On Saturday morning, the house is quiet. Giorgio finishes his breakfast standing by the window. The view overlooks the nondescript street of the working-class neighborhood: comb-like parking spaces, half-withered trees, a still-lit streetlamp. He sips his coffee and glances at his daughter. Alessia had arrived the night before. She lives on her own now, but sometimes spends the weekend with her father. She's wearing dark...

Lucy was surprised when her boss informed her that the department director had requested her to join her on a business trip. Having been with the company for just over two months, she felt honored that Ms. Quinn trusted her to assist with an important client meeting. During the first client meeting, everything went smoothly. Lucy was impressed by how Ms. Quinn led the meeting and held everyone's attention in the room. Her...

Part 2 "Hold still," Madison murmured, her breath ghosting over my cheek. "If you twitch, you’re going to look like a raccoon, and I am not redoing this." I froze, holding my breath while the cold, wet tip of the eyeliner pen traced the corner of my eye. We were squeezed into her tiny, overly bright bathroom, the air thick with the smell of hairspray and that expensive vanilla perfume she practically bathes in. I was sitt...

Colin was right - the dye he used in Henna Collar lasted a full month and a few days. Of course, I helped that along by taking excellent care of the temporary tattoo. During the last month, I was also Colin's 24/7 submissive. He limited my clothing selection (which saved me a ton of stress and hours of deliberating about what to wear!) and worked on adapting my nipples more. To be honest, I didn't think I'd like any of it...

Brooke needed to fucking unplug. There was no one to talk to — complain to, more like — about the relentless noise of grinding gears in her head. After all, everything was going better for her than anyone could possibly ask for. She was the first woman to qualify for the Grand Prix in over 30 years — longer than she had even been alive. And she was going to be the first one to win. That was according to her, of course… bu...

Late afternoon sun baked the intersection of a little-used dirt road and an even lesser-used two-track. Both disappeared into the vastness of the Nevada high desert. Sagebrush dotted the terrain, silver-green against red dirt. Stands of juniper clung to rocky outcroppings, twisted and stunted by wind and drought. In the distance, jagged mountains cut a serrated edge against a too-blue sky. Beautiful in its harshness. Brut...

The knock came at noon. Three sharp raps that made Beth's coffee mug pause halfway to her lips. She wasn't expecting anyone. The kids were still at Toby's. Her scheduled session with Karen wasn't until seven. She padded to the door in bare feet. Through the peephole, Karen stood on the porch. Immaculate in fitted jeans and a light blouse. Her expression unreadable. Beth's stomach flipped. She opened the door, aware sudden...

Monday morning arrived in a pale haze, the kind of light that made everything look unfinished. Karen let herself into Beth’s house with the spare key she’d been given months ago for emergencies. This seemed to qualify. The living room smelled of stale wine and something else, despair, maybe. Or just neglect. Two empty wine bottles stood sentry on the coffee table beside a plate with the crusts of a peanut butter sandwich....

Morning light streamed through the kitchen windows of Jen's bungalow, painting the worn wooden countertops with stripes of gold. The house held the particular quietness of early day, that suspended moment before the world fully woke. Jen moved with ease, laying out the materials for her portfolio review while her body hummed with a pleasant undercurrent of energy. Since Jim arrived, she'd found herself perpetually aware o...

I stopped for a drink after work, just me and a tall Long Island Iced Tea. I sipped the icy cool drink, letting the week fall away, but I didn’t want to go home. Thoughts still plagued me, at work, too many people… too many demands… and my house is too empty… too quiet. I closed my eyes to the big-screen televisions, the football games, the waitresses and bartenders, the boisterous customers placing bets, letting the liqu...

The key glided smoothly into the lock with a familiar feel. Kaitlin pushed open the door to her childhood home, the creak of the hinges stirring memories that lived in the walls and floorboards. She stepped inside, letting her bag slide from her shoulder to rest against the entryway table. From where she stood, Kaitlin could see her mother sitting on a wooden stool in the living room, bent over a sketchbook. Jen hadn't he...

The sun was just beginning to peek through the curtains when Constance woke up. Her golden curls were splayed across the pillow, and a soft smile played on her lips. At 17, she was still discovering the world, but there was one thing she knew for certain. She was utterly smitten with Roman, the tall, dark, and handsome boy from the all-boys academy next door. Constance stretched languidly, thinking back to the dream she h...