I sigh as I fold my clothes one by one before stowing them into the open mouth of the bag. Goodness, I’m sore. My body aches as I lean forward and a twinge shoots through my pussy, making me gasp. The Minotaur certainly used me to his heart’s content, but now, the ball is over and Cinderella’s going home. Maybe my coach won’t turn into a pumpkin, but I’m definitely flying economy with its cramped seats and funny-smelling filtered air.
Then my phone buzzes on the bedside table, and I frown when I see Melissa’s name. That’s weird. I’ve already been paid for my role in the hunt, and the sum made my eyes go wide. So what could this be about? I take a second to calm myself before I answer.
“Hi Melissa?”
She sounds relieved.
“Oh, good, you’re not on a plane right now.”
“Nope, I’m not, although my flight leaves later tonight.”
“Cancel it,” she states in an abrupt tone. “You’ve got other things on your agenda.”
“Um,” I manage in a confused tone. “What do you mean? I’ve already been paid for my role in the hunt.”
Melissa merely tsks over the line.
“Sanctum will cover the costs of any flight change, and of course, we’ll pay for your extended hotel stay as well. This is important.”
But I’m still confused. “Yes, but what’s so important? Is there a party tonight and you need a fill-in?”
She laughs a little.
“Not a party, but a special request actually. The Minotaur would like to see you again.”
I nearly drop the phone. “W-what?” I stammer. “Really?”
Melissa laughs throatily again. “Why are you so surprised, Jemima? You made an impression on him. That man ignored every other woman at the hunt and focused on you for hours. The girls tell me that when they offered to join and turn it into an orgy, he declined. He only wanted you. Now how many men do that?”
I blush. “I didn’t do anything or force him to stay.”
She clucks. “I know. The Minotaur likes you, and he’s requested another evening with you so it’s my job to make sure it happens. Would you like that? To see him again, I mean?”
I swallow hard, just thinking for a moment. The man I was with last night was incredible. In fact, he was more than incredible. He whispered honeyed words into my ear while taking me over and over again. I’ll be re-living the memory of the hunt until my dying days, but this is all happening very fast.
“Melissa, I can’t, I’m so sorry,” I say in a low voice. “I have work and bills to worry about, and I’ll lose my job if I’m not back soon. I’d love to, but I really can’t stay. I need to catch my flight and get back home.”
My throat squeezes as I utter the words, but it’s true and I have to be strong. After all, Sanctum was one hedonistic night, but that’s the thing. You can’t eat, drink, or rely on hedonism forever. Eventually, the money I was paid will run out, and then what will I do? I need my job, and I need to return to my life in Prescott.
Further, it’s not like I have a future with the Minotaur. Heck, the man from last night wore a mask so I couldn’t even see his face. He could be as ugly as a troll, or as old as a Methuselah himself, even with that conditioned body. He wasn’t in it for a long-term relationship, and as a result, I have to look out for myself.
“I’m sure all the Minotaur wants is another night of sexy filth like what he had in the field. Sanctum must have someone else on staff who would be appropriate,” I venture in a tentative voice.
Melissa snorts. “You don’t get it, Jemima. He specifically requested you. And isn’t this what you signed up for when you came to that interview?”
“I know,” I say, sinking down onto the mattress of my hotel bed. “But the thing is that I have responsibilities back home. A life, and a job, and friends and family. I can’t risk everything just to indulge a rich man’s whims.”
Melissa snorts.
“Okay, how much do you need to stay?”
I sputter.
“No, it’s not about that! I have roots in Wyoming, and they’re priceless.”
Melissa’s voice is dry.
“There’s always a price when it comes to these things. How about twenty thousand? Is that enough? It’s really just one more meeting, with all expenses paid of course. Also, this isn’t another chase. Mr. Cathcart wants to meet you at a bar without masks. He wants to talk with you.”
I stand up again, my heart thumping in my chest. “Like on a date? Are you being serious right now?”
“Yes,” Melissa says in a taut tone. “Mr. Cathcart has specifically requested you, and I will not disappoint my client, do you understand? This is an opportunity you can’t turn down, Jemima.”