BRIAN AND JUSTIN’S SUITE

JUSTIN

I count them again and we are definitely missing one. I look up as the door to the bathroom opens and then it hits me, the most sexiest of smells. “What is that?!” I scramble off the floor and stop him from proceeding further so I can smell him, but it's not him. “Tell me.” He pulls a bottle from behind his back. “Is that my oil?”

“Yes.” He replies, wafting it under my nose. “You like?”

“Yes.” I try and take it off him but he steps back. “Go and have a shower first, and while you are doing that I shall clean up the mess my sexy mucky pup has made.”

“Is it just the oil?” I ask over my shoulder, then stop and watch him count the presents. “There is one missing, I assume it is that.”

“No. Ah. Why that wily little devil…” He chuckles but doesn’t start to elaborate, just starts to take them off the floor. “...as for you, go and shower. Do you want a drink when you come out?”

“Please. May I have a vodka tonic?”

“Absolutely.”

I head to the bathroom still disbelieving what has been my day. Molly and I should be exhausted as we ran all over Paris. Mom and Dad treated us to lunch and then, on a whim, taking their lead from Brian, decided to go back with Molly to Prague where she is studying for the rest of the week. They, like everyone else are not looking forward to next Thursday, but Arthur said we shouldn't worry about the length of the trial. He reckons it won't be long but will be brutal, especially with Fusspots already pulling the sick card!

After stripping off, I switch the shower on and adjust the water, then press my lips together as the bathroom steams up and there on the mirror is a message from Brian; The only guy that I love more than myself and Gus is you. Thank you for bouncing into my life, Tigger. Bear

“Bear!” I yell once I can speak.

“Yep!”

“I am going to kill you!”

“Softly with kisses or hard and deep with fucking?!” He calls back through the closed door.

“Can I do both?!”

“For the rest of our lives?!”

“Yes!”

“Yes then.” We both go quiet, the only sound is the water, which I switch off then open the door. He’s leaning against the frame looking as uncertain, but as hopeful, as I feel.

“I expect a ring. I mean other than the one that’s going to be wrapped around my cock and fingers. A proper ring, as befitting the fiance of the heir to the Taylor Electronics empire, whether he wants to inherit it or not.”

“Duly noted. I expect to be taken on a fabulous, and I mean fabulous, honeymoon for at least a month with no access to Kinnetic from either of us at all. I mean it or we will be packing cages.” He winces. “I’m serious, cages, a size too small in your case.”

“I see you are going to be a very bossy husband.”

“You’re the boss at work, so I’m the boss at home. Seems a fair enough deal as far as I am concerned.”

“Me too.”

I am trying really hard not to cry, and seemingly so is he. “I’m going to ask Carl and Del, but after the trial when everything is over, free and...”

“If we’re…”

“No, sorry that was the wrong thing to say. We are free and clear now. When the trial is over, whatever the outcome, we are free now. Okay?”

“Okay soon to be...ah, we will be having a long and deep conversation about surnames.”

“But not before…”

“I ask your parents. Dinner. The six of us together...no seven, need Dad too.”

“Eight.”

“Eigh…” He reaches over to tilt up my chin and just gazes at me. “Eight it is. You get to pick.”

“Anywhere?”

“Yes. Though I think I can guess. I am very good at guessing…”

“Where then?”

Tuscany at the De Capio’s…”

“Well, it was kind of obvious, as that was the place we began really.”

“Technically we began in the loft. Speaking of which…” He pulls me out of the bathroom and leads me to the sofa. “...I want to sell it.” I am so floored I almost sit down on my presents. “Just the top floor.” He explains quickly as he stops me from landing. “We don’t use it so much, not even for Kinnetic stuff. We’re either at the Townhouse or mine.”

“Maybe you should think about that a bit more. Wait till we come back at least.”

“No, I want to get rid of it.” He states firmly, but without any heat. I say nothing more, this is Bear’s mind made up and there’s no changing it. “I also want one other thing…”

“What’s that?” I bask in the lascivious look in his eyes and the lick of his lips.

“You warm and with damp skin in 10 minutes, meeting me in the bedroom.”

“Want to scrub my back?”

“I want to do something with your back and your backside, now hurry up!”

DEBS AND MICHAEL’S HOUSE

LOUNGE - LATE EVENING

DEBS

“Golden!” I state heatedly. “The word that you were looking for earlier to do with silence! It’s golden!”

We are standing in the lounge reaping the benefits of him once again opening his mouth…

Start of flashback

LOUNGE - TWO HOURS EARLIER

Again with the sighing...grabbing the tumbler, I take a swig then turn to him, but am surprised to see him gurning with happiness...as I have taken to calling that expression he gets when he’s made someone miserable. “Problem?”

“No, not really. You see, there’s nothing, not a word from either of them. What’s that phrase about silence again?”

“Phrase about silence?”

“Yeah. About reaping reward or guilt...anyway I think that because I exposed him he got dumped! Isn’t that great?!”

“Are you absolutely positively sure that her son is queer?”

“Of course I am! Have you seen his attempt at a beard? That firestarter!”

“But Michael...think about this a bit more. Why didn’t Drew introduce him at the same time as he outed himself?”

“Ashamed?” He quips.

“Be serious! He took a big risk, why not go all the way and say this is my boyfriend?!” I snap, exasperated with his ambivalence to the shitstorm he could’ve whipped up.

“Would you say it out loud if…” His spiel is stopped by a knock on the door and I can see a few people outside. “...what is going on? You expecting…”

“Oh my word!” I cry. “Open the door it’s the Ironmen!”

“Ironmen? What do…”

I cut him off by pushing him out of the way and opening the door myself with a big smile.

“Good evening, my name is…”

“Ari Camden!” Michael clucks like the pardoned Thanksgiving Turkey, and in his enthusiasm to get him inside, almost knocks me over. “Ma, get out of the way!”

“Hey buddy, be careful!” Richard Cole snaps as he helps steady me. Me... being helped by Richard Cole! “She may be a duplicitous callous sack of horse shit, but she's still your mother!”

The hallway goes quiet and I shake my ear out as I clearly misheard. “I don’t…”

“You heard me correctly! We won't be staying long, just need to get a message over to your stinking progeny here…”

Michael gawks before finding his voice. “Stinking prog…”

“You called the press on Drew and Riley, even though there is no Drew and Riley. Now you are about to find out what it feels like to have parts of your life spread all over the papers you don’t want!” He steps back and looks at something. “In here!”

Suddenly the hallway is filled with flashing lights and people yelling at us. I can’t understand a word anybody is saying!

“Ma! Ma! What is this?!”

“Answer the question,  Mr Grassi! Why did you call the press on Drew Boyd?!”

“Is it true that you are standing trial for child abuse, Ms Grassi, alongside your son and the victim’s mother?!”

“How could you have done the things you have alleged to have done to someone you considered your best friend?!”

“Rumour has it that you are going for a defence of PTSD. Has that been medically diagnosed, or is that yet another lie?!”

“Ms Grassi, you took money from the victim…”

“Your first attorney is now a witness for the prosecution because you lied to him, is that true?”

“SHUT THE HELL UP!” Michael barks, almost foaming at the mouth like the dumb mutt he is, but at least the cacophony stops. “I have Munchausen by Proxy, not PTSD! Do you know what…”

“One more word, and you will find out what being sacked by an Ironman feels like!” Richard barks before stepping through the throng and into our astounded faces. “This is going to go national. I should imagine there will be quite the audience to see you. You like being the centre of attention didn't you? See you in court.” He and Ari turn to leave.

“Wait! What do you mean in court?! What are you suing us, well, me for?!” He demands nervously, and steps back as Ari is in his space in seconds. “I haven't done anything to you, either of you!”

“That’s true, but we're not suing you…”

“Boyd is suing me?!” He garbles.

Ari scoffs and shakes his head. “What for? You’re going to be having enough problems fending off jail and mental health organisations for your bullshit. The court we’re referring to is the one for your trial next week. Drew is going to be there to support his boyfriend, who is supporting his friends.”

“Which…”

“Get the hell out of my house!” I scream, before Dunderheadman can get us into more trouble! “Get out or I will call the police!”

“The police are big fans of Boyd, especially the 57th precinct, which is not something that can be said about you!” A voice calls out. “They will rush to your aid as fast as you rushed to Brian Kinney’s! We’re leaving now anyway, we have another fish to fry!”

End of flashback

“You know what this means don’t you?!” He suddenly spits, dropping the tumbler of whisky.

“No. Come on, Dumberstein, hit me with your theory on this reality?!”

“It’s Ben! It has to be!”

I finish my drink and carefully put the glass down so I am not tempted to grind it in his face. “Clean that up and go to bed...you need to give that rat in your brain a rest.”

JOAN KINNEY’S HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER

JOAN

“Who are you heathens and degenerates, and what right do you have to come to my home and ask me questions like this?!”

“Do you deny the charges levied against you?! What about the falsified accounts from the church all those years ago? What did you use the money for?! The falsifying of that letter of recommendation, isn't that against your pontificating edicts on God’s Holy Scriptures?!”

“Leave me alone! I am on old lady who just wants to live her life in peace! What my ungrateful son is doing to me is malicious and he has spread terrible lies around to everyone. I will be vindicated!”

“With all his medical records we doubt that!” Someone laughs coldly. “See you in court, Mrs Kinney!”

I shut the door on their barracking, and for once I am grateful for what little money that the devil’s child deigned to give me. This enabled me to move to a more secluded part of the neighbourhood, but not enough for me to move away altogether! Oh no, he couldn’t help me out just that little bit more! My hand trembles as I pour the remains of the vodka into my mug, and when the bottle finally drains I hurl it into the wall. I crumple onto the sofa and start to sob, cursing my lustful and greedy thoughts all those years ago. Once I am calmer, I drain my mug. “So, Beelzebub, I did your bidding and reaped no reward, so I want it now. I deserve it now after all they put me through! Save me, Beelzebub, save me!”

L’HOTEL DU COLLECTIONNEUR - SAME TIME

BRIAN AND JUSTIN’S SUITE

JUSTIN

Brian, once again, has his smug Paris swagger on. Even though he is horizontal and has his head tucked into my neck, I can feel it coming off him in waves. And all I can smell is the intoxicating mix of my oil...amber, white chocolate, bergamot and mint...and sex.

“Mmmmmph!” He protests as I use what little remaining strength I have to clench. “If you are conscious and this is not an aftershock I…” I silence him with another clench, then card my fingers through his soaking wet hair. “Did you enjoy that?”

“It was...okay I suppose.” I murmur, smirking as he lifts his finger in protest and relishing the sounds of our bodies peeling apart; then his beautiful but exhausted face comes into focus.

“Okay, you supp...screamed...clawed...fainted.” He gets up onto his elbows but happily doesn't withdraw, God, I love doing it raw! “Now you’re a pubble...puggle…purble… buttered out!”

“Anal beads and you is a rather stimulating combination.”

“Did you bite?” He frowns and reaches back to presumably check for teeth marks.

“I did and I apologise.” I try to look and sound contrite.

“You're not, but forgiven anyway.” He frowns slightly as I slowly tighten my legs around him. “Stay there?”

“Yes.”

“You want to sleep with me in your tight little ass?” I squeeze as hard as I can and he gives a sleepy grin before reaching across to switch off the light.