Man after Midnight
A Sequel to Interlude
"Is this going to be a regular thing huh?"
The less than subtle tones of one Simon Walker disturb your very Zen like mood.
"What you complaining about now Walker?" You do your best at being off hand, which is never a hard thing where he's concerned.
"You Brendan, all this…"
He sweeps his hand up and down in front of you as he reaches the bar.
"You're acting all happy and let me tell you my friend, happiness…it's not you, it's not natural, and quite frankly Brady it's scaring the staff"
That causes a chuckle deep in your throat.
"You all been having a mothers meeting huh Simon?" Putting down the bottle of vodka you are currently having a fight with you smirk at him.
"And what is it that gives you…..and the staff…the impression I'm happy?" You couldn't fill your voice with any more fake shock.
Simon very quietly reaches across the bar to lay his hand against your wrist, whilst his mouth gets up close to your ear to all but whisper…
"You're humming Britney Mr Badass"
Your expression must have registered on your face quicker than you could get the words out as it has Simon pulling back and almost falling to his knees with laughter. Fucking Fucker.
"Your face, I never thought I'd see the day, this, this is fucking priceless" Again with the hand.
Resisting the urge to rearrange his face you manage to pull yourself together, but not quick enough for Simon to have his fill unfortunately.
"Britney your guilty pleasure Brendan, do you have all her albums in pride of place on your shelve at home? Forgive me my dear friend but I was under the impression it was the rather delectable twink I had the pleasure of meeting the other night who was defiantly more your type of guilty pleasure than Britney if you know what I mean"
For a moment you reconsider resisting the urge, that smug look on his face is crying out to be flattened.
"Jealous are we Walker?"
"Ha, I wouldn't say jealous, I prefer my men with more muscle, something to grab onto, but I must say I can certainly see the appeal of that blonde's pretty little arse"
You've reached across the bar grabbing his shirt before he can even blink.
"Simon, Simon, Simon"
Every bit of your menacing face is up in his.
"Two very important rules for you to follow, that's if you don't want to spend the next thirty years taking your meals through a straw…"
There's a quick flicker on his face that shows he's taking you seriously, that he should take you seriously.
"Number One that blond has a name, Steven"
You make sure to say it nice and slow.
"And two he is off limits….Permanently"
The venom dripping off you as you release him makes Simon take a step back. You will not have anyone disrespecting Steven, under any circumstances, even if it is just a bit of fun. The possessiveness that burns within you is almost overpowering.
It takes Simon all of a second to regain his usual composure. "Okay Okay, I get the message….for now…..but who knows what the future holds"
He's back laughing as he starts to walk away.
"A little bit possessive over the boy there Brendan" The arsehole winks as he walks.
"I don't want to have to kill you Walker!" You shout after him.
"Never gonna happen Brady, you love me too much"
"Fuck off wanker"
As he is heading back across the dance floor you suddenly remember.
"Simon"
He spins back on his heal looking at you curiously.
"Steven is coming in tonight, so let him straight in and call me yeah?"
An evil smirk lights up his face.
"This is worse than I thought. Are you like….. dating Brendan?" the mocking bastard shouts across the whole bloody club making several staff members stop what they are doing.
"I mean it, I don't mind doing 10 to 15 to get rid of your annoying arse"
"Yeah yeah, you'd miss me. Don't worry I've got lover boy covered" He salutes you mockingly as he takes his leave.
Thank fuck him and his mouth are out the door, you make a mental note to get him back later.
"Mr Brady you boyfriend is here, shall I send him up?"
"Think you're funny don't yah?" You practically growl into the phone.
"Hilarious, now where do you want him?"
Yep he does absolutely nothing to hide the innuendo, some days you really really can't remember why you put up with him.
"Send him to bar two, I will meet him there"
"Yes your lordship"
You press end on the call as it's the only way to deal with Simon Walker when hes in a teasing mood. The mans like a dog with a bone. It's going to be a long while before you hear the end of this.
Without realising it you are up and checking how your look in the mirror on your office wall before leaving, what the fuck is that all about? You sigh at yourself taking a minute, this is so far away from the usual you it's frightening, you should have a word with yourself, act like the Brendan they all know and love, but then a certain blond pops up in your head and that's all it takes for the doubts to quieten down, yeah fuck it you think as you head off to find Steven.
Walking up to bar two you can feel an odd fluttering in your chest, one that you really do not want to analyse because you fear what it tells you about the man, it makes you more than a little terrified.
Jesus Brady man the fuck up.
Of course that fake bravado flies out the window the second you spot Steven walking up to the bar, you had him go to this one as it's a little quieter that the large main one, but it's still packed being a Friday and close to midnight, pretty much peak time, not that he has any trouble, the sea around him parts and you swear to god that both the women and men turn to take a look at him, their faces a mirror reflection of yours. Hes fucking perfection, that small but very firm body highlighted by the slim white shirt, and dear god his arse in those skinny jeans, the sight makes you want to pull him into you and run away with him so no one else gets to see what you're seeing. Throw in the sandy blond styled hair and you Brendan Brady are a complete and utter gonna. Once again you are seriously beginning to think this boy could be the end of you.
Sliding up to his back you carefully arch in as not to make him jump, without even saying a word your presence around him has Steven leaning back into you like he just knew you were there. Wrapping an arm around his waist to pull him closer you growl into his ear…
"I could have been anyone, should I be worried?" You swear he moves his arse up against you on purpose.
"I knew it was you, somehow I can always tell it is you" It comes out like a secret whisper and it has your heart soaring in your chest and a groan escaping your lips.
You have to kiss his neck, you can't help it. He smells of citrus.
"Drink?"
"Vodka and coke please"
Regrettably you have to release him to get to the bar.
Jazz is immediately in front of you asking for your order, she looks run off her feet. While she reaches back to the optics you do a quick head count, the bar is two down.
"Why are you light Jazz?"
"Ally's had to go over to one and Josh is restocking"
That is not what you wanted to hear, with this crowd a short team is going to be slowed down too much for your liking. Why the hell does this happen when Steven is within kissing distance in your club?
Passing him his drink you gently guide him to the side.
"Steven, I'm sorry about this but I'm going to have to fill in, we are two staff down, it should be only 20, 30 minutes tops.
He has every right to be disappointed after all you did ask him here, but with everything Steven he surprises once again.
"Need a hand?"
You know what he said but it fuddles your brain for a moment.
"What sorry, hand?" pretty sure you are sounding stupid at this precise second.
He laughs at you whilst patting his hand against your chest.
"Yes Brendan, you know, a hand behind the bar. You said you are two down, and there's two of us so…"
"You know how too…."
"Bren I work in a restaurant"
"As a chef"
"Yeah well I had to pull a lot of pints and make all sorts of cocktails before I even got a look in at the kitchen"
His smile is beautiful, his enthusiasm infectious.
"You don't have too, you've just finished work…"
"Hey stop that, I want to, I really don't mind helping you"
The fucking tease trails his finger over your chest to make his point. You quickly tell yourself not to think about that and get the next half an hour over so you can see exactly how much he likes helping you.
"Alright boy wonder, show me your skills" You growl against his ear.
"Not a problem, and Brendan, just so you know I've been told my sex on the beach is unrivalled"
The filthy look he gives you as he strides away has you readjusting yourself instinctively.
Oh yeah boy this should be fun.
The boys a bloody natural. Smiles with the customers has a cheeky flirt with the ladies, banter with the boys. You've seen him add to the tip jar on the back shelf several times. Seeing him work so seamlessly makes you both want to employ him and lay him over the bar in equal measures.
When the ladies try to chat him up, and several have, he's an effortless gentleman kindly refusing their offers, you inwardly smirk at their loss, yeah you may even be a little bit gleeful. It's when a lad of a similar age tries it on with Steven when he's no more than three feet away from you that really pisses you off, it's all you can do not you reach out and rip the man's teeth out the way he is smiling at your boy.
Momentarily blinded by rage you almost miss the feather like touch of Steven's fingers rolling across the back of your hand that's suddenly near him. It's like he knew how worked up you were getting and instantly calmed you with his touch.
"Sorry mate taken" He polity tells the guy whilst giving you the briefest of smiles, you swear your chest almost explodes.
Not even the fresh wave of 20s being flown in your face can stop the warm that's swelling inside you.
Both of you are behind the bar longer than you expected, to his credit Steven looks like he's actually enjoying himself, the staff and him hitting it off in an instant, laughing, working seamlessly, you however know you are not at your bar keeping best simply because you can't keep your eyes off him, especially when the naughty wee fucker slides up in front of you to get to the beer tap, it's all you can do not to drop two Bacardi and cokes in a poor lasses chest as he grinds that perfect arse up against your dick.
Your dick almost sighs in appreciation behind the confines of your suit trousers, much more of this and you would seriously consider hauling everyone out and testing the bar thing, he's certainly limber enough. You groan, not helping yourself here you idiot.
"You alright there Bren?" He shouts over the incessant noise of the club.
"Huh?" Yep his arse is effecting your brain cells as well.
"The coke, you've not started the tap" again with his cute laughter.
"Someone is distracting me" Starting the tap you lean into him, you just can't help it "someone is a very very bad barman"
That only makes the tempting devil lean further back into you so you have to lean around him, his arse fitting too perfectly and too snug up to you groin making you throw caution to the wind, instead of moving back as you guess he expected you too play him at his game and take your free hand and grasp onto his hip pulling him further in, making sure to press your rapidly filling dick up tight against the seam in his jeans. He didn't expect that if the low rumble in his chest is anything to go by. As your lips come up to his ear that rumble makes it all the way to his throat.
"Fraternising with the boss Steven? You are setting a very bad example for my employees, I may have to discipline you"
His little sigh doesn't escape your notice.
Taking that hand you slowly brush a trail from his hip to his the buttons on his jeans, it a fucking good thing he's pressed up against the bar otherwise the punters would be having one hell of a show. Until now he'd been able to carry on making his drink, but he more than stutters as you play with the buttons on those perfectly snug jeans. The tip of his tongue comes out to slowly lick on his bottom lip just before he pulls on it with his teeth, as you take just the one finger and slowly rub against his now fully awake dick he lights up a beautiful shade of pink…
"…..sometime today would be good"
And just like that you are pulled back into the world around you. Fucking customers.
Steven just as quickly shakes his head and gets back in the game, but not before leaning into you his hot breath against your ear.
"You are a very very bad man Brendan Brady, expect payback later"
And with that he walks off to give the customer their drink, leaving you with a mind full of dirty thoughts and an aching hard dick.
The 30 minutes ended up being nearly an hour, not that you noticed with Steven all around you.
He's standing at the back corner of the bar with a much needed drink in hand. He's hot from working, his white shirt sticking all the more closely to his perfect body and his hair is just the right side of messy, you really need to hurry and get this night over with so you can get him home and get started on him. The need to taste every inch of that hot sweaty skin is intoxicating.
As thoughts of peeling him out of that sticky shirt does crazy things to you, you chance a glance at him, fuck he looks beautiful. Just as you are about to march over and thoroughly kiss him one of your staff grabs your attention, as you throw a finger in Steven's direction to indicate you will be only a minute his entire face lights up and he throws you the most cheeky grin you think you have ever seen, for a second you are puzzled, but then your ears which are always well trained not to notice whatever music the DJ is putting out pick up the unmistakable club mix of Cher's Gimme Gimme Gimme, from none other than Mamma Mia, the little bugger looks you straight in the eye laughing at you from across the bar, you swear he mouths the words our song, before shimmering ever so provocatively to the dance floor to join in. All the while keeping those eyes on you.
The fucking fucker!
If you thought he was hot before a dancing Steven should be considered a sin fuck fuck fuck. The sight of him moving to the music is provocative, everything about it, his raised arms that enable the tinniest glance of his treasure trail as he shirt slightly lifts, to the most perfect arse moving in those lethal jeans. Your dick at the sight of him is hard enough to hammer nails.
Jesus Christ it's all you can do not to march over there and drag him to the nearest available surface. Hell it doesn't even have to be available.
The member of the bar staff who grabbed your attention may as well be speaking a foreign language, because you are paying zero attention. All you blood has rushed south at break neck speed, you're not sure if it's that making you dizzy or the x rated show your boy is very sneakily putting on for you.
"….so shall I do that Brendan?"
Ummmm. What? Yep brain cells defiantly gone, you are sure there's a voice next to your ear. It takes a second before you realise what it is and reluctantly turn back in the direction of the voice….arh yes…staff…something or other.
"What's that?"
"The guy throwing out 50s, get Simon to have a look?"
Under normal circumstances you are sure this would have been of some importance to you but right now it's just time spent not watching your boy, stupidly you glance back to him only to see the chancer from the bar earlier sliding up behind him.
OH NO…..FUCK NO…..NOT HAPPENING
In the blink of an eye you leave your barman, who is no doubt confused, and strut straight to the dance floor. This, oh fuck no, this right here is not happening in your club! and you don't mean the gay thing as you've always prided yourself on all your clubs being open to everyone and you don't put up with any discrimination, you're gay, why would you? No it's not that, it's the fucker thinking he has a hope in hell with Steven, even after being told he's very much taken. As you storm up to the front of your man you take your hands and push boyo back as far away from Stevens back as possible, the idiot looks like he's going to argue until you lean down and take Stevens perfect plump lips into a toe curling kiss making sure to keep your eyes trained on lado, ….that's right mate get the message, you think before your brain becomes useless as Stevens tongue comes out to play. And then the world disappears. Eyes closing you roll your tongue along his as you pull his hips towards you so you are pressed together from toes to shoulders, your hands moving to cup his delectable arse as he grinds his rock hard dick against yours to the music, you may be dancing, you may be putting on a porno show, you have no idea as you are completely lost to him, everything in the moment is about tasting, feeling and owning this one man. Lado is forgotten. As he gasps into your mouth his sinful body has awakened every molecule within yours, coming up for much needed air Steven smiles at you, all pink puffy lips and rosy cheeks, you think there cannot be a better sight.
As he leans in to whisper in your ear you can't resist running your tongue along his jaw.
"Brendan are you dancing with me to a song from Mamma Mia?"
Pulling back the look he gives you is pure evil, you shut him up with a kiss. You can taste the laughter on his tongue.
Reluctantly as the song ends for a more headache inducing monstrosity you both naturally pull apart, both of you a flushed mess, leading him from the dance floor you make sure to hold him close, his little kisses along your neck making you warm inside.
Of course that doesn't last as you make you way to the bar as one Simon Walker is smirking at you like hes fucking won the lottery, oh for fucks sake.
"Quite a show Brendan…..quite. A. show" He adds a few claps for good measure.
"Shut it" Are the only words you give him as you lead Steven out of his way.
Shit, you've just put on a bloody show, in your own bloody club. This here is what this man does to you, makes you not give a damn. Never in your life have you shown this side of Brendan Brady, the personal side, oh fuck me, dare you say a softer side? Fuck you don't even dance! You wait for the dread to roll in, the familiar itch to claw at your skin at being this venerable. But none of that happens, the lightness is still there, the smile on your lips, that strange but oh so comfortable feeling in your chest, all of it is wrapped up in Steven and the beautiful wide smile he is throwing your way.
He knows, you can see it in his eyes, the surprise that you didn't lock your walls back up and run a mile. For some unknown reason he understands you, it's wonderful and shocking at the same time.
It makes you want him all the more.
"I don't care" you whisper against his ear, before taking that beautiful smile into a thoroughly dirty kiss. His little whimper against your lip lights you up. Reluctantly breaking the kiss you tug him towards your office so you can get your stuff and get the hell out of there, but then fucking Walker throws cold water on your plans.
"The guy throwing out 50s is as dumb as shit, he's dealing and parading the money about."
Oh for fucks sake! You literally growl in frustration.
"Police?"
"On route, I have the little jumped up wannabe in the office, Red and Mal are making him comfortable while he waits."
You don't miss the smirk.
"okay, okay, I'm coming" you couldn't sound more enthusiastic if you tried, but you don't have a choice, drugs on your property, not happening, and you are sure as shit going to reinforce that number one rule to the fuck wit who thinks he can deal under Brendan Brady's nose.
Pulling Steven close you rest your forehead against his in an apology.
"I'm going to have to…."
"I know, dont worry, you need to go deal with it, I can get a cab home"
"NO!" You almost shout pulling back to look at him.
"Simon, get Steven a cab to mine, and you put him in it okay?"
Simon sighs but nods.
"Bren…."
"Nope not happening, you're mine tonight, do you understand me?"
"Yes, but" he smiles at you whilst the faintest blush rises on his cheeks. Grabbing your keys out of your pocket you hand them to Steven.
"I'll text you the alarm code, have a shower, drink my beer, make yourself comfortable until I get home, okay"
You don't miss the throat clearing behind you, you spin a glare at Simon who just shakes his head at you, arsehole.
"Okay Steven?" you are aware he hasn't yet agreed, you really really want him to agree.
"Okay, Bren, I'll go, see you later yeah?"
"You bet your life on it boy"
You make sure to plant a hard kiss against his lips.
"Right, Simon, he's all yours"
"Arh Brendan, so soon?"
You flick him the finger as he walks up beside Steven and leads him away. Rolling your shoulders you get your head back in the game. That little dealing prick is not going to know what hit him, he has seriously fucked up your plans, his only hope is the police response time isn't too long tonight.
It took two fucking hours, one for the police to arrive and another thirty minutes for the wee fucker to plead assault at you and your boys, as you polity informed the officers you cannot be responsible for the misfortunes of alcohol, there's a lot of steps in this club, people should take more care.
This night with Steven has not gone as planned. As you put the spare key in the lock you hope he managed to go to sleep since you texted him after the first hour to tell him there was no chance of you getting out of there soon, turns out you were right, it's pretty much morning as you finally make it home.
The whole place is quiet as you walk in, there's a table lamp on next to the sofa, which you know you never left on, Steven must have done that so it wasn't dark when you got in. That little gesture makes your heart do funny things.
So as not to wake him you make quick work of a much needed shower in the main bathroom, before going to find him. And find him you do. As you open your bedroom door the light casts a glow across the bed all the way to Steven, who is tucked up against your pillow sleeping softly. Momentarily you can't breathe at the sight, he looks beautiful.
Quietly making it to the bed you have one more look before slipping silently against him, he's wearing one of your t shirts and you love it.
"Bren" he mumbles with sleep.
"Yeah baby, I'm home….go back to sleep" You gently whisper against his hair.
"Kay"
Before you even have a chance to pull him close, Steven has snuggled his whole body up against you, resting his head against your shoulder whilst throwing his arm across your chest. You squeeze him into you and lightly kiss his head, he's soft and sleep warm. As you drift to sleep the last thing you think is he smells of your shower gel, and it couldn't be more perfect, he couldn't be more perfect.