Free At Long Last by Shawn Lane

your things and get out of my firm." His father waved his hand toward the door.
    He felt the prick of tears, but angrily forced them away. He would not give his father the satisfaction. Scotty struggled up from the chair, trying to maintain some dignity. His father had turned away and wouldn't even look at him.
    Scotty wanted to say something...anything, but he couldn't think of a single thing he could say that would repair the damage. The pain was too raw. He turned and walked out of his father's office.

    * * * *
    Preston stared at the computer screen not really seeing anything on it. He'd spent all of Sunday in bed. Grieving he supposed. He couldn't make himself care about anything.
    By the time he forced himself out of bed Monday morning, he hadn't made it into the office until after ten o'clock. He put on a suit but hadn't straightened his tie. He hadn't even bothered to shower or shave. What difference did it make anyway?
    When he got to the office he hadn't missed the fact Scott's office door was open and the room itself dark. Apparently he hadn't even come in.
    He couldn't say why, but he missed the pulse pounding rock music blaring through the office walls.
    His heart was shredded. He couldn't deny the way he felt about Scott. Not to himself anyway. Though it wasn't supposed to happen that way, he was completely and thoroughly in love with Scotty. Not that he intended to do anything about it. He couldn't change.
    Eventually he would get past the ache, the need for Scott. He simply had to. Scotty didn't want a clandestine affair and he didn't want an open one. They were at cross-purposes.
    Love and relationships sometimes just didn't work out. His marriage hadn't. When he proposed to his wife, Preston had thought he loved her. He never would have bothered otherwise. But it was clear almost from the beginning they weren't really compatible. And now, with all that had happened with her and Scotty, Preston decided he had never really loved her like love was supposed to feel. To be fair, Preston didn't think she'd ever loved him either. They had two wonderful children, though, and he wouldn't be sorry for them.
    He did love Scotty, but that didn't mean they were any more compatible than he and his wife had been. They wanted different things. Scotty wanted to be openly gay and Preston didn't.
    The door burst open and Jack strode in looking ready to spit. "What the fuck did you do to my brother?"
    Preston felt the color drain from his face. "What?"
    "You heard me, you son of a bitch," Jack snarled. "What did you do to Scotty?"
    "I--then you know," Preston whispered, pushing his chair away slightly from the desk.
    "Yes, I know. I'm not stupid. I've known for weeks you were fucking my brother."
    Preston's gaze shot to the open door. "Keep your voice down."
    Jack glared, but went to the door and slammed it shut. "Happy?"
    "No. Where is Scott anyway?"
    "I have no idea. He quit."
    Preston blanched, a pit forming in his stomach. "He did?"
    "Is that all you can say? Answer me with questions? Why did you fuck with my brother? Did you break his heart?"
    Preston closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "I think we broke each other's hearts. He didn't understand my desire to keep our relationship secret. He broke up with me."
    "Well, that's just great. So, then he goes to my dad and quits and the old man kicks the shit out of him."
    "He--he what?" Preston's heart raced. No way. He'd fucking kill anyone who hurt Scotty, even his dad.
    "Not physically," Jack said. "Mentally and emotionally. My dad can be an ass, as you know. He gave it to the kid rough. My mom says Scotty came home, packed his stuff, and left. She tried to talk him out of leaving, but he wouldn't listen. She said she'd never seen him looking so bad."
    "Jesus," Preston whispered. He felt like someone had kicked him in the gut. Or the chest. He wanted to do something, but he didn't know what.
    Jack sat on the edge of his desk and glared at him. "So, you're a coward, huh? Can't