Page 3 of Forbidden Lust (Sinful Knights #1)

DANIEL

“It’s been a while,” said Daniel to his best friend Gavin.

“You know how it is,” replied the man he’d known for twenty years.

They’d met as junior associates in the same law firm and bonded over their love of travel.

The firm they’d worked for had been big into work-life balance before it was trendy and allowed its employees to build up flexi-time to work a nine-day fortnight.

Daniel and Gavin had used their long weekends to explore Europe together.

Both of them were single back then.There was never anything between them.

Gavin was as straight as they came, and so secure in his masculinity he had no problem hitting the gay clubs, and Daniel reciprocated as they screwed their way across Europe.

By the time they hit thirty, Gavin was married with his second kid on the way, and Daniel was engaged to the man he believed was the love of his life.

Paul had been what Daniel thought was his perfect match.

He was ten years younger and had a vulnerability to him, which called to Daniel’s caregiver nature.

He liked to be completely dominant in the bedroom, but he wanted a partner he could nurture – not to smother them, but enable them to succeed.

Helping people reach their full potential was something that motivated him.

It was why he found time to mentor half a dozen people, both inside and outside his firm.

He was the managing partner of the solicitor’s practice he’d set up.

They specialised in corporate law, and it was immensely lucrative.

With new regulations being passed every day putting companies under increasing scrutiny, their services were called on a lot.

Gavin had veered away from private practice, and worked in financial services as a general counsel, and he was also a founding partner in his firm.

Daniel was the big boss so the buck stopped with him, and he preferred it that way, but it came with consequences.

After ten years of marriage, he’d found Paul had cheated on him.

Paul had tried to screw him in the divorce, and claimed it was neglect which had led to his infidelity.

He’d done a Princess Diana in the divorce meetings, saying there were three people in the marriage – Daniel, Paul, and Daniel’s job – and it was feeling like he always came second that led Paul to making what he said was a one-off mistake.

Daniel had hired a private investigator who’d discovered Paul had been cheating on him throughout their entire marriage, so not a one off as he claimed.

When presented with all the evidence, Paul had no choice but to accept the offer.

It was a large sum, but it was also a single payment.

The last thing Daniel wanted was to have anything to do with the man again.

Daniel was a workaholic, he knew that, but he’d given Paul everything he’d ever wanted, and they’d had a healthy sex life.

If Paul had said something, he would have done all he could to make him feel more loved and wanted.

Daniel went all in with his relationships.

He’d loved the guy, but it hadn’t been enough for Paul.

Daniel was now forty-five and single, and happy that way.

If he wanted a night with a younger man, he could easily find one.

He knew he looked good, and he was an attentive and generous lover.

His partners often asked for repeats, and he’d oblige as long as they were clear it would only ever be sex and nothing more.

Lately, he’d been questioning whether he’d taken the right approach.

He missed having that person in his life to look after and support in a way you didn’t get from a casual arrangement.

Perhaps he could be open to another romantic partner, but the one thing he was adamant about was that he would never get married again.

“How was Christmas?” asked Gavin.

“The usual. Time with Mum, and getting some work done whilst it was quiet. How about you?”

“Fran wouldn’t let me work. I was off for ten days. Didn’t know what to do with myself.”

“I can’t remember the last time I had a whole weekend off, let alone ten days.”

“I thought you went to Antigua in November?”

“Still working, though I did have the afternoons when the office was closed.”

“You need a boyfriend who’ll force you to relax.”

“Dunno if I can be arsed with the whole dating thing. It’s easier just to call someone who you know is good in bed.”

“Didn’t you have a date with a guy at New Year?”

“That was his mother interfering in his love life. He’s got his eyes well and truly on someone else.”

“Sorry to hear that,” said Gavin. His friend was such a caring guy and didn’t like people being lonely.

“Nothing to be sorry for. I can see us being good friends. He would have been fun for a night or two, but he’s built like a rugby player. You know I prefer them trimmer.”

Gavin snorted. He knew his friend well, and never took offence at anything Daniel said. He could be professional when he needed to be, but when he was around people he was comfortable with, the filter was gone and his intrusive thoughts were vocalised, with zero fucks given.

They wrapped up their lunch and Daniel promised to visit for one of Fran’s Sunday roasts soon. She was a goddess in the kitchen.

“Hopefully, you can bring someone with you,” said Gavin.

Daniel laughed.

“I’m serious. I think it would be good for you.”

Daniel was about to dismiss what Gavin said, but the look on his friend’s face made it clear he was concerned. Daniel wasn’t sure why, but then, Gavin knew him better that anyone so he’d take his concerns seriously. He promised to give some thought to what he’d said.

They said their goodbyes and went back to their respective offices.

Daniel’s was in The Gherkin, which had gotten him a lot of jokes from Gavin when he first chose it.

As soon as he got back to work, there were a couple of fires he needed to put out, and the rest of the day quickly got away from him.

It was after ten o’clock at night by the time he got home, and all he could do was have a quick shower and crash out in his cold and empty bed.

The next day, his new friend asked Daniel if he could advise him on a professional matter.

Not one to turn down a friend in need, he cleared time in his diary and made his way over to Montgomery Equity.

It was impressive, what he’d built. Oscar Montgomery was one of those under thirty CEOs, but this one wasn’t a wanker who wrote annoying posts on LinkedIn about how a homeless beggar told him to get fucked so was immediately hired as chairman of the board.

“Tell me everything,” said Daniel. “Give me the full, unfiltered truth, so I know what I’m dealing with.”

Oscar described the fucked-up situation he was facing with a regulatory investigation, and it wasn’t good, but it could be salvageable depending on how they went forward from here.

If Daniel had his way, Oscar would walk away from this smelling of roses, but the regulators were like weeds, and would always find your weaknesses.

Oscar was looking at a hefty fine, and that would be a positive outcome.

“Do you want my long-winded lawyer-type summation of the situation, or the no-nonsense straight to the point version?”

“The latter.”

“You’re fucked!”

Oscar laughed and asked for the more detailed version, but with no sugarcoating.

Daniel didn’t believe in spin and bullshit.

If he thought a client was fucked, he told them so, and explained how he could help mitigate the impact.

He explained the facts to Oscar, because this was a serious situation.

“Is this the part where you tell me you can get me off for an astronomical fee?”

“Even I’m not that good. Look, I think what we need to do here is let them do their investigation into everyone else. I assume everyone else is thoroughly vetted?”

Oscar nodded. Daniel explained how they could tackle the situation, and what his firm could do to help, and they agreed on a way forward, with Oscar not concerned about costs.

Daniel knew Oscar could afford his rates, he would tackle this one personally, with visits to the regulator, but have his team do the grunt work.

It would keep costs down for Oscar. Daniel didn’t rip anyone off, especially his friends.

“What’s been happening with you and Captain Bow Tie?” asked Daniel.

He saw Oscar flush, which was adorable for such a giant of a man. He clearly had a big thing for the buttoned-up geek Daniel had seen him with at the New Year’s party. It was cute to see someone so smitten – it just wasn’t for him, no matter what Gavin said.

“That good, eh? Come on, details. I need to live vicariously through my friends. ”

“I’m sure there are plenty of muscle queens queuing at your door.”

“Muscle guys don’t really do it for me.”

“So why did you agree to go on a date with me, then?”

“Because you’re hot, and I’m not dead. Plus, the whole ‘flung around the bedroom’ thing piqued my interest.”

That gave them a laugh. Oscar’s mother had set them up, and was very forward about what her son liked in the bedroom. There was something hot about taking a big guy apart, but Oscar didn’t have that vulnerability about him Daniel loved in a partner. Damn his saviour complex.

“What is your type, then?” asked Oscar.

“I’ll let you know when I see it,” he replied, standing up.

They went over some final points of the case, and what would happen next. Daniel hadn’t come over expecting to get business, but he wouldn’t turn it down. His team would be excited by the challenge.

Oscar walked Daniel out of his office and then stopped.

“Josh, what are you doing here?”

“I heard about the investigation, sir. I thought you’d need me here.”