Music streamed from the speakers of the gazebo. With eyes closed, Beasley lay back on the jets of the hot tub as Diamond, the current queen of his mansion, massaged his temples.

“You have an unknown text,” said the dark beauty with a short-cropped afro.

Beasley licked his lips as she handed him a plush towel from the side of the jacuzzi. He held it up and wiped his hands. She then handed over the iPhone.

UNKNOWN: How is my girl?

Chewing hard on his bottom lip, Beasley considered how to answer. She’s good. She’s okay. Fuck, what should he say? Mary Jane was gone!

BEASLEY: OK.

UNKNOWN: Comfortable in her cage? Waiting for me to come save her. (Smile Emoji)

His jaw tightened. He glanced around. Diamond’s gaze found the ground. She was aware of her owner’s discomfort. Beasley continued to consider what to tell the man. Mary Jane wasn’t like the others. She wasn’t given to Beasley to work at The Petting Zoo. But when Beasley laid eyes on Mary Jane, she did things to him, like made his cock salute her. No, he’d never touched her. Touching her sexually or inflicting too much pain would be his death. He still regretted choking her out two days ago. That was the most pain he’d ever inflicted on her. Fuck no, he wouldn’t allow anyone besides Jake to place a hand on her. Despite all the threats to her life, she was worth too much. She wasn’t his whore.

BEASLEY: She’s not in the cage. It hasn’t been a full month.

His breathing came in sharp pants as he awaited a response. The man who owned Mary Jane had not one but two islands, a slew of mansions around the world, and exotic cars. She was just one of his expensive toys, but Beasley knew he loved each of his toys.

UNKNOWN: You’re right. See you next week then.

Beasley’s lungs began to work right again. He handed his iPhone back to Diamond. She reached over and placed it away from the ledge of the jacuzzi. He controlled his nerves as he lay back into position for her to rub his temples again.

I must find this woman and bring her back, Beasley thought.

His heartbeat skyrocketed. With one flick of the wrist, the magic Diamond worked into his psyche stopped. His swim trunks puffed up like a blimp from the force of the jets as he stood.

Beasley looked at Diamond. Mary Jane should’ve taken her spot at The Petting Zoo tonight. He was given both girls around the same time. Diamond had come a little over a month ago. And he owned her. Mary Jane arrived about a week after. She was owned by another. She wasn’t supposed to be in his club, but what was the use of having such a beautiful woman rotting away in a cage?

His plans were to have Mary Jane strut her pussy around his club. He could just let the boys get a good sniff, make some money, and then lock her ass in the cage before her owner arrived. Diamond would once again return to The Petting Zoo and follow the normal rotation in Beasley’s operation. After all, his clientele had a diverse palate, so what was the trouble with having Mary Jane at the club for a few days? No touching, just looking. Shit, that mindset had gotten him into this mess. He was already going to be in hot water for using Mary Jane for advertisement, if her owner only knew.

He should have prepared her, and then placed her in the cage like he’d been told. Forget the good following at The Petting Zoo. His club was a fairly lucrative side hobby compared to the money coming in from his real job.

“I have business to attend to,” he said. “Diamond, you do too. While we’re waiting on MJ to come home, you head to The Petting Zoo and keep the guys satisfied.”

Before he could turn away and climb the steps, he noticed the annoyance smeared across her face. His spine tingled. He waded back over. His fingers went to the beautiful bone structure of her cheek. He rubbed it softly, knowing she didn’t want to strip. Diamond had a good life here. He had a fondness for Diamond, and with Mary Jane in her position for a few shows—while Mary Jane’s owner was away—Diamond had gotten comfortable playing house. She stayed in the fifteen-hundred-square-foot bedroom and could purchase any designer item she fancied. Little did she know, that even when Mary Jane returned to her cage, Diamond would have to return to The Petting Zoo. It was a no-brainer. He shuffled his whores when needed. Beasley had only wanted MJ as a trophy for the first few weeks of the month, then he planned to keep her locked up for her owner.

His fingernails dug into Diamond’s cheeks until pinpricks of blood dripped from around his nails and mixed with the water on her chocolate-colored skin. “Are you going to take the prime-time shift at The Petting Zoo this evening?”

“Yes.” She nodded as her breath escaped through gritted teeth.

“You know I love you, Diamond, because I asked, right?” His hand slipped from her raw skin where he’d scraped his nails into her. Can’t ruin that pretty face. They call her “The Diamond in the Rough,” such an innocent young woman. His hand stopped on her neck, but then he thought better of squeezing the life source.

Knowing her error, she spoke meekly. “Yes, you love me.”

“That’s right.” His hand rested at his side. “Get ready, then rally up the men. Grab my box, and y’all join me in the meeting room in twenty minutes. Oh, and have them situated with a glass of Dom. We’ll have ourselves a little pep talk—and give them a good reason to search harder for MJ—before you head over to the club.”

She nodded and rushed past him to pick up the towel draped over the handrail. He watched her pretty, slender feet as she scurried down the stairs of the gazebo. She was cautious around his two beloved Rottweilers. Knight and King growled, their muscles bulging as they stood in a wide-legged stance, pulling at their restraints. The sound of chains being tugged from the stucco building made her pretty feet move faster.

Beasley smiled, thinking of the time the chains had broken. He’d lost his moneymaker that night, but the sight of her death had left him excited for days. Flesh ripping from bones, blood squirting all over the patio.