Chapter 75
Our days were short and our nights were long, as we spent the days in the sun, and our nights making love in the bed. To feel Jackson in me, experiencing a sexual connection again, was exactly what I was needing, and satisfying his needs were, which to be honest, still those of a horny teen, was something I was hell bent on doing.
Having passed Miami and now on the final stretch to New York, I decided to raise some serious questions about our time apart and how he thought it was working out. Whilst it was the elephant in the room, I needed to get it out there so we were setting unrealistic expectations on each other.
"I need you to tell me, are you ok with all the separation we experience in our relationship?" I asked as we sat out on the deck having a cocktail in the sunset.
"Actually, I am probably more understanding of it than you give me credit for. I am pretty OK with it, and once I have Michelle working for me, I will probably be even better. I think being `alone' with my work I have been doing, I have felt a sense of being overwhelmed and isolated in many ways. You've always had Sam & Inga, and a hundred other minions. I've really only had me."
"Bub, I need you to promise me something. I need you to talk up if you need more people or support. This is `us'. It is not me, it is not you, and it definitely isn't me versus you, like hell, I don't care if you have 10 people working for you, I want you to be organised, I want you to have your own success and I want you to be happy."
I realised that in my need to feel secure in what I was doing, I had ignored Jacksons wants and needs, and I suppose it was why I was carrying guilt with me. We were a partnership, yet I had closed him out of his half, and making too many assumptions. I am the one that fucked up, not him.
"I'm sorry bub. It was me that made you feel like that. Slap me across the back of the head if I do it again."
"After 25 years, I sat back and watched you, knowing that you would see the bigger picture sooner or later. I know you better than yourself. I know you would come to your senses eventually, just this time it took longer than usual."
His smile meant everything. His smile meant that he knew I knew I had fucked up. I also knew that this was going to cost me dearly making it up to him.
"So, I have a question for you, just so I understand how things work better." He started off slowly. "If say we wanted to buy a house somewhere, can we just do that?"
Here we go I thought. I am about to be played here.
"More or less. We have more money in the bank that you seem to believe, and if you checked your own personal bank accounts, you would see you are a billionaire in your own right." I added, sparking Jackson to sit up and stare at me like I was a demon.
"No, you inherited wealth, I didn't. Last time I looked I only had a few thousand in my personal savings account."
"Well time for me to be honest then I think." I started off slowly as to not to overwhelm him.
"No long after we arrived in Munich, I was advised to move a chunk of my personal wealth over to you, for numerous reasons. I moved $5 Billion US dollars into an account in your name, and your name only. It is just with the drama and shit we have been dealing with over the past few months, that I neglected to tell you." I explained in the best way possible.
Jacksons face turned white. I wasn't sure if it his first sip of alcohol in weeks, or the news I had just given him which caused this expression.
"What the actual fuck." He said looking at me.
"Bub, we are partnership, we are equals, and whilst the terms of the will & estate prohibit me from transferring any of the bank to anyone except my eldest child, which would be Jules, there is nothing stopping me transferring any of my personal wealth to anyone I want. Our accountants suggested I move some funds off to you and the girls to reduce our tax liabilities and in the event of my death, it would also significantly reduce any inheritance tax. So, I moved $5 Billion off to you, and the same amounts off to each of the girls, but the girls cannot access theirs until they are 25, and at this stage, we are not telling them. I do not want them to think they have an entitlement, more than they currently do."
"Fuck. I am speechless. I don't know what to say."
"So, if you want to buy a house, or a car, or a boat, or even a shirt, you don't need my approval, you have your own funds."
Jackson was struggling to process this all and slid back on to his sun lounger as he processed it all. Eventually he spoke, slowly and cautiously.
"So say I wanted to buy a house I liked, and I knew it was for sale, I could just buy it and transfer the money out of my own account?"
"Yes, that's generally how it works." I added maybe too sarcastically. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, I just happened to find out that the house we just stayed in is on the market, and I was going to ask if we could buy it as a kinda holiday home."
"My question is, would we use it, how often would we use it, and is it priced accordingly. I don't want to piss money away just because we have it."
"Well, its $25m USD, it's been on the market 6 months, the owners want to off load it, and I would make sure we use it as a way to escape."
"But we have the yacht for that reason." I added playing devils advocate.
"I know, and I love it. But, as much as I do love it, it doesn't feel like mine, or ours. Like the Villa in Ammersee, would we have chosen to live there if we had a choice? No, we wouldn't. New York on the other hand, we bought that and designed it for us. That's why it feels like our home. And you do realise we are going to be Grandparents soon, and I don't want a baby running around a yacht on the open seas." He added as a final note, trying to convince himself more so than me.
"Ok, OK. If that's what you want we will track down the agent and make enquires. How does that sound. Did you want to look at other properties in other locations first?" I asked
.
"No, the moment I walked in to that place I knew. Like the town house. I just knew."
"Cool, well we need to track down the agent online then."
As Jackson reached over to this phone, he opened the wallet attached and pulled out a card.
"No need, I have his number here" The smile on his face told me I had been played, maybe not in the way Jackson had intended, but I had been played.
As he rang the agent, he put in a low offer of $17.5m with all the furniture as it was. There was no use playing games, but this was Jacksons deal, and I wanted him to take ownership of it from start to finish. As he hung up the phone he looked at me.
"I'm nervous now. What happens if we have done the wrong thing." He asked out loud.
"Bub, follow your gut." I encouraged.
We had moved inside now and were sitting at the table as dinner was to be served when his phone rang.
"The vendor will do $20m fully inclusive of furnishing," The agent said.
"Well, I am at $19m all in. Happy to walk away, that is our final." Jackson said before saying good bye and terminating the call.
"Look you go, Mr property investor." I laughed.
"I've been watching too many episodes of million dollar listing to be bossed around."
"Oh God, Jackson, couldn't you come up with a better analogy" I laughed.
5mins later the agent came back to us. "You have yourself a deal" he said defeated.
"Wonderful, I will email you my lawyers details, have the contracts sent over ASAP." He said, sounding remarkably like Alexis Carrington.
"Look at you go, honey" I laughed out loud. "Are you going to become a property mogul?" I asked jokingly before shutting up trying not to put idea's in his head.
We casually ate a spending seafood dinner, with Lobster, oysters, shrimp, crabs etc that had been cooked on the grill with an amazing lime basting. As I finished off my wine, we strolled around the deck, holding hands and trying to make out where we were on the coast. We came across the wheelhouse and Tom was manning the bridge.
"Hi Tom, hows it looking?" I asked, if I knew what I was talking about.
"It's good. Calm seas, not much wind, we should be cruising up the Hudson around sunrise. If you would like me to wake you early, it is truly an amazing sight seeing the Statue of Liberty in all her morning glory."
"That would be awesome. Please, have the crew wake us early, I am sure we'd be both be keen."
Jackson wanted to see it just as much as I did, and as we return to our suite for the last night on the yacht, he slowly undressed me as he led me to the bathroom.
"Shower time! You stink of BO and sunscreen" He joked.
"Gee, foreplay just isn't what it used to be" I joked.
Thinking he was going to dump me and run, I was pleasantly surprised to see him undress and join me.
As we slowly started to make out under the cascading water, he was quick to spin me around and push me up against the wall.
"You want my cock in you, bad boy" He grunted in to my ear, expecting me to reply.
"Give it to me, hard, and now" I replied feeling the eroticism of the moment go from slow and passionate to forced and rough. I wanted him again and again tonight.
Grabbing some hand lotion of the shelf, he lubed me up using three fingers to get me open and ready.
I wasn't expecting his full 9" in me so hard and fast, it left me gasping for breath.
"Fuck me, Sir" was all I could muster as my legs weakened under the force of his thrusts.
"You want it all don't you" Jackson said as he pulled back on my hair, forcing his tongue to lick my ear.
The ferocity of our sex was nothing new. We were often adaptable to many scenarios, and was the of the reasons our sex life had always been enjoyable. Most of the time, being the bottom that I am, I was open to what ever play Jackson was in the mood for.
Tonight I knew that in the morning I would have some tender parts of me, that may take a few days to recover from, but damn, I wasn't about to complain.
As we left the shower and dried off, Jackson threw me on the bed face down, and continued his assault on my now gaping arse.
"You feel so good wrapped around my cock, I want to explode my seed deep inside you. I want you to feel my manhood stretch you wide." He continued with his talk.
This was pushing me over the edge, as I whimpered out his name as he pushed me over the edge, and to a climax I hadn't felt in months. I knew he hadn't finished, as he continued to thrash about fucking me, he had flipped me on my back where he could see the spoils of my seed over my pubes and in my hand.
This drove him wild as he sucked on my fingers, becoming the cum whore I knew him to be in the right setting. This was it.
As he arched his back and threw back his head, he let out a moan the east coast of America had certainly heard as he unloaded a torrent of cum into my waiting hole.
As the last of his load emptied in to me, he collapsed on top and was panting in my ear.
"Fuck me, I didn't think I still had that in me. I ain't as young as I used to be." He laughed.
"Well this week has certainly been a week of reconnecting." I said
"But nothing has been as hot and as hard as that. I hope I dint hurt you, I might of carried away."
"Bub, if you were hurting me, I would have said" I replied as I kissed his neck.
He pulled me up and took me out on our private deck where the Jacuzzi was at the perfect temperature. As we hopped in, he pulled me over so I was between his legs and his muscular arms were wrapped around me.
"I love you so much" was all he said as we chilled for the next hour, not really speaking. Just alone, connected and relaxed.
I was now re-energised to return to work.
Chapter 76
New York New York! Even at 5:30am when the first light was cracking through it had looked like it had never slept.
The streets along the river were abuzz, the ferries darting to different points were about and happening. The soft noise of every day action cracking in the distance, and as Jackson and I stood on the bow of the Lady Lucia, we felt like we were re-enacting the scene from Titanic.
It felt good to be returning as we sailed past the Statue of Liberty on our way to the dock. She was beautiful in the first morning light as the sun perfectly capped off her crown. We both took in the sights and smells, and were ready to face our hectic schedules again.
We went to the aft deck to have some breakfast as we slowly manoeuvred our way in to docking and were met by the customs officials as the it was the first time the yacht had moored in New York. Friendly as they were, I just wanted to touch land for the first time in over a week, and get in to the office and get things done.
True to his word, Michael was waiting dockside for us, with Phil our driver and our Range Rover to take us home. I was dropping Jackson off on the way through to the office. I needed to get in to things ASAP and I had a catch up with Sam at 7am.
As we slowly disembarked, I thanked Captain Tom, who was returning to Barcelona so the boat could have some minor mechanical tuning that needed servicing. Oh, how I wished I could join him on a Trans-Atlantic crossing. But today was not the day, nor the time to live out one of my dreams. It would have to wait for another time.
Michelle had had all of Jackson's medications approved for entry and was carrying them with her, rather than let one of the porters potentially loose them. Something's was treated like gold, and this was one of them.
"Hey boss, Welcome home!" Michael let out with a massive smile. I knew James had had him in a training course all week, and knowing Michael, he would have taken it seriously but at the same time it would have been like a caged animal. Michael is very much a free spirit. He likes to be on his feet all the time.
"Hey Big Boy! How much you miss me" I said jokingly knowing I would get a rise.
"Don't flatter yourself. You just cause me drama" He responded.
I Patted his shoulder as I walked past him, noting how solid in his muscular form he was getting. His shirts were now getting to tight. I was concerned he may be using steroids and I had concerns, that I would address with him privately. One thing I knew with Michael, he wouldn't intentionally lie to me.
Jackson slid in next to me, as the others, including Chris followed behind in a different vehicle.
The troops had returned!
Upon arriving at the town house, I could see Karl in the vestibule awaiting our arrival. I yelled out a quick hello, as I kissed Jackson good bye and headed into the office.
"I will make sure I am home by 6. Organise dinner for us at 7 and find out what time Jules and Marcus are due to land. I would like to see them tonight, before they head to his parents tomorrow. And drag Maggie's arse away from her books for dinner too. Family dinners are important."
"My God, anything else? Are sure you trust me to with all these instructions" He shot at me with a tone of sarcasm
"I love you, bub." I said giving him a cheeky smile.
"You too kiddo" he said as he blew me a kiss.
I arrived in the office with 10mins to spare. Someone had obviously rung ahead, as I walked into my office there was a coffee, a stack of files, and my computer was on and ready. Sam had snuck in, highlighted the important emails & organised the documents that needed attending for me in order of urgency.
I had no longer had the first sip of my coffee when Sam appeared in my doorway.
"Morning Grant. Welcome back" he said before taking up a seat opposite me. "Ready to go, are we?"
`Yep, hit me with it." I said feeling refreshed and ready to go...........
The next knock on my door came 4 hours later. I hadn't realised when Steven came to my office that it was 11am and Sam and I were still playing catch up. The amount of work I played hooky on, was now coming back to bite me on the arse.
"Hey mate," Steven added. "We have a video catch up with Johan and some others in 10mins. You joining us.
"Yep, I'll be there in a second. Just let me sign two more things and I will join you. Sam, grab me a coffee and meet me in the board room," I added as I rushed in to the next meeting.
As we were discussing quarterly results, I was astonished by the money that we were transacting in America in such a short period, but also how well the business in general were doing. Our profits were through the roof, and 50% up on forecasts.
"Johan, what's causing this to happen. Businesses like ours just don't have major profit growth without a significant contributing factor."
"Well Steven & I have been discussing this at length in your absence. There is a reason, and it is probably best not discussed over video, perhaps more person to person."
This raised some concerns for me, and as I looked at Steven next to me, he gave me the look that all was ok, but now was not the time.
"What do you suggest? Did you want to come over for a week?" I suggested out loud.
"No perhaps you should go there" Steven suggested
"Oh, OK, when did you want me there?"
"Thursday would be fine. It gives me a few extra days to finalise what I am working on."
"Well, I will see you Thursday then I guess."
By now lunch had passed and the afternoon was getting away, and I felt like I was moving at 100mph. Sam as always was my personal safeguard. He managed me so well, without even knowing I was being managed. His methods of moving me from meeting to meeting, was so smooth half the time I didn't even know I was moving.
"I have organised for you to fly back to Munich Wednesday night. James and I will be joining you if that is ok. It will be nice to be back home in our bed for a change" He added with a smile that I could recognise as him being very content. I was really please both Sam & James had found each other, and were happy in their relationship. I knew how important it was for me, and to see others in a similar situation reminded me of my own happiness.
"Yeah, that's fine. If we could land mid-afternoon, I'd like a walk around the grounds before it gets too late. It has been ages since I have been back too." I added letting Sam know my plans.
I left the office around 5:30pm. It had been a long and fulfilling day, and I arrived at the townhouse dead on 6pm. `Jackson will be pleased' I thought to myself as I skipped up the stairs and, in the door, to be greeted by Karl, holding a vodka soda for me in his hand.
"Welcome home Sir" he said in a very polished and professional way. His smile let me know he was pleased to see me.
"Howdy Karl. Thanks. I needed this drink. Are the girls home yet?" I asked as he took my bag and Jacket.
"Yes Sir, Jules is in the den with Jackson and Marcus, and Miss Maggie is up in her room."
"Can you please have Maggie join us when you get a moment" I asked of him as I made my way to the den.
As I entered the three were in conversation. I lent down to kiss Jacksons forehead, who hadn't even stopped to catch breath since I walked in.
".........And if it's a boy, we aren't doing blues. Maybe Green or Orange, something different" he was instructing Jules and Marcus.
"What are we talking about?" I asked, knowing we were on to baby things.
"Oh, what colour to paint the nursery here" Jackson piped up. "Jules has already decided on white in Munich with highlights here and there. Sounds drab, but we've been googling things and I think she's on a winner, but here I want some colour."
"Out of curiosity, how many nurseries is the baby having?" I asked looking at Marcus for support.
"God knows. I am now just glad I am not paying for it. The kid will have its own house by the time its 2 the way these guys are carrying on" He laughed.
"Be careful what you say Marcus, do not give them idea's"
This earnt a look off both Jackson and Jules.
At this point Maggie joined us, pushing herself in between Jackson and I on the couch as she gave me a kiss.
"Missed you dad"
"Missed you too, Princess" I said placing my arm around her shoulders.
"How's school?'
"Ugh, murder me know. The law sucks."
"Great, I am glad you are enjoying it."
"I have so much study to do"
"Well, after dinner you can head back up, but I wanted us all to have dinner together. It's becoming rarer these days, and I miss you guys." I said looking at them both separately as if to reassure myself.
"Oh Marcus. I know it is last minute, but I have been informed that I need to be in Munich Wednesday night." Jackson shot me a look....
"Yeah, something has apparently come up and I need to meet with Johan Thursday morning, sorry" I said directing this at Jackson.
"But, depending on how tomorrow morning goes with your parents, would you like to invite them to dinner tomorrow night, otherwise I am not sure when we will all be in the same city again" I said thinking out loud.
"Well, I will ask. I need to let you all know something. I rang them on Friday and told them about the baby. I didn't want Jules walking in to a hostile situation if they weren't happy. My mum, well, she's, my mum. She is over the moon. My dad, as I suspected is struggling with the whole thing. It has to do with Jules not being Jewish, there is no guarantee the baby will be Jewish, we aren't married blah bah blah" He finished, knowing we knew where he was going.
"Wait till he finds out his in-laws are gay" Jackson added to the conversation.
"Actually, he is fine with that. He has married hundreds of same sex couples and was one of the first in New York to do such. He goes to Pride march's, he has a rainbow flag at the Synagogue, I think he sees the gays as a marketing tool. A point of difference to other Synagogues."
I Laughed at his analogy, and hadn't taken any offence. In a way I was glad Marcus was getting more comfortable around us. I noticed that he was calling Jackson, Jay, which I wasn't sure I was ok with, but I was giving him his own space to settle in with. If he started calling me G, or daddy, we all knew the line would be crossed, I thought to myself, leaving a smile on my face.
"Well, that would be great if they could join us. Just let Karl know before 12, Jules so the cook has enough time to shop etc."
We moved into the dining room at Karl's instruction and sat down to some really good food. One of the things I loved about this life was that each dinner was an affair to remember, and rarely would anything be the same. It was something we were all grateful for.
As soon as Maggie finished her last mouthful, she jumped up from the table, kissed Jackson's forehead, then mine, before making a hasty exit.
"I need to study! Love ya's" she yelled out as she bolted up the stairs.
The rest of the night we spent talking in the den. Jackson filled them in on his purchase of the house in the Caymans. He was so excited. It was this joy I could hear in his voice that reminded me of what the Jackson of old sounded like. Fun, almost goofy like, but tackling everything head on with enthusiasm.
It was after 10 when Jules rose to head off to bed. I could see she was tired. Jet lag, pregnant, nerves of meeting Marcus' parents. I knew she was a little overwhelmed.
"Good night sweetheart" I said as I stood to give her a hug. "Make sure you rest up please. There is now two of me to worry about." I whispered in her ear.
"Love you dad." She said as she gave Jackson a kiss goodnight and went upstairs.
"Well, my love. I am stuffed as well. Shall we head upstairs as well." I asked Jackson who was curled up on the sofa with his feet tucked under him.
"Yep. Bed sounds good. Sleep sounds amazing"
"No too fast you" came the voice from the door as we were about to walk off.
"Do you think you are going to bed without these first!" Michelle said as she walked in with his medications and water.
"Nurse Ratchet strikes again" said Jackson followed by a playful but evil laugh.
"You love me, now take your bloody tablets and do as I say" She laughed back at him.
"How do you make him do whatever you want" I asked joking along.
"He's seen me lose my shit when he refuses & no one needs to see that" Responded Michelle
The three of laughed, and after Jackson had taken his medications, we said our goodnights and took our elevator to our bedroom.