Page 123 of Serenity

“I think it’s time we face the music.”

After two weeks of being nestled away in the decelerated pace of Japan’s countryside, she assented to a return back to reality.

“Together?” I asked, seeking to find her on the same page as I was.

“Together.”

REPULSIVE

Paparazzi stationed outside of Gray Hotel, my condo, Colonial, Vivid, and the spa. It mattered not where I went. A crew of cameras lingered, snapping photos and seeking to obtain a statement about the tape Duke and I had made in the privacy of our hotel room.

Two weeks had gone by, but we’d failed to feed the media. For that reason, they stalled, awaiting our return to the States.

I tried to remain unaffected. Tried to ignore it. Tried to stay cool and calm. Tried to be unbothered. I even posted a photo of me and Duke on our last trip to Japan. His arms were wrapped around me, dressed in a kimono. His lips were planted against my cheek. My eyes were closed. My cheeks hiked. A frozen moment of pure bliss. It reminded me of what was most important. With no desire to see anyone’s opinion, I disabled the comments, posting the single caption, “Unbothered,” alongside the image. Even that was a lie. No one could undergo what we had and come out completely unscathed.

I was bothered.

Bothered and ready for the unwanted spotlight to fade away.

After posting the photo and being alerted of our location, the media was even hungrier than before we’d left. Hiding from the cameras. Dodging them when I entered a building. For weeks, it became my life. Me and Duke’s tape exploited our mundane lives.

Gossip blogs sank their teeth into our relationship, endeavoring to rip us to shreds. The excess commentary on our age difference heightened my annoyance. I couldn’t wrap my head around why people were so invested. It got so bad that I eventually deactivated my Instagram account.

Adding to the mess of it all were the unwarranted calls and texts from past suitors and men I’d casually dated. Most were seeking to link. My fellatio skills had been plastered across the internet. It was no secret why they’d reached out. Some were super audacious. Andre hit me with,

“I’ve got something you could swallow.”

Immediately, I blocked him. Sean wanted to know how I was doing and said that if I needed to talk, he would be available. While I thought it was sweet, but I didn’t respond. I was no man’s fool. He and I hadn’t spoken since my mushroom allergy incident.

Others were less forward but still obvious, like Craig’s weak-ass apology for digging in his nose, tacking on a request to see me again.

Thank God I wasn’t starved for attention. Instead of allowing any of the advances to bother me, I went to the mobile store and had my number changed. Before informing everyone closest to me about the new digits, I basked in the peace of being left the hell alone. The only person with access to my new number that first day was Duke.

On the flip side of things, brands—sex toys and products brands— had begun reaching out to both Duke and me for endorsement deals. Lingerie companies wanted us to do photoshoots—both together and separately. Granting my attention to any of it was impossible while I tried to juggle overseeing the new spa. I couldn’t handle any of that shit so I put the brand representatives on ice until I had the mental capacity to deal with it. While initially hesitant about it all, with Duke’s encouragement, I made arrangements for meetings in the coming weeks.

“Nice of you to come back. As much as I want to big brother you to death about recent events, your shit takes a backseat to new developments.”

My brows hiked to the heavens. Anything capable of placing my shit in a backseat was a blessing –disguised or not. I was tired of the attention I’d been receiving since the tape.

Supreme grinned in my direction, issuing a smile that could melt hearts.

“Okay,” I dragged, cutting my eyes.

“Your brother just had a baby.”

“Which brother? I strictly remember telling you congrats and visiting Sadie long before I left town.”

Pre chuckled. “Not me. Sincere.”

“Sincere?”

Sin didn’t have babies. Sin never stuck around long enough with anyone for his soldiers to swim, much less procreate. An entire war was fought in my head to believe the words coming out of Pre’s mouth.

“By who?” I grimaced.

“Luna.”

“When was Luna pregnant? How did—”