Free Payce's Passions by Piper Kay

quoting this from someone, he said ‘you idiot, who the hell do you think you’re talking to? You don’t know a goddamned thing about me or my past, none of you do. You need to stay out of things that don’t concern you and back the fuck away from me now’ and Braxton yelled that across the floor at him. Everyone stopped what they were doing because no one had ever seen boss act like this.”
    “Oh, no…he…didn’t?” I actually just said that, out loud too, but I nailed it. Bet Serge would freak out if I jumped out of my seat, with one foot pointed out with my hand on my hip while winding my neck in that rubberneck chicken move some girls do. Nah, he’d probably join in too . I’m ready to hear what happened, this involves me too.
    “Oh yes he did. Ash was there. So, anyway that man was angry and fires back at Braxton yelling how he needed to get past his dick hangover for this ex of his. They said Braxton shot of like a rocket into the sky.”
    “Oh, I bet he did.” He used to be calm, until pushed, then go ballistic on you.
    “Oh yes. Here’s another quote from someone that heard it. Braxton yelled ‘that dick hangover you’re referring to holds my interest better than my current cock situation ever has.’ Then he hollered out to the whole room saying if there was anyone else who had thoughts of trying to save or rescue him like that idiot, they could pack their shit up and leave too. Then he put the man right out the front door.”
    Damn. Brax wigged out big time .
    “No shit?” I slap my hand over my mouth for dramatics.
    “Yes siree. That’s what they say happened. And this was only two years ago. They said Brax took off a few days after that whole ordeal, that’s how Ash landed his manager position. Rumors went round and round about Braxton after that, nasty ones too. Some said he was having a breakdown, and that somehow got turned into him checking himself into psych ward, then others said a doctor committed him into a mental institution. Others said he was being put on medication. Hateful rumors were everywhere. Ash is the one who jumped in and shut it all down before the boss came back. Ash said if he heard one more thing mentioned about it, he was firing them on the spot, no questions asked.” He picks up his drink, taking an ice cube in his mouth, chomping away.
    “Good for Ash, someone needed to stop that nonsense, right?” I can almost see myself liking this Ash character, except for the fact that he’s slumming it with Aaron. It sort of cancels the positive out of the equation.
    “Yep. When Braxton returned, he called a mandatory employee meeting and apologized to everyone on the staff. He said that he was finally dealing with some personal issues, traumatic stuff that happened as a kid, but his main focus would be centered around the business from there on out. That the whole ordeal that happened was something they needed to move past together and forget about. And that’s exactly what happened. Things went back to normal. He officially put Ash on a salary and he’s been the bosses right hand man ever since.” Serge stands up, taking the empty tray.
    “I imagine that was hard for him, but I’m glad he had Ash around and the rest of the team for support.” I am thankful for that.
    “Ash was and still is the one who keeps everyone in line regarding the boss. Any negativity tries to rear its ugly head, and Ash is all over it.”
    “Sounds like you work with a pretty cool and close little family here.”
    “We do, we’re all grateful for that. Braxton is one of the nicest people I know, everyone loves him here, and respects the hell out of him. The entire community does too. He contributes both with volunteer work and donations to various causes throughout the gay community. He also helps out with a teenage runaway program. Says he just “gets” those kids, and tries to help. How can anyone possibly not love the man to death?”
    “Love who, Serge?” Brax approaches