Page 35 of The Collector

They both laughed. Had Mynx been wrong about Destiny? There was an incredible warmth to her personality that put her at ease.

"No worries, girl, I got you now. Come on, I’ve been thinking about how good this pizza is going to taste all day. Let's veg out on this massive bed of yours and eat while it's still hot. I know you probably thought I was brushing you off earlier. But I wasn’t. And now that we’re in the privacy of the mansion, I can answer you honestly. The King’s cardinal rule is discretion. They take it very seriously. You never wanna be caught talking about their business in public. "

With that, Destiny kicked off her shoes and settled in to make herself comfortable. She gathered the pillows on the far side of the bed and built herself a nest on it, then wiggled into the soft cocoon she’d created.

Mynx studied her for a moment. Destiny had taken the time to change into something more comfortable before she got there. Mynx hadn’t made it that far. She went to the other side of the bed, making herself comfortable before opening the box, grabbing the biggest, cheesiest piece she could find, and taking a bite. Her eyes rolled back in pleasure as the warm cheese and pepperoni filled her mouth, and cheese dripped down her chin. She giggled and wiped it away, feeling soothed by the childlike comfort of the pizza. She really needed this to break the stress of her situation.

"Thank you for this," Mynx said, her mouth still partially full, "I can't tell you how much this means to me."

“I get why you’re hesitant to accept my help. I was, too. But someone showed up for me when I needed it most, and I never forgot that. So, I’m showing up for you. There are no strings. Just one friend who’s got your back.” She pulled a piece of pizza from the box and took a bite. “Oh -- my God-- this is so good. Almost as good as sex.”

“Nowhere near as good as the last orgasm I had,” Mynx giggled, “But delicious nonetheless.” Mynx finished her first piece and reached for a second.

"Let's have a glass of champagne to go with this glorious meal." Destiny pulled the foil from the top of the bottle and struggled briefly with the top before it popped off and jetted across the room, bouncing off the wall before landing on the floor. Both women laughed as she filled their glasses.

"To you and me getting everything we deserve outta this life," she said, clinking her glass to Mynx's.

"I don't know if it’s too much to ask, but are you here because you want to be or because you have to be?"

“Some of the girls get prickly when you ask, but I don’t mind telling you. I’m here because of my brother. He worked for the Kings—just a runner, nothing flashy. Got robbed more than once. The first time, they brushed it off. The second time, they started asking questions. It turns out that he and a few friends thought they could skim a little off the top. Just a few drops from the river, right? “She shrugged, pulling at the strings of her blanket. “They might’ve gotten away with it if they hadn’t gotten greedy. Instead of lying low and enjoying the money, they made a choice. One that landed me here six months ago.”

"A runner, what's that?"

"Girl…you are naive, aren't you? A runner smuggles drugs, money, weapons, or anything else someone wants moved. They carry the goods from one point to another, fast and quietly, without drawing attention. Crews use runners to avoid heat, keeping the higher-ups clean while the runner takes the risk. Most don’t ask questions. The Kings gave my brother an ultimatum: either talk me into paying the debt for him by coming to Blood Lust, or he and his friends would all lose their lives for the disrespect. He's a dumb ass, but I love him; he's always been there for me; he half-ass raised me after our mother died," Destiny tossed her crust into the box and shrugged. "So, I decided that I would do this for him. But hopefully it will help us both in the end. It's a gamble, I know, but one I hope pays off.

"Gamble, God, I hate that word. It's the reason I'm here. My father gambled away not only his life but my whole family's," Mynx continued, quietly and ominously. "And lost. The Kings loaned him the kind of money a man like him could never repay—why, I'll never understand. They must've known how it would end."

Destiny observed her, eyes unreadable. “It probably started as a small loan. They always do. Then it grows— with interest. That’s how loan sharks work. They don’t take everything at once. They bleed you slow. I had an uncle who was big into betting on horses. Brought our family nothing but grief.”

Mynx clenched her fingers against the blanket, her nails leaving impressions in it from her anger. "Either way, here I am. Paying off his debt. His choices, his recklessness—but I'm the collateral."

"Damn… and I thought my brother really did a number on me. Don't you worry that pretty little head of yours, we're not gonna let your father's mistakes ruin your future," Destiny muttered, rummaging through the bag she brought.

"Ok, first things first—you need to get a lay of the land and know exactly who you're dealing with. This binder holds everything you need to know about the members of Blood Lust: their identities, affiliations, positions in life—everything relevant if you're seriously considering marrying into their world."

Mynx took the binder like it might bite. It was lighter than she expected—cheap plastic, the kind that warps in heat. No lock, no seal, no cover label. Just a single inch of paper and ink, supposedly enough to decode a world built on blood, loyalty, and secrets. She flipped it open, half-expecting a trap.

The first page was blank.

Of course it was.

Destiny lifted her glass, swirling the champagne lazily, watching Mynx as she flipped to the next page with an amused glint in her eye. "You know," she said, taking a slow sip, "if you're smart, you'll memorize every name, every face, and every detail in that book before next weekend. You'll need it. It's part of the reason we get to take a week to get acclimated to our new lives here. So we know what we're getting ourselves into."

Mynx swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of the implications. "Why do you say that?"

“Because every member—especially Hector—is ruthless. Most are killers, one way or another. Cold. Calculated. Heartless. But even monsters need masks. Someone to make them look legitimate. Someone to hide the blood beneath the polish.”

She paused, letting the silence settle like dust.

“You need to know what you’re walking into, who you’re spending time with. Not for love, not for loyalty, but for your survival."

Mynx blinked, the words sinking in like cold water down her spine. She looked at the binder again—its glossy cover, the neat tabs, the curated faces—and suddenly it felt less like a welcome packet and more like an accounting of criminals and thugs.

"So, what do I do? How do I navigate among the members and still make it out of this place with my mind and body intact?"

Destiny smirked, setting her glass down. "Find one of the people in this book that you can stomach. Someone who doesn't make your skin crawl and spend your time with them. Please stay away from Hector and his underbosses. Go for an up-and-comer that's just trying to fit in. Once you look past what this book tells you and figure out who they really are, most of the members aren't as bad as they seem."

Mynx let out a short laugh and shook her head. "That's easier said than done."