Unleashed

Ringing pulled Dean awake from a sexy dream about Jared. Jess remained asleep beside him as he reached for the cell on his bedside table. He wasn't even allowed to greet the caller before the harsh voice of his oldest brother spat out instructions.

"You, I, Troy and Nevin are having a meeting through teleconference with my lawyer at 2pm. We'd like to get the hotel situation settled today if you know what I mean."

"Nice of you to ask what's a good time for me, Clayton." Dean unfurled his anger through a whisper so he didn't wake Jess.

"Goodbye," Clayton stated crisply and disconnected the call.

"Asshole," Dean muttered.

"Who was that?" Jess's eyes remained closed. Her hand swept over Dean's chest, then her arm rested over him.

"Clayton. I have a meeting today."

"Oh."

Dean turned his head and looked at the person he'd once been in love with, now barely recognizable to him in body and mind.

'I'm bisexual,' he mouthed silently. 'Hm,' he thought, 'not bad on the tongue. I'll tell her when I get home tonight.'
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"Dean, this is wonderful!" Jess pranced around the kitchen gathering breakfast food to cook while her husband started the coffee maker. "When you said you weren't going in to work until later, I almost pinched myself to see if I was dreaming."

Dean politely chuckled.

Jess wrapped her arms around his middle from behind and hugged him. "If I knew it would only take a free pass for you to come back to me, and in such a way that I'm falling more in love with you by the second, I'd have done this ages ago. I love you so much, Deanie."

"Love you too." Dean held still instead of turning to hug her back. He opened the cupboard at eye level and brought down two coffee cups.

"I better get started on breakfast to feed my man." Jess kissed the back of Dean's neck and tiptoed away.

He glanced at her. She wore a short lavender nightie with matching panties. Her long legs were thin and tanned and all twenty French-tipped toe and fingernails were done by only the best in the business. He let out a soft sigh having felt no attraction to her and set the table.

Jess sat across from her husband with their plates filled with semi-edible scrambled eggs next to burned and underdone bacon. "What do you want to do before you go to the hotel? You could take me shopping or I could show you the new fitness building the girls and I are going to."

He could tell her. Right now. He could say it. He peeked at her as a smile crept on his lips, thinking about liberating himself from the prison he'd created by denying his sexuality and refusing to allow who he really was inside to emerge and thrive. And suddenly he was trying to speak those words to free himself, but nothing came from his mouth. No, he didn't have the guts just now. Another thought came to him—he needed a place to live while their lawyers settled the divorce. He'd probably stay at the hotel. He'd let Jess have the house. He didn't need or want it.

Dean chewed thoughtfully to remember the question Jess posed. It came to him before she accused him of being inattentive. "Um, I'm not sure. We could stay here and talk and spend time together."

"Talk?" Jess grinned. "What would you like to talk about, baby?"

"It's a suggestion. I'm not big on shopping, but if you and your friends have plans, don't let me stop you."

"No, I am spending what time I can with you," she spoke adamantly. "We could go back to bed when we're finished eating." Her thin brows rose playfully, along with her plump lips.

Dean reddened and bit his lip. "Maybe?" He picked up his cup and took a gulp, burning his tongue on the coffee, and grunted back a curse word.

"You know what I'd really like, Dean?" Her fingers tapped up and down his forearm as she studied his face.

"What's that?" He gave the smallest of smiles to give the appearance of interest.

Jess held her head high and announced, "I'd like to go to the pet shop."

Confusion etched on his face. "Huh?"

"I want one of those little itty bitty puppies. You know."

"No, I don't."

"Yes you do. They fit in your purse and you can take them anywhere."

"I don't own a purse." Dean chuckled, having fun by causing trouble, then carefully sipped his coffee. The flavor spilled down his throat and it energized him, but it wasn't anything like the coffee Jared had treated him to over the weekend. That was coffee!

"Silly man! I do." Jess pushed his arm and laughed.

"What kind of dog is it? Just so I know how big of a pooper scooper to buy. The bigger the dog the larger the..."

"It's tiny and has short hair and big eyes and ears."

"That narrows it down." Dean smirked. "What you're describing actually sounds like a cat."

"I know the difference between a cat and a dog, baby. Let's go to the pet shop. I can show you the puppies and we can leave with one today."

"No. Not a pet store. If you want a puppy, you go to the local shelter and get one. They're the ones that need homes."

"I don't want a used puppy." She pouted and tried her best 'please do this for me and I'll do you' expression.

"Jess, dammit. You don't get it." Dean pushed back his chair and threw his arms up. Reason came over him and he released a calm breath as he yielded in deference to her wishes. "Ok, whatever you want to do, we'll do it."

"I don't understand. Are you angry with me?"

"No." The tension in Dean's neck and shoulder muscles relaxed. He'd be out of here soon enough and what Jess did would no longer be his business. "I'm sorry. Let's go shopping. I need a few things, too."

"Oooh, Dean!" Jess screeched. She ran around the table and hugged him. "I can't remember the last time we shopped together. We're going to have so much fun! I'm going to freshen up."

"I'll clean up and do the dishes."

"No, leave them."

"Go get ready. Trust me, you'll take longer than me, and this will give me something to do while I wait."
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Dean bought his wife whatever she wanted out of guilt and she got her little dog, which turned out to be a Chihuahua. With initial reluctance due to the absurdity of it, he agreed to purchase clothing for said puppy, Tinkerbell. 'A ridiculous name—thanks Paris Hilton,' Dean scoffed as he began the drive home.

Not more than five minutes later, he started laughing to himself, then louder as the dog continued to pee on Jess's lap. Jess held the dog up by its underarms and tried to hand it to Dean.

"I can't take it! I'm trying to drive. Set it on the floorboard. Jesus Jess!"

"Look what she did to me. She ruined my Donna Karan dress! It costs almost two thousand dollars!" Jess cried, tears falling from her doleful eyes. "Why did she pee on me, doesn't she like me?"

"I'm sure she's scared," Dean remarked, a dark look outlined the features on his face. Did his wife know nothing about dogs? He should have bought the book the pet store clerk tried to sell him. Oh well, she'd have that puppy to love on once he left. It wouldn't replace him, but it could be trained willingly, unlike him. "It's not that she doesn't like you, honey. She's been in that pen probably most of her life. She goes when she feels like it. You'll have to train her."

"I forgot about that part," Jess said with some difficulty. The puppy tried to jump on her, scratching Jess with its nails. "Eeep! Dean, she's hurting me."

"Put her on the floor or in the backseat. She's overexcited. You'll have to walk her to tire her out." He pressed the gas to go a little faster to get home and tuned her out, disengaging from her complaints.

Dean unloaded the car of shopping bags while Jess put the pink leash with rhinestones on Tinkerbell. He kissed her goodbye as he usually did, pet the puppy on the head, and left for work to have the conference call he dreaded. Clayton laid this on him so fast Dean hadn't thought to call his own attorney or accountant.

He took the elevator straight to his office instead of checking in on his staff. If there was a problem, he felt confident someone would let him know. He only wished he'd had a moment to spare to say hello to Jared.

At two o'clock on the dot, his phone rang, Clayton being obsessively punctual.

"Dean," Clayton sounded harsh and unforgiving.

"Here," Dean replied.

"I'm here," Nevin announced. "Hey Dean, how goes it?" There was a grin in his little brother's voice.

"It's okay." Dean smiled despite his low spirits.

"Hey Dean, Clayton and Nevin," Troy said. "Let's get this underway. I want to say a few things first if it's okay with the rest of you?"

"Go ahead," Clayton answered, sounding annoyed.

"Nevin and I were talking earlier. We don't want Dean to sell. I think it's his right as a Bennington to remain in the hotel business. You can't make him someone he's not, Clayton. There's nothing wrong with him."

Dean remained silent, listening to Nevin and Troy stick up for him. He felt humbled and proud by their claims. Clayton interrupted often and tried to fight with them, knocking Dean and Jared's relationship and that's when Dean spoke up to defend himself and move the conversation along.

Turning his attention to his brother, Clayton gave Dean a proposition to transfer ownership. He'd pay cash and assets over the next ten years at a lesser price than the hotel was worth. Dean, Troy and Nevin deemed Clayton's price unfair. The lawyer sitting with Clayton said it was a reasonable price. They continued to talk, argue, listen to the lawyer, and still nothing was resolved. It was hours past dinnertime, and they'd reached an impasse on negotiations.

"I'd like to talk to my attorney and accountant. They both know about issues such as this," Dean sighed, tired and longing to see Jared for comfort. "I'll be in touch."

"Bye, lil bro," Troy said, happy that Dean hadn't accepted the deal. Clayton would have screwed him over, but he and Nevin would've had Dean's back.

"Bye, Dean. I hope you get a fair deal. Call me if you just want to talk," Nevin said. Dean could hear clicking and knew Nevin was biting his nails.

"I'll talk to each of you and let you all know what's going on." Dean's positive attitude must have ruffled the eldest brother's feathers.

"You'll sell if you know what's good for you," Clayton threatened, then everyone heard the lawyer whispering, but they couldn't make out what he'd said. Probably speaking along the lines of keeping his temper under control, because then Clayton protested, "I don't care what he says. I don't want that fag associated with Bennington Hotels!"

The lawyer said a rushed goodbye and ended the call. Troy tsked and said a string of curse words regarding his older brother. Nevin tried to make light of it to ease Dean's humiliation. "He's just a grumpy old man, Dean. He already has enough money to fill his own grave ten times over. Don't let the greedy bastard get to you."

"It's not about money, Nevin." Dean's voice turned sad. "It's the way he talks about me and the names he calls me." Dean hadn't had to deal with his brother's disdain and rejection before. Jared must have gone through hell if this was any indication of what gays dealt with their whole life.

Troy spoke up, "It doesn't matter to Nevin and I who you want to be with. We want you to be happy."

"Yeah, Dean. Just be happy with your guy. If he's as cool as he was back in high school, then you better bring him around sometime.

"Yeah! I'd like to say hello to him too. He was a good guy," Troy agreed with Nevin.

Without responding to his brothers attempts of encouragement, Dean spoke with little optimism, "I have to call my lawyer to make an emergency appointment. We'll talk later." Dean pressed a button to hang up and leaned back in his chair with his fingers laced on the top of his head. The damn call had taken a lot out of him. Regardless, he called his lawyer, Tate Holloway, and explained his situation. Tate was a good man and an excellent lawyer. He agreed to expedite the amount of time he'd have to spend going back and forth with Clayton's lawyer with an offer that couldn't be turned down.

Dean saw it was nearly 11pm. Jared's shift would end soon. Even if Dean had the energy to run down to Riviera, his lover would be gone. He phoned the restaurant and told Alex he wanted to speak with Jared—on the double. Alex summoned Jared to the phone by barking the order, seeming impatient because of Dean's directives. He thrust the phone at his head chef.

"Hello?" Jared answered, out of breath due to the urgency of Alex's tone.

"Hi." Dean held in a yawn and closed his eyes to listen to Jared's sweet voice.

"Dean, hi! Where are you?"

"In my office."

Cheery and optimistic, he told Dean, "I'll come up when I'm clocked out."

"No, I have some calls to make. I'm not finished working."

"You sound tired, like you need a break."

"I do, but I can't take one." Listening to Jared's deep voice kept things in perspective.

"When will I see you again?"

"Soon, I promise."

"Did you tell your wife about me?"

"She knows I was with someone."

"But not with a man or more specifically, me." Jared sighed, disappointed.

Dean glanced upward and exhaled. "I will tell her tomorrow."

"Is that so," he commented, no expression in his voice.

Dean detected a faint amount of doubt in Jared's tone. Assuring him, he said, "Yes. Trust me, okay?"

"I just want to be with you." Jared's voice had risen. Excitement coursed through him when he thought of Dean and him together. No hiding, no secrets and no wife.

"Me too."

"Feels like forever ago that we were together, even if it was just yesterday." Jared chuckled. His body reacted by tingling and hardening at remembering the way Dean was on his hands and knees with his ass presented to him—how Jared entered him for the first time and his dream had become a reality.

"I miss you too. I'm sorry, but I really have to go now."

"Damn. I was hoping for some...," He looked around at his coworkers and whispered, "phone sex."

"Not tonight." Dean smirked. "Bye." He waited for the click from the kitchen's phone hanging up before he put his on the cradle, picked it up, and called his accountant, Darrell Wentz. He was experienced in mergers and acquisitions. At the end of their conversation, he apologized for calling at the late hour. Thankfully, Darrell could meet Dean tomorrow night.