check, lest he start shouting down Gregory for things that weren’t even his fault! Just the sight of his frog-like ex made him angrier than he already was.
“I told you, these things take time.” Gregory stopped typing on his phone and stamped his foot. “Honestly, the way you just came barging in here like you owned the place was the height of ruden—”
“Will you finish that up.” Kirk’s voice remained flat as he indicated to the phone. Nice and calm like. “Then you can tell me all about how rude it was of me to demand that you pay me the money you’ve owed me for months. I’ll be all ears.”
Gregory pushed his fat lips together but said nothing. He went back to his phone, fiddled with it for a moment more and then Kirk felt his own phone vibrate in his pocket; a sign that the transaction was complete.
“There, done.” Gregory sighed allowed and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Then, his mood did a complete one-eighty. “Now that we’ve dealt with that unpleasantness... how about a drink? I just popped open the most devilish bottle of shiraz you have ever tasted.”
A wink from Gregory as he leaned against the doorway to his apartment. He wore a purple silk robe, hanging half-open to reveal that Gregory was wearing nothing but a pair of tighty-whities. The way he thrust his hips forward just a tad, and the hungry look he wore on his face, suggested that Gregory wouldn’t be stopping at a single glass of wine either.
Kirk could not have been less interested in Gregory’s attempt to seduce. He had come here for one thing, he had gotten that thing, and now he was leaving. And then he’d probably take a hot shower.
“Goodbye, Gregory,” Kirk said with as little emotion as he could muster. “With that, I really, really, really do hope that I never, ever have to see or speak to you again.”
Gregory’s eyes flashed rage. He hurriedly did up his robe. “How dare—”
“Save it, princess.” Kirk held his hand up just as Gregory opened his mouth to retort. “And honestly, if you’re going to wear a robe like that... do some fucking sit-ups. For all our sakes.” Kirk rolled his eyes, spun on his heel and stormed down the hall.
As great as it had felt to stand up to Gregory for once in his life, Kirk could only enjoy the moment for so long... barely any time at all really. And that was just because the reason he was forced to stand up to Gregory in the first place, was entirely because of Lance.
That got him back to thinking about Lance, which then had him descend down the rabbit hole of misery where he’d been residing since the previous night, right after his entire world came crashing in around him. All Kirk wanted to do right now was stay indoors, curled up in bed, and cry and cry and cry. And he would have too, had he not had more urgent matters to attend.
Now that Kirk knew what had happened to The Vase of Pangaion, he had no choice but to try and get it back. His job was on the line and if he didn’t act, he’d be fired and he’d be even worse off than he was now. If that was even possible! He couldn’t allow it.
What he needed was the money to pay off the loan shark. If he were able to do that, he’d be able to get the vase back and return it without anyone knowing why it had gone missing in the first place. All he needed was the money. And that was where Gregory had come into play.
The idea of having to speak to Gregory made Kirk’s stomach churn. And the idea of having to ask him for the money he’d been chasing for nearly six months, made him want to be sick. But he also had no choice.
What surprised Kirk the most was how easy it had been. He had hammered on the front door to that apartment, and then he had demanded the money back the moment Gregory answered the door. There had been no small talk, no begging or negotiation. He simply told Gregory he was going to pay him right now, or he would get the lawyers involved.
“Surely, there is no need for that,” Gregory had purred. “Although, I do love this new macho-man act you’re putting on. It’s quite the turn on, you know.”
“The money,”