NOT A LAST MEETING, MY LADY

(RAYMOND'S POV)

Detective York looked at her with deep pity. "Serene, please sit down," he said gently, guiding her toward a nearby chair. "I promise you, I am going to do everything in my power to get you justice."

Seeing his arms around her, Rex growled possessively. Seth and Luke immediately exchanged terrified glances. Rex’s mental stability was the stability of the entire Werewolf clan.

"Mr. Lastwill, can we begin?" Detective York asked, his voice hardening as he looked at me. "According to the evidence I have right now, you look guilty."

Luke began pulling legal documents from his briefcase. "My client suffers from a severe medical condition," Luke explained calmly, placing the paperwork on the table. "He is easily overwhelmed by intense physical urges. To keep himself mentally stable, he has a legal contract with a registered agency."

Serene and Detective York leaned forward to review the paperwork.

"A sex addiction?" Serene asked as she turned to the detective. "Is that even possible?"

Detective York nodded slowly.

She turned to me with anger. "This has absolutely nothing to do with me!" she yelled. "I don't care about your medical excuses! You destroyed my entire life!"

Tears began to spill rapidly down her cheeks. Detective York immediately reached out to comfort her, handing her a handkerchief.

"I am supposed to get married next week, I have been with my fiance for seven years. I promised him my first time. We made a promise to each other! How am I supposed to look him in the eye and explain this? What am I even supposed to say to him?" She said in panic and pain.

I instinctively stood up and stepped toward her, the moment she saw my hands approaching, she flinched away, trembling in the detective's arms.

In fear, she searched her bag for something. The detective quickly intervened, handing her a few pills, which she swallowed quickly.

Oh, right, I remembered bitterly. She suffered from a cleanliness allergy and I was dirty in her eyes. Great, just great.  

Rex was clawing desperately at the walls of my mind, desperate to take control, he wanted to talk to her. But I forced him down and sat back down in my chair. Was I really that disgusting?

"Are you absolutely sure you can handle this?" The detective asked her softly. "You are allowed to leave. I can handle the rest of the questions and fill you in on the details later."

She shook her head aggressively. "No. I want to be here."

I looked at the pair in anger, his hands around her shoulders rising a possessiveness in me I didn't know I had.

"I didn't rape you," I said firmly. "You walked into that private hotel room all by yourself. You even took all the standard medical tests without a single complaint. Of course I thought you were the new girl the madame had sent"

The entire room fell dead silent. Everyone turned their heads to look at her. 

"Room five at the Sunset Hotel?" she asked slowly, her voice barely a whisper. We all nodded.

"That... that is your private room?" she asked again and again, we all nodded.

Luke pulled out a document she had read earlier. "Room five is strictly, exclusively reserved for Mr. Raymond Lastwill. No one else can book it or use it."

Luke leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If you aren't a prostitute, what exactly were you doing at the Sunset Hotel in the first place?"

Serene looked completely lost, until Detective York gently cleared his throat to clarify things for her. "Serene, the Sunset Hotel isn't just a normal hotel. When someone books a room there, it means a woman or a man is already inside, waiting for you according to your preferences."

The confusion on her face only deepened.

Seth stepped in, trying to piece the puzzle together. "Do you perhaps work at the hotel as a staff member?"

Serene shook her head quickly. "No."

"Then what on earth were you doing there?" We asked her together.

She checked her bag and pulled out her phone. She checked something before her face turned sad.

“The message is gone,” she whispered.

I frowned. “What message?”

She thought deeply before answering. “My best friend. She texted me yesterday. It was her birthday. She said we would celebrate at  Sunset Hotel, room five. She also told me to comply with all the tests. That it was part of the games she planned.”

The room went dead quiet.

Luke spoke first. “Everything that happens in that room is confidential. Unless someone has been inside before, there is no way they would know about the tests or what to expect in there.” He said thinking deeply.

“Can I see your friend?” I asked and she immediately nodded. She went through her phone and then just decided to show me her lock screen. 

Three people filled the screen. A tall man with brown hair had his arm around a blonde like he owned her. My stomach dropped. 

I knew that blonde too well. It was Claire. The prostitute I have been paying for the last two years.

On the other side stood, doll face. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, she had on a soft and innocent smile, completely oblivious to the couple pressed together beside her. 

“This is my boyfriend and my best friend Lucy,” She introduced them innocently.

I passed the phone to Seth without looking away from the photo. 

He gasped, “She is the one.”

“Who?” Detective York asked us.

“The girl who has been feeding his beast for the past two years,” Luke answered, clearly entertained by all of this.

Doll face snatched the phone back from me. “You mean her?” She asked, pointing at Claire with a trembling finger. 

“Yes,” I said.

“Claire is a prostitute?” She said it like she was testing the words, like if she was careful enough it would all be a lie.

“Yes. And she is sleeping with that celibate boyfriend of yours.” I added, maybe out of jealousy.

She looked at me. “Impossible. Claire and Jonathan are like siblings.”

However no one answered her, she looked between us to see if anyone would doubt my words.

She turned to Detective York. “Do you believe that too?”

He nodded, “she tricked you, either because she wanted you tainted like her, or out of jealousy. I can see the motive.” He explained in a professional way.

She turned to me with tears in her eyes. “Does that mean he is innocent?” She asked, her voice shaking. 

Detective York looked down. “I really wish he wasn’t,” he said. 

“Can’t we recover the message?” Luke asked.

York exhaled, defeated. “I hope so. But that app isn’t registered in the country. We will need permits and court orders.”

“Get on it, Seth. I want everything you can find.” I instructed.

Seth nodded.

Doll face kept her head down, tears rolling down her face. “But why? Why would she do that?” She asked no one in particular.

Detective York comforted her, his hand around her shoulders. I looked at them in anger. 

“I will get you justice," I promised, she raised her head to face me, her big eyes filled with tears. “I am sorry for the trouble I caused you.” 

I looked at her delicate fingers, remembering them wrapped around my shaft. “It was no trouble at all, doll face,” I said affectionately. 

Detective York rose abruptly. “We are done here. Since no charges are being pressed.” He said aggressively, pulling her to his side.

I didn't mind him. My eyes were glued to the lady beside him, she had become my new addiction. 

She reached into her bag and gently slid a card on the table. “I was going to use this as evidence, but I guess I should return it.”

I wanted to reach for her hand, but remembered she was allergic to me. “Take it,” I said instead. “Don’t say I didn’t treat you right.”

“I am not a prostitute,” she shot back with disgust. Then she turned and walked out. 

I kept my eyes on that door for a long time until Luke’s laughter brought me back to reality. “Well. That was a roller coaster.” He said it like he had just watched the most interesting movie.

“Seth,” I said, ignoring Luke. “Find me everything on that bastard Jonathan and Claire. Anything that can end that marriage.”

I paused, thinking. “And you said she was a live-in chef?” I asked my voice excited.

Seth blinked. “Serene? Yes. She works for an agency that pairs chefs with tourists and homes.”

“Serene,” I tested the name. It fit her, really fit her well.

“Is she employed right now?”

“Yes.” He replied.

I let out a sigh. “I might need a chef.”

“But you are never home.” Seth said, confused. “You eat in restaurants.”

Luke snorted, clearly enjoying this, I shot him a look. 

“Not anymore. Seth. Do whatever it takes to get Serene in my house.” I instructed, already  imagining her in my kitchen.

“What?” Seth asked in shock.

“Or perhaps just get her into his bed,” Luke tossed over his shoulder as he walked out.

I didn’t answer. 

Because I was already planning how.