Chapter 23 - Trouble at the Vault #2
“Why?” Exasperation in Callum’s voice now obvious.
“Do you think I’m incapable of looking after myself?
I’m a fucking go-go dancer in a gay club, Julian.
I’m not naive about my position. Don’t you think I’ve had to deal with assholes like that guy before?
” He was venting now, anger boiling within him.
You may not have noticed, but I’m pretty built.
I can take care of myself, and I’ve dealt with worse guys than that one, trust me! ”
Callum had said what he wanted to say. It came out a lot faster and angrier than it had sounded in his head. But it was a relief to get it out in the open.
Julian didn’t respond immediately. He sat looking at Callum, not blinking, not breaking eye contact, green eyes sincere, apologetic, and honest.
“Cal, I’m truly sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. In hindsight, I now see that. I appreciate that you are very built, and you have and can look after yourself. I never doubted that for one minute.” He paused.
“But there’s something you don’t know, Cal.” Callum listened intently now.
“You don’t realise just how important you are to me.
I’ve stopped myself using the L word, but I’ve wanted to say it to you a thousand times already.
I’ve never felt this,” gesturing between them, “with any person before. You’re like oxygen to me, Cal.
You’ve given me a new lease on life. You’ve woken me up.
” A smile reached his eyes, and they returned to their normal brightness.
“These,” he paused, counting in his head, “twenty-three days since you walked into my life, feel like the first twenty-three days of my life. I don’t think you realise how much I feel for you.
I would do anything to protect you from harm, at any cost. What I did was a stupid thing, but I only did it because if anything happened to you, my life would be over. ”
Wow thought Callum. That was a lot to unpack, but he was fixated about the reference to the ‘L’ word.
He reached for Julian’s hand and held it.
Tears welled up for both of them. Julian had spoken from the heart, and Callum had heard it.
Callum fell on top of him, and their kiss sealed the deal on this being ok.
Callum couldn’t stay mad at him. He’d admitted his mistake and apologised.
“I’m so sorry, Cal. I never thought it would cause a problem like this.”
“I know, I know. Maybe I overreacted, but I’m a grown-arsed man, Julian.
I can look after myself, you know,” at which point he made a play of wrestling with Julian on top of the bed, trying to bend his arms behind his back.
Julian resisted and they struggled together.
Callum’s jacket fell open and Julian realised he was still in his leather shorts, which very much caught his attention.
“Let me show you just how sorry I am, please?” Julian’s eyes were alight. He relieved Callum of his coat, his boots, his socks and, lastly his shorts, noticing the rip in them.
“The asshole?” he questioned.
“The asshole,” Callum confirmed.
Julian threw the shorts across the room, and they landed on the low curved partition around the bed.
Now naked, Julian showed Callum just how sorry he was, and grateful for his understanding, with an unforgiving blow job that caused Callum to have one of the best and most ferocious orgasms of his life.
Julian was aroused but didn’t come. This was all about his boy this time, and he was just relieved that Callum had found the courage to face it, say it, share how he felt, and more importantly, accept his apology.
Callum forgave him. How could he resist after that admission of feelings from Julian?
He was holding back from saying the ‘L’ word.
That was unexpected. Callum had been holding back too.
You can’t really know someone in twenty-three days; it was too soon.
The last few times they had talked and got to know each other more.
There were no issues, no warning signs that Callum had observed.
As far as he was concerned, he was up for spending his life with Julian, a happy thought as he drifted off to sleep in the huge bed, with a muscle-bound radiator snuggled into his back, dick lying along his ass crack as usual, making hot contact with almost every part of his body.
By now it was almost 5 a.m. and they were very late to sleep.
***
Friday 31st January 25
Callum woke with a start, opened his eyes, and remembered where he was.
He was alone in the big bed and the windows that should have been bright had been darkened, which is why he’d slept in.
He looked at his phone on the bedside table.
It was 11:20 a.m. and he was seriously late.
It was Friday. He didn’t have any training sessions and hadn’t missed bootcamp, thank God. He texted Rosie:
Callum: Hey Rosie, sorry I had some issues last night and didn’t get to sleep until 5 am, so I only just woke up. Everything ok?
Her reply was almost instant.
Rosie: Yes, no worries, Julian let us know. We can cope. Get some rest x
OK, this was getting more intriguing by the moment.
Callum sat up. He reached over for the Panja box and changed the windows to let the light flood the room.
That was better. He then looked for his clothes, but his shorts were definitely not where they landed, and his trench coat wasn’t where he took it off either, so he was naked in Julian’s bedroom with no clothes.
This was getting more interesting by the minute.
Was Julian even here or at work? He went to find something to wear from the dressing room.
He hadn’t explored the drawers in there but assumed that’s where casual clothes and underwear were kept.
The first few he opened were cravats and bow ties, followed by socks, all neatly folded in perfect circles.
Where would Martha have put the clothes he’d left dirty last time?
He couldn’t find them, but when he spied some basic gym shorts and a T-shirt of Julian’s, he just put those on.
He headed to the kitchen, in search of juice and coffee.
Martha was there to greet him. “Morning Callum, are you ok?” Her usual smile.
“Yes, thanks, Martha. I slept in. I must have really needed the sleep.” He yawned, and not for dramatic effect. “Where’s Julian, Martha? Do you know, has he gone to the office?”
“No, he’s working downstairs today. He changed his plans at the last minute.”
“Ah, OK, thanks.”
“Can I make you some eggs for breakfast?”
“That would be great, thanks,” he replied, sitting at the breakfast bar opposite her.
She busied herself whisking eggs for him after establishing a cheese and ham omelette would be his choice.
She gave him orange juice and coffee, and he started waking up properly.
The omelette was amazing; he ate every bit.
She cleared his plate away and topped up his coffee. “Callum, I’ve had a go at fixing your shorts. They aren’t perfect, but they are better than they were,” she said matter-of-factly. “I put them over there on the desk,” gesturing towards the Banksy by the window.
“Oh, wow, thanks, Martha,” he gulped, a bit embarrassed that a: she knew he wore leather shorts, b: they were ripped, c: they were probably stained, sweaty and covered in glitter and d: that she probably put two and two together and now thought he was a prostitute.
He got up and went over to grab the shorts before any further secrets could spill out of them.
She’d done a great job fixing them, much to Callum’s amazement.
The pocket was now back in place, and unless you looked very closely, you could barely see her repairs.
He wandered back over with them. “Martha, thanks for doing this. You’ve done an amazing job.
I should explain. I dance in a gay club.
Julian knows and he’s okay about it, so there’s no problem. ” He was flustered.
She put her hands up, “Far be it from me to judge you, Callum. What you do is no matter to me or anyone else. If you get up there and strut your stuff, good for you, I say. If I was a bit younger, I might visit myself and rain down a few dollars at your feet.” She chuckled at her own joke and hugged him.
Callum hugged her back. She really was so kind. “You’re the best, Martha. Thank you. I’ll do you a private dance someday, hey?” He added with a smile and a wink. She laughed again, heading back to the kitchen.
He shouted over, “Hey, Martha, I forgot to ask. Do you know where my clothes are? I left here before. I tried to find them in the dressing room but couldn’t, hence,” and he indicated what he was wearing.
“Ah yes,” she replied, “the drawers immediately on your left as you go in. Your clothes are there. It would be nice if there were a few more of your things here…” She added with a smile, leaving the sentence dangling.
He gave her a tiny peck on her forehead as he passed, and she affectionately touched his shoulder. He had an ally in Martha.