Menace (remastered) Ch. 01

Menace: Chapter 1 - Wesley Adams

W E S L E Y

I blinked as the afterglow slowly passed, and a little shiver spread down my spine. My hand was still firmly planted in short blond hair as he leaned back and looked at me, licking his lips.

Taking a step back, he reached for my hips to steady himself. I smirked as I watched him tuck me back into my slacks and pull the zip up playfully.

Checking his work in the mirror, I grinned. The hair, usually down to my shoulders, was now trimmed and neatly tucked in a bun. The blond beard was faded on the sides with beautiful precision. "Looks great. How much do I owe you?"

The cute barber, whose name had been said for sure when I entered this shop an hour ago, smiled and stood up, his head slightly below my chin. "Just make sure to come again."

A little tap on his bottom lip stopped him from kissing me. His brows twitched a little, but I gave him a placeholder consisting of a peck and a smile. Not that I minded kissing guys who blew me. But I was about to run late to work, and the last thing I felt like explaining was why my breath smelled like cum. "You've got yourself a regular, buddy."

The cute face lit up as I checked myself in the mirror again and grabbed my jacket. "Eight a. m. again in three weeks?"

His grin was as wide as his face. Cute. Boring, but cute.

"Sure!"

"Great!" I strode alongside the empty chairs and mirrors to the front of the shop, letting him unlock and open the barbershop for the day.

.

There's nothing more soulless than a white open-space office with grey and green chairs filled with zombies, too drained of purpose to spend their lives doing anything other than filing tables so they can pay their bills.

I'd know. I was one of them.

Until 4.

Not a minute longer.

Before 9 and after 4, my life was mine.

And I made the most of it!

Jim was already hunched in his seat. His long dark fingers flew over the numpad like there was nothing more important than the number he needed to match with another, while I was dying inside the moment I pressed the power button of my computer.

"You've missed the briefing again."

"It's good to see you too, buddy."

Jim's lopsided smirk lasted only a second before he clicked his mouse and pulled his keyboard closer. A sign that he was going to write something very important in an email the receiver would most probably only skim before replying with a question already explained in Jim's original request.

I'd know. I never read in full the kinds of emails people like Jim send. They're too specific, too elaborate, and demand actual work to deliver. It's much easier to pick the first thing mentioned that looks the least migraine-inducing and send it. Best case scenario, the sender will give up and do it themself.

"I've been on this with him for weeks now! Is it so hard to read?"

I shrugged. "Some people just can't read with comprehension. What can you do?"

Jim let out an angry snort and kept typing.

.

It took a while.

"Damn! Wes. Where've you been?"

Finally.

I smiled into my screen and glanced at him like it was nothing major. "This cute barber did it. I just let him do his thing."

"He's got a good eye."

And mouth. "I can send you his number if you want."

Jim shook his head with a grin and turned back to his screen. "Sure you can. I'll grow my hair just to see if he can make good cornrows."

"You can grow a beard."

"Nah... I'm not spending money on that." He checked out my fade. "How much did it cost?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not sure. He wouldn't let me pay."

"He wouldn't let you pay?"

Another shrug while I opened the mailbox with reluctance. "Yeah."

"You hooked up with him, did you?"

I snorted and shrugged my shoulders again. "Maybe. Why? Is there some law against hooking up with cute-ass barbers in the back of their shop before they open?"

"Dude... You're a menace!"

"Why?"

"When you said yesterday you needed a cut, did you actually intend to pay for it, or did you look up the first twink barber on Instagram?"

"He wasn't the first..." I snickered.

"Menace," Jim muttered.

"Hey. It was mutually satisfying, and he offered."

"What's his name?"

I pondered. Not too hard, but for Jim I pondered. "Colin? Cody? It started with C... I think."

"How did you save him on your phone?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Fb magic barber."

"Fb, meaning fuck boy."

I shrugged.

"Like I said, menace."

"Oh come on, buddy. I keep telling you it's different with guys. With guys, it doesn't have to be that complicated. Especially if they are imagining your cock down their throat the whole time they talk to you."

Jim's voice pronounced every syllable with extra weight in it. "Me-na-ce."

.

The day progressed, and by ten I was mentally checked out, letting my mind wander.

"By the way, Jim, who was that guy in the gray suit last week?"

"Last week?"

"At the company dinner?"

"There were like two hundred people, dude."

"You've talked with him."

Jim just gave me a look.

"Gray suit, short, slim. Clean-shaven face, dark hair, and pale blue eyes. He sat with you when you spoke with Marianne about the wedding dramas."

Jim seemed to think a little while checking his emails. "Mark? You've met him before. Why?"

"We've met?"

"Yeah, he's working right under S. S. He had a few cybersecurity presentations." Jim moved his mouse and double-clicked.

I rolled my eyes. "Right, I probably skipped those." 

Jim shook his head. "He also went to Willamette."

"Really? How come I never really noticed him?"

Jim gave me a look.

"I mean here."

Jim snorted. "'Cause he's not gay, flashy, or cute for you? I don't know... Why are you asking?"

"I just think he's kind of cute."

By the arch of his brows, I knew it would be only a second before he scrutinized me.

And there we go.

His head turned. "No, you don't."

I smiled with my most innocent smile and shrugged. "Why shouldn't I? Does he work out? He's got a nice ass."

Ignoring the last part of that sentence, Jim leaned back and scanned my features before lowering his voice. "He's been cycling since high school, I think, and still does. Wesley... what's going on?"

"Nothing, just I thought he was new, that's all."

"He's the head of IT. He's been here longer than you or me."

"How old is he, anyway? Is he dating someone?"

"I don't know, around our age. And no, you know he's not since..." Jim's features crumbled into a disbelieving frown that was so accusatory I pondered whether I should feel offended.

"Nooo!" he hissed, leaning to me. "I know what's going on! Not him! No!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, buddy."

"Oh yes, you do! You didn't care about his ass ever before. But when he said that he was waiting for sex until marriage, the gears in your head started spinning! Admit that!"

"Why should I?"

"I know you, dude! Seriously, no. Drop it."

"I just want to test his theory."

"What theory, dude? He's happy with his life as it is."

I smiled and shrugged. "Sure, I'm not saying he shouldn't be. Just maybe he should try it before deciding."

"That's quite a contradiction in this case, Wes, don't you think?"

"Maybe. But still, how many people in their late 30s do you know to be a virgin?"

"It's a choice he can make."

"Still..."

"Dude, no! Don't do that!" Jim whisper-screamed like I was about to defile his dear friend.  

I raised my hands. "I'm not doing anything..." I lowered them, "... yet."

"Seriously, Wes. There's nothing you two have in common. Actually, everything I know about him is something you either loathe or mock. You get bored in an instant."

"Then I'll enlighten him while it lasts."

"While it lasts? No! The minute you would, by some sheer miracle, get to sleep with him, you'd forget he exists, and I will still have to work here!"

"Oh come on! How do you know it won't be some fated love story like those romcoms you watch with Diana?"

"'Cause it's never with you. I lost hope for you to settle down. I think you will screw around with twinks until you die."

I grinned wide, leaning back in my chair. "What a life. I could see that. Then I can move with you and Diana into some nice nursing home, and we can die together."

He didn't even roll his eyes this time. "Which only proves my point. Just leave Mark alone."

I started to feel a little offended by then. But since it was Jim, I let it slide. "Don't worry, buddy, although..." I sat up and fidgeted with the mouse, watching the cursor dance. "I think my computer is running a bit slow."

"Dude... You could've made up something more believable."

I winked at him. "I don't know anything about computers, but I should check it out. No?"

"I am changing your name on my phone to 'Menace'."

.

Two hours later.

"Hey, Jim." I couldn't get it off my mind. "Are you sure he went to Willamette with us? I don't remember him at all."

"Stop it, Wes."

"No, seriously."

Jim glanced around. No one seemed to be in earshot. "Leave him be."

"Did he?"

Seemingly exasperated, Jim sighed, "Yeah. Why?"

"I was just thinking about how to introduce myself. Old college buddy sounds more plausible than a computer issue he'll spot immediately if he opens my laptop."

Jim shook his head and pulled out his phone. He played with it a little, then showed me the screen.

Above my number, written in all caps, was ME-NA-CE!

I grinned. "I love it. But why the dashes and exclamation mark?"

"Without them, it didn't seem accurately menacing."

I laughed, and Jim grinned back. "I hope you have no chance."

"Ouch... buddy, that just felt like a betrayal."

"No, that felt like a conscience."

"Well, my dear conscience, wish me luck. I'm about to ask my old college buddy if he wants to join me for lunch."

I stood up, realizing I didn't know his full name. "Jim?"

"No." He didn't even raise his eyes this time.

"What's his surname?"

"You are a twisted, cruel man."

"That's a pretty long and awkward surname."

"Just look it up."

"Pretty please. You know I'll go there anyway."

"You don't even know if he's gay."

"Well, it's about time to find out. When I stared at him back then, he didn't avert his eyes, so I believe there's a slight chance."

"Maybe he was staring at you, thinking, what a creep."

I pressed my hand against my chest in mock offense. "How could you?!"

Jim shook his head. "Griffith."

Beaming, "You're the best."

"You're not. I don't approve of any of this."

"Can't hear you. I'm going. Bye"

.

Where is the IT here anyway?

Since I began working here, I haven't needed to reach out to that department before. They always came to me. But with Jim gatekeeping the cute virgin, I'd opted to go there instead. So I asked Bianca at the front desk, and she pointed me down to the 4th floor, where, obviously, all the fun people hung out.

"Hey, is Mark here?"

A young guy with curly hair looked at me, smiling evenly. "Which Mark are you looking for?"

"Griffith."

"Sure, he's in his office."

Damn right... He's the head of IT... This is going to be interesting. "Thanks."

I went around tall racks lined with hardware along the wall, thinking there are even worse offices than mine, a white-and-gray mouse pit.

White walls, two white desks on each side of this small room, and a narrow corridor between them made the buzzing of PC towers even more annoying. And the amount of cables and metal boxes in rack behind me made me feel thankful that I'm not claustrophobic.

I knocked on the plain gray door, and after a brief pause, the man of the hour came and opened it. "Yes?"

I watched as his eyes slowly traveled up my chest to meet mine before I flashed him a wide grin with my religiously maintained set of white teeth, relishing in the way his brows shot up, and he did a double take.

"Hey, Mark."

"Hey...?"

"May I come in?" I asked politely while I squeezed myself in, not waiting for an answer. I checked him to see whether he'd mind it, but he only seemed slightly perplexed as he stepped back. "Sure..." 

He closed the door.

Nice.. "Wesley Adams. It's been a while, but when we met at that company dinner, I was surprised to see we work at the same company." I spoke as I would to any college buddy I hadn't seen in years. He didn't seem to share that sentiment as he frowned in confusion.

"Right, you were staring at me. I remember."

"Yeah, I wanted to know how you've been after all these years, but you were pretty much glued to your team." Right hand in my pocket, I used the other to fiddle with a pen near the edge of his desk.

"Have we met before?"

I raised my brows in theatrical astonishment and smiled, "Really? We went to college together."

When he didn't seem to move for three more seconds, I tried the Jim card, "With Jim and Diana Dunston?"

Mark frowned deeper and similarly stowed away his hands in the deep pockets of his gray slacks. "Yeah, I remember Jim. He works on the 9th, right?"

"You remember Jim, but not me? We were best buddies. Still are."

Mark shrugged his shoulders with a kind of cool indifference I liked. "It's not like we were close. I just knew about his existence."

"Again, the same question," I demanded with my arms crossed and a slight frown on my face.

Despite my knowing that the truth was, I'd be shocked if he'd recognized me.

Mark, however, didn't seem apologetic, not even phased. "Well, we were probably running in different circles. Have you also swum with Jim?"

"No."

He gave me a cool, amused glance like 'Then it should be clear, is there anything else you need?'

I smiled. But waited, peering into those pale blue eyes. Silent.

After a good twenty seconds, Mark chuckled, averting his face to the side. "Right, so now we've established that we went to the same college. Was there any other reason for you to come?"

"Yeah, actually, I wanted to ask whether you would like to eat somewhere. Have you been to lunch already?"

"Well... not yet..." he looked at his watch.

"And who are you usually going with?"

"Depends..."

I smirked and leaned in a bit. "Would you go with me?"

His nose scrunched the slightest bit. "And Jim?"

I thought for a moment. I couldn't be sure he wouldn't try sabotaging my efforts. "Nope, just us."

"Why?"

"Is it bothering you? I won't cry if you say no. I just thought we could catch up."

"Right... Well, no, it's not bothering me per se. I'm just surprised." He gave it a moment observing me. "Okay, sure... Why not?"

I smirked. Not gay my ass. "Great, let's go."

He let out a hiss of air as he smiled. "Okay..." 

.

Usually, I drag Jim and the guys from the office to one small restaurant only a ten-minute walk from the office. With how I eat, only a few are brave enough to join. Jim does so because he loves me, and I love him for that.

But as I expected without me Jim and the guys probably went to the canteen in our building eating something that would barely suffice for fuel, never mind nutrition.

We sat and I couldn't help but stare. He definitely works out. I liked his slim neck and straight shoulders. At first glance, Mark came across as this stiff nerd. "So, what have you been up to these years?"

The smile curved his lips like there was only certain angle allowed. "Normal things people do... work, hang out with friends, basic hobbies, and so on."

I closed the distance a little by leaning on my elbows. "What kind of hobbies?"

Mark noticed the shift and examined me. "I'm not much for these questionnaires. I bike, code, and read..." he pulled on his sleeve and rested his arms leisurely in front of himself. "You?"

"Really, that's cool. Now I know where that great ass is from." I grinned and picked up the menu as if I'd said nothing unusual.

"Excuse me?"

I tilted my head, checking out his expression, but I could see that I was in the clear. So, I kept going smugly. "Sorry, was that too much? I'm just trying to get to know you."

"Get to know me as what?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Depends. I just find you interesting, and I couldn't stop staring at you the whole night back then. So, I wanted to see what you're really like in person."

Just then the waitress came with fresh jug of water and took our orders.

Only after she left way out of the earshot Mark took his glass, lifting a brow at me. "You find me interesting?"

I watched his Adam's apple bob as he drank, the grin on my face was invitation itself. "Yeah."

"Really? Why?"

I shrugged and picked up glass myself putting it to my mouth. "Beats me. There's something about you."

"Is there?" Little guy kept his cool better than most in his position.

We held the silence for a beat.

He set his glass down with tempered movement of his wrist. "I mean, I appreciate it, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now."

"But you're not opposed to the idea. That's good."

This elicited a short, shocked chuckle. "That's not really what I said."

I drank and watched him scan my face and upper body. "Just get to know me." I raised my brow playfully. One thing I was sure of, he most definitely wasn't straight.

This is on!

"Why?" Mark asked with a wide smirk.

"It could be fun," I winked at him.

"If you say so."

.

...

Hey there, guys!

Quick note :)

It's been a while, but I think it's about time to get back to writing and posting. I've missed this so much!

This story is part of the Project Menace series, and already has several finished books, so I'll be posting twice a week!

But first I need to post the remastered versions of first drafts I've posted in 2022-23, so I won't be utterly embarrassed for them :)

If you followed my previous project Cheaters (Husband of My Homophobic Sister, My New Personal Assistant and Severance Package, which is posted here unedited as Fiancé of My Ex-Boss), Project Menace is set in the same city, two years later.

As usual with my stories, expect familiar faces from other books to show up now and then.

Since I can't seem to help it, more storylines run alongside this one.

They follow a chronological order, so for the next few months, these will be posted, twice a week:

M e n a c e - Wesley and Mark's story you're reading now

T h e F i r e T h a t T u r n e d M e - Zack falling for two hot firefighters. Thomas's best friend Noah and Zane, Wesley's cousin.

Love to be back again!

Enjoy!