Derek
“What made you want to meet here?” asked Daniel.
They were in a random city bar, rather than Knights Corner.
“It was close to your work, and it’s impossible not to bump into someone we know at Knights Corner. I wanted to talk to you in private.”
“Is someone suing you for slipping on lube in the labyrinth? I can send you my latest fee rate.”
Derek chuckled. If he ever needed a corporate lawyer, Daniel would be his first call, but he didn’t want to think about how much his bill would be. The guy was the best in the city, without question. You only had to look at the fact that he had at least a quarter of the FTSE 100 as his clients.
“Nothing like that. More of a personal . . . conundrum. I’d appreciate some advice from someone who’ll be brutally honest.”
“That’s me,” said Daniel, with a smile. “What’s up? Is this about that stepson of yours?”
“God, you’re good.”
Daniel laughed. “You said it was personal, and Eddie’s the sensible one of the group, so there has to be a reason you’ve not gone to him. Kieran’s your stepson, or well, he was, and Josh is my best friend’s son. Easy to make the connection.”
“Good to know I’m that transparent.”
“You’re not. I’m just that good!”
Derek shook his head, laughing, and took a sip of his beer.
He’d be in the club again tonight, but he could have one.
Daniel was drinking wine, as he always did.
The guy oozed confidence and class, and some might think he was an arrogant twat, but he was one of the most caring people Derek knew, and it was clear he loved Josh something fierce.
“How difficult was it for you and Josh, given who he was?”
“We found out about the connection after we’d spent time together, so by then I was already gone for him, and there was no way I was giving him up.”
“How was it for Josh?”
“His dad was behaving like a cunt, so that didn’t help.”
“No longer your best friend?”
“No, we’re good now, but he hadn’t done right by Josh. He’s doing better now, and I have no problem telling him when he’s done something wrong.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second. It’s clear to anyone with eyes how much you two love each other.”
Daniel smiled, as he always did whenever there was any mention of Josh.
“I’m the lucky one, and I could talk about Josh all night, but we’re here to talk about a sassy tattooed blond boy, aren’t we?”
Derek nodded and took another sip of his drink, wondering how best to start this conversation.
“You want to know if people will judge you for fucking your stepson?”
Derek spluttered, which turned into a coughing fit. Daniel was leaning back in his perfectly tailored suit, looking like the alpha he was, with a smirk on his face.
“Remind me never to be drinking or eating when I ask you a question,” he croaked.
“You didn’t ask me a question, but I made a correct assumption.
Look, Derek, people will always have an issue with anything simply because they can.
If you wanted to pursue something with Kieran, I wouldn’t judge you, nor would Eddie, although he would ask you not to announce your past relationship in the press.
But you will have people who call you names, assume you groomed him, and say you should be in prison. ”
“Jesus, Daniel. Sugarcoat nothing, will you?”
“If you wanted fluff and delusion, you should have spoken to my friend Simon. He works in HR, so he’s good at the whole human emotion thing.”
“No, you told me what I needed to hear. I just wonder if he’s even interested, or if he’s just playing me as some form of fucked-up revenge for what I did. And I have known him since he was fourteen. It feels . . . I don’t know . . . not wrong, but not right either. Does that make sense?”
“Of course, but the only people who matter in this are you and Kieran. What makes you think he might be playing you? It’s not like you to not know someone’s intentions.”
Derek explained what happened when Kieran had stayed over, and then coming into the club and flirting with other guys, including his assistant manager.
“Have you contemplated sacking Neil?”
“Yes, but not for that reason. He’s unreliable, even if he is brilliant when he’s there.”
Daniel laughed. “I believe you!”
Derek shook his head, smiling. “Do you think he’s just trying to make me jealous?”
“If that’s his game, it’s working. But are you sure he’s a sub? Is he even the right guy for you?”
“I think he sees himself as one, but he’s never had someone who’s trained him to understand his limits. I don’t think he’s explored that side of himself properly.”
“And you’re just the man to teach him?”
“I don’t know, Daniel. The last thing I want to do is hurt him again. I also don’t want to lose him out of my life now I’ve got him back.”
“As frustrating as it might be, especially for a man like you, you need him to come to you. He needs to give you a definite sign of his intent.”
“Like what?”
“On his knees with his mouth open would be a good sign.”
Derek snorted, but he also felt his dick harden at the thought and had to adjust himself as subtly as he could. Daniel missed nothing, though, and just cocked an eyebrow with his signature smirk, and they both cracked up laughing.
He was right, though. Even though he liked to take charge, he needed Kieran to come to him and be clear that he wanted Derek in that way. Little did he know that would happen sooner than he thought, but for very different reasons.