Hearsay (11 page)

He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, his mouth watering at the succulent aromas of rice, beans, and pork chops seeping through the living room wall. On the TV, Marisa was telling Chris they couldn't see each other again. Next door Sonia was banging pots and telling little Suzette to finish her homework and get ready to eat. Across the hall a door was closed loudly. It was probably Norman leaving for work. Derrick knew his neighbors' routines as well as he knew his own.

Derrick lived in the same East Harlem apartment where he'd grown up. The furniture was different, and the landlord had updated the bathroom and kitchen a few years ago, but nothing else had changed.

The walls of the hallway leading to the two bedrooms were still covered by the framed Christmas pictures the Swain family took every year without fail. Martha Swain's collection of porcelain figurines was still proudly displayed in the antique curio Raymond Swain had rescued from the garbage and later restored for his wife. Derrick treasured every trinket and keepsake, but that didn't change the fact that his family had moved from their home a long time ago.

His brother Jerome lived in the Bronx with his wife and three kids. His sister Malena lived in Alphabet City with her man. Mama was dead, and Papa was in an assisted living residence he'd personally chosen. After months of arguments and debates, he'd finally convinced Derrick that a newly-blind man would be better off surrounded by nurses than alone in their apartment. He had refused Derrick's idea of hiring a private nurse, and insisted he wanted to spend his days with other senior citizens. Derrick hated the idea of not seeing his dad every day, but he couldn't be a selfish prick. After Papa's move, Derrick had been left alone with his memories in a hundred year-old apartment that, for a number of reasons, he was incapable of letting go of.

Derrick kissed Lumière's head and focused on the familiar noises made by neighbors he'd known his entire life. Unlike him, neither Norman nor Sonia had the opportunity to get a higher education. They didn't have any fancy degrees. Norman was a security guard, and Sonia worked at a local Dominican family restaurant, and they both struggled to support their respective families and make ends meet. But they were each lucky to have something Derrick had wished for his entire life: a loving spouse and a family of their own.

Growing up poor in a high-crime, low-income area was a huge incentive to do better for himself. He was ten when he told his mom that someday he'd have enough money to buy her medicine and rent a bigger place for all of them. Mama had passed away before Derrick could make good on his promise, but he decided Papa and his siblings deserved the same.

He'd gone to college with his siblings' blessing and financial help, and graduated with honors. He'd landed a great job, helped pay for Malena's wedding, and co-signed the small business loan that had launched Jerome and Malena's hair salon. He worked his ass off to ensure he would always be able to pay for Papa's room in the assisted living facility, and to have food on his own table and a roof over his head.

Derrick had done well for himself. Being part of Acosta, Bradford, and Chadwick meant the world to him but having a promising career and a healthy bank account wasn't enough. He wanted the trifecta. Now that he'd taken care of his family and achieved his professional dream, he could relax and fulfill the rest of his dream. The time had come to get himself a husband and a couple of kids.

And he needed to get Roman on the same page.

Derrick opened his eyes and focused on the images playing on his flat screen TV.

Maid in Manhattan
was a love story about a high-profile politician and a maid. Some cynics said marriages between people of different classes didn't happen in real life, hence the reason that particular film was categorized as a fairy tale. Money marries money, they often said, and someone with a humble upbringing should never waste time wishing they were the exception to the rule. Derrick happened to disagree with that assessment.

For as long as he could remember, he had dreamt of meeting his very own Prince Charming and being swept off his feet and carried off to a love nest. His first Disney movie was
Cinderella
, but the majority of films he'd watched thereafter had the same types and formula. It wasn't long before Derrick started thinking that all sigh-inducing, swoon-worthy, husband-material males were tall, handsome, and filthy rich. In his innocent mind, that was the norm. Back when he was a kid, there had been times when food was scarce in their house, but not once did it occur to Derrick that this detail would stop Prince Charming from falling for him. It never crossed his mind that he could be rejected because he didn't have the right pedigree.

His mom had chosen love over class divide. She'd walked away from her family when her parents forced her to pick between Papa and a comfortable life. She didn't have a cent to her name when she married Papa, and he hadn't given a damn.

Derrick's opinion hadn't changed much as he'd grown older. Love was love, and when you found your soul mate, you held on tight to them and gave everything you could to the relationship. It didn't matter who they were or where they came from. That was something he'd learned from his parents, and it was a philosophy he'd adopted early in life. As an adult, he now understood concepts like "gold digger" and "social climber." As a lawyer especially, he knew not everyone married for love. He'd seen money, cultural issues, and difference in opinions tear families apart, and the rose-tinted glasses had definitely fallen from his eyes. But he still believed commitment could move mountains. He still believed the only thing that really mattered was love.

This was why it never occurred to him to do a reality check when he first set his sights on Roman Bradford. The man was gorgeous, courteous, and smart, among a thousand other wonderful attributes, and his mere presence made Derrick's stomach do back-flips and somersaults. That Roman was rich was as inconsequential as the fact that he wore glasses. Derrick never even considered Roman out of his league.

"I would've felt the same way about Roman had he been a mailing clerk at ABC instead of a managing partner," he told Lumière, "but he isn't out of my league. I mean, you don't think he is, do you?"

Lumière stared at him for a few seconds before yawning and turning his attention back to the TV.

"You're no help, buddy," Derrick complained. "Can't you at least pretend to agree with me?"

"Meowww…"

"I know Roman's social status is important, and a lot of men would be impressed, but I really don't care. It doesn't matter to me whether he's rich or poor."

"Meowww."

"He's my boss, though," Derrick continued, petting his tabby's side. "I can't pretend that's a small detail."

"Meowww…"

"Fuck," Derrick groaned. "Why does his social position have to be so meaningless and relevant at the same time?"

"Meowww."

"This sucks," Derrick lamented. "It's the kind of suck that leaves teeth marks and doesn't make you come."

Fooling around with his employees was never a good thing for a boss, especially at a place like ABC. Then again, Derrick wasn't interested in fooling around. He wanted bona fide dating. He wanted to be Roman's boyfriend. He wanted to meet his parents and get invited to dinner at their house. Maybe if they were official, the grapevine would finally lay off of Derrick's future husband. He hoped that was the case because rumors spread through the firm faster than chlamydia at a bareback orgy, and the last thing he wanted was for Roman to have a bad reputation in any way. Derrick didn't want anyone saying Roman was exhibiting unethical behavior, or that Derrick had started a sexual harassment lawsuit against him.

"Not that the grapevine hasn't gone there already," he mumbled. "Fuckers."

According to Jesse Bayard from Human Resources, Roman had already been sued for accosting someone in the bathroom twice. Derrick didn't believe for a second Roman would disrespect himself or anyone else in such a way.

Being kept at arm's length by Roman meant Derrick couldn't ask him if he was aware of the gossip, or if he planned on doing something to put an end to it. Listening to his colleagues debate whether Roman was capable of abusing his power to that extent made his heart ache. He couldn't listen to it. He'd be damned if he entertained so much trash talk, and even though he and Roman weren't a couple, Derrick considered it his personal duty to dissipate the rumors as best he could.

Roman was his prince charming come to life, but for a minute there Derrick had lost hope they'd get to explore their feelings, and, ultimately, a relationship. As desperate as he was to learn every detail about Roman, and eager to please him in every possible way, the fact remained it was hard to woo a man who insisted on keeping his distance. Derrick hadn't had a choice but to admit he might never get the man of his dreams, but months of hopelessness had ended the moment he followed Roman to the conference room to discuss Tyler's case.

His confidence had returned in full force after Roman had admitted he had never stopped wanting Derrick. Okay, so maybe Roman hadn't phrased it quite that way. What he said was that lack of wanting was never the issue. That didn't really mean he still wanted Derrick, but Roman
did
want him. Why else would he struggle so much to appear indifferent if he didn't in fact want Derrick? Why would he be so tense if it weren't because he was fighting the urge to jump Derrick's bones?

"Objection, your honor" Derrick said in a tone that resembled his friend's Noah's voice. "Counselor's leading the witness."
 

"Sustained," he said in a deeper tone that resembled the most hated judge in Family Court.

"I'll redirect," Derrick said in his normal voice. "Mr. Swain. Is it possible Roman Bradford was trying to hide his desire of murdering you for being an unethical ass? Is it possible he wanted to break you in half for withholding relevant details regarding your association with Mr. Coleman? Is it possible your boss was mad at you because you broke the rules?"
 

Derrick considered his questions for a few seconds before saying, "No."

No doubt his failure to reveal he had indeed been involved with Tyler at one point added to Roman's anger, but the root of it stank of jealousy. No way had Derrick misread the obvious indignation flashing in Roman's eyes as he witnessed Derrick and Tyler's proximity. Heck, Roman's thoughts during the meeting had probably been as green as his pretty eyes, and Derrick happened to think green looked amazing on the future father of his kids.

"It's a great start," he concluded with a tentative smile.

It didn't matter that he'd been taken off the case. Roman could refuse to work together, but he couldn't take back the heated looks he'd given Derrick, and he couldn't hide his desire forever. It may take some time for him to come around, but Derrick could be patient if he tried really hard. He only had to brush off however many rejections Roman decided to hit him with, and concentrate on the man's actions rather than his words.

He turned off the TV, got up from the couch, and grabbed the ice cream on his way to the kitchen. He put it away in the freezer, and, as he washed the few dishes in the sink, he acknowledged that not working with Roman was a setback. It left Derrick without a valid reason to be in the same place as Roman, and he needed to be in close quarters with the man before he could make a pass.

No worries, though.

Now that he knew Roman reciprocated his interest, albeit he was trying to hide it, Derrick was determined to get his man. He was good at creating his own opportunities, and he could be the most stubborn person on the planet. If Roman didn't reinstate him on the case, Derrick would come up with something else.
 

There would always be another chance… another place…

And, if it came down to Derrick holding Roman hostage and subjecting him to earth-shattering blowjobs until he stopped being a stubborn ass and gave into the sexual desire burning between them, he would.

Derrick totally would.

Chapter Eight

Images from that morning's meeting were still flashing in Roman's mind when he walked into his townhouse a little after midnight. Not bothering to turn on the lights in the foyer, he reactivated the security system and dragged his feet to the second floor. Normally he would've climbed the stairs two steps at a time. He exercised on a regular basis and was in pretty good shape for his age, but tonight he felt as if he were carrying the world on his shoulders and was in desperate need of some rest. He wished he could take a hot relaxing shower and go to bed, but sleep had eluded him for the past two days, so he headed straight for the library which also served as his home office.

He took off his tie and suit jacket and dropped them on one of the sofas along with his briefcase on his way to the bar cabinet. He poured himself three fingers of his favorite scotch and swallowed the drink without taking the time to savor it. Tonight he wasn't interested in pleasing his palate. It was all about getting wasted and escaping the cognizance of Derrick's personal relationship with Tyler Coleman.

He toed off his shoes and untucked his shirt as he walked over to the built-in bookcase that held his music system. He chose
Madame Butterfly
from his extensive selection of operas, then returned to the bar for another drink. This time he poured the scotch to the brim of the glass.

The orchestral prelude of Act I of
Madame Butterfly
soared beyond the walls of the office, filling up Roman's permanently silent house with beautiful music. The prelude was soon after followed by the powerful voices of the performers interpreting the roles of Cio-Cio San and Pinkerton.

Roman loved opera. He should've been lost in the tragic melody. Yet Derrick's words from the previous day resonated louder in his head.

"This week's been hell and if the guy thinks that sucking me off and fucking me through the mattress will help him, who am I to object? Plus, I'm horny. I'm so horny I could fuck a tree. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I got laid?"