Harem House Chapter 39 Part 3

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

Mom: <3

Arthur smiled softly. The heart was his mother’s way of checking in on him without putting pressure on him for a wordy response or asking him a series of questions. He sent her a heart in return, letting her know that he loved her back. He was sorry to have hurt her the way he did last night, but he breathed easier at the thought of the conversation being off his chest. He didn’t have to relive that night again for a long time now, and the worst was behind him. 

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

Whatever Kelly’s plans were worried him, but not as much as her reluctance to share those plans. At first, he agreed with the idea of having plausible deniability, but the more he thought about it during work, the more he worried. Should he call Kelly and have her cancel the dinner? Was that overstepping? 

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

He had to do something to protect them. His dad was meeting with the lawyer today, taking time out of his busy work schedule to do it. It probably wouldn’t be a long meeting, but whatever the results, they’d know what to do next. 

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

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

“Hey, Boss?” 

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

“Yes, Dinah? What’s up?” Arthur asked. 

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

“Sure.” Arthur said. “That’s not a problem.” 

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

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

“What time do you need to leave?” Arthur asked. 

“Well, I usually work till four, with lunch in between, but would it be okay if I left at lunch and didn’t come back?” Dinah asked. 

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

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

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

No. Arthur realized he hadn’t had an orgasm since last night. For what might be the first time in days, he hadn’t had a sexual release in more than twelve hours. Shit. His body had been keeping up with demand, and there wasn’t any release in sight, nor would there be any, for the rest of the day. Tonight was his night off, just him and the guys. 

He glanced at Beth’s office door. She and Mindy were working on the other side of it. Normally, either or both would be more than glad to accompany him to the storeroom or lock Beth’s office door and enjoy some release. 

Unfortunately, they needed to be careful in the office. Liz from HR was looking for an excuse to cause trouble, and Arthur didn’t intend to give her one. 

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

“Oh, uh…” Arthur checked the schedule. If Tara left early, too, that meant Linda and Sara would be working solo for the afternoon, each in turn. There might be a few minutes when the office was unattended, but that was fine, right? He couldn’t very well tell Tara no when he’d just told Dinah yes. 

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

“We can’t all leave early.” Arthur protested. “Or there’ll be no one in the office.” 

“So?” Tara asked. “It’s Fall Break. Everyone has the day off on Monday and Tuesday, so most people took vacation today, right? You’re lucky we’re even here at all.” 

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

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

“Even Dinah?” Tara asked. 

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

“That’s not fair!” Sarah protested, earning her a glare from Dinah. 

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

“But–” Sarah protested, but Arthur held up his hand. 

“I’ll talk to Beth.” He said. 

“Fine.” Sarah huffed and took her seat. 

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

“I didn’t yell.” Arthur said. “Sarah’s voice was louder than mine.” 

“Yeah, but yours was all… threatening.” Tara said. 

Arthur sighed. He couldn’t win. “I’m a guy. I have a deeper voice. I did not, nor will I ever, threaten any of you.” 

“Well, you should pay more attention to your tone.” Tara said. “It’s intimidating when a guy gets all stern like that.” 

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

“Well?” Tara asked, staring at him. 

Arthur lifted his eyes to Tara. 

“Aren’t you going to go talk to Beth?” Tara asked. 

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

He knocked on Beth’s door. 

“Come in!” Mindy’s voice answered him. 

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

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

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

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

“No.” Arthur said, smiling softly. He shook his head. “As fun as it might be… we need to be responsible in the office.” 

Beth nodded. 

“The girls want to know if they can all leave early today.” Arthur explained. “I told Dinah she could since she’s traveling for fall break, but then Tara and Sarah overheard me and wanted to leave early too. We’d be effectively closing early, after Linda’s shift, unless she also wants to leave early.” 

Beth nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. Honestly, most people in the office are out today.” 

Arthur nodded. 

“And you’re leaving at one, right?” Beth asked. 

“Yeah.” Arthur said. 

“I think we’ll just close the office at one, then.” Beth said. “Mindy’s done by then, and I could use a half day. Maybe we could get lunch together off campus?” 

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

“Of course.” Beth said, frowning. “I just… we haven’t had any time to… connect. In a while.” 

“I know.” Arthur said. “I’m sorry. But I’m around during fall break. Are you?” 

“I’m not traveling.” Beth said. “But obviously, the office is closed.” 

“That’s even better. We can do something off campus. Or, maybe on Monday, you, me, and Mindy come in anyway.” Arthur said. “We’ll have some fun, and we won’t have to worry about getting caught.” 

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

Beth contemplated the suggestion. “That could be fun.” 

“As for today…” Arthur glanced meaningfully at the door to the hallway, and Mindy locked it before he could ask. He gestured for Beth to rise from her chair. 

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

“Were you a good girl today?” Arthur asked. 

Beth swallowed and nodded. 

“I didn’t hear you.” Arthur said, his cock stiffening in his pants. 

“Yes, Sir.” Beth said, keeping her voice in a low whisper. 

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

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

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

Arthur gestured, pointing toward the floor. 

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

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

Arthur squeezed her ass and drew in a ragged deep breath. He pressed his lips against her and kissed behind her ear. She pushed back against him, feeling his stiff cock slide between her cheeks through his slacks. 

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

Mindy swallowed. “Can we, Master? Please?” 

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

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

“Fix your clothes.” Arthur said, and Beth obeyed. 

“That was mean.” Mindy pouted. “You’re mean for teasing us like that.” 

Arthur glanced at Mindy and winked. He knew it was mean, but at least now he wasn’t suffering alone.  

Beth tucked her shirt and refastened her pants, sitting behind her desk before the slick wetness between her thighs had a chance to show on her slacks. 

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

“Now you know how I feel.” Arthur said. “Although… if we do close the office early today… Maybe we could meet back here after lunch?” 

“Too dangerous.” Beth warned. “Not everyone is out today.” 

“Fair enough.” Arthur agreed. 

“We could go to my dorm room.” Mindy said.

“I’m not meeting you in the dorms.” Beth frowned. 

“Monday.” Arthur repeated. “We’ll continue this then.” 

Mindy pouted but didn’t argue the point further. 

“So I’ll tell the girls we’re closing early?” Arthur asked. 

“Yes, Sir.” Beth said, still slightly flustered as she sat with a blush evident on her face.

Arthur nodded. “Okay. Thanks.” He said. He patted Mindy’s head and gave her a quick kiss before he returned to the office. He winked at Beth as he unlocked her door, and she did her best not to smile. 

“Beth’s agreed to close early.” Arthur announced after he shut Beth’s door behind him. “You can all leave early.” 

“Yes!” Sarah exclaimed. “Thanks, Boss!” 

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

It wasn’t until lunchtime that anyone bothered him again. He looked up to see that he and Sarah were alone in the office, though Beth’s door was open. 

“Hey, are you doing anything for the break this year?” Sarah asked.

“Oh, uh, yeah, my girlfriends and I are going on a short trip.” He didn’t explain where or what they were doing. 

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

“Oh, uh…” Arthur glanced toward Beth’s door, but no cavalry arrived to save him. He shook his head. “No. We have rules in place for that kinda thing.” 

“What kinda rules?” Sarah asked. 

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

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

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

“I guess…” Arthur said, unsure how to respond. 

“So if you wanted to meet me for drinks or something.” Sarah said. “Would you need Mindy’s permission? Somehow, I don’t see her being the leader of your little group.” 

“She’s not.” Arthur said. “Like I said, we have rules that we agreed to.” 

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

“It’s…” Arthur sucked in a breath. “Complicated.” 

“Too complicated to tell me?” Sarah asked. “I’m not a total bimbo, you know.” 

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

“Oh.” Sarah said, frowning. “Sure. I forgot you always work into lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.” 

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

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

“Yeah.” Arthur said, nodding and returning to work. 

“Good.” Sarah left, closing the office door behind her. 

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

After work, he left the office to a series of texts from his father as he walked to the café where he was supposed to meet Rani. 

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

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

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

Dad: Also, if you're meeting Mindy's parents on Monday, stop by the apartment sometime this weekend. Your mom has a bottle of wine she wants you to take to them. 

Dad: Oh, and I got a notification this morning from the security company about possible tampering? They say it looks like someone tried to test the doors and windows at the house to see if they could break in, but according to their sensors, no one did. They're sending a cop car just in case, but I haven't heard back yet. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.

Dad: Sorry for all the long texts. Your mother says I should have just called you, but I know how you young people hate phone calls.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Concubine: oh, shit!

Concubine: I'm sorry. I forgot.

Master: That's ok. I'm in the café if you'd like to join me.

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

Master: Have you eaten at all?

Concubine: I had a bagel this morning. 

Master: Where are you right now?

Concubine: Engineering building. 

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

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

Master: Do you want a chicken wrap?

Concubine: Actually, do they have soup? I'm craving a decent Mushroom Soup for some reason.

Master: I got you. 

Concubine: Thanks. Third-floor lounge.

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

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

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

Rani smiled at him. “You think you’re so cute with that bit, don’t you?” 

“I have it on good authority that I’m quite cute.” Arthur said. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Rani said, waving him over. 

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

She smiled at him. “Still not used to that.” 

Arthur chuckled. “You okay if I do my homework with you?” 

“You don’t have to rush off to have lunch with someone else since I couldn’t make it?” Rani asked, surprised. 

“No.” Arthur said. “The whole point of these lunches is that they don’t have to be formal dates. They’re just lunch. We can sit shoulder-to-shoulder, and do our work for a while until our next class.” 

“Are you sure?” Rani asked. “I can’t entertain you or anything.” 

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

Rani smiled, took the lid off her still-hot soup, and let it cool as she worked. She kept it far away from her electronics and drank it from the to-go container without a spoon. Arthur, meanwhile, ate his wrap, then worked on his homework. 

~~~

Lynn was going insane. She’d been stuck outside, locked out of the house, for hours, without her phone or any of her belongings. Her clothes were even inside. She was naked from head to toe, and no amount of poking small sticks into the sliding glass door or trying to pry it open, or throwing things to break the glass, had worked. 

She swam in the pool until her fingers turned to prunes. Then she laid out on the poolside chair and got some sun. It was unseasonably warm today, which was fortunate. She could only imagine the torture this would be if it were cold outside. Even so, the breeze carried the coming chill in its wake, and she did her best to hide from the wind. The heated pool and the jacuzzi were nice enough, but getting out of them always made her feel ten times as cold. 

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

Kelly or one of the girls would eventually arrive for dinner, they’d find her, humiliate her, and have their fun. Lynn could imagine it now. The gaggle of them turning the corner from the front of the house to find her there, naked and ashamed. 

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

She was nearly there when the sound of car tires on the driveway yanked her out of her reverie. She sat up in her lounge chair and pushed herself to her feet. She couldn’t see the driveway from the back patio, but she could creep around the side of the house to see who it was. If she stuck to the treeline and the garden, there was a chance they wouldn’t see her. Or, she could wait and see if they came here, but there’d be nowhere to hide other than the water. 

She crept toward the trees behind the poolhouse, hoping she could hide until whoever it was went inside. It was too early for it to be one of the girls. Maybe Deb or George had come by? She wasn’t sure she wanted to see Auntie Deb after last night, but at least she’d help. Lynn hoped she’d help, anyway. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She strode out of the trees with her head held high, stopping as she reached the edge of the pool. She sat on the edge, lowering her legs into the water, and slipped in silently. Then she broke the surface of the pool, rising as if she’d been underwater. 

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

“Uh… excuse me?” The officer asked. “What are you doing here?” 

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

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

“Yes, sir, I do.” Lynn said, emphasizing the ‘sir’ as if she were being playful. “I’m glad you’re here, though. I’ve been locked out.” 

The officer raised an eyebrow. “Do you uh… have any proof that you live here?” He asked. “Maybe an ID and a piece of mail?” 

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

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

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

“Oh, sure.” The officer nodded. “I just need to confirm that you’re not trespassing.” 

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

“I suppose you could call the landlord.” She giggled. “Unless you want to take care of that, first?” She pointed at his crotch with one long, manicured finger. The officer took a step away from her. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~~~

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

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

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

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

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

“Hi, yeah. I’m Arthur.” He said, extending his hand for a handshake. 

The girl looked him up and down, her eyes widening slightly as standing revealed his height. She shook his hand, though she seemed stunned by the effort. 

“Did she hire you or something?” The girl asked. “There’s no way you’re her boyfriend.” 

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

“Just ignore her, Arthur.” Rani said. “Everyone else does.” 

“I’m sorry, who are you exactly? And why do you think it’s okay to be rude to Rani?” Arthur asked. 

The girl looked at him in surprise. 

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

“I am her boyfriend, yes.” Arthur said. “Who are you exactly?” 

“Charlotte.” The woman answered. 

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

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

“The two of you weren’t dating.” Rani countered. “I checked.” 

“We were almost dating!” Charlotte argued. 

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

“That’s what I keep saying.” Rani said, gesturing to Charlotte. 

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

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

“Since when?” Charlotte asked, surprised. 

“Last weekend?” Rani asked. 

“So you’re not still fucking Dan?” Charlotte asked. “Big surprise. This is the first guy I’ve ever heard of sticking around beyond a one-night stand with you.” 

Rani rolled her eyes. 

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

“No, we’re in a committed relationship.” Arthur said. “Though, whatever or whoever she did before doesn’t matter to me.” 

“She’s fucked almost everyone.” Charlotte said. “Guys and girls.” 

“You’re exaggerating.” Rani sighed. 

“You fucked Dan.” Charlotte said, her tone accusatory. 

“I haven’t fucked Dan since freshman year.” Rani said. “He was okay. A bit on the smaller side, but pretty good with his hands.” 

“You’re disgusting.” Charlotte hissed and stomped away. 

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

He shrugged. “I think you gave her too much information, a bit too callously.” 

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

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

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

“No. Charlotte just has an ax to grind and apparently can’t stand to see me in a steady relationship.” Rani said, shaking her head. “Thanks for sticking up for me.” 

“Any time.” Arthur said. “I gotta look out for my girl.” 

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

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

“Sure.” Arthur said, packing his things into his bag. 

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

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

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

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

“I’m sorry.” Arthur said. “Want me to talk to her?” 

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

“Aw. You’re happy?” Arthur said, teasing her slightly. 

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

“You don’t.” Arthur said, waving her off. “It’s a boyfriend thing.” 

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

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

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

“Yeah.”

“And you’re okay with us going?” Rani asked. 

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

Rani nodded. “We’ll be safe. Don’t worry.” 

Arthur hugged her as she stopped at a classroom door. 

“This is me.” Rani said, kissing him once more. The press of her lips against his was soft and lingering, but she had to pull away or risk being late for class. “Thanks again for lunch. And for standing up for me. I’ve never really… had anyone do that kind of thing before.” 

“Well, you do now.” Arthur said. “You’ve got a boyfriend.” 

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

“This is Arthur Clarke.” He said. 

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

“Yes.” Arthur said, walking through the hallway. His mind attached to the words ‘police officer’ rather than the surname he should have recognized. He’d almost forgotten about his dad’s text, and his first instinct was that someone he cared about was in trouble. Relief that it wasn't the case washed over him. “My dad mentioned there was some kind of alert at the house, but no one was able to break in?” 

“That’s correct, sir.” The officer answered. “But I did find someone at the house who appears to be locked out.” 

Dread sank through Arthur’s heart as a female voice joined the conversation far from the microphone on the other end of the line. 

“She says her name is Lynn Barrera?” 

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

“Yes, Lynn rents the in-law suite from my parents.” Arthur said, wondering what he could do to solve the situation. He didn’t want to drive out there and risk having a face-to-face with Lynn alone. On the other hand, he couldn’t give her the spare key on the side of the house. It unlocked the house, not the basement, and he’d have to change the locks again to render any copies she made useless if he could get her to return the key at all. 

“Is there a spare key or some way to grant her entry to the house?” The officer asked. 

“I’m on my way.” Arthur said, realizing the drive would take about twenty minutes. He left the engineering building behind him and started walking to the parking lot. 

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