attacked by Brian’s latest piece of ass?!” Michael interjected.

Nancy looked dispassionately at the man she barely noticed when she’d sat down. She shook her head. To think that associating with this low-class person was what her daughter had been reduced to… she sighed. “Young man, I don’t know who you are…”

“Michael. Michael Novotny.”

“Nor do I care. This is a private conversation. And although you are at this table for whatever reason, you shouldn’t interrupt the conversation between my daughter and I unduly.”

“Look lady, this…”

“Again, in case you haven’t gotten it the first time, I don’t care. Now Lindsay, my advice would be to cut out this nonsense and come home. Harold is most anxious to get to know you, and if you have any chance of getting Gregory from the clutches of your unfortunate associations to be raised right…”

“Gregory?” Michael asked.

“Her son,” Nancy said, narrowing her eyes at being interrupted again.

“Gus, Mother. My son’s name is Gus.”

“Yes well, it can be changed immediately. Anyway, as I was saying, your best chance of fighting to regain control of him, his support accounts, and his trust funds, is to marry a well-off man. Lord knows your track record with Mel- such a manly name for a manly woman- was a waste of time. You could have been so much farther ahead in life, if you weren’t being rebellious. Oh well, I suppose it’s better late than never that you learned. I’ll expect you for dinner at six. And please, leave the monkey with the annoying voice at home. Better yet, drop him off at the nearest zoo or ASPCA,” she ordered, watching Michael scratch under his armpit. “It would be the humane thing to do.”

“Hey…!”

“I’ll be there, Mother. And perhaps you can tell me what you know about the Chris Hobbs situation?”

“Why would I want to talk about Christopher? He’s a disgrace, although you and he have that in common. Like you, he… well, that’s not to be talked about publicly,” she said, when she saw Michael’s ears perk up. She already couldn’t stand the little annoying man upon the short acquaintance; she’d be damned if she’d give any information about her family to benefit him. She’d caution Lindsay against doing the same, before she gave her any information. “Again, we’ll see you at dinner, Lindsay. Try to dress age-appropriate this time, and not as you are now. You look like a trollop, trying to be much younger than you are. Stripes and skintight pants are not to be wardrobe staples at your age, neither are those penny-loafers you are wearing. But I suppose that’s the influence of your former association, and the limited funds with which you have been living these past few years. But there must be something in your wardrobe that’s at least a little more acceptable style-wise.”

“Mother…”

“Don’t bother asking her, Lindsay. I took away her credit cards when I found out she was meeting you.”

“Ronald!”

“Daddy, what are you doing here?”

“Confirming my suspicions on your mother’s inability to do what she’s been told. No way could she not involve herself in your problems, could she? Well the only thing I can do about it now is to reiterate my conversation with you Lindsay, to include your mother. If you both insist on going after Taylor in any form or fashion, you do it on your own without any of my financial assistance.”

“But Daddy….”

“Ronald, this is…”

“And that also includes going after Melanie Marcus or Brian Kinney, who apparently are considered very good friends of his.”

“What are you talking about? Justin is just another notch on the belt of Brian’s long list of conquests,” Michael sneered.

Ronald rolled his eyes at Lindsay's chronic complainer-in-arms. “And if you believe that... ANY of you, then you are even bigger fools than I thought. But do keep going in your quest to mess with any of them. You’ll end up broke, busted, and disgusted by the end of it all,” Ron said. “Now come along, Nancy. We have a dinner party to get ready for. I’m sure we’ll see you later, Lindsay, if for no other reason than to gather information. But I’ll warn you now, Harold has no interest in being your personal bank, so get the notion that he will fund your bullshit out of your head immediately. Nancy, do remember the pre-nup should you continue to aid your offspring.”

“But I’m your offspring too, Daddy,” Lindsay smirked.

“No, you’re not.” Both Lindsay and Nancy gasped at that revelation. “Nancy, I believe you’ll be hearing from the attorneys of Marcus Foxx’s estate soon. He’s on his deathbed, and decided to confess all of his sins. One of which included his secret love child with the woman I married, who gave birth to a very large premie a mere eleven months after Lynette was born. I played along for the sake of appearances, but there was always the suspicion, Nancy. So you’ll be hearing from my divorce lawyers tomorrow. But in the meantime, we’ll appear together for one last time in the home we shared. After all, appearances mean everything to you, don’t they dear? Make sure to smile and simper in all the appropriate places tonight. See you later, Lindsay.”

And chuckling, he ushered a stunned Nancy out of the cafe, even while his faux-daughter seethed at once again, being totally left in the dark and having her choices taken away from her. Well after tomorrow, all things Nancy and Lindsay Peterson would no longer be his problem. And he was just fine with that!   

CHAPTER 12: THE START OF SOMETHING

PITTSBURGH:

“So now what’s the big plan, Lindz?” Michael asked, as she sat there in shock at the revelations her father had just made. Not that he could blame her. He remembered when he’d met his own deadbeat dad, courtesy of the benefit he’d organized. He had to wonder, if that fateful meeting had never happened, would his mother ever had told him? It seemed to him that it’s the same questions Lindsay might be asking herself.

“I honestly don’t know, Michael. Granted, according to daddy- uh, Ronald- my father is from the same tier within the country club that my parents are. I wonder how no one thought to mention this.”

“Perhaps it was just one of the best kept secrets, unless…”

“Unless what?”

“You think someone knew but was paid to keep quiet?”

“It’s possible, but who would? The thing about being from that society is that there is always someone looking to claim the top spot. The secret of my birth would have been valuable gossip, but… well, perhaps it’s wasn’t my mother’s clout that had kept it quiet.”

“You think your father did so willingly?”

“Perhaps. Even though my mother and father had a very distant marriage, it wasn’t quite as hateful as Brian’s parents. But anyone with eyes and sense could clearly see that there wasn’t any love lost for either of them. It would have made sense for them to strike out at each other, but they never did.”

“Well, since this Foxx guy seems to be in the mood for confessions, why not go see him for some answers? According to the Pope and Ma, confession is supposed to be good for the soul, or some shit like that, right?”

Lindsay started to retort, but thought the better of it. It actually was a really good idea. “I’ll see if I can get the number and call over there.”

“Why? It’s not like he is going anywhere.”

She shook her head. Just when she thought she’d rubbed off on Michael in the brains department, he goes and says something absolutely stupid. “Michael, it just isn’t done in my circle. It’s not the revolving door of your mother’s house, or like the loft used to be before Brian got on his privacy high-horse. We really need to get him to understand that his action was unacceptable and should be reversed immediately. But it's more than likely that the butler or maid may have been instructed that the residents aren’t receiving company, hence calling first. It would be a wasted trip to just show up, trying to get answers.”

“And yet that’s what we usually do to Brian. I don’t understand the difference.”

“The difference is that Marcus Foxx doesn’t owe me anything, whereas Brian does,” she said through gritted teeth. Why couldn't he understand something as simple as common courtesy.

“Bullshit!” Michael exploded. “The man has neglected you all these years; denied you the chance to know your true father. He owes you some of his time if nothing else!”

“Well, I suppose you’re right…”

“Of course, I am!” Michael exclaimed. “Come on, Lindsay. We have some answers to get.”

“We? No Michael, you can’t go,” Lindsay protested.

“Sure, I can. While you’re trying to squeeze information out of the old man, I can maybe talk to the staff. There has to be someone who knows what happened to Christopher Hobbs, don’t you think?”

“Fine, you’re right, but you have to be nice to them, Michael. These aren’t the type of people you want to badger, even if they are the hired help.”

“But how the hell do you get them to do what you want if you don’t?”

“It’s not only about getting them to give up the information you want, Michael. Servants talk, even or most especially when they are from different households. I don’t need this business spread around before I make my appearance at my parent’s house tonight. I need daddy- uhm, Ronald- to think he has me cowed.”

“Okay, but you can’t forget to ask him about the connection to the Taylor bastard. Lindsay, I know you. You’ll probably be so happy being back in your element and hellbent on remaining there that you will forget our real purpose.”

“You’re one to talk, Michael. You almost blew it with my mother. Haven’t you ever heard of not biting the hand that feeds you?”

“She doesn’t feed me; Ma does.” Lindsay rolled her eyes at his response.

They left the cafe, even as Lindsay was trying to explain what the expression really meant and give an impromptu lesson in etiquette. Immediately after their departure though, the remaining patrons laughed at the ineptitude with the pair of them. One of the guys in the far table called out, “So Ben, where should we begin?”

“Uh, George, this isn’t…”

“Fuck that! I want in! In fact, I’m pretty sure we all do. It’s time they both got their just desserts, so we want to help Kinney and Taylor. Helping Taylor would be the added bonus since he’s just as benevolent as Kinney is, if you get my drift.”

“Are you serious?”

“Absolutely. But just to clarify, how many of us in here have received at the hands of Kinney?” Almost every hand in the place, including Ben’s, went up. “And Taylor?” the guy asked. Of those whose hands were raised for Brian, only Ben’s hand went back onto the tabletop. “See?”

“Well I’ll be damned. You mean Taylor is…”

“Kinney’s match in every way that matters. So yeah, we want to prevent the PITAs of Pittsburgh from messing up our betting pool.”

“Pitas?” Hunter asked.

“Yeah. It’s an acronym for pains in the ass. Quite accurate, don’t you think?” George answered, causing everyone in the establishment to laugh and nod their heads.

“So what’s the betting pool, and just why are you betting on other people’s happiness?” Ben asked, uncomfortable with the idea that Brian’s life was being scrutinized for financial gain.

“Calm down, man. It’s not being done in malicious way. We’re just betting on how long it’s going to take Kinney to fall hard for Taylor and vice versa. From what we’ve all seen so far, it’s hard to call since they both seem to be going with the flow. As quiet as it’s kept, we’d all like to see the two of them settle down, preferably with each other,” George confirmed.

“Why?” Hunter asked. “I mean, if they do that, that means they won’t be doing you, right?”

“Maybe, youngen. But then again, just because you’re involved with someone doesn’t mean that you’re exclusive when it comes to getting off….”

“Hey, there’s an impressionable youth present who just happens to be my son,” Ben protested.

“I meant no offense, but he’s old enough to be taught the rules of dating. Son, a relationship is between two people, and it’s up to those involved to decide what the rules are between the two of them, not everyone else…”

“Sounds like the Brian Kinney Board of Relationship Advice to me,” Ben huffed in annoyance.

George laughed. “Be that as it may, it’s a good, solid, and honest way to live. The majority of us have been cheated on physically, emotionally, or even some combination of both. For some reason monogamy-such as it is- is always implied when people get involved, but never seems to be discussed. I mean, we all have verbal or written contracts for just about everything else, so why not that, too? Besides, we’re all of the opinion that even if Kinney and Taylor decide on an open-relationship, nothing will really upset it.”

“So you’re okay with an open-relationship?”

“Hell no, it’s not for me, but I respect the people who can deal with it. It takes a special brand of love and honesty between a couple to be able to navigate one successfully.”

“And you think Brian and this Justin guy are those types of people?” Ben asked in awe.

“From what we know of both of their commitment-phobic asses, if anyone can make that type of arrangement work, it’s the two of them.”

Ben thought about what George had said. Part of his anger at Peter was mainly because of his dishonesty, while fucking other people. It wasn’t even Ben’s idea to be monogamous in the first place, but Peter was pushing for that level of commitment from him. As a result of trusting Peter to be completely ready for the change in their relationship status once he agreed, Ben ended up positive when it could have been avoided if Peter had been honest with himself, and told Ben that he really wasn’t. They would have continued using protection, and would have at least maintained the illusion of happiness for a little while longer.

So with that thought in mind, Ben could understand the guy’s reasoning a bit better. He definitely didn’t agree with it for himself, but he could certainly see the merit of such an arrangement. Well as long as the lines of communication stayed open. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he asked, “So what do you guys suggest in thwarting the greedy guts that just left here?”

“Well, you do what you’ve been doing in updating Ted.” At Ben’s gasp, George laughed. “The only ones that weren’t aware of what you were doing are the nitwits, who were sitting at that table. In the meantime, I’m going to get my brother to call over to the Foxx residence.”

“Your brother?” Ben looked George over, who was dressed in leather from head to toe.

“Hey don’t judge me like that. I left the society of my own free will. However, my brother Jonathan and I are still very close, even if he’s the heir to the family fortune. I like being a cop, and didn’t want to spend all day behind a desk in a suit. Our respective roles fit our personalities.”

“Fair enough,” Ben said. George kind of reminded him of Brian in that he could blend in seamlessly with the masses, while still appearing to have been born wealthy. He was a chameleon, much like George. “So you’re going to call your brother. What else needs to be done?”

“I also need to find out where that Hobbs kid disappeared to.”

“Why?”

“I was there for that accursed wedding to Taylor’s young sister. The marriage was quickly annulled, but no one has seen or heard from the little bastard since then. I just need to make sure that he’s still alive, and not trying to reappear to make trouble after all these years. There are an awful lot of pieces to this puzzle that still don’t fit.”

“What do you mean?” Hunter asked, genuinely curious.

“First, let me get these calls squared away, both with my brother and the precinct. Then I will tell you the whole story about the Hobbs and Taylor families, as I know it. It’s a doozy!”

Ben watched as George moved away to the outside of the building, where he could call his brother to get everything underway. He couldn’t help but be more than a little intrigued by George. But more than that, he was anxious for the information to help Brian and Mel. Lindsay and her little minion, Michael, were menaces in the worst way. And it was time for them to be stopped, once and for all.

~AC~

New York:

“So what is the verdict?” Donatella asked, as the three men re-entered her office.

“We decided to keep the business relationship as it is, but I do have a request,” Cesare answered.

“And that is?” Both Justin and Brian asked at the same time.

“I would like to hear what’s going on with you two.”

“Us… two?” Justin asked, slowly.

“Yes. You see I have it on good authority that you two are… shall we say Mr. Jonesing?” He cackled at the look of uncomfortability and confusion on both of their faces.

Daphne laughed outright, even as Justin looked at her sternly. “Wherever did you learn that term, Cesare? Don’t tell me that someone introduced you to old school R&B music.”

“What are you talking about, Daphne?” Ted asked, although he too, was enjoying Brian’s obvious discomfort.

“There’s an old song my parents used to dance to. The lyrics go: Me and Mrs. Jones, we got a thing going on. So?”

“So what?” Brian asked.

“Dumb doesn’t become you, Handsome,” Daphne teased. “Now answer the question!”

“Daphne, we’re friends,” Justin answered her, exasperated.

“Well, I think Ted and I know firsthand just how friendly you two are,” Cynthia chimed in, loving the idea of making the two normally unflappable men squirm. “We all want to know if there is the potential to be… more, Brian.”

“Oh, God! Why is this even a conversation, especially from you four?” Justin gestured to the three DeCampos, and his best friend. “You all know how I feel about entanglements!”

“Same goes for you two,” Brian said, looking sternly at Ted and Cynthia, who continued to snicker.

“Which is all the more reason the question needs to be answered,” Cesare said. “I feel like you both are my sons in a sense, and I like doing business with the both of you. I don't want there to be any problems with you two being in the same room later on.”

“Oh they already have trouble being in the same room for too long…” Cynthia mumbled, earning her a glare from Brian. It only caused her to chuckle harder.

“What do you mean, Cynthia?” Donatella asked, noticing the tell-tale blush creep up on both men’s cheeks. “Ah, desiderio di diventare già amore?” {Desire to become love already?}

“NO!” Brian and Justin said at the same time, causing laughter all the way around.

“I say ‘yes’, Donatella,” Jennifer said, as she and Molly arrived into the office. After kissing her son and then everyone else, including Brian and his staff, who she had yet to meet officially, she continued. “Let's just have fun watching them tangle themselves up like cats with a ball of yarn, trying to fight the inevitable. I’ve always found that with Justin, inaction on my part always works best.” Her eyes twinkled at her son in mirth, when he huffed and folded his arms.

“You all are mistaken. Brian and I just have common interests. Love is the illusion you straight people need to get yourselves laid. Brian and I have no such qualms. We prefer the lust; it’s honest, efficient and immediately gratifying, without all the bullshit of having to consider another person’s feelings.” He said as he rolled his eyes. “It makes it easier to have a friend, without ulterior motives and sanctimonious tendencies.”

“Speaking of sanctimonious tendencies, what the hell are we going to do about your wife, Mr. Kinney?” the young blonde woman asked.

“Wife?!” All the DeCampos exclaimed at the same time.

Brian shook his head. “This incorrigible young woman must be Molly, I take it?” He said, extending his hand towards her. “I’m Brian, and I can assure you that I am definitely NOT married, especially to Lindsay Peterson, although she obviously wishes otherwise.”

“Good to know, even though your choice of friends makes me question your sanity a bit.”

“Mine, too.”

“Especially in terms of that mouse of a man. I swear his screeching reminded me of an evil version of Mickey Mouse!”

“Ah, the melodious strains of Michael’s eternal refrain,” Ted drawled. “BRIAAANNNNN, I’m your best friend! You can’t have a life that doesn’t include me!”

Brian, Cynthia, Justin, and Molly cringed. “Jesus, Ted don’t do that! You have me ready to grab a broom, and start beating you the way I would do him if I could stay out of jail afterwards,” Cynthia said.

“Well, tell me how you really feel, Cyn,” Brian said, as he turned to Ted. “And just how long have you been feeling that way about Michael?”

“It’s not just Michael, but Lindsay, too. Em and I have been watching for years how they have played on your friendship, and then used that friendship against each other. They only join forces and put their animosity for each other aside, when they feel a trick is overstepping their bounds and needs to be gotten rid of, or when they have the common goal of keeping you contained to their specifications. I didn’t really begin to notice, until I started working for you. But I think Em knew it long before that. He used to try to tell me when I would be pissed at you for the way you treated Michael.”

"I think any plans you all make needs to include Emmett, and especially, Melanie,” Justin said. “This affects the two of you more than the rest of us, Brian.”

“Melanie Marcus is here?” Jennifer asked.

“She’s back at the hotel with Emmett and our son,” Brian answered her.

“Well that explains that harridan’s comment a bit more.”

“What comment?”

Molly answered, “Well, the she-wolf known as your-baby-mama tried to get us to convince Justin not to hire you because it would affect the time you’d be available to visit with your son.”

“More like it wouldn’t leave you time to entertain her,” Cynthia said.

“What do you mean?” Donatella asked.

“The only way Brian was allowed to spend time with Gus was that he would have to go through Lindsay to arrange it.”

“What about Melanie?” Jennifer asked.

“Up until the very recent past, Melanie and Brian couldn’t stand each other.”

“Yet she’s carrying your second child?”

“That’s true,” Brian said. “They, meaning Melanie and Lindsay, wanted another child blood-related to Gus. Originally, I said no. I didn’t want to jump through another set of hoops because of Lindsay. But then I found out that Melanie would be having the child, since she had a procedure done that would allow her to become pregnant. I honestly don’t think Lindsay meant to tell me that part, but she needed to since I still wouldn’t have been agreeable if it was going to be her. Lindsay thinks it was her convincing me to do it, but the reality is, I wanted to do it for Melanie. We may have always had our differences, but once she and I talked, we both figured out that Lindsay was at the core of our problems with each other. From there, it became about mutual respect. We may never be best friends, but we have been managing to co-parent Gus just fine.”

“Wait! Why did you want to do it for Melanie?” Ted asked, genuinely confused.

“It’s her story to tell, but suffice it to say that over the last four years, I would see a certain look in her eyes every time she looked at Gus. It didn’t help that every single time Lindsay wasn’t getting her way about something, she would lord it over Mel that she was Gus’ mother. I didn’t like it then; I still don’t. Besides Lindsay continues to prove that biology can’t actually make someone a mother, which is something both Joan and Claire taught me long ago.” Ted nodded in understanding.

“Well, I think we should talk more about this over dinner,” Justin said, just as his stomach grumbled.

Brian snickered. “Just like a german train. It always comes in on time.”

“True, but so do you,” Justin responded, before he caught himself. He closed his eyes, realizing what he’d said aloud, even as he heard Brian snicker beside him.

“I’ll address that comment later, when there aren’t so many interested parties around.”

“Oh, I’ll certainly be interested then, too,” Molly said.

“Molly!”

“Yes, Mom?” she asked innocently, but no one was buying it.

“Come on, Troublemaker,” Chaz said, taking her by the hand. “I’ll give you all the details Ted and Cynthia were so gracious in giving me. Brian and Justin had an interesting beginning, si?”

“Oh, do tell!” Molly laughed at the twin looks of chagrin on her brother’s and his hopefully-partner’s, faces. She really wanted Justin to be happy and settled down with a man who understood him; someone who wouldn’t try to change him. Upon meeting Brian Kinney in person, she was of the same opinion as her mom. Justin had met his match, in more ways than he bargained for. “Cynthia, Daphne, and Ted, you all come, too.”

“Theodore…”

“Yes, Bri?” he tried Molly’s tactic, but it wasn’t working judging by the hard stare of the hazel eyes regarding him. “I know, I know. Zipping… zipping.”

“Good.”

“But you said nothing about confirming, which is exactly what I’m going to do.” Ted walked hastily away.

“That’s it! I’m calling Blake!”

Cynthia and Justin laughed. “He’s even worse.”

Brian threw up his hands in exasperation, following behind all of the occupants chattering and gesturing wildly about the beginning of what was fast becoming the Brian and Justin Saga.

“Cheer up, old man. Let them have their fun, while we keep them guessing. We both know that nothing is going to go that far between us. So let’s just continue to enjoy the ride, while they dream up their little romantic soap operas at our expense,” Justin told him, as he wrapped his arms around the slender waist. Brian returned the gesture around Justin’s shoulders, without thought or regard of whom was watching.

As Jennifer looked back at her son, gazing up into the taller man’s eyes, she smiled. The looks on their faces confirmed her earlier thoughts. Brian bent his head to kiss the proffered lips of her son, oblivious to everyone and everything around them. Yes, Justin darling, it’s going to be so much fun to watch you both tie yourselves in knots, and it’s just getting started.

CHAPTER 13: ATTENTION-SEEKING BEHAVIORS 101

PITTSBURGH:

Lindsay decided to take a little detour before their traverse into what Michael was quickly beginning to think of as Suburban Hell. After arriving at Muncher Mansion, Lindsay had gone up to change as Michael decided to look around. He noted all the broken glass on the floor, and decided that he would ask Lindsay about it when she returned from upstairs. He went into the kitchen for a bottle of water, also taking notice of the carnage in there. He could only think that the missing Melanie was the cause of it all.  

Following her into the police station, Michael wasn’t sure what to expect. “Lindsay, what are we doing here?”

“I’m taking a page out of Brian’s book, and following through on a carefully-issued warning.”

“What warning?”

“I called and advised Brian that if Melanie hadn’t returned Gus by this afternoon, I was going to report her for kidnapping. It’s time for them to take me seriously.”

Michael stood there in shock, before really processing what Lindsay intended to do. “Lindsay… LINDSAY! Look, we really need to think about this…”

“About what? Michael, I’m through being disregarded and disobeyed. Brian, and especially Melanie, need to remember their places!”

Michael sighed. “Look, I agree with you, okay? I do, but I mean, what can we really accomplish by doing this?”

“It will teach them what happens when they step out of our plans.” Lindsay tugged at his arm. “Come on, Michael, think about it. They will come rushing back to us, each for different reasons, but they will finally be forced to listen to reason. Brian is off somewhere shirking his responsibilities to me… I mean, us. And Mel deliberately took MY child out of the house without notifying me because she didn’t like something I said. So it will be OUR rules they will adhere to, Michael. They will understand who really holds all the cards, or I will take away the one thing that Brian and Mel have in common right now… Gus. I am STILL his primary parent after all, and whereas Mel and Brian have their rights, nothing can hold a candle to a mother’s love. We don’t know where Mel and Gus are, or who they’re with. For all I know, Mel could have decided to take her anger at me out on Gus. Oh my God, Michael, I’m so worried about him.”

Michael eyed the sudden tears in her eyes with skepticism. He didn’t believe for one second that Lindsay was really as worried about her son as she seemed. If Michael had learned nothing else today, it was that Lindsay was a fabulous actress; able to cry on demand. But if it was as bad as Lindsay said- and by the looks of the munchers’ house, it was a definite possibility- then maybe, just maybe Brian would be grateful to him for siccing the police on Mel. He couldn’t say for sure whether he wholeheartedly agreed with Lindsay’s plan, but if it got Brian back to Pittsburgh immediately- where he BELONGED- then he could go along with her for now, in order to reap all the benefits Brian will owe him later on.

“Fine, okay, Lindsay. We’ll do this, but then we really have to work on the Justin Taylor situation, okay?”

“If this works, Michael, I have a feeling that Justin Taylor won’t be too much of a problem going forward. You know how Brian feels about Gus. The fact that he was less than vigilant when it comes to Gus’ well-being will be enough to force his head out of Justin’s ass. In fact, if we know Brian- and we DO- the guilt alone will have him doing everything he can to prove his reliability, especially to us, his best friend and the mother of his child.”

“Including regranting us unlimited access to his loft?” Michael asked, suddenly seeing where Lindsay was going with this plan of hers.

“Among other things,” she replied, although she was sure from the dreamy look on Michael’s face, he hadn’t heard her.

For her part, she could give a flying fuck what he gave to Michael, but she wanted her access to Brian’s money reinstated NOW, IMMEDIATELY, and THANK YOU! As far as she was concerned, after she moved out of the house she shared with Melanie, Brian would have to prove who is more important to him. Her child, or the as-yet-not-here spawn that Melanie carried. It was going to be interesting to watch what Brian would do. Having to tie himself in knots to please her was no more than he deserved for upsetting Lindsay’s well-ordered existence. Had he just stayed predictable, then Lindsay wouldn’t have been forced to take the measures she is to return him to what she desired and expected him to be… her husband in every way but name.

“Come on, Lindsay. Let’s get Mel, Gus, and Brian back where they belong. I have to make my list of demands for me to accept Brian back into my good graces. Hey, perhaps you should have a list, too.”

“A list? Why?”

“So that the next time he even has a passing thought that he can have a life outside of us, he’ll remember all he stands to lose by doing so.”

Lindsay smiled. “That makes sense. As soon as we finish at my true father’s house and before I have to be at my parents’ we should write it down,” Lindsay suggested. She would make sure that Brian knew who came up with this idiotic idea when Michael presented his demands. Oh yes, fool. You’re going to make getting you out of my way just that much easier. And the best part is that you don’t even know it.

Turning on the tears, and messing her perfectly coiffed hair just a bit, she stumbled into the police station in her Anne Klein suit and heels, hanging onto Michael as if her life depended on it. “Excuse me, Officer, but I would like to report a kidnapping…”

~AC~

Carl Horvath sat in his office, thinking that maybe he spent too many hours behind his desk, mind buried in his computer screen with a set of earphones on, cataloging audio recordings to submit into evidence. But somehow, he didn’t think that was the really the case, when he heard a familiar coo, followed by a whine that was, indeed, unmistakeable. The ‘coo’ could have belonged to just about any wellbred WASP, looking to file a report, but the annoying mosquito sound accompanying it was one that Carl was all too familiar with. It belonged to the perpetual manchild of the woman he was dating. Closing his eyes and praying he was just hearing things, he moved over to the large picture window in his office. Pushing a single blind up, he had his suspicions confirmed when the man in question demanded that Officer Burrows increase the speed in which he lodged Lindsay Peterson’s complaint.

Lindsay stood at the front desk, leaning heavily upon Michael, lamenting about a fight that she and her partner had that morning, resulting in the current missing status of her son. Michael, of course, added in bits and pieces, assuring the officer on duty that the house did indeed look like a warzone with splattered glass everywhere as well as ripped tapestries. By Lindsay’s account, although Melanie was seven months pregnant, she had become abusive, flinging objects to and fro within the house in an effort to maim Lindsay. Then Melanie snatched up Gus, who was screaming and crying, threatened her once again, and defected from the residence without a trace in sight. It was completely believable, except that courtesy of Debbie, Carl already knew the entire story.

He had stopped into the Diner earlier for lunch, wanting to see his Red, but had walked in while she was reaming Michael a new asshole for being an ASSHOLE. He chuckled in remembrance of the most vicious tongue-lashing he’d ever heard a grown man receive… and he’d heard many, not only due to his profession but from his own mother, who really could have made a fortune giving lessons in backhanded compliments and setdowns. He chuckled silently at some of her more colorful conversations with his father and brothers down through the years. She may have been small statured, but she was certainly worth her weight in gold.

Bringing himself back to the present, Carl realized that he only had two options here: either go out there and call them on their bullshit in front of the entire police department- they were making a horrendous scene after all. Or let them go through with the report, and have them charged with filing a false report, and wasting police resources, later when Brian and Mel produced documents negating every single one of Lindsay’s claims. Ordinarily, this would not be a tough call; Carl believed wholeheartedly in stopping confusion before it started, and bringing a little common sense or rationality to any given situation. But based on what he’d heard earlier that afternoon, after Michael had left the Diner with a sore ass, and an even sorer head from the multiple slaps to the head Deb issued, Carl believed that if Michael and Lindsay weren’t made to dig their own graves, they would continue to try and dig Mel and Brian’s.

He’d been privy to many a scene over the last year, where the former two would foment arguments between the latter, until Melanie had gotten pregnant with Brian’s child. Or the way Michael would make certain mean ass comments to Ben or the others, even to his own MOTHER, and then try to retract them stating ‘I didn’t mean it the way it sounded’. The worst was towards his uncle and husband, regarding their HIV status, or to the young hustler who Ben had recently adopted, basically stating that it was his own fault that his mother prostituted him, because of his smart mouth. Carl had been ready to shoot the little brunet fucker right then and there to put him out of everyone’s misery. After all, if Hunter’s mother prostituted him because of his smart mouth, than a bullet in Michael’s ass would have been well justified, right?

Carl sighed. But he’d refrained from doing so, not to show Michael any mercy, but because it would have hurt Deb. She more than made up for it though when she’d called him outside onto the front stoop, and then poured his favorite meal of spaghetti and meatsauce right over his head before sending him to his store for the night. The fact that she gave him a well-placed kick to his keister as he went down the steps was an added bonus!

So looking upon the scene now, Carl began to examine his innermost thoughts and feelings about the choices before him. He’d always considered himself a good cop, wanting to see justice done no matter the personal costs to himself. Could he, in good conscience, allow Lindsay and her apparent sidekick, Michael, to continue this charade of fuckery? Should he put a stop to their attention-seeking behaviors now, and allow them to escape the punishment they so richly deserve? Could he look Deb in her eyes without a trace of guilt or remorse for what he knows is about to beset her son? Would his halo be tarnished in the hereafter if he didn’t do this one good deed? By the time Carl made the decision within himself, it was already too late. Michael and Lindsay were leaving the precinct, arm-in-arm, already having turned the wheels of their downfall in motion.

He looked up at the ceiling, smirk firmly in place and said, “God, please forgive me for my inaction. And whereas it’s not my job but yours to pass judgment, thanks for taking this decision out of my hands.” He crossed himself, and went back to his desk. He decided to call the one person who above all else would understand what was about to happen. “Hello, Vic. You might want to warn Brian and Mel that the long arm of the law is about to reach out to them…”

CHAPTER 14:  WHO’S FOOLING WHO?

FOXX RESIDENCE

BELLE AIRE ESTATES, PA

“Now remember what I said, Michael. While I’m visiting dear old Dad, make small talk with the butler. He should be able to tell you something, or at the very least point you in the direction of someone who can,” Lindsay reminded him for what must have been the hundredth time since leaving the police station.

“Jeez, Lindz, I got it already! Hit up the butler for information.” Michael rolled his eyes again.

“And don’t do that!” she scolded. “No matter how mundane the comment, there is usually some meaning behind it. The key is to retain any and all information so that we can get Brian away from Justin Taylor as soon as possible. Remember what happens if you fail.”

“What makes you so sure that it will be me failing? You have more at stake here, Lindsay; I just want to point that out!”

She sighed again, unable to deny the truth of his words. She did have more at stake at the moment. Because of her mother’s immense fuck up, she was in danger of having all avenues into this vaunted world locked to her. She couldn’t allow that to happen, despite the fact that her parents- or more accurately, her mother and the man she’d known as her father- were getting a divorce. This was her chance to make a very valuable connection, regardless of whether the man lived to see another day or not.

“Sadly, you’re right, Michael. Once the news of trouble within the Peterson household leaks out, everyone will be wary about wanting to get involved with Mother and me. It’s not that they won’t choose a side amongst themselves, only that they will want to appear as staying neutral. And like it or not, Ronald Peterson has a lot of clout within this circle.”

“Then why are you worried?” Michael asks. “As of right now, no one really knows the secret of your mom playing hide the salami with this Foxx guy. It’s only a rumor.”

“True, but rumors among the Elite have been known to sink plans and kill dreams faster than if one would be found guilty of an actual crime. It’s hard to explain, but…”

Michael perked up as he had a sudden idea. “Well if that’s the case, Lindz, wouldn’t it stand to reason that it could also work in the case of Justin Taylor? I mean, he’s well known within this set, isn’t he?”

Lindsay thought a moment, negating the echo of Ron’s warning in her head. Looking at it from Michael’s point of view, spreading gossip to the right person, or group, could raise certain doubts about the Taylors character. She would have to give it some more thought and then seek out the perfect person to spread it around. Looking out of the window as the taxi turned into the long driveway, she said “I don’t know if it would work the same way, Michael. But let me think about it a little more. Besides, we’re here so let’s concentrate on what we can do right now.”

Michael nodded as the cab came to a stop in front of their destination. “Oh my God, this is the first time I’ve ever seen a real mansion!”

“I know. Isn’t it magnificent?” Lindsay breathed, after alighting from the taxi and instructing the driver to wait. Turning back to Michael, she smiled. “Are you ready to go in?”

He was still gawking at the massive home, daydreaming about him and Brian eventually buying a place similar. He shook himself out of his reverie due to the subtle nudge of elbow that Lindsay had pushed into his side. “Yes. Yes, let’s go, Lindsay. If the outside looks like this, I can’t wait to see what the inside will be like.”

Lindsay moved towards the steps before she stopped to issue another warning. “Michael, I’m concerned that you will wind up looking as if you are casing the valuables within the house. Although I understand your fascination, please do try to act as if this is a commonplace occurrence for you. If you don’t, trust me, the butler will dial the police and attract the type of attention that we simply do not want at this juncture.”

He took a while, noting the difference in Lindsay’s speech immediately. Just as he’d told her she would, Lindsay began speaking in even more proper tones than she did when she was on Liberty Avenue. “I knew you were going to pull this garbage,” he growled.

“Whatever do you mean, Michael?”

“The moment we set tire into this part of town, all of a sudden you start sounding like a cross between Martha fucking Stewart and Hillary fucking Clinton!”

“Language, Michael!” Lindsay said, clutching the imitation pearl necklace around her neck.

“Don’t you language me, Lindsay!” Michael warned before lowering his voice. “Look, let’s just do this thing and get out of here before you get centstruck.”

“Centstruck?”

“Yeah. I’ve watched you do that shit over Brian enough when he’d either buy something new or pull out his cash to give you some of it. Being around money makes you cream in a way that I’m not interested in smelling, so let’s hurry the hell up so that I can get back to where I belong… and you, too!”

Lindsay hurriedly followed a marching Michael up the remainder of the stairs, not having enough time to stop him before he’d rung the doorbell. “Michael, I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but there is nothing wrong with using proper English.”

“It’s not the properness of your English that I’m worried about, but the thoughts and meanings behind the words, Lindsay. It’s the fucking attitude!”

Before Lindsay could respond or admonish Michael about his crude language, the locks on the door were being turned. “We will finish this discussion later.”

“You bet your ass we will,” he muttered, but she heard him anyway.

The door opened to reveal a man taller than Brian. “Good afternoon. May I help you?”

“Yes. My name is Lindsay Peterson, and this is my friend, Michael Novotny. I would like to see Mr. Foxx, please?”

“Mr. Foxx is not receiving visitors at this time.”

Lindsay adopted her sympathetic face. “I’d heard that he was ill. But I also came across some disturbing news that my mother imparted to me just this morning, concerning my connection to him. Can you just ask him if he would like to speak with me? I know that he must rest, but well, it’s quite important… for both of us.”

He showed them into the parlor, advising that he would go and verify. As Lindsay settled into an armchair, Michael walked around the room. He’d been looking at a painting before he noticed the small signature of the artist in the corner. “God. This guy is everywhere,” he muttered.

“What are you talking about now, Michael?” Lindsay asked, exasperated.

“The fact that this painting is a Justin Taylor original.” He pointed to where he was looking a bit above him.

“Surely you are mistaken,” Lindsay said as she moved to where Michael was standing.

She couldn’t help but be in awe and envy at the use of color in the painting. It was obviously done with great passion, denoted by the use of  reds, oranges, and yellows. It reminded one of a moving fire, spreading to and fro without thought or care of anything in its path. The painting seemed almost out of place within the parlor which had a tasteful purple and lavender decor. Yet, the eye was constantly drawn to the painting over the fireplace, and immediately her mind went to Brian.

Presence. That’s what Brian had that made him unforgettable, even to people he had yet to meet. The way he owned the room when he entered it, no matter the occasion. The way he commanded the attention of everyone. The way he moved, like a panther poised to strike his prey at any given time. The way he never seemed to be still, even when sitting in a setting requiring him to be. It’s what Lindsay craved, and she would have… one way or the other.

The subtle clearing of a throat behind them, interrupted her musings. “Mr. Foxx still isn’t receiving visitors, but he did ask me to give you a message for him. He said that upon his expiration, you will receive a packet, detailing all you need to know. He said that Ron Peterson advised him that you would make an appearance and asked that he wait…”

“Wait? Wait for what exactly?” Lindsay asked.

“He asked that you not be told about the circumstances surrounding your birth and all the subsequent information until Mr. Foxx went on to meet his maker.”

“Does that mean that Ron Peterson is going to continue to acknowledge you as his daughter, Lindsay?”

“I don’t know, Michael,” she answered before turning back to the butler. “Thank you very much for telling me this. Can you please let him know that I will do as he asked. I’m very sorry that we didn’t have a chance to get to know each other in this life.”

“I will pass along your message, Ma’am.”

Lindsay nodded, but Michael still remembered that he had a job to do, per Lindsay’s express instructions. “By the way, do you know the artist of this painting?”

“Yes, Sir. Mr. Taylor and Mr. Foxx have visited many times over the years. He was a friend of young Justin’s grandfathers before they passed.”

“Really? How did that happen?”

“Mr. Foxx was one of their business advisors a long time ago.”

“Does that mean he would know the Hobbs family, too?”

“Yes, it would, although I’m not sure to what extent. Our community is very interconnected. Now if you’ll excuse me, I really must get back to my employer.”

“Sure, but one more thing. Do you know where I can find Christopher Hobbs? There’s a matter of grave importance I would like to discuss with him?”

“I haven’t seen Christopher for many years, although he does come back once in awhile. He lives and works in Amsterdam,” the butler said as he left the parlor to usher Michael and Lindsay to the front door.

“As in the Netherlands?” Lindsay gasped.

“Yes,” the butler answered them shortly.

“Do you have an address for him? I mean, my mother told me that he’s also my cousin. I have a son, and I’m trying to gather all of the information about our family so that I can teach it to him,” Lindsay said, once again turning on the little girl lost look and voice.

Michael just stared at her for a moment and then shook his head, before addressing the butler. “If you do, it would really help Lindsay out. I mean, Gus should know his family, right?”

“Why not ask your mother for the information, then?”

“My mother would only tell me that they don’t speak about Christopher very often, but not why. Perhaps you know something that she doesn’t?” Lindsay wheedles.

“Not really,” the butler answered again. “In fact, none of us- as in the house staff- really do. As your mother told you, he’s not talked about much within this circle, except to say that he’s relocated. Now I really must get back to my duties. Good day!”

As Lindsay and Michael headed back down the stairs the way the came, Michael muttered, “Well that seemed like a complete waste of time.”

“Oh, I’m not so sure about that, Michael. After all, my true father is leaving me something of an inheritance.”

“Good for you! But what does that have to do with us getting rid of that fucking blond kid? With Hobbs in Amsterdam- wherever the fuck that is- there’s no way we can get to him.”

“Oh, I’m not so sure about that. But first, we have to go back to my place so that I can prepare for dinner.”

“Prepare? What the hell are you talking about? I thought you were already prepared.”

“Oh God, Michael. Teaching you proper etiquette is bound to be the bane of my existence! I cannot go to dinner at my parents house in the same suit that I went visiting another home in. It just simply isn’t done. Besides that, Mr. Foxx is ill, and we don’t know with what. It would be the height of egregiousness and in poor taste to go to my parents in a suit that may carry his germs.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that.” Michael shook his head, thinking there were too many fucking and fucked up rules to deal with when dealing with Lindsay and her people. “So what’s our next move?” he asks, as they get back into the cab.

After Lindsay gives the taxi driver instructions to get back to the house she shared with Melanie, she turns to Michael. “I will try to find out what I can tonight while I’m at my parents’ house. In the meantime, you go to Babylon and see what you hear. With both Brian and Justin out of town together, there is bound to be a lot of speculations and innuendos floating about. Then we’ll meet tomorrow morning for breakfast at Birch Street Cafe. No way do I want to have this conversation anywhere that your mother can hear.”

Michael nods. “I agree. Besides, she’s totally pissed at me anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised if she put an exlax in my coffee.”

“That was a visual I just didn’t need, Michael,” Lindsay mutters, tuning out whatever other idiotic thought was about to leave his mouth unfiltered.

Soon, I will find a way to be rid of you too, Michael. That I promise!

BACK AT THE FOXX RESIDENCE

“Is it done?” Ron Peterson asks over the phone.

“Yes, Sir, it is. Mr. Foxx also thanks you for the warning. She and her pet chihuahua showed up unannounced just as you said she would,” Giles, the butler said.

“She is her mother’s daughter after all. Although I will miss Marcus to an extent, I can’t wait to see Lindsay’s face when she finds out about her inheritance and that you and Anthony stand to get it all. She’s as avaricious as Nancy. In the meantime, I need to call Brian Kinney.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because once again, she has used Gus in her schemes. He and Melanie should have some legal recourse regarding that.”

“True, but also alert Justin Taylor that the man with her was asking about him AND Christopher Hobbs. That can’t be good.”

“Let me assure you that it isn’t. There are only a few of us that actually know where he is; we need to keep it that way… for all our sakes.”

“Indeed, Mr. Peterson. I did tell them that he was in Amsterdam, but NOT where. That will probably keep them busy for awhile yet.”

“Let’s hope so, Giles. Lindsay is like a dog with a bone, especially when it comes to getting what she wants. And she wants Brian Kinney. Michael Novotny wants him too, but he would never work as hard to get him. Lindsay, on the other hand, has no threshold or conscience. She will literally and figuratively do anything.”

“There might be another way to thwart her, Sir.”

“Well, Giles, let’s hear it…”

CHAPTER 15: DECISIONS

THE PETERSON RESIDENCE

SEWICKLEY, PA

“Ronald, seriously? Why are you being this way?!” Nancy screeched.

“Because you were warned, Nancy. It’s as simple as that.”

“But Ronald, you were being unreasonable!”

“I was being unreasonable? Woman, if you were to look up the definition of the word in the dictionary, you and your wayward spawn would appear there with greedy, green eyes of envy and avaricious smiles. There aren’t any people on this earth who fit the very definition of unreasonable as well as you and Lindsay.”

“Is there anything I can do to change your mind about this?”

“Short of being reborn out of some womb far, far away, NO! You have brought this on yourself, Nancy. All you had to do was keep your upturned nose out of Lindsay’s problems, but as usual you couldn’t do that.”

“But she’s our daughter, Ronald…”

“No, she’s YOUR daughter! And has served as your meal ticket for more years than I care to think of, or remember. But out of curiosity, what exactly did you think would happen?” At her silence, and downcast eyes, he laughed sardonically. “Oh, you just thought that all of this would blow over as it had in the past, did you? You thought because of the threat of taint on my family name, I would once again roll over and play dead for you, didn’t you? Well underestimating me in this instance was your first mistake, Nancy. And now, you have made another.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ron. I didn’t tell Lindsay to go over there!”

“I’m not talking about Lindsay’s stupidity in darkening the Foxx residence’s front door, although I can also hold you accountable for that, since it’s exactly what you would have done yourself. No, what I’m talking about is the call you put in to Clara not even a half an hour ago, after you eavesdropped on a private conversation between me and Giles.”

She gasped. “How do you know about that?”

“There isn’t much I don’t know, Nancy. When will you learn that?” He shook his head in both pity and exasperation. Nancy was just much too entitled for her own good, and sadly those same issues had rubbed off on Lindsay. “In any event, I called Clara back to advise her that should Christopher even think to make an appearance in Pennsylvania- let alone in Pittsburgh directly- that I will call the remaining mortgage due on their mansion immediately.”

“I still can’t believe you bought it,” she muttered.

“I don’t know why not. You know I’m all about acquisition, Darling, especially when it comes to real estate. But look on the bright side of the situation…”

“Which is?”

“When you leave here later on tonight, you’ll at least have the illusion that you are simply visiting your family members, instead of being permanently evicted from my life,” Ronald answered gleefully, before growing falsely thoughtful. “Although the announcement of our imminent divorce will be in the papers, I’ve arranged for it to appear in an obscure view in the Vital Statistics registry. It will appear in the obituary section right after the last name of the recently deceased. Poetic justice and a bit of irony, don’t you think? After all, our marriage has been dead for years.”

“Fuck you, Ronald!”

“Not even with Marcus’ nearly-dead dick, Nancy. If I were you, I would pick my last outfit as Lady of the Manor, carefully. The one thing you’ll not want is for the last supper you will ever have within these walls to be gossiped about unduly. But a word of advice…”

“What is it?” Nancy asked, the agony of defeat heavy in her tone.

“Warn your wasted fuck of all both you and she stand to lose tonight should she be the bitch she is by bringing up that asshole nephew of yours. I mean it, Nancy. One mention of Christopher Hobbs and you will not even get the pittance of alimony to live on that you’re entitled to.”

“You can’t do that!”

He moved closer to her, deliberately invading her personal space. He leaned in to whisper, allowing his breath to ghost across her lips, and asked, “Are you bold enough to take the chance that I can’t?”

Ordinarily, Ronald Peterson was not such a vicious man. Methodical? Yes. At times, diabolical? Hell YES! 

But he’d always believed wholeheartedly in fairness; in playing the game of life within their society and beyond it with integrity and skill. Sadly, he hadn’t always been able to do that, especially when it came to matters concerning his soon-to-be ex-wife and her daughter. It had taken everything within Ronald most days to just stick with the plans of the prenup, always looking forward to the day he would be free of the Hobbs harridans. And although that day was finally here, he was finding that he needed to work just as hard- if not harder- to thwart their plans for Brian Kinney and Melanie Marcus as he did to save himself years of headaches and money, resulting from his increased therapy bills. But the piece de resistance still had yet to be revealed.

Just a little while longer, he thought to himself, struggling to keep the triumph from his eyes for Nancy’s benefit.

“You really think you’ve won, don’t you, Ronald?”

Ron laughed in the face of her implied threat. “I don’t have to think about anything, Nancy; I already know I have. And it’s in ways that you can’t possibly imagine. See you at dinner,” he said as he dismissed her from his presence.

Nancy stood there glaring at him for mere moments, willing him to look up from the paperwork he’d been perusing before she dared to enter his office without even the courtesy of a knock on the door. As she finally huffed and flounced out of the office, Ronald breathed a slight sigh of relief. Phase one was complete, and so it was time to begin laying the foundation of phase two. Picking up his cellphone, he dialed the familiar number. As the call connected, he couldn’t help the smile that stretched across his lips at hearing the greeting.

“Hey, Daddy. Is everything okay?” Lynette’s cheerful voice came through the receiver.

“Yes, Darling. Everything is fine. I just called to tell you that everything is going according to plan so far. Are you sure you’re up to going ahead with your idea?”

“More than you know. By the way, I heard that she made an appearance at the precinct on 57th and Firth today. George called Jonathan, who handed the phone to me.”

“Hm, that could work to our advantage.”

“It already has, since according to George, quite a few officers saw the scene she and her minion put on regarding the apparent domestic abuse and subsequent kidnapping of her child. Although none of us could figure out how Lindsay could fix her lips to tell the lies she has. It kind of makes you wonder what other untruths she’s told over the years, doesn’t it?”

Ron picked up the full investigative report he obtained regarding one Lindsay Peterson, and smiled. “I think I have some idea of those.”

“Any idea what you’re going to do about them?”

“Certainly! But first, let’s get through this last dinner, then I’ll tell you the rest.”

Lynette agreed, before disconnecting the call. Ronald smiled to himself, before looking down at the report again. If there was one person who had an even bigger axe to grind against Nancy and Lindsay, it was Lynette. And whereas he was powerless to fix her problems with them while they were happening, it seemed to Ronald that the saying ‘Better late than never’ was about to take on a whole new meaning… for both of them.

NEW YORK

“And you’re absolutely sure that this is what you want to do?” Donovan asks the pregnant woman sitting directly across the table from him. 

“It’s not about what I want to do, but what’s best for my children and me,” Melanie says, then sighs. “In all honesty, I’ve gotten to the point where there are times when I want to see if I can find loopholes in the law to get away with cold-blooded murder.”

“Funny, considering I know that Brian’s had that same reaction regarding you, a time or two.”

“And vice versa, let me assure you, Donovan. No one on earth can vex me more than Brian Kinney… or that used to be true, until I started really opening my eyes about Lindsay. In retrospect, I can see every single time she played puppet master with me and Brian, causing us to argue like it was about to be outlawed any minute. Unfortunately, I allowed her to play on my insecurities, which is something that Kinney is guilty of, too. Lindsay knows the exact buttons to push, and when.”

Donovan nods at her in agreement. “So that only brings the question of what you want out of all this.”

“The kids, my personal effects, my office, and a painting that Brian bought for me called Lucky.”

“Okay, but… well, as I understand it, you single-handedly paid off the mortgage to the house. Why would you just give it to her, free and clear?” 

“Truthfully, I don’t want to live there. In fact, once I’m finished collecting my things along with the kids, I want to move out of it and not look back. But if I allow her to keep the house, I don’t have to have any dealings with her going forward. She’ll be fully financially responsible for all the upkeep.”

“But what if you sell the house to someone else and they turn it into a rental property? She’ll still be financially responsible for the house if she plans to continue staying there, without you having to be involved.”

“True, but you don’t know Lindsay.” Melanie sighed, knowing that she would have to spell out how Lindsay would react knowing that Melanie had sold the house out from under her. “The problem is that no matter what I do, Lindsay will find a way to not only appear the victim, but it also will encourage her to try and get Brian to fund her life going forward. Whether Lindsay stays in the house or not is of no consequence; it’s all about what she gains by doing so. With me letting her keep the house, it cuts off one avenue she’ll use to get to Brian. She won’t have the kids to use as her brand of extortion, although she’ll certainly try to drag us to court for visitation, especially for Gus. It won’t matter that she really doesn’t want to see him, but just to pump him for information. The new baby, she’ll just want to take from me for spite. The only thing I have going in my favor right now is that she doesn’t have a steady paying job.”

“I’m sure you have much more than that, Mel. Especially considering the company she’s keeping in Michael Novotny, who just lost his own shop for non-payment. As they say, birds of a feather… So I have to ask again, what is it you want to do?”

Mel seemed to think about it for a moment. “If you were me, what would you do, Don?”

“Sell the house flat out, and suggest that the new owner turn it into a rental property. The trouble would be deciding who could do it that would be completely immune to her dubious charms…”

“I’ll buy it,” came the voice from the corner. Neither Donovan nor Melanie had even heard the young woman enter the suite. “I’m Daphne Chanders, by the way. Justin said that I should come up and introduce myself since we’ll all be seeing a lot of each other going forward.”

“And what do you do for the company, Ms. Chanders?” Donovan asked, for both himself and Melanie.

“Outside of being the International Liaison for both Taylor Industries and Winston, Inc. I’ll be working fairly closely with the Kinnetik team. While Kinnetik’s staff handles all the public relations aspects, I am responsible for keeping the relationship between both companies and our clients intact so that whatever is said publicly doesn’t adversely affect anyone’s bottom lines. Since I am also Justin’s best friend since before the crib, that also gives me a unique insight into what you’re facing regarding your ex, Ms. Marcus.”

“I’m curious as to why you believe that,” Mel stated.

“There isn’t another person alive, including his mom, who could tell you what Justin’s reactions will be.” Daphne heard everything. It was time she lay all the facts out for each of them, that neither one of them had seemed to consider. “But back to the matter at hand about the house… Brian can’t do it; he’s too close to the situation. Justin is already dealing with enough, regarding his sperm donor, and both are dealing with Lindsay and her lapdog who are trying to put the kibosh on whatever may develop between the two of them…”

“You think something is going to develop? Between two of the most commitment-phobic men to walk the face of the earth?” Donovan asked skeptically, to which Melanie laughed.

“Definitely,” Mel confirmed. “They are denying it with every breath they take, but the possibilities are endless in that quarter.”

“I noticed the sparks- or make that mini-bombs- exploding whenever they looked at each other while we were at the DeCampos offices.”

Mel laughed harder. “Honey, you should have seen them on the plane coming here. I don’t think I’ve seen two men better suited for each other in my life. While denying that there is anything more than sexual attraction and common interests, they also are developing protectiveness towards the other which has absolutely nothing to do with business.”

“I noticed it, too,” Daphne confirmed. “So how about it? Let me buy your house? If it means anything to you, I’ve spent my entire life dealing with ignorant people like Lindsay. Believe me, she and her family have nothing on mine. In fact, Lindsay’s family would be first in line to kiss the well-heeled asses of mine and Justin’s families.”

“And yet, you all are so down to earth…”

“It’s the fact that we are from old money, and are used to having the power it brings. We don’t have a need to lord it over others, or to constantly remind them where we come from; they know.”

Donovan looked at the young woman, a slight smirk on his face. In a way, she did remind him of all he gleaned from Justin upon meeting him. But there was also a lot about her that reminded him of Brian Kinney. But then that could also stem from the lascivious looks she’s casting at Melanie, even though the brunette has yet to notice. Donovan nearly chuckled aloud at his thoughts.

Yes, something is telling me that just as Brian is going to have his hands full with Justin, Melanie is going to find herself running from this young woman, too. But will she really want to?

“Okay,” Melanie answered. “So how do we do this? I always thought there needed to be a broker involved.”

“Not really,” Donovan answered. “We would have to draw up a contract specifically stating the Exclusive Right to Sell, which would allow you to sell the house directly to Daphne without having to involve a broker. You’re not planning to carry a mortgage on the house, are you?”

At first, Daphne looked at him as if he had ten heads. Until she realized he really didn’t know the extent of her finances, which made the question a fair one to ask. “No, no need to. I’m willing to give you fair market value, plus a little more for a short sale. The only thing I’m going to request is that you let me come with you when it’s time to pack up your belongings and clear out of there. I think it’s best that someone be with you while you’re doing that.”

“I can always ask Ted or Emmett to come with me,” Melanie protested, but Daphne wasn’t blind. She could see the woman’s nervousness at the thought of having a stranger accompanying her.

“No problem. We can ask them to go with us. In fact, it may make packing you up that much faster. In the meantime, I will also call some very special friends of mine, who will be all too happy to move your things, including any furniture you may want to take with you. Do you have a place to move into?”

Melanie’s head was spinning with the rate at which this was all happening. Donovan had only arrived a little over an hour ago to talk about this, but with the arrival of Daphne, Melanie found herself making split-second decisions. The funny thing is that she wasn’t feeling forced to do so, but that the younger woman was ensuring that Melanie went with her first instincts; not giving her a chance to second-guess herself. She couldn’t say she was sorry in that respect. And honestly, Melanie was coming out much more ahead on this deal than she would have previously thought, had she had to go it alone.

“Not yet. I would need to talk to Brian, since he might have some idea about it. He knows that I wouldn’t want to seem like I’m hiding from Lindsay, because I’m not. But he, more than anyone else, would want me to be in a peaceful environment, especially now.”

“Understandable,” Daphne concurred. “So tonight at dinner with the DeCampos, it’s probably one of the first things that needs to be addressed. Which was actually what I was coming to tell you before I got sidetracked with my thirst for a new acquisition.” She giggled in glee, which was so far removed from the whirlwind woman Melanie and Donovan had just been privy to meeting. “So Donovan, as soon as you draw up the papers, I will sign them. As for the price of the house Melanie, how much did you pay for it when you first bought it?”

“Eighty-nine thousand, and that was after a slight bidding war. The house was originally appraised at seventy-five grand.”

“And how much work have you done at the place since you bought it? And how long have you lived there?”

“Just shy of eleven years, and I’ve done all major upgrades to the house a little over time. Most of that was cosmetic, except for the additions of a new washer and dryer, and the new plumbing put in to accomodate a dishwasher. But the roof I paid to have replaced just over a year ago,” Melanie answered.

Daphne narrowed her eyes in thought, mentally calculating all that Melanie had told her. “And how much of a mortgage is left on the home?” 

“None, now. I own it free and clear,” Melanie answered, looking both sad and proud. “I used a portion of the inheritance my grandfather left me to pay the rest of the mortgage off, once I was able to catch it up four years ago. It was the only time I’d ever run behind, and it was just after Gus was born. But when my grandfather passed a little while back, I used over half of it to make sure all I had to pay was property taxes on the house.”

“Does Lindsay know?”

Melanie smiled. “No. I managed to keep that bit of information from her. All she knew was that I was called back home for his funeral. She didn’t ask any questions when I’d gotten back. But once my inheritance hit my account, Ted suggested that I change the access codes at the same time that Brian was changing his. Because of Lindsay’s penchant for spending, I didn’t think twice about it, even though I left the joint account the way it was.”

“Smart thinking,” Daphne stated. “So here’s what I'm thinking, I’m prepared to pay you $311,600 for the house, which covers the initial cost of the house, plus fair market value at the time you bought it. Then I added in ten percent for every year you’ve lived there, prior to this one. In all honesty, consider it restitution for having been wrongly convicted of the crime…”

“A crime?” Donovan asks, as Melanie sits there in shock.

“Yes. I mean, what else would you consider being saddled with Lindsay Peterson? I don’t think anyone could have pissed off God that much in this life or any other. It’s like having all seven plagues of Egypt stuffed inside one harridan.”

Donovan and Melanie couldn’t help but laugh at Daphne’s assessment of the situation. They could instantly see why she and Justin have been friends all their lives. Each of them have such a unique way with words, where even while laughing, their point couldn’t be misinterpreted. “Yeah, you just described Lindsay,” Donovan said. “But I’m curious, do you know her personally?”

“No, I’ve never had the displeasure of meeting her. But her mother and aunt, I know entirely too well for even my own peace of mind. It’s not hard to see where the apple fell where she’s concerned, even though there is more to that story as well. Suffice it to say that all the chickens are about to come home to roost for Nancy and Lindsay…”

“Not Lynette?” Mel asked.

“No. Ironically Lynette and Ronald are the ones who are going to make sure the two of them get exactly what they deserve. Trust me, their axe to grind is much bigger and will be much more effective once it’s applied. But that’s going to take some time to accomplish. In the meantime, it’s going to be best to remove you from the situation as soon as possible, beginning with getting you and the kids out of Lindsay’s orbit immediately.”

They talked a few more moments before Donovan excused himself to draw up the contract / bill of sale between Melanie and Daphne. Again, he looked back to take a brief peek at them, but this time he caught Daphne’s eyes on him. He raised an eyebrow in her direction, asking the question that had been on his mind since he first noticed the way she was surreptitiously watching Melanie. At her imperceptible nod in response, and the slight smirk coming across her full lips, Donovan almost laughed aloud. Instead, he opted to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that no matter what, Melanie Marcus was going to be protected from Lindsay Peterson’s machinations. 

And in the process, perhaps Daphne Chanders will show the woman what it really meant to be worshipped, even if it’s within the scope of a fling. Donovan smiled to himself again as he closed the door behind him. From the intensity on the younger woman’s face, I doubt it’s going to be a fling… not in the least.   

CHAPTER 16: DISCLOSURE

Donovan left the room, leaving the two women both quiet and contemplative. While Melanie was trying her best to figure out the younger woman’s angle, Daphne was thinking that her first step was complete. She wasn’t completely honest with Melanie and Donovan. The truth was that she’d seen Melanie before- had even met her at function a little over a year ago that she attended with a trick whose name she couldn’t remember for the life in her- but it was obvious that the brunette hadn’t remembered. It could be that her attention-seeking bitch of an ex-partner was hellbent on dominating the conversation as she flirted outrageously with any and everybody. 

The one thing Daphne could remember thinking was that if Melanie was hers, there was no way in hell she would be able to take her eyes away from her. She would have guarded Melanie like the most rabid dog would its last meal, instead of deliberately ignoring the woman. For a time, Daphne and her date for the evening had stood there observing their dynamic, as Daphne had primarily watched Melanie. It wasn’t hard to discern her discontent with her companion even then, although the attorney had covered it up extremely well. And while later that evening, Daphne fucked the absolute hell out of her date- who thankfully didn’t mind her strap-on up his ass after she’d let him screw her- she thought of all the ways she would have removed the sad look from Melanie’s eyes if she but had the chance.

And it has finally arrived! 

“So tell me, Daphne, do you always just go around buying property willy-nilly like that?” Melanie asked her, still studying the younger woman.

“It depends on what the benefit to me is both short-term and long.”

“And what do you see as a benefit now?” 

Daphne took the seat directly next to Melanie, deliberately crowding her space. She could tell that Melanie was fighting the urge within herself to move back a bit, but Daphne knew instinctively that she wouldn’t. There was a fire within the brunette that Daph couldn’t help but be drawn to. After many years of feeling cold inside, Daphne wanted nothing more than to feel the warmth of this woman… in ALL ways. 

Daphne stared into Mel’s eyes, her gaze searching for any hint of fear. Thankfully, all she saw was curiosity and interest. With that thought in mind, she asked, “Can I be completely honest with you without you freaking out about it?”

Melanie nodded slightly, before answering, “Please do.”

“Okay, so here’s the deal. I want you.”

“You want me? What do you mean?”

Daphne chuckled. “Playing coy doesn’t become you, Mel. You know exactly what I mean and how I mean it. Now I’m willing to wait, but buying your house was just the first step.”

“Step? Step to what?”

“Clearing my path so that I can have you.”

Mel moved away from Daphne then, raising out of the chair before turning to face her again. “I’m NOT for sale. So if buying my house was your way of guaranteeing yourself a fuck, I can call Donovan right now and cancel the whole thing!”

Daphne outright laughed then. “There’s that fire, I remember.” 

That brought Melanie up short for a moment. “Again, what are you talking about? We just met!”

“No, we met briefly over a year ago at the Fishers’ Benefit for Education. I would feel a little disappointed that you don’t remember me, but you had your hands quite full trying to keep tabs on Lindsay without causing a full-fledged scene."

Melanie searched her memory to think of who she’d spoken with. Daphne was definitely correct about her preoccupation with Lindsay, who kept threatening to leave with one patron of the party after another, if Mel didn’t give her the new codes to all the accounts. The bitch just kept playing on every single insecurity Mel had until she couldn’t take it anymore, and told Lindsay to fucking go if she wanted to. “You were on Jessie Turner’s arm that night, weren’t you?”

Daphne shrugged, before nonchalantly replying, “Thanks for reminding me of his name; wonder how he’s doing. Anyway, I’ve only seen you display this type of temper briefly at the benefit, when you’d blown up at Lindsay for whatever reason. Unfortunately, you cooled off again much too soon for my liking. But I must admit your indignance at what you believed I wanted with you just now was so adorably sexy that I,..”

“You mean you don’t want to…”

“To fuck you? Oh I can assure you, Melanie, that I do.” Daphne stood and moved closer to Melanie, slowly backing her against the wall. “And make no mistake that if I had my way right now, I’d be down on one knee with my face buried between your creamy thighs seeking out that suddenly-aroused scent you’re exuding. But that’s NOT all I want from you. However, just to clarify some of your misperceptions about me, I didn’t buy your house so we could use it as a bartering chip for your pussy. That’s not the way I operate. I bought it because I wanted you free and clear of the thing so obviously bringing you so much pain.”

Melanie swallowed hard, before saying, “You are forward, aren’t you?”

Daphne shrugged again. “I don’t know any other way to be. I’m pretty decisive in what I want- what I need- and not afraid to do whatever’s necessary to get it.”

“And you want me?”

“That’s what I just said.”

“But you’re into men!”

“No, I’m into people; the gender doesn’t matter. But let’s be clear: I’m not a confused lesbian, nor am I conveniently Bi. The only real labels I’m interested in sporting are all designer, and hanging within my closet at home or the garmet bags that travel with me. Everyone else- including you- seem to need a title to define them, whereas I don’t.”

“You’re young…”

“But far from as innocent as I look. And well you’re not my parents’ age, so I don’t see the problem.”

“And I’m pregnant…”

“A lesbian, who’s pregnant with a gay man’s baby. So that particular argument is purely circumstantial, and in a couple of months, it will be a moot point altogether. Stop finding excuses for this not to happen. It’s not going to deter me.”

“What do you want?”

“I thought I was making myself clear. But for the sake of clarity, I'll tell you again. I want you and all that means.”

“For a night?” Melanie asked breathlessly. She couldn’t believe the audacity of the young woman in front of her. She hadn’t felt this way in… in… well, EVER! Daphne Chanders was making her feel excited, and wary, and lustful… all the things she’d never thought she could feel, especially after being with Lindsay for so long. 

Daphne smiled. “How about we play it by ear, but I can tell you that I’m not going anywhere.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’ve been hoping for this exact scenario for more nights than I care to count.”

“What a pregnant lesbian you could seduce?”

“No. A Melanie Marcus I could seduce. I don’t know how many more ways I can convince you that I’m into you.” 

“This is scandalous and dangerous and…”

Daphne moved in closer to the woman she had trapped against the wall. She positioned one of her legs between Melanie’s, and bent her head slightly to whisper into the brunette’s ear. “Don’t fight it, Mel. There’s so much I could do to you right now, and you would beg for me to do it again until you couldn’t stop the shaking in your legs. Even now, the fine sheen of arousal is causing a dewy glow on your skin. I remember what it was like at this stage of pregnancy. You’re horny; every part of you is throbbing while I’m standing this close. You want everything I’m offering. The question is: are you going to let me give it to you?” 

Before Melanie could think of another protests, Daphne took the kiss she’d been fantasizing about for more than a year. She couldn’t stop the moan which escaped her at the first taste of Melanie. Daphne could feel the rapid rise and fall of Melanie’s breasts pressing against her own, as she deepened the exchange. The slip and slide of Melanie’s tongue with her mouth was about to become Daphne’s new willing addiction; she wouldn’t be able to get enough of this woman. Refusing to disobey the will of her own body, Daphne brought a hand up to cup Melanie’s swollen breast, even as she began shifting her knee back and forth between Mel’s legs. 

“Oh God!” Mel moaned, continuing to drown in the sensations assailing her. Daphne may be young but DAMN! Mel thought as she finally decided to allow herself to enjoy the attention. 

“Feels good, huh?” Daphne asked rhetorically against Mel’s lips. She swallowed the gasp that expelled from Melanie as Daph’s fingers caught her nipple and began to tweak it between her thumb and forefinger. “Hm-mm, you like that. I bet I can make you cum for me, just like this.”

“Please,” Mel begged, as she began to writhe shamelessly on Daphne’s shifting thigh. 

“I can’t wait to have you naked under me, moving like this while I kiss you, and suck on you, and…”

“Hello! Mel, are you up? King Kinney has decided you needed a snack before actual dinner,” Emmett singsonged, as he came through the door. 

“Fuck!” Melanie murmured.

Daphne chuckled with her face buried in the crook of Mel’s neck, before raising her head to stare into those melting brown eyes. Again, she couldn’t help but call Lindsay Peterson every kind of fool imaginable to have mistreated the precious woman with the blush-stained cheeks before her. “Don’t worry. We WILL continue this later. But for now, Emmett and Brian are right. You need to have a little pre-dinner snack before you get dressed in time to meet the DeCampos.”

Daphne led her out from the hidden alcove flanking the balcony, while Emmett continued to putter around in the room’s kitchenette. Thankfully, he was oblivious to what was going on before he arrived, Mel thought. Only to be corrected…

“Oh good. You’re both decent now.”

“What? Emmett, what are you talking about? Of course, we’re decent,” Mel protested, while Daphne just sat there with a slight smirk on her face, watching her flustered soon-to-be-lover.

“Really, Mel? Well since I know that you weren’t sleeping since I left right when Donovan got here, and I know for a fact that he left this suite a little bit over a half an hour ago, that only leaves two other conclusions to be drawn. But that’s not what’s giving you away, Sweetie.”

“Again, what are you talking about?” Mel narrowed her eyes.

“Why what else, but the Kinney-esque smirk on Daphne’s face while you look exactly like you did that time so long ago I arrived at your house, and you were home alone actively watching porn, if you get my meaning. So tell your Auntie Em, Melanie… did you enjoy getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar again?”

Daphne burst out laughing then. She already knew she would like this man immensely. “Not exactly, her hand this time, Emmett.” She let the innuendo hang in the air, even as Melanie blushed further. 

For Em’s part, he laughed in glee and clapped his hands. Once again, he bustled around the kitchen, but not before he loaded his favorite playlist on his phone, with the same song he and Mel had danced around to earlier that day. After opening the bottle of sparkling cider and gathering three champagne flutes, he poured each of them, announcing, “Well I do believe this calls for a toast of congratulations!”

“Congratulations?” Melanie asked, looking at him dubiously.

“Absolutely, Darling. Because from the looks of it, you’re about to have the Adult Sesame Street Experience.”

“Okay you lost me? What the hell is an adult Sesame Street Experience?”

An immediate lightbulb went off in Daphne’s mind and she couldn’t stop her loud laughter, even as Emmett patiently explained it to Mel. “It means that instead of finding the fabled Cookie Monster, you’re about to become the favorite of a Cookie MUNCHER. You go, Girl!”

And once again, laughter broke out among the three of them as Mel was danced around the room, first by Emmett… and then by the woman, who was surely about to turn Melanie’s world upside down. And she couldn’t have been happier about it.

You Go Girl INDEED!   

CHAPTER 17: DANGEROUS TERRITORY

NEW YORK:

“Are you going to get that?” Justin mumbled, snuggling further beneath the covers, and placing the soft pillow over his head. 

After leaving the Prada building, Brian and Justin decided to take advantage of Jennifer and Molly’s desire to get settled into their hotel suite and prepare themselves properly for dinner. So it was decided that dinner would be pushed back to half past six, giving the two horny men ample time to satiate themselves multiple times upon arriving back at the Westin Hotel. After the past two hours of romping and fucking hard in every imaginable position the other could think of in that moment, they finally decided to take a little nap before having to separate for a short time in order to meet the others. So, hearing the constant knocking on the door of Brian’s hotel room was beyond unwelcome; it was downright intrusive upon what Brian was considering a continuation of their original weekend plans.

Annoyed, Brian snatched the covers back, mumbling to Justin, “You know, you could have answered the door, since you have to go back to your room anyway.”

Instead of taking offense, Justin chuckled. “True, but I decided to give myself fifteen minutes before doing so. You should consider that a compliment.”

“Really? How so?”

“The fact that I should even consider napping at all could be taken as a compliment to your prowess… Well, if you were the truly conceited man your reputation says you are.”

Brian smiled and shook his head at Justin’s statement. The fact was they were both constant sources of numerous speculations among people; both those who thought they knew them and strangers alike. Those much-voiced sentiments and misconceptions had reached Brian and Justin’s ears multiple times over the years. But they were always apt to let the matter rest, and content to let the thoughts of others add to their individual mystique. 

Consequently, it now seemed that each had found a kindred spirit within the other, under the most unlikely set of circumstances.

“Who says I’m not as conceited as the general public thinks I am?” Brian asked, still looking back at Justin, even as the person at the door continued knocking.

“Me.”

“And how do you base your opinion?”

“Upon many things, but here within this room, I’ll just say your dick has proven what bullshit that is. No way can such a conceited person be as generous a lover as you are, Brian. If you were, you wouldn’t have held back your own orgasms long enough to have just one for every two you fucked out of me. So no, not conceited to me at all. You just know your worth, both in bed and out of it.”

Brian folded his lips in, about to respond, but that fucking knocking at the door had increased loud enough to be considered banging. “Alright already, I’m coming!” He yelled, while gathering up the hotel robe as Justin snickered from beneath the pillow.

“You already did… several times.”

“And I will again, as soon as I get rid of the asshole at the door. You’ll be lucky if you have enough time to shower before dinner.”

“True, but remember that threat goes both ways, Big Boy,” Justin advised.

Brian crossed the suite from the bedroom, already licking his lips in anticipation of the debauchery he and Justin could indulge in before having to actually put on clothes. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind he’d met his equal in all things carnal. Not only could Justin top on par with him, but he was turning out to be one insatiable bottom. And Brian had no problem obliging Justin’s new addiction to being stuffed full of cock. He was still amazed that Justin hadn’t begged him to stop plowing his ass, but kept encouraging Brian to fuck him harder, faster, and deeper. 

If he wasn’t careful this little fling could turn out to be more than either of them ever bargained for.

Brian shook himself free of the wayward thought before turning back the locks on the door, and yanking the door open. Instead of any number of people Brian was ready to berate for disturbing his and Justin’s time together, it was two Detectives from the NYPD. 

What the fuck?!

“Good evening. Mr. Kinney, I presume?” one of the officers asked him.

“Who’s asking and why?” Brian retorted, with narrowed eyes. The fact that they even knew his name was more than a little disconcerting.

The officer looked Brian up and down, assessing his attire and… more? Bringing his eyes back up to meet Brian’s, the officer spoke again. “Apologies for disturbing you. I’m Detective Johnathan Marks, and this is my partner, Detective Paul Luke. We’ve been sent to ask you a couple of questions and to inform you that a formal complaint has been filed against both you and a Melanie Marcus. Is she here?”

“No, she isn’t,” Brian answered. “What’s this about?”

“Mr. Kinney, may we come in?” Detective Luke asked. “We would really rather not discuss this matter with you within the hallway. If it helps, we know that you are here on business, after having caught snippets of the news conference you held earlier today.”

Brian was about to respond when he felt a slight hand at the base of his back. “Is everything alright, Brian?” Justin asked, having alighted from the bed once he heard who was at the door.

“I’m not sure,” he answered, before turning back to the officers. “You can come in, but please be advised that we don’t have much time. We’re both scheduled to attend a business dinner in a little less than an hour.”

“We understand, Mr. Kinney,” Detective Marks stated, as he and his partner crossed the threshold of the hotel suite. Letting out a low whistle as he looked around, he asked, “How much does this room cost per night?”

“A couple thousand, but I can afford it,” Brian answered as he crossed over to the bar. Picking up the bottle of JB, he shook it in Justin’s direction, who nodded before offering the Detectives two bottled waters since they were on duty and he knew they wouldn’t be able to drink. After passing out the beverages, and making himself as comfortable as he was able with the police ensconced within his hotel room, Brian asked again, “So what’s this about? You said there was some sort of complaint against me and Melanie?”

“Yes… Would it be too much trouble to ask her to join us?”

“I honestly don’t know. She’s staying on another floor, but more importantly, she’s pregnant with my second child and may be resting.”

“Let me call Daphne and see if she’d be willing to check on Mel’s status, Brian,” Justin offered, already getting up from the sofa to retrieve his cell phone. “I’m also going to call my mother and Molly up here, since I have a feeling I know what this is about.”

“You do?” Detective Luke asked, a bit surprised by the young man’s declaration.

Instead of answering the officer directly, Justin addressed Brian. “Remember that call we received earlier from Vic, Brian?”

“I remember it, but we were about to go into the meeting with the DeCampos. Come to think of it, I think I handed my phone over to Ted. You should probably ring him and Donovan, too, since if it’s as you think, they will have the papers.”

~AC~

Justin did as Brian advised after calling Daphne, who said that she was with Melanie and would escort her up there. He wondered at her choice of words, but didn’t have time to address it. Instead, he hung up from her and called Ted, who immediately said he would grab up Donovan and be on his way to Brian’s suite. Justin went into the bedroom, deciding that it wouldn’t do for all of them to see him and Brian donning the complimentary bathrobes with the hotel logo. Sure, everyone knew they were fucking, but seeing them like that with the police present was just unacceptable to him.

Once he alighted from the bedroom, he advised Brian to do the same, even as the first knock sounded upon the hotel suite door. Justin crossed the sitting room to answer the door, semi-surprised at who had their hand poised to knock again. He smiled slightly, before addressing Melanie directly. 

“Hey, Mel. Brian is in the bedroom changing at the moment. Why don’t you go on in, and make yourself comfortable… Well, as comfortable as you can in the interim. Daphne and I will be inside in just a moment.” Once the heavily pregnant woman threw a grateful look his way, as well as a gentle smile in Daphne’s direction, Justin turned around to face his best friend. “What are you doing, Daph?”

She regarded him with the same questioning look on her face. “What are you talking about, Justin?”

He rolled his eyes at her attempt at evasion. “You know exactly what the hell I’m talking about.”

“No, I don’t, otherwise I wouldn’t have asked for the clarification.”

“Okay then, if that’s the way you want to play it… What the hell was with the gentle smile Mel aimed in your direction?”

“Oh that,” Daphne chuckled, before growing serious with her best friend. “That was her basically giving me permission to rock her world.”

“Rock her world? Daphne, you can’t mean…”

“I surely fucking do!” she retorted, vehemently. “This can’t come as a surprise to you, Justin. Not after all these years.”

He shook his head. “No, but… I thought you’d sworn off women.”

Daphne studied him for a moment longer, before she softened her belligerent stance. “Ah, I see. You’re thinking of my past with Vanessa, aren’t you?”

“I kinda can’t help but to, Daph. She…”

“Is NOT Melanie, and she knew what she was getting into when she decided to get involved with me. I didn’t withhold any information then, and I didn’t with Melanie either. It’s not my fault Vanessa was unstable.”

Vanessa Madison was Daphne’s first official lover, in a long list of both men and women, to ever grace her bed. Unfortunately, she was also a lot like Lindsay, but with many twists and sinister turns, which eventually caused Daphne to swear off relationships- especially those of the same sex- for many years. There were the constant phone calls; the withholding of messages pertaining to Daphne’s career; the constant attempts to play with Daphne’s emotions, and even the constant need for reassurance by having Daphne buy her some expensive trinkets to prove her devotion to the needy woman. But Daphne hung in there with her as long as she could, until Vanessa had done the one thing Daphne could never forgive. 

The final tie was severed when Daphne needed to get away, as she did every year on the anniversary of their son’s death, and wouldn’t take Vanessa with her. After a week, she returned home to find the open casket of Joseph, with Vanessa standing in the middle of their bed holding her slit wrists over the opening. Not only was the sight horrifying, but it had almost sent Daphne to jail for attempted murder. After the judge heard all the evidence as presented by the prosecution, he ruled that due to the mitigating circumstances, he could see how the plea of temporary insanity applied to Daphne’s situation. She was ordered to seek counseling to deal with her Survivor’s guilt, and any other issues associated with the death of her son. 

It helped, but here Daphne was again, after she’d sworn off women, getting involved with a pregnant lesbian, who was trying to extricate herself from a situation a little too reminiscent of Daphne’s life with Vanessa, for Justin’s liking.

"Have you heard from her since then?" Justin asked Daph, gently.

"No. Though last I heard, she escaped the institution, only to end up in jail. I haven't heard anything else since." She sighed. "But that has no bearing on now with Melanie. I've waited over a year to shoot my shot with her, and I don't intend to fuck it up. She's…"

"She's the first person to make you feel something real since forever? I get it, Daph, and I understand. Just… Be careful, okay? The last thing I want is to see you hurt."

"I will, Jus. Don't think I'm going into this blindly. Ending a ten-year relationship is hard enough, but a ten-year relationship with Lindsay Peterson is a whole other issue. Part of me really feels bad for Mel."

"But the other part?"

Daphne grinned. "Is so fucking happy she is through with that tragic bitch. And I'm going to work my ass off to make sure Mel is never going to be sorry she is. I've already taken steps to doing just that."

Justin took note of the sparkle in her eyes and smirk on her lips. If there was one thing he knew about Daphne Chanders it was that if she set her mind to something, it was not only done right but the person on the receiving end was going to be thoroughly fucked behind it. "What did you do?"

"Nothing too bad, except buy Mel's house of Harridan Horror. Wait until little Miss Peterson finds out she'll have to pay rent if she wants to continue living there. And the best part is that since she hasn't put any money into the house or its upkeep, she can't sue Mel for a fucking dime regarding the sale. Well she can, but she won't win. Hell, it should be enough that I'm willing to enter a rental agreement with her at all. Lindsay’s credit is shot to shit, so any other landlord wouldn't even consider her a viable tenant."

"Do you?"

"Not really, but that's where all my cards lay, Justin. I'm going to make that rental agreement so airtight that the more she'll try to wiggle around it, the more stuck she'll get. It's the only way with her; you and I both know that."

Justin nodded, knowing that if Daphne had a hand in this, Lindsay better adhere to every single point on that agreement. Daphne did learn under Matthew Alfred Winston after all, and the one thing he drilled into both Justin and Daphne was to lay out all the terms of a contract in clear concise language so there couldn’t be any room for litigation on the back end of a situation. Lindsay Peterson was about to get the shock of her life dealing with Mel's new protector.

~AC~

“So let me get this straight,” Mel said, her clear agitation simmering just beneath the surface. “You two are here to check on claims of a supposed kidnapping?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“And it never occurred to either of you to look at the source the charge came from?”

“Mel…” Brian interrupted, only to have her hold up a hand in his direction. 

“Ma’am, you have to understand how this looked to us,” Detective Marks said. “All we knew was the woman said her child was kidnapped and that there was a domestic dispute, after which you absconded with the minor child belonging to her and Mr. Kinney.”

“Okay, I’ll buy that to a degree. However, I’m more interested in why your officer didn’t ask more questions of the Pittsburgh Police Department.”

“I’m not sure I’m following,” Detective Luke stated. 

“The fact is, apparently you were both given this case with only half the facts, which I’m sure at least a few members of Pittsburgh P.D. are well aware of. In fact, I will arrange for you to have the whole story so you can close this damn farce of a case immediately before it goes any further. All of the officers know that Carl Horvath should have been consulted before allowing this shit to follow us to New York. And where the hell is Donovan with those fucking papers?!” Melanie had risen from her seat to pace the floor as she spoke, clearly overwrought.

“Sit down, Mel, before you fall down. I swear if my child comes here with your trashmouth, I’m going to sue you.”

“For what? Saying everything you’re thinking right now? Fucking hell, Brian. Do you know what would have happened had you not thought to grab those papers?” 

She began to tear up, and Brian did what he could to console her. The game Lindsay and Michael were playing was even more dangerous than either of them bargained for. If they had kept their shenanigans to include just the adults, there might have been a chance their bullshit would have been largely ignored. But by involving Gus, the metaphorical gloves had just come off. If it was a fight they wanted, well they were about to get one in spades.

The hotel room door opened, admitting not only Justin and Daphne, but also Ted, Donovan, and Cynthia. Because Brian was too close to this situation, it would be Cyn’s job to basically act as his publicist should the need arise. If nothing else, Brian knew he could trust her to know exactly what to say to keep the press out of their personal business… Well as much as that would be possible with his current liaison with his high-profile client. Which brought up the point…

“Other than catching the news, how did you really know I was here?” Brian asked. He had a feeling he already knew the answer, but he needed the words.

“Ms. Peterson included your whereabouts in the City within her report. She also said that if we were to find Mr. Taylor, you would surely be with him.”

“I doubt she put it so diplomatically, but that’s exactly what I needed to hear,” Brian said, before turning to Donovan. “First, please show the detectives our custody papers regarding Gus, and then you know what to do.”

Donovan did as he was ordered, even while asking Brian, “Are you sure you want to do it this way?”

“Lindsay just basically took this fight public, so I’m not prepared to show her any fucking mercy. Michael either.”

“Brian, if I may suggest another way, where your hands will stay a bit cleaner in the process,” Jennifer said. “Although this is a family matter, you can’t allow your budding business relationship with the DeCampos to be tainted because Lindsay is so unscrupulous.”

Brian thought about what she’d just said, and couldn’t deny the truth of her words. He’d sat in the meeting with Cesare and Justin just a few hours ago, where things were at first, intense, to the point where Justin was prepared to sever all ties with a connection he’d had for more years than Brian could imagine. So, what would happen to the fragile, yet lucrative connection being established between his own company and Prada, Inc.? Somehow Brian thought this was Lindsay’s real aim in causing all this trouble. It was no secret she thought he was making a wrong move when he left VanGuard to start Kinnetik. She was also most vocal about her supposed concerns regarding the limited time Brian would have for Gus if he was off somewhere building his company. Really her worry was that Brian wouldn’t have time for her, and truth be told, if not for Gus he would have cut Lindsay out of his life a long time ago. But more than that, this was about her need to be proven right, and everything Brian was building, business-wise, was proving Lindsay didn’t know shit.

But here was Jennifer Taylor giving him a potential way to keep doing what he wanted in all aspects of his life, while thwarting Lindsay’s continued machinations in the process. And all without jeopardizing one of the most important accounts of his career. Well, three if you included Taylor Enterprises and Winston Inc., in addition to Prada. To that end, he’d be a fool not to at least hear Jennifer out. Although Brian Kinney was many things, a fool was never considered one of them. 

“If you think there is a way to deal with this mess without Kinnetik’s reputation being sacrificed, or my own, then I’m ready to listen.”

She smiled, even as she reached for her cellphone. Dialing a number, and waiting for the call to connect, she spoke into the receiver to the one person Brian would never have expected her to call. “Hello again, Ron. It’s Jennifer. This time, the she-wolf of Pittsburgh and her pet idiot have gone too far…”

By the time Jennifer finished filling Ron in on all the pertinent information concerning Lindsay’s latest episode of Bitchzilla, she had the assurance that Ron Peterson was on top of things. “So what does all this mean?” Brian asked.

“It means Lindsay will have a lot of explaining to do when the police arrive at the dinner party Ron is giving this evening to carry her desperate ass to jail for filing a false report. And she won’t be the only one being publicly humiliated, since monkey saw as monkey did and he just had to engage that one poor, abused brain-cell he generally uses when he’s trying to be clever. Oh, by the way Brian, Ron said you should check your email. He said that should be enough to get your attorney started. Melanie, same goes for you as well. He suggested you file the papers as soon as possible, as in today if you can manage it. Is Harry Donaldson in the office?”

“He should be, but why?” Melanie asked, even as she scrolled through her latest email. 

Seeing the one from Lynette Charleston, better known as Lindsay’s sister, Mel opened it at the same time as Brian breathed out, “Holy shit. You mean…”

“They have been keeping tabs on Lindsay and her spending habits for years. As a result, you both have the right under the law to ask for restitution from her, since whatever excuses she used to get you both to give her money were not the correct one. Instead of doing for Gus, as she was supposed to be doing, she was either stashing that money for her use later on, or spending it. As you can see, she’s been visiting the Omni hotel every Wednesday for the last year. No prizes for guessing who her standing appointment has been with.”

“Who is Frank Alderman?” Justin asked, looking at the same information on Brian’s phone that Melanie was reading from hers.

“The soon-to-be former art director at Kinnetik, but that’s not the only person. Look at the attached picture, Mel.”

“What the hell was she meeting with Gardner Vance for?” Melanie asked. 

“I would think that would be obvious, considering the hotel she’s been visiting,” Brian snickered, even though he was feeling far from humorous at the moment. “But nothing is ever on the surface with Lindsay. Sure, she was definitely fucking these two, as evidenced by their closeness when they all met up in the elevator. But there has to be more to it.”

“You’re right Brian, and I think I know exactly what it is,” Justin said, pulling out his own cell phone to place a call. When the call connected, it surprised Brian to hear who was on the other end of the phone. “Hey Murphy, it’s Justin. I have a quick question for you. When it was time to do the presentation for the boards for Taylor Industries, who did Gardner use within the office? Are you sure? Thanks for the info. Yes, it’s true, I’ve signed with Kinnetik. I’ll tell him. Later.”

“What was that all about?” Brian asked.

“Just confirming a suspicion about who Gardner got to do the boards for that cursed presentation. In the contract, it was specified that the only person allowed to handle the artwork on my account was Murphy himself, since I know the caliber of his work. So, even if I hadn’t fired VanGuard Advertising for the owner’s mediocre vision, I would have had grounds anyway, for breach of contract. Lindsay really needs to take up a new hobby… like knitting, or something less harmful than drawing or painting. Her work had me ready to gouge my eyes out and mail them to parts unknown.”

“Damn. That bad, huh?”

“Let’s just say stick figures drawn by a monkey would have been more imaginative and artistic.”

Brain smiled at the loud guffaw coming from Melanie. Even in the most worrisome of circumstances, it was nice to hear her laugh. Brian asked, “How much longer is this going to take? We all need to get dressed and be out of here within the next few minutes.”

“No worries, Brian. First, I should let you know that I just forwarded the message Lindsay left on your home phone earlier to Ron, so he can have it at the ready to support his claim regarding the false report.”

“Damn, I’d forgotten about that. Great thinking. Thanks,” Brian said, before turning to the detectives. “Do you also need a copy of the voicemail for your records?”

“That’s not a bad idea, if it can be done. The more evidence we have on file in order to close out this case, the better. Not only for the department, but for you and Ms. Marcus, too, I would imagine.”

Brian nodded. “I think it will help you to further understand what we’re dealing with in reference to Lindsay Peterson. Now Cyn, what was the second thing?”

The smirk on her face should have warned Brian that what was about to come out of her mouth was going to be full of sarcasm and sass. “I already spoke with Donatella to advise that we were running a bit behind schedule. She just assumed I meant because of you two, so I went with it,” 

Everyone in the room chuckled, even as Justin’s cheeks began to color. Brian cleared his throat, before responding, “I should be pissed about that, but considering it would have been true had we not been so rudely interrupted, I’ll let you have this one, Cyn. Justin covered in c--”

“Okay, I think we got the message there, Brian.”

“What? I was only going to say cotton.”

“Sure you were, Stud,” Justin chuckled. 

“Hey, it’s not my fault there are so many dirty minds within this room.”

“And one dirty mouth I’ll be putting to good use again later,” Justin murmured, giving Brian a quick kiss to shut him up.

“That’s enough, you two,” Jennifer scolded. “Lord knows if you two start that, we’re never getting out of here.”

“On the contrary, Jennifer. If we start that, everybody is clearing the hell out of here and fast,” Brian said, taking Justin’s lips one last time in a quick peck. He sighed. It would have to last them awhile yet, because it looked as if the detectives were finally ready to leave. 

“So we’ll be in touch with Detective Horvath, and if we have any more questions, we’ll give you all a call. In the meantime, here’s our cards in case any other situations arise while you’re here,” Detective Marks said, even while Detective Luke handed out the cards. “For what it’s worth, I hope those two people get what they deserve. We’ve seen entirely too many situations in our line of work similar to the one she described, for us to take any report of Domestic Violence lightly.”

“I’m sure you have, but rest assured Lindsay Peterson is not worth my career as an attorney. Hell, right now she isn’t even worth a stick of chewing gum to me.”

Brian looked at Melanie closely. He recognized resignation when he saw it, and he couldn’t even say he was sorry for her. It’s not that he and Mel would ever be the best of friends. In fact, they made awesome foes. However, the one thing he would never take away from Melanie was that she was a good person, always with the best of intentions whenever she got into something. 

The problem with that, as Brian saw it, is that even with the purest motives to the fore, one could never perceive or control another person’s actions. Consequently, it tended to leave a trail of bitterness, hurt feelings, and wariness in its wake. It had been a lesson he originally learned having Jack and Joan for parents, and Claire as a sibling. More recently though, the lesson was repeating itself within his former relationships with Michael and Lindsay. But it was better late than never to learn the lesson, while not allowing it to change you in such a way your conscience couldn’t live with. 

Brian pulled Melanie close, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. That, in and of itself, allowed Brian to see more than Melanie would ever let him view had the situation not been so dire. Unlike everyone else, he knew what this all was really costing her emotionally. Not to say the others didn’t understand, but well… He and Melanie were the direct victims of two people who really needed to be locked away from the rest of the unsuspecting world. 

They were hazards to peace of minds everywhere, and he decided to tell her that in his own unique way. “Hey, Smelly Melly, buck up. Put on your big girl thong, and shake your ass in front of that hot young thang watching you from the corner of the room. My grandmother used to say the best way to get over an old love was to get under a new one.”

She laughed, as was his intention. “Is that why you have so many lovers?”

“I wouldn’t call them lovers. That’s such a lesbian term, and trust me what I do to them wouldn’t be considered love in the least.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that, Brian. You allow the person you’re with for the moment to feel something real for a time…”

“Yeah, my dick.” They both burst out laughing before Mel grew serious.

“So is that what you’re doing with Justin?”

Brian thought about it for a moment. “I’ll be honest, and say I’m not sure what we’re doing other than having fun. The odd thing is that I can be myself with him, and he hasn’t gone away screaming in horror the way you wimps have done numerous times.”

“You’re so full of shit, Uncle Fester. Admit it. You like him,” Mel pressed.

“Okay, I’ll give you that, Thing. He’s cool to be around.”

“I would imagine so. It’s not everyday you meet your equal, Brian.”

“And have you met yours?” Brian asked her, nodding his head in the direction of the young woman on her way towards them.

“She’s too young.”

“Says who? She’s the same age as Justin, but honestly they’re life experiences make them much older in a lot of ways.”

“What do you mean?”

“Daphne will probably tell you at some point, just as Justin included me this afternoon during his meeting with Caesar. The shit they have gone through would have broken normal human beings, but they aren’t. No doubt, in some ways they are battered, but Mel, they are two of the strongest people we could ever have the chance to know. And their age has nothing to do with it. I mean look at Michael, who is still mentally fourteen, while Lindsay is still the girl being denied the Barbie dollhouse and throwing a tantrum because of it. She’s playing dress-up in clothes that may fit on the outside, but she’s in no way mature enough to appreciate it. Instead, she takes them as her due while playing at being an adult.”

“Wow, that’s quite the analogy, even for you.”

“I’m just calling it as I see it. I guess time and distance has given me a new appreciation for clear vision. It wasn’t always so welcome in my world, but I can’t say I regret having it now,” Brian said, thinking of all the other revelations he’s been having since having endured cancer some years back. It gave him a new appreciation for a lot of things, including those he considered family, even if most of them still had no idea he’d had that particular battle to fight. Shaking himself from his reverie, he said, “So for real though, Mel, you should give her a shot. If for nothing else than to fuck her and release her back into the wilds.”

“Is that what you’re planning on doing with Justin? Releasing him back into the wilds of Pittsburgh? I mean, can you live with that?”

“Sure, because we’re not you cwazy wesbians. We’re just fine fucking and still keeping things firmly in the friendzone. Perhaps it’s something you should maybe try with Daphne. There’s nothing wrong with getting your needs met, Mel.”

Daphne had reached them so Mel didn’t have a chance to respond. Brian noticed right away the way she carefully maneuvered Melanie around the furniture on their way to the door. “We’ll meet you guys down there. I imagine Emmett has already begun to dress Gus, and you know we have to fill him in,” Daphne advised.

“No problem. Just do me a favor and tell Em not to answer his phone this evening. With Justin’s permission, if Vic or Horvath need to reach us for any reason, they will leave a message on his phone. With what Ron is planning to have done, I don’t want us all caught in the crossfire.”

She nodded, and with that everyone else cleared out of the hotel room, leaving Brian and Justin alone for the moment. “So, we’ll pick this up again later?” Justin asked, as he stood in front of the closed door.

“I guess so,” Brian answered, before joining his and Justin’s lips in a kiss that he meant to be short, but took on a life of its own.

Pulling back, Justin laughed. “Keep that up, and I’m fucking cancelling dinner- innuendo be damned.”

Opening the door, Brian leaned down to give one more quick peck to Justin’s pump lips before gently shoving the younger man out the door. As he went to grab a quick shower, he couldn’t help but replay Melanie’s very pointed question in his mind. And while he stood under the spray of the hot water, he realized he still didn’t have an answer to what he was feeling. All he knew was that he liked hanging out with Justin, and that was enough introspection for the moment.