Page 38 of In the Safety's Zone
“Yeah well you didn’t need to be doing any of that. But what was crazy was when the truth came out folks tried to act like they hadn’t been spitting vitriol the whole time. It was painful to have to go through that especially with everything else we had going on; it was almost too much. But that taught us to ignore everything around us and focus on one another. That’s what y’all are going to have to do. The beautiful part is that y’all are already communicating about the things that could be thrown at y’all. Having a solid foundation is probably the best defense that youcan have so focus on that. When the world finds out the two of you will be so locked in no one will be able to say shit to you about your man without your being able to tell them just how wrong they are.”
“I hear you. I’m supposed to see him soon and I can’t lie; I’m looking forward to it.”
“Please protect yourself. Anthony has the same charisma as his brother and I already told you Rye be fucking if Antwan breathes too deep. We're not trying to have you make history with a stowaway in your stomach.”
“I’m already on it. Not gone lie though, you might need to be prepared to troubleshoot any random public hookups because I make no promises. I haven’t even slept with the man and I’m coming to you for advice so that says a lot.”
Billy sat down her fork and rubbed both of her temples like my warning had caused her pain.
“Lord, let me call Bobby to work on the pressers now.”
ANTHONY
“FIRST THING YOU need to know is that we aren’t charging you a higher percentage this year.”
Her words had me dumbstruck and then immediately followed with me feeling insulted.
“Nah, I don’t work like that. I can appreciate you doing me this favor because of my brother but—”
“I’m sorry, what?”
She looked so offended I almost didn’t repeat myself. Billy had her hand behind her ear like she hadn’t heard me clearly. When she told me to swing by her office I wasn’t sure what we needed to talk about. My contract was fairly straightforward because I was a practice squad player. We’d already gone over the percentage escalation that was built into my original contract with her company,B & BSports Management.
“Doing me these favors because of Antwan. What I say?” I wasn’t being smart but she and I had already been over how I didn’t rock with this favoritism shit.
Her brow rose, and a sly smile came across her face. “I’m trying to understand what you said too, ‘cause I could’ve sworn you said I was doing something for your brother. I don’t like anyone enough to miss out on money if they don’t share my blood. I’m my husband’s agent and he gets charged a percentage too.”
I laughed because I knew she wasn’t joking. Hell, Coby’sDrunk in Loveass was probably paying her twice as much as she requested but it ain’t tricking if you got it.
“Cold.”
She smirked but I could tell that she didn’t feel bad about it at all. “It was business before it was pleasure. Now back to the business at hand.”
“Listen, Billy, is it alright if I call you Billy?”
Because we weren’t as cool as I would’ve liked and I walked on eggshells around her sometimes. When we first met I’d been an asshole and life had served me up a quadruple dose of humility. I kept waiting on the day she rubbed it in my face but after all this time, she never had.
Gotta stop thinking every woman is like my mama.
She rolled her eyes and gave me a look that conveyed I was clearly trying her patience. “You already called me Billy so you might as well keep on.”
I nodded and took a breath to figure out how I was going to say what I needed to without sounding like I didn’t have faith in myself.
“I know that my talent isn’t really on the level that you normally take in. And that some part of you is doing this because of Antwan. And I’m not gone lie, I appreciate that shit. Being signed toB & Bis something that I’d wanted even way back in LSU—”
“And you were on the radar then too.”
Her interruption gave me pause because I hadn’t thought that people were looking at me like that way back then. I felt good knowing that what I’d done hadn’t been overlooked but my contributions were always overshadowed by my mistakes.
“I appreciate it, but we both know things have changed. I’m not the same person I was mentally and I’m sure people are questioning my talent. I want to be treated the same way you treat everyone else when they get signed.”
“Cool, awesome. Let me clear something up for you. Do I look like the type of woman to do a favor for someone? Especially ifthat favor takes money out of my kid’s trust funds and food off their table? You’ve seen their daddy, them jokers can eat.”
I folded my lips together because the last thing I wanted to do was come at her like she was money hungry but I also didn’t want her to think I was calling her soft. That was definitely something that she wouldn’t want to be known as when it came to business.
“I…that seems like a loaded question.”
Billy’s smile was mildly devious but I saw a hint of respect in her features. “I’m glad you’re smart enough to realize that. First, Anthony, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think you were worthy of being a part ofB & B. I helped advocate for you to get a spot with theDesperados. Not because your sister-in-law is one of my best friends or because your brother is there and tries to monopolize my husband’s time more than our oldest son. I did it because of the talent I saw in you that you so desperately tried to snuff out by being stupid—”
