Page 47 of Sunrise (Monarch Club #3)

Sophie

It’s been a week since the Butterfly Ceremony. Ryker, Dmitri, Vault, and Knox have all been in the best moods I think I’ve ever seen. Vault, especially, and I love how much he keeps smiling.

I’d like to say it’s because Knox and I have been fucking his brains out, but I suspect it also has to do with the security system he installed in my house.

He added cameras to Midnight Run too. Knox told us about almost getting hit by a car, and Vault went a little ballistic about it.

Knox blamed himself, saying he was too tired and didn’t pay attention to the road when he crossed, but I’m inclined to side with Vault on this one. The close call is not okay.

Do I think someone’s out to hurt Knox? No.

But lots of bad things can happen at night, especially in his club’s section of the city, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

If having eyes on us at all times helps Vault feel better, so be it.

And if someone ever almost hits my man with their car again, they’ll be answering to me and my wrath.

With the cameras, we’ll have a license plate to go off of and that’s all we’ll need to find them.

I like being protective of my guys. I haven’t had a chance to really show them what I’m capable of in that department yet .

The sun beats down on my face while I watch them play basketball. It’s such an ordinary thing to do, and yet they look foreign to me out on the court. I’m used to seeing these men in suits, not shorts and running shoes.

“Come on, D!” Daelyn shouts. “Block those shots!”

It’s Ryker and Knox versus Vault and Dmitri. They’re trash talking each other, dripping in sweat, and looking scrumptious in their gym shorts.

“That thing should come with a permit,” Tara gawks, staring at Knox’s white shorts. “God, you can see the head of it even from here.”

“If Ry catches you peeking, you’re in big trouble,” I warn with a big fat grin.

“Oh no. Funishment. Say it isn’t so.” Tara fans herself. “God damn, look at them out there. This is criminal behavior.”

Dmitri pulls his shirt off and wipes his brow with it.

Knox stretches his arms back behind his head and walks off to catch his breath.

Ryker dumps water on his head to cool down. Tara groans loudly, watching him.

I’m fixed on Vault’s toned back as he drains his energy drink.

“You can bounce a quarter off his ass,” I sigh.

“I still can’t believe you’re with both of them.” Tara rests her chin on her knees. “I think I’d snap in half.”

“They’re definitely a handful.” I frown. “Two handfuls, actually.”

“Any news about your job?” Daelyn asks. “You’re not going to let them get away with that shit, are you?”

I still don’t know what to do about that part of my life. “I haven’t had time to think about it.” The boys start up a new game and Dmitri gets the first layup. “I’m confused about what I want.”

I can’t bring myself to think about how all my hard work has been credited to someone else.

My heart can’t take it yet, so I’ve been floating down the river of denial.

And at the Monarch, Ryker and I have already discussed my desire to pull back as the club’s most booked out Mistress.

He was completely on board with it, considering he’s been trying to get me to slow down for years.

“Ry said you got a raise,” Tara reminds me. “You could just be full time at the club.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want that.” It might turn into work, instead of being a fun outlet for me. I’m not willing to risk it. “I’ll look for another job soon. I miss wearing my lab coat.”

But how is that going to work? Any interviewer will question why I left my old job and I’m not going to lie.

I also know that my pay grade is much lower than Bill’s and his reach is further than mine.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he’s put out bullshit stories about my reputation already to stop me from being hired anywhere else in the tristate area.

I can only imagine the field day he’d have if he knew I was also a dominatrix.

Sighing, I watch Knox dunk on Dmitri. Vault catches the ball and dribbles down the court. Knox catches up quickly. Vault feints left, goes right, and manages a layup. They trash talk some more.

“Can you imagine them as teenagers?” Daelyn asks with the sweetest smile on her face. The way she always looks at Dmitri, you’d think he hung the moon for her.

Maybe he did. All four of them have such big hearts and massive amounts of history and pain. They thrive on taking care of each other… and their women.

“I wish I’d had them in my court growing up,” she says quietly. “My life would have been so different if they were in it from the beginning.”

“But then you wouldn’t be you ,” I remind her. “Everything happens for a reason. Dmitri’s crazy about you just the way you are.”

Daelyn’s got a lot of baggage she’s been working through. I don’t know all the details, but when she and Dmitri first got together, the guys definitely rallied together about it.

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t have been so weak back in the day if I had them,” she argues.

“Our traumas don’t make us stronger. They make us human.”

Tara and Daelyn both turn to me.

“I can’t take credit for that one. Knox told Vault that the other day, while we were in the shower together.”

“He’s probably the smartest person I’ve ever met,” Tara says thoughtfully. Her eyes widen as if realizing she just said that out loud. “ Please don’t tell him I said that. It’ll inflate his ego and Midnight Run only has a six-foot wide double door for him to fit through as it is.”

I cackle laugh and roll onto my back in the grass. “Oh my god, Tara. How is that so fucking true?” Knox has a lot of insecurity, but also a lot of goddamn confidence. He’s such a walking contradiction. “He does origami, too. He sometimes leaves little butterflies in my mailbox.”

“Aww!” Daelyn holds her chest. “That’s really fucking sweet.”

I agree. And he’s so stealthy about it, I never see him do it on my ring camera.

“A plague on both your houses!” he suddenly yells dramatically. I look over just in time to see Knox flipping Vault and Dmitri off with both hands.

“For fuck’s sake, there’s no Shakespeare in basketball.” Dmitri tosses the ball at him.

“Winner buys dinner?” Knox passes it to Ryker, who takes off down the court.

Vault steals it and dribbles back, dunking on Knox.

“God Damnit!” He shakes his fists in the air. “Et tu, Brute?”

“Make him stop,” Dmitri huffs at Ryker.

Ry throws his hands up. “Since when have any of us been able to tame the shrew?”

Knox claps. “That was a nice one, bro. Out of pocket, but A for effort.”

They play for another hour while me and the girls take a nap in the sun.

???

It’s been a week of laughter, love, and lots of fucking.

I’ve never been happier in my life and have finally caught up on my sleep and the audiobooks Knox bought me. He truly has impeccable taste in smut.

The guys and I have a schedule in place that works pretty well, too.

At least for now. Knox goes in earlier and leaves a little earlier so he can meet us at the Monarch by closing time.

We have some fun there and then head back to his house for the rest of the night.

He’s already dropping hints about the three of us living together.

I’ll admit, I want that too. I love my house. I love this sleepy neighborhood. I plan to bring up the idea of them moving in with me here. But first, I have to adult and tackle the job battle.

Checking my voicemails for the first time in weeks, I brace for anger to rise when I hear my ex-boss’s message. Only it’s not my ex-boss who leaves it. It’s Human Resources.

“Yes, this Debra Perry. I’m calling regarding a claim made on your behalf.

Please call me back immediately, as this is an urgent matter.

” She goes on to leave the number, sounding very robotic and disinterested.

Jotting it down, I delete the message, move onto the next one, and start rummaging through old mail that’s collected on the side of my kitchen counter.

Every time I swing by my house to grab more clothes, I’ve just dumped all the mail onto the counter and walked away from it. My bills are paid online, so I don’t really go through my regular mail often. It’s turned into quite a pile of junk flyers and ads.

Rifling through it, I listen to a confirmation about my hair appointment, which I went to already. My blowout still looks amazing. Worth every fucking penny.

Delete .

There are no new messages.

The clock on my stove reads eleven thirty.

I swear today is dragging. I miss my guys.

Vault’s doing a system upgrade on the software at the Monarch and Knox had to meet a seafood delivery guy at the restaurant.

Then he was going over payroll and invoices with Tara before prepping for tonight’s dinner service.

He’s got a whole new menu for the month.

I need a job.

I’m going stir crazy sitting here all day.

Junk, junk, junk… oh a sales ad, which is… more junk, junk, junk.

I unearth a folded piece of paper amidst the flyers. It’s an origami butterfly with the words, I miss you, K on the wings.

Wow. Knox is seriously coming on strong lately.

This is the third one he’s left in my mailbox over the past couple of months.

The first one said, You’re beautiful, K and the second one said, I want you, K.

But this one is folded a little more intricately.

He took his time with it, that’s for sure.

I never say thank you for them, and he never brings them up.

It’s just an unspoken secret we share, like the encrypted phone I have with Vault.

My doorbell rings, causing my heart to jolt.