Nicki is thrilled to land a job as a nanny for a wealthy, recently divorced mother of two. The pay is amazing, and the kids are angels. The only problem is their mother, Beyoncé. She's uptight, controlling, and impossible to please. The worst part...
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Lauren waved her hand in front of Nicki's face.
Earth to Nicki?
Hm?
Nicki shook herself out of her trance. She and Lauren were sprawled out on the bed in Lauren's mansion. Beyoncé was still in Houston and, by coincidence, Lauren's girlfriend was also out of town so she'd invited Nicki to stay overnight. Their days of sharing a college dorm room were long gone, but every now and then they slept over at each other's houses like they were roommates again.
Sorry. Nicki said. I have a lot on my mind right now.
Lauren sat up. Worried about your sister?
Yeah. That was one of the things troubling Nicki. I still haven't heard anything from her, I just hope nothing bad has happened.
I'm sure she's fine. Lauren gave her a sympathetic smile. Maybe she's just busy, or the letter got lost.
Maybe...
Her words did little to reassure Nicki. Everything with her family was far too complicated for Lauren to understand. Although Nicki had told her friend all about her past life, anyone who hadn't lived that life could never fully grasp the situation. There was one person Nicki could talk to who would understand, her aunt. She was like Nicki, having broken off from her family and their religion years before Nicki did. When Nicki left home it was her aunt Tanya who had taken her in. Tanya was the only real family Nicki still had a connection to. She made a mental note to call her later. Nicki's phone buzzed, it was a message from Beyoncé.
I'm stuck at the world's dullest dinner party, and all I can think about is how good you looked all spread out for me on my bed.
A rush went through her. She and Beyoncé had been exchanging messages for days now, each more riskay than the last. Every one of them made Nicki ache with desire. But at the same time, doubt gnawed at her. It didn't make sense that she wanted this. To submit to Beyoncé and give her so much power over her. For most of Nicki's life she'd felt so powerless, trapped in a world where she didn't have any control or agency, where she was expected to be this dutiful, subservient woman. She'd chosen to leave that life behind years ago, how was she supposed to reconcile that with her newly discovered submissive desires?
You're zoning out again. Lauren said.
Right, sorry. Nicki put her phone down. I just got a message from Beyonce.
Lauren grinned. I'm guessing it wasn't about a nannying emergency?
No...
So things are going well between the two of you?
Mostly.
Nicki had filled Lauren in on what was going on between herself and Beyonce, with the caveat that she couldn't tell anyone, not even Robyn.
