The Problem Client

by K P Maxwell

  “You’re drunk!” Kaz says, laughing, and Damien leans himself against Kaz’s shoulder, enjoying the other man’s warmth. He feels happy about the night he’s had, and he doesn’t want to go to bed just yet.

  “Am not,” Damien says, but he might be just a little bit. He doesn’t actually remember how many drinks he had with dinner, and he still wonders how it is that the nice doctor didn’t seem to be affected by any of them. He looks over to Jake to see that the other man is eying him like he’s a piece of meat again, though, derailing his thoughts. Damien pouts dramatically.

  “Does he ever stop doing that?” he asks Kaz, pointing at Jake.

  Jake laughs loudly, trying to reach over Kaz to, presumably, ruffle Damien’s hair. “You liked it last time.”

  “You gotta leave this one alone, man,” Kaz is saying, laughing as well, and raising his arms up to keep them separated.

  “But look at him,” Jake complains, only half serious and gesturing at Damien with a video game controller.

  Kaz laughs. “I know, I know, but he’s drunk, and he basically has a boyfriend.”

  “I do not,” Damien says emphatically, but he sighs, knowing that it’s nearly true. That that’s probably what he’s going to do on Thursday. He’s just going to tell Ty the whole damn story and ask him if he wants to see him outside of the context of the café. He can’t imagine it ending well though. Boyfriend is way too much to hope for.

  Kaz gives him an all-too-knowing look, and Damien sighs again. He tries to grab a controller out of Kaz’s hand, but Kaz evades him deftly.

  “What are you guys playing?” he whines. “I want to join.”

  “Do you even like video games?” Kaz asks skeptically, and Damien shrugs.

  “Not really,” he’s saying, but then Liam opens the door, and Damien grins at him.

  “Liam!” he says. “Join us.”

  Liam laughs, setting a few bags down on the kitchen countertop and starting to put stuff away. “There’s no room,” he says.

  “You can sit here,” Jake says, gesturing to his own lap with a wink.

  Kaz elbows him. “Gross, dude. What’s wrong with you?”

  Jake shrugs, still smiling, “What? He can if he wants to.”

  Liam’s cheeks turn pink at the offer but he waves a hand. “I’m just going to put this stuff up and head to bed,” he says.

  Damien glances between the three of them, but he still can’t decide if they’ve all slept together yet. Maybe he should place bets with Sebastian. Hell, Sebastian probably just knows. Sebastian seems to have his own way of knowing what’s going on around the café. Speaking of which…

  “Where’s Sebastian?” Damien asks, frowning.

  Kaz shrugs, and Damien can feel the gesture. “I don’t think he’s here,” Kaz says, and it’s late on Sunday evening, so Sebastian definitely has to be up early tomorrow. The thought slips away from Damien as soon as he tries to latch onto it though. He sighs. He should probably go to sleep. He’s going to regret drinking so much in the morning.

  He stands up, wobbling only slightly. “Do you need any help?” he asks Liam, and Liam shakes his head, smiling and waving him off.

  “Nah,” Liam says. “I’ve got it.”

  “Alright, guys,” Damien nods. “I’m going to bed, then.”

  “You didn’t even tell us who got you drunk,” Kaz says, pouting, and Damien smiles in reply.

  “Secrets,” he says, and Jake laughs. Kaz looks curious but shrugs it off as well.

  “Well, whatever then,” Kaz says. “Goodnight.”

  He leaves Kaz and Jake on the couch, already laughing again and elbowing each other over whatever video game they were playing. Liam watches them unobtrusively as he puts away the groceries out of the bag he carried in earlier.

  Heading to his own room, he feels vaguely hopeful about the upcoming session with Ty. Surely Eli would know. If Eli thinks Ty likes Damien… Well, then, hopefully Ty can forgive him for leading him on. Damien can’t even let himself consider what might happen after that. Whatever it might be, he thinks it’s going to totally derail his plans for that fresh start he’s been wanting...

  Chapter Fifteen

  The nice doctor probably regrets giving Damien his phone number, because Damien’s been sending him text messages all week. They’re mostly emoji-based, and Eli only replies half of the time, but Damien thinks the other man finds it amusing.

  It’s partially out of worry. Damien’s nerves are totally shot by the time Thursday rolls around again. Eli texted him a simple good luck this morning, but Damien feels nearly sick with nerves all afternoon. Earlier he dropped an entire tray of madeleines on the floor. Melanie told him to get out of the café because at that rate, he’d make the customers nervous, too.

  So now he’s in the café’s lounge, sitting on a window bench with his laptop with Kaz curled up next to him in cat form. He’s watching repeats of one of his favorite reality TV shows with his headphones in.

  Sometimes he strokes a hand down Kaz’s silky black fur, and Kaz purrs, and Damien tries not to think too hard about the fact that Kaz really isn’t just a cat. Hopefully they can file this under Things They Never Talk About and get on with their lives after all of this is over. Daniel’s been giving him some really weird looks, and Damien seriously hopes that no one told Daniel that the cat is Kaz, but he thinks it’s likely given the reaction.

  Sebastian comes in at one point, setting a plate down next to Daniel with some pastries on it, and Daniel grins up at him like it’s Christmas morning. Sebastian just scowls back at him, and tells him not to work too hard, and Damien really has to wonder about their relationship. Sebastian also raises an eyebrow at Damien himself, but Damien shrugs it off.

  It’s close to closing time, when Damien receives another text message.

  Eli gave me your number.

  Damien stares down at the words, but before he can reply another message comes in.

  Can we talk?

  His fingers are flying over the screen before he has a chance to think about it. Maybe. What do you have in mind?

  Damien chews on his lower lip as he waits for the reply.

  Whatever you want.

  And there’s this sense of relief that washes over Damien at the words. He’s been nervous about tonight because of the session itself. Not wanting to bring this discussion into that space. He taps his finger on the phone screen a moment, before deciding.

  Can you come to the café? He writes.

  The reply is instant. Now?

  Damien looks at the time. It’s nearly closing time, so he types. 30 mins or so.

  Done, comes the reply, and Damien presses his phone to his chest in relief.

  Okay, he can do this. Kaz, still in cat form, tilts his head in curiosity at Damien’s change of mood. Damien wishes he could explain but there’s no time, and also the remaining customers would probably be very concerned if he just started talking to the cat all of a sudden.

  He closes his laptop, standing up and stretching. Kaz hisses softly in protest. “Scram,” Damien tells him, fully enjoying treating him like a real cat.

  Damien helps close the café, explaining to Liam (and Kaz once he’s back in human form) the plan to meet Ty.

  When Ty finally arrives, Damien feels a weird sense of déjà vu seeing him standing in front of the café. He unlocks the door, letting him in, feeling shy all of a sudden.

  Ty’s gaze is intense on him, as always, but something seems to catch his attention, and he looks around the rest of the room. Almost as if he’s sniffing the air. But that can’t be right.

  “What’s wrong?” Damien asks, and Ty shrugs.

  “Is Mel here?” he asks, but Damien doesn’t think that’s what he was really going to say.

  Damien shakes his head, “I don’t know, probably not.” He crosses his arms, this whole situation putting him on edge. This is only the second time he’s ever seen Ty outside of their sessions, and it’s weird. He doesn’t know how to act around t
he man.

  Ty gives him a once over with a glance, and then his face softens a bit.

  “You really do look good in your uniform,” he says, and Damien feels heat rising to his face.

  “Thanks,” he says, mollified a bit. It’s easier to fall back on the flirtation with Ty. “You wanted to talk?”

  “Here?” Ty asks, and frustration crosses his face.

  “It’ll be more comfortable in the lounge,” Damien points to the door that leads to the café’s lounge area, leading Ty that way. Ty follows close behind him, and Damien can almost imagine that he feels the heat of him at his back. There are still large glass windows in here, but Liam pulled down all of the shades earlier, so it feels more secluded.

  Ty is making an odd face again when Damien looks over at him, but he shakes his head when Damien gives him a questioning look.

  “Alright, talk,” Damien says, not wanting to wait any longer.

  Ty rubs his hand across his head in a gesture that Damien’s learning means he’s embarrassed.

  “I know I went about this all wrong –” Ty starts, but Damien interrupts him immediately.

  “Of course you did! You can’t just buy me, you idiot,” Damien says, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with the amount of anger he feels about it.

  Ty takes a step closer to him, uncertainty crossing his face again.

  “I just wanted to see you more,” Ty says quietly.

  “I’m not something for sale,” Damien continues. “Like – like some toy you can just keep on the side.”

  Ty makes an exasperated noise. “I’m sorry, alright,” he says. “This is killing me,” he waves a hand at Damien, a gesture that encompasses him, and then the café itself. “Thinking of you with all of these other men. Your other clients.”

  Ty pulls Damien closer, burying his face in Damien’s neck. Just the motion makes Damien feel better, safer.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you,” Ty continues, and it’s in a low tone. “I just want to –”

  Damien shakes his head, pushing Ty away but still holding him by the shoulders. “Is that it? Just some possessive thing?” He looks him straight in the eyes, and Ty looks away. Damien’s heart is pounding now. Ty mutters something that Damien doesn’t quite catch.

  “Hmm?” he asks, and he knows he’s being a brat, but he wants to hear it. Needs to hear it. He wants Eli to be right.

  “No,” Ty says, with a growl in his voice, and the sound makes Damien shiver. “I like you. I want you to be mine.”

  Damien feels a thrill run along his entire body. A smile breaks out over his face.

  “Why didn’t you just say that, you jerk?” he says, and Ty’s eyes widen.

  “Yeah?” Ty grunts, still sounding embarrassed. “You’re okay with that?”

  Damien nods, feeling a little shy all of a sudden. “There aren’t actually any others anymore,” he admits. “I’ve been cutting back on clients. I don’t really need the money anymore...” he trails off, trying to read Ty’s expression but the other man is just staring at him.

  Damien continues, “I was having trouble figuring out how I’d tell you. How I’d end this last contract with you.”

  Ty looks bleak at the thought, but Damien pushes forward. “I was hoping we could continue anyways, but maybe without the transactional nature…”

  Ty crushes Damien to him at that. “Let me take you out,” he breathes into Damien’s skin. “I’ll court you,” he says. “Whatever you want.”

  Damien throws his head back in a laugh. “Court me?” he says. “What, is this a regency novel?”

  Ty looks at him seriously. “What do you like to do? Dinner?” he asks.

  Damien trails his fingers down Ty’s chest. “Well I like this, for starters, but dinner would be nice, too,” he smiles, and Ty nods.

  “You’re not… mad?” Damien asks. “That there haven’t been other clients for a while?”

  Ty laughs. “Hell, no. I’m glad, brat. Although I wish you would have told me sooner.”

  Ty picks him up then, lifting Damien against his body and Damien wraps his legs around Ty’s waist.

  “We can’t do this here,” Damien laughs, feeling Ty’s cock pressing up against him insistently and wanting to do it anyways.

  “Well we’re going to do it somewhere,” Ty insists. “I think you need to be taught a lesson for teasing me.”

  Damien feels heat rush along his body at the thought. “Upstairs,” he gasps. “I’ll take you upstairs.” Even though it breaks every single sort of rule, he hopes Melanie will forgive him this time.

  Ty starts walking towards the back door, still holding all of Damien’s weight flush against him, and Damien smacks his shoulder, laughing again.

  “You have to put me down,” he says, and Ty does, letting Damien slide along his body as he sets him down gently.

  “You’re so fucking tall,” Ty says, but it’s with appreciation, and Damien feels himself blush. He fumbles with the keycard in his back pocket, and swipes it at the door.

  Thankfully there’s no one in the shared living space when he makes it up there, and Ty looks mildly curious, but he’s focused on Damien and doesn’t seem to care too much about their surroundings. Damien leads him to the room. Their room. He knows it will be empty tonight, because everyone else in the house knows to leave it open for him on Thursdays.

  And today is a Thursday after all. He grins, swiping the keycard at the door and pulling Ty into the room with him.

  They run into a slight issue much later in the night when Ty deems him thoroughly punished. The Door never appeared.

  Damien is sitting up in bed, staring at the blank wall.

  “This has never happened before,” he says, and Ty snickers. Damien smacks him with a pillow. “No, seriously, it hasn’t.”

  Ty shrugs, “Probably something to do with the fact that I didn’t go through it in the first place.”

  Damien frowns, unsure of how they really even work. “Where does it open for you?”

  Ty makes a face at that. “Uh,” he clears his throat. “I’d rather not say.”

  Damien raises an eyebrow. “Seriously?” he asks, and curiously enough Ty’s face is turning a little red. Damien doesn’t think he’s ever seen that sort of expression on him before.

  “It’s in my condo, okay?” Ty forces out.

  “Your – your condo?” Damien says, eyes wide. “What, the door just opens from your bedroom or something?”

  Ty shakes his head, “My hallway actually. It’s really fucking weird.”

  Damien throws his head back, laughing. “Is that Melanie’s idea of some sort of joke?” he asks.

  Ty shrugs. “Probably, wouldn’t put it past her,” he mutters. He gets out of bed, starting to put his clothes back on.

  “Can’t stay here tonight though. She’d really have it out for me if she caught me staying here,” he says. And Damien’s not so sure that she would really care all that much, but he understands the sentiment.

  “I can sneak you out the way you came in,” he says, with a wink.

  Ty grins at him. “Not very good at following the rules, are you?”

  Damien shakes his head. “I guess I just like to break them,” he says, sweetly.

  Once they are both dressed, Damien opens the door to the shared living space, peering out cautiously, fully expecting Jake to be standing guard there or something, but there’s no one.

  “I swear, it smells like a fucking cat in here,” Ty mutters when he steps out into the hall, and Damien shushes him. He has no idea how Ty could possibly tell that. He also doesn’t want to out Kaz as a shifter, however, so he doesn’t say anything.

  Damien thinks they’re all in the clear, but when he walks into the living room area, Sebastian’s sitting on the couch. They blink at each other a few times, before Ty says, “Well, shit.”

  “You’re an idiot,” Sebastian says, rolling his eyes at Damien. He waves a hand. “Go on, I’m not going to rat you out or anything.”

/>   “Thank you,” Damien says, but Sebastian shrugs.

  “She’ll figure it out anyways,” Sebastian says, going back to his game.

  Ty nods seriously. “That woman knows everything,” he says, with some sort of awe in his tone. Damien still wants to hear the story on why Ty and Melanie know each other so well, but he figures that will wait for another time.

  They make it down to the first floor elevator lobby area without any further run-ins, and Ty pins Damien to the wall outside of the elevator, pressing his body against Damien again.

  “Miss you already,” Ty says, and Damien laughs, feeling happiness bubbling up inside him at this whole thing.

  “You going to take me out somewhere then? Court me?” Damien asks, laughter still in his voice. Ty nods, his stubble brushing against Damien’s cheek with the movement.

  “I’ll text you tomorrow,” he says, and he pats Damien on the ass.

  “Romantic,” Damien says, rolling his eyes, but he bites his cheek with happiness to try to hold back his grin as Ty leaves.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Melanie calls Ty early enough in the morning on Friday that she hopes it wakes him up. She’s slightly disappointed when he answers the phone on the second ring, as if he’d seen it come through. That man must not sleep much.

  Melanie starts taking before he even says hello.

  “I know you were here, and I know what time you left, so don’t play dumb with me, Balducci,” she says, cold steel in her voice, and there’s quiet on the other end of the line for a long moment, but eventually Ty sighs.

  “What do you want?” he asks, and it’s a good question. Melanie wants a lot of things. She’d really prefer it, for example, if Ty wasn’t playing this kind of game with one of her hosts.

  “You need to tell him the truth,” is what she says, instead, and there’s more silence. She almost expects him to hang up on her, but she thinks that he wouldn’t dare.