Chapter 5: She Must Be Crazy Part 2

"Bitch... Are you insane asking me to help you pack to move into some hot shot, egotistical, man's house?" Rosalyn went off on her as any concerned friend would.

"He's not." Ariana rolled her eyes as she stared at the screen, biting her thumb nail.

"Right." Rosalyn scoffed as she rode the elevator up to her best friend's apartment. "Well I'm almost to your floor. You have all night to tell me more and convince me how this is a brilliant idea."

"Unlocking the door." Ariana hung up and unlocked the door for her friend.

Rosalyn burst into her apartment and crossed her arms after she hung her purse over one of the black dining room chairs. "Explain."

Ariana sighed and walked into her kitchen, grabbing two wine glasses from a shelf. She gathered a bottle of red wine and carried them over. "Wine first?"

"Can't pass that offer up." Rosalyn relaxed as Ariana poured them each wine.

"I apparently signed that I would not only help him in the office but also at home." Ariana sighed and took a sip of her wine.

Rosalyn searched her eyes for a moment, ignoring what she had said. "Have you been crying? If he said something and you are hiding it... So help me God I will go to his place and-"

"Rose... It's fine. I was watching that." Ariana gestured towards her television at Carter on the screen. "He was talking about losing his mother and how hard holidays and birthdays were. It broke my heart. The whole time I was talking to him until I made him genuinely laugh and smile? It looked forced and like he was in pain, and I couldn't figure it out. I think that is the root of it. But I won't know until I figure it out myself."

"So the mystery has you?" Rosalyn sighed, as she took a sip from her glass.

"I have wanted this so long. Have wanted to work for Anderson Publishing Co. since we were teenagers, Rose. Don't ruin this for me. This is an absolute dream!" Ariana took another sip from her glass and Rosalyn shook her head.

"You have heard the rumors, right?" Rosalyn peered over her glass as her friend's gaze widened.

"Rumors? What rumors?" Ariana set her glass down and ran her fingertips along the stem of it.

"The rumors that he is part of the BDSM community?" Rosalyn set her own glass down.

"I'm sorry. The BD what?" Ariana had no idea what she was talking about.

"BDSM? Girl... have you been living under a rock?" Rosalyn shook her head and pulled her phone out. "I meet a lot of people in my vlogging profession and let me tell you... I have learned so many things in my career. Look, I was talking about you and how you got this job and one of them claimed to be his sub in the past."

"His what? What's a sub?" Ariana raised an eyebrow at Rosalyn and took a sip of her wine.

"Submissive. Ari. My sweet innocent friend, Ariana." Rosalyn laughed and shook her head.

"Hey. I'm not that innocent. You know that. I just don't know what this is." Ariana gestured to her friend with her glass.

"BDSM stands for Bondage, Dominance, Sadism, and Masochism. A sub is the counterpart to a Dom, or Domme if it's a female." Rosalyn shrugged and Ariana opened his schedule again, pointing at the mask symbol.

"Does this mean anything to you?" Ariana passed her his leather planner by sliding it across the table.

Rosalyn stared at the small black masks in the corners of certain days. "Looks familiar. I can ask around and see if any events link to those days."

"I could just ask him..." Ariana pulled the schedule back. "I am supposed to know his schedule and all."

"I'm just telling you facts. She was an ex-sub of his. I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into." Rosalyn shrugged and Ariana sighed.

"And... if I'm intrigued enough to really... want to know?" Ariana dared to admit that fact. She was curious and a big part of her was totally going to look this all up once her best friend was passed out on her couch.

Her phone went off and she looked down to see an email from Carter. "Speak of the devil." Ariana opened the email with a flick of her thumb as her friend choked on her wine.

"Girl... that is too accurate for your own good." Rosalyn burst out laughing and Ariana rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't roll your eyes at him either." Ariana suddenly looked up from the email to stare at her with her lip between her teeth. "You did... didn't you?"

"One time? A couple times?" Ariana tapped her chin in thought. "Maybe also gave him a run for his money."

"Ariana... he's gonna have you restrained to his bed in two seconds flat. Better yet he'll have you attached to a spanking bench as he works you over with a paddle." Rosalyn laughed and Ariana just stared at her horrified. "I'm kidding. Sorta." She raised her eyebrows and looked away, sipping her wine.

Ariana squeaked at her comment and peered down at the email to erase what she had said. She wasn't that innocent. She knew what that meant.

'Good Evening Ms. Adams,

I thought you could use some help lifting your furniture from your place? My driver is also my guard, and he is pretty talented at that sort of thing. Sorry if I came across kind of domineering.'

Ariana choked on her wine, as she read the last word and Rosalyn looked at her with more interest. "What is it?" Rosalyn set her glass down and Ariana slid her phone across the way.

Rosalyn picked up her phone and looked over the email before she started to read. "I lived a very sheltered life and I sometimes do not communicate that well. I am sorry that it was overwhelming and that it made your head hurt. I can only imagine what it's like to have to learn all of that software on top of your tasks. I know you'll get better and understand it. You are one smart woman, after all. Besides it was only day one. I'm glad that you found someone to help you. She sounds sweet. I look forward to you becoming a part of Anderson and hope you enjoy your stay with me. I'll try to make it entertaining for you. I do have a standard poodle named Lucky. I hope you don't mind dogs. She's friendly. A handful, but friendly. Anyway, I'll see you in the morning. Try to not stay up too late. Good-night, Carter Anderson." Rosalyn slid her phone back. "He said Domineering..." She burst out laughing and Ariana groaned and sank onto her folded arms, which were placed on the kitchen table. Rosalyn pat her head and gave her a nurturing tone. "There, there."

"Rose..." Ariana whined and peered up with her fingers laced in her bangs. "What have I gotten myself into...?"

"A hell of a lot of fun, Girl." Rosalyn laughed and Ariana slammed her forehead onto the table with a groan.

She sighed and dragged her hands along the top of the smooth table. "Let's just go pack before I lose all of my nerve and don't move in with him." Ariana stood up, taking the bottle of wine with her.

"Do you-" Rosalyn went to grab her best friend's glass as she watched her walk down the hallway, tipping the bottle back. "Nevermind..." Rosalyn sighed and followed her friend to her bedroom with her own glass in her hand. "You are going to share more of that wine, right? Because I don't think I can help you without it."

Ariana shoved the bottle at her friend and went to work grabbing stuff from her closet first. Rosalyn shrugged and lost her glass, tipping the bottle back as she sat back on Ariana's bed.

"What about these?" Rosalyn absent mindedly opened her nightstand, showing off her many toys.

Ariana ran over and slammed it shut. "I didn't think about that." Her heart raced as she thought about bringing them and the possibility of getting caught, or him hearing the distinct patterns of buzzing, made her skin catch fire.

"Didn't think about... him catching you using them?" Rosalyn smirked and Ariana covered her face with her hands as her cheeks burned. "You barely know this man and here you are falling all over yourself. Is he really like they say?"

Ariana groaned and slowly opened the drawer. "I don't want him walking by... and hearing this." She turned on one of her vibrators, as she mumbled the words from her lips. "No way in Hell he would think that's just my phone blowing up."

"A man like HIM? Nope. Maybe an idiot or someone that lives a strictly vanilla lifestyle, but even then..." Rosalyn snorted and drank another sip of her wine.

Ariana yanked the bottle from Rosalyn's hand and threw her toy back in the drawer. "I'm not bringing them." She took a generous sip and set it on the nightstand.

"You're gonna die without them." Rosalyn laughed as she watched her friend throw clothes into a bag.

"I'm gonna die either way if he's really as you claim, Rose. Doesn't matter whether I have toys or not with me." She pushed down on the closed suitcase to try and zip the first one. She peered up at her friend as her bangs fell in front of her eyes. "It won't be enough."

"Damn Girl." Rosalyn burst out laughing and grabbed the bottle to drink more.

"Look it has been... a long ass time since I- I had someone. Okay?" Ariana stood up from zipping her suitcase and huffed as she brushed her bangs away from her eyes.

"I'm aware. Last one was Damian and we know how that ended." Rosalyn burst out laughing and Ariana sighed.

"Look he had to travel to manage this band. It's fine. I'm better off alone. It's whatever. It's in the past. I just want to focus on my career..." Ariana sighed as she grabbed another suitcase.

"Mm-hm... you know who you sound like?" Rosalyn took another sip from the bottle as she began to go through her desk.

"Who?" Ariana began to throw her shoes into the bag.

"Carter... Anderson." Rosalyn burst out laughing and Ariana groaned and slapped her on the shoulder.

"STOP...." Ariana whined and ripped the bottle from her friend's grasp.

"Just saying... he says that all the time. One of his go to answers for not dating." Rosalyn raised her eyebrows and Ariana groaned.

"I'm well aware..." Ariana shut her bag and went to work grabbing stuff from her bathroom.

Rosalyn helped her pack up the rest of her stuff until her apartment was pretty bare. There were only a few things left to pack. Ariana hadn't seen it that bare since the day she first moved in three years ago. Damian had picked it out, but when things fell through... he had let her keep the place because he only felt it was only right.

Ariana fell onto her couch beside Rosalyn and stared at her television. "Think I should sell the furniture?"

"Why?" Rosalyn peered over at her with a confused expression.

"It was all bought by Dam. Should I bring that with me?" Ariana chewed on her bottom lip.

"I mean... it's free. But if you don't need some of it? Get rid of it." Rosalyn shrugged and Ariana sighed.

"I need to let it go. It's time." Ariana rested her elbow on the arm of the couch with her head on her fist.

"It is. But if you need a bed... keep it. There is no sense in buying a new one if the one you have is perfectly fine." Rosalyn shrugged.

"It has Dam all over it." Ariana grumbled and Rosalyn burst out laughing.

"You've replaced the sheets and washed them... There is very little 'Dam' left on the damn thing." Rosalyn laughed and watched her friend purse her lips.

"His memories are on it." Ariana whined and Rosalyn sighed.

"Then sell it and buy a new one." Rosalyn touched her friend's arm and Ariana fell against the back of her couch.

"First paycheck? New bed." Ariana sighed and stared absently at the show that was playing.