Elena laughs, a tinkling, intoxicating sound that burbles through the phone speaker so loudly that I frantically turn the volume down and hunch closer to the floor behind Piper’s bed.
“I’m sorry, Viv, but I’ve made up my mind,” she says. She takes the seat offered to her anyway, one of the clear island stools between Rachel and Ashley. “Don’t take it personally.”
“Don’t take it personally?” Viv says, her voice cold. “How can I not? You’re leavingEmpressto go work for my boyfriend.”
“Trey’s not your boyfriend,” Elena points out. “You know hisdeal. He’s a free agent.”
“No, he’s not,” Viv hisses.
“He wantsme.” Elena says it smugly, but I have noticed what she hasn’t; the other girls are slowly moving around her, encircling her. The twins hover behind the stools next to her, flanking her, while Fiona and Piper are directly behind her on either side. Only Viv stays where she is, on the other end of the counter, staring at Elena.
“Don’t be stupid,” Viv says. “I’m trying to help you. What, he wants you to come to Miami and be his full-time assistant? You know what that means, right? You’re basically his prostitute.”
“Don’t pretend like you give a shit about me,” Elena says, raising her voice a little. “You’re jealous because he traded up.”
“This conversation does not pass the Bechdel test,” I mutter, bringing the video closer to my face.
“You don’t understand,” Viv cries, frustration weaving through her tone. “I’m doing this because I care about you! He’s using you! Trey and I are…close. He likes to make me jealous; it’s all a game to him. But listen Elena, Trey and I are in business together. He needs me. You’re the flavor of the week. He’s going to discard you the first chance he gets.”
“Oh, please.”
“It’s true,” Fiona says from behind Elena.
“You think you’re the firstEmpressQueen he’s done this with?” Rachel asks Elena softly.
For the first time, Elena’s composure slips. She glances at Rachel,apparently trusting her word more than Viv’s. “You?”
“All of us,” Piper says. “It’s what he does.”
There’s a lead pipe in my throat. All the saliva in my mouth has dried up. I think about the weird vibes I got from Trey when he invited himself into my room the other night. He doesn’t see the “queens” as employees—he sees them asgirlfriends. Toys. There for his entertainment, either making him money or making him come.
“The difference is that the rest of us didn’t fall for his bullshit,” Ashley interjects, bringing my attention back to the video. “He told you the deal, didn’t he? He doesn’t do ‘commitment.’”
“He’s poly,” Elena protests. “I’m a sex and love influencer, I know about these things! There’s nothing wrong with not being monogamous. He’s been very honest with me.”
“For God’s sake, he’s not polyamorous,” Viv exclaims. “He’smarried.”
Elena’s brows shoot up. “No…no, he’s not. He never mentioned—”
“Because he’s not doing some ethical non-monogamy thing,” Viv insists. “He’s cheating. All the time. Because he likes to have options and he gets bored easily, but he likes having a wife to take care of him the few times a year heishome.”
“I don’t believe this,” Elena says, shaking her head, smiling again now. “I mean, he’s famous. I’d know if he was married.”
“He keeps it very hush-hush,” Viv says, a sneer in her voice thatmight be more for Trey than Elena. “Obviously. He doesn’t want it to get in the way of his ‘fun.’ I don’t know why she stays. She must really love him. Or really love his money.”
Elena shakes her head, brows knitting. “I’m not stupid. This isn’t really about Trey. This is aboutyou, Viv. You saw I matched you in followers. And now I’m fucking your man. You want me to stay here under your thumb. Like the rest of these little girls.”
“Watch it,” Fiona growls.
“You’re her minions, you get that, right?” Elena snaps, turning to Fiona. “She tells us what to eat, she tells us what to post, she controlseverything.”
“We’re a family,” Viv snarls. “You can’t leave family! Or did you forget everything we went through together?”
“I didn’t forget,” Elena replies, and she gets to her feet. “I moved on. And you should too.”
Viv’s body language is tense and spring-loaded. When Elena pushes back from her stool, Viv nods to Piper and Fiona. They surge forward, grab Elena’s shoulders, and slam her back down into her seat.
“Hey, what the fuck?”
