by S. E. Law
“So you made copies?” I should have known he’d do something as underhanded as that. I wasn’t thinking one step ahead, and it’s come to bite me in the ass. If he’s willing to copy the tape, there’s no way for me to know if it’ll ever just disappear.
“No, I didn’t make copies.”
Now I’m confused. What exactly is Brick trying to tell me? I cannot connect this conversation into a coherent narrative in my head. I need him to just be straightforward with me.
“If you didn’t make copies, then how do you have more tapes?”
“Well, there are security cameras all over the building. In fact, that particular sound stage has multiple cameras trained on it, you know, because of all of the expensive equipment in there. I’ve got to protect my business. I’m sure you understand.”
Shit! How come I never thought of that? How could I have missed such a large and obvious fact? Of course there would be cameras. Brick nods as he watches the realization come across my face.
“To be perfectly honest, there are at least three tapes with your masturbation scene on them. I didn’t do a thorough check, but let’s say I got them all.” I gasp. Three! He has three tapes of me? Oh no, no, no…
Brick is grinning again. I’ve lost all of the leverage I had. With three tapes, he has way too much on me. If it was only the one, then maybe I could try to steal it back, but three? I don’t think I have the know-how to dig myself out of this hole.
“So, are you more open to making a deal now?”
“What do you want?” I ask him flatly. I’m a little wary because he could ask me for absolutely anything. And who am I to say no at this point? What if he shows someone else the tape? I would be horrified. It’s already a total clusterfuck that he’s seen it. If this whole mess were to spread, there is no way I’d be able to bounce back from that.
“Nothing too crazy. I just thought you could make three more tapes for me. After that, I’ll leave you alone and hand over all of the security footage.”
He wants me to make MORE tapes? That doesn’t make any sense. How would that be helpful? The whole reason we are in this mess now is because I want there to be zero tapes of me masturbating in existence. That is the ideal situation for me.
If I make three tapes for him, and he gives me the three back, then I’m right back where I started with three videos of me masturbating existing on this Earth. Why in the world would I agree to something that benefits me in no way?
“I can see the gears in your head turning. Just so you know, the difference between these tapes and the security ones is that you wouldn’t be committing a crime, so I couldn’t report you to the police.”
I guess that would give me SOME peace of mind, but I’d still be anxious knowing that there were three pornographic tapes of me in Brick’s possession.
“I don’t think I can do that for you,” I decide, shaking my head. “It would be insane for me to make MORE tapes. That would go against the entire… It doesn’t make sense.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Brick shrugs. “I’ll have to release this tape then. Shouldn’t people know the activities you’re up to when you think no one is watching? I’ll also have to tell your parents because that would be the responsible thing for me to do. I mean, what kind of adult would I be if I just kept this all to myself?”
He wouldn’t! Would he? This no good, rotten piece of–
“Oh, that’s right. I’d also have to fire your dad because I’m not sure I can have family members of people who would break into company property working for me. We have values at Brick Productions, and I can’t throw them out the window just because…”
I gasp. No! He really is a heartless bastard. All those times my dad talked about Brick being a real killer when it comes to business, I knew he was telling the truth. But I’d thought maybe he had exaggerated a little bit. Now I see that Brick is ruthless, even if he is super handsome.
A super handsome jerk, that is.
“You can’t do that,” I argue. “My dad is so close to retirement. You know firing him would fuck up his retirement income.” It’s literally only a couple of years before he can collect on the retirement fund that was set up when he started working for Brick. If he gets fired before then, the income coming out of that fund will be severely decreased, and my parents won’t be able to keep up their finances.
Brick merely shrugs again.
“This industry moves fast, and George hasn’t been able to keep up with all of the changes. I’m sure you know about new technologies and techniques, how they’re always popping up.”
My dad is always talking about how Brick is constantly bringing in some new technology that he wants them all to try out. He does have trouble with them, but there’s just so much to learn in such a short amount of time.
“George just isn’t very good anymore,” he continues. “I was going to fire him anyway, so it’s not like you’d be changing my plans. Unless…” he lets that word hang in the silence between us. Brick is pushing me to the edge of my reason. His words and his very presence are causing my heart to pound. He’s so close to me I can smell him. With the scent of flowers mixing with his earthly, manly smell,
I am about to lose my entire mind.
Oh, my brain is all over the place. I shouldn’t be thinking about how intoxicating Brick is if he’s really about to fire my dad. My family wouldn’t survive something like that. We would be doomed financially. The second mortgage on the house isn’t paid off, and my parents only took it out because I needed help with school. Plus, my mom is a stay-at-home wife, so there’s no income there. I don’t make very much at the floral shop, and almost all of the money I do make goes to student loans. I practically have zero savings. We might survive a month or two without my dad’s income, but then we’d be out on our asses.
“I don’t know,” I say, slowly changing the tide of my answer.
“I’m sure you’ll do well. We already know the camera loves you, and you love it.” I wonder what he wants with these tapes, but I’m in no position to ask right now. Who even knows if he’d tell me the truth? I doubt he would publish them anywhere; he doesn’t seem like the type. But I also don’t know him very well. At this point, it’s probably better to say yes to what he wants, but maybe I can still negotiate a little bit myself.
“It’s not that. I’m just…I’m not sure,” I repeat.
“What are you worried about?” he cocks an eyebrow, inviting me to spill my guts. I don’t want to. Brick doesn’t deserve to know how I’m feeling. It’s become obvious to me that I don’t know this man at all. I’ll agree to his terms to avoid any more displays of vulnerability, but I’m not going to let him know how under my skin he’s gotten.
“Okay, I’ll do what you ask,” I tell him.
At my words, his smile grows even more. It actually makes me feel good, being the reason he’s happy. Even if it is because he’s manipulated me into a corner. There’s no reason for him to know all of this, though.
“That’s good to hear.”
“However,” I continue, “I’ll only make one more dirty video, and then I am done. You have to let my dad keep his job, no one better know about what has happened, and you will give me all three tapes back. That’s the only way I’ll participate.” Brick’s face doesn’t waver as I lay out my terms.
“I feel like I am getting the short end of this deal,” he comments.
“If you want this video that badly, I’d say you’re getting the lion’s share,” I push back. He considers my position for a moment, his face thoughtful.
“You make an excellent point,” he responds deliberately. “Maybe I revealed my cards a little too easily,” he says, more to himself than to me. “Okay, then,” his eyes are back on mine. “I think I can be satisfied with the terms you have laid out.”
“So, we have a deal?”
“We have a deal.” Brick extends his hand. I look at it for a couple of seconds before bringing my hand up. His long fingers wrap around my hand. Th
e warmth emanating from his palm seeps into me. I do my best to contain my shivers, but I’m not totally sure he doesn’t feel them. I withdraw my hand quickly, nodding.
“So…how do we…” I start, my voice dropping.
“Give me your phone number,” Brick requests, taking his cell out of his pocket. I stare at him for a few seconds before blinking away the shocked feelings.
“Um, okay.” I rattle off my number, watching Brick type it in.
“I’ll text you with a time. We’ll be recording it at the same place. I’ll let you know everything you’ll need to bring, though it really shouldn’t be more than yourself.” His eyes wander down my body, and I can see he’s thinking about me in the nude. It’s become clear that this guy is attracted to me. He wouldn’t be going to all of this trouble if he wasn’t.
“Okay, I’ll be waiting eagerly by the phone,” I mutter sarcastically. Brick chuckles and gives me a quick hand wave.
“I’ll see you later, Tammy. Enjoy the barbecue.” And with that, he leaves the greenhouse.
This time, I am truly alone in here. When I hear the door close, I let out a long breath. I was holding so much tension in my body. I hadn’t even realized how much. Jesus Christ, I’m about to pass out.
“Oh, dear God. Is this really happening?” I look at the bonsai trees. I know they won’t have any comforting words for me, but their interesting shapes do help me feel a little more centered.
If Brick keeps his end of the deal, then this whole situation might not be a total mess. I feel good knowing that I’m saving my father’s job at least. I had no idea he was at risk for being fired. I knew he’d been having trouble keeping up with some of the newer and younger employees, but it seemed like he was doing well enough to keep everyone happy. At least this way, our whole life isn’t going explode into a million tiny pieces.
Unless Brick was lying just to push me into a tough spot, but there’s no way for me to know that for sure. I’d rather not take that chance, though.
And it might not be a totally horrible experience. Brick is a really attractive guy, and it feels nice knowing that someone like him is interested in me. I’m not used to getting a lot of attention from men. They usually ignore me in favor of prettier and skinnier girls, but I’ve gotten used to this.
It’s nice to be the one someone’s pursuing with vigor for once.
Plus, it’s just one tape. Getting three back and only giving him one might be a decent exchange. At least this way, I’m not netting zero. And he can’t go to the police once I get the surveillance tapes back. I technically win more in this scenario.
I leave the greenhouse. It’s time for me to head back outside. I might just go home. I know my parents won’t be ready to go home yet. They love staying at these things for hours, hanging out and talking to their friends. When I was younger, the main activity that kept me sane at these events was following Brick around, catching glances of his gorgeous face.
I take out my phone and send my parents a quick text, letting them know I’m catching a taxi back. What I need is a long bath and then an even longer nap. It’s been a stressful day, and I’ve got to de-stress. Especially with this new tape I have to make for Brick.
“Jesus Christ, what have I gotten myself into?”
I won’t know the answer to that question until I am back in the studio with Brick rolling the camera. It was one thing to film myself, but it’s a whole new ball game to have another person in the room with me.
While I wait for my taxi to arrive, I think about what might happen in the coming week. I’m sure Brick is going to want to get this tape done as soon as possible. Thinking about it has me all excited just standing here in the parking lot.
But this is neither the time nor the place to be hot and bothered. I’m going to go home, take the bath I’ve been thinking of, and have the nap I desperately need. After all of that, then, and only then, I can sit down and really think about the situation I’ve gotten myself into.
And what a situation it is.
8
Brick
One Week Later
I managed to convince Tammy to make another tape for me. I wasn’t sure if she would go for it, which is why I made sure to come with a few convincing points of my own. Although there was initial hesitancy on her part, she eventually agreed to do what I wanted.
She was able to negotiate me down, though. She’s a lot more business savvy than I initially thought. She’s proving to be more of a challenge than I had anticipated, but I like that. She’s got spirit.
I didn’t want to come off as too eager after our meeting in the greenhouse. She seems to have already picked up on some of my enthusiasm, which she then used against me. After getting her number, I only texted her the necessary details for our session. I made sure our correspondence was professional sounding the entire time. It’s a bit odd given what we were texting about, but I wanted to set a certain tone.
I set the date for our session for a week later, which meant thinking about it over the next few days. I’m usually better at pushing things to the back of my mind, but the thought that I would get to see Tammy all sprawled out naked has been rolling around in my mind nonstop.
The day has finally come for me to film her. I’m supposed to meet her around midnight tonight. I’ve been sitting through boring meetings all day, and it is almost time for me to leave for the day. There are a few things I want to grab from home that I believe might make Tammy’s film shoot more fun and comfortable for the both of us.
“If only the day went by faster,” I mumble to myself.
“And why is that?” I look up to see Robert once again standing in my doorway. Should I be surprised? He’s always popping up like that, ready to ask whatever question has come to the forefront of his mind.
“It’s just been a long day full of equally as long meetings, and I am ready to go home,” I tell him.
“Well, I hope whatever, or whoever, you have waiting for you at home will alleviate some of the pressures of today. I’ll see you next week, okay?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer before leaving. Robert hasn’t asked any direct questions about what has been distracting me all week, but he’s made some off-hand comments that let me know he’s noticed. Like just now with the whole ‘whatever or whoever’. In due time, I might let him know more. Right now, I just hope Tammy will be able to make me feel better.
I pack up and head home. There are a few things I have to prepare for tonight, and I want to have everything ready for Tammy when she gets here. I’ve waited long enough.
It’s time for the two of us to get down to business.
I’m setting up the cameras and lights when I get a call on my cell. Checking the caller ID, I see that it’s Tammy.
“Hello,” I answer.
“Um, I’m downstairs by the side door.”
“Okay, I’ll buzz you in.” I unlock the side door using the control panel on the wall. When Tammy walks in, I’m placing a tape roll in the camera.
“Brick?” She knocks lightly on the open door. I turn to look at her. There’s a soft light from the hallway illuminating the back of her head while the brighter, harsher lights from the sound stage give me a perfect view of her face.
She’s wearing a simple white dress. The collar goes all the way up to her neck, and the sleeves go down to her elbows. It’s on the more modest side, but her body isn’t one that wants to be hidden. I can tell Tammy is a girl who wants to fade into the background at times, but she stands out too much to go unnoticed.
“I brought a robe for you. You can get undressed and put it on while I finish setting up everything.”
She nods, walking onto the sound stage. She finds the robe I brought and fingers it, rubbing the satin between her thumb and middle finger before picking it up. Then, after looking around the room, she scampers off to a corner to get changed. She hides herself behind some curtains so that I can’t see her, but I don’t mind because I’ll be getting an eyeful later.
She walks o
ut from behind the curtain, the robe tied tightly around her body. She looks nervous, her hands gripped around the clothing she brought with her.
“Could you stand in front of the camera?” I ask.
She looks up at me, her eyes wide, before placing her clothes down on a chair and walking under the lights.
“Is here good?” She’s standing in front of one of the prop beds that we have on location.
“That’s perfect,” I tell her. Now that she’s here, I can adjust the cameras to the perfect angle. I also make sure the lightning illuminates her body so that her skin is basically glowing. I haven’t been this hands-on on set in a while. There are a few parts of production I still dabble in even though I’m the CEO, but camera work and lighting are a bit too involved for me to casually pick them up every now and then.
It is nice getting back to my roots, though. It’s like my early days all over again. Minus the content I’m filming.
Tammy’s eyes keep darting between the room and me. Through the monitor, I can see her looking my body up and down. There’s an excitement, a fire behind her eyes.
Her nerves seem to be subsiding, giving way to something deeper, something more primal.
“Are you ready?” I ask from behind the camera. Tammy jumps a little, her eyes wide as she looks at me. I’ve moved my head to the side so that I can see her. Her hands are gripped tight onto the edges of the robe.
“I guess,” she answers, giving me a half-hearted smile.
“Okay, I’m going to start the cameras, and you can disrobe, get on the bed, and get started at whatever pace works for you. Sound good?” Tammy nods, so I press record. The camera starts rolling, and I give Tammy a thumbs-up.
She takes a deep breath, her eyes closing for a count of three. When they open, she is looking directly into the camera, her teeth clamping down on her bottom lip.
Her hands move from the edges of the robe, migrating up to her shoulder, where she pushes the fabric off, revealing some skin. She continues pulling the robe down, her breathing picking up as more and more of her body is revealed.