WIP: Harem House Chapter 29 - Part 1

Sunday morning was full of hustle in the hotel suite. Mindy and the others climbed out of bed slowly, letting Arthur rest for as long as possible. The girls took turns getting ready, packing their belongings, then waking Arthur and distracting him for the fun of getting a swat on the ass so he could finish cleaning and packing.


After making sure he made good on his threat to fill her holes full of cum, Mindy left for church. With her leggings and panties under her dress, she was in no danger of leaking, but the knowledge of his seed in her made her feel as though he were with her. 


Thoughts of Arthur kept her company on the drive to church from the Ashwood Hotel. The parking lot was three-quarters full when she arrived and filling all the while. She met her parents in the foyer, walking quickly in her boots. 


“Ji-Min!” Her mother approached. “Where have you been? We were getting worried!” 


Mindy checked the clock, and the service didn’t start for another five minutes. “I’m here, Umma! Did you bring the kimchi toast?” 


“You missed Sunday school!” Her mother said. “That’s not like you.”


“Oh, I’m sorry, Umma.” Mindy said. “I was with my friends. We had a sleepover instead of going to one of those Homecoming parties, and we were up late watching movies, so we slept in this morning.” 


“Okay, okay.” Her father spoke up. “Kimchi is in the fridge downstairs, but get it after the service.” 


“Okay.” Mindy said. “I’ll meet you in there. I want to say hello to my friends.” 


“Okay.” Her mom patted her father’s arm and followed him into the sanctuary. 


Mindy said a quick hello to the gaggle of girls she knew from high school. They barely had time to hug hello before the crowd shuffled them through the doors. Mindy walked, giggling with them as they entered the sanctuary and went their separate ways. The long sanctuary held rows of dark wooden pews marching to a wooden altar that reminded Mindy of a porch fence. The waist-high wooden barrier separated them from a raised platform that bore the raised pulpit on the left and a large wooden altar toward the back. Someone had decorated the bible-laden table with candles, linens, and the seasonal cornucopia with its wax fruit spilling onto the tablecloth. 


The large brass pipes behind the altar were entirely for show. Mindy had seen the speakers hidden behind them that connected to the electric organ. The oldest congregation member, Mrs. Kim, played the instrument with nothing short of miraculous skill, given the withered nature of her long fingers. The music signaled everyone to their seats just as Mindy entered her row. 


Mindy sank into the wooden pew beside her parents a dozen seconds before the service started. The hard surface reminded her of the cane strikes coloring her backside under her clothes, which made her thoughts drift between Arthur, Rani, and the others. She looked toward the wooden rafters and trusses in the high ceiling and breathed. 


Memories of her recent activities flooded her as she said good morning to those around her. She gave them her well-practiced smile and bowing nod. Everyone fell silent as the minister began making his weekly announcements. The volunteer committee was still looking for help with the upcoming harvest festival (the annual alternative to Halloween for kids who weren’t allowed to go trick or treating). The choir rehearsal for this week was canceled for some reason Mindy couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to. She started tuning out the pastor’s voice as she kept her eyes forward and her smile in place. 


Mindy couldn’t get Arthur out of her mind. The way he looked beneath her as she rode him until he emptied himself into her, his glistening chest and abs rigid under her hands. Selene and Rani were on either side of her, reaching between her legs and rubbing her clit until she quivered. The look in Kelly’s eyes as she met Mindy’s gaze and the tug at the corner of her mouth lifted her soft lips into the hint of a smile. 


Mindy couldn't stop smiling during the church service, even as Pastor Seong lectured on the evils of pride, which was his topic for the day. Pharisees were prideful because they thought they knew everything, but Christ told his followers to embrace humility. Mindy might have taken the lesson more seriously if it had been delivered by someone not standing above everyone else in a wooden pulpit, wearing robes and vestments that strove to signify the speaker as the most important person in the room. In her experience, Pastor Seong had all the humility of a “self-made” billionaire.


Her parents sat beside her in the pew as always, and her older brother and his wife sat a few rows ahead. She imagined Arthur next to her. When her sister-in-law inevitably rested her head on Mindy’s brother’s shoulder, Mindy wished Arthur were there to do the same. 


She supposed he might never set foot in this sanctuary, which seemed a shame to her. Granted, the people here would be shocked if they knew the truth about her, but she’d spent so much time in this church growing up that it felt almost like a second home. It was a pity not to be able to share that with Arthur or Rani. 


Her parents would certainly riot if she brought Arthur in one Sunday, and poor Arthur didn’t speak a lick of Korean. If only he could learn Korean by licking one, he’d be fluent now. She repressed the giggle that threatened to interrupt the somber sermon. 


Rani might come, but she didn’t speak Korean, and she might be a worse option than Arthur. Mindy could tell her parents Rani was a friend, but the young woman had a habit of speaking her mind regardless of who was listening. Mindy had a difficult time imagining Rani lying to anyone. Meanwhile Mindy’s life had become full of lies recently. 


As far as her parents knew, she was moving into a house with a group of friends she’d made in college, all girls. She had conveniently left Arthur out of any retellings. Nor had she gone into unnecessary detail. She’d spoken of Rani, Kelly, Selene, and Kat to her parents, even by name, but as far as her parents knew, her relationships with the girls were platonic. They had no reason to suspect their daughter was bisexual or that she’d had the wild nights she’d had with them. 


All part of the college experience. 


Her foot tapped against the sanctuary carpet, impatient for the end of the service until the benediction finally arrived. The organ music ended the ceremony as it began, and the people around Mindy broke into conversation.


“How was the homecoming game?” Her father leaned over to ask. “Did we win?” 


“I don’t know… my friends wanted to leave before the game ended, so I missed the last few minutes.” Mindy scrunched her nose, and her dad’s frown broke into a smile. 


“You left the game early?” Her father asked in disbelief. “But you love football! Go Wolves!” He pumped his fist in the air to show his support.


“I know, Appa.” Mindy said, twirling the end of her hair. “But my friends weren’t that into the game.” She’d been the one to suggest leaving early, but she wasn’t about to tell her father that, or why. A pang of guilt flared as she remembered the game, pretending to know nothing about football so Arthur could teach her about it. A deception she wasn’t going to confess to her father either. She frowned, thinking about how that particular approach to flirting with Arthur hadn’t gone as she’d hoped, not that she minded listening to Kelly explain the game either.  


“Ah.” Her dad said, mistaking the cause of her frown. “It’s okay. I’ll check the website.” He held up his phone. “Maybe next year we’ll close the restaurant.” 


Mindy giggled, causing her father to look at her. “You say that every year, Appa.” 


“Heh.” Her father chuckled. “Okay, okay. But this time, I mean it!” 


Mindy patted her father’s arm, hugging his bicep before she released him. 


“You said the kimchi toast is in the fridge downstairs?” Mindy asked. 


“Yeah. Your Umma put it there before Sunday school.” Her dad said, gesturing to her mother, who was talking with Mrs. Won in the row behind them. 


“Well, I should get going.” Mindy said, standing up. “I’ll find it.” 


“Nonsense. I’ll take you.” Her mom interrupted her departure. Mindy recognized the need for an excuse for her mother to end the conversation with Mrs. Won and didn’t protest. She smiled and took her mother’s arm as they left the sanctuary, shaking the pastor’s hand at the exit. 


After leaving the sanctuary, she followed her mother to the fridge in the basement hall and gladly accepted the tray of kimchi toast she’d asked her mother to put aside for her. The industrial kitchen might have seemed strange to anyone else, but it reminded Mindy of home, given the amount of time she spent in her father’s restaurant. 


“And this is for your friends?” Her mom asked. 


“Yeah. We’re having a big potluck at the house with the landlady to go over everything.” Mindy explained. 


“I'm glad you're making friends, Ji-Min.” Her mother said. “It’s good for you to spend time with girls your own age and not go chasing after boys in those dorms.”


Mindy smiled. “They're a great group, Umma.” 


“When do I get to meet them? These girls you're moving into a house with?” Her Umma asked. 


“Oh, well, I would have invited you today, but I knew you and Appa have to open the restaurant. Soon, though? Maybe I can bring them to the restaurant one night?” Mindy asked.


“We're closed tomorrow. Why don't you bring your friends for pizza and I'll meet them?” She asked. “Or I can come to the school?”


“I'll ask them!” Mindy said, already thinking about who might be available. “It might be short notice, though. Maybe next Monday?” 


“Isn't that your fall break?” Her mom asked. “It's okay. I'll come visit you for dinner tomorrow and meet whoever is there. We can catch up and get away from the apartment for the night. We can have a girls' night! Maybe do some karaoke!” 


Mindy smiled; her mother’s enthusiasm surprised her but was catching all the same. Still, her heart pounded into overdrive in her chest. Her parents knew nothing about her campus life, and she knew they would freak out if they learned about her love life. All it would take was Rachel, Sara, or Bella saying the wrong thing, and the carefully curated image she’d crafted for her parents would come crashing down. 


“Tomorrow night might not work, Umma.” Mindy said. “I want to, but with working delivery so much last week, and homecoming last weekend, and the plans for this coming weekend, I really need to study.” 


“Oh.” Her mom frowned. “It’s okay.” She nodded. “Study is more important for you right now. But I want to see you soon, okay? We’ll put something on the calendar.” 


“Of course!” Mindy said. “Soon.” 


Mindy hugged her mom and was in her car five minutes later with the kimchi toast beside her. She managed to escape before the elderly ladies stormed the fellowship hall, who would all want an update on how her school was going, her grades, and whether she was getting married soon. 


She drove from the parking lot to the house as fast as slightly-over-the-speed-limit would allow. 


It was ten fifty-five on Sunday morning when Mindy finished the drive through the rural roads by the State Park and turned into the address's open iron gates. The Clarke House driveway was wide and paved, ending in a loop surrounding a patch of green. 


Mindy stepped out of her car and gazed up at the middle-class mansion with wide eyes. This was a far cry from the apartment above the restaurant where she grew up. Two full stories, an attic visible from the driveway, and a large forested yard with impeccable landscaping. The trees left a red, brown, and gold carpet on the grass, mirroring those still clinging to the branches above. The stone wall surrounding the property invoked safety and security, while the open iron gate and wide driveway invited her in.


She'd never been to these houses before, but she'd been to the State Park behind them. A few summers ago, she'd gone tubing down the river with her family and her church's youth group. The road before the line of estates was far enough away that she couldn't see the asphalt from where she stood. 


Mindy’s car was the third one in the roundabout. The first was a sports car she didn’t recognize parked outside the garage. She supposed Arthur’s mother might drive one, but she expected to see the truck from their tailgating party, which was absent. Perhaps it was in the garage? 


The other vehicle in the driveway was Kelly’s SUV, parked in front of her. Kat, Katelyn, and Selene chambered out of the backseat with Kelly and Rani standing by the driver's and passenger’s side doors. They had the same reaction Mindy did, taking in their new surroundings with the knowledge that this would be their new home soon. 


Mindy waved hello to the others, who had arrived a few minutes earlier and waited for her in the car. 


“Did I miss anything after I left?” Mindy asked Rani as the older girl came up and hugged her hello. Mindy kissed her cheek, and Rani kissed her on the lips in return. 


“Eh.” Rani shook her head. “Just loading up and heading out. Oh, and Arthur got Nicki’s number. She left him a note at checkout. More like a letter, really. And the guy behind the counter nearly passed out when we kissed Arthur goodbye.” 


Mindy giggled as Rani returned to Kelly's SUV and pulled out a large bakery box to match the one that Kat carried. Selene carried a small grocery bag in one arm and an oversized purse in the other. Katelyn carried nothing; her arm returned to its sling. 


Kelly also had a grocery bag and smiled as Mindy produced her large nine-by-thirteen-inch casserole pan. Her mother's kimchi toast, as promised. 


“How was church?” Kelly asked. 


“Boring.” Mindy answered honestly. “I missed you guys.” 


“We missed you too, Whore.” Rani said, turning toward the house. 


“Welcome!” Deb's voice startled most of them as she descended the stairs from the front door to greet them. She looked gorgeous in her Sunday best, and Mindy could see where Arthur got some of his looks. Deb wore a long blue dress, her hair down but styled, and a smile on her face. If she heard what Rani called Mindy, she showed no sign of it. 


“I've got the kitchen and the back patio all ready for us!” The excitement in Deb’s voice was catching, making them smile and forcing any nerves aside. 


“Thank you, Missus Clarke.” Kelly said. “And thank you for hosting us.” 


“Debrah.” Debrah corrected her immediately. “Or Deb, especially to you. Actually, I insist you all call me Deb. And you're welcome, but the pleasure is all mine! I've been looking forward to brunch with Arthur's girlfriends.” Her eyes fell on Katelyn, the only group member she hadn’t met before and the only one not dating her son (technically). “And housemates. You must be Katelyn!” Deb said, offering the young woman a handshake with Katelyn’s good hand and clasping it. “Kelly told me you’d be coming. I’m so glad to meet you!” 


“Thank you.” Katelyn said, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.” 


“Shall we?” Deb asked. She ascended the steps, gestured to the house, and held the front door open for them. They all wiped their feet on the pumpkin-shaped welcome mat in front of the door. 


Mindy was the second-to-last to enter the foyer, with Deb closing the door behind her. Mindy marveled at the interior scale and how pristine everything was. The house looked like something out of a real estate website. The side table to her right looked like it had never been used, except for the bowl filled with pebbles. The key hooks hanging above it were empty, and the shoe rack to the left was empty as well.


“Any coats?” Deb asked. “There’s a coat closet right there.” She pointed to the double doors on the front door’s left. No one had any coats, but that would likely change within a few weeks. Mindy glanced down at her shoes meaningfully. 


“Shoes on or off, Missuss–Deb?” Kelly asked, correcting her address partway through. The same question Mindy was about to ask. 


“Whichever makes you more comfortable.” Deb answered. “We can always put them back on before we go outside if you want to see the pool.” 


Kelly nodded and slipped out of her brown sandals. Mindy removed her boots, leaving her in her socks on the tile. The others did the same, passing the food and helping each other step out and put their shoes on the rack by the door. Deb also slipped out of hers, having only put them on to greet her guests. 


“So this is the entryway.” Deb said, gesturing around them. “To your right is the sitting room with our bar and the general living room area.” 


Mindy peeked in to see a lovely rectangular room with a mahogany bar across from the windows overlooking the front yard. Built-in bookshelves and a grand piano decorated the far wall and the space in front of it. A sofa and three chairs filled the space in between, with two more chairs between the bar and the fireplace. 


Deb started walking, ignoring the sitting room and heading past the stairs toward the back of the house. The foyer’s tile gave way to the hallway's hardwood floors. 


“This door leads to the inlaw suite in the basement, where Lynn will be staying.” She knocked on the door under the stairs, and Mindy flinched, half expecting Lynn to open the door and step through.


“Is Lynn joining us today?” Kelly asked. Her lack of accusation surprised Mindy. The girls glanced at each other as they walked behind Kelly, who was a stride behind Deb. 


“She’s downstairs, unpacking, I believe. She brought some boxes earlier this morning.” Deb said, her smile fading slightly. “I initially invited her and her mother, but her mother is still nursing a headache.”


Rani laughed, recognizing the code for a hangover when she heard it.


“I’m sorry. I know you probably don’t like Lynn with everything Arthur’s told you, but it was too late to uninvite her, especially since she’s already moving in.” Deb said, the apology clear in her voice and on her face. “But I’ve warned her to be as nice as possible.” 


The girls exchanged glances. Lynn living here so soon surprised Mindy, but from the looks on the other faces, she wasn’t alone. 


“I know how Arthur feels about her.” Deb said. “But I’d consider it a personal favor if you could give her a fresh chance. I understand the situation is complicated, but… she’s had a tough time recently and could use some friends. Some positive influences.” 


The girls were quiet, glancing between each other and looking at Kelly for guidance. 


“We had some time yesterday to meet her and form our opinions.” Kelly said. 


“She’s a bitch.” Rani said, causing everyone to turn her way. 


“What?” Rani asked, raising her hands in a shrug. “She tries to come across as this manipulative queen bee type, but she’s just a bitch, and not a particularly bright one at that. She was rude yesterday and super bitchy to us and to Arthur.” 


Deb coughed. “All the more reason she might benefit from some positive influences.”


“It’s fine.” Kelly said, her tone soothing. “Let’s put these in the kitchen, and you can let her know we’re here?” She hefted the food in her hands, and the others did the same. 


“Of course.” Deb agreed and led the way into the kitchen. “I made pancakes and bought a fruit tray. Oh, and I have pigs in blankets if you like those.” 


“Wow.” Kelly said. “You really didn’t have to– oh-my-god-I-love-this-kitchen!” 


Mindy caught up to her as the hardwood floor passed through a double archway. The kitchen was much bigger than Mindy expected. She could appreciate Kelly’s stream-of-consciousness reaction to the impressive space. 


Marble countertops ran along three of the kitchen's four walls and covered a central island counter. The entrance to the dining room was in the middle of the kitchen’s left wall. Between them and the archway, an oval kitchen table with four chairs sat to the left of the hallway entrance. A bench ran along the table’s left side and head, with chairs on the inside and at its foot. 


Beyond the door on the left wall was a hutch with appliances and an oversized coffee maker. A sliding glass door on the far wall showed the patio and pool area beyond it, with its curtain pulled aside. 


The back wall was occupied by cabinets above and below the counter, with a dishwasher under the counter and a double-wide sink. The mahogany cabinets were dark brown compared to the bright white and gray marble counters. 


The fridge on the right wall was beside a curtained window, with more counters wrapping around to the near wall, breaking only for a closed door to the right. The stainless appliance had its freezer on the bottom, with two large doors meeting in the middle and an ice dispenser on the left. The large stainless oven with its six-burner glass-top stove was next to the fridge, with a length of counter between them.


“Yeah, I love the counters.” Selene said as she set her grocery bag on the island.


“I know.” Deb said. “We debated about the marble countertops. I know granite is more practical, but I always preferred the look of marble.” 


“Oh, I agree.” Kelly said as she set her grocery bag down on the island counter. “And this island.” She ran her hands along the smooth surface and closed her eyes. She stood between the padded stools surrounding the island and took a deep breath. 


Mindy imagined Arthur tying her to a stool, her legs and arms hugging the four-legged structure with her mouth positioned so he stuffed her throat with his cock when he sat down. Alternatively, he could bend her over the stool and tie her wrists and ankles to the stool legs. They’d make great spanking stools. Or they could sit on them, with dildos planted in the center of each seat. 


Deb took a seat on the stool furthest from the door. 


“Do you want us to leave you and the kitchen alone for a little while?” Rani asked Kelly, who was busy admiring the detachable hose-head faucet. 


Mindy couldn’t help the giggle that rippled out of her. The others smiled, but Kelly shook her head as she moved to the stove and opened the oven door. 


“You like to cook?” Deb asked. 


“I love it. I’d spend all day in the kitchen if I could.” Kelly said.


“She really would.” Katelyn said. “But our kitchen is maybe a quarter of this size?” 


Kelly nodded. 


“Well, welcome to your new kitchen.” Deb said, smiling as she gestured to the room at large. “Shall we set out the food? Would any of you like anything to drink? I have all the ingredients for Mimosas.” 


“Ooo, Mimosas sound fun.” Kat agreed. 


“Make mine a virgin.” Mindy set her tinfoil-covered dish on the island. 


“So… just orange juice then?” Rani teased. 


“That’s right, you’re not all twenty-one, are you?” Deb asked as she started inventorying the food. The girls opened the containers, and Deb pulled plates from one of the cabinets. Then she retrieved the champagne flutes from another cabinet. 


“I’m eighteen.” Mindy said, frowning. 


“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Deb said, laughing at the idea of any youth wanting to be older when she looked at the problem of age from the other side. 


“We’re twenty-one or over, in my case.” Kat gestured to herself, Rani, and Kelly. 


“I’m twenty.” Selene said. “I turn twenty-one soon, though!” 


“Same.” Katelyn said, gesturing to herself and Selene. 


“Well, I have water, orange juice, and… I think some soda might be in there, but I’m honestly not sure. George and I aren’t big soda drinkers.” Debrah said with a small smile. “Arthur used to be, but now that he’s a health nut, he never touches the stuff, so I stopped buying it.” 


The girls giggled. 


“He drinks beer every now and again.” Selene volunteered. “But it’s like his special treat.” 


The laughter continued. 


“We all saw him eat deep-fried food for the first time at Homecoming.” Rani piped up. “And was last night his first time drinking coffee?” 


Deb smiled. “Speaking of which, I have coffee if anyone would like some.” 


Multiple hands shot into the air, including Mindy’s. 


“I’ll put on a pot.” Debrah strode to the machine on the counter and filled the coffee maker with water. 


“So Arthur hasn’t always been that way, right?” Mindy asked. “What was he like as a kid? What was his favorite soda?” She sat on a stool at the island. The soft cushion closed her eyes in relief as she took a breath to endure the flare of pressure against her striped backside. The others bustled about, helping Kelly set out the food. 


“Oh, he was a great kid.” Debrah beamed, smiling. “Always a theater lover, my little actor. He and Lynn used to put on shows together and make us sit through various renditions of movies they’d seen or shows they wrote themselves.” 


The girls glanced at each other at the mention of Lynn, but Selene and Mindy’s attention was too focused on this recounting of Arthur’s childhood to care about who else was included. 


“Shows like what?” Selene asked, speaking up. 


“Well, there was Peter Pan, I remember that one vividly. They did a version of Sleeping Beauty that was quite good for eight-year-olds.” Debrah said with a faint smile on her lips as she remembered. “Wizard of Oz was possibly my favorite. Lynn played Dorothy, and Arthur played all the other roles, changing paper mache masks he must have spent all month making.” 


“Do you have any pictures of these?” Mindy asked hopefully.   


Debrah laughed. “Oh, I have videos of all of them. Maybe once you’ve moved in, we can have a movie night or get Arthur to recreate some for us.” 


Mindy giggled with excitement, and the others seemed agreeable. Selene’s smile wouldn’t fade, though she seemed reluctant to speak up for reasons Mindy couldn’t fathom. Deb, Arthur’s mom, seemed nice. Having met her and George at Homecoming yesterday, Mindy had already decided she liked them. George was a bit condescending, but older guys always were in her experience, and he liked Mindy. Older guys always did. 


“Would you like to sit in the dining room or eat in the kitchen?” Debrah asked. “Or there’s always the patio if you’d prefer the outdoors.” 


The girls looked to Kelly for her answer, and she seemed indecisive as she glanced between the doorless opening leading to the dining room, the sliding glass door leading to the patio, and the oval kitchen table. 


“I don’t give a fuck.” Rani said, shrugging. 


Deb laughed. “Let’s eat in the dining room, then. There’s more seating, and it’ll show you more of the house.” She gestured for them to move into the dining room, but everyone froze at the sound of someone Deb had conveniently, perhaps intentionally, forgotten to summon. 


“Hey, bitches!” Lynn’s voice made Selene jump, but the tone was cheerful, not accusatory. 


The girls turned to see Lynn standing in the doorway. Mindy half-expected to see her naked, but she was dressed modestly compared to the day before. The leggings she wore were dark enough to obscure her shapely legs, round hips, and lush ass. Her oversized breasts were stuffed into a turtle-neck sweater that hung low enough to cover the tops of her thighs. 


“No Arty today?” Lynn asked, flipping her ebony ponytail over her shoulder. 


“No.” Deb said, answering for them. “Brunch is just for us girls, remember?” 


“Perfect.” Lynn said, smiling wide. “I can’t wait to spend some quality time with my future housemates!” She skipped forward, making everyone but Deb, Rani, and Kelly flinch. “Do you need help with anything?” 


Deb looked surprised but shook her head. “No. I think most of the food is prepped already unless one of you brought something that needs cooking?” 


Selene glanced between Deb and Kat, then elbowed Kat and nodded toward the grocery bag she brought. 


“Ow.” Kat huffed, looking at Selene. “Oh, uh… we brought eggs if anyone wants omelets?” 


“I’ll make some.” Kelly volunteered immediately. “It’ll give me some practice in this kitchen.” She cracked her knuckles, palming her fists one at a time. The gesture drew Lynn’s eyes to Kelly’s hands. Her knuckles cracked like wood breaking beneath her calloused boxer’s fists.  


Deb smiled. “I wasn’t sure if you have pots and pans, so I left some in the bottom cabinets.” She gestured. 


“Have you moved out already?” Kelly asked, surprised. 


Debrah nodded. “The apartment we have in the city came furnished, so it was just a matter of personal effects, clothes, pots and pans, that kind of thing. George and I should be moved out by this weekend so you can move in. Which begs the question: when are you planning on moving in?” 


“Selene and I are moving in as soon as possible.” Kat answered. “We were on a monthly lease, so we’ll need to move in by the end of the month at the latest. Arthur’s on the same time crunch.” 


“Aw.” Lynn said, sighing. “I hoped to have Arty all to myself for a few months.” She winked at Kelly. 


The girls stared at her, but she returned their glares with an unfading smile. 


“You’re a brave bitch, I’ll give you that.” Rani said, which made Mindy giggle. 


Katelyn, not fully recognizing the tension in the air, spoke up. “Kelly and I are moving in over Thanksgiving break, I think. We’ll need to leave our place by the end of November.” She took a sip of her orange juice. 


“Wait, so Selene will have Arthur all to herself for a few weeks?” Lynn asked, her tone curious. 


“Well, I’ll be there.” Kat said, looking confused. 


Lynn looked at Kat, then shrugged. She reserved her ‘calculating threat level’ gaze for Kelly and Selene. Kat didn’t seem to warrant any concern.


“I figured I’d move in at the end of the semester.” Mindy said. “My housing is covered in the dorm until then, but I was able to change that for next semester.” 


“Same.” Rani said, finishing her first mimosa and making another without shame. “You want a drink, bitch?” She asked Lynn. The tone in which she said it mirrored Lynn’s cheerful banter, but almost every girl had to stifle a laugh when Rani said it. Only Kelly looked annoyed. Even Lynn was smiling. 


“Sure! I’ll take a screwdriver, though, if you have any vodka.” Lynn looked at Deb. 


“In the bar.” Deb nodded toward the hallway. 


“I’ll get it!” Lynn said, her voice full of cheer. She didn’t wait before she spun away and passed through the hallway. Mindy marveled at Lynn’s knowing the layout of the house. She wondered what else Lynn knew that they didn’t. 


Selene gave Kelly a nod and slipped out after Lynn with her purse still over her shoulder. Mindy remembered they had some business to discuss after Selene’s excellent prank on Lynn the night before. Arthur might still be mad about what happened, but Mindy thought the joke was hilarious. She only wished she’d been able to see Lynn naked. She might be a bitch, but she was definitely a hot bitch. 


~~~


Selene followed Lynn through the hallway into the sitting room, letting Lynn get behind the bar before she spoke. 


“Hey…” Selene said, feeling awkward and small in the large room. Being alone with Lynn was also strange. The taller, more voluptuous woman was intimidating in more than beauty. 


“Hey.” Lynn said, still smiling. 


“I wanted to apologize for last night.” Selene said, sliding her oversized purse so she held it before her. 


“For what?” Lynn asked, tilting her head as if she had no idea what Selene was referring to. 


“For…” Selene started to explain but remembered Arthur saying something about not admitting to anything directly or specifically. She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. 


“For my part in what happened last night.” Selene said. “I was wrong, and I shouldn’t have done that.” 


Lynn’s smile remained, but her expression soured slightly. “Sure. I accept your apology. I know you were just trying to keep me away from Arty.” 


“Arthur.” Selene corrected her automatically, overriding her confusion of Lynn’s quick acceptance. 


“Whatever.” Lynn shrugged. “How was the rest of the party? Did anything interesting happen?” 


Selene looked surprised. “Uh… it was good. We had a great time.” 


Lynn waited for Selene to continue, but Selene wasn’t about to go into detail about every exciting event of their hotel orgy. Silence passed between them despite Lynn expecting more until the tension turned awkward. 


Lynn looked confused. “It didn’t get broken up by the police?” 


Selene joined Lynn in her confusion. “No. Why would it have gotten broken up by the police?” 


Lynn shrugged. “Oh, well, I saw a patrol car come to the hotel later. I thought maybe they were there to break up some underage drinking.” Lynn held up the vodka bottle, shook it gently, and nodded toward the kitchen where the others were still talking. 


Selene frowned. “No cops ever came to our door. It must have been a different party. But we weren’t drinking anyway. Arthur gave your beer to the front desk. I have your clothes if you want them back.” 


“Ah.” Lynn said, frowning. “Oh well.” Her smile returned. “And yes, I especially want that bra back. Those are expensive when you’ve actually got boobs.” She stuck out her chest, showing her ample breasts compared to Selene’s much smaller ones. 


“Sure.” Selene said. She pulled the small bundle out of her backpack and put them on the bar for Lynn, who ignored them and left them there. “Did you…” Selene hesitated. “Did you call the cops to try and get them to break up our party last night?” 


“My, my, so paranoid.” Lynn said. She giggled a girlish little laugh that felt eerily out of place, especially when her scowl so quickly overtook her fake smile. “But you must constantly be looking over your shoulder if you’re fucking Arthur behind Kelly’s back.” 


Shock overtook Selene’s face. 


“Yeah.” Lynn said. “I know about that.” She emerged from behind the bar and stepped toward Selene, who was frozen. “So you keep your mouth shut in front of Deb, and we make nice, or I tell your boxing queen who’s been fucking her boy toy. Then we can all watch her break your fucking face.” 


The fear in Selene’s eyes rippled away with the laughter that shook her core as she doubled over. 


Whatever reaction Lynn expected, this was not that. 


“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Lynn asked. 


“Nothing.” Selene said, clearly lying as she struggled and failed to restrain her laughter. A full minute passed before she calmed down long enough to say anything more than a one-word response. By that point, she was wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes, and Lynn’s face was nearly purple with rage. When she pulled herself together, she straightened and shook her head. 


“What the fuck?” Lynn asked. “I’m offering you an olive branch, you slut.” 


“Don’t call me that.” Selene said. 


Lynn rolled her eyes. “Do we have a deal, or don’t we? No more pranks and I won’t tell Kelly about you fucking her boyfriend?” 


Selene giggled again, shaking her head. 


“Sure. Let’s play nice today.” Selene said. “We don’t want things to get ugly in front of Deb, do we?” 


Lynn huffed and stomped toward the kitchen, fixing her face and attitude before she came through the door to catch Deb in the middle of an explanation.