Stripped Bare (26 page)

David moved toward his father, his hands held up. “Dad, we really don’t want to get nasty about this. Just give me back the trust fund Mum left me and we’ll get out of your hair. You know you don’t need the money.” He looked around. “Is Lewis here? He should know what’s going on.”

Walter snarled. “Lewis is in the study. He’s on the phone.” Walter observed his son through narrowed eyes. “You had your chance, son. I wanted you to try and curb those bloody deviant desires you have and get happy with a woman and you couldn’t even do that for me. Now you pay the consequences.”

“Jesus, Dad, I’ve already told you being gay isn’t something you can change!” David ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I like men, not women. I can’t change that any more than you can change from women to men.”

Walter shivered in disgust.

David’s comment led Matthew into the topic of conversation he wanted to pursue. “Talking of that, Walter,” he said as he prowled around to Walter’s side, “I seem to have possession of a certain piece of video footage—”

Roy stepped forward as he cut Matthew off. “You little cocksucker,” he snarled. “You think you can come in here and threaten Mr. Debussy like this? You and your little fag friends? I ought to—”

“Roy, shut up.” Walter’s voice was hard. Roy stopped and looked at his boss.

Walter’s voice was dangerous. “Tell me, Matthew. Doesn’t this go against every ethical bone in your body to blackmail someone? I thought you had more integrity than this. I’d expect it from my son and probably your little fuck buddy, but you? “

“Hard times call for tough solutions, Walter.” Matthew knew Walter was right about him and in an ideal world this would be the last thing he would ever have thought of doing. “But you left us with no choice. The bottom line is if you don’t reinstate David’s control of his own trust fund, I will give this over to the newspapers and we will ask Mona Casales, the woman you beat up, to make a statement. She’s willing to come forward. You will be the laughingstock of the city. Is that what you want?”

Walter was trembling with rage, his face white, his lips pinched and his fists curled into balls at his side. “You dare call that thing in that hotel room a woman? She was a freak of nature. She made a bloody fool of me, you little bastard. And your father was going to report me to the police and convince her to make a statement. Nothing I could do would convince him otherwise.” He smiled, his eyes deadened. “Then he up and died before he could do it and I thought, good riddance.”

Matthew felt the world tilt at the fact another human being was getting pleasure out of his father’s sudden death. His hands shook in impotent fury at his side and it took every ounce of self-control he had to stop himself from lunging Walter and beating him to a pulp.

He couldn’t even speak as emotions overwhelmed him. Matthew saw David staring at his father in sheer horror, tinged with disgust. If he hadn’t realised exactly what his father was before, he certainly did now. He felt an ache in his chest that his friend had to go through this.

A soft voice at his side said, “Matty, don’t let him get to you, babe.” Shane stood with his hand on Matthew’s elbow, steadying him. He was looking at Walter with such an intense look of hate on his usually open face that he didn’t even look like Shane.

Roy moved forward, his teeth bared and his face alight with what Matthew thought looked like a fiendish glee that he might do some harm to someone, his eyes focused on his Shane.

“You have two options, you bitter and twisted piece of shit.” Shane’s voice was calm, controlled. “You can put whatever you need to do in motion right now, to get that trust fund released. I’d suggest you sort it out really quickly before I get fed up and do something you regret.”

David, pale but resolute, moved up beside Shane, the three men forming an alliance that felt unshakeable.

“And if I don’t, you little queer? What will you do then?” Walter’s words were tough but his bluster appeared to be lessening.

Shane smiled, and even Matthew’s blood ran cold at the sheer menace in that sight. He reached into his jacket pocket and took out his mobile.

“Then in less time than it takes you to shoot your load into who or whatever you’re currently fucking, which is probably less than two seconds, this little queer will click this little button on his phone and upload that video virally to every news and TV station in the country. Along with a written statement from Mona Casales about how you half beat
her
to death in a hotel room three years ago. Then we’ll see how you feel about that.” He finished with an air of finality and regarded Walter and then Roy with a fixed and cold stare.

The room was quiet.

The Gay Musketeers stared at the two men, in a lockdown staring competition that was Olympian in its grandeur. Walter was white, Roy tight with anger.

Matthew was gobstopped at Shane’s tactic. He thought Shane had been magnificent and from the look of worship on DD’s face, so did David. He wondered wryly whether he’d have to command a duel with David for his boyfriend’s honour. He muffled a slight snort of laughter at the thought, despite the current tension in the air. But Matthew didn’t like the look that Roy was giving his lover. It was a cold, calculating look of sheer malevolence.

Shane finally cocked an eyebrow to break the stand down. “So, gentlemen, what’s it going to be? Trust fund released or me clicking this little itty bitty metaphorical switch and making you one of the most talked-about men in the city? And not in a good way.”

Matthew saw the flicker in Walter’s eyes and felt a surge of relief. He’d seen that before when Walter had backed down from something. Although it was a rare occurrence, it was a tell he recognised. “Get the hell out of my house, you bunch of perverted little faggots. That includes you, David, if you’re going to side with these two pieces of filth. You’ll get your trust fund back and then I never want to bloody see you again.”

David swallowed and Shane took his arm firmly as he swayed slightly. “That’s fine, Dad,” he said huskily. “If that’s the way you want to play it. I’m sorry you feel that way, of course, but I’m not going to be something I can’t. I’ll go upstairs and get my stuff.”

He walked unsteadily over to the large winding staircase that led to the next level and walked slowly up the stairs. Matthew’s heart was full of pain for the man who’d just been disowned by his father. He looked across at Shane who winked at him. In spite of the playful gesture, Shane’s eyes were darkened and his face drawn. Matthew knew he was probably remembering the time he too had been asked to leave by his father. Matthew wanted to pull his lover close, kiss him, tell he loved him—

Christ, where did that bloody come from?
He couldn’t think about that now. Hell, he wasn’t even sure he could think about it later.

The four men continued standing, still and intent. The atmosphere in the room was tense, thick with testosterone and dark emotions.

Matthew wanted nothing more than to leave this room and go outside where the air was more breathable, but he didn’t trust Walter or Roy not to do something to David when he finally came down for picking up his belongings.

Walter turned to Roy. “I’m late for another appointment. I need to go. Stay here and make sure these people leave my home. And that includes my bloody son.” Roy nodded as he regarded both Matthew and Shane with narrowed eyes. Walter turned and strode out the room. As he walked out, Shane called out to him.

“Walter, by the way, you do know the correct use of the word ‘faggots’ is more in a culinary sense, don’t you? Those delicious meatball things made of pork and stuff that you eat. I just wanted to clear that up in case you didn’t know.”

Matthew groaned as he saw Walter’s back tighten.

Christ, lover, you just had to have the last bloody word, didn’t you?

David’s father didn’t turn around, just kept walking out of the room.

Hopefully to reunite David with his trust fund,
Matthew thought.

David came walking down the stairs dragging a suitcase. He looked defeated, and Matthew’s heart went out to him. It looked as if he’d been crying. David tried not to look at Roy, probably not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing his red-rimmed eyes. He nodded at Matthew.

“I’m done, Matty.”

Matthew reached out and touched his friend’s cheek softly and the other man’s eyes closed. But when he opened them, his gaze was fierce.

“Let’s get out of this shit hole.” He wheeled his bag out of the lounge. Matthew turned to follow him, Shane close behind.

“You want to watch your back, pretty boy. I know what you did to me. I’ll get you back for that and just for being the fag boy you are.” The words addressed to Shane came out of Roy but they sounded like the venomous hiss of a snake rather than something human. Matthew felt a cold shiver down his spine.

Please don’t say anything, Shane. Please just walk away. I don’t like this situation one little bit.

He heard Shane stop behind him and Matthew turned to him, silently willing his lover simply to carry on. Shane must have read the pleading look on his face and whatever he’d been about to say he swallowed. He ignored Roy’s last comment as he followed Matthew out of the room.

They walked silently to the car and joined David who was standing smoking outside.

Shane gazed at him. “I thought you gave that up?”

David shook his head jerkily. “I had. But I really needed a fag. No pun intended.” He finished his smoke, threw it to the gravel and stomped on it.

David’s brother Lewis came to the top of the stone staircase and called out. “David.” Lewis Debussy stood awkwardly as his younger brother tensed and faced him.

“Lewis. Glad to see you at least came to say goodbye.” David’s vice was flat. He glanced up at his brother with a faint look of contempt.

Lewis walked halfway down the steps then stopped. “Look, DD, you know what Dad’s like. He sees things in black and white, and nothing ever makes him change his mind. If you’d just done as he asked, tried to change—”

‘“Fuck you, Lewis. You sound like Dad. Being gay isn’t a disease, you arsehole, it’s just the way I am.” David strode forward angrily to the stairs and stood at the foot as Lewis watched with an air of apprehension. He seemed ready to run if his younger sibling came any closer.

Matthew and Shane waited, not wanting to interfere but ready to leap in if needed.

“If you’d ever understood anything about who I am and what I’ve had to face for being gay in this family and out there,” David swept a hand out into the air, “You’d understand it’s not something we take lightly. It’s who I am, Lewis. I like men. Not women. That doesn’t make me any different to you inside.”

“You should have just done what Dad wanted,” Lewis insisted, his eyes narrowing. “Then you wouldn’t be in this position with Matthew losing his job and you being kicked out. Why did you have to make things so bloody difficult for yourself?” His dark brown eyes were unrelenting. He stared at Matthew. “Matty, you too. Why couldn’t the two of you just get over it, or hide it instead of brandishing it about like a caveman club? Then none of this would have happened.”

Matthew stepped forward in anger. “Lewis, I’m not even going to qualify that inane remark with a response. You’re an ignorant, intolerant arsehole. You always were. David, are you ready to leave this place? I, for one, think you’ll be far better off on your own anyway than with this bunch of stupid gits.”

David nodded as he moved back to stand with Matthew and Shane. “You watched them beat me up, Lewis,” he said. “I saw you at the top of the stairs. You did nothing to help me even when Roy was beating the crap out of me. You’re a coward, and I wish you a great life under Dad’s thumb. You both deserve each other.” He turned to Matthew.

“My suitcase is in the boot. Can we get going, please? I really want to get out of here.” He walked over to the car, opened the door, got into the backseat and sat staring up at the house he was about to leave forever.

Shane clambered into the passenger seat and Matthew settled himself in and started the engine. They drove down the drive, stopping and waiting for the gates to open before heading out into the street. The car was silent. They’d been driving for about fifteen minutes without uttering a word when Matthew turned to Shane with a grin.

“Shay, babe, I thought you
didn’t
like pork faggots? You extolled their virtues back there. Lover, you have been lying to me these past few months.” The car was quiet and then the sounds of three men giggling started, escalating to full blown guffaws as they released the tension of the last hour.

“Jesus, Matty, I swear, you can be so bloody droll. You kill me.” Shane gasped as he wiped tears from his eyes. David was chortling in the back seat as Matthew chuckled loudly at his own wit. Matthew was glad he’d managed to break the awful tension. The men got themselves under control and the atmosphere lightened.

“By the way, what did Georgie say to you?” Shane asked curiously.

“She just warned me Walter was in a very bad mood and to watch out for David. I don’t know if she heard anything said by either of them but something rattled her. She obviously didn’t want them to hear her, hence the German.” He changed gear expertly. “That bluff you pulled back there was amazing, Shane,” he said as he steered the car through the afternoon traffic. “It was a stroke of genius.”

Shane looked at him in surprise. “It was no bluff, Matty. I really did have it all primed and ready to go.”

The lawyer’s mouth dropped open. He heard David’s low chuckle in the back.

“How the hell did you set that all up so quickly?”

His boyfriend shrugged. “I burned the video footage from the DVD onto my phone, and then set it up from there. That was an easy job.”

“And the letter from Mona? Was that real too?”

Shane shook his head. “That
was
a bluff. But Mona did say if we really needed her to give a statement, she would.”

Matthew was staring at Shane as if he’d suddenly sprouted a third eye on his forehead. “You
spoke
to her?”