I opened my eyes to see her sadistic smile. She wasn’t serious, right? Right?!
I melted into her arms, the aftercare like balm. Her fingers traced small circles everywhere; the heat between my legs cooled into a warm, satisfied ache. I let myself breathe out all thetremors and shame. In the hush after, with her steady heartbeat beneath my cheek and her arm looped securely around me, I felt something settle: the knowledge that when I gave my whole self to her—mindful, obedient, willing—she would guide me safely, and I would be cared for when I needed it most.
Chapter Nineteen
Vasiah
When I’d awakened this morning, I expected cuddles, time with babygirl, and to make me some really good coffee. I wasn’t expecting mischief. There was a knock on the door and it was the beginning of–well…
Renee, Sadie, and Elara stood on my porch with guilty, grinning faces and too much sparkle in their eyes for ordinary visitors. They looked like trouble in pretty clothes. They’d been around Sera a lot more since the tea party and the movie. I wasn’t opposed to it, but there was something about their presence that said something was up. Sera had texted me earlier that day saying she was going to work on her “assignment” and would be busy here; she hadn’t said anything about company. My body hummed with a careful curiosity I hadn’t admitted to myself.
“Afternoon,” I said, when I opened the door to greet them. My voice must have held an edge because both of them straightened a little.
“We’re here for rehearsal.” Elara waved a hand like that explained everything. “Sera recruited us. Master E’s assignment—lean into being naughtier—turns out it’s a group project this week.”
“Naughtier?” I squinted, wondering what they were playing at. Then, I looked over at Sadie. Fuck!
Sera loved theatrics; she’d find a way to turn a homework brief into theatre. I let the corner of my mouth lift, trying not to let the three of them know that I was on to them.
I said, “Come in.”
Renee tossed a small card onto the coffee table with the kind of flourish that made me smile as she entered. The card was handwritten and, of course, dramatic:
Mistress Vasiah, if you wish to find your Little, follow the giggle trail. No peeking. No shortcuts. Each clue will lead you closer. When you find Sera, perform the consequence written in the red envelope. She has consented and signed below.
— Seraphina James
My eyes snagged on the last line—her signature. I flipped the card to read the fine print pasted on the back:
Safe word: red. I accept any consequence you choose up to three strikes. If you decide on time out, glitter will be involved.
— S.
The audacity of it made heat slide along my skin. I felt Sadie’s stare and I refused to look over at her.
“Did she… write that?” I asked, the question more statement than request.
All three girls nodded while trying to hide their mischievous smiles.
“She taped the first clue on the TV,” Sadie said, incapable of standing still,
That clue made me both tender and sharp. I could feel the prickle of ownership stitch into my spine. I set my jaw and rose from the stool. “Good. I’ll follow the trail.”
They did not stand in line of sight. That was deliberate. If Sera wanted to befound, she would let herself be found. All the fun was in the hunt.
The first clue was folded and placed on the backside of the flat screen. I opened it:
Step 1: Find the napkin with a lipstick kiss. Don’t use it to wipe. It’s for later.
The handwriting was tiny and looped like it had been signed without much breath.
I smiled against my restraint. The napkin with the lipstick kiss lay above my sink, tucked under a cookbook.Why was there a cookbook in here?I swallowed and carried it like evidence of affection—the sight of it tightened something in my chest. When I lifted my head, Renee and Elara were pretending to argue over which sitcom to stream on the living room speaker. But then they would laugh and I kept hearing the word mirror.Where was Sadie?
That’s when I looked up to see the second clue was on the inside of the bathroom mirror, a small star-shaped sticker with a note folded behind it:
Step 2: Follow the music. A cassette will point the way.
I found the tiny mixtape beneath the record player—an old thing kept here for nostalgia’s sake—but the label made me laugh out loud:Daddy’s Fave (Totally Not A Trap).The joke landed; my eyes burned unexpectedly.
