A/N

Shorter chapter than usual as the last one was split, still Brendan POV.

Chapter 8

The Business hotel that Brendan picked in Chester had two restaurants, one was your stereotypical type of hotel restaurant, large, clean, minimalistic, nice enough food. The second was located at the back of the hotel, in the part that was a converted listed building in complete juxtaposition to the modern build of the main part of the hotel. This restaurant was in an old cellar, it was intimate, with a great wine list and a small yet perfectly cultivated menu to suit its charm, expensive and romantic. It was no surprise which one Brendan booked for them to have their meal in.

There were only about 20 tables in the entire room, mainly tables for two placed in nooks and crannies around the cellar, each had one or two tall candlesticks placed in old champagne bottles lit. The lack of windows in the restaurant made it feel intimate and easy to forget they were having dinner at only 5pm.

Brendan studied every part of Steven he could see, from his coiffed hair, arched brows and slender neck down to his long limbs, It was then he noticed his right arm bandaged up.

"What happened there?" he gestured his head toward Stevens arm and the boy looked down at it before swallowing hard.

"Nuffin, it's cut, tripped over Lucas' toys and landed on a glass" the boy didn't make eye contact.

"Looks like a lot of bandaging for a cut"

Steven shrugged "dunno, they just did it at the hospital. It's fine"

Brendan decided not to tell him that he should be more careful, look after himself better, Steven never reacted well to Brendan's mollycoddling.

Steven kept looking around the room at the other tables, craning his neck to see what they were eating and then back to the menu, he barely looked Brendan in the eye. It would have been easy for Brendan to assume this was the boy's continuing strop, but he seemed nervous, out of sorts, not himself. Brendan, on the other hand was relaxed, leaning back slightly with his forearms resting on the table cloth, his legs spread wide under the table, he already knew what he'd be having so he didn't bother to look at the menu, he clicked his fingers at one of the waiters who hurried over to them.

"It's always easier with a bit of pressure" he whispered to Steven as the waiter appeared.

'I'll have the steak, rare, chips and asparagus, peppercorn sauce on the side. We'll share a bottle of Merlot"

The waiter nodded and looked at Steven expectedly.

"Erm, i think i'll just have the salmon please" He said closing the menu.

"I've had that here before, it wasn't very good" Brendan looked at the waiter "he'll have the steak"

"No, i'll have the Salmon ta" Steven repeated forcefully, not breaking eye contact with Brendan.

Stubborn little so and so.

Brendan shrugged and conceded and the waiter retreated.

There was a somewhat uncomfortable silence between them, Steven still refused to look at Brendan. Time for Brendan to start with his charm and seduction.

"Are you all set for Monday?"

"Are you asking as a silent partner?" there was a hint of disdain in Steven's voice.

"I'm asking as a friend, if i can"

Steven huffed out a laugh. "Yeah, the electrician finished up yesterday. Last minute food prep tomorrow, doors open monday"

"Well here's to that" Brendan held up his wine glass and Steven slowly picked up his glass and clinked it lightly against his. "Slainte"

"I am happy for you, you know?"

Steven looked into Brendan's eyes with a fierceness "Why did you do it? The loan, the deli, what are you getting out of this?"

Brendan shifted uncomfortably, Maybe Steven wasn't going to be as easy to sweet talk as he'd imagined.

"Because I want the best for you, even if you don't believe me. I had nothing to do with you not getting the bank loan, that wasn't my fault, but i saw how excited you were about this and i wanted to help"

Steven held his gaze but didn't speak, he was trying to work out if he was lying or not.

"Be honest with me, is this one of your games? Is it going to turn into some sort of punishment or payback? Because I'm telling you Brendan I can't go through all this again, the games, can they ple-" His voice broke and he took a deep breath "can they please just stop?"

Brendan probably shouldn't be shocked at that, but he couldn't help but be. He'd done plenty of manipulating and game playing before with Steven, but it was always with the same aim, to get Steven, it was never to hurt him or punish him, it wasn't mindless toying, he did these things because he wanted Steven to be his, because he belonged to him. Why did Steven think it was any different now?

"Punish you for what? I've dished out plenty of payback in my time but it's never been in the form of an eighty thousand pound loan"

The boy was silent, he looked at the floor and away from the irishman.

"You sacked me, you hit me again, you hated me" he mumbled

"I've never hated you, never" Brendan retorted quickly with conviction. He didn't really want to have to explain the other stuff right now, why he'd needed Steven gone from the club, why he'd not been able to control his temper when Declan was over. How he'd really wanted to hit himself but instead transferred that on to the boy. It was a conversation they probably needed to have, but not now, everything was far too fragile now.

"Are you and Simon together?"

What?! Where the hell had that come from? What did this have to do with Walker?

Brendan laughed "No, no. where did you get that from? He works for me that's all"

Steven was still studying his face intently.

"I saw you"

"Saw what?" asked in confusion

Steven took a deep breath "I saw you together, yesterday, in the club"

Realisation hit Brendan like a ton of bricks, he saw them together. Steven saw Brendan and Walker fucking in the club. This was bad, this was very bad. Why had he been at the bloody club? How had Brendan not noticed someone had come in, of all the fucking people! Brendan was fighting with everything he had to remain calm and not show any of his thoughts on his face.

"Like i said, he works there" deny deny deny.

"You know what i'm talking about" Steven was looking at the table now, no longer able to keep eye contact with him.

Brendan began bouncing his leg and drumming his fingers in agitation as he leaned forward to try and capture Stevens' attention again "Look Steven, it was nothing, what you saw was nothing. It means nothing"

Steven still wouldn't look at him

God he was going to have to be honest " Walker, it's a long story but i know him from -"

At that moment the waiter appeared and placed their plates in front of them, two plates of steak, chips and asparagus, no salmon to be seen. Steven looked at his plate and then up at Brendan.

Brendan tried to give him a smile but it was a guilty one, this was bad timing.

"I've had the fish here before, it's really not very good, the steak's much better"

It probably wasn't the best idea to go to the waiter and change Stevens order, especially when he'd been so adamant, but he always used to let Brendan pick off the menu for him and Brendan had eaten here before, the steak was better!

Steven stared at his meal, gave a small nod and a tight resigned smile before looking up at the waiter

"Where are the toilets?"

The waiter pointed to the staircase that led to the toilets upstairs on the ground floor.

"I need the loo me" Steven said as he stood

"You ok?" Brendan grabbed Steven's hand. He gave a barely there nod before turning and heading for the stairs.

Brendan topped up their glasses with the rest of the bottle of merlot and sat back waiting for Steven to return before starting his meal. He thought about how he was going to explain Walker to Steven, how he was going to get himself out of this hole. He'd sack Walker, he'd have to, Walker had been a good addition to the club for the most part, but Steven now knew on top of all the business with Cheryl - well he just isn't worth having around anymore. He tried to imagine what Steven had actually seen, which bit he'd walked in on, it made Brendan shudder. Fuck this was bad, but he was going to get himself out of it.

Brendan fidgeted in his seat, continuously looking around the restaurant at the stairs, it had been ten minutes. Ten minutes turned into fifteen, which turned into twenty, he pulled out his phone and dialled Steven's number, no answer.

He'd gone.

—-

The sounds of Johnny Cash filled the club as Brendan slumped on the sofa with his head propped up on the arm, glass full of whisky balanced on his chest with a straw conveniently positioned so he didn't have to raise his head to drink. 12pm on a Monday here is happy hour somewhere he thought to himself.

After Steven had bailed on him on Saturday, Brendan had finished his meal, seen off another bottle of red to himself and then retreated to the hotel room he'd already booked and paid for. He forgot he'd requested a bottle of chilled champagne and strawberries too, pathetic eejit. He wasn't very good at not getting his way and Steven wasn't bending like he was meant to, he knows he has some peculiar ways, but he's doing all this for Steven. Why can't Steven let him love him like he wants to, look after him the only way he knows how.

He drank and pondered what it was that had made Steven flee, was it the Deli ownership? Walker? The steak? All of the above? Deep down he knew he should leave Steven alone for a bit, let him cool off, let the dust settle, but he doubted he'd have the self restraint to do so. The queue outside the deli this morning had been big enough to put Brendan off going in, he wouldn't be able to say what he wanted to. He'd spent most of the morning standing on the club balcony watching the ebb and flow of customers, waiting for a lul so he could go down and bully the yank out and talk to Steven, it hadn't come yet.

Walker came bounding up the stairs with a coffee cup in hand 'Carter and Hay' written on the cup, Brendan eyed it curiously, Steven had probably made that. Walker caught him looking

"Grabbed it from Ste's new place, just opened"

"I know" he drawled

"Want some? Triple espresso"

"Got all i need here" Brendan raised his whisky glass

"So where were you Saturday night?"

"Why? You miss me?"

"I could barely get through the night without you" Walker replied sarcastically. "You're never not here on a saturday night, whether you're on the rota or not"

"It's my club, I come and go as I please, Walker."

"Oh dear, so who do we have to thank for this sparkling mood then?" Walker grinned as he perched on a bar stool.

That reminded Brendan, time to get rid of Walker.

"Walker, i've been thinking, we've got too many staff now Ash is back and fighting fit, so maybe time for you to move on"

"Oh something really has got you rattled hasn't it?" Walker replied with an amused look on his face.

Brendan flung his legs off the sofa, sat up and stalked toward the bar leaning on his elbow inches away from Waker. He filled up the glass with whisky and offered the bottle to Walker who shook his head.

"So come on, what is it?"

For once Brendan decided that the truth was a good enough answer here, Walker wasn't an emotional guy, he'd understand why he was a problem and had to go.

"Steven"

"Ste?" a strange look washed over Simon's face but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared. Brendan paid little attention to it.

"He knows about….us" Brendan motioned slowly between the two of them with his index finger

"Us?... Oh, oh I see. And how does he know about that?"

"He saw us on friday. In here"

"Lucky boy, people would pay good money for that show"

"If you say so, but now i need you gone"

Walker nodded in understanding, he raised off the bar stool and rounded the bar, pulling out a bottle of beer for himself, he seemed to be mulling the situation over. He took a swig of the bottle and leant on the bar in thought.

"Jealousy is it?" Walker broke the silence.

A smile twitched at the sides of Brendans mouth "Steven isn't jealous of you"

"Maybe not, maybe it's you he's jealous of" he mused

Brendan fixed him with a steady gaze "What are ya talking about?"

"In the interest of honesty, Ste and I, we had a thing" Walker settled his eyes on Brendan and watched him intently.

Brendan's stomach felt like it was in a vice-like grip, his breathing was quickening, his heartbeat was beginning to pulse in his ears. There's no way, no way on earth.

"Well thing is dressing it up, it was a one night stand. When he helped me move, we had a few beers, few shots, one thing lead to another - you get the jist"

Brendan wanted to fly across the bar and smash Walker's face into it, wanted to rip his lying tongue from his mouth and stamp on it, but deep down Brendan knew he wasn't lying, something about the look in his eye, his smug face. He thought back to that night at the dog when the air had been thick with tension between them, how Steven had barely taken his eyes off Walker when Brendan tried to talk to him. He thought about Saturday at the restaurant, when Steven had asked him if he was seeing Walker, had admitted to seeing them going at it, was he Jealous? Was he angry? Was it Walker he wanted?

Since when did Steven have one night stands, since when did he sleep with someone he barely knew, that wasn't his Steven, how many others had there been?

His grip on his whisky glass was so tight he thought it was about to smash in his hand, his cheek twitching incessantly. He was trying his hardest not to show his rage to Walker but he knew he was failing.

"Look, I'm going to leave you to it today. I'll switch some shifts around and work later in the week, give you some…time. If it helps, neither of us knew you were a common denominator. Just one of those things Brendan". Walker coolly moved around the bar and descended the stairs, not glancing back once.

—-

It was beginning to get dark and there was a chill in the air, Brendan had dragged himself back to his spot on the balcony where his eyes had been glued to the deli shop window. He was on about his 8th large glass of whisky now, replaying Walkers words in his head over and over again, we had a thing, a one night stand, maybe he's jealous of you, Brendan launched his glass into the club yard before rapidly descending the stairs and making his way over to the deli. He was too drunk for this, the smart thing to do would be to wait until he had sobered up, got all the facts and thought about his next move, but his rage, jealousy, disappointment and the whisky were leading this show now.

Carter and Hay had just closed and the pair of them were tidying up after their first day of successful business as he watched them laughing and joking with one another. The door was still unlocked despite the 'closed' sign so Brendan strode straight in allowing the door to slam behind him. Steven was sweeping the floor whilst Doug was cleaning the coffee machine, they both stopped what they were doing to stare at him before Steven rolled his eyes.

'"Douglas, leave."

Doug stood gormlessly with the cloth in his hand and looked at Steven who had already gone back to his task.

"Oh hi guys, well done on your first day of business, hope it all went well, really pleased for you" Steven said cynically.

"I won't tell you again Douglas" Brendan spoke as menacingly as he could. The tone caused Steven to turn and take notice.

Doug looked between the pair, waiting for Steven's move. Steven looked at him and gave him a small nod. "See you tomorrow"

Doug removed and hung his apron whilst taking his coat and putting it on, his eyes continuously darted between Steven and Brendan with nerves. The air was thick with tension, the sound of the door bell as it closed behind Doug did nothing to dispel that tension. Brendan and Steven continued to stare at each other, a Mexican standoff.

"You really don't like steak" Brendan's words were cold.

Ste smirked angrily "You'll never change, 'yeah i'll be silent partner' whatever. If you ain't in control you ain't happy. I know you booked a double room, i know what you were planning"

Brendan couldn't help but huff out a laugh. Yesterday he would have apologised for being so presumptuous. Yesterday he would have sworn he was just being hopeful, not that he was planning every little detail of his seduction plan to a tee. But that was yesterday, and yesterday he didn't know that Steven was sleeping with randoms.

Young Steven was playing the offended little virgin card and Brendan was the big bad wolf trying to get his wicked way. Well Steven didn't know that he knew his secret, but he was about to.

"You know i have to say, i was surprised when i found out, didn't have you down for the type"

Steven's anger morphed into confusion "What you on about?"

"When he told me, I didn't think you had it in you. But I guess i had you wrong eh?"

Steven still looked at him puzzled. He's good at looking innocent, Brendan had to give him that.

"I know Steven. I know about you and Walker"

Brendan kept his eyes on Stevens as he enunciated each word, he scrutinised every facial movement and emotion that flickered over his face.

Steven paled, his adams apple bobbed dramatically as he swallowed hard and his breath faltered, he always was a useless liar. The guilt was written all over his face.

'What?" he choked out

"Walker told me everything. How you helped him move flat, how you stayed and had some drinks with him and then how you let him fuck you. A man you barely knew."

"No" Steven whispered

"Is that what your little mood yesterday was about? Were you jealous that I had my wicked way with him, you didn't want to share? You should have asked to join in, as we're all so well acquainted" Brendan was being a bastard now, saying things he certainly didn't mean, but he was angry and drunk and he was out to wound, like he'd been wounded.

Steven's eyes were beginning to fill with tears. Always playing the victim.

"Got nothing to say for yourself? Aw are you going to cry? Say it was a mistake? Or maybe you're going to tell me you love him, we both know how easily you say those words"

The boy opened his mouth, closing it again almost as quickly. Brendan was so mad he almost missed just how much Steven was shaking, good he hoped he was ashamed of himself.

When Brendan's hands started to twitch by his sides he knew it was time to leave, spiteful words he could come back from, if he used his fists it might not be so easy. He blew out a sharp breath and spun on his heels to look out of the Deli window, he couldn't stand to look at Steven right now.

"Please" it was a barely there whisper that came from behind him.

He chose to ignore it.

"Walkers welcome to you" and with that parting shot Brendan stormed out of the Deli and into the night.