Our first priority is figuring out what’s going on with Marcus and the Beasts of Brutality. Everything else is on the sidelines compared to that. But it doesn’t matter, me and a few of my boys will make sure Mario doesn’t feel forgotten.
“She your woman or something?” Mario asks, but he’s in no position to be asking me any questions.
Yet, his question makes me wonder if she is, or if she will be.
Chapter Eighteen
You only know part of me. I am a universe full of secrets
~ Quotes ‘nd Notes
Flora
Two Weeks Later . . .
“What’s the deal today?” I look over to King, who’s scanning his eyes over the paper endlessly. He has a desk here in the studio. It’s where he keeps scripts, notes, movie ideas, all of that stuff. I’m here because we were scheduled to shoot today for a new movie, but I didn’t get a script and I kind of wondered if me hanging out with Needles was messing with my work.
“Tryin’ to figure out what we’re gonna shoot today. We haven’t done any of that fake realtor shit, so we could go for it. You want me to be the realtor, or do you wanna do it?”
I furrow my brows together. “Why are you acting weird?” In all the films I’ve shot with King, he gives me the script days in advance and has already picked out what we’re recording. He’s not the type who’s ever unprepared, and he’s certainly not the type who’s last minute to make decisions. “King, what the hell is going on?”
King finally looks at me and puts the papers down on his desk. “Flora, I feel like there’s a huge elephant in the room here.”
“Elephant? An elephant couldn’t fit in the room.”
He puts his hand in front of his face and groans, “It’s an American expression, fuck. I’m trying to say there’s something we’re both avoiding talking about.”
“There is, ‘cause it’s news to me.” I make my feelings apparent as hell. I hate when people do stuff like this, whether it’s a man or a woman. When someone doesn’t get straight to the point it’s aggravating.
His eyes widen and he grumbles something under his breath that I can’t make out. Finally, he clears his throat. “You know.”
“I know what?!” I yell at him from across the room. For fuck’s sake, I’m not a mind reader.
“Needles, god damn. What the fuck is going on with you and Needles, and do I need to be worried about this shit messing with the movies? Like, I don’t know how the fuck I’m supposed to play this shit, Flora. I’m not tryin’ to piss off a brother.”
I can’t tell if he’s serious, or if he’s fucking around with me right now. “Is this some sort of joke?”
“When the fuck, have I ever joked about business?” King retorts, removing his sunglasses. He’s the type of man who wears his sunglasses indoors, which is stupid to me, but to each their own.
I shake my head, annoyed I’m even being asked this question. I shrug my shoulders as I fill him in, “I don’t know what you want me to say. He and I have been hanging out with each other a lot.”
“Hanging out? Don’t you mean fucking?”
“The last thing I remember, you never mandated my sexual life. Unless that’s in the contract and I didn’t know about it.”
“I’m asking you the same shit I’d ask any other talent we have working for the production company.”
“Are you though? I mean, really? Or is this because Needles is one of your biker brothers?” I blink rapidly at King as I await his answer and if you ask me, his silence is his answer.
“I’m not lookin’ to start any shit with my brothers unless I have to. So, you see why I’m treading a little more lightly. If you were fuckin’ some random dude who wasn’t in the club I wouldn’t give a shit, but this is different.”
“So, you are admitting you’re treating me differently.” I’ve caught him red handed and he can’t backtrack now. There’s nothing he can say that’ll make me think any differently.
“Dammit,” King throws his hands up in the air, “I’m tryin’ not to step on anyone’s toes here. Yours or his. You went from barely standin’ each other to hangin’ around one another at every possible moment, so excuse me for makin’ sure I don’t get my ass beat. Are you two together or what? ‘Cause I’m not gonna fuck another man’s woman, especially not one of my brothers.”
God, I’m so livid. King has no right to be saying any of this shit to me. Needles and I are just hanging out, enjoying one another’s company. We haven’t said crap about the two of us being an item or anything like that. If we had that discussion, I would’ve told King, but since there’s nothing to tell, I haven’t said a damn thing.
“Let me make this abundantly clear for you, okay? Needles does not own me because I’m not an item. You see that stapler over there? You own that ‘cause you went to the fucking store and bought it. Even if we were together, filming porn is my job. He would have to accept that I work, and fucking people is my job. Catch my drift, or do I need to go on?”
King raises his hands in defeat, “Fine, whatever. But out of respect, I’m only going to pair you with women for a while. Just in case . . . I don’t wanna step on toes, Flora, and I need you to respect that. You feel me?”
As much as I want to bitch King out right now, I know he’s only doing what’ll keep his relationship with Needles solid . . . but I’m frustrated as hell and I’m not going to hide it. I leave the studio without saying a fucking word to him, hoping I’m proving my point.
Chapter Nineteen
You turned the page. I burned the book
~ Quotes ‘Nd Notes
Needles
“Fuckin’ women, as much as I try, I’ll never understand their asses,” King grumbles, walkin’ in the front door to the clubhouse. I’m at the bar nursing a whiskey on the rocks, and Judge shoots me a concerned look.
“Who pissed in your cereal?” I ask, taking another sip as I turn to face him.
King scoffs, “Ask your girl.”
“My girl?” I’m sure he’s talkin’ about Flora, but her and I haven’t made anything official. Honestly, I’ve been conflicted as fuck. I’m the one here who has the power to make her my ol’ lady, to make this shit official. It’s in my corner, and I’m doin’ exactly what I told her not to do. I preached to her about not worrying about the past or the future, yet the way we fought before still lingers in my mind.
“Flora,” King rolls his eyes, comes up to the bar and Sly pours him a whiskey too. “Don’t even act like you two aren’t shit, ‘cause everyone here knows not to touch her. It’s kinda hard for me when it’s my job to fuckin’ film porn with them. She and I were supposed to film today, but I didn’t give her script to her earlier this week and ended up tellin’ her I’m only pairing her with women for the time being until you make up your damn mind.”