Harem House Chapter 39 Part 1

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

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

How dare she? How dare Deb turn on her? 

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

Lynn still couldn’t believe it. That little shit, Arthur, had told his mom on her. About her standing by while the football team beat him up. Deb said he told her the details of their time in the room, but that couldn't be true. He’d told her something anyway, although Lynn couldn’t imagine what. 

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

This had better be worth it. 

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

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

She needed this. Lynn needed to do something to get Arthur to listen to her, and breaking up his little girlfriend club was the best way to get him back under her thumb. Or, failing that, at least she’d feel better knowing that if he ruined her chances at education, she’d ruined his chances at happiness. He deserved to be miserable. 

The drive to the bar was cut short by her driving. What should have taken her an hour was closer to forty-five minutes. She was surprised to see the lot more than half-full on a Thursday night, but it was a college town, and plenty of students went out on Thursday nights instead of Friday nights. She didn’t know why; she assumed it was a class schedule thing. 

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

Lynn: I got here a little early! 

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

Sean: K. I’m at the bar.

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

Sean Michaels was a 21-year-old college Junior at Pendleton. According to his Tinder profile, he enjoyed playing sports, listening to country music, riding dirt bikes, hiking, and attending concerts. He was recently single and looking for a good time. 

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

She’d learned a lot about Katelyn over the last few days, but Sean had kept the reason for the breakup a secret. He said it was mutual, but Lynn could tell by his texts that he missed her, which was what she wanted. 

The plan tonight was to go in there and give him a terrible dating experience. She’d text on her phone, ignore him, order expensive drinks, and leave him with blue balls. He’d go running back to his ex, and Katelyn would be gone from the harem’s circle. 

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

Lynn smiled as she checked her reflection in the car window after exiting. She preened and fluffed her hair again, sweeping it over her shoulder. She strode to the bar with her chin held high and her body in a predatory posture. She became a lioness at the watering hole. She prowled in, spotted Sean at a table near the bar, and waved. 

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

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

The band set up for the line dancing had cleared a section of tables to the far left, and the people sitting around started clapping at the music. 

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

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

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

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

She spotted a woman in paint-splattered jeans step into her path, then continued her journey as she dragged the man she was with toward the dance floor. Another, younger woman laughed so loudly at something her companion said as Lynn passed them that she momentarily thought they were laughing at her. They weren’t, but Lynn glared at them anyway. 

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

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

“Well, howdy.” Lynn said, pretending to tip her hat. 

“Wow.” Sean said, staring at her. “I mean uh… hi. Sorry, I just thought for sure you were a catfish or something. I never–uh–Here! Have a seat.” He hopped up from his chair and pulled the opposite chair out for her. 

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

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

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

“Heh.” Sean laughed. “Not really, no.” 

“Do you come here often?” Lynn asked. 

“Oh, uh, yeah, sometimes.” Sean said. “It’s close to campus, they have good music, decent beer, and the mechanical bull.” 

“Do you ride it?” Lynn asked. 

Sean shrugged. “I’ve done it.” 

“What’s the longest you lasted?” She asked, curious, but also teasing him with the innuendo. 

“Uh…” Sean seemed to have to think about it. “About six seconds.” 

Lynn giggled the melodic, sickeningly sweet giggle of a woman laughing at something that wasn’t funny. “That’s not very long at all.” 

“It’s above average.” Sean said, trying to defend himself, which only made Lynn giggle more. 

“Why don’t you go get us some drinks?” Lynn asked. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.” 

“Oh, uh… sure.” Sean said, nodding. He went to the bar, and Lynn pulled out her phone. Let the plan begin. 

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

“Do you want to dance?” Sean asked. 

Lynn shrugged. 

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

“Shots?” Lynn asked. 

“Uh… sure.” Sean said. “I’ll buy us some shots.” 

He came back with a flight of shots, and Lynn took one in her manicured hand and downed it before Sean sat again. He offered to ‘cheers’ with her for the second drink, but she ignored him and downed it too. He sighed and looked wistfully at the dance floor. 

“You okay? Or are you gonna start moping about your ex-girlfriend again?” Lynn asked. 

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

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

Sean sighed. 

“Did you bring her here?” Lynn asked, pressing the inquiry. “Do bring all your girls here?” The disdain in the final world was clear.

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

“You sound like you miss her.” Lynn said. 

“A little, I guess. It was pretty recent, and we were together for a while.” 

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

Sean looked at her and frowned. 

“Sorry.” Lynn said, shrugging. “I’m just curious. Like, if you’re not over your ex, it’s okay. You could always try to win her back or something, right?” 

“I uh… I actually tried.” Sean said, frowning. 

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

“I said I tried.” Sean said. “She’s moved on. She’s with another guy.” 

No. Lynn’s grip tightened on her phone. “When did this happen?” 

“Uh… earlier today. I was pretty sure you were a catfish.” Sean said. “And you were the only girl on any of those apps who held a conversation with me. The rest all gave one-word responses, and then stopped responding after one or two, if they responded at all.” 

“It’s rough out there.” Lynn agreed. “It’s hard for us girls, too.” 

“Yeah, well, I figured I’d give it one last shot, you know? If she said yes, I’d have canceled our date tonight, obviously.” Sean said. 

“Obviously.” Lynn agreed. “So, she turned you down, I take it?” 

“Yeah.” Sean frowned and took another swig of his drink. “Look, I’m sorry.” 

Lynn raised an eyebrow and waited for him to explain. 

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

“You’re just going to leave me here at the bar?” Lynn asked. “You don’t want to get some food and see how the night goes?” 

Sean stared at her eyes for a moment. “You seemed pretty disinterested in me a second ago, and you don’t want to dance. You’re just sitting there on your phone, making no effort, and I’m depressed enough. I don’t need alcohol, and I don’t need to wake up in an ice bath tomorrow with a missing kidney, or whatever this is.” He gestured between them. 

Lynn giggled again. “I’m not interested in your internal organs. It’s the external one I want.” 

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

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

“Your dick.” Lynn said, explaining herself in a sultry voice. “I’m not interested in all this country bar bullshit, I just want to go outside, see what you’re working with, and maybe see if you can make me scream your name loud enough to get us kicked out of the parking lot.” 

Sean’s eyes looked like they were going to bulge out of their sockets, and she was sure they weren’t the only parts straining for release. 

“Wanna go to my truck?” Sean asked. “It uh… it has a covered bed.” 

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

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

“What?” Lynn asked, laughing. “No, I’m–” 

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

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

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

“Don’t walk away from me!” Lynn yelled, drawing even more attention in their direction. 

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

“You don’t get to abandon me.” Lynn said, anger searing her words into the air around her. “Who do you think you are, leaving me like this? Turning your back on me?” 

“I’m sorry, I’m just… I’m done.” Sean said, taking his card back from the bartender. “It was nice to meet you, I’m sorry I’m not up for… whatever. You’re very hot, I’m sure plenty of other guys will be willing to risk it, but–” 

“RISK IT?” Lynn asked. She grabbed a beer off the bar and splashed it in Sean’s face before slamming the glass down again. 

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

Sean sputtered. “What the fuck?” 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The bartender frowned, a mid-thirties man beefy enough to physically remove her if she tried to fight his order to depart. 

“Do it and I’ll spend the next hour fucking line dancing and letting these assholes buy me drinks.” Lynn said, gesturing with her eyes to the men in the bar behind her, many of whom were watching her ass and thinking about what she’d just screamed at Sean. “High-end, expensive drinks.”

The bartender’s surprise gave way to greed as his eyes scanned the crowd. “Fine.” He said. “But no more outbursts.” 

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

“Right.” The guy said. He was athletic and roughly college age. “He should just be glad you didn't knee him in the balls.” The man gave her a slow, appraising look that took its time reaching her eyes. 

Lynn returned the leer. He was handsome, if a little short. His light brown skin and thick black hair gave him an exotic look, made swarthy by the chest hair peeking out from his shirt.

“I’m Sanjay…” He hesitantly offered her his hand. She shook it. 

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

~~~

Arthur awoke Friday morning to the sudden brush of colder air against his side. Kelly’s warm body had been there moments ago, but she’d slipped out of her place. The blanket she had left draped over him was like ice compared to her warmth. The click of the bathroom door in the hallway behind the sofa alerted him to where she’d gone. The hum of the bathroom fan after Kelly turned on the light confirmed it. 

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

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

Arthur still wore his boxer-briefs, socks, and slacks. The top button and zipper of his pants remained undone. He lifted his hand from Katelyn, who snored in response. He drew it carefully out of the blanket and slowly shifted aside. He felt like Indiana Jones as he tried to replace his abs with a throw pillow beneath Katelyn’s head. It was slow going, but it seemed to work. She stopped snoring, but she was still asleep from what he could tell. 

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

He felt like Kelly still played out a fantasy last night, but it had been a wholesome one, and it didn’t put any demands on him. She ran the show and took his burdens from him without pressuring him for anything. She’d even asked permission, and hadn’t woken him with the expectation of moving directly into a scene. 

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

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

Making them breakfast seemed like a good idea. However, he wasn’t sure what Kelly usually ate. His typical pre-workout breakfast, a spinach omelette, usually accompanied by home fries, and sometimes with an orange or an apple for energy, was easy enough to prepare. But what if Kelly was more of a Greek Yogurt girlie? 

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

“What are you doing, Mister?” Kelly whispered as she entered the kitchen. She wore a heavy-duty sports bra, an oversized t-shirt, and a pair of thick black yoga shorts. 

“I thought I’d make breakfast.” Arthur answered. “As a thank you.” 

Kelly smiled as she approached him. She went to her tiptoes and kissed him, her mouth filled with the green smell of peppermint from her toothpaste. “You don’t have to do that.” 

“I know.” Arthur said, smiling, then wincing as he realized what his morning breath smelled like. “Sorry about my breath.” 

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

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

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

Arthur checked his watch. If he waited to shower until after the gym, he’d have just enough time to rush to his apartment, grab his things, and head out again to make it to the gym on time. 

“Unless you want me to make you a proper sit-down breakfast, like yesterday?” Kelly asked. 

“Oh, uh…” Arthur hadn’t considered that option. Honestly, sitting down to breakfast with Kelly and Katelyn sounded more enjoyable than rushing through a smoothie while he drove, but that would mean missing his workout. Taking her up on the smoothie offer was the responsible choice. “Smoothie. You have to meet the girls at the gym, right?” 

“Good point.” Kelly said. “Feel free to use my toothbrush, but we have extra toothbrushes, razors, and such in the linen closet.” 

“Thanks.” Arthur nodded, feeling like he’d made the right choice. He was quick in the bathroom. The idea of using someone else’s toothbrush, even Kelly’s, weirded him out, so he used one of the extra ones from the closet. He didn’t shave yet, but he combed his hair with his fingers and did his best to make himself look presentable. 

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

“Good morning, Kitty Kat.” Kelly said, gently rousing Katelyn by rubbing her thigh. “Time to wake up. You have class to get to.” 

Katelyn blinked sleepily and frowned. “Where’s Master? I mean, Arthur? Goddamnit now Selene has me doing it.” 

“That’s another one for the spank jar.” Kelly said, smiling wryly as she lifted her eyes over Katelyn and the sofa to see Arthur standing at the end of the hallway where it met the living room. 

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

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

Kelly cleared her throat. 

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

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

Katelyn gestured with her hand, shooing Kelly’s suggestion away. “I’m too sleepy to be hungry.” 

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

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

“Okay, okay.” Katelyn grumbled, but she rose from the sofa and stalked to the bathroom, her long legs fumbling in her sleepy state. 

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

Arthur nodded. “So you layer in the frozen fruit, the powder, the bananas…” 

Kelly nodded. “Do you have any allergies?” 

“Not that I’m aware of, no.” Arthur said, shrugging. 

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

“What’s the secret ingredient?” Arthur asked, amused. “Love?”

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

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

Kelly blushed, but smiled at the compliment. “Stop trying to get me to suck your dick in the kitchen.” 

Arthur laughed, which Kelly drowned out as she reactivated the blender. She thoroughly shredded its contents, then retrieved three travel cups from her cabinet. She poured one out, then repeated the process two more times, filling the cups to the brim each time. 

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

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

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

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

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “So… talk to me.” Arthur said. “What’s up?” 

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

“I’ll tell you on the car ride.” Kelly said. She passed Katelyn the third smoothie. 

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

“Oh, it’s–” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Kelly said, cutting Arthur off. “Just enjoy it. And take your meds for your shoulder.” 

“Yes, Ma’am.” Katelyn puckered her cheeks as she sipped the smoothie through her straw. She wandered away to find her purse at the other end of the apartment and take her meds. 

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

Arthur nodded. Their dynamic amused him, but he didn’t feel the need to intercede. Kelly knew Katelyn’s allergies, if she had any. She also did what she could to help Katelyn despite herself. He was still curious about what Kelly wanted to talk about, though. 

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

“Oh.” Katelyn said, surprised. “I just assumed we’d all ride together.” 

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

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

“Or, I can drive myself, and you can ride with Arthur.” Katelyn said. “Then after classes we can just drive straight to–” 

“Thank you.” Kelly cut Katelyn off before she had a chance to finish her sentence. 

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

Arthur looked awkwardly between them. “Did I miss something? You’re making me nervous.” 

“It’s okay.” Kelly said, pressing her palm flat against Arthur’s chest above his heart. “Nothing’s wrong, I just want to talk to you about something, and I figured we could do it on the drive over.” 

“Something bad?” Arthur asked. 

“No.” Kelly said. “Just… well… something Lynn-related.” 

Katelyn looked up from her bag. “I’m off! Remember, don’t give road head if he’s driving. Park first.” 

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

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

“You should get dressed.” Kelly gestured to the clothes hanging and folded by the door. “I’ll grab my duffel.” 

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

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

“Thank you, Sir.” Kelly said, blowing him a kiss. 

Arthur nodded, closed the door, rounded the car, and slipped into the driver’s seat. He started the engine and was on the road before he spoke, but it wasn’t long after turning toward his apartment that he had to ask. “So what did you want to talk about? This is killing me.” 

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

Arthur’s muscles relaxed. “That’s… not as bad as the scenarios my imagination conjured for me. But I thought I was clear, I want us to avoid Lynn?” 

“You were.” Kelly said. “You also said that avoiding her wasn’t working. She was attacking us anyway, and you needed to think of something to do about it.” 

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

“Following a do-nothing and avoid her policy is just letting her do what she wants, but it isn’t protecting us from the consequences of her actions.” Kelly explained. “So far, we’ve been lucky, but if she keeps going, someone’s liable to get hurt. She might irreparably damage someone’s relationship with their family or ruin their career prospects. We need to go on the offensive.” 

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

“And maybe they won’t.” Kelly said. 

“And… maybe they won’t.” Arthur had to concede that point.  

“I think I’ve thought of something we can do about it.” Kelly said. “But it’s not without risk, and I want to give you plausible deniability.” 

“It’s not murder, is it?” Arthur asked. 

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

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

“We won’t.” Kelly assured him. “What I have planned isn’t going to get anyone hurt.” She squeezed his thigh. “Although, admittedly, I think breaking Lynn’s nose would be pretty fuckin’ fantastic.” 

“Swear jar.” Arthur said, smiling so briefly it was like a lightning flash of his pearly whites. 

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

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

“She just asked us last night at dinner. We didn’t have time to ask or tell you about it because we didn’t want to interrupt your dinner with your parents. You also had a lot on your plate last night. I wasn’t going to dump this on you when you needed me to help you unwind.” 

“Thanks.” Arthur said, thinking it over. Dinner with Lynn and the girls could go wrong in so many ways. “I don’t think my mom is going.” 

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

“I don’t like it.” Arthur said, frowning. “I don’t want Lynn anywhere near you or the girls.” 

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

Arthur tensed again, his hand flexing on the wheel. As it was, she might have ruined Mindy’s chances of moving into the house. She’d tried to do worse. She’d tried to blow up Mindy’s life, and for what? Because she was a stepping stone on the way to ruining Arthur’s life? Because she said something catty at the brunch? 

“Do you trust me, Arthur?” Kelly asked. 

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

“Does that mean you’ll allow us to go?” Kelly asked. 

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

“If I say no, will you bail on the dinner?” Arthur asked. 

“Of course.” Kelly said. “I talked to the girls first. We've all agreed to go, except Selene, but they'll bail if I tell them to. I'm asking for your permission, Arthur. Not your opinion. It’s your decision.” 

“Selene's not going?” Arthur asked.

“She has plans.” Kelly said.

“And you won’t tell me what you plan on doing?” Arthur asked. 

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

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

Kelly considered his stipulations. “I promise.” 

“Where is this apology dinner?” Arthur asked. 

“In the basement at the house.” Kelly said. 

Arthur nodded. “I’ll be right upstairs then.” He said. “If anything goes even a little wrong, you call me, or get me, or send someone to me.” 

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

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

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

“I appreciate you, too.” Arthur said. 

Kelly leaned over and kissed his cheek. 

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

“So the girls and I can go?” Kelly asked.

Arthur slowly released a long exhale. “You can go.”

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

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

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

“It’s manageable today.” Kelly said. “But I’m taking it easy with the workout, I promise.” 

“Good girl.” Arthur said. “And is there anything else I’m unaware of that I should know? We have some time on the drive.” 

“Oh, I guess I should fill you in on the Harem meeting decisions from before you arrived Wednesday…” Kelly said, stroking her chin. “Let’s see…” She filled him in on their plans about a hotel and the Ren Faire in general. Assuring him that the girls were covering the cost as a thank you for him covering the hotel last weekend. 

Likewise, the details for departure came up. Meeting early on Saturday morning didn’t bother him, although it meant he likely wouldn't go for a run beforehand. 

Each took turns sipping from their smoothies and enjoying the cool, fruity taste. The drive didn’t last long, about twenty minutes, with Arthur taking the straight shot around campus rather than through it. He parked in his apartment complex to see that Kat’s car was already gone. She and Selene must have already left for the campus gym. He rushed inside to grab his things, nearly running into someone in the process. 

“Oh, hey. Walk of shame, eh?” Ricky offered Arthur a high five. “Same, dude. Same.” He gestured to his clothes, which were apparently the same as the ones he had worn the day before: jeans and a T-shirt. 

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

“You spent the night at her place?” Ricky asked. 

“Yeah…” Arthur said, glancing at the stairs. “I’m sorry, man, I’m in a rush. I need to get to the gym so I can get to work on time.” 

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

“No.” Arthur said, shaking his head. “I use the athletic center on Pendleton’s campus.” 

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

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

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

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

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

Arthur returned the gesture to each, blowing four kisses. He drew stares as he hopped on the treadmill to do his warmup. 

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

Brad joined Arthur on the treadmills soon after. 

“Still on for tonight?” Brad asked. 

“Of course.” Arthur said. “I’m looking forward to it.” 

“Me too.” Brad said. “So’s Mark.” 

Arthur was quiet as he started jogging, keeping his eyes on the girls. 

Brad fell silent too, catching up to pace with Arthur. “Everything alright between you and the girls?” He asked. “You seem kinda tense.” 

“Yeah.” Arthur said, letting himself smile. “Everything’s fantastic, really. It’s just been a long week. I desperately need a night off.” 

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

Arthur laughed. “Fuck that.” 

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

Arthur shrugged. “Yeah, that’s probably for the best. I honestly hadn’t given much thought to the aftershow.” 

“Oh.” Brad said, confused. “She said Selene mentioned it to her.” 

“Yeah.” Arthur said, chuckling. “I’ll ask them about it. Honestly, it’s probably a good idea. The after show is supposed to be fun.” 

“I heard there’s a wet chemise contest. Think I can convince Jen to participate?” Brad asked, as if the very idea were a joke. “She’d probably do it if she’s not the only one.” 

Arthur shrugged. “Oh, I’m sure at least one of my girls will. Selene seems to enjoy the attention.” 

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

“Yeah…” Arthur said, wondering if that was it. Selene’s sluttiness seemed to be escalating with every passing day. That was good, right? It meant she felt confident and comfortable with herself and her enjoyment of sex. She was a very sexual person, to Arthur’s surprise. He certainly benefited from that sexuality, but she still seemed very different than the Selene he knew all those years. 

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

He needed to figure that out soon, before her sub frenzy led to burnout.