BOSS

by Ashley John

  He broke the speed limit all the way to Violet’s place but he couldn’t control himself. He didn’t care that they were having secret meetings without him. He’d already suspected they were because they always seemed more up to speed than Ezra in the official meetings. He cared more about what Graham had said.

  ‘There’s more of us and with a Silverton on our side, he’ll be over powered and out numbered.’

  They’re right, but I’m not going down without a fight.

  “There you are!” Joshua was sitting on Violet’s step with a cigarette tightly between his lips, “God, am I glad to see you. I’m dealing with the actual Bridezilla in there. Where’ve you been?”

  He knew he couldn’t tell Joshua. Not today, at least. He pushed Graham and his pals to the back of his mind, knowing that he had until Wednesday to warn Joshua away.

  “Just had to pick up my new suit,” he lied, “you like?”

  “Mmmhhmmm,” Joshua’s eyes scanned his body as he blew smoke into the air, “pretty damn handsome.”

  Joshua wouldn’t double cross me now. He wouldn’t…

  Joshua was happier to see Ezra than he dared show. He was used to dealing with Violet but he had no idea how to deal with the crying and wailing banshee who had taken her place.

  “What’s happened?” Ezra whispered as they hovered outside the living room.

  Something glass smashed against a wall and a deep and primal screech gurgled in Violet’s throat.

  “Her makeup artist is sick,” he kept his voice low, “food poisoning or something. She can’t find anybody. She’s been in there for forty-five minutes trying to do her face.”

  She screamed again but it was followed by a whimper. Carefully, he opened the door. Violet was sat under her grand bay window, still in her nightgown.

  “Violet,” he cooed, “everything okay?”

  “Go away!” she screamed, “Tell him the wedding is off. I can’t walk down the aisle like this.”

  “Show me,” Joshua took a brave step into the room, motioning for Ezra to stay at the door, “I bet it’s not as bad as you think.”

  Shaking her head, she let her blonde hair fall over half of her face. In the tiny magnified mirror, Joshua caught a glimpse of her mascara streaked cheeks and wonky eyebrow.

  “I can’t do this,” she dropped her face into her mascara stained palms, “If my hands won’t stop shaking, how am I supposed to put on my lashes?”

  He swooped in as he heard a soft cry escape her body. He knew her outburst was more than just the makeup. She hadn’t seen her fiancé in almost a month and she wanted everything to be perfect for when they were reunited. Christopher landed back in London early in the morning and he’d been crashing at his friend’s apartment in the city. Violet had tried to get him to come home but Christopher was adamant they stay apart.

  “Fuck tradition!” she’d cried when she slammed the phone down on him.

  Rubbing her back, he tried to calm her but it wasn’t going to work.

  “The hair woman is going to be here in twenty minutes and I’m expected at the church in two hours. What am I going to do, Joshua? I’m up shit creek without a paddle.”

  “We’ll think of something,” was all he could pathetically offer.

  The door creaked open and Ezra stepped in. He had his phone to his ear.

  “What’s the address of this place?” he looked to Joshua with eyes that said ‘trust me’.

  “45 Prince Albert Street,” he furrowed his brow.

  He ducked out of the room and Violet tucked her hair behind her ears. Using a makeup wipe, she wiped away what she’d done. Joshua thought they might be getting somewhere but the second she attempted to draw on her brows, she snapped the pencil in two and her face was soon back in her hands.

  “It’s sorted,” Ezra stepped into the room, “my assistant knows somebody who’s working on a photo-shoot in the city. She’s sending one of the makeup artists around now.”

  Violet looked up and sniffed away the tears.

  “Seriously?” she mumbled.

  “It’s all taken care of,” Ezra folded his arms, pleased with himself, “get yourself a glass of champagne and relax.”

  Violet jumped up, practically pushing Joshua’s comfort away. She launched herself at Ezra and she wrapped her arms around his neck in a similar way she had done to Joshua when they had met at the airport.

  “He’s a keeper,” Violet patted Ezra on the chest, “Oh, I could kiss you but I’ll leave that to my cousin!”

  After a quick wink to Joshua she ran off to the kitchen with an excited spring in her steps and a widespread grin on her face.

  “I owe you,” Joshua stood up, “you’ve just saved us all.”

  “It’s the least I can do,” Ezra shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets – He really does look hot in that suit, “but your cousin is right. You should probably kiss me, just to say thank you.”

  Joshua was already walking towards him. You didn’t even need to ask. He let Ezra wrap his fingers around the small of his back so they could kiss.

  “I’ve missed you,” Ezra pulled away to stare into Joshua’s eyes, “I’ve missed having you close.”

  “You saw me yesterday,” he said, “we were quite close in your office, and then in your bed and then your shower -,”

  “It’s too long,” his voice was soft and sultry, “I want you by me all the time.”

  He knew the question he was dreading was coming. He kissed Ezra again to silence him, but Ezra pulled away to look even deeper into his eyes.

  “Just tell me -,”

  “Ugh,” Levi walked into the room, shielding his eyes, “I know I said I was fine with this, but it’s going to take a while to get used to it.”

  Joshua stepped away from Ezra and quickly tucked his hair behind his ears, avoiding both of their gazes.

  “You got a problem with gay men?” Ezra rolled back on his heels, a serious glint in his eye.

  “What? Me?” Levi laughed, looking to Joshua as if to say ‘is this guy serious’, “I’m from New York. I’ve seen things that would make even your toes curl. I’m fine with gays, it’s just – Joshua. I never knew.”

  “In my defence,” Joshua spoke up, “It’s not like I was keeping anything from you. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m gay, I just -,”

  “Can’t resist me?” Ezra kissed the air and Joshua’s stomach fuzzily flipped.

  He wasn’t going to admit that Ezra was right, so he decided to say nothing at all, instead turning the conversation towards the wedding.

  “I hope her bridesmaids are hot,” Levi tugged at his groin, “my balls are turning blue. I was so close to having sex the other night, but you two-,”

  Levi looked from Ezra and then to Joshua before shaking his head. Joshua knew he hadn’t been able to wash the mental images away. He could tell Levi was hurt that he’d never told him but he wouldn’t admit that. Joshua had tried to explain that it happened so fast and he still wasn’t sure what it was and Levi said that was fine but his eyes told a different story. They said ‘I really thought you could trust me’ and that hurt Joshua because he did.

  “I should get ready,” Joshua ducked out of the room, eyeing for Ezra to follow him.

  He wasn’t sure if Ezra would play nicely when Levi started to ask him questions and he didn’t want the conversation to steer towards Joshua’s current situation. They were both on opposing teams and they weren’t the type of guys to have rational and normal conversation.

  “Christopher is going to kill me when he finds out I’ve worn all his suits,” Joshua walked out the bathroom in a pair of underwear with the shirt unbuttoned, “I haven’t even met the guy yet.”

  “If you needed money, you should have just -,”

  “That’d be weird,” Joshua cut him off, not wanting to go there.

  Technically, it should be my money anyway. He shook that thought from his head as he remembered what he’d decided.

  Ezra leaned back on his elbow
s on the edge of Violet’s bed. His eyes soaked in every inch of Joshua’s body as he slowly buttoned up the shirt over his tattooed torso.

  “Slower,” Ezra licked his lips, “actually, unbutton it again. I’m sure we can squeeze in a quick one.”

  He tapped the bed and Joshua wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. The way his cock reacted let him know he wanted it – But I’m not having sex on my cousin’s bed.

  “Control yourself,” Joshua tugged at the growing member in his blue underwear, “C’mon, help me pick out a tie.”

  With a groan, Ezra walked over to Christopher’s tie rack. Joshua still felt strange digging through a stranger’s clothes. Ezra flicked through the fabric lengths, examining their labels as he went.

  “These are pricey,” he whistled, “the boy has taste.”

  “Pick a plain one. I don’t want him knowing I’m wearing his clothes.”

  “He’ll know when he gets back,” Ezra pulled out a long, navy blue tie, “he’ll smell you.”

  Popping up the collar, Joshua tried to take the tie from Ezra but he wouldn’t let go. Ezra looped the tie over Joshua’s head. He methodically and expertly tied the knot without looking away from Joshua’s eyes. He didn’t know why his cock was finding that so sexy; he just hoped Ezra wouldn’t lean into feel it.

  “Are you saying I smell?” Joshua picked a pair of cufflinks out of a box on the dresser.

  “You have a distinctive smell,” Ezra plucked the cufflinks from Joshua’s hand so he could put them in for him, “you have that spiciness of a teenager but it’s mixed with the musk of a man.”

  When Ezra was finished putting in his left cufflink, he lifted his arm to sniff his pit.

  “I don’t smell it,” all he could smell was the roll on deodorant.

  “I can,” Ezra tugged Joshua’s hand and arranged the cuffs together, “all the time, and I love it.”

  He’s trying his hardest to turn me on.

  “I need to wear aftershave more,” he sniffed his other pit.

  “Don’t you dare,” Ezra wrapped his hand around Joshua’s tie, yanking him in so that their noses were pressed together, “I love you just the way you are.”

  He quickly pecked Joshua on the lips before letting go. Did he just use the L-word? It was only an expression, he knew that. He’d said it to Levi loads of times but he suddenly wanted to know if it made Levi’s insides tighten and throb the way his were.

  Ezra pulled the suit jacket off the hanger, which was dangling over the door of Violet’s wardrobe. Joshua turned around and fed his arms into the jacket, letting Ezra dress him.

  “Trousers,” Joshua scratched the back of his head as he pointed to them.

  “It’ll spoil the look,” Ezra winked, slapping Joshua on the backside.

  Glancing down, he was glad that the shirttails were concealing his fully hard cock in his underwear. Luckily for him, Ezra tossed him the trousers, letting him put them on himself. They were a little tight around the crotch but they were quite a good fit considering they had been moulded around another man’s body.

  The makeup artist and hair stylist came, creating the bride Violet wanted to see. They worked together in harmony, ducking out of each other’s way when it was needed. As they helped Violet into her dress in her bedroom, Joshua, Ezra and Levi were banished downstairs.

  Sitting nervously on the edge of her couch, they all sat in a deadly silence. He quickly realised he was a different Joshua with Ezra than the one he was with Levi. Those two different sides of him didn’t seem to come together when he was forced to be both at the same time so he decided silence was the best option.

  When he heard the gentle tap of heels on the staircase, he jumped up and ran into the hall. Joshua didn’t think something as simple as a dress and different hair would make him lost for words, but it did.

  “Oh, Vi. You look beautiful.”

  With the widest grin on her face, she slowly made her way down the stairs, hitching up the front of the wedding dress. He’d seen it before but seeing the complete image was something of true beauty. Her long blonde hair had been curled and messily pinned up. Tiny diamond flower details twinkled in the light, giving her an otherworldly quality. He’d been nervous about how the unknown last minute makeup artist would do but she clearly knew her stuff. Violet was gorgeous when she didn’t have a stitch of product on but the simple and fresh makeup brought out something in her features that he’d never seen before.

  She looks like a woman. He knew it was a silly thought because they had been adults since before he left but seeing her in her wedding dress, which was supposed to be the most important day of woman’s life, brought home to him how much she’d grown up.

  It only made him feel like he’d been trying to cling onto his old teenage life for too long.

  “Are you sure it’s alright?” her lips trembled as she spoke.

  “Wow,” Levi’s jaw dropped when they joined them in the hall, “You look -,”

  “Stunning,” Ezra nodded, “your fiancé is a lucky man.”

  The sun shone brightly through the stained-glass panel in the front door, catching her skin in just the right way. As she looked in the hallway mirror, Joshua could see the nerves and excitement in her eyes.

  “He is,” she agreed, “C’mon, let’s go and get me married.”

  Ezra stood at the back of St. John of Jerusalem Church. He didn’t know anybody and Joshua and Levi were squashed up at the front after Joshua walked her down the aisle. He caught Joshua motioning for him to join him at the front but he pretended not to notice.

  “You may now kiss the bride,” the vicar announced triumphantly to rapturous applause.

  Ezra joined in and watched as Christopher wrapped his hands around Violet’s face. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place but Ezra’s mind was far from the wedding in front of him. He’d been stood in this very church three times before. Once for his own wedding, once for his daughter’s christening and once for his daughter’s funeral.

  The anniversary is tomorrow.

  He wiped away a tear, hiding it behind a fake smile for the happy bride and groom. After a quick photo opportunity, Joshua hurried to the back of the church with a tissue clamped in his hand.

  “I can’t believe I’m crying,” he laughed, “you should have come and sat at the front with me!”

  “It’s not really my place,” Ezra shrugged off his emotions.

  “You’re my plus one,” he said.

  Before they could take it any further, the guests started to empty into the church’s tiny porch and nobody seemed ready to go outside without the bride and groom.

  A middle-aged woman spotted Joshua and headed straight for him. Without even asking, Ezra could tell she was a Silverton. Her long hair was greying but he could imagine it being bright blonde in her youth.

  “You came!” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Joshua’s neck.

  “Auntie Jackie, I’ve been in London all month,” he laughed as they hugged.

  Jackie? Ezra had heard all about Jackie. She was Bill Silverton’s sister but their sibling bond didn’t stretch beyond cards on birthdays and phone calls at Christmas. Bill never had a nice word to say about her and just like Joshua, it was one of those unspoken topics.

  “And you haven’t been to visit me?” she held his shoulders as she looked him over from head to toe, “I can’t believe it’s you. You look so different. The hair! You need that cut!”

  There was a twinkle of Bill Silverton in her voice and it made Ezra laugh. It seemed that the Silverton family were all so much alike, which was starting to explain why they all seemed to fight so much.

  She looped her arm around Joshua’s and they slowly walked with the crowd outside, with Ezra trailing behind. Violet posed with her new husband outside the church and Ezra couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d seen Christopher somewhere before. He was handsome and worked in the city so he knew it was likely they had probably had a conversation at a meeting or a conference. I hope I
haven’t fucked him…

  “Ezra,” Violet motioned for him to join them, “get in.”

  “Oh,” he stepped back, “It’s okay, I’m -,”

  “Ezra?” Auntie Jackie wrinkled her nose, “I know that name from -,”

  “C’mon,” Joshua nodded, less enthusiastically, “just one photo.”

  Reluctantly, he tagged onto the end of the family photograph. Joshua slipped his arm around his waist and he did the same. The photographer snapped, checked the picture and then snapped again. When they were done, Ezra was about to walk out of the shot when Violet spoke.

  “Let’s get one of these two together,” Violet pushed Ezra and Joshua into the middle of the shot, “back off, Mum.”

  Christopher and Jackie stepped back, leaving Joshua and Ezra to stand awkwardly next to each other. He could feel the eyes of the guests watching them, wondering who they were to each other. It didn’t bother Ezra as much as he could feel it was bothering Joshua.

  “Get close,” Violet laughed, “you look so great together. You’re going to die when you see it.”

  Ezra looked to Joshua who was trying to smile but he couldn’t hide his nerves, “Let’s just do it and it’ll be over in a heartbeat.”

  His words seemed to calm Joshua and they looped their arms around each other’s waists for the photograph. By the third shot, Ezra felt Joshua relax in his arms and Ezra surprised himself by enjoying it.

  “Are you two -,” Jackie pointed to them both, with shock bright in her wrinkled eyes.

  “Leave it out, Mum,” Violet nudged her, “you look great.”

  As they all started heading towards their cars, Ezra and Joshua hung back. Ezra wasn’t sure why he needed to do this now but the urge was overwhelming.

  “I need to know where we stand,” Ezra said quietly, “are you leaving London, because if you are, I’d rather know now.”

  He hadn’t wanted the words to sound so abrasive but they did. Nerves built up in him as Joshua chewed the sides of his fingers.