Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2013 13:17:31 +0000 From: Stuart James Subject: Steve Returns This is the fifth story about David who is now 18 years old. If you enjoy this story - or any others - remember that you can only read them if Nifty remains online. For that they need our cash. If we all give just a little, the site won't disappear and take our stories with them. I would welcome any comments. It encourages me to keep writing. That's if you want me to! Steve Returns Mark did resign from Hendricks and joined Market Solutions. He was made a member of the board, as was David on his 18th Birthday. Mark was full of ideas. While James remained Managing Director, Mark quickly became the driving force behind the firm. His easy charm meant there was little or no resentment among the other directors and employees for the new guy, and his fresh ideas and sheer energy earned him respect. David had told Mark that he was prepared to invest further in the firm if the board approved. So nine months after joining the firm, the board met to discuss how he wanted to take the company forward. The paper he had submitted proposed an initial investment of approximately two million pounds in new computer technology including top of the range graphics hardware and software. He also proposed a further quarter of a million pounds to upgrade the company network and a further £300,000 for training. Sylvia asked why they needed to upgrade the network as she had been told the old network could support the new computer power. She also questioned whether the investment in new technology could not be phased in as cash resources became available. "Yes the network could cope and yes the investment could be done in phases" Mark explained. "But we need to think of the future. This investment is only the start of what will be needed over the next 5 years if we are to improve our position in the market." "But the network upgrade at least could surely wait" Sylvia replied. "But that would be like building a one story house on old foundations. When it comes to building the next story, it would be so much harder - and more expensive - to put in better foundations. And if we phased in the new technology we would end up with two classes of employees. Those with the new skills and those without. I do not think that that would be good for morale and therefore for productivity." The argument went back and forth between Sylvia and Mark for some time. Two of the other directors made a few comments, but James and David said nothing. Eventually James decided to speak. "Sylvia, I think your points are well made. But then I have never really understood computers. When I started in the business the best we had were typewriters and troublesome photocopiers. Mark does understand them and his plans reflect, I hope, that understanding. We all have to accept that computers are here to stay and will become more and more important. My ignorance of what I am certain will be the future of our business makes it clear that it is time that I vacated this chair and went into retirement." Members of the board murmured their disagreement. "Yes, yes yes. Members of the board must discuss this between themselves, but I think Mark should become the new MD and Sylvia should become the new Chairman. I propose the board reconvene the day after tomorrow to appoint a new MD and Chairman. My Mother always told me that a Gentleman knows when it is time to leave, and I hope that I am a Gentleman." David realised that changing peoples roles would not of itself resolve the differences between Mark and Sylvia. If Mark was to succeed he had to win Sylvia over to his side. So after the board meeting he invited them both out to dinner. He took them to an expensive but discrete restaurant in the west end of London. After quite a bit of small talk, it was Sylvia who broached the subject they all knew they were there to discuss. "David you are the majority shareholder and therefore the only person who can decide which direction the firm should take and at what speed. And I assume that your personal relationship with Mark means that you already support his point of view. For myself I am prepared to resign from the board and let Mark follow James as both MD and Chairman." David considered his reply carefully. "When I asked Mark to join the company I did so only because I believed he would be good for the company. I still do. If anything I felt - and still feel - that our personal involvement is a hindrance rather than a help to the business and that the business does not help our relationship. But we are where we are. Above all that I believe that the company is stronger if the board makes decisions rather than one person - be that me or the MD. I therefore will not dictate solutions. Apart from anything else I lack the knowledge and experience to do so. You Sylvia have the experience and knowledge of the firm and will make a fine Chairman. Mark has the up to date knowledge of the business and I think we must give him room to do what he thinks best. But while the firm needs him, he needs your wisdom and I will not hear of you leaving." Sylvia smiled at David. "For a man who does not intend to dictate, I think your last statement contained a number of fully formed decisions. But I am grateful that I have your confidence." Mark said "When David asked me to join the firm he predicted that I would become MD and that you would be Chairman and that we would make a great team. I think he is right on the last point, and I think we can easily bridge our differences." "I told Mark some time ago that I was prepared to invest more of my personal wealth in the firm if the board recommended it. I believe your major worry Sylvia is taking on bank debt rather than the investment itself. I could make any new investment a loan or we could make a rights issue." Sylvia remained silent for a while. "I will think about it" she said. When they got back to Marks apartment, David said "I think she will go along with your plans, but please do consult and involve her as I value her counsel." "I thought we agreed not to discuss business out of the office?" Mark replied. David smiled and took Marks hand and led him to the bedroom. He needed to feel Mark inside him. Mark was confirmed as the new MD and Sylvia became chairman. One director suggested she be called 'chair'. But with one of her best withering looks she told him that she was not, and had no intention of ever becoming a piece of furniture. The board decided to use existing reserves and to borrow the rest of the money Mark needed from the bank to finance the new investment. But David gave a personal guarantee on the loan in order to minimise the interest the bank wanted to charge. Over the next 12 months, Mark's investments took the company from strength to strength. His most audacious move was to recruit a number of staff from his old firm Hendricks, which effectively put that department out of the business. But Hendricks was large enough not to notice the blow. As well as being on the board, David worked in various parts of the company for a short assignment, learning how it worked from the bottom up. James had set that plan in motion when he was still in charge. David did not move in with Mark although they spent a lot of time together. But somehow they grew apart. David wondered if there was something wrong with him in that he seemed incapable of falling absolutely for one guy. He certainly fell in love with Mark at the beginning, but their relationship had become comfortable rather than exciting. David craved excitement. One day when David was at Marks apartment - they were actually in bed - his mobile rang. He picked it up off the side and answered it. He leapt out of bed screaming "Steve is that really you? It is great to hear from you. Where are you? Can I see you? Are you still in the navy?" The questions poured out of him without him giving the caller a chance to answer any of them. Eventually he ran down. He listened for a while. "Of course I remember the cottage. I'd love to spend the weekend there with you. I could drive down, but how about you picking me up at station again? Have you still got the bike? That will be great. Yes 12 noon on Saturday." He disconnected the call and put the mobile down. To Mark he said "That was Steve an old school friend of mine. He is back in this part of the world and wants to see me. I haven't seen him for years." Mark was silent for a moment. "Do you know that your cock went to full attention when you heard who it was? So I guess he was a bit more than a school friend." David looked at his shrinking cock and realised that what Mark had said was true. Hearing Steve's voice was like electricity going through his body. "Yes, he was my first. You know the one that got my cock pierced." "And you are planning to spend the weekend with him?" Mark lay back on the bed with a deep sigh. "Don't be like that Mark. At most it will only be a bit of fun." "A bit of fun?" Mark shook his head. "I am sorry but I need a bit more from a relationship than to be second in your considerations. You did not even ask me whether I had anything planned for us for the weekend. Don't you believe in loyalty?" He did not wait for David to answer. He got out of bed and went to the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Through the door he said "I think it is time that you thought about what you really want from life. We can talk when you get back from your 'bit of fun'." David shrugged, got dressed and left the apartment. He knew there was nothing he could say to Mark at the moment. They avoided each other at work the next day so neither had to speak to the other. Steve had told David that he had got a new 1000cc BMW bike. He had sold the old one when he joined the navy. Even though David had great personal wealth, he spent it carefully. He liked good things and usually went for good quality. But he did not throw money around. That was until the Saturday before his 'bit of fun'. He decided that if he was going to be on Steve's new BMW he should look the part. He had heard of a large bike dealer about 20 miles from home and he drove over there, intent on getting himself kitted out. He parked his car in the area reserved for customers and walked to a separate building from the main showroom that had jackets and crash helmets in the window. He took a deep breath and walked in. Opening the door made a bell ring and a guy came out of the back. He was about 6 feet tall with shoulder length blond hair. He was wearing a tight white tee-shirt that showed off his broad chest and arm muscles. He was also wearing a pair of tight leather jeans and a pair of pointed black cowboy boots. David was both excited and intimidated by him. "Can I help you?" "Emmm... a friend of mine has just bought a new bike and has asked me to go touring with him. I need something appropriate to wear." "What sort of bike?" "Does that matter?" David asked. "If you don't want to look stupid it matters very much. If he has got a 100cc moped, you would look pretty daft in a one piece leather suit." His tone was aggressive and made David feel more intimidated and more attracted. "Oh I see. It's a 1000cc BWM." "Top of the range. We had better dress you accordingly." He took David over to the far wall full of one-piece leather suits and got a red and white one off the rack. "What does your friend wear?" "Pardon?" "Your friend. A one piece? Jacket and Jeans? What?" "I don't really know. I haven't seen him for some time." "Does he actually exist?" David's eyes flamed and he turned to walk out. The guy came and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Sorry I shouldn't have said that. It's just you get some guys in who make up all sorts of excuses why they want to buy some leather gear. I don't mind if leather's their thing but I just got rid of one who wanted to try everything on and ended up just buying a pair of gloves. Not sure what he intends to do with those." "I can imagine" David said and as their eyes met they both laughed. "I'll make you some coffee and we can start again." He led David through a black leather curtain behind the cash desk and into a small office. He flicked the switch and the kettle started humming. "Yes he does exist. Last time I saw him we were both at school and then he had a sort of 60's rocker image complete with brylcreamed hair, quiff and winklepicker boots. He is picking me up on his bike tomorrow. Last time I borrowed some of his gear. I just wanted to impress him." "Impress him as in get your leg over or impress him as in fashion parade?" "Leg over, I am afraid." "No worries. Now I know what you want, I can kit you out properly. Might be expensive though." "I can afford it" David assured him. They drank their coffee. "How about a pair of leather jeans like these" He said rubbing his hands down his thighs and finishing by circling his crotch. "If you're not a biker they can be worn anywhere so would not be a waste. Then perhaps a black leather biker jacket and a pair of engineer boots with a white crash helmet. You'll knock him out. Come on." He showed David out of the office. He went over to the door and locked it and turned the notice round that now said 'open' on the inside. "Lunch time" he said with a wink. "Strip down to your underpants so I can measure you." David thought he saw the wink again. It reminded him of when he first got to know Mark. David removed his clothes and stood there in just a white jock strap." "Nice" he said as he walked past brushing David's crotch with his hand. He went over to a rack and got down a pair of black leather jeans. "These should be nice and tight. Slip 'em on." David put his legs in the thick soft leather jeans and pulled them up. They felt good and they were tight. The guy handed him a black leather belt which he pushed through the belt loops and did up. The guy was holding a black leather bike jacket with 6 inch long fringes across the back and down the arms. "You had better put a shirt on. Here use mine." With that he put down the jacket and pulled off his own tee-shirt which he handed to David. David looked at it for a moment before taking it and putting it on. It was still warm. The guy had large gold bars though his nipples and his chest was covered in blond hair. He was aware that he was getting an erection through the tight leather, which the guy's expression made clear he had noticed. "That's better. Enjoy yourself. You won't be the first to get a stiffy in here." David tried on the jacket and looked at himself in the mirror while the guy went away and returned a few minutes later with a large box. "Better be Wesco's". He opened the box and got a tall black engineer boot from the box. "Wesco's?" David asked. "American. They make the best engineer boots from ankle ones right up to crotch high boots. Very sexy." David took the boot and pulled it on over the leg of the leather jeans. It had a gold buckled strap over the instep and two more to tighten the boot at the top. The boots came right up to his knees. The guy gave him a white full face crash helmet and a pair of soft and tight leather gloves. When he looked at the fully dressed David he said "If you don't get your leg over looking like that then your mate must have left his guide dog at home." David agreed to buy the new outfit. "I've put your own clothes out the back. Follow me. David removed the new gear until once again he was standing in his jock strap. He moved with a jolt and turned round when he felt a hand on his arse." "No" David said turning. When he looked at the guy he saw that his fly was open and his erect cock was sticking through the zip. "Come on you know you want this" the guy said grabbing David by both arms and pulling him towards him. He pushed his mouth over David's and invaded it with his tongue. David tried to break away but the guy was too strong. "That's it, I love it when guys struggle." He felt David's solid cock though the material. "You're loving it. Loving being had a by a real man." "No please" David appealed. The guy just grinned. He forcibly turned David round and with his hand over his mouth pushed his head down. David felt a cock head at his hole. When remembering this later on he thought he could have kept him out by clenching his arse cheeks. But instead he moved his legs apart. David thought it must have been an automatic response when he later thought through the encounter. The guy shoved his cock inside David and immediately began to fuck him deep and hard. David made grunting sounds, but the hand over his mouth stopped him saying anything. The guy fucked and fucked him without thought for David until with a scream he came inside him with 8 or 10 pulses of sperm. He pulled his cock out and let David go. He leant back against a table while he wiped his cock on a piece of cloth and pushed it back inside his jeans. "You fuckin' loved that" he said pointing to the wet patch in David's Jock strap where the stimulation of his prostate had made him shoot. David didn't say anything. He just got dressed and the guy put his new purchases in carrier bags. David handed over his credit card when asked. "I've given you a 10% discount and you can keep my tee-shirt to remember me by." David saw that wink again. David still said nothing. He took the bags to his car and drove home. Once in his rooms he ran a bath and got in. He knew how terrible he should feel at the rape he had just endured. But he lay there soaking with a grin on his face and sniffing the white tee-shirt. The next day he dressed in the leather jeans and boots - and his own white tee-shirt. He carried the jacket and helmet to his car and drove down to Newtown station. He parked his car in the car park, put on the jacket and went and stood where he had so many years before with his crash helmet under his arm. Steve roared up about 10 minutes past noon. David's cock twitched at the sight of Steve astride the big bike, dressed in leather jeans, black biker jacket , black winklepicker boots and a black and white full face crash helmet. Steve pushed up the visor of his helmet and grinned at David. "My clothes not good enough for you now?" David went up and put his arm around Steve. He wanted to kiss him but could only plant a small peck on the end of his nose. "I got the gear as I did not want to show you up. Oh it's good to see you. I can't wait to get you into bed." Steve did not answer directly. "I thought we would go and have a drink. I want to talk to you." David frowned. He had thought a lot about having Steve again and assumed that Steve felt the same about sex with him as he had suggested staying for a whole weekend at the cottage. But he said nothing more. He pulled on his crash helmet and got astride the bike as close as he could to Steve and took hold of him. Steve pushed down the visor of his helmet and they roared off down the road. They parked in the pub car park. Steve told David to sit on one of the stools around the same upturned barrel as before, and he went to get some drinks. They had both removed their crash helmets and David unzipped and removed his jacket as it was quite a warm day. Steve no longer had the brylcreamed quiff. His hair was now about an inch long all over his head. Steve returned with two pints of beer and sat opposite David. He did not remove his jacket or even undo it. Indeed he had a white silk scarf wrapped around his neck, and kept his gloves on. "You did not answer me about going to bed together" David said. "Does that mean you don't want to? I would understand after how we parted. For me, I can't wait to get my hands on you, my friend." "Yes I want to go to bed with you. But you may feel differently in moment." With that he undid the scarf around his neck and undid his jacket. David's mouth fell open when he saw the two tattoos on either side of Steve's neck. One was of a lion's head and the other, the large head of a snake whose body went below the neck of his tee-shirt, He pulled off his gloves to reveal colourful floral designs on the back of his hands that again disappeared up his sleeves. He said nothing else but continued to look at David who was still open mouthed. David spoke first. "I guess there is more. Remove your jacket." "Are you sure you want to be seen with someone as heavily tattooed as I am?" David put one hand on top of Steve's. "You are and I hope always will be my friend, and I will always be proud to be seen with you." He added in a dreadful New York accent "Now strip baby." Steve smiled and removed his jacket. There were many colourful designs that entwined themselves around his arms and into the sleeves of his tee-shirt. Perhaps 60% of his arms were inked. "You will have to wait until we are alone to see the rest. That's if you still want to." "Enough" David replied. "I want to. I want to. I want to. Got it?" Steve nodded. "I got into tattoos while I was in the navy. Loads of guys told me that if I had one, I would want more. And they were right. It sort of becomes an addiction." "Do you wish you hadn't got the first one?" "No, I love the way I look. I even left the navy to get my neck and hands done, as you are not allowed to have ink that shows in the forces. I left about a year ago." "Now you have really upset me" David said. "A whole year and you did not call me. What have you been doing?" "I guess you could call it a tattoo apprenticeship. I have been working for a guy and have learned how to be a tattooist. If I say so myself, I am a natural. I want to set up on my own as I am a bit fed up with doing all that boring black tribal stuff and hearts with names in them. I want to go up market. There is demand among the nouveau riche for tattoos. But they are not likely to go to the sort of grimy place I have been working at in Blackpool. A high class joint could make a fortune." "Then if you are good, why don't you?" "Money of course. I want to set up in a posh part of London and that is expensive." He looked at David and added "And before you say anything I am not looking for a handout. I contacted you as I have wanted to see you again since almost the time I left. And I guess I wanted to know how you felt, particularly after seeing these." He held the back of his hands up. "I don't give handouts. But I do invest in people and business that might give a decent return." "Oh? And how many have you invested in so far?" "You would be my first. But I have to start somewhere, don't I?" Steve shook his head. "No, I don't want your money." "I am not going to give it to you. You will have to convince me that you are worth investing in and that I shall make a return." David then laughed. "And just think of all those board meetings and the exciting ways I could make you report to me!" "Drink up" Steve said. "I want to make my first investment in you." They finished their beers and were soon back at the cottage. They had barely put their crash helmets down when Steve forced David against the wall and kissed him. David had noticed at the pub how much more muscular Steve was than he remembered him. Now he could feel his full force. And he liked it. Steve moved his mouth to David's neck and bit him. "You're mine now. You carry my mark." In response David turned his head and showed Steve the other side of his neck, which he bit leaving a second mark. They moved upstairs, discarding their jackets as they went. Neither felt it was possible to take their time. Soon they were both bare chested and David tweaked the gold rings through Steve's nipples that were both held in the claws of tattooed eagles on his chest. They kissed again and then broke apart and looked at each other. "If I hurt you I am sorry, but I need to take you" Steve said. "I want you to take me with all your force" David replied. They quickly removed their boots and jeans and were soon naked. David lay on the bed and Steve fell upon him chewing his nipples and biting his neck again between kisses. Even after all these years David did not need to ask what he should do. He swivelled to get his knees over Steve's shoulders and offered Steve his arse. Steve took it with the pre-cum from his cock as the only lubricant. He plunged his way into David and immediately started to pump. David pulled Steve's head down and they kissed as each moved to maximise the thrust and power between cock and arse. They both went towards climax together, although Steve filled David's intestines slightly before David shot over his chest. Steve fell on David panting. It took them a while to recover. Then Steve placed his mouth over David's and they kissed. It was a long and slow kiss. Eventually David broke the kiss. "I had forgotten just how good you are." Steve got out of bed. He held out his hand and David took it and followed him to the bathroom. They got in the shower together. David soaped a sponge and began to wash Steve. He started at the neck so that he could look at Steve's heavily tattooed body in detail. The fat body of the snakes head that started on his neck went to the top of his chest , up to his left shoulder and then curled right down his back and to the top of his arse. It looked as if the snake had slithered out from inside him. "That was my design, although clearly I could not do it to myself." The lions head on the other side of his neck looked ferociously real. If you measured the eagles on both sides of his chest between his shoulders and his nipples, you would say that the bodies were out of proportion to their talons circling Steve's juicy tits. But David thought that they looked magnificent. Steve's arms were a multitude of flowers, animals and abstract designs that went from the backs of his hands up to the shoulder blades. Another slimmer snake curled around his navel and down to his crotch with the head on his penis. It looked as if the gold ring that Steve still wore was through the snakes mouth. On either side of Steve's calves were a pair of black leaping panthers. As David examined and washed them, Steve said "The panthers were the first ones I had done. I think they need some work as they look a bit crude. I might be able to do that myself." David finished washing Steve's legs and got up and kissed him. "I always loved your body and your style and both have only got better." They finished in the shower and went back to the bedroom to get dressed. Steve was about to pull on his winklepicker boots when David held out his hand. "For old time sake?" Steve handed him the boots which David put on. Steve picked up David's Wesco engineer boots and pulled them on, tucking his jeans inside the new boots. They drove on the bike with David pressed up against Steve. They went to a different pub with the aim of getting something to eat. They sat inside waiting for their meals to arrive. There was a roaring fire and they both removed their jackets. David examined Steve's arms again and smiled his approval. "What was it like in the navy?" David asked. "Well you know, they put you on a big boat and you sail around a bit." "You know what I mean. Sex." "There are quite a number of gays in the navy and I guess they tend to gravitate together. And that gives you the opportunity for good sex, although you have to be discrete. But nobody really cares." "You didn't meet anyone special?" David asked. "It's not a good idea to get involved on board ship. Sex is one thing. But I am not sure romance would work. Anyway as you know I don't do romance." Steve must have remembered how they had parted and looked to the floor. "I did fall in love with you. I guess I still am. Have you found anyone?" "If you read some of the gossip columns you may see that I am 'romantically linked' - I think that was the tactful way one paper described it - with the MD of the firm I own." David stopped for a moment. "I guess I have been romantically linked with him, but I think that may be coming to an end. He was not happy about me seeing you. He got jealous. And the last few days have made me question if I am capable of being a one guy man. I love Mark - that's his name - and I love you. But I don't want to be a couple with either of you. Well not yet anyway. Perhaps there is something wrong with me." "Not everyone is suited to pairing up" Steve said. "I know you had a guardian, but in many ways you were on your own for a long time. The fight you had when Social Services wanted to take you away from Peter meant you had to rely on yourself from a very young age. It will take time for that to change and it may never change. You are still only young. Take your time and enjoy yourself and see what happens." "That's great advice from someone who is what, three years older than me?". They both laughed. They ate their meals and then went back to the cottage. This time David took his time. He slowly stripped himself and then he stripped Steve and kissed each of his tattoos and sucked his nipples. He got to his knees and put his mouth over Steve's cock. Steve took hold of David's head and soon the cock was down his throat. David relished the thrill of the power Steve had over him, who was using his hands to hold his head in place so that he could not even move his tongue. David held onto Steve's buttocks as he had no intention of being released. Steve rocked backwards and forwards on his heels in a glorious face fuck until he came down David's throat. Steve pushed David back onto the bed and got on top of him. They kissed. Then Steve looking directly into David's eye's said "Will you fuck me?" "You always said you would never do that. Did you learn to like it in the navy?" "I have never done it before. Until a few seconds ago I did not want to do it. But I do want it now." David went to the bathroom and got some cream to act as a lubricant. When he returned to the bedroom Steve was laying at the bottom of the bed with his legs on the floor. David lifted Steve's legs to his shoulders and applied some cream to his arse with a finger. Steve automatically clenched his buttocks together. "We don't have to do this" said David. Steve just smiled and relaxed a little. David pushed his finger up Steve's virgin arse and then pushed 2 fingers up. He put the cream on his cock and moved his cockhead to Steve's hole. Steve looked apprehensive but he nodded to indicate that he wanted David to continue. David pushed his cockhead into Steve's hole. Steve's face creased up and David waited before pushing in further. In small increments David entered Steve until his balls were against his arse. "That feels good" Steve said although his face seemed to say something else. David did not offer to remove his cock as he believed that Steve really did need this. He began to thrust backwards and forwards slowly. As Steve began to look a little happier, he increased the pace until the pleasure in his own cock and balls made him think more about himself and he thrust in and out with more speed and vigour. He felt the seed rising in him and shot his load into Steve, who began pumping his own cock and soon shot a load onto his chest and shoulders. David removed his cock and got on his knees and took Steve's cock in his mouth. Steve writhed as David gently massaged his tender cock with his mouth. Steve could feel David's spunk oozing from his arse. He got up and they both went to the bathroom to clean up and to shower. They went to bed early that night cuddled up together. David woke first and went down to the kitchen, naked, to make some coffee and see if there was anything to eat. He found some bread and made some toast. Steve arrived also naked. David had only seen Steve's tattooed body immediately around having sex. He looked at him now in a more dispassionate way, rather like someone might look at a painting. He liked what he saw. "Did you design all of those?" David asked. "All except the panthers on my leg. I did the snake around my naval and cock myself, and I did some of the ink on my left arm." He went and got his mobile phone and showed David some of his work on other people. To David's inexperienced eyes, it looked quality work. "You are good" David said. "Don't look so surprised. Will you let me tattoo you?" David wondered for a moment. He had noticed the bruises on his neck in the mirror that morning which Steve had given him. And he felt proud of them. "No, I don't think that is for me" David replied. "How's your arse?" "A bit sore. I am glad you fucked me. But I am not sure that that is for me. So I might well stop at once." David got up and kissed his old friend and new lover. They went out for rides on the bike along the coast. David kept returning to the subject of him investing in Steve. Eventually Steve accepted that it was not charity as he truly believed that he had a talent and could make money. When their weekend was over, Steve drove David back to his car at the station and they both drove to David's home. Peter, Jeremy and Mrs McTavish looked somewhat disapprovingly at Steve's tattoos. David guessed Steve was used to that reaction, but soon his friendly nature and David's obvious affection for him meant that they made him feel at home. Although when they were alone Mrs McTavish made it very clear that she did not expect her boy to end up the same way and that she did not approve of the bruises on his neck. It was the first time Mrs McTavish had called him 'her boy'. It made him glow. They began looking for premises for Steve. They found an ideal shop just off Bond Street that also had an apartment above. Steve signed the lease and David paid the deposit and first years rent. They went for a drink to celebrate. "We must put your backing on a formal basis. You know a proper contract." "But I trust you" David replied. "A contract or no deal." David knew that the success or failure had to be seen to be Steve's alone. He called Sylvia and asked her advice, without being specific about what type of business he intended to back. She said she would talk to Peter about drawing up a contract and perhaps they could drop by her office in a couple of days time to sign everything. They spent the next couple of days arranging to have the shop gutted and turned into the type of high class establishment Steve envisaged. In the evenings they spent time at David's home and at night luxuriously in David's bed. They went to Market Solutions to see Sylvia and sign the documents. As they were about to leave Mark walked in. He froze both at the sight of David, who he had not expected to be there, and at the tattooed stranger with him. David broke the ice. "Mark this is my old school friend Steve. Steve this is Mark." The two men shook hands although each looked warily at the other. Mark suggested they go to his office, and Steve and David followed him out. When the door was shut Mark turned on David. "So this is your bit of fun. I at least thought you might have left me for something better than that." He stabbed his index finger in Steve's direction. "Do not talk about my friend like that. You will apologise" David said. "There really is no need" Steve said. Mark was not about to apologise. "So you are bringing him into the firm. You might soon have a harem here." "Now you are just being silly. Steve is here to sign a contract with me. I am investing, with my own money not the firms, in a business Steve is setting up." "Well it doesn't matter. I think it would be better if I quit. You can then do what you like with yours and the firms money." "You really are being silly. I love you Mark. I really do. But I love Steve as well. I wanted you in this firm as I not only trust you to look after my interests but because it makes me feel so good to know that I have helped a man I love fulfil one of his ambitions. You always wanted to run a firm yourself and you are doing a splendid job. But I also love the idea that I can help another man I love fulfil his ambition. I feel very lucky." "And now you expect me to share you. I can fuck you Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays and the colourful creep can have Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. And on Sundays you can go out on the prowl for number 3." "You don't know me. I am not a creep. I am as good as you. Maybe better if David throws you over for me." They glared at each other and it looked as if they might come to blows. "Stop it the pair of you" David shouted at the top of his voice. Mark and Steve turned to look at him. Tears were pouring down David's cheeks. "I know it is all my fault, but I can't help myself. Each of you is more than I deserve, and yet it is not enough. I think I must have been born with something missing." Both Mark and Steve moved to comfort David. He stepped back. "Keep away, both of you." "David, I cannot share you in the way you seem to want me to" Mark said in quiet tones. "I don't doubt you love me David" Steve said "And I do still love you even after all these years. The last weekend was great. But it is different for me now. I am not prepared to get deeply involved with you unless I am certain that you are mine alone and for all time. You hurt me before. I won't go through that pain again. You have to choose." "No I don't have to choose. I can't choose. I am going to go away for a few weeks or months or more. And when I come back, maybe I will know what I truly want. And maybe I will be even more fucked up than I am now. I don't know. But I won't stay here and continue to hurt you both the way I am. You both deserve so much better." David left the room. The next day he flew out of Heathrow airport.