Harem House - Selene Pt. 39

Lynn stomped to her car after the elevator doors opened. She nearly dinged the vehicle beside her as she threw open the driver's side door, but held it back in time. She slammed it shut after she sat and checked her face in the mirror.

The red mark of Deb's slap on her cheek burned like a brand, but there was nothing to see beyond a rosy glow on one cheek. She grabbed the steering wheel and shook it, which had the effect of shaking herself as it remained immobile. Her raven-black hair bounced back and forth as she released a cry of frustration.

How dare she? How dare Deb turn on her?

She smashed the brake with her boot and jammed her finger into the start button on her dashboard. The car roared to life, its engine flaring and filling the parking garage with its noise.

Lynn still couldn't believe it. That little shit, Arthur, had told his mom how she stood by while the football team beat him up. Deb said Arthur told her the details of their time in the room. That couldn't be true. He'd told her something, but Lynn couldn't imagine what.

She wanted to scream, rant, and break things, but she had places to be. So, she had to vent her anger on the road by driving fast and letting the roar of her sports car engine drown out her angry yells of frustration.

This dive had better be worth it.

She'd spent days setting this up, and she was about to spend hours sealing the deal. She couldn't let Deb's sudden betrayal distract her. Not if she'd succeed in breaking up Arthur's little girlfriend club. So far, nothing she planned had gone right.

She'd struck out with Mindy's parents, but she'd had a partial victory over Selene. Tonight it was Katelyn's turn. As of last Sunday, she wasn't one of Arthur's girlfriends. She was going to move into the house, though, and she was close to Kelly and Kat. Katelyn was an easy target, and removing her from the group struck a blow against Arthur, Kelly, and Kat.

She needed this. Lynn needed to get Arthur to listen to her, and dismantling his harem was the best way to get him back under her thumb. Or, failing that, at least she'd feel better knowing that if he ruined her chances at education, she'd ruined his chances at happiness. He deserved to be miserable.

Her recklessness cut the drive short. What should have taken her an hour was closer to forty-five minutes. The crowd of cars packed into the lot on a Thursday night surprised Lynn. This bar sat on the edge of a college town, and plenty of students partied on Thursday nights instead of Friday nights. She didn't know why; she assumed it was a class schedule thing.

Lynn parked and pulled out her phone. Messaging her mark on Tinder.

Lynn: I got here early!

She feigned excitement in her text as she adjusted her makeup. Lynn brushed her hair, tousling it, before her phone dinged.

Sean: K. I'm at the bar.

Oh, good, he sounded miserable. Lynn smiled. That meant everything was going according to plan.

Sean Michaels was a 21-year-old college junior at Pendleton. According to his Tinder profile, he enjoyed playing sports, listening to country music, riding dirt bikes, hiking, and attending concerts. He was single and looking for a good time. His face was handsome enough, and his pictures gave the impression of a clean, average young man. Nothing special, but not repulsive either. Lynn could work with that.

He didn't know that Lynn knew his ex-girlfriend, Katelyn. Her public Instagram profile featured many pictures of them as a couple. She pulled his pics from there, ran them through a third-party website designed to find catfishers, cheaters, and other swindlers. That was how Lynn discovered Sean on Tinder. Matching with him was easy, but getting him to engage her was more difficult. She'd eventually convinced him she was real after she spent hours chatting him up and subtly asking him questions about his ex and his last relationship.

She'd learned a lot about Katelyn over the last few days. Lynn could tell by his texts that he missed her, which was what she wanted.

The plan tonight was to give him a terrible dating experience. She'd text, ignore him, order expensive drinks, and leave him with blue balls. He'd go running back to his ex, and Katelyn would be gone from Arthur's circle.

Failing that, she'd beg Sean for a second date and show him the time of his life. Pictures of them together would piss off that raging bitch, Kelly, and that was a worthy consolation prize.

Lynn smiled as she checked her reflection in the car window after exiting. She preened and fluffed her hair again, sweeping it over her shoulder. Her straightened ebony hair followed the curve of her collarbone and ended an inch before the tip of her breast, drawing the eye to her bust as she intended. She strode to the bar with her chin held high and her body in a predatory posture. Lynn became a lioness at the watering hole. She prowled in, spotted Sean at a table near the bar, and waved.

Sean's mouth hung open as he caught sight of her, and Lynn's smile turned Cheshire.

The bass hit her sternum like a physical blow as the music started. Annoyance flashed across her face, but fled the next moment as she pretended to enjoy the music. Lynn's manicured fingers tapped against the threads of her jean shorts low on her ludicrous hips. The smell of stale beer, sawdust, and peanut shells struck her as she passed the hostess stand, turning her smile into a slight sneer. The wooden beams couldn't rid themselves of the decades of cigarette smoke that filled them. Desperation reeked through this place, as college-age and middle-aged guys hit on blondes in cutoff shorts.

The band had cleared a section of tables to the far left for line dancing, and the people sitting around clapped with the music.

Lynn's designer cowgirl boots had heels that crunched against the floor rather than clicked. The peanut shells dusting the floor seemed unsanitary. She was the only person who minded. This place disgusted her, but she needed to put up with it for vengeance's sake. The looks she received as she strolled through the establishment were one-third leer, one-third amazement, and one-third curiosity or disbelief. What was a girl like her doing here? She wasn't white trash or a trailer park beauty. She was a Latina goddess who appeared to be on her way to a professional photo shoot.

The music bothered her. The screech of a fiddle and the wail of a steel guitar battled to drown out a rough-hewn baritone. His droopy, weathered face made him appear thirty years older than anyone else in the room.

Lynn expected this would be a step down from her usual haunts, but she'd underestimated the drop. She was accustomed to a certain level of class, dancing at nightclubs in the city, and spending time at bars decorated with art, rather than animal heads. Her white-collar world didn't mesh with this blue-collar shithole.

The stools appeared almost artfully distressed, but she judged the damage to be the honest decay of years gone by from the amount of pocket-knife carvings and pen-inked graffiti. The table Sean sat at was scarred oak, its surface marked by countless glass rings and carved initials. Each one presented a monument to a couple who thought they mattered, making a memory in a place Lynn already wanted to forget.

A woman in paint-splattered jeans stepped into her path, forcing Lynn to stop short. The woman continued her journey as she dragged the man she was with toward the dance floor. Another, younger woman laughed so loudly at something her companion said as Lynn passed them that she thought they were laughing at her. They weren't, but Lynn glared at them anyway.

Two men in work shirts stared at her from their table. One of them reached for her, as if to stop her and talk to her, but she stopped him with her eyes alone. He sank back into his chair, rejected without her having to say a word. Good boy.

When she made it to Sean's table, she was all smiles.

"Well, howdy." Lynn said, pretending to tip her hat.

"Wow." Sean said, staring at her. "I mean uh... hi. Sorry, I thought for sure you were a catfish. I never--uh--here! Have a seat." He hopped up from his chair and pulled the opposite chair out for her.

Lynn sat, letting him scoot the chair in for her.

Sean wasn't bad-looking in comparison. He stood tall, lean, and with the subtle muscles of a baseball player who kept in shape. His t-shirt and jeans told her he hadn't put any effort into his presentation tonight. He must have thought she wouldn't show. That told her he realized she was out of his league.

"Such a gentleman." Lynn said, smiling. "I bet you do that for all the girls."

"Heh." Sean laughed. "Not really, no."

"Do you come here often?" Lynn asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah, sometimes." Sean said. "It's near campus, they have good music, decent beer, and a mechanical bull."

"Do you ride it?" Lynn asked.

Sean shrugged. "I've done it."

"What's the longest you lasted?" She asked, curious, but teasing him with the innuendo.

"Uh..." Sean had to think about it. "About six seconds."

Lynn giggled -- the melodic, sickening sweet giggle of a woman laughing at something that wasn't funny. "That's not very long at all."

"It's above average." Sean said, trying to defend himself, which only made Lynn mock him with her laughter more.

"Why don't you go get us drinks?" Lynn asked. "I'll have whatever you're having."

"Oh, uh... sure." Sean said, nodding. He left her to reach the bar. Lynn withdrew her phone. Let the plan begin.

She didn't lift her eyes when Sean returned from the bar with their drinks. Nor did she pay attention when he tried to talk to her again. She kept her responses to one-word answers, like she wasn't listening, but Sean kept trying, despite having to shout over the music. Finally, he stopped trying, drank his beer, and let time pass before he made his final Hail Mary pass.

"Do you want to dance?" Sean asked.

Lynn shrugged.

"Do you want another drink?" Sean asked. He'd finished his, but Lynn had barely touched hers.

"Shots?" Lynn asked.

"Uh... sure." Sean said. "I'll buy us shots."

He returned with a flight of shots, and Lynn took one in her manicured hand and downed it before he sat again. Sean offered to 'cheers' with her for the second drink, but she ignored him and downed it too. He sighed and looked at the dance floor. His expression turned wistful as the dancers shuffled to the beat with their hands on their hips.

"You okay? Or are you gonna start moping over your ex-girlfriend again?" Lynn asked.

"When did I mope?" Sean asked, the confusion plain on his face.

"Yesterday. I asked you about your past relationships, and you got all mopey over text." Lynn said, displaying her phone as if it were evidence, despite the screen being the comment section of one of her Instagram pictures.

Sean sighed.

"Did you bring her here?" Lynn asked, pressing the inquiry. "Do you bring all your dates here?" The disdain in the final word was apparent.

"We used to come here." Sean said. He frowned as he spoke. "She was into this stuff. We'd do the line dancing, the quiz nights, and we had a lot of fun. She always wanted to ride the mechanical bull, but was never quite brave enough."

"You sound like you miss her." Lynn said.

"I do, I guess. It was recent, and we were together for a while."

"So why are you on Tinder and not trying to get her back?" Lynn asked.

Sean looked at her and frowned.

"Sorry." Lynn said, shrugging. "I'm curious. If you're not over your ex, it's okay. You could always win her back, right?"

"I, uh... I tried." Sean said, frowning.

Lynn raised an eyebrow at that. "What?" She asked, afraid she had heard him correctly. The fucker jumped the gun. He wasn't supposed to try to get back with her until after this terrible date, and he'd already blown his shot? Fuck! She would have played this differently if she'd known.

"I said I tried." Sean said. "She's moved on. She's with another guy."

No. Lynn's grip tightened on her phone. "When did this happen?"

"Uh... earlier today." Sean said. "I assumed you were a catfish, and you were the only girl on any of those apps who messaged me. The rest gave one-word responses and stopped responding after one or two, if they responded at all."

"It's rough out there." Lynn agreed. "It's hard for us girls, too." She assumed.

"Yeah, well, I figured I'd give it one last shot, you know? If she said yes, I'd have canceled our date tonight."

"Obviously." Lynn said. "So, she turned you down, I take it?"

"Yeah." Sean frowned and took another swig of his drink. "Look, I'm sorry."

Lynn waited for him to explain.

"You're a lovely girl, and honestly, the hottest woman I've ever met, but I'm just... I'm not in the mood to do any of this tonight." Sean said. "Would you mind if we rescheduled? Maybe we could go on a date somewhere less loud?"

"You're going to leave me here at the bar?" Lynn asked. "Why not see how the night goes?"

Sean stared into her eyes. "You seemed pretty disinterested in me a second ago, and you don't want to dance. You're sitting there on your phone, making no effort, because let's face it, you're out of my league, and I'm depressed enough. I don't need alcohol, and I don't need to wake up in an ice bath tomorrow with a missing kidney, or whatever this is." He gestured between them.

Lynn giggled again. "I'm not interested in your internal organs. It's the external one I want."

Now it was Sean's turn to raise an eyebrow.

Well, it was his fault. If pushing him back toward Katelyn wouldn't work, she had to think of something else to do with him.

"Your dick." Lynn said, explaining herself in a sultry voice. "This country bar is bullshit. I want to go outside, see what you're working with, and find out if you can make me scream loud enough to get us kicked out of the parking lot."

Sean's eyes looked like they were going to bulge out of their sockets. Lynn was confident they weren't the only parts straining for release.

"Wanna go to my truck?" Sean asked. "It, uh... it has a covered bed. I think I have an old blanket in the back seat."

"Gross." Lynn made a disgusted face. "Let's go to my car, or we can get a hotel." Not that she was planning on sleeping with him. She might use him, or let him go down on her before she kicked him out and left him wanting more.

Instead, Sean flinched away as if the idea of getting a hotel with her frightened him instead of arousing him. "Holy shit, you're really after my kidney." Sean said, shifting away from her like she'd tried to bite him.

"What?" Lynn asked, laughing. "No, I'm--"

"Look, whatever this is... I'm gonna go." Sean said, sliding out of his seat. "I'll pay for our drinks or whatever, but... uh... yeah. I'll see you around."

Lynn stared at him in disbelief. Frozen until fury galvanized her into action. "Are you kidding me?" She asked, angry enough now to rise out of her chair and follow him. "You're fucking turning me down? ME?!" Lynn asked.

Sean flinched as she followed him, almost running toward the bar.

"Don't walk away from me!" Lynn yelled, drawing even more attention in their direction.

Sean slammed his credit card into the hand of the bartender and gave a worried glance behind him just as Lynn caught up to him.

"You don't get to abandon me!" Lynn said, anger searing her words into the surrounding air. "Who do you think you are, leaving me like this?! Turning your back on me?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm just... I'm done." Sean said, taking his card back from the bartender. "It was nice to meet you. I'm sorry I'm not up for... whatever. You're very hot. I'm sure plenty of other guys would risk it, but--"

"RISK IT?" Lynn asked. She grabbed a beer off the bar, splashing it in Sean's face before slamming the glass down again.

"Hey!" A stranger yelled, protesting the theft and consequent distribution of their beverage. Their drinking partner pulled them away, seeing the wisdom in not getting involved.

Sean sputtered as the beer dripped from his face onto his shirt. "What the fuck?"

"You can't just leave me!" Lynn said. "If you're not gonna run back to your ex, then you should get with me! Those are your options!"

Sean wiped the beer from his face, patted his shirt, and pulled the wet material away from his chest. He looked at her like she'd spontaneously grown an alien appendage. "You're crazy! God, why are the hot ones always insane? Just leave me alone!"

And with that, he pushed past her, running from her and the bar. The band on stage finished their song as he reached the door.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to get laid tonight!" Lynn shouted after him.

The entire bar fell quiet, with every eye in the house watching her. The embarrassment and humiliation at her unsatisfied lust and its public declaration brought heat to her cheeks and her core. She blushed and squeezed her pelvic muscles, which didn't help. The horniness only increased. Lynn turned her back toward the crowd to face the bartender. She put her hands on the edge of the bar and took a deep breath.

"Miss, you're gonna have to pay for that beer you threw." The bartender said. "And then I'm going to ask you to leave."

"Oh, shut up." Lynn snapped at him, straightening her posture to that of her typical regal demeanor. "Just do your fucking job and pour me more shots."

The bartender frowned, a mid-thirties man beefy enough to remove her if she tried to fight his order to depart. He crossed his thick forearms over his swollen chest and glared at her. He must have been used to intimidating the local college kids with his routine, but Lynn wasn't in the mood. She knew how this worked.

"Do it and I'll spend the next hour fucking line dancing and letting these assholes buy me drinks." Lynn said, gesturing with her eyes to the men behind her. Men who were watching her ass and considering what she'd screamed at Sean. "High-end, expensive drinks, because I'm not the low-end trash you usually get in this place, and I know my preferences."

The bartender's surprise gave way to greed as his eyes scanned the crowd. Plenty of guys looked interested in what he had to say next. "Fine." He said. "But no more outbursts."

Lynn's entire demeanor flipped in an instant, her expression turning bright and bubbly. "Thank you!" She said, and turned to the person whose beer she stole. "Sorry about that." She said. "Bad date, and he deserved it."

"Right." The guy said. He was athletic and college-aged. "He should be glad you didn't knee him in the balls." The man gave her a slow, appraising stare that took its time reaching her eyes.

Lynn returned the leer. He was handsome, but short. His light brown skin and thick black hair gave him an exotic presence, made swarthy by the dark rug of chest hair peeking out from his shirt.

"I'm Sanjay..." He offered her his hand. She shook it.

"Oh, good handshake." Lynn said, her grin widening. "That's so rare these days. Buy me a drink, Sanjay?"

~~~

Arthur awoke on Friday morning to the sudden brush of frigid air against his side. Kelly's warm body had been there moments ago, but she'd slipped out of her place. The blanket she left draped over him was icy compared to her warmth. The click of the bathroom door alerted him to where she'd gone, and the hum of the bathroom fan confirmed it.

He opened his eyes. The apartment was still dim with pre-dawn light. The flavor of whiskey on his lips mingled with the lipstick from Kelly's mouth. His body was relaxed, but his bones were stiff in an awkward position he hadn't meant to sleep in for several hours. He'd reclined with his feet on the floor. His butt teetered on the edge of the sofa, a throw pillow supported his back, and his shoulders pressed against the back cushions of the sofa corner. His left arm draped over Katelyn. Kelly had cuddled his right arm to sleep.

He checked his Fitbit on his right wrist, which told him he was twenty minutes ahead of his usual wake-up time. Arthur wasn't mad about it. He shifted, trying not to disturb Katelyn. She was light and didn't present much of a burden. However, with her shoulder, every motion might turn into a scream. She'd curled in the night, tucking her knees as if trying to draw herself closer to him. His hand on her hip was flat against an expanse of skin, except for the thin band of her panties clinging to her.

Arthur still wore his boxer-briefs, socks, and slacks. The top button and zipper of his pants remained undone. He lifted his hand from Katelyn, who snored in response. Arthur withdrew it from the blanket and shifted aside. He became Indiana Jones as he tried to replace his abs with a throw pillow beneath Katelyn's head. It was slow going, but it worked. She stopped snoring, but was still asleep.

He stood, buttoning his slacks as he rose. Looking around, there wasn't much for him to do. He didn't have any extra clothes. Was this his first walk of shame? No. He'd spent the night at Lori's dorm room and had to walk back to his in the morning. But this was the first time in a while. He was usually better prepared, but last night was an emergency. He'd needed not to be alone, and he'd needed a girlfriend who wouldn't expect his arrival meant he was switching into Dom mode and running a scene.

Kelly still played out a fantasy last night, but it had been a wholesome one. It'd been a gift, and he cherished it. She ran the show and took his burdens from him without pressuring him. She'd even asked permission, and hadn't woken him with the expectation of moving into a scene.

Waking up to his sex slave sucking him and asking to ride him was great. Arthur wasn't complaining. He couldn't complain. He knew that. But waking up, even stiff, without someone demanding his attention and sexual dominance, was nice. A night off would be bliss. He twisted, cracking his back like thunder in the otherwise silent room. Arthur froze, but Katelyn didn't wake. He twisted the other way, cracked his neck, and finished the job, restoring his spine after the awkward night's rest.

Arthur examined the room, looking for something he could do to show his appreciation. The apartment was spotless except for the coffee table. He picked up his empty whiskey glass. Arthur carried it to the kitchen, rinsed it, washed it, and stuck it on the drying rack. He dried his hands on the towel hanging from the stove handle.

Making them breakfast seemed like a good idea. However, he wasn't sure what Kelly ate. His typical pre-workout breakfast -- a spinach omelet, side potatoes, and an orange or an apple for energy -- proved easy enough to prepare. But what if Kelly was more of a Greek yogurt girlie?

He checked their refrigerator. They had time before they were due at the gym.

"What are you doing, Mister?" Kelly whispered as she entered the kitchen. She wore a heavy-duty black sports bra under an oversized gray t-shirt with an open neckline that hung off one shoulder. Her thick, black yoga shorts covered her from the bottom of her abs to the top of her knees.

"I thought I'd make breakfast." Arthur answered. "As a thank you."

Kelly smiled as she approached him. She leaned on her tiptoes and kissed him, her mouth flush with the green sting of peppermint from her mouthwash. "You don't have to do that."

"I know." Arthur said. He winced as he realized his morning breath stunk compared to hers. "Sorry about my breath."

"Don't worry about it." Kelly giggled as quietly as she could. "You can use the bathroom if you need it. I'll pull out the prep for smoothies."

"So you're a pre-workout smoothie for breakfast, girlie, eh?" Arthur asked, holding her hand as he passed her.

"Yes, Sir." Kelly chuckled. "Go on. I'll make you one. We can drink them on the way to your place."

Arthur checked his watch. If he waited to shower until after the gym, he'd have time to rush to his apartment, grab his things, and make it to the gym before work.

"Unless you want me to make you a proper breakfast, like yesterday?" Kelly asked.

"Oh, uh..." Arthur hadn't considered that option. Honestly, sitting down to breakfast with Kelly and Katelyn sounded more enjoyable than rushing through a smoothie while he drove, but that meant missing his workout. Her offer of the smoothie was the responsible choice. "Smoothie. You have to meet the girls at the gym, right?"

"Good point." Kelly said. "Feel free to use my toothbrush, but we have extra toothbrushes and razors in the linen closet." She scratched his scruffy day-old facial hair.

"Thanks." Arthur said. He kissed her forehead and left her in the kitchen. He was quick in the bathroom. The idea of using someone else's toothbrush, even Kelly's, weirded him out, so he used one of the extra ones from the closet. He didn't shave, but combed his hair with his fingers and did his best to make himself look presentable. Honestly, the facial hair didn't look terrible, but it was too short to call it a beard. He wondered if he should grow one, but the girls probably had different opinions about it.

He returned to the living room to see Kelly waking Katelyn on the sofa.

"Good morning, Kitty Kat." Kelly said, rousing Katelyn by rubbing her thigh. "Time to rise and shine, Katelyn. You have a class."

Katelyn blinked and frowned. "Where's Master? I mean, Arthur? Goddamnit, now Selene has me doing it."

"That's another one for the spank jar." Kelly said, lifting her eyes over the sofa to see Arthur standing at the end of the hallway where it met the living room.

Arthur chuckled. "I'm right here, Pet." He said. "Kelly was going to teach me how to make her smoothies. Do you want one?"

Katelyn sat up, shaking off her slumber as she pushed the blanket away and brought her feet to the floor. "No, I'm good."

Kelly cleared her throat.

"I mean, no thank you, Sir?" Katelyn corrected her statement but turned it into a question.

Kelly laughed. "No, I mean, you should have one. You need to do your PT this morning. This will energize you for it."

Katelyn gestured with her hand, shooing Kelly's suggestion away. "I'm too sleepy to be hungry."

"That sentence makes no sense." Arthur said as he strode from the hallway to the kitchen. He was joking, but Katelyn was too tired to laugh. She yawned instead and stretched, though her wounded shoulder remained in its sling.

"Go get ready for the day." Kelly said, patting Katelyn's thigh. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes."

"Fine." Katelyn grumbled, but she rose from the sofa and stalked to the bathroom, her long legs fumbling in her sleepy state.

Kelly smiled, rose from her squatting position, and joined Arthur. She'd laid bags of frozen fruit, protein powder, and other ingredients on the counter. "For future reference, if you want to make one of these without me, I use frozen fruit so I don't have to bother with ice. You can chop and freeze your own, but the grocery store makes prep more convenient."

Arthur nodded. "So you layer in the frozen fruit, the powder, the bananas..."

Kelly nodded. "Do you have any allergies?"

"Not that I'm aware of, no." Arthur said, shrugging.

"Okay. Fresh spinach, coconut water, and water go in first." Kelly said, placing the ingredients into the blender on the counter. She had a nicer one than Arthur did, but she used it more. She closed the lid and pressed the button, pureeing the blender's contents until the green liquid turned smooth. "Then frozen pineapple, frozen peaches, a fresh banana, and my secret ingredient."

"What's the secret ingredient?" Arthur asked, amused. "Love?"

Kelly kissed him. "No. Coconut oil, baby!" Kelly added it to the blender after the other contents with flair. "It helps break down the sugars. Some people prefer chia seeds, but those people are wrong."

Arthur smiled as he watched her. She seemed so at home, relaxed, and even playful. Not only was she happy with what she was doing, but so excited to share it with him that it touched his heart. This must be what he looked like when discussing theater. "You should do a cooking show or something. I'd watch you for hours."

Kelly blushed, but smiled at the compliment. "Stop trying to get me to suck your dick."

Arthur laughed, which Kelly drowned out as she activated the blender. She shredded its contents and retrieved three travel cups from her cabinet. She poured one out and repeated the process twice more, filling the cups each time.

"I was supposed to make you breakfast." Arthur said, teasing her as he bumped her butt with his hip.

"Oh, shoot. You're right..." She stroked her chin. "Oh, well. You can buy me dinner." Kelly said, making a compromise.

"Tonight?" Arthur said. "I could meet you for a quick dinner before the guys' night, but it wouldn't be a proper date night."

"Oh, uh... not tonight. I need to talk to you about that. I didn't want to bring it up last night with everything you had going on." Kelly said, sliding one of the travel cups to him and offering him a reusable straw.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "So... talk to me." Arthur said. "What's up?"

Katelyn chose that moment to return. She looked cute as ever with her makeup done, wearing a long, red and black plaid sweater, a short pleated canvas skirt, black leggings, and ankle-high brown boots.

"I'll tell you on the car ride." Kelly said. She passed Katelyn the third smoothie.

"Thanks, Kels." Katelyn said, sipping the smoothie and making an impressed face. "This doesn't taste too bad. What's in it?"

"Oh, it's--"

Kelly coughed, cutting Arthur off mid-word. "Enjoy the smoothie, sweetie. And take your meds for your shoulder."

"Yes, Ma'am." Katelyn puckered her cheeks as she sipped the smoothie through her straw. She wandered away to find her purse and take her meds.

"Sorry about cutting you off." Kelly whispered to Arthur. "She's childish. If I tell her what's in it, she'll suddenly claim she doesn't like it. She swears she hates spinach, but she loves it when she doesn't know she's eating it. Plus, it's good for her."

Arthur nodded. Their dynamic amused him, but he didn't intercede. Kelly knew Katelyn's allergies, if she had any, and helped Katelyn despite herself. He was still curious about what Kelly wanted to discuss, though.

"Katelyn, do you think you could drive your car to campus?" Kelly asked. "I want to ride with Arthur."

"Oh." Katelyn said, surprised. "I assumed we'd ride together."

"We can do that." Arthur offered. "I can give you a lift."

Kelly gave Katelyn a meaningful look. Whatever silent conversation passed between them, Arthur couldn't decipher it.

"Or, I can drive myself, and you can ride with Arthur." Katelyn said. "After classes, we can drive straight to--"

"Thank you." Kelly cut Katelyn off before she finished her sentence.

"No problem." Katelyn said, glancing nervously at Arthur. "I'll let you two have your alone time." She stepped toward Arthur, kissing his cheek, then Kelly's. "Don't take too long or you'll miss your workouts." She winked and started packing her things.

Arthur looked awkwardly between them. "Did I miss something? You're making me nervous."

"It's okay." Kelly said, pressing her palm flat against Arthur's chest above his heart. "Nothing's wrong. I want to discuss something with you, and I figured we could do it on the drive."

"Something bad?" Arthur asked.

"No." Kelly said. "Just... well... something Lynn-related."

Katelyn looked up from her bag. "I'm off to class! Remember, don't give road head if he's driving. It's not safe. Park first."

Kelly rolled her eyes and sighed as she gave an exasperated expression to Katelyn. Katelyn giggled and waved goodbye. She blew them both kisses. "See you on campus."

She closed the door behind her, leaving Arthur and Kelly in the apartment.

"You should get dressed." Kelly gestured to his clothes by the door. "I'll grab my duffel."

Arthur nodded, not sure what to expect, as he put on his undershirt, collared shirt, and suit jacket. They were less wrinkled than his pants, but he'd worn them yesterday.

Kelly emerged from her room, and with their smoothies in hand, they made their way through the building to Arthur's car. Arthur opened the backseat door for her, and Kelly put her duffel behind the driver's seat. Then he opened her passenger door, and she sat, holstering her smoothie in his cup holder.

"Thank you, Sir." Kelly said, blowing him a kiss.

Arthur nodded, closed the door, rounded the car, and slipped into the driver's seat. He started the engine, and they were on the road. He tried to let her speak first, but it wasn't long after turning toward his apartment that he had to break the silence. "So what did you want to discuss? The silence is killing me."

"There's no easy way to say this, so I hope you're not too upset with me. Lynn invited me and the girls to an apology dinner. It's tonight." Kelly said. "And I want to go."

Arthur's muscles relaxed. "That's... not as bad as the scenarios my imagination conjured for me. But I thought I was clear. I want us to avoid Lynn?"

"You were." Kelly said. "You also said that avoiding her wasn't working. She keeps attacking us, and you needed to think of something to do about it."

Arthur frowned. She was right. The harem meeting made him realize that his avoidant policy wasn't working. Lynn kept coming after them, and he'd tried to solve it by going to his parents, but so far they hadn't been any help either. Their hands were as tied as his.

"Our following a do-nothing and avoid-her policy is just letting her do what she wants, not protecting us from her." Kelly explained. "So far, we've been lucky, but if she keeps going, someone's liable to get hurt. She might damage someone's relationship with their family or ruin their career prospects. We need to go on the offensive."

"I know!" Arthur said, snapping when he said it and instantly regretting his tone. "Sorry. I mean, I know." He fixed his tone the second time. "That's why I talked to my parents about it. My dad's going to talk to their lawyer, and maybe they'll find grounds to evict her."

"And maybe they won't." Kelly said.

"And maybe they won't." Arthur had to concede that point.

"I've thought of something we can do to keep her at bay." Kelly said. "But it's not without risk, and I want to give you plausible deniability."

"It's not murder, is it?" Arthur asked.

"No, Sir." Kelly shook her head. "I promise not to kill her."

Arthur glanced at her, keeping his eyes on the road but checking her expression. She was looking at him, her hand on his thigh in a gentle embrace. "I don't want you or any of the girls to get hurt for my sake, and as appealing as it might sound, hurting Lynn isn't an option."

"We won't." Kelly assured him. "What I have planned will not get anyone hurt." She squeezed his thigh. "Although, admittedly, breaking Lynn's nose would be pretty fuckin' cathartic."

"Swear jar." Arthur said, smiling so briefly it was like a twitch of his lips.

Kelly nodded, admitting she'd earned the spankings that came with her swearing. Still, she didn't let it distract her from their conversation.

"I want us to attend the apology dinner, and by 'us,' I mean the harem. Just us girls. You can still have your guys' night." Kelly said.

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked. "There won't be a referee. My mom mentioned this to me last night. I thought it was another one of Lynn's lies because no one had mentioned it to me."

"She asked us last night, or I would have told you sooner. We didn't have time to ask or tell you about it because we didn't want to interrupt your dinner with your parents. You had so much on your plate last night. I wasn't going to dump this on you when you needed me to help you unwind."

"Thanks." Arthur said, contemplating the dilemma. Dinner with Lynn could go wrong in so many ways, especially without his mom there. "My mom isn't going."

"That's okay." Kelly said. "Honestly, it might be better. It lets us have a more honest conversation with her."

"I don't like it." Arthur said, frowning. "I don't want Lynn anywhere near you or the girls."

"I know." Kelly said, her voice soothing as she stretched her fingers over his leg and swept her thumb back and forth in reassurance. "But if we succeed, we can at least get her to agree to a live-and-let-live truce, like you wanted. We need her to stop going after our families and trying to get us in trouble like she did with Mindy."

Arthur tensed again, his forearm flexing from his grip on the wheel. As it was, she might have ruined Mindy's chances of moving into the house. She'd tried to do worse. She'd tried to blow up Mindy's life, and for what? Because she was a stepping stone on the way to ruining Arthur's life? Because Mindy said something catty at brunch? He wanted to punch Lynn for going after Mindy, but he knew he couldn't. He sighed. Kelly was right; breaking Lynn's nose would be pretty fucking cathartic, but there were fantasies not even he could fulfill.

"Do you trust me, Arthur?" Kelly asked.

"Of course I trust you." Arthur answered without hesitation. "It's Lynn I don't trust. Whatever she has planned for this dinner, I'd wager it's not an apology. You and the girls should be careful."

"Does that mean you'll allow us to go?" Kelly asked.

Arthur sighed. He didn't enjoy making this decision. His gut told him to say no. Interacting with Lynn was a mistake. On the other hand, they couldn't avoid her forever. Maybe it was better to go into battle prepared, rather than hoping Lynn didn't strike and finding themselves napping when she did.

"If I say no, you won't go?" Arthur asked.

"Of course. You're our coach, remember? We follow your lead." Kelly said. "I talked to the girls first. We've all agreed to go, except Selene, but they'll bail if I tell them you said no. I'm asking for your permission, Arthur. Not your opinion. It's your decision."

"Selene's not going?" Arthur asked.

"She has plans." Kelly said.

Arthur wondered what those were, but didn't press. "And you won't tell me what you plan on doing?"

"I will if you want me to." Kelly said. "But it's important that I'm the person Lynn aims her vengeance at if things go wrong, not you."

"Promise me you'll be careful?" Arthur said. "Promise me you won't beat anyone up, and promise me that if anything goes wrong, you'll get out of there and come directly to me."

Kelly considered his stipulations. "I promise."

"Where is this apology dinner?" Arthur asked.

"Her apartment in the basement." Kelly said.

Arthur nodded. "I'll be right upstairs then." He said. "If anything goes wrong, you call me, or get me, or send someone to fetch me."

"And what will you do? Rush in there and punch Lynn in the face to save me?" Kelly asked.

"If one of us is going to get arrested for punching Lynn, I'd prefer it was me." Arthur said. "It's my job to protect you, not the other way around."

"It's our job to protect each other." Kelly corrected him. "But I'll let you protect me, Mister. Thank you." She moved her hand to his arm and held his bicep, hugging it with her palm and squeezing with her fingers. "I appreciate you."

"I appreciate you, too." Arthur said.

Kelly leaned over and kissed his cheek.

The urge to kiss her tugged at his lips, but Arthur was driving, so he held himself in check.

"So we can go?" Kelly asked.

Arthur slowly released a long exhale. "You can go."

"Thank you, Arthur." Kelly said, squeezing his bicep. "Thank you for letting me help you."

Arthur was quiet as he contemplated what he'd just agreed to. His girlfriends were having dinner with Lynn and planning something. He couldn't imagine what. He could only hope Lynn wouldn't poison their meal. However, if Lynn cooked, the poisoning might be accidental. It was most likely that their stomachs would regret it that same night.

"Not to change the subject..." Arthur said as he stopped at a red light. "But how are you feeling today?"

"It's manageable." Kelly said. "But I'm taking it easy with the workout, I promise."

"Good girl." Arthur said. "And is there anything else I should know? We have time on the drive."

"Oh, I guess I should fill you in on the harem meeting decisions from before you arrived Wednesday..." Kelly said, stroking her chin. "Let's see..." She filled him in on their plans for a hotel and the Ren Faire. Assuring him that the girls were covering the cost for the Saturday night hotel as a thank you for him covering the hotel last weekend.

Likewise, the details for departure arose. Early Saturday morning departure didn't bother him, although it meant he wouldn't go for a run beforehand. There'd be plenty of walking at the Faire, and chances were he'd be practicing cardio late into the night.

With the tense conversation over, each took turns sipping from their smoothies and enjoying the refreshing, fruity taste. The drive didn't last long, about twenty minutes, with Arthur taking the straight shot around campus instead of through it. He parked in his apartment complex to see that Kat's car was already gone. She and Selene must have left for the campus gym. He rushed inside to grab his things, nearly running into someone at the mailboxes.

"Oh, hey. Walk of shame, eh?" Ricky offered Arthur a high five. "Same, dude. Same." He gestured to his clothes.

Arthur hesitated, but didn't want to leave the man hanging, so he gave Ricky a high five.

"You spent the night at her place?" Ricky asked.

"Yeah..." Arthur said, glancing at the stairs. "I'm sorry, man, I'm in a rush. I need to get to the gym."

"Oh, sure, no problem." Ricky said. "I'm gonna go hit the gym myself on the way home. Do you go to Planet Fitness over on Riverside Road?"

"No." Arthur said, shaking his head. "I use the athletic center on Pendleton's campus."

"Right. Makes sense. Okay, see you around, dude!" Ricky said as he left. He waved to Kelly, who was waiting for Arthur in the passenger seat, and Arthur took the stairs two at a time.

He was in and out of his apartment in record time. He dressed himself in gym shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt with a duffel bag in hand.

The drive to campus felt rushed, but they arrived on time. Selene and Mindy were waiting for Kelly on the yoga mats. Kat was there too, jumping rope. She wore pink leggings that looked faded, and a long white T-shirt that covered her butt, but she looked cute with her hair swept back in a pink bandana.

Selene's braid was as long and graceful as ever. She wore a tiny pair of blue yoga shorts that left nothing to the imagination. The clingy fabric contoured her ass, and her camel toe was visible whenever she opened her legs. The bralette she wore with it was too small for her breasts, but she didn't seem to care. Its thin material presented the peaks of her hard nipples to the room. The narrow leather choker clung to her throat as well, and she beamed her bright smile at Arthur as soon as he walked into the gym.

Mindy waved from her place beside Selene. She was warming up on the mats, wearing a pair of black leggings, a cropped Wolves t-shirt, and, from what Arthur could tell, a black sports bra beneath. She blew Arthur a kiss, prompting Kat and Selene to do the same.

Arthur returned the gesture to each, blowing four kisses. The repetitive action drew stares from bystanders as he hopped on the treadmill to warmup.

Kelly moved over to the girls, and they started their training.

Brad joined Arthur on the treadmills soon after he started.

"Still on for tonight?" Brad asked.

"Of course." Arthur said. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too." Brad said. "So's Mark."

Arthur started jogging, watching the girls.

Brad fell silent, catching up in pace with Arthur. "Everything alright between you and the girls?" He asked. "You seem tense."

"Yeah." Arthur said. "Everything's fantastic. It's just been a long week. I need a night off."

"Aw. Your girlfriends are wearing you out? You want to do an endurance burnout today?" Brad asked, joking as he asked it.

Arthur laughed. "Fuck that."

"Well, you can sleep in on Sunday at least." Brad said. "Maria said she and Mark were getting a hotel room so we can stay late for the after-show at the Ren Faire with you guys. Is that okay?"

Arthur shrugged. "Yeah, that's probably for the best. I hadn't given much thought to the after-show, but Kelly mentioned it earlier."

"Oh." Brad said, confused. "Maria said Selene mentioned it to her."

"Yeah." Arthur said, chuckling. "Honestly, it's a good idea. The after-show is supposed to be fun."

"I heard there's a wet chemise contest. Think I can convince Jen to take part?" Brad asked, as if the very idea were a joke. "She'd probably do it if she weren't the only one."

Arthur shrugged. "Oh, I'm sure at least one of my girls will."

Brad spared a glance at the women, and his eyes nearly left their sockets in a cartoonish Tex Avery impression when they hit Selene. "Yeah... Selene's dressing to impress nowadays." He chuckled. "That's gotta be your doing. She was always pretty modest before the two of you started dating. Looks like you've given her some confidence."

"Yeah." Arthur said, wondering if that was it. Selene's sluttiness escalated with every passing day. That was good, right? It meant she felt confident and comfortable with herself and her enjoyment of sex. She was a very sexual person, to Arthur's surprise. He benefited from that sexuality, but she still acted profoundly different from the friend he'd known for years.

Or she was the same. Perhaps this Selene, who enjoyed bending over and placing her hands flat on the mats in cheeky yoga shorts, was inside her all along, waiting to get out. Had he encouraged her and given her the sense of safety she needed to express herself? Or was this something else?

He needed to figure that out soon.

Arthur's workout allowed him to ponder things, but soon became exhausting as he and Brad pushed themselves to their limits. He didn't have to hold back and conserve his strength today. He vented his frustrations with Lynn through the exercises and found rage-lifting to be satisfying. His sleeveless gray t-shirt was dark with sweat by the time he finished. The cotton clung to his torso until he plucked it rapidly to fan his torso in a pitiful attempt to cool himself.

Brad went as hard as Arthur in the workout, not letting Arthur pull ahead. Their friendly competition let both of them lift heavier weights for longer sets than they had last week. Stretching afterward felt like heaven, easing their muscles back to life after working them to death. They fist-bumped at the end, and Brad headed into the locker room as Arthur approached the girls.

Kelly's eyes devoured him as if she were starving and he was a three-course meal. She chewed her bottom lip, causing the other girls to turn and look in Arthur's direction.

Arthur tore his shirt off as he walked, revealing a torso of ripped muscles that glistened under the overhead lighting.

"Damn." Mindy said, still in awe. "I want me some of that."

Selene giggled. "Right?"

"That's my hubby." Kelly said, as if the other girls weren't also dating him. "Hot, right?"

"You're a lucky woman." Mindy said, playing along.

The girls giggled among themselves, which was what Arthur heard when he reached them. He couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.

"I'm heading into the shower." Arthur said, letting them know his workout was over.

"Need help?" Selene asked. She raised her hand. "Pick me. I'm flexible; I can reach those hard-to-reach spots."

Arthur laughed, assuming she was joking.

"Pick me!" Mindy said, jumping up beside Selene. "I've got some bubbles you can play with in the bath." She pushed her shoulders back, accentuating her chest for effect.

Kelly rolled her eyes. "If I were grading you, I'd deduct points for a pun that bad." She told Mindy and turned her attention to Arthur with a smile as Mindy pouted. "Have a good workout, Sir?" She asked, teasing him with her tone almost as much as the others.

"You, uh..." Kat stammered, trying to say something witty in the face of Arthur's abs. She absent-mindedly caressed them with her fingers. "Pick me."

Arthur shook his head. "I'm not picking anyone." He said. "The men's locker room is off-limits."

"I could sneak--" Selene started.

"No." Arthur said. "No sneaking into the men's showers. We'd get in trouble."

"Stairwell then?" Selene asked.

"I'm sweaty and gross from the workout." Arthur said. "Not to mention exhausted."

"So?" Selene asked. "I want to taste you that way. You've never let me before."

"And I'm still not allowing it now." Arthur said. His tone remained firm, with annoyance creeping into the edges. Kat seemed to recognize it and held Selene's forearm as if holding her back. Selene pouted, but obeyed.

"Yes, Master." She said and returned to her cooldown stretches.

"Some people find hot and sweaty sexy." Mindy said, defending Selene. "There's nothing wrong with that, right, Boss?"

"It's fine, but now's not the time." Arthur said, checking behind him to make sure no one was overhearing this conversation. "When we're in public, call me Arthur." He reminded Selene.

"Can I still call you Boss?" Mindy asked.

"Boss is fine." Arthur conceded. "If you have to."

Mindy smiled. "I have to, Boss."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Everything go okay with your workouts today?" He asked, checking up on them.

The girls nodded, and Kat spoke up. "Kelly is a cruel personal trainer. I don't know why I ever thought she wasn't a sadist." Kat said.

"Just because I pushed you doesn't make me a sadist." Kelly said, laughing.

"Maybe not, but the burpees do." Kat argued back.

Kelly laughed. "I did them too!"

"But you're you, and I'm me." Kat said, gesturing to their bodies in turn. "Burpees are no big deal for you. They're awful for me."

"You'll get used to them." Arthur assured Kat. "And they're great exercises."

"Really?" Kat asked, with half-sarcasm, half-hope in her voice.

"No, not really. Burpees are awful, and will always be awful, but you can do more of them before you cry if you practice." Arthur said, laughing with the girls as they laughed at his response.

Kat swatted at him, but the playful blow lingered too long to be angry.

"I wanted to say goodbye before I left for work. Mindy, I'll see you at the office?" He asked.

Mindy saluted. "Yes, Boss."

"And I'll see the rest of you tomorrow morning, assuming you don't hit the SOS." He glanced at Kelly.

Kelly nodded. "I updated the girls during the workout."

"I wanted to tell you about the plans last night." Kat said. "But they outvoted me."

"I appreciate that." Arthur said. "I appreciate your waiting until I was ready. My reaction wouldn't have been reasonable last night. I'm still not sure it's a great idea, but I trust you." He said to Kelly. "Just... be careful. If you piss her off, we have to be ready to deal with the fallout. It's your well-being I'm worried about, not mine."

"And we appreciate that." Kelly said. "But don't worry. I promise that if anything goes wrong, we will come to get you right away. Otherwise, enjoy your guys' night. Play some poker, or whatever you guys do."

"Okay." Arthur said. He kissed Kelly's cheek, Kat's, Mindy's, and finally Selene's. "Have a good cooldown." He said.

"Have a good shower." Selene said. "Think of us and how much we love you."

Arthur chuckled and waved goodbye as he headed toward the locker room. He was an incredibly lucky man.

Despite the temptation to follow Selene's advice, Arthur was quick in the shower, in and out in a matter of minutes. However, he took the time afterward to shave, which added another few minutes. He hurried out of the athletic center once he dressed and power-walked toward the admin building. As a supervisor, it was his responsibility to set a good example and arrive early. He walked briskly, thinking about his girlfriends so much that he almost missed Sarah and Tara waving at him and waiting for him on the path.

He caught up with them and nodded. "Hey! On your way to work?"

Tara nodded. "How'd you know?"

Sarah laughed. "Did you enjoy breakfast? We must have missed you in the dining hall."

"Oh, I'm coming from the gym." Arthur said.

"I thought I smelled fresh cologne." Tara said. "You smell amazing."

"Aftershave, and thanks? I guess." Arthur shrugged.

Sarah leaned over and sniffed him, pressing her nose into his neck. She took a deep inhale and laughed.

"You do smell amazing. What brand of aftershave is that?" Sarah asked. She left her hand on his arm as if for balance from the lean over his shoulder as she stood straight again.

"Uh..." Arthur's brain was firing off warning bells and waving red flags everywhere. His speech stalled as he looked between the two women. Were they flirting with him?

No, they couldn't be. They were Sarah and Tara. They joked around sometimes, but they were friendly coworkers. Sarah didn't have excellent attention to detail, but she honored her shifts and never called out. Tara had a boyfriend, didn't she? It was inappropriate for Arthur to ask. He didn't press into their personal lives, though they often asked about his.

Sarah slid her manicured fingers along his arm as she released her touch on him, smiling at him the entire time.

Last night's conversation with Kelly buzzed through his brain. He was clueless with flirting, but Kelly insisted that people flirted with him more than he'd realized. Tara might not be flirting, but passing him an honest compliment, the way she might have complimented a fellow woman. Sarah, however, was invading his personal space, staring at him, looking away when he met her gaze, laughing like everything he said sounded hysterical, and touching him.

The constant physical contact had to be flirty, right? Or was it a personality quirk? Had he seen her being that way with Tara or anyone else? Now that he considered the behavior, he couldn't say he'd seen her do it to anyone else. She was flirting.

Now the question was: What should he do? To acknowledge her advances might make their professional relationship awkward. Ignoring her behavior would be routine, but her flirting made him uncomfortable. Weren't they the ones who reported his and Mindy's relationship? Why was Sarah flirting with him if she thought he was a disgusting pig taking advantage of a freshman?

"Uh..." Arthur repeated as they approached the admin building entrance.

Sarah and Tara glanced at each other, wondering what had made him short-circuit.

"Old Spice." Arthur answered. "It's Old Spice."

"Isn't that like, for senior citizens?" Tara joked.

Arthur shrugged. "My girlfriend likes it." He said, picturing Kelly as he opened the door to the admin building and held it for them.

"Which one?" Tara asked with a teasing tone. "Sarah likes it. Are you going to add her to your stable of women?"

"My..." Arthur hesitated. "No." He shook his head. "I mean, they all like it, but Kelly is the one I meant. She recommended it to Lori, who gave it to me as a present once, and I've used it ever since."

"Lori, your ex?" Tara asked. "Why did she dump you again?"

"She didn't--"

"It was mutual." Tara and Sarah said simultaneously.

"Yeah, we don't believe you." Sarah said. "Not that we're saying you did anything wrong. But nobody who initiates the breakup mopes as much as you did."

"But hey, you bounced back." Tara said, giving Sarah a significant look. "You keep collecting women, and one of them's bound to stick around instead of running off on you. Is that what your whole deal is? Hedging your bets so you don't end up alone?"

"Tara." Sarah protested. "That was mean. I'm sure Lori regrets running off on him."

"Sure, but it took, what, five women to take her place?" Tara asked. "Poor girl must have been exhausted."

Arthur sighed, walking through the halls with them. "She didn't run off on me. Lori believed she had to choose between love and her career. She chose her career."

"And you don't believe that?" Sarah asked.

"I would have tried long distance, or been willing to go with her, but she ended things instead." Arthur said, annoyed, but doing his best not to let it show. "Now, we should get to work." He held the office door open for them. "Let's keep my personal life out of the office, okay?"

"You got it, Boss." Sarah said, squeezing his arm on her way past him into the office again.

Arthur took his seat at his desk and started work. He was noticing things more now and wondered if he should discuss it with Beth. Sarah's flirting triggered his paranoia, as if she were trying to trap or trick him. He didn't intend to fall for it, but it made him nervous. Not to mention their various misconceptions regarding his relationships. Yet another problem on his plate.

~~~

The rest of Thursday night became an alcohol-fogged haze for Lynn. She'd drunk more than she should, and the last thing she remembered before getting into an Uber was Sanjay giving her his number.

She awoke on Friday morning, totally alone. Silence filled her bedroom. The deafening absence of noise blanketed everything as if it had snowed overnight. The house above her sat empty. Arthur locked and secured the doors against her. He'd even replaced the pool house lock, the garage door lock, the garage code, the spare key code, and the sliding glass door to the kitchen. The house was officially a 'No-Lynn zone.'

She had her apartment, the things in it, her car, and her parents--no one and nothing else.

The loneliness tried to crush her again, but she didn't let it. Why should she care if she'd spent the night alone? So what if she had no friends? Other people were losers. So what if Deb blocked her on every social media platform? It shouldn't bother her if her calls and texts didn't reach the woman closer to her than her mother.

Lynn sniffed.

This betrayal wouldn't get to her. She wouldn't let Arthur win. He could keep Deb. Lynn didn't need her. Sure, she'd thought Deb was the one person who'd never give up on her, but that's what people did. They abandoned her.

Her friends in high school? Gone.

Her best friend, Angie, attended a different school, and according to social media, she was doing well. She stopped responding to Lynn's messages years ago. Even the ones who'd gone to the same college didn't talk to her anymore. They were losers, but at least in high school, they'd been loyal losers. In college, they forgot their place and turned on her. One by one, they turned, just like Deb.

The friends she made in college? Well, friends was a strong word. She'd had roommates, but they weren't the cool girls. She'd tried for a sorority, but those bitches worshiped their queen bees and made damn sure not to let Lynn into their hives. What kind of sorority required high GPAs? Lynn rolled her eyes just remembering it.

Then came the fiasco with that incompetent dean. He had one fucking job, and he couldn't even do that without getting caught. Lynn barely avoided the fire on that one, but it didn't matter. Her grades evaporated, and so did her collegiate career. Pendleton only gave her a chance because her parents begged, swindled, and leveraged every favor they had.

She'd tried to live with them, but her mother told her that independence would benefit her. That had to be Deb's idea. "It'll be great. Move into the house, share it with Arty and other Pendleton students, and make friends."

Yeah, right. Lynn didn't have friends. She considered people tools. Not that she'd find a use for anyone in the house.

Instead of filling the house with students, Arthur and his girlfriends took it, stuck Lynn in the basement, and wouldn't even let her talk to him. He was supposed to be her golden ticket. In high school, he'd worked his ass off for her grades. He'd be willing to do it again if it weren't for his fucking transformation and sick, demented girlfriends. What freaks those girls must be to share a man between them.

Those freaks turned Deb against her. No one stood by her side now. She didn't have anyone to talk to. No one to ask for advice or help. Her parents listened, but they were useless beyond their financial support. At least that was still coming in, even though they tried to restrict it because Deb thought she should learn fiscal responsibility.

Lynn groaned.

Last night should have been fun, but it turned to shit. She reviewed it in her mind, trying to see why her plan, like all her recent plans, failed. Step one: Meet Katelyn's ex, Sean, at the bar. Step two: Send him running back to Katelyn. Lynn spent days chatting him up, subtly asking him questions about his previous relationship. That went well. Too well. All to block Katelyn from joining the harem and her living in the house.

Step three: She'd meet Sean, show him he wasn't shit by texting on her phone instead of paying attention to him. After that, he'd go running back to familiar pastures. The plan was perfect, and it would keep Katelyn out of Arty's fucking harem. Hell, Katelyn might have been grateful to Lynn for helping reunite her and Sean. Then Lynn would have an ally or two.

Unfortunately, Sean fucked that plan right in the ass without lube. He approached Katelyn before his date with Lynn and fucked it up. That was the failure. It was Sean's fault.

When she got to the bar, Sean wasn't in the lustful mood she expected. Instead, he proved miserable and pathetic, like every loser. She'd pushed too hard, or underestimated how in love Sean had been. Katelyn dumped his miserable ass, and Lynn saw why. He was a crybaby, nowhere near as stoic, forceful, and manly as the new Arthur.

So Lynn tried Plan B: make it look like she and Sean hooked up, just to piss off Katelyn, Kelly, and Arthur. She didn't have any use for Sean beyond that. Unfortunately, Sean still wanted Katelyn and rejected Lynn. She still didn't understand it.

What the fuck did Sean or Arthur see in that twig that made her worth fucking? How could they consider Katelyn with Lynn right there?

Sean even told her she was hot, but apparently, he believed she was too hot for him, which was true. She was a goddess. He had a face that looked like he'd marry his cousin. He ran away, and left her there.

After that she drank to cool off and chatted with other guys, got three phone numbers, and drank way too many shots. She'd Ubered home and needed to fetch her car from the bar's parking lot.

Of the three guys, only one looked promising. Her memory remained hazy, but he went to Pendleton and said he made pretty good grades. Sanjay was another junior and a biology major. He wanted to attend medical school after graduation. Lynn stopped listening after that. He stood shorter than her typical type, but possessed a handsome, swarthy appearance. Pity he couldn't read a room, or listen instead of talking. He hadn't asked her a single question about herself, except to ask if she had any sisters or if she'd be open to a poly relationship. She left him in the bar without inviting him anywhere, but she had his number if she got bored and needed a free dinner.

Still, it didn't change the fact that she came home alone.

Lynn pulled off her night mask and threw it toward the trash can in frustration. She slid out of the bed and forced herself to rise. The light-blocking curtains kept the window from annoying her with midmorning light. She'd stripped her clothes off last night on her way to bed, sleeping naked. She didn't bother pulling on a bra or stepping into a pair of panties. There was no one here, and even if there were, no one wanted anything to do with her. She was as free as a bird with nowhere to fly. Worse than that, she was alone. She didn't even have a roommate she might push around.

The one person she'd reached out to for support blocked her. Auntie Deb turned on her because of something that happened so long ago that Lynn barely thought about it. Her and Arthur's first and only time together. It was a disappointment, to say the least, and he'd been uncooperative. He should have knelt and worshipped her like the goddess she was. Instead, he'd fucking cried.

Where were all the men? The guys who didn't break down or wear their emotions on their sleeves? The tall, rugged men who looked like Arthur did now, but possessed more emotional fortitude than the average kindergartner? Arthur's hard, silent stare of disapproval and hatred filled her imagination. He was a different person from high school Arty now. His body was muscular, ripped, and hot enough that she was willing to do all kinds of things with him in that hot tub before she recognized him. Sean and Sanjay didn't measure up well in comparison.

Lynn wiped the sleep from her eyes as she padded into the kitchen. The sudden change from soft carpet to chilly tile woke her up. She jumped back to the carpet, crossing her arms over her heavy breasts to keep them from hurting in the leap.

She looked around the apartment for her slippers.

"Fuck." She sighed, not finding them. "Where the fuck are they? It's not like anyone else moved them."

She kicked her cowgirl boots aside and pulled her shirt from last night off the floor. Her slippers fell out of it, having caught beneath the shirt as she lifted it. She sighed, threw the shirt onto the sofa, and stepped into her slippers.

She'd clean up eventually. Her panties started the trail of clothes by the door. She'd kicked them there last night after removing her shorts. The shorts rested a few feet away by the couch she'd thrown her shirt onto. Her bra hung on the doorknob of the bedroom.

She stepped into the kitchen. The coffeemaker sat empty, staring at her as she approached. There was no one else to fill the water, clean the filter, or set the pot. She hadn't set it last night either. Living on her own sucked. At least in college, her roommates did this shit. Grabbing a cup of coffee was easy when someone else made the coffee.

If she lived on campus, she'd buy a cup, but her parents didn't want to pay for a dorm room when Auntie Deb had a room for rent. The cheapskates. It wasn't that they couldn't afford it. She couldn't wait until she turned twenty-five and gained access to her trust fund. Arthur had his savings, which, according to Auntie Deb, he'd worked for and saved. So why couldn't she have custody of the money her parents set aside for her? Why did she have to learn fiscal responsibility? Because Deb thought teaching it to Arthur was a good idea?

Men were supposed to be responsible with money; that's what they were for. Lynn shouldn't have to worry about finances. She was too hot to ever worry about money or how she spent it.

She took the water container from the side of the pot and filled it at the sink, watching the water run. The heat rose from the sink, steaming the air and reminding Lynn of the faded hand-shaped mark on her face.

Auntie Deb had really flipped. She'd smacked Lynn right across the face.

The memory of her slap stung more than the faded red mark on her cheek. The reality hadn't sunk in last night as she pretended to listen to Sanjay. Nothing made sense. Deb had always taken Lynn's side over Arthur's. She was the one who always encouraged him to look out for Lynn and be nice to her. Deb always stuck her neck out for Lynn's sake. She'd helped her so many times, and now Deb was burn-the-house-down mad and willing to throw Lynn away?

This was Arthur's fault. He said something to Deb to turn her against Lynn. But what? What did he say that flipped Auntie Deb? Even Uncle George treated her coldly at the door, and that old man acted more uncomfortable in her presence than anything else--the perv.

Lynn set the filled water container on the coffee maker and rinsed the pot. She returned it and removed the filter, throwing yesterday's ground coffee beans in the garbage. Lynn replaced them with a dozen scoops of today's ground coffee beans.

She closed the lid, hit the button, and looked around for her phone as the coffee pot heater started. The percolating noise of bubbling water echoed through the apartment as Lynn moved through the open space. She took the phone from her nightstand and checked her messages. Her frown deepened as she read her father's response to her late-night text.

Lynn: Hey, Papi! I know you and Mami said you're putting me on an allowance last night, and I get it. Totally. But I realized after I left, I already spent a bunch of money this week before I knew that was happening. So, do you think we might start that next week? I'm short on food money because of it.

Papi: Didn't you tell us last night that you just went grocery shopping yesterday? I'm sorry, honey, but we're sticking with the allowance. We will deposit the money into your account every week, and it's your responsibility to manage your budget. Let me know if you'd like us to review the budget with you, or Auntie Deb, or Uncle George.

She fumed. How dare her father tell her no? How dare he catch her in a lie that wasn't even that important? She'd gone grocery shopping, so she had food, but what did that matter? She needed that money. What was she supposed to do? Sell pictures of herself online for cash?

She'd make money, but it seemed like a ton of work. Her thirst traps and cleavage shots on Instagram were popular enough, but they weren't producing any money she could take to the bank. Perverts flooded her comments with requests for her OnlyFans information, which she didn't have. Perhaps she should start one if she found someone to handle the editing and technical aspects for her. That'd teach her parents to fuck with her cash flow.

Hell, she wondered how much Sanjay would pay to see her right now, standing naked in her apartment, being domestic. Indian guys were good with tech, right? Was that racist? Lynn didn't care. Sanjay might be a suitable candidate if he learned to keep his mouth shut. He'd do it for free, and if he got too handsy, she'd put him in his place. Short and scrawny didn't threaten her. He'd be her new Arty, or she'd find another simp who'd do it for her. She didn't have time to cultivate a customer base or pretend to enjoy attention from perverts. But if bots did the work, she'd pose and rake in the cash. She strode back into her living room.

Mother Nature built her body for lust, but in her apartment, no one saw it. Her hips, breasts, butt, legs, and every contour of her flesh made her every man's and most women's desire. Plenty of people at the bar would have come home with her and gladly worshipped her body. They'd pay for the privilege, too.

So why the fuck hadn't Arty gotten it up all those years ago? Why was he pushing her away now and not running into her arms like a lovesick lapdog? Was he pissed that she didn't recognize him in the hot tub at that first reunion weeks ago? That wasn't her fault, though. He couldn't blame her for not realizing how much he'd changed. Arthur was the one who'd blocked her on social media.

Had she come on too strong in her senior year? He'd been in love with her his whole life, but when his chance to be her boy toy arrived, he cried. Had she pushed the humiliation too far? She'd planned it all that night so long ago, and she enjoyed herself, but he acted like she'd done something to him, rather than for him. Deb said that he'd told her the details and how it led to the fight with the football team. Was that what upset her?

She should've stopped them from beating him, but they wouldn't have listened to her. It wasn't her fault that Arty startled her. What was he doing running after her anyway? He should have waited for her in the room, as she told him to. She would have returned after a night of partying and used him again, like a good boy. After some rest, he might've gotten a freaking boner. Men. She couldn't trust them to do anything. He didn't listen, so he got what he deserved.

Deb blamed her for her son's mistakes, though. So that meant Arthur did too. Did he tell his girlfriends? No, he'd never be willing to admit to his lovesick groupies that he wasn't all man. He must have told them a version of events that led to their turning against her, though. Kelly suggested she knew more than the others. She might even know Lynn's issues with the dean. Lynn would have to discuss it with her tonight.

She checked the clock on the coffeepot. Nearly eleven in the morning. That gave her plenty of time to order food and make it appear as though she'd cooked. Deb wasn't coming tonight, which meant she couldn't get Deb to help her cook, aka make dinner for her. It would be just her, Kelly, Mindy, Kat, Rani, and Katelyn. Six people, herself and five of Arthur's six whores. She wondered why the sluttiest of them, Selene, wasn't coming, but she didn't care. That bitch would get hers.

Lynn needed food for six people, and all for a fucking apology facade that didn't even matter anymore. Deb had been the reason she invited them to dinner in the first place. She didn't care about Mindy, but keeping Deb on her side had been necessary.

What the fuck was the point now?

Mindy should have been off the board already. One by one, her plans failed and fell apart. It burned Lynn that Mindy's parents proved so wholesome and understanding. Their daughter being bisexual was no big deal to them? They must be the only Korean parents Lynn ever heard of reacting that way.

Not that she knew any other Korean parents.

At least the news would piss off Rani's parents when Lynn found them. That hunt proved difficult. Rani must have segregated her college life from her home life. Her social profiles only went back to her freshman year of college; before that, there was no record of her online presence. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Was she an orphan?

Kelly's mother hadn't responded to Lynn's friend request, nor had Katelyn's, or Kat and Selene's. Except for Kelly, Lynn wasn't friends with any of them on social media. So they shared no mutuals. Now, though, Kelly gave her a way in. With a mutual friend in Kelly, those parents would assume she was friends with their daughters from Pendleton. It'd be a good segue to queuing up whatever dirt she needed to dish to their parents.

She'd be damned if she let them live here unscathed after the insults they hurled at her at brunch, and the way they kept her from talking to Arthur. He shouldn't be with them. They didn't own him. Lynn owned him. The sooner they realized that, the better off they'd be.

Lynn sighed, looking around the apartment. It was a decent place. Sizable. Even with floor space used for storage, water heaters, the furnace, and the electrical box, the in-law suite was the same size as her parents' apartment. At least her parents had a balcony, though. Losing her patio privileges sucked. The pool was right there and heated. Maybe she'd go for a dip. She should enjoy her last few days of living in this ghost town of a house. Soon, the girls would be there to remind her that no one wanted her there.

She thrived on hatred, but even the great Lynn Barerra had her limits. She needed someone to bitch to, to listen to her vent, to do things for her. A roommate could do that, but she had no candidates. Skylar hadn't returned her texts after homecoming. Apparently, she resented Lynn ditching her so Lynn could attend an exclusive party that proved to be nothing but a prank. Lynn crossed her legs as the memory of that night made her heart pump faster.

The memory of sitting naked in her car, masturbating to the shame of streaking through the hotel, made her fingers itch. She needed to stop masturbating to the memory of Kelly spitting on her cheek in the admin building, or nude Selene closing the door after taking her clothes away. Her dreams had been too sexual recently and too focused on Kelly, Arthur, and the girls for her comfort. She couldn't even cum anymore without picturing Kelly standing over her, humiliating her for Arthur's amusement. It sickened and aroused her.

She stepped into her bathroom and washed her face with frigid water. She looked at herself in the mirror briefly. Without makeup, she looked like an unfinished painting. Lynn turned off the light and shuffled back to the kitchen. She poured her coffee and let it cool. The steam wafted into the air above the mug in gentle swirls.

So the plan with Sean to take Katelyn off the board failed. The plan with Mindy failed before that. Rani was a nonstarter. Selene was fun to mess with, but she wasn't ready to get Selene fired yet. She had to make Selene believe she carried the power, though.

Lynn's skin crawled at the idea of having to flirt with that store manager again. Ugh. The things she did for victory. Could she get something incriminating on him instead? If she hit up his DMs, she might get a dick pic. That'd be enough leverage to make him do whatever she asked.

She owed Kat a visit to the library to mess with her. Lynn planned to order Kat to help her find some books and waste time bossing her around. That might be fun. It'd have to wait, though. She was supposed to put on a pleasant facade tonight. She had to pretend she wanted to be their friend and humiliate herself with an apology to Mindy.

All so she might, what? Break up the harem and make Arthur realize he wanted her? Get through college? Why the fuck did she need college?

She had a choice to make.

She could surrender. Without Deb in her corner, she had no chance of getting Arthur on her side. Lynn could give up and move in with her parents. She'd abandon the idea of attending a college she'd flunk out of in a semester, and live as she saw fit. Lynn would party, have fun, and marry one of her dad's rich friends who wanted a sugar baby. Whoever was into never sexually satisfying her, and having her berate and humiliate them for it. Those guys existed on the internet, right? Why not in real life? Why did her stomach sour at the thought?

A variation of that would be starting her own porn channel somewhere. A few poses, some masturbation videos, and she'd rake in the dough and make enough to cover her bills and live how she wanted. Sexual liberty, financial independence, and getting paid for getting off sounded like a good gig.

Alternatively, she'd go nuclear. It wasn't about victory anymore. There was no victory. There was no getting Arty to do her assignments and help her pass college, so her parents stopped nagging her. She'd never be able to ingratiate herself into his circle of friends, depose Kelly, and replace her as their queen. Instead, she'd blow it up. Figuratively speaking, of course. She wouldn't do anything that might end with her getting hurt.

No, Lynn would take their personal relationship bullshit and make it public. She'd out them as poly, bisexual deviants. At least three of them could kiss their careers goodbye. She'd be doing them a favor. Who in their right mind wanted to be a teacher?

And Arthur? He'd be so easy to frame as a misogynistic monster. "Arthur manipulated those poor women and took advantage of them. He brainwashed them, but once they escape his cult, they'll come around." None of it would be true, but who the fuck cared? No company in its right mind would hire a man with that much bad press. Not in today's market.

Could she leverage that with Deb? No. That'd only piss Deb off more. If she threatened Arthur's future or tried to force Deb into liking her again, she'd just end up making things worse.

She had nothing to gain from any of the options ahead of her. The porn route might make her money, but it wasn't the same as satisfaction against Arthur's girlfriends. Either way, she lost, and they won. She couldn't have that. She sipped her coffee, letting the heat against her lips and tongue wake her mind.

"What the fuck do I want?" Lynn asked her transparent reflection in the window. "To be on top again?"

She couldn't see a path to that.

"Someone to fuckin' listen to me?" Lynn glared at her reflection as if it mocked her. How dare the reflection show the emptiness of her apartment and the lone figure standing amid the barren suite?

"College is so fucking boring." Lynn moaned. She didn't want to attend classes or work for a living. Lynn was in her twenties. She was supposed to travel, party, and enjoy life. Why did her parents want to ruin that?

Travel. There was an idea. She could plan a trip. She'd go to Miami and spend a week on the beach. Or the Bahamas. A few weeks in the Bahamas might let her forget Auntie Deb's betrayal. She could party at the clubs as usual, dance, drink, and have her fun. She'd flirt, test her powers over strangers, amuse herself with them, and then leave them wanting more. That always made life better, right?

Until she woke up in the morning, alone as usual.

Of course, she'd be just as alone there. At least there she'd have alcohol in her hand instead of coffee. She stared out at the pool, looking at the tiered stone patio and the steps leading to the house's kitchen and three-seasons room.

Fuck them, and fuck their rules. Lynn hadn't thought they were serious about those clauses in the lease. She should have been able to manipulate Arty into forgetting them. She might not have access to the pool, but no one could enforce it.

Lynn finished her coffee, setting the empty mug on the counter as she left her apartment, still naked. She closed the sliding glass door behind her as she left the far corner of her living room and stepped onto the forbidden territory of the house's back patio. Fuck it. The girls weren't here yet. So she might as well enjoy the pool before they arrived.

She walked into the water and swam through the heated pool, surrounded by the warm autumn air. She became a nymph with her hair flowing out behind her, a lady of the lake. Nothing else existed in the world, just her and the water. No betrayals, no family abandoning her, no friends turning their backs on her, no men disappointing her. She was alone, but the water embraced her.

She floated on the surface of the water, letting it hold her up as she opened her eyes to gaze at the sky. Her hair floated and fanned out behind her as she drifted lazily toward the deep end. The water muted the world, dampening the sounds that tried to reach her ears. No birdsong called her, no vibration of her phone in the kitchen could reach her. Not that anyone called or texted her.

Was that why she hated the girls? Because they had each other, and she had no one?

That was stupid. She was being dumb and emotional, like high school Arty.

Lynn took a deep breath, pulling her legs under her and standing in the pool so that her shoulders and head remained above the water. She flipped her hair behind her, pulling it back with her hands. She'd need a shower, but she needed one anyway.

Lynn swam toward the shallow end again, going under and kicking. She let her hands walk on the bottom of the pool before she brought her feet under her and rose from its depths like Venus. Water cascaded from her form, dripping onto the stone beside the pool. Her curvy hips, thick thighs, bountiful breasts, and every inch of her smooth, flawless skin glistened with beads of water. The heavier droplets caressed her curves as they drove rivulets across the lines of her body and fell to the ground with her movements. She had no towel to cover herself, and she didn't need one.

She walked with her head held high and her body on full display, proud of the form nature gave her. Her wet footsteps smacked with every stride toward her apartment door. Water droplets fell from her hands as she grasped the handle and pulled.

Nothing happened.

She pulled again, and nothing happened.

Shit.

Lynn's eyes flared as she struggled, pulling on the door several times without it budging. Her hand flew to her hip, but her phone wasn't there. It rested on the kitchen counter, inside. She was naked, and locked out, alone on a property with a house she couldn't enter, and no one to call, even if she had her phone.

Lynn tugged on the door again, and again, and again, but it refused to budge. She closed her eyes and felt the tears join the wetness of her skin. Her eyelids flew open, and she let out a frustrated "Grah!" As she stomped away. She tried the pool house door, the main house kitchen door, the pool house back door, the three-seasons room back door, the front door, the garage's side door, the garage panel doors, and her main entrance. Every door remained locked against her.

Only after making that round did she realize those entrances had alarms. She blushed in fury, but calmed herself. The security company didn't rush out unless something happened. Deb, George, or Arthur might check cameras on a live feed if they got an alert, though. Was there a way she could put her head in the frame without the rest of her?

She had nothing to cover herself with but her limbs. Would Arty even come?

No, Arthur wasn't about to ride to her rescue. Those days were over long ago. Deb wouldn't help her either. Frustrated, she stomped to the back patio again. She stopped at the side where the extra key hid and tried to unlock it, but Arthur had changed the combination to the secure container. It wasn't his, Deb's, or George's birthdays.

She tried hers, but it didn't work either.

"I could break in..." Lynn said, speaking to herself. Voicing the thought gave her something to listen to other than the voice that shouted she was stupid. That she deserved this for being a stupid fucking cunt. Who walks out of the house with absolutely nothing and closes the door behind them without making sure it's unlocked?

She might drown, and no one would find her body. No one checked on her. No one cared. The realization depressed her. No, depression happened to other people. She didn't get depressed; she got angry. How dare they abandon her? How dare no one care about her? Didn't they know who she was? How hot she was? How lucky they should feel that she wanted them?

She seized the closest patio chair and hurled it against her sliding glass door in frustration. "Grah!" The glass door made a -wub- noise, and the chair bounced off, not even leaving a crack or a dent. Lynn stared at the sliding glass door.

The tint in its glass mocked her, reflecting her naked body at her without its makeup, her hair flat and clinging to her. She looked hideous to herself above the neck, and worse, ineffectual. She couldn't even break a glass door. Deb mentioned the contractors reinforced them, so she didn't need to worry about break-ins, but everyone said that. What were the odds of someone actually doing it?

"I'm so fucking stupid." Lynn said, breaking down. Her body convulsed involuntarily as her tears broke free from her eyes. She collapsed onto a patio chair, hugging her knees to herself with her feet on the edge of the seat. Hot, wet tears carved their paths over her cheeks and dripped from her chin.

It'd been years since she'd cried. She didn't let her emotions get the better of her. She used them when she needed to, but if they weren't going to be useful, they could fuck off. That was her philosophy. Only this time, her emotions didn't listen. They overwhelmed her. Waves of loneliness crashed against waves of self-recrimination, and she folded into herself, curling up and hoping she'd float instead of drown.

The tears fell, and she couldn't stop them. Was this how Arty felt when he cried? Except she didn't have an audience.

Why hadn't he enjoyed it? He was supposed to enjoy it and thank her for allowing him in her presence. Angie said he'd be one of those guys who wanted a cruel woman. He responded well enough to it in high school and kept coming back for more. She'd been an absolute monster to him, teasing him, putting his insecurities on display, and he kept returning. He loved it, craved it, and got off on it, right? Arty never abandoned her. He must have been into it. He must have enjoyed her cruelty the way men do.

She'd been mean at the motel, and she enjoyed it. She'd been the cruelest queen bitch she'd ever been. In return, he'd been the most pathetic he'd ever been. His whiney little tears and pathetic reactions had been a huge turnoff. Still, she got there. She enjoyed humiliating others. She got off on it all the time.

Though after Selene's little prank at the hotel, she'd only been able to cum when she imagined herself being the one humiliated. Running naked through the lobby, hoping no one saw her, and knowing they did.

Well, circumstances humiliated her now. She was a dumb fucking cunt, naked, and alone. It'd be hours before someone came who might help her, and even then, it'd be Kelly or one of Arthur's other girlfriends. She'd have to hide and hope Kelly carried a key. Maybe she could slip in behind them without them noticing. What if they came in through the main house and left the door unlocked? But what if they locked it? Or worse, what if they came around to the basement entrance?

What was she supposed to do until then? Preparing dinner was out of the question.

She could play it off like she'd planned it this way. They'd order dinner to the house. Since they enjoyed naked parties so much, she'd tell them that was what she'd planned--skinny dipping in the pool.

They'd never fall for it. Did Lynn care? Not particularly. She didn't care anymore. Let them come. Let them find her crying, naked, alone, and still not knowing where everything went wrong. They parried every thrust she'd made at them. Every taunt or jeer she'd tossed at them, they mocked. Every move she tried to make, they danced around.

How dare they work together and mock her even as she tried to drive them apart? Arthur turned them against her before they met her. Why couldn't he get over himself? Why wouldn't they even give her a chance? They didn't trust her.

Ha. Was that the third option: If you can't beat them, join them?

"Ha." Lynn laughed at the idea, wiping her tears as they continued to fall. "They'd never allow that. Arty would never allow that."

She looked up at the big house, and the dreams that filled her head weeks ago crumbled to dust. This house wasn't her palace anymore. It was her prison. The basement was her Superman Castle of Solitary Confinement, or whatever people called it. She was alone, and she was so damn tired of losing.

Breaking in, she might get her things at least. But it wouldn't surprise her if Deb or Arty used it as an excuse to break her lease. Deb said they were looking for ways to evict her. She didn't need to give them one. But she couldn't think of another way into the house. She had to either wait or break in. Those were her choices.

She waited. She only had six or seven hours to go until dinner.

~~~

Arthur left the office behind him on his way to class and received a notification from his mother.

Mom: <3

Arthur smiled softly. The heart was his mother's way of checking in on him without pressuring him for a wordy response. He sent her a heart in return. Arthur was sorry to have hurt her last night, but he breathed easier at the conversation being off his chest. He didn't have to relive that night again for a long time now, and the worst was behind him.

He'd taken control of his life and tried to protect his girls from Lynn. The effectiveness of his actions might not be as decisive as he'd hoped, but he'd done it. Unfortunately, he had to do more.

Whatever Kelly's plans were, they worried him, but not as much as her reluctance to share those plans. At first, he agreed with having plausible deniability, but the more he considered it, the more he worried. Should he call Kelly and have her cancel the dinner? Was that overstepping?

He'd feel better if his mother were there to protect the girls, but he couldn't ask her to do that. The next time she saw Lynn, it'd be a fight or an argument. Whatever happened, he hoped it was enough to deter Lynn from hurting the girls. Her constant attempts to probe their social circles and work lives had to stop.

He had to protect them. His dad was meeting with the lawyer today, taking time out of his busy work schedule to do it. It probably wouldn't be a long meeting, but at least they'd have a sense of what to do next.

He let his classes distract him, taking notes and focusing on the work before him. Intermediate Macroeconomics was, if nothing else, so different from his thoughts that it took him out of himself for an hour. The study of the Solow growth model was interesting, at least to Arthur.

After the break that class offered him, he returned to the office, ready to work until lunch. It wasn't until halfway through his shift that anyone bothered him.

"Hey, Boss?"

Arthur looked up from his desk to see Dinah standing before him. He'd gotten so used to Mindy calling him that, Arthur forgot the others sometimes called him that, too. He almost corrected her out of instinct, but now he was a supervisor. Her supervisor.

"Yes, Dinah? What's up?" Arthur asked.

"I was wondering if I could leave early today." Dinah said. "I'm heading out for fall break to visit family, and the earlier I get on the road, the less traffic."

"Sure." Arthur said. "That's not a problem."

"Thanks!" Dinah scrunched her face in excitement and pumped her fist, driving her elbow into her side.

The motion itself wasn't erotic, but her tight sweater, short skirt, and opaque tights drew his attention to the shelf of her breasts as they moved. Arthur diverted his eyes to his computer screen. A surge of blood flow struck his cock, and he swallowed as he wondered why he was stiffening at her enthusiasm.

"What time do you need to leave?" Arthur asked.

"Well, I usually work 'til four, with lunch and class in between, but would it be okay if I left at lunch?" Dinah asked.

Arthur nodded. "Yeah, that's fine. We have coverage for the afternoon, and we'll get the mailing done."

"Thanks." Dinah said, smiling and turning away. Her short skirt clung to her backside, showing off the curve of her hips and the back of her tight-clad thighs.

Arthur closed his eyes. Why was he so freaking horny? Didn't he have his usual--

No. Arthur realized he hadn't had an orgasm since last night. For the first time in days, he hadn't had a sexual release in over twelve hours. Shit. His body had kept pace with demand, but there wasn't any release in sight for the rest of the day. Tonight was his night off, just him and the guys.

He glanced at Beth's office door. She and Mindy were working on the other side. Either or both would be more than glad to accompany him to the storeroom or lock Beth's office door and enjoy a release. Unfortunately, they needed to be careful in the office. Liz from HR was looking for an excuse to cause trouble, and Arthur didn't intend to give her one.

"Hey, Arthur?" Tara asked. "Is it okay if I leave early, too?"

"Oh, uh..." Arthur checked the schedule. If Tara left early, Linda and Sarah would be working solo for the afternoon, each in turn. There might be a few minutes when the office was unattended, but he couldn't tell Tara no when he'd told Dinah yes.

"I want to leave early too." Sarah piped up, hopping up from her chair. The hop caused Arthur a problem as he refocused his eyes on his computer screen, as if reading a notification.

"Well, everyone can't leave early." Arthur protested. "Or there'll be no one in the office."

"So?" Tara asked. "It's fall break. Everyone has Monday and Tuesday off, so most people took a vacation day today, right? You're lucky we're even here at all."

Arthur glanced at Tara with an unimpressed expression, but she wasn't wrong. His class this morning was missing a few students, and the parking lots were only half full compared to their usual overflow.

He sighed. "Let me talk to Beth." He said. "Until then, plan on working as usual."

"Even Dinah?" Tara asked.

Arthur shook his head. "I already told Dinah she could leave early, so I'll keep my word on that."

"That's not fair!" Sarah protested, earning her a glare from Dinah.

"Yes, it is." Arthur said, his voice taking on a sterner tone than he meant to inflict. "She asked first."

"But--" Sarah protested, but Arthur held up his hand.

"I'll talk to the boss, the real one." He said.

"Fine." Sarah huffed and took her seat.

Tara raised her eyebrows at Arthur and muttered under her breath. "Geez. Give a guy a bit of power, and he thinks he can yell at everyone."

"I didn't yell." Arthur said. "Sarah's voice was louder than mine."

"Yeah, but yours was all threatening." Tara said.

Arthur sighed. He couldn't win. "I'm a guy with a deeper voice. I did not, nor will I ever, threaten any of you."

"Well, pay more attention to your tone." Tara said. "It's intimidating when you get stern."

Some girls enjoyed it, but Arthur knew better than to say that. He didn't apologize, but he let the matter drop and returned to work.

"Well?" Tara asked, staring at him.

Arthur lifted his eyes to Tara.

"Aren't you going to go talk to Beth?" Tara asked.

Arthur sighed again and drew in a deep breath to replace it. The stiff erection he'd grown moments ago was soft enough from the annoyance so he could stand without embarrassment. He locked his computer and stood, offering an annoyed glance at Tara.

He knocked on Beth's door.

"Come in!" Mindy's voice answered him.

Arthur entered, noticing that Beth and Mindy were at their respective desks, working. He closed the door behind him and locked it for good measure.

"Should I lock the other door?" Mindy asked, keeping her voice in a low whisper.

Arthur's dick twitched in his pants, but he kept his restraint. He didn't allow himself to imagine what fun he might have if she locked the door that led from Beth's office to the outside hallway.

"No." Beth answered for him. Then looked at Arthur. "Right?"

"No." Arthur said, smiling softly. He shook his head. "We need to be responsible in the office."

Beth nodded.

"Speaking of responsible, the girls want to know if they can leave early today." Arthur explained. "I told Dinah she had permission since she's traveling for fall break, but then Tara and Sarah overheard me and wanted to leave early. We'd be closing early after Linda's shift unless she also wants to leave early."

Beth nodded. "Yeah, that's fine. Honestly, most people are out today."

Arthur nodded.

"And you're leaving at one, right?" Beth asked.

"Yeah." Arthur said.

"I think we'll just close the office at one, then." Beth said. "Mindy's done by then, and I could use a half day. Should we get lunch together off-campus?"

"I have a lunch date with Rani today." Arthur said. "Sorry."

"Of course." Beth said, frowning. "We just haven't had any time to connect recently."

"I know." Arthur said. "I'm sorry. But I'm around during fall break. Are you?"

"I'm not traveling." Beth said. "But the office is closed."

"That's even better. We can do something off-campus. Or on Monday, you, me, and Mindy come in anyway." Arthur said. "We'll have fun and won't have to worry about getting caught."

"Yes, please!" Mindy said, raising her hand to volunteer.

Beth contemplated the suggestion. "That could be fun."

"As for today..." Arthur glanced meaningfully at the door to the hallway. Mindy locked it before he asked. He gestured for Beth to rise from her chair.

Beth looked around nervously but rose from her chair. He gestured for her to move around her desk, and she did. She dressed herself in layers today, with a loose cardigan over a tight blouse tucked into a pair of gray slacks. She wore black high heels that seemed mid-range for her.

"Were you a good girl today?" Arthur asked.

Beth swallowed and nodded.

"I didn't hear you." Arthur said, his cock stiffening in his pants.

"Yes, Sir." Beth whispered.

"Show me." Arthur said, nodding toward the thin leather belt.

Beth chewed her lip, uncertain. She looked at Mindy, but Mindy was no help. She was staring at Beth, waiting for her to comply or for Arthur to command her to do it on Beth's behalf.

Beth fumbled with her belt buckle, opening her belt. She fumbled with the button on her slacks and lowered the zipper almost too quickly.

Arthur gestured, pointing toward the floor.

Beth lowered her pants, shimmying the flimsy material along her thighs to show her bare skin and a patch of pubic hair. She wore no panties, which was what Arthur had meant when he asked if she'd been a good girl.

Arthur gestured for her to spin, and she did so, stepping slowly so as not to trip with her pants around her mid-thighs.

Arthur squeezed her ass. He pressed his lips against her neck and kissed behind her ear. She pushed back against him, feeling his stiff cock slide between her cheeks through his slacks.

"I want to bend you over that desk and fuck you until I cum." Arthur whispered, and Beth shivered. "Then I'll make my whore clean you up."

Mindy swallowed. "Can we, Master? Please?"

"Monday." Arthur said, using every ounce of his willpower to do the responsible thing. Well, semi-responsible.

Beth whimpered but didn't stop him as he stepped away.

"Fix your clothes." Arthur said, and Beth obeyed.

"That was mean." Mindy pouted. "You're mean for teasing us."

Arthur glanced at Mindy and winked. The teasing might be cruel, but at least now he wasn't suffering alone.

Beth tucked in her shirt and refastened her pants, sitting behind her desk before the slick wetness between her thighs showed on her slacks.

"You're so cruel." Mindy said, pouting. "You got us all worked up, and now there's no release."

"Now you know how I feel." Arthur said. "Although, if we close the office early today, should we meet back here after lunch?"

"Too dangerous." Beth warned. "Not everyone is out today."

"Fair enough." Arthur agreed.

"We could go to my dorm room." Mindy said.

"I'm not meeting you in the dorms." Beth frowned.

"Monday." Arthur repeated. "We'll continue this then."

Mindy pouted but didn't argue the point further.

"So I'll tell the girls we're closing early?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, Sir." Beth said, still flustered as she sat.

Arthur nodded. "Okay, thanks." He said. He patted Mindy's head and gave her a quick kiss before he exited. Arthur winked at Beth as he unlocked her door, and she did her best not to smile.

"Miss Rian has agreed to close early." Arthur announced after he shut Beth's door behind him. "You can leave early."

"Yes!" Sarah exclaimed. "Thanks, Boss!"

"Thanks, Beth!" Tara shouted toward the door as Arthur strode to his desk. He sat and started working again, a little hot under the collar but otherwise fine as work resumed.

It wasn't until lunchtime that Tara left. He looked up to see that he and Sarah were alone in the office.

"Hey, are you doing anything fun for fall break this year?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah, my girlfriends and I are going on a short trip on Saturday. We'll be back Sunday, though." He didn't explain where or what they were doing.

"Oh, right, of course." Sarah said, nodding. "I've been meaning to ask. That's an open relationship, right? Like a situationship? You can still fuck whoever you want?"

"Oh, uh..." Arthur glanced toward Beth's door, but no cavalry arrived to save him. "No. We have rules in place for that."

"What are the rules?" Sarah asked.

"I uh... I don't think this is an appropriate place to have this conversation." Arthur said, glancing around them. "We're at work."

"Well, I'm off the clock, right?" Sarah asked as she perched her butt on the edge of his desk so that she was standing beside him, her long legs at an angle before her. "So we're not supervisor and employee right now. We're just two friends talking."

Arthur kept his eyes on his screen. Sarah's long legs were sexy, similar to Katelyn's, though her build wasn't as lean. Sarah was shorter, even in her heels, and her long brown hair hung in a dark tumble over her far shoulder. Her maroon sweater dress clung to her torso, while her black leggings protected her modesty from its short hemline at the top of her thighs. A broad belt cinched the dress high around her waist, giving her an hourglass shape with a medium bust, wide hips, and a pert, if small, butt.

"I guess..." Arthur said, unsure how to respond.

"So if you wanted to meet for drinks..." Sarah said. "Would you need Mindy's permission? Somehow, I don't see her being the leader of your little group."

"She's not." Arthur said. "Like I said, we have rules we agreed to follow."

"Right. And what rules are those?" Sarah asked. "Specifically, I mean."

Arthur sucked in a breath. "It's complicated."

"Too complicated to tell me?" Sarah asked. "I'm not a total bimbo, you know."

"Look, Sarah, I have to finish this before the end of my shift. Do you mind if we talk about this later?" Arthur asked.

"Oh." Sarah said, frowning. "Sure. I forgot you always work through lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday."

Arthur nodded, letting her lift herself from his desk's edge without his eyes following her.

"Just let me know when you want to catch up. I look forward to it. I'll be around during fall break. You have my number, right?" She asked.

"Yeah." Arthur said, nodding and returning to work.

"Good." Sarah left, closing the office door behind her.

Arthur frowned as he returned to work. He checked Beth's office, but she and Mindy had left for lunch. So he fired off an email, letting her know he needed to talk to her regarding Sarah. Now that he'd noticed her flirting, he realized how aggressive it'd become. He wanted to put a stop to it sooner rather than later. Arthur didn't need another Yvonne explosion. He also needed it to be aboveboard, and the first step in that was creating a paper trail.

After work, he left the office to a series of texts from his father. He read them as he walked to the cafe to meet Rani.

Dad: Hey, Arthur. I talked to the lawyer. Bad news, I'm afraid. She doesn't think we have a case strong enough to evict Lynn, at least not without a restraining order. She did say we can file for a temporary restraining order so that Lynn doesn't bother you at the university. I gave her your email, so if you see something in there about a TRO, don't delete it.

Dad: Oh, and your mom tells me you're moving into the house next week: you and two of your girlfriends. Let me know the day. Your mom and I want to hire movers for you.

Dad: Okay, your mom wants to hire them, but with everything going on, we can at least take that off your plate.

Dad: Oh! And if you're meeting Mindy's parents on Monday, stop by the apartment sometime this weekend. Your mom has a bottle of wine she wants you to take to them, along with pictures that Chang-Hoon might appreciate.

Dad: Oh, and I got a notification this morning from the security company about tampering? They say it looks like someone tried to test the doors and windows at the house to see if they could break in. According to their sensors, no one did. They're sending a cop car just in case, but no news yet. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.

Dad: Sorry for all the long texts. Your mother says I should've called you, but I know your generation hates phone calls.

Dad: You should hear how interns answer their phones nowadays. You'd think they were worried someone had died. Lol.

Dad: Speaking of which, you and Mindy should consider that for the summer. We're always looking for interns. You wouldn't be working for me, but it'd be good experience for your resume.

Dad: The morning commute into the city sucks, though. It's one reason I'm glad we moved back to the apartment. I can walk to work now! Not that I do, but I can if I want to.

Dad: Anyway, lunch is over now. I have to get back to work. Hope you're having a good day! -Dad

Arthur laughed. His father had a distinctive way of texting, and signing the deluge was the cherry on top. He texted back while he was thinking about it.

Arthur: Thanks, Dad. I'll check the house when I head over tonight, just to make sure nothing's broken. I had a feeling the lawyer would say there wasn't much chance, but I'll consider the TRO. And I'll talk to Mindy about interning, too. Summer is a long way away, though. Hope you're having a good day!

He reached the cafe and looked around, not spotting Rani. He checked the hoodies for her distinctive coloring and dark hair, even without her everyday jewelry. Her honey-brown eyes didn't meet his gaze from any face. He went through the line and ordered a hot tea with his spinach and chicken wrap, fruit cup, and mixed veggies, but she still wasn't there when he finished. He sat at a table and texted her.

Master: Hey, Queenie, are we still on for lunch?

Concubine: Oh, shit!

Concubine: I'm sorry. I forgot.

Master: It's okay. I'm in the cafe if you'd like to join me.

Concubine: I'm sorry, my King. I don't have time for lunch today. I need to finish this project for my afternoon class in ~2 hrs.

Master: Have you eaten?

Concubine: I had a bagel this morning.

Master: Where are you right now?

Concubine: Engineering building.

Master: OK. I'm on my way with lunch for you.

Concubine: What? You don't have to do that.

Master: Do you want a chicken wrap?

Concubine: Actually, do they sell soup? I'm craving a decent mushroom soup.

Master: I got you.

Concubine: Thanks. Third floor lounge.

Arthur went through the line again and left carrying her soup in one hand and his lunch in the other. He arrived at the engineering building ten minutes later. Arthur found the stairwell and climbed to the third floor, looking for the lounge. It hid in the center of the hallway, an open room with no near wall or door. The long tables and their chairs faced the hallway as if it were a blackboard.

A few students sat separated by tables. Rani was in the back, hard at work with her laptop before her, a notebook to her left, and a patchwork of electronics to her right. A few heads looked up from their work as Arthur entered the space.

"I have a soup here for Arthur's girlfriend?" Arthur asked, looking around as if he couldn't see her. "Soup for Arthur's girlfriend?"

Rani smiled at him. "Oh, a delivery boy? You think you're so cute with that bit, don't you?"

"I've heard on good authority that I'm quite cute." Arthur said.

"Yeah, yeah." Rani said, waving him over.

A few people turned to watch as he slid into the seat beside her. He set her soup beside her notebook and leaned in, kissing her cheek.

She smiled at him. "Still not used to that."

Arthur chuckled. "Are you okay if I do my homework with you?"

"You don't have to rush off to eat lunch with someone else since I couldn't make it?" Rani asked, surprised.

"No." Arthur said. "The whole point of these lunches is to be informal. They're just lunch. We can sit shoulder-to-shoulder, and work until our next class."

"Are you sure?" Rani asked. "I can't entertain you, and as much as I'd enjoy myself, I don't have the time to sneak off somewhere."

"Please." Arthur said, dismissing her objection and throwing his backpack onto the floor. "Macroeconomics is all the entertainment I need."

Rani smiled, took the lid off her still-hot soup, and let it cool as she worked. She kept it far away from her electronics and drank it straight from the container. Arthur, meanwhile, ate his wrap, then worked on his homework. It was amazing how comfortable it could be to do an otherwise stressful task with a familiar, calming presence beside you.

~~~

Lynn was going insane. She'd been stuck outside, locked out of the house for hours, without her phone or any of her belongings. Even her clothes remained indoors. She was naked from head to toe. No amount of poking small sticks into the sliding glass door or trying to pry it open, or throwing things to break the glass, had worked.

She swam in the pool until her fingers turned to prunes. She laid on the poolside chair beneath the sun. It was unseasonably warm today, which was fortunate. Even so, the breeze carried the coming chill in its breath, and she did her best to hide from the wind. The heated pool and jacuzzi were nice enough, but leaving them always made her ten times colder than before.

She'd cried, pouted, screamed, and thrown every tantrum she knew, but the house didn't pity her. So what could she do? She'd made the rounds checking the doors and windows twice, once when she initially locked herself out, and once an hour later just to double-check. Arthur had barred every entrance to her. All because of his fucking vendetta. She stomped her way to the chairs, set up a patio umbrella, and tried to nap.

Kelly and the girls would eventually arrive for dinner. They'd find her, humiliate her, and have their fun. Lynn imagined it now. The gaggle of them turning the corner to find her there, naked and ashamed.

Lynn's hand slid over her smooth stomach toward her pubic mound. Her fingers stretched, sliding through her pubic hair until they reached her sex. She rubbed herself to her imagination of Kelly taking command and offering to let her into the house if she did embarrassing or demeaning things for them. Her masturbation fantasies always ended with her head between Kelly's thighs.

Lynn was nearly there when the sound of car tires on the driveway yanked her from her reverie. She sat up in her lounge chair and pushed herself to her feet. The driveway wasn't visible from the back patio, but she could creep around the side to see who it was. If she stuck to the treeline and the garden, they might not spot her. Or, she'd wait and see if they came to the back, but there'd be nowhere to hide.

She crept toward the trees behind the pool house, hoping she might hide until whoever it was went inside. It was too early for it to be one of the girls. Had Deb or George come by the house? She wasn't sure she wanted to face Auntie Deb after last night, but at least she'd help. Lynn hoped she'd help.

She crouched behind the trees and did her best not to rustle the leaves carpeting the ground. She peeked around the trunk, keeping her hands on it for balance.

It wasn't Deb. Instead, a uniformed police officer walked around the perimeter, checking the windows and doors. The belt made him look hippy, but otherwise, he looked tall and well-built. He had a handsome face, but more importantly, familiar. It took her a moment, but Lynn remembered where she'd seen him before.

Jun-Ho Tae, from the lunch she'd had at the Garden Wok. He'd been flirtatious, bashful, and interested despite having a wife that his mother had to remind him about.

Lynn didn't have long to consider how to play this. She could hide and wait for him to leave, call out and ask for his help, or come walking out of the trees and explain herself. If she called to him, she'd have to confess to trying to break in. If she waited, she'd still be locked out. If she called out for help and acted pitifully, he might have pull at the security company and let her in.

It was a gamble, but it was her only way in.

Then again, he was a stranger who might be angry with her for outing his sister. He carried a gun, and she was naked. Calling out to him invited risks. She had to weigh the potential consequences of being arrested or harassed against her desire to access her phone and apartment.

What if she came at this from a place of power? She could get this cop naked and swimming in the pool with her if she played her cards right. Lynn didn't spy a body cam, so who'd know?

Lynn emerged from the trees, holding her head high. She stopped at the pool's edge. She sat on the lip, lowering her legs into the water, and slipped in. She dropped below the surface, then she broke the surface of the pool, rising as if she'd been underwater.

The officer whirled around, but didn't draw his gun.

"Uh... excuse me?" The officer asked. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" Lynn asked as she let herself float and did a backstroke, showing her full frontal nudity to the officer. He looked as if he were staring at a mountain of gold in reverent awe, making Lynn grin. "I'm skinny dipping. You're welcome to join me."

"Do you, uh... live here?" The officer asked, turning his eyes away from her, but not covering them. He kept glancing in her direction to remain aware of her location.

"Yes, sir, I do." Lynn said, emphasizing the 'sir,' as if she were being playful. "I'm glad you're here, though. I locked myself out."

The officer raised an eyebrow. "Do you, uh... have any proof that you live here?" He asked. "An ID?"

"Oh." Lynn said, reaching the edge of the pool and lifting herself out of the water. "I'm afraid not. My purse is in my apartment."

The officer gulped as droplets cascaded off Lynn's naked flesh as she rose from the pool. She dripped water everywhere, her skin glistening in the sunlight as the air stiffened her nipples to sharp points at the end of each heavy breast. Her lack of shame and embarrassment at her nudity seemed natural rather than feigned, and it pushed the embarrassment onto him. He was overdressed.

"And as I said." Lynn continued as she brought both hands to her head, pushing her hair behind her. Not that the officer's eyes rose past her stiff nipples, hardening in the chill breeze. "I locked myself out. Even my phone's inside. I don't suppose you could call someone for me?"

"Oh, sure." The officer nodded. "I just need to confirm that you're not trespassing."

Lynn slunk forward, closing the distance between her and the officer. She lowered her eyes to his crotch, verifying that she had the effect she wanted on him. She had. That was either a gun in his pants, or he was happy to see her.

She giggled. "Call the landlord." Lynn suggested. "Unless you want to take care of that first?" She pointed at his crotch with one long, manicured finger. The officer stepped away from her.

"Do you have the landlord's number?" The officer asked, doing his best to ignore her nudity and her forwardness now.

"Who memorizes numbers anymore?" Lynn said. "Besides, I'm such an airhead, I never remember stuff. Can you call him through the security company, or something?"

"Sure." The officer stuttered as he looked around, verifying they were alone. He withdrew his phone from his pocket and tapped a few numbers. "What's the landlord's name?"

"It's my Uncle George. George Clarke. Well, he's not really my uncle; I just call him that. He likes it. Or the house might be under his son, Arthur. He's the one who lives here, or will be, once he moves in. I just rent the apartment in the basement." Lynn didn't cover herself. She allowed her nudity to embarrass the officer, who could no more hide his reaction to it than he could cover his badge.

"Want to skinny dip with me while we wait?" She asked, winking at him.

The officer's breathing stuttered, and he turned his back to her as he paced away and held the phone to his ear. "Yeah, everything's secure at the site, but there's a woman here who says she's a renter? She's locked out without ID. She says her purse and everything are inside." He left out that she was naked, which Lynn took as a good sign.

Jun-Ho walked away, and Lynn followed, letting him stay three paces ahead as he patrolled the pool.

"Can you connect me to George or Arthur Clarke, whichever one answers first? We can get this matter settled." Officer Tae said.

Lynn waited, tapping her foot and lowering her gaze to his crotch as the officer turned. She made sure he saw her checking him out before she bit her lip, like she was trying to talk herself out of a tasty snack. They waited while she listened to the phone ring.

~~~

Rani put her hand on Arthur's thigh, leaned over, and kissed his cheek.

Arthur smiled at her, kissed her lips in return, and then they returned to their homework. The affection was one of many silent exchanges they had as they worked side by side.

"Is that your boyfriend?" A female voice cut through the otherwise silent hall. Arthur hadn't been paying attention to who came or went, but he looked up to see someone new staring at him.

A young woman in jeans and a sweater looked at them from the hallway, having just witnessed their kiss.

Arthur glanced at Rani, assuming the young woman was a friend of hers. He stood to introduce himself.

"Hi, yeah. I'm Arthur." He said, extending his hand for a handshake.

The girl looked him over, her eyes widening as he stood, revealing his height. She shook his hand, though she seemed stunned by the effort.

"Did she hire you or something?" The girl asked. "There's no way you're her boyfriend."

Arthur looked confused. "Uh..." He glanced back at Rani, who looked up from her homework, only for her expression to turn angry enough to spit fire.

"Just ignore her, Arthur." Rani said. "Everyone else does."

"I'm sorry, who are you? And why do you think it's okay to be rude to Rani?" Arthur asked.

The girl looked at him in surprise.

"She's the one who's rude." The girl argued. "And a total slut, too. You should get tested if you're her boyfriend."

"I am her boyfriend, yes." Arthur said. "Who are you?"

"Charlotte." The woman answered.

"Charlotte. I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but it isn't. Please move along if your only purpose here is to hurl insults at my girlfriend." Arthur said, gesturing toward the open hallway.

"I'm serious. She has a body count higher than anyone else on campus. She'll sleep with anyone, even people who are in committed relationships." Charlotte said, glaring at Rani as she spoke.

"The two of you weren't dating!" Rani countered.

"We were almost dating!" Charlotte argued.

"Okay, I've got the nuances." Arthur said, raising his hands. "Charlotte, your feelings are valid. However, your hatred is misplaced. It sounds like you need to talk to the guy you were into, and not hold a grudge against Rani for whatever happened."

"That's what I keep saying." Rani said, gesturing to Charlotte.

"What do you know about it?" Charlotte mocked him. "You just wait. She'll cheat on you, or give you an STD or something."

"I'm clean. I get checked regularly, and Arthur is my official, committed boyfriend." Rani said. "I'm not sleeping with any other guys."

"Since when?" Charlotte asked, surprised.

"Last weekend?" Rani asked.

"So you're not still fucking Dan?" Charlotte asked. "Big surprise. This must be the first guy who's stuck around beyond a one-night stand with you."

Rani rolled her eyes.

"Or are you just trying to fuck her and dump her?" Charlotte asked.

"No, we're in a committed relationship." Arthur said. "Though, whatever she did before doesn't matter to me."

"She's fucked almost everyone." Charlotte said. "Guys and girls."

"You're exaggerating." Rani sighed.

"You fucked Dan!" Charlotte said, her tone accusatory.

"I haven't fucked Dan since freshman year." Rani said. "He was okay. Small, but good with his hands."

"You're disgusting." Charlotte hissed and stomped away.

"What did I say?" Rani asked, looking confused at Arthur.

He shrugged. "You gave her too much information, a bit too callously."

"Damn." Rani frowned. "For a moment there, I thought she was going to get over herself."

Arthur chuckled and rejoined her at the table. The stares that turned their way lost interest now that they'd stopped the minor drama.

"Does that happen often?" Arthur asked, his voice quiet in the wake of Charlotte's louder accosting.

"No. Charlotte just has an ax to grind. And apparently, she can't stand to see me in a steady relationship." Rani said, shaking her head. "Thanks for sticking up for me."

"Anytime." Arthur said. "I've gotta look out for my girl."

Rani smiled, kissed his cheek, and returned her attention to her homework. Arthur did the same. The rest of their time together passed without incident. People came, left, and studied in between. Arthur made progress on his homework, and Rani did the same. Still, sitting next to each other, doing their homework, was nice.

"Walk me to class?" Rani asked as their time drew to a close. She'd finished what she was working on and packed up her things.

"Sure." Arthur said, packing his things into his bag.

Rani led the way down the hall, and Arthur walked beside her, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. He reached his hand into hers. She almost withdrew her hand, then squeezed his, holding it as they walked.

"Sorry. I'm still getting used to this whole you being my boyfriend thing." Rani said. "It's nice, though."

"It's new to me, too." Arthur said, shrugging with his free shoulder. "It's nice to have quiet moments like this. Well, quiet except for Charlotte."

Rani nodded. "She's been mad at me for years, but we run into each other because we're both engineering majors. That was the most aggressive she's been in a while."

"I'm sorry." Arthur said. "Want me to talk to her?"

"Nah. She normally keeps her distance, but I guess seeing me happy and in a relationship set her off."

"Aw, you're happy?" Arthur said, teasing her.

"I'm very happy, my King." Rani said, squeezing his hand again. "Thank you for lunch, by the way. What do I owe you?"

"You don't." Arthur said, waving her off. "It's a boyfriend thing."

"Oh, there are perks besides your dick?" Rani asked, which drew a look from a professor walking past them. Rani chuckled at Arthur's blush. "Don't be so modest, my King."

Arthur nodded. "Are you going to the dinner with Kelly and the others tonight?"

Rani nodded. "Yeah, Kelly said she told you, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you're okay with us going?" Rani asked.

"Eh." Arthur shrugged. "The more I think about it, the more it stresses me out. I think I'll call Kelly and ask her to tell me what she has planned. She wanted to give me plausible deniability, but honestly, I can't stop worrying about worst-case scenarios."

Rani nodded. "We'll be safe. Don't worry."

Arthur hugged her as she stopped at a classroom door.

"This is me." Rani said, kissing him once more. The press of her lips against his was soft and lingering, but she had to pull away or risk tardiness. "Thanks again for lunch. And for standing up for me. I've never had anyone do that before."

"Well, you do now." Arthur said. "You've got a boyfriend."

Rani kissed him again, then followed that with a kiss on his cheek before she turned away for class. Arthur made sure she was okay before he headed down the hall. He had to get to class himself. Regression Analysis was likely to be a lightly attended class this afternoon, with the break looming ahead. His phone, however, derailed his plans as it rang. Somebody called him, which was unusual. He didn't recognize the number, nor did he have it saved in his phone. He let it go to voicemail.

To his surprise, he had a voicemail a moment later. He frowned and listened to it as he continued his walk to class.

"Mr. Clarke, this is Officer Tae with the Township Police Department responding to a silent alarm. If you could call me back at this number..."

He listened to the number, but it was already on his caller ID. He knew something had triggered an alarm at the house. Had the cops found something wrong?

He stopped at the entrance to his next class and sighed as he saw the sign. A piece of paper taped to the door announced the cancellation of class. The note stated that it was due to a personal emergency on the professor's part. Arthur hoped everything was okay, especially considering there'd been no email announcing the cancellation. Annoyance nipped at him for that, but he turned toward the parking lot.

He put his earpiece in his ear and synced it to his phone. Then he dialed the number that had just called him as he walked to his car.

"This is Arthur Clarke." He said.

"Mister Clarke? This is police officer Jun-Ho Tae, responding to a silent alarm from your security company?" The officer sounded as though he were asking, rather than telling, but Arthur didn't hold it against him.

"Yes." Arthur said, walking through the hallway. His mind attached to the words 'police officer' rather than the surname he should have recognized. "My dad mentioned there was an alert at the house, but no one broke in?"

"That's correct, sir." The officer answered. "But I found someone at the house who appears to be locked out."

Dread sank through Arthur's heart as Lynn's voice joined the conversation far from the microphone on the other end of the line. He should've been glad it wasn't a thief casing the house, but dealing with Lynn was worse.

"She says her name is Lynn Barrera?"

A momentary urge to deny he'd ever heard of her spiked through Arthur's brain. The truth would come out eventually, but he wondered if seeing Lynn in handcuffs would be worth the hell he'd catch for lying to an officer. Was it illegal to lie to the police? Probably. He didn't have time to check, and lying, no matter how satisfying it might be, wouldn't end well.

"Yes, Lynn rents the in-law suite from my parents." Arthur said, wondering what he could do to solve the situation. He didn't want to drive out there and face Lynn alone. Nor could he give her the spare key, which he'd hidden on the side of the house. It unlocked the house, not the basement, and he'd have to change the locks again to render any copies she made useless if she even returned the key.

"Is there a spare key or a way to grant entry to the house?" The officer asked.

"I'm on my way." Arthur said, realizing the drive would take approximately twenty minutes.

"Okay, see you soon." The officer said and ended the call.

Arthur breathed out a sigh of frustration. At least he had the presence of mind to send two texts before he started driving. The first was to the harem chat.

Master: I'm driving to the house now. Long story short, Lynn got locked out. The police are waiting for me to let her in. I just wanted to let you know in case there's an issue.

Wifey: Is this a trap?

Master: No idea. She just got locked out, but I wouldn't put anything past her.

Wifey: Do you want me to come with you? You shouldn't go alone.

Master: Are you on campus?

Wifey: Yes. Where should I meet you?

Whore: I can come too!

Master: Do you have class?

Whore: No. Selene, Kat, and Rani do, but they should be out soon.

Master: Meet me in the admin parking lot.

Wifey: Omw.

Whore: Me too!

Arthur reached his car and sat, waiting for the others to arrive. Kelly was right; he knew better than to go alone. He sent his second text to Brad and Mark.

Arthur: So, slight change of plans. The professor canceled my afternoon class, so I'm heading to the house now to take care of something. Do you two want to meet me there, and we can order dinner instead of hitting the cafeteria?

Brad: Yeah, I'm down. Like now-ish, or the normal time? I think Mark's in class.

Arthur: The usual time. Plan for somewhere between five and six? I'll just hang out at the house until you guys get there. Makes more sense than driving back and forth.

Brad: Bet.

Arthur locked his phone as Mindy arrived and fell into the front seat. She'd changed from her office clothing into a white and plaid hooded knit sweater. A diagonal sweep of fake buttons separated the white knitted sweater pattern from the red and black plaid patchwork on her left hip. The patch matched the plaid at her cuffs and on the inside of her hood. The sweater reached the bottom of her hips, so she finished it off with a pair of modest black leggings and matching white sneakers.

"You look cute." Arthur said, kissing her as she leaned toward him.

Mindy pouted in response and crossed her arms in a huff, which only made her cuter, though Arthur realized why she had responded that way.

"I mean, sexy." Arthur said. "You're very sexy."

"Thanks!" Mindy beamed at his being able to figure it out, more than his sincerity. "Is it okay that I'm up front, or should I move to the back so Kelly can sit here?"

"You're okay." Arthur said. "If she wants shotgun, she'll tell you to move."

"I hope she doesn't." Mindy said, smiling mischievously. "This dress is even sexier without the leggings."

"Keep them on." Arthur warned her. "I haven't had a release yet today. I'm liable to pop if I get too turned on. Now isn't the time." His suit slacks wouldn't hide anything.

Mindy looked shocked. "Rani didn't take care of you? I thought you two had lunch."

Arthur shook his head. "We were busy with homework. Besides, the lunch dates are supposed to be more casual, less sexual."

"If you say so, Boss." Mindy said, shrugging. "But if you want to make mine sexual, I wouldn't mind. I'll go with you to the storage closet any time, you know that."

"I know, but we need to be careful messing around at work." Arthur said. "Monday. We'll have our office fun on Monday when everything's closed."

Mindy frowned but didn't push the matter.

Kelly arrived a moment later. Arthur waved to her through the window, and she spotted them and trotted to the car. Her backpack fell into Arthur's backseat, and she slid in behind it. Her long-sleeve sweater dress was loose, with its pleated skirt falling to the top of her boots halfway up her calves. The broad black belt she accentuated her figure with matched her black boots, contrasting with the autumnal reddish-orange of the polyester dress. She buckled herself in and patted Arthur's shoulder, which was diagonal from her since she sat behind Mindy.

"Let's go!" Kelly said. "Do you have a plan?"

Arthur started the engine and checked his mirrors before backing out of the space. They left the campus behind and headed out onto the open road.

"I was going to ask you that." Arthur said. "I know you said you wanted to give me plausible deniability, but the more I ponder, the more I think I'd better stay informed. What do you plan to do at Lynn's tonight?"

Kelly frowned. "Are you ordering me to tell you?"

"Yes." Arthur said.

"Okay." Kelly took a deep breath. "The plan is for the rest of us to distract Lynn during dinner while Rani copies Lynn's hard drive."

Arthur couldn't fit the puzzle pieces together. "Why are you copying her hard drive?"

"To get the footage she has of your night together." Kelly said, speaking so bluntly that Mindy winced. "And any other evidence we can."

Arthur was quiet as he drove. Contemplating the pros and cons of such a direct strike against Lynn.

"It'll give us the leverage we need to keep her from attacking us." Kelly explained. "And if you decide to press charges, we'll have the evidence so the cops can get the original footage and use it in court."

Arthur's mind raced. Was that a good idea? It sounded solid how Kelly presented it. Or was that a side-effect of her confidence? There were many ways it could go wrong, he supposed, but the worst involved Lynn catching Rani sneaking where she shouldn't be. The girls planned to distract her, but that wouldn't be enough.

"Lynn will have cameras in her room." Arthur said, voicing the first complication he could conjure.

"Rani has a Wi-Fi jammer she's going to use. It'll stop any wireless cameras." Kelly said.

"Smart." Arthur said, not meaning to sound as surprised as he did. As good as his grades were, Rani was smarter than him. She didn't make a big deal of it, but watching her do her homework had clued him into the fact that her mind worked in ways he couldn't fathom. She might as well have been doing her homework in Hindi for everything he understood from it.

Mindy patted his thigh. "Rani knows what she's doing."

"I trust Rani, and the rest of you." Arthur said. "I'm just worried that any of you might get caught. Lynn will press charges if she can. And you plan on telling her you stole the footage to use as leverage, aka blackmail? That could backfire."

"I guess we don't have to. If we find something from Lynn's old college, we could leak it." Kelly said. "But that's a nuclear option. And we only intend to use it as leverage if she blackmails us first."

Arthur swallowed. Mutually assured destruction had its appeal, he supposed. It would at least let them draw a ceasefire.

"The only problem we haven't been able to overcome is what happens if Rani can't hack into the hard drive." Kelly said.

"Hack into the hard drive?" Arthur asked.

"Well, she can copy it quickly and easily, in and out. The trouble is, she'd still need Lynn's passwords to access it." Kelly said. "She might be able to hack into it, but the newer the machine, the tougher the odds. We might find her passwords if she has them written somewhere, but it'd be more snooping. We don't want Rani in Lynn's bedroom more than she has to be."

"We don't want anyone in Lynn's bedroom." Mindy said, trying to make it a joke, but neither Kelly nor Arthur laughed.

"Okay." Arthur said. "That part, I can help with."

"What part?" Kelly asked, confused. "You can get into Lynn's bedroom?"

"Fuck no." Arthur said, shaking his head. "But I can get into her computer. Unless she's changed them in the last four years, I know all of her basic password setups. I had to use them sometimes for school stuff in high school."

Mindy and Kelly were silent this time. If anyone knew Lynn well enough to know her passwords, it was Arthur.

"So if we can get her hard drive, chances are, I can get us into it." Arthur said. "And I'll still have plausible deniability."

"Perfect!" Mindy said, bouncing in her seat. "It's all coming together!"

Kelly smiled slightly. "So you're on board with the plan?" She asked Arthur.

"God help me." Arthur sighed. "We need to do something. The law isn't on our side, and Lynn isn't afraid of breaking it, so we'll do our best. If nothing else, we can bluff her into leaving you alone and not going after your families."

"Exactly." Kelly said. "Then you can have the truce you wanted until we get her out of the house."

Arthur smiled. "Thanks. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get rid of her like I'd hoped."

"Master, you're not in this alone." Mindy said. "It's sweet that you took a stand and had the conversation with your mom for our sake. You look out for us and protect us. It's who you are, and we love you for it. But with Lynn? Let us take care of her for you. You be the lion, and we'll be your lionesses. We'll tear that bitch apart with our teeth! Right, Mistress?" She asked with her hands hooked into claws as she chomped her teeth twice to emphasize the effect.

"I don't bite people I fight, but you, Selene, and whoever else can chew the carcass when I'm done with her." Kelly said, grinning at Mindy's enthusiasm.

Mindy's speech reminded Arthur of an anime, but Arthur didn't begrudge her influences. The mental image of a disemboweled Lynn with Selene, Mindy, and the others tearing her apart had its appeal.

"But for now... what are we walking into here?" Kelly asked.

Arthur explained the phone call. "A police officer called because the security company called him because someone tried to get into the house. Apparently, Lynn locked herself out."

"Did the cop give you his name? Are we sure it's a cop and not one of Lynn's friends luring you to the house?" Kelly asked. "And are we sure Lynn locked herself out? Or was she trying to break into the house, and that was the excuse she gave when the cops appeared?"

Arthur hesitated. That was the most reasonable possibility for the call. Lynn had been trying to get into the main house, set off an alarm, and was now pretending she'd locked herself out. They could call her bluff. As for the police officer's name, he tried to remember it. "The officer gave his name. I don't remember what it was, though. June, something, but I must be misremembering because it was a dude's voice."

"Isn't June a unisex name?" Kelly asked.

Mindy whirled to face Arthur as she drove. "Did he say his name was June, or Jun-Ho?" The Korean pronunciation was distinct, but similar enough to be close.

"Uh... Jun-Ho, maybe?" Arthur said. The name felt familiar and fit in the memory better than June.

Mindy laughed. "Well, if she springs a trap on us with the cops, it'll backfire on her like the rest of her plans."

"What do you mean?" Kelly asked.

"Jun-Ho, my brother, is a cop. If he's the one who called Arthur, it's not a trap. At least, not one he knows about." Mindy said. "And if she tries any funny business, he's my brother. Talk about nuclear options. He's so protective of me; he'll probably use his taser on her if she gets violent. Plus, I have my sister-in-law on speed dial. She's also a cop."

Arthur suddenly remembered the last name the cop had given in his voicemail and on the phone. Officer Tae. "Look at you, so well-connected." Arthur chuckled. "You're like a Korean mobster."

"Fuck yeah!" Mindy pumped her fist. Her enthusiasm made Kelly and Arthur laugh, but it wasn't at her so much as with her, as she giggled at herself.

The rest of the drive was quick. Arthur pulled into the driveway and followed the path to the circle before the house. He opened the garage and parked the car inside, ensuring there would be enough space for others. A patrol car was in the driveway, but Lynn's car was nowhere to be seen, which caused Arthur's nerves to dance.

He took deep steadying breaths as he prepared himself to see Lynn. The conversations he'd endured the last few days had put him through the wringer. Seeing her again made his blood pressure rise.

Arthur turned off the car and waited as Kelly and Mindy exited. He closed the garage door behind them and went around the outside of the house. Arthur walked with purpose, but didn't rush. He wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he walked as if he owned the place.

Sure enough, a police officer stood between the patio furniture and the pool, talking to Lynn, who had a police-issued mylar blanket wrapped around her. Their surprise at seeing Lynn in the blanket didn't measure up to Jun-Ho's surprise at seeing Mindy.

"Ji-Min?"

"Jun-Ho!" Mindy said, running forward and hugging him.

"Oof!" Officer Jun-Ho staggered at the hug and pushed Mindy away, but not unkindly. "You can't run up and glomp me when I'm on duty." He said, reprimanding her with his tone.

Mindy giggled, still holding his arms as she stomped her feet in sisterly defiance. "Arthur told me you called him. What are you doing here?"

"I'm responding to a call from a security alarm." Jun-Ho said. "What are you doing here?" He looked up at Arthur, and his befuddlement turned into wary caution. "How do you know this young man?"

"Now's as good a time as any." Mindy said, moving away from Jun-Ho and taking Arthur's hand. She hugged his arm and patted Arthur's chest. "Jun-Ho, meet my boyfriend! This is Arthur." She gestured beside him to Kelly. "And this is my girlfriend, Kelly."

"Hi." Arthur said, moving forward and offering the stunned officer a handshake.

Lynn made an impatient, disgusted noise.

Jun-Ho looked at Mindy. "I'm sorry. What? Your boyfriend? You're dating my little sister?" He looked at Arthur, then at the house, at Arthur again, then at Lynn, back to Arthur, at Kelly, Mindy, and ending on Arthur again.

"He's--" Lynn said, but Kelly moved forward, cutting her off.

"Lynn!" Kelly said, pouring every ounce of her acting ability into the cheerful greeting as she hugged the blanketed woman. Before she pulled away, she whispered in Lynn's ear so only she heard. "You wanted to apologize for outing Mindy to her parents, right? Don't out her to her brother."

Lynn frowned but remained silent, glowering at Kelly as the other woman pulled away and stood straight again.

"Uh, yeah." Arthur said, answering Officer Tae's question. "We're dating. I think I'm supposed to meet your parents this Monday."

"Isn't that great?" Mindy asked, seizing Arthur's arm and squeezing it against her as she returned her hand into his. "Oh, I've been wanting you two to meet. You'll get on well!"

Jun-Ho didn't answer but continued sizing Arthur up with his eyes. Arthur was an inch taller but did his best to appear harmless despite his proximity to Mindy.

"Jun-Ho, be nice." Mindy said, glaring at him.

"Okay, okay." Jun-Ho raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting my little sister to show up to this." He focused his full attention on Arthur, his expression taking on a more professional tone. "Your security company requested a perimeter check based on the alarms triggered by this young lady--" he gestured at Lynn "--checking the locks on the doors and windows. She didn't access the house, but she got locked out this morning. I arrived and found her back here, and that's when I called you. Can you confirm that this young lady lives here?"

"Of course, officer." Arthur said, adopting the same formal but respectful tone. He looked at Lynn, who glared back at him with her hair flat and uncombed, her face without makeup, and a reflective blanket covered everything from her neck to her toes.

She was angry, but she didn't hold Arthur's gaze for long. She looked away, embarrassed, which was a new expression for Arthur to witness on her face. It was demure, despite the lack of her typical grooming.

Fuck her for being beautiful even without her typical makeup, hair treatments, or jewelry. She was a reflective blob with a pretty face, refusing to meet his eyes anymore. The ugliest part of her was her eyes. One gaze into them, and Arthur glimpsed the dark, self-absorbed, hateful bitch beneath. Anger boiled through his blood, and he wondered what Jun-Ho might do if he said he didn't know this young woman, and to arrest her for trespassing.

It was tempting, but it wouldn't lead anywhere. She'd be able to identify herself, and he'd have lied to a police officer. Would it be worth it to see her handcuffed and hauled away in a patrol car? Maybe he'd get lucky, and she'd resist arrest. He could watch Officer Tae taser her.

Arthur sighed. Thoughts of petty vengeance fled his mind. There was no sin in thinking them, and even enjoying those imaginings, but he let the opportunity pass. "Yes, I recognize her. That's Lynn Barrera. She rents the basement apartment from my parents."

"Would you mind letting Miss Barrera into her apartment?" The officer asked.

Arthur drew his keys from his pocket and flipped through them until he found the key to the basement door. He started walking toward the side of the house where the basement door nestled beside the slight hill that rose to meet the front lawn and driveway.

Mindy, holding his hand, walked beside him.

Officer Tae followed the couple. "So, how did you two meet?"

~~~

Lynn stayed where she was, huddled under the blanket, watching Arthur, Mindy, and Officer Tae walk away. She was still blushing and trying to calm herself after Kelly's lean in and whisper. The hot breath against her ear had caused shivers to run over her despite the warmth the blanket offered.

Arthur's hateful gaze had been too much. The humiliation and shame she felt beneath his hatred were too vivid and too hot. His bright eyes scalded her and made Deb's handprint on her face burn again as if someone slapped her every time she blushed.

Lynn was roasting beneath the mylar blanket, but it was better than revealing to Kelly, Mindy, and Arthur that she'd been skinny dipping. If they thought they could evict her for breaking the lease, they were wrong. They had no proof.

"What's with the blanket?" Kelly asked as she stood beside Lynn, looking down at her. "It's warm out today. Aren't you roasting under there?"

"None of your business." Lynn said.

Kelly glared at her, unamused by her answer. "How's your apology coming? Have you considered what you'll say to Mindy, or is your plan to get on your knees and beg? That might suit you."

Lynn fumed. She wanted to tear Kelly a new one, but she was vulnerable, thanks to her nudity beneath the blanket. Meanwhile, Kelly seemed armored and ready for battle.

"I think I might cancel our dinner tonight." Lynn said. "I've been out here for hours. I haven't had time to do the dinner prep, and Auntie Deb isn't coming. She texted this morning about work being busy."

"Oh." Kelly said, surprised. "Why was Deb coming? Isn't this a dinner between you and us girls?"

"I thought she'd be a good buffer." Lynn lied. "I know you hate me because Arthur turned you against me before we even met."

"No, Lynn. We hate you because we know the truth." She leaned in to whisper again. "Just like Deb does."

How Kelly knew that Deb knew baffled Lynn. Were the two in contact? Oh, of course, they were. Kelly was Arthur's girlfriend--his real one. Deb was cutting Lynn loose because she'd given up on Arthur and Lynn getting together. She was making room for Kelly since she'd be the future daughter-in-law. She'd be Deb's new surrogate daughter and maybe even give her grandchildren one day.

"I hate you." Lynn ground out. "I fucking hate you."

"Oh?" Kelly asked. "And why's that? Because I know who you are behind your fake smiles and stupid attempts at fake friendship and attacks against my man or my girls?"

"Because you're a fucking bitch." Lynn said.

Kelly laughed. "And you're still a cunt, but you haven't kept that hidden from Deb, have you?"

Lynn wanted to launch herself at Kelly. What the fuck did this bitch know? She didn't know shit. Kelly only knew the bullshit that Arthur fed her. Lynn couldn't believe the lengths Arthur went to for his obstinacy. His absolute refusal to help her had turned into an ugly vendetta. Was he trying to get back at her for high school? Was that what this was?

"No." Kelly answered her own question. "If I had to guess, I'd say Deb isn't coming because she knows what a cunt you are. We all do, but we girls are still willing to listen to your apology if you're willing to give it."

"Yeah?" Lynn asked. "Why? What do you gain from this farce? This little facade is stupid. We hate each other. We always will, and all because Arthur told you a bunch of lies."

"Arthur didn't lie." Kelly said, her teeth grinding together.

"Oh, a sensitive spot." Lynn chuckled. "If he told you he was miserable in high school? He lied. Arty was happy to do whatever I asked him to do. He worships me. If he said I'm the reason the football team beat him half to death? He lied. He was the one who didn't listen. If he told you that hideous dress looks good on you, he lied. That dress looks like someone vomited their mimosa when they saw your ugly, freckled face."

Kelly's fist tightened with every word out of Lynn's mouth. Lynn couldn't help but smile. Kelly didn't realize that her fury was what Lynn wanted to unleash. She was trying to provoke Kelly into throwing a punch. She wanted Kelly to beat her with a cop in screaming distance so Kelly would get arrested and give Lynn an excuse to press charges. Bye-bye, Kelly, and her chances of being Deb's new favorite.

"So what, there's no party tonight?" Kelly asked, unclenching her fist. "You're not going to offer Mindy an apology or offer the rest of us dinner? The others are coming. It's already too late."

"Weren't you listening to anything I was saying?" Lynn asked.

"Yeah." Kelly said, smiling. "But you know what? As satisfying as it might be to choke you out before you scream, drown you in this pool, or beat you to death with that chair. Or that one. Or drive your face into the table until it breaks..." Kelly pointed to each piece of furniture. "It'll be even more satisfying when we kick you out of this house without anything hurting my man."

Lynn scoffed. "Your man looks pretty cozy with that freshman. He's not your anything. He's just playing you to sleep with other women."

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Try again, cunt. I have plenty of insecurities, but fear of Arthur leaving me for another of our girlfriends isn't one of them. No, we're having that dinner. And you're going to apologize to Mindy like you mean it."

"I don't have any food." Lynn protested. "And my apartment's a mess."

"Then we'll have it out here on the patio." Kelly said. "One night only. We'll order food. You and the girls can enjoy the hot tub and the pool."

"Your sex cult really enjoys its naked parties, doesn't it?" Lynn asked, flustered by the idea but not letting it show.

"Who said anything about a naked party?" Kelly asked, raising her eyebrows at the step beyond anything she'd suggested. "No one wants to see you naked, you disgusting pig. I'm texting the girls now to bring their swimsuits." Kelly said, holding up her phone.

"Oh." Lynn said, shaking her head. "Right, swimsuits."

"Okay!" Officer Tae interrupted what Kelly was about to say as he, Mindy, and Arthur returned to the patio. "Door's unlocked, and you can head inside now, Miss Barrera." He glanced at Kelly, then at Mindy and Arthur, who were still holding hands. "If you three will accompany me to the patrol car... I just need this one's signature on some paperwork."

"You go ahead, Arthur." Kelly encouraged him. "Mindy and I will hang back."

The officer looked as though he wanted to protest, but couldn't find a reason.

"Here." Lynn said, standing up and pulling the blanket away from her to reveal her naked body. She kept eye contact with Arthur as she did it, and to her amazement, Arthur turned his back on her immediately. He didn't even let his eyes dip the way Officer Tae did.

Mindy's eyes lingered over the finer points of Lynn's body, her face darkening in an intense blush that forced her to hide her face in Arthur's arm.

"No, keep it." Officer Tae said, raising his hand. "Once it's out of the bag, it's yours."

"Yeah, keep it." Kelly said. "And for God's sake, cover yourself. No one wants to see your filthy, STD-ridden cunt."

Officer Tae looked shocked, though Lynn couldn't tell if that was from Kelly's use of the C-word or her suggestion that Lynn had STDs. A blatant lie, but one that turned Jun-Ho's worshipful gaze into one of pure disgust and horror.

Kelly's words flipped the attraction in Jun-Ho from a starving man looking at tantalizing forbidden fruit to a satisfied man looking at a rotted, worm-filled apple.

Lynn had never felt a man stare at her with disgust. At least, not besides Arthur. She'd seen anger, fear, and fury plenty of times when men didn't get their way. She'd seen horror when Sean thought she wanted his kidney. Even then, an undercurrent of attraction flowed from Sean. They couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the creature about to end them. But Arthur? His eyes had flashed with the disgust that Jun-Ho was giving her now, and he'd turned away.

Arthur Clarke. The man was supposed to worship the ground she walked on and kiss her fucking boot print in the dirt. Instead, he turned away in disgust when she gave him the chance to gaze upon her naked flesh. Shame and humiliation flooded through her, drowning her thoughts. She couldn't think straight; there was just a burning sensation in every vessel. Her tan skin took on a dark pink hue as a blush crept over her chest and face.

Lynn opened her mouth to scream. She wanted to grab Arthur by his shoulders, force him to look at her, and see how aroused she could make him. To prove she wasn't a filthy, disgusting cunt. Yet, her body's reaction to his disgust outpaced her response to his worship. Arousal flooded through her as she looked at Arthur's back, Officer Tae's disgust, Mindy's open-mouthed shock, and Kelly's domineering sneer.

Kelly ripped the blanket from her hands and covered her with it, shoving her forward by the shoulders. She forced-marched Lynn past the officer, Mindy, and Arthur to the side of the house.

"We said seven, but now? You have two hours." Kelly said, whispering in Lynn's ear. "And if you try a stunt like that again, it'll be the last one you ever pull. Not that I need to worry. You saw the expression in Arthur's eyes, right? You disgust him. He sees you as the hideous creature you are. When he looks at you, he sees your soul. We see the imperfections. Plus, girl, your face is hideous without makeup. I'd call you a butterface, but they have bodies that redeem them. You're just a monster."

They'd reached Lynn's front door by the time Kelly finished her tirade, and she shoved Lynn through it, blanket and all, closing the door behind her. Lynn locked it. She heaved deep breaths of rage as her fingers curled impotently against the door. Her nails couldn't mar the wood.

Kelly's hatred burned under her skin, fueling Lynn's fury, wrath, and arousal. She hated that woman and herself for her reactions. Why did her body have to work this way? Against her? Kelly was cruel and mean, and everything she accused Lynn of being. So why did Kelly's hot breath against Lynn's ear make her leak like a volcano? Why did her hatred turn Lynn on so much?

Lynn leaned with her back against her front door, the blanket covering her like a cape. She spread her legs to find the inside of her thighs slick with arousal. It poured from her as the heat flowed outward, warming her fingers as she touched herself.

She didn't realize she was pleasuring herself until she was several strokes in. The pleasure offered her sweet relief from the intense burning arousal that threatened to consume her.

She closed her eyes and rubbed gentle circles as she pictured Kelly's glare and Arthur's disgust. Arthur's bright eyes looked down on her in every way. Arty was the lowest life form she had ever known. If she'd been queen of high school, he'd been the stable boy, or the privy attendant, or whatever the lowest, grossest job was. Now he acted as if he were a king, and she were the lowest scum on his shoe.

She should imagine the victory she'd have over them one day. But that wasn't where her mind flew. Instead, her imagination took her to a different place, where Kelly spat on her and called her a cunt. The redhead whispered awful, degrading things into her ear and refused to touch Lynn. Instead, she made Lynn touch herself, and Lynn obeyed. She needed relief. She craved release.

The speed and pressure of her fingertips against her clit increased to the point of pain. She seized her breast with her free hand, distracting herself with a squeeze that sent coarse pleasure through her.

She couldn't move from her spot against the door, even as she heard Arthur and Officer Tae walking past her. They had to be discussing her, laughing at how desperate she'd been, and how pitiful.

Mindy giggled at something Arthur said, and Lynn imagined the young, busty woman playing up the schoolgirl angle in her mind's eye. The innocent act was just that - an act - but everyone fell for it. Lynn imagined Mindy laughing at her if she could see how desperately she was fingering herself now.

Mindy would point and laugh, nudging Arthur until he and Kelly joined her in mocking Lynn's desperate race to the finish. They laughed at her standing there, spreading her legs wider to give her hand better access. They laughed as she slipped a finger inside herself, curling her fingertip inside as she rubbed the top of her pussy with her palm.

She sped up, finger-fucking herself without mercy as she drove herself closer and closer to that edge.

"Call me a cunt again." Lynn gasped. "Please... please, please, please... I'm a disgusting cunt."

She tweaked a nipple, pinching and twisting it until the pain caused her to gasp, but it didn't hold off her arousal. It drove her closer to it. She grasped her throat next, clenching her hand around her neck as if it were Kelly standing there, choking her. Her eyes fluttered as her breath faltered.

What would it be like to choke on Arthur's cock?

No, Kelly would never let her near Arthur. She'd make Lynn swallow a strap-on dildo instead, not to pleasure herself, because Kelly wouldn't get any pleasure from it, but to inflict pain and humiliation on Lynn.

The great Lynn Barrera on her knees sucking and throating a giant, fake cock while Mindy and the girls laughed at her humiliating herself for them. No, not for them. For her. Lynn would do it for her own pleasure and release. Kelly would spit in her face, tell her she needed more practice, then kick her away, so she fell onto her back as she fingered herself.

A flood of liquid arousal coated her fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut and tweaked her other nipple, groping and hoping to keep the pleasure going. The more she tensed and braced against the inevitable, the stronger the swell of arousal grew.

Lynn's body seized as her insides clamped and spasmed around her fingers. Her entire world shook with the intensity, and she couldn't breathe as her mouth opened into the O of a silent scream. Her neck and head tilted forward, shaking and straining as release tore through her with no regard for her endurance.

She cried out in a mind-numbing release that they might have heard through the door.

She didn't care. If anything, it only made it better for them to know what a filthy, horny cunt she was.

Her legs gave out, and she slid downward until she landed with her ass on the welcome mat. Her legs twitched, and her body convulsed with her prolonged release. Rapture kept rolling over her, and she kept cumming. Her intense orgasm rolled into a smaller one, back into a larger crescendo that spat her arousal from her in a geyser of pleasure so intense it made her see stars.

Her fingers stopped as her body convulsed again, trapping her hands between her thighs and making her fall to her side. She landed on her arm and whimpered, curling her legs behind her. She cried, her tears staining the carpet beside the other fluids she released.

Her breath came ragged and heavy, her chest heaving with exhaustion. "Fuuuuck." She groaned.

She had to silence herself. Lynn looked frantically for a silencer. A pillow or blanket might do, but she wasn't thinking clearly. She didn't think about the Mylar blanket between herself and the wall. The only possibility she saw in her desperation was her panties from the night before. She'd tossed the pink French-cut panties toward the door as she stripped on her drunken commute to bed.

Lynn shoved the panties into her mouth to keep from screaming, and to give her something to bite as she twitched as if electrocuted.

The taste was awful, but that only made her cum harder. The acidic tang proved how disgusting a whore she was. She came until her body forced her to stop. Her thighs trapped her hand between them, but pulled slightly away from her too-raw pussy. Strength fled her body. She struggled to open her eyes. Exhaustion swept over her and threatened to knock her unconscious.

Her thighs were wet with arousal, and so was the carpet beneath her.

"Fuck." Lynn mumbled, barely coherent. Her words sounded dreamy and far-off, as if someone else was speaking them. "Fuck you, Arthur, fuck you, Kelly, and fuck you, Mindy. Fuck you."

Minute after minute passed. A car engine rumbled to life, and four tires left the driveway. Officer Jun-Ho left. She didn't hear Arthur's car leave, but she didn't hear any footsteps above her either. Should she be worried that she didn't know where they were? No. Fuck them. They were upstairs fucking, laughing at Lynn, or just being stupid and hanging out together. Not that she cared.

Silence filled her apartment again. She was alone. She always woke up alone.

The perfume of her shameful release floated to her nostrils, and she exhaled in sorrowful disgust with herself. She spat the panties out, but they didn't go far, falling before her face so they rested less than an inch from her nostrils. The wet, sloppy texture of her saliva joined the mess on the carpet.

That had been the best, strongest orgasm she'd ever had. The intensity had been out of this world. Her release left her an empty husk. The strength in her limbs had fled her. Her total lack of energy in the wake of her fury and shame left her weak.

She was on her side. The carpet was soft. She'd need to clean it and herself up before the girls got here. Not that she was worried. She had hours until they arrived for their dinner. Her apartment was comfortable. The blanket against her back was warm. The door and its wall gave her a sense of security.

Lynn fell asleep, her hand still caught between her legs. She'd take a quick catnap, wake up in twenty minutes, shower, and prepare for the girls to arrive. That was her plan.

~~~

"So, that's your brother, huh?" Arthur asked as he, Kelly, and Mindy stood in the loop at the top of the driveway, watching the patrol car drive away.

Mindy waved at the car enthusiastically, laughing as she did so. "Yeah! What did you think?"

"He was nice." Arthur said. "And he didn't give us a hard time over Lynn, so all's well that ends well."

"Yeah, uh... why was she naked?" Mindy asked.

"I think that's obvious." Kelly said, rolling her eyes. "It was either a plan to trap Arthur into something inappropriate, or she skinny dipped and locked herself out."

Mindy giggled.

"Either way, she's a fucking idiot." Kelly said.

"Oh yeah. I've met some dumb people in my life, but she takes the cake." Mindy said, looking up at Arthur as if expecting him to join in the laughter.

He didn't smile. "Come on, let's head inside." Arthur said. "Or do you two need a ride to campus?"

"We can Uber if you want to hang out and wait for the guys." Kelly said. "But we have to be back in here in two hours. We could always hang out until then? Mindy and I will stay upstairs so we're out of the way when the guys get here."

"Thanks." Arthur said, nodding. "Yeah, we can hang out until Brad and Mark get here."

"What are your plans for dinner?" Kelly asked.

"We're gonna order food." Arthur said as he climbed the stairs to the front door.

"Maybe we should, too." Kelly said, looking at Mindy. "From what Lynn said, she was planning on having Deb help her cook the dinner. Do we trust Lynn to cook for us?"

"Hmm." Mindy stroked her chin as Arthur opened the door for them and let them in. "That's a good point! If we order, I know a good Asian fusion restaurant."

"That's perfect." Kelly said. "I'll text the girls and get their orders. Maybe one of them can pick it up on their way to us?"

"Kat and Selene would be your best bet." Arthur said. He removed his shoes and put them by the door. Kelly and Mindy followed his example and trotted to catch up with him as he turned into the hallway.

"Is Selene eating with us or with--?" Mindy started, but Kelly interrupted her.

"Selene's not coming tonight. She has a school project to finish, and she's pretty pissed at Lynn for showing up at her job." Kelly said, pointing at Arthur with her eyes as she and Mindy walked behind him to the home theater room.

Mindy looked confused, but nodded as realization dawned. Selene's plans for tonight were a surprise for Arthur, and she'd almost spoiled it. "Right, right." Mindy said. "Well..." Mindy said as Arthur stopped and scanned the room. "Wanna fuck until they get here?"

Arthur chuckled.

"Hey! There's that smile." Mindy bounced over to him and pulled his shoulder so she could kiss his cheek. "Come on, Boss. Why don't you let your wife and secretary help you relieve your stress?"

"You two go ahead." Kelly said, shaking her head. "As much as I'd love to play, I have homework and texting to do, and I'm not feeling sexy right now." She gestured to her abdomen, which didn't look any different to Arthur or Mindy, but they took her meaning.

"Oh! Can we do our homework in the office?" Mindy asked, bouncing and clapping. "You can sit at that enormous desk, and I can sit under it..." She bit her lip. "Please?"

"Tonight's my night off, remember? No sex or domming anyone, just normal stuff. Even I need a rest day." Arthur said.

Mindy and Kelly shared a look. If Arthur didn't know better, he might've thought they were worried. "What's wrong?" Arthur asked. "Nothing!" Mindy said, cutting Kelly off. "I just really want to try to beat my record..." She glanced down, where Arthur's visible approval of the idea was denying his protests.

"Please?" Mindy asked, striding forward and rubbing his crotch with her hand. She moved and spoke slowly, trying to be as sultry as possible. "You don't have to do anything. You can do your homework while I do all the work."

Arthur contemplated his options and looked at Kelly.

Kelly shrugged. "It's up to you. You're the Master."

Mindy pouted, folding her hands under her chin and begging as she batted her eyelashes at him. "Please, please, please?" She begged rapidly, abandoning sultry in favor of her enthusiasm. "I just want to suck you off under the desk. It doesn't have to be a whole big BDSM session. Just a girlfriend, blowing and throating her boyfriend, and maybe he fucks her on top of the desk afterwards if she earns it?"

Kelly laughed.

Arthur tried to appear as if he were still unsure of the idea, but he folded immediately.

"Okay." Arthur said, shaking his head. "You sure you don't want to join us?" He asked, looking at Kelly.

"I'm fine, honestly. My mind is off at the races, and my body..." She shook her head. "I'm not up to right now. If you want me to, I can, but--"

"No." Arthur said. "You rest. Put your feet up." He pointed toward the sofa. "I'll bring you water, and you can text to your heart's content."

"Thank you, Hubby." Kelly said, caressing his arm as she walked past him toward the sofa.

"What do I do?" Mindy asked.

"You go to the office and wait for me. I'll be there in a minute." Arthur said, giving her a wink.

"Yes, Sir!" Mindy saluted and dashed into the hallway to cross the house at breakneck speed.

Arthur laughed and passed through the laundry room to the garage. He fetched their purses and backpacks, hauling everything in one trip. He grabbed a water bottle from the garage refrigerator, but that was the last of his free hands.

Kelly laughed to see him, but he shook his head when she moved to rise from the sofa. He deposited her bookbag beside her and her purse, and kissed the top of her head as he placed the water bottle in her hands. "Rest. The remote's right there for the TV, and here's a throw pillow. I'd offer you a heating pad, but I don't think we have one..."

Kelly pulled a thermal muscle therapy pad from her purse. The small box didn't seem to occupy much room in her huge mom bag. "These are great when you're sore from the gym." She said.

"Do you always carry them with you?" Arthur asked.

"On weeks that I have cramps? You bet your cute little tush I do." Kelly said, winking as she lifted her shirt and applied the white pad to her abs.

Arthur kissed her cheek once more. "If you want to join me and Mindy, you can, but no pressure. If you need anything, just text or holler."

"I'm fine." Kelly said, shooing him away. "Now go fuck your secretary before she starts humping the furniture."

Arthur laughed, but didn't argue. He headed down the hallway with their bags in tow. Tonight was a night off, but one quick session couldn't hurt. Besides, he'd gone the day without release. His body ached for relief.

He traversed the hallway with a smile on his face, ready and eager to enjoy Mindy.