Page 54 of Branson's Promise

Noel rejoined us then, a bottle of red wine in one hand and an additional paper bag joining the others he had already been carrying, dangling off one arm.

“Don’t rich people like you have personal shoppers to carry your bags for you?” Milo quipped playfully.

“Sure, some do, but I have two boyfriends to help me,” he said as he handed the bottle of wine to Milo.

We’d just turned to continue through the market when a crash had me spinning to my side, where Milo was. The wine bottle lay shattered at his feet, liquid as red as blood pooled on the ground, some of it staining his white Converse. It wasn’t the wine that worried me though, it was the way in which he had paled that had me stepping closer and pressing my palm to his clammy cheek.

“Babe, what’s wrong?” Milo’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he was clenching his fists so that they were white from the strain.

Noel moved next to me, running a hand down Milo’s arm to take his clenched hand. Before any of us could say anything, a smooth, deep voice had us spinning around.

“Fancy seeing you here, Milo.”

We came face to face with a man who looked to be in his mid-fifties. I examined him from top to toe but didn't recognise him. He wore well fitted chinos and a white linen shirt, with a green cardigan hanging over his shoulders. His hair was brown but greying at the edges and a woman about twenty years his junior had her arm linked with his. She wore a pink dress, flat black shoes and carried a bunch of flowers in her other arm.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?Son.” He sneered the last word.

Son? This was Milo's dad?

I gritted my teeth, appalled that he had the audacity to even speak to Milo after what he'd done.

Milo remained glued to the spot, and I took his other hand, squeezing it and whispering in his ear, “Breathe, love. Feel my hand in yours. You’re okay, I've got you.” He gave a weak nod.

In the few moments it took me to speak to Milo, Noel had taken a step forward and offered out his hand. “Noel Bennett,” he said, shaking the man’s hand.

Recognition sparked in the man's eyes. “Noel Bennett? Ah, Mr Bennett, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Martin M-”

“Martin Montague, of Montague Security and Tech, I know who you are,” Noel said in his businessman voice. And not the sexy one - the one I had only heard him use when someone on the other end of a call pissed him off.

My mouth fell open, eyes darting from Noel to Martin then to Milo who was no longer so pale but looked as confused as I felt.

“Oh, you do? That’s great. I see you’re friends with my son.” This guy could not read a room, what with the way he beamed at Noel like they had suddenly become best friends.

Milo, my brave fucking boyfriend, gripped my hand tightly, then stepped next to Noel and addressed his father. “Noel is my boyfriend and so is Branson.” He gestured towards me and I nodded at his father, not offering him more than that meagre greeting.

“Two boyfriends? Huh.” The motherfucker grinned, one side of his mouth tipping up like some television villain. Blood pounded in my ears and I clenched my jaw so hard it ached. “Tell me son, if you have a Bennett in your bed, why do you need the other one?”

Holy fucking shit.Did this asshole just refer to me as “the other one”? And what the fuck was he implying? His words had intended to hurt and they did, leaving me feeling small and insignificant. I ran a hand over the back of my neck, briefly dropping my head to study my shoes. Is that how people saw me? Is this how he made Milo feel? Fuck, I hated it.

“Don’t speak about him like that.” My head shot up, taken aback by the venom in Milo's voice. “You know nothing about us. So fuck off. We’re done.” I didn't miss the quiver of his lips or the way he sucked in air as if struggling to catch a breath. I could see the toll this was taking on him. The last time he'd stood up to his father, it hadn't gone well, but we were here now and we'd never let this man hurt him again.

Mirroring the strength I saw in Milo, I straightened my posture and squeezed his hand.

At the same time, the unnamed woman stepped behind Martin, deciding not to get involved and instead stared down at her phone. The shit-eating grin he’d been wearing moments before fell and was replaced by a snarl. “How dare you speak to me like that! You rude, disrespectful little shit.” He wasn’t donethough, turning to Noel. “He’s just going to bring you down, a well-respected man like yourself can do so much better.”

You have got to be kidding me. Was this man for real?

“Mr Montague.” Noel’s voice was cold as ice, demanding the man's attention. “I know who you are because I make a habit of knowing the names and faces of all the owners of companies I hire to work at my hotels. What I also know is that your contract with us has very recently passed my desk because it is due for renewal. On Monday, you will receive a letter from my legal team severing ties with Montague Security and Tech at the end of the contract period, sooner if I can arrange it. Consider this a polite notice that Bennett Properties will no longer be doing business with you.”

Fucking hell. I could only watch on as Martin processed what Noel had just said.

“You can’t do that! We’re the best security firm this side of the United States. We’ve been providing your hotels with security personnel and cyber protection software for years! It will take you months and be very costly to find someone to replace us. I’ll sue you for this!” Martin boomed at Noel, his tone snide and bitter.

“I can assure you, I will have no problems finding a new firm and I do not care how much it costs. If you want to sue me, fine, but be prepared for the fight that will come. Bennett Hotels, my family, will not be associated with a company headed by an abusive, manipulative man like you.”

Martin took a step forward, opening his mouth to respond, but Noel cut him off, venom and anger in his voice.

“And take this as a friendly warning. If you come near Milo again, if you say one mean, derogatory word about him or Branson again, I will make sure no one on this continent uses your company again. I will bury you. Do not test me, MrMontague, you would not like the person I become or the effects it will have on your business if you do.”

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