BOSS

by Ashley John

  “I can’t believe you’re taking this so well,” said Levi, “If I was you, I’d be going crazy right now.”

  “I’m thinking about my next steps.”

  “If I was you, I’d fight this guy. He’s nobody!” Levi leaned in, an excited grin on his face, “You could easily take him.”

  “Or,” Violet nudged Levi out of the way, “you could just take things slowly and think about what you’re doing before you rush into anything.”

  “Fuck slow!” Levi cried a little too loudly, “We don’t have time for slow! After the wedding, we’re out of here, right?”

  Battling two sides of his conscience, Joshua tuned out and tried to think of what he really wanted to do. He couldn’t see clearly through the fog. Whenever he thought about his father, he felt guilty and whenever he thought about Ezra, he felt angry. Everything Ezra had said circled his brain and he couldn’t shake the feeling that Ezra had been spot on with his analysis.

  I wasn’t here to stop this happening.

  “What do you think, Joshua?” Violet turned to him, yanking him from his thoughts.

  “About?”

  “Were you even listening?” she rolled her eyes, “I said, you should accept his offer to work there, even if it’s only until the wedding, just to make some money.”

  “Then you can take this guy to the cleaners,” Levi banged his fist on the metal table, “and we can get out of here.”

  His dad has made this as difficult for him as he could. Why does it feel like a test?

  “I need to think. I’m going for a cigarette,” Joshua stood up, already pulling the packet from his pocket.

  “Good idea!” Levi jumped up, before darting his eyes over to Violet, “I think I’ll skip this one though.”

  He settled back into his chair, leaning over to Violet. Rolling his eyes, Joshua had to admire Levi’s determination to try and get in his cousin’s pants. She’d eat Levi for breakfast and he hoped she would, if only to teach him a lesson.

  Hurrying past the other diners, mainly students and teenagers, he tossed the cigarette into his mouth, already lighting it before he was even out of the door. The chill in the air nipped at his skin and he cursed himself for leaving his jacket at Violet’s. He was far too used to the warm weather of the countries he’d rather be in.

  He slipped into the alley between the diner and the bar. Leaning against the brick wall, the wet cobbles under his feet, he gazed up at the night sky but he couldn’t see the stars through the dark clouds. Giving up on the stars, he looked into the window of the bar. He could see Amy behind the bar and he felt a little guilty about how he’d treated her. She was serving a guy, biting her lip and tossing her hair over her shoulder. The clever bitch.

  Feeling confident, he quickly scanned the bar. When he didn’t spot Ezra, he didn’t know if he was relieved or angry. He didn’t want to see him after what had happened at the tower but that didn’t stop him thinking about him.

  About to toss his cigarette into the alley so he could slip back into the warm diner, he stopped himself when he heard something rattle deeper into the alley. It sounded like a can being kicked across the wet cobbles. Squinting into the dark he tried to see if it was just his imagination playing tricks on him.

  As his eyes adjusted to the dark, the cigarette still in his mouth, he saw a figure, standing behind a dumpster. He strained his eyes further but all he could see was a shadow. They looked as though they were leaning against the wall of the bar, next to the fire exit. Knowing what shadowy alleys in London could be like, he decided he was going to stop staring.

  A knife fight is the last thing I need right now.

  Another sound forced his eyes back to the figure. This time it wasn’t a can; it was something more human. Could he hear somebody moaning? When he noticed the shoes poking out behind the dumpster he knew they were poking out at an angle too weird to belong to the standing person.

  He’s getting his fucking cock sucked.

  Wishing that he hadn’t tried to look so hard, he quickly puffed on the cigarette ready to make his escape. Turning away from whatever was happening, he was ready to toss the cigarette into the street but when he heard heels clicking against the cobbles, curiosity got the best of him.

  He didn’t know whom he’d expected to see but when he saw Ezra walking towards him in the dark he almost felt like laughing at the irony. London is far too big for this.

  “Joshua?” the very voice he didn’t want to hear called out from the dark.

  His fingers were by his crotch, yanking up the zip of his trousers. He was wearing the same suit he’d been wearing in the office earlier that day.

  “This isn’t happening,” he laughed, leaning his head against the wall with the cigarette between his fingers.

  “Need pinching?”

  Joshua smiled at the playful grin on Ezra’s face. Ezra’s obviously still hard dick poked awkwardly against the tight fabric and he wasn’t trying to hide it. He’d almost forgot he was supposed to hate Ezra.

  “Looked like you were having fun,” he pushed the cigarette between his lips, puffing to keep it lit.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ezra leaned against the bar window frame, opposite Joshua.

  The blue neon sign of the bar tickled Ezra’s features, making his high cheekbones cast shadows across the rest of his face. He stared at Ezra, trying to summon the hatred he’d felt in Silverton Tower but it wouldn’t materialise. Somehow seeing him in the place they had first met had bypassed those feelings, resetting them back to the strangeness he’d felt before he knew Ezra’s true identity.

  With a sober mind, it was even more difficult to ignore his thoughts.

  “I’d love to stand here and chat but it’s freezing and my friends are waiting for me inside,” Joshua still had a good chunk of his cigarette left but he wanted to get away from Ezra before he had chance to suck him into a conversation.

  “You can have my jacket if you want?” Joshua couldn’t tell if he was joking but he was already undoing the buttons.

  “I’m fine,” he pushed himself into the wall, shaking his head, the ash falling to the ground, “I’m a big boy.”

  “Don’t say I didn’t offer.”

  He let his jacket hang loose as he stuffed his hands into his pocket. His crisp shirt hugged his obvious washboard abs and Joshua couldn’t ignore them. Ezra’s aftershave tickled his senses, reminding him of how he’d smelled on the bed.

  Why didn’t I just have a cigarette when we were walking back to Violet’s?

  “I was hoping I’d see you,” Ezra narrowed his hazel eyes, “I don’t like how we left things earlier.”

  “Look, we shouldn’t talk about this,” Joshua held his hands up, “I was serious when I said we should get lawyers. You were clearly busy having sex back there, so I’ll leave you to it.”

  Sudden and uncomfortable twitches started happening as his imagination surprised him by graphically imagining Ezra naked.

  “Who said I was having sex?” he smirked darkly.

  “Somebody was on their knees back there,” he thumbed in the direction of the dumpster, “it doesn’t take a genius.”

  “Have you never needed a stranger’s help to tie your shoes?” Ezra dropped his voice.

  “Not in dark corners.”

  “Doesn’t sound like you’ve lived much.”

  “Don’t presume that,” Joshua balanced the cigarette between his fingers, wagging it in Ezra’s direction.

  “I clearly don’t know you enough,” he said, “you should tell me more.”

  For a second, he felt everything on the tip of his tongue and it all wanted to tumble out.

  “We’re not playing that game again.”

  “I’m very persuasive.”

  Ezra already knew far too much about Joshua and he didn’t know much in return. All he knew was that Ezra was the new boss of Silverton Industries. Knowledge held power and Ezra was holding all of that power in his palms.

 
“We’re not doing this,” he bowed his head, ready to duck back into the diner, “I need to get -,”

  “Got a spare cigarette?” Ezra held out his hand.

  Joshua knew Ezra was stalling. He only had two left in his packet and he wasn’t about to share them with Ezra.

  “None left,” he lied.

  “Shame,” Ezra reached out and plucked the tiny cigarette from Joshua’s mouth.

  Sucking hard on the last of the tobacco, Ezra squinted, inhaling the smoke deeply and expertly. Carefully, he let the smoke waterfall above his face and into the night. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it to the ground, stamping out the glow of the bright amber end.

  “Do you have a habit of taking things that don’t belong to you?” Joshua leaned against the wall again, his t-shirt tight against his body as he stuffed his hands into his tight jeans pockets.

  Ezra joined Joshua against the diner wall. There was enough distance between them so they weren’t touching but they were close enough to make Joshua feel the heat coming from his body.

  “Only things I really want,” he rolled his head slightly, but Joshua didn’t turn to look, “sharing isn’t so bad.”

  “My friends,” he pointed to the corner of the street, “they’ll be worrying.”

  He imagined Levi was probably trying his hardest to seduce Violet, the smell of ketchup lingering on his breath. She’d probably be tapping her foot, wondering why it was taking Joshua so long to smoke a damn cigarette.

  “Why are you always trying to get away from me?” Ezra nudged Joshua with his arm, “Do I stink?”

  You smell too damn nice, that’s the problem.

  “You know why,” he said, “or are you pretending this morning didn’t happen?”

  Joshua turned to look at Ezra, lingering on his hazel irises. Even in the dark, they glittered, as if he had tiny fires burning behind his thick, dark lashes. He was smiling but it was a knowing smile, which seemed smug and sexy at the same time.

  “Maybe I am. Maybe I’m pretending you’re not Bill’s son.”

  “Why?”

  Ezra smiled, the smugness gone, “It was easier to like you when you weren’t a threat.”

  I’m the threat? Joshua found that statement laughable, even if he felt a warmth rush through his cold body. He understood exactly what Ezra was talking about; he felt the same in so many ways.

  “Let’s just forget we met before today,” Joshua said sternly, “it’s only going to complicate things.”

  Ready to leave Ezra alone, he pushed himself away from the wall with his foot. He hoped Ezra would let him go but his hand darted out, clutching at the back of his shirt.

  “I can’t forget it,” he whispered, “and neither can you.”

  “You don’t know me,” he wriggled out of Ezra’s grip.

  “I know you can’t stop thinking about that kiss.”

  “Maybe because I regret it so much,” he huffed, “you don’t need me. You clearly have plenty of fun with other guys. Forget about me.”

  “They mean nothing, I don’t even remember their names.”

  “What’s different about me?” he almost wished he hadn’t asked that – Do I really want to know?

  “You intrigue me,” Ezra shrugged, a playful smile spreading across his face, “and I want to know more. I guess that makes me an idiot.”

  It does.

  His eyes darted down to Ezra’s plump lips but he couldn’t allow them to get stuck there. With a quick scratch of the stubble under his chin, Joshua backed around the corner and out of Ezra’s sight.

  Once back inside the diner, he hoped the strange gurgling in his stomach would vanish but it didn’t. He imagined Ezra standing in the alley, still smirking.

  “Where have you been?” Violet whispered harshly, “He’s in the bathroom but he won’t quit! He’s like a dog in heat.”

  “Sorry, I -,” Joshua paused, “I just bumped into Ezra.”

  Standing on the corner, Ezra stared into the diner. He could see Joshua sat inside next to a guy and a girl. He guessed the girl was his cousin but the guy didn’t look like the man she was going to marry. Her body language screamed of disdain towards the poor guy.

  The bar was calling to him, inviting him to pick a guy to fuck senseless. I could do it and it’d be so easy. The only thing stopping him was Joshua. Even if he found another guy, he wouldn’t be able to think about anything else. He tugged at his underwear, his cock aching from the half-finished blowjob.

  He answered his own question, already walking into the tacky diner. The last time he’d been in there, it had been a tiny nightclub, with sticky floors and terrible music but it seemed a franchise had jumped in the second the building was empty. Instead of heading straight for Joshua, he opted for a small booth in the corner. He settled into the creaky leather but Joshua didn’t notice him.

  “Welcome to Jolly Joe’s Diner,” a teenage waitress walked over in a bright red and white uniform, looking the complete opposite of ‘jolly,’ “the specials end in five minutes but here’s our regular menu.”

  She dropped a laminated sheet of paper in front of him, smacking gum against her tongue. There was a pimple on the end of her nose, which looked ready to burst and her hair looked like she’d done too many back-to-back shifts without showering.

  “Yeah, whatever,” Ezra looked straight past the girl, to see if Josh was still sitting there.

  He’d already let him slip out of sight once before.

  “Our new burger, The Royal Deluxe is only -,”

  “I don’t want any food, darlin’,” he stopped her rehearsed speech, “do you serve cocktails?”

  “We’re a diner,” she popped her gum again, “there’s a bar next door. If you’re not eating, you’ll have to leave.”

  Ezra glanced around the half empty diner sighing to himself. He peered around her side again but Josh was still sat in his chair, seemingly unaware of Ezra’s presence.

  “Bring me a cola and leave me alone, yeah?” he slipped a £50 note into her apron.

  Her eyes lit up and the rulebook suddenly fell out of her head. With another smack of her gum and a shrug she shuffled off to the counter to get his drink. Looking completely out of place in the diner, he yanked out his tie and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. Using the reflective metal table, he made sure his hair was still in place.

  Glancing over to Joshua, he willed him to make eye contact, if only for a second. Joshua was far too interested in fiddling with the saltshaker. The guy he was sitting with looked cute and he looked more like Ezra’s type than Joshua. He was leaning into the girl but she looked disinterested.

  He didn’t know what his plan was. Was he going to sit there, until they decided to leave and then follow them?

  When the girl dropped the cola onto the table, spilling half of the contents in Ezra’s lap, she scurried off again, leaving him to carry on with his observation. Almost as soon as Ezra had dried the cola off his trousers with a napkin, they stood up and pushed their chairs under their table.

  Pulling his phone from his inside pocket, Ezra stared at the screen, not even noticing that it was upside down. He watched as they walked across the diner but when his gaze caught Joshua’s, he saw the frustration wash over his gorgeous features. Figuring things out for him, Joshua cut away from his friends.

  Pretending not to notice, Ezra slouched further into his chair, staring at the blank screen in front of him, flipping the phone the right way round.

  “You’re stalking me, aren’t you?”

  Ezra dropped his phone on the table to give Joshua an innocent smile, “Who, me? I’m simply meeting a friend.”

  “Of course you are” he rolled his eyes, “where are they?”

  “They’re late.”

  Josh’s eyes darted over to the empty seat and he rolled his eyes again.

  “You’re in here to see me, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Can you not follow me, please?”

  “Why?” />
  “Because you’re being weird,” Joshua sighed, “and you’re suddenly everywhere.”

  “Maybe you’re following me?” Ezra leaned in on his elbows, “Have you thought about that?”

  Before Joshua could bat back, the girl who Ezra assumed was his cousin appeared behind him. She looped her arm around Joshua’s, her eyes lighting up slightly when she saw Ezra.

  “Joshua?” the girl from the table wandered behind him, “Are you going to introduce us?”

  “Yeah, Joshua,” Ezra grinned, “are you going to introduce me?”

  “This is -,” he paused, his voice trailing off as he clenched his jaw tightly, “you already know who he is.”

  He’s told her about me? Ezra didn’t know why that excited him so much.

  “This is Ezra?” she quickly tucked her hair behind her ears as she assessed him, “You weren’t joking when you said he was -,”

  “Violet!” Joshua cried.

  “Said I was what, Joshua?” Ezra cocked his head to the side, “Please, share!”

  Joshua gave his cousin the stare of death through his wavy blond hair. Standing side by side, Ezra would have thought they were brother and sister instead of cousins. The Silverton family resemblance was striking.

  “I said you were an arrogant dickhead,” he glared, “that’s all.”

  “You told your cousin all of my good qualities!” Ezra touched his chest, “I’m flattered.”

  Ezra noticed the tightening of Joshua’s jaw as he transferred the death stare from Violet to him. He was suddenly intrigued to know all about the things he’d said to Violet about him.

  “Stop following me,” he started to push Violet towards the door and the other cute guy followed.

  Ezra wasn’t going to let him get away so easily.

  “I’m going to a party in the city,” it fell out of his mouth before he’d even had chance to think about it, “I have a couple of plus ones if you guys want to come?”

  “I thought you were meeting a friend,” he said.

  “They just cancelled,” he tapped his phone, “shame, isn’t it?”