Louis Collins: A Post-American Odyssey

Auriel’s suite had been turned into a private fitting room. Clothing racks filled the sitting area, divided between formal wear, casual clothes, and outer layers. Folded clothes and open shoe boxes occupied the shelves below, with handbags displayed nearby. The cleared desk held cosmetics, skincare products, and fragrances. Watches, jewelry, and hair accessories had been laid out on the low table, while open drawers near the wardrobe contained lingerie, sleepwear, and swimwear.

A woman stood with her back to them, arranging bracelets on the table. She turned as they came in. She had a narrow waist and a full bust beneath a fitted cream top. Her chestnut hair was tied in a high ponytail. She had an oval face, dark brows, large brown eyes, a straight nose, and full lips. Dark winged eyeliner drew attention to her eyes. She wore a black choker with a small gold lock and red drop earrings.

“Louis! You’re alive! And in one piece.” She came forward, her arms wide, and hugged him. “I was so worried. Everyone was so worried.”

“I’m fine, Auriel,” Louis said. He hugged her back awkwardly. “These are my girlfriends. My family.”

Auriel stepped back and looked at the women. Louis nodded toward them.

“Everyone, this is Auriel, the best stylist in the Dominion.”

“A pleasure to meet you all.” Auriel smiled. “I saw the news yesterday. What a nightmare! But you look… remarkably well. Considering the circumstances.”

“We had a good night’s sleep,” Gladice said, her tone dry.

“Can’t say the same for me. Élise called me yesterday when I was asleep at a pool party in Tokyo. I had to cancel my evening plans and fly overnight. It was very inconvenient. I spent the entire flight selecting pieces and directing the staff here.”

“Poor you,” Willa said.

Auriel looked Willa up and down. “I like your hair. But we need to work on your eyebrows. And you need a new pair of glasses. The ones you have are too cheap-looking for your face.”

Willa’s eyes narrowed. “Forgive me for buying emergency glasses from a discount store in Dixie while we were fleeing for our lives.”

Auriel smiled sweetly. “No need to be defensive, darling. We’re here to fix that. Now.” She clapped her hands together. “Choose one pair of glasses over there and I can get the optometrist to work on them.”

She pointed to a table on the far side of the room, where a dozen pairs of designer frames were laid out on a velvet cloth. Willa walked over to the table. Auriel turned to the others.

“Okay. I have everything here. Underwear, swimwear, casual wear, formal wear, shoes, accessories, makeup, skincare. I will work with each of you individually to create a personalized style. But Élise just told me that we have a pool party in two hours. So we need to pick swimwear first. And something casual to wear before and after.”

Angelique walked over to the swimsuit racks. “I know what I like.”

“Of course you do, darling,” Auriel said. “You already have good taste. But we can still improve.”

Angelique picked an orange one-piece with a plunging neckline. “This is fine.”

Auriel nodded. “Good choice. It suits your skin tone. Now let’s find something for the rest of you.”

She turned to Maeve. “You, my dear, have a very unique look. Pale skin, freckles, red hair. You want something that complements your complexion, not washes it out.”

“I don’t know,” Maeve said, looking at the racks. “I’ve never worn a swimsuit before.”

“Then it’s high time you did,” Auriel said, pulling out a black and red bikini. “Try this. Simple. Classic. And it will make your hair pop.”

Maeve took the bikini and looked at it. “It’s… very revealing.”

“That’s the point, darling.” Auriel smiled. “It’s the Dominion. We are not shy here.”

Cherish stared at the swimsuits, her eyes wide. “They are so… small.”

Auriel walked to her. “You have a lovely, soft body. Curvy in all the right places. You want something that flatters your shape without hiding it.” She picked a skirted bikini with a floral print. “This is perfect for you. Cute. Feminine. And it covers more than the others, if that makes you more comfortable.”

Cherish took the bikini and looked at it. “It’s pretty.”

“Of course it is.” Auriel smiled. “I have the best taste in the Dominion.”

Gladice looked at the racks. “I want to look sweet. And innocent.”

“I have this for you,” Auriel said, pulling out a blue and white embellished one-piece. “It’s very cute. But not too innocent.”

Gladice winked. “Perfect.”

Louis walked toward Willa while Auriel helped Donya and Savannah find their swimsuits. Willa was trying on a pair of glasses with silver frames.

“You’re good?” he asked.

“Better now.” Willa looked at herself in the mirror. Her face almost touched the glass. “These are… good.”

“They look good on you,” Louis said. “You look smart. And sexy.”

Willa smiled. “That’s a rare combination, isn’t it?”

“True,” Louis said. “I hope Auriel didn’t annoy you too much.”

“Not really. She’s a bit of a diva, but she knows what she’s doing. I can respect that.”

“Good. You deserve the best.”

Willa turned to him. “Are you sure about this, Louis? The compound, the commune, the family?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” Louis said. “We can’t sleep in my room forever, as much as I’d like to.”

Willa laughed. “It would be fun. For a while. Then we would kill each other.”

“Maybe not. But we need space. Privacy. Our own lives. Eventually.”

“I agree.” Willa took off the glasses and put them back on the table. “I am looking forward to Hawaii. But I’ve also thought about going back to MIT. After things calm down.”

Louis frowned. “You want to leave?”

Willa shook her head. “Not leave. Just… study. I still want to finish my degree. Even if I don’t need it.”

“You can transfer to a Dominion university,” Louis said.

“I know.” Willa smiled. “But I like MIT. And I like Boston.”

“I will ask my dad to expand the CS department of any university you want in the Dominion and hire the same professors,” Louis said. “Or even open a new private research institute for you.”

Willa laughed. “You are ridiculous. And sweet.” She paused. “Okay. Maybe I will consider that. Later.”

“Good.”

“Louis,” Angelique called from across the room. “You need something to wear too.”

“I’ll just wear a pair of shorts,” Louis said. “You can pick me the color.”

“Not that simple, darling.” Auriel walked toward him. “You need to look good. For the photos.” She pointed at a rack with men’s swimwear. “Pick one. I have good taste. You know that.”

Louis rolled his eyes but went to the rack. He picked a pair of red shorts. “Happy now?”

“Ecstatic.” Auriel clapped her hands. “Now everyone, try on your swimsuits. And I need to check the fit. For each of you.”

Maeve looked at the bikini in her hands. “Now? Here?”

“Yes, darling. Right here.” Auriel gestured to the screens set up around the room. “Unless you want to use the bathroom. One by one. But it will take forever.”

Maeve blushed. “The bathroom.”

“Okay. Go ahead,” Auriel said. “But don’t take too long. You have a party to attend.”

“Can I go with you? We can help each other,” Cherish said, holding her floral bikini.

“Sure,” Maeve said, and they disappeared into the bathroom together.

Auriel sighed. “So shy. You guys need to relax. This is the Dominion. We can walk naked in the streets.”

“Legally,” Willa said. “Not socially.”

Auriel smirked. “Same difference.”

Angelique had stripped naked and was putting on her orange one-piece. Louis’s cock stirred as he watched her. The swimsuit hugged her curves, and the plunging neckline showed off her cleavage. She caught him looking and smiled.

“Like what you see?”

“I do,” Louis said. “You look amazing.”

“You too.” She looked at the red shorts in his hands. “Red suits you. You should get changed too.”

“Auriel is still here,” Louis said.

“So?” Angelique said. “She’s a stylist. She’s seen it all.”

Auriel laughed. “Many times. And Constantine’s too.”

“Is he big?” Gladice asked, taking off her hoodie and unhooking her bra.

Auriel’s eyes glinted. “That’s classified, darling.”

Gladice laughed. “I’ll find out one day.”

“How? By fucking him?” Savannah said, pulling off her shirt.

“Maybe.” Gladice winked. “Or maybe I’ll just ask him nicely.”

“No fucking outside the family,” Willa said, unbuttoning her jeans. “That’s rule number one.”

“Fine.” Gladice slid off her panties and reached for the blue one-piece. “I’ll just ask him.”

“You are terrible,” Angelique said, adjusting her swimsuit.

“I know.” Gladice pulled on the swimsuit. “How do I look?”

“Like a wet dream.” Louis took off his T-shirt and jeans. His cock was already hardening again underneath his boxer briefs as he looked at the women around him. He stepped out of his briefs. Auriel whistled.

“Now that’s a Collins. Nice and thick.”

Louis ignored her and put on the red shorts. They were tight enough to show off his package, but not too tight to be uncomfortable. He looked at himself in the mirror. He looked strong.

“You need a haircut,” Auriel said, running her fingers through his hair. “And a shave.” She gestured to a chair. “Sit down.”

Louis sat. Auriel picked up a pair of scissors and a comb. “I’m not going to give you a full cut. Just a trim.” She began to cut his hair. He smiled faintly toward Angelique in the mirror. She winked back at him.

“So what are we going to do with your hair?” Auriel asked, looking at Angelique.

“My hair is good enough,” Angelique said. “Just a little styling. I can do it myself.”

“Let me help you,” Auriel said. “I want it to look perfect for the party.”

“Okay,” Angelique said. “But no cuts.”

“No cuts,” Auriel promised.

Cherish and Maeve came out of the bathroom. Cherish wore the floral bikini, her cheeks flushed. She looked shy but beautiful. Maeve wore the black and red bikini. She looked stunning. The black fabric made her pale skin seem even paler. Her red hair was bright against it.

“You look amazing,” Louis said, standing up. “Both of you.”

Cherish blushed. Maeve looked down at herself, then at Louis. “It’s… weird.”

“It’s good weird,” Louis said.

Auriel looked at them and nodded. “Perfect. Now, for the makeup and hair. I’ll work with each of you individually. We need to be quick.” She turned to Willa. “Have you chosen your glasses?”

“Yes,” Willa said. “These.” She pointed at a pair of silver frames.

“Okay,” Auriel pointed at a makeup station. “Willa, you’re first. Then you can go to the optometrist. He should be in the lab downstairs.”

“Why am I not surprised you have an optometrist in your house?” Willa said, walking toward the station.

“We have everything here,” Auriel said, following her. “We are important people. We have needs.”

“I bet you do,” Gladice said, smirking.

Auriel ignored her and started working on Willa’s makeup. Someone knocked on the door. Élise entered carrying a tray with nine tall glasses of a pinkish-orange mocktail, garnished with pineapple leaves and orchids.

“Some refreshments before the party,” she said, placing the tray on a table. “Tropical blend. Non-alcoholic.”

“Thank you, Élise,” Louis said, taking a glass. “You are the best, as always.”

Élise smiled. “You are welcome, Louis. Let me know if you need anything else.”

She left, closing the door behind her. Angelique took a glass and sipped it.

“This is good. I was getting thirsty.”

Maeve took a glass too and sniffed it. “What’s in it?”

“Pineapple, mango, passion fruit, and a few other things,” Louis said. “Try it. It’s good.”

Maeve took a small sip. Her eyes widened. “It’s sweet.” She looked at Louis. “So you just have people who bring you drinks all the time?”

“Pretty much,” Louis said.

Maeve looked at her glass. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this. I’d rather just get a soda.”

Louis laughed. “We have soda too.”

“Okay.”

Auriel finished Willa’s makeup. “There. Perfect. Now, let’s do your hair. Just a little styling. It won’t take long.”

Willa sighed. “Fine. But don’t make me look like a doll.”

“I won’t,” Auriel said, running her fingers through Willa’s hair. “I’ll give you two small braids for a cuter look.”

“Whatever. Just get it over with.”

Auriel worked quickly, her fingers weaving the braids. “Done.” She turned Willa toward the mirror. “What do you think?”

Willa stared at her reflection. “It’s… okay.”

“It’s more than okay,” Auriel said. “You look cute. And smart.”

“She does,” Louis said. “I like it.”

Willa looked at him. “You would.”

Auriel smiled. “Now, off you go. The optometrist is waiting. We have a party to attend.”

“Let me show you the way,” Louis said. He turned to the others. “I’ll leave you in Auriel’s capable hands. But don’t let her torture you too much. See you at the pool.”

“You too, lover boy,” Gladice said, winking at him. “Don’t be too long.”

He laughed and led Willa out of the room. They walked down the hall to the elevator.

“She’s… something else,” Willa said, touching her braids.

“She is. But she’s good at her job. You look beautiful.”

“I feel like a different person.”

“That’s the point. We are all different now.”

The elevator opened, and they went inside. Louis pressed the button for the B2 level. The elevator descended smoothly.

“What’s this optometrist like?” Willa asked. “Another diva like Auriel?”

“Not at all,” Louis said. “He is Dr. Zhou. He’s from Shanghai. Very professional.”

“Okay.” Willa’s fingers played with the braid. “I never thought I would be getting new glasses in the Collins residence. Or getting fitted for swimsuits by the Dominion’s top stylist.”

“I never thought I would be kidnapped and then come home with seven women who I love,” Louis said. “Life is weird.”

Willa smiled. “Yes, it is.”

He took her hand as the elevator doors opened on B2. The corridor had glossy white floors and track lighting.

“So this is the lab,” Willa said. “You weren’t joking.”

Louis led her down a corridor to a door labeled “Dr. Zhou – Optometry.”

He knocked. A moment later, the door opened. A man in his late forties, wearing a white lab coat and glasses, smiled.

“Mr. Collins. Welcome back. I was informed you would be coming.”

“Dr. Zhou. This is Willa Locke.”

“Miss Locke. A pleasure.” Dr. Zhou gestured them inside. “Please, sit. We will make it quick.”

Willa gave him the silver frames. Dr. Zhou examined them, made a few notes on a tablet, then turned to her.

“Look here, please.”

He ran her through a series of tests with a phoropter and a digital retinal scanner. Louis took a seat and browsed his phone while they worked. He opened Tengri, ignoring the notification count, and checked the news feed. The statement about their return was still the top story. Some candid photos from the airport had already appeared. Louis saw himself, half-hidden behind a guard, with Maeve’s face visible behind him. The comments section was a war of speculation. He closed the app.

“All done,” Dr. Zhou said. “The lenses will be ready in an hour. I’ll have them delivered to the poolside cabana.”

“That’s fast,” Willa said. “It took me two weeks to get my old glasses.”

“We are efficient here,” Dr. Zhou said, returning her old glasses. “It’s our specialty.”

“Thank you, Dr. Zhou.” Louis stood. “Keep up the good work.”

“I always do.” Dr. Zhou bowed slightly. “Enjoy your party.”

Back in the elevator, Willa touched her temples. “An hour. I can’t believe it.”

“Welcome to the Dominion,” Louis said.

“Some things here are amazing,” she said. “And some are… overwhelming.”

“Which ones?”

“The constant attention. The speed. The lack of privacy. The opulence.” She looked at him. “Are you ever overwhelmed by it?”

Louis considered it. “No. I grew up with it. It’s normal to me.”

“But it’s not normal to us,” Willa said. “To Maeve. To Cherish.”

“No,” Louis agreed. “But they will adjust. We all will.”

“I hope so.” Willa’s fingers still played with her braids. “I still feel like an impostor sometimes. Like I don’t belong here.”

“You belong here,” Louis said, taking her hand. “Because I love you. And because you are smart. And brave. And beautiful.”

She smiled faintly. “And because I can hack into any system?”

“That too,” Louis said, kissing her. “But mostly because you are you.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Louis Collins.” She squeezed his hand. “Even to my panties.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The elevator doors opened on the ground floor. They stepped out into the hallway. The sunlight streamed through the large windows at the end of the corridor.

“We can go to the pool and claim a cabana before the others come down,” Louis said.

“I’d like that,” Willa said.

They walked toward the glass doors leading to the pool area with a wide infinity pool overlooked the Pacific. Lounge chairs and cabanas were arranged around the pool. The water sparkled in the afternoon sun.

“Wow,” Willa said. “That’s… a view.”

“It is,” Louis said. “One of the best.”

He led her to a cabana with a large sofa and a table. They sat down.

“So,” Louis said. “What do you think of the compound plan?”

“I think it’s crazy,” Willa said. “And romantic. And a little bit scary.”

“Scary how?”

“Scary because it means we are really committing. To each other. To this life. To this… arrangement.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No,” Willa said. “It’s not. It’s just… a big step. A huge step. I thought maybe we’d all just go back to our lives. Eventually.”

Louis watched her. “Is that what you want?”

“No,” Willa said. “But when I think about the future, I don’t know if we can just live together like this forever. Sooner or later, things will get complicated. People will get jealous. Or bored. Or angry. We are not a normal family. We can’t be.”

“Maybe we don’t have to be normal,” Louis said. “Maybe we can be something else. Something better.”

“Something better how?” Willa asked. “By living on a private compound with armed guards and a personal staff? That’s not better, Louis. That’s just a more comfortable cage.”

“Then we leave the cage when we want to,” Louis said. “We travel. We explore. We do things together. But we always come back to each other. To our home.”

“Our home,” Willa repeated. “It sounds nice. But does it exist yet? Or are we just dreaming?”

“We’re building it,” Louis said. “Right now. With my dad’s help. And with our love.”

Willa looked down at her hands. “I love you, Louis. I do. And I love the others. I wouldn’t have survived without them. But I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of losing this,” she said, looking up at him. “Of losing you. Of losing us. I’ve never had anything like this before. And I don’t want to lose it.”

“You won’t,” Louis said, taking her hand. “I promise.”

“Promises are easy to make,” she said. “And hard to keep.”

“Not this one.”

Willa leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes. “I hope you’re right, Louis. I really do.”

They sat together for a moment before Willa spoke again.

“Do you think I’m too pessimistic, Louis?”

“No. You’re realistic. I like that about you.”

“I’m also cynical,” she said. “And sometimes, I think too much.”

“I like that about you too,” he said. “You keep me grounded.”

“I try,” she said, opening her eyes. “You can be a little… impulsive.”

Louis laughed. “Just a little.”

“Okay, maybe more than a little,” she said. “But you have a good heart. And you care about us. That’s what matters.”

“Yeah,” he said. “It does.”

He reached out and took her hand. She laced her fingers with his. They sat like that for a while, watching the sunlight sparkle on the water.

“You know,” she said. “I was thinking about your dad. And what he said.”

“Which part?”

“About being responsible. And protecting us.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want to be protected,” she said. “I want to protect myself. And you. And the others. With my skills. Not just by being Louis’s girlfriend.”

“I never doubted that,” Louis said.

“But some people might,” she said. “They might see me as just another one of your women. A trophy. A conquest.”

“You’re not,” Louis said.

“I know I’m not,” she said. “But I want the world to know it too.”

“Then we’ll show them,” Louis said. “Together.”

Willa smiled. “Okay.”

He leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were soft and tasted of the tropical mocktail. His tongue traced the seam of her mouth, and she opened it for him. He deepened the kiss, his hand moving up her arm to her shoulder, then down her back. She responded, her own hands exploring his chest. His cock began to stir in the red shorts.

Angelique’s voice cut through the moment. “Getting started without us?”

They broke the kiss and turned. Angelique and Gladice walked toward the pool, their bodies gleaming. Gladice’s blue one-piece hugged her curves, while Angelique’s orange suit showed off her cleavage.

“We were just talking,” Louis said.

“Sure you were,” Gladice said, winking.

“Your loss,” Willa said, leaning back. “We were having a good conversation.”

“I’m sure you were,” Angelique said. “But we are here now. And we brought reinforcements.”

Donya, Savannah, Cherish, and Maeve walked out behind them. Donya wore a light green cutout one-piece, while Savannah had chosen an orange bikini. Cherish came out with one hand holding the edge of her floral bikini bottom. Maeve still seemed a little awkward in the black and red one, but she held herself with more confidence now.

“You look… amazing,” Louis said.

“So do you,” Cherish said, her cheeks flushing.

The music started with a playlist of chill electronic music. The sun was warm. The water was inviting. And the women were beautiful.

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