Royce

by D. Hamilton-Reed

  And Michael would do that, he’d come at you big and ready and spread your legs wide and take you hard, every stroke hitting its mark. She loved his long body and hard strong strokes. She loved how he taunted and teased with his rough raw language and she’d find herself screaming loudly as he rode her, “YES! YES! YES!” And when he was done he left you spent and sprawled on the bed and as you watched his back walking through the door you knew you had been thoroughly and exquisitely fucked.

  So trying to get Michael to notice and pick her she hadn’t been watching Royce as closely as she use too and she should have been. She would have seen he was only going to Joy and would have told him long ago before he got too caught up in helping her to go to someone else, and now look where they were. She was totally and royally fucked alright, her marriage was in shambles, her reputation was ruined and her husband was in love with another woman. She lay with her back to Royce and cried and cried and cried hard.

  Monday came around and Royce was trying to get back to some normalcy. Bobby had called a few times and he’d refused his calls, but now he couldn’t avoid him. Bobby was in his office when he walked in, no sooner had he walked to his desk and put his briefcase down Bobby was in his office closing the door behind him.

  “Royce please, I didn’t know, I didn’t know…” and before he said another word Royce turned on him and grabbed him by the collar almost lifting him off his feet his eyes wild and angry as a charging bull.

  “What gives you the right to tell me who I can and cannot be with? It wasn’t up to you or anybody else, it was up to us!” He said angrily. Bobby didn’t try to resist his charge, Royce’s fist at his chest, his eyes angry and anguished.

  “You’re right, you’re right, I shouldn’t have interfered,” Royce let him go, “I’m sorry man; I didn’t know it was more than what it was.”

  “What do you mean?” Royce had stepped away from him, his eyes still angry,

  “I thought you were being a selfish prick and keeping her to yourself. I didn’t know it was more…” and Royce looked at him and Bobby didn’t know how to say it other than straight out, “I didn’t know you loved her okay,” he said delicately. They all missed that, that he loved her.

  Royce looked at him trying to keep control, but finally he ran his hands through his hair and looked away, “I can’t stop thinking about her man. It’s over and I know she’ll never speak to me again,” then he looked back at Bobby, “How could you do this to me Bobby? How could you hurt me like this?”

  Bobby stood there too not knowing what to do, his eyes tearing up, “I love you man, you’re my best friend. No you’re more than a friend, you’re a brother and I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was… you know the fellas were talking and didn’t like what was going on…I thought I was helping you, I thought I was protecting you,” he said, his pain clear.

  “Aww man! I know, I know you wouldn’t intentionally do this to me, but aww man…you and that fucking Collin. I know it was him too, you guys have done a number on me, on Joy, my life man. I’m totally screwed right now man, totally screwed!”

  “I know, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry and whatever I can do to make this right I’ll do anything man to fix this,” Bobby said and he would. He’d do anything for Royce. Every since Royce rescued him from that hallway at Tech he’d been his best friend; he loved him and he’d never meant to hurt him.

  And for the next couple of weeks Royce would look for Joy, but she wouldn’t come out. She didn’t come to the country club anymore, she didn’t play tennis that next Saturday, but Doug was there and pulled him to the bar, “Royce I need to talk to you,” he’d said and Royce knew he was trapped, as soon as they sat down and ordered drinks Doug started in on him.

  “What happened the other night, what was that all about?” Royce could see his anger, “You know I feel you set me up.”

  “No, no it was nothing like that…”

  “Well what was it then?” Doug asked, “From what I hear it was about you and the Abrams woman that you weren’t choosing others to go to,” he looked at Royce, questioning, “Oh, I’ve done my homework on this, but what I can’t figure is why, why you and she decided to do this?” Doug said, “For that I need answers from you because right now I feel you did a number on me.”

  Royce looked at him. Could he tell him the truth? That he wanted to be with Joy and he’d used his club to do it. That was the plain and simple truth.

  “What do you want me to say, she and I thought it was a good idea. She wasn’t comfortable going to other men so we agreed to go to each other. I didn’t see anything wrong with it and neither did she,” and Doug looked at him. Royce could see the hurt and anger too.

  “Well after the consequences I’m sure you can see now why it wasn’t such a good idea,” Doug said, “You ruined us, the party that night was almost nonexistent and those who stayed were cautious and now everybody’s worried their husbands might fall in love with someone else’s wife,” he said a little angry, “Did you forget she and you are married to other people?”

  “I’m sorry; of course we didn’t know it would turn out like this, of course I wouldn’t want to hurt The Club.”

  “Well you did and you know you are no longer welcome and neither is that Abrams woman,” Doug’s wrath was clear and he’d never thought he’d have to kick Royce out The Club.

  “Oh I know believe me I had no intention of darkening your door again.”

  Doug narrowed his eyes at him, “Do you know how long it’s going to take to rebuild, to carefully pick couples again?” Royce looked at him, “Years, you’ve destroyed years just like that,” Doug said snapping his fingers.

  “I’m sorry but I’m sure you’ll find the right people,” Royce said and he was tired of this conversation and he didn’t feel he deserved all the blame. It was a sex club, they paid dues and Doug and Patty were filthy rich. This didn’t hurt his pocketbook, maybe his pride and his reputation for a while, but that would smooth over, so why the drama? He was sick of drama; it wasn’t going to bring Joy back.

  “Okay, well then, if you’ll excuse me,” Royce said. “Of course,” Doug said, but Royce could see he felt slighted and he didn’t care, letting Doug have his pound of flesh from him wasn’t going to happen.

  And the next week Joy’s house went on the market, other than taking and picking her children up from school no one had seen her and a couple of weeks later the house was empty, Joy was gone.

  Royce felt hollow, he felt empty and numb and even as he felt this emptiness his heart ached, it felt like a hard aching lump in his chest that enveloped him. Joy was gone and he hadn’t seen her since the night Michael took her out of The Club, and he hadn’t spoken to her either and it seemed he was the only one who wasn’t happy she’d left.

  Tammy was extremely happy, “I’m glad she did the right thing and high tailed it out of here or I might have kicked her bony little behind,” he heard her saying on the phone to Amanda and he winced, and as soon as she got off the phone he reminded her, “I was involved too, it wasn’t just her fault, it was just as much mine as hers so don’t blame her for everything,” and he saw Tammy blanch and almost turn green, and he didn’t care.

  And his friends who now were actively pursuing him and apologizing, at least the guys were, all their wives were mad as hell at him and he felt their wrath but the guys were trying to get back in his good graces.

  “Sorry Royce, it’s for the best she’s gone,” Collin said when he finally agreed to meet them for golf. It had taken a few weeks, but he was trying to start living again.

  He looked at Collin, “It’s best for whom? All of you I assume is whom you’re referring to,” he said never taking his cold blue eyes off Collin and Collin looked away at his cold gaze.

  “Well what he means is it helps she’s gone after what she did to…” Chris tried to fix it but fell short.

  Royce turned his icy gaze on him, “She did what? Last I remember it was all of you pulling us apart t
hat caused the problem so don’t put all this on her,” Royce hated that everyone thought it was Joy who caused this, like he had no will, like she led him around by the nose. A picture flashed before his eyes of him being led around by Joy with two fingers up his nostrils and he winced. He was not that kind of man and he was not going to let them make Joy take the fall for this, especially since he knew what he’d done.

  It was him who made the calls to Doug to keep after them, he was the one who set it up for her to see only him, he suggested it and made sure she accepted it. Joy thought she had to go to other men and he’d told her she didn’t have too, he was the one telling her he loved her and she tried to discourage him every time he tried to go there. He was the one who suggested they unmask in their bedroom play, he was the one who fell in love and fell to his knees and begged her not to go with Collin that caused all this, he was the one!

  If all this had gone the way he planned he was going to suggest they meet outside The Club. Once a month wasn’t enough, but his friends got in the way trying to help save him from Joy. Royce laughed at that. She was the one needed saving. He was going to have her and he was willing to risk it all and he thought convincing Joy was his only obstacle. He knew she’d never leave Michael, but if he could convince her to meet him away from The Club that was his first step in getting her to do more and more, and now she was gone.

  It had been weeks now and Tammy was glad Joy was gone. She didn’t want to face her nor did she want to look at her. Royce had embarrassed the hell out of her the way he fell on his knees and begged and cried to her, crying out his love for another woman. She couldn’t believe it! It looked like something straight from a movie, she couldn’t have written it better herself, and he wasn’t the same either. He was sad, he functioned but you could see the sadness in him, and he didn’t reach for her in the night like he use too. Now she had to reach for him, “Come on Royce, I need you tonight,” she begged the other night. He reluctantly came to her and did it but she could tell his heart wasn’t in it. So now she watched him and was pissed as hell at Joy for ruining what she had and her friends were pissed at Joy as well and they let Royce know every chance they got too.

  “Get up everybody!” Tammy yelled, more weeks had passed and Royce was still in his funk, and she was embarrassed beyond words that it was because of another woman.

  “Come on Karen honey, get up. We got to get ready for your game honey,” she said shaking Karen. It was Saturday morning and Karen had an early morning soccer game. That was the only thing about soccer; some of the games were in the early morning when all you wanted to do was sleep. They’d quit The Club and if they’d stayed last night would have been a club night, but she and Royce went to bed at a decent hour instead of playing at sex games, and now every time the last Friday of the month rolls around she’s reminded not only of what they used to do, but also why they stopped and usually she acts like a little bitch, because thinking of The Club pisses her off! Especially since only one couple supported them in their exile, Bobby and Sarah, the others gradually one by one went back and that pissed her off even more. They didn’t mention it to her, but she knew. When she tried to schedule a party for the same night and no one was available and people talk, the whispers had gotten back to her, so she knew, and that pissed her off because she and Royce were suffering the consequences of what Joy caused.

  Why didn’t someone tell her the rules? Tell her this was not a love club, it was a sex club, you don’t fall in love with your partner, you fuck em and move on, Michael knew that! What was she thinking only going to one man? That’s a recipe for disaster; she could have told her that! And she hated that it was her husband she went after too. She remembered she was so proud of Royce for getting her first, and when she was with whoever she’d chosen that night she was coming so hard thinking that Joy, a black woman was seeing that her Royce a white man was hung and knew what he was doing in the sack. She’d heard about black men but she knew Royce could hold his own, so she preened that night when she knew he was with Joy.

  And Michael, she’d been with him many times and even though he was a gorgeous man and hung she didn’t fall in love with him and after more time passed she was even more pissed at Joy! She thought about Michael often and wondered what was wrong with Joy? Why would she go after Royce when she had Michael? She could see Michael just like it was yesterday. When he undressed and you saw his long sculpted body and him big, thick and sticking straight out, and he’d stroke himself with that sexy I’m going to fuck look in his eye and your legs seemed to fly open. And because of his looks and sexual confidence all the women wanted Michael including her and because he and Royce were such different lovers she gravitated towards him. He was in such high demand sometimes he’d take two at a time. She’d shared him with Amanda a couple of times and with his dildo strapped on somehow he satisfied them both. He wasn’t soft and cuddly he was loud and called you “Little Mama.” The man had prowess and he was so primal and sexual in bed, and he was proud of his size, and he did what he promised he fucked the hell out of you, but when the session was over and even if you wanted more he was dressing and out the door leaving you panting and watching and waiting for next time.

  But nobody fell in love with him! Even though how he splayed you and wiped you out could easily make you want to fall in love but she didn’t and nobody else did either! That’s why she was so pissed at Joy she had a good thing. Joy had it all just like her, she didn’t need Royce, so why couldn’t she let him go? That she would somehow convince him to only be with her. She knew it was Joy who caused all this. They’d been members of The Club for a long time and Royce had never only gone to one woman, so it had to be her. Royce was only accommodating her insecurities that’s all, but he got lost, got caught up in the experience and now he was still caught up. He walked around like he had the world on his shoulders.

  Everybody was up now and she hurriedly dressed and jumped in the car, “You got your cleats, your water and everything right?” “Yes mom,” Karen said with a bit of attitude as Royce guided the car out the garage and down the driveway. Tammy looked over at him, he was so handsome, even in his sadness he was gorgeous to her and she loved him still. He drove to the soccer fields and parked, it was already crowded. They walked over to field three, Bobby and Sarah were there, “Hey good morning,” Bobby said hugging Royce, “We just finished up, Megan’s team just played,” he said. “Great, how’d they do?” Royce smiled but his eyes were still sad, “Aww you know, they did their best,” Bobby laughed. Royce knew Bobby thought Megan was on the worst soccer team in the league, but she was young too, only six and just learning the game. “It’s a great morning for soccer, we’ll hang around and watch Karen,” Bobby said.

  It was a cool crisp morning, the kind Royce loved, some of those afternoon games could get quite hot and miserable; he placed their lawn chairs next to Bobby and Sarah’s. Then the others came, Collin and Amanda, Chris and Laura, Eric and Becky, the men smiled and hugged Royce and Tammy as they placed their lawn chairs and umbrellas, but the women gave Royce an icy stare and a curt, “Royce,” and Tammy knew the comments would come. Her friends were on her side and they let Royce know he was in the wrong every chance they got. She smiled to herself, glad to know it wasn’t just her who felt she’d been done wrong.

  “How long has Karen been on this team?” Bobby asked Royce.

  “Oh let’s see a couple of years at least,” and before Tammy knew it Amanda said,

  “It’s called loyalty Royce, sticking to one team and not switching to another, in case you didn’t know,” and she gave him a look, and Royce usually either ignored them or he gave back and today he discreetly gave her the finger, and Bobby now felt he should defend Royce jumped in.

  “Can we have a peaceful game, it’s over. We all came to watch the kids play,” he said.

  “Oh yeah, we should keep that in mind there are kids involved. Always remember that before doing anything stupid that will hurt them,” Amanda came back with and
it was Collin who tried to squash it.

  “Okay honey you made your point,” the men mostly threw their hands in the air trying to walk that fine line between being a friend to Royce and not crossing their wives, but Royce wouldn’t let it go. He looked over at Amanda with his icy blue stare and said.

  “The last I looked I didn’t put a ring on your finger. This is my wife,” he said pointing at Tammy,” And this is between Tammy and me; we can work this out without any comments from you,” he said angrily and although Tammy loved that her friends were giving him a hard time but she loved when Royce said, this is my wife, she was the one he was with, she was the one who’s finger he put a ring on, she had to remember that herself.

  Michael was heading home. They’d moved to La Casa Madrid another exclusive neighborhood and he liked the new house. It was a sprawling two-story five bedroom Spanish style house with high ceilings and plenty of old Spanish charm. Joy wasted no time decorating and painting it in the style she liked and he was happy to give her something to occupy her mind after the fiasco of The Enclave. He still couldn’t believe how that turned out and he tried his hardest not to blame Joy, but he did. Joy he thought, Why couldn’t you just play the game? Why couldn’t you just fuck the man and move on? But he knew why, that wasn’t Joy and now look what he has to deal with, to keep Joy he’d had to accept the consequences of what happened and the turn of events still had him reeling.

  He hadn’t expected any of this to happen, and just like he’d predicted all the business he’d gotten from joining The Club dried up, apparently no one thought they could trust him or her with their husbands he supposed and they quickly withdrew his services, but now that didn’t bother him it had been a good year and his family was intact that’s all that mattered and he’d gotten Joy out of there. All he knew is he had to get her out of there and he shouldn’t have let the white man have her.