Harem House Chapter 30 (Patreon)

Author’s Note: I usually avoid making these notes at the beginning if I can, but I believe it is warranted in this case. This chapter is longer than usual because it has the potential to be more emotional than my typical chapters, and I wanted to give those moments space to breathe. 

There is some mention and discussion of past sexual trauma and abuse that may upset some readers. I do not depict the scene, but the discussion may be heavy for sensitive readers. I wanted to give you that head’s up so I don’t surprise anyone with it. 

Don't let that discourage you, though. There's plenty of spice and story here. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

~~~

Arthur drove home after saying goodbye to the girls at the hotel on Sunday morning. He unloaded his luggage, packed several boxes, and loaded them into his car. 

He put seven small boxes of books in his backseat and trunk. Packing the old books from his apartment’s second bedroom was easier than Arthur expected. If he didn’t need them for his current classes, they were free to go. The first box he’d loaded had been too heavy, even for him. He switched to smaller boxes, and while they remained heavy, they were much easier to lift and move. 

Then he turned his attention to Kat’s car. Katelyn had vomited over the backseat after her misadventure on the mechanical bull. They’d cleaned up what they could, but the acidic bile soaked into the carpet still stank when Arthur slid into the driver’s seat. The key he borrowed from Selene let him drive it to the shop, and he paid extra for the finishing and double-checking the tires. Wincing, he handed over his credit card. 

Katelyn agreed to pay for the damage. Arthur wouldn’t let her do that. Even if it made him even more fiscally irresponsible. This weekend had been terrible for his wallet. Spoiling one girlfriend was manageable, but five or six? He didn’t need to be a business major to realize his savings were vanishing. Being one meant he understood the long-term consequences of his shrinking capital. 

The rate at which he burned through his cash had to stop, or he had to earn more. Sighing, he checked the phone number Diane had given him and texted her. One night’s work had gotten him a week’s pay through fees and tips. He realized he could no longer afford to ignore that revenue source. Besides, it'd been fun, dancing on stage and having everyone go wild. Not that he needed the ego boost. 

Arthur: Hey, it’s Arthur, aka Tommy Sins. lol. You mentioned you might have work for me? 

He texted with his mom while he waited and pulled out his laptop to work on homework. 

Arthur: Hey, mom! Let me know how it’s going. I love you! 

Neither his mother nor Diane responded right away, so he spent most of his time working on homework while he waited. The work on Kat’s car was thorough but expensive, and they returned the car to its spot before long. Now, the interior smelled of shampoo and air freshener. A mountainous improvement compared to the alcohol-tinged bile aroma. 

His mother texted him after he got into the car and prepared to drive away. Ignoring his earlier greeting, she opened with a question that made him scoff.

Mom: Did you get into a fight at school? 

Arthur sighed and typed out the story. Then he decided against it and erased it. 

Arty: No, two guys tried to fight me, but they were misguided and we resolved it peacefully.

Mom: Proud of you.

Arthur smiled. His mother’s pride wasn’t difficult to achieve, but the love and respect of his mother still made him feel good about himself. There wasn’t much he wouldn’t do to see her happy, but that was true for most women in his life. 

He drove Kat’s car to their complex, parked it in the spot where it had been, and returned to his apartment. He ate an early lunch and read for class. 

After some time, he checked his watch and realized he probably had only a few minutes before the girls finished their brunch. He got into his car and started driving. The text from Rani came through on his drive. 

Queenie: Ready when you are for our homework date. Can you come and pick me up? The others are staying here and watching football. 

He was about to respond with a voice-to-text response when his mother called, and he answered it. 

“Hello?” Arthur asked. 

“Hey!” His mom said with enthusiasm.  

“Hey, everything okay?” Arthur asked. A small part of him worried over the girls, Lynn, and his mother having brunch together. 

“Everything’s great.” His mom said. “The girls are fantastic, honey. Mindy’s cute as a button, Selene’s shy but alright. Kat and Katelyn are quiet, too, but they have good heads on their shoulders. Kelly is wonderful, but she and Lynn despise each other. You’re going to have your hands full, keeping them apart. And Rani is a hoot.” 

Arthur laughed. Rani was a hoot. Selene’s shyness struck him as odd, but she might not have been able to get a word in edgewise with everyone else there.

“Great.” Arthur said. “I’m on my way to pick Rani up for our date, and I’ve got the first load of books to move in from my study.” 

“Perfect.” His mom said. He could hear the smile in her voice. 

“Was everything okay between the girls and Lynn?” Arthur asked, trying to restrain the worry in his voice. 

“They went at it a couple times.” His mother admitted. “But no drinks thrown. Apparently, Lynn didn’t understand the nature of your relationship with the girls, so we had to lay it out for her.” 

“Ah.” Arthur said, unsure how to respond. “How did she take that?” 

“Not well.” His mother said. “I think she’s upset that there’s no chance for you two, but she’s dealing with it. She tried to make up with them. It mollified some of them but I think Kelly still hates her.” 

“Yeah.” Arthur said, nodding, though his mother couldn’t see it. His relationship with six other women was not the only, or most significant, reason he and Lynn would never get together. 

“Is there anything specific she did that you want to tell me?” His mom asked, her voice more subdued than the gregarious tone she’d had before. 

“Why? Did Lynn say something?” Arthur asked. 

“No, but some things Kelly said…” His mother hesitated. “Nevermind. It’s okay. I know you don’t want to talk about it. I’m just… I’m here if you need me. Okay?” 

“I know.” Arthur said, turning onto another street. “Thanks, Mom.” 

“You got it.” His mom said. “I’m just a phone call or text away.” 

“Thanks.” Arthur said again. “I should be there soon. Tell the girls I’m on my way?” 

“Sure.” His mom said. “I’ll see you when you get here.” 

“See you soon.” Arthur agreed. 

“Love you!” His mom’s eager tone returned. 

“Love you too!” Arthur said and ended the call. 

Arthur turned onto the forested road leading to his parent’s house, soon to be his home. The rest of the drive was peaceful, and Arthur enjoyed it. He refused to contemplate any topics that might sour his mood. So, instead, he sang along to the musical version of an ancient Greek romantic tragedy. The soundtrack to Hadestown blasted through his car’s speakers.

Arthur pulled through the open gate and rolled along the narrow driveway toward the house. The autumn leaves in the branches and on the ground coated everything in orange, red, and yellow tones. They made Arthur nostalgic for jumping into large piles of leaves as a small child. Maybe he’d rake a pile together, even though, as an adult, he’d learned the danger of ticks. That was the worst part of adulthood, knowing enough about Lyme disease to ruin his fun. 

He parked behind Mindy’s car in the roundabout and stepped out. His eyes swept the exterior. He saw Kat wave to him from the family room’s bay window seat, and he waved back, smiling. That smile faded when he spotted someone coming his way from the side yard. 

Lynn Barrera strode toward him with her head low, to his surprise. She wore leggings and a modest turtleneck sweater. The black leggings were a second skin, climbing her shapely calves, luscious thighs, and wide, circular hips. Her turtleneck covered her from the top of her thighs to the middle of her throat. The sweater was modest but tight enough to show the jostling of the expansive breasts she stuffed into it. She moved toward him as though nervous rather than sultry, a change in tactic from the day before. 

Arthur hesitated, wanting to run into the house, but he kept the hood of his car between them. Lynn stopped far enough away to not cause him to flee. She held her arms before her, showing her hands were empty in a sign of peace. It reminded Arthur of someone approaching an animal who might bolt. 

“Hey, Arthur.” Lynn said, soft enough that he had to lean forward to hear her. “I wanted to apologize again. For high school, yesterday, last night, and for everything.” 

Arthur noticed her usually perfect and artisanally applied makeup had slight streaks and smudges around her eyes. As if she’d been crying. 

Lynn wiped her face, smearing her makeup further. “The girls told me what’s going on. They told me about your poly relationship and that they’re each dating you. It doesn’t make any sense to me but to each their own, right? I’m glad you’re happy. You were always a romantic, and now you have multiple romances.” 

Arthur looked around, hoping to spot anyone who might come to his rescue. He looked at the window where Kat sat. Unfortunately, she was looking into the house, not the driveway. He desperately wished she would turn and see him. 

“You are happy, right? With Kelly and the others?” Lynn asked. “You care for them, and they care about you more than each other?”

“Uh… yeah.” Arthur said, offering nothing more to the conversation. 

“Selene said you told her to return my clothes, so thank you for that.” Lynn said. “I don’t know if you helped plan Selene’s prank, but you’ll be happy to hear plenty of people were in the hotel lobby when I left last night. And I was naked, not just in my underwear.” 

Arthur didn’t respond. He glanced at Kat again, hoping for a sign that rescue was coming. Otherwise, he’d have to calculate how to best enter the house without giving Lynn the chance to move into his path. He saw no trajectory other than running into the grounds surrounding the house, losing her somewhere in the trees, and circling back. Kat’s back was still to him. She was talking to someone else in the family room. 

“Arthur.” Lynn said, lifting her eyes to meet his and finding him looking anywhere but her. “I’m sorry for tackling you yesterday.” 

“Oh. It’s…” He started to tell her it was okay out of reflex, but he didn’t finish his sentence. “Why did you tackle me?” He couldn’t think of a reason. 

“I don’t know.” Lynn said, sniffling. “I was being playful and got carried away. I didn’t think about–I wasn’t thinking. That’s all. I miss you, and I miss us. I miss my best friend, and I know I fucked everything up and only have myself to blame.” 

If she hesitated to give Arthur a chance to deny it or comfort her, it was an opportunity he allowed to pass. He remained silent. 

“I know you hate me and don’t forgive me.” Lynn said. “I get it. What I did to you still haunts me, and I–” She paused, wiping as the tears flowed. “I really am, so sorry.” 

Arthur wasn’t sure how to respond, so he didn’t. He wanted to hear these words years ago, though he would have preferred they be unnecessary. As it was, his instinctual desire to comfort a crying woman fled him because this woman was Lynn. He’d comforted a total stranger in an elevator last night, and every reactionary instinct in him wanted to offer Lynn the same embrace, but she was Lynn. She was crying, sure, but he’d seen that plenty. She was apologizing, sure, but he’d heard that before. It changed nothing. He wouldn’t fall for her tricks again. 

“Okay.” Arthur said. 

“Okay?” Lynn asked, surprised. 

“I heard what you said.” Arthur said. “That’s all I mean.” 

“Oh.” Lynn said, sagging where she stood. 

“Are you done?” Arthur asked. 

“Yeah… I guess I am. Tell your harem I’m sorry for how I acted today, too. I tried. Not as hard as I should have, but they were mean to me from the moment I joined the brunch. I couldn’t help sniping back.” Lynn said. “Especially Kelly.” 

“I’m sure.” Arthur said, taking a deep breath. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go inside.” 

“Sure.” Lynn said, gesturing toward the front door behind her. 

“I’m not coming out from behind this car until you leave.” Arthur said. 

Lynn laughed, a hollow mocking sound. “Oh my god. Are you scared of me?” She asked. “Look at you. You’re so tall, your shoulders are broad, your arms are out of a movie. Your muscles have muscles. You’re way stronger than I am now. You’ve changed so much since high school, you could fucking destroy me.” 

“I’m aware.” He said with a deep growl to his voice. 

She gasped, her rose-colored lips parting, but not speaking as if expecting him to say something or leap over the hood at her. 

He didn’t rise to the bait. He glared at her and didn’t amend his statement. 

“Sorry.” Lynn said. “I’ll stop.” 

“Thank you.” Arthur said. 

There was a moment of awkward silence as neither of them moved. Lynn watched him, but Arthur's eyes remained pleading with Kat's back in the window. 

“Selene said something that made me think.” Lynn said, breaking the silence.  

Arthur was uncertain about this non sequitur. He didn’t appreciate that the conversation kept going. He could only tell Lynn to go fuck herself so many times. 

“She said the only way I’ll ever get your forgiveness is if I stop trying to make you forgive me. I have to show you I’m trying to be better rather than pretending I already am.” Lynn said. “And she’s right. I’m not a better person yet.” 

Arthur’s jaw clenched. 

“I want to be.” Lynn said. “But I’m not.” 

He eyed the door and the window. Kat was looking at him and Lynn before talking over her shoulder. 

“I want to try.” Lynn said. “Honestly, I do, but I don’t know how to be better, Arthur. Not without an example to follow. Someone to model that behavior for me. Deb’s right. I need people like you and your girlfriends. People who can call me on my bullshit when I fall into old habits and help me become a better person.” 

Arthur swallowed. 

“Just think about it.” Lynn said. “And please–” 

“Get the fuck away from him!” Kelly yelled from the doorway as it flew open, and she flew through it. 

“Shit!” Lynn said. Panic overtook her features as she realized Kelly was running toward them. “Think about it!” She was moving toward her car by the garage, and Kelly was in pursuit. 

Lynn’s hasty departure surprised Arthur too much to move, but the look on Kelly’s face suggested he better move or risk being called to testify in a murder trial. He hopped over the hood and caught Kelly in a hug. He threw his arms over hers with his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet and planting her in front of him. 

“Let me go, Mister!” Kelly said. “I warned her!” 

“No.” Arthur said, his voice harsh. “I told you, remember? No violence.” 

Kelly frowned and glared at Arthur. She tried to force his arms apart and struggled, but he had her in a solid hold. She looked up, and he held her gaze with infinite patience. The love and weight of gratitude in his expression as he gazed at Kelly doused her anger. He threw water on her fire. She took a deep breath and hugged Arthur in return. They kissed, and Arthur spun her towards the door, smacking her butt before he spotted his mother and Rani in the front doorway. 

Lynn pulled out and peeled away, and Arthur and Kelly ignored her. 

“What did you two discuss?” Kelly asked. 

“It’s not important.” Arthur said. “Just more Lynn lies.”

Deb and Rani stepped aside, allowing them to ascend the stairs and enter through the door. 

“Welcome home, my King.” Rani said, winking at him. 

Deb frowned, looking at Lynn’s tail lights. She fixed her expression and gestured toward the hallway. “The girls are in the family room.” She said as they walked through the foyer. 

“Okay.” Arthur said. “Can you grab your stuff and give us a second?” He asked, turning his gaze from Kelly to Rani. “I need to talk to my mom.” 

“Oh.” Rani said, glancing between them. The disappointment in her voice didn’t show on her face. “Sure.” 

Arthur kissed her, and Rani relaxed at the press of his lips against hers. She turned aside and headed toward the family room as Arthur, Deb, and Kelly entered the kitchen. Arthur glanced at Kelly and was about to repeat the request he’d meant for both of them, but Deb cut him off.

“How was your morning?” Deb asked. 

“Lonely.” Arthur joked. “After yesterday.” 

Kelly hugged him from the side. 

“Did the girls behave themselves with Lynn?” Arthur asked. 

Deb laughed. “They were fine. They teased her, but Lynn instigated things. I’d think she was trying to press their buttons if I didn’t know better.” 

Arthur frowned. 

“But everyone behaved, more or less.” Deb winked at Kelly. “That Rani is a straightforward young woman. Does she always say what she’s thinking?” 

“In my experience? Yes.” Arthur said, smiling. “It’s refreshing once you get used to it.”  

“That’s the word I used!” Deb said. “Didn’t I say she was refreshing?” She asked Kelly, who nodded. 

“And Kelly was an excellent chef for our brunch.” Deb said. 

“I love this kitchen.” Kelly said, squeezing Arthur. 

“Good!” Arthur said. He examined the kitchen under greater scrutiny. “I’m glad. I have a feeling you and I are the cooks of the group.” 

Kelly smiled, squeezing him. 

“Would you like some leftovers?” Deb asked. “There’s still plenty of food.” 

“I might take a plate, yeah.” Arthur said, assembling a quick variety of fruit and munching on it. He stared at his mom, then glanced at Kelly, trying to work up the nerve to speak his mind. In the end, he sagged onto the stool and reached for a new topic. “What did you think of the house?” He asked Kelly. 

“I love it.” Kelly said. “Katelyn, Selene, Kat, and I signed the leases. Mindy and Rani are taking theirs home.” 

“And the extra bedroom upstairs is going to be your playroom!” Deb said excitedly. 

Arthur choked. 

Kelly checked on him and slapped his back, helping dislodge the melon he’d inhaled instead of chewing. 

Arthur’s eyes watered, and he wiped them as he swallowed. “I’m sorry?” 

“The girls discussed room arrangements.” Deb said. “And Rani suggested making the extra upstairs bedroom a playroom.” 

“Which Selene explained was like a second office, but for leisure, video games and stuff.” Kelly said, fanning Arthur’s beat red face. “Or we could make it a home gym.” 

Arthur took a breath. Kelly's mischievous grin told him she knew what he was thinking at the word playroom. He was thankful she'd provided other options. A home gym wasn’t a dreadful idea, but it required significant capital, especially for Kelly and his routines. His accounts were already too low. 

“And Rani invited your father and I to a threesome, but I don’t think she was serious, and we aren’t swingers.” Deb said, pouring herself another mimosa. “So don’t worry, I won’t steal any of your girlfriends.” 

Arthur raised an eyebrow, looking at Kelly, his mother, and then his mother’s mimosa. “How many of those have you had?” 

“A few!” His mother answered, knocking another one back. “It’s brunch!” 

Arthur laughed, shaking his head. His mother wasn’t drunk but was less inhibited than he typically saw her. 

“You’re going to be living it up with those women.” Deb said, shaking her head. “You better do right by them. Be a gentleman and look out for them.” 

“Yes, mom.” Arthur said, hugging Kelly. 

“Oh, and two more things.” Deb said, holding up two fingers. “One, we were discussing a holiday party before anyone goes home for the break. Are you okay with hosting that?” 

“Sure.” Arthur said, nodding. “You know me. I love Christmas parties.” 

Deb nodded. “And second, are you okay if I show the girls some of your old photos and videos? Mindy wanted to see one.” 

Arthur groaned. “Mom.” 

“They’re adorable!” Deb protested. “And I won’t embarrass you with them if you’re not here.” 

Arthur sighed. 

“Please?” Deb asked. “It’ll be fun girl-bonding time!” 

“Please, Mister?” Kelly asked, squeezing Arthur’s arm. “I promise to make it up to you.” 

“Not fair.” Arthur said, protesting their ganging up on him and Kelly’s innuendo. 

“Please?” His mom stuck out her bottom lip, pouting, and Kelly mimicked the expression, almost making Arthur laugh. 

“One.” Arthur said, holding up a finger. “You can show them one video. The least embarrassing one you can find.” 

Kelly kissed his cheek. 

“Thank you.” Deb said, smiling. 

Arthur shook his head. He tried to summon his courage to say something else but failed when he saw his mother and Kelly looking at him expectantly. 

“Come on. Let’s say hello to the others. Then Rani and I can head out.” He said to Kelly, then faced his mom. “I just need to unload a few boxes before I leave. Is it okay if I put them in the downstairs office?” 

“Sure. Right behind you.” Deb said as she finished pouring herself another drink. 

Arthur and Kelly held each other with their arms around each other’s waists as they walked ahead of Deb until they came to the family room. Arthur stepped through first.

“Hello, ladies.” Arthur said. “Don’t get up. I’m not here to interrupt. I’m here to whisk Rani away on a date if she still wants to hang out and do homework.” 

The girls sat scattered over the sofa, watching a pre-game football show that Arthur assumed was Kelly or Deb’s pick, but he didn’t question it. 

Rani smiled. “Yes, my King. Unless you want to stay here and take turns bending us over the sofa?” 

Arthur’s face turned purple-red as Deb stepped out from behind him. She patted him on the back, and Arthur’s soul fell out and disappeared through the floor. 

“Let’s go.” Rani said, hopping up as she picked up her purse and kissed Mindy goodbye. 

Arthur smiled to see them and waved farewell as the girls waved to him from their spots on the sofa. Rani put her arm around him as they left, and she rested her head on his bicep until they reached the door and Rani put her shoes on. 

“Did you have fun with brunch?” Arthur asked. 

“Yeah.” Rani said. “It was great fun. Your mom’s awesome. Lynn’s a bitch, but we put her in her place.” 

“You’ll have to tell me about it on the way home.” Arthur said. 

“I was going to practice sucking your cock in the car, but okay.” Rani said, shrugging. 

Arthur rolled his eyes and held the door open. Rani laughed and stepped through it, her purse and book bag jostling as she descended the stairs. She raised her eyebrow at Arthur’s backseat. 

“I need to unload.” He said. “But the passenger seat is empty.” 

“I can help.” Rani said, putting her book bag beside the wheel. 

“What kind of king makes his queen do manual labor?” Arthur asked. “Take your seat and wait.” Arthur opened the passenger-side door for her, and Rani smiled. 

“Yes, my King.” She lingered at the open car door and kissed Arthur before sliding into her seat. She put her book bag between her feet and her purse in her lap. 

Arthur closed the car door, then opened the backseat and loaded his arms with the boxes. It took him three trips, and Rani was playing on her phone by the time he hopped into the driver’s seat. 

“Ready?” Arthur asked, glancing at her unbuckled seat belt. 

Rani buckled herself into her seat. Arthur drove away from the house, watching the front window in the rearview. He hoped the girls enjoyed their afternoon with his mom, but he was nervous. Leaving his girlfriends with his mother had the potential for embarrassing stories to be shared. 

~~~

The rural road made for a pleasant view during the drive, and Rani watched the sunlight dance across the many-colored leaves as they flew past. Her phone buzzed, and she checked it, texting. It was a few minutes before she spoke, distracted by the texting on her phone, but when she finished, she realized Arthur had said nothing since they left the house. 

“Are you okay?” Rani asked as they drove. 

“Yeah.” Arthur said. “Just nervous, I guess.” 

“Nervous?” Rani asked, stifling a laugh. 

“Well, yeah.” Arthur said, shrugging. “This is our first time alone together for an entire afternoon, right? It’s a ton of pressure.” 

“Chill.” Rani said, patting his thigh. “We’ve hung out together before. Even not counting last semester. We had dinner together in the Cafe. Granted, it was brief and in a public place, but still. Plus, we fucked alone together in the art building. So you’ve had the whole Rani solo experience. No reason to be nervous.” 

Arthur chuckled. “It’s just… I feel like I still don’t know you that well. We’re always hanging out with the others or talking about the others. You never talk about you.” 

“Nobody asks.” Rani said, and Arthur realized she was right. “I’m an open book. No filter, remember? Ask me anything.” She smoothed out the collared shirt she wore. Sitting had ruffled the shirt. Arthur’s shirt was oversized on her, but it looked good tucked into her baggy jeans. 

Option paralysis set in as Arthur’s mind tried to turn ‘any’ question into ‘a’ question. He had trouble coming up with a good one. Arthur considered what he knew of her, and her answers to the questions the night before popped into his head. 

“You used to do gymnastics?” Arthur asked. 

Rani laughed. “Yeah, when I was a kid. I didn’t compete or anything.” 

“Oh, okay.” Arthur said. “Did you enjoy it?” 

“Yeah.” Rani said. “I tried out for the gymnastics team in high school but didn’t make the cut.” 

“Aw.” Arthur said, frowning. “I’m sorry.” 

“That’s sweet, but it’s fine. I have plenty of hobbies.” Rani said, brushing away his concern. 

“Like what?” Arthur asked. 

“Oh, um...” Rani shrugged. “Fucking. Photography. The arts. I enjoy watching movies, if having them on in the background while I do homework counts as watching. If this school had an equestrian program, I’d spend my time there, but they don’t. So I work in the engineering labs building shit, studying, fucking around campus, or taking pictures of things.” 

“Equestrian?” Arthur asked. The term sounded familiar, but its definition fled his mind when he reached for it.

“Horseback riding.” Rani explained. “Some farms around here offer lessons, but it’s not the same. Especially since most offer Western style riding and I learned the English style. I prefer to spend my time fucking anyway.” 

“You enjoy fucking that much?” Arthur asked. 

Rani laughed. “Don’t you?” 

“You have a point.” Arthur said. “I meant more like the casual nature of it. Do you enjoy sleeping with people for sport and recreation rather than relationships?” 

Rani fell quiet before she answered. “I mean, it’s not like anyone asked me, ‘Hey, do you want to be my girlfriend?’ they’re happy to get fucked. They don’t give a shit about me as a person. Not that I minded. I prefer variety. I can’t eat the same pussy every day any more than the same entrée. You’re the first person to suggest any exclusivity, and the harem provides enough variety that I’m loving our relationships.” 

Arthur’s lips twitched. “I mean, I’m glad. But you’ve never been in a monogamous relationship?” 

“Eh.” Rani shrugged. “Once. Kinda. Monogamy wasn’t everything people claimed.”

“But your parents are monogamous, right? That’s the example you had to follow.” Arthur said. 

“Sure.” Rani said, shrugging. “But my parents’ generation isn’t my generation, and their culture isn’t my culture. Just because something worked for them doesn’t mean it’ll work for me. My Nani taught me that.” 

“Your nanny?” Arthur asked. 

Rani sighed. “Nani. My grandmother, not my babysitter. Well, she’d watch us sometimes when we were kids, but you know what I mean.” 

“Oh, okay.” Arthur said, nodding. “That’s a cute nickname for your grandma.” 

“It’s an Indian thing, I guess.” Rani said, fluffing her brushed, silky black hair as she gazed out the window. “My Nani and my Nana are my mother’s mother and father. Dadi and Dada are my father’s mother and father. Didi is my eldest sister, Nandhini.” 

“What do you call your other siblings?” Arthur asked. 

Rani shrugged. “Their names. Except Little Ari.” 

“Little Ari?” Arthur asked. 

“My youngest sibling, my brother.” Rani said. “His full name is Arivarasan. It’s a mouthful, and he’s the youngest. Everyone calls him Little Ari.” 

“And how old is he?” Arthur asked, smiling as he imagined Rani wrangling a toddler. 

“He’s turning eight soon.” Rani said. She rolled her eyes. “He’s growing so fast. Soon, we’ll just be calling him Ari, I guess.” 

“Do you miss your family?” Arthur asked. He glanced at her as he drove. As an only child, her family sounded ludicrously large. He wondered how they fit into the same house. 

“I miss them all the time.” Rani said. “I’m used to such a large and bustling house with my siblings, our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. School is the same, but no one knows me. It’s familiar but more lonely somehow.” 

“It’s lonelier being alone in a crowd than alone in an empty space.” Arthur said as if speaking from experience. 

“Yeah.” Rani said, pausing as she studied Arthur. 

“That was high school for me.” Arthur said. “I didn’t have any friends until college.” 

“Because of Lynn?” Rani asked, curiosity creeping into her voice as she leaned toward Arthur. “What did she do to you? Kelly won’t tell us.” 

“What does Kelly know?” Arthur asked. The traffic was light, and the road was rural, but he was entering suburbia as they drew closer to campus. 

“Everything.” Rani said. “Kelly said she did some research and talked to Lori and your old schoolmates. They told her enough to make her believe Lynn is an actual monster. And whatever Lynn did, she traumatized you enough that Kelly’s being way too delicate about the situation around you.” 

“She did what?” Arthur asked. 

“Did she not tell you that?” Rani asked, alarmed at the prospect of betraying Kelly’s trust. 

“She did not.” Arthur said, shaking his head. It made sense, but reviewing his conversations with Kelly, he didn’t recall her ever telling him she was already aware. She offered to be there, to let him confide in her. She never mentioned talking to anyone he knew in high school. Yet, it wasn’t impossible. She’d been Lori’s roommate, and Arthur had told Lori everything. Would Lori have told her? Maybe girls did discuss everything. That was too close to a betrayal to contemplate.

“Oh.” Rani said, sitting back in her seat. “Well, maybe she should have.” 

Arthur let silence fall between them. 

“Don’t you want to discuss it?” Rani asked. “We have time, and I’m extremely curious. You said you’d talk to us about it this morning, but we were in a rush to check out after our fooling around and letting you sleep in.” 

Arthur remained silent. He could neither confirm nor deny whether he’d let that opportunity to discuss what Lynn had done slip by intentionally.

“I can always play with your dick while you talk.” Rani said. “Would that help?” 

“No. There’s nothing sexy about my history with Lynn.” Arthur said.

“That’s surprising. She’s the hottest woman I’ve ever seen in real life.” Rani said. 

Arthur didn’t answer. 

“Tell you what, I’ll give you tit for tat.” Rani said. “You share your trauma with me, and I’ll show you my tits. You can have your shirt back, and I’ll take off my bra.” 

Arthur glanced at her. If she took his shirt off and the white bra under it, she’d be topless the rest of the drive to Arthur’s apartment and likely the entire afternoon. A tempting offer. He glanced at the gold chain that looped through its ring at one end, wrapped around her throat, and disappeared with its other ring between her breasts. He imagined leading her, topless, up the stairs and into his apartment by its ring as the chain pulled tighter around her neck. 

No. Today wasn’t supposed to be a hookup. It was a date. Today was about spending casual, side-by-side time with Rani to get to know each other on a deeper level. His dick protested his brain’s logic, but he restrained his impulses and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. 

“Are you turning down a hand job and my tits?” Rani asked, shocked. “Do you not like them?” She looked down at her chest, cupping her breasts. 

“I love your tits.” Arthur said, chuckling. “Your body is amazing.” 

Rani laughed. “I’m no Kelly or Mindy, but I do alright.” 

“Don’t compare. You’re a different beauty.” Arthur said. 

Rani frowned. “That’s what pretty people say to ugly people.” 

“You are not ugly.” Arthur said at once. “I mean it. You’re gorgeous.” 

Rani frowned. “But you don’t want to see my tits?” 

“I want to.” Arthur said, laughing. “But I don’t want you to leverage them. Today isn’t for sex, remember? It’s for getting to know one another.” 

“So help me get to know you.” Rani said, frustrated. “Tell me what happened with you and Lynn.” 

“I…” Arthur hesitated, sighing. “Okay.” Maybe it would be easier to discuss with his eyes on the road. Not looking at anyone while he talked. 

Rani turned toward him, her eyes on his cheek as his muscles feathered his jaw. The atmosphere in the car shifted, heavier than a moment ago. Arthur’s voice was tighter when he spoke, constricted by thoughts she couldn’t guess passing behind his ordinarily bright eyes. 

“What do you know so far? What did Kelly tell you?” Arthur asked. 

“The basics.” Rani said, shrugging. “You and Lynn were friends once, through childhood. You went on different paths when you got to high school, and she was a bully. She teased you, bullied you, and picked on you. You graduated, then she showed up and will be living in our basement. You won’t let any of us make her move out, and she’s attending Pendleton next semester.” 

“Yeah, that’s all true.” Arthur said. 

“So what happened?” Rani asked. She placed her hand on Arthur’s thigh, soft against his firm muscles. 

His eyes darted to her hand, then her face. Her supportive gesture surprised him, but he appreciated the encouragement. 

“I loved Lynn.” Arthur said, pausing after he made the statement to measure its validity. The past tense was accurate. He had loved her. “By the time we got to high school, I was full on head over heels, hearts for eyes in love with her. Childhood crush, sure, but I really believed we’d be in love through high school, graduate together, get married, and live the rest of our lives happily ever after.” 

“Naïve.” Rani said, then flinched when Arthur looked at her. “Sorry, continue.” 

“Yeah. I was naïve.” Arthur agreed. “I was a dumb kid. What can I say?” 

Rani remained silent, listening but not answering his rhetorical question. “Everyone’s dumb once. I was too.” She assured him. “Remind me to tell you about Amir later.” 

Arthur frowned. “Well, high school came, and everything changed.” He said. “I’ve no idea why or what I did wrong. On the first day of school, she started hanging out with this older girl, Angie. She was…” Arthur hesitated, but if anyone deserved to be called this, Angie did. “A total bitch.” 

“Wow, powerful language coming from you for someone you’re not fucking.” Rani said, smiling to make it easier. Arthur’s muscles tensed beneath her hand, and he didn’t loosen. 

“Yeah, well.” Arthur frowned. “Toward the beginning of the school year, we were in algebra together. Lynn was already acting weird, not talking to me at school more than a few words at a time, dodging me when I approached her in the hallway. That kind of thing. She’d be sweet and nice at home like nothing was wrong. At school? She’d give me whiplash with the Jekyll and Hyde routine.” 

Rani waited for him to continue. 

“So we’re in algebra class, and I’m sitting next to her, with Angie on her other side. Someone sitting near us, possibly Lynn herself, I don’t know for sure, farted.” Arthur explained. “Whoever it was, it wasn’t me, but it was loud and stunk.” 

“As farts do, sure.” Rani nodded knowingly. Her attempt at humor didn’t lighten Arthur’s expression or his grip on the wheel that made his forearm muscles pop. 

“Well, Lynn blamed me. She called me Farty Arty, and the name stuck.” Arthur said. “Had the whole class laughing and repeating the name.” 

Rani bit her bottom lip, doing her best not to laugh. Arthur was so serious when he said the name. His voice rumbled grave and deadly, but the name sounded so ridiculous. It was a miracle she made it through without laughing. He was in pain, though, and Arthur appreciated her restraint. 

“Is that it?” Rani asked. “She cracked one off and blamed you for it?” 

Arthur laughed dryly that time, shaking his head. “No. That was the start of four years of hell. The moment I realized our friendship had changed. Every day, a fresh torment, a fresh public humiliation if I tried to talk to her. A joke or insult at my expense became a way for her to gain standing with Angie and the popular kids. After all, it amused them that someone like me thought I could approach someone like her. Meanwhile, she’d apologize and cozy up to me after school. We’d go to each other’s apartments depending on whose parents were home that day. She had me doing her homework, helping her cheat on tests, and all kinds of shit.” 

“Woah, back it up.” Rani said, raising her hands. “You did her homework?” 

“I was young and dumb.” Arthur said. “And trapped.” 

“You helped her cheat? You? Mister Ethics? Mister ‘Let me ruin the mood by verifying consent one-thousand-and-one times because I have a virtue complex’ Arthur?” Rani asked in disbelief. 

“Hey.” Arthur said, taking offense. 

“Sorry.” Rani said. “I’m just trying to lighten the mood. If your voice gets any deeper and more serious, I’m going to start calling you Batman.” 

Arthur released a long exhale. “Do you know why consent is so important to me?” Arthur asked. 

Rani hesitated. “Because you’re a good person?” 

“Because I don’t want any miscommunication, doubt, or accusation to the contrary.” Arthur said. “Over the years, Lynn’s threats became very targeted. Her behavior toward me swung so wildly from who she used to be to who she was that I was mixed up. We spent a lot of time alone together. She was clear she’d tell people I forced her to do all kinds of things if I didn’t do what she wanted. So, I did things I’m not proud of, like helping her cheat, because I thought she’d…” 

“You thought she’d fuck you?” Rani asked when Arthur didn't finish his sentence. 

“No.” Arthur scoffed. “Worse. I thought she’d forgive me for being the fat, ugly piece of shit I was and love me the way I loved her.” 

Rani fell quiet, frowning. She looked at Arthur’s face, watching his jawline as he clenched his teeth. She kissed his cheek. Her soft lips pressed against his stiff jaw and softened it. She was unsure how to respond or if there was a correct response. Arthur’s former self-image was so far removed from reality that it was surreal. 

Arthur said nothing. He chose anger over tears. 

“You’re not that. You realize that, right?” Rani asked. “Even if you weren’t always so fit, you were never a piece of shit. If I’m not allowed to have a low opinion of myself, then you’re not. You’re a fucking god of a man, like someone out of a storybook or something. My Prince Rama.” 

“Prince Rama?” Arthur asked. Confusion dissipated his anger. 

“Prince Charming, I guess, but a million times better?” Rani said, shrugging. “Actually, he’s more like Odysseus. Or a cross between Odysseus and Super Mario. Disney really needs to consider the Ramayana.” She shook her head. “He’s an important hero and one of the most moral heroes in literature. That’s what makes him great. Not how handsome he was.”

Arthur nodded, not sure what Rani was talking about. However, imagining combining the Greek hero and the video game character was almost silly enough to make him laugh. Almost. The corner of his mouth turned upward. More out of appreciation for her attempt to lighten the mood than its measure of success.

“So what happened?” Rani asked. 

Arthur’s grave expression returned, but he remained more relaxed. “Senior year.” Arthur said. “I turned eighteen at the start of the school year. Lynn’s eighteenth birthday party was in March. Our Spring Break was in April.” 

Rani was quiet, waiting for him to continue. 

“She made promises based on everything that I’d done for her over the years. She apologized for all of it. We had what I thought was a genuine fresh start. Then she told me she wanted to say goodbye since we were going to different schools in the fall. She said she had something special planned for us. This was it, losing our virginity together so we’d be ready for when we went to prom and before we said goodbye for college. I believed her.” Arthur said. “I was an idiot.” 

Rani squeezed his thigh. 

“A bunch of our classmates rented out this motel for a spring break party. She invited me, and… well…” Arthur swallowed, water in his eyes threatening to push forward into tears, but he held them back. He was too angry to cry. 

“She met me in the room and told me to get undressed. I ended up in my tighty-whities. I was too nervous to take them off. The whole thing felt weird and off. I should have trusted my intuition. She took videos and pictures without me knowing. She caught everything, including her narrating cruel and humiliating things about my body as I undressed.” Arthur hesitated. 

Rani’s eyes narrowed as she pictured Lynn. Her breathing turned shallow but forceful.  

“I tried to back out.” Arthur said. “It didn’t feel right. I wasn’t even hard, and she was still fully clothed. I said I didn’t want to do it that way. That we should do something else and try another night when it was more romantic. She was livid. She pushed me onto the bed, straddled me, held me down, and… ground on me, I guess. I… There was no penetration. We didn’t…” Arthur couldn’t finish his sentence. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Rani said. Her voice shook, but her grip on his thigh was firm. She grounded him and kept him from losing himself in the memory. “You don’t have to.” 

Arthur kept his eyes straight ahead, not looking at Rani as he drove. Physically, he was in the car. Mentally, he was years away. Reliving the most helpless moment of his life. The moment he realized he needed to be stronger. His arm shook with how tight his grip was on the wheel. He’d sculpted the muscles in his forearm to heroic definition like the rest of him after years in the gym since. Muscles that froze instead of saving him the next time she was on top of him. His memory turned to the day before when Lynn tackled him after homecoming. When Kelly saved him, and he still protected Lynn. That thought alone pushed his tears of frustration to the brink.  

He took a deep breath. “She left me there. I chased after her, which was a mistake, obviously. She told some guys partying that I was trying to–” Arthur paused. “She lied. Not for the first time.” He sighed. “She already had the school believing I was an obsessed stalker pervert. Those guys didn’t hesitate.” 

“What happened?” Rani asked. 

“They beat the shit out of me, is what happened.” Arthur said. “I wish I could say I landed a few good punches, but one guy shoved me, and I ended up on the ground. Then they just started kicking me. I blacked out from the pain. Woke up in a dumpster the next morning.” 

Rani winced. “Fuck.” 

“When I fell, I tumbled into another guy, and he ended up in the hospital. Apparently, he hit the railing behind him when he fell, and it messed up his back. The entire school was out for my blood after that.” Arthur said. 

“Yeah.” Rani said, nodding. 

“Pictures and video of the beating, along with selected pictures Lynn took, ended up making the rounds at school. To say I was an outcast was an understatement. People praised Lynn’s benevolence in not pressing charges. They supported her as though she were the victim.” Arthur shook his head. “And the worst of it?” He asked. “Lynn still expected me to help her pass her finals.” 

Rani looked confused. “Did you?” 

Arthur sighed. 

“But I didn’t go to prom.” Arthur said. “She apologized again but denied ever taking the pictures and videos. She asked me. Made a big deal of it in front of our parents so they would force me to go with her, but I held my ground.” He fell quiet, his voice much softer when he spoke. “On that, at least, I held my ground.” 

“Why would your parents want you to go to prom with her?” Rani asked. “After what she did, how can Deb even stand her? How is she not in jail?” 

“I didn’t tell them what she did.” Arthur said. “I said I got drunk at the party and got into a fight with a few guys from the football team. They grounded me, and that’s it.” 

Several moments of silence passed. He turned onto his street, driving past a few commercial stores en route to Arthur’s apartment complex. 

“You know if Deb learned about this, there’s no way she’d let Lynn live at the house, right?” Rani asked. “You have to tell her. Hell, you should press charges.” 

“Rani…” Arthur sighed. “I have no proof. I have no witnesses. Everyone there that night would take Lynn’s side over mine.” 

“Well, not everyone.” Rani said. “Kelly must–” 

“Rani, please.” Arthur said. “I’ve gone over it a million times. There’s no way it would do any good. Moving on with my life was the best thing to do, and I did. I won’t let her take that away from me. So, can we drop it?” 

Rani looked at him. It was strange to imagine Arthur, the hot, muscular hunk beside her, as helpless. Caught in a hopeless situation by a woman who knew he wouldn’t hurt her. That was what Kelly said when retelling that lobby encounter. Kelly knew Arthur wouldn’t hurt Lynn. And Lynn learned that from experience. Rani did her best to keep the water in her eyes from falling down her cheek. She failed when she spotted the single tear falling along the side of Arthur’s face. 

“Shit.” Rani said. She wiped her eyes. “Do you need a hug?” 

“Yes.” Arthur said, wiping his eye with his hand. 

“Pull over.” Rani said, pointing to the parking lot of a pizza place near Arthur’s apartment. 

“What?” Arthur asked. “We’re almost there, we can just…” 

“I didn’t fucking stutter. Pull this car over now.” Rani said, her voice stern. 

Arthur pulled the car over, parking in a space across the small lot from Gianni’s Pizza, facing the street.

“Get out.” Rani said, getting out of the car after fumbling with the buckle. 

A confused Arthur barely had time to stand after shutting his car door before Rani slammed into him. She flung her arms around his torso and hugged him so hard she pushed the air from his lungs. 

Arthur hugged her back, struggling to breathe, which made him laugh, which made him cry. They stood there, embracing, for several minutes. Arthur didn’t pull away or move or look anywhere. He closed his eyes and hugged Rani, taking in the smell of hotel shampoo and soap, feeling her heavy exhale against his chest. Her perfume reminded him of wildflowers on a warm summer day, transporting him to a field far away from their suburbia. 

“I’m so sorry.” Rani said softly. “I shouldn’t have pushed you to tell me.” 

“No, it’s okay.” Arthur said. “I’m glad to get it off my chest. This is…”

“Is this the first time you’ve talked about it?” Rani asked. Her tone sounded almost afraid as if being the first bore responsibility she might not be ready for. 

“No.” Arthur said. “I told Lori. Though that was over a longer period. Not all at once like this.” 

“Okay.” Rani said, nodding, still hugging him but giving him enough slack in her arms so she could gaze into his reddened eyes. “And, to be clear, I’m not allowed to beat the shit out of Lynn?” 

Arthur scoffed. “No.” 

“Damnit.” Rani frowned. “I shouldn’t have asked. I should have just done it. Better to ask forgiveness.” 

Arthur hugged her close as she put her head against his pec. “Easier, not better.”

“Whatever.” Rani said. “Can I hire someone to beat her?” She asked. 

“No violence.” Arthur said. “She isn’t worth the effort.” 

“What if it’s consensual?” Rani asked. “What if I get her on tape telling me it’s okay to hit her? Then can I beat the–” 

“No.” Arthur cut her off. “Just leave her alone and keep as far away from her as possible. My life wasn’t the only one she ruined in high school. She’s best avoided. Understand?” 

“You are so frustrating sometimes.” Rani said. “Revenge is cathartic, trust me.” 

“Rani.” Arthur said, holding her chin in his hand. “You’re very sweet, but please do not engage with Lynn.” 

“Why protect her after what she did to you?” Rani asked. Her eyes searched his, probing his soul beyond its windows. “Do you still love her?” She sounded sad when she asked it, not accusatory. Assuming a positive answer, the reality devastated Rani. 

“No.” Arthur said after a moment. “I despise her.” Arthur said. “Every bit of love I ever had for her has turned to hate. Even seeing her makes me angry.” 

“So why protect her?” Rani asked. “She should be in jail.” 

“No evidence and no witnesses. It’s my word against hers, and no court will believe me over her. Hell, I don’t expect most people would believe me. Everyone believes her. She’s a better actor than I am, with a bigger stage.” Arthur said. “I don’t know why my instinct is to protect her, but my orders to avoid her aren’t for her protection. They’re for yours.” 

Rani frowned, the two standing silently in the parking lot as cars drove by on the road beyond the curb. 

“If you want to protect us, tell your mom what happened.” Rani said.

“I do want to protect you, but my mom…” Arthur sighed. “My mom might be part of the problem. Growing up, she took Lynn’s side in most of our arguments, and she is putty in Lynn’s hands. She’s the one who gave me the protective instinct over Lynn. All I heard growing up was how I should be a gentleman and look out for her.” 

“That’s when you were kids, and those decisions were made about climbing a tree or playing in the park.” Rani said, her hand against Arthur’s chest. “You don’t need to do that anymore.” 

Arthur nodded, falling silent. 

“I get the protective instinct.” Rani said, laying her cheek on his chest and hugging him close. “When Sanjay came after Mindy, I didn’t hesitate. I’d cut a bitch for any of those girls and for you. We’re your tribe. Your harem. Chosen family for the win and all that shit. Lynn rejected your protection when she…” Rani’s voice trembled, whether with anger or sadness, Arthur couldn’t tell. “When she did what she did. She betrayed you and your trust. You don’t have to protect her anymore.” 

Arthur squeezed her in his arms, resting his cheek on the crown of her head. “You’re right.” He said. He didn’t know what he would do, but she was right. “I’ll figure something out. In the interim, just stay away from her, okay? I don’t want any of you caught up in her schemes.” 

“Schemes?” Rani scoffed. “She’s an idiot. You should have seen her today, fumbling and bumbling everything. She’s a clown. We can handle her.” 

“Rani.” Arthur said, using her name as a warning. “If Lynn acted foolish at the brunch today, she had a reason. I wouldn’t put it past her to act dumb to discredit my warnings, but she’s not as dumb as she wants you to think.” 

“Then why don’t you tell your mom what happened? We could stay away from Lynn for good if Deb kicks her out.” Rani argued. 

“I’ve tried.” Arthur said, frustration in his voice. “After it happened, I tried. I tried earlier today! I just... It’s hard to talk about, and I can’t tell my mom. This conversation, reliving those memories, hurts. Okay? Telling my mom would only hurt her. Devastate her. If she believed me, she’d blame herself. I can’t… I can’t see pain in her eyes every time she looks at me. I don’t want anyone to look at me that way. So, please drop it?”

Rani pressed her lips into a thin line but sighed and gave up any resistance when she looked into his eyes. The pain in Arthur’s eyes overwhelmed her, but she held his gaze with pride rather than pity. There was strength in enduring such pain and honor in his intentions. Though she believed him to be misguided. 

“Yes, my King.” Rani said, then kissed him where they stood. 

Arthur and Rani kissed for longer than he expected, standing in that parking lot before Gianni’s Pizza. 

“That was heavy.” Rani said, understating the emotional toll that conversation took. She sighed as they pulled away. “But damn, you’re a good kisser.” 

The tiniest corner of Arthur’s mouth lifted. “You’re not terrible yourself.” 

“Is there somewhere close by we can fuck?” Rani asked. 

Arthur did a double-take, snapping his attention to her as though she’d cracked a whip. “My apartment?” Arthur asked, pointing to the apartment complex they could see down the road from their current location. 

“I guess.” Rani said. “I’d also accept a public restroom, behind that tree, or… Ooo, is that an ice cream shop?” 

Arthur furrowed his brow. “Sex or ice cream? Which do you want?” 

“Can’t it be both?” Rani said. “I’m a complicated woman.” 

“What about that conversation made you hot?” Arthur asked. He took her hand and walked across the row of businesses toward the ice cream shop at the far end. “Did my crying do it for you?” 

“The story didn’t.” Rani said, shaking her head. She released his hand and slid her arm around him. “Nothing about that conversation was in the least way erotic. But you opening up to me? Sharing that part of yourself with me, especially when you haven’t with the others? That makes me feel like your queen. As your queen, I want to fuck you right here, right now.” 

A woman emerging from the salon stopped and gave Rani a ‘Did I just hear what I think I heard?’ look. 

“What?” Rani asked the total stranger. “This is my boyfriend. He just opened up to me emotionally in a huge way, and I wanna bang him.” 

“Sorry.” Arthur said, apologizing to the stranger. “She’s just–” 

“Don’t apologize for me.” Rani said. “I’m not sorry. If she’s a prude, she can fuck off.” 

The woman practically ran to her car. Arthur hoped that wouldn’t get them in trouble later, but he didn’t recognize the woman from anywhere. They’d likely never see her again. 

“What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?” Rani asked as she led him to the back of the line. She held him with her arm wrapped around his waist and her hand on his hip while his arm rested over her shoulders. 

“I’m in the mood for vanilla.” Arthur said, looking up at the sign. 

“Really?” Rani asked, surprised. “Well, I suppose you had to prefer something vanilla eventually.” 

Arthur shook his head, not making eye contact with the young man or woman before them in line. “What about you? Do you even eat ice cream?” 

“Yes, I eat ice cream.” Rani said, rolling her eyes. “When I want to. Though I prefer chocolate. Sometimes, I get a salted caramel or something fun, but I imagine I’ll get enough salty stuff from you later. Fuck, after last night, I’ve ingested enough salt to last a week.” 

Arthur blushed furiously. The young woman in front of them giggled. The young man tried not to look back at them. Arthur recognized them both from around campus but didn’t know their names. The polycule was a hot topic within the campus rumor mill, and Arthur worried she’d make it worse. 

“Seriously.” Rani said, hugging Arthur’s side. “Thank you for opening up to me.” 

“You’re welcome, I suppose.” Arthur said. He could tell she was doing her best to lighten the somber mood, to distance them from their emotional conversation. He appreciated it. “Don’t go rubbing it in the others’ noses, though. I should tell them, too. Maybe together so I don’t have to repeat myself more than necessary.” 

“You could let me tell them, but it’ll be best coming from you. It’s your story to tell. You can trauma dump at our next orgy.” Rani shrugged. “But that you told me first means a lot to me.” Rani kissed his cheek. 

The people in line ahead looked behind to see Rani and Arthur again. 

“What?” Rani asked. “Mind your business, nosey aunties.” 

Arthur shook his head. “You can’t blame people for getting curious when you’re joking about orgies in public.” 

“Who’s joking?” Rani winked at Arthur. “Oh, speaking of orgies, did you call Nicki? Are you two going to hook up?” 

Arthur took a deep breath. “We can discuss that later.” He said, glancing around them. There weren’t any kids nearby. Still, not everyone shared Rani’s openness or was as open-minded about unconventional relationships. He didn’t want anyone to be uncomfortable because of them. 

“Are you okay? You’re getting rigid and not in a hot way.” Rani said. She patted his butt. “Unclench.” 

Arthur gave her a brief smile. “Sorry. I’m just… I’m uncomfortable discussing that kind of thing while strangers are in earshot.” Arthur said, glancing at the others in the line. 

“Oh.” Rani said, falling quiet. “Who cares? You’re a fucking god in the bedroom. Nothing to be ashamed about.” 

The young woman ahead of them gave Arthur another look. The young man turned his eyes to the menu and elbowed her to do the same. 

“Seriously.” Rani said to the young woman. “Fingers like a surgeon, a tornado tongue, endless stamina, creative experimentation, and–” She held her hands apart the approximate length of Arthur’s dick. 

Arthur pushed Rani’s hands down. The young woman blushed and turned toward the menu again. “Rani!” 

“Arthur.” Rani said, turning to face him, smiling. “Sorry, I’m just having fun. I’m…” She paused as if calculating the correct term. “I’m really, really happy right now.” 

“Well, I’m glad you’re happy.” Arthur said. “But please behave? At least until we’re at my apartment.” 

Rani sighed. “You enjoy it when Kat misbehaves.” 

“Well, you aren’t Kat.” Arthur said. “You’re Rani, so please be on your best behavior if you want toppings on your ice cream.” 

Rani rolled her eyes dramatically. “Yes, My King.” She said as she leaned against him. 

The young woman glanced back at them again, but then it was her turn to order, so she gave the girl working behind the counter her attention. Rani remained quiet, hugging Arthur close. His arm draped over her shoulders, hugging her to him casually while they waited. The fall breeze cooled his skin, but Rani warmed him. Arthur’s thoughts drifted to the ridiculousness of this ice cream shop and its window being open this late in the year. The ice cream season was approximately year long now, expanding every year. Years ago, these places were only open during the summer. He pondered that until it became his turn to order, a pleasant distraction from everything he and Rani discussed. 

Arthur ordered a large vanilla soft serve in a waffle cone with rainbow sprinkles. Rani ordered a chocolate soft serve in a sugar cone with chocolate Jimmies, which she had to explain were sprinkles when asked. 

“Why do you call them Jimmies?” Arthur asked as he paid the attendant. 

“I don’t know. Because that’s what they are?” Rani asked. 

“Is that another Indian thing?” Arthur asked. 

Rani sighed. “It’s a Jersey thing. Not everything is because I’m Indian.” 

“Oh, okay.” Arthur said, nodding. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply–” 

“It’s okay.” Rani said. “I can’t say I’m surprised. I assume Mindy and I are your first not-white girlfriends?” 

“That’s accurate.” Arthur said. 

“Well, I can’t say I’ll always have the energy to educate you. Maybe do some research yourself.” Rani said, teasing and nudging his arm as the attendant offered them their cones. 

His cone came first, then Rani’s. He licked his ice cream, which he held in one hand and Rani’s hand in the other. Without discussion, they returned to the car to finish their cones, but Rani ate hers far more slowly than Arthur did. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Arthur said as they ate their ice cream in the parked car. 

“Ask away.” Rani said. 

“You mentioned you wanted to tell me about Amir. Who’s Amir?” Arthur asked. 

“The first guy I fucked.” Rani answered, frowning.  

“Your other monogamous relationship?” Arthur asked. 

Rani laughed, but Arthur didn’t see what was funny. He had to wait for Rani to explain, which she did after a few more licks. 

“I thought so, but he was dating somebody else.” Rani said. 

“He cheated on you?” Arthur asked, incredulous. 

Rani shook her head. “Not exactly.” She braced herself for the story. “He and I met at my 18th birthday party. My parents vetted him and knew his parents, so they wanted us to get together. We hit it off, and he was hot, so we snuck off and fooled around. That was when I learned I’ll puke if I try to deep-throat someone.” 

Arthur grimaced. 

“Yeah. That wasn’t a great experience, but I was young, horny, and dumb.” Rani said with a frown. “Cut to a few weeks later. We’d been texting, and I surprised him during a visit to my sister’s. I bought some lingerie and tried to make it a special night since it was my first time. I wasn’t perfect, but neither was he. He was shit and treated me like shit, which didn’t do it for me.” 

Arthur nodded, eating his ice cream as he listened and did not interrupt. 

“Well, the next morning, there’s another woman in the apartment. Alice. It turned out she was his actual girlfriend. I was the other woman. They fought. I thought for sure this crazy, yelling woman was going to murder me, but I was too stunned to say or do anything. When Alice realized Amir lied to us both and…” She hesitated. “When she realized he’d used me, she was kinda awesome. She took me to my sisters’ place, and we bonded. We still chat sometimes.” 

“Did you and Alice ever…” Arthur wasn’t sure how to phrase the question, but Rani finished the dangling inquiry without him. 

“No. She’s straight.” Rani said, smiling. “But she taught me a lot about sisterhood and friendship. I’ll have to tell her she was right. She told me we’d find nice guys one day. And she was right. It took a few more assholes, but I found you.” 

Arthur smiled and waggled his eyebrows as he wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. 

Rani laughed, winking at him as she finished her ice cream cone. 

Arthur moved to start the car, but Rani had a tiny chocolate smear by her mouth. Arthur wiped it for her with his thumb, then sucked the chocolate off it while she looked at him in surprise. 

“Oh, sorry, I wasn’t even thinking.” Arthur said. “You just… you had a spot so…” 

“Yeah.” Rani said, smiling. “It’s okay.” 

They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. Arthur started the car. “Thank you for telling me about that.” He said. “I’m sorry your first time wasn’t a good memory.” 

“Eh. I don’t put as much importance on first times now as I did then. At the time, I was devastated.” Rani said, thinking back to years past. “But I’ve had more pleasurable experiences than bad since then. And you and the harem more than make up for it.” She kissed his cheek. “Now, let’s go to your place so we can fuck.” Rani said, squeezing his thigh. 

Arthur laughed. “I thought today was a homework date.” 

Rani pouted. “Please? Can we fuck and then do homework?” 

“What’s the likelihood of us getting homework done after scrambling our brains with fucking?” Arthur asked. “Plus, it’s not like we’re gonna be quick.” 

“Damnit.” Rani said, sitting back as Arthur turned onto the road. “You make good points.” 

“How about this?” Arthur asked, preparing to propose something. “We go upstairs, and I give you one of those remote control vibrators. We do our homework, but I play with the controls from time to time, keeping you nice and horny until I’m ready to take you to the bedroom.” 

“Well, shit.” Rani said, slumping in her seat. “That sounds like torture, but I kinda wanna try it.” 

“Come on.” He said. He drove the short distance and pulled into the parking lot of his apartment complex. 

They parked, and Rani followed him to his third-floor apartment. He carried her book bag. She took her purse. The space seemed small compared to the house and hotel rooms. Still, it was larger than Rani’s dorm room and cleaner. Arthur didn’t consider himself a neat freak, but he didn’t mind if Rani did. She put her purse on the sofa. Arthur set her book bag on the low wooden coffee table before the couch.

“Do you do your homework on the sofa, kitchen table, study desk, or naked on your bed while I ride you like a cowgirl?” Rani asked, gesturing to each room. 

Arthur laughed. “Let’s start on the sofa.” He moved into his second bedroom/office and grabbed his book bag. He set his stuff on the table and sat. 

Rani cleared her throat. “Aren’t you forgetting something, my King?” 

“Hm?” Arthur asked, lifting his gaze. 

“The vibrator you promised me.” Rani said, gesturing toward his bedroom. “If you’re making me wait to fuck you, at least keep things interesting.” 

Arthur laughed, shaking his head. “Okay, my bad. I have my equipment and your duffel in my bedroom.” Arthur went into the bedroom and returned with the vibrator and lube. He opened the app on his phone and looked up to see Rani stripping. 

“Uh…” Arthur said, hesitating as Rani’s shirt fell to the floor. 

“Am I not allowed to be comfortable?” Rani asked, unlatching her bra. 

“You do your homework naked?” Arthur asked. 

“Not every day. Most of the time, I prefer wearing comfortable, baggy clothes. Sweat pants, hoodies, the usual. I dress up to fuck, dress down to go unnoticed around campus. But since this is a homework date, I thought I might undress to entice. Is that okay?” Rani asked. She turned so Arthur could see her as she dropped her bra and slid her pants to the floor. 

Rani’s body drew his eyes from her bare shoulders to two breasts sitting forward and beside each other on her chest. The round undersides curved outward and upward, lifting her black nipples pierced with golden barbels. The long line of her cleavage was a permanent feature; the tissue of the breasts barely connected along her sternum, giving the illusion of a deep groove. 

Rani stuck out her hip, leaning her torso back as she put her leg forward. She drew his gaze along her flat stomach to the pretty navel pierced by dangling gold teardrop jewelry. Rani used jewelry like Kelly used makeup, never to distract but to enhance. The waist chain draped just below the middle of her torso, where her body widened toward her enticing, round hips and large butt. 

Her smooth flesh begged for his touch, the perfect grip for his hands to hold her sides as he plunged his cock deep into her dripping hole. Arthur’s eyes lingered on the patch of curly dark hair above her pussy lips, and he licked his lips. 

“If I say no, will you get dressed?” Arthur asked. 

“No.” Rani answered. “But I’ll put my panties on if it’ll help you focus.” She kicked her bra aside. “Do you like my waist chain?” Rani asked, gesturing to the narrow gold chain as she wiggled her hips. Golden rings hung from it at regular intervals, and they danced as she moved. 

“I love your jewelry. You know that.” Arthur said. “And I picked that one out for you this morning.” He said, his eyes not leaving her body. 

“True.” Rani said. She pulled a pair of panties from her bag. The lubed vibrator went in first, then she pulled the black panties up her legs. Her large, round behind hung out of them, but Arthur didn’t mind that either. 

They pulled out their phones, and Arthur tested the vibe, making Rani squeeze her thighs together as she sat. 

“How much homework do I have to do before you fuck me?” Rani asked. 

“Keep it in your pants.” Arthur said, his tone dry.

“Too late.” Rani said, scooping her jeans and tossing them into Arthur’s lap. 

He laughed and pushed her jeans off his books and onto the floor. He turned off her vibrator, too. 

“Oh, so that’s how you make Kat behave. Obey me or no orgasms for you.” Rani asked. 

Arthur didn’t answer. 

“Fine, I’ll behave.” Rani pulled her notebook out and a mechanical pencil. Her textbook was twice the size of Arthur’s, and the equations looked more intimidating than his financial math. “But if you get horny, just bend me over and fuck whichever hole you’d like, my King.” 

Arthur coughed, hiding his smile with his hand, and got reading. Rani sighed her disappointment and penciled in her calculations for the project she was working on. 

They worked, with Arthur fiddling with her vibrator’s controls every now and again. He kept the setting low. Enough to keep her aroused but nowhere near strong enough to stimulate her toward the goal. She groaned and whined, but she behaved.

~~~

When Arthur looked up several assignments later, Rani was texting. 

Arthur raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He checked his phone, but no one had texted him. Even the group chats were silent. He started his next assignment, pulling out his laptop to write a paper. 

Rani alternated between texting and homework while he typed. She didn’t appear to be suffering from the distractions, but the amount of texting piqued Arthur’s curiosity. 

“Have the girls been in touch?” Arthur asked. “It’s been radio silent on my end.” 

“Not really. I texted the girls-only chat when we got here, and Kelly gave it a heart.” Rani said. “Other than that, I guess they’re busy with the game or giving us our alone time.” 

“Ah.” Arthur said, nodding. They were watching one of his old home videos, but he didn’t want to disappoint Rani that she’d missed that. 

Rani received a notification and started texting again. 

“So uh…” Arthur hesitated. “Who are you texting?” 

“Mark.” Rani said, not looking up from her phone as she typed. 

“Mark?” Arthur asked, confused. 

“Yeah, the theater dork with the busty girlfriend?” Rani asked, as if reminding Arthur who his friend was. 

“Yeah, I know who Mark is.” Arthur said. “I mean, why are you texting him?” 

“Are you jealous?” Rani asked, surprised. “If I say he’s asking me out, do I get to watch you fight him?” She swung around to face Arthur, tucking her leg under her and throwing her notebook onto the coffee table. 

“I’m not going to fight him.” Arthur said. “But… is he?” Arthur turned in his sofa seat to face her and put his books aside. 

Rani laughed, bending forward with her elbows on her legs. “Of course not.” She shook her head. “We’re talking D and D for that game we’re starting. He’s asking questions about my homebrew campaign setting.” 

“Oh.” Arthur said, nodding as if he understood what she meant. “Cool.” 

“You okay if I add you to a group chat for the game?” Rani asked. 

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Arthur said, nodding. “I’m still unsure about the scheduling aspect, but we’ll work it out.” 

“Any idea what character class you want to play?” Rani asked, now focusing on Arthur. 

“No idea, honestly.” Arthur shrugged. “What do you think I’d fit the best?” 

Rani appraised him, her eyes wandering over him and then squinting as she imagined him as a D&D character. “Oh, fuck me, you’re a bard.” 

Arthur laughed. How she said it made the profession sound like the worst possible choice. “Is that a bad thing?” 

“No.” Rani said, shaking her head. “It’s almost too good a fit. You should play against your personality and be a rogue or something.” 

“Like a thief?” Arthur asked. 

“Yeah. Or an assassin. A Han Solo type? A Swashbuckler?” Rani asked. Imagining Arthur in the costume was surprisingly easy. “Something morally gray and against your typical personality. Or you could be a Barbarian. Something sword and sorcery-esque, a nice loin cloth and a giant ax.” 

“Do we have to wear costumes to play?” Arthur asked, confused. 

“No. I just enjoy imagining you in Conan cosplay, especially when this thing is buzzing away.” Rani said, gesturing to her panties where the vibrator hummed on low. “So sue me.” 

Arthur laughed, shaking his head. 

“Oh, fuck. That’d be a perfect costume for you.” Rani closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “That or Larn from Fire and Ice.” Rani said, nodding. 

“Fire and Ice?” Arthur asked. 

“The animated movie from the eighties?” Rani gestured toward his TV. “I thought you said you liked old movies.” 

“I do, but I’ve never heard of that one.” Arthur confessed. 

“It’s an animated sword and sorcery flick, the same genre as Conan or Red Sonja.” Rani said, explaining. “Decent animation, very skimpy costumes for everyone involved, and the gayest necromancer I’ve ever seen.” 

Arthur raised his eyebrow. 

“Not in a bad way, but super, super gay-coded. The guys wear leather thongs for the entire movie. There’s a princess who wears a purple bikini for the entire film, and she’s still more dressed than the guys.” Rani said, laughing. “Oh, fuck me, that’s a perfect cosplay for Mindy. I have to text her.” She grabbed her phone and fired off a text. 

“Why have I never heard of this movie?” Arthur asked. Not that he was an expert on sword and sorcery films. The genre sounded fun, but he was unaware of Conan as a kid. He’d been more of a Princess Bride, Robin Hood, and Lord of the Rings fan. 

“Uh, the orcs in the film are called sub-humans, and they’re basically unflattering depictions of dark-skinned ape-men.” Rani said. “Meanwhile, the heroes are super white. It’s a problem.” 

“Oh, shit.” Arthur said. “Why were so many eighties movies racist?” 

“Bad writing?” Rani asked, shrugging. “If you think that sounds bad, you should see the Star Wars Christmas Special.” Rani snickered. “Actual black face.” 

“Oh no.” Arthur said, shaking his head. “I’ve only ever seen one movie with that in it, and even though I love the rest of the movie, it definitely ruins the film.” 

“What movie?” Rani asked, curious, as she scooted closer to Arthur. 

“Holiday Inn?” Arthur said, doubtful if she knew the film. 

“Never heard of it.” Rani said. 

“White Christmas was supposed to be its sequel, but they ended up making it its own movie.” Arthur explained. “It’s a cute movie, but Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds do a black face musical number to celebrate Lincoln’s birthday, and it’s terrible.” 

Rani snorted. “Now I kinda want to see it.” 

“I don’t own a copy, but I might find it streaming somewhere.” Arthur suggested. “It’s more of a Christmas movie, though.” 

“Well, let’s save it for Christmas then. Besides, if it’s as awful as you say, it’s not on any streaming services. They took out the Community D&D episode because of Blackface. Or Drowface.” Rani said, pointing at his TV as though it were the culprit. 

“I liked that episode!” Arthur said. 

“Me too!” Rani said. “The racism isn’t great, but I’m pissed they won’t stream it. I’ve got the DVD, but it’s at home.”

“At your dorm?” Arthur asked. 

“No, in New Jersey.” Rani said, frowning. 

“Oh.” Arthur said. Now that he considered it, he’d never finished learning about Rani. There was an imbalance between them in their knowledge of each other. She’d learned the darkest and likely most traumatic secret of his life. He’d discovered she had sisters, a younger brother, and a bit about Amir. 

Rani seemed to sense his thoughts and nodded after taking a deep breath. “Go on, ask me.” 

“Well, what made you want to become an engineer?” Arthur asked. 

Rani seemed to consider her answer for a minute, then started. “I started learning from my dad when I was little. He’s a respected engineer with a few patents, and… let’s just say he’s big in the Computer Engineering world. When I was born, I was his fourth daughter, and he was disappointed. My sisters are great, but they share none of his interests. My family expects us to be capable of respectable careers but to give them up for motherhood. Or juggle careers, housework, and childrearing while being secondary to some guy.” 

Arthur nodded. It was weird to hear Rani discuss the inherent patriarchal bias of her family while calling her ‘Concubine’ and enjoying the sight of her naked-except-for-her-panties body. He’d set the vibrator in her on low, and the control was in his hand. The dichotomy amused him. 

“You say that with such disdain, but if that’s the case, how are you okay with our relationship dynamic? Me being your king and you being my concubine?” Arthur asked. 

Rani tilted her head. “There’s a difference. In my family, the expectation is that we cook, clean, and otherwise serve our husbands. Kelly’s kink.” She laughed at that. “But she’s romanticized it and wants that as her career. It’s a whole thing.” Rani waved away the idea and continued. “But you treat me right. You treat each of us as we want to be treated: Selene like a slut, Kat as your brat, and you treat me like your queen. In the streets, you open doors for me, seat me first, look out for me, and take care of me like I’m precious to you. Then behind closed doors, you fuck like a god. You’re the fuckin’ perfect man.” 

“So the difference is, I don’t expect servitude?” Arthur asked. 

“Not from me.” Rani said. “Submission, sure, but that’s fun. You don’t treat me like a maid. You treat me like a goddess. A woman.” 

“Respect.” Arthur said. “That’s the difference. I treat you with respect.” 

“You treat me with respect while being dominant with me, which is a hell of a trick. And you give me tenderness and primal fucking.” Rani nodded. “Do you get it?” 

Arthur hesitated but nodded. “I think so. I’m getting there.” 

“Good.” Rani nodded. “Now, where was I?” 

“Your father was disappointed to have another daughter.” Arthur said, wincing at his own summary. Still, he waited for her to continue. 

“Right. Well, When I was in junior high, I asked for my dad’s help with a science fair project.” Rani said. “We worked on it together, and until that point, that’s the most time I remember spending with him. He loves work and doesn’t have much to discuss with anyone else in the family, so I started talking to him about it. I got interested in it, and we started spending more time together. For colleges, there was never a question of what my major was. I was my father’s daughter through and through, and engineering was my destiny.” 

Arthur nodded. “So why the University of Pendleton? It’s an excellent school, but it’s no MIT.” 

Rani sighed. “Papa is a Princeton man. He and my older sisters graduated from there.” 

“And your mom?” Arthur asked. 

Rani shook her head. “My mom is a mom, not a career woman. She never attended college.” 

“Oh, well, that’s nice.” Arthur said. “If that’s what she wanted.” 

Rani nodded. “I don’t know that she had a choice, but she enjoys being a mother. Granted, she has a full-time staff to manage, so she’s like a CEO, but that’s a whole thing. She and Kelly would get on like gangbusters or kill each other.” 

Arthur furrowed his brow, confused again. “Does she volunteer somewhere? How does she have a staff?” 

“The house staff.” Rani said, the answer obvious to her. “The gardeners, groundskeepers, stable hands, kitchen staff, maids, the butler, and chauffeur. You know, the staff.” 

Arthur stared at Rani. She explained it as though everyone had a house full of personal staff ready to wait on them hand and foot. Arthur had never met anyone that wealthy in his life. Maybe his parent’s CEO, but he didn’t know the guy on a personal level. No one at school came from that level of wealth. At least, he hadn’t thought so. 

“Are you…” Arthur tilted his head at Rani. “Are you rich?” 

Rani laughed. “No. My Papa is rich.” 

“Oh.” Arthur said, realizing the implication. Obviously, Rani’s family had a falling out with her and cut her off. That made sense. She was rebellious, abrasive, brazen, and her sexuality had to be a sore point with her family, right? He wanted the answers without asking the questions, even as they piled up behind one another on his tongue. 

“I guess if you count the trust fund, I’m loaded.” Rani said, shrugging. 

Then again, maybe not. Arthur didn’t know what to think. 

“Why are you living in the dorm?” Arthur asked. 

“I’m living in the dorm because I wanted to, and it’s a super convenient location for everything on campus. And for fucking. Two AM booty calls? Once, I yelled down the hallway, ‘Anyone wanna fuck?’ and had three volunteers and two orgasms.” Rani said as if discussing making friends and playing video games. 

Arthur didn’t hold her sexual liberty against her. It didn’t stain her in his eyes, though it made him jealous, which he tamped down immediately. “Do the girls know? Does anyone at school know?” 

“No, the girls don’t know.” Rani said. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell them. I don’t want to ruin anything. People can get weird about money.” 

Arthur nodded. Rani’s wealth wasn’t his secret to tell, but he’d be damned if it wasn’t surprising. She’d never balked at letting him pay for things, either. Was that for his ego? Did she think she’d intimidate him with her family’s money? 

“And I don’t think anyone at school knows except the financial aid people. My dad donates significant money to the school now.” Rani shrugged. “He’s annoyed I’m going here instead of Princeton, but I’m still his favorite.” 

Arthur’s mind was still exploding. “Why aren’t you going to Princeton?” 

Rani frowned. “Can you, uh… turn off the vibrator?” She asked. “It’s weird discussing this with this thing going off in my vag.” 

“Sure, sorry.” Arthur said, opening the app and turning off the vibrator. 

Rani left it in but relaxed against the sofa as it cut off. “Thank you.” She took a deep breath. “I’m not going to Princeton because I didn’t want to.” She said. “Amir was there, and I didn’t want to see him. I also got tired of my family’s expectations and bullshit. So I threw a dart at the map and ended up here.” 

“Amir had that big an impact on you?” Arthur asked. “Earlier, when you talked about it, you made him sound like he meant nothing to you.” 

“He doesn’t, now. He did, then. I was heartbroken.” Rani explained. “I was young and stupid and didn’t realize it until after we fucked. I had this whole…” She gestured with her hands. “This whole idea of what sex was. How sex was this super-important connection between two people who loved each other. The usual bullshit parents tell kids like Santa Claus and the tooth fairy.” 

Arthur was unsure how to respond. He didn’t think those were the same, but he knew better than to argue. Her approach toward sex was much less attached than his. She saw a negligible difference between eating a meal together and eating each other’s ass. He hadn't attempted casual sex until Selene and that hadn't worked out to be causal. Not that he was complaining. 

“Amir taught me sex doesn’t have to mean anything.” Rani continued. “And I learned that lesson well. At Princeton, my family and their friends were everywhere. Here? There was no supervision. So, I went wild freshman year and started exploring my sexuality. It was fun. It is fun, really. Without those experiences, I never would have joined your harem or gone home with you and Mindy.” 

Arthur nodded. That made sense. Poly was off the beaten path, and even he wouldn’t have been open to it without Selene’s influence and Lori’s breakup. Not that there was an honest comparison between the two. He and Lori had a loving relationship until their break. It still meant something. Amir meant nothing. 

“And, for the record, I’m not allowed to beat up Amir?” Arthur asked. 

Rani laughed. “I wouldn’t care. I had my revenge on Amir.” 

“You what?” Arthur asked. 

Rani winked. “That’s a different story.” 

“Okay.” Arthur said, sitting back. He reached toward Rani, and the two of them clasped hands. “Thank you for opening up to me.” 

“Anytime, my King.” Rani winked. 

“Seriously.” Arthur said. “I appreciate you telling me about your family and everything else. Especially if you haven’t told the girls.” 

“You mean my family's wealth?” Rani asked, smirking. “Just don’t treat me like a piggy bank. I know you wouldn’t.” She cut him off before he could protest. “But I just wanted to say it. I don’t mind being generous, but I don’t want to be your sugar momma. I enjoy it when you spoil me, give me jewelry, or pay for the ice cream without even asking if I want to go fifty-fifty. And don’t go blabbing to anyone on campus. I don’t need that attention.” 

“Fair point.” Arthur said, stroking his chin. “But why tell me? Why not keep it a secret?” 

“I trust you.” Rani said. “And you asked. Plus, now we’re more even. You told me your darkest, most traumatic secret. I told you my biggest. I could buy you if I wanted, so treat me right.”

Arthur laughed. 

Rani smiled. “Okay, now turn up this vibrator, will you? And take off your shirt?” 

Arthur stood and stepped in front of her. “As you wish, my Queen.” Arthur hooked his finger under her chin, tilting her lips to meet his as he bent and kissed her. 

Rani leaned into the kiss and increased her passion when the vibrator inside her started up again. Arthur slid his thumb along the controls, stuttering her pleasure with intense rhythm until he pulled away from the kiss and tore off his shirt. He tossed it away, then walked away. 

“Are we fucking now?” Rani asked, eagerness dripping in her voice as she dripped against her panties. 

“Not yet.” Arthur said. “I’m going to get water for us, and we’ll keep working on homework. Not D&D campaigns.” 

Rani groaned in frustration. “You’re killing me!” 

“Patience, my Queen.” Arthur said, disappearing into the kitchen and returning with two water bottles. He offered Rani one, and she swiped it from him in frustration. 

“Fine.” She sighed. “But I’m working on something sexy.” 

“That’s fine.” Arthur said, winking and taking up his seat on the corner of the sofa. 

Rani grunted and pulled out her laptop, getting to work. She turned so Arthur couldn’t see what she was working on, but Arthur allowed her spiteful privacy. He returned to his homework, too, and they worked in peaceful silence on their separate projects. 

~~~

Much later, Arthur broached the conversation again.

“What are you working on?” Arthur asked. “Is that your midterm photography project?” Hours had passed, and that was the only assignment he knew she had. He assumed third-year engineering courses had a lot of homework, an assumption that proved he was not an idiot. 

“No.” Rani shook her head. “But I need to take those photos. Would you have time this week? Wednesday?” 

“Would Tuesday work?” Arthur asked. “Or tomorrow after dinner or tonight?” 

Rani frowned. “Not tonight. Tuesday works, but I’d love to use the house for the shoot if your mom would be okay with that.” 

“Yeah, that’d be fine.” Arthur said, shrugging. He didn’t imagine his mom would protest. “Did you ever ask Kelly to model for you, too?” 

“No.” Rani said. “It slipped my mind. You okay if I call her real quick?” 

“Oh, sure.” Arthur said, gesturing to Rani’s cell phone on the coffee table. “If you can stop texting Mark for a minute or two.” 

Rani rolled her eyes and almost laughed. “Don’t get jealous, my King. Mark’s not my type.” 

“You have a type?” Arthur asked. 

“I don’t fuck guys with girlfriends.” Rani said. “At least, not without the girlfriend’s approval and participation.” She sighed. “I’d have to ask your permission first anyway, right? So you have nothing to worry about.” 

Arthur couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face and didn’t try. 

“Besides, I’d rather fuck your mom.” Rani winked at him, and Arthur nearly choked on air. 

“You are kidding about that, right?” Arthur asked, hoping against hope. 

Rani smiled as she picked up her phone and pulled up Kelly’s number. She started the call, blew a kiss to Arthur, and slouched onto the sofa. 

“Hey, it’s me.” Rani said after three rings when Kelly answered. 

“Hey, what’s wrong? What happened?” Kelly asked. 

“No, nothing’s wrong.” Rani shook her head, though Kelly couldn’t see it. “I just had a quick favor to ask!” Rani’s voice shot into the ceiling as Arthur slid the vibrator controls to their maximum setting. The spike in intensity was an electric shock to her system. Involuntary convulsions threw the laptop from her lap. She gripped it with one hand as her legs spasmed, and she lowered the computer to the floor and glared at Arthur. 

“Are you okay? What was that?” Kelly asked. 

“No, I’m still okay.” Rani said to Kelly through gritted teeth. “Master just thinks it’s funny to spike the vibrator while I’m trying to talk to you.” Rani continued to glare at Arthur. 

“I’m jealous. I wouldn’t mind having one of those right now. Tell him I want one for myself.” Kelly said. 

“Yes, Mistress. I’ll tell him.” Rani said, eyeing Arthur when she said it. 

Arthur raised his eyebrows and lowered the intensity to a dull hum. 

“Mistress wants you to know she’s jealous and wants one of these for herself.” Rani gestured to her crotch, specifying the remote control vibrator. 

“Tell her I’ll consider it.” Arthur said. “But for now, be a good girl and behave.” 

“He says he’ll consider it, but he needs you to be a good girl and behave.” 

Kelly groaned. “Did you call just to tease me?” 

“No, we didn’t call to tease you, sorry.” Rani said. “I wanted to ask a favor.” She hesitated but powered through her request with Arthur’s encouraging nod. “I have a life photography midterm project and need a female model. I wanted to do something contrasting the masculine with the feminine. It’d be nude, and you’d need to sign a release, but is that something you’d be willing to do?” 

There was momentary silence on the other end before Kelly answered. 

“Nude?” Kelly asked. “I don’t know. It’s one thing to be naked in front of you girls, but pictures for a school project are different. Can I think about it?” 

Rani’s face fell. “Oh.” Rani said. She looked at Arthur. “No, it’s okay, I understand.” She nodded. “No pressure. I can ask someone else. You’re just the first person I considered. You’d be perfect.” 

“She said no?” Arthur asked, confused. 

Rani raised her finger. 

“I’m not saying no.” Kelly said quickly. 

“No, Kelly, listen to me.” Rani paused. “Anything short of an enthusiastic yes is a no, and that’s okay. Your consent matters, and your comfort matters to me. I can find another model.”

“I appreciate that, but—” Kelly said, but Rani cut her off. 

“Of course. Don’t worry about it.” Rani said. 

“Pass me the phone.” Arthur said, reaching his hand out.

“I want to help you out, but I need to think about it first.” Kelly finished her sentence. 

Rani held up a finger, telling him to wait, and not passing the phone to Arthur. “It’s my fault for not asking sooner.” She said into the phone. “You can take time if you’d like, but the deadline is soon. I’ll look for another model while you think it over, okay?” 

“Okay.” Kelly said, sounding defeated. 

“Okay.” Rani said. “No worries. Take your time; if it’s a no, that’s one-thousand percent okay. If you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to do it.” 

“Selene said she’d be willing.” Kelly said after explaining the situation to Selene. “Could we talk about it at the harem meeting on Wednesday?” 

Rani was quiet again, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Yeah, we could do that.” Rani said, nodding. “While I’m considering backups, do you know anyone with your level of fitness that might be willing? I appreciate Selene’s willingness, but I was hoping to use a female model with muscles.” 

“Maybe.” Kelly said. “I think my friend Thalia has done some modeling.” 

Rani paused, smiling. “Perfect. Text me her number, and I’ll send her a message. Thank you, Mistress.” 

Arthur relaxed on the sofa and waited as Rani ended the call. 

“She said no?” Arthur asked. 

“She said maybe.” Rani said. “But I need someone else in my back pocket if she’s uncomfortable. I know they’re nude photos, but I didn’t think she’d be shy. She has such a fuckin’ hot body.” 

Arthur laughed. “She does, but I get it. Kelly’s going to be a teacher. Her nudes can’t be out there on the internet.” 

Rani frowned, nodding. “Yeah, I guess. These wouldn’t be online, though I guess I could use them in my portfolio. I can do it without showing her face. Something tasteful shot from behind. She’s got a great behind.” 

Arthur fiddled with the controls, and Rani sank onto the sofa with a moan. “Asshole.” Rani grunted as the vibrating stopped. 

Arthur laughed. “Honestly, I don’t think there’s a bad butt between you.” 

“Even your ass is pretty freakin’ sweet.” Rani said, laughing. “I guess the worst in the bunch is Katelyn’s, but she has a good shape. It’s just small.” 

Arthur couldn’t disagree, but he didn’t want to spend their time together discussing the others. Kat warned him when they started that comparisons were a bad idea, and he agreed, so he changed the subject. “So what project were you working on, if not your midterm?” 

“A videography project.” Rani said. “But it’s more for me than class.” 

“Don’t you have class homework to do?” Arthur asked. 

“I’m caught up on what’s due tomorrow and Tuesday.” Rani answered. “I’ll pull some late nights and work ahead for this weekend.” 

Arthur nodded. That wasn’t his preferred strategy for assignments, but he knew better than to force his study habits on someone else. 

“Have you got your costume figured out for the Ren Faire?” Rani asked, taking a stab at changing the subject herself. 

“No, I don’t know if I ever decided.” Arthur said. “I haven’t bought anything for it. I can wear a costume I already own.” 

“Kelly didn’t talk to you about it?” Rani asked. 

“Should she have?” Arthur asked. “We’ve been busy.”

“Fair. What do you have?” Rani asked, mulling something over while she carried on the conversation. 

“Well, I have a Halloween costume that might work, my old show costumes, and access to the Theater Club’s costume closet.” Arthur stroked his chin.

“What, specifically, do you have?” Rani repeated the question with emphasis on the ‘specifically.’ 

“I could wear my Prince Charming costume from Cinderella, my Prince Charming costume from Into the Woods, Frankenstein’s Costume from Young Frankenstein, or my King Arthur costume from last Halloween.” Arthur suggested. 

“You wore a King Arthur costume?” Rani asked. “Do you have these costumes here?” 

“Yeah, in the second bedroom’s closet.” Arthur gestured to the second bedroom where his ‘home office’ was now half-full of books. 

Rani got up and moved across the living room with surprising speed. She found and opened the closet before Arthur made it to the door. Her panty-clad backside and bouncing assets as she trotted away stupefied him long enough for her to get halfway into the closet before he appeared. 

“Wait, is this your King Arthur costume?” She asked, holding up what appeared to be a craft-store special remake of a Monty Python’s Holy Grail costume. 

“Yes.” Arthur nodded. “There are fake coconuts in my other closet that–” 

“No.” Rani said, shaking her head. “What’s this?” She pulled out a hanger that caught her eye, holding a skimpy brown miniskirt. The harem’s suggestion had been putting Arthur in a Barbarian costume, and this looked promising. 

Arthur frowned. “That was going to be Lori’s half of our costume this year. We bought them last November at this boutique costume shop. We got a discount because Halloween was over, so we thought it was smart to plan ahead.” 

“Wow, she really led you on, huh?” Rani asked. 

Arthur’s lack of answer caused her to look at him. She swallowed. Arthur’s jaw set, and he looked upset. Rani put her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think…” 

“It’s okay.” Arthur dismissed her worry without another word. He didn’t feel Lori had led him on, but he’d expected to spend this Halloween together. “Things didn’t work out the way we expected, but it’s for the best. You and I wouldn’t be dating if Lori was still my girlfriend. The harem wouldn’t be together.” 

“Aw.” Rani smiled at him. She kissed his cheek but then returned her attention to the costume in her hand. “Who was she supposed to be?” 

“Jane.” Arthur said, hesitating. 

“Jane?” Rani asked, confused as she flipped the hanger over, looking for the rest of the costume. That’s all there was to the costume; a cropped tank top and a matching miniskirt. Still, it was more fabric than the costume Arthur pulled from the closet. 

“As in Tarzan and Jane.” He said, holding the loin cloth against his jeans. 

Rani’s eyes lingered on his crotch, and her smile spread. Without the jeans, the narrow, tapering loin cloth would show his muscular legs and thighs. The triangular flaps would hide his bulge and his buttcrack, the attached briefs preserving his modesty, but every sculpted muscle of his body would be on display. Rani licked her lips. 

“You’re wearing that.” Rani said, her tone making it a command. 

“For Halloween?” Arthur asked, making a face. 

“To the Faire.” Rani corrected him. “And right now? Please? Let’s see how it fits? I’ll wear this.” Rani said, holding up Jane’s bikini. 

“I don’t think that will cover you the way it did Lori.” Arthur said, shaking his head. 

“Excuse me?” Rani asked, her tone edging toward accusatory. 

“That miniskirt was risque on her. It’ll be downright X-rated on you. Your ass is bigger. It’ll ride higher and pull tighter.” Arthur gestured to her butt. 

“For a moment, I thought you were going to say it wouldn’t fit because I’m heavier than she was.” Rani said, frowning. 

“No.” Arthur shook his head. “It’s not a weight thing, but a body shape thing. Your hips and butt are bigger than Lori’s, and your chest is smaller. The tank top might not fit you either.” 

“Well, if I let you pick what I wear to the fair, will you wear this?” Rani asked, snatching the Tarzan loincloth from Arthur before he could put it away. “I was going as a djinn.” 

“I don’t know…” Arthur said, considering the costume. “I thought I’d wear it to a party, not all day at a Faire.” 

“You can put me in any costume you want, and I’ll wear it all day. No matter how revealing, embarrassing, or whatever.” She dangled the Jane costume again. 

“Why not for Halloween?” Arthur asked. 

“Because I have a Halloween costume. Well, kinda. Mindy and I picked up costumes for us girls, but not for Halloween parties, just for the harem. We were going to show them to you last night, but there wasn’t time with everything we did.” Rani said, shrugging. 

“When will I get to see those?” Arthur asked. 

“Soon, I’m sure.” Rani said, not committing to a time. Her teasing nature amused Arthur, so he gave it back to her. 

“And if I say you can only wear jewelry?” Arthur asked, laughing at the very idea of Rani wearing nothing but jewelry out in public. “I’ll carry a lamp on my belt, and you can be my jewelry-clad djinn.” In private, he enjoyed the lavish gold and colored stones against her dark skin. In public? He didn’t know how he felt about others seeing her that way. He wasn’t sure how she felt about it, either. She always wore baggy clothes at school. She stayed out of the spotlight until she was ready to step into it. 

“I might add some pasties and bikini briefs if it’s beach rules, but I’d do it.” Rani said. Her honey-brown eyes sparkled, still eyeing Arthur’s crotch. “Fair’s fair.” 

Arthur swallowed. “Deal.” He took the Tarzan costume back and hung it up. “I’ll wear it on Saturday. And you can dress like a proper djinni concubine. Pasties, bikini briefs, anklets, bracelets, piercings, a waist chain, a veil, the works.” 

Rani offered her hand for a shake, and Arthur took it. “Deal.” She winked. 

“Now, can I ask for a favor tonight, my King?” Rani asked. 

“Food?” Arthur asked. Dinner time was fast approaching, and the prep was only partially done; he still had to cook the meal. 

“Oh, sure. But what I wanted to ask for was Selene.” Rani said, blinking her eyelashes at him. 

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “What?” 

“She shared you with Mindy and me last Monday when it was her date night. I want her to join us tonight. I thought we could do something special. Me, you, and her.” Rani said. 

“You don’t want it to be just you and me?” Arthur asked, confused. 

“I mean, we’ve had ice cream and done our homework together. We’ll eat dinner together. We’ve hung out, shared, bonded, and fucked together without the others. What I have in mind for tonight is you, me, Selene, and your TV.” Rani said, not explaining what she was talking about. “Please, my King?” Rani stepped forward, pressing her body against his as Arthur held his ground. 

Arthur sighed. “What about Kat? If Selene is joining us, is it rude to exclude her?” 

“She can join if she wants.” Rani said. “Actually, that’d be hot. So, yeah, Kat, too, but let me take the lead with them, okay?” 

Arthur nodded. “Anything for you, my Queen.” 

Arthur startled Rani by kissing her cheek, but once she recovered, she kissed him on the lips. The soft press of her lips against his mouth turned passionate, and she rolled her body against him, pressing herself to him. 

Arthur ended the kiss first, leading her to the living room by the chain around her throat. They left the office behind them. Rani waited for Arthur to rejoin her on the sofa, but he released her, gestured for her to sit, and moved past her to the kitchen. 

“You lounge and work things out with Selene. I’ll cook dinner.” Arthur said. “We’ll need the fuel. Something tells me we’re going to have an active night.” 

“You’ve had a full day to recover from last night. Are you ready to go?” Rani asked as she sat on the sofa with her ankles crossed below her. 

“It’s been less than twelve hours since Mindy drained me this morning.” Arthur laughed. “Let me eat more food and digest it, and I’ll be ready to go.” 

Rani smiled. “Yes, my King.” She lounged dramatically on the sofa, reclining with her feet up and her back against the cushions putting her body on display. “Can I take these panties off?” 

“Go for it.” Arthur said. “See if you can reach orgasm before dinner.” He adjusted the controls on his phone.

“And if I can’t?” Rani asked, noticing that the vibrator was so low she could barely feel it. 

“I’m sure I’ll think of something fun to punish you for disobeying your King.” Arthur shrugged and laughed as he turned on the oven. 

Rani smiled and texted Selene. 

Queenie: Hey, when do you think you’ll be home? I was hoping you and I could show Arthur that video we made tonight. Brat’s welcome to join us if she wants. Might be hot to make her watch Arthur and I spit-roasting you to our porn playing in the background.

Slut: I’m in. We can be home in forty minutes if we Uber. 

Queenie: No rush. We’re eating dinner soon, then digesting. 

Slut: Okay. We’ll eat dinner here then and be there as soon as we can. I’ll keep you updated. 

Slut: I showed Brat your text. She said “Hot” in what I think was supposed to be an impression of you. 

Queenie: Was it any good? 

Slut: It sounded more like Eeyore than you, but she says she’ll work on it. 

Queenie: lol. See you soon, slut. Tell Brat I said [stuck-out tongue emoji]. 

Selene sent a wink emoji, a fire emoji, two eggplant emojis, and a sweating emoji. 

Rani sent a 100 emoji and returned her attention to herself. She slid her panties off, leaving her naked on the sofa except for her piercings, her waist chain, collar chain, and the barely buzzing vibrator in her pussy. 

“Can you turn this up at all?” Rani asked, comfortable, aroused, but nowhere near satisfied. 

“No.” Arthur called from the kitchen. 

“Can I use my other toys from the duffel bag?” Rani asked, whining as she closed her eyes. 

“No.” Arthur’s answer was the same, and Rani’s grunt of annoyance was belligerent, but she obeyed. 

Rani took a deep breath and didn’t ask if she could use her hands. She pressed the vibe into herself, using the pressure from her fingertips to press against it from the outside. The whispering vibe was too low to push her over the edge but helped along by her fingers, it showed promise. Rani opened her laptop and put it on the coffee table. She didn’t ask another question she didn’t want a negative answer to. She turned to an older but reliable porno. 

The new hire at the farm was a handsome, broad-shouldered man with a rugged jawline. He was shorter than Arthur but polite. The plaid shirt tucked into his blue jeans showed a tight waist and an angled torso that drew Rani’s eyes from his shoulders to his crotch. 

The actress dressed in a similar theme but in far more revealing clothes. Her cutoff shorts had half her ass hanging out, but she played into her flirtatious nature with the security of her family’s owning the farm. Their cowboy hats hung on the hooks by the door. The camera panned to them as the man followed the woman up the ladder into the barn’s loft. 

Rani’s fingers circled the vibrator’s base and pressed against her soft flesh, pushing against the stiff surface. She slammed her eyes shut as the toy shifted in the opposite direction, increasing the pleasure from the vibration that much more. She opened them again to see the young woman rip open the young man’s shirt. His shirt buttons flew aside to reveal two slabs of muscle for his chest. Chiseled rectangular abs wrapped his torso, reaching toward the line in the center of his stomach. 

Rani flexed her legs, squeezing the toy with her body and reveling in the shift in intensity. She gripped the sofa and moaned. 

The intensity inside her increased, and she looked toward the kitchen to see Arthur standing there, his phone in hand. Rani’s gaze met his. The heat between them warmed their faces, and Arthur’s sparkling blue eyes met Rani’s honey-brown gaze with all the force of ocean waves crashing against the rocks. 

“Fuck.” Rani gasped, squeezing the toy as Arthur flickered the intensity with his thumb, watching her reaction. “Don’t you have to cook?” She asked. 

“We have until the oven timer goes off.” Arthur said. “But I wouldn’t mind starting with an appetizer.” He winked and took off his shirt. 

His body was better than the porn star’s, in Rani’s opinion. However, her evaluation might have been based on his proximity. The carnal presence of his body in the room beat the pants off the actor’s body on screen. Arthur’s pants hit the floor with a dull thud, and he kicked them off to the space at the foot of the coffee table. 

His boxer-briefs were tight, and Rani could see why. He was straining against them, fit to burst them if he didn’t pull himself free soon. 

“You’ve been topless all afternoon.” Arthur said. He didn't need to defend his arousal to her.

“I’ve been wanting your dick all afternoon.” Rani said, pointing out the obvious. “It was your idea to wait.” 

Arthur smirked. “My release is guaranteed.” He lowered the intensity of her vibrator with his phone. “I haven’t decided about yours yet.” 

Rani beckoned him closer to the sofa. “I know you want to fuck me.” 

“No.” Arthur said, his rebuttal immediate. “I want to ravish you.” 

Rani’s lips parted as he stepped forward, but he didn’t cross the space between them or move around the coffee table. He took a single step forward, watching her the entire time as he increased the intensity of her vibrator. Rani arched her back, offering herself to him, but he remained where he was. 

“Do you want me to beg, my king?” Rani asked, her voice desperate and her fingers working harder to pleasure herself now. Increasing their intensity, she brought her hand away from the sofa cushion and groped her breast as if offering her pierced nipple to him. “Because I fuckin’ will.” 

“I want you to show me what you enjoy.” Arthur said. “I want to know you, Rani, and I want to know what brings you pleasure.” 

Rani’s nostrils flared as she inhaled and she swallowed. “Fuck you.”  

“Excuse me?” Arthur asked, surprised, as he shifted his stance. 

“You’re too fuckin’ good at this. Telling me what I never even knew I wished you’d say.” Rani shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. “All the while making me writhe like this.” 

Arthur’s confidence returned in an instant, and he barked a harsh laugh. “Silence, my Queen.” Arthur said, his voice dark and husky. “Don’t speak another word. Show me what you want. Show me what I can do to bring you more pleasure than you’ve ever known.” 

Rani writhed, pushing herself up the sofa and twisting so she could lie on it. Her legs spread, one arm overhead holding onto the sofa arm, the other between her legs, pulling and pushing the vibrator. She fucked herself with it as it thrashed within her. 

Her fingers wrapped around the base for several strokes before sliding away from it across her slick inner thigh. She dragged her fingers over her hip, raking her dark flesh with pale lines as her nails scraped along her stomach to her breast. She squeezed and pinched the underside of her breast, closing her legs to trap the vibrator within her. 

Rani’s hand continued its journey, massaging her collarbone, then her neck, before tussling through her hair and splaying it out behind her. Her eyes remained on Arthur, watching his body and his arm as he stroked himself from outside his boxer-briefs. 

She licked her fingers, tasting herself and sucking on her fingers to get them wet. Then she reached between her legs and stroked a circle around her budding clit with her middle finger, never touching the bud directly. She used indirect pressure and the vibrations in her pussy to stimulate herself. Her other hand left the sofa arm and drifted over her face to her throat. 

Her left hand wrapped around her neck, squeezing the sides. Her right hand spread her arousal from her pussy lips until she coated her thighs and bush. The dark, curled hair above her pussy shone as she raked her fingers through it. White lines appeared and faded from her dark brown flesh. She lifted her hips by pushing her feet against the sofa beneath her. 

Rani moved her left hand, holding her head in place by her hair. Then with her torso in a decline, her hips up, and her shoulders against the cushions, she fucked herself with the vibrator. She started slow but shifted to a hard and steady rhythm that made her twist and writhe against the sofa. 

In the porno, their roll in the hay shifted to the woman riding the man. Her cowgirl boots on either side of his legs sparkled with rhinestones as she humped his shaft, facing away from him. The screen had no audience. Rani and Arthur faced each other, their eyes not leaving each other’s bodies. 

“That’s it.” Arthur whispered, his voice ragged with the effort of his restraint. 

Rani gasped, her mouth open. “Please, my King.” She whimpered. “Please? Take this toy out of me and fuck your queen. Take me. Give me a cock worth cumming on.” 

Arthur stepped closer. 

“Take me.” Rani gasped. “Take me, take me, take me! Please?” 

Her begging was too much for Arthur. He rushed forward, and Rani gasped as he ripped the vibrator from her pussy and threw it across the room. She didn’t see where it landed. She arched her back and pushed her hips toward him, awaiting his cock. 

Arthur pushed her hips to the sofa and grunted as he dropped to his knees between her legs. 

“What are you–” Rani started her question, but Arthur’s answer interrupted her. His mouth shoved against her soaking pussy lips. She writhed as his tongue followed the pattern her fingers showed him, circling her clit and pressuring it without touching it. 

“Oh!” She ran her slick hands through his hair, holding his face against her as her legs fell over his shoulders and crossed behind his neck. “FUCK!” 

The exclamation was one of pleasure, and Arthur pulled her thighs apart as he snaked his sculpted arms around her legs. His palms pressed against the inside of her thighs from above, his fingers spread. She squeezed her legs closed. Her eyes widened as her legs spread apart despite her attempt to hold them closed. Arthur moved them across his shoulders with his arms flexing. 

Meanwhile, his tongue continued its dance around her most sensitive parts. She bucked against his face when the tip of his tongue flicked her hole with a quick probe before a slow press from below. Arthur continued, shifting as he needed to breathe through his flaring nostrils at an athlete’s pace. 

Rani writhed, her upper half able to move while her lower half remained trapped in Arthur’s ridiculously powerful arms. She reached, trying to grab his hand with hers. His constant pleasuring made her fall away, pushing her shoulders into the sofa cushions until she felt the springs in the base. 

She bucked her hips, and Arthur shifted his grip to hold her lower half up by pressing his hands against her ass cheeks from below. Rani groaned, turning her face to moan into the sofa’s throw pillow and bite it as her jaw clenched shut. She moaned into it, and her body convulsed beneath Arthur’s unrelenting tongue. She shook, and her legs clamped around Arthur’s head with force. 

Her shoulders lifted off the sofa as she curled toward him, clutching at him and raking her nails across his scalp. Her mouth opened to scream, but no sound left her lips as her entire body strained with her release. 

She fell back and went limp, and Arthur caught her legs, sucking in a heavy, ragged breath. His face glistened with her juices, but she beckoned him to her and pressed her lips to his. 

They kissed, Arthur leaning over her reclined form on the sofa until she slowed, and their need to breathe outweighed their passion. 

Arthur sat between the couch and the coffee table, laughing silently as he wiped his face. Rani’s breathing settled, her chest rising and falling in steadier and slower rhythms, her eyes closed. 

“Are you okay?” Arthur asked, putting his hand on her leg. 

“Shh…” Rani said. She patted his hand in fumbling, uncoordinated taps. “Sleepy.” 

Arthur chuckled. He picked himself up and used his phone to turn off the vibrator, picking it up off the floor and taking it into the bathroom for cleaning. Rani remained where she was, messy and beautiful, spread out and comfortable on the sofa. 

The oven timer chirped the song of its people. Arthur rushed from the bathroom to the kitchen, pulling on an apron as he blurred past her. He pulled dinner from the oven and checked it before putting it in for another minute. 

“Dinner’s almost ready if you need to clean up.” Arthur said as he peeked around from the kitchen into his living room. 

“You want me to clean up?” Rani asked. “Or mess me up more first? You didn’t cum, did you?” 

“Not yet.” Arthur said, shrugging. “But I enjoyed the heck out of that. Did you?” 

“Of course I did.” Rani said, eyeing him as she forced one eye open. “But I expected you to make me serve you, not vice versa.”

“Is that a complaint?” Arthur asked. 

“No.” Rani said at once. 

Arthur laughed. “Clean up and put my collar shirt back on, but nothing else.” 

“As you wish, my King.” Rani said, not moving from the sofa despite her words. 

She started moving when Arthur moved through the kitchen, putting the final touches on dinner. He prepared the table, setting their places and drinks. Rani stepped to the bathroom and emerged refreshed, with her hair still down but kempt and her body spot-washed and dried. She slipped on Arthur’s collared shirt but left it open, showing off her jewelry. The open edges of the white shirt framed the center of her dark body from her collarbones to her thighs. The hem fell to inches above her knees and then arced on either side, revealing a tantalizing stretch of smooth thigh. 

Arthur smiled when he saw her, and she returned the smile as she watched him set candles on the kitchen table. She tilted her head in confusion but accepted their presence. He’d made the table look nice, with a red tablecloth and everything. Napkins, silverware set out properly, plates, wine glasses, water glasses, and a small napkin-holder centerpiece flanked by two tall, tapered candles. 

He lit them, then pulled out the chair in front of the kitchen window for her. He gestured to it, and she strode to him, her head held high. 

“Your seat, my Queen.” Arthur said. She could hear his smile without looking at his face. 

“Thank you, my King.” Rani said, attempting to be gracious. She squeezed his arm, hugging his arm with her hand. “Seriously. Thank you.” 

Arthur kissed her. 

There was no restraining the smiles on their faces as Rani took her seat and Arthur helped her scoot in toward the table. The shirt opened as gravity pulled the ends aside, barely covering her breasts with its translucent white cotton then flaring as it fell to either side. He placed a cloth napkin over her naked lap, covering her closed thighs and bush, then took her plate away. When he returned, it bore a dish with ingredients Rani recognized and some she didn’t. 

“What are we eating?” Rani asked as Arthur sat across from her, his back to the kitchen sink. 

“Vegan and gluten-free eggplant parmesan with sides of butternut squash and kale.” Arthur said. “Bon appétit.” 

“You made this?” Rani asked, dubiously poking her food with her fork. 

Arthur laughed. “Yeah.” 

“Kelly didn’t make this, and you just reheated it?” Rani asked, teasing him but verifying. 

“No, I made it.” Arthur said. “I’m an excellent cook, honestly.” He winked.

Doubt crossed Rani’s features, but they fled when she brought the fork past her lips. The texture was crispier than she expected but satisfying, and the seasoning was delicious. The dish wasn’t flaming with spice but held plenty of flavor. 

“Wow.” Rani said, putting her fork on the table. “You can cook.” 

“Thanks.” Arthur said. “This is one of my go-to fancier meals. Coating the eggplant in the flour takes a while. I had to let the flaxseed thicken, but I did most of the work earlier and the final bits now.” 

“I’m impressed.” Rani said. “And you said it was gluten-free?” 

“Arrowroot flour.” Arthur said, pointing to the breading on the eggplant. “It crisps more than almond flour.” 

“You have a lot of experience in the kitchen?” Rani asked. 

“I enjoyed helping my mom cook when I was little.” Arthur said, smiling as if recalling the fond memories. “Over the years, I picked up a few things. And when Lori and I moved in together, I took over the cooking duties since I was the better cook.” 

Rani nodded, lifting her eyes to his when he mentioned Lori, but his features showed no sadness or hesitation. The smile she’d put there remained, even as he ate his food by the forkful. 

“And vegan?” Rani asked. 

“I wasn’t sure what you ate when planning this, but I buy vegan cheese over regular cheese, anyway. It makes me less gassy.” Arthur shrugged. 

“That makes sense. You wouldn’t want Farty Arty to ruin things.” Rani said, then widened her eyes as she realized what had come out of her mouth. 

Arthur’s smile vanished, not even a trail of smoke in its wake. 

“I’m sorry!” Rani said. “I didn’t mean to–” 

“It’s fine.” Arthur said, but his voice was too firm. 

“I’m not used to watching what I’m saying anymore.” Rani said. “I shouldn’t have brought that up, and I didn’t mean to hurt you. I said it without thinking. Please, don’t be mad.”

“I’m…” Arthur hesitated. Anger swirled his stomach, but Rani wasn’t to blame. She didn’t create the name, only repeated it. “Just don’t mention that name again. Okay?” 

“Okay.” Rani said, looking down at her plate. “I really am very sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Arthur said though neither felt as good as before the hiccup. 

The mood at the table settled into a chorus of ASMR noises as Arthur and Rani ate their food. It wasn’t as if they weren’t speaking to each other; they simply didn’t know what to say. Rani gave Arthur the time he needed to recover from the painful memories. His brooding expression faded as his eyes trailed the gold chain circling Rani’s throat. His gaze followed its fall between her breasts in the open shirt. 

“You want to spank me after dinner?” Rani asked. “You can teach me a lesson.” 

Arthur’s lips twitched into a half-smile, and he nodded. “Sorry.” He said. “For shutting down. I know you didn’t mean anything by it, and I shouldn’t be so sensitive.” 

“Arthur, you have every right to be sensitive about it.” Rani said. “When I see how you’ve been acting toward Lynn, I respect you even more now than before.” 

“What do you mean?” Arthur asked. 

“The restraint and class you’ve shown with Lynn is impressive.” Rani said, explaining. “If I were in your shoes? If someone who assaulted me was living in the same house? I’d have lashed out, told my parents off, slashed three out of four tires, and set things on fire.” 

Arthur didn’t laugh, but he shook his head. “It’s difficult to imagine you getting violent, but that three out of four tires thing sounds like there’s a story attached.” 

“I kneed Sanjay in his balls, remember? I can absolutely get violent when it’s called for.” Rani said, smiling. “Though I prefer it when everyone gets along.” 

“Me too.” Arthur said, toasting her with his chardonnay. “I’m glad you and I get along.” 

“Me too.” Rani said, clinking her glass against his. “And this dinner is impressive. You’re throwing my gendered expectations for a loop with the clean apartment and knowing how to cook. Are you good with kids, too?” 

Arthur shrugged. “I don’t know. I worked with a few at theater camp, but it’s not like I’ve had any of my own.” 

“Do you want to?” Rani asked. 

“Right now?” Arthur asked, laughing. 

Rani laughed with him. “No, I mean in the future. Are you more family-oriented or career-oriented if you had to choose between them?” 

“Well, thanks to my male privilege, I don’t have to choose.” Arthur said. “Which I’d be happy to mansplain to you if you want.” 

Rani laughed. “See, offering to mansplain robs the mansplaining of its mansplaining. You have to explain without being asked or gauging my knowledge of the topic.” 

“Thank you for womansplaining that to me.” Arthur winked. 

Rani laughed, giggling when she realized what she’d done. 

“But to answer your question. I don’t know.” Arthur said, sitting back in his chair and taking on a more serious countenance. “I always thought I’d get married and have kids one day when I could provide for them. Then, when Lori and I got serious, she decided she didn’t want kids. So, I adjusted my expectations. Then we broke up.” 

“And now you have a bunch of us eager to bed you.” Rani said, teasing him with her summary by spreading her legs under the table. 

Arthur licked his lips, lifting his eyes to hers with great effort. “But none of us are ready for that conversation. If or when something along those lines happens, it’ll be with everyone’s awareness and consent.” Arthur said. “I wouldn’t want to force you to be a mother just because Kelly might want kids one day.” 

“Of course not.” Rani said. Her lips curved in a teasing smile. “Though I would be one hell of a fun auntie.” 

Arthur tried to imagine how that might work one day. If the harem were still together, which he imagined they would be, and living together, and some wanted to start a family, what would happen if others didn’t? That problem could break up any duo and became more complicated with additional partners. 

“Auntie Rani has a magnificent ring to it.” Arthur agreed. 

“I like it.” Rani said. “Maybe one of my sisters will have or adopt kids soon.” 

Arthur appreciated the change of subject. “How many sisters do you have, exactly?” 

“Looking to add more to your harem?” Rani asked.

Arthur looked surprised, but Rani burst out laughing at his expression. 

“I’m teasing you.” She said. “My sisters would never. We don’t get along as well as Kat and Selene. And the sister I get along with best is too gay to fuck you.” 

“Your sister is gay?” Arthur asked as he finished his food. 

“Nandhini, the oldest.” Rani said. “She and her girlfriend Ellie have been together for years.”

“And your other sisters?” Arthur asked. 

“Navya and Sanjana are both older than me. Both graduated from Princeton and found jobs in their fields. Navya lives in New York and works at the UN. Sanjana lives with our parents but is engaged, so she’ll be moving out soon. Uthra, my younger sister, is going to Princeton because, of course, she is. Yoshita is still in high school, so she and Little Ari live at home with my parents.” 

Arthur counted on his fingers as she dropped their names. Five sisters and a younger brother made Rani one of seven children, which was a mind-boggling number to Arthur’s only child experience. He’d always wanted siblings, but his parents hadn’t obliged, and he stopped asking around age six. 

“Did you enjoy having such a large family?” Arthur asked as Rani finished her plate. 

“Loved it.” Rani said. “Sure, it has its downsides. We don’t always get along with everyone, but we love each other. We’re family.” 

“I always wanted siblings growing up, but my parents didn’t consider my vote.” He shrugged. 

“They’re well enough off to have afforded more than one kid.” Rani said, tilting her head. “I mean, your family isn’t super wealthy, but still.” 

“Yeah.” Arthur shrugged. “I’ll have to ask why they never had more than me.” 

“Maybe you were the perfect child, and they knew they couldn’t do better?” Rani asked. “Or maybe you were such a handful they swore off kids after you.” 

Arthur laughed. “The latter is more likely.” He stood and took his plate to the sink. “Are you done with your food?” Arthur asked on his return. 

Rani nodded, and Arthur took her plate as well. He cleaned the dishes, and Rani left the table for the living room. She checked her messages. 

“Selene and Kat are on their way. They should be here soon!” Rani said. 

“Good!” Arthur said, finishing up the dishes. “Do you need anything prepared for whatever you have in mind?” 

Rani contemplated the question. “You said my duffel was in your room?” 

“Yeah.” Arthur said. “I brought your luggage from the hotel here.” 

“Perfect.” Rani said, nodding. “I’ll take care of it. You finish what you’re doing, then wait on the sofa.” 

“Yes, my Queen.” Arthur said, drying his hands on a towel. Rani came around the corner, hugged him, kissed him, then scampered off and closed the bedroom door behind her. 

Arthur laughed, eager to see what she had planned. 

Rani busied herself in the bedroom, and Arthur looked out the window. He was still wearing only his boxer briefs, but he didn’t seem to mind. And no one who entered the parking lot noticed him or cared about a shirtless buff guy looking out his apartment window. 

He wanted to see if Kat noticed the car, though the sunlight was fading, replaced by the harsh parking lot lights. It was a while of browsing socials, catching up on TikTok, and watching the parking lot before Kelly’s car pulled in. 

He hoped they’d stop, but the car pulled around to Selene’s building door. Selene and Kat climbed out, grabbed their luggage from Kelly’s trunk, and carried it inside their apartment. Once they were in, Kelly drove away. Arthur waved, just in case. He assumed Katelyn and Kelly were still in her SUV. He didn’t know if they’d dropped Mindy off first, but that would have made sense since the campus was between them and his parent’s house. 

“Selene says they’re ready when we are.” Rani said, startling Arthur as she threw her arms around his waist. 

“Are you ready for them?” He asked Rani. 

Rani smiled and nodded. “I think so.” 

“Want to walk me through what you have planned?” Arthur asked. 

Rani hesitated. “I want to surprise you but don’t want to fuck anything up. So, you should know I plan on strapping Brat to that wall.” She pointed to the blank wall beside the door where the collars hung. “With that one-bar prison you used on Selene last night.” 

Arthur nodded. That was easy enough to manage and, depending on the tie, wouldn’t put Kat under too much duress. The eyehooks were at a reasonable level, and she’d stood spread-eagled against the wall before without issue. 

“Are you planning on doing anything to her while she’s like that?” Arthur asked. “She might not want to.” 

Rani nodded. “No. She’s watching and vibing tonight.” 

Arthur laughed. “Okay.” He nodded. “Can I make a suggestion?” 

“Of course.” Rani said. “You’re running this harem.” 

“Am I?” Arthur asked. “It’s your night tonight. Everything is about what you want. If you want me to run it, I will, but it’s okay if you want to lead.”

Rani looked at him, puzzled. “But you’re not a sub.” 

“I’m not.” Arthur said. “That doesn’t mean I won’t follow your lead. Like you followed mine last night dominating Mindy.” 

Rani nodded, biting her lip. “That was pretty hot…” 

“You’re telling me.” Arthur winked. 

Rani laughed. 

“I don’t want to Domme you.” Rani said. “But I want to set the pace. Is that okay?” 

“Sure.” Arthur nodded. “Just communicate. Let me know what you need.” 

“Yes, my King.” Rani kissed him. “Now, what was your suggestion?” 

“Oh, right.” Arthur gestured toward the wall. “Nipple clamps. Kat responds well to them, and the greater the pressure, the greater her release.” 

Rani nodded. “Perfect. Oh, and we should get her a gag. I don’t mind telling off the neighbors if they show up, but I’d rather not summon them.” 

“Good idea.” Arthur slapped her butt, and Rani looked over her shoulder at him with a look that said ‘hungry’ instead of ‘angry.’ 

“I’ll text them. Can you get the stuff I put on the bed?” Rani asked. 

Arthur nodded. “Yes, my Queen.” 

Rani laughed and stripped out of his shirt, tossing it to the floor between the coffee table and the window. 

Arthur returned with an armload of toys and tools, which he laid on the coffee table. He closed the blinds, waving to Selene as she waved to him from the parking lot. She and Kat held hands as they crossed between the buildings. Selene pulled Kat along behind her as she skipped toward him. 

Kat hesitated as they passed their car, and Arthur paused lowering the blinds and watched. She tugged Selene toward it. Selene stood in the middle of the parking lot, letting Kat examine the car, open its back door, and say something to Selene, who nodded rapidly. Both sets of eyes looked up toward the window, where Arthur waved to them, and Kat bolted for the door. 

“Here they come.” Arthur warned. 

They heard Kat on the stairs and Rani reflexively covered herself when the door flew open, hit the spring on the wall, and shuddered from the impact. By the time Selene crossed the threshold and shut the door behind her, Kat was already hugging him. 

Rani looked startled because she was. She stopped covering herself with her hands when Selene closed the door and stood up, sensing something was wrong. “What happened?” Rani asked. “Did Kelly tell you guys about Lynn?” 

“What about Lynn?” Selene asked, turning to face Rani. 

“What?” Kat asked, sniffling as she lifted her head from Arthur’s pec. “No. Arthur just… he took care of my car. I thought I’d have to call out of work tomorrow or skip class to take care of it, but he… you cleaned it!” 

Rani looked at Arthur. 

Selene smiled. 

“I took it to a detailer.” Arthur said. “They scrubbed Katelyn’s sick out of the backseat, double-checked the tires, and cleaned it up.” 

“How did you pull that off?” Rani asked. “When?” 

“This morning while you were at brunch.” Arthur explained, squeezing Kat so she would release him. “It’s not a big deal.” 

“Yes.” Kat insisted. “It is to me.” 

Arthur shrugged. “Well, I’m glad you like it! Consider it a gift.” 

“Katelyn said she would cover the cost.” Kat said. “If you give her the receipt–” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Arthur shook his head. “Honestly, it wasn’t that much.” 

“But–” Kat started. 

“Brat.” Arthur said, turning her face toward his by hooking the side of his index finger under her chin and lifting it with his thumb beneath her parted lips. “Honestly, I just wanted to take it off your plate. You’re my girlfriend, and I wanted to take care of you.” 

Kat pulled his shoulders and lifted herself to her toes to kiss him, her lips salty with a trail of happy tears on her cheek. They kissed, and Rani and Selene stood off to the side, watching. 

“If you want to thank him, care to join us tonight? Arthur is letting me lead things, under his guidance, of course.” Rani said, glancing at Selene, who dropped to Nadu. 

“I’m in.” Kat said, nodding. “Just give me a second.” She went to the bathroom, fixing her hair and makeup in the mirror. Everyone knew Arthur would only mess it up again in a few minutes. Even Rani was going through makeup more quickly than usual since they started dating. 

“Are you in?” Rani asked Selene.

“Of course.” Selene said. “Should I call you Mistress?” 

Rani pursed her lips and tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as if judging the taste of something in her mouth. “Nah.” She shook her head. “Mistress is Kelly’s thing. You can refer to me as ‘my Queen’.” 

“As you wish, my Queen.” Selene said, lowering her eyes to the floor. “Would you like this slave to strip for you and Master?” 

“Not yet. Let’s wait for your Bratty sister.” Rani said, smiling as she retook her pose on the sofa, stretching her body out to draw the eyes over her curves. 

Arthur’s boxer briefs bulged. 

“So, what are we doing?” Kat asked as she returned. 

“I want you and Selene to come in again, but put on your Brat collar first.” Rani said, gesturing to the coffee table where the collar waited. 

Kat took the collar, and Selene stood. Kat fastened the collar as they stepped out, and Arthur closed the door. 

“Stop them before they come through the door.” Rani said. “I want them to strip on the landing.” 

Arthur raised an eyebrow but smiled. “As you wish, my Queen.” 

Rani smiled and slid her left foot along her right leg, raising her knee and blocking Arthur’s view of her pussy with her foot. With her arms above her head and her wrists crossed, she looked like a Venus from a painting. Reclined, with a half-awake expression of lust-fueled dreams in her mind’s eye. 

Arthur stood sentinel in contrast, rigid as the lines of his body cut deep between his muscles. He kept his hands in front of him and opened the door. 

Selene looked up at him in expectation, and Kat stood behind her. Arthur held the doorknob with his left hand and raised his right for the stop signal. 

“You remember your safewords?” Arthur asked. 

“Red light.” Kat and Selene said simultaneously. Selene sounded eager. Kat sounded annoyed. 

“Bratwurst.” Rani added after them. “Or the SOS signal.” 

“That too.” Selene agreed. 

“Good girls.” Arthur said. “You have your collars on?” 

Selene lifted her chin, showing the thin leather band marking her as Arthur’s slave. She’d worn it since he gave it to her, and she refused to remove it. 

Kat lifted her chin to show the less robust black choker with the rhinestone name ‘BRAT’ across the center. 

Rani lifted her chin, showing the gold chain wrapped around her throat. She hooked her finger through the pendant ring between her breasts and lifted it. The chain closed against her throat as it passed through the ring at the other end. She released the ring, letting it fall between her breasts again. 

“Good girls.” Arthur said. “Now strip.” 

Selene’s eyes flashed with fire as she ripped off her cropped Ramones t-shirt, throwing it over Arthur’s shoulder to the room beyond. Her bra followed, then her jeans and her panties. It was as if she’d hated wearing the clothes and was finally allowed to be naked. Her lithe, pert body danced past him as she scurried into the apartment. Arthur let her pass but blocked Kat’s entry when she tried to push past him. 

“I could just go home.” Kat said, frowning. 

“You could.” Arthur agreed. “But we both know you’d regret it.” 

Kat frowned. “My limits still apply, right? Even with someone else calling the shots?” 

“Of course.” Arthur nodded. “I’m here, after all. You can trust me.” 

Kat softened at his expression, her soft curves relaxing before she glanced right and left. 

“Be a good girl, and you’ll earn a reward.” Arthur told her. “Start defying me now, and I’ll have to make an example of you.” 

Kat’s eyes flashed with the same fire Selene’s had a moment before. Being called a good girl and rewarded with an orgasm sounded good. Being made to regret her obstinance and punished with an orgasm sounded good, too. 

Kat stepped forward without undressing, but Arthur blocked her, closing the door and sandwiching his body between the door and frame. “You misunderstand me.” Arthur said, his voice deep. “I’m not going to make an example of you in there.” He nodded behind him. “I’m going to make an example of you right here.” 

Kat’s eyes widened. 

“What will it be?” Arthur asked. “I can bend you over the railing and spank your ass red until the smack of my palm against your soft, round cheeks summons the neighbors.” 

Kat glared at Arthur. The tension between them spiked as she stood still, but she folded. She took off her shoes and handed them over. “You better let me in the second I’m undressed.” 

Arthur put her shoes beside the door between him and the sofa. “Say, please.” 

Kat frowned but crossed her arms and curled her fingers under the hem of her sweater. She ripped the brown woven sweater off and threw it at Arthur’s face. Her sleeves slapped his back and ran over his shoulders, and the shirt fell to the floor, showing Kat’s bare breasts as it fell from his eyes. No bra. Her tiny pink nipples on two round, pale breasts tightened and hardened in the stairway air, either from the draft or from Arthur’s heated gaze on them. 

She unbuckled her gray slacks and stood there, hesitating. Arthur and Selene behind him could see the pink triangle of her thong peeking out from between the zipper, half unzipped. She held the waistband of her pants in either hand while her thong did its best to restrain her blonde landing strip. She grunted and pushed her slacks to the floor. Kat stepped out of them carefully with one foot and kicked them at Arthur with the other. 

He crossed his arms over his chest and stood there as Kat collided with him, trying to force her way through. 

“Let me in!” Kat said. “Or let me go home.” 

“I said strip.” Arthur said, gesturing to her thong. “Take that off. Now.” 

“But…” Kat hesitated, looking back and forth. There was no one in the front stairwell but a peephole behind her. Arthur’s neighbors could peek out if they were home. Arthur knew they weren’t, but Kat didn’t know that. He followed her gaze and gave her a knowing smile. “I said strip.” 

“But…” Kat protested. 

“Three.” Arthur said. 

Kat stepped back.

“Two.” Arthur said. 

Kat hooked her thumbs through the straps of her thong that rolled over her hips as she pushed them to the floor. She took the thong in her hand and slammed it into Arthur’s chest as she strode forward. He let the momentum carry him as he turned aside, letting her into the apartment. He closed the door and locked it. 

When he turned to face her, she stood glaring at him with her hands on her hips. 

Selene was kneeling in the Nadu position. She maintained a straight back, her eyes lowered, knees apart, and hands resting on her thighs, palms facing upward. 

Rani was on the sofa, lounging like she was in an oil painting. 

“Kneel, Brat.” Arthur said. 

“Not until you apologize for—” 

Arthur reached behind her and took a fistful of the loose curls in her hair. Kat gasped, and her eyes widened as Arthur tilted her head back and lowered her to the floor. She spread her arms apart, using him and the coffee table for stability. He towered over her and leaned forward so they were face to face. He looked directly down into her eyes, and she stared up at him. 

“When I give you an order, you obey it.” Arthur said, growling. “Say ‘Yes, Sir’ if you understand.” 

Kat’s mouth became a thin, firm line. Arthur knew her anger was just an act. It was the game she enjoyed playing. She wanted this treatment from him, and the glistening between her thighs betrayed her arousal after he’d pulled her hair. 

She turned away, refusing to look at him as she said it.

Arthur pulled her head back into position by her curls in his first.  

“Yes, Sir.” Kat said, breathing heavy. 

“Good girl.” Arthur said, releasing her and patting her on the head. 

Kat dropped to her butt, sitting back on her heels, her legs together and her hands on either side of her legs as she leaned forward. 

“my Queen.” Arthur said, smiling at Rani. “Here are the slaves you requested.” 

Rani smiled. “Hello, slaves.” 

“What are we even doing here?” Kat asked. “I thought tonight was Rani’s night.” 

“It is.” Rani said as she stretched. “You’re here because I wanted to show you something.” She sat up. “And as queen of Master’s concubines, I’m taking the lead tonight. Understand?” 

“Yes, my Queen.” Selene said without hesitation. 

Kat huffed and rolled her eyes. “Just don’t make me take the lead again.” She glanced at Arthur, eyeing the bulge in his boxer briefs.

“Oh, don’t worry.” Rani said. “I’m leading tonight with Master’s help.” 

Kat nodded, and Rani smiled. She sat up, pushed off the sofa, stepped over to Kat, and squatted in front of her. 

“Don’t worry, Brat, I know your limits.” She winked and reached beside them to the coffee table. She plucked a pair of leather cuffs and uncoupled them. “Wrist.” She said to Kat, who hesitated but held out her hand. Rani clasped the restraint on her right wrist, then her left. “Stand.” 

Kat stood and spread her legs apart. Rani pushed her legs from the inside of her ankles. She stepped her feet apart further, and Rani closed the restraints around her ankles. 

Arthur checked her work but didn’t need to adjust how snug the restraints were. He gave Rani a thumbs up, and she smiled, stepping away to the bedroom. Kat watched her go, then looked at Arthur, who winked at her. 

Kat blushed and looked down. She reached for Arthur’s cock, straining against its cloth prison, but Arthur slapped her hand away. 

“Patience, Brat.” Arthur said. He kissed her, and she put her hands on his shoulders. Arthur pulled away and moved over to Selene, rubbing her head and petting her hair. She pushed her head against his palm, and he returned to making out with her sister, who moaned into the kiss. 

“Told you we’d need to gag her.” Rani said, laughing. “We haven’t even shoved anything into her yet, and she’s moaning loud enough to bring those nosey neighbors of yours knocking.” 

Kat blushed, her face a full sheet of red as she looked at the floor after Arthur stepped away. He kept holding her hand while placing his other hand on Selene’s head. 

“Hey, Slut. Remember that thing we made for Master?” Rani asked. 

Selene looked at Rani and nodded. “Yes, my Queen.” 

“It’s ready.” Rani said. “Why don’t you get a chair from the kitchen so Master can enjoy it?” 

Selene rocked to her feet and ran to the kitchen, returning with a chair in her hands. Kat watched, turning her head to look behind her. Her eyes widened when Rani placed the stand in front of the wall. 

“Come here, Brat.” Rani curled her finger at Kat, beckoning her closer. 

Kat glanced at Arthur and let go of his hand as she walked toward Rani, uncertainty etched across her face. 

“Don’t worry.” Rani said, taking her hand. “I know you want to fuck him, but tonight your job tonight is to stand here, watch, and cum as much as you want.” 

Kat glanced between her and Arthur as if to ask, “Really?”

Arthur nodded. “You’ve been a good girl this weekend. Enjoy yourself.” 

“Well, enjoy yourself and this vibrating dildo, ass plug, and penis gag. Don’t worry, it’s not as big as Arthur’s.” Rani handed her item after item as she described them. 

Kat held them and stared at Rani wide-eyed. 

Rani blew her a kiss. She took the penis gag back and raised it to Kat’s eye level. Kat stuck out her tongue, then opened her mouth, accepting the small faux-cock and sucking on it as Rani fastened the straps behind her head. 

Kat swallowed, tilting her chin toward the ceiling, stepping against the wall, and straddling the stand. 

“Turn around. Face the wall and bend over. Palms against the wall.” Rani said, smiling. 

Kat handed her the dildo and butt plug, then turned around and put her palms against the wall. 

“Step back?” Rani asked. “Bend lower.” 

Kat did as instructed, bending at the waist with her hands outstretched. Rani lubed the plug behind her and pressed it against Kat’s hole. Kat looked over her shoulder, winced, then nodded. Rani pushed the plug into her, easing it in until it settled with a plop. Kat’s breathing shifted, causing her round C-cup breasts to hang toward the floor to heave as she opened to accept the plug. 

Rani patted her butt when she was done. 

Kat glared at Arthur and grunted, nodding toward Rani. 

“You’re pushing it right now.” Arthur said to Rani. He stood with his arms crossed, supervising them as Rani prepped Kat for their fun. 

“Oh, I pushed it.” Rani slapped the flat base of the plug nestled between Kat’s cheeks, causing her to buck as Rani laughed. “But don’t worry. This is nothing compared to the limits I’m pushing for myself tonight.” 

Arthur raised an eyebrow, unsure what Rani meant by that. She saw him mentally reviewing the checklist and snapped her fingers. “Stay with me, my King.” Rani said. “You’re going to enjoy the hell out of this, I hope.” 

Arthur gestured for her to continue, and Rani pulled Kat into a standing position. She fastened the clips to cuff her wrist restraints to the eye hooks on the wall and smiled as Kat flexed her fingers. “So far so good, Brat?” Rani asked. 

Kat nodded. Her arms were outstretched at shoulder height, with a decent bend in her elbows forming a shallow W with her arms. 

“Okay, stand comfortably, butt against the wall, legs spread.” Rani instructed, guiding Kat by the shoulders so she stood over the stand. Rani knelt before Kat, looked up at her, winked, and fastened the dildo to the stand. She’d chosen one from her duffel that was Arthur-sized, thick, with veins running crisscross over it. The rubber was softer than a real cock, but the core was stiff. The fake veins added unique stimulation when it vibrated. 

Rani spread the lube over the shaft with her hands, rubbing it vigorously, then letting Selene lick the edible lube from her fingers. 

Standing, Rani bent and raised the pole until the tip of the fake cock parted Kat’s pink pussy lips. She left it there, not pushing it in but pressing it against her opening. “Hm…” Rani said, studying the problem and Kat’s lower lips until Kat blushed. “Not enough. You need something with clit stimulation.” 

Kat nodded and eyed the pronged clit stimulator on the coffee table. Rani looked over at it, then back at Kat. She nodded. She strapped the vibe to the other vibe with zip ties and slid it until it stuck fast. She didn’t press it against Kat’s clit, though. To do so, she’d have had to stuff the dildo into Kat. She waited instead and set the dildo’s vibration on low. 

Kat shivered but remained where she was, standing and waiting. Her short blonde curls were a mess, but her gray-blue eyes were frantic with pleasure, sucking on the cock in her gag. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. 

“Eyes open.” Rani said. “You’re supposed to watch, remember?” 

Kat opened her eyes, blinking at Rani. 

Rani stroked her chin, eyeing Kat as if she was still unsatisfied. She snapped her fingers. “My King, if you’d be so kind?” 

Arthur sorted through the tools and chose the nipple clamps he wanted for Kat. He stepped forward but handed them to Rani instead of putting them on her as they expected. “These are tweezer clamps.” Arthur said. “They’re adjustable. Place the tongs on either side of her nipple and slide the ring up to increase the squeeze. You'll want to go lighter than usual since these will be on for a while. She’ll let you know when she feels it.” 

Rani pressed the miniature metal tweezer-like clamps against Kat’s nipple. The tiny pink bud trapped between the two metal prongs. 

Kat glanced at what Rani was doing, her nipples erect by the time the chilly metal closed against them. She grunted as Rani adjusted the sliding ring to close the clamp. 

Rani stopped as soon as Kat grunted and even slid it back a notch out of an abundance of caution. Then she repeated the process with the other breast, her eyes not leaving Kat’s chest the entire time. “Your tits are fuckin’ great.” 

Kat raised an eyebrow. 

“They’re great. Good shape, good heft, and your nipples are fucking adorable.” Rani patted her chest, causing Kat’s chest to flush with heat at her clamped nipples being patted. “You ever need someone to suckle you while you ride Arthur, I’m your girl.” 

Kat made a face or tried to. The penis gag didn’t give her much freedom of expression. Rani laughed and walked over to Selene. She patted her on her head as she turned to stand. 

Selene was in the Nadu position, kneeling between Arthur on her right and Rani on her left. She didn’t look up, but she waited for them to signal her, which Rani did by grasping Selene’s ponytail and wrapping it around her hand like a leash. 

“So, last Friday was a shit show.” Rani said, taking Arthur’s hand. “But you were a fuckin’ king, and you rode to our rescue without a second thought.” 

“Oh, that wasn’t–” Arthur protested. 

“Shh…” Rani pressed her finger to his lips. “Your queen is talking.” 

Arthur smiled, his lips denting against her fingertip. He kissed it and let her continue. 

“So, as queen of your concubines, your slut and I recorded a gift for you. To say thank you.” Rani gestured toward the TV. Arthur spotted a thumb drive sticking out of the side, which he hadn’t seen before. Something Rani placed there while he was peering out the window earlier. 

He watched Rani’s ass as she walked away, pulling Selene with her, who crawled behind her on all fours. Rani moved the chair to face the TV and patted the seat. She’d angled it to give Kat a good view of Arthur’s lap and the screen. Arthur had a view of the screen and the open space before him. 

Arthur sat and spread his legs as Rani led Selene between his legs by his knees. “Just enjoy.” Rani said. She turned on the TV and activated the video with the remote. Then she stood behind Arthur, her arms draped over his shoulders, her hands on his chest, watching with him. 

Selene knelt between his legs, looking up at them but not moving. 

Kat stood behind them, arms stretched, vibrating dildo pressing into the entrance of her tunnel, teasing her more than pleasing her. 

Rani’s dorm room came into the frame with Selene standing in the center camera shot. 

“Hi, Master.” Video-Selene waved. “I don’t know when you’ll watch this, but Rani and I thought we’d record a gift for you tonight. You gave us permission to cum, so we’re gonna make use of it.” Selene’s smile was wide across her face. “I’m going to teach your Concubine how to take you down her throat. And she’s going to teach me how to take you up my ass. I hope you enjoy watching us, Master. And if we’re very good, I hope you let us fuck or suck you while you watch this.”

Video-Selene waved goodbye to the camera, and Video-Rani joined in waving farewell.

Arthur looked at Rani, then down at Selene. Her face tilted toward him from between his thighs, his cock still in his boxer briefs, ready to launch for her. 

“You made me a porno?” Arthur asked. 

“Yes, Master.” Selene said. 

“Yes, my King.” Rani said. She rubbed his shoulders and gestured toward his crotch for Selene. “Take him out.” She instructed. “Stroke him from the base.” 

“Yes, my Queen.” Selene said, letting Arthur’s cock fall over her face before she wrapped her small fist around his massive cock. She stroked him slowly, gently, her breath heating his mushroom tip, but not licking or taking him into her mouth yet. 

The fade-out faded into Selene kneeling between the two beds. Her sweater and jeans were standard, but the Nadu pose made it sexy even if she wasn’t nude. 

The Selene on the TV recited her mantra, stripping off her clothes as she went. When she finished, Rani bent and brought her lips to Arthur’s ear.

“Fuck her face.” Rani whispered, and shivers prickled his spine. 

The real Selene between his legs opened her mouth and took him past her lips. Rani pushed Arthur’s arms, and Selene brought his hands to either side of her head. Arthur curled his fingers through her hair and shifted his grip. He held a fistful of hair at her hairline, her forelock. The other gripped hairs pulled taut by her ponytail, his fingers finding purchase through a few strands he pried loose.

Selene moaned as he pulled her face onto his cock, pumping into her throat and fucking her face as she gurgled against him.  

He kept using his slut as the camera cut to a closeup of Rani’s face. Her gold nose ring piercing and her gold eyebrow stud shone in the light against her dark Indian skin.

“Hi, Master.” Video-Rani began. “I lost a bet against your slut and brat today, so your slut is making me her bitch this evening.”

Selene giggled from behind the camera.

Video-Rani looked toward her, then back at the camera. “As your Concubine, I must learn to please you like the others do. As your queen, I need to educate them to please you. So, your slut and I have agreed to an exchange. I hope you enjoy it.”

The camera zoomed out as Video-Rani turned away.

“I am your Concubine, my King. I am yours to play with and yours to spoil.” She bent at the waist, stuck out her apple-bottom butt, and unzipped her calf-length boots first.

Video-Rani snapped up and stepped out of her shoes, placing her feet on either side. Selene adjusted the camera to her new height, keeping her in the center of the frame. “I will eagerly see to your pleasure and mine.”

With her back still turned to the camera, Video-Rani rolled the open flannel shirt off her shoulders, baring her back to the camera first. The halter top straps tied behind her neck and ran across the middle of her back. She peeled off the shirt from the front, hiding her breasts from the view of the camera. “I will give you my body and want you to pleasure me as you see fit.”

Looking over her shoulder at the lens, she kept her actions hidden from view. She rubbed her hands down the front of her body to the waist of her jeans. “I will wear the signs of your authority with pride.”

Video-Rani unfastened the button and wiggled her hips as she lowered the zipper. “I know you will take care of me as my king and treat me as I want to be treated.”

She turned to face the camera, her arms hiding her breasts in a V as she opened her jeans, showing off a patch of dark hair beneath sheer white panties. “I am your Concubine, my King. Your plaything.”

She pushed the jeans down from the front, keeping her breasts covered and pressed flat against her body so they spilled out from behind her arms. When she snapped back up, she covered them by crossing her arms over her chest and touching her opposite shoulders. “I will please you and seek your pleasure as eagerly as you seek mine.”

Video-Rani kicked her jeans toward the camera and turned around to show off the panties wedged and splitting her massive ass cheeks, which she wiggled for the show. “I am owned by you, my King. Please, my King, let me bring you pleasure.”

Video-Rani knelt and assumed her closest approximation of the Nadu position.

“Which pledge did you enjoy most, my King? Your Concubine’s, or your slut’s?” Real-life-Rani whispered the question in Arthur’s ear and he had to keep himself from closing his eyes at the electricity of her voice. He didn’t want to miss a single second of the video. 

The camera cut to Video-Selene, holding a double-sided strap-on to the camera and smiling. She held the device up, then dropped her mouth over the smaller side. Selene swallowed the curved faux-cock with her fist clamped around the base. She worked her head back and forth until the black polymer glistened with her saliva. Then she lowered the dildo, pressed the tip against her folds, and slid it inside.

Real-life-Rani circled Arthur, kneeling beside his lap. She gestured, and Arthur released Selene’s head. Selene moved to the other side of his lap, their breasts pressing against his thighs. They kissed, making out over the tip of his cock as Arthur struggled to keep his eyes from flicking too quickly between them and the video. 

Behind them, Kat whimpered, her eyes on Arthur’s cock as she sucked on the penis gag in her mouth. 

Video-Selene strapped the strap-on in place and tightened everything, leaving the external dildo waving in front of Video-Rani’s face. Video-Selene looked down and saw her approximation of a dick sticking out toward Rani. She wiggled her hips, swinging the faux-dick back and forth with a laugh.

“Show me what you can do.” Video-Selene said. “Go as far as you can without gagging.”

Video-Rani leaned forward and looked up at Selene, making eye contact as she took the strap-on past her lips and into her mouth by only a few inches. 

In the real world, Rani made the same movement, taking Arthur’s cock into her mouth and closing her lips around the tip. Both made a show of sucking and tonguing the tip, but she stopped before they reached the back of her tongue.

“You can’t go any deeper?” Video-Selene pressed.

Video-Rani withdrew. “No, Mistress.”

“Okay.” Video-Selene nodded. “This time, take this cock until you gag. Go as far as you can.”

“And if I throw up?” Video-Rani asked.

Video-Selene sighed. “Swallow it back down, for fuck’s sake.”

Neither Rani looked pleased with Selene’s response to her protest, but she continued. Video-Rani took the dildo into her mouth, past her lips, and behind her teeth. Real-life Rani mimicked the action with Arthur’s cock. She stretched her jaw and took Arthur’s cock until his tip hit the back of her tongue and pressed a spot on the roof of her mouth. Her body instinctively gagged. She pulled her head away, coughed, and returned to her place with Selene’s help. Selene scooted beside Rani, both in front of Arthur now, and his legs stretched wide to receive them. She put her hand on Rani’s back, offering her whispered encouragement.  

In the video, Selene evaluated Rani’s progress and corrected her technique, giving her advice on how to swallow his cock using distraction pain. 

Real-life-Rani pinched the underside of her breast. Her left fist slid between her legs, rubbing herself with gentle pressure, but she kept her thumb in her fist rather than outside it. She did well until Kat moaned from behind them, startling Rani. 

Rani popped off Arthur’s cock and slid to Kat, still on her knees. Selene took over, bobbing her head on Arthur’s cock. Rani pushed the stand up, pressing the vibrating dildo further into Kat, who whimpered at the increased pleasure shaking through her. Then Rani returned to Arthur and pressed her cheek into his hand when he reached for her face. 

“Good girl.” Arthur said. “Both of you.” He cupped Selene’s cheek as well. “This is amazing. It’s my new favorite porno, besides the live porn I get to enjoy with you and your harem sisters.” 

Rani and Selene stood on their knees and kissed Arthur one at a time as he made out with them. 

Arthur returned his attention to the video while Selene and Rani played with his cock, alternating who sucked him and taking him deeper each time. Selene set the distance, using her hand to mark the spot, and Rani tried to match her, pressing her lips against Selene’s hand if she succeeded. Sometimes, it took a few tries. At every success, Selene moved the mark, and the cycle repeated. Arthur enjoyed every stroke of Rani’s mouth. 

Eventually, however, Rani hit a point where she couldn’t reach Selene’s hand. She tried, but after several attempts, Arthur thought she might give up. Instead, Rani took Selene’s hand and pressed it to the back of Rani’s head. 

“Are you sure, my Queen?” Real-life-Selene asked. 

Rani pushed, signaling her certainty, and Selene took over, pressing Rani’s face onto Arthur’s cock in a steady but gentle rhythm. Selene fed her Arthur’s dick, and Rani clamped her lips around his cock and sucked. Every inhale tightened her lips as air flew through her nostrils and down her throat. 

“Girls, I’m about to…” Arthur said, struggling to hold himself back. The video image of Selene and Rani nude, practicing with a strap-on for the performance they were giving now, Selene shoving Rani’s face repeatedly into his lap as she struggled to take more and more of his dick, threatened to overwhelm him. Every second he didn’t blow was a miracle.

“Do it, Master.” Selene hissed. “Cum in your queen’s throat. Push her head down, take her. Claim her. Shoot your seed into her and let her know she’s a good girl.” 

Kat moaned. Her unblinking eyes riveted to Rani’s stretched jaw as Selene used her mouth and throat to jack Arthur off like a fleshlight. 

Arthur erupted. He didn’t push Rani’s face down, but Selene did it for him, and Rani, to her credit, did not puke. She spat when she launched off Arthur’s cock. The final spurt of his release splattered against Selene’s cheek as she dove for Arthur’s cock to take Rani’s place, but she didn’t get there in time. 

Rani wiped her lips, then swallowed, and offered her hand to Selene. Selene licked her hand, kissed her lips, then pulled her face to hers and made out with her, her tongue lapping up the taste of Arthur in Rani’s mouth. 

Rani joined the kiss eagerly, and soon, they were panting over an exhausted Arthur. 

“How much is left?” Arthur asked, gesturing to the porno. 

“Oh, there’s still a few minutes of me trying to take Selene’s strap on.” Rani answered. “And then there’s the other half.” 

Arthur lifted an eyebrow, but he didn’t protest. He settled into his seat and got comfortable. He patted Rani on the head and stroked her hair. 

Rani relaxed. Her body faced Arthur’s side, but her face turned toward the TV, using his thigh as a pillow. 

Selene did the same on his opposite side, kneeling toward him and Rani but relaxing with her head on his thigh. 

Arthur pet them both, raking his nails gently across their scalps. 

Kat whined. The four of them watched the video, and Arthur stiffened again when Selene and Rani started masturbating to themselves on screen. Rani’s hand was still between her legs, and whether she had permission, Selene was sitting with her leg hooked under her, rubbing herself on her heel. 

In the video, the camera faded out and returned to show Selene bent away from the camera at an angle. Her butt was in the air, her legs spread, the balls of her feet on the floor, and a pillow under her hips. Video-Rani wore the strap-on and stood behind her. She pressed the tip of the strap-on against Selene’s pussy from behind.  

“I’m tempted to fuck you with this. It’d be good for both of us. You’d be more relaxed after an orgasm, which might help.”

Video-Selene was quiet for a moment. “If you think it will help.” Video-Selene said. “I submit to your judgment. You’re the teacher now.”

Video-Rani traced her fingertips along Selene’s ass. They watched the goosebumps spike along Selene’s back. The camera caught the glisten of arousal between Selene’s legs. 

Real-world Rani pulled Selene away from Arthur, then pulled Arthur to his feet. She strapped on the strap-on and knocked the rest of the tools to the floor with a quick sweep, clearing the coffee table. She pulled a sofa cushion and put it three-quarters of the way down the table, confusing everyone momentarily. Rani gestured, and Selene came to her. Rani positioned her where she wanted, kneeling on the cushion, then falling to all fours. Selene faced away from the TV. 

Rani gestured for Arthur and moved him into position so he could face Selene and watch the TV behind her. Rani put Arthur’s hands on either side of Selene’s head, and they understood. Then Rani moved behind Selene, grabbed the lube and plug, and got to work. She pushed the plug into Selene’s ass, then pulled it out slightly and pushed it in again. She fucked Selene’s ass with it, causing the blonde to clench and moan with Arthur’s cock in her throat. 

“You’re sure you’re not bi?” Video-Rani asked.

Video-Selene looked at her over her shoulder, the camera getting a good look at her lust-filled expression. “Just fuck me, bitch.”

In the video, Rani started sawing back and forth, fucking Selene in steady strokes. Real-world Rani kept fucking Selene’s ass with the plug but steadied the lubed strap-on and pushed into Selene’s pussy, with Arthur matching her tempo and fucking Selene’s face. Arthur staggered his movement once or twice, but soon they were sawing in a steady rhythm. Rani plunged in every time Arthur withdrew, and Arthur plunged his cock into Selene’s tight throat every time Rani pulled her hips back. 

From her spot on the wall, Kat could see everyone. She moaned into her gag, the noise muffled by the screen and the gag. 

“Ugh.” Video-Selene grunted as she turned her head. She found the camera. She spotted the lens at an angle from them, looking over Rani’s shoulder. “Master... It feels so good.” She panted. “Not as good as your cock, but—“ she gasped as Rani slapped her ass again and quivered. 

“Oh, Master.” Video-Selene panted. “You should make your concubine fuck all your girls. She’s fantastic.”

Kat bent her knees, grinding into the clit-stimulator below her and fucking herself with the vibrating dildo as Rani used the strap-on to fuck Selene. She synced up, matching the rhythm as best she could, but couldn’t maintain Rani’s feverish pace. She couldn’t move much with her arms fastened to the wall, but she could move just enough. 

Kat came, whining a high-pitched senseless noise into the gag filling her mouth. She slumped, but the vibrator kept going, another orgasm on its way even as she tried moving to her toes to lessen the intensity and delay her inevitable pleasure. 

“Oh, just wait.” Rani, in the real world, said. “Now comes the part where you fuck her ass, Master.” 

Arthur looked confused, but he understood after Rani repositioned everyone. Moving to the floor, Rani laid face up, pulling Selene on top of her. On her hands and knees, Selene made out with Rani while Rani fucked her pussy with the strap-on. That left Selene’s ass in the air, her legs spread, waiting for him. 

Arthur knelt behind them, gripped the plug, and stroked a few times. Rani’s mouth muffled Selene’s delighted groans as the two kissed. Their bodies pressed together in a mass of dark and pale skin. They held hands between them so Selene could arch her back for Arthur, with Rani’s arms on the floor.  

“When this is done...” Video-Rani panted on the screen. “I need to cum.”

“I’ll take care of you.” Video-Selene promised. “Just fuck my ass so I can learn to please our Master.”

Video-Rani giggled, slapped her on the ass again, and fucked her.

In the real world, Kat writhed in her bonds, pulling against them and unable to free herself. Surrendering to her inevitable second orgasm, she bent her knees, squatting onto the dildo until it impaled her to her core. It spread her lips and pushed against every inch of her, buzzing away while the clit stimulator buzzed at a different frequency. Her glistening pink folds seized the intruding vibrator. The flat of her stomach curved inward as her abdominal muscles clung to the shaft.

Kat watched Rani and her sister as Arthur pressed the tip of his cockhead between Selene’s cheeks. In the video, Rani fucked Selene in the ass with a strap-on. She slammed her into the mattress as if channeling Arthur, who looked moments away from doing the same. Kat recognized that primal gleam in his eye. She moaned, squeezing the plug in her ass as if it were Arthur’s cock.

His slow and gentle press into Selene’s ass felt strange with Rani’s strap on inside her pussy. Extra pressure pressed against him from below within Selene, but he enjoyed the sensation. Selene whimpered, pushing back against Arthur to take more of him. Arthur slapped her ass and pulled her ponytail taut, lifting her head with it until she arched her back. 

He and Rani were on opposite beats now, but they enjoyed themselves immensely as they fucked Selene. For her part, Selene was in absolute heaven. Her eyes were blank, rolled up to see Arthur, but only looking into her eyelids as pleasure overwhelmed her from below. 

She held on but came between Rani below her and Arthur above. By the time Selene collapsed against Rani, Arthur still hadn’t, and Rani rolled her over. With Selene below her, still impaled on her strap-on, and Rani above her, Rani spread her knees. 

This had the added benefit of presenting Rani’s ass to Arthur, and he took his opportunity. He moved behind her, put his hands on her hips, acknowledged the nod of approval she gave him with a nod of his own and slammed into her. He fucked her ass until she was a blithering mess slamming into Selene below her and holding onto the petite girl for dear life. 

In the video, Selene came, and the video shifted to show the two of them lying on the bed. 

“May I cum now, Mistress?” Video-Rani asked.

“Cum for me.” Real-world Selene whispered into Rani’s ear. “Cum for your Master and his slut.” 

“Yes.” Arthur grunted. “Cum for me. my Queen.” 

In the video, Selene crawled forward on the mattress and lowered her face between Rani’s thighs.

In the real world, Rani pushed back against Arthur, lifting from Selene, and Selene took her opportunity. She crawled out from under Rani and unfastened the straps at Rani’s hips. Rani realized what she was doing and nodded. “Get back here, slut.” Rani said, grunting as Arthur plowed her ass. 

Selene took off Rani’s strap-on and tossed it aside. She laid on her back, then slid under Rani again, this time in a sixty-nine position, as Rani lowered her crotch to Selene’s face and her face to Selene’s crotch. The two women sixty-nined one another. 

Arthur pulled his dick from Rani’s ass, pushed it into Selene’s mouth, then returned it to Rani’s ass and kept fucking her. Kat, fucking herself on the stand as she watched, had her second orgasm of the night. 

Rani started to make noises, desperate breaths of intense pleasure as Selene’s tongue and Arthur’s dick drove her to new heights. The sweet, sticky taste of Selene on Rani’s tongue smeared her lips and face, but Rani was determined to make Selene cum first, and she succeeded. 

The lithe ballerina below her strained every muscle as she arched her back. “my Queen, may I cum?” 

“Cum for me, Slut.” Rani said and returned to feasting. 

Selene redoubled her efforts, trying to force Rani’s orgasm to arrive first, but she failed. Selene’s straining muscles shook, and she twisted beneath Rani until Rani flattened her against the floor, lifting her ass and changing the angle of Arthur’s penetration. 

Arthur slowed in real life, wearing himself out as he fucked Rani’s ass. He reached around and began playing with her clit after Selene turned her face aside to breathe. She jumped when he touched it but accepted his efforts with gratitude. 

“That’s it.” Rani said in real life and on TV. 

Kat held herself low against the dildo and clit vibrator while Selene, Rani, and Arthur fucked in the real world, and video-Selene and video-Rani fucked each other on video. Selene had made this. She’d protested she wasn’t into women at first but had either been or become ‘heteroflexible,’ as she called it. Whatever that meant. 

Yet Selene clearly enjoyed what was happening between her and Rani. Whether on screen or on the floor a few steps away from Kat. Even before Rani adjusted the vibrators, Kat couldn’t have lifted herself off them without help. She bounced, the sensation in her nipples rippling through her as the motion tweaked the clamps. Here Kat was, masturbating herself to a third orgasm as she watched her sister fuck their boyfriend and their fellow harem sister. Theirs was a life of pleasure unimaginable a few weeks ago.  

Moans echoed throughout the room, reaching the television, the girls on the floor, the girl on the wall, and Arthur. Rani impressed him when she started squeezing his cock lodged in her ass. 

“I guess it might not work for your bratty girl.” Video-Rani mused. “But between you and me, Master? I think Slut here would love to be forced to pleasure her sister. And her sister would love to be forced to endure this pleasure.”

Kat moaned again, shaking her head, and Rani arched her back. Kat clamped her knees together, screaming something into her gag but unable to form words with a fake penis trapping her tongue. 

“Oh, Master.” Video-Rani panted. “My King...” She looked at the camera. “I’m going to—“ She didn’t finish her sentence as Selene picked up her pace, and Rani’s words morphed into an incoherent moan. She clenched forward, curling, gripping the sheets, and then her back arched, slamming her shoulders against the headboard as she shook violently from the pleasure tearing through her body. Selene clamped her mouth over Rani’s, and the two made out on Rani’s bed. 

The sight of Rani cumming on screen had a ripple effect as Arthur grunted, clutched Rani’s hips, and she squeezed the last of his cum from him for the night. Behind them, Kat squealed as she came. Tears ruined her makeup long ago, but tears of pleasure and joy. Her legs shook, and she went weak but stood tall. She pushed herself away from the vibrator that didn’t slow or offer any relief to her sensitive pussy, only continuing stimulation. 

In the video, Rani and Selene embraced, making out in a messy kiss as Rani twitched and writhed before going slack and slumping against the mattress. Selene remained on top of her, the two women holding each other as they relaxed. Rani breathed heavily for a few breaths before her lungs slowed.

Video-Selene rose to her feet and moved before the camera.

“Good night, Master.” She said and turned off the camera. The porno ended, and a credit appeared on the screen. 

“An Excalibur’s Harem Production.” 

Arthur almost laughed but settled for breathing as he sat back on the floor against the sofa and watched Rani and Selene fall apart and roll beside each other.

Kat whimpered, and Arthur crawled over and lowered the stand, setting her free.

Rani smirked as Arthur stood and unfastened Kat’s restraints. She fell into him once released, and Arthur caught her, hugging her close.

“You’re welcome.” Rani said. Her voice was soft and dreamy, the words rising from the floor as though reluctant to make the effort. 

Kat smiled softly. “Thank you, Queenie.” 

Arthur hugged Kat, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. “Good girl.” 

Kat smiled and kissed his pec. 

Arthur moved to the kitchen, returning with water bottles for everyone. 

Kat drank hers, or most of it, and then nudged Selene with her foot. “Come on, Slut. Time to go.” 

“You can stay.” Rani said, assuring Kat as she raised her hand and Arthur put a water bottle in it. 

Kat sighed. “I’d take you up on it, but I need to sleep in my bed.” 

“You’re welcome to stay.” Arthur said, yawning. “But we need to clean up and get to bed. I need more sleep tonight than I got last night.” 

“I have a long day tomorrow, too.” Kat said. “Though it’s much easier now that you’ve taken care of the car, so thank you again.” 

“Stay.” Rani said again. 

Selene blinked her eyes open as if waking up and took a sip of her water. 

“I want to go home.” Kat said. “It’s okay. You share Master’s bed tonight. It’s your turn.” 

“Is this a brat thing?” Arthur asked. “Should I make you stay?” 

“No.” Kat said. “I’m all bratted out and, frankly, euphoric but exhausted. It’s been a long weekend, and that–” She gestured to the dildo attached to the mic-stand-like one-bar prison. “Is intense.” 

“I know, right? Feels like it’s been a week instead of a weekend.” Rani stretched. 

“I feel like Friday was months ago.” Kat laughed, finishing her water and handing the empty bottle to Arthur. 

“Come on. At least give us a hug?” Rani asked, pushing herself to her feet. 

Kat laughed, giving her a hug. The two naked girls embraced, but Arthur saw no lust in the touch. Friendship. Comradery. Heartfelt and sincere. He smiled, glad to see the two getting along as genuine friends. 

“I need to use the bathroom first, anyway.” Kat said. She released Rani, gave Arthur her nipple clamps, and stepped over Selene’s legs on her way. “Selene, obviously, you can stay.” 

“I will.” Selene said, not moving from her position face-up on the floor. “If someone can just drag me to the foot of Master’s bed and leash me to it, I’ll be asleep in minutes.” 

Arthur laughed, helping Selene to her feet by scooping her up and lowering her to the floor feet-first. He cleaned up as Kat, Selene, and Rani took turns in the bathroom.

“When did you edit that video?” Selene asked. “It looked amazing.” 

“This afternoon.” Rani said, winking. “Good, right? If engineering doesn’t work out, I could always get a job producing porn.” 

Selene laughed. “Could you imagine? If we ever start an OnlyFans as a harem, you can be our content editor.” 

“Woof.” Rani said, shaking her head. “With six girls and this guy?” She slapped Arthur’s chest with the back of her hand. “That’d take an entire production team.” 

Selene laughed, rolling her eyes as Arthur checked her over, ensuring no bruises, marks, or issues needed tending. He did the same to Rani and Kat, lingering longest on Kat since she’d undergone the most bondage of tonight’s activities. 

Rani and Selene helped clean while he did that, and Kat hugged Arthur once more in a fierce embrace that threatened to drive tears from her eyes. 

“Hey, none of that. I’ve had enough crying today.” Arthur said, stroking Kat’s cheek with his thumb. 

Kat laughed. “Well, if you weren’t so sweet about the car, I wouldn’t have cried on you earlier, but… be sweet whenever you want. You’re a good boyfriend.” 

Arthur kissed her forehead. That wasn’t what he’d meant, but he didn’t see the point in correcting the misunderstanding. Rani gave him a significant look and an encouraging nod but now wasn’t the time. He shook his head, kissed Kat, and smacked her butt as she strode to the sofa to pick up her clothes. 

“You sure you don’t want to stay?” Rani asked. “We don’t even have to spoon. You can sleep on Arthur’s other side. Me on one side, you on the other, Selene between his legs.” 

“I’m sure. It’s okay.” Kat said, sliding into her sweater. 

“Are you mad about something? Or upset?” Rani asked. “Because if you are, tell me. I can take it.” 

Kat gave her a look and sighed. “Am I any good at hiding when I’m angry or upset?” 

“No.” Rani said without hesitation. “Not even a tiny bit.”

“What I am is exhausted.” Kat said. “I want to sleep in my own bed with my blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. Drifting off, listening to my book, and waking up in my room with the coffee pot filling. With luck, that will be hours after he leaves for the gym. So I can sleep in until work.” She pointed her thumb at Arthur. 

“Ah, that’s the real reason.” Selene nodded sagely. “Brat wants to sleep in and have her coffee in the morning.” 

Kat took the teasing with a laugh and nodded. “You got me.” 

“I can’t wait until we’re in that house.” Selene said, sighing. “Best of both worlds. Our rooms, Arthur’s room, everything right there. That huge coffee pot.” 

“Ah, the coffee pot is the real reason you want to move in, I see.” Arthur said, stroking his chin. 

Rani slapped his butt. 

Arthur laughed, throwing on his clothes as Kat hugged Rani and Selene again before departing. He walked with her to her apartment, kissing her goodnight at the door. She hugged him close, her foot popping behind her when he lowered his lips to hers, their kiss quick and chaste. Once she was inside and safe, Arthur returned to his apartment to find Selene and Rani spooning in his bed. They parted to welcome him. 

With their phones charging and his nightly lock-up routine completed, Arthur stripped and slipped into bed between them. He fell asleep with Rani and Selene’s arms crossed over his torso, their breasts pressing into his ribs, and their legs hooked over his. 

Arthur didn’t even have time to relive any of the memories or highlights from the weekend before sleep came for him. Pressed between two warm bodies, his body responded to their slow breathing and calming heartbeats by relaxing every muscle once his head hit the pillow. Soon, the three were fast asleep, dreaming of their future.