#act 1 pt 1 owen is a problem to me

[kimjunnoodle]

emotional sword fight emotional sword fight emotional sword fight emotional sword fight emotional sword fight emotional sword fi-

[breelandwalker]

Hex Positive, Ep. 021 - Witchcraft and Modern Law

Now available wherever you get your podcasts!

As promised, the followup episode is here! This time, I'm digging into witchcraft as it relates to modern law, plus covering a few key 20th-century events that I missed in Episode 20 and some legal codes that may apply to your practice even if they don't deal with witchcraft directly. We'll also be discussing some instances of modern witch hunts that are still occurring in some parts of the world and there are articles you can check out for more information below. (Massive trigger warning for violence and abuse in the ones discussing modern witch hunts.)

(Incidentally, the information I discovered while researching modern witch persecutions is EXACTLY why I get so cheesed off when some privileged politician whines about being the target of "a witch hunt." Like buddy, you don't even know the meaning of the word. Having to face the consequences of your own actions isn't a witch hunt. That's just cosmic justice serving up a long-overdue headslap.)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Witch With Me - Book Club and 2021 Witch Census

Samhain Witch Market Diversity Richmond, Richmond VA Sunday, October 17, 2021, 3pm-9pm Indoor/Outdoor, Masks Required Facebook Event Page

SOURCES

Folk Magic - Powwow: History and Practices (LearnReligions.com)

Analysis | In Canada, pretending to be a witch is a punishable offense (Washington Post, Oct. 31, 2018)

Victoria clears witches for takeoff (The Sydney Morning Herald, July 21, 2005)

Modern-day witches still facing 'endless abuse and threats' (The Independent, Feb. 09, 2020)

Witch Hunts: a global problem in the 21st century (Deutsche Welle, Oct. 08, 2020)

Chinese 'witches' are banding together after rural Chinese communities ostracise them (AP, South China Morning Post, Jan, 16, 2018)

Why Do Witch Hunts Still Happen? (Smithsonian Magazine, Oct. 30, 2015)

Witch Hunts Today: Abuse of Women, Superstition, and Murder Collide in India (Scientific American, Jan. 11, 2018)

"They Burn Witches Here"; Papua New Guinea: Asia's Fastest-Growing Economy Burns Witches (Huffington Post, Oct. 29, 2015)

Witch Hunts Are Back - And This Time They're Targeting Female Activists (HuffPost Brazil, Nov. 01, 2019)

Witch Trials in the 21st Century (National Geographic, Jan. 21, 2011)

Modern witches are stepping out of the shadow of Germany’s folklore (Sleek Magazine, Apr. 30, 2019)

Wikipedia Article - Rehmeyer's Hollow

Wikipedia Article - Satanic Panic

Wikipedia Article - West Memphis Three

Wikipedia Article - Modern witch-hunts

Wikipedia Article - Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1957

Wikipedia Article - Mpumalanga Witchcraft Suppression Bill

BOOKS AND PODCASTS

America Bewitched: The story of witchcraft after Salem (Owen Davies)

American Hysteria, Eps. 4 & 5 - "Satanic Panic, pt 1 & 2"

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 10 - "The Satanic Panic"

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 32 - "A New Satanic Panic?"

Lore, Ep. 62 - "Desperate Measures"

Morbid Podcast - Ep. 122-125, “The West Memphis Three, pt 1-3”

Sacred Actions: Living the Wheel of the Year though Earth-Centered Sustainable Practices (Dana O'Driscoll)

This episode is sponsored by:

Portland Button Works - http://www.portlandbuttonworks.com

PBW Witch Shop - http://www.PBWwitchshop.com

Global Grey Ebooks - http://www.globalgreyebooks.com

Follow the show on Twitter @hex_podcast for the latest updates! You can also find me as @BreeNicGarran on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and Wordpress. For more information on how to support the show and get access to early releases and extra content, visit my Patreon.

Visit my shop to purchase my books and homemade accoutrements for your craft!

Proud member of the Nerd and Tie Podcast Network.

MUSIC CREDITS "Spellbound" & "Miri's Magic Dance" Ads - "Feelin' Good," "March of the Spoons," and "Danse Macabre - Violin Hook" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

[beansonbread2]

BEANSONBREAD AWARDS 2020 - BEST SONG

AWARD NO.3 - BEST SONG OF 2020

PAST WINNERS

2019 > Weyes Blood ‘Andromeda’ (see full list HERE)

2018 > Let’s Eat Grandma ‘It’s Not Just Me’ (see full list HERE)

2017 > Richard Dawson ‘Ogre’ (see full list HERE)

2016 > Solange ‘Cranes In the Sky’ (see full list HERE)

2015 > Kendrick Lamar ‘The Blacker The Berry’ (see full list HERE)

2014 > FKA Twigs ‘Two Weeks’ (see full list HERE)

2013 > Oliver Wilde ‘Perrett’s Brook’ (see full list HERE)

2010 > Untold ‘Stop What You’re Doing (James Blake Remix) (see full list HERE)

2009 > Joker - ‘Digidesign’ (see full list HERE)

2008 > Lil’ Wayne - ‘A Milli’ (see full list HERE)

2007 > Panda Bear - ‘Bros’ (see full list HERE)

2006 > Hot Chip - ‘Over And Over’ (see full list HERE)

-

RULES - A maximum of THREE tracks from any one artist. Songs can be tied in the same position.

-

*SPOTIFY PLAYLIST WITH (ALMOST) ALL THE TRACKS*

-

THE RUNNERS UP (in alphabetical order)..

100 Gecs, Count Baldor, GFOTY ‘Stupid Horse (remix)’

645AR ‘Bible And A K’ 

A.G. Cook ‘Silver’ 

Alabaster DePlume ‘Whisky Story Time’

Amaarae ‘Hellz Angel’

Arca ‘Time’

Arlo Parks ‘Black Dog’

Ashnikko ‘Daisy’

Blackpink & Selena Gomez ‘Ice Cream’

Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion ‘WAP’

Caribou ‘New Jade’ / ‘Home’

CHAI ‘No More Cake’

Chloe x Halle ‘Do It’

Clipping ‘96 Neve Campbell’

Cornershop ‘St Marie Under Canon’ / ‘No Rock Save In Roll’

Crack Cloud ‘Favour Your Fortune’

Dan Deacon ‘Become A Mountain’ / ‘Sat By A Tree’

Darkstar ‘Jam’ 

Dean Blunt, Joanne Robertson, Vegyn ‘Troll’

Deerhoof ‘Future Teenage Cave Artists’ / ‘Sympathy For The Baby Boo’

Dirty Projectors ‘Overlord’

DJ Douggpound ‘Creamed Popcorn On The Cob’ 

Dorian Electra ‘Sorry Bro (I Love You)’

Doves ‘Prisoners’

Dry Cleaning ‘Scratchcard Lanyard’

Dua Lipa ‘Hallucinate’

Fenne Lily ‘Alapathy’ / ‘Solipsism’

Fiona Apple ‘Shameika’

FLOHIO ‘Unveiled’

Gerard Black, Rozi Plain, Jamie Whitby-Coles 'Beiggy'

Giant Swan ‘Silkworm’

Good Sad Happy Bad ‘Blessed’ / ‘Star’

The Go! Team ‘Cookie Scene’

Grimes ‘Delete Forever’

Gupi & Fraxiom ‘Thos Moser’

HAIM ‘The Steps’

Happy Spendy ‘Feelings 2’

Hen Ogledd ‘Trouble’

Hot Chip ‘Worlds Within Worlds’

Janelle Monae ‘Turntables’

Jane Weaver ‘The Revolution Of Super Visions’

Jay Electronica ‘Ghost Of Soulja Slim’ / ‘Shiny Suit Theory’

Jessy Lanza ‘Anyone Around’ / ‘Lick In Heaven’

Jpegmafia ‘Bald!’

Kayla Painter ‘Prey At Night’

Kelly Lee Owens ‘Arpeggi’ / ‘Melt!’

King Creosote ‘Susie Mullen’

King Krule ‘Stoned Again’

Lambchop ‘Reservations’

Laura Marling ‘Strange Girl’

The Lemon Twigs ‘The One’

LICE ‘Conveyor’ & ‘Arbiter’ 

Lil B ‘I’m Kanye’

Lil Uzi Vert ‘POP’

Little Simz ‘Might Bang, Might Not’

Magdalena Bay ‘Story’

Marie Davidson & L’Œil Nu ‘Renegade Breakdown’

Michael ‘Sole Trader’

Mogwai ‘Dry Fantasy’

Moses Sumney ‘Virile’

Mumble Tide ‘Love Thing’

Nadine Shah ‘Club Cougar’

Noname ‘Song 33’

The Orielles ‘Space Samba (Disco Volador Theme)’

Oro Swimming Hour ‘Cold Tangerina’ / ‘Crocodile’

Park Hye Jin ‘Like This’

Pa Salieu ‘Betty’

Paula, Povoa, Jerge ‘Primavera’

Pet Shimmers ‘Thawed Out Plainclothes Demon’ / ‘Snake Eats A Lady’

Phoebe Bridgers ‘Garden Song’

Pictish Trail ’Bad Algebra’

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs ‘Reducer’ / ‘Rubbernecker’

Planet 1999 ‘Replay’

Planningtorock ‘Jam Fam - Chanel Show Version’

Poppy ‘Fill The Crown’

Pottery ‘Texas Drums Pt. I & II’

Pozi ‘Whitewashing’

Princess Nokia ‘Green Eggs & Ham’

Remi Wolf ‘Woo!’ / ‘Photo I.D’

Rico Nasty ‘IPHONE’

RMR ‘Rascal’

Run The Jewels ‘Yankee And The Brave (ep.4)’

SAULT ‘Stop Dem’ / ‘Wildfires’

Scalping ‘Deadlock’

Sega Bodega ‘Salv Goes To Hollywood’

Sleaford Mods ‘Mork n Mindy’

Soccer Mommy ‘Bloodstream’ / ‘Crawling In My Skin’

Spectres ‘Tanning The Albatross’ / ‘On Nepotism’

Sufjan Stevens ‘Video Game’

SZA (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) ‘Hit Different’

This Is The Kit ‘Coming To Get You Nowhere’ / ‘This Is What You Did’

Thundercat ‘Black Qualls’

Tierra Whack ‘Peppers and Onions’ & ‘Dora’

Tim Heidecker ‘Come Away With Me’

Tkay Maidza ‘Shook’ / ‘Grasshopper’

Urkt ‘Rich Now’ / ‘Sour’

Warm Digits (feat. Rozi Plain) ‘Everyone Nervous’

Wasuremono ‘Big Big Smiles’

The Weeknd ‘Blinding Lights’

Wesley Gonzalez ‘Wind Your Neck In’

Wharfwhit ‘Bangers’

Willie J Healey ‘Fashun’

Working Men’s Club ‘White Rooms And People’ / ‘Valleys’

Yard Act ‘Fixer Upper’ / ‘Peanuts’

Yves Tumor ‘Kerosene!’

---

THE TOP 70 SONGS OF 2020

70. Black Midi ‘Sweater’

69. 645AR ‘Sum Bout U (feat. FKA Twigs)’

68. King Krule ‘Alone, Omen 3’

67. Savage Mansion ‘Weird Country’

66. Pet Shimmers ‘Madonna’s People’

65. Daniel Blumberg ‘Teethgritter’

64. Katy J Pearson ‘Take Back The Radio’

63. A.G. Cook ‘Oh Yeah’

62. Kelly Lee Owens (feat. John Cale) ‘Corner Of My Sky’

61. Moses Sumney ‘Me In 20 Years’

---

60. Alexia Avina ‘Fit Into’

59. Kero Kero Bonito ‘Fortune Teller’

58. The Avalanches feat. Blood Orange ‘We Will Always Love You’

57. Yaeji ‘Waking Up Down’

56. Black Country, New Road ‘Science Fair’

55. These New Puritans ‘The Mirage’

54. Clementine March ‘Le Continent’

53. Shygirl ‘Freak’ / ‘Leng’

52. Ed Dowie ‘Robot Joy Army’

51. Pa Salieu (feat. Mahalia) ‘Energy’

---

50. Office Hours (Tim Heidecker, Fred Armisen & Daniel Cupps) ‘Brick By Brick’

49. Gorillaz (feat. Peter Hook & Georgia) ‘Aries’

48. Amaarae ‘Fancy’

47. Alabaster DePlume ‘Visit Croatia’

46. Pictish Trail ‘Fear Anchor’

45. Yves Tumor ‘Gospel For A New Century’

44. Dean Blunt ‘As Long As Ropes Unravel Fake Rolex Will Travel’

43. Oneohtrix Point Never ‘I Don’t Love Me Anymore’

42. Thundercat ‘Dragonball Durag’

41. Kero Kero Bonito ‘It’s Bugsnax!’

---

40. Perfume Genius ‘On The Floor’

39. Dua Lipa ‘Levitating’

38. Rina Sawayama ‘Comme Des Garcons (Like The Boys)’

37. Pozi ‘The Nightmare’

36. Jockstrap ‘Acid VAPOURWAVE rap RMX’

35. Magdalena Bay ‘Airplane’

34. Arca & Rosalia ‘KLK’

33. Squid ‘Sludge’

32. 100 Gecs feat. Charli XCX, Kero Kero Bonito, Rico Nasty ‘Ringtone (Remix)’

31. Bonnie Prince Billy ‘In Good Faith’

---

30. Good Sad Happy Bad ‘Shades’

29. Charli XCX ‘Claws’ / ‘Forever’

28. Bill Callahan, Bonnie Prince Billy, Dead Rider ‘Our Anniversary’

27. Pictish Trail ‘Lead Balloon’

26. Jockstrap ‘The City’ 

25. Oneohtrix Point Never ‘Auto & Allo’

24. Katy J Pearson ‘Hey You’

23. Self Esteem ‘Favourite Problem (Alternative version)’

22. Tim Heidecker ‘Nothing’

21. SAULT ‘Free’

---

20. Moses Sumney ‘Cut Me’

19. Shygirl ‘Slime’

18. Charli XCX ‘7 Years’

17. Rina Sawayama ‘XS’

16. The Flaming Lips ‘Flowers Of Neptune 6’

15. Wesley Gonzalez ‘Change’

14. Perfume Genius ‘Describe’

13. Dorian Electra (feat. Village People & Pussy Riot) ‘My Agenda’

12. Crack Cloud ‘Ouster Stew’

11. The Flaming Lips ‘Will You Return/When You Come Down’

10. Dorian Electra ‘Gentleman’

9. Tim Heidecker ‘Property’

8. Tara Clerkin Trio ‘In The Room’

7. Planet 1999 ‘Party’

6. Phoebe Bridgers ‘Kyoto’

5. Laura Marling ‘Held Down’

4. Crack Cloud ‘Post Truth’

3. The Flaming Lips ‘At The Movies On Quaaludes’

2. Oneohtrix Point Never ‘Long Road Home’

1. Jockstrap ‘Acid’

[jafreitag]

2020

On January 1, 2020, I went to LNHQ. The holiday party had happened a few days earlier – a sorta-epic “booze cruise” with Lana Del Rey off the Catalina coast. Everybody nursed hangovers on flights back home, and then bugged off to celebrate their new years with their people.

The office was spotless – just a few dust motes floating across the afternoon sunlight in the conference room. I grabbed a piece of chalk and wrote “What if…” on the green board. It was intended as a turn-the-page talking point. OM and I had had a sit-down after we got back from Cali. Good talk, honestly. He’s well-versed in stuff that I do not understand, and he’s driving the proverbial bus as the new LN CEO. Lotta heartfelt questions from him, lotta heartfelt idks from me. “You gotta…” and “Yeah, I suck at that, but what about…” Some bourbon later, we adjourned. “Love you, dude” and “love you back, man.” Let’s meet next week and ok.

So that’s why I was there. What are we doing? What if… What if we actually try hard? What if ECM keeps killing it on Instagram? What if Jane and Trevor come back? What if we move to a new location, and the corporate and content wings find a new synergy? What if all of the sponsorships pan out? And O’s settlement with Adidas? Sky’s the limit, right? Let your imagination wander. I mean, what if Fiona Apple puts out a new album in 2020, and it’s not just great, but better than The Idler Wheel, which was the best album of 2012?

Seriously. What if?

Or what if the entire world breaks?

That wasn’t in my head back then.

It’s December now. And we’re in a global pandemic, which is getting worse (or at least not getting measurably better) every day. This year has been indescribably difficult for all of us, particularly the ones personally affected by Covid-19. And it has been difficult for businesses across every sector, particularly entertainment. Seen a show lately? Nope? Me, neither. At the beginning of the summer, I paid Laura Marling to watch a stream of her performance at Union Chapel in London. Seemed cool then, seems irrelevant now.

We can’t help artists/bands, really, until we can see them again. And who knows when that will be? Next summer? Next fall? Maybe 2022 before we all feel safe in massive crowds again (even with masks)? Maybe never? Until then, we have streaming services. And … woof. That’s an Apple/Spotify cart that I’d prefer not to upend, mainly because it benefits me, but it’s worth some words.

I’m a Spotify person. My home team is comprised of six Spotify people. We pay, collectively, $14.99/month to stream almost any music ever recorded and released. That’s around $2.50 per person per month. Pretty good deal, right? For sure. Here’s the problem: Spotify pays $0.003 per stream. That’s 1/3 of a penny. If you’re a Zeppelin or a Beatle or a Stone, that’s just a nice little dividend. (Keith is like, “Hey, baby, I love Spot-ify. I bought this sweet fedorah with that check.”) If you’re somebody else, somebody less established in the Rock-royalties pantheon, you’re probably not buying a hat. You’re probably hoping that Spotify might, might, pick up your next cup of coffee – or one at the end of the year, I don’t know how that works.

Spotify does this year-end Wrapped thing. You get a weird Snapchat/Instagram video that tells you stuff. Your most listened-to artist/band, your also-rans, etc. You also get some pretty sweet virtual (and unearned) affirmation.

My win was this.

911 seems good. It’s better than 11. The green-dotify didn’t specify whom those new artists were, which sucks, but I have a decent idea. And I’m guessing that many of those artists have Bandcamp pages, and I didn’t visit any of those. Actually, that’s not true. I did visit the Car Seat Headrest page because Will put out three different iterations of the new record on streaming, cd, and vinyl. It was mostly the same – alternate sequences and some alternate versions of certain tracks. The alternate versions weren’t on Bandcamp. You had to buy all three formats to get the whole record. Or you had to be ok with the iteration that you got. Or you could just find the alternate versions on YouTube. Sure, they wouldn’t be on your phone, but you got to hear them.

That’s not me being petty or cheap. I could’ve bought the cd and vinyl iterations. And I could’ve bought alot of music on Bandcamp, but I couldn’t have bought 911-new-artists worth. How many could I have bought? Not sure. How would I have decided? Not sure. I’m glad that I discovered that many sounds, and I’m concerned that most of those sounds were produced by real people struggling to create in this challenging (intentionally undersold the adjective there, but “terrible” and “horrible” seemed trite) environment. I’m more glad than concerned, if you follow the dichotomy. And I’m not happy about it. Having identified the problem, however, I’m flummoxed about a solution.

I listened to alot of music in 2020. #WFH #FTW (And two hashtag sentence fragments make a sentence. I just checked the LN style manual. Jane said ok.)

Alessandro Deljavan is an Italian pianist, who was born a few months before I graduated high school. He recorded Erik Satie’s piano works. My best friend and I listened to that alot this year – she calls it “sleeping music.” Miles Davis, obv. Early-covid, I made a chronologically-tight playlist of his pre-Columbia material. Mid-covid, I started a chronologically-tight and still-unfinished playlist of his fusion material. Jenny Lin? I think that’s a holdover from last year, when sleeping music was her Chopin’s Nocturnes. CSH was my lawnmowing soundtrack. Daniel Baremboim? No idea, maybe I hit his Mendelssohn’s Leider ohne Worte too many times during the days.

Minutes listened and top genre are what I want to talk about, real quick, before I get list-y. 115,891 minutes is 1,931 or so hours, and 80.5 or so days. I listened to two and a half months straight of music this year. That’s not a brag or even a humble brag. It’s a fact. And most of that (trust me here, I ran my ass off to playlists) was Indie Rock – the aforementioned “new artists.” How can I help them, besides streaming their amazing work over and over and over, and championing them here? Shouting indirectly at Spotify on social media seems unlikely to change a flawed system. Anybody with more constructive ideas can share them below the line.

Ok, the list.

I did it. I broke the unspoken rule (nobody gets #1 twice), and I’m ok with it. 2020 was a unique year. Up top, that’s Fiona from a Zoom call over the summer. She didn’t really know about Liner Notes, but she was willing to talk while walking her dogs. I wasn’t sure that Fetch the Bolt Cutters would be the album of the year at that point, but it was a nice chat. Tbh, I struggled to finalize the list because any of the Top 10 could’ve been Top. The margins were very fine. (And fwiw, I may tweak things a bit over the next few weeks.) Links to Spotify. And COME ON, Spotify. Pay artists more, and pay indie artists even more than that.

Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher

Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud

This Is the Kit – Off Off On

HAIM – Women in Music Pt. III

En Attendant Ana – Juillet

Samia – The Baby

Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song

Adrianne Lenker – songs / instrumentals

Porridge Radio – Every Bad

SAULT – Untitled (Black Is) / Untitled (Rise)

Taylor Swift – folklore / evermore

The 1975 – Notes On A Conditional Form

Car Seat Headrest – Making a Door Less Open

Perfume Genius – Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

Lomelda – Hannah

Fleet Foxes – Shore

Soccer Mommy – color theory

Beach Bunny – Honeymoon

Retirement Party – Runaway Dog

Shopping – All or Nothing

Ela Minus – acts of rebellion

The Strokes – The New Abnormal

Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death

Kate NV – Room for the Moon

Dehd – Flower of Devotion

Gum County – Somewhere

Bad Moves – Untenable

Jeff Tweedy – Love Is the King

Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter

Autechre – SIGN

Four Tet – Sixteen Oceans

Sorry – 925

Dream Wife – So When You Gonna…

Fenne Lily – BREACH

Margaret Glaspy – Devotion

Jordana – Something to Say to You

Hinds – The Prettiest Curse

Gorillaz – Song Machine: Season One

Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

Tycho – Simulcast

Ólafur Arnalds – some kind of peace

Ezra Feinberg – Recumbent Speech

Slow Pulp – Moveys

Young Jesus – Welcome to Conceptual Beach

Bartees Strange – Live Forever

U.S. Girls – Heavy Light

Empress Of – I’m You’re Empress Of

Charli XCX – how i’m feeling now

Oliver Coates – skins n slime

LN is on hiatus for a little while.

More soon.

JF

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3rDCuuR via IFTTT

[thatssonanii]

Line In The Sand - Chapter 5 (Pt. 1)

Tama Tonga/OC

The next morning, Sevyn was up bright and early ready for her long trip. Colin had promised to take her to see her father this weekend and hadn’t gone back on his word. He more than likely had business to handle somewhere near Orlando since he was going along with her. Pablo and Tama accompanied them to Colin’s jet, Johnny had gotten the weekend off to spend with his family.

 During their flight, Tama kept his focus on his phone and the conversation he was having with Pablo and Colin. He didn’t spare Sevyn a second look. A part of him was upset with how she stormed away off the night before, he was one to talk through his issues. Just like the first night he had met her, he followed her to the bedroom she occupied last night to finish talking but she had pushed a dresser in front of the door as well as locking it. He could’ve gotten inside if he wanted to but it would make way too much noise and alert everyone.

 Sevyn storming off made it easier for him to keep his urge to fuck her at bay. As long as she ignored him and refused to finish their conversation, Tama wouldn’t lay a finger on her. He could feel Sevyn’s eyes boring a hole in his face but he refused to meet her gaze.

 The most Tama did was escort her from the jet and into the SUV. She offered him a thank you to which he nodded then moved to the front seat with Pablo.

 “We’re going to go see her father then I need to go to Maggie’s house, Pablo. After that, she can go back to the hotel for the night.” Colin relayed staring down at his phone.

 “Who is Maggie, Col?”

 Colin dropped his phone in his lap to focus all of his attention on his wife. His blue eyes were ablaze with irritation. If Sevyn could be as silent as she is when they are in public all the time, Colin wouldn’t complain one bit. She is beautiful in his eyes, the most gorgeous thing he had ever laid eyes on but she talked entirely too much for him.

 “If I wanted to tell you who she was right this second, I would have given you the information,” he deadpanned. “You will meet her later.”

 Sevyn sat behind the driver seat which gave Tama the perfect view of her from his seat on the passenger side. He watched her deflate into her seat as Colin talked down to her. The drive to her father’s house seem to drag on to Tama, he wanted to hurry and get there so he could see what was happening.

  Tama got ready to get out along with Colin and Sevyn only to be stopped by Pablo. He searched Pablo’s face for an answer but he only got a head shake. After closing his door, he slouched in his seat and pulled at his beard wondering why they weren’t going inside.

 “You don’t have to come to the back room. You can just sit in the living room,” Sevyn offered as they approached the modern two-story home.

 “And miss the freak show,” Colin chuckled. “Not a chance in hell. I wanna see my money at work. If it’s not up to par, I might just pull out.”

 “If you pull out then so will I.” Sevyn rolled her eyes ignoring Colin’s glare as she used her key to enter her childhood home.

 There was a nurse coming down the stairs just as the couple stepped inside. It was hard for Sevyn to read her face but that wasn’t unusual. The nurse approached her, pulling her into a tight hug as usual then gave Colin a polite nod.

 “Is he awake?” Sevyn whispered.

 “Wide awake. He must’ve known you were coming.” She laughed before letting Sevyn know that she would be in the kitchen preparing dinner. Colin pushed her towards the stairs, walking up closely behind her.

 She eased her father’s door open, honestly afraid of what she would find on the other side. “Hey Daddy. Look at you sitting up.” Forgetting all about Colin she rushed over to his bedside to hug him as tight as she could without hurting him.

“Hey there, ladybug. I didn’t know you were comin.”

 His voice was stronger than when she saw him a month prior. Though he was still a little on the thinner side than she was used to, he looked to be doing better.

 “I wanted to surprise you, Daddy. How are you feeling? The treatments helping?”

 He kissed the top of her head, urging her to sit beside him. “Your dear old pops is doin’ just fine. This cancer isn’t gonna get me down.”

 “Yeah,” Colin interjected, “Thanks to my money old Owen is doing just fine. Shit, he better be.”

 “Colin, leave. I don’t need you hovering over me,” Sevyn sneered.

 “You’ve got ten minutes and counting. Hurry up with the dead man.”

 Sevyn waited until Colin was gone to turn her attention back to her dad. He looked bothered, a bit angry.

 “Is he treatin’ you alright? I heard one of my nurses sayin’ she saw him pullin’ on you the last time yall came to see me.”

 “It was just a little disagreement, Daddy. We’re doing fine, you just worry about getting better.”

 Sevyn’s father, Owen, had no idea of the deal between his daughter and Colin. All he knew was that Colin had agreed to take care of his medical expenses until he no longer needed the help. Had Owen got wind of what Colin was putting his daughter through he would immediately refuse all the medical attention and get his only child away from Colin.

 “What are the doctors saying, Daddy?” She asked fearful of his response.

 “They say the treatments are workin’ so far. Your dad is doin’ alright.”

 “You’re in remission then?”

 He shook his head, bringing his hand up to her face to rub her cheek. “No, not yet. I’m still in the woods, Princess. But we’re almost out.”

 The bedroom door flew open, knocking harshly into the wall behind it startling Sevyn. Colin stood with a smile on his face. “Let’s go, Sevyn. Maggie is waiting.” She rose from her spot, crossing the room to get to her husband. “It hasn’t been ten minutes yet, Colin. You can go by yourself, I’ll just stay her with my dad.” Colin gripped her arm, pulling her out of the room with him. “We’ll come back before we leave. I want you to meet Maggie, that sack of bones isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.” Sevyn struggled to get out of his hold trying not to upset her dad, when she caught Colin’s stare she stopped then looked back at her dad one more time. “I’ll see you in a little while, Daddy. I love you, okay?”

 “Love you too, Princess. You take care of my baby, Colin. I mean that.”

 Sevyn slammed the SUV’s door, not bothering to wait for Colin or Pablo to get out and do it. She was beyond pissed. It had been a month since she had last seen her father only for Colin to interrupt their moment to go meet with someone, she probably wouldn’t even like.

 “You alright, Mrs. Harris?” Tama asked from the front seat.

 “She’s fine, Tama. Just a little upset. Nothing to worry about.”

 Even with Colin’s assurance, Tama didn’t believe it. She was upset, fresh tears were pooling in her eyes but she didn’t dare allow them to fall.

 “Don’t touch me,” she screeched snatching from Colin’s grasp.

 “Stop fucking yelling. I told you about showing your ass. Keep it up and I won’t let your ungrateful ass go back there.”

 “Fuck you, Colin. I can get out here and walk back, that way we can be rid of each other for the night. Maybe for life.”

 Quicker than Sevyn could rationalize, Colin had snatched her by her braids until she was halfway across the backseat. She whimpered softly trying to get out of his grasp but he was much stronger than her. “You won’t be satisfied until I break your fucking jaw. Watch the way you talk to me,” he yelled ignoring Pablo and Tama’s presence. “You do what the fuck I tell you to, when I tell you to. You are mine. Do you hear me? You’re mine!”

 “You’re hurting me. Let go,” she screamed clawing at his hands.

 “Watch that fucking tone or the next time I jut might take your breath away. Don’t fucking play with me.”

 Tama sat in the front seat clenching his fists until they had started to turn white at the knuckle. This is the first time he had seen someone put hands on a woman in front of him and he was completely conflicted. Pablo offered him a knowing glance before putting his eyes back on the road. Their job was far from easy, it took a lot of restraint to keep it.

 “When we get to Maggie’s you’re gonna act like you have sense. Right?”

 Sevyn ignored him, continuing to stare out of her window trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her head. It was beyond embarrassing for anyone to see her treated the way Colin does. It was one thing to do it in private but in front of others was pure humiliation.

 “Leave me alone, Colin. Please.”

  Upon entering Maggie’s home, Sevyn was already on alert from seeing Colin produce a house key from his pocket. Her home was almost the size of the one her and Colin shared, it was decorated tastefully but Sevyn still had no desire to be there. Colin led through the house until he met the woman Sevyn assumed to be Maggie in the large living area.

 “You made it! I didn’t think you would.”

 Sevyn took in everything about her. Maggie stood much taller than she, much slender and had much bigger breasts. Blonde hair and blue eyes. The kind of woman Colin dated before Sevyn, which always made Sevyn question why he wanted her. When Sevyn saw his lips come into contact with Maggie’s, she couldn’t help the involuntarily groan that left her lips. Colin stepped away turning to face Sevyn, Pablo and Tama with a genuine smile.

 “This is Maggie,” he introduced sweetly. “Maggie, you remember Pablo. That’s Tama, one of my newer guys and that beautiful piece of work is my wife.”

 “Why are you kissing her, Colin?” Sevyn asked feeling her blood boil. Sure, they didn’t love each other but could he not cheat in private like other men.

 “Watch your tone. I kiss her because I can and I want to. Is there a problem?”

 “Colin, seriously. This is extremely disrespectful. You brought me here to meet your side chick,” Sevyn snapped folding her arms across her chest, “Did you even tell her you were married?”

 “Of course I did. She knows that you are mine, my most valuable possession. I wouldn’t call her a side chick though,” he shrugged nonchalantly.  

 Colin and Maggie left the room talking and laughing quietly amongst each other. Sevyn looked to Pablo for answers. “I didn’t know, little bit. The times I’ve seen her it seemed to be business.”  She nodded feeling Tama’s eyes on her. It would be bad to meet his gaze, if she looked at him she would break down and this was not the place to do that.

 “We’re gonna be here all day, little bit. Want me to see if Tama can take you to the hotel or back to your dad’s?” Pablo asked softly. She nodded and he was off, leaving her alone with Tama.

 “You still don’t wanna talk to me, huh?” Tama whispered pulling on his beard.

Bit of a cliffhanger lol but only because there’s a lotto fit in wit Maggie‘s encounter

@lavitabella87