Companion Required

by Brian Lancaster

  Inside the small room, they found only the bar master, and Kennedy’s two associates, Tim and Hiro, seated at the counter. He led Kieran over to join them and they were immediately provided with cold towels by the bar master, who introduced himself to Kieran as Kazuki. Kennedy had so much to say, but wanted to let Tim—his English friend and his private investigator who now lived in Tokyo—get some friendly banter out of the way before they got down to business.

  “Tim and I went to university together. He was my best mate,” said Kennedy, mainly to Kieran, who sat nursing an Asahi beer, whereas Kennedy had opted for the local Awamori with plum soda. “After we graduated, I went into the family business, and Tim decided on a career with the metropolitan police force, before meeting Hiro. They’ve now set up home in Tokyo. Tim’s a highly resourceful private investigator while Hiro does confidential work for me in a research and development capacity. He’s a technical wizard and, hopefully, has brought samples of the latest security devices to show me.”

  Hiro stood up and formally shook hands with Kieran. When he sat back down and nodded a welcome to Kennedy, only those who knew him well would be able to recognise the little tell, the mischievous curl at the edge of his mouth, which meant he had some interesting gadgets to show.

  “So anyway,” said Kennedy, eager to get down to business, “before we begin, I brought small gifts. A metal remote-controlled model of a London bus for Hiro’s nephew. And for you, Tim, a few things from home that you might be missing.”

  Instead of providing a formal presentation, Kennedy handed over the carrier bag.

  Tim rifled through the bag and pulled out Hiro’s toy first before his eyes widened as he placed each additional item on the counter.

  “Marmite. Branston pickle. Cadbury’s cream eggs. Rich tea biscuits. Tetley tea bags. You are a superstar,” said Tim, before pushing them to one side. “So, did you read everything I sent you?”

  “I did,” said Kennedy. “Very interesting. Sounds like Milletto is not only a smart businessman, but a competitive one, who has made a name for himself in the industry. Cold Steel is in good shape because of him. What I don’t completely understand is why he wants out. It’s not as though he needs the money. And he’s clearly good at what he does.”

  “And what did you make of the information in the private attachment?” asked Tim.

  “You mean the fact that Sloan Williamson has a vested interest in the deal going through?”

  “Spot on,” said Tim. “Milletto stands to make a lot of money from the sale of his company, even though, as you say, he’s already nicely off. But from what our inside sources tell us, he plans on putting the proceeds into a trust fund for his only daughter, Mary Jane Milletto. Who also happens to be in line to become the third wife of one—”

  “Sloan Williamson.”

  “Correct. At the moment, Sloan is paying child support to two ex-wives, so doesn’t have much money left in the bank each month. But with his future wife’s windfall, he’ll be able to buy up a substantial amount of shares in Grey Havens whenever you decide to go public. He’s probably hoping for a preferential offering for existing employees, too.”

  “Yeah,” said Kennedy. “I got all that. But is Giorgio Milletto aware of any of this?”

  “No, I’m pretty sure he’s unaware of Sloan’s intentions. From the people we spoke to privately, it sounds as though Milletto wasn’t particularly pleased about his only daughter agreeing to marry a man almost twice her age, and twice divorced. From what we’ve overheard, he simply wants to give her a safety net for when things go south.”

  “When, not if?” asked Kennedy, chuckling.

  “Milletto’s words, apparently, not mine,” said Tim.

  Kennedy mulled this information over. Karl had voiced his concerns about Cold Steel being overpriced, but Sloan and his finance guy—someone Sloan had cherry-picked—had argued to the contrary. Of course Sloan would want the highest price possible, if he was going to end up with a sizeable handout. What irked Kennedy most was that the money would come from Kennedy’s own pocket. Officially the acquisition funds would be drawn from the Grey Havens business account, a business Kennedy owned and had, almost singlehandedly, sweated day and night to build into a market leader.

  “So what do I do about Sloan?”

  “Saru mo ki kara ochiru,” said Kazuki, who had been listening in, and which had both Hiro and Tim laughing aloud.

  “What did he say?” asked Kieran.

  “It’s an old Japanese proverb, which translates as ‘even monkeys fall from trees’.”

  Both Kennedy and Kieran laughed.

  “Problem is,” said Kennedy, “I don’t have time to spare, waiting for this one to fall.”

  “Maybe you push him out of the tree,” said Kieran.

  “Or you take the tree away. I’ve been doing a bit of thinking, and I may have found a solution,” said Tim. “I attended a course on problem-solving recently, and they classified all problems into three categories. First, the problem that has already happened and now needs to be fixed. Second, the problem you can foresee that lies ahead. And third, problems you want to prevent from happening in the first place. The way I see things, you are viewing this as the second category, something that lies ahead. But what if you prevent the problem from happening in the first place, take away Sloan’s leverage?”

  “And how do you suggest I do that?”

  “There are a number of ways. You could tell them all you’re delaying or postponing the decision to take your privately-owned company to a public limited one. Of course, then you lose out as well.”

  “Agreed,” said Kennedy, but could see Tim had more to say.

  “So, as is my wont, I’ve been going through your private investment portfolio. Did you know you own twenty percent shares in Securiton? They’re another domestic security company in the US.”

  “I didn’t. And to be honest, I’ve never heard of them. They were probably my late uncle’s shares, transferred to me when he passed away. How are they performing?”

  “Historically, good. Of late, appallingly. Even though they have great potential, they’re currently being mismanaged. The point is, after doing a bit of digging, I found out that someone else has a thirty-five percent stake in the company.”

  “Go on.”

  “Giorgio Milletto,” said Tim, and the grin on his face told Kennedy he had already thought this through. “So imagine if you were to sell him your twenty. He’d have controlling interest—”

  “In a business area he’s already familiar with and in which he’s already performing well.”

  “Exactly,” said Tim. “And if he has any sense, he’ll merge the two companies and make a lot of investors very happy. Moreover, he’ll need to keep working, need to keep his interest going, after he pulls out of our deal.”

  “Tim, you’re a bloody genius,” said Kennedy. Tim’s sharp mind together with his vast network of contacts often had Kennedy wondering exactly how far he might go, what dark and dangerous resources he could have at his disposal, if push came to shove.

  “You want me to set up a call with Milletto?” asked Tim, pulling him from his thoughts. Kennedy had been wondering about his next move. Perhaps the time had come for him to do the unexpected, to take a few of the players by surprise.

  “Yes and no,” said Kennedy. “Call him to set up a private meeting in his LA office for next Tuesday. Don’t use my name, but make something up and give me a title that’ll grab his attention. I’ll fly straight from Hong Kong and meet him in their office. This needs to be done face to face. Kieran, are you okay to keep yourself amused in Hong Kong without me for a couple of days? Steph and Laurie will be with you.”

  “When will you get back?”

  “I’ll fly straight back on Wednesday, which means arriving Thursday. So I’ll probably meet you at the airport for our flight to Bali.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Kieran. “You’ll be shattered.”

  “I’ll be fine. More than f
ine. I need to rattle a few cages. And we’ll have the final eight nights in Bali together.”

  “So are you going to cancel the meeting in London?” asked Tim. “With Milletto and your management team?”

  “Absolutely not. If all goes well, I’m going to see if Giorgio minds flying in and listening to everything they have to say. Before dropping his bombshell. Fuck, I’ll even offer to pay for his flight.”

  “I don’t get it,” said Kieran. “This Williamson guy sounds like a royal pain in the arse. Surely the simplest solution would be to sack him? Stop him from creating problems in the first place.”

  “Ah, well. That’s an easy one,” said Tim. “Sloan may be a pain, but he keeps Kennedy on his toes. And having somebody who desperately wants a piece of the pie once the company goes public can’t do any harm. He’s going to be working his backside off to make sure what’s being offered to the public is in the best possible shape. Am I right, Kennedy?”

  “As always.”

  “Besides,” said Tim, grinning wickedly, “there’s a whole caseload of dirt on the man, just in case he does go one step too far.”

  Kennedy laughed and noticed Kieran looking between the two of them.

  “You two are dangerous.”

  “I wouldn’t say that, exactly,” said Kennedy. “But we’re good people to have on your side. Now, Hiro, what new toys have you brought to show me?”

  While Kennedy sat at one table with Hiro, listening to him explain some of the features of the new micro security devices he had been working on, Kennedy occasionally peered over and saw Tim and Kieran chatting amiably together and occasionally laughing.

  He found it strange watching Kieran interact with his associates, which at one moment filled him with a warm shimmer of fondness, and at another, scared the hell out of him.

  What the fuck was he supposed to do with that?

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Kieran

  Even with the five-star status, the Naha hotel room didn’t hold a candle to their luxury cabin on the ship. Besides a significantly smaller bed—probably queen size—the room had simple but stylish furnishings, the one saving grace being the floor-to-ceiling windowed panorama over the whole of night-time Naha. Even the bathroom had a tiny shower cubicle only big enough for one. For their dinner together, Kieran had opted for a plain and quick meal, Italian fare, aching to get Kennedy back to the room.

  “I know I already mentioned this over dinner, but what you heard tonight is strictly between us,” Kennedy said as they both prepared for bed.

  “And as I said already,” said Kieran, removing his shirt and heading into the bathroom to shower, “you don’t need to worry, Kennedy. You can trust me. I promise.”

  “Yes, I know. And thank you,” came Kennedy’s voice.

  Dried and with only a towel around his waist, Kieran passed Kennedy as he headed for a shower.

  “And are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” he asked. “To LA, I mean? For moral support?”

  “It’s a turnaround trip. In and out,” called Kennedy above the sound of running water. “I’d rather you make the most of your time in Hong Kong. The Mandarin Oriental’s already booked and paid for, and it’s a beautiful city with some great attractions—the Peak and the Peak Tram, various local markets, Ocean Park, colourful temples, the Big Buddha and, if you really must, Disneyland—”

  “They have a giant Buddha in Hong Kong?” called Kieran, his interest piqued.

  “They do indeed. On Lantau island. It’s next to a Buddhist monastery. You can get a cable car up from a town called Tung Chung near the airport. You should talk to Steph and Laurie. People say it’s spectacular.”

  After his disappointment in Koh Samui, he’d wondered if he should simply give up on his whim. But then, maybe he could go on the premise of simply sight-seeing. Not wanting to make any decision right then, he decided to put the idea to the back of his mind until they reached Hong Kong. Without answering, he clambered naked beneath the covers but sat up with his back against the headboard, his knees pulled into his chest. Even now, here in the room with Kennedy, he was unsure how to broach the next subject. Of course, by now the man knew him well enough to realise something was up.

  “What’s the matter, Kieran?” said Kennedy, coming back into the room and sitting in just his underwear on Kieran’s side of the bed. “You seem nervous. Is it something I’ve said or done?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “We don’t have to do anything tonight, if you don’t want to.”

  “Are you kidding? Of course I want to. I’ve been waiting all day—”

  Kennedy kissed him tenderly at first, letting the embrace gradually become hungry, and Kieran relaxed. After a few moments, he gently pushed Kennedy’s face away.

  “All day long, I’ve been reliving you pushing your tongue into my ass. And every time I do, my ass cheeks clench together and my insides turn to jelly. So as long as you promise to show me what to do and to go slow—and I know I can trust you—I’d like you to fuck me.”

  Kennedy’s eyes went wide, his face still hovering near Kieran’s.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course not. But I keep having this vision of you inside me, of your face as you come in me. And I need to know if what I’m imagining is as good as the real thing.”

  “But I didn’t bring any—”

  “I did,” said Kieran, silently sending his friend Cole a ‘thank you’. He reached for the small bag beside the bed, unzipped the top and pulled out the contents. Condoms and lube. “Actually, this was a present from a gay friend. I almost threw it back at him.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  Once Kennedy had shed his briefs and climbed into bed, Kieran wasted no time getting his fill of him. He enjoyed the newfound freedom to touch Kennedy’s body, running a hand across the hard planes of his chest, his nipples, trailing down to his genitals, making him gasp and tremble when he cupped his balls and squeezed them. To show Kennedy he meant business, he kissed his body from mouth, throat, chest, all the way down to his groin, and, after a moment’s hesitation, took Kennedy’s cock into his mouth.

  Trying hard not to lose the sensation or the moment, he recalled the things Kennedy had done to him, those small things that had made his body glow. Kennedy clearly enjoyed the attention, because his hands wove into Kieran’s hair and he pushed his hips up to meet Kieran’s bobbing head.

  Not for long, though.

  “Stop,” gasped Kennedy, pushing Kieran’s mouth away. “Full marks for paying attention. But the way we’re getting carried away, it’s going to be over before it’s begun. And I’m thinking maybe it’s my turn, that you let me try a little—uh—ass play before deciding on the main event. See how comfortable you are. If it feels too much, then we can put off the deed to another day. How does that sound?”

  “I’m in your hands, Kennedy.”

  Much to Kieran’s delight, Kennedy rolled Kieran onto his back and took the lead, sucking the head of his shaft into his mouth, slowly working his already hardened cock with his tongue. After a few moments, Kieran felt a lube-coated finger touch his entrance. At first he froze, but Kennedy worked him with his slow and skilful fingers, moving in a circular motion, allowing him to relax before repeatedly dipping inside. When Kennedy raised his head from Kieran’s cock and captured his mouth in a fierce kiss, Kieran barely noticed the digit push all the way inside him. This time when Kennedy returned to sucking him, his finger twisted, working him until he touched a sensitive spot deep inside. A bolt of electricity sizzled through Kieran, and he hiked in a breath before muttering an expletive.

  “Ah. The ‘on’ switch,” said Kennedy, after releasing Kieran’s cock from his mouth and grinning up at him.

  “Fuck. Do that again.”

  This time Kennedy pushed in a second finger and started to loosen Kieran up while sucking him relentlessly. When both fingers scooped over the spot, Kieran almost
blew his load.

  “Kennedy,” he breathed, barely audible, grabbing Kennedy’s hair and pulling his head away.

  “I’m here.”

  “You need to fuck me. Soon.”

  But instead Kennedy worked another finger and more lube into him until the hot pain, the stretch, had begun to subside. By now, Kieran started to push back onto his fingers, hungry for the sensation. A moan of abandonment burst from Kieran when Kennedy withdrew his talented mouth and fingers simultaneously. But Kennedy appeared over him, and kissed him before bringing Kieran’s knees up towards his chest.

  “Condom?” asked Kieran.

  “Already on. With plenty of lube, too,” said Kennedy, smiling and lining himself up with Kieran’s body. “I’m pretty good at multitasking. Look, this might feel a little strange and uncomfortable at first, so I’ll go easy. If it does, take a deep breath and hold on for ten seconds.”

  “Two miles,” said Kieran softly, feeling Kennedy’s cock nudge his entrance.

  “How’s that?” asked Kennedy, a cute, quizzical furrow between his eyebrows.

  “Ten seconds. The time between the lightning and the clap of thunder, which means the storm’s two miles away.”

  Kennedy chuckled. “Whatever works for you. Ready?”

  “Give it to me, old man.”

  Kennedy had been right. Even after he had been loosened up, the first breach of Kennedy’s cock past Kieran’s anal muscles burned. Kennedy’s mouth covered one of Kieran’s stiff nipples and he bit firmly, before returning to attack his neck and mouth. The distraction worked, and with each tiny diversion, he pushed a little farther inside.

  Kennedy stopped, his eyes hovering over Kieran’s.

  “I’m in. All the way.”

  Kieran held his gaze, taking a handful of deep breaths, adjusting to the sensation, before replying. “So what are you waiting for?”

  Kennedy chuckled and started pulling out slowly, just a little, before sinking back inside. For what seemed like an eternity he continued, until Kieran almost begged for more. But Kennedy must have read the signs in his face, as he began longer strokes, this time plunging in and hitting Kieran right on target. When Kennedy not only brought their mouths together, but also pinched Kieran’s left nipple, Kieran almost fell to pieces. Panting heavily now, he began to reach for his cock, needing to speed his release, only to have Kennedy swat his hand away and begin pumping his shaft in time with his own rhythm. Kieran didn’t stand a chance. Already the orgasm had begun to form, causing his toes to scrunch up, and when Kennedy began thrusting harder, erratically, Kieran exploded in Kennedy’s hand, spraying semen all the way to their chins, the nerve endings in his body going off like a New Year’s firework display. Distantly, he felt Kennedy filling him with warmth in the condom, gradually stilling and collapsing on top of him.