The Kingdom Ch. 13

CHAPTER 13 - WINDOW SHOPPING

The cool morning air gave me goosebumps as I speed-walked down Court Street toward the Inns. Like the morning prior, I seemed to be the only person up at this hour. I hadn't informed Katie that I was leaving, but judging by volume of her snores when I left, I doubted she'd even notice my absence.

I'd hardly slept at all that night. In the hours following Alpha's warning about Katie, my mind ricocheted from one conspiracy theory to the next. Despite our amazing evening together, I was now just as unsettled and anxious as I was before Katie arrived. But even after Alpha's message, my instinct was to trust her. Whatever happened with her profile, Katie just didn't seem like the manipulative type. Quite frankly, it was hard to imagine her even telling a fib without blushing. The more logical explanation was that this was all an administrative mistake and she knew nothing about it.

But to make completely sure, I'd gotten up at the butt-crack of dawn to pay a visit to a... specialist. Stopping in front of room 213 at Inn number 4, I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Moments later, the Asian girl named June answered the door wearing a skimpy silk nightdress. "Hi Jodie!" She said perkily.

"Hello again," I replied with a forced smile.

"It's good to see you!" she responded, stepping forward and embracing me in a hug. I blinked in surprise, awkwardly returning her random gesture with a pat on the back. June's cheerful demeanor was a sharp contrast to the rebel rouser I'd originally encountered in the woods. The June I'd first met was the stone-cold fighter who'd lunged herself at Eric and given him a bloody nose.

"Likewise," I replied.

"Come in," June said, motioning inside. The room was a pigsty and was littered with laundry and empty food boxes. "Master is on the toilet, but he should be out momentarily," she said. Her emphasis on the word master sounded sarcastic, almost as if she was telling me an inside joke.

"Ulm not on luh hoilet!" I heard Eric's voice call out from the bathroom. Just then, Eric leaned out from the bathroom door, his toothbrush sticking out of his mouth. "A'll be light owt!"

"Make yourself at home," June said, clearing a pile of dirty clothes off of the armchair in the corner of the room. "We've got muffins, if you'd like any," she added, gesturing over toward the counter on the opposite wall. "The orange raspberry ones are out of this world."

"I'm good actually. But thanks," I replied courteously, taking a seat. June disappeared into the bathroom and a split second later, Eric exited wearing a tank top, gym shorts, and a bathrobe.

"Jodie O'Connell. Top of the marnin' to ya!" Eric said cheerfully in a terrible Irish accent, tipping an imaginary top hat.

"Nice," I answered dryly. The both of them were far too caffeinated for my tastes this morning...

"So, how's life?" Eric asked, taking a seat on the foot of his bed. "You end up getting a new slave after blondie?"

"I... did," I answered, looking away awkwardly. The words "getting a new slave" didn't jive well with my soul. Being awarded custody wasn't much better, but at least it sounded a bit more consensual.

"No kidding," Eric replied, looking impressed. "Who is she?"

"Um, her name's Katie," I answered, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. Eric continued staring at me with his eyebrows raised, clearly hoping that I'd offer more details. I shook my head dismissively, replying, "It's... complicated," I said. The less Eric knew about my chaotic circumstances the better.

Eric frowned in disappointment. "You're no fun," he conceded. "I guess I'll just add it the to the list of explanations you owe me."

"What explanations do I owe you?" I asked defensively.

"You still haven't told me why you ditched the blonde in the first place," he clarified. "I'm kinda bummed out about that, by the way! I was hoping I'd be able to convince you to swap her out with June for a night," Eric clarified.

"Rude!" I heard June call out from the bathroom.

Eric ignored her and continued, "I've always wanted to know what it's like to dominate someone who could bench-press me." His eyes stared over my shoulder as if imagining his fantasy. There was an awkward silence where neither of us said anything. Eventually, I cleared my throat to snap Eric out of his daydream.

Eric blinked and looked back at me. "So, what's goin' on?" he asked. "Your DM's sounded... vague." It's true. I'd written Eric several times over the night requesting to meet, but refused to elaborate further.

"Yeah," I responded hesitantly. "So, um- I think I remember you telling me that you're a computer guy?"

"Correct," Eric replied, "I run a cyber security company."

"Well, I'm hoping you can take a look at this for me," I said, pulling out my phone and opening the document that Alpha had sent to me earlier. I handed it to Eric. "Does anything stick out to you as abnormal about this?"

Eric furrowed his brow as he examined Katie's profile. "What am I looking for, exactly?" he asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," I replied. "I was hoping you might be able to tell if it was like... forged or something."

"Wait- this isn't the Kingdom app," Eric said, looking confused. After scrolling back to the top, he looked up at me. "How're you viewing this in your browser?"

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Why is that significant?"

"It's significant because it means you're accessing the domain," Eric mansplained, bluntly. I saw him tap the refresh button, reloading Katie's profile. "Which raises the obvious question..." he continued, "How did you gain clearance into the Kingdom's domain?"

I blinked, unsure if his question was rhetorical. "I don't know," I answered. "I just clicked a link."

"A link?" Eric asked.

"From... the app," I lied. "Under Katie's name."

Eric returned to the home screen and opened the Kingdom app. Once he found Katie's profile, he scrolled down to the end.

"Well, it's not here anymore," Eric muttered.

"Yeah," I replied. "But what you see there isn't the same as what's in the link."

"How so?" Eric asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Well, the one from the link says that Katie has no allergies," I explained. "The one that's now on the app says that she's allergic to peaches."

"Hmm," Eric said, clearly deep in thought. "Well, that part doesn't seem odd to me. This place employs hundreds of women. They're bound to make a few clerical slip-ups." He exited the app and returned to the browser. I felt my soul sigh with relief. This was the conclusion that I'd hoped Eric would reach. Hearing him sum the error up as coincidence made my trust in Katie feel considerably less irresponsible. "What I find bizarre, though," he continued, "is how you managed to access what appears like an archived file on what should be a secure domain." He rubbed his chin contemplatively. "There's no reason why you or anyone else should be able to see this... Strikes me as a security red flag."

Standing to his feet, Eric grabbed his phone off his nightstand. "I'm gonna jot down the URL and look into this later." After he finished typing the address into his phone, he handed my phone back to me. "Very odd," he mused to himself. "I'll let you know what I find."

"Thanks," I said, already feeling more relaxed.

Eric stepped over to the counter next to me and grabbed a muffin. "Was that all you needed?" he asked, before taking a big bite of his muffin.

"Um, yeah pretty much," I replied awkwardly. "Actually... no!" I said, remembering my second request. "I know I probably sound paranoid at this point, but... I think I may be getting spied on."

Eric's eyebrows rose. "Hy would oo shay dat?" he asked with a full mouth.

"Um... It's mostly just a feeling, I guess," I lied. "Can't shake the sense that I'm being watched."

Eric gulped down his bite of muffin. "Honestly, I'd be surprised if you weren't being watched," he replied matter-of-factly.

I tilted my head in confusion. "Huh?"

"Well, after your appearance on stage at the auction, people know who you are," he explained. "I'm betting there are some who'd love nothing more than to see you slip up and get a collar slapped around your neck. With you out of the picture, the castle suite could go back on the market."

"That's comforting," I replied sarcastically. Eric's honesty was both off-putting and refreshing. Despite the fact that I sensed he could be annoying, I got the feeling that he was genuine and meant what he said.

"You sounded really good up there, by the way," Eric added. "I dig the Irish accent."

Ignoring his compliment, I shifted back to the topic at hand. "So, more than being physically watched, I'm worried about... surveillance." Eric looked at me thoughtfully as he chewed another bite of muffin. "Like, audio and video. Do you know anything about stuff like that?"

A grin spread across Eric's face. "You've come to the right place," Eric replied before shoving the remainder of the muffin in his mouth. Wiping his fingers on his robe, he turned and walked over to the closet where he pulled out a briefcase. Dropping it on the foot of the bed, he opened its lid to reveal a series of electronic devices.

"I brought ahn anti-turveillance kit wif me," he explained proudly as he swallowed the last bite. "I happen to be pretty paranoid too. Which is why I run a sweep every day. Several times a day, in fact." Eric smiled as he noticed the impressed expression on my face. "I've seen too much to be naïve," he added.

I stood up and approached the briefcase to get a closer look. "What does it do exactly?"

"Well, there are several devices here," Eric explained. "But basically, they scan a room in search of any electronic signals. Most kits only detect radio and infrared-based devices. This finds everything, heat-sensing technology, fiber optics, you name it. And they've all got killer ranges so they can even detect through walls."

"Brilliant," I mused. "How long does it take?"

"A room this size? Less than ten minutes," Eric replied.

"So... what are the odds of me persuading you to... run a sweep at my suite?" I asked.

"Hmm..." Eric replied, stroking an imaginary beard on his chin. "I think I could make that work. For say... unlimited access to your pool?"

"One pool visit," I countered without hesitation. "One sweep for one swim."

Eric squinted contemplatively at me. "You run a hard bargain," Eric answered in a dramatic voice. "Fine," he added, stretching out his hand. When I reached out to shake, he pulled back, suddenly sticking up his index finger. "With the understanding that your suite may need... weekly sweeps," he added.

I smiled, rolling my eyes. "Deal," I said.

Eric grinned and shook my outstretched hand. "So, when were you thinking?" he asked.

"Honestly, if it could be done right away, that'd be great," I answered.

"Like... as in now?" Eric asked, surprised.

"Well, I'd need to figure out a way to get Katie out of the suite first, but yeah," I replied.

"Why?" Eric asked, confused

"She can come to the spa with me," June suddenly interjected as she stepped out of the bathroom.

I hesitated, considering the offer. "Um, yeah. I guess that could work," I replied.

"Why can't she be in the suite?" Eric pressed, looking suspicious.

"Someone told me that probation collars can act as a wiretap," I responded truthfully. "If anyone's listening, I'd rather not advertise what you're doing in my suite."

"She's on probation?!" Eric laughed, completely missing the point. "What'd she do?!"

I rolled my eyes dismissively. "What time are you going to the spa?" I asked over to June.

"Nine," June answered. "And it's a three hour session."

I looked down at my phone which read 7:47am. "That... would be perfect, actually," I said, half to myself.

"It's by appointment only but you can reserve a spot through the app," June added. "It's called Harmony Lodge."

"Wait, back up!" Eric interjected, clearly not wanting to move on. "If you're worried about the Kingdom spying on you, but your slave's already wearing a wiretapped collar, then what's the point of me doing a sweep?"

Letting out a sigh of frustration, I turned to give him my full attention. "I'd like to know the extent to which I'm being spied on," I explained tersely, trying not to let my irritation show. "I don't know who's doing the spying. I'm just generally distrustful at the moment and would love to be able to take my clothes off in peace."

"Makes sense," Eric agreed, probably sensing the stress in my voice. "Okay then. So, you want me to come over at 9?"

"Let's make it 8:45," I countered as I started to exit. "I'll come up with a way to get Katie out early."

"Sir, yes sir," Eric replied as I pulled open the door.

Sensing that I may have not shown Eric the appreciation he deserved, I stopped and turned back to face him. "Thank you, Eric," I said earnestly. "I really appreciate your help."

"Happy to help," he replied with a smile. "If anything changes, message me."

"Will do. Oh, and June?" I called over to her. "If you can keep all this on the down-low when you see Katie, that'd be great."

From across the room, June gave a wink and turned an imaginary key across her lips.

"Thanks. See ya in a bit," I added to Eric before closing the door behind me. Cold air once again filled my lungs, making me shiver. Lifting my jacket collar to block the wind, I headed back toward the castle.

As I walked, I pulled out my phone and looked through the Kingdom app for Harmony Lodge on the digital map. Once I found it, I opened its page and filled out a reservation for 9:00. Just before I reached the top of the steps to the suite, I tapped "CONFIRM", finalizing Katie's appointment.

Opening the door to the suite, I saw Katie standing in the kitchen wearing her bathrobe. She turned to face me holding a mug of coffee.

"Hey there, early bird!" she chirped in caffeinated fashion. She was clearly another morning person.

"Hey," I replied with a smile. Seeing Katie was still a mixed bag of emotions. Eric's conclusion had certainly eased some of my anxiety, but I still couldn't shake the annoying voice of doubt in the back of my head. On one hand, Katie was the adorkable girl who I'd grown fond enough of to sleep with on our first night together. But on the other hand, she was the wiretapped former Kingdom employee who may or may not have tricked me into believing that she was allergic to peaches...

"You're up early," Katie noted. "Are you one of those morning strollers?"

"Occasionally," I lied with a fake smile. If there was anything I enjoyed less than waking up early in the morning, it would be waking up early in the morning to go for a walk in the cold. I removed my jacket and tossed it over a chair.

"Here, take mine," Katie said, offering me her freshly made cup of coffee.

"Oh, thanks," I replied, caught off-guard by the kind gesture. As I grabbed the mug, Katie leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips. For a brief moment, every suspicious bone in my body ceased to exist.

I'd never thought of myself as a vulnerable person. In fact, I had always been someone who scoffed at those people who allowed themselves to be cat-fished. But as Katie's lips caressed mine, I suddenly understood how easy it would be for a predator to exploit a person's emotions. In that moment, I literally had to stop myself from pulling her closer into me and removing her robe.

With a great deal of will power I broke off the kiss. "So, I hope you don't mind, but I got you something," I said, changing the subject.

Katie's face suddenly lit up. "You did?"

"I know it's last minute, but there was an opening for the 9 o'clock time slot at the Harmony Lodge spa, so I made a reservation," I said. "You interested?"

Katie's face lit up. "Oh, wow. That sounds amazing!" Katie responded. "Of course."

"I figured you could use some pampering after all the chaos at the health clinic and the kennel before that," I explained. I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about misrepresenting my intentions for getting Katie out of the suite.

"That's... really really sweet of you," Katie said, her face blushing adorably. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," I replied.

"Are you coming too?" Katie asked.

"Actually, I've got a few errands I need to run," I lied. As far as lies went, this one was particularly weak. What possible errands would I need to run at a place like this?

"Darn," Katie said obliviously with a pouty face.

"Also," I added, reaching into my jacket pocket. "I activated the second key card for you. Since all you've got is your employee uniform, I figured you might want to head out early to get some new clothes before the spa." I pulled out the card and handed it to her.

"Oh- are you sure?" Katie asked bashfully. "I hate spending your money."

"Katie," I laughed dismissively. "I won a million dollars from the hunt. I think I can swing it."

"Oh, that's right," Katie chuckled, taking the card from my outstretched hand. "I keep forgetting you're a millionaire."

"Yeah, I'm kind of a big shot now," I replied with a wink.

"Hell yes you are," Katie answered softly as she stepped in for another kiss. Once again, my defenses were rendered ineffective by the curly-haired girl's advances.

As much as I wanted to get to the bottom of Alpha's allegations, I seriously despised him adding uncertainty into my relationship with Katie. In contrast to the anxiety I currently felt, ignorance truly was bliss.

Snapping me back to reality, Katie suddenly leaned back and asked, "Wait, what time is it now?"

I pulled out my phone to check the time. "Um, It's... 8:11," I replied. "Which means, you may wanna head out soon if you're gonna hit up some shops before hand."

"Good point," she concurred, spinning suddenly away from me. "It'll only take a minute to get ready," she added as she walked briskly walked out of the kitchen.

I snickered at her cuteness as she disappeared into the bedroom. As much as I enjoyed Katie's company, the sooner she left, the sooner I could give Eric the all clear to come over. I finished my coffee and proceeded to make Katie a to-go cup from the Keurig machine.

A few minutes later, Katie came out of the bedroom dressed in her Kingdom issued uniform and wearing her backpack. Her hair had been pulled back and tied into a frizzy ponytail.

"Okey dokey," she chirped. "Anything else you want me to pick up while I'm out?" she asked suggestively.

"Mmmm," I chuckled. "I trust your judgment."

Katie flashed a devious grin as she leaned in for a last small kiss. "Thanks for this," she added softly. "It really was sweet of you to put this together."

"You're welcome," I replied, trying my very best to not look guilty. "I'll meet you back here when you're done and we can grab some lunch."

"It's a date," Katie said with a smile before turning to leave.

"Don't forget your caffeine," I replied, holding out the cup of coffee I'd just made for her.

"My gosh, you're seriously amazing!" Katie responded as she took the cup from me. When she reached the doorway, she turned back and smiled. "See you in a bit."

"Have fun," I replied.

And with that, Katie exited the suite.

No sooner did the door click shut, I yanked out my phone and opened the Kingdom app to write Eric:

"Coast is clear."

Moments later, Eric wrote back:

"Be there in 10."