Business Before Pleasure MxM (Staten Krown)

12

I wondered if our friendship was continual or continuous.

There was definitely a difference.

They're similar, but there's a difference. "Continual" means something that's always occurring, with obvious lapses in time. "Continuous" means something continues without any stops or gaps in between.

The continual music in the reception hall made it damn near impossible for me to really examine what Bron just told me.  I had to take it at face value.

Bron was attempting a hostile takeover of the company.

I lean over to him.  Bron is all smiles tonight.  The smile is damn near etched out on his face.  He looks happy.  He looks good when he's happy too.  He looks proud.  He sips a bit of wine.

"We need to talk about what you just said to me," I state.

We are in the reception hall.   If all this wasn't enough of a surprise, Bron has it set up that our table was literally on a pedestal above the rest of the crowd.   People were staring at me thanking me for work that I really didn't do.  I get that I helped start the company.  I drafted that initial paperwork but was it really me who built this company to where it was.

It was the work of all three of them.

"What's there to talk about?" he asks me.

"You're attempting a hostile takeover," I state.

"Companies do it all the time."

"Friends don't do it all the time.  You going to get rid of Romelo first, then Clapper and then who...me?"

"Don't be ridiculous," he states, " I need your shares to do this."

For now, he needed me.  Hell, for now, he needed Clapper, yet he planned on getting rid of him too.

"OK, I get Romelo has been hard to work with.  I get him suing has put a huge distaste in your mouth, but what about Clapper.  He really thinks we are all in this together.  Just help me understand."

I wasn't throwing Romelo under the bus.  I didn't agree with any of it, but I needed to understand why Bron was doing the things he was doing.

"Clapper fucked my wife."

There it is.

it was damn near an admittance.

"So this is personal?" I ask.

"Exactly, it's personal.  The same reason I would never play you.  You're safe in this company Nile.  I promise you that.  I...I love you.  And I'm not saying that as a friend.'

He kisses me at that moment.  It's a full-blown kiss.  I'm taken back a little bit.  I have to get used to this new Bron.  He's a brave Bron who didn't mind showing me affection but he's also a new Bron who was willing to backstab his way to the top.

Still...damn...what a kiss.  His lips smack up against mine.  There is emotion in there whether I wanted to believe it or not.

"Why do I feel like you're kissing me to shut me up?" I ask.

"Don't be ridiculous," he responds, "But I would like you to stop talking about this here."

"Wow."

"I'm the figurehead of the company Nile.  I have to go greet people. We both do.  We didn't get where we were by coming to public events and arguing all night.  We have to socialize."

With that, he gets up off the table.  I just feel so disrespected.  This was something that was serious to me.  This was something that meant something to me and Bron was just going to walk away in the middle of it as though there was nothing to discuss.  The old Bron would never have played me like that.  He would never have just dismissed me like that.