Chapter 39 #2
The car turned, and the tires met gravel for a few rotations before coming to a halt. Someone knocked on Wes’s window. I jumped.
Both of our heads turned to the bulky man in all black standing next to us.
Wes rolled the window down.
“Members only past this point,” the man said gruffly. “This driver was not approved by The Circle.”
The driver slowly met Wes’s eyes in the rearview mirror. Wes ground his teeth together. “Enjoy your weekend, Marty. I’ll call if our timing changes.”
The man nodded. “Thanks, Wes. You too.”
Wes and I slid out of the car, and I noticed the way he kept his hand on me the entire time as we collected our bags and stepped toward the security guard. Our car made a three-point turn and slowly drove away.
The afternoon sun was golden as we approached sundown, illuminating the stone pillars and the grand black gate before us.
The burly, bearded man wordlessly led us forward, typing something on his phone. The gate swung open, revealing a long, winding, tree-lined gravel driveway on a slight incline. Wes and I passed through the gate.
When the estate came into view, I clutched Wes’s arm in shock. This was no cabin in the woods, though woods did surround the building on all sides.
The same woods were pictured in another cryptic PicWave story on Lorelei’s account this morning.
She was here. I could’ve been mere moments away from seeing her again.
My breath caught, and my heart picked up speed.
All these months, I’d been preparing what I would say to her once I saw her again—how I might convince her to finally get help, what she would say in response.
My current theory was that Lorelei was going by a different name and had kept her past from everyone. Well, that was one of my theories, given I was still partially convinced The Circle knew everything and was merely fucking with my head.
I closed my eyes for a moment and shook myself out of my spinning thoughts.
I focused back on the massive house ahead of us, if house was even the right word.
“Jesus,” I whispered.
“Baby, there is no God here,” Wes muttered, glaring at the opulent display of wealth. When we made it to the circular driveway, there were three parked black cars.
The front door of the mansion opened, revealing Jayne and Archer.
I didn’t like Archer’s triumphant smirk one bit.
Jayne, on the other hand, looked like her smile hid underlying stress.
It looked strange on her usually serene, angelic features.
She had not a single perfect black ringlet out of place, her simple purple dress cinching at her waist and showing off her curves.
“Welcome, Nova and Wes. We’re so pleased you both could join us. However, you two are late,” she said, revealing the cause of her tight smile. “We’re already gathering everyone for the hunt.”
Wes set our bags down on the front porch without acknowledging Jayne with more than a nod. He reached for the black box I still carried in my hand, his movements slow and controlled, as if he had all the time in the world.
“Turn for me,” he commanded gently.
I turned, shivering when Wes brushed my hair out of the way. I gathered my waves and lifted them up for him as he secured my new collar into place. A jolt of pleasure shot down my body, awakening the bundle of nerves between my thighs.
Wes’s lips gently brushed against my shoulder. He reached for my hand, and I let my hair fall back down.
When we faced Archer and Jayne again, I’d nearly forgotten they were there. All I felt now was the subtle weight and grip of leather around my throat—the symbol I belonged to someone.
It was the one thing I thought I would die before experiencing for myself.
Archer stared at my throat, and Jayne watched Archer. Both of them worked hard to conceal any reaction to Wes’s blatant display of his claim on me.
“Will everyone be participating in the hunt?” I asked as Wes picked our bags off the porch and we stepped toward the cult power couple.
“Of course,” Jayne said. “Except our safety volunteers and security.”
And the staff who would be cooking and cleaning for us, I was sure she failed to mention.
They led us inside, where I gaped at the massive foyer. This place screamed old money. I wouldn’t have been shocked if there were servants’ quarters.
“Someone will take your bags up to your room. There is one couple’s room left,” Jayne explained.
“And we will need to take your phones, of course,” Archer said evenly, his charming smile sharply contrasting with the calculation in his eyes.
Wes handed Archer his flip phone with extreme reluctance. “Nova left hers in the car.”
Archer nodded. “You mind if we search—”
“Yes, I do,” Wes hissed. “In fact, no one on this estate is to touch Nova except me.”
Archer’s eyes flashed with something akin to amusement.
“Understood,” Jayne chirped. “We will ensure she wears the correct bracelet to show she is off-limits.” Her tone was clipped, clearly still concerned about her perfect schedule. “Nova, is there anything you need from your bag to get ready? Most of the prey are wearing lingerie or nothing at all.”
I looked to Wes, my nerves alighting with pleasure every time I ceded decisions to him.
“The dress stays on. Shoes too.” He released a breath. “We need to talk.”
Jayne cleared her throat. “I really must insist I separate you two lovebirds now, as this night has been meticulously planned out. You will have all the time in the world to chat once you’ve captured her again.” She winked, softening her clear undermining of Wes’s authority.
Wes and I locked eyes. He wasn’t pleased, but he nodded. We’d already discussed ahead of time limits and desires for this kinky game.
We didn’t have to participate. Wes had certainly argued against it, but I knew we’d be pressured to.
And if I were being honest… I wanted Wes to hunt me in the woods.
The last three events, I hadn’t been able to participate in anything.
I’d only allowed myself to be an observer.
In the end, Wes allowed it, perhaps because he was so proud of me for being honest and voicing my desire in the first place.
“Okay. We’ll talk after,” Wes said, though his tension didn’t melt an inch.
I nodded, just as bothered that I hadn’t come clean before his collar was locked into place.
“See you out there, Nova,” Archer said.
It felt like a taunt, but Wes didn’t react as Jayne led me away.