Harem House Chapter 50 (Patreon)

Katelyn held Arthur’s hand, with Kat on his other side, as they left the fairgrounds behind them. The lights behind them shut off, and an eerie shadow blanketed the deserted Ren Faire at night. Its Halloween decorations did nothing to mask the sense of trespass that rose in her when she saw everything boarded up and covered with canvas in the dark. 

The remaining cars in the lot at the end of the adults-only event were few and far between. They rested like scattered seeds in the grass. Few people stayed until the end, unlike the harem and their friends. The bonfire dance had been fun, but it was easy to lose track of time when dancing. 

Meanwhile, Rani had been running around like a rabbit, talking with people, chatting them up, and making plans. She only grinned when Arthur asked if anyone had taken her up on the orgy invitations. 

Manasa met them at the bus, offering Rani her phone first. Rani took it and started texting as she boarded. The others climbed in behind her and took their seats. Rani shot straight to the back of the bus. Selene followed her, pulling Yvonne behind her. They sat beside the stripper pole in the back. Katelyn sat beside Yvonne, with Arthur on her other side. Kat sat beside him. Kelly sat across from Katelyn, with Mindy across from Arthur. Then Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen spread out across the remaining seats. 

Katelyn chuckled at the sight of everyone and the effects of the day on their costumes. Some, like Kelly, had added to their ensembles as the day continued. Others had lost their accessories, like the flowers they started with at the beginning of the day. Or, if not lost, then they’d stashed them in their purses for safekeeping. 

Rani’s costume had remained the same; her gold chains, ruby jewelry, and red-and-gold veils made the perfect djinn costume. Selene’s Elven slave costume had ditched the silk scarves and was now entirely chainmail, from the collar to the bracelets, anklets, waist chain, and bikini. Kelly’s pirate outfit now had a tricorn hat to complete the look, which paired with her corset, jacket, off-the-shoulder peasant top, and asymmetrical skirt. 

Mindy’s goth witch ensemble was still sexy as fuck. Tall boots, fishnet-clad thighs, a skirt that was two panels of fabric, one in front and one in back, and a corset. Kat’s jungle outfit, the brown one-strap crop top and tattered miniskirt, was still just as mouth-watering as it had been in the morning. Arthur had added bracers to his loincloth, and the girls had each added their matching ‘Sisterhood of Excalibur’ tattoo in different locations. 

Yvonne had exchanged her Cinderella costume for a white chemise that was see-through under the bright bus lights, teasing her powder-blue mesh lingerie set. The ensemble obscured the details just enough to hide her areola and bush, but it teased anyone who looked at her. Katelyn wondered if she’d brought a change of clothes, but guessed she hadn’t. She was sure that between the six girlfriends and Jen and Maria, they could put together an outfit of extra clothes for Yvonne to wear home tomorrow. 

“Wow,” Brad said, settling onto the bench. “I’m exhausted.” His Renaissance-era Nightwing might not have won him the costume contest, but he’d still won the blue ribbon at the kilt contest. 

“Don’t tell me you’re too tired for an orgy?” Jen asked. Her Renaissance-era Huntress costume matched Brad’s vibe, but her cloak kept her modest. 

Mark laughed. “We’ll pound Redbull.” His peasant costume had seen better days, but the cheap material didn’t last. “Gotta stay up all night, right?” 

Brad chuckled, glancing nervously at Jen. “You’re sure you’re alright with doing that?” 

“Are you kidding?” Jen asked. “When else will we have this opportunity? This is the best possible scenario for trying this.” 

“You have a point,” Maria said, agreeing with her. Her peasant costume matched Mark’s, but she displayed the blue ribbon from the cleavage contest smack-dab between her breasts.

“It’s an extended version of being safe to explore within the harem,” Mindy said. 

“Right,” Maria agreed. “What she said. Except we don’t have a harem. We have a—what do we have?” 

Mark and Brad looked at each other and shrugged. “Open minds?” 

“Open minds,” Jen agreed. “We could always start a harem, though, if you wanted to try poly.” Jen hooked Brad’s arm around her as she spoke. 

Brad laughed, but when Jen didn’t, he stopped. “Wait, are you serious?” 

Jen shrugged. “Let’s see how tonight goes.” 

Brad blushed and glanced toward Arthur. “I’m not trying to copy Arthur or anything. I’m not like, Arthur-lite, you know?” 

“No one thinks that,” Arthur said, shaking his head. 

“A lot of people think that,” Maria said, countering Arthur’s point. “But who gives a shit? You’re your own man. Do what you want. Who you and Jen date is your and Jen’s business. No one else’s.” 

The bus started, and the group lurched as it rolled over the bumps and rocks in the field. Mark changed the subject. 

“I know what we need to pump up our energy,” Mark said, giving Maria a knowing smile. 

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Maria asked, grinning like a madwoman. 

Katelyn braced herself for whatever perverted exercise they were about to suggest. 

“Karaoke!” Mark and Maria exclaimed together as they high-fived. 

Katelyn relaxed. She was on board with karaoke. Not that she was averse to the perverse, but Kat wouldn’t appreciate it. Besides, they were on their way to an orgy. They’d been doing sexy things all day and night. They didn’t need to squeeze in another quickie, or Arthur might die of desiccation. 

“Oh, I’m in,” Arthur said, standing. “Selene, do you want a duet?” 

“Yes, Sir!” Selene said. 

“Got a song in mind?” Arthur asked. 

“You pick, Master!” Selene said, jumping from her seat. 

Arthur laughed, looking ahead to choose a song from the karaoke options, while Mark and Maria queued up their duet first. He stopped, unlocked his phone, and handed it to Katelyn. 

“Here, I started a page on the spreadsheet for you. Go down the list and mark an option for each. The options are ‘favorite,’ ‘like,’ ‘interested,’ and ‘no.’ Favorite is for what you love. Like is for things you enjoy. Interested is stuff you want to try, and no is self-explanatory.” Arthur pointed to the screen, and Katelyn saw what he meant. It was the list of kinks they’d discussed earlier, but in a different order. Each option on the list had four columns beside it with check-mark boxes to click. 

She read the first few options and nodded, remembering what they’d discussed while eating dinner at the lake. Her mind hadn’t changed, even if Arthur and Kat had distracted her with pleasure during the conversation.

“Thanks! I’ll review it, and don’t worry, I’m sober, and I won’t let Kat or Yvonne finger me while I do it,” Katelyn grinned at Arthur. 

“I’m not doing that,” Kat said, her face scrunching in adorable consternation. “Don’t be gross.” 

“Love you too, Pussycat,” Katelyn said, blowing her a kiss.

Kat turned away with a huff, watching the front of the bus.  

Yvonne said nothing, but blushed and turned away, watching Rani rather than risk a glance at Arthur.

Arthur chuckled, patted Katelyn’s head, and stepped toward the karaoke screen with Mark and Maria. Selene swung past, joining him toward the front, leaving Yvonne on her own beside Katelyn. 

“You wanted to see this, right? Want to add a tab for yourself?” Katelyn asked. 

Yvonne glanced at the screen, then at Katelyn. “If you’re okay with me seeing yours, yeah,” she said. “But I don’t think I should add my own. I don’t know what I’m doing, to be honest. If I do nothing, he thinks I’m not interested. If I do too much, I’m ignoring his no, which won’t work. So, what do I do? I’m screwed no matter what. Or not-screwed. Ha.” There was no laughter in her ha.  

Katelyn put her arm around Yvonne. The poor girl needed it. Katelyn knew what it was like to be the only one sad in a group of happy people. She’d been where Yvonne was, too. An outsider looking in at the harem, with its smiles and happy times. It worked out for her, but she’d had Kat and Kelly helping her. 

Still, it wasn’t a one-to-one comparison. Yvonne’s situation with Arthur was different. Yvonne had known him longer, and he’d formed his opinion of her well before whatever mistakes she made. Even with her apologies and efforts, and everything forgiven, Arthur still had his hang-ups. They couldn’t force him either. He had to overcome them. In the meantime, they could only help. 

So how could Katelyn help Yvonne? She could at least cheer her up and show her what it meant to be part of the harem. After all, if every choice received a no from Yvonne, then she didn’t want a relationship with Arthur. She just wanted to win in the face of rejection.

“Do you like this stuff?” Katelyn asked. “The kinky stuff?” 

Yvonne blushed. Katelyn waited for an answer. 

“I’m kink-curious,” Yvonne said. “I read a lot of dark romance, but Arthur wasn’t into it when I begged him to take me and have his way with me.” 

Katelyn nodded. She could see why that wouldn’t work. “Any particular favorites?” 

“A few,” Yvonne said. “But it’s nothing I’ve tried in real life. Not everybody is lucky enough to find someone trustworthy and capable.”  

Katelyn followed Yvonne’s gaze toward Arthur and understood. They were lucky he wasn’t an asshole.  

“Well, you can watch me input my answers,” Katelyn said. “And I’ll try to guess by your expression what your answer would be, okay?” 

Yvonne snorted. “Sure.” 

Kelly grinned across the aisle, turning to watch as Mark and Maria started their duet. She cuddled Mindy, letting the younger woman rest against her under her arm. Mindy hugged Kelly’s arm like a teddy bear, holding Kelly’s forearm between her breasts and resting her cheek against Kelly’s shoulder. 

Katelyn didn’t recognize the title of Mark and Maria’s song, but she put it together that it was from a musical about Bonnie and Clyde. She needed to expand her musical soundtrack repertoire if she was going to date Arthur. If it wasn’t pop, hip-hop, rock, or country, she hadn’t listened to it in a while. 

Katelyn reviewed the checklist, moving through the items as Yvonne watched her. Occasionally, Yvonne blushed or made a noise of surprise or agreement with Katelyn’s choices. For all its usefulness, she was glad they discussed it first. Clicking the buttons on the spreadsheet made it too robotic, as if she were picking items from a sex menu for later delivery. She much preferred the organic method: talking through everything and asking questions for context. 

Arthur and Selene took the microphones after Mark and Maria. The pair sang a sweet duet from another show that Katelyn didn’t know. It sounded older. She’d have to find a full soundtrack for Annie Get Your Gun. They probably had it on Spotify. It was amusing enough to keep everyone’s attention, though—everyone but Katelyn and Yvonne, who reviewed the list. 

“Wow, that list is thorough,” Yvonne said when Katelyn finished and reviewed her answers to make sure she hadn’t misclicked anything. “Does Arthur do all of those things?” 

Katelyn blushed. “Oh, yeah. Most of them. Depending on the partner, I guess.” 

Yvonne swallowed, glancing at Arthur, then looking away. “Fucking damnit. I can’t stop picturing him tying me up. To be wrapped in rope and left helpless, letting him do whatever he wanted to me? It’s hot as fuck.” 

“I’m not as into the immobilization stuff, but more power to you. It’s good that we have variety in the harem,” Katelyn said. “Are you sure you don’t want to fill it out?” 

Yvonne groaned. “Is it overstepping?” 

“No,” Katelyn said. “It’s telling Arthur what you’re into and what you want to try. Does he know that you’re into being tied up?” 

“No,” Yvonne said. “We haven’t discussed it.” 

“Well, it’s not as if the knowledge will force Arthur to do anything. It’s just a tab on a spreadsheet. He might not even realize we’ve added it until the next time he reviews it and notices a new tab he didn’t put there,” Katelyn said. “What he does with the information is up to him, right?”  

Yvonne sighed, holding out her hand. “Give me the phone.” 

Katelyn giggled, duplicating the tab. “What’s your harem name?” 

“My what?” Yvonne asked. 

“Well, the tabs are named after our harem names,” Katelyn said. “I’m Pet. See? Kelly is Wifey, Kat is Brat, Rani is Concubine, Mindy is Whore, and Selene is Slut.” 

Yvonne closed her eyes and exhaled a slow breath. “What’s even left?” 

Katelyn shrugged with one arm, leaving her injured shoulder unshrugged. “What kind of submissive are you?” 

Yvonne shrugged. “What are the options?” 

“Well,” Katelyn tapped her lips with her finger, thinking of types of submissive people. She had the harem to draw from, with each woman differing in their tastes. “I don’t know. Make something up? What do you want to call him?”

“What do you mean?” Yvonne asked. “You don’t call him the same thing?” 

Katelyn laughed. “No. I call him Big D. Kat calls him Sir. Kelly calls him Hubby or Mister. Mindy calls him Boss. Rani calls him her king, and Selene calls him Master. Well, everyone uses Sir and Master sometimes, but those are his nicknames.”  

Yvonne considered her options. “Do you think he’d like it if I called him my prince?” 

Katelyn didn’t know. It was a step down from king, but if it meant something between him and Yvonne, then he’d probably approve it once he approved of Yvonne. “No idea, but Prince is a step down from King, isn’t it?” 

“But Rani calls him King. I can’t call him that, right?” Yvonne asked. 

“Maybe focus on you,” Katelyn said. “What pet names do you enjoy being called?” 

Yvonne frowned. “I’ve never gotten to that stage with anybody. I don’t know. Maybe Prima? Short for prima donna?” 

“Isn’t that an insult?” Katelyn asked. 

“No, it’s—” Yvonne huffed. “Never mind. I’ll figure something out. Just put ‘damsel’ or something for now.”

Katelyn typed in “Damsel” and handed the phone to Yvonne. Yvonne stared at it, then started filling in the checkboxes, changing the answers duplicated from Katelyn’s screen when necessary. Katelyn peeked over her shoulder as she filled in the list, and Yvonne didn’t stop her. It was only fair since she’d watched Katelyn add her kinks to the list. 

She’d just marked ‘rope bondage’ as ‘favorite’ when the screen changed on her. Just as she was about to click ‘favorite’ on the next item, her thumb pressed ‘accept call’ instead, and the video call started. Startled, Yvonne nearly dropped the phone. 

Katelyn rushed to catch it, but Yvonne caught it first, and they both held it, staring at the screen and into Lori’s face. 

“Well, it’s about time you—” Lori said, then stopped mid-sentence. “Yvonne?” 

“Uh,” Yvonne gulped, looking up for help. Arthur was sitting at the front of the cabin, waiting with Selene in his lap while Mark and Brad sang a duet. The music was loud, making it difficult to hear Lori beyond the few inches from the phone where they sat. Kelly hadn’t even noticed, and she was sitting across the aisle. 

“Hi,” Yvonne said. “What’s up?”  

“Hi,” Lori said, unimpressed. “Where’s Arthur? Why are you answering his phone?” 

“He’s, uh, busy with karaoke,” Yvonne said. 

“Can you pass the phone to him?” Lori asked. “I need to talk to him.” 

“Hi!” Katelyn said, joining in when Yvonne froze with indecision. Katelyn understood why. She was on a tightrope with Arthur. Handing him the phone while his ex was on a surprise video call was not the way into anyone’s pants. “I’m Katelyn! Arthur’s girlfriend. We’ve met.” 

Lori scrutinized Katelyn on the video, narrowing her eyes. “What? The music coming through is too loud. Can you speak up? Who are you?” 

“I’m Katelyn!” Katelyn said louder. “Arthur’s girlfriend!” The louder she was, the more attention she drew. Kelly, Mindy, and Kat looked over to see what was going on and saw Katelyn holding Arthur’s phone, talking to it as if it were partially deaf. 

“No way,” Lori said, scoffing in disbelief. “He picked you?” 

“Wow,” Katelyn said, staring at the phone. “You’re a jealous bitch, aren’t you?” 

“No! Sorry! That’s not how I meant it!” Lori said, but it was too late. Kelly took the phone out of Katelyn’s hands to see what was happening and scowled the moment she recognized Lori’s face. 

“You called Lori?” Kelly asked, surprised. She ignored Lori and glared at Katelyn. 

“No,” Katelyn said, waving her hands in front of her. “She called us. We were in the middle of something else, and she called, and the wrong button got pressed, so it answered.”  

Kelly narrowed her eyes, then glanced at Arthur. He hadn’t noticed what was happening yet, but he would soon if Kelly didn’t sit. She looked the other way, spotting the bathroom. Kelly turned into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. 

Katelyn looked at Yvonne, then at the others. “Well, uh, it’ll probably be fine.” 

“She looked pissed,” Yvonne commented. “I’d hate to be Lori right now.” 

“She’s safe,” Katelyn said, nodding. “Not even Kelly can punch someone through a phone.”

~~~

Kelly glared at the screen in front of her as she sat atop the closed toilet. There wasn’t much space in the bathroom, but the insulation protected it against noise from the cabin. Or vice versa. It wasn’t soundproof, but she and Lori could hear each other better here without the risk of being overheard. 

“What the fuck is going on?” Lori asked. Her head bobbed as she tried to see through the ceiling and lighting changes. “Kelly?” 

“Why are you calling him?” Kelly asked, glaring at the screen. “He’s been through so much. The last thing he needs is you calling him up out of the blue and harassing him.” 

“What are you talking about?” Lori asked. “What happened? Is Arthur okay?” She looked concerned, but Kelly didn’t trust it. The blank wall behind her suggested she was in a dorm room. Exposed concrete brick was a dead giveaway, and sloppy beige paint did nothing to make it feel more homey. As for Lori, she had her hair down, her makeup done, and her V-neck was unnecessarily low. Kelly doubted she was wearing a bra either, going for an ‘at-home in my PJs’ look that was far too casual for calling an ex. 

“What the fuck do you care?” Kelly asked, trying and failing to keep her temper in check. “You don’t give a shit about anybody but yourself.” 

“Kels,” Lori tried. 

“Don’t call me that!” Kelly snapped. “Seriously, Lori, why are you bothering Arthur?” 

“I wanted to talk to him, and he hasn’t replied to my texts,” Lori said. “What was I supposed to do?” 

“Take the hint? You dumped him,” Kelly said. “You don’t get to harass him because he decided not to respond to you. If he wants to talk to you, he’ll get in touch. But he doesn’t. He’s moved on.” 

“With Katelyn?” Lori asked. “Did you introduce them or something? I thought she was dating that other guy–what was his name, Sean?” 

“She was,” Kelly said. “He cheated on her, so she dumped him. It was a whole thing.” 

“So now she’s dating Arthur?” Lori asked. “What about you? I thought you two went on a date a few weeks ago? Did it not go well?” 

“It was great,” Kelly said. “Not that it’s any of your business.” 

“I can’t care about you or him–is that it?” Lori asked. “I can’t be happy for him?” 

“No, I don’t think you can,” Kelly said. “You’re mentally incapable of happiness. If you gave a damn about Arthur, you wouldn’t have left.” She didn’t care. She wasn’t handling Lori with kid gloves. Not with everything Arthur had been through. The gloves were off, and she was clenching her fists. 

“Ow,” Lori said, swallowing. “That hurt, Kels.” 

“I told you not to call me that. You lost that privilege,” Kelly said. 

“Fine,” Lori said. “Christ. Why are you in such an awful mood? Because he picked Katelyn over you?” 

“You’re an idiot,” Kelly said, sighing. “He didn’t pick Katelyn over me.” 

“Oh, so she was lying to cover for you going after my ex the minute I left?” Lori asked, sitting straighter. Of course, that narrative fit her expectations better than Katelyn dating Arthur. “You always liked him. All that ‘no, I’d never, I’m not even sure if I like guys’ was just bullshit.” 

“It wasn’t bullshit, you miserable cow—” Kelly cut herself off. She took a deep breath in and out before she let Lori rile her up and make her throw Arthur’s phone against the wall. If it were her phone, she’d have smashed it into bits already. “Why did you call?” 

“I wanted to talk to Arthur!” Lori said. 

“About what?” Kelly asked. “What could be so important that you’d call him so late?” 

“About Thanksgiving!” Lori snapped. 

That took Kelly a second to process. Thanksgiving hadn’t even been on her radar.

“What about it?” Kelly asked. 

“I wanted to ask Arthur if he was okay with me coming for Thanksgiving,” Lori said. “I’m trying to finalize my plans.”

“Why would you come for Thanksgiving?” Kelly asked. “You broke things off with him and went no contact for months! Of course he doesn’t want you at Thanksgiving!” 

“His mom invited me!” Lori said. 

“Deb?” Kelly asked. “There’s no way Deb invited you to Thanksgiving without running it past us.” 

“She invited me over the summer,” Lori said. “I’ve been considering it, but I haven’t decided. If I’m doing it, I need to book the flights before they sell out.”

“What?” Kelly asked. “Why were you in touch with Deb over the summer?”

“She calls me every Sunday. At least she used to, and sometimes I answer instead of letting it go to voicemail.”

“Why?” Kelly asked.

“You’ve met her now that you two are dating, right? You know how she is.” 

Kelly grimaced. Of course, Lori made Deb’s personality sound negative. “If you say anything bad about Deb, I swear I’ll fly over there and kick your ass.” 

“Whoa, calm down,” Lori said. “I’m not dissing Deb. I like Deb; she’s…” 

“She’s what?” Kelly asked, snapping at her again. 

“She’s the best mom I’ve ever had, okay?” Lori said. “The only mom who ever gave a damn about me. Is that what you want to hear?” 

Kelly paused. Tears filled Lori’s eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She wasn’t a crier. Kelly had only seen her cry once, so she swallowed her anger. Lori wasn’t Lynn. She wasn’t trying to be manipulative. Kelly had to repeat that to herself several times before she calmed herself enough to listen. 

“She’s just intense, you know? Her personality is a tidal wave sometimes, and very… I don’t know,” Lori said, failing to come up with the term. 

“Motherly?” Kelly asked. “Loving? Doting? One of the most awesome women you’ve ever encountered? Pick one.” 

“Okay, okay, I get it. You love your new boyfriend’s mom. That’s great,” Lori said. “Glad she can be a surrogate for your shitty, homophobic mom.” 

“Oh, fuck off,” Kelly said. 

Lori frowned, having tried to commiserate, only to be rejected. Kelly didn’t let guilt take root, though. The last thing she’d do is let Lori try to be chummy. 

“We have shitty moms in common,” Lori said. “Though I’d wager mine was worse than yours is. I’d take homophobic over addict any day.” 

Kelly didn’t rise to the bait or take the bet. She wouldn’t play the ‘who has a shittier mother’ game. Not with someone whose mother was dead. Lori had horror stories about the moms she’d had in foster care, but not all of them were terrible either. She’d had good and bad parents over the years, while Kelly was stuck with hers.

“I take it you don’t want me at Thanksgiving, then?” Lori asked. “Should I tell Deb that something came up?” 

“Honestly, Lori? I never want to see you again,” Kelly said. “You’re despicable.”

“I did nothing to you!” Lori shouted at the phone.

“You attacked me! And you threatened me when I threatened to tell Arthur,” Kelly said. “And you would have followed through.” 

“You can’t know that!” Lori said, still shouting. “You haven’t told Arthur about my freak-out, have you?” 

“No,” Kelly said. “I promised you I wouldn’t, but don’t push me. I swear, Lori, you don’t know the things we’ve been through these last few weeks. You left. You have no right to Arthur or Deb.” 

“I left, sure, but I had to take the opportunity! It was the best decision for me, my career, and others in the long run. Arthur gets it,” Lori said. “He doesn’t hate me for that.” 

“You got scared, ran away, and crushed his soul,” Kelly said. “It’s Arthur, so of course he doesn’t hate you, but you broke him, Lori. He wasn’t the same for months after you left. Now, he’s back on his feet, and you want to, what, come over for Thanksgiving? Rekindle something with him for the weekend? Fuck you.” 

“I’m not trying to rekindle anything with him,” Lori said. 

“Bullshit,” Kelly said. “Your first time with him was on Thanksgiving. You think he’s going to forget that with you sitting across from him?” 

Lori frowned. Yeah, Kelly remembered that the moment she mentioned Thanksgiving. Of course she did. She was the one Lori told when it happened. 

“I wasn’t trying anything,” Lori said, crossing her arms. “I don’t want a long-distance relationship, remember?”  

“Sure,” Kelly said, not believing her for an instant. “But Arthur’s your ex, not your booty call. How are you doing on your own? Huh? Did you enjoy starting fresh with no friends holding you back? Have you played the field to your heart’s content?” 

“No,” Lori said, cutting Kelly off. “I haven’t. I’ve been focusing on my schoolwork, not my dating life. Besides, the guys here—well, that’s not important.”

Kelly snickered. “What? The guys don’t compare? You’ve realized how good you had it with Arthur? What a catch he is, compared to the drivel that’s out there?” 

“I haven’t been dating,” Lori said, frustrated now. “I’m focusing on my work.”  

“Yeah, Arthur did that too,” Kelly said. “He threw himself into work and classes after you left and worked himself to the bone.” 

“Oh, please. A month after you were back on campus, he took you out to that old-timey diner,” Lori said. “He’s just fine, and you and he are dating now, right? So what does it even matter? You got what you wanted! Has he gotten you pregnant yet? You were the one who wanted that life, right? Are you gonna start that family? Does he know how badly you want to play housewife? Did he give you that ring he’s been keeping in the nightstand? Are you planning the wedding? You can just use whatever you planned for mine and put yourself in, right?” 

Kelly ground her teeth. “Goodbye, Lori. Tell Deb I told you that you’re uninvited to our Thanksgiving. Because you’re not invited anymore.” 

“You can’t do that,” Lori said. “Deb’s the one—” 

“Deb might’ve invited you, sure, but it’ll be at our house this year,” Kelly said. Lori’s surprised face gave her instant satisfaction. “That’s right, Arthur and I are moving in together. I’ll send you pictures.” 

“You bought a house?” Lori asked, unable to hide the shock in her voice. 

“We’re renting it from his parents,” Kelly said, sighing. “Goodbye, Lori. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for out there on the West Coast. But leave Arthur alone. You left everyone back here. You cut contact first, and you spent weeks dodging my calls and texts. We’re done here. I’m blocking you on his phone after this.” 

“Kelly, wait! I’m sorry! Don’t—” 

Kelly ended the call. She followed through on her threat, too. She blocked Lori’s contact. Tomorrow, she’d tell Arthur she did it and why. Not tonight. He might consider it an overstep, but she wasn’t trying to control him. She was looking out for him.

Kelly let out a long, exhausted breath. She needed coffee. Whatever Rani’s plans were for the evening, she hoped they involved a coffee pot. An espresso machine would be delightful, if possible. And steak. She wanted to sink her teeth into a delicious steak. Granted, she preferred the crispy sensation of a well-done steak, which infuriated more than one waiter, but she didn’t care. 

A knock at the door made her lift her head. 

“Kelly? Are you okay in there? We made it to the hotel. We were trying to give you your privacy, but if you need toilet paper or something, I have a roll.” 

The door muffled Arthur’s voice, but she recognized it. 

“Yeah! Sorry!” Kelly said, standing. She didn’t bother flushing the toilet or washing her hands. She wouldn’t lie to him or pretend she was using the bathroom. Honesty was always best. Besides, the others might have told him what she was doing. 

She opened the door, and Arthur stood waiting for her. The others had left the bus. She hadn’t registered when they stopped moving. Apparently, they’d been parked for longer than she realized. When had the music stopped? When had the others departed? She didn’t know. Her mind was abuzz. 

“Is everything okay?” Arthur asked. “It was muffled, but you sounded angry with whoever was on the phone.” 

“Yeah,” Kelly said. “I just needed to take care of something, but it’s okay. I took care of it. You don’t have to worry.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, trusting her. “Are you ready to join the others?” He offered her his elbow. “Rani said she booked a conference room, so we’re meeting everyone there before we head up to our rooms.” 

“Oh,” Kelly said, surprised. “Wow, she’s going full event planner, isn’t she?” 

Arthur laughed and scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess it’s important to her.” 

“Well, if it doesn’t go well, you won’t let her throw another one, right?” Kelly asked. “That’s a lot of pressure.”

“Yeah,” Arthur answered. “I’m not trying to pressure her, though. I’m just still not sure about this, but I’m keeping an open mind.” 

“Don’t worry,” Kelly said, patting his arm after she looped her arm through his. “We’re with you, and we’ll take care of everything tonight. Even you.” 

Arthur grinned and kissed her after lifting her chin. “Thanks for looking out for me and everyone the way you do. You even took Yvonne under your wing tonight.”

“She needed someone other than Selene to talk her through things,” Kelly said. “I hope that was okay.” 

“Yeah,” Arthur said. “Where did you two land on things?” 

“She’s backing off, for now,” Kelly said. “And she regrets trying to push you and seduce you with the wet chemise contest.” 

“Was that why she did it?” Arthur asked. “To seduce me?” 

Kelly nodded. “Yeah, I know you’re still figuring things out between you and Yvonne. But just in case you ended up liking her, I encouraged her to get to know the rest of the harem. No point in her trying to date you if we veto her, right?” 

Arthur sighed. “I guess that’s for the best. It’s not my fault things don’t click if she and the girls don’t get along, right?” 

“You’re assuming we won’t get along with her,” Kelly said, tilting her head. 

“Well, she’s tough to get along with,” Arthur said. 

“So is Kat,” Kelly said. She chuckled. “So am I, sometimes, when I get in one of my moods. But from what you said, the only reason she was tough to get along with was that she was trying to cause friction, right? She thought you were flirting that way?” 

“Yeah,” Arthur nodded. 

“So, she’s interested,” Kelly said. “And you find her attractive.” 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Arthur said, waving his hands in front of himself to deflect. 

“Arthur,” Kelly said, stopping him from walking forward through the bus. “It’s okay if you’re interested in Yvonne; you know that, right?” 

“What?” Arthur asked, confused. 

“No one in the harem will get mad at you for looking at other women or desiring them,” Kelly explained.

“Well, Kat might,” Arthur countered. 

“No, she won’t,” Kelly said. “Not really. She’ll protest, sure, but if you’re happy, then she’ll be content. I’m happy the way things are, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a sin or a crime if you’re attracted to Yvonne. Forget your social conditioning, the way we have. We won’t yell at you, or get offended, or try to push her out if you like her. We’ll get to know her, give her an honest evaluation, and vote on it, like we did Katelyn.” 

Arthur paused for a moment, considering her words. “So, I have the harem’s permission, is what you’re saying?” 

“Well, we haven’t voted,” Kelly said. “But yeah. You’re allowed to express your desires, just like us, right? No shame. And you have my permission to show interest in Yvonne. She’s hot.” 

Arthur nodded. “Thanks,” he said. “I think I needed that.” 

Kelly smiled. “I know.” She kissed him, slow and tender, letting his lips part hers as their firm bodies pressed against each other and her soft chest spread across his rigid muscles. “Now, come on, if we don’t catch up to the others, who knows who Rani will invite to the orgy. I’d rather not have her going door to door through the hotel.” 

Arthur laughed and led the way off the bus.

~~~

Rani walked into the hotel ahead of the others. They were still unloading their luggage, milling around while Kelly was in the bathroom. She’d heard Kelly arguing with someone, but the words were too indistinct with the music and the intentional sound reduction. 

The hotel was well-lit and had a parking lot half-full of cars. It was a cookie-cutter hotel with a gray stone facade. It stood just off the highway, but wasn’t the closest hotel to the Faire. That was probably why it was half-empty. She hoped that was the reason.  

One of these days, Rani would take the harem to an actual hotel. Kat could protest if she wanted, but a day at a classy spa was happening—her treat. Rani didn’t mind ‘slumming it’ at school, but not having to pretend with the harem had been a blessing. She spent the day dripping in gold and rubies, spending money on her friends, and it felt luxurious. Her secret was out to her partners, and she could relax. She hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite her. Kat had gotten weird over it, but they’d worked through it. She hoped that was the worst of it. 

No valet met her in the driveway. No bell service met her at the door. The hotel was small. Rani didn’t expect much. At least they cooperated with Manasa over the phone, as Manasa explained. The poor girl behind the counter looked flustered as fuck when Rani walked in. She didn’t blame her, though. Even if she hosted Ren Faire customers on weekends, Rani’s outfit was over the top. 

A couple ahead of her in line had also dressed for the Faire, having come from the adult-only event. She decided to say hi while one of them made arrangements with the concierge.

“I love your costume,” Rani said. “Poison Ivy, right?” 

“Yeah.” The red-headed woman in front of her turned and nodded. “Thanks!” 

“Iconic,” Rani said as Harley Quinn handed Ivy a room key. They stepped aside, exhausted. 

“Can I help you, Miss?” the attendant behind the desk asked. She was young for someone working the night desk, but Rani supposed that people in their twenties didn’t mind strange sleep schedules. 

“Yes, I’m checking in. I believe my assistant booked the conference room for a small get-together as well?” Rani asked. She’d been surprised to find that the hotel even had a conference room and a pool, but she was glad for it. 

“The name on the reservation?” the concierge asked. 

“Shah,” Rani said. “Everything should be under Rani Shah.”

The concierge nodded. “Oh, of course! Welcome, Miss Shah! Everything is prepared. You’ve booked the entire top floor, so that’s eight rooms, and we have reserved conference room A for you. We set it up according to your assistant’s instructions. I’ll need your ID.” 

“That is perfect, thank you,” Rani said, sliding her State ID to her. The woman looked at it, and then at her. She made a copy and passed it back to Rani. 

“And here are your room keys,” the concierge said. “Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?” 

“You have a hotel safe, correct?” Rani asked. 

“Yes, miss,” the concierge said, nodding. “And there are safes in every closet in the rooms.” 

“Oh, that’s convenient. Thank you very much.” Rani offered the young woman a tip. She knew it wasn’t customary, but she wanted to drive home the level of discretion she was willing to purchase tonight. 

The woman looked confused at the hundred-dollar bill. “Oh, you don’t have to pay a deposit; it’s all done on the credit card.” 

“No,” Rani said. “That’s for you, a thank-you for being so sweet and accommodating.” 

“Oh!” the concierge said, surprised. “Thank you!” She took it, and it vanished before Rani could even track it, making her smile behind her half-face veil. 

“Oh, and luggage, you have trolleys, correct?” Rani asked, unable to help but recall the last time they had used luggage trolleys in a hotel. It brought a smile to her lips, even if she suspected it wasn’t on the menu tonight. 

“Yes, Miss, they’re by the front door.” She pointed to the trolleys by the entrance, tucked out of sight so Rani hadn’t seen them on her way in. 

“And I’m assuming you don’t have a kitchen, restaurant, or bar, correct?” Rani asked. 

“No.” The concierge looked sad to deliver the news. “Though there’s a bar down the road that’s still open. Unfortunately, they stop serving food at midnight, so you’ll have to hurry.” 

Rani waved the concern away, her bracelets jingling. “That’s okay. Do you have vending machines and snacks?” 

“Yes, we do!” The concierge said, gesturing past her desk and around the corner behind it. “There’s a convenience center; it’s done through the app, or you can pay with a card or cash; it’s a miniature convenience store. We’ve got razors, shaving cream, shampoo, deodorant, phone chargers, snacks, soda, tea, and other necessities in case you forgot any.” 

“Condoms?” Rani asked. 

“Uh,” the concierge stuttered, surprised. “Uh, yes, we carry those as well.” 

“I’ll take them all, and your snacks, and sodas,” Rani said. “Can you have someone move them to the conference room, or is it just you here this late?” 

“Uh, I’m the only one working the desk, but–” 

“That’s okay; my girlfriends and I can handle it,” Rani said. “Thank you!” 

“Oh, you’re welcome!” 

She nodded her thanks again, took her keys, and pushed a trolley outside to the bus for Manasa. Rani led the procession. Selene, Kat, Katelyn, Mindy, Mark, Maria, Brad, Yvonne, and Jen filed in behind her with their suitcases. 

“Put your bags in your rooms and go to the conference room,” Rani said. She passed them their key cards. “I’ll go over the layout later. Just keep your bags out of the way.” 

They nodded. Brad took a trolley and loaded their bags. He, Mark, Yvonne, and Selene went upstairs via the elevator. The others, Katelyn, Kat, Mindy, Maria, and Jen, shuffled into the conference room. Rani remained in the lobby, waiting for the others. It surprised her to learn that the bus had arrived at the hotel first, but the others might have been waiting for them in the parking lot.  

Dave, Iris, and Faith arrived next. Rani grinned at the sight of the Unseelie Queen Nicneven out of costume. Her change was less dramatic than Iris’s. Her white wig was gone, replaced by short, cropped black hair. The bob cut left chin-length blades of hair on one side and a buzz on the other. Her black denim booty shorts and tank top looked good, too. Silver dangling earrings and a black netted choker completed the ensemble. The goth aesthetic was a nice touch and seemed to fit both the actress and her character. 

Arthur was going to love her. He’d mentioned a thing for Goth chicks at one point, right? If not, Rani volunteered as tribute. She enjoyed the eye candy of the slim, busty beauty. 

“Glad you could make it!” Rani said, hugging Iris. “Faith, right? It’s nice to meet you.” 

“You too,” Faith said, letting her eyes rake over Rani from her gold anklets to her red strapless bikini top. 

“We’re in the conference room,” Rani explained. She gestured to the door down the hallway. “We’ll get the introductions done first, go over the rules, then make our way upstairs.” 

“Gotcha,” Dave said, looking around nervously. He leaned in, whispering. “Are you sure Selene’s okay with me being here?” 

Rani nodded. “Both she and Arthur have given their approval for you to be here. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be. I gave Arthur and the others full veto power. Besides, you’ll have your own room. Selene will be in Arthur’s room all night. You won’t even cross paths. Heck, you won’t even see much of me either once things get going. Arthur keeps me on a tight leash.” She tugged at her looped gold chain collar to illustrate her point, tightening it against her throat.  

“You do as you’re told, huh?” Iris asked, teasing her. 

Rani chuckled. “Oh, honey, you have no idea the kinky shit we get up to. And why not? It’s always a pleasure to serve my king.” 

Dave chuckled, shaking his head as he, Iris, and Faith turned toward the conference room. “I told you,” Dave said. “This is going to be crazy.” 

Iris patted his arm. “Don’t worry, Babe, whatever you’re comfortable with. Consent is king, remember? Just follow my lead.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Dave said, following Iris and Faith down the hall. They chatted on their way into the conference room, where the others greeted them. 

Mark, Brad, Yvonne, and Selene arrived shortly after, but Rani stopped them since they had the trolley. 

“Hey, would you four mind doing me a favor?” Rani asked. 

They looked at each other, then Brad, Mark, and Yvonne looked at Selene. 

“What do you need, my queen?” Selene asked. 

Rani produced her credit card and handed it to Selene. “Take that trolley to the convenience center and buy as many snacks, drinks, and condoms as you can. There should be a table set against the wall where you can put them.” 

“How much do you want to spend?” Brad asked. 

“Whatever they have is fine,” Rani said. Fuck, it felt good not to have to pretend anymore. 

“Uh, okay,” Brad said. “Are you sure?” 

“She’s sure,” Selene said, winking at Rani. “Come on.” She led the way while Brad pushed the trolley and Mark and Yvonne walked behind them. Rani watched Selene go, enjoying the peek of her cheeks out of her bikini with every step. Fuck, she was glad they were in a harem together. She still had her reservations regarding Yvonne, but the girl was hot. And the bright fluorescent lights in the lobby did wonderful things to her translucent chemise. 

They made their way back with the trolley loaded. Brad pushed ahead as Selene returned Rani’s card. 

“Are you sure I’m allowed in the conference room?” Yvonne asked Rani, rather than Selene, who was pulling her along. “Arthur said he didn’t want me taking part tonight.”

“It’s still good for you to know what’s happening,” Rani said. “And you can still participate without coming into Arthur’s room.” She watched Mark and Brad enter the conference room. “There are other options.” 

Yvonne followed her gaze and grimaced. “Did you have to pick guys exclusively from a list of guys I know?” 

Rani chuckled. “Well, Dave’s in there too, so yes.” 

Yvonne sighed and shook her head. “You and I should hang out sometime. I feel like I owe you dinner or something after what I put you through Monday night.” 

“I’ll have to ask Arthur. So long as we don’t get too intimate, I’m sure he won’t mind if you take me out on a date,” Rani said. 

Yvonne’s eyebrows reached for the ceiling. “What? Oh, no, I wasn’t. I mean, I guess I was, but I didn’t mean it like a date, date. Just an informal thing.” 

“Oh,” Rani said, not sure if she was disappointed or relieved. “That makes more sense,” she chuckled. “I'll tell you what, model for me once and we’ll call it even.” 

“Model for you?” Yvonne asked, confused. 

“Rani’s taken photography classes,” Selene said. “She’s fantastic.” 

“It’s a hobby,” Rani said. “I did a mid-term project with Arthur as a nude model, so I’ve got lots of hot photos of him if you want to see them later.” 

Yvonne turned bright red, which made Rani laugh. It was like watching a cartoon as the blush rose from her exposed neck and spread upward, reaching the top of her forehead. She half-expected steam to shoot out of her ears and a whistle to blow, but nothing so ridiculous happened. What happened was that Arthur and Kelly appeared on the other side of the sliding glass doors to the lobby. Yvonne vanished in a puff of panic. She disappeared into the conference room before Rani even realized she’d moved. 

Selene followed Yvonne, not having seen Arthur and Kelly. She’d only meant to tease the poor girl. She wouldn’t show anyone those photos outside the exhibition, and only with Arthur’s permission. Rani was still shaking her head as the doors slid open and Arthur and Kelly entered the lobby, arm in arm. 

“We’re in conference room A,” Rani said. Technically, they only had one conference room, but calling it ‘Conference Room A’ made it sound more official, she hoped. “A few of our guests have arrived. I’ll join you when the others are here.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said. “Anything you need me to do?”  

“Nope!” Rani said. “But I had a question: are you okay sharing the gear from your trunk?” 

Arthur’s face told her his answer before his lips parted to speak. “No,” Arthur said. “I don’t want to let others use that gear unless I’m confident they know how to use it. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” 

“Okay,” Rani said, accepting his answer and his reasoning. “That’s a great point. I should have thought of that.” 

“No harm in asking,” Kelly said. “Speaking of which, why are you alone?” Kelly asked. She looked around, searching the empty lobby. “Where’s Manasa?” 

“She’s taking care of the final preparations,” Rani said. She sighed when that didn’t appease Kelly. “I’m under the camera.” She pointed at the camera. That did not appease Kelly. “The concierge is right over there,” Rani said, pointing. 

Kelly raised one eyebrow. 

“Fine, send somebody out to stand with me,” Rani said. “You and your precious buddy system.” 

“Good girl,” Kelly said, patting Rani’s butt as she and Arthur turned aside and walked behind her to the conference room.  

Rani’s face warmed at Kelly’s ‘good girl,’ and she squeezed her thighs together. Damn, she was glad Mistress Kelly was back. 

Selene poked her head out a moment later and trotted through the hallway to Rani’s side, where she stood at attention. “Reporting for duty, my queen!” 

Rani chuckled. “We’re making sure people in our party know where to go,” she explained. “And maybe gatekeeping, if we have to. If anyone gives you a bad vibe or if an unexpected guest arrives, let me know, and I’ll handle it.” 

Selene nodded. “Anyone we should look out for?” 

“You’ll know them when you see them,” Rani said, chuckling. 

Sure enough, Evie and Katie walked in next, making Selene laugh. Evie in her white corset, cape, and booty shorts—Katie in her black corset, cape, and briefs. They had similar builds, though Evie was more top-heavy and Katie was more bottom-heavy. 

“Conference room A,” Rani said. “Down the hall on the right. You can’t miss it.” 

“Awesome,” Evie said, offering Rani a fist bump. She bumped it. 

“Damn, Selene, right? I swear every single one of you in that polycule is a drop-dead hottie,” Evie said, elbowing Katie. Katie blushed and looked at the floor. 

Selene grinned. “Thanks! But I love your costumes, too! Jen said that you were dressed as comic book characters?” 

“White Queen and Black Queen,” Evie said, gesturing between herself and Katie. “Emma Frost and Selene Gallio, yeah. You’re not a comic fan?” 

“No, not really,” Selene said. “I’ve read a few, but I’m more into manga. Jen’s a huge comic nerd, though. You three will hit it off. She’s dressed as a Ren Faire version of Huntress, and Brad is a Ren Faire version of Nightwing.” 

“Oh, nice. Thanks for the tip,” Evie said, winking and sauntering past her into conference room A. 

“Who does that leave?” Selene asked. 

“Four more,” Rani said. “And Manasa.” 

“Wow,” Selene said, glancing back at the conference room. “Five more? That’s quite the crowd.” 

“I know, right?” Rani asked, smiling. “Not bad for our first orgy, and with major hotties. Arthur can really pull.”

Selene chuckled, moving back and forth from her toes to her heels as she waited for the next group to arrive. Hallie and Cynthia didn’t disappoint, arriving together and in costume. They were without the rest of their group, though, as planned. They saw Rani, waved to her, and joined her after a polite hug. 

“We’re starting in conference room A,” Rani said. 

“Oh, wow,” Hallie said, trembling with nerves, which did interesting things to her jiggling curves. 

Selene tried not to stare. She failed. Rani didn’t blame her. 

“We’re starting in a conference room?” Cynthia asked, surprised. 

“Just icebreakers,” Rani said. “We’ll go over the rules, make sure everyone’s on the same page, and head upstairs.” 

“Oh, okay,” Cynthia said, patting Hallie on the back to calm her down. 

Rani chuckled. “Feel free to head inside. We’re almost all here.” 

“Okay,” Hallie said, still jittery. “See you in there?” 

“Of course!” Selene said, cheerful as ever. “Can’t wait!” She winked at her, and Hallie blushed at Cynthia. 

“It’s okay to be nervous,” Rani said. “There are snacks and sodas inside; help yourselves, and embrace the normality while it lasts.” 

“Okay.” Hallie gave her a small smile, took Cynthia’s hand, and they strode into the conference room with the others. 

“Who are we waiting on now?” Selene asked. 

“Ana and Ellora, the tattoo artists,” Rani said. “Ana’s been curious, so it was an easy sell.” 

Selene’s eyebrows rose. “You convinced them?” 

“It wasn’t difficult,” Rani said, chuckling. 

“You make it sound like all you had to do was ask, and people signed on,” Selene said. 

“Nah, I chatted up plenty of people at the bonfire who said no. The others had a few strikeouts too, but fuck ‘em. We’re here to have fun,” Rani said. 

Ana chose that moment to walk through the doors and prove Rani’s point for her. 

“Hey!” Rani said, waving. 

“Hey!” Ana said, returning the wave as she approached. “Rani, this is Kari, a close friend of mine and Ellora’s. We both vouch for her. Kari, meet Rani.” 

Kari looked familiar to her, but she couldn’t place the face. “Do you work at the Faire, too?” Rani asked as she shook Kari’s hand. 

“I’m one of the belly dancers,” Kari said, explaining. 

“Oh, that’s why you look familiar!” Rani said. “I loved your show.” 

“Thanks!” Kari said. “I love your costume.” 

“Ellora sends her apologies,” Ana said. “But she chickened out at the last minute. I’m sorry; I know you said Arthur gave you the green light when you told him she’d said yes. Is he still going to be okay?” 

“Oh, he’ll be fine,” Selene said. “He respects everyone’s ability to withdraw consent if they need to.”

“Really?” Ana asked, surprised. 

“One hundred percent,” Rani assured her. “Arthur is more obsessed with consent than Selene is with him, and she’s got a tattoo.”  

“So do you!” Selene said, laughing with her. 

“Well, it sounds like it’s Ellora’s loss,” Kari said. “When Ana told me where she was going, I couldn’t believe it! I had to see it with my own eyes.” 

“Seeing is believing,” Rani said. “We’re in conference room A. We’re gonna chat and head upstairs.” 

“Gotcha,” Ana said, grinning. “Good to see you again, by the way,” she said to Selene.  

“You too!” Selene said, gesturing to the tattoo on her stomach. “It still looks great, by the way!” 

“Good!” Ana said. “It should be set by now. It’ll fade in a week or two.” 

Selene frowned. “I wish I could convince Arthur we should make these permanent.” 

“Take lots of pictures,” Kari said. “Take a bunch from different angles, and any tattoo artist worth their salt can reproduce it.” 

“Or call me,” Ana said. “It might be a drive, but I can hook you up at my shop. I’m not precious about my henna designs, but I know them better than other artists, and most artists won’t do someone else’s custom designs.” 

“That’s fair,” Rani said, nodding. “We just have to convince Arthur.”

“I’m sure we’ll think of a way to convince him to do whatever we want,” Ana said, chuckling. “Come on. Conference room A, you said? We’ll see you in there.”

“See you in there!” Rani said, cheering them on. 

“Is that everyone?” Selene asked, looking over as Manasa came through the door, pushing a trolley laden with the infamous traveler’s trunk, Rani’s duffel, and several other supplies. 

“Fuck yeah!” Rani said, nodding. “Let’s go. We can fit the luggage in the conference room, right?” 

They could not. Manasa ran it upstairs, then joined them. She was the last to arrive, but Rani and Selene waited for her, then entered the crowded room together. 

~~~

Arthur surveyed the conference room, waiting for the remaining guests. Kelly patted his arm and strode over to Katelyn, who was sitting beside Yvonne. She passed something to her, but Arthur didn’t see what. 

The conference room was moderate in size, but it filled quickly. Plastic folding chairs formed a circle in the center. They made the room look like a support group meeting. A table against the wall offered water bottles, sodas, and snacks. 

Dave and Iris had broken into them. They probably needed the fuel after a long day’s work. Their guest surprised him. It took him a moment to recognize her, but her eyes latched onto his as soon as he entered the room. She approached him, offering a hand with painted black nails. 

“Hi, I’m Faith,” she said. “I played Nicneven, the Unseelie Queen at the Faire.” 

“Oh!” Arthur said, recognition dawning. “I thought you looked familiar. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Arthur.” He uncrossed his arms and shook her hand. 

She smiled. “Is this something you guys do often?” 

“No, it’s our first time,” Arthur said. “Rani talked us into it.” 

Faith raised an eyebrow. “Was it that tough a sell for you?” 

“Not really, no, just, it’s a lot,” Arthur said, chuckling. “It’s been a long day.” 

“Yeah, I get that,” Faith said. “I guess we should take our seats?” 

“Yeah,” Arthur nodded. “Or grab a snack if you’re peckish.” 

Faith smiled. Her eyes wandered over his body when he said the word “snack.” The hunger in her eyes reminded him why everyone was here. 

There were other people in the room, obviously, and Faith had other options, but he was the one she was talking to. 

“Are you and Dave, uh…” Arthur hesitated, curious but not wanting to overstep. 

“Oh,” Faith said, looking over at Dave and Iris. “No, Dave and Iris are my ride, but I’m not part of their relationship or anything. Not that I have anything against poly or open relationships,” she clarified. “But I prefer my men more… masculine.” 

“Ah,” Arthur said, nodding, but what she meant didn’t click with him. 

“Hey, Mister,” Kelly said, kissing his cheek. “I saved you a seat between Kat and Katelyn. I’m sure we’ll do introductions once everyone’s here, but hi, I’m Kelly.” She offered Faith a handshake, which the woman accepted. Their handshake was polite but firm, with a weird energy coming from Kelly. He expected jealousy, but then he realized it wasn’t possessiveness. It was an attraction between them. Arthur rubbed her upper back as he put his arm around her, and she relaxed against him.

“I’ll let you grab your seats,” Faith said, smiling at Arthur. “Can’t wait to see what icebreakers we have.” She turned away, sitting in an empty chair where Iris and Dave joined her. 

“Are you okay?” Arthur asked, looking at Kelly. 

She blushed, but nodded. “Yeah, sorry, just in my head. I’ll be okay.” 

“Do you need anything?” Arthur asked. “I can get you water or snacks?” 

“No,” Kelly said. “It’s nothing major, and we can talk about it tomorrow on the way home. For now, sit with the Kats. I’ll make the rounds. I know it’s Rani’s shindig, but I want to help her where I can.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, kissing the side of her head. She patted his butt as he released her to sit between the Kats. Kat and Katelyn stuck close to him after winning the harem’s tournament at the Faire, so the others let them steal him tonight. 

Evie and Katie arrived with no trepidation. They entered with eager smiles and waved hello to everyone who looked their way. The hot college girls both wore costumes that showed every inch of their shapely legs, and everyone remembered their performance at the wet chemise contest. They sat between Mindy and Jen, with Evie and Mindy chatting while Jen and Katie discussed Marvel cosplays.

Hallie and Cynthia arrived next and greeted Kelly at the door. She was there, playing hostess, guiding everyone to their seats and telling them they’d get started once everyone arrived. 

Ana and a new person entered next, surprising Arthur. Ana and her friend had changed out of their Ren Faire garb and into baggy sweatpants and zip-up hoodies. They looked as if they’d prioritized comfort over fashion, with Ana in red and her friend in blue. 

They sat beside each other, chatting away with their new neighbors. Arthur kept scanning the room, looking at the women who’d arrived. Was it hubris to imagine they were here for him? He was sure it wasn’t solely that. The novelty of the experience was a draw, and the plethora of options, of which he was one. 

Arthur had to remind himself that he was allowed to find other women attractive. It was a change between his last relationship and his current one. Untraining that part of his brain was a process. 

Arthur glanced at Yvonne, wondering whether she planned to join the orgy or was only there because everyone else was. He’d told her he didn’t want her taking part, but had no say over what she did. If she wanted to join someone else’s room, she could. He didn’t want her to, though. Was it wrong of him to tell her that if he wasn’t inviting her to his room? He closed his eyes and released a slow breath. 

Six girlfriends were enough for anyone. They were more than enough for Arthur. He didn’t know if he could handle a seventh. Hell, if anything, he’d gotten seven with Beth, though his relationship with her was different. He was supposed to be helping her find a dom of her own. Not that he’d made any progress. Did he want to offload Beth? Did it make him a terrible person if he wanted Beth, Yvonne, and his girlfriends? He was a glutton, a dragon, hoarding the women of the realm for himself. No Sanjays or Mikes allowed. 

Selene, Rani, and Manasa entered the room last, each carrying a box. Kelly took Rani’s, and they put them against the wall. Rani gestured, and Kelly and Manasa took their seats. Then Rani moved to the center of the circle of chairs so everyone could see her. 

Twenty-two people, including Arthur, Yvonne, and Rani, were waiting to start an orgy. Rani impressed him with how prepared she was. She even intimidated him with how many people she’d convinced and invited. 

“Hi everyone!” Rani said, raising her hand. She didn’t need to raise it to get anyone’s attention, though. Silence fell across the room as soon as she stepped into the ring. Every eye turned toward her. “My name’s Rani, and I’ll be your hostess this evening. Manasa here is my right hand. In my absence, anything she says goes, okay?” 

There was a mutual nod of approval as Rani gestured at Manasa, who waved. 

“Now, before we get started, Manasa has three forms for everyone to sign,” Rani continued. “She’s going to send that around as I explain the rules for tonight. Don’t let the legalese intimidate you. It’s three simple documents: a code of conduct, a consent form, and a non-disclosure agreement. One is you agreeing to abide by the rules. The second says you’re here of your own free will, that you want to be here, and that you understand you can leave at any time. If any of that’s not true for you, please leave. We’re not kidnapping anybody, even if that’s your kink.” She glared at Selene with perfect comedic timing. 

Selene stuck her tongue out at Rani as laughter rippled through the ring. Sure enough, Manasa pulled a tablet from her bag, signed it with her finger, did it twice more, and passed it to her right. 

“The third document ensures that what happens at the orgy stays at the orgy,” Rani said. “So no one has to be afraid that taking part tonight will cost them their job or have any social backlash. It’s protecting everyone here, not squashing your freedom of speech or pressuring you into staying silent if you’re uncomfortable.”

The others looked at each other. Arthur wasn’t expecting to read or sign anything, but no one bailed. Evie even appeared more relaxed and shot Arthur a wink as she signed on the dotted line. 

“An NDA means it’s nobody else’s business, right?” Evie asked, signing her name. “I’m all for that.” 

It shocked him that Rani had considered an NDA, but it was a fantastic idea. She’d covered her bases; that was for sure. Still, he had to wonder why she had those legal documents on hand. Was that common in her family at their social events? He supposed it made sense. Wealthy people had to protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits every day. A tweak or two, and she was ready for any situation.

“This is how it’ll work tonight,” Rani said. “We’ve booked an entire floor of the hotel, so that’s eight rooms available for our convenience. Each man will have his own room. We’ll keep one room for coats, clothes, purses, bags, and other belongings. One room is for a break room, where you can relax, hydrate, snack, and recover as necessary.” 

A slight giggle went around the room. 

“Trust me,” Rani said. “I can’t count the number of times I’ve wanted a break room when my partners and I get going. Thankfully, our Dom is great at check-ins and aftercare.” 

Arthur blushed as every face turned toward him. He swallowed and looked down. Still, a sense of pride, not embarrassment, crept over him.

Rani cleared her throat, bringing everyone’s attention back to her. “The other two rooms will be off-limits to guests, but they’ll have their doors closed, so don’t worry.” 

“Will the other doors be open?” Yvonne asked, tilting her head. 

“That’s the plan,” Rani said, nodding. “We’ve got extra robes to wear while in the hallway, or just wear if you want to. They’re comfortable as fuck.” 

Another ripple of laughter rolled through them, lightening the mood as the tablet made its rounds. 

“Now, for the rules!” Rani said. “I know you glanced through them on the tablet. But to make sure everyone’s on the same page: Don’t break anything in the hotel if you can avoid it. Easy enough, right?” 

Everyone agreed. 

“We have a certified first responder if anything goes wrong. Manasa here has EMT training and will help in an emergency, but let’s try to keep the activities with risk of injury to a minimum, okay?” 

“Does that mean no choking?” Evie asked, raising her hand. 

“It means be careful and know what you’re doing if you try choking,” Rani said. “That’s between you and your partner. We’re not liable for any injuries.” 

“Got it,” Evie said, withdrawing her hand. 

“No drinking tonight, and no drugs,” Rani said. “Men, if you need a boost, we’ve got you. Do not mix any little blue pills with energy drinks, okay? Otherwise, everyone sticks to water and soda. Everyone looks sober to me, but we have a breathalyzer if there’s any doubt. If you register on the breathalyzer, you’ll be sobering up in the break room before rejoining the fun.” 

Arthur raised his eyebrows. He appreciated the rule, but he hadn’t expected a breathalyzer. His eyes slid over to Manasa of their own accord. The party bus life must get wild. He wondered if the little blue pills were the same ones they’d offered him after Homecoming. 

“Who’s enforcing these rules?” Iris asked. 

“I am,” Rani said. “If I need to toss you out, well, I’ve got a barbarian and a kick-ass pirate to help.” She gestured to Arthur and Kelly, who waved. 

Iris chuckled. “Not saying I want to break any; I just wanted to see if there was a plan in place if someone did.” 

“Oh, there is,” Rani said, nodding. “Hosting an orgy is a personal fantasy of mine that I’ve been contemplating for years. I’ve imagined how to do this for a while, and I want to make sure everyone has the best time possible. So, do your best not to worry.” 

Iris nodded. 

“The most important rule tonight, the one that will bring legal charges according to the forms you signed, is consent!” Rani said. “Always ask first before touching or doing anything sexual with another person. And operate under the assumption that anything other than an enthusiastic yes is a no!” 

The others nodded. 

“Consider what you’re willing to do tonight. If you know you don’t want something, stick to it! For instance, I won’t be deep-throating tonight. My king enjoys it, but he’s huge, and I don’t want to risk it and end up ruining the moment if I puke.” 

Disgusted faces ran their way around the ring, mingled with glances at Arthur’s loincloth, but everyone took what she said into consideration. Arthur knew what his limits were, but his life was more sex-focused than the average person’s. He’d blame Selene for that, or any of his girlfriends, but he brought it on himself. He was here, after all, reviewing Rani’s rules for orgies with the rest of them.

“Tonight’s universal safeword is red light! If anyone says this, stop everything and discuss what’s wrong and what needs to happen next,” Rani said, looking around her. “I need each of you to tell me you understand this rule. There will be no second chances. If you ignore someone’s safeword, I will forcibly remove you, and there will be legal consequences.” 

A few people gulped. Rani’s fun and flirty mood had vanished, replaced by the regal demand of a queen before her court. She left no room for argument or misinterpretation. They’d signed the forms and consented to more than being here. The code of conduct was explicit, and she was reviewing it anyway. 

“I understand,” Arthur said, prompting a wave of people to say they understood. Once it made its way back to him, Rani continued. 

“The break word is yellow light! If you need to slow down, say yellow light and check in. Be vocal! Don’t worry about hurting anyone’s feelings tonight. We’re here to have fun. You’re just as entitled to a good time as your partner, even if you’re worried it might disappoint them.”

A murmur of agreement went through the ring.  

“The rest is housekeeping,” Rani said. “Keep your phones in the break room. Keep track of your clothes. Men, wear your condoms, change them out between holes and partners. We’ve provided bowls of them in your rooms and more in the break room. No running in the hallways, as much fun as it would be to Scooby-Doo this thing.” 

Arthur laughed. The image of a hallway full of doors with people running back and forth in one of those ridiculous chase scenes with Benny Hill music cracked him up. 

Rani smiled as the laughter faded. “And keep an open mind! You’re going to see things tonight that might not be your cup of tea. That’s okay. Don’t yuck anybody else’s yum. If you have a problem with it, look away. Also, please remember, if you ask someone to do something and they say no, it isn’t personal. They’re not rejecting you; they’re just following their pleasure. It’s not about you, and you can follow your pleasure with someone else. Don’t interrupt others if you can help it. Read the room before you suggest something or ask to join someone or multiple someones, and give everyone else their chance.” 

Nods spread their way around the room. 

“Okay, questions about the rules?” Rani asked. 

No one asked any. She’d been thorough, much more thorough than Arthur had expected.

“Perfect, now let’s gear up,” Rani said, gesturing to Manasa, who handed her a strip of green bracelets from her bag. “We have three colors for wristbands: green, orange, and red. Green wristbands mean you’re comfortable with people approaching you during the orgy. Everyone will still ask first, but this lets them know you’re open to them asking. Orange means you’re more comfortable approaching others than being approached. So you’ll need to ask others first, not wait for them to approach you. And red means you’re an observer, not interested in getting involved with anyone else.”

Katie and Evie shared a look. 

“That’s an option?” Katie asked. 

“Of course,” Rani said. “No one here has to do anything with anyone. If that means you want to sit in the cuck chair and masturbate, that’s fine. You don’t have to fuck anyone to have fun.” 

A mix of laughter and appreciation rippled through the room. 

“There’s a case of water and energy drinks,” Rani said. “There’s also my bag of dicks. Don’t worry, they’re clean. Leave them on the bed when you’re done with them. Do not put them back in the bag.” 

A murmur of confusion came from the circle, but Arthur knew she meant her duffel bag full of vibrators, dildos, and toys. He wondered where she had put the trunk, but she didn’t mention it, so he hoped she had put it in one of the off-limits rooms. 

“Okay, now, something else to consider is that we’ve been at the Faire all day. We’ve been walking around wearing these smelly clothes.” Rani sniffed her forearm and made a face behind her veil, making Mindy giggle. 

“There are eight showers upstairs, and I’m afraid I’m going to need to insist that everyone go through them. Be quick, but wash, because no one wants to be known as the gross one tonight. We’ll go in shifts, and we’re going to let the men go first, okay?” 

Everyone seemed to agree.

“Those with fresh henna, be sure to wrap plastic wrap over your tattoo!” Ana said, raising her voice so that everyone could hear her. 

“We have that, right?” Rani asked, looking at Manasa. 

“I have some,” Ana said. 

“Okay, before we split off to do that, let’s do a quick icebreaker!” Rani clapped her hands. “I want you to say your name and what your favorite sexual activity is, okay? No need for shame or embarrassment here; it’s outlawed tonight. And don't worry, this is also covered under the NDA.” 

A few blushes crept onto faces around the room, but everyone overcame their shyness. Arthur wasn’t sure what he’d pick, though. He enjoyed most things. 

“I’ll go first,” Rani offered. “My name is Rani, and my favorite sex act is anal.” She slapped her ass, which made a loud smack in the sudden silence of the room. “It’s good to put this thing to use for something.” 

Mindy giggled, prompting laughter throughout the room. “Me next!” Mindy said, raising her hand. “My name is Mindy, and my favorite thing is–” she hesitated, considering her options. “Degradation! I love when Arthur degrades me, calls me a pervert or a whore, and treats me like I’m a filthy degenerate.” 

Evie blinked in surprise. “Holy shit.” 

Mindy shrugged. “I like what I like.”

“Do I go next?” Evie asked, pointing at herself. 

Rani nodded in encouragement. 

“My name is Evie, or Evelyn, but everybody calls me Evie. My favorite sex act is sixty-nine,” she said. “I enjoy going down on someone while they’re eating me out. It’s the best kind of race.”

Katie nodded as Evie looked at her to prompt her to speak next. “Uh, my name is Katie, and my favorite sex thing is, uh, when someone, uh, when someone sucks on my boobs.” 

“Oh, that’s fun,” Rani said, looking expectantly at Jen. 

“Hi everyone,” Jen said. “My name’s Jen, and I enjoy having sex in taboo locations, like changing rooms, movie theaters, or behind the trees at the Faire.” 

Dave and Iris exchanged a glance, but didn’t comment as Brad blushed scarlet from his eyes to his neck. 

“My name’s Brad, and I enjoy everything about sex. It’s great.” He gave it two thumbs up, which made everyone chuckle. 

“My name’s Mark, and I enjoy watching. I’m a cuckold,” Mark said, gesturing to Maria. 

“My name’s Maria, and I enjoy topping this guy.” She patted Mark’s shoulder. “And dirty talk. Dirty talk really does it for me.” 

“My name’s Ana,” Ana said, waving hello. “And I’m a masochist.” 

Her friend beside her snorted. “Don’t sell yourself short, Ana. You’re a total pain slut.” 

Ana blushed, but nodded.

“My name’s Kari, and I enjoy trying new things! Which is why I’m here,” Kari said, gesturing to herself. Then she gestured to the Red Sonja sitting next to her. 

“Oh, uh, hi. My name is Hallie, and uh, I enjoy when, um, when strong women, like my girlfriend Cynthia, when she, um, dominates me.” Listening to Hallie get the words out was brutal, but Arthur was proud of her for not backing down. 

“Well, I guess that covers me, too,” Cynthia said. “Hi, my name’s Cynthia, and I enjoy pushing Hallie here up against the wall and making her go down on me as often as possible.” She squeezed Hallie’s hand, even as Hallie blushed so hard Arthur thought she might turn purple. 

“In the spirit of tops and bottoms, my name is Iris, and I’m this guy’s top.” She patted Dave’s shoulder. “My favorite thing to do is tie him down and ride him like a dildo.” 

Dave gulped, not looking at anyone in the room but staring at the carpet. 

“Dave, man, don’t worry,” Mark said. “Nobody in this room is judging you for being into your favorite flavor. We’re all freaks here.” 

Dave still didn’t look up. “My name is Dave, and I enjoy, uh, well, what she said.” He patted Iris’ leg. 

“Babe, it’s okay,” Iris said, nudging him with her elbow. “Look up and tell the people here what you enjoy.” 

Dave gulped again. Whatever it was, Arthur suspected it was embarrassing, even for this crowd. 

“You don’t have to tell us,” Arthur said. “Remember, we have safewords, and you can always substitute just something you enjoy and are comfortable sharing.” 

Iris pouted at Arthur but didn’t contradict him. “He’s right,” she said. “Would you like to say your safeword?” 

“No, I uh, I enjoy being berated and uh, degraded, I guess, for my anime obsessions and waifu memorabilia,” Dave admitted. “It’s not that weird, right?” 

“Not weird at all, comparatively,” Mindy said. Arthur wouldn’t have suspected it of Dave, but it made sense why he and Selene didn’t work out. He realized he was terrible at judging his friends’ sexual interests and kinks.

Faith gave Dave an appraising look, but turned her attention to the crowd at large. “My name’s Faith. My favorite sex act is biting.” 

“Biting?” Rani asked. 

“Oh, yeah,” Faith nodded. “A good bite in the right spot at the right time? Instant orgasm.” 

“Giving or receiving?” Mindy asked with curiosity in her voice. 

“Receiving, but giving is fun, too. I bite back.” Faith winked at Arthur, eyeing his bared collarbone and licking her lips, communicating at least one expectation for the evening. So long as it didn’t draw blood, he didn’t see the harm. 

After Faith, it was Manasa’s turn, but she was looking at Kelly beside her, expecting Kelly would go next. 

“Your turn,” Kelly said, nudging Manasa. 

“Oh!” Manasa said, as if surprised to be included. She looked at Rani and blushed. “Uh, my name is Manasa, and my favorite thing is,” she glanced at Arthur. “Threesomes. Being dominated by a couple, specifically. Very hot.”

“Yeah, it is!” Rani agreed, giving Manasa a high-five and then blowing a kiss to Kelly. “Your turn, Mistress.” 

“My name is Kelly,” Kelly said, straightening her spine and pulling her shoulders back. “And my favorite is domestic roleplay.” She paused, then nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s my favorite.” 

Arthur nodded his appreciation and approval. They’d tried many things together, but it was always good to hear what his ladies enjoyed the most. Domesticity had been a recurring theme in his and Kelly’s date-night roleplays, so it made sense that she enjoyed that the most. 

“My name is Selene, but you can call me Slut. My favorite sex act is sucking Master’s dick after he’s fucked someone else. Or eating someone out after he’s cum in them. Or being his sex slave,” Selene said, touching her chainmail collar when she said it. “I’m a slut for my Master.” She grinned at Arthur, and he grinned back at her. 

“I’m–well, jeez, that’s a tough one to follow–but I’m Yvonne,” Yvonne said, looking around the room as she introduced herself. “I enjoy roleplay and manhandling, and I’ve always wanted to get tied up, but I don’t think that’s going to happen tonight.” 

“Aw, you’ve gotta believe in yourself, girlie!” Evie said. “I’m sure we can find rope. Do the robes have sashes?” 

Yvonne sank back into her chair, as if trying to let it swallow her. It didn’t work, but Katelyn cut in to spare her any further embarrassment.

“My name’s Katelyn! And, so far, my favorite thing is getting fingered.” She lifted Arthur’s hand in hers. “Seriously, if you have the chance, this guy is Mozart but with girl-parts instead of piano.”

Arthur blushed, not expecting the praise. 

“How much do you pay them to hype you up?” Kari asked, looking at Arthur’s crotch. “That’s like the fourth girl to slip a compliment your way.” 

Ana whispered something in her ear, and Kari’s face lit up in recognition. “Oh! That makes sense.” 

Arthur chuckled. “Well, uh, I don’t pay anyone, but my name is Arthur, and my favorite thing to do is dominate my girlfriends when we’re all in a group. Lining them up and going down the line is fun, and it’s a huge sense of accomplishment when I make them orgasm before I do.”

“And how many times has that happened?” Katie asked, scoffing. 

“At least twice?” Selene asked, looking at the others for confirmation. They nodded. “Going down the line, I mean.” 

“I’ve lost track, honestly,” Kelly said. “What can we say? Our man has stamina. He’d have more if he joined me for cardio more often, though.” 

“Please,” Rani said, cutting Kelly off. “The last thing Arthur needs is more stamina. Are you trying to kill us?” She looked at Kat. “Go ahead; it’s your turn.” 

Kat sighed. “My name is Kat, and my least favorite thing to do is public speaking.” Kat glanced at Rani, but her usual glare wasn’t there. “My favorite thing is pushing his buttons.” She pointed at Arthur, then poked him in the side. “It’s fun to make him lose his temper, watch him lose control, and come at me with everything he’s got.” She smiled up at Arthur, then rested her head against his arm. 

“Wait,” Yvonne said. Her tone was one of pure shock and incredulity. She even looked surprised that she’d spoken. Then her mouth closed, and she hid her face. “Never mind.” 

“Are you okay?” Rani asked. 

“Sorry,” Yvonne said, shaking her head and waving her hands in front of her. “Just ignore me. Sorry.” 

“Okay,” Rani said, looking around the room. “With that being said, everyone, it’s time to hit the showers! Boys, you’re up first, and you can each take one partner with you. The showers are big enough for two, not three.” She glanced at Manasa for confirmation, who nodded. “Hallie and Cynthia can take another one, and Evie and Katie, do you want to shower together or separately?” 

They looked at each other, then nodded. “Let’s go together!” Evie said. 

“Are we getting started in the showers or…” Katie let the question dangle.  

The girls giggled. 

“Just get in and out as quickly as you can. Don your robes when you’re done. The fun starts after everybody’s clean,” Rani said. “Manasa and Yvonne can take the last two. Those will be your rooms tonight.” She handed out the keycards as people stood and left the conference room. 

Arthur stood, taking his cue, and Kat kept hold of his arm. 

“Can I come with you?” Kat asked. 

Arthur nodded. “We’ll need to be quick, though.” 

Kat rolled her eyes. “Please, you’re the one who doesn’t know the meaning of the word.” 

Arthur laughed. “Okay, come on,” he said, pulling her along with him. “Do you have the key to the room?” 

Rani raised her hand, holding a keycard, and gave it to him. 

“And who has my phone?” He asked, looking at Katelyn. 

“Oh, I, um,” Katelyn looked around, but it was Yvonne who produced it and offered it back to Arthur. 

Arthur wasn’t sure why Yvonne had it. She must have found it when Katelyn lost it. He’d have to ask Katelyn not to lose his things. He slid his gaze to Katelyn, who smiled at him. 

“There’s a surprise in the spreadsheet,” Katelyn said. “But what you do with the information is up to you. No pressure.”  

“Thanks,” Arthur said, unsure how to respond to that. He wondered what the surprise was. Had he not discussed something with Katelyn at the lake that she’d added? Or had she changed her mind about something? He’d check it after he showered. 

“Not a problem,” Katelyn said. 

“I, uh, I hope you have a good shower,” Yvonne said, her eyes flicking between Kat and Arthur. 

“Thanks,” Arthur said, not sure how to respond. He was currently doing his best not to picture Yvonne in the shower, which only made him recall the wet chemise contest. 

Kat tugged him toward the door, and they left the room hand-in-hand, riding the elevator with Dave, Iris, Jen, Brad, Mark, and Maria. The others had to wait. 

The elevator ride was silent, but not as awkward as Arthur had expected. It was more abuzz with anticipation. Everyone was hyping themselves up and looking forward to it. Even Arthur’s apprehension had fallen by the wayside, and he couldn’t understand why. It had to be Rani’s enthusiasm infecting him. Even Kat squeezed him and looked at him like she couldn’t wait to get him naked.

The pairs split off when they reached the top floor. The elevator descended to collect Hallie, Cynthia, Evie, Katie, Yvonne, and Manasa. 

They’d finish in two waves if they were quick in the showers, and then the main event would start. 

The icebreaker had been a great idea, but it drew out surprises. Now he knew things about Dave and Yvonne he hadn’t expected to learn. Yvonne was the most surprising. He’d always considered her prudish. When he tried to remember why, the only memories that came to mind were times when Yvonne stopped Lori from making her saucier jokes.

It wasn’t something his ex had done often, but she wasn’t as shy about sex as Arthur had been. Then it turned out that Yvonne enjoyed that stuff? 

Her favorite things were what she’d gotten so angry at him for doing to Selene. He’d known she’d envied their relationship, but their kinks, too? Dammit. He had six girlfriends. When did women stop being confusing?

~~~

Selene hung back, waiting in the conference room with the others. She considered sticking by Master’s side, but Kat needed alone time with him. She’d been good, sharing him at the bonfire dance, so she deserved a treat. 

Kelly, Mindy, Katelyn, Ana, Kari, Rani, and Faith remained as well. Faith was the most awkward. The people she came with, Dave and Iris, had gone upstairs. 

Man, no wonder Selene had been so pissed off at Dave’s constant lack of imagination. She kept trying to get him to be more like Arthur. He couldn’t be more opposite. She was glad things had worked out for both of them: her with Arthur, and Dave with Iris. They were good together. 

Kelly started chatting with Faith to get to know her, which sparked off a series of simultaneous conversations throughout the room. 

Katelyn and Mindy looked at filters on Mindy’s phone and took selfies. The two of them were adorable, but they acted like total airheads when left alone together. They embodied “no thoughts, only vibes.” Selene thought they were cute. 

Ana and Kari were checking in with each other, discussing what they wanted to do once everything got started. It sounded as if Ana intended to go to Arthur’s room, but Kari was more interested in Brad’s or Dave’s. To each their own, she supposed. 

Come to think of it, it surprised her that Jen had suggested starting a harem of their own. Jen was pro-poly, but Selene expected Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen to make a foursome before another harem. Then again, Brad wasn’t into guys, so it made sense for them to form their own harem-based polycule. It made her laugh to think that they had started a trend. She wondered how many other boyfriends might suggest it to their girlfriends at Pendleton, and how many breakups would result. 

Selene grabbed a water bottle from the table and stood against the wall, drinking. Arthur had been checking her hydration, so she was overcompensating for her earlier dehydration. Not that it was terrible; she’d just have to pee before the orgy. It’d be unfortunate to get tied up and have to call a red light.

She checked her phone, and her eyes widened in surprise. She had six missed calls from Lori and a dozen texts. Not all of them were from the last few minutes. Selene couldn’t remember the last time she’d checked her phone. It’d been before the adults-only event, at least. 

Lori: Hey, are you still at the Ren Faire with Arthur? 

Lori: Is the whole theater club there? The pics look great.

Lori: I miss you guys. I wish they had a theater club out here. I didn’t go to the local Ren Faire. Not that I have the time. Work and classes are killing me. Sorry I’ve been no contact for a while.

Lori: I get it if you’re busy, but if you have the time, I’d love to catch up. Are you doing okay? 

Lori: Whatever happened with you and Arthur, anyway? You told me you went for it, but did you and Arthur break up or something? 

Lori: It’s okay if you chickened out. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on over there. 

Then the tone of her texts changed, a full 180 degrees from her calm inquiries. 

Lori: Okay, what the fuck is going on? 

Lori: Kelly and Arthur are dating now? Like, boyfriend/girlfriend? Exclusive?

Lori: Why the hell was Katelyn pretending to be his girlfriend? What happened to you going for it with Arthur?

Lori: And why did Yvonne have Arthur’s phone? 

Lori: Are you guys at a karaoke bar or something? I heard him singing. 

Lori: Selene, message me back, or call me, or something! I’m spiraling over here. Kelly blocked me on Arthur’s phone. I can’t get in touch with him at all now. 

Lori: Please, Selene. Please. Call me. Text me. Anything. Don’t shut me out. 

Lori: Pick up the phone! Please? Call me back. I’m in full-blown panic mode right now! 

Selene looked up at Kelly, then back at her phone. So that was who she was on the phone with in the bathroom? They’d heard indistinct arguing, but the bus muffled the sounds too much to make out the words. The mood bled through the walls, though. Kelly had been angry, but she smiled and even flirted with Faith. Was that a facade? Or a distraction? 

Selene swallowed. What would Arthur say? Did he want to talk to Lori? No, he wanted to let her go. She touched the collar on her throat, the solid chainmail links connecting her to Arthur. Spontaneous telepathy had yet to occur, but when she closed her eyes, a sense of peace settled over her, as if she were kneeling before her master. No thoughts, no burdens, no responsibilities; only pleasure and joy remained with the tight grip of the collar against her neck. She loved making Arthur happy. So how could she best serve him in this? 

Lori was upset, spiraling, and panicking over whatever she and Kelly had discussed. Selene could call her, try to help her sort through it, but it might not be her place to tell Lori about the harem. They were out as a polycule on campus, but not on social media. Could she trust Lori to stay quiet? Should she suggest they video-conference with Lori at the next harem meeting? 

Selene needed more information before she called Lori, and she needed to talk to the harem first. At the very least, she’d talk to Kelly and discover what they had discussed. Plus, Selene was missing context. Kelly was much more cross with Lori than anyone else. Why? What did she know that the others didn’t? That Selene didn’t even know? 

She walked forward, catching Faith’s attention as she approached. The Goth woman smiled, her eyes raking over Selene’s chainmail bikini in a predatory fashion. The thought of bringing Faith before Arthur, bringing her to her knees, and pushing her face onto Arthur’s cock made Selene tingle with heat. Oh, how Selene wished she’d shown patience earlier. Master wouldn’t let her have any orgasms tonight, but she hoped she could still play with his new toys. 

“Well, hello,” Faith said. “Selene, right?” 

Selene nodded. “Yes, or Slut. I prefer Slut at times like these.” 

Surprise overtook Faith’s face, but Kelly nodded and explained for her. 

“Slut is her nickname with the polycule,” Kelly said. “It helps her get into the headspace, I think, for the dynamic she wants with Arthur and the others. It’s like when the girls call me Mistress or when Arthur calls me Wifey. The names help define expectations, at least for me.” 

“For me, too,” Selene said, agreeing. “I haven’t had to explain it before, but that’s spot on, Mistress. It helps keep me focused on what we’re doing, not bring the outside world into it.” 

Kelly smiled. “Would you like to pull up a chair, Slut? Faith and I were discussing gluten-free recipes. Or you're welcome to kneel.” 

Selene blinked. The topic surprised her. “You were discussing recipes at an orgy?” 

“Well, we haven’t started yet,” Kelly said. “And we were discussing breakfast plans for tomorrow. Faith mentioned she had a gluten-free waffle mix recipe, which I thought Arthur might appreciate.” 

Selene considered that. She agreed with eating healthy, but Arthur and Kelly went to extremes. The breakfast gods never intended for people to make waffles from rice or almonds.

“I take it that’s not why you came over?” Kelly asked. 

“No, Mistress,” Selene said. “I was wondering if I could talk to you. Maybe somewhere private?” 

Faith waggled her eyebrows. “Getting started without us? I thought the whole point was to show off with everyone around.” 

Kelly arched an eyebrow at Selene. 

Selene smiled. “No, this is personal business. Nothing sexy.” 

Kelly frowned as she lowered her eyebrow. “We’ll be a minute,” she told Faith. She looked around her and gestured to Rani. “Is it okay if Selene and I step outside for a second?” 

“Sure,” Rani said. “But don’t wander too far. We need to be quick. As soon as Manasa texts me, the rest of us can head upstairs.” 

“We’ll be in the hallway, or the pool area, if it’s empty,” Kelly said, nodding to Rani, who took her seat after Kelly stood. Kelly took Selene’s hand, and the two of them left the conference room. 

Selene remained quiet, shooting furtive glances at Kelly as they walked. The lobby was empty, but it wasn’t the best place for a conversation. The pool was outside, but no one else was there. It was closed. The ‘gym’ at the hotel was in the same hallway, a small room with one treadmill, one Nautilus machine, and a rack of dumbbells. 

Kelly texted Rani, likely to tell her where they were, put her phone away, and looked at Selene. 

“Is this regarding Lori?” Kelly asked, as if she’d been expecting someone to ask about her. 

Selene nodded. “Yes, Mistress, she’s blowing up my phone. I don’t know what to do.” 

“Block her,” Kelly said. “It’s best for everyone to cut her out of our lives. We don’t need more drama, not after Lynn, Angie, and everything else.” 

Selene agreed, but Lori wasn’t Lynn, Angie, or anyone else. Not even Yvonne. Lori was her friend, and she was important to Master, even if she’d hurt him with her decision to leave. Pendleton didn’t have a med school, even if they offered Pre-Med, and the college she’d picked specialized in the program she wanted. Not every med school had a specialized addiction medicine program.

“Why are you so angry with her?” Selene asked. “I mean, I get it. I’m mad at her too for leaving, cutting everyone out, and hurting Master, but you’ve always been especially angry where she’s concerned. You have another reason for hating her. What is it? What did she do? Is it something that might hurt Arthur?” 

Kelly frowned, turning away, which did nothing because she was now facing the wall-length mirror. Selene kept her posture submissive, but she let her eyes meet Kelly’s. 

“Can we put this on hold?” Kelly asked. “We’re trying to have fun, right? One night of cutting loose and not getting caught up in anything upsetting? I was going to talk to Arthur tomorrow on the ride home.” 

Selene frowned. Curiosity bubbled up in her head, but it had to fight her desire to kneel before Kelly and submit to her the way she would her master. If he were here saying this, she’d accept his mandate; should she do the same for Kelly?  

“Are you asking as Kelly, my co-girlfriend, or as my mistress?” Selene asked. 

Kelly chuckled. “I suppose I could order you to drop it until morning?” 

Selene said nothing, waiting for Kelly’s decision. She’d abide by it, she realized. Kelly was the team captain, the mistress of the harem. If their master wasn’t here, then Kelly was in charge. Selene respected the chain of command because she wanted it. 

Yet Lori wasn’t part of their world. She had no context, and she needed Selene’s help. She was spiraling, hurting, and Selene wanted to help her friend. Was this one of those moments where she should stop being a slave, put the moniker of Slut aside, and just be Selene? 

“Red light,” Selene said, just as surprised that she’d said it as Kelly was. 

“Are you okay?” Kelly asked, looking at her, making sure her eyes hadn’t deceived her and that something had happened. 

“No,” Selene said, shaking her head. “I mean, I am, but Lori’s not. She’s my friend, and I thought she was yours, too, but she’s hurting and confused. I don’t know what’s going on between you two. I can’t help her, you, or Arthur unless you talk to me. So, let’s put aside the harem for a moment. We’re not Mistress and Slut right now. We’re Kelly and Selene. Okay?” 

Kelly blinked, staring at Selene in shock. 

“Okay?” Selene asked, repeating the question. 

Kelly sighed. “Okay.” 

“Okay,” Selene said. “So tell me what’s going on. What was your call with Lori about?” 

“She wanted to discuss coming to Thanksgiving,” Kelly said. “Deb invited her. I guess she’s been flip-flopping on it and wanted to see if Arthur would be okay with her coming.” 

Selene hadn’t expected that answer. She blinked, trying to sort through it. Would Lori want to return for a weekend? What would that do to Arthur? Nothing good. It’d hurt him to see her again. She didn’t doubt that. 

“What did you tell her?” Selene asked. 

“That she’s uninvited,” Kelly said. “I don’t want her there for a lot of reasons. It’ll hurt Arthur, and Lori doesn’t deserve him.” 

Selene fell quiet at that. Did any of them ‘deserve’ Arthur? No. Not really. But Lori had her chance and made her choice. She’d chosen to leave Arthur and refused to consider a long-distance relationship. She’d cut ties and burned the bridges behind her. Lori had plenty of experience leaving friends behind. 

“What happened between you and Lori that makes you so mad at her, madder than everyone else?” Selene asked.

Kelly checked her phone, and Selene checked the clock on the wall. They didn’t have long, but Selene hoped she’d tell her what she could. If Rani called, she could join Kelly in the shower, and they’d finish the conversation there. 

“It was the week before Lori broke up with Arthur,” Kelly said, sitting on the weight bench as she began her tale. “When I got the text from Lori.”

~~~

Several months ago, last spring

~~~

Kelly stared at her phone, panic coursing through her. She’d gotten two texts from Lori half an hour ago. The damn library had made her turn her phone on silent, so she hadn’t noticed when the texts came through. 

Lori: SOS! SOS! SOS! 

Lori: Are you on campus?!? 

Kelly texted her back at once. 

Kelly: I’m at the library! Where are you? 

Lori: Health center. 

Kelly: I’ll meet you there!

Kelly shoved everything she had laid out on the desk before her into her bag. She didn’t organize it or place it nicely, but she dumped it in with such force and noise that the other residents of the library raised their heads in inquiry. She didn’t pay any attention to them. They didn’t matter. 

She zipped her bag closed, breaking the zipper’s tassel off in her hand. She’d fix it later. Kelly shoved the tassel into her dress pocket and threw her bag over her back. She took off her shoes, holding the high heels by their straps with one hand while gripping her backpack straps with the other. Then she ran. 

She was not delicate about her path. She was direct. People turned to watch the blur in her green knee-length dress race past them at well beyond jogging speed. Once she was free of the building and could run in a straight line, she hit a new personal best despite the extra weight on her shoulders. Alarm spread through the surrounding people, but no one stopped her. Nothing could. She was a juggernaut, a cannonball, rushing past pedestrians, jumping over sunbathers, hurdling over shrubs, and screaming for people to get out of her way whenever they endangered her trajectory. 

She reached the health building in record time and smashed through the doors. 

Everyone in the lobby stared at her as she rushed to the front desk. The two people waiting in line jumped apart, not even bothering to protest against the force of nature that didn’t stop to notice them. 

“Ma’am, I—” the poor nurse at the front desk tried, but Kelly didn’t care. 

“Lori Boudreaux! B-O-U-D-R-E-A-U-X! What room is she in?” Kelly asked. 

“Ma’am, I—” 

“WHAT ROOM IS SHE IN?” Kelly asked. 

“You need to calm down!” The nurse said. 

“Grah!” Kelly shoved herself away from the desk and tore through the side door. 

“Ma’am!” the nurse called after her, but the door closed behind her. 

It took three rooms before Kelly found her, and the scene wasn’t what she expected. She’d expected Lori to be in one of the exam rooms, sitting on a medical table, waiting for a doctor. Instead, she was in a wellness room, sitting on a sofa. 

“LORI! ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE ARE YOU HURT?” Kelly asked as she rushed into the room, checking her for blood or damage. There was none. 

Lori looked up at her, wide-eyed. Her makeup was ruined, and mascara tears ran down her face. Her hair and clothes appeared disheveled, but not torn. She appeared as alarmed at Kelly’s visage as the people in the lobby.

“I’m okay!” Lori said. “I’m not hurt.” 

“What happened?” Kelly asked, her head whipping around. “Is Arthur hurt? Did something happen? Were you in a car accident?” 

“What?” Lori asked, confused. “No! Kelly! Calm down!” 

Kelly huffed and puffed, breathing indelicately despite her athleticism. She looked around, noticing the calm atmosphere of the room. “You said SOS! I thought somebody died!” 

“It is an SOS!” Lori protested. “But nobody crashed their car or anything!” 

“But you’re okay?” Kelly asked, confused as adrenaline fatigue seized her. She dropped onto the sofa beside Lori, catching her breath. 

“I’m not wounded,” Lori said, grabbing Kelly’s hand and holding it. 

“Oh, thank God,” Kelly said, hugging Lori and holding her tight, which made Lori’s tears break forth. 

Lori wasn’t a crier. Whatever had happened, it was huge. Big enough to land her in the crisis center waiting for… a mental health professional? 

“Ma’am,” a strong, masculine voice at the door interrupted her thoughts. Two security guards stood in the doorway, with the nurse from the desk pointing at Kelly behind them. 

“Oh, it’s okay!” Lori said, holding up a hand to stop them. “She’s with me. I’m okay with her being here.” 

The guards looked at each other, then at the nurse. 

“She can’t rush past. She has to sign in. I have to have her name on the approved list.” The nurse protested. Her words rang as cold as steel, as if Kelly had personally pissed on her peonies. 

“You’ll have to come with us,” the security guard said, gesturing for Kelly to rise from the sofa. 

Lori clung to Kelly, holding her in place. “She can stay!” 

The security guard tried to explain. “She needs to sign—” 

“Then bring me the fucking list, and I’ll add her to it!” Lori snapped. “She’s my best friend; she’s fine! I asked her to come here!” 

The nurse rolled her eyes and stormed away. She returned a moment later with a paper list, and Lori filled it out. Kelly signed a different clipboard as a guest, then the nurse and the two security guards retreated after delivering a stern warning not to repeat the offense. 

“Thanks for coming,” Lori said, settling into the couch once the door shut. The anger she’d shown the guards had faded, leaving her soft and cuddling against Kelly, who held her and let her cry. 

“Of course,” Kelly said. “You know I’m here for you. What’s wrong? Why the SOS?” 

Lori’s tears started again, and she shook her head. 

Millions of fears flooded Kelly’s mind. There were too many options to choose from, from car accidents to panic attacks. Arthur was the most likely suspect, but he’d never harm Lori. So it had to be something else. Had a professor or a peer done something? Had Lori’s dad come to campus looking for her? No, he was dead, right? 

So what had Lori so upset that she was inconsolable and crying this way? 

“Lori,” Kelly said, putting as much patience into her voice as she could muster to combat her rising fear. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.” 

Lori pointed at her purse, and Kelly’s heartbeat picked up again. She reached for it, and Lori waited for her to open it and look inside, searching for her answer. A pit dropped in her stomach. She’d seen and read this scene too many times. She knew what she’d find before she even looked. 

Yet, to her surprise, when she looked, she found a small velvet cube, not the pregnancy test TV and movies had trained her to expect. Kelly blinked. Was there a finger inside? That was the only thing she imagined that might warrant the sad tears on Lori’s face. She double-checked. They didn’t seem to be tears of joy.  

“Lori, what is this?” Kelly asked. “Arthur proposed?” She couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice, the happiness she felt for her friend. She looked at Lori’s hands, but no ring decorated her finger. It must still be in the box. She pulled the box out and opened it. 

The ring was gorgeous. It took Kelly’s breath away. An inline set of seven diamonds sat between the Art déco scrolled edges of a white gold band. It glittered under the room’s overhead light. Kelly couldn’t take her eyes off it, even as Lori continued to cry. 

So, what was the problem? Arthur was a catch, according to Lori. Hell, by any standard or metric, he measured well against his peers. Arthur had a good head on his shoulders, was in a profitable major, and his work ethic was through the roof. He had a handsome face, a good jawline, a body he sculpted in the gym, and the kindest soul Kelly had ever encountered. If any of the guys at this stupid university were marriage material, it was Arthur. He and Lori had so much in common, and they loved one another. They were living together. Marriage was the next step. And if they wanted to wait until after graduation, well, there was nothing wrong with a long engagement. 

“He didn’t propose,” Lori said, as if the words pained her. 

Kelly stared at her, open-mouthed. “That bastard! Why not?” 

Lori shook her head. “He was going to. I found the ring in his nightstand. He was probably going to do it over spring break. Arthur has no idea that I found it. You can’t tell him!” She sniffled, wiping her face. Kelly offered her a tissue before Lori could reach for one. She took it, blowing her nose with all the delicate grace of a mammoth. She pointed at the purse. “There’s more.” 

Kelly turned back to her purse, confused. She set the open velvet box on the coffee table and searched under it, finding a large white envelope. Lori had torn the edge off in ragged teeth, and Kelly fished out the letter. 

“Congratulations, Miss Boudreaux. We’re happy to accept your application for enrollment in…” Kelly’s lips went still as her eyes followed the rest of the words in the letter. “When did you even apply for this?” Kelly asked, surprised. 

“After finals last semester,” Lori said, wiping her tears with another tissue. “It’s my dream program, and an elite school. The best one in the country for this specialty.” 

“Addiction medicine?” Kelly asked, surprised, but not. “Lori…” 

“Don’t,” Lori warned. “It’s important to me.” 

Kelly grimaced, unsure of what to say. Mothers were a sensitive subject between the two, and Lori had the misfortune of viewing her parents from the outside. She saw positives and negatives, treating them as people she barely knew because they’d never been proper parents to her, even during those brief periods when they had custody. 

“Lori,” Kelly said, hugging her. “It’s okay. This isn’t a crisis, right?” From her perspective, it was a straightforward choice. Lori’s chance for happiness was right there, sparkling in a velvet box and waiting for her to slip it onto her finger. Even just to try it on, right? She could see how it looked. 

“I’m going,” Lori said.

“What?” Kelly asked, surprised. “Where?” She pulled back, expecting Lori to stand and leave the health center, but Lori didn’t move. She didn’t mean at once, or going somewhere else. Lori meant the letter. “Oh.” 

Well, that was okay. Arthur could transfer. Every college had business majors. It wasn’t as if he’d break up with Lori or give her an ultimatum. He wasn’t that guy. Hell, if anything, he’d support Lori and her dreams, even if they didn’t make sense to Kelly. 

“I have to break up with Arthur,” Lori said, sniffling again. 

“What?” Kelly asked, confused. “No, you don’t.” 

“His family is here, his life, and his five-year MBA program. There’s nothing for him on the West Coast,” Lori said.

“There’s you,” Kelly protested. “He’ll follow you.” 

“I’ll be busy, and I can’t afford the distractions. I need good grades to keep my scholarships, and he’ll have expectations.” She pointed to the ring. “Expectations I can’t fulfill.”

“You can survive a long-distance relationship,” Kelly said, encouraging her.  

“No, we can’t,” Lori said. “I don’t want that. I’d prefer a quick death to something long and drawn out.” 

“Lori,” Kelly said, holding her hands in hers. “What are you talking about? You have a great, gorgeous guy who wants to marry you, and you just got accepted into your dream school with your preferred specialization. We should pop the champagne and party until the sun rises. Why the waterworks and an SOS?” 

“Kelly,” Lori said, trying to be patient, but her voice was too hurt to hide her frustration. “You’re not listening to me.” 

“Explain it to me,” Kelly said. 

“I can’t give Arthur what he wants,” Lori said. “I’ve known that for a while. We’re a perfect match in the bedroom, sure, but outside of it? We want different things. If he follows me, it’ll come with expectations, and I don’t know if I even want marriage.” 

“What?” Kelly asked. 

Lori pointed at the ring. “That comes with expectations. Strings. Arthur might be husband material, but I’m not wife material. And after that? I’m not fit to be a mom. Not a good one. Even if I could get pregnant, I wouldn’t want to.” 

Kelly arched an eyebrow. “Wait, what?”

But Lori continued, “Deb’s already hinting about grandchildren, and they talk as if I agreed to marry Arthur ages ago,” Lori said. 

“I thought you wanted to marry him?” Kelly asked. “Eventually.” 

“Sure, one day in the distant future, I’d considered it,” Lori said.

“But not anymore?” Kelly asked, confused. 

“I can’t give him a family,” Lori said. “I’m not good at it, at loving him. All I can offer him is sex, and one day he’ll realize that I have nothing else to offer. He needs more than I can give.”  

“Lori, you have so much to offer,” Kelly said. “You can have it all: be a doctor, a wife, even a mom if you want to, one day.” 

“No,” Lori said. “You’re not listening, Kelly. That future, the future that Arthur wants? I don’t want it.” 

“Is it because you don’t want kids? You can get married and not have kids,” Kelly said. “People do it all the time. You and Arthur love each other. You can be a family of two. That would be enough for him.” 

“No,” Lori said. “Arthur loves me. He feels everything so, so deeply, Kelly. And I—” she sniffled. “I can’t love him that deeply. I can’t feel things the way he does; I’m just not built for it.” 

“Lori,” Kelly said, trying to support her, but also wanting to smack her. “You love Arthur. You know you do. So what if you’re looking at marriage and kids differently? You can talk it out.” 

“Maybe,” Lori said. “But Arthur wants them. We’ve discussed it. He says he’s willing to go without them, but I can tell he hasn’t closed the door on the possibility. I have. When we discuss the future, he slips in little what-ifs and contingencies about having kids one day. We have two different futures in mind. He wants to graduate, get married, and settle down. Be a family. I want to pursue my medical degree and save the victims that everyone claims deserve their fate.” 

Kelly blinked, not sure what to unpack first. “Lori, you can have both.” 

“No,” Lori said, shaking her head as she looked at the ring. “I can’t. There’s no room for him. At best, he’d be an afterthought, and he deserves better. He deserves someone who wants what he wants.”

Kelly had the sense not to say what she was thinking. She wanted that life, but Lori knew that. Kelly idealized taking care of house and home; being a wife and mother was her dream. Even Lori didn’t knock the idea or deny that it was a valid role for someone to play. Each couple could split responsibilities however they wanted, but Kelly knew what she wanted. Realistic or not, she wanted the ideal life that Lori was ready to toss aside. Of course, she couldn’t say that. 

But it was too late. Lori had already seen her expression and read her thoughts. 

“Are you seriously thinking about making a move on him right now?” Lori asked, shoving Kelly away. 

“No!” Kelly said, protesting, but it fell flat. She liked Arthur. A lot. Lori knew that, but she’d never steal Lori’s man. 

“You were!” Lori said, her volume rising with her as she stood. “You were thinking: Oh, here’s a man who wants a wife and a homemaker! He’s about to be single! Maybe I can swoop in and take him! I’ll be his arm candy at office parties, and pity poor Lori who couldn’t hack it.” 

“Lori, I’d never—” 

“You fucking would!” Lori said. 

“Lori, I’m your friend,” Kelly said. “Not your competition.” 

“Just admit it,” Lori said, calming in an instant, as if she’d flipped a switch. Kelly sensed danger and moved to her feet, if only to keep Lori from looming over her. Lori’s anger didn’t always burn hot; sometimes it grew cold and heavy in her heart, like ice. 

Kelly readied herself for Lori to take a swing at her. She appeared to want to, but between them, Kelly was the fighter. Lori was fit but soft, and she didn’t box. Kelly was hard-bodied and ready to end any physical confrontation in seconds. Not that she’d hurt Lori, but she’d defend herself if claws came out. 

This fight had been a long time coming. They’d met Arthur freshman year, and over the three years of their friendship, various comments had become minor arguments. She never thought a single expression would ignite the fuel for this fight, but it was out of Kelly’s hands. 

“Admit what?” Kelly asked, backing up a step to put distance between her and Lori. “That Arthur’s fucking perfect and you’re being an idiot? Who cares what you might do if you make it through medical school? You don’t owe your mom anything, Lori. You didn’t even decide to become pre-med until last semester, and now you want to pitch the man who loves and supports you aside because you’re afraid of the future?”

“Admit that you’ve always thought you’d be a better match for him than me!” Lori said, throwing one of the couch’s aptly named throw pillows at Kelly. 

Kelly caught it and slammed it back onto the sofa. “Don’t put your insecurities on me! You’re always making those comments, and I’ve said nothing like that!” 

“You don’t have to say it!” Lori said. She closed the velvet box, snatching it up and throwing it at Kelly instead. Kelly blocked it, deflecting it. It arced into the center of the room and tumbled away from them. “I can see it in your fucking face!” 

“Oh, fuck you!” Kelly said, pointing an accusatory finger at Lori. “I love you, Lori, but I won’t stand here and take these accusations! I’ve never made a move on Arthur!” 

“You wanted a threesome with him!” Lori said. 

“I was joking!” Kelly said. 

“You were not!” Lori said. 

“You told me about the one you had,” Kelly said. In truth, she’d added far too much detail, as if she were trying to make Kelly jealous. “I made a flippant comment about signing up for the next one! It was years ago! And that’s not the same as suggesting that I join the two of you!” 

“Well, you never will!” Lori said. “But don’t worry! You’ll get your fucking chance to be with him! This time next week he’ll be free as a bird!” 

“Lori, I’m not after your boyfriend, but for God’s sake, if you’re going to act that jealous and insane, don’t dump him!” Kelly suggested. “You can take him with you. He loves you! And you act as if it’s a foregone conclusion that you have to break up! Have you never loved him at all?” 

“I don’t know! What happens five years from now when he realizes he’s wasted his best years waiting for me to finish med school?” Lori asked. “It’s better if we break up now.” 

“Lori, you can’t be serious,” Kelly said, dropping her voice and moving closer to her. “Come on. You’re lashing out because you’re scared. Grow a pair of ovaries and talk to Arthur. He’ll transfer with you. He’d never pressure you into marriage or kids if that’s not what you want.” 

Lori sniffled. “I can’t,” she said. “Because I know he’ll wear me down. I’ll compromise and give up my career piece by piece, and then what? What happens when Arthur realizes that I’m not what he wants? I’ve never been what he’s wanted. I was just the first girl to ask him out and help him work through his shit. He feels obligated. That’s why he’s with me.” 

“He loves you,” Kelly said. “You know that.” 

“Sure,” Lori said. “But he doesn’t even know me. He knows the version of me that’s with him, but we come from two different worlds, Kelly. You don’t even get it. It was fun, but I got in too deep, too fast. I’m not you. I can’t pretend the world is sunshine and roses. And the life he wants? It might be luxurious, but it’s a fucking cage. We’d never be happy together after college.” 

“Lori,” Kelly said again, trying to break through to her. “Come on. You’re talking in circles here.” 

“Just go,” Lori said, pointing at the door. “Get out.” 

“You called me here!” Kelly said. “S-O-S! Remember!” 

“That was when I thought you’d understand,” Lori said, not changing her mind. “I thought you’d help me, not see it as an opportunity to go after my boyfriend!” 

“Your ex, you mean?” Kelly asked. She grabbed her purse, but she hesitated before she made her way to the door. She picked up the velvet box and put it back in Lori’s purse. 

Lori stood there, watching her, waiting for Kelly to leave. 

“I am trying to help you, Lori. I’m on your side. Talk to Arthur,” Kelly said. “And be honest with him. Don’t break his heart so you can pretend you might’ve been able to save your mother.” 

She realized she’d said the wrong thing the moment the words left her lips. It came from the heart. She’d meant well, but that didn’t make it any less brutal. Lori responded to her brutality with brutality. Kelly couldn’t even get her hands up before Lori rushed her, slamming her against the door. 

This wasn’t a catfight or a girl fight. This was a roaring, screaming, pummel-fest as they rolled onto the floor, knocking everything around them over. Security rushed in, followed by the professional Lori was here to see. Pulling the two of them apart wasn’t easy, and to her shame, Kelly landed several protesting strikes against the guard who grabbed her.

“You bitch!” Lori screamed. “I never want to see you again!” 

Kelly grimaced, wiping the blood from her mouth where Lori had punched her jaw. “I was trying to help you,” Kelly said, standing and pushing against the guard who refused to release her other wrist. 

“Ma’am, you’re coming with me,” the guard said. 

“And don’t go near Arthur! You hear me!” Lori said. “Do you hear—?” 

Her screams cut off as the guard hauled Kelly through the door and closed it behind them. The doctor and the other guard were with Lori, and Kelly’s guard led her into a medical room to check her injuries.

~~~

Arthur stepped out of the shower and dried off as quickly as he could. Kat did the same, following him as soon as he stepped off the bathmat. She’d been careful not to get her new henna tattoo wet, but scrubbed herself otherwise. Arthur had helped her put the plastic wrap over it, and she’d need his help to unwrap it, too.

Kat didn’t want hers to be the first to fade. Its visibility on her collarbone was a pleasant reminder of her status without her collar. It was strange to belong to Arthur as his submissive, date him as his girlfriend, and maintain a friendship with the other girls she shared him with. Strange, but not unpleasant, or even unwanted. The day had been fun. She’d hoped for more fun in the shower, but they were trying to be quick.

She was busy drying her legs, propping one on the tub, when she noticed Arthur staring at her reflection. His eyes zeroed in on her jiggling breasts, and his tongue swiped across his lips as he watched her. It didn’t matter how many times he saw them, or how many pairs he saw. Whenever she was topless, he got that same goofy grin and hungry expression. The idiot. She glared at him.

“Really?” she asked. 

“What can I say?” Arthur held out his hands in inquiry. “I find my girlfriend very attractive, especially when she’s naked and alone with me.” 

Kat blushed despite herself, unable to hold her glare in the face of his corny admiration. Damn him and his stupid face, with his cheesy smile and hard, rippling muscles. Muscles that dripped droplets of shower water along his arms and chiseled legs. His ridiculous cock, hardening as she covered her nipples with one arm, barring them from his view. 

“Stop it,” Kat said. “Save it for the main event. You’re gonna need your energy for these girls Rani’s throwing at you.” 

Arthur chuckled. “Maybe I’ll get lucky, and the guests will split off to the other guys so I can focus on you and Katelyn.”

Kat didn’t think that was likely, but she couldn’t lie and say that wasn’t her preference either. They’d won the tournament after all, and it’d been a while since Arthur had given her a proper lesson. He still hadn’t even sent her a lesson plan for their next session. Perhaps they could kill two birds with one stone and add Katelyn to their next session? 

No, she wanted him to herself for a night. After this weekend, she’d fucking earned his one-on-one attention. She wanted it to be just her and Arthur, with no one else in the room.  

“Yeah, right,” Kat said, drying her short, wavy blonde hair by scrunching it in the towel.

“I owe you alone time, though,” Arthur said, admiring her backside as she turned away from him. “My plan for tomorrow is to spend the day boxing up your and Selene’s apartment, and mine if I have time. The others will be busy. Maybe we can squeeze in a session?” 

“Yeah?” Kat asked, trying not to show how hopeful she was. “And what will you teach me? What’s the lesson plan?” 

“Back to basics might be a good idea,” Arthur said. “We can experiment with basic bondage, hot wax, and sensation play, or see how long you last tied in different poses before you utter your safeword.” 

“Really?” Kat asked. “Ropes? That’s your big idea? You don’t think I’ve been tied up enough to know what bondage is?” 

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ve put you in most basic ties,” Arthur said. “We could do more advanced ties. Proper rigging, different poses, or suspension. I might even tie you up, put you in a box, and drive you over to the house if I’m convinced you can handle it.” 

Kat scoffed. “Why would I want that? That sounds like something Selene would enjoy.” 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Arthur said. He hesitated, then she saw a wicked gleam enter his eye. “She’d probably last longer than you in that kind of tie, too.” 

Kat turned and glared at Arthur. “Fuck you.” He was teasing her, being a brat when he knew how she’d respond.  

Arthur laughed, clearly enjoying her reaction, as if he’d put a puzzle piece into the right place and found it fit. “How about it? You can always see which of you has more endurance?” 

“Don’t pit us against each other,” Kat said. “No comparisons, remember?” 

“Why? Because it’s effective?” Arthur asked. “It’s a friendly competition. No real loser, no stakes, just bragging rights.” 

“Bragging rights are stakes,” Kat said. “And I won the tournament; that should be enough.” 

“You tied with Katelyn,” Arthur reminded her. He helped her into her robe and closed it over her, hugging her from behind. The fluffy white material wasn’t luxury-grade, but it still helped her relax. “But if you don’t want to, that’s okay,” Arthur said, ending his teasing. “I’m sure I can think of something else. I like the idea of sensation play, though. The theme of switching between hot and cold suits you.” 

Kat enjoyed his embrace, closing her eyes so that he couldn’t discern her enjoyment in their reflection. He was only teasing her, getting a rise out of her. She couldn’t complain when she so often got a rise out of him. She’d tried to get a spank or aggressive snarl out of him with the ‘fuck you,’ but he hadn’t taken the bait. Pity. 

“Come on,” he patted Kat’s ass through the robe. “Let’s wait in the room. I’ll let Rani know we’re done with the shower.” 

Kat rolled her eyes, but followed him out of the bathroom. They’d glimpsed the room when they entered, but there wasn’t much to see. The gray wallpaper wasn’t peeling. That was its most attractive quality. A solid curtain covered the window, forming the bland room's final gray wall.  

A narrow aisle cut across the center, separating two queen-sized beds with a nightstand between them. Across from them, a countertop ran the length of the wall. A mini-fridge and chest of drawers rested beneath the counter. A TV hung on the wall above it. The counter became a desk toward the window, with a cheap office chair tucked into it. Between the bed and the window, a more comfortable armchair and stool filled the rest of the space. 

Her, Katelyn’s, and Arthur’s luggage sat by the window, atop the trunk. 

“How many people are cramming in here?” Kat asked as she hopped onto the bed and put on her collar. The pink leather bondage collar wasn’t as stealthy as the others, but she didn’t wear it outside of her time with the harem. She swapped it for a simple pink choker when they needed to go out. Tonight, she wore her bondage collar. 

Arthur texted Rani after looking at his phone with a quizzical expression. 

“What’s the matter?” Kat asked when he didn’t answer. 

“Nothing, there’s just an extra tab on my spreadsheet,” Arthur said. “Katelyn added two tabs, one for Pet and one for Damsel.” 

Kat raised an eyebrow.

“Any chance she’s trying to adopt a persona? Someone she wants to roleplay as?” Arthur asked. 

Kat blinked at him. “You’re an idiot: a lovable idiot, but an idiot. You know as well as I do that Damsel is Yvonne,” Kat said. “I don’t know why you even bother to play dumb. Is it a humility thing?”  

Arthur sighed and sat on the opposite bed, across from her. “Yeah, maybe,” he said. “I’d be an arrogant asshole if I walked around thinking every woman I met wanted to get on her knees for me.” 

“Well, not every woman,” Kat said. “And I don’t know if getting on their knees is their first instinct. Maybe on their backs.” 

Arthur laughed, sensible enough to know when Kat was teasing him. 

“So you have a list of Yvonne’s kinks?” Kat asked. 

Arthur nodded, reading the list on his phone. 

“And how does that make you feel?” Kat asked, smirking at playing anyone’s therapist. 

“Conflicted,” Arthur answered honestly. “Katelyn said what I did with the knowledge was up to me. Everyone wants me to go after Yvonne, but I still have my reservations. I didn’t think she was into kink, and I’m worried she might be compromising to get what she wants, even after she agreed to be friends.”

“Yeah, what kind of rational person makes compromises?” Kat said. She raised an eyebrow at him in challenge. “You know, there’s always the possibility she was into whatever she’s into, and just didn’t mention it to you. I mean, why would she? You were her crush. She wouldn’t admit any of her dark desires to you until she knew it was safe. Discovering you’re into what she’s into? It’s probably killing her that she fucked up getting with you.” 

“Are you rooting for Yvonne?” Arthur asked. 

Kat shook her head. “No, but I’m curious if you’re rooting for her.” She wanted to discover whether Selene was right, whether Arthur was attracted to Yvonne but unwilling to admit it, or whether he truly wanted nothing to do with her. 

“I wouldn’t say I’m rooting for her,” Arthur admitted. “But I’m understanding her better.”  

Kat nodded. “She has it bad for you. Risky move putting her details in your phone, especially her deepest, darkest kinks. Any fun ones?” 

Arthur frowned. “Maybe.” 

Kat sighed. “Look, Sir, I’m not a fan of women throwing themselves at you, or Selene and Rani hurling them at you, but I don’t blame Yvonne. I’d fight my way in if I were stuck on the outside and thought there was a chance.” 

“Really?” Arthur asked. “Me telling you no wouldn’t be enough?” 

Kat stared at Arthur as he met her gaze. 

“I love you,” Kat said. “You think I’d stop loving you if you didn’t return my affection?” 

Arthur blinked. “Wouldn’t you?” 

“You, of all people, know that’s not how love works,” Kat said, leveling a significant gaze at him. “When you love somebody, it’s difficult to turn off, even after a rejection.”

Arthur swallowed, conceding the point in silence. “And what do you think of Yvonne?”

“She’s made mistakes, but is trying to make it right,” Kat said. “Selene is into her. Rani won’t say no to anyone. Kelly is into breasts, so she’s on board. I’m not sure where Mindy stands on her, and judging by how chummy they were, Katelyn likes her. To be fair, though, she likes anyone if she gets a good ‘vibe’ from them. Whatever that means.”

“And do you like her?” Arthur asked. 

“I don’t know her,” Kat said. “Hell, I barely tolerate some of the other harem members, but from what I’ve seen today, she’s trying. She helped me out, helped you, seems apologetic; she’s working to make up for what she did with the rumors, and that’s great. But I have no idea who she is or what she’s into outside of her being a Disney-girl and, from what Selene tells me, an overbearing diva.” 

Arthur chuckled. “Well, that’s accurate. She’s definitely a diva. And barely tolerate? You love them, and you know it.” 

Kat shrugged. “I barely get your attention enough as is. The last thing I want is another attention-hog who doesn’t know how to share.” 

“That’s your job, right?” Arthur asked. 

“Hey!” Kat said, crossing her arms. “I’ve been good! I’ve been sharing you just fine, thank you very much!” 

Arthur nodded at that and moved to her side of the aisle. He sat next to her on the bed and checked her collar’s tightness. Satisfied, he kissed her cheek, which made her blush. 

“What was that for?” Kat asked. 

“For being a good girl,” Arthur said. 

Kat’s face pinched into a frown. “I’d better get more than that. I’m talking hugs, kisses, a good thorough fucking, and–” She tilted her head toward him and pointed to her forehead. 

Arthur kissed her forehead, mollifying her. “Patience, Brat,” Arthur said, flopping onto his back. He checked his phone. “Katelyn and Mindy are on their way,” Arthur said. “They have a key.” 

Kat cuddled into Arthur from his side, resting her head on his chest and wrapping one arm and leg over him. “Can we cuddle until the orgy starts?” Kat asked. 

“Sure,” Arthur said. “I’m all yours.” 

Kat slid an arm into his robe. She enjoyed his heartbeat and the sound of his breathing until the beep of a keycard and the click of a lock signaled their time alone had ended. 

“Aw, look at you two,” Katelyn said, her voice high and adorable as she jumped knee-first onto the bed, jolting both of them with the rolling wave of the mattress. “I thought for sure you’d be fucking.” 

“Me, too!” Mindy said as the door closed. “Come on, Pet, let’s get this over with, then we can join them!” 

She took off her witch’s hat and started taking off her boots. 

Kat watched her and Katelyn undress, putting their costume pieces on the counter beside her and Arthur’s. It intrigued her sometimes, how varied Arthur’s tastes were in women. Her curvier body had always been both a source of shame and pride for her when she compared it to Selene’s lithe, ballerina-like form. Pride in her bigger breasts and butt diminished with the harem. Rani had a bigger butt. Mindy had bigger boobs, but narrow hips. She had a cute butt, though, and her long black hair was shiny and gorgeous when she let it down. 

Katelyn’s fairy costume came off in pieces, revealing the tall, skinny girl. She had a well-shaped ass, but outside of her butt and hips she had no curves. Kat watched her as the clothes came off, her long legs flexing and moving to shuffle out of her skirt. 

“We have to shower, right?” Katelyn asked, looking at Arthur. “We can’t just join you on the bed, Big D?” 

“You heard Rani,” Arthur said, pointing toward the bathroom. “Hit the showers. Cover your tattoos first, though. The plastic wrap is on the counter.” 

“I’ll do you if you do me?” Mindy asked, raising an eyebrow at Katelyn. 

Katelyn grinned. “That works for me, but we still have to shower first.” 

“Har, har,” Kat said, mock-laughing over Katelyn and Mindy’s giggles. “You know she was talking about the plastic wrap.” 

“Don’t be jealous, Kat,” Mindy said. 

“Envious,” Kat corrected. “And I’m not.” 

“No,” Mindy said, shaking her head. “I meant jealous. You can’t get possessive over Katelyn if you’re not willing to do her.” 

Kat glared at Mindy, but her steely gray eyes lost their razor’s edge as she cuddled into Arthur’s side. 

“That’s not how she meant it,” Katelyn said. “She’s just being a brat so Arthur will throw her over his lap and get the party started.” 

Arthur chuckled. “The quicker you’re in the shower, the sooner we start, so don’t take too long.” 

“Yes, Boss,” Mindy said. She curtsied, but with an invisible skirt, since she was wearing nothing but fishnet stockings. 

Arthur stirred beneath his robe and closed his eyes. 

“Oh, looks like he enjoyed what that curtsey did to your breasts,” Katelyn chuckled. 

“Oh, like this?” Mindy asked, dropping faster into her curtsey so they bounced more. 

Arthur groaned, putting his hand over his face. “Go,” Arthur said. “Or I’m tying you to the chair and making you watch for the night.” 

“Yeep!” Mindy didn’t challenge Arthur at all, but took his threat seriously as she jumped and ran into the bathroom. 

Katelyn laughed, following her with the roll of plastic wrap. She walked, letting her long legs cover the distance in fewer strides. She turned and winked at Kat and Arthur before she slipped into the bathroom. Mindy had started the shower water. 

“Don’t wear him out before the main event,” Katelyn said. “And don’t forget, the three of us get to share a bed tonight.” 

“We won’t forget,” Kat said. “Now, shoo.” 

Katelyn giggled and closed the bathroom door behind her. Kat would have to thank her later. She knew they wanted privacy.

Arthur scooted on the bed, shifting from lying back on it sideways with his calves hanging over the edge to sitting up against the pillows. Kat followed him, cuddling into his side as he put his arm around her. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV, flipping through channels as they waited. Meanwhile, Kat watched with him, holding him as he held her, letting her heartbeat match his. 

~~~

Kelly released a long exhale. She was sure she’d mangled the story, but Selene had listened to it with minimal interruption despite their location change. She’d started telling the story in the gym, then gotten a text from Rani that sent them upstairs. 

“I had a few scratches and bruises, but nothing major,” Kelly said, turning off the shower water and stepping out. She and Selene had taken turns, given Kelly’s current situation, but she’d stayed in the bathroom and dried off while Kelly was in there. 

“Wow,” Selene said, offering Kelly her towel. “I guess you and Lori had a lot of history between you and Arthur over the years.” 

“Yeah,” Kelly said. The story she’d told Selene had been the climax of a nearly three-year-long relationship. It might have made more sense if she’d related the smaller fights they’d had over the years. They were best friends, but Lori was constantly paranoid that Kelly was trying to steal Arthur from her. She wasn’t, but once Lori was out of the picture, well, she figured, why not? 

“Lori was a total bitch to you,” Selene said. 

“Understatement,” Kelly said. 

“And you were a bitch to her,” Selene added. 

Kelly didn’t respond to that. She dried off as she looked at her reflection. It was true, but she much preferred Selene not mention that. She wasn’t blameless in their altercation, but from where she stood, Lori carried more of the blame than she did. 

“I’m not saying it was your fault,” Selene said. “But it makes sense that things are the way they are between the two of you.” 

Kelly nodded. She could agree to that. She dried her hair, then commandeered the counter to fix her makeup after wrapping the towel around herself and sliding on her panties. 

“You could leave the makeup off if you wanted. Everyone loves your freckles,” Selene said. 

“I don’t,” Kelly said, covering them up once more. 

“Okay,” Selene said, kneeling on the bathmat. She’d remained naked after her shower, putting the towel under her, but had put her chainmail collar back on. 

“So, now that I’ve explained what happened, are you going to block Lori?” Kelly asked. 

“I—” Selene hesitated. “I don’t know. It makes me want to hug her.” 

Kelly checked Selene’s expression in the mirror. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I agree we can do without the drama. Arthur especially. He doesn’t need to know what she said. That would only hurt him,” Selene said. 

“Agreed,” Kelly nodded, then held her head still as she applied her mascara. 

“And her coming for Thanksgiving is an awful idea,” Selene said. “It’d be a tease, and a reminder of a life she doesn’t want. Why would she even consider coming?” 

“Because Deb’s the only mother-figure she’s ever had who gave a damn and supported her unconditionally,” Kelly said, not holding back. 

Selene flinched, looking at the floor as she ran that through her head. Deb was maternal; that much was true. She’d taken the girls under her wing, and was even trying to help Mindy with her parents. Kelly didn’t doubt she’d do the same for the others. If any of them needed Deb, she was a phone call away, and she was in their corner. That was who Lori had thrown away as if she meant nothing to her. Not to mention Arthur, who loved, supported, and encouraged her.

“I couldn’t do it,” Selene said. “I’d never throw any of you away, even if I transferred schools or dropped out. I never understood how Lori did it, but it sounds like she didn’t love him as much as he loved her.” 

“She’s broken,” Kelly said. “Inside, I mean.” 

Selene nodded. “Yeah, I gathered that, but that only makes me want to help her more. Not less. But I don’t know how. I wouldn’t even know where to start.” 

Kelly didn’t comment on that. She couldn’t. She'd wanted to help Lori, too, once upon a time, but they hadn’t had a civil conversation since that fight. Every time they interacted, they fought, much like tonight. 

“Can we agree to shelve everything Lori-related until tomorrow?” Kelly asked. “I’ll tell Arthur that I blocked Lori on his phone in the morning, and we can discuss it then, if he wants to.”

“Yeah,” Selene said. “That might be best. Can I just send her a text to let her know I’ll be in touch soon, but not tonight?” 

Kelly didn’t like the idea, but she wasn’t in charge of Selene outside of their playtime. “Do what you think is best. We left our phones in the purse room, right?” 

Selene nodded. She grabbed her robe and left the room, then returned minutes later, giving Kelly a chance to finish her makeup. When she returned, Selene took a centering breath and assumed the Nadu position on the bathmat. “Green light, Mistress.” 

Kelly grinned, but it was weak. She was happy Selene agreed to shelve it, but she couldn’t just flip back and forth between angry, sad, and drama-intense to sexy as Selene did. Her stomach churned. Not sick or queasy, but the usual pains roiled in her, and she was tired. Being in the sun, walking around, and now they had an orgy. Coffee and energy drinks could only keep her awake for so long. 

She took a deep breath, bracing herself against the counter, and checked her makeup. “How do you do that? Slide between Selene and Slut so easily?” 

“I’m still working on it,” Selene confessed. “It’s harder to leave the headspace than it is to go into it. Sometimes it feels like being myself is the version of me playing a character. Not the other way around. So it’s easy for me to go back to being his slut because I want to be his slut.”

“Like the real you is the one on her knees, and the pretender is the girl who has to go to work and class?” Kelly asked. 

“Yes, exactly, Mistress,” Selene said. 

Kelly nodded, hesitant but understanding. “I get it. I feel the same way when I’m role-playing with Arthur. Pretending to be his wife, enjoying each other on the couch, it was as if it were the first breath I took after drowning.” 

“I’m glad you understand, Mistress,” Selene said. “And for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re my mistress. Despite how awful things were last semester with Lori, it makes me happy to realize that everything worked out for the best. Even with all the drama, Master is happy, and he loves you, and me, and the others, and we love him.” 

Kelly smiled. “It sure ended up differently than I imagined,” she said. “But I’m glad it worked out this way too.” 

Selene smiled, then watched Kelly drop her towel and hang it over the shower bar. She slid on a pair of tight lycra gym shorts and rolled the waistband low. Then she donned the robe hanging on its hook. 

“Come on, let’s join our master for the orgy,” Kelly said as she re-fastened her three-strand pearl choker collar around her neck. “I can’t wait to see who comes to Arthur’s room first. My money’s on Faith.” 

Selene grinned, holding the door open for Kelly as they left Manasa’s hotel room and joined the others in the hallway.

~~~

“There you are,” Rani said. She swept into the room and propped the door open behind her. Murmurs from the hallway flowed in behind her. An ambiance of anticipation rumbled into the room, stirring Arthur as he turned his head toward the door. 

Manasa followed Rani in, but no one on the bed moved to rise. Arthur reclined with Kat under his left arm, Mindy under his right, and Katelyn on her side between his legs with her mouth holding his cock. She wasn’t sucking, bobbing, or throating him, just holding his cock in her mouth. She played with it, licked, and sucked when she remembered to, keeping him hard as the quartet watched cable TV.

Kat had clearly won the channel debate as Downton Abbey played. 

Arthur’s robe was under him, but open. Kat wore hers, but his hand had slipped inside it, letting him play with her and Mindy’s exposed breasts. They were just lounging, not fucking, but Rani’s disapproval was plain on her face. 

Rani cleared her throat. “We’re about to get started. Don’t blow another load before we do, okay? Put your robes on and join us in the hallway.” 

“I’ll just be a minute,” Arthur said. 

“Now, my king. Don’t worry if you’re hard. That’s just free advertising,” Rani said, gesturing for them to follow her. 

Kat sighed, turning off the TV and sliding off the bed, with Mindy mirroring her. Both of them closed their robes, cinching them shut with the sashes as they followed Manasa into the hallway. Katelyn and Arthur followed, looking around to see everyone else either there or arriving. 

The guys–Dave, Mark, Brad, and Arthur–stood by their doors. Mark and Brad were next to each other in adjoining rooms. Dave had the room opposite Mark’s. Rani stood before the next door, across from Brad’s, marking it as the purse and bags room. Then Arthur started the next quartet of rooms with the break room across from his. Manasa had the conjoined room beside his, and Yvonne had the room across from Manasa to herself.  

It became crowded with everyone in the hallway, but Arthur didn’t mind. He put his arms around Kat and Katelyn, who stood next to him, waiting for everyone to focus their attention on Rani. She’d removed her jewelry and veils, but she still stood out and grabbed everyone’s attention with a snap of her fingers. 

“Okay, everyone! Before we get started, yes, you’re free to sleep here, in whichever bed welcomes you. If you can’t find one, let me know. We’ll get you a place to sleep. Our checkout is early tomorrow! Some of us have early morning obligations.” Her eyes flitted toward Mindy, who looked sheepish. 

Arthur did his best not to belittle or begrudge Mindy her traditions or her faith, but going to church after an orgy for the second week in a row? Maybe it was part of the thrill for her. He didn’t know, but he expected they’d have to discuss religion soon. Not tonight, but he hoped she’d be willing to skip it for a week if they needed to tomorrow. However, that might create issues with her parents. He was supposed to have dinner with them on Monday night. They didn’t need more reasons to think that he was corrupting their daughter and drawing her away into a life of sin and polyamorous debauchery. 

“My kid has soccer,” Kari said. “So, I’ll be out early, for sure, and Ana’s my ride.” 

Arthur appreciated her taking the heat off Mindy.

“Speaking of crotch goblins,” Rani said, holding a condom up to the light. “Remember your condoms! Obviously, partners are free to do whatever, but if you’re fucking someone new, wrap it, then fuck it.”

A round of laughter rippled through the crowd. 

“If you have any dire needs, find Manasa or me,” Rani said. “I’ll be in Arthur’s room.” She pointed at Arthur. “Or the break room!” She pointed to the break room. “And Manasa will do the rounds with water bottles, getting railed in Arthur’s room, or in the break room as well.” 

Arthur raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at Manasa. She didn’t meet his eyes, but didn’t seem upset at what Rani suggested either.  

“Does everyone have their wristbands?” Rani asked, holding up her wrist to show her orange band. Arthur had a green one because Dave, Mark, and Brad did too. He wasn’t likely to prowl tonight, so people might ask to join him. Everyone else had green or orange. He didn’t see a red band in sight. 

“And finally!” Rani said. “Have fun, everyone. Be safe, sane, and consensual, but have fun! Go wild!” 

Selene, Rani, Mindy, and everyone else joined in a whoop as Rani raised her phone and sounded a gong, which made Arthur laugh. 

“The orgy has officially begun,” Rani said, her voice smooth as silk. “Men! To your rooms! Everyone else! It’s time to make your selection!” 

Brad and Jen turned aside into their room. To his surprise, Katie followed them, holding Jen’s hand. 

Mark and Maria entered the room, and Kari followed behind them. 

Dave and Iris stepped back into their room, and Cynthia followed them, pulling Hallie with her. Kelly frowned as she watched them go, but she didn’t stop them. 

Rani and the others looked meaningfully at Arthur, who realized that he, Kat, and Katelyn were blocking his door. “Uh,” Arthur said, looking around. He, Rani, Mindy, Kelly, Selene, Kat, Katelyn, Evie, Yvonne, Ana, Faith, and Manasa remained in the hallway. Twelve people in one room? Six to a bed? Eleven women, naked except for their robes, stared back at him, including a pair of eyes that he didn’t want to meet. 

Yvonne swallowed, her black silk ribbon choker tight against her neck once more. The cleft of her robe dipped low, showing her cleavage above and her thigh, which parted the robe, below. She was naked beneath it, and even just thinking that, combined with the items on her list, made him rock hard.

“Oh, damn,” Ana said, her eyes lowering to his crotch. “You weren’t kidding.” She fanned herself.

“Arthur?” Rani asked, making him look at her. “Are you okay? Do you want to call a red light?” 

Arthur’s expression turned to one of confusion, then he realized that, despite his boner, he was standing in front of his room, blocking the door, frozen. Meanwhile, the other rooms had started. He could hear the sounds of kissing, and more, coming through the open doors. He swallowed. 

“No, I’m okay. Sorry. I got distracted. I didn’t realize Yvonne was participating,” he said without looking at her. 

Yvonne made a noise not unlike a sob. When Arthur turned to look at her, she was gone. The door to her room closed behind her. Her reaction confused Arthur. He hadn’t told her no; she’d just surprised him. That was all he meant by it. Perhaps he shouldn’t have let her presence surprise him, but it wasn’t as if he could tell everyone to wait for him while he sorted it out either. 

Rani sighed. “Smooth.” 

Arthur shook his head, his erection fading. “I’ll talk to her.” 

“No,” Rani said, putting her hand on his chest. “You have girlfriends and guests; I’ll talk to her, I’ll soften the blow and see if I can help her.” 

“Oh,” Arthur said. A possessive urge to drag Rani into his room with him crept over him, but he wrestled it into submission. “For the record, I wasn’t telling her no. I was just surprised. I thought she’d go into Brad’s room or something.” 

Rani grinned at that. “Idiot,” she and Kat said together. 

Arthur frowned. 

“I’ll get her,” Rani said. “Don’t worry, my king, I’ll see she’s taken care of tonight.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, hesitating. “Just don’t do anything too inappropriate.” 

Rani raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want me to fuck another woman at the orgy?” 

“Not her,” Arthur said. “She needs someone to talk to first.” 

Rani sighed. “You have my word, my king. I will not fuck her, but if you don’t get into that room soon, the women waiting to fuck you might lose interest.” She glanced at Ana, Faith, and Evie, who looked as though they weren’t paying attention. They were too busy staring at Arthur’s legs. 

“Okay,” Arthur said, setting his shoulders back as he took Kat and Katelyn’s hands. “Ladies, follow me.” He stepped back into the room, bringing Kat and Katelyn with him. The others followed. 

He moved to the bed, tossed his robe to the ground beside it, and laid down. Lying on the bed, Arthur found himself surrounded by kisses and nibbles as Kat, Katelyn, and Mindy joined him. Kat and Katelyn curled up on either side by his head. Kat made out with him, then Katelyn pulled his head by his chin and made out with him, showcasing the difference between her tongue and Kat’s. Mindy cuddled into his side below Katelyn, wrapping a leg over his. The heat between her legs soaked into his hip, and she kissed his chest, dotting kisses over his pecs as she hugged him.  

Kelly pulled Selene away from their bed, lying with her on the bed next to Arthur’s. With their robes discarded on the floor, Kelly still had her shorts on. Selene, however, was buck-naked. His girlfriends wore collars, which set them apart from most of the others, but Faith wore a choker too, making the henna tattoos the true unique identifiers. 

Kelly and Selene rested on their sides, with Kelly cuddling Selene from behind. Kelly groped Selene’s breasts and let her hands wander over Selene’s firm, softly sculpted torso as they wandered lower. They watched Arthur’s bed as Evie, Ana, and Faith stood at the foot of it. 

“I’m still not allowed to cum, right, Master?” Selene asked, gasping as Kelly pulled her leg open, pointing Selene’s knee toward the ceiling and exposing her pussy to the room. Kelly dragged her fingers along Selene’s thigh, making Selene whimper in anticipation. 

“No,” Arthur said. “If you do, you’ll get punished.” 

Kelly kissed Selene behind her ear. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I’ll only bring you to the edge. Then I’ll stop.” 

Somehow, that did nothing to silence Selene’s whimpering. 

“Wow,” Ana said, looking around. “This is intense.” 

“Do you mind if I join you?” Evie asked, looking at Arthur. She locked eyes with him. In that moment, Arthur saw nothing but lust in her gaze. Unbridled. Evie opened her robe and dropped it behind her. She was gorgeous, and his length hardened in response to her and the kisses Kat and Katelyn were giving his neck. Her large bell-shaped breasts reminded him of Kelly, but her hourglass shape was less pronounced. Her hips were slim, and the lines of her body were soft.

“Please do,” Arthur said. 

“I want to see how much of you I can take in my mouth,” Evie said. “Is that okay?” 

“Yeah,” Arthur said, gasping as Mindy sucked on his nipple. He didn’t know why that felt so strange, but it wasn’t the strangest thing here. 

Evie looked up at Mindy. “Want to help me?” 

Mindy grinned and slid lower. Ana stood beside the bed. “Can I join you up here?” she asked. 

“Sure,” Arthur said, patting the mattress. “I have a hand free if you want it.” 

“Take it,” Katelyn urged Ana. “Trust me.” 

Ana blushed, her light brown skin darkening as Arthur removed his hand from under Katelyn. Ana crawled over him, bringing her lips to his and kissing him as his hand found its way between her legs. She was slim, but her body was a menagerie of artistic decorations that drew his eyes to her hips. A pair of twin tigers guarded her groin. Elaborate tribal decorations wrapped under her breasts. Her breasts were small but round, and her dark nipples were already erect.

Meanwhile, Faith pulled a chair over to the foot of the bed. She put her feet on the mattress, spread her legs, and played with herself while watching them. Her open robe fell to either side of her body, showcasing her large breasts and dark pussy lips. Her pale, smooth skin was flawless porcelain, making her pink nipples and dark pussy stand out in contrast.

Pure sensation overwhelmed Arthur. Kat’s soft body pressed against his arm as she kissed his neck. Katelyn did the same, with sharper teeth. She was biting his neck more than kissing it, but that was no less pleasurable. Ana needed more arousal than she had before he could enter her, so he rubbed the outside of her lips first, his grip gentle and stirring. Meanwhile, her tongue stirred his mouth, and her hand roamed his body as her other arm supported her above him. Below the waist, Mindy and Evie had wrapped themselves around his legs, kissing either side of his stiff cock and running their tongues over and under it. 

Selene slurped as Kelly stuck a finger into Selene’s mouth, and another into her pussy. Their intense gazes never left Arthur’s bed, where the mass of writhing flesh soon released pleasurable moans and groans. 

Faith sped up as she pleasured herself, her eyes never leaving Arthur’s cock. 

Arthur groaned as the hot, wet mouth of someone covered his tip. He didn’t know if it was Mindy or Evie, because Ana blocked his view. She slid over him, and at first he wasn’t sure what she was doing, but then he realized she was rubbing herself against his stomach. He tightened his core, making his abs firmer as she rubbed herself against him and lifted her head back, writhing in pleasure. “Oh, fuck,” Ana said. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

“You’re blocking my view,” Faith said, annoyed. 

“You can still see his cock, can’t you?” Ana asked. 

“Not with Emma Frost gagging on it,” Faith said, chuckling.

The warm flesh around his cock lifted away, a tongue scraped along the underside as it left, flicking the head so that his dick pulsed with anticipation for more. 

“I keep looking for any imperfections,” Ana said, her voice low and husky. “You’re perfect.” 

Arthur blushed. “Thanks, my lats aren’t as—” his list of imperfections stopped as Kat and Katelyn both bit his neck, and Ana put her mouth over his, making out with him. The world flickered between views of Ana’s body and darkness behind his eyelids while sensation assaulted him. His fingers played in warm, wet pussies, Katelyn and Kat’s. Ana rubbed herself against his abs and pelvic muscles, making his skin glisten. Evie and Mindy took turns stroking, sucking, and licking his cock and balls. Whenever one of them had his cock in their mouth, the other played with his balls. The sheer number of hands caressing, stroking, and gripping him overwhelmed his brain. 

“Can I tap in?” Faith asked, her voice coming from the foot of the bed. 

Ana groaned, but lifted off him as Faith tapped her shoulder. 

“Can you two play with his balls? I want his shaft,” Faith said. 

Evie and Mindy slid lower, each of them taking one side of his balls and sucking, kissing, and licking. Their tongues overlapped at various points, and they made out between bouts of fondling. Neither of them remained subtle about humping his calves. 

Kat and Katelyn moved aside, with Kat giving a grunt of disapproval as Faith shifted, lowering herself over his face. She was dripping, and Arthur’s nose pressed into her before his tongue flicked out and found her clit. It wasn’t difficult to find, but surprisingly large and ready for him as he swirled his tongue around it. Faith returned the favor, swirling her tongue over the head of his cock as her breasts pressed against his pelvic belt. 

The noises Selene made reached through Arthur’s ear and grabbed his spine, making him arch his back as Kelly moaned with her. Selene was rubbing Kelly over her shorts, her hand trapped behind her between her butt and Kelly’s groin. It looked as if she were tied, with Kelly nibbling on her neck and rubbing her displayed pussy. 

Ana sat in the chair, rubbing herself as she watched and groped her breasts. Kat and Katelyn rested on the bed beside Arthur, making eye contact with each other in the brief moments that Faith lifted her pussy from Arthur’s face for a break. 

“Ana, are you into girls?” Kelly asked. 

“Oh, uh,” Ana said, hesitating. “I’m willing to try.” 

“Hey, Mister,” Kelly called from across the aisle. “May I play with our guests?” 

“Of course, darling,” Arthur said. “You can fuck anyone who wants to join us tonight. Put on a good show for me.” 

“Thank you,” Kelly said. “Slut, grab a few toys from the break room. Then come back and take the display position.” She whispered something to Selene, no doubt a surprise, though Arthur didn’t know who the surprise was for. 

“Yes, Mistress,” Selene said as Kelly prodded her off the bed. 

Selene was nowhere near decent, but she grabbed her robe and pulled it around her as she left the room. 

Arthur was in no position to keep watch over her, but she was safe so long as she didn’t leave the top floor. She returned moments later, after Ana had joined Kelly at the foot of their bed. They were kissing, making out, glancing at Arthur as they did so. The sight made him want to blow his load, but he was too distracted. 

Selene took the display position, holding toys in her hands and one in her mouth. Kelly took the strap-on from Selene’s hand and fastened it around Selene’s waist. Arthur caught only glimpses until Faith moved again. She hovered above Arthur’s cock as Mindy rolled a condom over it. She squatted, ready to impale herself, but she looked at Arthur first. 

“Hey, Conan, are you ready?” Faith asked. 

Arthur grunted. “Ready when you are.”

Faith lowered herself, letting him impale her. After the first three inches were in, he surprised her by grabbing her hips and pulling her onto him the rest of the way. He didn’t go the entire way in, nor was he forceful, but he pushed inside her and felt how tight and hot she was for him. The black pubes in a tight triangle above her pussy were wet and matted with arousal. Her black fingernails raked against his chest. But she was tight, much tighter than he expected.

She’d redone most of her goth makeup post-shower. Her black lipstick was spotty, with a black ring halfway down Arthur’s cock beneath the condom. It almost made him laugh, but then she rocked her hips and took more of him, moaning as she clawed him. “Oh, fuck!” 

“Mindy, Evie,” Arthur said. “Looks like Faith needs help. Push her down, won’t you?” 

Faith’s eyes flared wide, but she didn’t protest. She nodded her approval as Mindy and Evie looked at her. Each of them took a shoulder. 

“Yes, Boss,” Mindy said, smiling as she pushed. Evie joined her, and together they pushed Faith down as Arthur thrust up, taking Faith from below as he set the pace and fucked her. 

Faith grew ravenous, bouncing in her squatting position while Evie and Mindy stabilized and encouraged her. She clung to them, each of them holding her hand and her arm in support. 

Meanwhile, with his face free, Kat returned to kissing his neck, and he resumed fingering her and Katelyn. Katelyn didn’t bother with his neck, making out with him, then licking his face. It took him a moment to realize she was lapping up Faith’s juices, which made him glance at Katelyn, who was half-smiling, half-laughing at herself. 

On the other bed, Kelly was on her back, lying with Selene face-up on top of her. Kelly’s well-lubed strap-on remained buried in Selene’s ass, opening her up as she fucked her from behind. Meanwhile, Ana straddled both of them, and Selene’s strap-on fucked her from below, much like Arthur and Faith’s arrangement, except that Ana and Selene were making out. 

Arthur thought that was clever, since it included Selene in the chain of fucking, but didn’t push her closer to the edge of her forbidden orgasm. 

He thought it was funny how every woman had a different body, but each was hot and desirable in their own way. Faith’s pendulous breasts and skinny body were part of her allure, but her ghostly-pale areola and goth makeup made her stand out. 

Evie had a hot body, too. Her breasts fit her frame, and she kept in shape despite him never seeing her in the gym. They must have kept opposite schedules. She was gorgeous in the white lingerie, too. Her wearing that in the office was something he’d have difficulty not imagining in the future. Then again, would it be so bad if she joined him, Mindy, and Beth sometimes? Yes, yes, it would. He should be ashamed even to imagine it. 

No, no shame. That was the whole point of this. The harem didn’t allow the girls to entertain shame over their sexualities. So, why should he? He was a dominant, loving, sexual man. Evie was hot, Faith was hot, and Ana was hot. He had his girlfriends' permission, and he could enjoy himself. He didn’t have to let guilt or shame ruin his good time, especially not tonight. 

“Evie, Mindy, why don’t you help her get there?” Arthur said, his voice low and commanding. “Play with her while she rides me. Katelyn, join in. Kat, come here. I want to taste you.” 

His girlfriends moved, and Evie and Faith followed their lead. The girls checked with Faith, who nodded, encouraging them to follow Arthur’s orders. Arthur stopped thrusting as Katelyn put her face closer to where Arthur and Faith joined each other. She sucked and nibbled on Faith’s clit, and Faith shivered as she put her arms around Mindy and Evie. Each of them, Evie and Mindy, took a breast into their mouth, sucking and playing with Faith. 

Arthur kept his thrusts small, filling her more than pumping her.

Meanwhile, Kat straddled his face, lowering herself onto him. He put both hands on her ass and pulled her close, eating her out. She grabbed the headboard and rolled her head back, moaning in a high-pitched whine that sent pleasure through his soul. He was going to fuck every woman here who wanted it. When he was done, he’d cuddle up with his girlfriends and let them get him off before they passed out. That was his plan for the night.

~~~

Rani knocked on the closed door, but it didn’t open. Silence came from the other side, but Yvonne was in there. So she waited. Half a minute passed, and she knocked again. 

“Go away,” Yvonne said, her voice distant and muffled through the door. 

“Fuck you, open the door,” Rani said loud enough for Yvonne to hear her over the sounds floating through the hallway. 

She heard movement on the other side and stared at the peephole. She couldn’t see Yvonne looking through it, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t. 

“Go have fun,” Yvonne said. Her voice was much closer. “Just leave me alone. It’s best for everybody.” 

“Yvonne, I have a key,” Rani said. “And I’m not letting you ruin tonight for me, okay? I’ve been looking forward to this. So stop with the melodrama. It’s not as bad as you think. Just open the door. Or better yet, come with me to the break room. We can chat.” 

Yvonne scoffed. “Yeah, because that’s what you want to do at an orgy.” 

“Of course it isn’t,” Rani said. “But Arthur fucked up, so I’m trying to help him and you so that tonight doesn’t go to shit. Okay? Now, just come out, and we’ll talk.” 

Yvonne didn’t open the door. 

“I have hot chocolate,” Rani said, her voice taking on the sing-song allure of goading. “It’s in the break room, with other goodies and snacks. There are cookies, too.” 

Yvonne opened the door. 

“Good girl,” Rani said, crooking her finger and leading Yvonne toward the break room. “That’s it. Follow me.” 

Yvonne frowned, but followed her. A chorus of sex filled the hallway. They did their best to ignore it as they turned into the break room. The open door did nothing to muffle the sounds, but it provided distance. Rani started the coffeemaker, making hot water as Yvonne stepped into the room. 

“Sit on the bed,” Rani said, gesturing. “There’s a box of tissues on the nightstand. Oreos and chocolate chips are on the counter.” 

Yvonne sat on the edge of the bed, her robe still around her, as was Rani’s. She took a pack of Oreos from the counter, a tissue from the box, then three more, blowing her nose into the first.  

“So, why did you run away?” Rani asked. 

“I don’t know,” Yvonne said, more out of reflex than sincerity. “He’ll fuck that girl from his office, but not me? He’ll fuck strangers, but not me?” She sniffled, grabbing the box of tissues as Rani poured cocoa powder into two disposable cups. “Am I that hideous? Or, no, it’s my personality he doesn’t like, right? Am I such a horrible person? He doesn’t even know some of those women.” 

“Oh, shut up,” Rani said, surprising the fuck out of Yvonne. “You’re not a horrible person. You’re a person. Arthur doesn’t want to not fuck you because he doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t want to fuck you because he cares about you as a person.” 

“What?” Yvonne asked, confused. 

Rani sighed, waiting for the hot water to finish as she stood by the coffeemaker on the counter. 

Manasa, sitting in the chair by the window, looked between them. “Should I go?” Manasa asked. 

Yvonne jumped, not having realized Manasa was in the room. 

“No, you can stay,” Rani said. “Unless you want to go on patrol and check the rooms?” 

“I’ll do a patrol,” Manasa said, rising and shuffling out of the room with water bottles bundled in her arms. 

Rani took a deep breath, sorting out how best to explain her theory to Yvonne. She wasn’t a mind-reader, but she’d made enough observations to realize Arthur put people in boxes. He organized his social life like his apartment: neat, orderly, and with everything in its place. Friends were friends, coworkers were coworkers, sexual partners were sexual partners, classmates were classmates, and so far, exceptions were few, but not impossible. Selene had broken out of the Friendzone, but from what Rani understood, she’d done so with difficulty. 

“Do you know how I first met Arthur?” Rani asked, pouring hot water into the cups and stirring the cocoa powder as it rushed in. 

“No,” Yvonne said. 

“I had a class with him last semester,” Rani said. “Technical writing. Boring class, right? Stupid elective. They might as well call it ‘How to write things in the most straightforward, boring, sleep-inducing, yet legally impenetrable way possible.’ Anyway, there was one bright spot in this class. I sat near the hottest guy I’d seen on campus. He was just nice to look at, you know? It brightened my day to see his smile.” 

Yvonne sniffled, then blew her nose. 

Rani twitched, but relaxed. She let the cups cool beside her as she turned to face Yvonne. 

“About halfway through the semester, the hot guy’s smile vanished. He didn’t say hi to anyone when he got to class, and he stopped asking questions or engaging. I asked around, and it turns out this guy? He broke up with his girlfriend, or she broke up with him, whatever. The point is, he’s available. So I figure, why not cheer him up? I can drag him back to my room and fuck some joy into both our lives, right?” 

Yvonne swallowed. She’d put together that the guy in the story was Arthur, but she seemed afraid of where the story was going. 

“So I flirt with this guy, and I lay it on thick. We have a homework project. I suggest reviewing each other’s work, yadda yadda,” Rani said, rolling her hand and shrugging. “Arthur’s the only guy I’ve ever asked for help on my homework who thought I wanted his help on my homework. To be fair, I don’t ask guys for help as a general rule, but that’s neither here nor there. We meet up, and this guy is one dense motherfucker. I did everything but slip under the table and grab his zipper, you know? But hey, he’s not interested. I thought maybe he’s gay, or only into white girls, or he was too hung up on his ex and not ready to move on. If I acted too soon, that was on me. So, I cut my losses and carried on.”  

“But then how did you end up dating him?” Yvonne asked, confused. 

Rani handed her the cup of hot chocolate and sat next to her with one of her own in her hand. She crossed her legs, letting the robe material fall away from her legs. “Months later, I’m on this awful date with a total prick, just a clueless guy who’s daddy’s little prince, you know the type?” 

“Uh,” Yvonne hesitated. “Sure.” 

“Right, well, we’re walking the mall after our movie. It’s a ghost town, but who do we run into? Arthur and Mindy. They’re on a date, and my date is checking out this Korean hottie instead of me, which was the final straw. Meanwhile, her date, Arthur, is respectful as fuck, and Mindy is looking at me like she wants a bite, you know?” 

“Sure,” Yvonne said. 

“Long story short, we turned it into a double date, and my dud of a date got on my nerves enough that we dropped him off early,” Rani said. “It’s the three of us in the car, and I’m about to tease them, asking if they want a threesome. When Mindy asks if I want to join them for the rest of the night. Well, the rest is history. We fucked good that night. It was the hottest fucking threesome, the way he helped Mindy explore her bisexuality, and damn, he was worth the anticipation.” 

Yvonne followed the story along, but the confused expression remained. She flinched when Rani mentioned fucking Arthur, but otherwise, her studious face stared into her hot chocolate. “I don’t get what you’re trying to say.” 

“Sorry, I got distracted,” Rani said, shaking her head to shake away the clinging memories. As hot as they were, they did nothing to help Yvonne. “Do you know what the difference was between when I first met Arthur and our second meeting?” Rani asked. 

“Time?” Yvonne asked. 

Rani shook her head. “I mean, sure, yeah, time had passed. He was dating again, but no, I mean more than that. The context in which I met him, and in which he knew me, had changed. I’m still not even sure he remembers me from last semester, or realizes that I was hitting on him at the time despite my total lack of subtlety. Because he’s dumb, intentionally so sometimes, and he keeps everything so neat and orderly, you should see his apartment. Not a book out of alphabetical order on his shelves.” 

Yvonne chuckled. “I’ve seen him stage-manage,” she said. “You should see the prop table when he’s in charge of it.” 

“So you get it,” Rani said. “How you met him, and the context he put you in, that matters to him. If Arthur thinks of you as a classmate, you’re a classmate, not a potential girlfriend. If he meets you at the office, you’re a coworker, not a fuckable option. He keeps everything separate, and the only exceptions weren’t his idea. He doesn’t want his friends crossing over into his sex life; hence, separate rooms.” She gestured around herself to the hotel. “And right now, he’s struggling to categorize you. And it’s water under the bridge, but just days ago, you were an enemy, making his life, our lives, miserable on campus.” 

Yvonne wilted. “But he fucks Evie and Mindy? They’re his coworkers.” 

“Well, Mindy asked him out,” Rani said. “She broke the pattern. Same with Evie, in a way. She re-contextualized herself by being here tonight, and at the Faire.” 

“But why hasn’t he done that with me?” Yvonne asked. 

“Because he knows you better than he did Mindy when she asked him out, and way better than Evie,” Rani said. “You were his friend for much longer, and his association with you as a theater friend, especially, means you’re in that box. Or were. A few weeks ago he had to re-contextualize you as an enemy. Then you were back to being his friend. Now you want to switch again, and he’s having trouble keeping up.” 

“Oh,” Yvonne said. She straightened as if something had clicked into place.

“Excuse me,” Selene said, entering the room with her robe wrapped around her. “I’m looking for the bag of dicks?” 

Rani pointed at the duffel on the other bed. “Right there.” 

“Thanks!” Selene waved at Yvonne and gave her a brief smile. It fell away when she noticed the mood in the room.

“Hey, Selene?” Yvonne asked. “How did you and Arthur get together, romantically, I mean? How did you escape the friend zone?” 

Selene hesitated as she sifted through the dildo duffel. “Uh, well, I asked him to train me in the ways of kink. You need to be direct with him. He keeps his blinders on sometimes. Things happened from there, and we moved from friends with benefits to boyfriend/girlfriend.” 

“I see,” Yvonne said. 

“My experience might not be much help,” Selene said. “I’m sorry. I’d stay to talk, but Mistress is waiting for me.” 

“No, it’s not your fault,” Yvonne said. “I get it. Go have fun.” 

Selene nodded, clutching several toys from the bag as she left. 

“You’re right, Rani. Kelly said something similar too, that he needs time. I guess I forced him to re-categorize me too many times,” Yvonne said. “From theater friend to enemy to friend was enough of a journey, but I got greedy.” 

Rani put an arm around Yvonne, hugging her to her side. “He’s got so much shit going on. There’s so much drama, and he’s trying to wrangle six different girlfriends, which is no small feat. Hell, Selene alone is a handful. You saw Kat today; she’s a handful, too. Katelyn’s new, Kelly’s got stuff going on, Mindy’s the only one who’s pure sunshine, and even she’s got parent-related drama that we’ve got to handle. Arthur’s scrambling to keep up, and even I’m not sure he can handle another girlfriend.” 

“And you?” Yvonne asked. “What drama do you bring?” 

“You mean besides our cultural differences, wealth disparity, and professional aspirations?” Rani asked. “Or the looming doom of meeting not only my parents, but the small town’s worth of people that are my immediate family, aunts, uncles, and cousins?” Rani chuckled. “I’m looking forward to that more than I should. He’s going to go through the gauntlet when he meets my siblings, not to mention Pa Pa.” 

Yvonne nodded. 

“What are your parents like? Think they’d support you being poly?” Rani asked. 

Yvonne frowned, thinking it through. “I’m not sure, to be honest. It’s never come up. They’re monogamous, but they’ve always supported me regardless of sexuality. My dads are open-minded, so long as I’m safe and happy.” 

Rani raised an eyebrow. “Dads?” 

Yvonne nodded. “Yeah, I have two dads. My mom passed away when I was eight.” 

“And your dad remarried a guy?” Rani asked. 

“Yeah,” Yvonne said. “He realized he was gay when I was, like, eleven? And well, along came Papa Luke. They’ve been married since I was in high school.” 

“Wow,” Rani said. “That’s cool. I’m sorry about your mom, though.” 

Yvonne nodded, then sipped her hot cocoa. Rani did the same. They sat in silence beside one another until Yvonne’s far-off stare returned to the bed across from her. 

“So, what should I do?” Yvonne asked. “Arthur didn’t want me participating tonight, or doing anything with him, but I’d hoped he’d let me, I don’t know, hang out? Can I just watch? He can tie me up or something, and I’ll sit in the corner?” 

“Take things slow,” Rani said. “Arthur said he wouldn’t oppose your coming into the room. It just surprised him. That man hates surprises.” 

“Oh,” Yvonne said, straightening. “Well, that’s an improvement! Right? Do you think he’d let me join him?” 

Rani sighed. “I can’t answer for him. I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to complicate everything for you by throwing this tonight. In a perfect world, Arthur would get over himself and just enjoy everything tonight. But he sees you too much as a person to fuck you as a one-night stand. He knows that if you and he get together, it’ll mean something. And if it goes sour, well, you both have more to lose.” 

Yvonne chuckled. “First, he doesn’t like my personality. Now, he likes me too much to fuck me? Is that what you’re saying?” 

Rani shrugged. “You and Arthur need to talk things out between yourselves. I can’t answer your questions for him. But for tonight, watch. You have options. Go to his room and watch; go to yours and order whatever pay-per-view porn you want, or go to one of the other rooms?” 

Yvonne frowned. “You said we could ask first, right? If people are wearing a green band?” 

Rani hesitated. “Yes.” 

“Then let me ask him?” Yvonne asked. “Please?” 

“I’ll double-check that he’s okay with it,” Rani said, standing. “What happens after that is up to you and him, okay? But hey, if he’ll let us, are you into girls? I wouldn’t mind playing Queen to your Princess for a night.” 

Yvonne blushed, glancing at Rani with nervous eyes. “I wouldn’t mind trying,” she said. “But I’ll be honest, I wish this cocoa had something stronger in it than water.” 

Rani chuckled. “If you need alcohol to kiss a girl, then you don’t want to kiss a girl. There’s no shame tonight, no inhibitions. Let your freak flag fly, and hey, if you’re not into girls, that’s okay.” 

Yvonne drank the rest of her hot chocolate and threw the cup away in the bin under the counter. Rani rose from the bed as well and led the way, gesturing for her to wait in the hallway as she slipped into Arthur’s room. 

~~~

Faith was loud when she came. She didn’t hold back, but threw her head back and cried out to the ceiling as her insides clamped onto Arthur like a vibrating fleshlight. Every spasm in her did its best to force his orgasm, but he withstood the onslaught. He was less sensitive to pleasure than he would have been if it weren’t for all the fucking he’d done that day. Still, he was enjoying himself. 

Kat was nearly there as well, riding his face as Evie and Mindy helped Faith dismount. He used his fingers on Kat, adding to her pleasure as one hand groped her breast above him. The other sawed in and out of her from below while his tongue worked her clit and his lips munched the rest. 

“Oh, fuck,” Kat said, groaning. “Sir, please.” 

Arthur chuckled, then groaned with frustration as Faith lifted off his still-hard cock. Someone pulled the condom away and replaced it. He didn’t see who, but he had his guesses. 

“Hey, Big D, are you okay if Evie takes a turn on you?” Katelyn asked from behind Kat. 

Arthur released Kat’s breast and held up a finger, telling her to wait. 

They waited, but multiple hands stroked his cock and played with his balls while they did. He lost track of who was where, letting Kat become his sole focus as she approached her climax. He rested his hand on her pelvis as she leaned back and put her hands on the mattress on either side of him. Katelyn held her shoulders. Meanwhile, he applied pressure on her clit from above with his palm, while he licked her. His other hand became two fingers inside her. His pinky knuckle pressed against the flesh between her holes. 

Kat gritted her teeth. “Oh, fuck, Arthur, I’m going to—” 

She came, and Arthur slowed to a stop as her thighs squeezed his head between them. He slid his hands to the inside of her thighs as she bent forward, holding herself up on the headboard again. She lifted from him, and he took a deep breath of air as she moved aside. Katelyn moved with her, still holding her as she trembled. 

Arthur rolled, surprising Mindy and Evie as he took to his feet. He needed a change of position. The mattress was firm, which was great for fucking. But he’d been on his back long enough. He checked that the fresh condom was still in place, and it was.  

Kelly, Selene, and Ana were still playing together. They’d rolled to the side, facing Arthur’s bed with Ana closest. Selene was behind her, groping her and holding a vibrator against her clit. Meanwhile, Kelly was fucking Selene from behind with her strap-on, and groping Selene’s breasts with torturous pinches that had Selene on the verge of orgasm. 

“Take it easy on Slut, or she’ll earn herself a punishment sooner rather than later,” Arthur warned Kelly. 

“Yes, Master,” Kelly said. Her voice was husky with lust as she stopped pinching Selene’s nipple and bit her collarbone instead. Her teeth drew a gasp from between Selene’s lips.

Evie and Mindy were kneeling on the mattress, holding onto each other for stability. Kat curled on her side on the far side of the bed, and Katelyn was behind her, holding her. Not for stability, but to cuddle her friend. She was giving Kat a play-by-play in soft whispers, her lips just beside Kat’s ear. 

“Wait, where’s—” Arthur looked around, but Faith was nowhere to be seen. A hand popped up on the other side of the mattress as he stood in the aisle between the beds. 

“I’m here,” Faith said. “I just needed a second; I’m sore as fuck.”

“Are you okay?” Arthur asked. 

“Yeah, it’s my leg muscles,” Faith explained. “All the bouncing in that squat position? Fuck I’m going to regret having to walk around tomorrow.”  

Arthur chuckled and turned his attention to Evie. “I know it’s too late, but are you sure about this?” 

Evie opened her mouth in surprise, looked at Mindy, and returned her attention to Arthur. “I mean, I made out with Mindy over your cock, sucked you, sucked your balls, made out with Faith, sucked on her tits, fingered Mindy, and Mindy fingered me. If you’re worried I’ll back out because we work at the same office, don’t. You’re not pressuring me into this. If anything, I’m pressuring you. Are you okay to do this?” 

Arthur looked at Mindy, who said nothing. She sat back on her heels and looked at Arthur expectantly. The hesitation in Arthur’s mind was dumb. He knew that. She’d sucked him, and she was here, naked, ready and waiting to fuck him. That was enough to get him fired if she wanted to break the NDA. He had no reason to hold back, and he’d already enjoyed someone else outside his harem. 

The only thing holding him back was the tiny voice in his head telling him he should be ashamed of what he was, what he wanted. He’d gotten so used to listening to that voice. It kept him safe, but he’d made exceptions to it. Mindy was one. Beth was another. Both had worked out well. He took a deep breath. 

“Okay,” Arthur said. “How rough do you like to go?” 

Evie bit her lip as she eyed him like a piece of candy. “How rough can you go?” 

Mindy giggled. “Break her, Boss, break her in half.” 

Evie’s eyes went wide as she looked between Mindy and Arthur. “Should I call you ‘Boss’ too? Is that hot for you?” 

“If you want to, and Mindy’s okay with it, then I’m okay with it,” Arthur said. “Otherwise, you can just scream my name.” 

“Oh,” Evie said, surprised as Arthur grabbed her and moved her where he wanted her to be. He laid her on the bed so that her feet were hanging off it, with her butt on the edge. 

“Put your hands above your head.” 

“Like this?” Evie asked, raising both hands above her head. Her elbows flared out on either side, framing her face. 

Arthur nodded. “Good.” He looked at Mindy. “Hold her down.” 

“Oh,” Evie said as Mindy grabbed her wrists, pinning her to the mattress. “Okay.” 

“Uh, my King, can I bother you before you get started?” Rani asked, cutting in. Arthur didn’t know how long she’d been standing there, but with the door open, she might have just walked in. 

“What’s up?” Arthur asked. “Is everything okay?” 

“Everything’s great,” Rani said. “But I was wondering if you’d allow Yvonne into the room?” 

Arthur nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine.” 

“Are you sure?” Rani asked. “Not to change your mind, but if her being here will ruin your fun, I can tell her no.” 

“I appreciate it,” Arthur said, and he meant it. “But no, it’s okay. I need to talk to her anyway, and if she wants to watch, well, she’s a consenting adult. It’s not my place to tell her what choices to make.” 

“Of course,” Rani said, nodding. “Should I bring her to the bed?”  

“She can sit in the chair,” Arthur said. He pointed at the chair at the foot of the bed. “It’s Evie’s turn.” 

Rani nodded. “As you wish, my king.” 

Rani didn’t even have to leave. She leaned toward the door and beckoned, and a surprised Yvonne followed her inside. Arthur blushed, looking anywhere but Yvonne as her eyes wandered over his body and drank him in. 

“Wow,” Yvonne said. She looked around the room once she tore her eyes away from Arthur. “This is intense.” 

“It will be if you stop distracting him,” Evie grumbled from the mattress. 

“Sorry,” Arthur said, looking down at Evie. He retook command. “Yvonne, have a seat. Rani, get Faith a water bottle, then join us.” 

“Are you okay?” Rani asked Faith, noticing her for the first time between the bed and the wall. “We have a break room if you need it.” 

Faith held up a thumbs-up. “I’m okay. I’m just catching my breath and stretching my legs.” She stuck a foot in the air, doing a hamstring stretch. “It’s been a long day.” 

Rani chuckled, scooting from the room as Yvonne walked past, keeping her eyes low as she reached the chair. She sat in it, her robe still on as she drank in the scene with Arthur, Evie, and Mindy. On the other side of them, Katelyn gave her a small wave. Yvonne smiled and waved back. 

“Okay,” Evie said. “Ready, Boss? Just pretend you’ve got me on my back on the office work table.” 

Arthur grinned, notching himself at Evie’s entrance as she wrapped her legs around him. He slid his length along her labia, checking her lubrication, though the condom he had on meant he had to follow it with his thumb. 

She was ready despite the distractions. 

He tried not to focus on Yvonne watching him and plunged forward. Arthur entered her slowly at first, letting her adjust to the intrusion. Evie wasn’t as tight as Faith had been. Not that she was loose, but she took him more easily. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling. He increased his pace, holding her by the hips to keep her steady. 

“Oh, yeah,” Evie sighed. “I needed this. Holy shit, man. I never would have guessed you had this in you. You’re always so timid at the office.” 

Mindy giggled. “He’s a gentleman in the streets, but a barbarian in the sheets.” 

Evie laughed, which made her insides flutter against him while he remained lodged deep inside her. “Oh, shit, that felt weird. Don’t make me laugh.” 

Mindy giggled again, and Arthur grunted. Deciding that the conversation was too distracting, he increased his pace again, making Evie grip the blanket beneath her for dear life. “Oh, holy shit,” she panted. “Holy shit, holy shit!” 

“You remember your safewords, right?” Mindy asked. 

Evie nodded, too preoccupied to speak as Arthur plowed into her. She twisted, arching her back and moaning as Arthur slid his hand from her hip to her pussy, playing with her clit while he fucked her. Evie curled her shoulders forward, then fell back as Mindy kept her arms where they should be. She curled again, but Mindy had a method of keeping her still and leaned over her, sucking on her nipple. Evie returned the favor, opening her mouth wide enough to latch onto one of Mindy’s massive, swinging tits, muffling her cries of pleasure. 

Rani returned with water bottles, placing them around the room or handing them to people who were taking a break. Then she discarded her robe and stood behind Arthur, hugging him from behind. “That’s it, my king,” she whispered as she kissed his back. “Fuck your new concubines. I hope you enjoy them.”

Arthur grunted, not sure if he was supposed to be a boss, a barbarian, or a king. He supposed he wasn’t playing a character anymore. Master, husband, dominant, caregiver, or whatever fell by the wayside with this many people. Instead, he became himself, just an unrestrained version of himself. Was it a mistake? Maybe. 

They’d done their best to insulate themselves against consequences. Fucking Evie might be a mistake, but he was more protected from her than from Mindy or Beth. Neither of them had signed an NDA. Agreeing to let Yvonne watch? That may be a mistake, too. But they were adults, and everyone consented to be here. Even him. He was happy with that. 

Watching Evie writhe beneath him, he moved her legs so that her ankles rested by his shoulders, giving him a deeper angle as he fucked her. He hugged her thighs to his stomach and kicked the force of his hips up a notch, making Evie scream his name.  

As strange as it might be, this was their version of cutting loose and partying. Other college seniors might party with beer, drugs, and dancing. Arthur and his friends partied with sex, condoms, and a healthy amount of hydration. Should he be ashamed of that? No.

So he enjoyed himself. Well, more accurately, he enjoyed Evie. He enjoyed listening to her moans turn into staccato shrieks as his body shifted into overdrive, hammering her hard and fast. He enjoyed feeling Rani’s pierced nipples press against his back as she hugged him, her hands on his hips as if she were guiding him. Hell, he even enjoyed knowing that behind him, he had more than one person, an entire audience, watching him dominate and fuck like a beast. A barbarian, king, and master in one. It was who he was, even if he had to return to playing the gentleman tomorrow.