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Chapter 2

Choice

"Good morning."

Mrs. Patton came to wake me up early in the afternoon. By that time I was already dressed.

"Good morning."

She looked me up and down. I could tell she was judging me trying to see what was up. Truth was I did look a little disheveled but I had spent the whole day earlier. She had a key to the guest house and just entered without knocking. I guess she didn't have to. It was her house after all.

"I wanted to invite you to brunch with my family," she stated, "It seems like my husband's little bitch of a daughter told him about the new help and he wanted to meet you before having you around the house. You have to impress him for the job."

"I thought I already had the job."

"John is a controlling man Corbin," Mrs. Patton explained, "It's his final say whether or not you have the job."

"I met your son Morocco yesterday. He seems to believe your husband may have a hint of racism. He's very anti gay too. Are you sure you want me dealing with this?"

She looked at me with these twisted eyes under framed glasses.

"Your employer promised me that you were the best boy she had. Now...Corbin. Please let me know now before I waste my time further. Can you...or can you not perform?"

It made me nervous. I had heard about political wives before. They were cold and calculating.

"Listen Mrs. Patton. I AM the best. Let's get that one clear ok? I told you that I was going to seduce your husband. I'll get the job done."

She liked the confidence. She smirked. That was what her type got off on. Confident answers was the only thing she recognized.

"Do you have a tie?"

"Yes."

"Good...first impressions are everything."

I got ready for the day making sure I sprayed on my pheromone cologne before I left out. A few sprays and I'd have the confidence to charm anyone. I had to admit this was the biggest job I ever had in my life though. I had done businessmen. I had done basketball players. I had even done hollywood actors but a senator was a big deal. These people didn't come out of the closet. If he really was gay he would be a hard nut to crack.

We made our way to the main house. I could see they had a chef there cooking for them. Mrs. Patton seemed to keep her cool all the time. She was very hard to read. Was she worried about me meeting her husband? Is this something that she couldn't control?

"He doesn't like to talk politics," she explained, "He likes arts. He like wit...humour. Try to be as funny as you can. Don't bullshit with him. Be very direct. He appreciates that kind of thing."

She was nervous. So the iron lady did have fear.

"Look Mrs. Patton," I started out, "You hired me to do a job. Let me do it."

She sighed and lead me into the room.

The first person I saw was the girl from yesterday. The daughter Khloe was there. At first I could have sworn that it was a different girl. She smiled in the most friendly way that I could imagine. I was shocked when Mrs. Patton walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek that seemed loving. The teenage girl even smiled at me politely. Mrs. Patton was smiling about at that moment too letting go of that cold exterior that I saw before. She looked warm and almost...human.

That was when I realized why everyone's personalities had changed. It was the big Kahuna in the big chair. He was sitting there. The king of his throne.

John Patton.

"John darling, I wanted to introduce you to Corbin Jackson," Mrs. Patton said.

Mr. Patton stood up and shook my hand. He had a very firm handshake. So this was the target. He was attractive. I had to admit it wouldn't have been that hard to seduce him. I was thankful that he wasn't some old, evaporating Senator. He was the opposite of that. He may have been in his late 30s but looked younger. He was a charming looking white man with dark features as though he could have probably passed for Italian or something. He reminded me of tan Christian Bale. Seeing that he was attractive would make this so much easier. I would have still performed if he wasn't but the fact that he was made SO fucking happy.

"Firm handshake. I like a man with a firm handshake," Mr. Patton said, "Sit...you've met my angel Khloe?"

"Yes I have. Charming girl."

She smiled with this warm look in her eyes. This girl was the fakest thing that I'd ever seen in my life. She was kissing his ass so much that I could have sworn in any moment he would pet her like his own personal kitten.

The senator had warm smile, "My wife says you impressed her a lot. She sent you went to school up in NYC. Bachelors degree...masters...."

"Bachelors. I started my masters but decided you know what...why spend another two years in school. The world is out there. Time to go explore," I said smiling.

That was a lie. The only school that I'd ever attended was Mama Tea's school on how to make a man nut without touching his dick.

"An opportunist..."

"No not at all."

"There's nothing wrong with being an opportunist," the senator stated shaking his head, "I'd expect it. Otherwise I doubt you would be trying to apply to help the wife of a senator schedule dinner parties now would you?"

He was reading me. He wanted me to ADMIT to being an opportunist. He was throwing out the bait and seeing if I'd fall for it. He was doing it with a warm political smile on his face the whole time but I could tell he was reading me. He was testing me to see how I would respond. Every reaction I gave him now would be a test. I had to act accordingly.

"I respect opportunists but personally I have no interest in politics," I explained, "Things like that go over my head. If I did get the job it wouldn't be a career choice. It's just something temporary to get me by. I personally just prefer simple things."

"Corbin was a church referral," Mrs. Patton said.

"A religious man?"

"Absolutely," I stated, "God bless."

It was a lie. I had never been to church a day in my life. Mr. Patton seemed to like it though. He had a smile on his face now that didn't seem so drawn on. It looked like it was actually real. He had leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Good Christian values are important," he explained.

I hadn't noticed Khloe staring at me from across the table, "Are you gay?"

Immediately I began to sweat bullets. This little girl was looking at me almost like she fucking knew. She had to be just a regular teenager. I hated people like her though. People like her I couldn't seduce. If I couldn't seduce you, I couldn't control you. If I didn't control you then you were a goddamn nuissance to me.

"Khloe...you can't just go around asking about sexual orientation," Mr. Patton stated.

"I'm sorry Daddy. I didn't mean to offend at all. I promise. It's just that skinny tie. A lot of guys at school wear those things but the gay ones."

The skinny tie was the only thing that I really had in my closet. Mrs. Patton looked at me. WHY THE FUCK HAD I WORN THIS STUPID THING! Her eyes were burying in me as though telling me to tread carefully. Who knew this little bitch Khloe would be the one giving me the most trouble in this household.

Luckily just at that moment they had brought the food out. I had a second or two more to think about it. I even hoped that Mr. Patton would move past it. When I saw his eyes gleaming across the table though I knew he wouldn't let it go that easily.

Mr. Patton was intimidating. I had to admit he was. The way he curled his eyes up and stared at me after his daughter said that. He was waiting for me like a piranha who had just tasted blood.

Mr. Patton was examining me, "If you aren't comfortable talking about your sexuality Mr. Jackson that is completely understandable. Very understandable. Now your sexuality would have nothing to do with if you were hired on."

It had everything to do with it. Me admitting to him at this table something like that would be a complete get the fuck off. That was a rule I had heard long ago.

"I'm not gay. My christian values wouldn't allow that," I explained, "To be honest with you I completely disagree with the CHOICE those people make."

"Choice?"

At that moment Morocco walked in. He more like swaggered into the room. I was shocked when he walked in and didn't really look at the senator or address his mother. He even walked over to Khloe's plate and stole some bacon off of her plate. I almost wanted to laugh at how abrasive he walked in. It was even clear that he looked a little hung over probably from drinking with me all night the day before.

"My stepson seems to agree with the fact that being gay is a choice," Mr. Patton stated.

Morocco sat at the table. He was so fucking sexy. He was such a big curve ball in his whole mess. Why did he look so fucking sexy hung over in the middle of the morning. I wanted to immediately just agree with anything that came out of Morocco's mouth. That is who I really wanted to be seducing. Instead I just stayed quiet though.

"Being gay is not a choice," Morocco said.

Everyone looked professional even in the day. Mrs. Patton and Khloe had those politician dresses on. The types that political woman wore which really had that box looking frame. They both had their short politically friendly 3 inch short heels on. Mr. Patton had on a whole goddamn business suit on just for being around the house.

"Anything that goes against nature is a choice," the senator argued.

I could see Morocco wasn't backing down. I had to admit inside I wanted to tell the senator FUCK YOU SINCERELY but I just sat there watching. Morocco clearly was bothered by the comment that senator had said. He clearly looked offended.

"Right. So people with birth defects CHOSE to have that. Everyone who isn't perfectly normal had to choose it according to John Patton."

Whoa. Morocco was a firecracker. I watched the others.

"THIS goes against God however," Mr. Patton explained, "It says it in the bible son..."

"I'm not your son," Morocco said shaking his head and almost snapping, "Jesus never spoke out against being gay. However he did speak on the fact that you cannot serve both the Lord and money...which seems like exactly the kind of thing you political sharks do on a day to day basis."

I thought Mr. Patton was going to lose his cool but he didn't. He turned to me.

"What do you think of my stepson's support of this abomination?"

They all turned to me. Morocco was looking at me too. It was almost as though he was looking for support. I didn't know him that well. I had been offered a shit ton of money to come here and make this the senator feel comfortable with me. No matter how much I agreed with Morocco this wasn't the time or place to be discussing that.

"I think it's disgusting," I said.

"Say that one more time. Say it a little louder," Mr. Patton said almost in a triumphant way. I could tell just the type of person he was right now. He was self absorbed and arrogant as fuck. He enjoyed the fact hat Morocco looked low all of a sudden.

Morocco looked kind of disappointed actually. I wonder if Morocco thought he had a friend in me. No Morocco. I didn't care that we were the only two black people at this table.

Morocco spoke with such a confidence, "I'm gay...and I'm proud."

The room had gotten quiet. Yes Morocco was definitely the black sheep of all this. The only benefit though in all this was that he had given Mr. Patton and I common ground even if it was false as fuck. Mr. Patton seemed almost immediately comfortable.

"John everyone has differences," Mrs. Patton stated almost immediately sticking up for her son...slightly.

"Well...it's been fun Morocco but whenever you decide you want to repent for your wicked ways I'll be here. Or maybe you can talk to my wife's new assistant Corbin. I enjoy a young man with common sense."

I had gotten the job.

It was at a cost though. Mr. Patton had chewed Morocco up and spit him out in front of us. He triumphantly looked at Morocco as though wanting something from him but Morocco just picked up off the table and left without asking to be excused. I felt like he wasn't the type to ask to be excused. I noticed Morocco's face when he left the table.

"Daddy we'll be late for our dinner date with the Santiagos," Khloe broke the silence that formed after Morocco left.

"You are meeting with the Santiagos today?" Mrs. Patton asked her husband looking surprised.

The way that she said it looked like she was worried about something.

"Oh yeah. Khloe set that up."

"We were going to go meet with US Weekly today. They wanted to talk to us about an upcoming interview," Mrs. Patton started off, "I put it on your schedule."

"Reschedule that," Mr. Patton said.

"Darling this is just a tad more important then spending time with Santiagos. Aren't they a little too young for you to be spending time with?"

"Mia what's the issue?" Mr. Patton asked, "I said reschedule it. I promised my angel that I'd go spend time with the Santiagos and that's what I want to do. I'm sure you can even go on your own. You have an assistant now. Corbin seems very capable. Isn't that right Corbin."

I smiled, "Yes sir."

At that moment Mrs. Patton put on her painted smile, "Of course darling. I was being silly. I'll deal with it. Have fun with the Santiagos."

Mr. Patton and his daughter got up at that time. I watched how Mrs. Patton stared at them as they walked away behind their backs. There was anger there. Even behind her fake smile and agreeable nature I could see a woman who was pissed off beyond recognition.

I had opened my mouth to talk but she held up her finger as though telling me not to say anything. She waited for a few minutes as though making sure that they were gone before she said anything. She was an extremely patient and calculating woman. I couldn't stand the facade she was putting on though. She allowed her own son to be trampled on by her husband.

"The Santiagos. Jose and his wife Lola Santiago have been a pain in my side for the longest time. Constantly he brushes me off to the side for them. Who knew I would have to share my husband?"

I didn't know she was talking about.

"I can honestly help you out if you had any work you need to get done."

"Don't be absurd. You don't know anything about being a personal assistant," she explained, "I'll deal with it. I've been dealing with it."

She sounded bitter as hell. I wondered what it was. What was it about these Santiagos that got her so up the wall? It looked like she was about to explode by the smallest mention of them. I could just tell that she was pissed off about it.

"Just trying to help."

"I underestimated you," she said, "You handled yourself well today."

I wondered if that was some sort of apology as well. I couldn't really tell with a cold calculating woman like her.

"Thanks."

"I'm going to need you to go clothes shopping. The skinny tie was too big of a scare. Our world is more conservative and I need you to look the part. I've arranged for my driver to pick you up. Here is my credit card. There's no limit. Make sure you buy enough to last you. You might be in this for a while."

"I don't even know where to go around here to shop for things. I'm not from here."

"That's why my son will be escorting you."

Morocco?

No. I didn't need to be around him. He was WAY too attractive and the last thing I needed was to lose focuse.

"I'll be fine."

"I insist."

The ride to the store was awkward and by the time we got to one of the first stores I knew that it was going to be even more awkward than I could imagine with Morocco. I wanted to apologize but the driver was there. I didn't know who we could trust. It wasn't until we got into the store that I felt a little comfortable around him but Morocco was giving me the shittiest attitude I ever imagined getting. He was NOT feeling me after I took the senator's side at lunch.

"How is this tie?" I asked.

I showed him a few options. Morocco seemed like a very stylish guy. Truthfully I just wanted to make small talk. The store was a nice suit store and for the most part it was private. He hadn't said a single word to me since we had arrived in the store.

"It looks very right winged. Suits you fine..."

Damn.

"Look Morocco I really don't get into politics. I shouldn't have spoken on that kind of stuff. I wanted to apologize to you."

Morocco looked at me. He had these brown eyes. I had seen a lot of mixed race boys in my life but he had to take the case. He had the best of both worlds. I wondered who his dad was. His skin was the perfect tone of caramel. He looked amazing.

"Do you have any idea how it feels like to be the only black, gay liberal in a household like that?"

He was angry. I could tell he was. A part of me wanted to soften this somehow. I wanted to find equal ground with him. It would have been so easy to do that. We probably had a lot more in common than he knew. He didn't know who I was though. I was an escort. I was here for a job. That's all this was. Nothing more.

"Look I don't want to get involved."

"Of course you don't."

He started walking away. I didn't know what I was doing when I grabbed him and turned him around. Morocco seemed confused that I had done that.

"I don't want you mad at me," I told him.

"I don't know you," he explained shaking his head, "I thought you were cool yesterday. I actually thought we had a lot in common and I don't know maybe that was just my imagination. Today at brunch you seemed like a whole different person."

"I just really needed the job," I said, "Morocco I don't feel that way about gay people."

"Wait what?"

Shit...this was against what I was here to do. Already I was putting cracks into my cover. Already I was coming off as inconsistent. I just didn't want to seem like an asshole because Morocco was right. Him and I did have a connection the night before. We had spent the whole night up joking and laughing. It had seemed like I had known him forever.

"I don't have anything against it," I said, "I just said what I said at the table because I needed a job."

"So you don't stick up for what you believe in," Morocco stated walking away, "You are just like John W. Patton. You are an opportunist who hides behind false values. I can't respect shit like that. I rather us not speak. You got your job. You work for my mother now. Congratulations. Let me know when you're done at this store and I'll show you another store."

Morocco was serious.

As we left the store I was more shocked then anything. He stuck to his guns too. He didn't speak to me. Why the fuck did it matter? Why the fuck was it hurting this much? I had NOT come here for Morocco. I didn't even fucking know who he is. I didn't owe him any explanation. It would have been easier if he didn't speak to me. It would have been easier if I just cut him off right here and now. Why couldn't I though? I had this urge to speak to him.

"Driver can you let up the partition?" I asked the ghostly faced driver.

The driver did what I said and I turned over to Morocco.

"It's easy for you isn't it?"

"What?"

"You are rich. Your mother is married to a senator. You have probably had everything handed to you since you were a kid."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You are sitting here judging me because I had to do what I had to do get forward," I explained to him shaking his head, "It's so easy for you because you are a spoiled brat who probably thinks its cool to be so liberal and free."

"I stand up for what I believe in...period," Morocco argued.

"You have the luxury to do that!" I explained shaking my head, "You have money. You don't want for anything. You know all these fucking fancy stores. You know what someone like me has to do to shop at a store like the ones we shopped at today. All you have to do is ask your mother for her credit card."

He had no idea what someone like me would have to do. I'd have to sell myself. I had to sell my body. I had values too. I had things that I cared about.

"Listen..."

"No you listen. I have to compromise myself EVERYDAY but don't get me wrong. I am who I am. I didn't sell my soul to John Patton at that breakfast table. He doesn't know where my heart lies and he never will."

"Wait Corbin."

"I will never let someone like him define me. After I leave here and all the facade is gone I will still be Corbin Jackson. I learned to separate work and who I am. He is just a means to an end. That's all."

"Corbin."

"What?"

"Shut up and let me apologize already," Morocco said.

I was shocked. I turned over to him and saw him smiling at me. He was actually really smiling at me with the same beautiful pearly white smile that he had used the day before. My heart fluttered when he smiled at me the way he did. He seemed amused that I was going on and on.

"Oh..."

"I'm sorry," he explained shaking his head, "I misjudged you. The fact that you could speak so passionately. That was...wow..."

He was looking at me. His stare was hard. We were silent for a minute. His eyes were just watching me as though trying to figure me out. It made me more uncomfortable then when Mrs. Patton tried to figure me out. It made me more uncomfortable then when Khloe or Mr. Patton tried to figure me out. Morocco looking at me with that warm, inviting smile is what scared me the most in the world.

"I should get back...your mother might want me to work on something."

"She can wait. I have somewhere I'd like to take you."

"Morocco I don't know..."

"Why are you scared of me?"

"What?"

"You seem scared of me," he explained looking at me with these squinted eyes, "Its random. I'm like one of the nicest guys but for some reason I feel like I bother you a lot. It's like you have your guard up. What are you scared of?"

I'm scared of getting too attached to someone that I shouldn't be getting attached to. I was scared of actually liking this Morocco guy.

"Nothing..." I lied.

"Fine...then you'll come with me. It's settled."

"You are not drunk already!"

We were laughing in this fancy restaurant in downtown DC. I was shocked that I was here. I should have been staking out the house trying to get ammo to seduce the senator.

"Whatever Rocco don't judge me.":

"Rocco?"

He raised an eyebrow. We were sitting close at this restaurant. It was one of the restaurants where you sat on the floor. I guess it was supposed to be fancy like that. A lot of business people were around but we were laughing as though we didn't have a care in the world. I had to admit that it felt good to lose myself around someone like this.

I had gotten so comfortable that I was already making up fucking nicknames for him in my head.

"I'm sorry Morocco."

"No you can call me Rocco if you want," he told me and smiled politely, "I actually like it. My dad calls me that."

"Your dad is still alive."

"Very much so. My mom and him were never married. She'd kill me if she knew I was telling you that. Having a son out of wedlock is like the worst mistake a senator's wife can do according to Mia Patton."

"Well you damn sure aren't a mistake..."

He gleamed and smiled. Fuck I hadn't even known I was flirting with him until I actually did it. It wasn't even like I was trying.

He put his hand on my thigh, "You are too fucking charming man...I don't think I've ever connected with someone like this right away. I feel so comfortable around you."

I looked at his hand. He wasn't alone. I felt just as comfortable as he did. That was an issue though. I didn't want to feel this comfortable around him. This wasn't why I was here. I shouldn't have had anything to drink. I was just getting way too happy and losing myself in this. I was losing myself in Morocco Laperla.

"We've been here for hours. We need to get back."

"Are you not having fun? Is it something I did?"

He had taken his hand off my thigh. Our eyes had connected when he did. It was awkward. I knew it was my fault. I didn't want to kill the mood but the last thing I wanted to do was actually get too into him.

"I'm having too much fun. That's the problem. Your mother will kill me."

"Fuck. Maybe you're right...maybe we should go..."

He was staring behind me.

Just at that moment I turned to see why it was that Morocco looked incredibly uncomfortable. He was staring across the room and it was Senator Patton sitting there. Patton wasn't alone. He was with a guy.

"You ok?" I asked him, "I thought you weren't worried about him."

"It's not him...you see that guy my stepfather is with."

I turned. The senator didn't see us. Luckily the restaurant was very crowded and the senator seemed to be entertaining the guest that he was with. The guy was a handsome guy maybe 30 years old. He was Spanish and I had to admit was very good looking. The more I looked at him the more I wanted to look at him. He wasn't sexy nor was he my type but he had very striking features. I could see how other people would find him extremely attractive.

"Yeah."

"That's Jose Santiago."

"Your mother mentioned him. He's married right."

"Yes. Well what my mother probably didn't mention was that I used to date Jose before I found out that he was actually married," Morocco said.

"WHAT!"

"Shh...keep your voice down."

"Wait...you used to date that guy?"

"Yeah. He was using me," Morocco said, "We dated a very short time. I found out he was in politics though and my mother found out. She had me end it when she told me who he was. She told me about him being married. I'm pretty sure he was just using me to get close to my stepfather. Problem is...it worked before I ended it with him."

"Does your stepfather know that you used to date?"

"No. Morocco has schmoozed his way into my Patton's good graces. It kind of makes me sick. Things between me and Jose didn't end well especially when I found out he was married. I don't want him to see me. Let's get out of here."

"Go on ahead. I'll catch up in a second."

Morocco looked hurt as he walked across the room and went towards the exit. It made me wonder just how deep he actually cared about this Jose character when he found out that Jose was married. No wonder Morocco hated the idea of opportunists. I could smell opportunists a mile away and without even speaking to him once I knew Jose Santiago was one of those.

When Morocco left I turned over to Patton again. I was interested in this Jose person. I was interested in why Mrs. Patton was so bothered by him.

Then all of a sudden I saw it.

There!

That's what it was. Now it all made sense. Jose Santiago had looked around twice before reaching over and putting his hand on Mr. Patton. He didn't just put it on his thigh in a flirty way like Morocco had done with me. He had put it up there. He was grabbing onto Mr. Patton's dick.

Things had all of a sudden got a 10 times more difficult. It made so much more sense now why Mrs. Patton had hired someone. She was losing control of her husband. I wasn't the only one out here trying to seduce Senator Patton and Mr. Santiago was FAR ahead of me!

To read the next chapter and leave comments go to www.crushedcrown.com