by Mia Monroe
“Yes, we talked about that. Even though I hope you understand now that I would never have judged you differently. I’m a performer, or at least I was.”
“You still are, Legend. I know you are. I know you have it in you still. My ass can attest to that.”
We both laugh.
“Thanks, Bentley. I’m still not sure that I want to be in front of the camera again.”
“I understand.”
“I’ve also never performed with people once I’ve been in a relationship unless I was performing with the person that I was in a relationship with, you know what I mean?”
“Yeah, of course, I know what you mean.”
“I guess what I was trying to say before you went for coffee is that there is a difference between my public and private life, but I’m not sure how I would navigate that now that we’ve decided to take things to the next level.”
“Well, if I may be so bold, I know the difference between performing and relationships. I would never think anything bad about you choosing to work again. You have to know that. I understand the industry. I know it’s a job.”
“You say that, but you don’t really know how you’ll react until you’re in that situation.”
He smirks. “Oh, Legend. You kind man. I’ve been watching you have sex with other men for years. Ever since I was old enough to have my own private computer so I could watch porn without my parents knowing. In my mind, you’ve always been mine. I’m pretty sure I can handle it. It’s normal to me.”
I study his face for a second. “You’re very unique. You know that, Bentley?”
“I don’t think I’m so unique. I think I just understand the work that you do. I mean if you think about it, I’ll be hanging out with other people who are having sex all day long.”
“That's not the same thing as having sex with other people.”
“No, it’s not. But I guess what I’m trying to say is that I know the industry that you’re in. The industry that we’re both in. And I know that when you have sex with somebody on screen, it’s not the same as when you have sex with me. They’re two separate things. One is work, and one, I hope, is pleasure.”
“Definitely pleasure.”
“Good. So no rush, of course, and if you never want to perform again, I understand. But if you do want to perform again, I don’t want you to be held back thinking about my feelings. I’m fine, and, in fact, I think the industry still wants you and would trip all over themselves to find out you are ready to perform again.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“You don’t have to believe me, but maybe someday you will.”
“Maybe someday. Right now I’d rather talk about the business side of it and how you see that going.”
He nods. “Okay. What I want to do is specialize in kink. I want lots of Daddy kink. I want BDSM. I want all of that kind of stuff.”
“That sounds good to me.”
“And, you know, I want to perfect my style of deep POV but still sensual.”
“Do you have a name for your studio yet?”
“I have a million names, but I can’t decide on one.”
“We can talk about that.”
“If you’re going into business with me, I want it to be something that represents both of us then.”
I nod. “How much of a business partner do you want me to be?”
“What does that mean?”
“I can invest in your studio. I can fund it. I have plenty of money just sitting there waiting for me to figure out what to do with it, and I would very much like to use it to help you meet your dreams.”
Bentley pauses as he’s about to sip more coffee and stares at me with his mouth gaping open.
“What? You want to fund it?”
“Well, yeah, of course. I figure that’s my role in this. You’re the creative genius. I’m the banker.”
His smile grows. “And talent.”
“Possible talent. Undecided.”
“Okay, okay that’s fair. You want to fund it?”
“Yes. So if you want to we can go see my lawyer and draw up a contract.”
“A contract for what?”
“A contract that specifies our roles and what percentage of ownership we each have.”
“Well, that’s silly. The ownership would be fifty-fifty, of course.”
“Have you really thought about giving me fifty percent of your business right out of the gate?”
“You’re funding it. Of course you should have fifty percent, or did you want more? What were you thinking? Fifty-one percent? Controlling interest because it’s your money?”
“No, I wasn’t thinking fifty-one percent, Bentley.” I grab his hand. “Listen to me. I want you to think about your own interest in this. This is not a Daddy/boy relationship. This is a business relationship between two men. I don’t want you to resent me or think that you made a mistake later. So please tell me how much ownership you want to split out to me.”
He gazes off for a few minutes, chewing on his bottom lip, which I allow since we’re not in Daddy/boy mode. He catches it though, glancing coyishly at me with a grin.
“I haven’t thought about having a partner like this before, but I was going to offer my parents thirty percent ownership until I paid back the loan. And then it would be one hundred percent mine. Mostly because I knew that they wouldn’t want to be involved in anything like this long-term.”
“Okay.”
“But this is different. You’re in the industry. You have contacts that you could bring to the table. Not to mention just your name alone would be enough to open doors and get people curious about what we’re doing.”
I frown. “We’ll decide later if we’re going to include my name. I don’t want there to be any negative energy around this for you, and I’m not sure what the industry reaction will be to me.”
Bentley shakes his head. “You should just trust me, Legend. The industry is going to be excited. They’re going to be pumped to find out that you’re involved. And like I said, if I can ever convince you that you’re ready to perform again, it’s going to blow up.”
I chuckle, thinking about his words. “I’ll think about that. Anyway, go on.”
“I think because of who you are and what you know as far as industry knowledge and your contacts that fifty-fifty is fair. That means we have to make decisions together and have equal responsibilities.”
“Okay then. We’ll need to draft some papers and get them certified. I don’t want there to be any question should anything happen to us as a couple, or as business partners, or, god forbid, something physically happens to one of us. We’ll get papers drawn up so it’s all legal, and nobody can question either of our intentions.”
“That’s smart. But I want you to know, I one hundred percent trust you. I wouldn’t do any of this with you if I didn’t believe in who you are. I hope that means more to you than a contract signed by a lawyer.”
“Bentley, that means the world to me. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiles. “I want you to believe in yourself the way that I believe in you. I think you’re selling yourself short on what you mean to the industry and how excited people would be to work with you again. But if you don’t believe me, that’s totally okay, I’ll prove it to you in time.”
“You’re very kind to me. I’m still not sure, but you’ve made me want to believe that it’s true.”
“Then just believe that it’s true.” He shrugs. “I believed I was going to meet you someday and that you would fall head-over-heels for me when I did. And look, it’s like almost one hundred percent true.”
I laugh. “What part isn’t true yet?”
“I’m not sure that you’re head-over-heels for me, but I’m working on it.”
I reach for his hand, squeezing it gently as I gaze into his eyes. Am I head-over-heels for him? Hmm, maybe not yet. But I’m damn close.
As the day goes on, the three of us spend time sitting aro
und the living room and talking about plans for Matteo’s studio. He has big ideas to break up the area into five different spaces, all of which would make a great alternative universe for a porn video.
We order pizza, drink beer, and get excited over our future plans. The longer we talk about it, the more excited I become about what Bentley and I may be able to create together. During this time, he’s proven that he has a mind for this business. He’s obviously done his homework and has a good head on his shoulders about it all. He has a list of talent that he’s researched and believes fits his brand, and he’s already put together a business plan detailing where he thinks expenses should go and how much he should spend toward talent.
Matteo puts his beer glass down. “You know, this is kind of a crazy idea, but what would you think about hosting some kind of contest to find talent?”
Bentley perks up. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, you could find some budding amateurs, right? That’s a thing on Twitter and OnlyFans. They’re all performers, right? I know there are at least two or three people I follow who are completely amateur.”
Bentley nods. “Yes, that’s true.”
“You guys could run a contest to have them be a featured performer or like a VIP performer, or something like that, where maybe you don’t have to pay them anything, but what they’re getting for it are exposure and professional filming. What you’re getting is free talent.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” I say. “We could really blow things up on social media while simultaneously getting the word out about our new adventure.”
Bentley nods, tapping his chin with his finger. “I’ve never thought about something like that, but it’s interesting.”
I nod. “I think we could pull it off.”
“I could call Finn. He’s good at social media.”
“Who’s Finn?” Matteo asks.
“Oh, he’s my best friend back home. As soon as, well…” Bentley frowns, “This sounds shitty, but as soon as his father passes away, he’s probably going to move out here with me.”
Matteo nods. “Oh, is his father not well?”
“He has cancer,” Bentley explains. “And the last time I talked to Finn, it wasn’t looking good. He doesn’t have anybody else but me. So once his father’s gone, I definitely need to convince him that moving to Los Angeles is the right step. I could maybe give him a job if we can get the studio off the ground. He really is a natural with social media.”
“That sounds like something we can talk to Finn about when the time is right,” I say, patting Bentley on the back. “And we’ll figure out a way to get him out here unless he’s got other plans.”
“He doesn’t have other plans. He’s put his whole life on hold to take care of his dad.”
My eyes meet Matteo’s face, who suddenly looks super interested.
“Is he your age?” Matteo asks.
“One year younger. He’s twenty-five.”
“Hmm. And is he...is he gay?”
“Yep. He sure is.”
Matteo’s eyes meet mine, and I know the question in them before he asks, so I ask it for him.
“Does he share some of your same preferences in men?”
Bentley laughs. “If you’re asking me if he likes Daddies, the answer is, he doesn’t know, but he’s curious. He’s never had one before, but he likes the idea. At least the way that I’ve described it to him.”
“Well, maybe he should come out to LA,” Matteo says and then laughs. “God, I’m such a creep. I haven’t even met him yet, and I’m already thinking about him. I guess my loneliness is really showing.”
Bentley puts his hand on Matteo’s arm. “You’re lonely?”
“Yeah. Unfortunately, my last relationship ended, and I haven’t exactly been able to get back on my feet as far as the dating pool is concerned.”
“But you’re handsome, and there’s a lot of people in Los Angeles. I’m sure you could find somebody good if you just tried.”
Matteo smiles. “You’re right. I haven’t actually tried. It’s just hard to get back out there after you’ve been away from it for so long.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure it is. I don’t know if Finn would be the right guy for you. He doesn’t know much about Daddy kink, and I expect he’ll be nursing a broken heart for a while. His dad means everything to him.”
“I can definitely understand that.” Matteo was close to his own father before he passed away.
“Are you close with your father?” Bentley asks me.
“Um, we get along. I don’t know if I would say we’re close, but we do all right.”
“You?” Matteo asks Bentley.
“My parents are okay. They’re kind of old-fashioned, and they’d rather have me living there, but I don’t want to live back in Ohio, for sure. Now that I’ve had a taste of the big city life.”
We all laugh.
“You’re definitely too big and vibrant for Ohio.” I lift his hand and kiss it. “Besides, I’m never letting you leave.”
Bentley smiles as his cheeks turn pink. “I hope you really mean that, Legend.”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean, Bentley.”
“I can attest to that,” Matteo says. “One thing you can always count on from Legend is pure honesty.”
“I think I already knew that about him,” Bentley says, his eyes warming me from head to toe.
“Okay.” I clap my hands. “What else do we need to figure out today?”
“I need a name for my production company,” Bentley says. “I just can’t think of anything.”
“We don’t have to come up with anything right away. We can think about it for a while.”
“I suppose that’s true. I’m interested in figuring this out though.”
“We will. No rushing. We’ve got plenty of time.”
Nodding, Bentley smiles. “We do.”
“What do you say we grab some dinner and find a great movie to watch? Matteo is going to leave early in the morning.”
“Can I make dinner?” Bentley asks, bouncing on the couch.
And just like that my sweet boy is back. “Sure, you can make dinner.”
“Awesome.” He glides off the couch and into the kitchen.
“Man, I wish I had his energy,” Matteo says.
I laugh. “Yeah, me too. He makes me feel young and old at the same time.”
“How does he make you feel old?”
“Well, let’s see, we fuck for hours, and then five minutes later, he’s hard again and wants to do more.”
Matteo laughs. “Ah. I can see how that might mess with you a little bit.”
“I mean, I’ve got a lot of stamina for a guy my age, but Bentley definitely puts it to the test.”
“Don’t complain.”
I laugh, nudging my friend’s arm. “I’m definitely not complaining. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time.”
“I can tell. Shows on your face. Man, if I’d known that little twink was fucking with you as much as he was, I would have, I don’t know, maybe I would have intervened or something.”
“That’s the kind of bullshit you have to deal with yourself, isn’t it? You could have tried to tell me, but at the end of the day, that was my fuckup.”
“I suppose. And hey, maybe you wouldn’t have met Bentley if you hadn’t gone through all that.”
“I for sure wouldn’t have. I wouldn’t have been at that convention that day if it hadn’t been for the redirection of my career all of a sudden.”
“Everything happens for a reason, right?”
“That’s what they say. I’ve never believed in that before, but now, meeting Bentley, I’m starting to think it’s true. He’s given me a whole new perspective on things. He’s even got me wondering if I’m ready to get back in front of the camera.”
Matteo’s eyes widen. “No way. What did he do to you?”
I laugh. “He just...he believes in me. Like I’m a superhero or some shit, and that the
whole world is just patiently waiting for me to step back into the spotlight. It kind of feels true whenever he says it.”
“Maybe it is true. He was a fan before he was anything, right?”
“Yeah, exactly. He was a fan.”
“He’s the one who’s been reading social media and paying attention to the industry. He might be right.”
“I’ve considered that. I miss it. I’m not gonna lie. Sometimes, I dream about performing again. Part of me wants to prove that I still have what it takes.”
“Of course you still have what it takes. It hasn’t even been a year yet. Quit acting like it’s been twenty years and you’re eighty fucking years old.”
I laugh. “Okay, that’s fair.”
“For fuck’s sake, Legend, you were a rock star in your industry.”
I frown. “And then I wasn’t.”
“People’s memories are short-lived. You know that. Look how much shit celebrities in Hollywood get away with and then ten minutes later they’re winning an Oscar for something.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“I think you just took it harder because you had feelings for Arian. Bentley came into your life to show you that you’re just sitting around being a baby for no reason.”
“A baby?”
Matteo laughs. “Yeah, a baby. If the binky fits.”
“I resent that.” I grin to show I’m joking.
Matteo puts his arm around me, holding me close. “You know that everything I say to you is out of pure love.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Hey, I didn’t have what it takes to make you believe in yourself, but if Bentley does, I’m all fucking for it, man. You’re too young to give up everything that you love just because of some devious twink.”
“I love how you call him a devious twink.”
“That’s what he is.” We both laugh. “I guess then what you’re saying is that you’re open-minded?”
“Yeah. Meeting Bentley has opened my eyes to a lot of things. We talked this morning, and I told him that I was willing to try to have a relationship with him and go into this business fifty-fifty. A month ago, before I met him, I couldn’t have imagined even thinking about things like this so soon. I’m not ready to jump in front of the camera just yet, but I am ready to start thinking about it at least.”