CHAPTER 38 - KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU

MICHAEL’S STORE - LATE EVENING

MICHAEL

I have actually had a good day today, despite the debacle that was this morning. I mean seriously, she demanded that I, who she seems to forget is her employer, get on my knees and pray for my soul. Well, the only thing that made me do that was to get her the fuck out of my house! She was waving this bunch of leaves about, saying she was cleansing the home, and sprinkling some water over things, including me, which I did not appreciate! She seemed pleased that I had done my service to God and then went, but only after she told me that she had destroyed my chest of iniquity! I had to look that up, and when I did was I pissed! Brian and I seriously need to talk!

As I lock up and look up Liberty Avenue, it feels different. There is a buzz. Shrugging it off, I head back home and pass Kinnetic Estates, and am surprised to see that it is closed. “Must be slacking off.” I grumble, and pull out my phone. I tap my foot as I wait for Brian to pick up his phone, and then sigh as it rolls to voicemail. “Brian, it’s Mikey. Look, I am not sure if you know this, but the estate thingy that you have left in the not so capable hands of Emmett, well it is closed. I have been here all day and he’s not opened it up. I think you should speak to him about how he manages his time and your money. See you.”

Okay, so I haven’t been here all day, but what’s a few hours between friends?!

BEN AND JUSTIN’S HOUSE - SAME TIME

KITCHEN

JUSTIN

I am pinned against the door and being plundered, yes that’s the word, and I don’t think I have been so thoroughly kissed in my life. Not even in Babylon did he kiss me like this, and he was making a statement without saying a word. I shuffle up a bit because he seems to want to stop kissing me. He smiles against my mouth and cups my butt. “Hop, lil bunny, hop.” He murmurs, and between us we get my legs wrapped around his waist and he carries me back to my other favourite sofa. His hand slides up my top and just strokes my skin, the gentle feel of his fingertips has me squirming and pushing my tongue deeper into his mouth.

“Omega, I need you.” I whisper, as I slowly push his face away from mine.

“Omega? So you are Alpha?” I stare at him for a few minutes as I take on board what I have said.

“I…”

“Are you or not?” Still I say nothing, so he brushes my ribs again. “Okay, let’s try this another way, what was your immediate feeling when I asked the question?”

“Yes. But…”

“Then you are Alpha, I am Omega.”

“Why?”

“Because of your protection, which you don’t seem to realise that you do.”

“My protection? You’re right, I don’t realise. Can you explain?”

“When you first met me, you dragged me to confront Michael and...I can’t believe I am going to say this but here goes...I knew I could continue to do it after that. Even before we kissed, it felt right, knowing that you are at my back, no matter how far back.”

“What does that mean?”

“If whatever we are doing doesn’t work out, I know that you gave me the courage to not let anyone treat me the way he treated me ever again.”

“So this whatever, which according to you is me trying to be a father to Gus and a partner to you, is okay right now?”

“Exactly how long were you outside that door?” He chuckles as he slowly opens my shirt.

“Can you stop? We really need to discuss this.” I stay his hand and he nods. “And from the moment you started speaking to her. Carl brought Gus down.”

He pulls us into a sitting position and buttons my shirt back up. “For all intents and purposes, to the outside world I am the top in this relationship, I said as much in Babylon, but to me you are the top in this relationship.”

“I don’t...hang on.” I take a few moments to think about what he has just said instead of immediately questioning or discounting it. “In other words, I help you to be stronger?”

“Yes.”

“And you help me to be...me?”

“Yes.”

“You just correct me when I need to be corrected. Like say the jealousy thing, there is no need for it, and you tell me off as it were for that.”

“I do believe my man has got it.”

“How do you know this though?” I turn so that I am resting against his chest and he is stroking my knuckles.

“I learned.” He replies.

“Todd taught you or Emmett?”

“Leroi.” I am so surprised that I turn to face him to see if he is joking, but he looks serious. “I am not kidding. Leroi taught me how to accept both sides of me. I fought my sub side for a while before…”

“How long have they been together?” I ask, settling back down.

“7, no 8 years, they got together after my first session with Peterkin.”

“8 years! But they are…ah got it.”

“Got what?” He softly kisses my cheek.

“Something Leroi whispered to me before I went in. He said I should stop fighting my natural instinct.”

“Said the same thing to me. He said you switch, stop fighting that. You will find the guy that works for you...allows you to be you.”

“So, your first session, what was it like?”

“Filled the need. But nothing has come close to the first time...” He turns my head so that he can kiss me again. “...with you. Not the kiss. The first time you told me to finger myself.”

“Can we go back to what we were doing?” I run my hand up his thigh.

“Oh....” He murmurs and starts to undo my shirt. “...I think that is a...”

“WAAAAAHHAAAAAA!” Explodes from the monitor.

“No.” He laughs and gently pushes me forward. “Let me go and get him. Can you sort out the bottle?” He calls over his shoulder.

“Absolutely.” I look at my watch and frown. “He’s due a bath soon, so you may have a nasty nappy to deal with!” I warn him.

“Lovely, just lovely.” He shouts back.

Ten minutes later I can’t help but laugh at his gasping and retching noises. “You got me back for the beetroot, didn’t you?” He demands through the monitor.

“Yep. Beetroot and sweet potato.” I chuckle.

“Hate you so much right now.” He grumbles. “Gus! This is Zenga for crying out loud! We do not piss on Zenga!”

“I’m coming to save my prince and his shirt!” I snicker, and then pause. “Did you say Zenga?”

All I can hear is Gus burbling.

“Brian, did you say Zenga? You don’t have a Zenga shirt here.”

“It went better with the suit than the Dior one, and besides, it’s too big for you.”

“So much trouble, mister! So much!” I growl, and stomp up the stairs with his laughter ringing out from the monitor.

MEL’S COTTAGE - SAME TIME

MEL

I close the door and smile. The courier has just left with the papers for Michael, and they should be with him within an hour. I didn’t need Brian’s signature on it because of the other agreement being notarised  When I was talking to everyone earlier, I pointed out that Lindsay would most likely persuade him to put the house in her name, reasoning that they can’t take away something he doesn’t have. She tried to do that with my cottage and the one we moved into, but I saw through that straight away. She tried to explain both away as we wouldn’t leave each other so it wouldn’t matter whose name it was in. But when I said just put it in mine then, she backed right off! Funny that!

My phone beeps and it’s Diana. “Del!” I call upstairs. “Diana will be here in 10 minutes!”

“Okay, sweetheart! Uh, Mel…”

“Del....”

“This blue bomber jacket, it’s mine, right? You know, since you don’t want to have to find another PA, do you?!”

“Are you and Treyvon still arguing about that?!” I demand, coming up the stairs and heading into the bedroom.

“Blue and bomber is so not her colour or style, but it is this Nubian’s!” He declares, trying to slap her hand away from the hanger.

“It...stop that...is my...I mean it, Trey...my colour!”

“Can you do a share and wear type of thing?”

“No!” They both look at me and retort, but that means that Del loosens her hold and he triumphantly snatches it to his chest then backs away. “She…” He sniffs imperiously. “...can have the red shirt and…” He holds up his hand as Del goes to object. “...the pink shoes. Mel, you and pink will never wink.”

“At the risk of sounding like the person who owns the contents of this wardrobe, do I get a say in any of this?” One set of brown and one set of grey eyes lock onto my face. “Of course not, whatever was I thinking?” Del kisses my cheek and Trey rubs my arm consolingly. “So, have we reached an agreement on my wardrobe?” I smile at them.

“Yep.” Treyvon smirks, and then swaps the shoes that Del took out. “They are fuchsia, these paler ones will make your legs look endless.” I nod in agreement when she tries them on. “So, why am I here again?” He asks carefully putting the jacket away in his bag and the bag over his shoulder with a knowing look at Del.

“Diana loved the dress that…”

“Ended up in a puddle on her bedroom floor?” He raises his glass and takes a sip. “Or was it hung up neatly to air in your spare room?”

“Yes.”

“Yes what? Puddle or hung?” Del looks over her glass at me.

“Hung. In her spare room.” I reply and wait for them to stop tittering. “So, she’s got a luncheon and is undecided on which look…”

“Is going to end up on your floor?”

“Spare room.” I assert. “You should have noticed that my clothes are pristine.”

“Good point.” Del chuckles, and then cocks her head. “I’ll get it!” She tells me.

“No, I will get it!” Treyvon pulls her away from the door. “I need to see her first!”

“Why?!” She demands, standing in front of him.

“I am the dresser. I have to absorb her clean essence.”

“Excuse me!” I shout, pushing passed both of them and heading to let her in. “I live here and she is my girlfriend, therefore, I will let her in!” As I open the door, she has an amused expression on her face.

“What?” I frown.

“Door is not as thick as you think it is, and your voice carries...girlfriend.”

“Just get in here!” I order smiling.

MICHAEL’S HOUSE - 90 MINUTES LATER

STUDY

LINDSAY

He is sitting there looking at the two pieces of paper in shock and horror. “He said he would never take them away from me. He said!”

“Not quite, Michael…”

“HE SAID!” He bellows, and turns around so quickly, I have to take a couple of steps back.

“Michael, he never said that! I was there! We all were! He said that he would not buy them off you. You breached this agreement, and he is, they are, within their rights to invoke the clause. Now, calm down and remember things as they are, not how you want them to be!” He glares at me. “And also, there is the other matter of Justin…”

“What about the annoying fucker?!” He sits back down again, shaking his head.

“He is angry with you too, remember? He may not have reported you but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to. He will see Brian doing this as permission to proceed I think. So, what are you going to do about the housing situation?”

“Why did you post the invoices?” He growls and looks across at me.

“Because you said you wanted them posted.” I almost have him where I want him. “Oh, hell no, you are not shooting me for this! I didn't put them in the envelopes. You did!”

“I am going to call him and tell him that these were jokes and…”

“Jokes?!” I scoff as I read the papers over his shoulder again. “In what world would that be funny?”

“Look, I need to think. I need to speak to them both and change their minds.”

“Brian, as we both know, never changes his mind once it is made up.”

“He will. He will on this, and then Ma will change her mind. I just need to get him alone to make him see sense!”

“She will push it through quickly you know?"

“Who will?” He demands.

“Mel. I know how she works." Ooh this is too easy! "She will push it through to make us homeless.”

“That fucking bitch would as well!” He throws the papers on the floor and drops his head in his hands. “What am I going to do?!”

“He can’t take away something that isn’t yours.” I tell him, touching his shoulder gently.

“Lindsay…” He shakes my hand off him. “...I already have a crazy cleaner, I don’t need you thinking like an idiot too! Of course he knows the house is mine! He bought it for me, remember?! Crazy cleaner, yes that’s it. Forgery!” He grabs the papers from the floor and then pauses. “Oh no, that won’t work because I had signed it before she came. Fuck!”

“No, Michael, I meant if you sign the house over to someone else and then rent it from them, then they can’t take it from you.”

“Oh. Now that idea has merit.” He ponders for a bit. “I know, I’ll sign it over to Ma. She won’t charge me rent anyway! I should have done that before! Thanks, Lindsay! Now where the hell is my phone? Oh, it’s upstairs!”

As he charges to his room, I think to myself; how the hell did I snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?!