CHAPTER 27 #2
I glided down the stairs in a see-through babydoll, averting my eyes from the living room, and headed for the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water.
David set a quiet foot in the hall, approaching me from behind.
I felt my ass sizzle under the scrutiny of his stare, then swivelled around suddenly.
David stopped in his tracks, looking first at my crotch then away. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,” he said.
“I forgot you were here,” I lied, and grabbed the smallest of tea towels to cover my modesty. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, not bad.”
“Have you spoken to Eddie yet?”
“Not yet, I wanted to wait for you.”
I started to strut out of the kitchen. “I'll put some clothes on, then we can get to work.”
“You don't have to on my account,” he said, blushing.
I dropped the tea towel as I passed him, brushing my fingers across his bare arm. “You're too cute, y'know.”
He adjusted his crotch as I set foot on the bottom stair.
I knew nothing could happen between us, but I liked having him around. The house seemed a lot less empty.
“Go ahead, Dex,” I said, answering his call as I turned my rear to the bedroom mirror to see how it looked in tight denim.
“I've spoken to Angus Hamilton,” he said. “He's not been forthcoming with information. Seems he'll only trade secrets, and I'm not prepared to do that with him being press. He'd blab everything he could about you to sell papers, Sasha.”
“Okay, but if he gets back in contact try to listen to what he says.”
Dex said nothing.
“Not that I'm trying to tell you how to do your job.”
“Of course not.”
“Anything else?” I asked.
“Yes, last night Drew went to a pub where the organisers of the protests are known to drink.”
“Did you see them together?”
“No, I only know he was there from his tracker.”
“Damn it, Dex, I need more than this!”
He cleared his throat. “I'll get back to you when I've got it.”
I ended the call, shuddering as I thought of us together on Kyle's desk, then walked through the double doors of my bedroom, onto the landing and down the stairs. I could hear David talking on his phone as I neared the bottom.
“Okay, bro, take it easy,” he said, stood in the middle of my kitchen floor, then hung up.
“Were you talking to who I think you were talking to?” I asked.
“Eddie? Yeah.”
“Even though we agreed we'd do this together?”
He ran his hand over his stubble. “Er, yeah.”
“Well, come on, put me out of my suspense... What'd he tell you?”
David pulled at the front of his t-shirt. “I got nowhere with him, Sasha.”
“Jesus Christ!”
“I'm sorry, I thought it could work-”
“Why didn't you wait for me?”
He said nothing.
I walked right up to him, looking up to his eyes. “David, answer me when I'm talking to you... Why?”
He wouldn't meet my gaze.
“Look at me,” I insisted.
Finally, he forced his eyes down to mine.
“Why?”
He took a deep breath. “I got so flustered by you coming down almost naked... It sent me into a tizz. I don't think I can trust myself around you.”
“What do you mean, are you planning to betray me or something?”
“No,” he said firmly. “I mean... Look, I've never wanted to have sex with someone as much as I want to have sex with you.
It's crazy. I can't be around you when I feel like that, Sasha.
This is hell for me. I thought I'd get answers from him before you came back down, then I'd tell you and just go.”
I watched him. His every squirm. His every pore. Even the bleary whites of his eyes. “Okay, I believe you.”
“I'll still help you, but I need to go.”
“No, you don't,” I said.
“What?”
“You're super aroused to the point of distraction?”
He reluctantly nodded, his face bright red.
“Go upstairs, David. Use my bathroom. You can lock the door for privacy.”
“You mean...?”
“Have a wank.”
He exhaled.
“Get it out of your system and clear your head.” I clenched his arm. “I need you on this today.”
He looked past me to the stairs, then at my face again. “Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent. Get up there and slap the hell out of that salami. This is too important to give up on now.”
His lower lip quivered.
I was almost going to remind him I'd already jerked him off myself in Glasgow, but stopped before he asked me to do it again. I wasn't in the mood.
“You won't mind?”
“No.”
“And you won't judge me?”
“Of course not.”
“Okay,” he said. “I'll...”
“Yes, David, go now. I'll be here, downstairs. I'm fully dressed. I won't disturb you. I promise.”
He took a tentative step past me, then broke into a walk and by the time he reached the stairs he was racing up them.
I smiled as I shook my head. I'd been a teenager myself.
I hadn't expected David to go for a marathon wank, however. He was taking ages and wasting invaluable time.
My impatience got the better of me, I scrolled through my contacts to Eddie and hit call.
It rang out several times.
I drummed my fingernails on the kitchen table.
“Hello,” he said, unease in his voice.
“Hi, Eddie, it's Sasha Liu.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Eddie, I'll come straight out and say it, it's come to my attention you know things about Kyle Guernsey. Things which may be important. With everything that's happening with the sale of the club, I need you to tell me whatever you can.”
“Why?”
“Why?” I repeated.
“Yeah, if you're selling the club, what does it matter?”
It mattered to me! “It might change my mind, Eddie.”
He said nothing.
“Eddie, can you just tell me? Please.”
“Ms Liu, you're putting me in an impossible position.”
“Eddie, I'll treat the information in the strictest confidence.”
He sighed. “You say that now, but the moment you hand over control of the club I'm at the mercy of the new owners. I can't do something today which'll cost me my job tomorrow.”
“I won't let that happen, Eddie-”
“No, Ms Liu, you can't make that guarantee and I'm not taking that chance. The answer's no, and I won't be changing my mind.”
I felt at my throat, pinching the skin. “Eddie, your brother seems to think what you have is of the utmost importance. Broxburgh's future's at stake here-”
“Don't put that on me, ma'am.”
“Eddie, it may very well be on you.”
A guttural groan echoed down from his end of the line.
“David reckons you don't want to undermine your credibility as a journalist. I can respect that, but-”
“Then respect it,” he said, his voice louder.
“Eddie, may I remind you that you work for me? I gave you your big break... You owe me.”
“Fuck me!”
“Eddie!” I cried, then listened to the crash of his phone against something before it clattered onto the ground. “What the fuck?”
He lifted the phone again.
“Eddie!”
He ended the call.
Undeterred, I called him again.
He cut it off.
I called a third time.
He'd already switched his mobile off.
I pummelled my fist on the table.
The toilet in the upstairs bathroom flushed.
I sank my head in my hands in despair, convinced I'd never get the answers I needed.
David trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen. “You called him back, didn't you?”
I nodded my head.
“I heard you shouting.”
I parted my fingers to look at him. “I hope I didn't put you off.”
His dimples grew more prominent as he grinned.
“The consortium's representative could call me at any minute for the final meeting, David. I'm out of options and as far from answers as ever. I have to sell.”
He walked around the table.
“I'm broken.”
“What happened when you spoke to Eddie?”
I let out a sarcastic laugh. “He wouldn't tell me, said he didn't see the point if I'm selling. Said he's worried about his position with the new owners if he tells me what he knows. I tried to put pressure on him, but he chucked the phone across the room and hung up.”
David planted his palms on my shoulders. “That's the wrong approach with my brother.”
I wasn't too sure I was comfortable with what was happening as these nineteen-year-old fingers began to work the tenseness out of my flesh. “David, you just jerked off so you'd be more level-headed, are you sure physical contact is the answer right now?”
“Consider me rejuvenated,” he said. “You're not broken, Sasha, not yet anyway. Leave Eddie to me.”
“He's switched his phone off.”
“I'll speak to him in person.”
“We said we'd work together, David.”
“We are, Sasha. I promise. Just let me deal with Eddie. I'm determined I can convince him to change his mind.”
I relaxed my upper body. “That's nice,” I whispered.
“He told me what he knew was vital, something you had to know. He loves the club even more than I do. I can find a way to get through to him. I know I can... Leave it to me.”
“When?”
“I'll go today.”
I missed his fingers the second he pulled them away and walked back around the other side of the table.
“Now.”
“Are you sure?”
“I'll talk to him, Sasha. I'll not go hard at him, but I'll not leave until I've convinced him. You're the future this club and this town needs, not some radicals.”
“Okay,” I said.
He started down the hall. “I think I'd prefer to spend the night in my own house, if you don't mind.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” He looked me up and down. “I'll lose my focus with you looking like that.”
I was only wearing a sweater and jeans. “You're sweet, but I understand.” Even if I'd miss having him under the same roof.
“Wish me luck,” he said.