Making it Through the Summer: Chapter 5

[deadfic]

Making it Through the Summer & Making it Through Another Summer
by Kim

Making it Through the Summer
Chapter 5


Tuesday, July 30th
10:30 a.m.
The Art Department
Vangard

"Damn," Justin swore to himself. For the life of him, he could not get his mind off of Brian. No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop thinking about his encounter with his ex just a few days before. He was also still trying to get over the shock of discovering Vance's true intentions. Although he was less than thrilled about the "real" reason he was at Vangard, Justin felt it best to just finish out the internship and not rock the boat. At one time, he may have been inclined to seek retribution from Vance, but he was now at the point where financial security mattered more than anything else. He had been able to save a substantial amount of money from the internship and with another month, he would be able to feel far more secure about the upcoming semester. As far as he was concerned, the less he needed to depend on Brian, the better.

Brian.... Just the man's name made certain unwanted images appear in Justin's head. Those few minutes when Brian had pushed him against the desk had been enough to send his brain into overdrive. Ever since he had "escaped" that particular predicament, Justin had been experiencing flashbacks. Memories he tried to suppress kept creeping into his subconscious. Just a few minutes ago he'd been thinking about the ice cream kisses on the chaise. God, how he loved to lick the ice cream off his lover's chest and watch him go wild. He had even tried reading his "Brian list" to block out the images, but it hadn't been nearly as effective as it usually was. The blond's train of thought was interrupted as he heard his cell phone ring.

"Hey, sweetie, it's Em," came Emmett's familiar voice.

"Oh, hey Em. What's up?"

"The usual, baby. Just going through a new shipment," Emmett responded, as he folded shirts at Torso, the men's disco clothing store he worked at.

"Same here. I'm just trying to work on a new layout for Nick."

"Listen honey, Teddy and I would love it if you came to Babylon with us tonight. It's been months since you last joined us, and as much as I love Teddy, you're a much better dancer than he is." Emmett hoped he sounded convincing, even though he wasn't lying about Justin being the better dancer.

"I...I don't know, Em..."

"Please, baby, for old times sake," Emmett begged.

"Oh, why not," Justin conceded. He knew he would have fun with Emmett and Ted.

"Who knows, you might just meet a hot beefy top."

"You never know," Justin grinned at his friend's way with words.

"Well, I'm afraid I have to let you go, sweetie, but Teddy and I will pick you up at around nine-thirty."

"Sounds good," Justin agreed. Maybe what he needed was a little action for himself to keep thoughts of Brian from entering his head.

10:00 p.m.
The Loft

Brian stood in front of his highly organized closet, slowly perusing his Babylon attire section. He had to look his best tonight, and that meant dressing to impress. Ordinarily, he was able to do this without putting much effort into it. Tonight, however, he wanted to make sure he looked hot. It wasn't every day that one embarked on winning his man back.

"Huh," he murmured as he looked at a black silk shirt hanging in the closet. The shirt had swirled white designs on it. "When the fuck did I even buy this?" Brian wondered. "Fuck, it looks like something Tony Soprano would wear. Well, this one is going in the trash," he declared as he yanked it off the hanger and threw it on the bed.

He flipped through a few more shirts, still not seeing the perfect one for the occasion. He did, however, stop when he came across an ugly mottled brown wool tank top. "Shit, I must have been really high to have bought this repulsive thing," he muttered in disbelief. "Christ, it looks like a fucking dead cat. There's no way in hell I'm wearing this again," Brian said, adding it to the discarded pile on his bed.

Scanning through more shirts, he finally stopped with a satisfied smile. "Now this is more like it," he said. He took a red shirt out of the closet and eyed it carefully. While it seemed like just an ordinary button down shirt, Brian knew that on him, it would make him look extraordinarily hot. This ordinary shirt would mould to his body with the sleeves rolled up to expose his very toned biceps. Leaving the shirt partially unbuttoned, Brian would also exhibit his smooth, firm chest. There was no way a little blond twink would be able to resist him. Now he just needed to decide on what to wear with it.

For some reason, tight jeans, or even tight black pants, just didn't seem appropriate for the evening's events. Maybe he should visit a particular section of his closet that he only frequented for very special occasions. After all, this was, the first time that he ever "stalked" someone, maybe he should mark the occasion by wearing something extra special....

***

Ten minutes later, he was walking out the door in his red shirt and a pair of tight, black leather pants, that molded to his long legs; Justin wouldn't stand a chance. He could never resist Brian when he saw him in leather.

"Let the games begin, Sunshine," Brian smirked, as he set the alarm and locked the door behind him. It was time he put in an appearance at Babylon.

11:00 p.m.
Babylon

Justin was on the crowded dance floor with Emmett dancing to the beat of DJ Tiësto. Emmett was doing his trademark "Praise Jesus" move as Justin lost himself in the rhythm of the music. Ted had decided to sit this song out and look for Michael, who had just arrived without Ben. It was obviously a school night for the professor.

"Isn't this fun, baby!" Emmett loudly exclaimed so he could be heard over the music.

"Sure is. I forgot how much fun coming to Babylon and hanging with you and Ted can be."

"I'm glad you came, baby." Emmett smiled and scanned the club, looking to see if Brian had arrived. So far, it appeared that he had yet to make his grand entrance - a fact which intrigued Emmett. He couldn't help but wonder why he had insisted they bring Justin to Babylon.

"Who are you looking for?" Justin inquired. Emmett's searching of the club had not gone unnoticed.

"Uh...."

"Brian, right?" Justin smiled. "It's okay to mention him. I'm sure if he's here, he's in the backroom up to his usual tricks."

"You're probably right," Emmett conceded, uneasily. He wished he knew where Brian was, so he could at least have some idea as to what he was up to.

"Look, I'm going to head over to the bar and grab a drink. Why don't I meet up with you and Ted later?" Justin suggested. The subject of Brian had reminded him that he was there to block out all thoughts of the infuriating man.

"Alright, sweetie. Listen, if you need anything, I'll be upstairs with Teddy," Emmett indicated.

"Sure," Justin agreed, taking off his shirt. "Do you mind holding on to this for me?"

"Uh, no problem, baby." Emmett wondered if this was such a good idea considering the unknown Brian factor.

"Thanks." Justin gave his trademark sunshine smile before heading in the direction of the bar.

***

"What the hell is he doing here?" Michael demanded as Emmett joined him and Ted on the balcony.

"Actually, Michael, he's here with us," Emmett replied in a voice that brooked no argument.

"Oh," the answer seemed to satisfy the irate man. "Does Brian know?"

"What difference does it make? Besides, Brian's probably too busy getting sucked off in the backroom to even notice," Ted pointed out. He wasn't about to tell Michael that Justin had been brought to Babylon at Brian's request.

"Well, he doesn't belong here. It's bad enough he's working at Vangard and subjecting poor Brian to his lying..."

"Lying what, Mikey?" Brian strolled over and put his arm around his friend, pretending he didn't know what he was whining about.

"I just wondered what Justin was doing here," Michael answered, pointing to the blond, who was standing at the bar.

"He probably just wants to get fucked like the rest of us," Brian answered arrogantly.

"Well, he shouldn't be here."

"Why not?"

"Because..." Michael suddenly stopped, noticing Brian's appearance. "Why are you wearing your leather pants?"

"Why not?" Brian came back.

"Well, it's just that you normally save them for special occasions like the leather ball," Michael protested in a confused voice.

"Yeah, you are rather decked out for just another typical evening at Babylon," Ted noted, although he had to wonder if Brian's appearance was somehow connected to the favor that had been requested.

"Well, Theodore, unlike you, I try to always look my best," Brian responded in his usual sarcastic fashion.

"He's not!" Emmett suddenly exclaimed as he saw Justin lead two beefy tricks out to the dance floor.

"He can't," Ted stated in disbelief.

"He is," Emmett uttered in complete shock.

"Is he going to do it with both of them?" Mikey wondered in disgust.

"He can do whatever he wants," Brian declared as he turned and headed out to the dance floor as The Crystal Method's "Comin' Back" pulsated in the background. It was time he made his first move.

I know that I don't understand
The way my feelings arose
I've got to look outside again
And wonder where I have gone

In need of a little pain management, Justin had found two willing tricks and sandwiched himself between them as they danced to the beat of the music. One seductively ground against his ass, while the other played with his nipple ring and hungrily kissed his neck. It was just what the doctor had ordered to rid himself of the thoughts that had been plaguing him about Brian.

I looked into someone's eyes again
And it's been oh so long
I never meant it to talk again
I tried to silence you

Spotting his prey, Brian moved closer. His eyes were fixated on the object of his hunt. He couldn't help but smirk at the two tricks who encircled it. Rest assured, they wouldn't be there much longer. In a way, it was almost like a night two years ago, only this time the prey had now become the predator.

You keep comin' back again
You keep comin' back for more

It was clear that the object of the hunt had not yet realized he was being stalked. He was too high on his various forms of pain management to notice the piercing hazel eyes that were fixed on him, or the eyes of the shocked Babylon patrons who were intently watching the man in the leather pants as he stalked towards him. All Justin could feel was the heat of the bodies as they ground up against him. He had blocked out all other thoughts and only focused on the sensation of flesh against flesh. It was the only way he could deal with the unwanted memories.

And then you come back and haunt my mind
You try to make me look good
You know I just don't have the time
I never ever understood

As Brian made his way closer, stealthily moving toward his prey he quickly went in for the capture. Adeptly circling his prey, he pushed the two tricks aside, causing Justin to suddenly look up. Shocked blue eyes met fiercely hot hazel ones.

The bewildered prey quickly realized that the predator's game had begun. He'd been captured, and it was now the predator that ground up against him with his leather pants sliding against him. It was the predator's hands groping his tight little ass, and his lips sucking fiercely on his neck. Feeling a tug of his nipple ring, Justin began drowning in a sea of familiar sensations, and was helpless against it. All he could concentrate on was the heat of Brian's body grinding against him, the feeling of leather against his flesh, and the lips wreaking havoc on his senses.

You keep comin' back again
You keep comin' back for more

***

"What the hell is he doing?" Michael demanded angrily as he watched Brian from the balcony with Emmett and Ted.

"Beats us," Ted and Emmett exchanged stunned glances. They had no idea that this is what Brian had been planning. Never in their wildest dreams could either of them have imagined such a scenario.

"He must be out of his mind," Michael shook his head in disbelief.

"Michael, why don't you just stand back and watch the show like the rest of us," Emmett suggested, trying to calm his friend down. "I don't think any of us has a clue as to what he is up to."

Michael rolled his eyes, having no other choice but to become an unwilling spectator of The Infamous Brian Kinney Show.

***

Having completely ensnared his prey Brian could feel Justin's erection throbbing against him. He wanted nothing more than to rip the boy's pants off and take him right there, but he knew he had to be patient. If he was going to meet his objective, he needed to stick to his plan. However, his plan didn't have any rules against taking advantage of his prey.

As the song came to an end, the predator decided to go in for the kill. He swooped down and took Justin's mouth hungrily with his own rubbing his body against the blond's. It was a kiss full of lust that had been consuming him for months. His teeth nipped at the boy's lower lip as he ground his lips against Justin's moist, warm ones. Brian's tongue soon plundered its way into Justin's mouth. The predator and his prey remained locked in their heated embrace as the final beats of the song faded.

As much as Brian regretted it, he knew that it was time to bring the evening's festivities to a close. Drawing his lips away from his prey's mouth, Brian began hotly kissing Justin's neck, working his way up to the blond's ear. After nibbling and blowing into its ear, causing the prey to quiver from the sensation, the predator seductively whispered, "Later."

Brian relinquished his prey, walking out of the club without saying another word, leaving Justin standing transfixed on the dance floor, utterly shocked, as the patrons of Babylon looked on in complete disbelief. It appeared that the game had indeed begun; the King of Liberty Avenue was out to reclaim what rightfully belonged to him....

Wednesday, July 31st
7:30 a.m.
Justin and Daphne's Apartment

"Fuck!"

Justin stood in front of the bathroom mirror, about to shave, when he noticed a series of bites and red marks on the side of his neck. Not only did he have Brian to thank for a confused and sleepless night, he also had him to thank for looking like he had been attacked by a vampire the previous evening.

"Justin, are you okay?" Daphne asked, having come into the bathroom after hearing him curse.

"Yeah," the blond answered, hoping Daphne wouldn't notice his neck.

"Oh my God!" Daphne exclaimed, as Justin cringed. Obviously, she noticed. "No wonder you were out so late last night. He must have been something else."

"Sure," Justin sarcastically remarked.

"You want to tell me about it?"

"Not now, I'm going to be late as it is. I'll tell you tonight when Ben comes over for dinner," Justin promised.

"I'm holding you to that," Daphne said. "I'll see if I can find something for you to wear that might disguise it," she offered.

"Thanks."

***

Ten minutes later, Justin and Daphne were standing in front of his closet trying to find something that would hide the offending marks. So far, they had been unsuccessful.

"Damn, with it being summer it leaves us with few options," Daphne murmured in frustration.

"How about no options. I can't very well go into the office wearing a turtle neck sweater at the end of July," Justin said in an irritated voice.

"I could always put some of my make-up on it," Daph weakly offered.

"Daph, I hate to break it to you, but we don't exactly have the same skin type."

"It was just a suggestion," she shrugged.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to grin and bare it today. I swear I'm going to kill that fucking bastard," Justin muttered grabbing a white button down shirt.

8:30 a.m.
The Art Department
Vangard

"Hey, how's it going?" Justin's buddy Brendan asked, as the blond arrived at his desk.

"Uh, fine."

"Holy shit! You must have had some night," Brendan, remarked impressed by what he noticed on Justin's neck.

"Yeah, it was some night," Justin murmured.

"What did you end up doing with your friends?" Brendan inquired.

"We went to a club on Liberty. I had the unfortunate pleasure of running into my ex," Justin responded. He knew he could be honest; the two had become good friends during his internship, and Brendan was fine with his sexuality.

"Your ex did that?" Brendan asked in surprise.

"You could say that."

"I take it you weren't exactly thrilled to see him?"

"More like shocked," Justin replied. "I don't know what the fuck he was up to last night, and I honestly don't think I want to know."

"Fuck! Don't look now, but that asshole Kinney just walked in. We better pretend to be productive or God only knows what he'll do." Brendan hurried over to his desk in an attempt to avoid Brian.

Justin decided that pretending to work was probably the best idea. He didn't even want to look in Brian's direction if at all possible. He wasn't sure if he was angry for the little stunt, or simply embarrassed by his response to his ex's machinations. The last thing he needed was for the man to notice his neck.

***

On the pretext of discussing the Brown account with Brendan, Brian decided that an unannounced visit to the art department would be the best way to gauge Justin's reaction to the previous evening's activities.

"Brendan, right?" Brian felt it always best to pretend not to know the names of the firm's underlings.

"Yes, Mr. Kinney?" Brendan confirmed in a surprised voice.

"Amy, who normally works on the Brown account, had a family emergency and will be away for the next two weeks. I thought you might help fill in for her," Brian indicated as he covertly glanced over in Justin's direction. He could tell by how stiffly Justin was sitting that he was making the boy very tense. He took that as a good sign. Anything other than indifference was a step in the right direction. He already knew from the previous night that he could make Justin physically want him, but Brian desired more than that. He wanted everything this time around.

"Uh... sure...." The artist didn't know how to respond as Brian noticed Justin's neck. He almost broke out into a satisfied smile as he noticed the love bites, the ones HE had put there. However, it was important that he maintain his usual aloof façade, so he did his utmost to contain his satisfaction.

"Good. Please come to my office in an hour," he instructed as he walked towards Justin's desk and stopped beside it. Fiery blue eyes looked up at him in an accusing manner.

"Have a rough night there?" Brian drawled.

"More of an irritating one," Justin replied, trying to control his temper.

"Might I suggest that in the future you avoid coming into the office looking like you've just had an interview with a vampire," Brian sarcastically commented, as Justin's blood began to boil.

"You would know all about that now, wouldn't you?" the angered blond countered back.

"I've been known to show my "fangs" on occasion," Brian gave an evil smirk. He turned to head out of the art department, but not before giving his infamous, "Later."

"Later," Justin automatically responded before he realized what he said. Brian looked back and gave him a pleased smirk as he left the art department.

10:30 a.m.
Brian's Office
Vangard

Leaving the art department, Brian had been inspired by what he considered to be one of his more ingenious ideas. Since he was sick of listening to his least favorite hotelier go on and on about Justin, when he wasn't even his to begin with, Brian had decided that after finishing a conference call with Leo Brown, he would have a little chat with the rich prick.

Brian dialed Connolly's office number and hoped that the asshole was there. If not, he would be sure to track the man down, since he absolutely could not resist the temptation of putting the man in his place.

"Sean Connolly," the hotelier answered, as Brian broke out into a devious grin.

"Sean, Brian Kinney."

"Brian, what's up?"

"I just wanted to inform you that we're just about finished with the new ad for Vanity Fair. I think it's right on target with what we discussed," Brian indicated.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. Actually I might stop by your office tomorrow," Sean remarked. "I was thinking about taking Justin out to lunch. Perhaps I could take a look at the ad then?" he suggested.

"Why not?" Brian smirked. He seriously doubted the prick would be stopping by, considering that Justin's neck, after all, still bore his little love bites. "Speaking of Justin, I have to admit, the two of you must have had some night last night."

"Huh...?"

"My goodness, Connolly, if I would have known you were such a vampire, I might have gone after you myself," Brian pretended to joke.

"Vampire?"

"Don't play innocent with me Sean, I know what those bites and red marks were on Justin's neck this morning. I almost feel sorry for the poor kid. They aren't exactly easy for him to hide in the middle of the summer," Brian drawled.

"Yeah, well, we uh.... oh, look Brian, I have another call. I'm afraid I have to be going," Sean rushed on, as Brian knew full well that the man was lying.

"No problem. Let me know if you'll be stopping by."

"Will do. Uh... I'll talk to you later," Sean hurried before hanging up.

"I think that went well," Brian smugly remarked to himself. "That should take care of him for at least a few days. Until then, I suppose I shall have to continue with my little stalking scheme. I can't have poor Sunshine feeling neglected, now can I?"

11:00 a.m.
The Art Department
Vangard

Justin had just returned from a meeting with Nick when his phone rang. Hopefully it wasn't Daphne pressing for an explanation regarding the events of the previous evening.

"Hi, this is Justin."

"Justin, it's Sean."

"Oh, uh, hi Sean."

"How have things been?"

"Uh, good," Justin answered not ready to deal with Sean yet.

"Do anything exciting last night?" Sean questioned.

"Uh... I ended up going to Babylon with Ted and Emmett. I haven't been with them in months and they insisted I join them," Justin responded, feeling it best to leave out a few minor details.

"I see," Sean murmured, unsure what to make of Justin's response. "Listen, I was wondering if I could take you to lunch tomorrow?" he invited, deciding to go ahead with his original intentions.

"Lunch?"

"Yeah, I was thinking around 12:30."

"I... uh, I don't think tomorrow will work." He couldn't possibly let Sean see his neck. There was no conceivable explanation for his dilemma. "I... I think I have a lunch meeting tomorrow. How about next week?"

"Next week," Sean said, sounding as if he were pondering something. "I guess that will work since I'm going to be in New York this weekend," he sighed as Justin felt a wave of relief at the news.

"Why don't you call me when you get back," Justin offered.

"Uh... sure," Sean hesitantly agreed.

"Good. I'll talk with you soon," Justin said. "Have a good trip." He hung up the phone and let out a sigh. How much worse could this day get?

1:00 p.m.
Brian's Office
Vangard

Brian returned from lunch in a very good mood. So far the day had gone quite well. Hell, he hadn't felt this good in a long time. As he listened to his voice mail, he couldn't help but laugh to himself. There were two indignant messages from Mikey demanding he call him. Obviously Mikey wanted to "chastise" him for his little stunt, something that Brian could do without for now. Mikey did not need to be in the "know" just yet - he had other plans for him. The next message was from Emmett, and in his typical dramatic fashion, Emmett demanded an explanation for Brian's behavior the previous night. He also said how he didn't like seeing the confused state Justin was in after being the "victim" of the latest Kinney manipulation. The final message was from Ted. It was straight and to the point. Ted wanted him to call and shed some light on his actions the night before. Brian figured that they all could wait, as he would deal with them only when they were required for the next stage of his plan.

The only person he wanted to speak to at the moment was Lindsay. She was at least relevant to the next phase of his scheme. Reaching for the phone, Brian decided that it was time to set up his next "encounter" with Justin.

"Linds, it's Brian," he drawled, after Lindsay answered.

"Hi, Brian. How was Babylon last night? Mel talked to Ted this morning and he said you put on quite a performance."

"Yes, it was quite the performance. In fact, poor Sunshine looks like he's about ready to kill me. Especially since I left behind a few little love bites," Brian slyly commented.

"You didn't?" Lindsay replied. "The poor kid. No wonder he wants to kill you," she laughed.

"I could say I would much rather see him wanting to kill me than seeing him act like that indifferent pod person he was when he started here."

"You do have a point. So, what's the next phase in your stalking scheme?" Lindsay inquired.

"Actually, that's why I was calling you. I think you should invite Justin over for dinner on Sunday. You know how much he loves your cooking, and I'm sure Gus would love to see him also."

"I see," Lindsay smiled. "And where exactly do you fit in?"

"I thought I would be the annoying father of your child who happens to drop by unannounced," Brian indicated.

"Now why does that have a familiar ring to it?" Brian was known for dropping by the girls' home uninvited on numerous occasions.

"I wouldn't know," Brian casually responded. "Since I'm just "happening" to drop by, you'll of course have to insist I stay for dinner."

"Of course," Lindsay agreed in a knowing voice.

"So, how does seven o'clock sound?" Brian suggested.

"It sounds fine. I'll tell Justin to be over earlier, and I'm sure Mel and I will "have" to find a reason to delay dinner until seven. I take it you'll be dropping by just as we are ready to eat?"

"Of course."

"I guess we have a plan then."

"A good one. I'll be in touch," Brian promised as his assistant entered his office.

"I had a entertaining lunch this afternoon," Cynthia announced as she walked toward Brian's desk.

"Really?" Brian raised an eyebrow.

"Yep," Cynthia smiled.

"Do I even dare ask who had the pleasure of your company?"

"Nick Stanton's assistant, Marie," Cynthia replied.

"And what did Marie have to say for herself?" Brian hoped Cynthia had been able to obtain a useful tidbit of information.

"She couldn't get over what a ferocious lover Nick's intern must have. Apparently, this "lover" has quite the "bite," if you know what I mean," the blonde woman smiled as Brian gave her a surprised look. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"

"And why would you think that?"

"Oh, maybe because I happened to pass by our blond intern in the hallway today. He looked like someone had taken one too many nips on his neck. Since I practically know you better than you know yourself, I tend to believe that you wouldn't stand by and let someone else "mark" your territory in such a manner. Being that as it may, the only logical explanation for the state of the boy's neck lies with the most likely suspect, which just happens to be you," Cynthia deduced.

"I'm glad to see your detective skills are back to their normal levels," Brian remarked. "I have to admit, when you let Justin fall right under your nose when he first came here, I was beginning to worry."

"As you can see, my skills are better than ever," his assistant smiled back.

"Good," Brian commented. "Perhaps you might want to keep your ears open in the next few weeks regarding him. I have a feeling that our intern is going to be in for a few surprises."

"Are those going to be pleasant or unpleasant surprises?"

"I can assure you that they will be pleasant, very pleasant indeed," Brian responded with a knowing smile.

6:00 p.m.
Justin & Daphne's Apartment

"Hey Daph," Justin greeted his roommate upon entering the apartment.

"Hey! So how was your day, or should I not ask?" Daphne had a feeling he had probably gotten endless jibes about his neck.

"You don't even want to know," Justin muttered.

"That bad?"

"Yeah, it was pretty bad. Just about everyone fucking noticed. Some tried to make a joke about the whole damn thing while others looked at me like I was some type of freak. Oh, and to make matters worse, that fucking asshole had the nerve to show up in the art department this morning."

"What asshole?" Daphne asked in a confused tone.

"Brian."

"Yeah well, that's nothing unusual...." Daphne suddenly began to put the pieces together. "You don't mean to tell me that Brian did this to you?" she asked in shock.

"That's precisely who did it. Can you fucking believe that?"

"But how, when?" Daphne questioned.

"Last night at Babylon! I was minding my own fucking business entertaining a couple tricks, when he just had to fucking cut in. The next thing I knew, he had me completely trapped, and I, being the pathetic twat that I am, was totally powerless against him," Justin responded, as he tried to block the previous evening's images from his mind.

"Fuck! You've got to be shitting me!" Daphne exclaimed.

"I can assure you, I am not. Especially since I have "proof"," Justin said referring to his neck.

"I can't believe that after all these months he would just come up to you like that," Daphne commented in amazement. "Why the fuck would he do that?"

"I have no fucking idea," replied Justin. He only wished he had some clue as to what had been going through his ex's head the night before.

"Oh, before I forget," Daphne reached over and grabbed an envelope off the counter. "This came in the mail today from PIFA."

"Huh," Justin said, grabbing the envelope, "It's too early to be about my upcoming tuition." He proceeded to tear it open and pull out a letter.

"What does it say?" Daphne inquired as Justin began reading the letter.

"Holy shit!" Justin exclaimed.

"What? Don't keep me in suspense."

"It says that three of my pieces have been selected for PIFA's annual summer art fair," Justin beamed with excitement.

"Oh my gosh! That's great," Daphne enthused.

"Thanks," smiled the blond. "You don't know how hard it is for a freshman to have his work selected for this event. I can't believe they picked not just one, but three of my pieces."

"That's awesome. We will have to be sure to invite the gang. I know they are going to be so excited to see your work."

"Yeah. I know that Lindsay and Mel will be thrilled. I can't wait to tell Ben also. He should be here around seven, so we should probably order food before he comes."

"That sounds like a good idea," Daphne agreed, as she continued to wonder what Brian Kinney had been up to the night before.

7:30 p.m.
Justin and Daphne's apartment

Justin, Daphne, and Ben were sitting on the living room floor around the coffee table sharing a pizza. Ever since Ben had arrived at the apartment, he had been dying to ask Justin about the now infamous Babylon incident since he had been subjected to listening to Michael whine about it all day. The professor had also observed Justin's neck and could only imagine how embarrassed he must have been going to work with it looking the way it did.

"So, how did things go at work today?" Ben asked, hoping to ease into the topic of Brian.

"Fucking lousy," Justin admitted. "I'm sure you have already heard all about last night's activities from Michael, though."

"He did mention it," Ben indicated. "However, for some reason, I think his version might be a little inaccurate."

"Let me guess, I somehow seduced Brian into dismissing my tricks and sharing a rather steamy dance, in addition to taking a few chunks out of my neck," Justin offered with slight sarcasm.

"Something along those lines," Ben grinned - Justin knew Michael all too well.

"Well I can assure you that's not what happened. I didn't even realize Brian was at Babylon until I found myself up against him. As for the dance, I'm not really sure what that was all about. Of course it didn't help matters that any hope of rational thought flew out of my head as soon as he began grinding up against me. It also didn't help that he wore that damn red shirt and those fucking leather pants."

"I didn't even know he owned leather pants," Daphne commented in a surprised voice.

"Oh, he does," Justin confirmed, trying not to think of how sexy Brian had looked in them.

"You know, you really shouldn't blame yourself for responding to the man. After all, he can be quite persuasive." Ben knew firsthand from his own adventure with Brian at the White Party a few years back.

"Tell me about it," the blond shook his head.

"Do you have any idea what motivated him last night?" Daphne asked.

"Well, the more I think about it, it could have something to do with last Friday," Justin sheepishly admitted.

"What happened last Friday?" Ben turned to the blond.

"God, where do I even begin?" Justin groaned. He hadn't mentioned it to either Ben or Daphne because he was honestly trying his best to block the day's events from his mind.

"Spill," Daphne ordered.

"I guess I might as well," Justin conceded. "I had lunch with Vance on Friday, and when I returned to my desk there was a message from Brian's assistant, Cynthia, informing me that Brian wanted to see me in his office. I had no choice but to go."

"I take it that it didn't exactly go very well?" Ben inquired.

"You could say that. It turns out, Brian thinks the only reason Vance hired me in the first place is because he wanted to use me as a pawn to ruin Brian's career. He apparently had Brian investigated and that's how he discovered my existence. The plan was to use me to make Brian lose his focus and irritate the hell out of him. However, Brian found out about the plan, so all bets are now off when it comes to Vance."

"Fuck," Daphne swore.

"I'm really sorry to hear this, Justin," Ben offered. "However, I don't think Vance would have hired you, if he didn't think you were talented enough to do the job."

"That's what Brian thinks," Justin remarked. "He also suggested that I work with him in helping him land some account that he thinks will give him enough leverage to buy Vance out. He thinks it would be the perfect revenge."

"Typical Brian," Ben laughed. "So, what did you say?"

"I told him there was no way I would help him. I'm going to be leaving the firm in a month, and since Brian is on to him, there's no way Vance's plan will work. All I care about is getting my next month's salary, not risking it on some revenge scheme."

"You have a point," Daphne agreed. "How did Brian react to your decision?"

"I think he was pissed. He kept baiting me, and finally I just lost it."

"I bet that went over really well," Ben sighed.

"Oh, it did alright. Somehow, in the heat of things I ended up telling him about Kip," Justin murmured, trying not to look at Daphne.

"Tell me you didn't," Daphne moaned.

"Who's Kip?" Ben questioned.

"Some asshole Brian used to work with and who he fucked a few times. The guy asked him for help in obtaining a promotion and when he refused, Kip filed a suit against Brian and the firm for sexual harassment," Daphne went on to explain, hoping to take the burden off Justin.

"So, where do you fit into this?" Ben asked Justin.

"I uh, blackmailed him into dropping the charges." Justin then proceeded to explain how he had set Kip up.

"You must have really loved him, to do that," Ben said after Justin had finished with his explanation.

"Yeah, fool that I was, I really did."

"I take it Brian was less than thrilled to hear the real reason why the charges were dropped?" the professor inquired.

"He must have been furious," Daphne added.

"Try beyond furious. He kept going on and on about how Kip could have turned the tables on me. Then he had the audacity to push me onto his desk in an attempt to "teach me a lesson." I knew I had to escape the situation fast, especially since I can't trust my reactions to his advances. As he went to unbutton his pants, I kicked him in the groin," Justin relayed.

"Holy shit!" Daphne exclaimed. She could imagine how pissed Brian must have been.

"Damn, I bet that's the first time someone has ever done that to him. It's about fucking time," Ben commented in amazement.

"Yeah, well I think he was more than a little pissed. He also told me to leave my options open, before I sprinted out of his office."

"Huh.... That's rather strange," Ben noted. He would have thought Brian would have been so enraged that he would have forgotten about his original offer.

"It's not like I'm going to help him. I imagine last night was his own fucked up way of paying me back for kicking him," Justin surmised. "By making my neck look like it had been worked over by a vampire, it would ensure that I had my own reminder for the next few days of his little form of payback."

"You're probably right, especially since, according to Michael, he left you standing on the dance floor at the conclusion of the song," Ben sighed. "Even if it was some twisted form of payback, he had no right to lead you on like that and just leave you there."

"That's Brian for you," Justin shrugged.

"What happened when you saw him this morning in the art department?" Daphne asked, remembering that Justin had mentioned seeing him.

"He had the fucking balls to recommend that I not come into work looking like 'I'd had an interview with a vampire'," Justin uttered in disbelief.

"Well, that's pure fucking Brian for you," Ben muttered. "Hopefully he's through with his revenge or whatever the fuck he wanted from you last night."

"One can only hope," Justin agreed. Just when he thought he could finally get past Brian, the infuriating asshole always found a way back in.

Thursday, August 1st
12:00 p.m.
The Art Department
Vangard

"Hi Linds, it's Justin." While on his lunch break, the blond had decided to call his friend and tell her about the art fair.

"Hi, Justin. I was going to call you today."

"Really? Well I guess I beat you to it," Justin laughed.

"How are things with you?" Lindsay inquired.

"For the most part good. How's Gus?"

"He's talking more and more every day," Lindsay said with pride. "He's also been asking about you."

"He has? That's sweet. I'll have to stop by and visit soon," Justin promised. "Listen, the reason I called is to tell you that three of my pieces have been selected for PIFA's summer art fair."

"Justin, that's wonderful. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks. It means so much to me that you and Mel have been so supportive of my art. I wanted to personally invite both of you to attend the show. It's actually next weekend, if you can make it."

"Of course we'll be there," Lindsay smiled. "Are you inviting anyone else from the family?"

"I saw Ben last night, and he said he would come, and Daphne will be there of course. I'm going to ask Debbie and Vic, and I thought I might mention it to Ted and Emmett," he replied, as Lindsay noted that he had conveniently left Brian and Michael out. She would definitely have to inform Brian about this upcoming event, especially since Justin had included Brian's lack of support of his artwork on his infamous list.

"Well, this news just gives me more of a reason to invite you over to dinner on Sunday. I know Gus would love to spend some quality time with you, and it's been ages since it was just you, me, and Mel for dinner." Lindsay hoped she had made it clear that Sean was not included in the invitation.

"I would love to come for dinner," Justin smiled. "Can I bring anything with me?"

"No, honey, we'll take care of everything. All you need to bring is yourself. Why don't you come over at about four-thirty and we will plan dinner for six."

"Alright, that sounds good. I'll see you then," Justin said, looking forward to Sunday dinner. He always had such a good time with the girls.

4:00 p.m.
The 17th floor
Vangard

Brian was heading down the hall on his way to a meeting when he saw Justin walking towards him. He decided that perhaps it was a good time to try a little "stalking."

"Hey," he greeted Justin as he approached.

"Uh, hey," Justin greeted back with a puzzled expression on his face.

"How's the hotelier?" Brian drawled.

"What?" Justin looked at him with a confused expression.

"Connolly," Brian elaborated.

"Fine, I guess," Justin shrugged. He wondered what the hell Brian was up to.

"What did he think of your neck?"

"Look, would you just cut it out," Justin demanded, realizing Brian was trying to mock him.

"Cut what out?" Brian aloofly inquired.

"You know damn well what."

"No, actually I don't. Anyway, I've got a meeting to get to. Later, Sunshine," Brian said before departing in the other direction, leaving Justin standing there completely baffled.

Sunday, August 4th
6:30 p.m.
Melanie & Lindsay's

Justin sat on the living room couch reading a story to Gus as he sat holding the "leather" bear his father had given him almost two years ago.

"Don't you two look adorable," Lindsay cooed, coming into the living room. "I'm sorry for the delay with dinner," she apologized. "Melanie's got the roast under control now."

"Don't worry about it. I don't mind at all. In fact, it's given me more time to spend with Gus."

"I'm so glad you could come tonight. Gus loves seeing you so much."

"Well you know how much I love him," Justin smiled. "Don't I, Gus?" He turned and picked the boy up and hugged him.

"Love, Jus," Gus replied happily as the doorbell rang according to plan.

"I wonder who that could be?" Lindsay remarked.

"It better not be that asshole," came Melanie's voice from the kitchen. She couldn't believe that she was actually going along with Brian's scheme. She had to admit, though, there was some satisfaction in actually getting to see Brian have to work for something.

"Brian!" Lindsay exclaimed, trying to act surprised upon opening the front door as Justin couldn't believe his bad luck.

"Hey Linds, I thought I would drop by and see how Sonny Boy is doing," Brian said, walking into the foyer.

"Look, Brian, now is not exactly the best time."

"Why not? It smells like I'm just in time for dinner," he remarked, playing along with Lindsay's lead.

"It's just that we didn't expect you to drop by and we sort of already...." Lindsay attempted as Brian walked into the living room.

"Dadda!" Gus exclaimed, excitedly hurrying over to Brian.

"Hey, Sonny Boy," Brian greeted him, lifting him in the air. He looked over at Justin, who sat on the couch completely paralyzed before greeting him with a customary, "hey."

"Hey." Justin looked up at his ex suspiciously.

"It looks like Justin's been keeping you company," Brian commented to Gus, as he carried his son over to the chair across from the couch where the blond was sitting.

"Surprise, Surprise," Melanie drawled, coming into the living room. "I see you still haven't learned the art of calling first."

"Nice to see you too, Mel," Brian smirked. "So, what's for dinner?" he asked as Justin cringed.

"Did I miss something?" Melanie inquired.

"Well, I'm sure there's plenty for an extra person," Lindsay tried to "diffuse" the situation.

"I take it you're staying then?" Melanie looked at Brian.

"She did say there was more than enough," Brian responded.

"Fine. I'll go and set an extra place," Melanie muttered before heading toward the dining room.

"Dadda stay for dinner?" Gus looked up at Brian expectantly.

"That's right, Sonny Boy, Dadda's staying for dinner," Brian smiled in satisfaction.

***

Fifteen minutes later, they were all heading into the dining room. Gus's highchair was set up next to Lindsay, and as she attempted to put Gus in his chair, he began to squawk in protest.

"What is it, honey?" Lindsay asked.

"Jus sit next to Dadda," Gus ordered, having noticed that Justin was trying to sit as far away from Brian as possible.

"Gus," Lindsay attempted. "Maybe Justin wants to sit between both your mommies instead."

"No. Jus next to Dadda," Brian's son protested. He could be just as stubborn as his father at times.

"Don't worry Sonny Boy. How about Justin and I sit across from your mommies and you can sit at the head of the table between Lindsay and Justin," Brian suggested.

"Good." Gus smiled as Justin wondered how he would ever make it through the meal.

***

Once everyone was seated in their "assigned" seats and they had each filled their plates, Lindsay decided it would be best to make a little small talk, and perhaps provide Brian with a useful stalking tip.

"Did Justin mention that three of his pieces have been selected at next weekend's summer art fair at PIFA?" Lindsay asked Brian as Justin looked up at her with a pained expression.

"No, actually he didn't," Brian replied, making note of the information. He had to be sure to attend, since it would help to take care of a particular item on the boy's list.

"It's quite an accomplishment for only his first year," Melanie added.

"Well, I say it's about time they started acknowledging his talent," Brian remarked as Justin turned to look at him in surprise.

"Tell us about the pieces that were selected," Lindsay looked across at Justin.

"Uh," Justin hesitated. "One is an abstract I worked on during my second quarter and the other two are just some sketches I did."

"Abstracts are always interesting; what does yours represent?" Lindsay asked as Brian noticed Justin blush at the question.

"Uh.... You know how abstracts are, I think they are mainly what people want to see in the picture," Justin answered in an attempt to avoid the actual question. Brian observed his discomfort, and made note to pay close attention to this picture when he attended the art fair.

"Jus," Gus motioned to Justin.

"Yes, Gus?"

"What happened to your neck?" Gus pointed to the semi-faded marks on Justin's neck as Melanie started choking on her wine. Lindsay, on the other hand, was trying desperately hard not to laugh at how observant her son was.

"Well, Gus...." Justin was at a loss for words, until he saw Brian smirking at him. "Why don't you ask your father?"

"Dadda, why is Jus' neck all red?"

"Well, Sonny Boy, Justin was bit by a bug," Brian began.

"How big was it?" Gus asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, Brian, why don't you tell us what type of bug bit poor Justin," Melanie suggested.

"Actually, Gus, it was quite a big bug, wasn't it, Justin?" Brian gave the blond a knowing look.

"You could say that," Justin agreed. "For whatever reason, it appeared to have bitten me several times."

"Did Dadda kiss it better?" Gus curiously inquired. "Mamma and Mommie always kiss me better," the child smiled.

"I sure did, Sonny Boy," Brian smirked. He had to admit his son could be brilliant at times.

"Good. Jus feel better," Gus happily smiled as Justin rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe what a nuisance his ex was becoming.

***

After dinner and dessert, the girls sat with Brian, Justin and Gus in the living room. Dinner had gone smoothly once Gus' question about the "bug" bites had been answered. Lindsay and Melanie had tried to keep the conversation flowing. Justin had been quieter than usual, which they had attributed to Brian being there. Brian was of course his usual self. He had exchanged the normal banter with Melanie and had helped keep Gus entertained.

Brian looked across the room at Justin who was sitting in a chair with Gus in his lap. Seeing Gus' leather bear lying on the couch, Brian couldn't resist the temptation. He picked the bear up and threw it at Justin.

"Hey," Justin scowled. "What was that for?"

"I thought Gus might like his bear," Brian lied as Melanie and Lindsay exchanged knowing glances.

"Oh." For a moment, Justin had been reminded of when he and Brian had thrown the bear back and forth at one another in this very same room almost two years ago.

"I think it's time for this little fellow's bedtime," Lindsay decided, walking over to Justin, and picking up her son.

"I should probably be going," Justin agreed.

"Here, Justin, I'll go get my keys so I can give you a lift home," Melanie said.

"I can take him," Brian offered.

"Uh...." Justin began to protest.

"Could you?" Melanie pretended to sound relieved.

"Yeah, it's not a problem."

"Do you mind, honey?" Melanie turned to Justin.

"I guess not," he shrugged his shoulders. The night couldn't become any more painful than it already was.

"Good, then it's settled," Lindsay smiled.

***

Fifteen minutes later, Brian and Justin had said goodnight to Gus and the girls, and they were heading out of the house. Justin looked toward the driveway expecting to see the jeep, and was shocked to find a dark green vintage Corvette Stingray with a white top.

"Where's the jeep?" he turned to Brian.

"Back at the loft. I'm keeping it for the winter," Brian responded, surprised Justin hadn't heard through the Liberty grapevine about his new ride.

"Oh. How long have you had this?" Justin asked, eyeing the 'Vette.

"Since March. I hosted a carnival at Babylon for our favorite people at the GLC. I was able to use the fee I charged them for my services to purchase this," Brian explained.

"I was about to say, you hate the fucking center, but I suppose if they were paying you, you'd help them," Justin conceded.

"Yeah well, it got me my new car, so I'm not complaining. Why don't you hop in and check out the inside," Brian suggested, unlocking the passenger door for Justin.

"Thanks," Justin said as he sat down in the passenger seat.

"So," Brian began once he was behind the wheel, "Where do you live now?"

"Fifth and Summit St."

"You live there?" Brian didn't like knowing Justin was living in that particular run-down area of Pittsburgh.

"Yeah," the blond confirmed.

***

The ride to Justin's apartment was conducted in silence for the most part. Justin really didn't know what to say, and felt uncomfortable as hell in the close quarters of the 'Vette. Brian, on the other hand, didn't want to appear obvious by appearing more talkative than usual.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore, and decided to break the ice. "You know, if you weren't such a stranger and actually stopped by the loft some time, I might be inclined to let you take her for a ride," Brian offered as Justin looked back at him with a puzzled expression. "I believe you know how to drive, don't you. Weren't you always begging me to let you drive the jeep?"

"I guess I could stop by," Justin shrugged. Why Brian was inviting him over was beyond him.

"You should."

"We'll see," Justin said in a noncommittal voice as they pulled up in front of his building.

"I suppose it doesn't look too terribly dilapidated from the outside," Brian observed of the building.

"Yeah, well not all starving artists can afford fancy lofts on Tremont."

"I suppose you do have a point," Brian conceded.

"Uh, thanks for the ride," Justin offered weakly.

The blond was about to get out of the car, when Brian suddenly dragged him towards him and captured his lips in a searing kiss. Once again, Justin found himself completely defenseless against his ex's warm lips as they passionately devoured his. He found himself wanting more as he leaned into Brian, parting his lips, allowing the man's tongue entrance into his warm recesses.

Pulling away suddenly, Brian held Justin's blue eyes with a mesmerizing stare. Justin found that he couldn't turn away. His heart was pounding and his body yearned for Brian.

"Later," Brian gave a throaty whisper.

"Later," Justin whispered, as he climbed out of the car. He stood in the street wondering what in the hell had just happened as the 'Vette pulled away from his apartment building...

Monday, August 5th
The Art Department
Vangard

Justin was in a foul mood as he entered the art department the following morning. Thanks to Brian, he had experienced another restless night wondering what the hell his ex was up to. The only possible explanation that seemed logical to him was that Brian felt if he irritated him enough, Justin would finally agree to help him take down Vance. However, no matter what tactics the man used, Justin was not about to back down from his original decision. He wanted no part of Brian's revenge scheme.

"Rough night?" Brendan asked after noticing the dark circles under his friend's eyes.

"Yeah. I had dinner last night with my friends Mel and Lindsay. I was at their house and my ex "coincidentally" decided to stop by and pay them a visit," Justin responded.

"Geez, that's twice in one week now," Brendan observed in surprise. "Maybe he wants you back and is trying to get your attention," he offered by way of an explanation.

"Ha!" Justin laughed. "Now that is fucking hilarious. Trust me, he doesn't want me back. Besides, he is way too arrogant and way too narcissistic to ever pull a stunt like that."

"Well, it was just a thought."

"Actually, I think he is trying to get me to help him with something. He asked me for a favor a week ago, and I flat out refused. He probably thinks that by annoying me, I'll suddenly give in and help," Justin explained.

"Well, I hope for your sake he takes the hint and realizes you're not interested."

"I hope so too," Justin agreed. He didn't know how much more of Brian's bullshit he was willing to put up with.

***

11:00 a.m.
The Art Department

Cynthia decided to personally return some drawings Brian had reviewed to the art department that morning. She hoped that this would allow her the opportunity to obtain some useful information that could aid her boss' plan. As she surreptitiously neared Justin's desk, she immediately picked up on a conversation the intern was having with a fellow artist.

"So Brendan, where do you want to eat today?"

"Don't tell me you're hungry already," Justin's friend laughed.

"I'm starving, but I could wait until noon if you would like."

"Could you? That would probably work better. Kinney has been riding my ass to get these drawings completed for him."

"Well, we don't want to piss him off now do we?" Justin snorted.

"You can say that again. How about we go to Tom's at noon then?" Brendan suggested, referring to the steakhouse across the street from Vangard's offices.

"Sounds like a plan," Justin agreed as Cynthia smiled. It had been ages since her boss had taken her out for a nice lunch. Perhaps he might be inclined to do so today.

11:15 a.m.
Brian's Office
Vangard

Brian was sitting at his desk reviewing the file he had compiled on Grazzini's. Although Justin was not on board with his plan yet, he was still proceeding ahead with it. Even if the blond remained unwilling to help, he was still going to take Vance down. There was no way in hell he would allow Vance to use Justin without paying the price. Brian's train of thought was briefly interrupted as he looked up to see his assistant strolling into his office.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he smirked at Cynthia.

"Seeing that it's such a lovely day," Cynthia casually remarked, "I thought you might like to take a certain someone out to lunch."

"And who might that be?" Brian inquired, acting as if he didn't know who she was referring to.

"Your poor abused assistant, that's who. It's been months since you've shown me any sort of appreciation."

"And what about the sizeable raise you received about two months ago?" Brian countered.

"I earned that. Now I would suggest taking me to lunch at Tom's today," Cynthia sweetly ordered.

"And what if I already have plans?"

"I would suggest you cancel them, that is, if you want to run into our blond intern," Cynthia advised with a knowing smile.

"I see," Brian raised an eyebrow. "I suppose my plans could be rearranged." It wasn't often that one was handed such prime stalking opportunities.

12:15
Tom's Steakhouse

Justin and Brendan were sitting at a table in the popular downtown Pittsburgh lunch spot, enjoying soft drinks as they waited for their food to arrive.

"I still can't believe Kinney asked me to fill in on the Brown account," Brendan remarked in amazement.

"He obviously must like your work," Justin politely commented. The last person he wanted to discuss at lunch was Brian.

"I don't know about that," Brendan laughed. "I don't think the guy likes anyone's work. But I can see why he's successful, though."

"Yeah, he is quite successful."

"Oh fuck," Brendan suddenly groaned.

"What?"

"Look who just walked in," Justin's friend motioned over to the restaurant's entrance.

"Great," Justin said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he saw Brian and Cynthia being led over to a table near them.

"Should we acknowledge them?" Brendan asked nervously. He still had yet to figure out how to act around his boss.

"I don't know," Justin admitted. "The last thing I want to do is talk to Kinney."

"Maybe I should go over and say something."

"You could."

"I think I will," Brendan decided, getting up from the table. "Do you want to come?"

"Uh, no, that's ok." Justin wasn't about to fall into one of his ex's potential traps.

***

A few minutes later, Brendan was heading back to their table. Justin noted that he seemed relatively unscathed after his encounter with Brian. The blond had tried to avoid looking in his ex's direction while his friend had chatted with him.

"How did it go?" Justin couldn't help but ask.

"Actually, not bad. He seemed to be in a somewhat approachable mood. It helped that his assistant was with him. I have to admit, I often wonder what such a nice woman is doing working for a man like him.

"Maybe, deep down, she actually likes him," Justin offered, knowing that this was in fact the truth.

"Either that or she's a saint," Brendan laughed. "Speaking of Kinney, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What?" Justin asked, becoming slightly nervous.

"Well, according to the office grapevine, he is uh, how shall we say quite uh, active in the uh, gay scene," Brendan began, not sure how to properly describe the man's frequently speculated upon habits.

"So, what does this have to do with me?" Justin replied, feeling increasingly uneasy.

"I just wondered if maybe you knew him or at least knew of him before you arrived at Vangard. I know you've mentioned hanging out on Liberty Avenue, and one would assume that must be where Kinney hangs out," the other artist pointed out.

"I see."

"So do you know him?"

"Well...." The blond hesitated, unsure as to how to respond.

"You do, don't you?" Brendan suddenly realized.

"Uh..."

"I knew it!" Justin's friend exclaimed.

"What makes you think I know him?" Justin guardedly questioned. He knew he had to be extremely careful with how he responded to his friend's questions. While it wasn't that he didn't trust Brendan, he didn't feel it was appropriate to discuss their previous relationship with anyone at Vangard.

"It's just this vibe I get around the two of you. I can't really explain it," Brendan replied.

"Well, I'm not going to lie to you; just about everyone on Liberty Avenue knows who Brian Kinney is, but that doesn't mean I really know him. I've seen him around, and I'm sure we have some mutual acquaintances, but other than that, I can't really tell you much about him," Justin responded, hoping he sounded convincing.

"So is he as wild as he is rumored to be?" Brendan asked, wanting to know more details about his boss.

"I don't know." Justin wished Brendan would shut up about Brian.

"Huh," Brendan raised an eyebrow as he realized he wasn't going to get any additional information from the intern. "I guess he'll just have to remain a mystery."

"Guess so," Justin shrugged, as he felt his eyes drawn across the room. He didn't want to look in Brian's direction, but he couldn't fight the force that was pulling his eyes toward his ex. He had to admit that Brian looked quite hot today in his gray Armani suit with a black silk shirt and tie. Suddenly Brian's eyes met Justin's eyes across the room, causing the blond's startled blue ones to be held captive by an intense hazel stare.

"Fuck," Justin muttered under his breath. He knew he'd been caught, and quickly diverted his stare in a different direction, but not before seeing his ex flash him a satisfied smirk.

***

Forty minutes later, Justin and Brendan had finished their meal and were heading out of the restaurant. Unfortunately, for Justin, the boys had to pass Brian and Cynthia's table on their way out.

"Enjoy your meal, boys?" Brian drawled as they neared his table. He couldn't pass up the opportunity of toying with Justin's head. He had caught Justin staring at him on more than one occasion during his lunch.

"It was great," Brendan responded in surprise, thinking that Kinney must be in a good mood.

"Good. I have to admit the food here isn't bad. I always enjoy having a nice lean cut of meat now and then," Brian casually remarked, openly admiring Justin.

"Uh..." Brendan began, somewhat puzzled by the man's remark.

"I'm afraid we have to be going," Justin interrupted, knowing full well what Brian had been referring to.

"We'll see you back at the office," Cynthia jumped in, trying to lighten the sexually charged atmosphere.

"Sure," Justin agreed, trying to avoid looking at his ex.

"Later," Brian called, as Justin hurried Brendan past the table.

"I have to say, I almost feel sorry for our intern," Cynthia laughed as she watched the flustered blond leave the restaurant.

"And why is that?" Brian casually inquired.

"Because I think the poor boy doesn't have a clue as to what he is up against," she replied.

"Well, I'm sure by the time he is back where he belongs, he'll know that he was no match for an accomplished stalker such as myself," Brian gave a smug smile. Soon, very soon, he would have his Sunshine back.

5:30 p.m.

Justin was walking back to his apartment when he decided to try Daphne on her cell phone. He knew that she wouldn't be back for a few hours, but he needed to vent so he thought he'd try and call her anyway.

"Hey, Justin, what's up?" Daphne answered.

"Hey, Daph. You won't fucking believe what he did this time."

"Who? Brian?"

"Who else?" Justin rolled his eyes.

"What did that asshole do now?"

"Well, I went with Brendan to lunch at a steakhouse across the street from Vangard, and he just happened to show up, that's what."

"Maybe it was just a coincidence," Daphne offered, somehow knowing this more than likely wasn't the case.

"Somehow I doubt that," Justin laughed, knowing Brian all too well.

"Did he say anything to you?"

"Just as we were leaving, he made one of his typical snide innuendos. I swear I wanted to hurl his lunch at him. I can't believe what a pest the man is becoming. Doesn't he realize I'm not interested in working with him?"

"Well, maybe he thinks that if he irritates you enough, you'll agree." Daphne had to admit she was beginning to wonder if Brian had a different ulterior motive.

"Trust me, I'm not about to change my mind," Justin assured her. He was sick of his ex's games. The sooner he finished his internship, and the sooner he could be away from the infuriating man, the better.