Chapter 6 Mynx #2
Her hand glided down her hip bone, sliding to the tender throb between her legs, that still ached with desire for Raven.
In her mind, she pictured him watching her as she rubbed her hand in slow circles.
Seeing him sitting across the room on the dressing bench.
She saw the heat in his eyes as she sucked in her bottom lip and felt each rotation of her finger brush against her.
Watching him tense as she took her own breast in her hand and squeezed.
It didn't take long for her imagination to engage fully, and it was no longer her hand that coaxed her tender bud.
Behind her closed eyes, she could see him.
His long chestnut hair draped over the side of the tub as he leaned in to kiss her neck.
Then moved down her body to her nipple, with each lap of his tongue, her arousal rose higher.
She could smell him beside her, the mixture of strength and elegance that covered him.
Her stomach tightened with the pulse of her desire to come undone for him.
The moment he whispered Butterfly in her ear.
She surrendered to the tide of her orgasm.
Her head fell to the side, resting on the ledge of the tub, as her heartbeat fought to regain its normal stride.
The heat vanished, leaving only the chill of porcelain and the echo of her own breath in its wake when she opened her eyes.
It scared her—how easily she unraveled for him.
How little of herself remained when he entered her mind.
Raven made a bad situation worse, in a good way or a bad one.
She had yet to decide, but she wanted him more than anyone she'd ever been with, and that excited her.
She smiled at the thought, a flicker of hope—or madness—on her lips, as she slipped beneath the water.
The soft sound of knocking pulled Mynx out of a deep, heavy sleep. For a few seconds, she lay there confused as to where she was, tangled in warm sheets, her brain sluggish as she recalled last night's events.
Last night's bath had done its job—maybe a little too well. The heat had soothed both her aching heart and muscles, leaving her completely drained. Even now, the drowsiness clung to her. The knocks came again, steady and patient. Whomever it was, they weren't giving up.
Throwing back her silky sheets, she looked for the key to the door. It had been in her hand when she'd fallen asleep last night. The knock came again, this time more persistent.
"Just a minute, I'll be right there, hold on.
" She pushed the covers down to the bottom of the bed, but there was no key.
Lifted the pillows, no key. Getting on her knees, she looked under the bed; the brass key must have fallen during the night.
She wasn't sure why holding it made her feel safe enough to drift off the night before, but it worked.
The knock sounded again. Followed by an unknown female voice.
"Mynx—my name is Shelby, I'm here to go over today's schedule with you." The voice sounded small through the door.
Unlocking the door, Mynx swung it open.
"Oh." The woman appeared startled, as if she had begun to expect no answer.
"Yeah, what do you want? And for the love of God, why are you pounding on my door at the crack of dawn? Feels like I just went to bed a few hours ago."
The woman straightened her posture slightly.
She had a kind face and was dressed like a business professional, in a deep purple jacket and skirt, paired with a violet blouse and matching flats.
She seemed to take a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking, brushing her thick brown hair behind her shoulders as she did. Mynx's question clearly surprised her.
"Right," she said. "Like I was saying before, I'm Shelby, Ravens assistant.
We have a busy schedule today; I needed to get you up and moving so you can meet with Raven after breakfast to sign your NDA and contract.
"She looked back at the clipboard and continued, without taking a breath, it seemed.
"After that, you have an appointment with Dr. Emily, you'll have a general physical as well as an OBGYN consultation.
We'll need to get a clean bill of health for you before we can go shopping for your wardrobe this afternoon.
" She took a breath and moved her pencil down her checklist.
"Hey-uh- Shelby, if you could just slow down a bit for me.
I'm really not a morning person, not to be rude, but I think I'm gonna need a pot of coffee before I can deal with the level of overachievement you are expecting from me here.
" Taking her hand from the door handle, she turned, leaving it open, walking back to the bed, pulling the covers back over herself.
Shelby laughed at the comment but followed her into the room.
"Ah- Mynx, wait no— you can't go back to bed, really— I need to get you on track.
Mr. Cordoba, -ah-Raven, not senior, really wants to make sure that we get things moving this morning.
So, you can start work at the club next week.
" She walked into the room and towards the bed, still talking as she did.
"Then I suggest you tell Mr. Fancy Pants Cordoba to send caffeine, stat," Mynx muttered, laying her head back on the pillow. Reaching beside her, she grabbed another pillow and covered her head with it. The soft sound of her door clicking shut was the only indication that Shelby had left the room.
Good, I can go back to sleep.
It felt like mere minutes passed before the faint clatter of dishes echoed through the hallway. A soft knock at the door followed, accompanied by the gentle sound of footsteps approaching her bedside.
"I have your coffee; now, can you please get out of bed, Mynx. "There was a plea in Shelby's voice that made Mynx want to comply.
Pulling her head out from the pillow, she sat up. Shelby poured a cup of coffee. "Cream? — Sugar?" she asked. A kind smile wrinkled her eyes with the question.
"Both- and plenty of it please. "Shelby handed her the cup and sat on the bed beside her.
"Look- I can't say I have ever been in your position. And I know you must have a thousand questions. You're probably scared, tired, and unsure about being here—"
"Yes, to all of that and more." Mynx didn't bother to lift her eyes between sips of the rich flavor of the coffee.
"A lot of women come here to escape bad situations in their lives— they ask to be here— for this chance.
I know that right now, you feel like it's a hopeless situation, over which you have no control.
But for now, I need you to try to trust just me.
Not anyone else here, just me. Is there any chance you can do that?
" Her soft brown eyes searched Mynx's face for an answer.
"If you want me to trust you, I need answers, like what exactly does this contract require me to do? And how long is it going to take for me to earn enough to get back to my family?"
She finished the first cup and walked back to the cart, pouring another without hesitation.
The silence stretched. Mynx stood there, waiting her coffee in hand, nerves masked by motion. Each sip was quick, almost impatient, as if she were trying to swallow the tension along with the heat.
"Right, so straight to business then, I have ten minutes to answer some questions for you. Then I'll see if I can find you something to wear, and we can start this day of ungodly scheduling." She was charming, almost motherly. Mynx decided she liked Shelby at that moment.
"As to the contract, at this point, you will have one of two choices to make.
You can choose to work at the club solely as a dancer.
You'd receive a flat rate for the weekend from the club, to be determined by you and Raven at the time of negotiation this morning, plus any tips you might earn from our guests.
The second option you have is to negotiate a contract with a member at your own discretion, for an arranged marriage—"
"Arranged marriage, are you kidding me? You want me to sign away my life to some man I don't know?
" Mynx set her coffee cup down. Walking to the window.
She had an unobstructed view of the gardens below; a black wrought-iron fence stood adorned with trailing vines and blooming flowers.
In some areas, the foliage thinned just enough to allow glimpses of the breathtaking garden beyond to filter through.
She wished she were lost in the garden at this moment, instead of being forced to consider things she would never choose for herself–– if she had a choice. She turned and began pacing the length of the room.
"No one is forcing anything on you," Shelby assured her, her tone steady as she continued.
"You can live here, work to pay off the debt, and move on with your life as you see fit afterward.
But you might want to consider the marriage arrangement aspect—if a member is someone you could see yourself managing a life with, even for a short time.
Most of these men aren't looking for lifelong commitments.
You could think of the arrangement as a business deal if that helps.
It could give you the financial stability to take care of your family without so much worry. "
Shelby stood, smoothing her skirt as she spoke. "You should also know your father is working to pay off the debt as well. I cannot disclose the details of his position with the family until the NDA is signed. But if you want, we can talk again later."
Mynx stood frozen in shock, her mind racing as she tried to process the situation. With her hands covering her face, she attempted to block out the world around her. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Do you need a hug? You look like you could use one," Shelby offered.
"I could—," Mynx whispered. Without hesitation, she found herself wrapped in the arms of a woman she had barely met. Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks in heavy streaks, a soft sob escaping as Shelby patted her back reassuringly. She was soft and smelled good. Comforting.
"Now, enough of that," Shelby said, her voice firm but kind. "I'm here to help you. I have a few dresses in the hall—what are you, about size 6?"
Mynx nodded, wiping away her tears.
"Right, I'll bring you a dress. You can get cleaned up, and I'll be back to get you in thirty minutes. Sound good?" Shelby asked before exiting the room.
She returned quickly, carrying a red mid-thigh-length sundress and a pair of black sandals. She placed them on the bed and left without another word, leaving Mynx to prepare for her day.
Mynx still felt uncertain about the situation, but one thing was clear—Shelby was someone she felt oddly comfortable with, like someone she might be able to trust here. With her mind still reeling from the details of the situation, she quickly dressed for the day.
Raven Cordoba would be giving her some answers before she agreed to any contract—that was for sure. And she wouldn't be weakened by that handsome face.