Page 4 of Never To Suffer (The Hollywoodland #4)

That’s why I didn’t go to college, ditched boarding schools, and found the love of my life well outside the gold gates of Brentwood. I want to jerk off for money, and have wild sex with my girlfriend, not sit through boring people droning on about finances and the market.

“You need to start taking life seriously, Alex. You and Ms. Silva won’t be able to gallivant through California like a pair of hippie nomads forever, son.

” She opens her books again and goes back to scanning the pages.

“This nonsensical flitting about and taking contributions from the public on street corners to survive, it’s indecent and idiotic—not to mention a burden on the rest of society. ”

“We don’t take money from people on street corners, mom. Seriously?”

“You won’t even tell me where the two of you reside now.

I don’t think you should be living together under any circumstances, but if you must live in sin, I should know the location, at the very least.” She gasps as a thought occurs to her before I can answer and looks up at me again.

“Oh, Alex. Please tell me it’s not in one of those tents destroying the glorious view of the downtown area? ”

She’d die just to turn over in her grave if she saw where Dani and I were living, even though it’s not a tent.

She doesn’t hate Dani, but she doesn’t make an effort to understand us and what polyamory is, so in her mind, this is a phase, and I’ll move on and find someone more suitable for the likes of our family.

Mother may have lost some of her accent, but she lost little of the elitist attitude that comes from being too high up the ladder in London’s upper crust of society.

“Yeah, ma, it’s the orange one over in front of the courthouse.

We’re not in a tent, we’re over in…it doesn’t matter.

We won’t be there long. It’s temporary. Only until the end of the competition that Dani’s going to win.

I’m working with a few new clients to save up the money she needs and extra for expenses and bills. ”

Of course, Dani doesn’t know about the cam thing.

She thinks I’ve been out getting odd jobs or working for my dad off and on to help support us since we got our own place a few weeks ago.

I did try, I put in an honest effort. I also do work for my dad, but not as often as she thinks.

Instead, I rigged up my old laptop, got a decent webcam, and setup an account where the depraved old fuckers can watch me for around ten dollars a month.

Extra if they want to tell me what to do.

It’s one of the only times I’ve ever lied to Dani.

I’m not avoiding the truth; she wouldn’t leave me for telling her what I do.

I lie so she won’t get her own account to screw with me.

She also knows when I’m going out to meet one of them.

She thinks we met at work or a club. Technicalities.

“You’re still ignoring my request for an address by deflecting.”

“Okay, but your degrees are in law, not psychiatry. I’ll message you the address later if you can get me out of this Tokyo trip so I can work. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Not happening, kiddo.” My father’s voice barges into the room before he does.

I assumed he took the day to go golfing since he does that almost every other day of the week.

“I need you on this one. Now stop squirreling away the snacks and take the bags from the pantry. Milly can show you where they are.”

“Charles, you know the doctor said those weren’t good for your heart.”

“That’s why the candy bowls are small. Fewer to tempt me.” He waggles his thick eyebrows at me and winks.

“Dad, come on. Tokyo? Can’t we, like, video call or something? You know I don’t understand any of the business talk bullshit.”

“Watch your mouth,” my mother scolds before returning to her book.

“I’ve got your ticket. The driver will pick you up and take you to the airport,” my father says, watching me pour his snacks back out.

He either doesn’t smell the weed from the baggie, or he doesn’t recognize it.

“It will be fun, Alex. I promise! I’ve set up a lovely assistant for you, and sent you an itinerary of meetings, dinners, and when you’ll have free time to roam about with your assistant.

” His eyebrows waggle again and my stomach clenches.

“Dad, that’s…what?” My dad tries too hard to be cool, and I’m pretty sure he intended the innuendo, but I’m not one hundred percent sure.

I shake my head, undo my tie, and go back into the bathroom, getting out of this stupid suit and back into real clothes.

When I come out again, the conversation picks right back up where we left off.

“The driver can’t taxi your son to the airport if we don’t have his new address, dear. How would poor Albert know where to go?”

“His name is Alberto, Mom.”

My father’s mouth forms a flat line as he raises his eyebrows and shoves his hands in his pockets. “She has a point. Remedy that, would you, son?”

“I’ll get to the airport on my own. Don’t worry about sending Alberto.” I pull on my backpack and kiss my mother on the cheek. “I’ll see you guys at the party. Hopefully. I gotta get some work done so they don’t shut off the power.”

“You’re so dramatic, Alexander. They don’t turn off people’s electricity .”

Once again, I don’t bother correcting her. She lives in a special world and there’s no bursting that ironclad bubble.

“You’re working? That’s great, son!” Dad beams. If he ever figured out what I’ve set up, the word disappointment would come out and play, and I’m not fucking around with that word right now. The act with my parents requires a delicate touch, to say the least.

“Yeah, I'm still building freelance gigs, working on app development. Nothing long term, but it pays the bills, and I have a few that might, you know, take off someday.”

“Well, that’s a start. Bring your computer things with you on the trip; you should have ample free time to keep working your gig while we’re there.”

“Already thought of that, Dad.” And all the freaky shit I can get up to in Japan. With or without my assistant. “See you later! Don’t forget, Dani’s coming to the party. She doesn’t eat meat, mom!”