I looked out the window of my tiny studio. It was no bigger than a postage stamp, but it was mine. And at least I was by myself, with the solitude to cry my eyes out whenever I wanted.
Because I haven’t been okay since that fateful day at the hotel. Waking up with the men gone had been a shock to my system, my feet dashing around the room, flinging open doors looking for the alphas.
But they were gone. And gone gone, like they’d never been there. Not a single item a clothing left, every trace obliterated. My heart had sunk even as I dropped limply to the mattress. How could they do this? What was the meaning of their actions?
And with trembling fingers, I dialed their cells. But predictably, the numbers went straight to voicemail like the men were already in the air. So I dialed the only resource I had left. Helena.
But the woman didn’t even pick up the phone the first time, like I wasn’t important enough. Finally, on my third or fourth try, she answered in a cold voice.
“Hello Katy. I’ve been expecting your call. What can I do for you?”
I gaped at her.
“Well, have you heard from Mason, Trent and Nick?” I gasped. “They disappeared without telling me anything. I have their itinerary, and there are things that need to get done. They need me –”
But the middle-aged woman cut me off right there.
“No, they don’t,” she said shortly. “Alpha Prime has moved on and your services are no longer needed.”
I goggled again at the woman, my brain unable to process.
“I’m sorry?” came the gasp. “But how? I mean, they need me. They need fresh towels after every concert, they like that special soap from Italy –”
Helena laughed then, her red lipsticked mouth opening wide, showing off dangerous white teeth.
“Oh sweetheart, you’re so naïve,” she purred.
I stopped short.
“As in?” were my slow words.’
She waved her hand airily.
“They don’t need you,” she emphasized. “Alpha Prime’s been touring for years now. These guys have been on the road for longer than you can say boo. You think that soaps and towels are what made you special? Please, there are dozens of girls who can do that sort of thing.”
My mouth snapped shut.
“I’m sorry?”
Helena nodded airily again.
“That’s right, you’re not their first groupie cum personal assistant. They’ve got girls coming out of their ears, all desperate for a job with Alpha Prime. Trust me honey, you’re not the first and you won’t be the last.”
That made me stare then, the air disappearing from my lungs. No. It couldn’t be true, but cold reality smacked me in the face like a baseball bat full on the cheek.
“I see,” was my slow reply. “I understand.”
“Do you?” asked Helena searchingly. “Do you really get it? Because every girl I’ve recruited thinks that she’s the one, but that’s nowhere near reality. There’s no such thing as “The One” when it comes to men like Alpha Prime. So leave it okay? And don’t call me again. Your severance will be deposited shortly.”
And with that, the phone dropped from my fingertips, Helena’s face disappearing with a snap. Because oh god, but my worst nightmare had come true. Nick, Trent and Mason had done this dozens of times before. They hired personal assistants to act as their toys, enjoying the women’s bodies to the fullest extent. And then when it was all over, the women were tossed to the side, a nice check as a goodbye gift.
Oh god, oh god. I was that girl. The dreamer, the lover, the ultimate fan, giving my heart to them truly and deeply. And what was even worse was that there was another woman behind me. Another female, ready and eager to do their bidding, desperately in love with the men. Giving them her all sincerely all the while believing in the future.
Remembering that harsh conversation, tears overflowed and ran down my cheeks as I stared out the window of my tiny studio. Rain was pelting down, the entire world gray.
Behind me, the TV blared mindlessly. My favorite cooking show was on, filled with contestants who desperately wanted to impress the judges, just like I wanted to impress Alpha Prime.
Tears rushed again, but I blinked them back and forced myself to take a deep breath. Because things could be worse. Maybe my place was nothing but three hundred square feet, but I was able to afford it because of the money that I had saved working with Alpha Prime. That was something. Of course, eventually, my savings would disappear if I didn’t get a job, but that was the future. Right now, I had a home, solitude to do what I wanted.