“I’ve found my family here,” I say, holding his gaze. “A renewed sense of purpose. I’d say that my life has improved dramatically in that time.”
“That’s great to hear,” Viktor says, returning my attention to him. “And certainly a common story among those who participate in Kyla’s self-improvement programs,” he adds sagely.
He asks me a few more leading questions about how great everything here is and how much I love Kyla. I manage to bullshit my way through it with short answers, mostly just echoing his phrasing. Despite my best efforts, my comments start to sound more sarcastic as we go on, and Viktor must decide he has enough footage, because he interrupts my commentary on how everyone is so healthy here and quickly wraps up the interview.
After a short goodbye to Viktor, Cody and I are able to escape to his office on the second-highest floor. Unfortunately, we both have actual work to do, so I set up my laptop on a table in his office. The rest of the work-day flies by, interrupted only by another disappointingly small and overly healthy lunch.
We have dinner again at the Old Mill, and just like the night before, a lot of the people are overly familiar with each other. There are also a lot of pregnant women in the crowd, and I think back to last night, realizing that there were quite a few then too.
When I ask Cody about it and question if birth control isn’t a thing here, he just laughs and says there are a lot of people here in their childbearing years, and that Kyla has such great maternity leave and childcare options that more women here feel like they’re supported in having children.
By the time we eat, socialize, wait for the announcements, and close with meditation, it’s almost eleven p.m. when we return to Cody’s, and I’m exhausted. Cody is able to keep me awake with the promise of mutual blow jobs, but the moment my head hits the pillow after that, I’m asleep.
* * *
The restof the week flies by in a similar routine. Cody convinces me to join him for some sort of group fitness session before the ass crack of dawn, usually led by Nick, then we spend the day at his office.
We avoid any more one-on-one interaction with Viktor—I don’t know if we’re really that lucky or if he’s avoiding me.No complaints from me.
It turns out that Cody eats at the Old Milleverynight when he’s in town because he travels so much. So, we spend our evenings there, Cody socializing and me avoiding talking to anyone but him and Nick. In my opinion, we’re not eating enough food. I think I’ve already lost weight being here, and I don’t feel like that’s necessarily a good thing. Combined with the lack of sleep, I can only deal with so much bullshit conversation, so I’m glad Cody finds my short, sarcastic responses amusing.
We can’t even fill up at home. Cody only has healthy, fresh options at his place, and we haven’t had any time to grocery shop for me to get actual snacks. I’ve always been a healthy eater, but I need something fried and covered in salt every once in a while.
When we get home at night, we fall into bed, exchange orgasms, and pass out. Cody hasn’t expressed any interest in topping yet, but I think that’s only because he’s been enjoying bottoming so much—I’ve been following his lead.
It’s Friday night now, and apparently, we finally get to sleep in tomorrow. Our spin class isn’t until eight a.m. and I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited to wake up at seven.
Cody and I are curled up naked in his bed after he just rode me for the first time. I was far too exhausted to attempt anything else. When I suggested it, Cody eagerly helped me undress, practically pushed me onto the bed, and climbed right on top of me —it was amazing. Sex with him always is, and his enthusiasm when it comes to having me inside of him is hot as fuck. I don’t know how he has so much energy, he’s been getting just as little sleep and food as I have, but he still managed to ride my cock like he had all of the energy in the world.
His head is resting on my chest now as I run my fingers through his gorgeous hair. I accidentally snag his necklace and realize I’ve never asked him about it. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him without it.
“So, is this a Kyla thing?” I ask, pulling at the silver chain to see the three mountain peaks dangling from it.
“Oh, yeah, I’m so used to it by now I forget it’s there most of the time. Everyone in Linna gets one as a part of the welcome ceremony that Viktor throws when you move here,” he states.
“You start with a bronze one with only a triangle on it, and as you spend more time here, achieve different things, advance in the company, stuff like that, then you can earn more peaks and different metals,” he explains. “I have the highest-ranking one because of my title, but I think they all look cool. Everyone gets excited when they get to exchange theirs for a new one.”
“Do you ever take it off?”
“Oh, I can’t,” Cody says casually. “It has a special locking mechanism so it doesn’t fall off and can’t get lost.”
My stomach twists. He says it like that’s totally normal,but he’s wearing a fucking collar put on by his fucking boss.It’s a short chain that’s snug against his neck, so there’s no way it would fit over his head.
“So only Viktor can put them on or take them off?” I clarify. I’m really trying to keep my tone even so that Cody doesn’t catch on to my growing rage, but I’m not sure how successful I am.
“Yeah, I guess so,” he answers. “I never really gave it much thought since I tend to lose jewelry. I just thought it was cool that I wouldn’t have to worry about that.”
I keep playing with Cody’s hair, trying not to alarm him, even as the horrible sinking feeling in my gut spreads throughout my entire body. The hairs on my arms stand up, and I think I might be sick.
This isn’t normal.
I’ve always had my reservations about the company he works for. I’ve ignored a ton of red flags because my focus has always been on Cody—trying to spend more time with him and getting to know him.
I brushed off the Kyla stuff as unimportant baggage, something I just had to tolerate to be with him.
But now, the pieces start to come together.
I think more about the classes, how expensive they are, and the strange content. I think about Linna and the forced happy people here and the weird, overly familiar touching. Then there are the mandated diets and exercise, fines, and internal policing. Fuck, even the actual police in Linna participate in the Kyla courses and eat in the Old Mill. I’ve met some of them.
