LYNX WASonly able to enjoy a few more days in the townhouse before Lauryn found her by the pool.
“Time for you to go, precious one. The king is on his way back, and he needs his queen all cleaned up. Your little crush, Dane, is waiting for you by the door. He sent Ginger to pack your shit.” With an evil smirk on her face and an even more evil glint in her eye, she added, “Apparently, there’s a big party tomorrow. A few new girls are coming in and some Japanese assholes are coming to visit, so I guess we’ll be seeing you again—up on your throne.”
Tears clogged Lynx’s throat and clouded her vision, but she kept them at bay. Squeezing her index finger into her palm, she felt a tiny flap of skin dislodge. She kept digging, needing to feel more pain. With her finger diving harder, deeper into her own flesh, she pasted on a smile.
“See you then, Lauryn. Thanks for letting me stay.”
Dane was at the door with Lynx’s bag in hand by the time she reached the bottom of the stairs. She made her way across the courtyard with the sun at her back, but knew there were only dark skies ahead.
Alone again in her condo, the quiet chilled her to the bone. She padded across the floor barefoot, running the pad of her thumb over her newly cut flesh.
Sari came and went.
Lynx drank wine and ate the dinner delivered to her door before passing out.
Sometime around one o’clock in the morning, she heard cars arrive, their headlights beaming on the street below her apartment. Curious, she got up and sat by the window, wondering how many new girls were arriving, and if she would know any of them.
Her heart beat faster at the prospect of seeing a friend, but then wilted at the thought of anyone she knew seeing what she’d become.
LYNX SPENTmost of the next day killing time and doing her pre-party routine.
When Zayid arrived early at nine thirty, he reached out and tore her red silk dress right down the middle, the small scraps of outrageously expensive fabric falling to the carpet. Shocked, she tried not to tremble as he ran his hand up and down her back, his finger trailing her spine before his entire palm settled on her ass. The sound of the smack reverberated throughout the apartment, still lingering when another blow came down equally as hard.
“What? I don’t do enough for you? You want more? You want company? You disobey me and go live in the common house?” he spat out on the third and fourth slaps.
Pain shot through her skin and settled in her belly before her own pussy betrayed her and started to leak, soaking her tiny scrap of a thong. It had been so long since she’d felt any real emotion, Zayid’s anger was more than turning her on.
“What do you have to say?” he screamed, his voice louder than his palm making contact with her ass again and again.
“I was lonely,” Lynx said quickly. “Missed you, Zayid.”
The bruising slaps ceased, and she was turned around and shoved against the wall. Zayid yanked on a condom and pushed deep inside her, pumping his cock in and out of her traitorous pussy, which was more than ready. Her shoulder bones dug into the old plaster and her legs could barely hold her upright, but she knew better than to disobey at this moment.
When he was done, Zayid said, “Get showered and dressed. We’re going to the party, but you’re not allowed to talk to any men.” His accent was more pronounced than usual. His pulse thumped in his neck, his arteries looking like they were going to pop out of his skin.
Good. Maybe he’ll have a heart attack.
But there was no such luck. Lynx did as she was told and got ready for the party, smoothing her wild hair into a long braid and slipping on a yellow satin sheath dress. When she came out to greet Zayid for the second time, he wasn’t in the foyer.
“Zayid?” she called, but heard nothing in response. She walked toward the small kitchen and was surprised to find the door to the pantry was open. “Zayid?” she called again, but there was no response.
Looking inside the closet, she found the shelf was shifted slightly to the side. Curious, she peered around it, only to see a closed door. She ran her hand along the wood, trying to open it, but it was locked.
“Holy shit,” she whispered. “All this time.” Not wanting to be discovered, she hurried back to her bedroom, determined to check it out tomorrow.
A few moments later, she heard him coming from the hallway.
“Are you ready, Lincoln?”
“Yes.”
“You look ravishing,” he said when he stepped back into her room, caressing her cheek. He could be so charming when he wanted to be.
After escorting Lynx underground to the hidden lounge, Zayid deposited her in her chair. A server brought her a glass of champagne while she surveyed the room.
Content to be alone with her thoughts, Lynx sipped her drink, the colors and textures of the room making her eyes hazy ... until they landed on the woman in front of Zayid. With her small, curvy frame, her jet-black hair with red highlights straightened down her back, and her boobs shoved into a hot-pink halter dress, she looked oddly familiar.
Squinting to get a better look, Lynx silently wished the other woman would turn around so she could see more than her profile.
