In the Giant's Shadow

"I'm not going to build that house for Winston," Seljik said. "I will give you a contract to work with me at the end of your graduate studies, but it will be on my designs. Is that what you want?"

"Yes."

"Is there something else that you want, Mark?"

"What is important is whether there's something else you want, Mr. Seljik. Some other reason why you asked me to your hotel for dinner. Are Philip and Terrence not here?"

"No, neither one is available tonight," Seljik said. "Does it make a difference with you that I fuck them if I ask you to come up to my room now? I'm a man with daily needs. Does it make a difference to you that I fuck them and when they aren't available, I fuck you?"

"No, it doesn't matter at all," Mark answered. And he was content that it didn't matter. He felt privileged at this time of his life to be standing here in Jemal Seljik's shadow. "Whenever you want me, for whatever reason you do, I'll be there."

Seljik laughed then. "I guess I should have believed you on Christmas Eve when you told me your loyalty was complete," he said. "I can see that your loyalty would be complete. But it wouldn't be fair to take full advantage of that, especially such a special young man as you are, and I'm not talking only about your architectural design talent. I did send both Philip and Terrence away—because of you, and I don't need to fuck either one of them if I can have you. And my firm won't build your design for Winston, but I'll financially back a firm in your name to build anything you want for anyone, including Winston. So, here, I'm laying my cards on the table. Do you have any questions?"

"Just one," Mark said. "Can we go up to your room now."

The Turkish giant laughed, his eyes sparkling. "Is that what you want?"

"It's always been what I wanted. But what makes difference is what you want."

"I want to take you up to my room."