5. Charlie

Chapter 5

Charlie

I run into my ex, Andy, two days later at the café near the Baker Street subway station. My mood is instantly ruined, even though I just got a call from my brother that he’s visiting for a week and wants to meet up tonight.

I haven’t seen Ethan in ages. He’s too busy running his multi-billion-dollar company to spare me more than an hour or two for a weekly call so we can keep up with each other. But he’s in London this week, which means we can spend some time together in person.

Ordering my usual drink—a chocolate Frappuccino with no coffee—I grab a seat along the corner bar table and gaze out the window at the busy street. I’m the one who discovered this gem of a place, but I suppose I can’t exactly ban my asshole ex from coming here. As long as he fucks off once he’s got his drink, I’ll let it slide.

Of course, that’s the exact opposite of what he does as he slides onto the stool next to mine.

“Hey, Charlie. It’s been a while. I hope you’ve cooled off. I’ve missed you.”

My eyebrow legit twitches. What the fuck is this asshole saying after posting that stuff online? Is he stupid? Squeezing my cup so hard some of the whipped cream spills out of the straw hole, I aim the most disgusted and outraged expression I can muster his way.

“Fuck off.”

His big hand settles on top of mine. It feels nice. Two days ago, I might’ve even sighed and felt sad that things between us didn’t work out, but he’s shit out of luck. Ben’s hand holding mine as he led me through that house party so he could screw my brains out in someone’s guestroom felt ten times better.

“C’mon now. You know I only posted that because I was angry. You were being a real brat not answering my calls after you threw me out. I had to get your attention.”

Jesus fucking Christ. The gaslighting with this one is strong. I can’t believe I ever thought he actually liked me.

“Fuck. Off. Asshole.”

He squeezes my hand tight. It takes everything I have not to wince. It’s the downside of being a cute and adorable twink with a thing for the big jock types who can manhandle the shit out of me.

Like Ben. Who’s into RS like me and gave me the pounding of my life. Sigh .

“Don’t give me that attitude,” Andy encourages, his deep voice channeling fake concern. “Let’s forget our little argument, yeah? You can go back to playing your silly games and I won’t say anything as long as you pay some attention to me before bed.”

I gape at him, my brain not braining. Oh my fucking god! How dare he? Does he think I’m his sex toy or something?

“Get your disgusting hands off me,” I growl in warning, my blood boiling. “You are fucking delusional if you think I want anything to do with you.”

“Charlie,” he scolds, clicking his tongue. “Don’t make a scene.”

I’ll fucking kill him.

I shoot up from my seat and throw the rest of my Frappuccino at him. He grunts and hisses. The entire café gasps, heads turning our way and phones snapping pictures.

“Stay the fuck away from me. We are done. And by the way, I might be into ‘silly’ games, but at least I’m not a brainless sheep who only copies what his dumb friends do.”

Yanking my hand free, I walk out of the shop and leave him with his jaw hanging.

Fuck him and fuck every other hot jock. I’m done being the fool in my own story. Cute and gullible Charlie who believes he’ll meet his Prince Charming one day is dead and buried six feet under the ground. Love can go suck it, because badass psycho murder twink Charlie only cares about sex.

My mood stays sour the whole day, and I hate that I let that asshat Andy be the reason for it. But it is what it is. Shitty days happen even to the best of us. Or the worst, depending on how you look at it. I mean, my actions at the café? Seven out of ten evil. I only regret not bitchslapping that asshole, because that would’ve bumped it up to a nine.

I scoff at myself as I pull up my phone and check the time. I’m waiting for my brother at a high-end roof restaurant in Canary Wharf. It offers a view of the Thames and the Cloud Cable cars, which, now that I think about it, I’ve yet to ride.

Me : Where r u?

Ethan : Traffic really bad. There in 10.

Me : I’m hungry. Nacho starter or fancy Mediterranean meats board?

Ethan : U srsly asking me this? Just order both.

I snort. I knew he’d say that.

Me : U still havent told me who u bringing. Is it a new partner?

Ethan : It s a surprise. Not ruining it. U find out soon.

I hate surprises. Almost as much as chickpea. Or minced chicken meat. Or juicy tomatoes, though I sometimes wish that wasn’t the case. About the tomatoes. I think it’s more of a texture rather than taste issue, but confirming such a hypothesis would require close encounters with them and I like to keep my distance. Besides, my brother knows I’m in a shitty mood today, so whoever he’s bringing will probably have an agreeable personality.

The starters arrive shortly after I order them, and I dig in. I’m about halfway through the nachos, and a third through the meats board, when my brother arrives just as the sun peeks out from behind heavy clouds and lights up the modern buildings that make up the Canary Wharf skyline.

“You are late. You said ten minutes. It’s been twenty, so you can’t blame me for eating most of the stuff,” I point out as I look up from the food.

“You know I’m shit at time estimation. Cut me some slack.” Ethan sighs, runs a hand through his dark hair that’s the same hue as mine, and flashes me his trademark charming smile as he steps to the side so he can introduce whoever is infringing upon our brotherly time. “This is my best friend. I don’t know if you remember him.”

“Hi, Charlie. It’s been a… while…” Ben says, frowning, scowling and looking completely and utterly confused as he offers me his hand for a shake.

I spit out the half-chewed nacho chip, the cheese string that was hanging off it making me choke. My heart erratically tries to dig a hole out of my ribcage. You gotta be kidding me.

“Why are you here?” I accuse, pointing a finger at him as I get up from the chair.

My brother, who is bigger than me but still on the leaner side, gathers me in a hug and laughs. “You remember Ben, then? I was sure you’d forgotten. He’s changed a lot.”

He’s changed a lot, alright. And so have I. My brother, too. It’s been almost seven years. But that feeling I had when he smiled at me? I should’ve trusted my gut. I should’ve made the connection and not dismissed it as some wishy-washy daydream my brain was randomly having.

But how could have I? Coincidences like this just don’t happen in real life!

I shake Ben’s hand belatedly, after which we all sit down. He claims the chair across from me, his green eyes mostly amused now that the initial shock has passed.

God, what the fuck do I do? I have so many questions! What was he doing working at a damn theme park for one? We haven’t kept in touch, but I know from Ethan that Ben works at his dad’s company and is on the Board of Directors. So why the fuck is he here, in the UK?

“I thought you lived in Australia ,” I say, my voice clipped and suspicious even to my own ears.

He smiles, taking a sip from the elderflower lemonade the waiter just brought to our table. “We are looking to expand the business here. That’s why I moved to London. I’m helping my sister oversee things here, while also handling the assembly and engineering of our new models.”

Oh yes, sure, this makes sense. Ben’s parents own a vehicle manufacturing empire. It’s everything from commercial cars, to planes, helicopters, and ships. They have military and government contracts, too.

“Ana doing okay, then? I haven’t heard from her since July,” Ethan says, shaking his head.

“She’s really loving it. Helping dad run the show has always been her dream. She’s doing one hell of a good job.”

“Has he finally stopped bugging you?”

Ben laughs, waving his hand. A few locks of his messy dirty blond hair flop over his forehead. “Nah. Still brings it up from time to time, but it’s not like he can convince me to be a CEO. I just love tinkering and making shit too much. Besides, I’m our best engineer ever, and Ana is killing it on her own.”

Oh. I have a hazy memory about Ben taking things apart and putting them back together. And he was crazy about the cars and planes his dad’s company designed. I guess he grew up and does what he loves as a job now… Which explains his rough, big, greedy hands.

Get your head out of the gutter, Charlie!

“What about the haunted house?” I blurt out, my mind jumbled as it tries to connect this new sexy as fuck well-endowed Ben to what I remember of the goofy, energetic boy I used to crush on.

He was my first love and heartbreak, the only secret I haven’t told Ethan. It was just too embarrassing because they were best friends, always together, sharing everything. Knowing your teenage kid brother saw your best bro that way and wanted to exchange saliva with him would’ve weirded out anyone.

“Ah.” Ben chuckles, his entire face lighting up. He chews on his lip and my eyes are immediately drawn to the movement.

I know how he tastes. Like cotton candy and mint. My cock swells just remembering it and the way that dominant tongue owned my mouth. And his monster dick? Holy shit. It’s the biggest I’ve ever seen—and felt—and I’ve been jerking off to it the past two nights before going to bed.

The truth is that I didn’t call him because I didn’t plan to ever see him again. He’s too dangerous. Too perfect. A threat to new Charlie’s resolve to be the top predator of the food chain.

“A friend asked me to sub in. I had nothing better to do, so I thought, why not?”

My eyes snap to his, finding them curiously studying my face. “Huh?”

“That’s why I was at the haunted house.” He smiles, the upturn of his full lips unabashedly seducing.

I swallow hard, crossing my legs, and gulp down the rest of my drink. My cheeks are warm, my neck too, tingles crawling all over my body.

“Hold on. You two already met each other?” Ethan cuts in, his eyes bouncing from me to Ben.

“Oh, we met alright,” Ben says, heat swimming in his gaze as he pops an olive in his mouth and licks his lips.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ethan protests, fake pouting. “So, what did you two do?”

I chance a glance his way, his imploring and amused eyes sending a shiver down my spine. Yeah, no. There is no way in Hell I’ll tell my brother that I hooked up with his best friend.