Page 58 of Worth the Wait

“Fuck,” he grunted, raising his finger to his mouth and sucking. Jack rushed to the end of the bar and held his hand out.

“Let me see.”

Callum’s cheeks were still a brilliant pink as he rested his hand in Jack’s open palm.

“You’ll be fine,” Jack told him, tucking Callum’s fingers into a fist and giving his hand a squeeze.

“I know,” he answered softly. He took his hand back from Jack and dug around in a box near the cash register, producing a band-aid.

Jack gestured for him to hand it over, which he did. Callum unfolded his hand across the bar and let him wrap the injured finger in the bandage.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

Callum’s eyes were focused on Jack, his pupils dilated and reflecting Jack’s needy stare back at him.

“Can you go inventory the loft?” Landon interrupted the moment by sliding a clipboard between him and Callum.

Jack pressed a kiss to Callum’s bandaged finger then let him go with a nod of his head. Callum grabbed the paperwork and ducked out from under the bar and disappeared up the stairs.

Landon raised an eyebrow at him and stepped out from behind the bar.

“You don’t look nearly as happy to see me as you did last weekend,” Jack remarked, holding his arms out at his sides.

“I didn’t know you were fucking my bartender when you got here.”

Gregory walked toward them then came to stand behind Landon, his fingers wrapping around Landon’s waist with a pressure so strong that Jack even noticed it.

“I didn’t know he was your bartender when I got involved with him, but I don’t think I need to remind you he does exist outside of this lovely establishment of yours.”

“Whendidyou know?” Landon asked, head cocked to the side.

“After I got home from the hospital.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” Landon raised his voice and his body leaned forward, but Gregory pulled him back.

“Who I fuck hasn’t ever been your business, Landon,” Jack barked with an edge of warning in his voice. Landon was his friend, and they shared a lot of their lives with each other, but Landon was out of his mind if he thought his relationship to Callum, or anyone for that matter, had any bearing whatsoever on who Jack chose to bed.

“So are you staying with Callum then?” Verity asked from behind the bar, drawing his attention away from Landon.

“I have been this week, but not permanently. We haven’t talked about it in detail.”

Verity rolled their eyes.

“I’m sure you haven’t talked about a lot of things,” they replied with a laugh.

“We spent months talking,” Jack answered, a reminder to Verity and as new information to Landon.

“How many months?” Landon asked.

“Since April.”

“Soareyou staying with him?”

“I think it’s best if I still stay with you two awhile,” Jack confided, the earlier conversation with Callum rattling in his head.

“Have you met with Justin?” Verity asked, obviously trying to steer the conversation away from living arrangements since Callum was now on his way back down the stairs.

“I did. I’m meeting with HR on Monday.”