Page 2 of Broken Promises (Soho Knights #5)

Within five minutes, they were outside a private hospital.

Of course Grant wouldn’t have taken him to the NHS.

He wasn’t the most patient man. He’d want Jason to be thoroughly checked over, and not just paid lip service.

Jason knew Grant loved him, but he missed the man he married.

There’d been a time when Jason had been the centre of Grant’s universe.

Now his work came first, and Jason knew that was important, even if he turned a blind eye to what his husband did for a living. It was easier to plead ignorance.

“Before we go in, you’re going to tell me what happened,” said Grant. “Then you’re going to explain why you didn’t tell me where you were going.”

Jason had known this was coming, but he’d hoped they’d be home so he could use his persuasive techniques to keep Grant distracted. It looked like he’d just have to do it now. He scooted over to his husband and sat in his lap. Grant chuckled, knowing what Jason was up to, but he didn’t stop him.

“Why don’t we check that you don’t have a concussion before you show me how sorry you are?”

Jason pouted and fluttered his eyelashes.

That always worked, and Grant was smirking at him.

He had to use his best asset, so he wriggled his arse on Grant’s lap, and could feel his husband was happy to see him.

Before he could refuse, Jason slipped into the footwell and unbuckled Grant’s trousers.

This was where Jason held all the power.

It had been a month since the disastrous visit to his mother in prison, and he hadn’t heard a peep from her. Grant had been furious when Jason explained what had happened. Grant said he would “deal with it,” and that Jason was to let him know if he heard from either his mother or stepfather.

Out of the last four weeks, Grant had been away for half that time, and when he had been home, he’d worked until late and had slept in the spare room as he didn’t want to disturb Jason.

Waking up alone was something Jason didn’t like, and he didn’t enjoy feeling so isolated.

He had colleagues at work, but no real friends.

Grant had warned Jason to be careful about making new friends, in case they were using him to get to his husband.

This had made Jason paranoid, so he didn’t befriend anyone.

The only exception was Jane, his boss. She didn’t know what Grant did for work, but she knew Jason’s parents were in prison and why.

It wasn’t something he shared with many people.

His four closest friends at university knew all about his past – well, the majority of it.

The only one who knew everything was Grant, and he’d threatened bodily harm to his parents, which Jason had asked him not to do.

He wasn’t sure why, other than that if he retaliated criminally, he would feel like he was no better than they were.

Jason met Jane for lunch at their favourite deli before taking their food to the docks.

It was a nice day for spring. The sun was out, but there was a chill when you were in the shade.

They watched the ships and ferries come in and leave the port as they talked about a restructure Jason was handling.

He was an HR Business Partner for an insurance firm in Liverpool, and Jane was ten years older than him and headed up the whole HR division.

As a queer woman, she was a huge role model to Jason.

It was a tough industry for women, let alone a queer one, and she was at the top of the tree.

“I’ve got some news,” she said.

“Should I be worried?”

“No. It’s a good thing. But I wanted to tell you myself before I tell the rest of the team.”

His heart sank, knowing where this was going.

“I’ve been offered a new role as Chief People Officer. This one sits on the exec, which shows how much they value the people agenda.”

That had always been a bugbear of Jane’s.

Her role did not have a seat at the top table, and reported to the Chief Operating Officer.

The guy had such a wide remit; he focussed his attention on data and tech because that was his background.

It gave Jane the autonomy she loved, but it meant she didn’t have a champion in the boardroom.

Jason was happy for her, but he also didn’t do well with change. At least she wouldn’t be accused of having favourites anymore if she wasn’t his boss, and he could see her as much as he wanted outside of work. If he was stuck on something, he’d still be able to bounce ideas around with her.

He had an awareness that Jane was still talking, but he was too in his head to make out what she was saying. There was a positive in all this, he rationalised. He could see Jane as often as he wanted, without her having any restrictions about overstepping the blurred line between friend and boss.

“You’ll have to come and visit me. You can pick up with your old uni friends.”

The words snapped him out of his spiralling thoughts.

“What do you mean by visit?”

“Were you even listening to me? The new job is in London.”

Jason didn’t hear another word she said after that. It felt like his world had just ended.

Jason felt like Jane had rejected him. It was irrational, but that was how his brain was wired.

She was leaving Jason. That was what was behind this all.

It wasn’t about an amazing new opportunity.

She’d abandoned Jason, just like everyone did.

Grant had arrived home and said he was going to Boston for two weeks to meet a business contact.

Did he offer Jason the opportunity to go with him?

No. He wouldn’t have been able to get that long off work at short notice anyway, but that was beside the point. It would have been nice to be asked.

So, here Jason was, on his own in this big house he’d never wanted, whilst his husband was doing god knows what in the States, and his best friend was abandoning him.

It was times like this when he really wanted to reach out to Charlie.

He loved all his former brothers, but nobody got him the way Charlie did.

They were the same age, and both hopeless romantics.

Now, Jason had the dream they’d talked about – a handsome, rich, older husband – but it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

They hadn’t even had sex in the last two weeks.

Jason had a high sex drive, and overused his dildo so much it had snapped.

Thankfully, it hadn’t been inside him at the time.

That would have been awkward at the hospital.

Jason opened his phone and scrolled to his secret folder, where he was met by all the apps he’d downloaded a few months ago.

He hadn’t acted on anything, but anonymously flirting with other guys made him feel better about himself.

He didn’t send his face pictures to anyone.

If it got back to Grant, he didn’t even want to imagine what would happen.

Jason jumped when there was a knock at the front door.

He closed the apps down and went to answer it.

The police were on the other side – a male and female officer.

“We’re looking for a Jason Morris,” said the guy.

“That’s me.”

They both removed their hats and asked to come in. His heart pounded in his chest. Had something happened to Grant, and Jason had just been looking through dating apps?

“Is there anybody else home?” asked the woman.

“Er . . . no. My husband is away on business.”

“Okay. You might want to call him shortly.”

That means he’s not dead. Then who the fuck is dead? Oh. My. God. Is it Charlie? Has something happened to one of my brothers, and all I’ve done for the past four years is ignore them?

“Mr Morris, did you hear me?” asked the man.

“Sorry, I zoned out for a second. I have ADHD.”

He had no idea why he felt the need to tell the world that whenever he did something he felt he was being judged for. All he did was make an awkward situation worse.

“Are you related to Harry Parker?” asked the woman .

“He’s my da – stepdad. He’s my stepdad.”

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. Would you like to sit down?” she asked.

Jason shook his head. What had happened?

“A fellow prisoner attacked Mr Parker. The attack was fatal.”

“He’s dead?” asked Jason, unsure how to react.

“Yes. We’re very sorry for your loss.”

That was it. Jason did something completely inappropriate to the situation; he burst out laughing.

The funeral was a week later. Grant refused to come back for it, and questioned why Jason was even attending.

He wasn’t sure what the answer to that question was, but he felt like he needed to be certain the monster was gone.

Somebody had killed him in prison, but nobody had been arrested for it.

Given what his stepfather was in prison for, the authorities said it was a surprise it had taken this long for someone to off him.

Jane was attending with him, and he was grateful.

He still hadn’t fully processed that she was leaving, though.

She’d suggested he go for her role once they advertised it.

There was no way he was ready for that, but he appreciated her vote of confidence in him.

As he walked up to the crematorium, his stomach dropped.

The last person he’d been expecting to see here was his mum.

He wasn’t sure why. She’d still been married to him, so of course she would be here.

She was handcuffed to an officer, who was trying to not stand out.

Difficult to achieve in a screw’s uniform, but she was trying her best. Jason didn’t want to speak to her, but she’d seen him and waved him over.

He gripped onto Jane’s arm for strength and walked over.

“Who’s this? Where’s your husband?”

“Jane’s a friend of mine. ”

“I see. And where is Grant?”

“Away on business. He wasn’t able to get back for this.”

“I bet he couldn’t.”

“What do you mean by that?”