by Sky McCoy
Lou would probably paddle my ass once he found out, but I thought I’d risk that for now.
I made the decision to go to the studio to see the client. I didn’t need to waste time going back to my apartment, because I kept fresh suits and shirts in my office just in case. I changed clothes in my office after taking a shower there—one of the perks for being a top-notch lawyer in a firm whose clients were wealthy. I would have gotten the same benefits from Luca if I’d stayed at his firm, and maybe my own floor like Daniel, but I didn’t want to put Lou under pressure from his partner.
I ARRIVED IN LOS ANGELES and was met at the airport by another one of Wild Bill’s drivers. He drove me straight to the studio. I thought it would be in some abandoned building along a waterfront, but this was a huge studio like the ones you saw in the movies, or if you happened to go on a tour as a fan. However, it wasn’t that kind of studio where fans and movie buffs went to admire bygone eras. If you didn’t know you would think it was MGM of old or the new Sony picture studio.
There wasn’t a lion greeting you at the entrance, but security guards were everywhere.
Stepping out of the car, I was met and transported around in a golf-cart, driven to the entrance where I had to present my ID for the umpteenth time. That went well until I walked on the set and there was the man I’d come to interview surrounded by a group of naked men. Wild Bill did say he was a working actor as well as the creative director and owner, therefore, I knew fairly well what to expect.
Well, the working actor had a young twink, a rising star no doubt, bent over a bed, his stiff cock tunneling in and out of the twink’s tight hole as his palms wrapped around the young man’s round ass. Today he was a working actor.
I’d missed all of the dialogue and arrived in the middle of the action—and boy was there action—I hadn’t seen that much since I’d met Luca and he’d jacked me off in the dark behind that bar in Nevada. I missed those days.
“Cut. Cut. I’m not feeling it,” my client, known as Bryan Dale, barked as his head craned around to the cameras. From where I stood he was feeling that and then some. His cock was slick and he’d probably had an orgasm, and needed to rest before another take. The only one not privy to the action was the young twink on set with his ass exposed to everyone.
The young man looked a little dazed as he stood weak-legged when someone handed him a robe. The actor, my client, gazed over at me.
“Who the fuck let that suit on the premises?” Bryan Dale growled as his eyes locked on mine. He swiped his tongue along his bottom lip, and I knew what that meant. He thought I was an actor interviewing for a job, and I’d be the next piece of meat he’d have sprawled across a desk with him on his knees rimming me.
I’d seen my fill of porn and I knew Bryan Dale the minute Wild Bill had said his name.
The burly guy, probably a bodyguard, stepped up before I answered, and said, “He’s your lawyer, remember.”
I held out my hand, but I didn’t want to shake his, not after where I’d seen him stick his fingers, but I knew he wouldn’t shake it anyway because he was a professional. “I’m Ethan Rae from William Clausen’s firm.”
Bryan moved closer to me after placing a robe over his shoulders, never bothering to close it. I had to remind myself not to look down at his enormous cock. I hadn’t seen anyone hung like that since I last had Lou inside of me.
“He’d better be good,” he shouted in a menacing tone, never looking away from me. “I asked for the best. He looks like he just got his law degree,” Bryan joked, with a chuckle aimed at his crew as if I wasn’t standing there.
“I assure you, I’ve had my degree since I was twenty-five and I have experience.”
“You look like a teenager,” he added.
“That’s flattering, but I’m thirty.”
“When you get to thirty-five, everyone looks like a kid. Now, what are you going to do for me that all the fucking lawyers in my company can’t seem to do?”
Bryan walked down a corridor as I followed, and one of his crew opened the door to his office. It was larger than anything Luca had, but then Bryan had to be rolling in money otherwise Wild Bill wouldn’t have sent me here. Not only that, Bryan was gay, and to my knowledge I was the only openly gay lawyer in Bill’s firm.
Bryan and I laughed and had a drink after he dressed. He even agreed to let me handle his case and he wanted me as his private lawyer. I had to check with Luca because we were getting married and I didn’t want any scandals at his firm just because his straight partner might have a problem with the type of business that Bryan owned.
“I’ll be in the Bay area Friday. How about going out to dinner with me?”
I thought about it, but that day was Luca’s Christmas party, and Luca wanted me to meet his partner. I didn’t know how that would go over with Luca, however, and I didn’t want to miss the chance to get a client like Bryan.
“I can’t go to dinner, but I think you might enjoy going to a Christmas party. I’ll leave the address and time with your secretary. You do have one?”
“Of course. And thanks for the invite. I’ve been lonely since my partner died,” Bryan revealed. He appeared unhappy and alone, and he wanted to talk. I listened and as I did, I thought about Lou and how I’d made so many mistakes with him. If I didn’t have Lou I’d be in San Francisco probably fucking around, wandering from bar to bar looking for that someone.
I felt lucky. I had my someone, and I didn’t have to face life alone, or with a man I had to guess about. Lou was open, giving and kind, and he could fuck me whenever we liked. I didn’t want to ever look at another man in this lifetime.
Lou was indeed a keeper.
Chapter 4
Luca
I’d slept and woke early and got some of the work done left to me by my partner. I’d managed to finish it all and headed to the office early. I hadn’t heard from Ethan and I wanted to let him work out whatever the fuck it was that was bothering him.
However, I became worried when Ethan hadn’t texted or called since I’d dropped him off Sunday night. It was Friday and the night of my Christmas party, and still nothing from him. I thought it best to leave him alone, since lately our conversations had been reduced to petty arguments. Nevertheless, it wasn’t like Ethan not to call me. Although it was unlike me not to call him either, but damn, I didn’t know what I’d done this time for him to behave the way he was.
I placed a change of clothes in a suit bag, hurried out of my house and stepped into my waiting car. I had my limo on call because I knew that I’d drink tonight and I didn’t want the hassle of driving. Plus, I didn’t trust myself, because I knew if Ethan had forgotten my party that I’d be drunk, and I would go to his apartment and make a fool out of myself.
What the fuck? I’d gotten ahead of myself thinking that Ethan would miss something so important to me. There was no way Ethan would let me down. I knew Ethan, and I knew he loved me as much as I loved him.
I’d headed to work early because Daniel had called and asked for my opinion on the liquor and food.
“I’m here, Daniel,” I said as I walked into his office without knocking. “What is it that you want me to supervise? I thought that was your job, parties and drunk men.”
“What crawled up your ass? No, don’t tell me. I’m sure that’s on a need-to-know basis.”
“You got that right, and why are you so cheerful? Whipped any young men’s asses lately?”
“As a matter of fact I did. You know it’s all in the wrist. You don’t want to hurt and bruise those beautiful globes. Ethan has the best looking ass I’ve ever seen?” Daniel smiled, and I raised an eyebrow. “I got a good look when you made him undress at Leather Bound, remember?” Daniel waggled his eyebrows.
“I don’t want to discuss Ethan, and especially not with you.”
“Not all is perfect in La La land?”
“What do you mean?” I questioned. When Daniel dropped hints I knew he was aware that something was going on between
me and Ethan, and sooner or later he would tell me. He stood and offered me a drink. I shook my head no. Too early for the boss to be drinking. I’d do enough of that later.
Daniel poured himself a drink and sipped it. I glanced over at him. “I need to sample some of the liquor we’re serving tonight, Lou.” I didn’t stop Daniel, because no one could stop Daniel when he wanted or needed to drink, and besides, it was the holidays so he got a pass from me and he knew it.
Daniel stepped closer with his drink in hand and glanced up at me. I knew that look. “There is a gossip site that has reporters everywhere. I mean everywhere. Hiding in bushes in airport bathrooms... What’s the name?” He snapped his fingers, trying to remember.
“I know the one,” I said.
I waited and when I didn’t say anything else, Daniel continued, “I just happened to be watching TMS, yeah that’s it, during my lunch hour—you know I wouldn’t fuck around on your time.”
I raised an eyebrow because I knew that Daniel never took his job as a lawyer seriously. The only thing he was serious about was his club, Leather Bound.
“One of TMS’s many would-be photojournalists sneaked onto the grounds of that studio, ‘Hard Hand Entertainment’, HHE as it’s known in the business. You know the one, it makes porn movies and somehow it’s on the stock exchange. It’s all because this porn star’s movies made a gazillion dollars. He’s planning to cross over—”
“I get it, Daniel. A porn site?” I questioned.
“It’s no different than gambling, or any of what the big studios have, you seen some of the stuff they put out. The owner of HHE had a partner who made him rich, and he left a shit load of money to his boy. Dale something.”
“You mean Bryan Dale?”
“Why, yes. I see you know your porn stars.”
“I don’t know any porn stars. I’ve seen his movies and heard about him. I’m not exactly eighteen and never been around. I’ve gotten around in my thirty-some years.”
“Do tell? Well, do you want to guess who was with Bryan Dale as TMS accidentally filmed him?”
“Why would I want to know or guess? I don’t know anyone who would be with a porn star,” I groaned at Daniel for making me wait for the answer.
“Bryan Dale isn’t just any porn star. This porn star has a company worth billions of dollars.”
“Daniel, I don’t have time to waste, so tell me so we can do a walk through to make sure everything is okay with the party tonight. I want to tell everyone that Ethan and I have a date to be married. We just need to finalize everything.”
“Are you sure of that? Because, Ethan was the one with Bryan what’s-his-name, and by now it’s all over the news feed.”
I walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured myself a drink. I glared at Daniel. “Who watches that shit anyway,” I said, my voice betraying me. Daniel knew me and he knew that I was hurt, and I didn’t even know that Ethan knew Bryan Dale. A man should know where and who his fiancé is fucking around with, I thought. Maybe Ethan was right. We didn’t know each other. We should have taken it a little slower, but I thought I’d found that one man I went crazy over and asked him to marry me after only a few weeks.
I deserved everything I got from Ethan, I thought. I’d accepted my fate.
My emotions were running rampant and I couldn’t think. I loved Ethan more than I could ever express to anyone, or to Daniel. Daniel didn’t know the depth of my emotions for Ethan, and I couldn’t tell him.
Daniel would have to experience the hurt I was facing at this moment. There was no way to express the pain I felt when I heard Ethan’s name in the same sentence with Bryan Dale. I’d seen Bryan fuck on his porn site, and with a cock like his, it put mine to shame. All I could think about was him thrusting it into Ethan, and for Ethan to love Bryan fucking him more than me.
Neither Daniel nor Ethan could understand the gravity of what those words did to me. Chills and heat coursed through my body, my eyes shifted around the room and I began pacing. The whole notion of Ethan leaving me for Bryan, a porn star, had me crazy with jealousy.
My anger got the best of me and I couldn’t think, because if I could, I would have figured out that Ethan had a good reason to be with Bryan Dale, and it wasn’t because he was fucking him. I didn’t think, I reacted.
When you were in love, the way I was now, your brain worked on half speed while your body worked at full-throttle.
I’d forgotten I was in Daniel’s office and he was there talking, when without a word, I turned and headed out and in the direction of my office. I needed space to hide and get my composure and another drink.
Chapter 5
Ethan
I’d gotten home in time to dress, but not in time to call Lou and explain to him what had happened. That I had been delayed with a new client, and I’d meet him at his office Christmas party, and that I’d bring a friend. I couldn’t stop talking about Lou on Bryan’s private jet. He wanted me to fly with him to San Francisco and he even had his limo drop me home to get dressed and return to pick me up.
When Bryan’s limo parked in front of my building and I climbed inside, it felt as if we were old friends. Since meeting Lou, I’d picked up some interesting friends. I just knew Lou would like him as much as I did. And he was an avid biker.
“Thanks again, Bryan, you’re a lifesaver.”
“No you are. I stayed holed up in my home for so long after my partner died. I hadn’t been anywhere in a year. I’d travel to the studio, work, and head home. I hope I know how to act around real people. I mean, I’ve been around people in the business so long that I hope I don’t embarrass you in front of your friends.”
“Most of the people at my fiancé’s firm aren’t my friends. However, I think Hayden—that’s the young musician I told you about, who lives on the top floor—should be there with Daniel. Daniel is the owner of Leather Bound.”
“Oh, the club you want me to try out.”
“Daniel is the owner and he’s a Master. I think you should talk to him. He can probably help you overcome your grief.”
“And your fiancé, will he object to you bringing me to his party? I know that some people aren’t comfortable being around people who work in the porn business.”
“No. Not at all. Lou isn’t like that. He doesn’t care what you do for a living. He doesn’t look down on anyone who makes an honest living. That’s your profession. How did you get into that line of work anyway? You don’t have to tell me and I apologize for asking.”
“Not at all. I was a runaway from my foster home. I kept running away and no one bothered to find out why. They just brought me back and I’d leave again. Finally, I made eighteen and the family who I’d been with didn’t want me any longer, so I found myself homeless. I kicked around LA and lived on the beach, eventually I got on drugs to make the time I spent on the streets more bearable and work on porn sites to make money to live.”
I propositioned my partner one night and he took me home, cleaned me up, and sent me to school, but I wanted to be with him, and eventually he gave in and let me star in one of his movies. I became a success overnight and made him a lot of money. He’d like to say that I built that studio with my cock. When he died at sixty-one he left me everything he owned—the studio, homes, and more money than I knew what to do with.”
The car came to a stop. When I glanced up we were parked in front of Lou’s office tower. The driver was out of the car and holding open the door. When I stepped out and saw Bryan for the first time, I could see he was a handsome man with dark reddish-blond hair, bluish-green eyes, plump lips, and an impressive nose that complemented his square jaw. He had wide shoulders, almost as wide as Lou’s, but no one was as imposing and built like Lou. Everything about Lou said strength and control.
Looking at Bryan, I fucking missed being with Lou.
“I hope your fiancé don’t give you grief for arriving with me.”
“I told you before that Lou isn’t like that. Now relax, and as soon as I tell h
im that I brought him business, he’ll be more than happy.” Bryan adjusted his black suit and stood next to me. He was tall and impressive. If I wasn’t in love with Lou, I could have easily fallen for Bryan, but his world could never be mine, and that’s why we could never connect.
When we entered the lobby, I spotted Hayden. I called out to him standing holding someone’s hand, and it wasn’t Daniel’s. Hayden directed the young man to enter, and by his gestures would meet him inside. When we neared Hayden, he smiled and looked up at Bryan.
“Did I miss something, Ethan?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your date.”
“Oh, this is Bryan Dale and he’s not my date. Bryan is a friend. This is Hayden another friend I told you about.” Hayden raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, Hayden, I didn’t tell him everything about you. You can tell him yourself. What about you, Hayden? That guy doesn’t look like Daniel. Not in a million years.”
The elevator opened just in time and it was empty. The three of us stepped inside. So there we were, standing there quiet, until the door to the elevator opened and we were bombarded with Christmas music and people laughing and singing.
We strolled into the crowd, pushing our way through drunken partygoers to get to the main room where there was a makeshift dance floor surrounded by tables covered in white tablecloths, crystal glasses, and fine silverware. Groups were laughing and choosing their food from the buffet, and then sitting and eating. There was a large open bar for anyone who wanted to get drunk and forget that they had done something stupid.
“This looks like fun,” Bryan said to me. Hayden waved at the man he had come with who was talking to Daniel. “That’s Daniel over there. After I find Lou and introduce you to him, then I’ll take you to meet Daniel.”
