Page 24 of Broken Promises (Soho Knights #5)
Jason had seen a few lingering glances from Gabriel towards Simon.
He was definitely his friend’s type. Gabriel went for older men in the hope they’d be tops, but as soon as they saw what he was packing, they had their legs over their head.
It would be good for him to have a crush on someone else and stop pining for his sister’s fiancé.
But now he was thinking about his boss? Did Gabriel only want complicated?
It was like a romance series of forbidden love stories. Hopefully he didn’t have a stepbrother!
“Simon gives off alpha dom-top energy,” said Jason, deciding to have some fun. He didn’t have a clue what Simon got up to in the bedroom, and he didn’t want to know.
“You think?” said Gabriel, metaphorically wagging his tail and falling for Jason’s trap.
Jason and Dexter laughed.
“I hate you both,” he grumbled.
The day was a blur of meetings and catching up with his team.
Some of them were only just back from holidays, and he enjoyed checking in with them all.
Half of his team were based outside the UK, so he rarely saw them in person, but he made time for them as much as they needed.
Some just wanted to bounce ideas around with him, others needed guidance, and there were a few who saw Jason as a safe space to vent.
He was happy to be whatever they needed.
He wasn’t sure what Simon’s management style was like, but after stewing on it all day, he decided it would be best to ask him why he’d not probed on his priorities in the team meeting.
It would be awkward, and he’d rather not do it, but it would keep playing on his mind if he didn’t.
They were due to meet at four o’clock, but twenty minutes before, his PA cancelled the meeting.
There was no alternative date offered, or an explanation.
Simon wasn’t at his desk, and Jason didn’t want to email or send a Teams message.
He wouldn’t be able to get the tone right.
Just as his thoughts spiralled, he got a message from Langdon .
Langdon: You free to meet me at Knights Corner after work? We need to talk about Grant.
Ugh – Grant was the last person he wanted to talk about, but he liked the idea of seeing Langdon.
He could vent to Langdon about Simon, and he would just threaten to punch him.
Jason would never take him up on it, but the others were far too logical.
He didn’t want to rant to Patrick either.
Things were going well so far, and he didn’t need to see firsthand how obsessive and crazy Jason could get.
The man needed to fall in love with him first, then Jason could let out his inner demons.
He chuckled to himself and focussed back on his work after confirming to Langdon he’d meet him at five o’clock.
He rarely left on time, but he’d been in since eight, and he just wanted to put today behind him.
Jason walked into what would become Knights Corner, the new restaurant bar that Langdon, Gregory, and Sebastian were opening.
It would be the first queer social space in the heart of the city.
Langdon was in charge of the development, and would run the place when it opened.
Gregory was the one with the vision, and Sebastian had just thrown some money at a project he believed in.
“It’s looking good,” said Jason.
Langdon smiled, looking around. The floor-to-ceiling windows would bring in so much light once the boards were taken down, and there were quieter, more intimate booths on the other side.
It would be suitable for anyone, whether it be for a business meeting, a drink after work, or to get laid. Speaking of which.
“Where are all the workmen?” Some of them were hot as fuck.
Langdon snorted. “They clock off at four. What about Patrick?”
“I’m in a relationship, not a convent.”
“I still can’t believe you’re in a relationship. Never thought I’d see it. ”
“Are you forgetting I was with someone for four years, and you lot are all still in your honeymoon periods?”
“Definitely didn’t forget you’re married to my stepdad, Jason.”
Bollocks. He knew Langdon wanted to talk about Grant, but why did he have to make it easy by giving him a prompt?
“You don’t have to call me Daddy,” said Jason.
“You call enough people that yourself.”
“I only have one daddy now.”
“And what does Patrick think about your secret husband? You never told me.”
“He doesn’t care.”
“Really?”
“No. He’s looking into how I can get a divorce, but that’s because I asked him and he knows people.”
“When are you planning to tell Gregory and Paolo?”
Jason wasn’t sure. Charlie had known for years– thankfully Langdon hadn’t kicked off about that. To be fair, he hadn’t kicked off at all. His anger was more aimed at Grant, which Jason felt guilty about; he was hardly blameless.
“I’ll do it soon. I just need to find a time when they’re together, so I don’t have to do it twice.”
“Do you want me to be there?”
Jason felt choked up, so he just nodded. It was clear Langdon was feeling emotional as well, because he returned the nod with a grunt, and then pretended to make himself busy behind the vast bar that ran the entire length of the venue in a horseshoe shape.
“How was work today?” asked Langdon. “Gregory said something about you having to work yesterday.”
“Remember that vicious queen you worked for when we were in uni?”
Langdon visibly shuddered. He’d always worked in hospitality, but one job had been a nightmare because there was a young queen who was promoted to manager because he was sucking the owner’s dick.
The power had gone right to his head, and he’d made Langdon’s life a misery.
It had been immensely satisfying to see the look on the arsehole’s face when Langdon quit in front of a load of customers, who’d walked out with him.
“I think I’m working for his big brother.”
“I’ll get us some drinks and then you can give me the full blast.”
“Are you already stocked up? You don’t open for another two months.”
“I just have the essentials for the five of us, plus Eric and Sebastian.”
“You’ll need to include Max in that. I still can’t believe Paolo is gonna move to New York,” said Jason.
He’d miss seeing Paolo every day, but Max was his one true love and he’d be a fool to give that up.
“And Oscar,” said Langdon.
“Yeah, what the fuck is going on there?”
Langdon shrugged. Gregory was hooking up with his old high school bully, which was an interesting dynamic.
Jason had read enough romance books to know the sex would be hot as hell.
Something he shouldn’t be thinking about, not just because it was one of his brothers, but because Jason had the man of his dreams waiting for him.
After having to stay at home last night, Jason wasn’t missing another evening of enjoying that fabulous dick.
The thought of what that man could do with his tongue was making Jason’s cock harden.
He loved Langdon, but this would need to be a quick drink.