Page 39 of Branson's Promise
“Okay, Noely. I understand, and you’re right. I’m sorry if it seemed like I was judging you, I promise that is not the case. I only ever want you to be happy. Is it serious?” I swung my feet off the desk and paced the length of the window, watching as cars battled through traffic below.
“It is for me and I think it is for them too.” For the past seven weeks we’d been together most nights. Usually in one of my suites but on the rare occasion in their tiny apartment, where we’d spend hours together before I went home. My favourite nights though were the ones where we stayed together all night. Eating room service, then stumbling into bed, or the shower, a mix of limbs, and lips, groans and sweet words until we were covered in a mixture of sweat and cum - and alcohol as seemed to be mine and Milo’s version of foreplay. Then, we’d fall into bed and hold each other - Branson snuggled between Milo and I - until the sun rose and the working day called.
I didn’t believe in soulmates - or I hadn’t anyway, but I was certain Branson and Milo were made just for me. That we were made for each other. Call it fate, or destiny or just plain luck that they had both ended up in my life but it felt as though we were exactly where we were always meant to be.
“And that’s why you can’t come back.” It wasn’t a question and the resignation in her voice didn’t go unnoticed. A deep ache pulled in my chest - a tug between going home where she and dad wanted me and staying here with the men I couldn’t picture being without.
“Yes.” That was all I could say because I didn’t have an answer on how to be in two places at once.
“I’m sorry mum. I’ll come visit soon, I promise.”
“It’s okay Noely, we understand, and we’d like that very much. I love you.”
“Love you too mum. Give my love to dad.”
I hung up the call and slumped into my office chair, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders and my chest. Resting my head on my desk, I took in two deep steadying breaths. I still had four hours left of the day, and two meetings to get through before I could go home and see my men. I hadn’t needed them more than I did right then.
Sitting back up, I grabbed my phone and opened my messages to our group chat, aptly named “My boyfriends are hot” by Branson and typed out a message:
Me:Can you stay at mine tonight? At the Starlight.
A few minutes later, Milo replied.
Milo:I finish early today, I’ll pick up takeout. See you later.
It took Branson half an hour to reply and I busied myself with the final readthrough of the contract on my desk while I waited.
Kitten:Count me in. You okay, daddy?
God, I loved that he still called me that, and so freely. I thought maybe after the initial few times together it would stop but it hadn’t. Even Milo had taken to referring to me as ‘your daddy’ when speaking to Branson. I couldn’t wait for this day to be over and to have them naked and in my bed again. The thought had heat rushing to my dick, and I adjusted it to a more comfortable position.
I shot off a reply just as my office phone rang.
Me:I’ll be better when I’m with you two.
I answered my phone to a frustrated Archer, “Not the best news, boss,” he started, and I rolled my head back against the headrest. Fuck my life.
Chapter 20
Branson
Forge your own path. Write your own story.
Another day, another dollar, as they say. More like another hour of a frustrating mixture of boredom and stress. I groaned, resting my head on my desk, ignoring the screen in front of me that showed I had twenty five unread emails, a meeting invite and six missed calls.
“Rough day?” Jennifer asked, as she placed a steaming mug of coffee next to my head. I could have kissed her for delivering this delightful cup of energy and not a second too soon.
“Not so much ‘rough’, as never ending. They really need to hire at least two more accountants in our department if they’re going to keep taking on such demanding clients.” I brought the drink to my lips, blowing on it before taking a sip. Sweet and milky, just the way I liked it.
Jen rolled her eyes while rounding my cubicle to her own. “I feel you, Bran. There's not enough support for our department.” She lowered her voice while leaning over the divider that separated us. “Between you and me, I’ve started looking for a new job, outside the city. I’m done working in this corporate environment. I want to go somewhere smaller, even if the pay is significantly less. Maybe you should do the same?” She took her seat and I heard the sound of her fingers tapping away on her keyboard while I mulled over her words and drank my coffee.
My dad had one job his whole life - he was hardworking and dedicated to it - and when I’d gone into accounting, I’d thought that maybe I’d do the same. The more time I spent in the profession, though, the more I realised that I wasn’t going to be like my dad in every way, and that left an uneasy sensation of disappointment swirling in my gut. My dad wasn’t a quitter and neither was I, so every day I told myself to just deal with it, everyone hates their jobs sometimes. Don’t they?
My phone pinged from where it was sitting on the corner of my desk and I turned it over to find a message from August.
Auggie Bear:You free to chat?
I checked the time on my phone, ten minutes till my lunch break - good enough.