Clay fiddled with his pen, lost in thought at his desk when his boss walked in. He smiled at the younger man who was still oblivious to his approach.
"Well, well! What do we have here? My assistant daydreaming on the job!"
Clay instantly shot up and blushed. He bowed apologetically as his boss started laughing.
"Sit down! Sit down! I was only teasing," he took the seat across from Clay's desk as Clay sat back down. "What's got you so distracted?"
Clay blushed even harder and his boss started laughing once again.
"Mr Lewis! Stop teasing me!"
They were both laughing now. Clay really liked his boss, he was old but had a great sense of humour. He didn't mind that Clay was gay and even asked him about his boyfriend. With that thought, Clay stopped laughing. Mr Lewis noticed the sudden change.
"What's wrong Clay? Have you had a fight with your boyfriend? Trust me just talk to each other, there are only a few things that can't be fixed with a good honest chat."
"We broke up," Clay spoke sadly. "He cheated on me."
"Oh, well that would be one of the things that can't be fixed. All you need to do now Clay is to forget him and move on with your life. Easier said than done, I know, but it's possible. When I was younger I had a girlfriend that cheated on me, I thought the world was coming to an end. However, after some time passed I was able to move on and then I met my wife."
Clay smiled warmly at his boss. Mr lewis felt like a grandpa to him. He was way nicer to Clay than any of his family had ever been. He nodded and smiled warmly at the older man.
"Thank you," he beamed.
---
Several weeks later, Clay still had no idea what Daniel had meant when he said that he didn't like the idea of Clay ogling anyone. At home, Clay spent most of his time in his room, he couldn't control his blush whenever he saw Daniel. Especially after his second night there.
Clay had gotten home a little later than he had planned but then he had wanted to finish his work ready for the meeting the following morning. As he walked down the hall to his room Daniel walked out of his room wearing sweatpants and nothing else.
You could clearly see he had just had a shower, his hair was damp had his skin glistened. Daniel's chiselled abs screamed at Clay to lick or touch them. He almost did it too. Ever since then, he's been avoiding the far too sexy for his own good man.
Clay sighed as he got out of the taxi and headed for his favourite club. His friends had called and begged him to come out with them and Clay was more than happy to agree. He'd worked hard all week and he needed a break. Just before he made it inside his phone started ringing, it was Daniel.
"Hello?"
Clay could feel his cheeks heating up and the older man wasn't even there.
"Hello Clay. Are you still at work? Do you need me to come and help?"
Clay almost swooned at how chivalrous this man was.
"No, that's ok. I'm meeting a few friends at a club called 'Lucky'. I haven't seen them in so long so I agreed to meet them. Don't worry, I won't be back too late."
"Oh okay, have fun!"
Daniel hung up and Clay wasn't sure but he thought Daniel sounded upset or jealous. He shook his head at the ridiculous thought and went inside. His friends all screamed when they saw him and instantly started to supply him with a drink and then another. Thankfully, he managed to calm them down.
A few hours later, Clay was happily buzzed but starting to flag. He waved goodbye to his friends and made his way outside to call a taxi. Just as he pulled out his phone he was propelled forward. His phone dropped and he stumbled.
"Oops, sorry about that. I didn't see you."
Clay picked up his now broken phone and turned with a glare. Nick stood smirking with a little brunette next to him. The new guy looked confused as he stared back and forth between the two.
"Are you ok?" he asked moving to step forward as if to check on him but Nick stopped him.
Clay sighed but gave the smaller guy a smile. He looked like he was still in college, skinny but with a cute face, innocent like Clay had been all those years ago.
"Yes, I'm fine thank you."
"I think it was my fault. I was talking with my boyfriend which probably meant that he wasn't looking where he was going."
Clay's heart broke for this guy. He sounded like he actually believed that instead of making an excuse.
"Don't worry about it. Nick is very easily distracted. I'm Clay his ex," he said holding out a hand to the other guy.
Nick huffed and crossed his arms as the younger man took Clay's offered hand.
"I'm Ben. When did you guys break up?" he asked.
"A few weeks ago, if you can believe it. Let me give you some free advice about this one. He has a wondering eye, hand and dick. Also, he doesn't care if you're a man or a woman. After five years I caught him sleeping with a woman in our bed. If you want to keep him interested never get a job that's better paid than his."
Nick glared at him whilst Ben looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I thought everything was fine until I got a job as a personal assistant. After that, he acted like a complete jackass and even stood me up. I went home to find him cheating on me, it took him weeks before he came to see me and that's when I found out it wasn't the first time."
Ben looked at Nick and his face fell. Clay could tell he didn't want to believe it but the look on Nick's face said it all.
"It had nothing to do with your pathetic job! You weren't a good boyfriend if you had been more attentive I wouldn't have slept with other people."
"Not attentive, not a good boyfriend. I was always at your beck and call, we only did what you wanted to do, and went where you wanted to go. If I wanted you to go or do something you were always too tired or busy. It was you who wasn't the good boyfriend. Trust me, Ben, if I were you I would find someone else because this one will just hurt you eventually and claim it was your own fault."
"I think you're right," Ben said stepping away from Nick. "I'm going to go Nick."
Nick scoffed at him but didn't stop the younger man from leaving. Clay watched as Ben teared up as he rushed away, he once again wondered what he ever saw in this guy.
Clay turned his back on Nick and looked around, the street was empty, even the bouncer had gone inside. He was about to go back into the bar to use one of his friend's phones when Nick grabbed his arm. He had a strange expression that Clay couldn't quite understand.
"Where are you going?"
Clay tried to pull his arm free but Nick was much stronger than he was, so eventually, he gave up.
"I'm going inside, you broke my phone," Clay said showing him the broken device. "Let go!"
"Oh, I don't think so," Nick's snarl looked animalistic. "Since you lost me my entertainment for the evening I think you have to take responsibility for it."
Clay had a sinking feeling in his stomach but he tried to ignore it.
"I don't have to take responsibility for anything Nick, now let me go!"
Nick pulled Clay and pushed him against the wall. Clay thudded against the cold brick wall and stifled a cry of pain.
"I said let go!" Clay shouted, hoping to grab someone's attention.
However, the music from the club was too loud for him to be heard and the night was too cold for people to be out on the streets, especially at this time. Nick smirked evilly at him and Clay knew he was in trouble.
"Come on Clay, we used to have fun together, didn't we? I always made you moan so loudly didn't I?"
As he spoke Nick pushed himself flush against Clay and kissed and nipped at his neck. Clay tried in vain to push him off but it was no use. Nick was grinding against him and it made Clay's stomach roll.
"Get off me!" he called out and Nick laughed.
"Come on babe! Don't be like that. We can have some fun again, just like old times."
"Fuck off Nick, we are done and I will never be stupid enough to touch you again! I'll die first!"
Nick pulled back and Clay could see the glint in his eyes.
"Fine! Have it your way."
Before Clay could even think about what he meant Nick punched him hard in the stomach. Instantly, he kneeled over in pain. Nick then kicked the younger man hard in the face and Clay twisted backwards rolling several feet away. He was gripping his stomach and trying to breathe properly through his bloodied mouth when Nick knelt on him and raised his fist. Clay could see what was coming so he squeezed his eyes shut so he couldn't.
However, it didn't come. Instead, Clay felt the weight of Nick instantly leave him. He could hear a shuffle so he dared to open his eyes. Nick was being pulled off of him by none other than Daniel.
Daniel flung the other man onto the ground and stood glaring at him. Clay could only groan in pain as he watched Nick get up and charge at Daniel. With the ugliest angriest scowl on his face, Clay had ever seen.
Nick had never been violent but when he was angry Clay knew to stay clear for a while until he calmed down. Clay had seen Nick get into quite a few fights in their five-year relationship. He was really good at fighting and always got the upper hand, Clay wanted to cry out for Daniel to run but he couldn't. He didn't want him to get hurt because of him.
However, when it looked like Nick was about to hit him Daniel spun and kicked him in the stomach with a move that Clay could only describe as a ninja move. Nick flew back and clutched his stomach. He snarled at Daniel and like a bull, in an arena facing a red flag, he charged once again.
Daniel quickly punched him and Nick comically twisted in the air. Daniel followed the punch with a kick to his back. Nick flew into a nearby police car that was pulling up to a stop outside the club. Two officers got out and pointed guns at both men telling them to stop and get on the ground.
Daniel did as instructed but Nick looked like he wanted to continue fighting. Clay could do nothing but watch as Daniel was handcuffed and Nick was tasered. One of the officers came to Clay after putting Daniel in the back of the cruiser.
"Sir, are you ok?" he asked.
Clay struggled to breathe and speak at the same time so he shook his head. Soon, an ambulance was taking Clay to the hospital whilst Daniel and Nick were taken to the police station.
---
Clay awoke the next day feeling groggy and a little sick. He blinked open his eyes to a bright glare which made his head spin.
"Slowly!" came a soothing voice Clay instantly recognised.
He slowly opened his eyes to find Mr Lewis sitting in a chair beside his bed. The older man smiled warmly at him as he sighed.
"You gave us all a scare, young man. Don't you ever do that to my old ticker again!"
Clay knew the older man was joking but his heart filled with warmth all the same.
"I'll just go get the doctor ok, don't go anywhere," he winked before leaving the room.
Last night's events played in his mind as he waited and he wanted to cry. Soon, Mr Lewis came back with the doctor, a police officer, Daniel and Mr Danvers.
"I'm glad to see you awake," Daniel said coming to his side.
"Hello Mr Rodgers, I'm Officer Peaks. Do you feel up to telling me what happened last night? If you're not I can come back later."
Clay attempted to sit up and managed it a little with the help of the doctor and Daniel. He smiled weakly at the officer and nodded.
"Good, I have taken Mr Lu's statement as well as Mr Evans's. If you can, please tell me what happened last night."
"Well, several weeks ago I found out that my boyfriend, Nick, of five years had cheated on me. I ended things with him and last night was the first night I had been out since then, my friends invited me out. I wasn't drunk but I was buzzed. Anyway, I felt tired after a long week so I said goodbye to my friends and went outside the club to call a cab."
"As I was pulling out my phone someone knocked into me sending my phone flying. It broke and I turned to see Nick standing with a young guy. The other guy asked if I was ok and then he introduced himself as Nick's new boyfriend. I told him who I was and why we broke up. Nick tried to blame me for why he cheated."
Clay clenched his fists and Mr Lewis patted his arm in support.
"Anyway the guy left and I tried to go back inside. I was going to use one of my friend's phones to call a cab. Nick grabbed my arm and said I had to take responsibility for him losing his entertainment for the night. I told him it wasn't my responsibility and I tried to get out of his hold. Nick practically threw me against the wall. I told him to let me go!"
"He pushed himself against me and I tried to push him away," tears were now flowing down his face as he relived the event that could have turned out so much worse. "Nick has always been stronger than me so I knew it was useless. He told me we used to have fun together and that we should do it again for old times' sake. I kept telling him to let go and to get off me but he wouldn't listen. So I told him I would rather be dead than touch him again."
"That's when he pulled back said fine and then punched me in my stomach. I keeled over and then he kicked me in my face. I was in so much pain when he knelt on top of me. I could see him raising his fist so I scrunched up my eyes. Then I felt him get off me so I opened them. That's when I saw him being pulled away by Daniel."
"I could only watch as Nick charged at Daniel several times. Daniel was able to defend himself, first with a kick and then when Nick charged again with a punch and a kick and then that was when you guys came."
The officer nodded and scribbled in his notebook.
"That's the same events we heard from Mr Lu. The security camera in front of the club also corroborates your version of events. Mr Evans tried to claim that Mr Lu was the attacker and he was trying to protect you. We have charged Mr Evan with assault so you don't have to worry about him anymore."
Clay gave the officer a watery smile before he left. Then with a sigh he collapsed down on the bed and passed out. The last thing he heard was everyone shouting his name.