1
Ben
“Corey and Jermaine are down for Lord only knows how long, Mr. Asher. Corey broke a leg, an arm, and has multiple bruises all over, and Jermaine’s jaw is wired shut.” My assistant, Dane, was sitting across from me in my office at Supernal, a high-class escort service. Every one of my men were the best out there and for a large fee, rich and powerful gay men can have one of them on their arm…or in their bed.
“Will this car accident have any blowback on me or the company?” I folded my hands atop my oak desk.
“If your concern is, was either man drunk or under the influence of anything, no, they were not. However, Corey was driving, and he was speeding. Honestly, with how fast and hard they hit that Jersey barrier, they’re lucky to be alive, Mr. Asher.” Dane adjusted his tortoiseshell glasses; his light green eyes filled with worry.
“Then there is no way this won’t come back to me.” With a sigh, I pinched the bridge of my nose. “We’re short two escorts and have a full schedule ahead.”
“We won’t have time to hire two new men and bring them up to speed and such, but, if I may?” He pulled out a folder from his messenger bag. He preferred paper to technology and while I felt he made more work for himself, I wasn’t about to complain since he was well organized and efficient.
“But what, Dane?”
He slid it across my desk. “His name is Crew Riley. He used to work in Las Vegas at The Crystal Menagerie. He’s perfect for Supernal.”
There was a headshot, and I could admit he was stunning. Flawless brown skin, deep chocolate eyes, and his facial hair was on par with perfection. He was posing in the photo with a fedora askew on his head. A black silk shirt lay open, exposing his toned physique. He was absolutely Supernal material…on the outside.
“I certainly see the appeal, and his background?” I read on as Dane answered me.
“No record, not even a speeding ticket. The owner of The Crystal Menagerie spoke highly of him and how devastated his clients were to hear he was leaving.” Dane smiled. “I even hear some expressed an interest to call upon him when he decides on his next employer.”
“Decides? Has he been given options?”
Dane nodded. “He has five offers. But, I’m told his dream has been to work for Supernal. If you’re agreeable, I can set up an interview with him for tomorrow.”
My gaze shot up from my reading to meet Dane’s eyes. “You’ve set it up already, haven’t you?”
Dane pursed his lips. “Possibly.”
I rolled my eyes and slid the folder back over to him. “Set it up then. It will only fill one loss, but it’s better than none. Corey and Jermaine are not cleared to work for Supernal until I’ve decided if their return will be beneficial or destructive. Jermaine was a passenger; we may be able to save his reputation here.”
“I’ll call Finn in PR. See what he can do.”
With a curt nod, I dismissed Dane. What a fucking mess this was. Supernal was my life. I’d built it and was strict with the behavior I expected from my men. Corey’s carelessness angered me to the point I needed to physically move.
If I simply reacted, I would have fired him on the spot. But I needed to see where this situation put the business. That was where Finn would come in. He ran my PR department and was likely already figuring out how this was going to work…or not work.
Glancing at my schedule for the day, I saw I had forty-five minutes until anything dire. I needed to visit with my escorts and perhaps remind them why their behavior and choices were detrimental to their future here.
All my escorts lived on the premises. Supernal was an eighty-eight thousand square foot Tudor-revival mansion. With one hundred and eleven rooms, there was ample space for all the men to have their space. Bedrooms were not shared as oftentimes there were clients who wanted to stay the night. Having a roommate wasn’t a possibility.
With Corey and Jermaine in the hospital and then rehab, that meant two unused rooms. Should Crew be the right fit for Supernal, he would have to be given one of those. I never left any of my men high and dry and I wouldn’t do that with Corey or Jermaine should they be terminated. However, they wouldn’t live here.
“Good morning, Mr. Asher.” Tyler, one of my escorts, was walking through the foyer.
“Morning, Tyler. I wanted to meet with all the men. Will you please have them gather in the Grand Room beside the library. Ten minutes, I won’t tolerate tardiness.” Not waiting to hear a response from Tyler, I made my way to the room.
The Grand Room, like the rest of the mansion, was opulent. The focal point was the oversized fireplace. There were three ivory colored bezel sofas, four wingback chairs, and a round console table in the center with matching side tables beside the sofas. It was the perfect room to gather when I needed to speak with the men.
The long oak bar was off to the side, and I went to pour myself some water. One by one everyone began coming in. All smiling and laughing as they found a place to sit. Some opted for the floor, leaning on each other, or resting on laps. Most of these guys were close and touching was common. It brought warmth to my heart when they were all enjoying themselves.
It was important to me that they felt comfortable and safe here. They were treated with the utmost respect, paid well, wanted for nothing. In return, I demanded obedience and the same respect back. With what happened with Corey and Jermaine, it was obvious that I needed to remind them.
Dane was the last to arrive. Even though I hadn’t asked him to be in attendance, I expected nothing less once he’d heard of this gathering.
“Settle down, everyone. Mr. Asher needs to speak with you all, and he has a meeting shortly.” Dane clapped his hands and the chatter dissolved.