Page 12 of Topaz

Onyx walked over and sat across from her. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I actually have a choice? Thought that patch made you mother superior up in here,” she snipped.

“That was a dick move,” he admitted setting her back. “With Mountain, man’s good. I’ve been advocating to get him patched in, but then again, I don’t have the background ya’ll have with the Roadkillers.”

“You have?” she questioned, now thinking she should have said no. Would he move on if she told him to take a flying leap? More and more, she’d began questioning the whole ranking and societal issues in the club. She may have been the trailer park queen in New Bend, but that wasn’t where she wanted to stay. A few weeks before her life spun out of control, she’d been given a full academic ride to the University of Arkansas where Byron was being recruited. She wanted to study anthropology and he would lead them to the SEC championship.

“Yeah,” Onyx said after swallowing his food. “He was right, I needed to apologize for bumping into you. Only, I already had when I said sorry.”

“That you didn’t see me.” She glared at him.

“As compared to what?” he asked downing a pill with his morning OJ, then tucking the orange bottle back into the inner pocket of his leather coat. “Admitting I see you trying to deal with the what…a dark spot in your normally golden day.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t act like you’re afraid I’ll touch the spoon before you and contaminate it with some germ only us darkies carry.”

“I’ll have you know—”

“Some of your best friends, really? Not that Lil’ Mama and Cream want to dance, but your ‘girls’ are pretty damn pale.”

“I’ll pass that on to Free,” she snapped.

He didn’t know her or her damage. The last thing she feared was some germ. They weren’t exactly in a place where mixing was accepted. At least not from the white girl side of the mix. Cass and Bounty could swirl until their hearts were full, but she knew better. Life had shown her exactly what could happen if she followed her heart instead of her head.

“You’re right,” he chided. “You’re the queen of diversity.”

“So, I should just find a black woman to put up on the pole to hit a quota?” She knew the rhetoric. Her family spewed it and more to her over the years. There was no end to the vicious words, all with little to no purpose than to hurt and push him away. Far away. Only that wasn’t fair. He’d become part of the fabric of the Steels here and she was the frayed end that kept getting caught and causing damage.

“Don’t put yourself out,” he replied. “Trust me, I’m used to having my every move and action questioned because I dare to exist in your world. I’m not Hollywood, I was under no delusion that would stop when I came to one of the whitest states in the country.”

“Your choice,” she bit back. “They have consequences you know.”

“Speaking of which is the real reason you send drugs to Granny to help with the kid she’s raising for you?”

“Why would you think that?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Strippers have stereotypes too, and you’re not paying your way through school or coked out.” His eyes glared at her, cold and distant. “Sucks being stuck in a hole because one aspect of your life. Difference isBecky, you chose your box, you weren’t born that way.” He gathered the rest of his food and left.

Topaz’s belly ached. There were many roles she’d played over the years. Any stripper had. This one, the one who hates a man simply for being, hurt. It hurt because it was a lie. He was like Byron. Sneaking and putting in a good word for Mountain. That was Byron. He didn’t want the credit, but he wanted men to be acknowledged for what they contributed to the team. Even her stupid, asshole cousin’s name got brought up to coaches at smaller schools who’d reached out to Byron in hopes they could snag the four-star recruit.

All unnoticed. Unappreciated and unknown to the one being touted. She glanced over her shoulder at Mountain. The fork in his hand being pressed hard by his thumb as the tines pointed outward where Onyx and Hack were discussing something.

Electricity shot through Topaz’s body and she darted across the room to Mountain’s table. Blocking his view of Onyx and making sure his eyes came to hers by leaning palms down on the table. “Enjoy your breakfast? Can I make you another plate?” she asked.

“Are you okay?” Mountain questioned. “Because at first, we all had bets going around you and Onyx fucking, but now it feels more like you two actually hate each other.”

“I’m always good, Mountain, thanks for worrying. And don’t take sucker bets anymore.”

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