Page 47 of Corporate Bondage

Chapter Twenty

(Gio)

“What the hell are you doing here on my property?”

Tate’s unwelcome bark almost had me retreating inside my car and speeding off his property. One thing kept me where I was even though he was giving off such animosity. I couldn’t blame the guy. I was still amazed that he had opened the gates to the property to me in the first place, but that had been a small gesture to me that maybe all was not lost. Maybe I could still be forgiven. Maybe there was a way for me to retain his friendship. If not, I would apologize and move on.

I had originally planned to visit the pair yesterday, but Keith had advised me to give it a day or two for Bryan and Tate to have some privacy after the former’s kidnapping. The incident was all over the local news, and I was stunned at the reason his uncle had done it. How could family members hurt each other to such an extent?

This morning, Keith had woken me up before he left to rush home and dress to meet his appointment at his therapist. I doubted he made it to the therapist as I’d pulled back the sheets revealing my hard on. Our sex as every other time had been intense and fulfilling. I’d never thought I would bottom again after college, and here I was exclusively bottoming for Keith and loving every second of it. I loved the feeling of being possessed when he was inside me. While I would have preferred some versatility, I no longer thought much about it, understanding Keith’s reason for never reversing that role.

“Can we please talk?” I asked Tate, pushing my hands into my pants pockets.

“We have nothing to say to each other.”

“I know I do. Please, Tate, it won’t take long.”

Bryan appeared behind Tate and proved to me that I had no desire whatsoever to be with Tate. He placed an arm around Tate’s waist, and I didn’t even blink an eye. In fact, I smiled. I would have been jealous once but having Keith in my life I had my own piece of happiness and didn’t envy them theirs. Even though Keith and I called out each other on it, we also had our sappy moments.

“Babe, it won’t hurt to hear what he has to say,” Bryan said to Tate. “You’ve so much anger about the whole thing I think you need to do this as much as he does.”

“He could have prevented your kidnapping!” Tate snapped, then softened. “Bry, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“That’s exactly why you need to talk to him.”

“Fuck, Bryan. Will you stop seeing the good in people?”

Bryan giggled. He actually giggled.

“I don’t see the good in all people. Just most.” He turned to me then and gestured inside. “Come on in at your own risk. I may be able to hold him back for a second or two if you need to escape at any time.”

I chuckled, albeit nervously as I entered the house I had bought but no longer felt welcomed in. Bryan led the way to the sitting room and I followed him, aware of Tate behind me, glaring and probably wishing me dead.

“Have a seat.” Bryan gestured. “Let me get you gentlemen something to drink. What are you having?”

“Scotch,” both Tate and I replied at the same time.

“With this tension in the room?” Bryan asked incredulously. “I’ll bring you some iced tea.”

“You better be glad that he has a big heart,” Tate stated, poised at the edge of his seat as though waiting for the right time to spring an attack.

“Yeah, I’m not sure I would forgive me either.” I sighed and placed my hands on my thighs. “I know no words can take back what I did or didn’t do. While neither Keith nor I had anything to do with Bryan’s kidnapping, we are not totally innocent. I really did meet him because of my intentions to wedge a knife between you two.”

Bryan returned to the living room with a tray and two glasses of iced tea. Tate pulled the slender young man onto his lap and kissed him. “Aren’t you staying?”

He eased out of Tate’s arms. “No, I think you two need to talk alone. I won’t be too far. I’ve to make a call to Jeremy who’s freaking out about his breakup with Clay. I think it just hit home.”

Bryan left us alone, and I reached for the glass of iced tea that was meant for me. I didn’t like this beverage, but I drank quite a mouthful to give myself some time to get my thoughts back together.

“As I was saying,” I continued. “I had no idea what your uncle planned. I was also not sure if he was the one who shot at Bryan at your mother’s. To be honest, I thought it was just meant to scare him. I even thought Keith was responsible. I didn’t say anything because I was trying to protect him.”

“Are you listening to yourself?” Tate demanded. “Fuck, Gio! What the hell happened to you? This is not you!”

“Unfortunately, it is me,” I replied. “It’s the side of me you never got to know because I never wanted you to see how selfish I could be. This is the part of me who wanted to keep the only best friend I ever had. You were my family Tate, and I was so afraid of losing you that for a long time I thought the only way to really have you always was to be in a relationship with you.”

“What are you saying?”

“I am saying that I misconstrued feelings of jealousy and not wanting to lose you with love. I love you, man, but just as friends.”

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