by A. W. Scott
“Hey, Tuck! Yeah, it’s Lew. No, no I don’t need Miguel’s help again,” he says with an awkward chuckle.
“Alright then. If there’s no emergency I’m going to say you’re an asshole for interrupting my bubble bath time.
“No, it’s fine. I’ve been an ass our whole friendship. But look, um- well, Tuck. Shit, man. I don’t know how to say this. I’m over at that high class restaurant downtown, the one with the Asian fusion menu.”
I sit up at that. “The one that’s on my top five list of places to get Miguel to bribe me into?”
“Yeah, I know you’ve been dying to try the place.”
“How’d you get in? Why wasn’t I invited? Did you call to gloat? That’s bad even for you, Lew. I can’t believe -“ He cuts me off before I can continue.
“Your fiancé is here, Tuck. With someone else. I just watched them play tonsil hockey in the middle of a crowded restaurant.”
My heart stops as the room begins to spin. “Jalen is there now?” I pause, my mind rushing to figure out a plan. “Did you see food on the table?” I climb from the tub, the calming effects of the water not enough to overpower the anger coming over me.
“Yeah, he’s still here. I don’t know that they’ve eaten yet-“
“Good. I’m on my way. Don’t approach him. Just go home and enjoy that delicious hunk I’m sure you went to dinner with.”
He pauses for a moment, clearly torn on what to do. “Are you sure? I don’t mind waiting to support you, man.”
“Don’t worry about me, Lew. I can handle this. I appreciate the call, though.” I’m drying off and moving into the bedroom with my phone at this point. There’s not much time left to catch him in the act and tell him what a piece of shit he is to his face.
I’m not normally so spiteful, but this man pledged his heart to me. I look down to the ring on my finger. If I didn’t know his mother well, I’d hock it at a local pawn shop just to piss the big oaf off. Kathy should be thankful I love her more than I do the big lug right now.
“Ok, well call me if you need me. Please. You don’t have to be alone.”
“I know. You’re a good friend for calling. I’ll handle it.” That’s all I give him before ending the call.
I stop to think about the best way to do this. I have about half an hour of time if they’ve gotten food. If not, I’ve got closer to an hour to get there. The fancier the restaurant, the longer Jalen tends to stay there. He wants to flaunt his ‘wealth’ around.
The only wealth the man has is a trust fund his grandfather left him. I know for a fact that the funds in said account are dwindling faster than he can replenish them, so this choice of restaurant is really an illusion.
On the way downstairs, my phone rings again. This time I see Miguel’s name on the screen. Assistant-mode kicks in, causing me to answer even as I experience my own crisis.
“Yes, boss. How can I help you this evening?”
“I’m on my way to you now. I’ve told the chef at the restaurant to hold the meal for a few minutes to allow us enough time to get there. I don’t want you getting physically hurt by the big asshole. I also want to see his face when he realizes he fucked up.”
My eyes close as I stop on the sidewalk outside of my place. “Miguel, I can’t let you-“
“You abso-fucking-lutely have no say in this matter, Tucker. You are the best damn person in my life besides Aiden and Lewis. I will not allow this man, this miscreant, to harm you without consequence.” He sounds furious by the end, his temper a living breathing thing between us. I hear the sound of his car before I see him turn the corner down the street.
The car slams to a halt in front of me, then Miguel barks out, “Get in” through the phone. Leaning down, I open the door and slide onto the luxury seats. He speeds off as soon as I’m buckled in.
We’re both quiet at first, too angry to speak. When the silence is broken, Miguel’s voice is surprisingly soft.
“Did you have any clue? Anything at all?”
I shake my head even though he’s focused on the road ahead. “No. I thought things were fine. He was supposed to be out with the guys for drinks to celebrate one of them getting a promotion.”
Miguel nods, his mind working through possible scenarios. “What about the whole threesome thing? You mentioned it a few months ago at work before I met Aiden. Was he pressuring you for that?”
Thinking back to that day, I have to stop to remember the conversation leading up to everything. I was teasing my boss and friend like I always did and I let it slip that Jalen wouldn’t mind sharing.
Nevermind it was never something I actually wanted. Jalen suggested it and soon enough I was repeating the words like the good little puppet he seemed to have made me. It’s funny how quickly you can come to your senses when you’ve been wronged.
“I think a lot of things were signs of his two-timing now that I stop to reflect. You’re an attractive man, no doubt, but I don’t like the idea of sharing. I can’t imagine what would have happened if you’d ever taken me up on those offers.” I hang my head, slightly embarrassed by the way I’d acted.
“Don’t. You’re a big personality, Tuck. That’s who you are. Sure, the idea of a threesome is different, but you’d flirted with me before Jalen came along. It was all in jest, which is how I took it. I only brought up the other because it was out of character.”
“I know. It was. I just never realized it until now. Thank you for pointing it out. It only strengthens my resolve to let the asshole go.”
We remain quiet the rest of the way to the restaurant, both of us stewing in our hatred. At the valet, the attendants freak out at the sight of Miguel. Stryker Global is a well known entity, so it’s not odd for people to freak out.
Miguel looks to the young man he hands to keys to. “Keep it close. This shouldn’t take too long.”
“Yes, sir.” The kid nods, then scurries off to move the car.
Ignoring them both, I march inside the restaurant, my eyes scanning the dining area past the hostess stand. The young lady eyes me warily, my tight bright pink leggings and white tunic not the normal fancy decor of the place.
“Um, sir… do you have a reservation?”
I shake my head at her, my eyes still looking to the people seated around. “No, I don’t. I’m here to see someone.”
“Oh, well, I think maybe you should -“
“He should keep looking and you can let Ricardo know I’m here for the takeout I ordered earlier. He’s expecting me. Under the name -“
“Stryker. Yes, sir. I’ll be back. My apologies for the confusion.” She bows at us, then turns to rush into the kitchen.
“See him yet?” Miguel leans close to whisper to me. He stands still behind me, but I can feel the barely suppressed rage coursing through him. My boss’s tells are clear as day to me after multiple years working together.
Turning to him, I put a hand on his arm. “I will find him and I will confront him. You are not to lay a hand on him. Not only would Aiden be upset, but I’d also have a PR nightmare to deal with after. I’d rather only have one negative thing in my life right now.”
“Understood. But don’t think this ends here. This asshole will regret ever double crossing you.”
With his announcement, I turn around and position myself as if I were about to leave. Turning to look both ways, I catch sight of a familiar necklace catching a glimmer of light from the front windows.
Jalen sits at the table smiling brightly at a young man who appears to have a stick shoved so far up his ass he doesn’t know how to spell the word fun much less have it. My feet start in their direction before I can stop to calm myself.
At the table, I slam my hands down, the dishes clattering as it gathers the attention of people around us. “Hey there, honey,” I fill my words with venom. “How are drinks with the guys going? I expected to see more of them around.”
My fiance - well, ex-fiance, has the decency to look ashamed of his behavior. I’m not placated in
the slightest by the puppy dog eyes though. I can forgive a lot of things, but this is not one of them.
“What the actual fuck are you doing, Jalen?”
“Um- excuse me, but we’re on a date.” The small man even has a nasally voice to go with the appearance. He screams money and privilege. It makes me wonder if Jalen’s money is dwindling faster than I thought.
“Yeah, well I don’t give a shit.” I throw my hand in his face. “I’m wearing his family ring and had the title of fiance before he fucked it up, so I get to step in on your adultering.” He looks confused and then ashamed at my words. He looks from me to Jalen, then to the ring.
“Is this true? Are you engaged?”
Jalen looks away at the question, no longer able to answer while looking his date in the eye. His expression turns to shock when he looks behind me. It’s then that I realize Miguel is standing there. He’s chatting with the hostess again and directing her to hold the food at the front. He promises we’ll only be another minute.
“Miguel Stryker.” Jalen stands, his hand extended. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you, sir. I’ve spoken with Tucker many times about setting up a meeting with you, but he was always tight lipped about his amazing boss.”
“As he should be. It’s part of his contract to do such.” Miguel looks down his nose at the man I once thought I would spend my life with. The disdain drips from my friend the longer the silence lingers. I know we have an audience, but thankfully I don’t see any cameras pointed our way.
“But I’m his fiancee. He claimed you two were friends. I should have at least been able to sit down with you.” The three of us stare at him like he’s the biggest idiot in the world, which admittedly he might be.
“Tucker, may I? I know you’d love this part, but I feel like I could really do this justice.” I smile for the first time since Lewis called. Miguel is too good to me. I indulge him, a small nod letting him know he’s in the clear.
Turning, he faces Jalen again, his stance taking on all the power behind the Stryker name. “You really fucked up Jalen Lee Matthews. For someone who seems to have come from a family of money, you decided to flip them the middle finger by not joining the family business when you knew dear old grandpa was close to kicking the bucket and leaving you that trust fund. Like the idiot you so obviously are, you blew through most of that money within no time. Then you decided to prey on this amazing man. People like you love to manipulate situations and people until they fit the mold you’ve created. You spent years investing in Tucker only to do this - the most disrespectful act you can do towards someone you claim to love. What a pitiful fool.”
Jalen’s anger rises the more Miguel digs into him. I can tell the moment he’s had enough. It lashes out, violent and fierce like it always does.
“At least I’m not so fucked in the head that I’m practically a child. Yeah, I’m not afraid to say it. Sippy cups and stuffed animals in the closet like I don’t live there and can’t see it. It’s fucking pitiful that you’re a grown ass man who acts like a toddler for fun. There was never a chance I’d marry you. I saw you in a picture with Stryker a few years back in the local paper. It listed you as ‘close personal assistant.’ I knew you’d be my way in, but I never imagined it would take this long.”
“You bastard,” I spit the words out at him. “If you weren’t happy, then why stick around? What the fuck good did it do for you to pretend to want to marry me?”
“Because you have access to money!” He bellows the words out. Anyone who wasn’t watching before is definitely tuned in now. While I love being the center of attention at times, this moment is one where I wish the ground would open up and drag me down and away. “I knew that you loved me enough that you’d do anything for me. I figured if we could get married, then you’d bring me around your friends as your husband. But,” he turns to look at the man sitting at the table, “I had better offers arrive. I didn’t want to wait anymore for you to come around. You can’t blame me.”
I don’t have time to stop the right hook that Miguel throws. Jalen goes down like a ton of bricks. He’s never been in a real fight, so he’s not prepared to have the shit knocked out of him.
People in the restaurant gasp, their voices tittering with the scandal of the day. “Alright, Rocky. We can’t stick around for this. He didn’t break anything, so let’s minimize damage by leaving.”
The guy at the table, the one he’s been trying to con too, gets up and runs from the restaurant. He clearly wants to escape this mess of crazy he was dragged into.
Looking around, I put on my assistant hat. “We apologize for the disruption to your meal today. Mr. Stryker will be covering everyone’s current tab. We hope you have a good rest of your day.”
They all clap and cheer, shouting thanks to Miguel. I feel his hand grip under my arm as he turns to pull me to the hostess stand. “Good move. Don’t think I would have had the calm to think it through with how pissed I am. Let’s get the food and get you back home. I’ll stay with you for a bit for a bitch fest, then you can tell me what the fuck that idiot was spouting off about.”
I tuck my head down knowing I won’t be able to get out of the conversation request. My boss and I may be close, and I may have made sexual jokes with him for a long time, but that’s really where everything personal ends.
Knowing I’m going to have to explain to him that there’s a part of me that changes sometimes. That the cool, focused personal assistant he knows in the office falls to the wayside and in his place is a young boy who only wants cuddles, attention, and his sippie full of juice.
Yeah, I didn’t ever plan on telling him that.
Miguel grabs the food from the hostess, then looks at her with a serious expression. “Call me with a total and we’ll square it away. Ricardo has my info. Thank you for your help.” He slips her a few bills, more than I’m sure she’ll make in a week, to help keep her from gossiping about this.
That’s the one good thing about his money. It can cover most things up with a few well placed bills in the right hands. What it can’t get rid of… the conversation I’m about to have. The one that could change everything.
Chapter 3
Patrick
I knew part of my arrival in the city was to see how Mateo’s possible new partner would fare in our world of Daddy kink. It only took me one dinner to realize he would be perfect for my best friend - even if he had no idea of it. Lewis might have been new to everything, including a relationship with a man, but what he was not was unwilling. That in and of itself was a great sign.
After we settled that, the club business was the next thing to get figured out. The original plan from Lewis was to build a space where the young and the old could meet and enjoy the same atmosphere.
The idea was one I appreciated, though I found myself worried on how they would differentiate it from the area Mateo wanted to create. I decided to ask Mateo at one of the early meetings.
“How do you think you’ll stop people from getting in? What protocols will be in place?” He smiled at me, then went on to explain his ideas.
“From inside the main club, there will be only one access point to get between the two clubs. It will be through the office in the back. Only Rob, Lewis, and I will have access.”
“Why Rob and not me?” I asked the question with a challenging look. He simply rolled his eyes and kept going.
“Rob will manage both sides of the club technically, though his main focus is the public area. You will solely work in the members only area. There’s no need for you to be on the other side.” I nod to acknowledge the truth of his statement. “For the MOA, there will be a discreet side entrance away from the opening of the club. Members will have to go through two checkpoints to ensure no one stumbles or tricks their way inside.”
“And how are we going to designate members to know who gets in?”
“I was hoping for your input on that. I’d like to have some kind of foolproof system. Something multilayered if possible. Maybe
they have a card or coin and then we also need their name and a codeword. I know it sounds very Bond-esque, but until we establish doormen who know members by sight then we’re going to have to have something strict in place.”
“You know that’s one of my favorite words.”
“Of course. Moving on. Before anyone can become a member, we’ll have a detailed membership assessment done by you. You’ve been at this long enough to know what will be a red flag during the application process. We’ll also charge a hefty sum for them to sign up. I want them to want to be here. I know that will limit the number of subs we have at first. Over time we’ll do an open house event in which potential members in the area can request to visit for free once a month. On those nights, we’ll allow them in, after being vetted, for a chance to find someone already in the club.”
“That won’t eliminate the issue of cost.”
“No, it won’t. But if you were a Dom who found a sub you enjoyed at an open house, wouldn’t you find a way to get them in more often. We’ve talked about trial memberships, right?”
I nod, recalling the brief conversation a few days back. The idea was that a person could sign up with the full fee, and then if they found someone they like they could do a trial for them. Essentially they could purchase a certain number of days access to the club. We would track each visit and allow the person in on the designated meetups. If things progressed to the point of a relationship, then the full member has the option to purchase their partner’s membership minus what they’ve already paid toward the trial memberships.
“All in all, I think it’s a solid plan. I’m leaving the logistics up to you. I only require that we have a space for Daddies and their companions. Everything past that is your decision. I trust you to offer enough variety to bring in a good mix of members.”
“I’m well versed in just about every kink there is. I’ll take care of hitting the things people tend to look for the most. We’ll adjust and add to things as the membership grows. That work for you?”
