Zandor
I woke up feeling like half a million bucks. Not a million, since the girl who was giving me a whole new outlook on life was way too far away. I was gonna be a busy boy for the next few days. Plans had to be out in place so when my little kitty got home I could finally talk about the past few two years of my life and bring her into the newest plan I had conjugated in my head.
My kitten and I would be working together every day still, just not at the shop. I was fucking stoked and now I knew her enough to know she would be, too. I love it when a plan comes together, yeah A team, Dad’s favorite show when I was a little guy. Well technically I’d really never been--little.
I sat up and stretched and grabbed my phone to see what time it was.
You have to trust me, her voice was in my head, which was cool because I was thinking I could.
Fuck it. I sent a quick ‘Good morning, Kitten’.
I waited but she didn’t respond. “Idle minds.”
I got up before I laid there thinking of that motherfucker who wanted to be laying on her and I was pissed. Getting myself worked up when I had shit to do.
I showered and realized the last time I was in the shower was with her. Washing her back, her ass, her tits…a lot.
“Down boy, we don’t have time to play. You and I are taking a break.” I was drying off and I looked down and my guy was all drooping down and sad as hell. “She’ll be back soon, buddy.”
I was gonna shave, but fuck it I was out.
~
I pulled into the parking lot and looked around. It looked like hell, which pissed me off. I walked in and the place was tore the fuck up.
I stood and looked around wondering what the hell I was thinking. Could I really pull this shit off? Hell yes, I could. I was gonna gut the place. Give me a sledgehammer along with this sexual frustration, a visual of Dex, and I’d have this shit done in no time.
First thing I did was pull all the blackout curtains off the window and looked around for the breaker box. I opened a door and there was a set of stairs going up and one going down. I was curious so I walked up.
“No fucking way!”
From what little we had seen of this place we had no idea it had a second floor. No windows, no visible stairway. It was huge. I looked around and realized right that moment that this place was gonna be a fucking dream come true. Four corners, four rooms, four suites where a man could very easily stay a weekend or even more. I wanted the center opened to the lower level and a grand staircase at the opposite end of the building as the entry.
There would still be plenty of room for two rooms on each side of the building for offices. Business men could travel here. Shit, our Italian connections would love it. I knew how much they loved the gentlemen’s clubs in Italy. This would be even better. Exclusive, members only.
I ran down the stairs and out the door to grab my phone to make a list of shit I needed now. I checked to see if she responded and she hadn’t. I went back inside and decided that we needed four private rooms down here as well. But not for overnight guests. For people to use and enjoy. A communal room for the more visual members. A BSDM room with the cross and the whole nine yards. A Greek bathhouse type room, and my favorite, a room that had a big desk serving dual purposes, a school room, and an office. No low rent shit either, this place would be classy. The center would have a couple small stages and a large dance floor. The end toward the entrance a bar, classy Cuban cigars in humidors, the works. I wasn’t gonna be selling sex here, but it would be a place couples could go. Yeah, I said couples, damn. I would love to take my sweet little Kitten and bend her over the desk, plaid skirt, knee highs, white blouse tight as fuck, buttons gonna burst when I start banging her cause she’s breathing so hard. And yeah a fucking ruler just to smack that ass once in awhile. Fuck, she was gonna love it.
My buddy Falcon would definitely be a big help. Gage fucking Falcon. I hadn’t been face to face with that son of a bitch in years. Not since his Dad retired and left him the construction company. Falcon wasn’t a shyster either. Classy fucker, won best dressed our senior year. Guess what I got, you know it best looking or as I liked to think of it, The man! Where I liked to pound the punani at the away games, Falcon was using the home field advantage. He didn’t give a fuck, either. He’d sit back and watch as two bitches fought over him. I say bitches because they were. Cat fighting bitches. Not one that he chose had an ounce of class. Falcon got laid almost as much as I did—almost.
I gave him a ring as luck would have it he was only an hour away at his parents’ place. I gave him the address and asked him to meet me here for lunch. So I better go grab the man a meal.
I was walking around checking out this little diamond in the rough when I saw a black truck pull up. It was huge. I walked out when my man Falcon stepped out. Fucker was jacked now.
“Fuck, Falcon, last time I saw your mug you were looking all gangly. What have you been eating?” I gave him the Bro hug.
“Same shit as always, Steel, and you’re ugly as ever.We going out to lunch at this shit hole?”
“Hey now, don’t judge until you see her bones. Come on in, man.”
We walked in and he looked at me and shook his head disapprovingly.
“What are you thinking?”
“Funny you should ask. You up for a challenge?”
“Man, I don’t know. I’m not trying to be an ass, but Falcon construction doesn’t play in the minor leagues anymore. Shit got big and were doing penthouses in Manhattan now. A few clubs here and there but not a place in the middle of nowhere that ain’t gonna amount to shit.”
I smiled. “This isn’t just a place man, it’s the place, it’s an adventure. Every man’s dream. Come on have a seat, eat lunch and let me tell you what I’m thinking.”
“I’ll hear you out, but I’m not promising anything. I can’t put our name on a shit hole, Steel.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to. Let me tell you what happened to us a little over a year ago.”
We sat and talked for over an hour as we ate, and I told him everything.
“So how the hell have you kept it a secret? The bigger question is, why?”
“It’s not a secret. That’s the thing, we just live like we always did. Steel Incorporated has our name all over it but these judgey fucks think of us as the tattoo boys. And between you and me, I wouldn’t change a damn thing. If they weren’t our friends before we don’t need them now. We still own the shop. We all still work it like we always have. Forever Steel, Bro. It ain’t going anywhere. None of us would be alright with letting go of her.”
“Why this place?” He took a swig of his beer.
“Long story, and it’s between us. My brothers aren’t privy to it until it’s done.”
“How’s that gonna work? Doesn’t the company own it?”
“No, I bought and paid for it. I played a lot of pussy and a little cards when I was in Italy.”
“Amen man.”
“Alright, I want to tear shit up. I have a hot designer coming in next week whose gonna play a major role in what goes on in here.”
“You better be careful man, don’t shit where you eat. It’ll get you in trouble every time.”
“Nah, not her. She’s mine man. All fucking mine.”
He nearly choked. “You serious and she’s alright with this?”
“She will be.”
He busted up laughing. “She doesn’t know.”
“She’ll be cool with it. I know women, man.”
“Yeah, but this is a steady lay, not just a play thing?”
“She’ll be cool with it, and yeah, she’s the shit.”
“Good for you.” he smiled.
“She is real good for me. Never thought I’d ever want to settle down. Fuck, I left Italy to try to get Jase and Cyrus back on track.”
“Why? What’s their deal?”
“Jase is married to a liberal named Carly, and has his daughter back. Cyrus is head up his ass about Tara.”
“So you’re getting married next?”
“NO! I mean I’m all into this girl. She’s perfect for me. I don’t hold shit back from her and she doesn’t judge me at all.”
“You love her, man?”
“Not sure what it is yet but I more than like her. I wanna own her ass.”
“For how long?”
“As long as she’ll have me.”
“Then I’d be telling her about your idea immediately.”
“Falcon, she’ll be real cool with it.”
He stuck out his hand. “Alright let’s do this shit up good.”
I shook his hand. “Deal.”
~
It was getting dark and it was only five o’clock, fucking time change pissed me off. I took the hippy helmet off and wiped my face. I was sweating like a squirrel on a broken branch. I always assumed Tony the Tiger had just banged the hell out of a tigress before filming that commercial, you know feeling all Grrrreat. But maybe Tony the Tiger had actually just completely demolished his den.
The only walls standing were the ones Falcon painted with a big X and explained that they were support walls. He was gonna send a crew of, how did he put it, less personable guys to come help me in the morning but I needed to get this shit done in five days. He looked at me and told me I was insane. I explained to him that regardless of my sanity I was sure that if the crew on that home makeover show could do this shit, we could too.
I hadn’t heard from her all day. Which is probably why I became a one man wrecking machine, but she asked for me to trust her and I certainly was gonna try. Either that or drive down there and drag my Kitten back here by her fucking hair. She’s real lucky I’m dog-ass tired.
I tried calling–again, and of course there was no fucking answer. So I beat myself off and no not like that. My clothes were covered with dust and debris, I should take a selfy and send it to her. All in good time. We would be talking about all this shit soon.
Fuck I couldn’t wait.
I was showered and standing in the bathroom when Momma knocked on the door.
“Zandor, is that you?”
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.”
I threw on some jogging pants and dried off my hair and walked out.
“Where have you been hiding all day?”
I gave her a hug and a kiss. “Just had things to do. You make dinner?”
She stepped back. “Yes, of course dinner will be done in…What have you done!”
I looked to where she was pointing.
“Nipple ring? Cool huh?”
“Aleszandor! Why must you boys do that?”
“Well, I actually didn’t do it Momma. You remember Bekah from the shop? She did it. I love it.”
“Bekah, huh?”
She didn’t look too thrilled but I knew Momma would love any girl I dated. Shit it had never happened before.
“Yeah, my Lady friend.” I smiled.
“The one you took to North Carolina and went missing for three days?”
“Yeah, you’re gonna love her.”
“Zandor, she called the shop this afternoon and asked if it would be alright that she didn’t give a two week notice.”
“What?”
“She quit.” The concern in Momma’s eyes freaked me out. Maybe she was confused.
“Nah, must be a different girl.”
“Rebekah George? Southern accent. Yes, Zandor, she quit today.”
I stormed into my room and grabbed my phone. I don’t think so! I called her and there was no answer. I started a text, and Momma snatched my phone from me.
“Momma, give me back the phone, please.”
I was livid, and not at Momma but she was standing in the way of me figuring out this shit and I wasn’t having it.
“You will sit and talk to me first.”
If she wasn’t my Momma, she’d be in deep fucking trouble.
“I don’t wanna talk, Momma, I wanna know what the fuck happened in less than twenty four hours. I wanna know if her Dad’s alright and if she’s fucking that asshole, Dex!”
“Zandor, language.” She took my hand. “Sit, talk to me. Then if you behave, I will give you back your phone.”
Yeah, I’m twelve years old again. Fuck! Instead of disrespecting one of the few women in my life I respected, I sat my twenty four year old ass down. Holding back the anger brewing inside until I gave her a few minutes. Until I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Do you care for her?”
“Hell, yes, I fu…”
“Aleszandor, language please.”
“Have I ever had a girlfriend, Momma?” I was ready to flip.
“You’ve chosen to have a lot of female acquaintances.”
“No, I’ve fu…”
“Eeh eeh eeh,” she warned.
“No.” I started shaking.
“But this one? Why?”
“Because, she does shit to me Momma. Like I don’t know, makes me want to know her.”
“Don’t squash her then. Give her time.”
“Time to what? Time to beat herself up some more! Time to let her father abuse her with words and shame! Time for her ex to get back into her hot little…”
“Zandor,” she warned again.
“Sorry, but damn Momma. She’s a good girl.”
“Is she smart?”
“Hell yes, she’s smart, and funny, and beautiful, and strong as hell unless she’s around them douche bags! I need to go get her.” I started to stand and she grabbed my hand.
“Sit, Zandor. Give me a few minutes.”
“Momma, I am trying to give you the respect you deserve but I have things that need to be done.”
“I was the one who took her call. I spoke to her for a few minutes.”
And now she had my full attention, so I sat down. I looked at Momma waiting for her to tell me everything.
“She sounded very nervous when she asked if it was required that she give a two week notice.”
“Did you tell her yes?”
“No, Zandor, I told her preferred but not required. Then she mentioned that she was helping her father and would be away for a week. I asked how he was, and she told me about his surgery. I told her that family was very important to me and she should take all the time she needed and we would love for her to come back to work.”
“What did she say?”
“She said that she couldn’t, she was given another opportunity and wanted to focus on it…”
“So, she’s still going to do the internship?”
She looked at me disappointed like she was expecting me to pull some shit. Which I hadn’t planned for, but if that was what it took, then hell yeah, I was!
“Explain?”
All right, time to ass cover.
“Zandor, remember who it is you’re speaking to. You don’t lie to me. No matter how uncomfortable some situations have been, it has always been honesty between you and I that makes me proud of the man you are.”
She was laying it on thick but I was about to maneuver real good with Momma Joe.
“I’m waiting.” She tapped her foot. “Does she know about the company?”
“She didn’t need to.”
“You should be learning from your brothers mistakes, Zandor. You’ve watched and avoided having your heart broken for years. Both you and Xavier have avoided putting your heart out there and chosen…well, a much different approach to relationships than you were raised with.”
“I wasn’t hiding anything from her. Our relationship needed to travel in a natural course to be what it is today…or yesterday. Momma, my phone.”
“Don’t avoid. Does this new opportunity involve Steel Incorporated?”
Thank you, Jesus! A loop hole!
“No, not at all. She applied for an internship there and I made sure she didn’t get it.”
“Now why would you do that?”
“She’s a designer or decorator. She’s interested in art, not medicine or business, or…”
“I feel like you’re holding something back.”
“I haven’t lied to you.”
“Then you’re maneuvering, Aleszandor.”
“I’m trying to not flip the fuck out, Momma. I really would appreciate my phone back. I really would like to talk to my girlfriend.”
She looked at me speculatively. “Fine, don’t push her away, Zandor. She is the first girl you’ve felt this way about…”
“I know, Momma.” Okay, I was getting pissed now, not at her, at the situation going on around me.
She handed back my phone. “Momma, I was never holding back on her, not about one damn thing. She needed to know everything about me before I let her in. Half of the people around us haven’t made the connection between us and the company. They don’t expect we would be capable. They judge us on the shop and our past. I know who I am, who you raised. Regardless of what anyone thinks, I’m proud of who I am. Money or not, I’ve not changed. You’ve done a good job raising us, you know us. You and Dad taught us to be men.”
“My greatest fear was that it would change who you all are.”
“Well, thank God, that hasn’t happened, and it never will, Momma.” I gave her a kiss and she hugged me tight.
She scratched my scalp softly like she did when I was a boy, comforting me.
“Sempre in acciaio?” she kissed my cheeks.
“Sempre in acciaio, Momma”
~
I walked into my bedroom and sent a text.
-We need to talk now or I’m coming down to drag you home…Z
-I need time to process things…B
-You got eight hours, less if I can catch a flight…Z
-Just back off okay, just let me get through some things…B
- No, see you in a bit…Z
I looked at the phone waiting for it to ring and it did.
I couldn’t say shit, I was boiling over.
“Zandor?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t come here.”
“Then tell me what made you quit the shop. No better yet tell me WHAT YOU WHERE THINKING DOING IT WITHOUT TALKING TO ME FIRST!”
My door opened and Momma was standing there with my dirty-ass clothes. She whispered, “What’s this?”
I shook my head no and she gave me the Momma Joe look saying calm the fuck down and then she walked out.
“I’m waiting, Bekah.”
“I am my own person. I can make decisions all by myself.”
“When you’re in a relationship don’t you talk about shit with that person?”
“You would think things like that would be important, wouldn’t you?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? You know everything about me.”
“No I didn’t, but I do now.”
“You go digging Kitten, did you find out about Steel Incorporated? I wasn’t hiding that shit, we just didn’t fucking get to it.”
“Oh, okay, the fact that you hide behind a tattoo shop so you can what? Slum it, play with tits, bang married women. Then seduce a…me into buying into your shit. Play me, Zandor!”
“I really wish I could see your face right now so when…”
“Fuck you!”
“Ladies don’t say those words, Bekah”
“A real man could maybe get away with saying shit like that but not a pretentious, spoiled lying asshole!”
“The shop was here before the money! Before Steel, now you listen to me, Bekah! If it’s a fucking problem that I have money I’ll sell my shares, fuck I’ll give them away!”
“It’s not about the money, Zandor! You lied to me!”
“No, I never lied, not once.”
“Then tell me something, answer two questions.”
“Ask twenty. I’m not a fucking liar!”
“Did you have anything to do with me not getting that internship?”
Fuck, fuck me running. “Yep.”
“Did you pull the plugs on my car so I would have to accept a ride with you?”
I was fucked. “Yes, Bekah. I did because I wanted to…”
“I don’t need a head trip right now. Please don’t call. Please leave me alone.”
“No fuck you, now you answer two questions for me, Bekah! First one, are you fucking him?”
“No,” she whispered.
“Now tell me you haven’t fallen for me as hard as I have you.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No it’s not, not one fucking bit. Here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to stay the fuck away from that asshole who’s filling your head full of shit. Take care of your father and then come home and make this mess up to me.”
I sat waiting for a pissed off response, I deserved it but she deserved that shit, too!