Melo walked into the office with a black tray in hand with a glass of The Macallen M and a glass of Domaine Leflaive Montrachet Grand Cru.

He walked over elegantly to his boss. He bent at his knees, holding the tray. Mark looked at the glass of Macallen M then took it. He stood up straight and headed to the lady opposite Mark who licked her lips painted in a dark shade of red.

Her eyes glided over Melo greedily and said as she took the glass, “This boy of yours, have you plucked his rose yet?”

Mark looked over at her with a frown. His eyes flicked over to Lyla as he said, “He is off-limits and do not assume things.”

*

Melo was busy making up the bed when Mark walked in and started undressing. He turned to look at him then continued.

Mark raised a brow and walked over to the bed where he sat down and said, "Don't take what she said to heart."

Melo did not even glance his way. He walked over to where the clothes of the evening were piled up and then out of the room, switching the lights off behind him.

Mark sighed with a shake of his head and fell asleep.

*

Melo packed all the dirty laundry into the washing machine after sorting them in colours. He accidentally slammed the door shut and winced. Mark did not like to be disturbed and he was a light sleeper too.

He waited silently, but there was no call, then sighed, relieved. Walking silently toward the closet past Mark on the bed, he heard, "Slam something shut again and I'll throw you outside."

Melo ignored him and walked towards the closet and shut the door behind him hard. Mark flew up from the bed and walked off after him. He glared at Melo, who was kneeling in front of the sock drawer and sorting them out.

"What is with the attitude?" He asked.

Melo stood up to face him and asked, "How could you let her speak like that to me?"

"I did stop her," he answered.

"Yes and? I still had to listen to her bitch about wanting to fuck me," he retorted and continued sorting through the drawer.

Mark walked up to him and knelt down. Placing his hands on Melo's shoulders he said, "Lyle has a thing for boys like you. She always has and when you walked into our lives, she wanted you, but you are here instead, so I need you to deal with it. She is my business partner and I need your co-operation."

Melo shrugged him off and said, "Hands off, you yourself belong with the whores."