#Cayman Islands Business

[octuscle]

Body swap, not mind swap

Djamal dug his hands deep into the fat flesh of his customer. They said that Yuri was unimaginably rich. He was the very model of an oligarch. But he was also unbelievably fat. Djamal wondered why Yuri didn't just have fat suctioned out. Or at least take advantage of all the aids that would help him lose weight and stop puffing and panting like a walrus. Djamal's name meant “the beautiful” and his appearance was incredibly important to him. He thought to himself: better to be poor and beautiful than rich and a walrus.

Yuri had set his cell phone to speaker. He probably assumed that he could make a phone call undisturbed on the massage table on the terrace of his villa belonging to the hotel complex. He probably hadn't suspected that Djamal not only spoke the Arabic of his old and the French of his new home fluently, but also Russian. Russian clients in St. Tropez were the richest and most generous. To be able to serve this market, he had started to learn the language early on. And now he was hearing things he obviously wasn't supposed to hear. Because Yuri was in trouble. His liberal attitude, his good relations with the democracies of Western Europe and his critical attitude towards the military special operation had caused him to fall out of favor at home. Many of his Russian assets had apparently been seized or were about to be. Yuri lamented the fact that some paintings he had acquired from the depots of the Pushkin Museum would now fall back into the hands of the Russian state.

His conversation partner said that the preparations for Yuri's going underground were as good as complete. Now only the host was missing. Djamal had just found a tension point that he tried to release with a firm grip. Yuri said that his masseur could be a great host. “And would you like to be my host?” Yuri asked in Russian and laughed uproariously. “I'd love to, but my house is very modest,” Djamal replied. Yuri turned pale. ‘I'll call you later,’ he said. And even though Djamal was still working on his neck, the walrus turned around. ”You speak Russian? That's perfect! I have a business deal to offer you.”

It was 2:00 a.m. Djamal lay awake. The offer was too incredible to be true. Yuri wanted to swap bodies with him. In return, Djamal would receive €100,000,000.00 in an account that was frozen for five years. And full access to Yuri's body and life. Yuri was honest, it wouldn't be a walk in the park. He was being watched by the Russian secret service, tax authorities and God knows who else. He would probably have to give up almost everything except the €100,000,000.00 to save his life. But if he made it through the five years, he would be a rich man. A very rich man. However, he would also be a very fat man with a smoker's lung, a drunk's liver and broken knee joints. And Yuri would live a life of relative poverty, but in his own body. Djamal tossed and turned. This chance would never come again. Besides, the body swap wouldn't work anyway; it sounded like silly magic. Yes, this chance would never come again. Tomorrow he would make the pact with Yuri.

My God, what an unbelievably fat pig, Djamal thought to himself. Yuri had just polished off a large bowl of caviar, washing it down with Roederer Cristal. “And?” Yuri asked, looking as bored as possible. He was far from bored. It was a matter of life and death. “Done,” Djamal said, shaking His enormous paunch wobbled. What a pig, Djamal thought again. But now the deal is done.

Yuri's lawyer had done a great job. Djamal had to sign dozens of contracts. Most of them were with some offshore companies. Yuri's name was nowhere to be found. But after three days, Djamal was a damn rich man. His fortune consisted of real estate in Uruguay, shares in the Cayman Islands and a chain of gyms in Egypt. Djamal was no billionaire. But he was filthy rich. However, he wouldn't be Djamal for much longer. It hadn't been a week since he and Yuri had been on a private jet on the way to Tehran. An old Mercedes sedan took them to a villa hidden behind high walls and a large park in the north of the megacity. There were no explanations; there was just an envelope on the desk in his bedroom. For the next 24 hours, only water from the bottles provided, otherwise, remain sober. Djamal grinned. If the same applied to Juri, it would certainly be a greater challenge for him than for Djamal. He should stay in his room for the next 24 hours. There was satellite TV, internet and a Playstation, so he would survive that. And tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. he would be picked up for “treatment”. Djamal tried to distract himself from his excitement as much as possible. He did sit-ups to relieve the tension. He tried to sleep. Eventually he managed to do that. And eventually his cell phone rang. 7:30 a.m. Showtime.

The young man who picked him up didn't say a word. Djamal was supposed to leave everything in his room. The note said that he should only wear the surgical gown and slippers. He did as he was told. They went down in an elevator. The door opened into a futuristic-looking room. Juri was already lying on a table. His flabby body spilled over the edge on the right and left. He was obviously asleep. Djamal lay down on the couch next to Juri. Someone inserted a cannula into him. That was the last thing he was supposed to see. At least in his body.

When Djamal woke up, he was lying in a bed. The room looked similar to the one where he had played with the Playstation a while ago. Djamal urgently needed to go to the toilet. He wanted to jump out of bed. But he couldn't. Almost 200 kilograms of body fat were holding him back. It was a challenge to get out of bed. It was a challenge to go to the bathroom. But it was a huge challenge to look in the mirror. This was no longer the fit fitness trainer. This was a fat man. And with rings under his eyes and disheveled hair, he looked even more terrible than the Juri he knew from the Cote d'Azur. Djamal, no Yuri, looked around the bathroom. It was full of creams, serums and lotions. It looked like the cosmetics department of a luxury department store. Yuri didn't care about any of that. What use were all these luxury cosmetics to him in this body? Maybe a shower would help. Maybe he could go for a walk afterwards. Yuri showered and went back to his room with only a very large towel around his fat hips. There was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Yuri said in Arabic. Sasha entered. Sascha was Yuri's chauffeur and bodyguard. “All right, boss?” he asked in Russian. Sure, he was Russian. “All right, comrade,” replied Yuri. Sasha smiled irritably. And then he began to explain to his boss what was going to happen next. Breakfast would be served in a moment. Then his butler would come and pack his suitcase. In three hours, the helicopter would take them to the airport. Where they would then go. Yuri remembered the consultations with the old Yuri. “Tbilisi,” he replied. “Business!”

After showering, having some fruit and green tea for breakfast and sitting in a tailor-made suit in his private jet, Yuri felt a little more comfortable in his own skin. Okay, the few steps from the helicopter to the private jet had been exhausting. But he would get back into shape. Faster than he would have liked. As soon as they had left Iranian airspace, they were accompanied by two Russian fighter jets. She would not fly to Tbilisi. They would fly to Baku. And there she would be received by an envoy of the Kremlin. His jet and his luggage had been confiscated. And Yuri would be placed under house arrest. In a guest house of the Azerbaijani government.

Old Yuri would rage. At the Russians' audacity. At the collaboration of the Azeris! At the unworthy conditions in the shabby guesthouse, which was idyllically situated on the Caspian Sea. On board the plane, there had only been Sasha, the pilot and the flight attendant. But he was separated from Yuri. Yuri was alone and on his own. In a not particularly large house with a sea view. He was prepared for the fact that pressure would be put on him. That he should cede all claims to his assets in Russia and its satellite states. That he would have to pay a ransom for his own freedom. Yuri would have liked to consult with someone. But he no longer had a telephone, he was cut off from the world. So he did what he had done before: sports.

For a full four weeks, Yuri was locked up in his rather gilded cage. Then a “prosecutor” appeared and presented Yuri with various documents to sign. Yuri had no idea what he even owned. But it looked as if not much of it would remain. In fact, there was even a passage that stipulated that any mobile and immobile assets that would become known in the next three years would also be confiscated. Yuri was compensated with his apartment in Zurich, one million Swiss francs, and the luggage that he had had on board his plane. And he would be allowed to use this plane one last time for the flight to Zurich. Just under five years… He had to endure just under five years in these, for him, not particularly modest circumstances. And after that, he would get the secret account. And be incredibly rich. Yuri signed.

Obviously, he hadn't gotten all of his baggage back. Sasha, who was flying with him to Zurich, had helped himself to his jewelry and watches. It wasn't his. And Sasha had never been his confidant. But he knew that old Yuri would have been incredibly disappointed in his chauffeur and bodyguard. The new Yuri was just disgusted by a collaborator, who was now adorned with Yuri's tasteless gold jewelry. Yuri himself looked miserable. Thanks to plenty of exercise and a healthy diet, he had lost almost 40 kilograms in the four weeks. His tailored clothes hung on him like sacks. When they arrived in Zurich, Sascha Juri was taken to passport control with his suitcases and bags. He still had his Swiss passport, so entering the country was a mere formality. He had enough money for the taxi ride. And then he found himself sitting in a tacky apartment, which he would hardly be able to afford to keep with the little money he still had, and he began to make plans. He booted up the computer and googled “compression garments in XXXL”. And then he set out on a long and sweat-inducing walk.

Djamal was still in good shape and athletic. But for the owner of one of the largest fitness studio chains in the Middle East, he was not fit enough. He had heard wonderful things about the club's head personal trainer. And indeed, Yuri was one of the best in his field. “My Life Without 300 Pounds” had become a global bestseller. And his fitness channel was one of the most successful of an influencer over 50. Djamal was unsure. “Have we met?” he asked. “Vaguely,” replied Juri.

[earl-grey-teacake]

I've just seen George’s latest Instagram post (his summer break dump) and omg him with a baby and I immediately thought about this AU and the babies first holidays!

Oscar would probably hate sand but would tolerate it because Logan is having fun and would they do joint holidays?

AHHHH! Yes! I saw those too!!!

Thank you so much for thinking of my work! It’s such a compliment especially from one of my favorite Loscar authors!🥰 (P.S. I love your work!)

They would absolutely do joint holidays, primarily for the end of the year when everyone is free. They would probably get joint holidays once a year since the kids see each other so much and their parents are so busy that holidays are reserved for meeting extended family. They would likely go to Ibiza, the French Riviera, or the Caymans. The drivers seem to favor beaches and the open water.

Their first holiday is when Logan is 11 months old and Oscar is 7 months old and is in Ibiza, a Spanish Island, and I can absolutely see Carlos owning a home there. Oscar and Logan are ecstatic since they will be together all day. Logan also loves the water, eagerly toddling towards any body of water regardless of personal safety and attempting to jump in. This is usually stopped by George or Alex running after him and grabbing him by the back of his shirt before he can even hit the water.

Oscar loves the quiet and the fact that his family and Logan is there. He does not care for the hot sun and definitely not the sand. Logan is also not a fan of dry sand since it gets in between his toes and is overall very uncomfortable. Think of those babies that you try to make them sit on the grass and they lift their feet up so you can’t put them down. Logan, however, does not mind wet sand and is ecstatic when his parents hold him so the waves can wash over his feet. He erupts into squeals of laughter every time.

Oscar is neutral about water but he loves being around Logan so, while his parents are chilling, will book it and crawl to Logan. To Oscar, he is obviously crawling to Logan so he can play with him. To every adult on the premises, this is a baby crawling towards the ocean with no supervision. Babies are also surprisingly fast when they crawl so you see Carlos and Lando sprinting to prevent Oscar from getting taken out by a wave. Besides playing with Logan, Oscar’s favorite activity is napping while listening to the waves.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Now that the tour is over, with the way everything on the tour went, what do you think was the reason because of which Kettler resigned? Allegedly, this tour was the last straw. If not, then at the very least he made sure he was not a part of it and made a point to resign just a day or 2 before it started. So I'm wondering what about this particular tour/trip/narrative/PR strategy made Kettler so frustrated that he resigned and went straight to the papers to put his POV forward. (I'm of the opinion that REden knows and did get the scoop directly or indirectly from Kettler himself)

And speaking of the tour, I'm still trying to figure out what they were there to do? What charities were they supporting? What work they did? What partnerships they forged or highlighted? What was the purpose of this? How did they pay for this?

If the VP invited on a whim, what was her intent? It pretty seemed like an influencer gig. Did they get paid, or was this completely sponcered? Since the VP is a govt official I don't think she would have been able to sanction all the expenses plus their appearance fee. Surely that would be a senseless govt expenditure and could count as corruption or personal gain by the VP.

I do get that Meghan is trying to forge a new type of influencer category where she (and her husband) act as important international soughtafter celebs and go to other countries to act like important people. And since she was at the forefront of this whole trip and it's PR campaign, I'm assuming they were marketing it as her work, not his. But what work did she do?

Surely, this kind of a gift is not sustainable on a long term. Where ever will they go next - soudi Arabia? Cayman islands? Afganistan (where Harry can talk about coming home and his nostalgia over his 2 army tours)?

I am getting increasiy bored of these two. They are not giving anything at all - no work. No workethic. no significant projects, even if failed ones. No long term impact. No products. Not even outright merching and brand deals. Their moves are so predictable that people had predicted nearly all of this way back in 2017/18 even before they got married, right up to the faux tours where Meghan would be front and centre.

So, what did this trip achieve? And what about this made Kettler quit?

I didn’t pay attention the trip so I can’t answer much of these questions. The only questions I can answer:

If the VP invited on a whim, what was her intent? Attention. She’s probably making a play for some kind of global role and wanted to leverage the attention the Sussexes brought for her own career or political aspiration.

Where will they go next?

No idea. I think it’ll depend on how they perceive their coverage from the trip. We’ll find out soon, because Meghan can’t help herself from clapping back.

Some options already in the mix is South Korea (for Invictus Games), back to Canada (to promote Vancouver IG 2025), Harry’s month-long trip back to the UK for his birthday, or wherever Soho House needs merching. (Australia Soho House should be opening soon, I think.)

There is gossip that Meghan has big plans for something at the end of October and that’s why they went in August, instead of November. But it’s just gossip.

What about this made Kettler quit?

No idea. But rumor is that he saw something very shady that may or may not have been unethical which may be or may be not related to Colombia, and he noped out of it.

Of course, there’s the official line that Meghan kept interfering in Kettler’s work with Harry and he couldn’t take it. (Who would, really?)

Also for some reason, the papers like to keep pointing out that the lawyers Kettler recently contacted have something to do with employment litigation. That could mean something having to do with Archewell or unethical business practices, but just the same it could also be a red herring and reporters just grasping at straws.

[cmtcahrule]

No Words. Part 1.

For those of you who can't or won't watch.

Yes, we were living in Cayman the last three years. We went back to LA for the summer. And everywhere for the summer.

Island life has been grand…it’s just time to wrap it up and get back to reality.

It’s Swiss Family Robinson here.

But you have the LA itch? Yes, I have the LA itch.

We can always find any way to justify anything. Mom needs to go back and you guys are going to be happy wherever you are.

Oprah’s been my idol my whole life.

Modeling is so interesting. You don’t have an opinion or a voice. As with TV, you can drive it.

I never enjoyed doing the red carpets. I leave that type of journalism up to you.

Did you ever think you should be the person on the other side….like the person walking the carpet? Honestly when I was in college, there was an acting job that came through the modeling agency, but I have never wanted to be an actor. I don’t understand this. Why are we sitting in trailers for 12 hours when we could be really productive? It didn’t make sense for me to be distracted (by acting).

I thought I was going to wait to open the bakery until after I did The Today Show for 10 years. Thank God I did not wait until I was 55 or 60 to do it. Because you cannot pull 4-5 all nighters per week when you are that age.

I can contribute my television career and success to 30% talent and 70% bribery. I would go in and bomb an audition and come back with Monster Cookies and then I would get a call back because of the cookies.

In my 20s, when I wasn’t raging, I would come back home and bake dozens of cookies.

I am passionate about JIF peanut butter. I am passionate about Helmann’s Mayonnaise. We are not fucking around with these products. We have integrity.

We have been in talks to open up in LA. Talks to open up at The Grove. The Palisades Village. Maybe we will do that when I have more bandwidth some day but right now I am tapped out.

You are managing all of these businesses from afar? I mean I am on an airplane every few weeks.

I told my agent to give me anything except anything related to pop culture. Everyone is voodoo dolling you right now. That is the dream of so many girls and people wanted you to do it and you said no. Give me a war instead. I will volunteer to go cover a human rights foundation before I will go on a red carpet.

Did you meet your ex husband Armie in the industry from doing industry interviews? He was not even working at the time. He wanted to be an actor but he was not doing the things to be an actor.

Regarding Tyler: He would never hang out with me because he was with his best friend Armie.

We met through our mutual friend Tyler. It was love at first sight. For sure.

Regarding their meeting: It was good for Armie because he had to work for something.

Ambition is important. I know you want to do something so do something. Either go back to college or go to acting class. I am not interested in someone who is complacent.

I think it was hard for him at the time because I had a boyfriend who was very successful and doing a lot which is the hottest thing to me because I love ambition.

It was a good motivator. So you motivated him to get his ass up and work….as Kim Kardashian would say?

Since he was with you when you were opening up BB, was he supportive and was he helpful? Because he was so young, he probably had even less of an idea on what to do. He wasn’t the business man behind the operation to say the least. 

I’ve always been an independent person who does what I want. If I am with somebody, that is how things are going to go. I do whatever I want when I want however I want.

[uzumaki-rebellion]

Sinner & Saint: Creed III Chapter 9

Need to catch up? Of course you do. Masterlist HERE.

"Woke up this morning Found my peace of mind Finally, I can say to you That I, feel good this morning No, I can't deny So finally I can lay with you And feel, feel the pleasure Finally do what lovers do, with you, babe Ride for two Don't you know, oh So we (so we) can roll how we want to, yeah

Set fire to the fucking pavement They bound to drown so they can't relate And just do what I say, do what I say, no My baby got her own fuckin' ways now Tellin' y'all she ain't fuckin' playin', ay Ain't need no problems from her man I know she ain't worried (she ain't worried)"

Terrace Martin – "This Morning (feat. Arin Ray and Smino)"

She moved through the crowd like a silent wind through chimes that tinkled once she blew past. Her steps were assured, eyes laser sharp on who she needed to speak to on his behalf.

Damian watched in awe as Athena worked the packed penthouse filled with stars, sports influencers, executives, groupies, agents, managers, lawyers, and riff raff. He drank a few shots, gobbled up some hors d'oeuvres, and kept near his new boss. A few women checked him out and tried making conversation with him. He acted polite, answered very few questions about his connection to Athena and rested in the cut letting her lead everything. Feeling out of place once more, his brooding appearance seemed to attract even more women as the party continued through the night. Bianca excused herself and he realized that the penthouse they partied in was not the one Donnie and his family stayed in. Smart.

"Damian, this is Karl Gaston and Alessandro Beyna. Karl is a regional wealth advisor in the Cayman Islands and Alessandro handles investments there," Athena said.

Damian shook their hands and tried to look friendly. Athena tossed back her hair and placed a hand on his arm.

"Damian will soon be signing with my brother's company and I'll be working out some portfolio plans for him. He's going to need people that can take care of his money for future investments," Athena said.

The two white men nearly salivated listening to her. Athena had his pockets lined up with imaginary money. The two men would laugh him out of the hotel if they knew the total amount of cash he had in his paltry bank account at that moment. He rolled with her flow, keeping stoic in their presence. Business cards were exchanged with him and not Athena. She directed all the power to him turning into his conduit for all transactions in the place. Women were bolder, grabbing his attention with flirty banter and hungry stares. Nothing was subtle. He spent a moment alone with Athena in the back of the main room, until Donnie caught up with them. They took pictures together with hired photographers documenting the party for Donnie. It didn't take long for the champ to shoehorn his way between himself and Athena. She allowed it, a sly grin on her face as she joined a group of women.

"She's in her zone," Donnie said, glancing at his sister.

"Half the shit she says to the people goes over my head," Damian said.

"Wheeling and dealing."

"She's good. Knows a ton of people here."

"She'll keep the sharks away. For now, enjoy the anonymity," Donnie said.

Damian looked Donnie in the eye.

"You two a thing?" Donnie asked.

"Business partners."

Damian walked away before Donnie could flap his gums about anything else. Athena was a grown ass woman. Her baby brother wasn't about to lecture him on hooking up with her. She reached for Damian's hand and pulled him toward a young Black man with hooded eyes and a garish haircut to his permed blonde hair.

"Dame this is Raven X, stylist to the stars. I'm setting up an appointment for you two to get together back in L.A."

Raven X raked his eyes up and down Damian's physique.

"What are you looking for, Bad Boy tease or elegant showman?" Raven X said.

Athena tilted her head and squinted at Damian.

"I'm thinking future champion. I want his fits so crisp that they cut people in the eyes just by looking at him," she said.

Raven X nodded and stared at the top of Damian's head.

"Great head of hair. Formidable face. I'll give you a sexy fucking gladiator," Raven X said.

"I like it. Talk soon," Athena said.

She led Damian to the door.

"We're leaving?" he asked.

"Yep. Never be the last to leave the room. Smells of desperation."

"Where you two goin'?"

Donnie's blaring voice stopped their escape. Athena leveled her gaze at her brother.

"Damian's had a long night. He needs rest. We have meetings back in L.A. the moment we touch down," Athena said.

"When can I be looped in?"

Donnie's eyes flicked back and forth between them.

"We'll be in touch," Athena said.

She touched Damian's arm and he moved past her.

"Congratulations on everything tonight," Damian threw over his shoulder.

Donnie's expression appeared bewildered as they left the suite.

"Don't worry, I'll have terms and conditions lined up for you before we meet with my brother. You and I have to decide what trajectory you want for your career the next eighteen months."

"I just need some good fights lined up."

"You need more than that. We have to cultivate an image, create buzz with a catchy name—"

"Diamond Dame"

"What?"

"Diamond Dame is what I went by before I was in the pen."

They slipped into a private elevator and went up two floors. Athena eyed him from head to toe. She touched the collar of his shirt.

"Hmmm, Diamond Dame. With Raven's capable hands, you just might live up to that name. I like it. Classy. Rolls off the tongue."

"Yeah?" he said, moving in closer to her.

The elevator doors opened and Athena jumped back from him like water hitting hot grease. Mary Anne Creed stood in front of the opening dressed in a linen two-piece suit.

"Ma," Athena squeaked out. "Where are you going?"

"Well, Amara is fast asleep and Bianca is back in their suite. I'm free to go do a little gambling on the house. Where are you two headed?"

"We just came from Donnie's party."

Mary Anne checked her vintage diamond Cartier watch.

"It's not even midnight. Still early for his celebration to end," Mary Anne said with a lifted eyebrow.

"Damian and I have some business to discuss. I'm his new manager."

"Manager…?"

Athena gripped Damian's arm and pulled him out of the lift and away from her mother.

"Yes. Enjoy throwing money away," Athena called over her shoulder.

Damian glanced back at Donnie's adoptive mother. Mary Anne's sharp eyes cut into him despite the feigned pleasant look she tried to maintain.

Athena dug into her clutch and pulled out a keycard and tapped it against her suite. She led him to a busy-looking work station set up on the room's mahogany desk. Pushing back the executive chair, she plopped down and pointed to a side chair for him to pull up next to her. A laptop came to life from the touch of her hand and onscreen she had a detailed prospective typed up with his name all over it. She scrolled through several pages and stopped at one particular page.

"You whipped this all up today before the fight?" he asked.

"I'm always prepared to snatch up talent. This is just a mock up to give you an idea of what I can do. You don't have to sign anything now."

She tapped the enter key and a printer behind the laptop hummed to life and began printing up several sheets of paper. When the printer spit out the last page, Athena compiled them all and stapled two separate stacks. She handed him a copy and he listened to her go over every detail on ten full pages. His brain grew foggy with all the terminology, but he listened intently, trusting her completely. After forty minutes, she poured them both fresh glasses of water from the mini-bar and paced in front of him.

"Boxing needs excitement again, and they love an underdog story. The key is, they grow tired of that scenario after a few years. I think we should play up your background, but involve you back in your community. Do some volunteer work and talks at juvie facilities. See Donnie was able to coast on being our father's lost child, but he's been pampered and trained by a legend. Rocky isn't around anymore and now that my brother is retiring—"

"He's quitting?"

Athena gave a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Donnie is old news. His era is over. His mistake was calling himself Hollywood. The connotations made him seem elitist after awhile. Even when he won the championship, people still saw him as a privileged athlete, a nepo baby lucky enough to have my daddy's genes and access to the best that no one else did. With you—"

"I call myself Diamond, that's not elitist?"

"Not with your narrative. You were the lost jagged rock in the cold, cruel mine that became a diamond in the rough. A long prison bid and a hard-luck come-back story outshines a rich, spoiled pretty boy tale any day."

"Donnie didn't have it so easy before he was adopted by your mom."

"Is that what he told you?"

"He stayed in a group home, was in and out of foster care…"

The look on Athena's face made him clam up tight. She rested a soft hand on his shoulder.

"One of these days, I'm going to tell you about your little friend," she said.

"Tell me now. I have all night."

"No. Tonight, you will read over this contract, my mission statement for you, and you'll look for a contract lawyer on your own to go over my paperwork before you sign with me."

Damian rolled his eyes and pushed out of his seat realizing he wasn't getting any nookie.

"Don't pout. Business first, pleasure later," she said, pointing to the door.

He ambled out of her suite with his lips in a pout. She crossed her arms.

"I've got an amazing view of the strip. Champagne on ice…"

His words didn't move her.

"Goodnight Diamond Dame."

She closed the door in his face.

"I can't believe she gave me homework," he said, shuffling off to the elevator clutching onto precious papers that would elevate his life.

Back in his suite he placed the preliminary contract on the end of his bed and stripped out of his clothes. He showered, brushed and flossed his teeth before slipping into black satin sleep shorts. He grabbed a fresh bottle of chilled champagne from the suite's mini fridge and popped it open. A knock at his door surprised him. He put the champagne on the low table near the couch and padded over to the door, peeking through the keyhole. He grinned.

Opening the door he gave Athena a wide smile. She wore a thin purple overcoat and opened it for him. Underneath was a red sheer teddy that displayed everything that his mind imagined from the moment he met her.

"Hello," she purred.

She touched his chest with her index finger and pushed him back inside his suite, shutting the door behind her.

"I thought I was supposed to read over my paperwork," he teased.

"Oh you are…let's just say I'm your paperwork and I want you to enter into this contract," she said.

She dropped the coat on the floor and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're full of surprises," he said.

"Get used to it Diamond Dame."

He lifted Athena up in his arms and kissed her while he carried her toward his sleeping area. He kicked away the contract papers and placed her on the bed. Getting on his knees he wedged himself between her open thighs and cradled her face with his hands.

"I can't believe you're real sometimes," he said.

Her eyes flicked away as her dazzling smile blessed him once more, but he held her chin forcing her to look directly at him.

"You're the best thing to happen to me in my life, Athena. That means a lot to a man like me in the situation I'm in. I don't know what you see in me to make you give me so much."

"I see a champion who deserves a second chance at the title."

"Is it just that? Or is it about besting Donnie too?"

She touched his hand and pulled it away from her face.

"Me and Donnie are a complicated pair…and yeah, spoiling his plans for you is a part of it."

"Plans for me?"

"Controlling your narrative to protect his. By keeping you from being under his thumb I can take you to the heights that no other boxer has been. I see a documentary, a tv series, fashion, and more for your future. A fallen hero returning to his roots and taking over more than just the boxing world. My father's life was cut short from reaching his full potential. I plan on taking you far Damian Anderson."

"What's in it for you?"

"Everything."

She kissed him. Her warm, wet mouth overwhelmed him into submission on his knees. Athena stole his heart as she kissed him, their tongues soft and gentle together.

He stood up when the carpet became too scratchy for his knees. His erection comically saluted her forehead. Athena laughed and hooked her fingers into his satin shorts, pulling them off and freeing his heavy dick. Dropping to her knees, she licked the tip like it was a sweet chocolate lollipop and he nearly blew his load all over his face. Goddamn she was like a gorgeous Black Barbie doll. The dreamy pin-up girl guys beat their meat to in a fantasy world they would never see become reality. Athena was a nasty girl too, spitting and slurping all over the wide head. She licked below his frenulum and the sensitive skin there had him groaning her name.

"Athena…Athena…"

She offered her tongue and Damian squeezed pre-cum there in thick rivulets. He tilted his neck and stroked under the thick ridge of his dick, watching her pucker and kiss his slit where more clear fluid spilled onto her glossy red lips. She began throating his erection with gusto, keeping her eyes on him. He wanted to nut on her face so bad, but thought it would be too rude and aggressive for their first time together. His dick became a hot and heavy saber in his hand and he was desperate to chop down the beauty before him.

"Such a pretty face," he murmured, touching her cheek.

"You want to cum on it, don't you?"

Athena's words were so seductive and her tone was so full of lust and desire that he couldn't hold back.

"Fuck…!"

They both watched his big dick throb in his hand and spurt thick creamy semen all across the bridge of her nose and all over her lips. Athena snapped her eyes shut and slanted her head back so more of his cum could drench the side of her face. Before he could apologize for nutting unexpectedly, she wrapped her lips around his meat and sucked another nut right out. His mouth became a tight line as he held her head and helped her gobble up his dick with spectacular deep throating. He had to tap out when she fondled his balls trying to milk him for more.

She swallowed and smacked her lips.

"You have a lot of cum," she said with wet sticky lips.

She stared at his dick. It was still erect and pointing at her messy face. She took off her cute teddy and waltzed to his bathroom. Two minutes later she returned with a fresh face without cum all over it. He stayed mesmerized by the bounce of her breasts and admired her amazing figure.

"My turn," she said, pushing him down on the bed.

She climbed over his body and planted her sopping wet pussy on his lips. Every lick he gave her, he stopped to look at her slippery labia and the soft pink of her pussy. He sucked on her clit like it was a delicate berry and her keening sighs let him know he was doing the job she wanted. He gripped her thighs and held her down tight, smothering his mouth against her entire vulva.

"Yes, baby, eat my pussy…oh Damian, you're eating it so good," she panted, grinding down on his fleshy lips.

She reached behind and fisted his dick while he feasted on the sweetest pussy he ever tasted in his life. The scent between her thighs was heavenly and he inserted his tongue inside of her sweet pink walls. Athena bounced on his tongue and cursed him for how good he was. He flipped her over and nestled his face between her legs, pinning them down to control her movement. She whimpered and gazed at his wide tongue slathering her vulva. He switched up and flicked the tip of his tongue against her clit and she threw an arm over her eyes, unable to watch his entire mouth do a praise dance all over her sensitive nerve endings. His tongue spelled out his name all over her labia and clit, claiming her for himself.

"Ohmigod…Damian…I'm cumming baby! You're making me cum all in your mouth…oh God!"

Her thighs snapped around his head and he hung on, keeping his thick lips pressed against her clit giving it small circles. His head and neck rocked and rolled with all of her flailing limbs on the bed. She was strong so he had to put some muscle on her to keep her from flying across the room with her orgasm. He pinched the tips of her nipples and she cursed him yet again with her thighs shaking uncontrollably.

It took a few minutes for her body to simmer back down and he made note that she was multi-orgasmic. He felt like a lucky sonofabitch.

"I was not expecting that," she huffed out. "You can go for a long time. Jesus!'

Damian raised his body up to be closer to her on the bed. She was covered in sweat and strands of her hair clung to her cheeks in damp ringlets. Brushing back her hair, Athena rolled over to lay her head against his chest. They cuddled quietly, watching the lights of the strip twinkling their seductive call to gamble and dance. When her breathing settled, they kissed and he fondled her breasts. Her eyes became glassy and her gently fingered her pussy, watching her expression to learn what she liked for research purposes. He liked nice plump titties and a tight pussy. She had both. His calloused fingers created the perfect friction she needed and he pleasured her vulva and slick walls until her pussy clenched around his two curled fingers.

"That's my good girl," he said, gazing at her beautiful face as her mouth dropped open from the intense release. "My dick will feel even better once you let me put it in this pretty pussy."

He looked at the bald shiny vulva of her Brazilian wax and his mouth watered. He'd never had a hairless pussy before. It didn't even feel real and he was captivated by the smooth slickness.

"Will you let me nut all over this pussy?"

Athena's mouth still gaped open and his words had her pussy throbbing all over his fingers.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said. "So tight and wet. Can I make a big ole mess inside of here too?"

"Oh!"

Athena almost collapsed on herself riding out her wave of pleasure.

"I know this pussy will squeeze my big dick so good."

He moved his fingers a little to extend her release and pressed his thumb into her clit hard.

"I'll smack these big nuts against that ass too…make you cum all over my balls."

She was like putty in his hands. He pulled out his fingers and licked them. God she tasted even better than before. How was that possible? He allowed her to rest while he kissed and licked her all over, sucking on her toes while he played with his dick for her. Her eyes traced every part of his body and the lust she had for it was quite evident. He felt the same way about hers. They were built for each other.

After caressing her curves and valleys, he pulled her on top of him to feel skin on skin warmth. Her hair fanned out all across his neck and he sniffed the fragrant hair oil she coated her tresses with. Jasmine and maybe rose oil mixed in.

They both fell asleep until the morning sun rose up, the light falling across their naked bodies like a cozy yellow blanket.

Athena slid down his chest and engulfed the head of his penis in wet warmth, bobbing her head while he touched her hair. He said nothing when she climbed on top of him and slid her pussy down his length unsheathed. Her eyes didn't have desire or lust in them anymore…no, something else more powerful watched him as she went up and down on him so slow that his toes curled. His dick had her pussy stretched and talking. She had his shaft shiny and bewitched and once she started gyrating around and kissing his neck, he was mentally gone. God had to be looking out for him to bring her into his life.

Damian sat up and held Athena close. They rocked together on the bed face to face, staring into each other's eyes within a protective fortress of lovemaking. The world outside had vanished and there was only bliss for them inside. He would do anything this woman asked him to do for the rest of his days on earth.

"Fuck…Athena…"

Her ass cheeks felt slippery and wet from their natural lubrication flowing so freely on his lap. He was on the verge of ejaculating.

"'Bout to cum…"

She held the nape of his neck and pressed her forehead against his.

"Cum in my pussy," she whispered into his mouth.

"You sure?"

"Please. I want to feel you cumming inside me."

He groaned and thrust up into her faster, simply luxuriating in the snug hold she had on his dick. He lifted her by her hips and spread his legs more to get deeper inside.

"Don't ever leave me, Damian," she whispered.

He bucked into her hard and clasped her back with anchoring arms as a powerful flow surged from his balls and through his dick.

"I'd never leave you, Athena…you're my woman…"

She cried out and he shouted with her as his orgasm raced after hers.

"Oh my fucking God!" he hollered into her neck as hard throbs pushed hot cum into her pussy.

His body jerked several times and she trembled in his arms. Gasping together in a tangle of arms and legs and loving words, Damian and Athena shocked their own senses with the passion of their sex. She pulled away from him and sat back on her rump. He looked at her vulva. Her inner labia were plump and spread wide. Her pink opening still had the round gaping cavern of where his dick stretched her. Some of his creamy white semen spilled out in a gush. She played with it, smearing it all over her labia and clit.

He stroked her thigh.

"You can consider all that my signature for our contract," he said.

She laughed and held her labia open for him to see the continuous running trail of cum he put in her.

"It's so warm in my pussy," she said.

He snuggled up to her and they kissed for a long time before his stomach grumbled. Damian ordered room service for them and he had everything set up after Athena showered and walked out wearing one of his clean t-shirts. A full Creole-styled breakfast with champagne and cranberry juice was eaten on the bed. There was no rush to be anywhere. Athena's family was busy doing their own thing inside their suites. They ate their fill and snuggled under the covers together, letting the air-conditioner run giving them an excuse to spoon in body heat.

By noon Damian had his dick back inside of her raw under the covers, hitting it from his side with her back pressed into him. He whispered the filthiest things in her ear and fucked her like he missed her, like she had been waiting for him to get out of prison. Athena took that dick and choked it with her pussy. He fucked her within an inch of her life like he had something to prove. Damian put it down so good that she started sobbing and begged him to fuck her harder. He had vacillated between gentle and hard lovemaking, and Athena seemed to enjoy both ways, but her tears ushered in a pistoning of his hips to give her what she wanted.

Shoving her face down on top of the covers, he kept his hand on her neck and slammed into her perky ass. His back shots kept her cheeks clapping and his balls slapping. He glanced across the room at the mirrored closet doors and locked eyes with Athena. She watched him power drill into her with the happiest expression on her face. He slapped her ass hard several times and those round brown cheeks bounced in his palm like jello.

Damian wondered if she was one of those types that liked the idea of fucking a nigga fresh out the pen. She liked the way he talked dirty to her, his aggression exciting her with those tight pussy clenches she gave him. Didn't they say good girls always liked fucking with bad boys until they married a good boy later in life once they got all that illicitness out of their system?

Nah. Athena wasn't the good boy type. She knew how to talk greasy to people using fancy big words. He witnessed that at Donnie's celebration party. Beneath her perfect society princess façade was a gangster at heart. She had a cunning ruthlessness hidden under the calm, calculated exterior. Watching her face as he clapped her cheeks he recognized what she needed in a man. Someone who could control her in bed. Make her submit. Those tears weren't just from pleasure: she cried because she found the one man who could dominate her soul.

She arched her back and he pressed his hands lower on her spine. He circled his waist and she bit the covers and clawed the sheets. He spanked her with enough force to make her head jolt forward.

"Look at me," he demanded.

She turned her head and her dewy eyes stared back at him.

"Throw my pussy on this dick."

Her eyes widened at him claiming her pussy as his. A sparkle of joy glinted off her dark irises. He smacked her left ass cheek when she didn't move fast enough. Halting his thrusts, Damian looked down at her ass.

"That wasn't a suggestion," he said.

He didn't need to raise his voice, just shifted the tone the way he did when he was in prison and another inmate wanted to bother him out in the yard just to test him. They always found out that his soft controlled timbre could be backed up with brutal force. Athena picked up on that and jiggled her backside, sliding off his dick to position herself better before sliding back on his stiffness.

"Like that?" she asked.

Damn she fucked good. How many lames had she wasted prime pussy on before him? She chewed on her bottom lip until she had the best rhythm going for him and he grunted each time her cheeks slapped against his hard body.

"Is that good for you?" she cooed.

He didn't answer and that encouraged her to show out for him to get a reaction. His balls ached to cum.

"Fuck that shit Athena…"

She wiggled and he closed his eyes.

"Bitch, I said fuck this dick."

He pushed her face down again, had her body all the way on her stomach and started pounding her in that position until she screamed into the pillow her final orgasm of the day with him. The tight rings of her pussy tugging on his dick gave him permission to flood her with another eruption of semen. He dropped onto her back gulping all the air he could to help him tumble over next to her in a weakened heap.

Athena rolled against him again and clutched onto his chest, her fingernails softly circling the hairs around his left nipple.

"We gotta take a break," he said, "I know your pussy is sore because I was wearing that thang out."

She chuckled.

"I haven't been fucked this well in a long time," she said.

"Just well?"

"We have to go a few more times to see if this was just first time luckiness, or if my back will forever be blown out by you."

"Forever?" he said, looking down at her face.

"Is this a one and done, Damian?"

The hesitation in her voice proved to him that she had met her match and didn't want it to slip through her fingers.

"No one will ever take your place, Athena. Hear me? You're my angel."

Her eyes welled up, and she cried.

"Hey…hey…baby…," he said cuddling her closer.

"You're the one thing I have in my life right now that's just all mine," she said. "I don't want to lose that."

"I ain't going nowhere. Hey…look at me…I'm here for the long haul. You're the head that turns this body. When I get into the ring again, I'm going to bring you boxing heads on a platter until I prove all of your faith in me. You're the only person who stepped out on my behalf to help me without question. From day one. I have to repay you for that."

"What happens after you become champion?"

"Whatever we want."

He held her tight until she fell asleep in his arms, assuring her that they were a united team.

"It's you and me against the world, Athena," he whispered into her ear as she slumbered.

Chapter 10 HERE.

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[conradscrime]

Nick & Lisa Masee

June 27, 2024

Nick and Lisa met in 1984. Lisa was a 29 year old hairdresser at Yakoi Hair Design in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Nick was 45-46 year old accountant director at the Bank of Montreal, and was one of Lisa's clients. The pair got married, both having been previously married before, and lived in North Vancouver.

In January 1994, Nick retired at the age of 55, after working in the field for 35 years. He was also a director of a company that traded on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. Nick's daughter later said that her father often shared details of his life and work with others.

Nick and Lisa travelled often, visiting places such as Hawaii, the Cayman Islands and the Netherlands. Nick made about $85,000 a year, which was good money. He had savings and both him and Lisa had passports from different countries.

In 1994 however, Nick and Lisa began acting strange to those around them. The two went on a trip to the Cayman Islands and in April with no warning, the two set up a bank account with $50,000 worth of stock, also drawing up wills.

Nick made a call to his daughter, who was living in Holland at the time, telling her that he wouldn't be able to call her on her birthday. Nick did not tell her where he was or really provide any explanation.

On August 10, 1994, Nick and Lisa told multiple people they were going to Trader Vic's, a popular restaurant at the Bayshore Inn in Coal Harbour. Nick was apparently going to discuss a $10 million business deal with an investor whose name and identity remains unknown to this day.

Supposedly, Nick told his business associates that this investor was sending a limo to pick up him and Lisa at their home. No one else had any information about the meeting.

However, what's strange is that no one showed up to the restaurant or cancelled. It was weird for Nick to not call and cancel if he was not planning to show. A witness came forward and in 1995 it was revealed that Nick and Lisa had been seen next door, at the Westin Bayshore's Garden Lounge, from 6:30-10:30 pm that day. Nick was reportedly wearing a jogging suit and the two were splitting a bottle of wine.

On August 11, 1994, Lisa's 39th birthday - Lisa made two calls from Nick's cell. She called her boss, and one of Nick's associates. She said they would be out of town for a couple of days. No one has ever heard from them again.

Within a week, Lisa's sister decided to go to the Masee's house and found Nick's car in the driveway. The front door was closed but unlocked. The alarm system was disabled, which Lisa's sister said was strange and not like them. The Masee's cat was inside the home, and their passports. Two zip ties were found at the entrance.

RCMP believed that Nick and Lisa were either victims of foul play, or they had orchestrated their own disappearance.

There is no evidence that supports either theory. In July 2019, Nick's children and the RCMP held a press conference asking for any information about the couple's disappearance to be brought forth. There was a reward for $50,000. Investigators believe Nick and Lisa were killed for unknown reasons.

Anyone with information is urged to contact North Vancouver RCMP investigators at 604-985-1311.

Lisa Mo Masee was born on August 11, 1955. She is 5'6 in height and weighed 130 lbs. She is Asian with black hair and brown eyes. Her maiden name is Mo Yin HO. She speaks both English and Mandarin.

Nicholas Gerard Jacques Masee was born on January 12, 1939. He was 5'7 in height and weighed 160 lbs. He is a white male with greying blonde hair at the time of his disappearance and blue eyes. He speaks English and Dutch.

If Nick is still alive today he would be 85 years old. If Lisa is still alive today she would be turning 69 years old.

Source: Canada Unsolved

[the-greatest-fool]

I personally find it very, very strange people chalk up American foreign policy wrt the PRC to Sinophobia. I preface the rest of this creed by stating that I believe there are racists in the government and especially on the right, BUT nonetheless that American competition or even outright hostility to China IS JUSTIFIED.

I begin with a story. When TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was asked, as were Mark Zuckerberg and other tech CEOs, to testify in front of Congress, there was special scrutiny to TikTok’s treatment of content the CCP would find problematic. Chew, a Singaporean citizen educated in elite American universities, was asked a disappointingly naive line of questioning from Senator Tom Cotton.

Tiktok is owned by ByteDance, headquartered in Beijing and incorporated in the Cayman Islands (famously for scrupulous business). He was repeatedly asked if he had or any point had any relation to the Chinese Communist Party, to which he replied, facially bemused, “Senator, I’m Singaporean.”

This went viral. Online, people commented (somewhat accurately) on Cotton’s racist questions—for instance, asking if Chew was himself Chinese. However, this story seems to have undergone a game of telephone. In the midst of American discussions in Congress over whether TikTok should be banned conditional on being owned by a Chinese company, some TikTokers, aside from blaming the American Israeli lobby for (in my strong opinion) short-sighted and misguided reasons, blamed this on Congressmen “mistakenly” taking TikTok for a Chinese enterprise when it “is Singaporean, Senator.”

This is insanity. I wish to remind readers of TikTok’s empirical bias towards CCP-aligned content; of its promotion of denial of Chinese genocide and violence against the Uigher Muslims, Tibetans, and other Hui; of its tendency to promote anti-American and otherwise anti-social content; and the strong, strong incentive the PRC has (and the great example it has in Russia’s well-documented manipulation of media) to amplify messages that let the American public become complacent to its agenda to invade and destroy a democratic, sovereign nation (Taiwan).

This is no Sinophobia. Listen to your Chinese American peers (at least the ones not so drunk on racial resentiment they’ve begun supporting foreign authoritarians). China is NO MODEL for democracy, social equality, or liberal rights. It despises free expression outside its party mandate. It cracks down on artists too deviant, too *queer*, and too fluid for it to control. It actively bans Western influence and seeks to maintain a monopoly on public discourse. It abhors the notion of freedom. It hates especially that Asian neighbors have adopted liberal democratic agendas perfectly fine, contrary to its extremely racist argument that Eastern Peoples are not suited for democracy, which it claims is a Western concept for Western people. Hong Kong’s streets have never been the same. Do you wish for the bloody sights in Ukraine to be seen again in Taipei? What of the people of Japan, South Korea?

How is it that we’ve decided criticism of such a regime is comparable to criticism of Chinese descended people, who are of countless different faiths, nationalities, and political orientations? How dare my fellow Americans (white and or well off and or privileged) prostrate themselves to China in a disgusting attempt to cleanse themselves of their liberal guilt? (“I recognize I am a settler. I am White. I have sinned. I pray that my Evil home be defeated by these Orientals.”) How dare they turn a matter of geopolitics—because like it or not, our allies in Asia (billions of people) would prefer China not become an aspiring revanchist, toppling nations and conquering waters as it seeks now, and American attempts to contain it, to prevent it from meddling in elections or our market place of ideas are justified—into their social melodrama

You have *no* idea how much it hurts. The largest country in Asia rejects my existence (queer, ethnically Asian but American, etc.). It hates me. And you think that somehow, conceding to it will…what? Oh, it’s for The Cause. “It’s capitalism,” you argue. “It’s colonialism.” Oh yeah? What is TikTok?

Perhaps a rightist would say, “China is no saint.” I say, it is a long running empire built on conquest, bloodshed, repression, and inequality. Of course I hope China one day liberalizes. I hope its people are happy. But I cannot turn a blind eye to Americans who wish to forget its evils to smooth over their own. That is immature at best, diabolical at worst.

China loves for the diaspora to get angry. It loves for liberal and leftist White Americans to “empathize” and be “allies”, to “Stop Asian Hate.” It loathes genuine, factually-based analysis of its policies and of its treatment of its people. Support freedom for all people. Criticize inequalities and injustices at home all you want, but acknowledge there’s a reason why liberal democracy cannot be accepted across the Pacific—and not for a good reason.

This isn’t some ideological game. Wake up and put yourself in the shoes of the people who live on peninsulas and islands surrounded by waters that could one day be filled with hostile submarines ships ready to tear their freedoms away.

[nathanmakumba]

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[austinslounge]

Hi can I ask by saying trouble in paradise what does that mean?

I mean what are the rumors that you have heard?

"Trouble in paradise" is just a figure of speech. It basically means that a relationship is "on the rocks", or is starting to have (or has been having) issues.

None of us know of course what's going on in their relationship 100% because we're not in it, but there have been some writings on the wall for a while now that things aren't as great as some shippers might think.

What signs you may ask? You might want to pull up a chair lol 😂

The fact that they rarely look happy or even connected as friends when we see them papped together (unless -- they're on the red carpet of course 😏)

The articles (especially from L&S) that have been coming out this year which have been nothing but negative on both sides from "sources" on each side of their teams.

Do we really need to bring up Austin in Paris during the YSL event last year? 👀 The man looked single, and Kaia was in the same city as him rofl 🤣

Their recent NYC pap stroll pics where they're both looking over it (enough said)

Then, the weird People.com article that conveniently came out right after that talking about how "happy" and "in love" they are. 🙄 I'm sorry, but truly happy couples don't need articles coming out about how "happy" they are after they are papped together looking humdrum lol 😅

The weird recent DeuxMoi "sighting" of Austin in the Cayman Islands (which was probably sent in by a nervous Kaustin fan) when we all know that Austin has been busy on a press tour for "The Bikeriders", and meanwhile, Kaia has been on the beach in the Cayman Islands with Camila Morrone grabbing her butt. 😏

Perhaps the weirdest thing of all is Austin's recent like on an Instagram post that was basically this dude saying that "when the devil can't get to you, he sends you a woman with two A's in her name", that ends in "uh". 👀 🥴 Some fans/shippers assumed he may have been thinking about Vanessa when he liked that reel. But let's think about this for a second - You're trying to tell me that Austin is still thinking about his MARRIED, about-to-pop and have a baby with another man ex-girlfriend, who he has always had nothing but GOOD things to say about (even after their breakup), who he mentioned and talked about (unprompted mind you) during the "Elvis" press tour and called a "friend", and who he recently said in Esquire that he still has "love" and "care" for? 🤨 Get real lol 😆 Mayyybe some are right and he was thinking about Vanessa. But to me, that would STILL be a red flag and a slight against Kaia because imo if you're a guy who's been in a relationship with your current gf of two years, and you're still THAT triggered by your ex that you have to like posts like that thinking about her - then he's obviously not over her. I personally think that reel he liked was him thinking about his current gf and situation lol, but to each his/her own. 😊

Either way you slice it, their relationship seems like one to not be taken seriously, because no woman or man in a serious and genuine relationship behaves this way imo.

But we can all agree to disagree of course.😊 These are just my own personal opinions and observations. I've probably missed some other signs, but those are the ones that came to my mind right off the top of my head.

[destinyc1020]

From Australia alone, the flight to Cayman Islands is almost 2 days. Not worth it just to see Kaia for what a day? This sounds like a made up sighting to me. Not to mention he was just on a 17hr flight from LA to Syd. Austin is about to actually do some press tours this week. He and Jeff are doing a premiere in Rome, I believe. Sorry Kaustin fans, but I don’t think they’re on vacation together.

Yea, sounds like BS to me lol. 😅 Pics or it didn't happen lol.

I mean, if you're gonna make up a sighting, at least make it believeable, and make one up during a week when the boyfriend isn't on a whole other continent as far as Australia busy on a press tour lol.

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[octuscle]

Working at chronivac is cool but it's a lot of work too. Being friendly all the time and mr. nice guy is sometimes exhausting. I need some time off not being a nice guy

No one can understand you better than me colleague. This preppy chino polo shirt uniform in support alone is sometimes annoying. And then there's that Barbie-and-Ken toothpaste smile that we always have to put on during video conferences. Really sucks. What do you think about me taking over your morning shift today? I think I have a preset that might help you relax…. Get your stuff together, I'm taking over, transformation starts any minute!

As you leave the company building, you first pull up your snot and spit it out. And then you need a cigarette. Even better would be a shisha. You have never done it in your life, but that would be it now. You could take the bus into town. You are sure there's a shisha bar there. Fuck, are you stupid? Bus? How humiliating would that be? Your tuned Audi RS8 Spyder is just around the corner. In the absolute no stopping zone. The meter maid just wants to write you a ticket. You call her a whore and get into the car. It's registered to a offshore company in the Cayman Islands anyway. The ticket never arrives. And if need be, you get a buddy to foil the car and change the license plates. You don't care about the shitty rules.

You park your car directly in front of the shisha bar in the second row. You throw the key to a waiter. Let him park the car. You don't feel like it. The waiter nods and knows what he has to do. And gratefully accepts the hot-off-the-press 100-euro note. On the way to your regular spot, you exchange a few fist bumps with the other guys. But for now you need your rest. Take care of some business. You don't need to order the mocha and your favorite shisha, that comes without being asked.

Ey, who disturbs you! You are in the middle of some import-export business. Okay, your car key. That's all right.

Enjoy your day, thug!

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 7.6

Holidays

All-Star Game Anniversary (Baseball)

Aphelion Day 2023 (Earth farthest from the Sun)

Arbor Day (Chile)

Battle of Frederica Day (Denmark)

Buy Yourself A Toy You Always Wanted As A Child Day

Capital City Day (Kazakhstan)

Constitution Day (Cayman Islands)

Day of the Capital (Kazakhstan)

Eino Leino Day (Finland)

Ettelbruck Remembrance Day (Luxembourg)

Formal 706 Day

Festival of San Fermín begins (Pamplona, Spain) [thru 7.14]

Fill an Aquarium Day

Great American Wicnic

Hairy Vetchling Day (French Republic

International Compassion Day

International Day of the Stolen Kiss

International Kissing Day (a.k.a. World Kissing Day)

Iriya no Asagao-ichi (Morning Glory Flower Festival; Japan)

Jan Hus Day (Czech Republic)

King Mindaugas Day (Lithuania)

MHIP Day (Mizoram, India)

Name That Tune Day

National Air Traffic Control Day

National Daniel Day

National Day (Comoros)

National Wedgie Day

Old Albums Are Frisbees Day

San Fermin (Spain)

706 Day

Take Your Webmaster To Lunch Day

Teachers’ Day (Peru)

Time of Music begins (Finland)

Treat Your Webmaster or Webmistress Day

Umbrella Cover Day

Urs Shah-I-Hamdan Sahib (Jammu, Kashmir; India)

Valstybės Diena (a.k.a. Statehood Day; Lithuania)

Virtually Hug a Virtual Assistant Day

World Tibet Day

World Zoonoses Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Malted Milk Day

National Corn Dog Day

National Fried Chicken Day

National Hand Roll Day

National Pickle Festival

Sliced Bread Day

Independence & Related Days

Capital City Day (Kazakhstan)

Comoros (from France, 1975)

Jockromasa (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Lithuania (Statehood Day)

Malawi (from UK, 1964)

Ünie (a.k.a. Ünieazwati; Declared; 2002) [unrecognized]

Varcetia (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

New Year’s Days

Muharram (Islamic New Year) [begins after Maghrib at Sundown]

1st Saturday in July

Buxton Wells Dressing begins (Derbyshire, England) [1st Saturday, ends 10th day]

Dnieper Day (Belarus, Russia, Ukraine) [1st Saturday]

Fiesta de San Fermin begins (Pamplona, Spain) [1st Saturday; until 14th]

Friendship Day (Peru) [1st Saturday]

Hop A Park Day [1st Saturday]

International Cherry Pit Spitting Day [1st Saturday]

International Day of Cooperatives (UN) [1st Saturday]

International Free Hugs Day [1st Saturday]

National Corn Hole Day [1st Saturday]

National Meadows Day (UK) [1st Saturday]

National Play Outside Day [1st Saturday of Every Month]

National Virginia Diverse Business Networking First Saturday (Virginia) [1st Saturday]

Satyr's Day (Silenus, Greek God of Beer Buddies and Drinking Companions) [1st Saturday of Each Month]

St. Pauls Carnival (Bristol, UK) [1st Saturday]

Wayne Chicken Day [1st Saturday]

World Firefly Day [1st Saturday]

Weekly Holidays beginning July 6 (1st Week of July)

Ivan Kupala Night (Belarus, Russia, Ukraine) [thru 7.7]

Festivals Beginning July 6, 2024

Bristol Renaissance Faire (Kenosha, Wisconsin) [thru 9.2]

Great Lakes Medieval Faire and Marketplace (Rock Creek, Ohio) [thru 8.11]

Sandpoint Beerfest (Sandpoint, Idaho)

San Fermin Festival (Pamplona, Spain) [thru 7.14]

Sterling Renaissance Festival (Sterling, New York) [thru 8.18]

Taiwan International Balloon Festival (Luye, Taiwan) [thru 8.19]

Taste of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota) [thru 7.7]

Truckfest (Malvern, United Kingdom) [thru 7.7]

Wine in the Pines (Pine Mountain Club, California)

Feast Days

Alexander III (Positivist; Saint)

Arthur C. Clarke Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Bessie Head (Shamanism)

Day of the Horned Goddesses (Deer Mother, Europa, Hera, Io, Ishtar, Isis, Juno, Luna, Nephthys, Pasiphae, Selene; Everyday Wicca)

Dog-Lion Beast (Muppetism)

Dominica (Christian; Martyr & Virgin)

Festival of Buddha's Eyetooth (Sri Lanka)

Frida Kahlo (Artology)

Goar (Christian; Saint)

Godelieve of Ghistelle (Christian; Saint)

John Byrne (Artology)

José María Velasco Gómez (Artology)

Juan O'Gorman (Artology)

Julian (Christian; Saint)

Ludi Apollinares begins (Roman games honoring Apollo)

Macaroni Day (Pastafarian)

Marc Chagall (Artology)

Maria Goretti (Christian; Saint)

Millennial Fairy Olympics (Writerism)

Modwenna (Christian; Saint & Virgin)

Moninna of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Old Midsummer Day (Ancient England)

Palladius, Apostle of the Scots (Christian; Saint)

Pelagius (Celtic Book of Days)

Rick Sternbach (Artology)

Romulus of Fiesole (Christian; Saint)

Sexburgh (Christian; Saint)

Sisoes (Christian; Saint)

Solstitium V (Pagan)

St. John’s Wort Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Taxi Drive McGillicuddy (Muppetism)

Tzom Tammuz (Commemorating Braching of the Walls of Jerusalem before Destruction of the 2nd Temple; Judaism) [17 Tammuz]

Will James (Artology)

Islamic Lunar Holidays

Muharram (Islamic New Year) [begins after Maghrib at Sundown]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

Ant-Man and the Wasp (Film; 2018)

Assault and Flattery (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1956)

The B-52s, by The B-52s (Album; 1979)

Blue Moon of Kentucky, recorded by Elvis Presley (Song; 1954)

Butterflies Are Free (Film; 1972)

Cave Man (Ub Iwerks MGM Cartoon; 1934)

Die Hard 2 (Film; 1990)

Forrest Gump (Film; 1994)

A Hard Day’s Night (Beatles UK Film; 1964)

Higher and Higher, by Jackie Wilson (Song; 1965)

I'm OK - You're OK, by Thomas A. Harris (Self-Help Book; 1967)

Inner World, by The Dalai Lama (Album; 2020)

Invincible, by Pat Benatar (Song; 1985)

Jetsons: The Movie (Animated Film; 1990)

Jumping’ with Symphony Sid, recorded by Dizzy Gillespie and his Orchestra (Song; 1949)

Keep Yourself Alive, by Queen (Song; 1973)

The Naughty Nineties (Abbott & Costello Film; 1945)

Paradise Hawaiian Style (Elvis Presley Film; 1966)

A Prairie Home Companion (Radio Series; 1974)

Precious Time, by Pat Benatar (Album; 1981)

Queen, by Queen (Album; 1973)

Slip Us Some Redskin (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1951)

Sorry to Bother You (Film; 2018)

That’s All Right, Mama, recorded by Elvis Presley (Song; 1954)

What’s Opera, Doc? (WB MM Cartoon; 1957)

Who’s On First, by Abbott and Costello (Filmed Skit; 1945)

Woodman, Spare That Tree (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1942)

You Oughta Know, by Alan’s Morisette (Song; 1995)

Today’s Name Days

Goar, Isaias, Marietta (Austria)

Agata, Marija, Suzana (Croatia)

Jan Hus (Czech Republic)

Dion (Denmark)

Sulev, Sulo (Estonia)

Esa, Esaias (Finland)

Marietta, Mariette, Nolwen (France)

Goar, Isaias, Marietta (Germany)

Lykios, Satryos (Greece)

Csaba (Hungary)

Antonio, Domenica, Maria, Romola (Italy)

Andzs, Anrijs, Arkādijs, Druvvaldis (Latvia)

Domė, Dominyka, Ginvilė, Nervydas (Lithuania)

Torgrim, Torgunn (Norway)

Agrypina, Chociebor, Dominik, Dominika, Goar, Gotard, Lucja, Łucja, Niegosław (Poland)

Sisoe (România)

Patrícia, Patrik (Slovakia)

Goretti, Isaías, María (Spain)

Esaias, Jessika (Sweden)

Felix (Ukraine)

Godiva, Isaiah, Isaias, Isiah, Jamaal, Jamal, Jamel, Jamil, Pallas, Shea, Shyanne (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 188 of 2024; 178 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 27 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Xin-Wei), Day 1 (Xin-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 30 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 29 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 8 Red; Oneday [8 of 30]

Julian: 23 June 2024

Moon: 1%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 19 Charlemagne (7th Month) [Alexander III]

Runic Half Month: Feoh (Wealth) [Day 13 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 17 of 94)

Week: 1st Week of July

Zodiac: Cancer (Day 16 of 31)

Calendar Changes

荷月 [Héyuè] (Chinese Lunisolar Calendar) [Month 6 of 12] (Lotus Month) [Earthly Branch: Goat Month] (Liùyuè; Sixth Month)

[bopinion]

2023 / 45

Aperçu of the Week:

"Conflicts come and go. Money stays."

(Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, ex-President of the Russian Federation)

Bad News of the Week:

It was feared for a long time, now it's happening: the Ukraine war may not be losing its horror, but it is losing its attention. As happened with Syria. And with Yemen. How is Iraq actually doing? Or Libya? New times bring new headlines. People's attention span is limited. And people's empathy too. It is not only in the US Congress that voices are getting louder questioning support for Ukraine. It would be a bottomless pit anyway. And you can't take care of everything.

In this country too, people are now taking to the streets for or against Palestine, for or against Israel. The aggression of Hamas or the Netanyahu government is obviously closer to us than the aggression of Putin. At least now. But perhaps also in Europe in general, to which Israel is often counted. France has a not only flattering history in the region and a large Arab population, Germany's special relationship with the Jewish people ("reason of state") need not even to be mentioned.

And now there is growing evidence that Ukraine does not always wear white shirts either. Research by the Washington Post, among others, into the background to the explosives attacks on the North Stream pipelines leads to Ukraine. Former intelligence officer and special forces commander Roman Chervynsky is described in security circles as the "coordinator" of these attacks, responsible for the logistics of the sabotage commando. If Ukraine is now behind the biggest act of sabotage of all time, no German, whose energy prices have tripled as a result, will be pleased. If, at the same time, direct military aid is doubled to 8 billion euros, the purse strings will be tight. In real terms, but above all in terms of feeling.

I very much hope that the solidarity that has united us Europeans up to now will only crumble and not collapse. Because it is still true that European values are being defended in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to win. But I am increasingly worried that his calculations could work out. Time is clearly working in his favor. Sidenote: the Russian economy is currently doing better than the German.

Good News of the Week:

Jeff Bezoz and Elon Musk are known as negative examples of capitalism. Attacking competitors, exploiting employees and paying as little tax as possible. Virtually all investors and almost every multinational corporation try to structure their balance sheets in such a way that as little as possible goes to the state(s). Even though those depend on tax revenues for their public welfare tasks. Tax evasion is how all our companies work.

The problem is, on the one hand, the well-known tax havens such as Cayman Island and, on the other hand, competition between nations as to where which company with which activity sets up shop. Because of jobs and because of taxes. I have remembered a creative example of tax avoidance in Europe from recent years: the sporting goods manufacturer Nike.

Its German business - the largest market on the continent for Nike despite its domestic competitors Adidas and Puma - generates enormous sales, but strangely enough no profit, which would be relatively highly taxed in this country. The trick: for every pair of sneakers etc., Nike Germany pays a license fee for patents, design, brand use etc. to Nike Ireland, where the tax rates are significantly lower. And strangely enough, always in the exact amount so that nothing is left over. Thank you very much.

My criticism is less directed at the company, whose nature it is to generate as much profit as possible. But rather to Ireland, which allows tax evasion at the expense of its European colleagues. But this will soon come to an end. Because the global minimum tax is just around the corner. The German tax office calls it "one of the biggest reforms in the international taxation of companies".

Until now, the taxation of multinational corporate groups has largely been organized on a national basis. A group only has to pay taxes on its profits in the countries in which it has a physical presence. This is becoming less and less important in the increasingly cross-border movement of goods and in the digital economy in general. And even within Europe, tax rates vary greatly: from 9% to 35% according to the OECD.

Now 138 countries around the world, including all G20 states, have committed to a global minimum tax of 15%. Experts call its introduction a "game changer" in the fight against decades of tax dumping by large corporations. Estimates are based on this. The global minimum tax will generate an additional 200 billion euros a year for the international community. This will finance their commonwealth, from which all citizens will benefit. And not just the investors on the stock markets and the shareholders of companies.

Personal happy moment of the week:

Senta Berger. One of our greatest actresses. As a young woman in the 60s and now, at 82, she still is. I have always admired her. For her artistic work and for her humanity. She fights for the protection of wildlife and against leukemia. And admitted to having an abortion in 1971 (!). She was and is a great woman. I bumped into her in the elevator today. And told her exactly that. She said I made her day. And she made mine.

I couldn't care less...

...for the carnival. On 11.11. at 11h11 on the dot, tens of thousands of "Jecken" celebrated the start of the Rhineland carnival and the foolish season in Cologne. As if the time before had been normal in any way.

As I write this...

...I'm fighting a nascent cold. And a stomach virus. And muscle tension. And tiredness. It's November. But maybe I'm just getting old.

Post Scriptum

Nikki Haley could become a serious challenger to Donald Trump in the Republican primaries. Last you heard from Ron DeSantis? Exactly.

[grandmaster-anne]

Court Circular | 21st February 2023

Buckingham Palace

His Excellency Mr Pedro Antonio Serrano de Haro was received in audience by The King today and presented the Letters of Recall of his predecessor and his own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the European Union to the Court of St James’s. Ms Ana Perez Kramer was also received by His Majesty. Her Excellency Ms Aïchatou Boulama Kané was received by The King and presented the Letters of Recall of her predecessor and her own Letters of Credence as Ambassador from the Republic of Niger to the Court of St James’s. Sir Philip Barton (Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs) was present. The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP (Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs) was received in audience by The King this afternoon. The Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover was received by His Majesty and delivered up the Insignia of the Order of the Garter worn by her husband, the late Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover. The King held a Privy Council at 4.30pm. There were present: the Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP (Lord President), the Rt Hon Sue-Ellen Braverman MP (Secretary of State for the Home Department), the Rt Hon David Davies MP (Secretary of State for Wales), the Rt Hon Alister Jack MP (Secretary of State for Scotland) and the Rt Hon Olukemi Badenoch MP. The Rt Hon Olukemi Badenoch MP took the Oath of Office, kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office as Secretary of State for Business and Trade (International Trade). Mr Richard Tilbrook was in attendance as Clerk of the Council. The Rt Hon Penelope Mordaunt MP had an audience of His Majesty before the Council. The Rt Hon Sir Clive Alderton (Principal Private Secretary to Their Majesties) and the Rt Hon Sir Edward Young (Joint Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty) were in attendance. The Governor-General of Canada (the Rt Hon Mary Simon) had an audience with The King via telephone this evening. The Princess Royal, on behalf of The King, held an Investiture at Windsor Castle this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort were represented by the Earl of Rosslyn (Lord Steward and Personal Secretary to Their Majesties) at the Memorial Service for Dame Frances Campbell-Preston (formerly Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) which was held in the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3, this afternoon.

Kensington Palace

The Princess of Wales this morning visited Oxford House Nursing Home, 204 Stoke Road, Slough, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire (Mr James Puxley).

St James’s Palace

The Earl of Wessex, Patron, Central Caribbean Marine Institute, this morning visited the Central Caribbean Marine Institute Coral Nursery, Little Cayman, Cayman Islands. His Royal Highness this afternoon attended a Lunch given by the Premier of Cayman Islands (the Hon, Wayne Panton) at Southern Cross Club, Guy Banks Road, Little Cayman. The Earl of Wessex, Patron afterwards visited the Central Caribbean Institute Research Centre, Little Cayman. His Royal Highness, Patron, Central Caribbean Marine Institute, this evening attended a Reception on Little Cayman to launch the Coral Fund. The Earl of Wessex, Patron, Central Caribbean Marine Institute, later attended a Dinner at Southern Cross Club, Guy Banks Road, Little Cayman. The Countess of Wessex, Global Ambassador, 100 Women in Finance, this morning participated in a Panel Discussion at the Ritz Carlton, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman. Her Royal Highness, Global Ambassador, 100 Women in Finance, this afternoon attended a Lunch at WaterColours, 719 West Bay Road, Grand Cayman. The Countess of Wessex later visited YMCA Field of Dreams, Fairbanks Road, George Town, Grand Cayman. Her Royal Highness, Global Ambassador, 100 Women in Finance, this evening attended a Dinner at the Ritz Carlton, Seven Mile Beach.

St James’s Palace

The Princess Royal, Past Master, the Worshipful Company of Carmen, this evening attended a Joint Services Awards Dinner at Plaisterers’ Hall, One London Wall, London EC2.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, President, Crown Agents Foundation, this evening attended a Reception and Slava Concert in support of Ukraine at Canada House, Trafalgar Square, London SW1.

[uzumaki-rebellion]

"Sinner & Saint: Creed III Chapter 9"Preview

Need to catch up? Masterlist HERE.

“Woke up this mornin' Found my peace of mind And finally I can say to you That I, feel good this mornin' No, I can't deny So finally, I can lay with you And feel, feel the pleasure Finally do what lovers do, with you, babe Ride for two Don't you know, oh So we, can roam all we want to, yeah

Set fire to the fuckin' pavement They bound to drown, so the game we play (aye) Just do what I say, do what I say, no (say) My baby got her own fuckin' ways now I'm tellin' y'all she ain't fuckin' playin', aye And ain't no problems from her man No, no, she ain't worried (she ain't worried)”

Terrace Martin – “This Morning (feat. Arin Ray and Smino)”

She moved through the crowd like a silent wind through chimes that tinkled once she blew past. Her steps were assured, eyes laser sharp on who she needed to speak to on his behalf.

Damian watched in awe as Athena worked the packed penthouse filled with stars, sports influencers, executives, groupies, agents, managers, lawyers, and riff raff. He drank a few shots, gobbled up some hors d'oeuvres, and kept near his new boss. A few women checked him out and tried making conversation with him. He acted polite, answered very few questions about his connection to Athena and rested in the cut letting her lead everything. Feeling out of place once more, his brooding appearance seemed to attract even more women as the party continued through the night. Bianca excused herself and he realized that the penthouse they partied in was not the one Donnie and his family stayed in. Smart.

“Damian, this is Karl Gaston and Alessandro Beyna. Karl is a regional wealth advisor in the Cayman Islands and Alessandro handles investments there,” Athena said.

Damian shook their hands and tried to look friendly. Athena tossed back her hair and placed a hand on  his arm.

“Damian will soon be signing with my brother’s company and I’ll be working out some  portfolio plans for him. He’s going to need people that can take care of his money for future investments,” Athena said.

The two white men nearly salivated listening to her. Athena had his pockets lined up with imaginary money. The two men would laugh him out of the hotel if they knew the total amount of cash he had in his paltry bank account at that moment. He rolled with her flow, keeping stoic in their presence. Business cards were exchanged with him and not Athena. She directed all the power to him turning into his conduit for all transactions in the place. Women were bolder, grabbing his attention with flirty banter and hungry stares. Nothing was subtle. He spent a moment alone with Athena in the back of the main room, until Donnie caught up with them. They took pictures together with hired photographers documenting the party for Donnie. It didn’t take long for the champ to shoehorn his way between himself and Athena. She allowed it, a sly grin on her face as she joined a group of women.

“She’s in her zone,” Donnie said, glancing at his sister.

“Half the shit she says to the people goes over my head,” Damian said.

“Wheeling and dealing.”

“She’s good. Knows a ton of people here.”

“She’ll keep the sharks away. For now, enjoy the anonymity,” Donnie said.

Damian looked Donnie in the eye.

“You two a thing?” Donnie asked.

“Business partners.”

Damian walked away before Donnie could flap his gums about anything else. Athena was a grown ass woman. Her baby brother wasn’t about to lecture him on hooking up with her. She reached for Damian’s hand and pulled him toward a young Black man with hooded eyes and a garish haircut to his permed blonde hair.

“Dame this is Raven X, stylist to the stars. I’m setting up an appointment for you two to get together back in L.A.”

Raven X raked his eyes up and down Damian’s physique.

“What are you looking for, Bad Boy tease or elegant showman?” Raven X said.

Athena tilted her head and squinted at Damian.

“I’m thinking future champion. I want his fits so crisp that they cut people in the eyes just by looking at him,” she said.

Raven X nodded and stared at the top of Damian’s head.

“Great head of hair. Formidable face. I’ll give you a sexy fucking gladiator,” Raven X said.

“I like it. Talk soon,” Athena said.

She led Damian to the door.

“We’re leaving?” he asked.

“Yep. Never be the last to leave the room. Smells of desperation.”

“Where you two goin’?”

Donnie’s blaring voice stopped their escape. Athena leveled her gaze at her brother.

“Damian’s had a long night. He needs rest. We have meetings back in L.A. the moment we touch down,” Athena said.

“When can I be looped in?”

Donnie’s eyes flicked back and forth between them.

“We’ll be in touch,” Athena said.

She touched Damian’s arm and he moved past her.

“Congratulations on everything tonight,” Damian threw over his shoulder.

Donnie’s expression appeared bewildered as they left the suite.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have terms and conditions lined up for you before we meet with my brother. You and I have to decide what trajectory you want for your career the next eighteen months.”

“I just need some good fights lined up.”

“You need more than that. We have to cultivate an image, create buzz with a catchy name—“

“Diamond Dame”

“What?”

“Diamond Dame is what I went by before I was in the pen.”

They slipped into a private elevator and went up two floors. Athena eyed him from head to toe. She touched the collar of his shirt.

“Hmmm, Diamond Dame. With Raven’s capable hands, you just might live up to that name. I like it. Classy. Rolls off the tongue.”

“Yeah?” he said, moving in closer to her.

The elevator doors opened and Athena jumped back from him like water hitting hot grease. Mary Anne Creed stood in front of the opening dressed in a linen two-piece suit.

“Ma,” Athen squeaked out. “Where are you going?”

“Well, Amara is fast asleep and Bianca is back in their suite. I’m free to go do a little gambling on the house. Where are you two headed?”

“We just came from Donnie’s party.”

Mary Anne checked her vintage diamond Cartier watch.

“It’s not even midnight. Still early for his celebration to end,” Mary Anne said with a lifted eyebrow.

“Damian and I have some business to discuss. I’m his new manager.”

“Manager…?”

Athena gripped Damian’s arm and pulled him out of the lift and away from her mother.

“Yes. Enjoy throwing money away,” Athena called over her shoulder.

Damian glanced back at Donnie’s adoptive mother. Mary Anne’s sharp eyes cut into him despite the feigned pleasant look she tried to maintain.

Athena dug into her clutch and pulled out a keycard and tapped it against her suite. She led him to a busy-looking work station set up on the room’s mahogany desk. Pushing back the executive chair, she plopped down and pointed to a side chair for him to pull up next to her. A laptop came to life from the touch of her hand and onscreen she had a detailed prospective typed up with his name all over it. She scrolled through several pages and stopped at one particular page.

“You whipped this all up today before the fight?” he asked.

“I’m always prepared to snatch up talent. This is just a mock up to give you an idea of what I can do. You don’t have to sign anything now.”

She tapped the enter key and a printer behind the laptop hummed to life and began printing up several sheets of paper. When the printer spit out the last page, Athena compiled them all and stapled two separate stacks. She handed him a copy and he listened to her go over every detail on ten full pages. His brain grew foggy with all the terminology, but he listened intently, trusting her completely. After forty minutes, she poured them both fresh glasses of water from the mini-bar and paced in front of him.

“Boxing needs excitement again, and they love an underdog story. The key is, they grow tired of that scenario after a few years. I think we should play up your background, but involve you back in your community. Do some volunteer work and talks at juvie facilities. See Donnie was able to coast on being our father’s lost child, but he’s been pampered and trained by a legend. Rocky isn’t around anymore and now that my brother is retiring—”

“He’s quitting?”

Athena gave a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Donnie is old news. His era is over. His mistake was calling himself Hollywood. The connotations made him seem elitist after awhile. Even when he won the championship, people still saw him as a privileged athlete, a nepo baby lucky enough to have my daddy’s genes and access to the best that no one else did. With you—“

“I call myself Diamond, that’s not elitist?”

“Not with your narrative. You were the lost jagged rock in the cold, cruel mine that became a diamond in the rough. A long prison bid and a hard-luck come-back story outshines a rich, spoiled pretty boy tale any day.”

“Donnie didn’t have it so easy before he was adopted by your mom.”

“Is that what he told you?”

“He stayed in a group home, was in and out of foster care…”

The look on Athena’s face made him clam up tight. She rested a soft hand on his shoulder.

“One of these days, I’m going to tell you about your little friend,” she said.

“Tell me now. I have all night.”

“No. Tonight, you will read over this contract, my mission statement for you, and you’ll look for a contract lawyer on your own to go over my paperwork before you sign with me.”

Damian rolled his eyes and pushed out of his seat realizing he wasn’t getting any nookie.

“Don’t pout. Business first, pleasure later,” she said, pointing to the door.

He ambled out of her suite with his lips in a pout. She crossed her arms.

“I’ve got an amazing view of the strip. Champagne on ice…”

His words didn’t move her.

“Goodnight Diamond Dame.”

She closed the door in his face.

“I can’t believe she gave me homework,” he said, shuffling off to the elevator clutching onto precious papers that would elevate his life.

A.N.:

I'll have the complete chapter up next week, wanted to share a little teaser preview! Enjoy!

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