“I know what you mean, but I gave up a few years ago.”
“I’m trying to cut back. Sorry, I’ll be back in a minute. That guy freaked me out when he grabbed my wrist so tightly.”
“He’s gone and he won’t be back.”
“You didn’t need to do that. I know it’s part of the job.”
“A bit of flirting, yes, but any customer puts an unwanted hand on my staff and he’s gone.”
Omar smiled and stubbed the cigarette out on the wall.
“Why don’t you chill out in my office for a bit? We’ll be okay. I’d suggest you go home, but I don’t trust that the guy won’t hang around, so I’ll take you later.”
“You don’t need to do that. I live in East London, and you’re only up the road.”
“How do you know where I live?” Derek asked with a smile.
“Oh . . . I overhead . . . someone mentioned it.”
“Relax, Omar. It’s hardly a secret. Come on. Let’s get you a drink, and you can chill out for a bit.”
Once Omar was settled in his office, despite protesting that he could come back to work, he arranged with Neil to shift the staff around so he could go back upstairs. It was best if one of them was on each of the bars on a Saturday in case they had any other incidents.
After twenty minutes, Omar was back behind the bar, which Derek was grateful for, as there’d been no let-up in how busy it was– even more so than Pride night. But he’d been in a bit of a daze last week after seeing Kieran again after so many years.
Derek looked up and had to do a double take. He had tobe mistaken, as he’d just been thinking about him. Looking over again, he was stunned. Could that be Kieran in his club? Was it a coincidence, or had Milo told him he owned this place? Had Kieran specifically come to see him? Kieran looked up and made direct eye contact with him, and the smirk on his face told him everything he needed to know. Derek knew a brat when he saw one. Before he could do anything, Kieran disappeared into the labyrinth. Why the fuck was he going in there? Well, Derek knew why, but the thought of Kieran going in there made him feel funny. He wasn’t sure what the emotion was. Maybe it was because the last time he’d seen him properly, he was a shy, nerdy kid, and now he was a fully grown man covered in tattoos and piercings and looking hot as fuck. He shook that thought out of his head. He’d known Kieran since he was fourteen. It would be wrong to think of him any other way.
Before he could think too much about why Kieran was here and what it meant, he was pulled back into serving customers, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off the entrance to the labyrinth, waiting for Kieran to come out. He had to take this opportunity to speak to him, or at least get him to agree to a time when they could talk.
On Sunday, Derek was still thinking about Kieran. He hadn’t seen him again last night. Derek had been watching to see if he’d left, but there had been no sign of him. It had been busy, so his eyes hadn’t been on the entrance to the labyrinth the whole time. Why had he been here? He looked directly at Derek and smiled. He’d clearly wanted to fuck with Derek, and he’d been successful. How long had he been in the labyrinth, and had he been with anyone? Was he into that scene? There were other gay sex clubs in London, but The Back Room was the most popular. Did Kieran have a partner of his own? He had a submissive vibe to him, so was there adom taking care of him? That wasn’t Derek’s business, but he still couldn’t help feeling protective of Kieran. If he had a partner, Derek knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from doing a background check on the guy.
After Edward hadn’t given him any information on Kieran, he’d done his own digging and found out where he worked. He was still using the name Kieran Hailer, which had been his mother’s maiden name. Kieran was a tattooist, which explained all the ink. Perhaps getting his own tattoos had inspired him to do that as a job, and he’d always been drawing as a kid. It wasn’t the career Derek had expected from a straight-A student who had gotten into one of the top medical schools in the country, but he wouldn’t make assumptions. Kieran was an adult and could make his own choices. So, why was he standing outside the tattoo shop where Kieran worked on a Sunday? It was closed, and the city was deserted, as it often was on the weekend.
Not wanting to look like he was some kind of deranged stalker– although can you stalk a shop?– he headed to Knights Corner for lunch. He knew it was open on Sunday and could be popular, so hopefully he’d get a table as he hadn’t booked one.
“Hello, Derek, are you here to meet someone?” asked Langdon.
“Just passing by and thought I’d see if I could get a table.”
“Give me a few minutes and I’ll sort something out.”
Derek had known Langdon since the days when he worked at Madame Hoes in Soho, and once this place had opened, he’d gotten to know him more. As fellow owners of queer venues, it was important that they supported each other. There was a network Derek had set up, and Langdon had joined. There were two other owners of Knights Corner, but they were more behind the scenes. Langdon was the face of the place, which was why he typically acted as host, but Derek had often seen him behind the bar. He was the typewho’d jump in and do anything that needed doing, which was exactly what Derek did too.
The way the place had been done was stunning. One side had floor-to-ceiling windows, which flooded the whole venue with lots of natural light. On the other side, the windows were a lot smaller and frosted. Booths ran alongside that entire wall, and they were a way to have privacy without hiding in the corner. All the seating wrapped around the whole venue on the edges, with standing tables in the centre and plenty of space for those who only wanted a drink. The bar was against the back of the venue, in a semi-circle. Derek couldn’t believe how busy the place was for a Sunday, but then, he’d heard the chef made an excellent Sunday lunch. Perhaps he’d give it a try. He needed to be back at the club by four o’clock, and Sunday could be surprisingly busy, so having a big meal now would mean he could work through.
“Follow me, Derek,” said Langdon.
He took him over to one of the booths, which was perfect. He hadn’t been expecting anything like this, given he’d just shown up.
“You know how the app works for ordering, don’t you?” asked Langdon
“Yeah.”
“Great, enjoy your lunch.”
“Can I ask you a quick question?”
“Sure.”
