CHAPTER FIVE- LOVE ON TWO-WAY STREETS leads to POSSIBLE LONELY HIGHWAYS
Jennifer slammed the phone down, determined to break it the way she would have loved to break Debbie Novotny. She couldn't believe the nerve of that woman! There was no way she was ceding the most lucrative account in all of her history as an assassin to the likes of her long-term nemesis just because Justin was married to her pseudo-son. But Jennifer knew she struck a nerve mentioning Michael; knew that it was a sore point for one of the most hard-hearted women in the world, that her son was not only a coward, but the very definition of a stereotype in reference to all gay men. He was soft. He was a weak link, and there wasn't a damned thing Debbie could do to change it!
"You know, you're going to have to replace that rug if you continue to dig your high-heels into it so viciously," came the nonchalant voice of her best friend and confidant.
Jennifer stopped and turned, her eyes looking daggers at him, visually displaying her displeasure. "Ben, could you believe her? You heard what that she-wolf said about Justin! I can't believe she is really planning to send someone to try to kill him, since I refuse to bow down to her wishes. Oh, I hate Raven! She..."
Ben Bruckner laughed loud and long, as he continued to listen to Jennifer's tirade and recap of the phone call with Debbie ‘Raven' Novotny. They had known each other since back in their college days when she was the first person to whom he disclosed that he liked men as much as she did. She had kept his secret until he was caught in the act by his parents and tossed out of their organization like yesterday's garbage. When her father, Alfred Winston, heard that Ben was disowned by his family, he was livid. He then introduced Ben to their world as his adopted son and trained him alongside Jennifer to become a contract killer.
So, like Jenn, he was a retired assassin, but worked as her assistant in the hotel industry and was also her cleaner on the jobs she had done. He had advised her not to marry Craig to satisfy her family, but Jennifer had done what was expected of her at the time. Ben couldn't have been happier when he had to make Craig appear to have had a heart-attack instead of receiving a bullet to the brain. The man was THAT insufferable- always complaining because his wife was more successful than he was. Ben had stood by Jenn when she decided to buy out all of the contracts under her father's rule, making them her own and bankrupting him in the process even though Ben had warned her against it.
Ben understood why she did it, having been privy to the gossip that her father was about to hand over the business to her brother; another man she couldn't stand. He'd held her as she cried, even while doing what she had to do and knowing that her brother Peter Winston would have used the enterprise as a tool for his own vengeances. So when she took over the business and renamed it, Ben continued to stand by her, quietly applauding her efforts and watching her back. But he could not in good conscience stand by and say nothing about this latest fiasco, which was sure to backfire on her.
He spoke, laughter still evident in his tenor voice. "Nevermind that you were planning on killing Brian for the same reasons, right Jenn? I warned you not to push this. We have enough contracts and money that we can't spend it all in this lifetime, but NO! Jennifer Taylor must have what Jennifer Taylor wants, and anyone who gets in her way be damned. Well I hope like hell it won't cost you Justin in the process."
"It won't."
"If you succeed in removing Brian out of the picture, do you honestly believe he'll stay with the company?" Ben shook his head incredulously.
"I'm his mother; his loyalty should be to me and me alone."
"You're fucking delusional, is what you are. He loves Brian. Brian is the man who can do for him what you cannot, unless I'm mistaken in your aversion to incest and inbreeding." He shivered.
"That's fucking disgusting, Ben!" Jennifer yelled as she rolled her eyes.
"Then let those men live their lives and find a way to come to a compromise with Raven on this account. Both Brian and Justin are the best in the business. Fuck, Justin has trained everyone you mean to send after Brian. You can't possibly be naive enough in believing that he's taught them everything he knows. We've seen him in action, Jenn. This won't end well. And in the process you will lose over half the company, along with Justin's loyalty and love."
Jennifer flung herself into her chair, an action Ben hadn't seen her do for many years. She was quiet and introspective for a few moments before saying, "With the threat of Gary Sapperstein looming- which I could really give a fucking shit about- I can't lose Justin, Ben. He's my son."
Ben stood up from where he was sitting in front of the large oak desk. He knew how much his statement scared her, although she did her best not to show it. It wasn't a secret that Justin Taylor-Kinney was her entire world, wrapped up in the form of a headstrong, highly skilled blond man who was loyal and faithful to those who were allowed into the hard shell of his heart. He lived hard and loved hard, with fire and passion, and would not take her betrayal lightly especially in regards to the one man he loved with every fiber of his being. Brian Kinney was Justin's be all and end all.
Knowing this, Ben wrapped his arms around her from behind, feeling her tremble slightly through the contact. He whispered, "I know you don't want to, but if you don't find a way to coexist with Raven, you'll lose a lot more than a contract...you'll lose the most important person in your life." He kissed her cheek as he felt the silent tears roll down her face.
A similar scene was playing out across town in the Novotny home, where Deb was marching back and forth in the small galley kitchen. "That BITCH!! Oh that WASPy bitch! I swear one of these days, I'm going to kill her. I should have done so years ago!"
"Calm down, Sis," Vic said. "You're going to do no such thing. You couldn't do it then, and you won't do it now. There's too much at stake for both of you."
"Why can't she just back down? I mean really! Brian is much better than Justin at this sort of thing. There's no way I'm going to let that bitch's pup take this on."
Carl, who was sitting by quietly as Debbie raved since the phone call ended, laughed. He loved his red-haired firestarter, even when he thought she was dead wrong in certain situations. When she bought him out of the company several years ago, he never imagined the heights she would take it. The contract she and Jennifer Taylor were fighting over, was the biggest one to date. He couldn't blame her for wanting it, but the way she was going about achieving her goals left a lot to be desired.
He asked, "Red, are you prepared to lose Brian in your quest for this account? Surely, there is another option; a better one."
"I can't imagine what that is, Carl. Brian owes me- owes us- his loyalty in this, NOT his husband! God, I can't believe I let that marriage take place, let alone am having this fucking discussion with the two of you. This contract is worth MILLIONS. You know what that means? I will finally have the money and connections to put Sapperstein out of business."
Vic shook his head. "Gary Sapperstein isn't going to sell you his company, Sis. He's going to come after both you AND Jennifer. I have no doubt that he's already planning to do just that. With you and the Taylor faction distracted, he's going to do everything in his power to take down Brian and Justin- the top two in the world- and then he's going to work, until he proves you and Jennifer are unfit and unable to run your own companies. You know how he feels about women. The two of you leave a bad taste in his mouth."
"I guess pussy would, Vic," Debbie answered, laughing at her own joke.
Gary Sapperstein was as gay as Brian and Justin were, as well as his entire team of men. He felt that women had no place in the contract killer business, especially where Jennifer and Debbie were concerned. Considering that every contract he'd gone out for against the two women was basically handed to them, Debbie couldn't fault him his bitterness. The problem was that he was not only a heterophobe, but that he was also a male chauvinist of the worst kind. He wouldn't even acknowledge the women of power within the government, in charge of hiring assassins.
That was one of the real reasons he'd lost the contracts he had. The other was that the two women, who were his nemeses, had employed two of the greatest contract killers the world had ever seen. Brian and Justin Taylor-Kinney struck fear into the hearts of the people, who had heard about them. If they wanted you, they got you and there wasn't a damn thing anyone could do to protect themselves. "So guys, what you are saying is that if I force Brian to choose..."
"You will lose him," Carl completed her question. "There's no way in hell he's going to give up Justin. If I were in his position and someone told me to give you up, I'd tell them to fuck off without batting an eyelash, Red. How could you expect him to not do the same to you and all for a fucking contract?"
Vic chimed in then. "I think we should wait to hear from them before we make any decisions, Deb. Perhaps they can come to an understanding, and then all this talk will remain just that... talk. In the meantime, I think you had better turn your attention to the matter of Sapperstein."
Debbie nodded. "I've had my suspicions about that fuck my son is married to for a long time now, you know?"
"I know, Deb. But now that they are confirmed..." Vic let the sentence drop off.
Debbie shook her head. "This is going to kill Michael. He loves that schmuck."
"Better this information do it than David. It will be kinder," Carl said, also shaking his head. He couldn't stand the whiny man, but no one deserved to find out about their partner the way Michael was about to.
Debbie echoed Carl's thoughts. "It's kind of ironic isn't it that the one person my son thought he was safe with, was the worst kind of danger to him?"
Both Vic and Carl nodded when Vic asked. "Do we have any idea where Michael is right now?"
Debbie snickered. "My guess would be chasing after Brian. They haven't seen each other in many years."
"It will definitely be a surprise for him to know that the marriage he'd given six months, has now surpassed its eighth year. He won't be happy to know that Brian and Justin are still together."
"No, he won't. But I think with all that's happened in his own life, he's long since over his crush on Brian."
"I would hope so, but you know how he is," Carl said, barely keeping the sneer from his voice.
Vic answered, "Clingy, whiny, and lives within the pages of a fucking comic book. Reality has never been his favorite friend."
"Hey, that's my son you're speaking about," Deb said angrily.
"And my fucking nephew," Vic shot back. "Let's face it, Deb. You were happy as a faggot in a pile of dicks that we couldn't tell Michael about this business. He would have taken the news as an extension of comic world, and thought he was some type of superhero. He would have gotten his ass blown off within the first ten minutes. In addition to that, the little shit can't keep a secret to save his fucking life! All that we've worked for, the separate businesses we've all built to aid in fulfilling the contracts would have been all for naught. Michael would have had everything going to hell in a handbasket in two-point-two nanoseconds."
Debbie huffed, but couldn't dispute the truth in Vic's words. "So what do we do to protect him?"
Carl answered that. "Let's wait to hear from Brian and Justin first. Then we'll make the decision on how to keep the ‘blind mouse' safe."
David Cameron was fucking tired. Fucking tired.... Coming into a city he hadn't visited in many years, he'd never expected shit to hit the fan the way it has. For years, he'd managed to keep the secret of him being a contract killer away from everyone. Or so he thought.
As he moved toward his rental car, he mulled over everything he had learned within his boss' office as he was getting his latest assignment. Honestly, one part of the assignment held real appeal for him. Justin Taylor had been an ever-present thorn in his side for many years, but he had grudgingly respected the little blond. On many nights, he had dreamed of killing him; how he would do it, and under what circumstances. But most of all he dreamed of how it would affect the second half of his assignment... Brian Kinney.
That was the problem he had. For as many years as he'd known the aloof man, he'd also been in love with him. In his secret thoughts, he'd daydreamed about what could have happened if Brian had said ‘yes' to a first date. So when he'd turned David down, the older man had asked Michael hoping to make Brian jealous. It hadn't worked.
It became a game of getting to Brian, by taking his best friend away from him. David thought for sure that Brian would protest when David asked Michael to relocate with him. He purposely fomented arguments between the three of them, attempting to make it look like Brian and David were fighting over Michael, while Brian and Michael fought over David changing Michael into a snotty clone of himself. He thought for sure that Brian would ask Michael to stay, instead of accepting David's ‘offer.' He still couldn't believe that he'd been any more wrong about Brian Kinney.
When word got back around that Brian was marrying Justin Taylor, David was livid; although he couldn't show that to Michael. Everything David thought belonged to him, Michael also thought belonged to him. David never let on to Michael of his crush and then subsequent love he felt for Brian, but it was there all the same. David was crushed that Brian would give his heart to another, and from then on he vowed to find a way to rid Brian of Justin. Yes, it would destroy Brian, but David would have been there to pick up the pieces and that was all that mattered.
But now that dream had been shattered as well, since he'd been ordered by his boss to kill both of them. Gary Sapperstein was not a man anyone would want to cross. As David slid his weary body into the driver's seat, he replayed their entire meeting.
Gary had not been pleased with the new fax sheet crumpled in his hand. "Those FUCKING BITCHES! Do you have any idea what that contract could do for us, either one of you?"
David had been seated in one of the wingback chairs, flanking the massive desk within the small office of the Babylon nightclub. There was no secret that the irate man was talking about his mother-in-law, Debbie Novotny and Jennifer Taylor- mother of his long-time nemesis for Brian Kinney's affections.
Kip Thomas, the man who occupied the other wingback chair, answered, "I know Gary but really, no one has been able to touch Brian and Justin in terms of style and accuracy. Both men are highly skilled at what they do."
Gary frowned at Kip. "I know all that, you fucking imbecile! The problem I have is that those two should be working for ME, not those two broads."
"Well, I know for a fact that Brian will not leave Debbie's organization," David said, already knowing where the tirade was heading.
"I know that too, David," Gary spat, "which leaves us with one option. I want them both dead. Today! Now! Immediately!"
David shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Justin...okay that would be his pleasure to kill but, Brian- no. Not him. Maybe there was something else that could be done. "What exactly do you think that would solve, Gary?"
"Not that it would solve anything per se. But it would cause an issue within both factions, leaving the latest government contract to fall in our laps. It will also remove the protection around Debbie and Jennifer. Without their ‘sons' to run interference, we could kill them and take over their companies," Kip answered, as if the thought should have been obvious to David. He couldn't stand the man with his far-too-superior attitude.
Gary smiled at Kip, who was not only his other best assassin, but his lover as well. "That's right, Darling and I'm sorry for calling you an imbecile; I'm just upset. As for you, David, I realize that this may pose a problem for you, but Kip is right as always. Your husband will be alright in the end. It's about time he let go of his mother's apron strings anyway."
"Be that as it may, these two women alone are hard to kill," David said, inwardly bristling at the men within the tiny office.
"That's where you come in, David. You have unlimited access to all of them," Gary said.
"How do you figure? Debbie tolerates me only because of Michael, and Jennifer, I barely see. She and Debbie are rarely in the same room with each other."
"Well what about Michael? He should be useful for something, especially since he's not what one would call a trophy husband," Kip said.
David laughed. "There's no way in hell I could involve Michael in this. That's not only laughable, it's downright stupid. No, there has to be another way."
"Well if there is, you'd better find it quickly, David," Gary said sneering. "Because it won't be only The Taylors and Debbie to worry about. I will personally kill you, your husband, and your fucking bratty son too."
"Like fuck you will." David drew his guns out, pointing each at Kip and Gary. "Hear me well...touch Hank, or Michael and I will NOT hesitate to fucking end you. Now, I will figure out what to do about Brian and Justin, but leave my innocent husband and son out of this. You got me?"
Both men nodded as David backed out of the room. He could hear them arguing, even as he exited the club on his way to the car. Fucking bastards, he thought as he pulled out his cell phone. Finding the number he wanted, he pushed the talk button.
"Michael," he purred into the receiver. Even though it wasn't his most preferred person, which would be Brian Kinney himself, Michael was still a good option. He was a good husband. And although he didn't love Michael like he did Brian, he loved him in his own way. The child-like sound of Michael's voice always soothed him.
"Hey, Honey. What's going on?"
"I'm just about to leave my meeting. Tell me where you are and we'll meet up." The silence on the other end of the phone gave David pause for a moment. What was he up to? "Michael?"
"Oh sorry, David. I'm here. I just... got distracted for a moment."
"I thought I'd lost you."
"No, you could never lose me, David. But I'm not local right now."
David pulled his phone away from his ear, while placing Michael on speaker. All feelings of guilt he used to have at having placed a GPS microchip in Michael's phone suddenly evaporated. "How un-local are you?" What the fuck was he doing in West Virginia?
"I'm not exactly sure. I just took a drive," Michael lied smoothly. "I should be back soon."
"See that you are," David snapped, before softening his tone. "It's been a helluva day and I just need to be buried inside you."
"If I wasn't driving, we could have phone sex," Michael said.
David looked at his phone, noticing that Michael had suddenly stopped. "Well what's to stop you from pulling over to the side of the road to do just that?"
Michael snickered. I'm only at a traffic light right now, silly. But as soon as I can I will, okay?"
David sighed. "Don't keep me waiting too long, honey. I'm going to head back to the hotel. Oh, by the way, did you catch up to Debbie yet?"
"Not yet, which is why I decided to take a drive. I figured by the time I get back that way, she should be around."
"Good, good. Maybe we could have dinner with her and your uncle tonight." He suggested, thinking it might be a good time to find out exactly what she knew about his ‘business' in town.
"Sure, I'd like that. Maybe Brian could come around, too."
David closed his eyes at the mention of Brian's name. He wondered how he looked now, if he still wore that cologne, Gucci Envy, which always drove him out of his mind and consumed him with lust. But if Brian showed up, so would Justin, and David hated that. "Who knows? Maybe Brian and Justin will show up if Deb asked them to."
"I-- I don't want to think about Justin, David. You know how I feel about that marriage. Brian should have been rid of the blond twink by now."
David shook his head. When would Michael ever learn that Brian was mated for life, unless David could make it otherwise. But Michael didn't need to know the last part of that statement. "I know you feel that way, but it's not going to happen, Michael. You gave them six months, and here it is eight years later. Justin isn't going anywhere. But anyway, call me when you reach Pittsburgh again. I might have a surprise for you."
"Might?" Michael smiled into the phone.
"Oh alright, you caught me, you little imp. I WILL have a surprise waiting on you. Hurry back. Goodbye, Michael."
"Bye, David."
And with that David started the car and headed downtown towards the hotel, his mind in utter turmoil about what he must do. Brian and Justin's hours were numbered, he sure hope they enjoyed them.
About a half an hour after leaving their manor, Britin, behind, Brian, Justin and company arrived at a smaller but equally impressive estate. The jewel of a house was all brick and mortar and stood imposing, sturdy and strong amid a backdrop of tall oak and maple trees. They drove through the open gates up the circular driveway, stopping at the front door, noting another luxury vehicle already parked. By the time all of passengers in both vehicles alighted, they were greeted by a tall red-haired woman with eyes the color of rich sherry. She walked over, hand extended toward Ted.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Schmidt. I wasn't sure I would hear from you again regarding this property," she said, her voice oozing like honey.
"Yes well, I wasn't quite sure it was what I was looking for in the beginning. I've brought some friends of mine to take a look around the property as well," Ted said, his voice as nerdy as ever but also steady.
"Of course, Mr. Schmidt. Would you like me to provide the tour, or do you think you have it all covered?"
Ted looked at his companions before answering. Based on Brian's posture, he could tell that the man was already assessing the resell value of the property, and instantly comparing it to where he and Justin lived down the road. As for the rest, all seemed interested in getting a more in-depth look at the property so Ted said, "I think I'll leave the tour up to you, Jackie. I'm most particularly interested in the loft out back though."
Jackie nodded, even while wondering how all the people accompanying such an unassuming man as Mr. Schmidt could be friends of his. Jackie was nothing if not a good judge of character, and she couldn't quite wrap her mind around the connection between the innocent-looking blond, the equally-innocuous looking young black girl and the tall swish stick of a queen being close enough friends with Ted Schmidt, Brian Kinney and Cynthia Moore. She remembered working with the three heads of Kinnetik when the company was first being founded. They were definitely no-nonsense type people, who knew what they wanted and how to get it. She sometimes still marveled at Brian Kinney's genius in picking an old bathhouse with a less than respectable reputation in a decidedly seedy part of gay Pittsburgh, and turning it into the corporate headquarters of the most successful marketing firm in all of Pennsylvania.
She mentally shrugged, acknowledging that the whos, whys and wherefores of this sale were none of her business as long as it resulted in the commission she expected. With that, she led them all inside of the house which would be considered Brian and Justin's hideaway.
The house itself was set up much like Britin pre-renovation, so Justin was automatically in love with the house, whereas Brian was on the fence. Each room on the main floor, although spacious, was separated by walls-- some wood, some stone. It was a major disadvantage in Brian's mind. Justin found himself fixated on the low hanging beams in the ceiling of each room, and felt they would be a major asset for him, Daphne and Emmett if it came down to fighting within the house.
Jackie noticed the strange silence and looks of nonverbal communication, which passed between several of Mr. Schmidt's companions, although he and the one called Emmett kept up a steady stream of conversation with her, asking various questions about plumbing, cooking, and the utility box. She answered them all, even as she was shaking off the passing uneasy feelings she was getting, as if she was somehow being judged and was found to be lacking, especially by the little blond man. She would catch him assessing her while she was engrossed in conversation with one of the others, but when she looked back at him, he would smile in a mirthless way which gave her the creeps. He looked familiar, but for the life in her, she couldn't figure out why. Jackie led the party out through the french doors along the back wall of the kitchen.
As they descended the steps onto the sprawling backyard, she led them over to what looked like a separate garage. Opening the door, and making sure everyone was inside before she spoke, she wondered again how they all fit together. She then took them through each loft area- six in total- before answering questions about the security system for both properties, and the like. Each unit was a wide open space with floor to ceiling windows which either faced the courtyard between the house and loft or the lake. They all had separate kitchens and bathrooms as well as a connecting balcony. A control panel was noted in each unit to see the comings and goings, and gave full-color views of the front, back, and side of the building as a whole.
After she showed them everything the property had to offer, including the boathouse, stables, and an area to put in a pool in the future, she turned to Ted. "So what do you say, Mr. Schmidt. Are we finally ready to close on this property?"
Ted surreptitiously looked to Brian and Justin, since this would ultimately be theirs. At the nods in the affirmative, he said, "This is exactly what I'm looking for, Jackie. But then, you knew it would be." He smiled at her, turning on the charm which surprised Brian. The woman had no idea that Ted was gay?
She cooed back. "Well Mr. Schmidt- Ted- I'm sure Mrs. Schmidt will feel like a lucky girl. If there is a Mrs. Schmidt." The last portion of the statement came out as a question, causing the others to snicker.
Ted rolled his eyes at them before turning his attention back to Jackie. "No there isn't, but I appreciate the sentiment all the same. I guess we should get the paperwork signed, but I'd like to head back into Pittsburgh with you. I want to pay cash for the property."
"Cash?" Jackie's eyes bulged with dollar signs in her eyes. "I assure you, Ted, a check would be just fine."
"I know, but I'd rather pay cash all the same. I don't want to deal with the mortgage and no offense, but your accountant holds checks entirely too long." Ted was intimately aware of how Wertschafter Associates did business, since he used to work for them before Brian started Kinnetik. It was one of the many practices in the firm he'd always abhorred.
"Very well, Ted. In the meantime, are your friends going to be staying here?" She looked at the band of misfits, her implication clear.
"I'll go with you, Teddy since I have to stop by Justin's business in the city. So while you take care of what you have to, I'll just mosey on over to JT Designs and deal with the business there. It will be killing two birds with one stone," Emmett stated in his ever-present chipper tone.
"Lovely," Jackie mumbled, her displeasure clear in the tone.
Brian guffawed loudly. "Who knew that you, Ted Schmidt, would be considered hot in this alternate universe?"
"Fuck you, Brian," Ted said, even as he chuckled at his friend.
Jackie, on the other hand, didn't find anything amusing. She had been looking forward to having Ted alone for their second showing. The first was part of an open house, which made it impossible for them to connect on a more personal level. He was everything she wanted in a man- smart, sexy and successful. The last time she'd laid eyes on him his hair was shorter, and he was impeccably groomed.
But as she looked at him while he conversed with his friends, she noticed that he'd let his hair grow out to where it was just barely skimming the collar of his shirt. The five o'clock shadow, gracing his face lent a dangerous bent to the man and screamed for her fingers to touch him. Coupled with his soulful brown eyes, Ted Schmidt was decidedly irresistible.
"As soon as we get the cars unloaded, Ted, you and Em could go and take care of things," Justin said. "Oh, I need one more favor. Can you stop by the loft for me? Em, you know what to grab, right?"
"Sure do, Sweetie and I'll make that other run as well. I'm sure Ted will need to be in on that one."
"Eagles?" Ted looked at Brian, who nodded.
"And don't forget the other supplies, too. They'll also be within the loft," Brian said, before pulling Justin closer and whispering in his ear. "You're not the only one concealing weapons in the loft."
Justin chuckled. "I know. In fact, I thought I had accidentally left mine in an unusual place and added it to my collection."
"Little shit," Brian laughed back. "It looks like we have a whole lot to still talk about." He kissed Justin soundly, before letting him go.
Jackie began to shift from foot to foot. She was aware of Brian Kinney's reputation. It had crossed over into hetero conversations many times, but to actually see it up close and personal gave her pause, especially since he was hugged up on a boy who looked like a teenager. Cynthia noticed her discomfort, and seeing the thoughts running across Jackie's face, decided to set her straight. "They've been married for eight years Jackie, and have been like this since they began dating before that. If that makes you uncomfortable, I'm pretty certain that we can find another realtor who would have absolutely no problem dealing with us."
Jackie paled at Cynthia's pronouncement. "No, no that won't be necessary. Besides, I thought this property was for Ted."
"It is, but also for Brian and Justin. It's a joint venture," Daphne said, coming up on the side of Cynthia. She, too, had noticed the hateful glare being sent toward Brian and her best friend. "Again, if you have a problem with this, you should back out now because none of us will tolerate disrespect toward these people we consider family, and that includes Ted."
So that was why Ted had asked these people along; they were important to him. Jackie thought and straightened herself, instnctively understanding that in order to get to Ted, she had to get along with this group as a whole. "I'm sorry, it was just a shock. I knew all about Brian back when he'd began his company, but the other... well he just looked like a kid,"
"I assure you, Justin Taylor is NO kid."
"Wait... THE Justin Taylor?" Jackie stuttered. She was more than familiar with his work; she also knew his mom. "Jennifer and I go way back. I haven't seen Justin since he was about eleven years old."
"And you don't see him now," Justin said, making his presence known. "Jackie, my mother and I are at loggerheads over a very private issue. I would appreciate it that you not tell her about this property, until I've had a chance to speak with her. It wouldn't be advisable for her and I to be in the same room until I do."
Jackie nodded. "Yes, yes, of course. I'm sorry, Justin. I didn't mean to overstep my bounds."
She couldn't believe the hard blue eyes, which were regarding her. She remembered him as a friendly child, who was inquisitive and bright. The man who stood before her was a completely different person, his glittering blue eyes flashing, and his stance belligerent. Jackie swallowed hard while continuing to assess him. The boy she knew as Justin Cole Taylor had become a very hard man.
"See that it doesn't happen again," Justin said his voice low and firm. He'd noticed the looks she sent to him and Brian, even while they were hugged up and whispering. He didn't give a fuck if she approved of him, but she wouldn't be allowed to hurt or anger Brian. Ignoring Jackie, he turned to his and Brian's assistants. "I'm going to go help the guys unpack the cars, and then Ted and Em will be ready to go. Daph, once we're done, you and Cynthia can take care of setting the house in order. I know the first thing we're going to need is food and cleaning supplies."
"And what will you two be doing? Not fucking, I hope," Cynthia said.
Justin laughed. "No christening every room in the house will have to wait. Instead we have an all-too-important phone call to make, and then training."
Daphne waited until Jackie moved away, before asking, "You think Jenn and Deb will go for what you're proposing?"
"No. But if they do, Brian will really have proved he's the best ad man in the business."
Cynthia nodded. "This is definitely a tough sell. I mean, if I was both of those women, I would want some assurances that my company would still be MY company."
"Yeah, me too. But if they join up, they both get richer. They won't have to fight over the contracts anymore. And most importantly, they get to keep me and Brian. If they don't, they lose more than they can afford."
"What? Are you and Brian planning to start your own? You both totally could, you know," Daphne said, her enthusiasm for the idea resonating in her tone.
"We'll retire, Daph. We'll work on us. Things between Brian and I have gotten to the point where it's fucking scary, but we don't want to lose each other. At the end of the day, we're all we have."
"Hey," Cynthia crooned, pulling the blond man into an embrace. "You have us, Justin. Never forget that."
Daphne hugged him from the other side. "That's right, Jus. You and I have been friends forever, and always will be. And I've come to love Brian just as much; just don't tell him that. He'll run away screaming, finding out that another hetero female other than Deb and Jenn digs him." The three of them laughed at the image. Brian was definitely a heterophobe, except when it came to certain people. Daphne continued, "Seriously though, I think I speak for all of us here when I say we want you both to succeed. You and Brian had something special; you'll get it back again."
"Come on, guys. Let's go help the old men get the stuff unloaded, and then we have work to do," Cynthia advised.
As hard as things have been on Justin, they had been equally hard on Brian. She felt close to tears on many occasions, watching as their relationship imploded on itself, even going so far as to tell Brian he needed to talk to Justin. She often wondered how much more their marriage could take. And it looked like with Debbie and Jenn, they were about to find out.
She turned to Justin again, as they were walking toward the front of the house. "My advice: you call Jenn, Brian calls Deb and place both of your phones on speaker. That way, they will both be receiving the same information, and can fight it out if necessary. But the important thing is that each call can't be used to drive a wedge between you two. We both know that Deb and Jenn won't give in easily, and with the problems you and Brian have been having, which are rooted in miscommunication- or better yet NO communication- you really can't afford to let a well-placed innuendo given by either woman lay dormant. If I was in their place, I would do everything in my power; use every trick in the book, and some that haven't even been written yet to maintain my hold on the company. Women are far more devious, defiant and deadly than men. It's a lesson that many men haven't learned, or refuse to see. I know you and Brian aren't two of them."