Chapter Text
“These photos are trash,” Pris grumbled, scrunching up her face as she looked at the photos on the monitor. “What the fuck is this?”
There was a gasp from the other staff around them, but the influencer couldn't care less.
She stepped closer, patting her slightly disheveled blonde hair back into place as she went. Her manager was right beside her in a flash with a comb, assisting immediately and silently. An oversized large coat was thrown around her shoulders to hide the flimsy, torn dress she wore underneath.
The photographer, with one tense hand pressed over his mouth, continued to click through the photos. They flashed one by one, pose after pose, in front of Pris. She crossed her arms as she stared at them, hoping for a glimmer of hope in at least one photograph. Her brows furrowed. With one hand held out, she silently commanded the photographer to stop flipping through them. Gulping visibly, the man leaned back in the chair to give Pris more space to come closer and view the images.
“Wow, I can't use these at all. Look, she's distracted here,” Pris pointed her index finger at the screen, directly on the face of the other influencer in the shoot. “You can see that her eyes are looking elsewhere. Unusable.”
The room was so silent that the only thing that could be heard was the low hum of the air conditioner on set. Tension tightened around them - tension so thick that it felt like it was choking them all.
Pris brushed it off.
It was harsh, yes, but someone had to say it. If they kept continuing with this quality, they might as well cancel the shoot now to save time. Stating her disapproval out loud was giving the other influencer a chance to buck up and get her shit together.
None of the photographs were convincing.
What kind of BDSM shoot was so unsexy? It was ridiculous and a complete far cry from the proposal that the other influencer had given Pris and her manager when they were pitching their ideas for a collaboration. The concept wasn’t even difficult or anything fresh: a usual BDSM scene with a bed and red silk sheets as the main centerpiece of the set. Ribbons instead of rope. Sexy but soft on the edges. A dark, dangerous romance.
In the pitch, Pris was supposed to be the damsel, dressed in a thin, pure white dress. She was a soft angel, trapped against a hungry wolf, which was supposed to be the other influencer, Lily’s role. Lily, unlike Pris, was meant to be shot in a more dominating manner. Pris was going to be a willing victim for the predator, trapped gently but not escaping on their own will. Not exactly a very complicated concept for Pris, who made all her money creating sexual content on a site called LucidLands. Pris and her manager had accepted the collaboration request, thinking that it would be a quick and easy shoot.
After all, Lily had marketed herself as a “professional dominatrix” influencer on LucidLands. Pris had seen some photos of her before, and hadn’t thought that working together would be a problem.
But instead… they had these.
Pris was tied up in the photos, supposedly helpless on the bed in a flimsy, thin dress that didn’t cover much. Her eyes were pleading to the camera, and sometimes to Lily, hoping for a tinge of mercy. She tried very hard to channel the soulful, doe-eyed begging. However, Lily wasn’t keeping up. Instead of looking intimidating and strong, she looked hesitant and unsure.
What kind of photos were these? Pris would be ashamed to post them on her LucidLands account. Completely below standards. Unconvincing. Boring.
That was not the kind of content Pris posted.
Absolutely unacceptable. Trash. She might as well do it now. One click and all the photos could be deleted, which was where they belonged where they never got to see the light of day.
“Look at this one. Why is she biting her lip like that? She looks like she’s having an ulcer instead of being sexy,” Pris grumbled, clicking to another picture.
The photographer said nothing as he desperately scanned through the other photos, hoping for something closer to satisfactory.
Twirling her blonde hair between her fingers, Pris turned away from the monitor - she couldn’t bear to look at the photos anymore. It was only making her upset to see all her time wasted.
Across the set, Pris made eye contact with Lily, the other influencer, but only for a moment. The girl, still dressed in a full black latex suit, was standing unmoving near the back. Even though Pris couldn’t get a good look at her, the influencer knew that Lily was bothered by the comments. The girl was standing a little less straight and could barely look at her anymore.
Good.
Hopefully, Lily realized exactly how terrible she was coming off on camera and fixed it - and soon. Pris’ patience was running thin.
Her manager, Natalie, walked up beside her with a water bottle. Pris bent down slightly, her lips gently sipping from the straw offered without needing to even touch the bottle.
“Pris… How about we take a break?” her manager asked gently, pretending to adjust Pris’ jacket that was around her shoulders. In a lower voice, the manager added, “And perhaps tone it down on Lily a little? She looks like she can't handle it.”
Ptff. Pris wanted to laugh.
“If such small criticism is making her upset,” she intentionally raised her voice a little more, “maybe she isn’t cut out for this.”
“Pris!” the manager chided, smacking her lightly on the arm.
Giggling, Pris stuck her tongue out at Natalie. When the blonde looked up, she saw Lily glaring back at her before muttering something to her own manager. The laughter in Pris’ throat didn’t die down.
In fact, it only made her more satisfied knowing that Lily had definitely heard it. She wanted her to. Someone like Lily had to be put to shame if this was the quality of photos that were being produced - that way, at least it might motivate her to improve in the future so that no other influencers had to suffer like Pris.
Hmph.
What a waste of time.
“Can you behave?” Natalie hissed, reaching up to remove the oversized jacket around Pris’ shoulders as they prepared to shoot some more. “At least be nice, please?”
“It would be easier if she was at least good at her job. It’s not my fault that she’s an incompetent baby masquerading in a dominatrix outfit,” Pris argued.
Was she being an ass? Absolutely. Natalie was used to it by now. The manager wasn’t fazed by Pris’ antics, but usually did her best to try and save her and her reputation - Pris just didn’t care enough to want to be saved.
Walking back to the bed on set in her high heels, the rest of the nervous staff in the room took the cue and quickly went back to their respective positions. There were low muttering and darting eyes, but everyone was quick to get ready. From the corner of her eye, the blonde also spotted Lily handing her bottle back to her manager and starting to make her way towards the set as well.
At least she was able to do one thing correctly and not keep the blonde waiting.
A pity, Pris thought. She had been ready to chew her out some more if Lily hadn't come back to set and decided to sulk instead. No fun. (italics)
Oh well, time to get back to work.
Pris sat down on the edge of the bed. The sheets were cheap, fake silk, and they felt scratchy on her skin. However, the important thing was that it looked good on camera - almost as though it was the real thing. That was all Pris needed. Slight discomfort was not as important as long as they were within budget.
Like a ridiculous dog toy, Lily made her way over, her suit squeaking with every movement. Pris kept the smile on her face as the other influencer approached, as though all those mean words hadn’t come from her own lips. Lily didn’t smile back. That didn’t matter.
Scooting herself to the middle of the pillows, Pris lay down and arranged her blonde hair. With quick fanning movements, she spread her hair out and lay them in front of her shoulders. She didn’t need a mirror to know how to make her hair and face angles look good. This was Pris’ full-time job, and she made damn sure that she knew what she was doing.
Leaning back against the pillows, Pris raised one wrist to Lily, who was still sitting silently on the edge of the bed, looking like she was absolutely wallowing in self-pity right now, as if the reason why they were having a bad photoshoot wasn’t because of her lack of skill. Pris cleared her throat. Lily glared at her over her shoulder.
“What?” the other influencer growled.
“Aren't you supposed to tie me to the bed?” Pris asked, her tone completely flat. “Or do I have to do it myself?”
“Oh, right! Sorry…”
Withholding a sigh, Pris closed her eyes and tried to take steady breaths as the “professional dominatrix” tried to tie her back to the bedposts. When she opened her eyes, Pris saw that Lily’s fingers were shaking as they moved. The ribbon slipped once from her fingers and fought to get the end of the ribbon back in control, only for it to slip from her grip again. The other girl cursed under her breath as she tried to get the ribbon under control.
The blonde was acutely aware that all the staff were watching them. She could almost hear it: the way that they were all begging for Lily to stop fucking up. The tension in the room was high, and Lily’s inability to ignore her nerves was making it all worse.
Pris glanced up as Lily failed to tie a knot for the third time.
“Do you need help?”
“No…”
“Okay, then try to get it done soon. Ideally, before tomorrow comes,” Pris muttered sarcastically. “Can you do that?”
There was a sharp exhale from the girl beside her. The blonde felt the tugging and movement on her wrist pause. She tilted her head to the side, just to see Lily closing her eyes with her lips pressed tightly together. Her latex suit squeaked some more as the other model took a deep breath. It was a little comical, the way the suit made noise every time Lily moved. The whole thing was really making Pris think more of a squeaky dog toy instead of a sexy, dominating attire. She pursed her lips together to stop herself from giggling out loud.
Lily’s hands dropped from the bedpost.
Tilting her head up, Pris’ mischievous gaze met Lily’s fiery one. Pris’ smirk only grew a little wider. Had Lily finally had enough? Was this her breaking point? It would be funny if Lily walked out right now… Would her silly latex suit squeak more as she stomped out of the room?
To her disappointment, Lily only sat still and spoke. “Why are you such a fucking bitch?”
“I’m being a bitch? What did I do?” Pris asked in return, blinking with feigned innocence. She saw Lily’s eye twitch. Making her upset was so easy that it made the blonde want to laugh.
Like a planned comic sketch, the ribbon that Lily had been trying to tie around Pris’ wrist comically came loose. Almost like it was mocking the “dominatrix” the ribbon floated to the floor.
There was a beat of silence.
Tension stretched between the two girls. Lily was staring at the ribbon on the floor as if it had personally insulted her entire lineage of ancestors.
If Pris was a normal person with a moderate amount of kindness, she would keep her mouth shut. However, Pris was not a normal person. If anything, aside from her main occupation being a LucidLands creator, she could also be termed a “professional rage-baiter”. Pris glanced at her wrist that had now come free. Then back at Lily who was fuming silently on the side of the bed.
“Hey. You better get that,” Pris quipped unhelpfully. “Or I can-”
“I got it! I fucking got it, okay?” Lily snapped. She pointed her index finger right at Pris’ face. “You lie back. And let. Me. Do. It.”
She was so angry that her face was turning a few shades redder than usual. No one else standing in the room said anything, though it looked like Lily’s manager was about to pass out.
Lying there and waiting to be tied up, Pris should have felt scared.
She had made Lily so angry and yet she was about to place herself in a very vulnerable position in front of her. Instead, she didn't care. Pris didn't consider her own safety. She only cared about the progress of the shoot, because finally! It felt like they were going somewhere.
Anger was a powerful tool that people usually had too much courtesy to wield - not Pris, though. She held this weapon with pride, and look at the immediate results.
Lily’s eyes which had been shifty and uncertain prior were now looking at her like they wanted to rip Pris apart limb from limb if she could. Rage also meant that her hands were firmer. Every movement, even adjusting her position on the bed, looked like they were done with more intention. Her aura had changed. Lily was finally fitting in more with the commanding latex suit that she was wearing. Before she got annoyed, Lily had looked like a random person cosplaying as a dominatrix. She didn't give off the energy of someone who could command another to their knees.
Right now, however… It was clearly a different story.
Lily fit right into the character. She was ready for the shoot.
“You're so fucking talkative. As if people can't get nervous,” Lily snarled. “Fucking bitch.”
Pris smiled. Yes, more. More of this.
The other girl straddled her easily, landing her weight down on Pris’ hips with a vengeful thump that knocked some wind out of the blonde. The cheap bed creaked from the movement. Pris found her fingers curling into the ribbons that held her arms in place, exhilaration running through her body.
With one finger, she drew a circle in the air, indicating for the videographer to start rolling.
“Is bitch the only insult you know?” Pris whispered. “I'm okay with that. I can be a bitch. You got anything stronger?”
Lily sat back on her heels, as if she was examining Pris and the mischievous look on her face. All uncertainty was gone. She looked powerful now, looking down on Pris like this. Things were the way that they should be - now, if only this could have been achieved an hour ago, Pris wouldn't have had to waste time with the other photoshoot.
The “dominatrix” narrowed her eyes. “You're so full of yourself.”
Her hand grabbed the blonde’s chin firmly. She forced Pris’ head to turn to the left, then the right. Pris couldn't help herself as she bit down on her lower lip lightly. What was a girl to do if she loved being manhandled?
“And so?” Pris prodded.
Lily’s hand ran down the front of her dress, starting from her collarbones, to the curve of her chest. Her touch was firm. Enough pressure to make the movement feel weighted, but not enough to hurt. Pris felt her body react. Her fingers grasped tighter onto the ribbons. The tell tale creak of the bed post showed how much Pris was tugging on the restraints.
She was restricted and sat upon. By a girl who hated her guts and wanted to rip her apart.
Pris was never happier.
“That makes you a narcissist,” Lily muttered, lip curling slightly. Her wandering hand curled around a shred of slightly torn fabric from the dress. “I hate you.”
With a firm grasp, there was a loud rip as the dress was torn further.
“Holy- fuck,” Pris gasped. “What are you-”
Her core tightened as she looked at Lily. The rip had been feral - absolute insanity, Pris could only hope that it looked as spicy on video as it felt.
Lily’s eyes were dark and focused. Both her hands ran down the sides of Pris’ chest, thumbs showing intentional extra attention over the peaks of her chest, and fingers tracing the newly exposed warm skin. A slight shiver ran down the blonde’s body, her arms tugging on the ribbons circling her wrists with the fiery touch that tickled.
The dominating side of Lily was finally unleashed.
Cute!
With a small grin, Pris nudged one leg upwards, pressing deliberately between Lily’s legs. Given how snugly the other girl was straddling the blonde, she was sure that Lily would feel the little tease-
A hand gripped Pris’ chin, forcing her head upwards and pressing it into the pillows. Almost like a choke, but more demanding. The blonde couldn't help but smile. She loved being annoying. She loved it more when it got such a reaction out of the people that she was with.
Fuck, yes, Pris thought. Go insane. Lose your mind. Command me like you promised.
“Bitch.”
Pris’ lip tugged upwards. “Yes?”
“Annoying brat. I’ll ruin you,” Lily snarled, low and hungry as she lowered her face right next to Pris’. Her hand on her face dug deeper into the hollows of Pris’ cheeks, the other reaching down to keep Pris’ naughty legs in place under her.
The high of being pushed down under this angry latex woman was driving Pris to want more. She didn’t need to look at the photos or videos; Pris knew that the ones this time would be a lot better.
“Ruin?” Pris chuckled softly. Lily’s fingers twitched as her glare hardened. Pris continued to prod the beast. “You’re all talk and no substance-”
She felt a hand grab her thigh, digging hard into the flesh. Fingers hooked into the band of the flimsy panties underneath. Grinning, Pris playfully crossed her legs, preventing Lily from lowering the article of clothing any further.
A loud smack resounded through the set.
Fuck.
Pris jolted and hissed as her thigh stung from the impact of the slap. Lily didn't seem to care. Her focus was only on the panties, ripping it off the rest of the way now that Pris wasn't being a nuisance.
Her dress, torn and ripped, was hiked out of the way.
“I hate you so much,” Lily grunted, her hand grabbing a fistful of Pris’ thigh and lifting the girl’s leg off the sheets.
Pris gently hooked her leg against Lily’s waist, pulling the other girl closer to her in the only way that she could. Her fingers curled into the red ribbons holding her hands prisoner as she pressed her lower half against Lily. Shutting her eyes, Pris let her lips fall open in a soft moan. Lily’s hand reached for the curve of her butt, securing her leg tighter against her side. She rutted into her, driven by the craziness in the other girl's eyes.
Lily’s anger didn't fade as she looked down on her, her own hips rolling dry into Pris’ bare crotch. The anger had somehow made its way into sexual tension - the most beautiful type of love that Pris enjoyed.
If only… just a little more… Was that too greedy?
“Do you think that can hurt me? Are you really some strong dom?” Pris whispered, letting her lips brush against the other girl’s cheek as she spoke. “Is that all you got?”
“You’re so fucking…”
“So fucking…” Pris mimicked her in a higher-pitched voice. “Are you not going to finish your sentence?”
Lily’s grip against the blonde tightened. A muscle ticked in her jaw.
*****
“Okay. So that’s another person who will never work with us again,” Natalie sighed as she walked Pris to the car.
The shoot was over and Pris had just showered. Her blonde hair was freshly blown out with the hairdryer and she smelled of vanilla and fresh flowers. There was a slight skip in her step as she walked alongside her manager.
“I don’t care. The content looked good.”
She was right. It was a pity that Lily didn’t choose to stay behind and monitor the photos and videos together with her after they were done. The second shoot had such a drastic improvement and were definitely going to be posted on Pris’ account once they were edited.
Everything was more convincing and done with more intention. When Lily grabbed Pris, be it her neck, her chest, her butt, or her thighs, she could see that the girl was finally really grabbing. It showed in the way her fingers sank into Pris’ soft skin, visible from the shadows on the photos. Lily had really been trying to pull and shove Pris into place. Even her eyes… Pris loved it. The shots of Lily’s eyes were so delicious and unlike the uncertain ones that they had seen in the first round of monitoring. After all the rage-baiting, Lily’s brows were turned down and her eyes were sharp. There was even one shot that Pris liked, where Lily’s feral eyes were visible right above Pris’ arched chest. It really felt like a hungry wolf getting ready to devour the prey that was helpless and tied up.
Ah. Thinking about the photo made her happy already. Pris was beyond satisfied with the shoot.
“She smacked your ass so loud that it echoed around the room!” Natalie said, shaking her head as she unlocked the car.
“I won’t show you- but her fingers left a mark on my butt cheek! I saw it in the shower. Amazing,” Pris exclaimed, sliding into the passenger seat.
Natalie sighed as she got behind the wheel.
Pris checked herself in the reflection of the window.
By all records, the blonde was a difficult influencer to work with. Her reputation was far from being clean. She was someone who made the headlines of those drama channels for causing trouble. Maybe one night she was flirting with someone else’s girlfriend. Perhaps the next night she was called out for being a diva.
Natalie had been by her side for a year already and the manager was already used to Pris. She did her best to try and make sure that Pris behaved, but ultimately, Natalie let Pris do her thing. As an online creator, any form of headlines was still a headline. Pris was making money. That was all that mattered.
Being a LucidLands creator was always a controversial move. It was basically modern sex work: she took her clothes off, sometimes she had scenes with other people, posted it online whenever she wanted, and reaped the money from it. Pris didn't mind. Her body looked good. There was a steady audience who wanted her content, so she kept contributing to it.
Adding on some drama won't hurt. It only meant that more eyes were on her and that her name was getting out there. The more people that were aware of her, the more subscribers she would have to her content.
Easy.
“She hit you so hard that her finger marks were visible on your butt in the photo,” Natalie said, pulling out of the car park. “Doesn't it hurt?”
“Slayed. Loved that,” Pris grinned. “Pain is secondary to good content.”
“You're insane.”
“You love me for it,” the influencer joked. “Aren't I worth a headache or two?”
They were headed to a brand launch’s party for the night. Pris couldn't remember what it was about, she only recalled Natalie mentioning something about a perfume. Something something about the vibe… being leather. Whatever. Pris couldn't recall what the product was about, nor did she care enough. She would figure it out after she arrived - she always did.
Natalie led the way after parking the car. She was always efficient, which was what Pris liked about her. With a flash of her card and a drop of her name, Natalie was easily bringing the influencer through multiple layers of security.
Pris didn't need to think. She simply tipped her sunglasses in the direction of the guards and waltzed right on through.
Other influencers milled about as they entered. Some recognized Pris and asked for photos. Plastering her camera-ready smile on her face, Pris was all out there posing and hugging some influencers like they were long-lost best friends - and not people who met maybe once or twice a year at most with some surface-level conversation. It was the lifestyle that Pris was accustomed to. Say hi. Look pretty. When people posted the photos, she would get more publicity too.
Greet. Smile. Pose! Rinse and repeat.
Just before she entered the dressing room, two men passed Pris and Natalie.
Pris paused to stare.
“Woah. The fuck?”
The men had both been in fitting leather pants and heavy combat boots. That wasn't the odd part. The aspect that had caught the blonde’s attention was the fact that both of them were topless and were wearing leather harnesses that strapped around their built bodies. Black masks covered their faces completely from view. They looked like they had just walked out of a porn shoot and came right to the event. Pris had never attended an official event where this was the dress code before - a birthday party? Sure. But not a brand launch.
“It's the theme, I told you last night,” Natalie continued, unbothered as she led Pris inside. The manager pursed her lips when the blonde didn't respond. “Unless you weren't sober enough to remember?”
Scrunching her brows, Pris tried to think back to the previous night before Natalie left her apartment. If they had an event the next day, her manager usually provided a rundown of what it would entail. Pris couldn't remember her mentioning anything about the theme, though it didn't mean that Natalie forgot - she probably truly was too drunk to listen at all for she had just gotten back from another influencer’s birthday party.
“Isn't this a perfume launch?” Pris asked in a low voice, flabbergasted. “Why are we BDSM-themed for a fucking perfume?”
Natalie reached into a clothes rack, looking for the attire that had been planned for Pris.
“It is. But it's a bold perfume - that's the image that they're trying to sell anyway, I'm not sure about the scent itself. Theme is Leather and Leashes, which is also probably why they invited you,” Natalie paused to read a tag on a hanger. “Ah! Your outfit. It looks like it will fit fine.”
The fit was simple but flattering. A leather strapless top that she had been given along with a simple black skirt. There was a belt that resembled a whip around the skirt. Simple but yet on theme.
Okay, cute.
Maybe more brand launches should have interesting themes. It would make all events feel less boring. Maybe Pris ought to care more about this brand. They seemed to know how to have fun.
The clothes slid on easily, hugging her body just right. Pris fanned her blonde hair out, loving the way her it contrasted against the shiny, dark clothes. It made her hair seem brighter. She did a satisfied twirl in front of the mirror for Natalie to examine to full fit.
“Okay, looks good! They fit you so well!” Natalie grinned.
Pris posed again, enjoying the attention.
Natalie snapped a photo quickly before getting serious again and lowering her voice. “Don't go out there causing trouble, okay? I can't have two scandals about you in one day. I swear to god, I will quit if you do.”
“You can't. I won't survive without you managing my schedule,” the blonde whined, playfully clinging onto her manager’s arm. “You can't quit on me.”
Natalie rolled her eyes. “Then make sure that you behave.”
“I always behave.”
“No, you don't,” her manager grumbled. “So, can you promise?”
Pris playfully saluted before Natalie sent her into the main room.
By the time they entered, the party was already in full swing. There was a DJ booth in the front of the room, a whole bar set up, and a balcony area as well. The brand’s initials were everywhere. There were at least three photo spots that Pris could spot with the brand’s logo.
In the centre of the dance floor, the two masked men from earlier who were in their leather bondage gear were there. They didn't dance. Maintaining stern poses, the men strolled along the dance floor almost as if they were patrolling. The fact that they were trying to portray a stern image didn't bother the other influencers. Phones were raised up as people took videos. It didn't take long for one brave influencer to run up to dance next to one of them, waving her body like a noodle to the beat while holding onto his shoulder. Pris wanted to laugh - surely that lady was already a little tipsy.
A waiter walked past.
Pris quickly picked a wine glass off his tray. Natalie chose not to, clicking her tongue in disapproval as she turned to the blonde.
“Remember to-”
“Take selfies with the brand logo and brand product so that we got good material to post,” the influencer recited. “Don't worry, you nag me enough, Nat.”
“And yet… you still manage to forget,” Natalie grumbled.
Pris slowly made her way through the crowd to the big, standing brand logo. Natalie was already searching for the best angle and checking the lighting.
Work was always a haze. Time flew like nobody’s business. Pris was whisked from person to person, jumping from one photo to the next. Given her follower count, people were eager to meet and click a photo with her. Sometimes, it was clear that they didn't even know Pris - or worse, it was obvious that they didn't like Pris - but that didn't stop them from coming forward to pose with her and clink a glass together or two.
Her smile was blazing from the start to finish, with great approval from Natalie, who stayed by her side the entire time. She was probably relieved that the influencer was behaving in a good-natured way. The crowd soon went to the dance floor together with her. Pris danced as phones recorded, shimmied next to some other beautiful women in leather, and even held onto a fake whip for photos. Time flew by in a snap, surrounded by loud music and flashing lights.
By the time she excused herself, Pris was beyond exhausted.
Her cheeks hurt from smiling. Her brain hurt from pretending to care about other people and making useless small talk. There was a slight haze to her consciousness that was probably the product of one too many glasses of free wine.
Pris had to breathe in some fresh air.
She burst out onto the balcony after a quick update to Natalie. The manager didn't hesitate to let her go and rest. Clearly, she was satisfied with Pris’ appearance at the event. She didn't even nag about anything else - which was a rare occurrence for the manager.
“Finally,” Pris muttered, letting the doors swing shut behind her.
Colorful, blinking lights greeted her in a sprawling view of the city from the balcony. Pris leaned against the railing, watching as cars and buses looked like toy miniatures from such a distance. Her shoulders relaxed. She felt like she no longer had to stand up straight.
Such time to herself was precious.
The cool air outside was much welcomed after the scent of sweaty bodies, cigarettes, and alcohol on the inside. She didn't realize how warm it was inside until she felt the breeze against her cheeks, tugging at her blonde hair. There was a layer of sweat on her skin but the leather outfit she was wearing was not absorbent, so it just made her feel a little icky. Pris fanned herself.
She turned to lean her back against the railings-
“Jesus!” the blonde jumped, noticing that she wasn't actually alone on the balcony. “Scared the shit out of me.”
Someone was lying down on the lawn chair right outside. The only light on the balcony came from the moon, a small lamp, and the lights from the inside. As a result, sadows covered most of the outdoor furniture and person, which was probably how Pris had missed them initially.
The first thing she noticed was that girl lying down wasn't wearing leather like everyone else inside. Nor were they in the waitressing attire. They looked like they had just rolled out of bed and put on the simplest attire that they could find: a plain black T-shirt and black cargo pants. One arm was thrown over their eyes as if to block out the light and let them sleep. That arm was tattooed with wavy black ink, stretching from under her sleeve all the way to her knuckles.
Pris probably shouldn't bother them. It would be rude to wake them, especially when they seemed to be sound asleep.
She shouldn't.
Surely not…
Pris should mind her own business and go back into influencer mode soon. This girl could continue sleeping. That was the polite thing to do.
She could be polite. Pris knew that.
Unfortunately, Pris just wasn't the best at choosing to be gracious.
Once an intrusive thought ticked in her brain, she couldn't ignore it. Her heels clicked on the tiled floor as she started walking up to the sleeping girl before she could truly figure out what she wanted to say.
She sat down on the edge of the lawn chair with a purposeful drop, intentionally trying to make her presence known.
The girl stirred. Her fingers twitched, but still, her arm continued to shield her eyes from the light.
It didn't matter. Pris would get them to entertain her no matter what. She spoke first.
“Why did you sneak into the party just to sleep?”
The girl’s face scrunched as she stirred a little more. Her arm finally lowered and Pris got a look at her eyes for the first time.
Sharp.
Stern.
Even though she had been rudely woken up, the girl's eyes were instantly alert. Their stare seemed to bore right through Pris, making the influencer suddenly very conscious of herself. The girl didn't say anything. Her eyes looked at Pris, up to down, then down to up. Turning her face away, the girl settled back down on the lawn chair, covering her eyes with her arm once more.
Pris’ jaw dropped at the audacity of this random girl. She wanted to have fun, but this girl wasn't playing along.
There was something about her gaze that made Pris hesitate, almost like a wolf. It felt dangerous - but then again, when did Pris ever run from danger? If she had been back in the olden days, the influencer was sure that she would have been killed by pure natural selection and her own impulses. Thank god she was only born now, where she was free to make a whole ton of stupid decisions.
“Are you just going to ignore me?”
The influencer’s whine was only met with silence and the literal crickets from the garden plants nearby. Pris folded her arms across her chest indignantly. Had they already fallen asleep? Surely not, right? That was a little too fast already. Maybe they were just pretending?
Pris had to find out.
“Hey!” the blonde said as she reached a hand forward to poke the sleeping girl in the side. “I said-”
A hand shot out. Too fast for Pris to retract hers.
She could barely squeak before the girl’s hand was tight around the influencer’s wrist, holding her in place. Her body was sitting up slightly from the lawn chair and her brows were pulled together, clearly annoyed.
The little brat in Pris’ brain did a little happy dance. Those sharp eyes were now fully focused on her. She was happy to get the attention that she wanted.
“What do you want?”
Pris looked down at their hands. She tried to tug, but the girl held on tight and didn't let go.
“Did you like me so much that you had to jump straight into holding hands?” the blonde teased. “If you liked me you could just-”
With a huff, the girl let go of her. Pris’ hand dropped to the chair. They leaned back into the lawn chair again, this time with their arms folded across their chest.
The girl's voice was curt. “Let me sleep. Thanks.”
“I'm going to report you for sneaking into the party,” Pris teased in a sing-song voice. There was nothing that she enjoyed more than to annoy someone who didn't want to be annoyed. It was what got people hating her to begin with - they hated that she did it so well. “And then, you're going to get kicked out. And then-”
Pris got cut off as the girl sighed, pinching her nose bridge in irritation as she swung her legs off the chair. The influencer’s eyes followed her every move eagerly, watching as the girl got up and walked to the other side of the balcony, leaning over the railing.
Every little detail that she could learn about the girl, she took it right in.
The blonde was also more certain that she wasn't an influencer, but that didn't stop her from feeling a little excited.
In terms of what she wore, the girl was plain and unassuming. Simple black shirt and pants. Shoes that weren't branded but some standard, cheap running shoes. No jewelry aside from one basic watch strapped to one wrist and a single pendant hanging from a chain around her neck. The girl looked nothing like the other influencers inside, who were likely adorned with sponsors’ clothes and accessories, or carried designer goods.
Her hair was black and quite short, tied back into a small ponytail that barely touched the girl's shoulders. When she walked, there was an aura that floored Pris… It was almost like a prowl - confident and intentional, even if she didn't fit in here. She moved like she commanded the space, like she could walk over Pris if she so much as wanted to.
And boy, did Pris want her to.
It was… sexy. That was it. Pris liked annoying people and she liked it when people got worked up when she got on their nerves. She liked it when people fought back. From the way that the girl carried herself, Pris very much wanted her to fight back. Imagine getting choked by that tattooed arm… Getting stared down by those piercing eyes…
Pris started to get up, about to start another round of being a troublemaker.
The girl spoke first for the first time.
“Stay.”
The command was sharp and direct. It sliced through the air like a blade. Pris found herself sitting back down on the lawn chair before she could fully process the command and what she did. She looked down at herself in disbelief, then at the girl who was looking out into the night city scene sprawled out before her.
Damn. This random girl really got her out here following directions like she was in a military camp. Pris’ foot bounced against the floor lightly as she realized… She liked her even more for it. Pris liked intriguing things. Usually, she was the one controlling the situation. Pris was loud, blunt, and good at her job. Not a lot of people could tell her what to do, and she typically didn't enjoy it when they tried to.
So why did she like this so much right now?
“Good. Stay there,” the girl affirmed, turning her eyes away from her.
A mischievous grin tugged on the corners of Pris’ lips.
“If I stay like a good dog, do I get rewarded like a good dog too?”
“No.”
Pris sighed, twirling a lock of blonde hair between her fingers. “That's a shame. I guess I'll have to report you if you keep talking to me like this… You wouldn't want that, would you?”
The girl turned around to face her with a sigh.
“Will you quit it? I'm here for work.”
“What work?”
The girl scowled. “It doesn't matter.”
“What work allows you to come here and sleep?” Pris countered. “I don't believe you.”
The girl exhaled slowly. Her head tilted to the side slightly, one lock of black hair getting blown by the wind across her face. She pushed her hands into her pockets.
“You're really annoying, do you know that?”
“I do,” Pris grinned. “So, what work? Tell me. Are you going to tell me? Please tell me.”
Pris loved pushing people like this. If someone refused to answer, she just kept bugging them. Natalie once said that she was like a dog who didn't know when to let go of the toy. Well… If biting onto the toy would allow her to keep annoying this beautifully, sexy woman, then Pris would gladly keep holding on.
Besides, the more annoyed she got, the hotter she got - the blonde was sure of it. Overall, Pris had no reason to be courteous.
“Please? Pretty please? Please with a cherry on top? Tell me, tell me, tell me.”
The girl's arm twitched, like she remembered something. She pulled one hand out of her pocket and checked the time on her watch. With a blink, her face turned blank. Suddenly, it was like she stopped being irritated with a flick of a switch. Pris blinked in confusion.
“It was nice talking to you,” the girl finally said. “Goodbye.”
With a small nod of her head, the girl turned and headed back into the party, leaving the blonde alone on the balcony.
Pris let a beat pass in stunned silence.
“Wait! What the fuck?” Pris stood up, shocked. She hadn't thought that the girl would just walk away, Pris had been hoping for an argument, or at least, for them to banter a while more. This wasn't fun! This wasn't what she wanted!
She followed, a little tipsy and clumsy on her heels, but she wasn't fast enough. A few steps in, Pris paused as she realized that she had already lost sight of her.
“Pris! Photo, please? We were looking everywhere for you!”
The blonde cursed between gnashed teeth as she got whisked away by a young group of creators. She glanced over her shoulder as they pulled her towards the dance floor, still searching for that strict face in the crowd. Fuck. The girl was so fast. Her eyes scoured the area. Damn, why did she need to dress in the most default attire and have such plain hair? Pris didn't even know how she would begin asking around for the girl. Hello, did you see the girl with the plain black clothes and arm tattoo? People would probably think that she was going insane.
“Go! Go!”
“He's crazy!”
Pris looked in the direction of the noise. Something was happening at the edge of the dance floor. The blonde craned her neck to get a look.
One of the masked bondage men was dry humping another guy - one of the influencers, also from LucidLands, known to make a lot of BDSM content as well. However, Pris wasn't focusing on them.
Behind the man, she saw her.
The girl.
It was definitely her. The same stern expression and dominating aura, coupled with the swirling tattoo down her arm and the glimmering pendant around her neck.
Pris watched as her mouth moved - from here, the blonde definitely could not hear what she was saying. However, the moment the girl was done speaking, the masked men got up and went straight to her. Behind her, trailed the second guy. The other influencers booed as they realized that their fun with the men had come to an end. Some clearly-drunk girl was begging for them to stay one more hour.
Shit.
Once they left, Pris really had no chance of ever seeing her again. Not that it would matter- it shouldn't, but the girl’s strict tone had made Pris feel some kind of way. It specifically made her feel some type of way in her core… between her legs…
Pris grabbed the nearest influencer. She pointed at the girl who was leaving in the distance.
“Who's that?”
The girl whom Pris had picked to ask could barely stand straight. “The gorgeous men? Sexy men! They're leaving!”
“No! Not those- The girl with them!”
However, even the blonde knew that this wasn't the right person to ask for answers now. By the time she pointed out the girl, they would have been long gone. Pris needed to find someone who wasn't as shit-faced from all the alcohol (and likely drugs). She elbowed her way forward, finding another creator that she had spoken to once or twice. At least this person looked like they were still semi-sober.
“Who's that?” Pris asked, pointing at the girl’s retreating figure. “Do you know her?”
“Oh! She's one of the founders of Petal Alley! BDSM dungeon… something like that. She's here to handle the guys, I think they're her staff,” the creator replied, still vibing to the music. “Why? You want to talk to her?”
“What the- Why do you know so much?” the blonde asked. Her tipsy mind was struggling to retain all the information.
“She's popular! Has a lot of viral videos. I visited once. Her waitlist is quite long…” the creator said, digging up his phone. ”I'll send the address to you.”
BDSM dungeon owner?
That was who she was disturbing?
Pris watched as the girl left with the two masked men. She recalled the way that the girl had told her to sit back down earlier, and how just a single word had been enough to make her comply without question. Her tone had been so direct that Pris had followed without even knowing it. It was insane, especially given that Pris usually had a problem with following instructions.
The way she had said it… It made Pris want to kneel even though she hated complying. She loved annoying people instead, but something about the girl made her insides clench - just a little bit.
Maybe that was the power of someone who was actually in the industry… And not like Lily, who was just a creator online cosplaying as some “dominatrix” who couldn't handle a basic shoot.
Pris felt her phone vibrate as the creator sent her the link to Petal Alley.
She had a feeling that she might be paying them a visit soon… Purely for research, of course. Pris was an online creator making sexual content - of course there was nothing wrong with consulting someone who was professionally in it. There was no other personal reason for it. Pris just… wanted some advice! Maybe she could ask her for help on how to spot a competent dominatrix so that she didn't need to deal with someone like Lily again.
That was all.
No other reason.
“Thanks, I received it,” Pris said, patting the creator’s shoulder. He muttered some response that the influencer couldn't be bothered to hear. She had gotten the information that she needed and she didn't have to talk to him anymore. Walking away, Pris picked up another glass of wine and took a long sip.
With a few quick taps on her phone, she forwarded the link to Natalie. Pris pushed her phone back into her pocket, feeling satisfied.
After all, she was just like a dog, wasn't she?
And a dog didn't let go of a good toy, not even when it made more sense to let go. No. Instead, it held onto the toy with its teeth and shook it for all its worth. So she was going to hold on… and maybe see if this toy could be played with or be worth playing with.