The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

We need to talk about Amber.

I sat in the front seat of the Uber and made monosyllabic replies until the middle-aged driver caught the hint and stopped pestering me. It wasn’t that I was irritated with the man — Cam, I thought, or whatever his name was. I just had something else turning over and over in my mind: Mike Lassiter’s text message. On the list of things you never want to have happen to you: being out with your friends on a Saturday night, more than a little tipsy, and having one of your bosses send you an urgent text message that requires immediate attention.

I glanced over my shoulder into the back seat, where Carmen was sniffing dejectedly. Daisy rested her head on her sister’s shoulder and Victoria quietly rubbed her back. Far away from me, seated in the second row of the SUV, was Amber. She was leaning forward and looking on, and even in the darkness I could tell that there was a concerned expression on her lovely features.

Normally, I would have gone right to my girlfriend with Lassiter’s text. I would have asked her opinion, tried to get her help in figuring out what was going on. But there were too many things happening at once. Carmen was still upset, and it was wearing on all of us, but figuring out how to help her would have to wait until we got back to Starside. Likewise, I couldn’t be sure what to do about these alarming texts from TRANCE Inc.’s Director of Talent Management until I had more information.

I was composing a message to Mike when the driver jogged me with his elbow.

“Huh?” I blinked, and realized that we had pulled into the semicircular drive of the luxury apartment building where the twins lived. The girls were being helped out of the back of the car by the Saturday night valet — a silhouette that I saw in the rear view mirror but didn’t recognize.

“Go on,” he said, gesturing at the shotgun-side door. “And I expect five stars.” This last was a grunt of dismissal.

I was halfway out the open door, but I turned. “Look, Cam—” I said, glancing at the printed-out name and Uber ID that was pasted on the dash.

“C.M.,” he interrupted, and I could tell from his tone that he was still irritated about how I’d brushed him off when we’d gotten in.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

My eyes twitched back and I reread the name tag. Oh, I thought, seeing that it was just the two initials. I felt the buzzed, socially-inept part of me try to react with anger at his tone and my embarrassment, but I shook it off. I felt bad for the guy, honestly. Even if it was his job, he did something nice for us.

Be a real man, I told myself.

“Thanks,” I said, and looked him in the face. “I know that you’re one of those people out here picking up the club crowds and making sure they all get home safely. Most people probably don’t appreciate it, and they treat you like I just did. But you don’t deserve that. Thanks for getting us back here quickly and safely.”

The man looked surprised, and ran a hand through his shock of white hair. “I once looked after a girl her age,” he said gruffly, jerking his bearded chin toward Carmen and the other women, who were waiting by the door. “She fell for the wrong guy,” he added, “to everyone’s detriment.” His eyes were looking into mine with an abrupt sharpness, like he was silently telling me, I was thinking that guy might be you. On your phone while the girl cries quietly in the backseat.

I nodded in understanding. “I’ll look after her,” I said.

But as I hurried to join the others and the elevator took our tired, drained party upstairs, I worried about my ability to actually follow through on that promise.

Daisy immediately took Carmen back to the twins’ bedroom and closed the door.

Victoria, Amber and I stood quietly in the entry area, like there had been a silent order for us to stay. I glanced at the others, waiting for one of them to take the initiative. When I saw two pairs of eyes — bright blue and deep brown — looking back at me, I realized that they had both turned to me with the same idea.

Crap, I thought, and forced myself to nod confidently and pull myself out of my jacket, draping it over my arm. “Alright,” I said. I tried to think of what we should do, and then gave up. “I think it’s time for us to go to bed.” I sighed as I said it, and realized how exhausted my body actually was. “It’s late. And I think we’re all tired.”

Their relief was evident in the small movements — the little slump in the shoulders, the slight nod of the head. Amber shrugged out of her jacket and hung it up on one of the aesthetically-arranged wall hooks. The gorgeous blonde looked confident now, and the sight of her fantastic body in the tight-fitting clubbing dress was almost enough to distract me from what has happening in the other room at the far end of the corridor.

I made her feel that way, I thought. She feels confident because she trusts that my ideas are the right ones to follow.

The thought gave me strength, and I nodded more assertively. “Wait here. I’m going to go ask Daisy about sleeping arrangements for tonight.”

The door to the twins’ room opened at my knock, and I heard a who is it? from Carmen’s side of the bedroom.

“It’s just Chance,” Daisy murmured over her shoulder, before looking up at me with her calm, green eyes. She looked composed, but I knew that she was just as tired as me and, because of her size, was probably feeling the alcohol even more than I was.

“I just wanted to ask about the sleeping situation,” I said. I felt like I was intruding, suddenly, on one sister consoling another, and I wanted to let them have their alone time. “Where should Amber, V and I bed down? Are there sheets and pillows and things we need to set up?”

Nodding, Daisy quickly explained the layout of the guest suite — which was apparently on the far side of the living room and kitchen area — and said that it was kept stocked with everything we’d need. Over her shoulder, I caught a glimpse of Carmen. The lovely teenager sat on the edge of her bed and was taut with nervous, upset energy. Her back was hunched, and her face was in her hands.

I retreated quickly after Daisy’s explanation, arriving in the living room in time to see Victoria unzip the top of a gym bag and reach inside. “I hope I remembered everything,” she was saying, and then she tugged free a bundle of cloth and I realized she had packed herself an overnight bag.

Abruptly, it struck me that I hadn’t brought anything to change into after clubbing. I hadn’t brought a toothbrush, either. Was I that nervous about going out? I wondered. That I hadn’t even planned for afterwards?

“Here, Chance.” The brunette rifled around inside for a moment and then pulled out some more folded clothes. “I saw you’d accidentally forgotten your toothbrush, so I thought I might make sure you had something to wear to bed.”

Victoria glanced over when I didn’t respond, and I nodded hurriedly. “Thank you,” I said, walking over to accept the proffered tee shirt and sweatpants.

She pulled my toothbrush from a toiletries bag and extended it to me. “And this, too,” she added with a smile.

I took it, then paused. She’s always doing things like this, I thought.

That was what Victoria did. Take care of us. I shouldn’t have been surprised that she thought of everything. But sometimes… It made me feel like an overgrown kid, someone who didn’t have what it took to take care of himself.

Only I wasn’t helpless. At least, not anymore. And I was learning that there are times when the easy thing — like letting someone else take care of you — isn’t always the right thing. I glanced back down the corridor towards the twins’ room. Then, I looked at Amber and Victoria.

I made a snap decision.

“You two go get ready for bed,” I said. “I’m not going to be sleeping in the guest room tonight.”

I walked back down the hallway toward the twins’ door. The distance seemed longer now that I knew I had a situation to handle on the other side of it.

This girl is your responsibility, I told myself. Both of them are. At least in part. You care about them, and so you’re going to do everything in your power to help make them feel better.

With every step, though, Devil Chance was snorting with disbelief and sneering at me. Your past speaks for itself, he told me dismissively. You think you can help Carmen? Ha. You’re just going to upset her even more. It’s your fault, anyway. You heard Carmen’s conversation with her father…

But I kept going. Reaching for the handle, I realized that the negative presence was fighting harder than ever.

Don’t you remember that night after Daisy got Seth’s first phone call? he demanded desperately. They were upset, and they wanted to go and be by themselves. Away from you!

I paused. I wouldn’t want to go against—

Then, I remembered the arcing words inked across each teen’s left side. Property of Chance. I turned the handle and slowly opened the door, stepping in after it and adopting an air of confidence that I didn’t particularly feel.

These women had put themselves under my power. They also deserved my protection.

Daisy turned to face me with an expression of uncertainty, but I was pleased to note that it eased when she recognized me. She stood, still wearing her slinky club outfit, and I resisted the instinctive urge to check her out.

Carmen lay on her bed, facing the wall with her knees curled up. She looked helpless and scared, and I felt a surge of concern.

“Is she okay?” I asked, my hand brushing against Daisy’s upper arm when she came to a stop before me.

“Just too many drinks,” the girl murmured. “And too many feels.” Her hand was on my forearm, and her eyes looked clear. I could sense her concern, and it was obviously the instinctive reaction of a sibling who knew that she was the only one her sister could truly rely on. “Can you take care of her while I get ready for bed?”

“I’ve got her,” I told Daisy. “And I’ll help her get ready once you’re done.”

The redheaded teen hesitated, then bit her lip and nodded. Ducking her head, she kissed my chest wearily then walked past and into the bathroom. The light flicked on and the door clicked closed. The shower turned on several seconds later.

I recognized her departure for what it was — a huge gesture of trust. Then, I wondered when I’d gotten so insightful. Must be all the time you spent together, I thought. You’re starting to really get to know these girls.

I walked to the edge of Carmen’s bed and contemplated the young woman’s back for a minute. Then, I sat gently and placed my hand on her shoulder.

“Day?” Carmen murmured. She sounded groggy, and a little bit stuffed up.

“No. It’s Chance.” I was stroking her upper arm softly, so I felt the way her muscles eased when I told her. It felt good to know she could relax around me.

“Oh.” A few seconds of silence, then she rolled over onto her back and looked up at me. Her eyes looked bright, and I realized that they were wet with unshed tears.

“I’m here for you…” I said, nodding reassuringly and having absolutely no idea what to do.

“I’m so sorry, Chance!” The words burst out of her all of a sudden, and then her pretty features crumpled. “I can’t believe I ruined everyone’s night over something that I should have just… I was so stupid!”

The teen surprised me, but then I was shaking my head and realizing that my job was really quite simple. “It’s okay,” I told her. “No one’s mad at you. You didn’t ruin anything…”

Carmen’s jaw was tight, and her green eyes met mine uncertainly.

I held out a hand and she took it obediently. I wound our fingers together and squeezed. Poor girl, I thought. Seems like she’s embarrassed, as much as anything. “No one’s mad at you. Promise.”

The young woman sniffed, then lifted our hands to her mouth and kissed my knuckles. “Thanks…” she murmured.

I felt the exhaustion begin to hit me as I waited there beside the girl, and maybe it was the tiredness but it felt like quite a while before Daisy was done with her shower.

When Carmen’s sister finally came out of the bathroom, accompanied by a cloud of steam, I helped Carmen up and across the room with an arm around her that was mostly for emotional, rather than physical, support.

Daisy seemed more relaxed, like her shower had mellowed her out, and she smiled tiredly up at me. She was wearing one of the cutest pajama outfits I’d ever seen — a onesie rendition of Tigger, from Winnie-the-Pooh — and she leaned her face against my shoulder when we paused beside her.

“Go to sleep,” I ordered, before she could say anything. “Me and Carmen will be up for a couple more minutes.”

I think the girl was just waiting for permission to let go of her responsibility, because she didn’t resist. She simply nodded quietly and shuffled to her Queen-sized bed against one wall.

“G’night…” she mumbled over her shoulder.

“Good night,” Carmen and I answered.

The door clicked closed behind, and then it was just us.

While Carmen undressed, I started up a nice, hot shower. The window was open, letting in chilly night air, so I closed it before leaning back against the wall and slid to the floor. Like the rest of the twins’ apartment, the master bathroom was lavish and expensive. The tile was a lovely, shiny marble and the shower had one of those multi-heads with settings like “Rushing Waterfall” and “Jungle Rain.” I rested my head against the wall and listened to the water as it cascaded down onto the floor and Carmen’s skin.

It was a few more seconds before the girl started to speak.

“It was Miranda,” she said. Her voice, quiet as it was, still echoed a bit in the shower.

“What was Miranda?” My eyes were closed, but the overhead light kept me awake.

“The call.” Carmen sounded frustrated, but I knew it wasn’t with me. “Not the one at the club, I mean. That was my father. But Miranda was the one who called him.”

“Called him about what?” I asked. I had the sinking feeling I already knew the answer, but Carmen spoke like something was eating at her. She’ll feel better if she gets it off her chest.

“About you…” No echo, this time, because her voice was too low and upset. Then, it was rising. “About how she saw you several times today, with me and Day and also with the others. Amber. And how she remembered you from before and knew that James had said you have a cheap car and dress like a slob.”

Ouch. I winced, even though I knew the insults were from my least-favorite valet and not my upset companion.

“Miranda reported to my father when we left for the evening, and he called to check in on us.” The crimson-haired teen was speaking faster and faster. I could hear the tightness in her voice, the angry stress on certain words. “He just wanted us to know how valuable me and Day are, and how we need to make sure we aren’t spending time with people who don’t deserve us.”

Meaning you, Devil Chance offered, in case I hadn’t understood.

“Why can’t we ever escape?!” Carmen’s voice was more than just tight now, it had the tangled, balled-up tension of a sob that hasn’t yet been released. “Why can’t we just live our own lives how we want? Why can’t I just be happy without them trying to ruin it?!”

And… there the sob went.

I was on my feet before I had really thought about it, turning and striding to the glass door of the full-sized shower.

“What—?” Carmen gasped softly as I stepped inside, my bare feet splashing on the wet tile.

But then I was close and my arms wrapped around Carmen’s shoulders, hot water ricocheting off my skin and misting against my face. I pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, and I felt the softness of her body press against mine with the relaxed release of trust.

I was still wearing my artfully-torn, expensive jeans and my fashionable shirt, but how could I care about that?

The redhead’s slim body shuddered with angry sobs that seemed more frustrated, now, than sad.

One of the benefits of luxury housing is that the water never got cold as I held her there for a few long, quiet moments.

While Carmen dried herself off, I stripped out of my clothes and washed myself as quickly as I could.

I approached the girl from behind as she wiped away the last of her makeup and buried my face in the side of her neck. “Feeling any better?” I asked, my lips moving against her skin.

“A bit.”

She still sounded subdued, and I met her eyes in the mirror. I could tell she was just drained, but seeing the lingering upset in her gaze still hurt. Without her makeup, Carmen looked younger, more innocent, and I felt the surge of protectiveness return. I thought of the last time I’d seen us both in a bathroom mirror — when she had snuck me away from the table at Delicieux for a bit of naughty fun — and I resolved to make sure that we had more nights like that, and less like this.

“Let’s get you to bed,” I murmured, and the teen mutely nodded.

It was dark in the bedroom, but the light of the city outside and the light from the bathroom behind us gave us the illumination we needed to get Carmen quietly tucked in.

I went to check on Daisy, across the room, and saw that she was still awake, looking at her phone.

“Not asleep?” I asked quietly, kneeling on the side of the bed.

“No…” she muttered, yawning and setting the device aside. I could hear the sleep in her voice, in the small yawns that interrupted her. “Wanted to stay awake… To make sure… You’re okay… And Carmen…”

“We’re okay,” I reassured her. I leaned in and kissed her temple, hearing her stir under her sheets and snuggle deeper into the blankets. “By the way, what is that smell?” I asked. “It was in the bathroom, too. Not strong, but I could definitely tell it was there.”

“Mm…” I could tell Daisy was almost gone. “’s an incense… Burn it to help me relax…”

Huh, I thought. But it checked out. Daisy was definitely enough into meditation and yoga and all that. Evidently the incense had helped, because the teen’s breath had smoothed out, even since I’d joined her, and her big green eyes had slipped closed.

“Good night,” I whispered, gently touching her head. Then, I stood. I glanced over at Carmen’s bed, but knew that I had one more responsibility before I could let myself go, too.

Amber and Victoria looked up when the door to the guest room opened. They were in bed, sitting up against the headboard. Both were free from makeup, but their hair was dry, which made me suspect they were putting off showers until the morning.

“Hey, baby.” Amber was the first to respond, holding out her arms to me in a way that couldn’t help but emphasize her big, bouncy breasts.

I realized, then, how tired and drained I was. A stunning brunette and a bombshell blonde, wearing nothing but oversized tees and — I was sure — barely-there panties. It was like the kind of dream you hope for every night before you sleep. Normally, I had to flex all my willpower not to fall on them like a starved wolf on its first free meal. Tonight, when I clambered onto the bed and crawled up between them, all I wanted was to bed down and sleep until noon.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come to say goodnight,” Amber murmured. She stroked my damp hair gently.

I could feel my shoulders release the last of their tension. “Had to look after the twins.”

“We know.” Victoria’s hand rubbed soothingly down my back. “Don’t worry. And we’re glad you came by after such a long night.”

I raised my head, and accepted two chaste kisses. Then, groaning, I pushed myself back up. “Going back now,” I managed.

Both women giggled at the sight of my swaying figure.

“Better get a move on, cutie,” Amber smiled.

“You’re about to fall asleep standing up,” Victoria added.

Carmen was still and silent under the covers, but when I quietly approached her bedside she rolled over toward me.

“Will you hold me?” she asked, as I slowly pulled off the shirt Victoria had packed. The girl’s tone was quiet, and there was none of the upset from before.

Just exhaustion.

The teenager’s hair was wet and cold against my bare chest, but I held her as close as she wanted when she snuggled further back against me. We were bundled together in a cocoon of warmth, and I immediately lost all ability to move my limbs.

As my mind drifted away, I reflected that not all families work. I was glad that we were working to build one that did.

I hadn’t checked the time, but I knew that we all must have been up quite late the night before. So, I was surprised when I woke up Sunday morning just a little after 8 o’clock.

Carmen slumbered fitfully beside me, and I took a second to admire her in the gentle morning sunlight. The girl lay on her side, red hair scattered across her pillow. She’d lost a bit of blanket in the night, and her bare back looked soft and smooth. Glancing across the room, though, I didn’t see the matching shape of Carmen’s twin in the other bed.

I kissed the teenager’s shoulder and rose.

The air was cold, but not freezing, and I let the chill air awaken me as I padded shirtless down the hallway. I checked the library, game room and living room without finding Daisy. Then, for the first time, I went out onto the balcony.

It opened out from a sliding glass door in the living room, and I was immediately struck by a ray of morning sun that bathed my body in a gentle kiss of heat. I closed my eyes and enjoyed it for a moment, ignoring the dull pounding that had started to awaken in my skull.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?”

I opened my eyes slowly, recognizing Daisy’s voice, and saw the teenager sitting at a tall, round table off to one side. She was still wearing the onesie, with Tigger hood up, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

“’morning,” I said.

She grinned a welcoming grin. “Hi.”

The steaming mug between her cupped palms was probably responsible for the pep in her attitude, and I nodded at it. “Coffee?” I asked.

“Inside. I just made the pot.”

“Thanks.” It was the kind of easy, early-morning interaction, I reflected as I stepped back inside, that didn’t ask much, in terms of words and actions, but somehow felt meaningful all the same.

“What are you up to so early?” I asked, when I returned a short minute later. The cup warmed my hands and I arched my back, stretching a little before I made my way over to the table. Approaching, I saw Daisy had something else on the table in front of her: a long white cylinder with a glass chamber at one end. When she lifted it to her lips, I realized it was a vape pen.

You vape? I thought. I hadn’t seen her doing it before.

The girl paused, shrugged, and then exhaled slowly. A small white cloud billowed between her lips, and then she answered. “When you came out, I was meditating.”

I avoided the cloud, then sat slowly down next to her. I leaned forward onto my elbows. “Meditating? I’m sorry if I interrupted.”

Daisy gave me a pouty look. “I’ll forgive you if you just give me a good morning kiss already.”

I chuckled and kissed her, then paused as I pulled back. “Grape?” I asked. There was a lingering taste on the teenager’s mouth.

She shrugged, smiling dreamily. Her green eyes were focused on my mouth, and her attention sent a shiver of heat down into my core. “Something like that,” she agreed.

We sat in silence for a moment, basking in the sun. The view off the balcony was lovely, out across rooftops and into the City. There was a large park nearby and, several blocks over, the river wound its way between buildings and under a bridge.

“Do you not have a hangover?” I asked, glancing over at the redhead. The coffee was helping with mine, but I still felt uncomfortably like there was a drum inside my skull trying to pound its way out.

She snorted. “Impossible not to, I think,” she answered. “We did drink quite a lot last night.”

I groaned a little at the mention of alcohol.

She giggled a little. “I’ve been trying to focus on the moment,” she said, reaching out a small hand and patting my forearm sympathetically. “Let it flow instead of fighting it. Kind of like its own form of meditation.”

I blinked at her.

“What?”

I hesitated, then asked. “Could you teach me?”

The teen raised her eyebrows. “Teach you what?”

“Meditation.” I shrugged. “I don’t know much about it. But I’ve pretty much only heard good things. And you do it what… every day?”

Daisy pursed her lips. “Most days,” she agreed, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. She wet her lips, and then nodded slowly. “Yeah, I think I could help you out.”

I placed my coffee cup on the table and watched her closely.

“Now?”

I huffed a laugh. “I figured I’d try your approach before I eased the pain with a morning-after cocktail.”

Daisy hesitated, then nodded. She inhaled another breath from her vape, then blew the cloud sideways. Her posture relaxed a little and she sighed. When she spoke again, her voice was easy and calm. “I want you to close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath…”

I followed her words, trying to ignore the dull, rhythmic pounding in my temples. Maybe it was that effect — a placebo — where I felt something just because I expected to feel something, but when I took my next deep breath it seemed like the grating edge of my discomfort had pulled back a bit.

“How long was that?” I asked, when she finally told me to open my eyes again. I was sure I had spent the past twenty minutes or more focusing on my breath and trying to clear my mind of distractions.

“Five minutes.”

“No…” I sipped my coffee in disbelief. That felt so much longer. I paused. “Thank you,” I added. “I think I feel better.”

Daisy clinked mugs with me and took a sip herself. “That’s more than half the battle,” she told me. “How you think about it.”

As always, the young woman had a way of saying things that sounded both simple and profound at once. I contemplated it for a second, then turned my attention back to her. “How does it feel to be home?” I asked. “With all of your usual… things around you?” My gesture took in the coffee mugs and the balcony and the beautiful view. I knew that this was what luxury looked like.

The girl let a thoughtful look hover over her pretty face for a moment before she answered. “After last night,” she said, rubbing a onesie mitten across her cheek, “I really knew that this place isn’t much of my home anymore. It’s the people in it. You, and the others. You’re the people I wanted to go to when I was feeling upset and worried about Carmen, and I felt stronger with you around me. I think that’s really where my home is now. The things that are in this apartment…” She shrugged her slim shoulders eloquently. “Bonus.”

I nodded, and Daisy glanced over.

“I think that I would like to find a new apartment sooner rather than later,” she added. “A place that is really ours, for all of us, and not just the place that Carmen and I got from our parents.”

I agreed, but also knew that when it came to picking a place to live I was probably in the minor leagues compared to this wealthy teen. We spent the next few minutes discussing the kinds of features we’d want to have in a new place. What kind of style? Were we sure we wanted an apartment, or would we prefer a more traditional home? Daisy would surprise me with questions like, “What neighborhood do you think you’d like best?” and I would realize that some people actually factored location into their house search, rather than just price.

“We’ll definitely need to get everyone else’s opinions as well,” I said as Daisy puffed her vape and tugged one knee up to her chest. Her other leg dangled from her tall chair, as did the tail of her onesie.

Actually, thinking about home locations made me pensive. It had been a while since I’d thought about it, but I really didn’t know where Victoria lived. Nor Amb—

I sat up very straight, very quickly.

“Chance?” Daisy asked, her expression turning concerned.

But I was standing and rushing to the door with nothing more than a mumbled “excuse me.” I was striding quickly through the apartment, down the long, darkened corridor and then into the twins’ bedroom.

Where is my phone? I thought, casting my eyes desperately around the floor at various piles of discarded clothes.

I had completely forgotten about Mike Lassiter.

When I finally uncovered the device, tucked into the inside pocket of my jacket, I found out that it had died during the night. The next five or ten minutes were spent pacing the living room, plugging in a charger that I had borrowed from a confused Daisy.

“Come on, come on…” I muttered, like that would help it boot up more quickly.

When the thing finally glowed to life, I unlocked it immediately with fast, fumbling fingers. My screen opened where I’d left it, in the middle of my anxiety-inducing conversation with Lassiter. I reread it, my eyes flicking rapidly back and forth.

Sir. I know it’s late, but something came up. We need to talk. As soon as you can.

What od you meann?

When are you available? It is probably something we should discuss in person.

Wht do we need to takl abot? I winced at my spelling.

We need to talk about Amber.

Tll me what hap…My final message was unfinished, and I realized that I had gotten distracted taking care of Carmen and never sent it. I held off on sending it now, though, because beneath Lassiter’s previous message were several new ones.

Sir?

Several minutes later:

Are you there?

Then, half an hour after that:

Sir, I want to apologize if I have given you stress and uncertainty on your night of relaxation. I felt it necessary to let you know if anything out of the ordinary occurred, and I hope I did not do that without good reason. I will explain when we speak.

The man’s text read like a business email, and I wondered for a moment if this was how he saw me. As a business associate, like his office superior. I considered waiting until I saw the man in person, like he’d asked. Then, I shook my head. Screw that, I thought. This was about Amber. I wanted answers now.

Besides, what’s the point of having someone hypnotically programmed to obey you if you always worry about their inconveniences?

I tapped the screen.

The quiet sound of the ringing line.

The soft chime of the call being answered.

“Hey, Mike.”

“Good morning, Sir.” The other man’s voice was a bit fuzzy, and I realized that Lassiter must have been up almost as late as us, just to send me these messages.

Ah well, I thought. He was up now, at any rate. “What were you texting me about last night?” I asked, directly to the heart of the matter.

I could practically hear Lassiter sitting up a little straighter on the other end of the line. “Sir?” he asked. “Are you sure you want to be discussing this over the phone?” He sounded oddly nervous, but I couldn’t be bothered. There were more important things than his strange need to speak face to face.

I was sitting on the corner of the couch by the wall, hunched over with the charging cable still connecting me to the socket. “Yes, I’m sure,” I told the man impatiently. Then, I paused. “Wait.”

I checked my phone. It had, just to irritate me, waited until it got up to 30% before restarting. Now, though, I was glad that I had some battery power so I could unplug, walk to the door, and step out onto the cool tile of the balcony. I nodded to Daisy, then walked to the far end of the terrace and leaned on the railing. The sun warmed my shoulders as I turned and raised the phone to my ear. “Alright, Mike,” I said. “Talk to me.”

“As you say, Sir.” Lassiter didn’t hesitate, now. I had used the TRANCE induction video to make him loyal to me, and I knew that he would obey any direct instructions I gave him. He did take a second to gather his thoughts, but then his voice was rattling away in the manner I assumed a military aide took while reporting to a commander — businesslike and to the point.

“I was at home, late last night, when an email came in late to my work account. I don’t get notifications except from high-priority contacts, and when I checked I saw it was from the Director of Platinum Services. He had written to tell me…”

The main trailed off when I made a confused sound.

“Sir?”

“What does Director of Platinum Services mean?” I frowned. I’d never heard of that department.

“I’m sorry to say I don’t totally know that myself, Sir.” The man sounded a little miffed at the fact. Not all divisions of Teragon Regional and National Corporation for Entertainment that are connected to one another, and some of them share information back and forth.” His tone had definitely soured. “Part of my job description, it turns out, is just jumping when some of those people say to jump.”

“Okay…” I realized that my hand was grasping the railing tightly, and I tried to ease my fingers open. “So, what was the email about?”

“Right, the email. The Director of Platinum Services emailed to tell me that, as Director of Talent Management, I needed to find a replacement for a particular actress. I was not immediately sure this would involve you, but when I saw what name he’d sent me…”

My hand was so tight around the railing I thought the metal would bend or snap. “Amber,” I said hoarsely.

“Yes, Sir.”

“What does that mean?” Is Amber going to be fired? The thought of two executives emailing about my girlfriend seemed oddly sinister. What other reason would they have to talk about her?

Lassiter paused. “As I said, I can’t be completely certain. All I can tell you is what I have observed in the past when I’ve received similar sudden requests.”

“Tell me.” I tone was terse. My throat felt tight and closed off.

“As I begin searching for a replacement for a particular actress — someone with a roughly similar physical appearance, generally, and that intangible quality of being able to hold a camera — a couple of things start to happen. First, the company stops shooting new films featuring that individual. Even the popular actresses, and usually it is the popular ones, are soon without work. Then, all of their videos are removed from the Internet. The only things that remain are hard copies or low-res screen-recordings, because all TRANCE video files that can be downloaded or shared digitally have a built-in self-destruct switch that can be flipped at any time.”

I blinked. That’s not possible, I thought. You can’t just… tamper with the Internet like that. This was insane.

More insane than any of the other things TRANCE does? It was Angel Chance, the voice of reason, and I had to purse my lips in acknowledgement of the point.

“Next,” the man continued, not pausing to notice the crazy things he was saying, “all company employee records are deleted. It’s like they never worked for us. Not a shred of evidence in our data.”

I shook my head. “Why?” I demanded, but the Director of Talent Management wasn’t quite finished.

“Finally,” he told me. “The person walks out the door one day and never comes back.”

I stopped moving. I had been nervously chewing at my lip. I stopped, but I didn’t release my bottom lip from between my teeth.

“I always assumed,” Lassiter continued after a second of silence, “that it was an exit strategy. High-profile adult film star wants to leave the industry and not have people stop them in the street making rude remarks. Maybe it’s a service that the company offers, to give them a chance at a fresh start — ‘Pay us and we can make the memory of your time in the business go away’.”

Does that fit? I wondered. But if it does…

“But if that’s the case,” the man concluded. “Then I was uncertain why you hadn’t mentioned anything to me about Amber leaving the company.” I could hear the hint of reproach in his voice. “That was why I stayed up to message you right away to get to the bottom of it.”

I felt a tiny stab of guilt about not replying last night, but I couldn’t dwell on it. There were more important matters at hand, such as, why did my girlfriend not mention to me she was quitting porn? I said, “Why didn’t you ask about it? Why don’t you get the Director of… Special Services, or whatever, to tell you why he needs her replaced?”

There was a short pause.

“Directors don’t ask questions,” Lassiter answered. His voice was flat.

What? But I shook my head. I couldn’t dwell on it. “Well, find out whatever you can, however you can,” I told him. “I want to know what the Director of Platinum Services does, I want to know why he’s interested in my girlfriend, and I want to know…” I hesitated. “If she’s involved.” I didn’t like to say it out loud, because it meant admitting that Amber might actually be hiding something from me. Something big.

“Yes, Sir.”

“And no one else is to know about this,” I added for emphasis.

“Yes, Sir.”

I couldn’t let on that I was far more worried than Mike. I think I was starting to learn that sometimes it pays to keep your cards close to your chest. Like with Carmen last night — I hadn’t shown my uncertainty. And that, my silence and presence, was all she’d needed. I nodded to myself. “Is that all?” I asked my one-time-superior briskly.

“Yes…”

I could hear his hesitation. “Something on your mind?”

“I would…” Lassiter seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “Appreciate it if you could perhaps keep me in the loop when you have any updates. On your end.”

I knew what he was really asking, between the lines. Let me know if you learn anything from talking to your girlfriend, who is at the center of this and apparently hasn’t told you anything about it. I frowned. “I’ll let you know,” I said, not promising anything.

“Okay.”

“And thank you for letting me know,” I added, feeling like I should throw the man some sort of bone. He’d done well. “I appreciate it.”

“Of course.” Lassiter sounded surprised at my gratitude, but pleased.

“Good. Get in touch as soon as you know something.” I hung up, then stood tapping the phone against my chin. Something very odd is going o—

Ding.

My phone chimed and I glanced down. It was a text from Carmen.

Help!

Next to the word was the little emoji of the monkey with its hands over its eyes, which I took to mean she was more embarrassed than in trouble. Drama beckons on all fronts, I thought.

As I hurried inside, the sunny, peaceful morning seemed a little bit darker.

Could this be why Amber’s been acting so closed off? I asked myself as I pulled the sliding glass door closed behind me. Is this the issue that’s making her uncomfortable and secretive? But, if it is, why hasn’t she just told me about it?

“Hey, baby.”

A voice startled me from my thoughts, and my eyes shot sideways to meet a bright, blue gaze.

“Good morning,” Amber said, smiling her bright, supermodel smile at me. She was sitting in the living room with Daisy and Victoria, the three of them sipping from coffee mugs with a half-full French press on the low table in front of them.

I nodded. “Hi.” I gestured with my phone, feeling oddly uncomfortable. It was a mix of emotions, really — the one you get when you’ve been talking about someone behind their back and the one where you did something a little bit wrong and aren’t sure if you’ve gotten away with it yet.

Amber raised her eyebrows. “You good, handsome?”

I jerked a nod, then forced myself to relax. It was odd to put on my every day, semi-forced smile when I looked at these women. With them, I had always acted how I was truly feeling.

I let the look turn a little sheepish. “Sorry,” I said. “Just got a text from you know who…” and I glanced meaningfully down the hall. “I’m a bit nervous. I don’t know if I’m equipped to handle this kind of boss battle.” I realized a second later that my nervous humor fell flat when my fellow gamer nerd wasn’t present. Still, the others nodded, as though my explanation made sense.

It was a lie. A small one, because it was partly true. But a lie all the same. I couldn’t remember if I’d ever lied to these women before.

All of you are liars, Devil Chance commented.

I ignored the words, and the twinge of unease that said part of me believed them.

Daisy was checking her own phone, and then she raised her eyebrows at me. “She didn’t even message me yet,” she said, surprised. “I figured she was still sleeping.”

“Do you want to go?” I asked, gesturing. I wasn’t sure why I offered. Right now, going to Carmen seemed like a good escape from the uncertainty that assaulted me as I looked at Amber and wondered what she was hiding from me. But, somehow, I felt like I was coming between the two sisters by going in first.

“It’s okay,” the teenager said, shaking her head. She tucked her hair back under the raised Tigger hood. Then, she flashed bright smile. “She wants you.”

The other women nodded and made sounds of agreement, but I was already backing slowly away and hoping I didn’t look as clumsy as I felt. “Alright. I’m going to go check on her, then.”

The hallway moved by under my striding feet.

DC, I decided, a moment before my hand clasped the handle. That’s what I’m going to call you.

Devil Chance, startled at being addressed, turned suspiciously. What?

An initial name, I thought. For you. Maybe if we were on a nickname basis, this part of my mind would be less of an asshole.

What the hell is an initial name? Devil Chance was irritated.

Like that driver last night… Whatshisname. I didn’t actually remember the initials from his card. I wasn’t sure why I thought of him then, either.

Then I remembered my promise. I’ll look after her, I’d said.

I turned the handle, and walked into the room beyond. I felt good, suddenly. I could keep that promise.

Carmen was sitting against the headboard, knees up and wrapped in the comforter. She was turning her phone in her hands but not looking at the screen.

“Hey, you,” I said. The sunlight was streaming in through the big window, and it hit her crimson hair when she turned her head. She looked pretty. Really pretty, I thought.

“Hi, Chance.” She put the phone down on the bedside table and held out her arms.

I smiled, crossing the room in several long steps. It felt, strangely, like a weight had lifted off my shoulders. I knelt on one knee and scooted up next to her, wrapping her in a hug and kissing her warm mouth gently. “Good morning,” I murmured.

“Mmm…” she said, snuggling her head against my neck. “I’m glad you came.”

I laughed softly, stroking her hair. “Of course I did. Will you tell me what’s going on?” I tilted her chin back with one finger. It was easy to be confident when it was her who needed it, and not just me. “The others are waiting for us out in the living room. They’ve got coffee and are busy talking about what an awesome day we’re going to have.”

“Chance…”

I was used to seeing Carmen’s face without makeup. It was how she normally looked when we ran in the mornings, after all, so I already knew that taking it away made her look a little younger and more innocent. Today, for the first time, she also looked a little bit vulnerable.

“I feel really nervous,” she said. She shrugged and looked at her hands, which were playing with one of mine. “It’s weird. Usually I don’t worry about this kind of thing. I don’t care about peoples’ opinions. But… I don’t know. I don’t want you guys to think badly of me. Like I ruined everyone’s night by throwing a tantrum.”

I lifted our entwined hands and kissed her knuckles. “No one thinks that,” I said. “I promise. We all had a good time. Hell,” I added, and I gave her a flirtatious grin. “I even had an excuse to cuddle all night with this girl I’ve got a crush on.”

The redhaired girl blushed, green eyes twinkling. “Yeah?” she asked. “Is she cute?”

I leaned in. “Very cute,” I said, and I kissed her again, gently.

I couldn’t have said exactly when the kiss became something more. It was just a few short seconds, her soft lips under my mouth and her lashes fluttering closed against my cheek. But what started out soft and encouraging turned harder, hotter, and when we pulled back my eyes were sharp and body tingled with a flush of fire.

Carmen’s eyes were glowing emeralds. “Kiss me again,” she said, and she was pushing away the covers and coming up on her knees. Her hands were on my shoulders and then behind my neck and we were kissing again.

My hands slid up her smooth back, pulling her against my chest and holding her there. Her lips were demanding, now, and I felt her tongue slip into my mouth. Her hair tumbled across my knuckles.

The teenage pornstar groaned, her fingers trailing across my chest and then down my stomach. She could feel the tent in the front of my sweatpants, and a trickle of heat crept into my core as she gently cupped and began to brush up and down.

“Is that for me?” she asked, her voice now a throaty whisper. Her mouth was by my ear, her breath hot on my neck. She kissed the corner of my jaw as her slim hands dove beneath my waistband.

I groaned. “Yes…”

“My man getting all hard and ready… So big and strong and ready to fuck his gorgeous teenage fucktoy…”

I could tell that Carmen was slipping into a persona, her pornstar training giving her the words that zapped my brain and sent all the blood rushing directly south to my throbbing length. Her slender fingers wrapped around my shaft. They began to stroke.

“Yes…” I said again, not sure what I was agreeing to but knowing that I was ready to do just that.

The girl kissed me again. “Ready to pin his little girl down and show her who’s in charge?”

My hands wrapped around her upper arms and then I was pulling away from her touch, clambering up onto the bed and pulling, turning her down and away from the headboard and onto her back. I sat back briefly to tug my sweats down and away, and I felt the mattress move as my 18-year-old lover kicked away her panties. My shirt hit the floor.

Then I was on top of her, my fingers wrapped around her wrists and my knees between her spread legs. I kissed her throat and her chin and her mouth, hot kisses that made her squirm with pleasure and left a trail of sparks up her skin.

“Oh, please…” she groaned. Her chest was rising and falling with quick breaths, her lacy bra brushing against my bare chest. “Please fuck your horny little plaything…”

My cock slid inside her tight, dripping snatch in a smooth thrust.

Carmen gasped, her inner muscles squeezing around my girth. “I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My pussy belongs to you. My tits…” She mewed softly with a jolt of pleasure as one of my hands cupped a perky breast and squeezed. “My tits belong to you…”

“Tell me,” I said, and then I grinned. My hips were moving, my manhood sliding in and out of her wet, hot core with a steady rhythm. “Are you my horny little nympho slut?”

I felt the twitch of the teen’s body, saw her head turn and her eyes lose focus for a moment. “Yes, sir.” On her back, the crimson-haired pornstar gazed adoringly up at me. “I’m whatever you want me to be.”

“Good girl…” I muttered, and green eyes fluttered as a wave of bliss washed over her.

“Thank you, Master.” Carmen’s wrist pulled gently free of my hand and her fingers rose to touch my cheeks.

My core pounded like she’d thrown fuel on the burning fire. There was something tender in the touch, but also something electric. Like she was a succubus luring me in. I hadn’t intended it when I said the trigger words, but now I knew what I was going to do. I grunted, my girth splitting the girl’s slim body in half.

Then, I felt a hint of déjà vu as I murmured, “You trust me.”

She moaned, her fingertips curling into my chest and raking softly down. “I trust you.”

“You know I’ll take care of things.” My hips met hers, my length deep inside her.

“I know you’ll… ahhh, yes, Master! … take care of things.” Carmen shuddered and came, her lips parting in a panting gasp before I covered them with my mouth.

We kissed for a long moment, my cock pounding into her faster and faster as her body spasmed and shook.

I pulled back. “You know I’ll take care of you,” I declared. My girth was being massaged by her inner muscles, her talented body doing exactly what it was trained to do — bring me closer and closer to inevitable release.

“I know you’ll take care of me…” The girl was panting and moaning but her eyes glinted with gratitude. Her back was arched, her lithe body offered up to me.

“You know you never have to be nervous around me.” My hand was on her hip and pulling her onto my thrusting cock with every movement.

“Never…” the teen groaned, out of breath.

“Good girl,” I grunted.

Carmen shuddered with bliss at my praise, and then her fingers raked down my chest again. “Please, Master…” she gasped, her red lips parted. “I feel so much better now… Will you fuck me like a good girl who pleases you?”

“Fuck…” My breath caught in my throat at her words and my body sped up.

The teen writhed in the sheets, clamping a hand over her mouth to muffle a soft cry.

Both of my hands were holding her down, now, my throbbing, pent-up length buried deep in her molten core. The crimson-haired pornstar’s eyes were rolled back with ecstasy, and the harder I pounded her dripping snatch the more I knew that there was no going back.

The mounting climax inside of me grew closer and closer. My arms tensed, fingers pressing into her smooth skin. Maybe they would leave marks later. No matter. She was mine.

Mine.

And I would mark her if I wished.

“Cum for me, Master…” Carmen’s voice was a whisper, hushed and almost reverent despite the speed and strength of my movements. “Cum for your needy little plaything… Cum for your good girl who will do anything you wish…”

I growled and buried my face in her neck, kissing hard as I sheathed myself to the hilt in her body and came like a fire hose. My pulsating rod fired stream after stream of sticky white spunk, coating her womb. She gasped at the feeling of my cock and my seed, and I couldn’t be sure she didn’t cum again.

Carmen’s head fell back onto the pillows, her body going tight and then relaxed.

On top of her, held up on my hands with trembling arms, I admired her pretty features. “God you’re hot…” I groaned, and then rolled off onto my back beside her. “Goodbye for now…” I murmured, and felt Carmen stir as the trigger reawakened her normal personality.

“Ohfuck…” The teen’s voice was a soft groan as the sensations washed over her, and the sound send a shiver of lust through me.

My cock twitched against my thigh, but I didn’t move. Instead, I stared up at the window above me. I hoped that my intervention with Carmen and her emotions had been enough to set her mind at ease. If not, I thought. I’m more than down for another round of hypnotherapy. From this angle, I could only see a sliver of blue sky above.

“Chance…”

I sucked in a short gasp as Carmen’s hand landed softly on my upper thigh, brushing up the muscle. “Yeah?” I asked. My body was starting to warm up again.

“That was really good…”

Something about hearing her say it, in that youthful, satiated voice of hers, was unbelievably hot. “Yeah…” I said. “I’m glad. For me too. It was also good, I mean. For me.”

Carmen giggled as I stumbled over my words. “Someone is still missing a little bit of blood from his brain,” she teased, and her fingers brushed lightly over my half-erect manhood.

I hissed, tightening my fingers into the sheets by my side. “Don’t toy with me…” I groaned, but in a way that let her know how much I enjoyed it.

“Mmm…” The teen murmured, kissing my shoulder. The mattress shifted as she wriggled closer, lifting her knee and brushing her inner thigh up my leg. “You don’t like it when your toy toys with you, Master?” she moaned softly. “You just want a needy, mindless fuckdoll? A good girl who just wants to suck and fuck and please you…?”

I grunted and pulled away, sitting up. My cock was now hard as a rock in my lap. “We can’t,” I groaned. “We have to go join the others…”

I knew I was on the verge of giving in, so instead I raised myself up on my knees. The window was partly open, I realized, and so I reached over to pull it closed. As I did, I glanced directly out it for the first time. A second later the image registered, and I realized that this window actually looked out over the corner of the balcony where I’d been standing on the phone with Mike Lassiter.

The redhaired teen came up on her knees beside me, fingers stroking down my shoulders and sides. “Don’t you want to play, Master…?” she murmured. “Don’t you want your little girl to make her Daddy feel sooo good…?”

Carmen hesitated when she saw me glance over. There was a question in my eyes.

“Did you see me on the phone?” I asked. It wasn’t an accusation, but I felt a sudden jolt of worry in my chest.

Carmen hesitated. Then, she shrugged. She fell back on her knees, no longer touching me. “Yeah,” she said. But there was something more, in the way her green eyes suddenly avoided mine.

“Did you hear me on the phone?” I asked, frowning.

The teenager had the grace to look bashful. “The window was already op—…” she started to say, but then she met my eyes and stopped herself. “Yeah… I did.”

My mind raced. The warmth and post-sex glow were fading as I realized that my private conversation with Lassiter had had a witness. “What did you hear?”

Carmen’s tongue wet her lips. She could sense the change in mood. “Everything at the end, mostly. But I think that was the important part. Something about TRANCE having a Director of Platinum Services and him being interested in Amber. And…” Her shoulders moved in a shrug. “that you don’t know if she is involved in something and isn’t telling you.”

“Ah.”

Green eyes met my brown ones. They were worried, like she knew she’d done something wrong, but there was also determination in them. Like she didn’t want to back out. Like she wanted to help.

“Okay,” I said. I felt nervous, but also, oddly, secure. As if Carmen and I had come to an unspoken understanding. I had her back, and she had mine. She would keep my secrets.

“What are we going to do?” she asked, as if she had also understood our silent accord. As if we were a team now, facing the problem together.

“We’re going to find out who’s trying to mess with a member of our family.” I said, taking Carmen’s hand.

Just who? DC commented dryly. What about why? And how? And what?

I ignored my inner pessimist, squeezing the teen’s fingers.

We got dressed quietly. Then, I led her down the hallway to the living room. As we walked, I felt an unmistakable sense of unease well up in my belly. Worse than all the questions that I pushed aside was the sneaking suspicion underlying everything else. The suspicion that there was something more going on.

And the suspicion that I had no clue what it might be.

“Hey everyone,” I said in a confident, happy voice. We stepped out of the hallway and into the light.

Three beautiful faces turned our way with big, genuine smiles.

I returned with one of my own, a little less genuine. “Who’s ready for a great day?”