BOSS

by Ashley John

  “Levi, wait here,” Joshua demanded.

  “Don’t leave me with her,” he mumbled out of the side of his mouth.

  “She has ears!” Constance slapped him on the arm, “Is that an American accent? Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to America. I met a man in the 1960s, he was a sailor and he was so handsome -,”

  She looped her arm around Levi’s, dragging him away from Joshua. He mouthed ‘sorry’ to Levi as he glanced over his shoulder, shooting daggers his way.

  Once in the service lift he headed up to the top floor, the butterflies dancing around in his stomach. It was a familiar feeling but it didn’t feel right knowing his father wouldn’t be waiting there to see him.

  He watched as the tiny buttons flickered towards the top floor, his knees starting to wobble. Catching his reflection in the streaky mirror, he adjusted his wild hair, trying to make it look as professional and respectable as possible. His hair always looked effortlessly stylish and yet uncontrollably messy but he’d learned to live with it.

  The lift shuddered to a halt and he was soon staring at the familiar sight of the top floor of Silverton Tower. The entire space was planned around his father’s office at the far side of the floor. It was all completely open planned, with giant windows looking out over London on either side. The boss’s personal team sat at desks, all angled towards the single, oak door.

  It won’t be dad’s name on that door.

  He glanced around at the faces of the workers but none of them looked up to him. Telling himself that he fit in, he faked his way across the floor, heading towards the door with such confidence that he almost believed it himself. As he stepped over each tile, he felt less and less like a man and more and more like a teenager, summoned to a meeting by his father. He could almost hear his father’s voice echoing around the floor, screaming out about how much of a disappointment Joshua was. So, why can’t I see his face?

  He reached the door, the thick oak towering above him. He stared at the gold plaque and to his surprise, Bill Silverton was still engraved in bold letters. He considered that it had all been a cruel prank and his father was still alive inside, laughing at him. He instantly dismissed that idea. His father may have been unfair but he’d never be that cruel. Even if he did cut you out.

  Lifting his fist to the wood, he considered knocking but stopped himself when he remembered his surname. The door was unlocked so he ducked inside, trying his best to look stern. He was met with an empty desk and a strange sense of familiarity. The office was practically unchanged after all of the years.

  The ‘Silverton Industries’ logo sat behind the desk in huge, silver letters.

  He wandered across the white, marble tiles towards the window. He looked out over London and that seemed to be the only part of the room changed. In the far distance, he could see the Olympic Village, which had destroyed half of the East End. New buildings had popped up all over London, skewing the once familiar sight.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a small, white laptop on the desk. Taking his chance he walked over and bent over the screen but it was password protected. He tried to open a couple of the drawers in the chest under the logo but they were all locked. In desperation he gawked around the office, expecting to see something he could use.

  He considered sitting behind the desk, waiting for the mystery boss to return. He wasn’t going to leave Silverton Tower without a fight and he was ready to put one up. He pulled out the chair, ready to wait comfortably but a sound from the room next door made his ears prick. It sounded like something firm hitting glass.

  In the corner of the room was a glass door, which opened up to his father’s private boardroom. It was where he held all of his really important meetings but he also knew people used it to eat their lunch in when they knew the boss wasn’t around.

  He settled into the chair, letting the padded back mould to his spine. He attempted to crack the laptop password a couple of times but each time, it threw him off. The icon was of a faceless man in a suit but there was no username. It gave nothing away.

  When he rested his feet on the edge of the glass desk, he heard the noise again, even louder this time. He nearly ignored it for a second time but it happened twice more in quick succession, louder each time. What the fuck?

  He knew he shouldn’t risk it but curiosity got the better of him. On the edge of his toes, he headed across the room to the glass door. He could see the boardroom table in the middle of the room but all of the chairs were empty. He almost walked away but he heard the noise again, louder still, so he moved his hair from his face and pressed his face up against the glass without trying to conceal himself anymore.

  When he saw what was going on, his heart jumped up into his mouth. Against the huge glass window overlooking London, he could see one man pressed up against the glass, with another man fucking him from behind. They both had their trousers and underwear around their ankles leaving Joshua to stare at bare cheeks, as shirttails flapped over them with each rhythmic pound. He knew he shouldn’t stare but he couldn’t look away. He pressed his hands harder against the glass, shielding his eyes from the bright sun. The man grabbed his lover’s hair in his fist, yanking his head back to kiss him deeply. He tried to ignore the sudden tingling in his underwear.

  He pressed his face harder into the glass but the glass door swung open and he fell into the boardroom. Joshua awkwardly tugged at the semi in his underwear as he stared at the sight of a man being inside another man. His heart beating a thousand miles a minute, he finally looked up to the man’s face.

  He was so embarrassed at what he’d done, he didn’t immediately recognise the face.

  “Ezra?”

  “Joshua?” Ezra couldn’t hide the shock, “W-what -,”

  Ezra pulled out of the twink faster than he’d pulled out of anybody before. He’d practically been on the brink of orgasm before they had been interrupted but it was suddenly the last thing on his mind.

  “I should go,” said Joshua, without moving.

  Yanking the condom off of his quickly softening cock, Ezra tossed it on the boardroom table and yanked his underwear and trousers up.

  “Go,” he ordered, “get out of here.”

  The guy turned around, leaving smudges on the glass.

  “What a fucking joke,” he laughed, fumbling for his underwear, “you’re not as good as everybody says.”

  That was the second time in a week Ezra had heard that. You’re losing your touch. He was about to say something but he was hardly in a position to defend himself. He’d only arranged the hook-up because he needed something to take his mind away from the very man who had interrupted him.

  With one long dramatic huff, he pushed past Ezra, his trousers still not over his tight cheeks. He paused to give Joshua a once over with his eyes before heading through Ezra’s office.

  “This is a surprise,” Ezra pulled out a chair, trying to remain calm, “but I admire your determination to find me. I guess it wasn’t difficult if you know who to ask.”

  He wasn’t sure how Joshua got up to the top floor but that wasn’t what concerned him. There was an anger in Joshua’s eyes that told him he wasn’t there to chat about what had happened in the hotel room and Ezra wasn’t about to admit he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it.

  “I don’t understand?” Joshua clenched his fists into his messy hair as he screwed up his eyes.

  Ezra was as confused as Joshua looked but he tried to hide it. He motioned to the chair across from him but Joshua didn’t take it.

  “I must admit, I wasn’t expecting to see you again. I thought you were just another confused straight guy who let things go too far but you’ve clearly had an awakening.”

  Despite the joking tone in his voice, it didn’t seem to calm Joshua. His entire body language was putting Ezra on edge. Did I try to pull a nut job? Ezra scanned his clothes for concealed weapons, suddenly wondering how he could alert security if things took a turn for the worse.

  “I
’m not here about the other night,” Joshua shook his head.

  Joshua’s usually tanned skin turned ghostly white as he stared around the room. Was there a hint of familiarity in his eyes?

  “If you’re not here about the other night, why are you in my office?”

  Had he just been surprised to see Ezra fucking a guy against the London skyline or had he been surprised to see Ezra? Ezra was trying to piece things together but he had no idea what was happening and he knew that put him in a compromising situation.

  “It’s not your office,” he shook his head heavily.

  “Did you ever get that bang on your head seen to?” Ezra reached out and carefully poured water into two glasses.

  He pushed one of them towards Joshua but he ignored it. Taking his own glass, he gripped it tightly to hide the shaking in his fingers as he sipped from the rim.

  “You’re the boss here?” Joshua scrunched up his face.

  “Boss? Oh, I quite like that,” Ezra set the glass on the table.

  “No, that’s not right. Anybody, but you.”

  “We’re you expecting to see somebody else?”

  Joshua stepped forwards and snatched up the glass. Without pausing, he gulped down every last drop of the water. Ezra noticed how much Joshua’s hands were shaking as he wiped his lips with his palm.

  “This is fucked up,” he cried, “we -,”

  “If you’re here to tell me you’re not gay, and the other night was a mistake, please, save your breath.”

  He liked Joshua but not enough to be his coming out punching bag. Ezra could admit that he was intrigued by him more than most of the guys he pursued but he could already feel the appeal wearing off.

  “You have no idea who I am, do you?” Joshua laughed.

  Ezra searched his face but he was confident that he’d never seen him before they met in the bar. I’d remember a face like that.

  “Should I?”

  “I’m Joshua,” he held his hands out.

  Damn, he’s unhinged.

  “And I’m Ezra,” he nodded, “we’ve already done this part.”

  “No,” he shook his head, a dry and uneasy smile spreading across his face, “Joshua Silverton. You’re the third party. You’re the guy who took everything from me.”

  Ezra’s heart sunk to the pit of his stomach as the noise of the city below faded out. Time ground to a halt as his heart rate doubled. He stared at the face in front of him, trying to match it up with the face of Bill’s son. He’d seen pictures of the elusive and estranged son as a child and a teenager but never as an adult. He tried to look beyond the tan, long hair and beard.

  “Impossible,” he shrugged, “you’re here for money, aren’t you? You’ve done your research and you thought you could get something out of me. What is it? You think you can sell a story about me? Go for it! My sexuality isn’t a secret to the business world. I’ve fucked half of them.”

  Joshua stepped forwards, a sudden confidence growing over him. He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a faded brown leather wallet. A plastic ID card clattered across the table to Ezra and his heart immediately sank.

  The name ‘Joshua Silverton’ burned brightly up at him. The picture on the driving license connected the dots between the teenager and the man. The hair was longer than the pictures Ezra had seen but still shorter than the man stood in front of him. The beard was gone and without it there was no denying he was the son of Bill.

  Oh, fuck.

  “My, how you’ve grown,” Ezra tossed the card back across the table.

  “Why are you walking around this tower like you own it?”

  Joshua’s lack of knowledge was so obvious it almost amused Ezra. He suddenly remembered something Joshua had said to him when they had first met.

  ‘I got some bad news today and some good news.’

  “I think we need to clear things up,” he pointed to the chair, “Please, sit down.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do,” he shot back, “I want answers.”

  How had he not noticed how much like Bill he was until now? They shared the same short fuse.

  “So sit down and I’ll give them.”

  “I don’t want to sit down, I want to know why you’ve taken my inheritance,” he crossed his arms tightly across his chest.

  “You’re as stubborn as your father was,” Ezra rolled his eyes, “we’re both fully grown men, let’s act like it.”

  “Don’t pretend like you knew my dad.”

  “I did,” Ezra almost laughed, “you’re acting like a kid. Just sit down so we can talk properly. I’ll answer whatever questions you have.”

  Joshua stared at the chair. It took him a couple of seconds to move but he eventually yanked the chair out and perched on the edge of it, resting his arms on his knees. Ezra couldn’t help but glance down there. Beyond the fumbling fingers he could see the bulge he’d passed up on at The Dorchester. Part of him was glad they hadn’t had sex after all and part of him wished they had, just to make Joshua more tense.

  “Speak,” he gritted his teeth.

  “What do you want to know?”

  With Joshua seated, he felt like he was regaining control of his boardroom. He topped up his glass, making sure to take his time as he thought about what he should say.

  “I didn’t take anything,” he said, “it was given.”

  Joshua dropped his head with a small laugh, “So, you’re saying my father gave you everything? Just like that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  Ezra stopped himself, unsure if he should tell him the truth. Leaning back in his chair, he brought his fingers up to his face to examine his perfect nails, “Because he didn’t want you to have it.”

  It was obvious the words stung Joshua.

  “And the rest? The money? The houses? The cars?”

  Should I tell him I’m living in his dad’s house?

  “He left it all to me because he wanted to give the company the best chance when he was gone.”

  In an instant, the look in Joshua’s eyes switched from confusion to rage. Instinctively, Ezra leaned his elbows on the table to challenge Joshua. It was a business trick he’d picked up from Bill. Always show them you’re not scared.

  “You bastard,” he muttered, “you fucking evil bastard!”

  “Evil?” Ezra laughed, “I was doing your dying father a favour and I’m the evil one?”

  “You took advantage! He was dying!” Joshua cried, his face turning maroon.

  “Do you honestly think anybody could take advantage of Bill Silverton? You claim to know your dad, so does that sound like him?”

  Joshua didn’t respond.

  “No, I didn’t think so,” Ezra pushed himself back into the chair, almost smugly, “if you were so bothered about getting your pot of gold, where were you when he was dying?”

  “I didn’t know he was dying” Joshua fired back, “and don’t act like you were looking after him on his death bed.”

  It was Ezra’s turn to feel the rage. He was about to tell Joshua about the hours he’d spent by Bill’s bedside when nobody else would. He wanted Joshua to know what a failure he’d been as a son but for some reason, he bit his tongue.

  “Is that all?” Ezra stood up slowly, “I’m late for a meeting.”

  Taking a deep breath, he ignored Joshua as he walked past him. He walked through his office and straight for the door so he could leave for his imaginary meeting. He now understood why Bill had never wanted to talk about his son. He’s a child.

  “I’m not finished,” Joshua’s fingers closed around the top of his arm, his grip firm, “I’m not leaving without the truth.”

  “You’ve had the truth,” he shrugged off the hand, “if you want a lie to ease your conscience, go and find somebody else.”

  Turning to face Joshua, he attempted to contain his laughter. They were the same age but Joshua seemed to have the mental capacity of a teenager. All of those years of travelling didn’t help you
get a clue.

  “Did you know it was me when you took me to that hotel? Is that why you took advantage?”

  Their faces were inches apart, a similar distance to how they had been on the bed before they had kissed. It would be so easy to lean in and kiss him, if only to make things worse.

  “You came willingly,” Ezra lowered his eyes to Joshua’s lips, “and don’t pretend you didn’t fucking love it.”

  Joshua’s jaw clenched and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed slowly. They looked into each other’s eyes and in that second, the sexual tension exploded into the room, sending sparks ricocheting off the walls.

  “It was a mistake,” Joshua’s voice was barely above a whisper, “you used me.”

  “You kissed me, remember?”

  Ezra widened his eyes and leaned in even closer, so close he could smell strong coffee on Joshua’s breath.

  “Whatever,” he shrugged, “it meant nothing.”

  Liar.

  “If that’s what you need to tell yourself to sleep at night, that’s okay, but I really do need to leave now.”

  Ezra turned on his heels and headed straight for the closed door again but Joshua’s hand quickly wrapped around the top of his arm. He yanked him back, so that their chests were almost touching. It happened so fast, Ezra didn’t have the chance to pull away.

  Staring into Joshua’s eyes, he dared him to have another taste but he didn’t move.

  “I want it all,” Joshua’s voice came from deep within his throat, “you don’t deserve any of this.”

  Resisting the urge to kiss Joshua, Ezra tried to remind himself how much of a threat Joshua was to his life.

  “And you do?”

  He yanked free of Joshua’s grip, this time choosing to walk over to the window. He looked out over London looking beyond the River Thames to the rest of the city. Bill had given him that view. Ezra started at the bottom of the company, cleaning the floors. Bill saw something in him and he gave him a chance to prove himself. He treated him like he was important in a time when the rest of his world was crumbling. After the fire, after Lily, Bill was the only one to treat me like a real person. He worked hard for what he had, even if it had been given to him. Bill trusted him more than he trusted his own son but Joshua would never be able to see that. He’d not been around for all of these years.