Mallory

Mallory’s second date rule was firm, at least in her own mind. Never put out on the first date, that just makes you a ho. But waiting for the third date is too long, that might make him think you’re some kind of tradwife and that would be way worse. If he makes it to a second date, jump him then. You get the best of both worlds - he knows you’re not a ho, but also knows you’re chill and DTF.

Not that she’d put that into practice all that frequently. There were no shortage of boys, but the definition of a ‘date’ was always so damned fuzzy. Was it like, a ‘date’ date if he invited you to his bro’s house party? It depends on whether it’s at his house or not. If it’s at his house, then it's not a date, it’s just a hang out. No matter how many people are there.

Boys rarely offer food any more, it is just too much of a mixed message. If you’re like, sitting down at a restaurant - date. No question. If he cooks the meal - that’s worth three dates by itself. But how does delivery pizza fit into this? Taco trucks? It could be a date if you walked to the cliffside and watched the waves while you ate, but if you just plop down on the curb or the couch, no.

Then there’s the music, which could totally change the equation. If it’s just his Spotify pumping through the stereo, not a date. We’re back to hang out. If there’s a band though? That’s another factor. A live band definitely pulls it towards a date. It’s a lock if they hired a band. But if it’s his buddy’s band, then it’s iffy, unless it’s a practice sesh, which means it's definitely not a date - back to hangout immediately. If he’s in the band, abandon all the date rules and just fuck him, because guitar players are hot.

Mallory ran through all the hypothetical permutations in her head, because otherwise she’d have to think about her actual situation: on the elevator to Michael’s suite for her Winner’s Night.

That of course, scrambled all the rules to hell. How do you calculate a date when a fucking genie makes you do it? And like, I already sucked his dick so I guess I broke the rule already.

Mallory, for her part, had tried to push off the entire dilemma with her comparatively modest outfit. A loose blouse and short shorts with sneakers. She would have gone even more chaste than that if she could, but all the pants she owned hugged her like a second skin and Janet was not of a mind to lend her anything else at the moment. No earrings, no make up, no dresses… In a normal circumstance, Mallory would have loved to take a peek at Vivian’s closet for inspiration, the woman had a lady’s taste. The team switch had happened immediately and Janet’s clothes were filling that space now, and Mallory knew better than to ask. Mallory dared not cross the common room into Ruby’s team bedroom, for fear of running into her mother. I do not want to know what she’s doing with that picture right now.

---

Michael smiled as she came in, but didn’t approach to give her a hug. Small mercies. He was just finishing setting placemats on a dinner table that had been placed off center of the room. She relaxed a little when she saw his dorky docksiders. Definitely not a date. Or if it is a date, then this man is utterly hopeless.

“Wow, they mentioned the changes, but it’s really different up here,” Mallory said. The last time she had been up here, it had just been a disgustingly cheesy hotel suite, which was bad enough. But now the first and most alarming comparison she could make was a godawful blend of a hookah bar and a strip club. How can he even sleep up here?

Michael had tried his best to convert the space into something less overtly porn-y, with limited success. A changing screen had been awkwardly placed in front of the stripper’s pole and a blanket thrown over the ‘throne.’

“Yeah, you can now see why I had the meeting downstairs. The hosts implied it might get worse.” Michael gestured to the rest of the flatware still sitting on the lower shelf of a nearby room service cart. “Gotta make the best of it. Help me get ready. Set two more places, please.” He took the lid off a large pot on top of the cart and began stirring the contents.

He did say please. Did that mean it was still an order? Mallory wasn’t sure and didn’t want to take the chance, so she obeyed.

“What is that?” Mallory asked as a soup smell wafted by. “It smells amazing, the staff know their stuff.”

“That was mine actually. I needed some time to think and had some energy to burn off after the challenge, so I borrowed the kitchen and cooked dinner.”

He cooked for me tonight!? Oh no… Oh NO.

She was so focused on not saying anything that would lose points that it took her an extra beat to ask “Wait, why four places?”

“Danica and Ronnie will be joining us for dinner tonight.” Michael continued to fiddle with the food on the cart. This was a brief moment of relief. No date ever involves your mom. I’m in the clear.

“They didn’t mention it as I was coming up.” Mallory said.

“I haven’t called them yet, I was getting things ready.” He’s just… assuming they would want to come join us. Or does he mean to order them up here? How much is he settling into that role? Michael looked over at the table and, apparently finding Mallory’s hasty settings adequate, pointed to the room phone. “Call down to the common room and get them both on the line.”

“Now?”

“The soup isn’t getting any hotter.” Michael said.

Still not wanting to chance a point loss this time around, Mallory took the phone off the hook and dialed down to the common room. Danica answered on the first ring.

“How is it going up there?” Danica said, trying to sound relaxed and failing. “You lost a point.”

“I did?!” Mallory said. “Oh, damn it. I asked him ‘why’ when he told me to call down and get you and Ronnie on the phone.”

“That’s all it takes to lose a point?” Danica said. “They are really being strict about this.”

“They are, Mom. And you’re at 0. So please just get Ronnie on the phone, I don’t want you to lose a point for, like, impeding me.”

“Ok, ok.” The line went muffled as Danica pressed the handset against her shoulder and called Ronnie over. A few moments later, Mallory heard her come on the line.

“Yeah?”

“Michael wanted to speak to you and Mom.” Mallory saw Michael was watching, so she nodded and waved him over. Michael pressed the speakerphone button.

“Danica, Ronnie, are you both there?” He waited as they confirmed. “Good. Both of you come up to my suite for dinner. Don’t bother changing, whatever you have on is fine.”

There was a short pause before they both agreed. They didn’t want to talk back and lose points. Michael disconnected the call, and began to dish out the food.

“Mallory, go get us some drinks from the bar please?” Michael said, continuing to answer the question in her eyes. “I know you’re under drinking age, but since this is your night, technically, I think you should pick.”

Mallory was returning to the table with bottles of Jack Daniels and Coke when Danica and Ronnie arrived from the contestant’s suite. Danica had already changed into loose clothes for a night in, and Ronnie was in a bathrobe which she was holding closed with her hands, and her usual heels. Her hair was wet and dripping down her head.

“Ronnie?” Michael chuckled. “Dressing down is one thing…”

“I was just out of the shower,” she said. “Luciana wanted a workout partner today before she - and I quote - ‘Gets all squishy at night.’ You told me to come up and not change, so I had to come as I was.” She said.

“Oh… Hadn’t thought that through.” Michael said. “Do you at least want a belt to tie the robe off?”

“Off another Harem Hotel robe? No thanks,” Ronnie said. “They’re magic like everything else. Doesn’t matter what knot you use on it, a woman tries to tie her robe closed and it will find a way to come loose as soon as the Master is around.” Without warning, Ronnie just took the side of the robe and pulled them wide open, flashing her naked body to Michael and the other women.

“Woah!” Mallory said, holding up her hands instinctively to block the view behind the twin bottles.

“Nothing Michael hasn’t seen before.” Ronnie shrugged, then pulled the robe closed and crossed her arms.

Showed nude body to the Boss +5

She’s correct, it’s nothing Michael hasn’t seen before. -5

“Maybe that will keep the Hotel from messing with me for a little bit.” Ronnie was already looking over the table settings. Mallory looked at Danica for confirmation that Ronnie was the crazy one, but Danica’s expression was conflicted. Who can even call someone else crazy right now?

Michael pulled the chairs out for each of the women before sitting himself. Whether intentionally or not, he’d placed Ronnie and Danica opposite each other, and himself opposite Mallory. Mallory wondered if that was a deliberate move, but seeing as Michael had surprised her quite a lot over the last few days, she was hesitant to question or impute motives right now. Mallory poured them each drinks, and Michael took an eager sip of his.

“Not my usual dinner drink, especially with minestrone, but I’ll take it.”

The four of them moved in to the dinner, in the style of family dinners the world over. Where platitudes are shared about the weather, or what’s happened recently in the news, or the weather, or essentially any conversation that does not address the reality of the situation. These tend to continue until someone cracks - and this time, it was Danica.

“Why did you call us here, Michael?” Danica asked as politely as she could muster. I’m glad she asked, because I was too worried to.

“There was more I wanted to get through in the meeting I called downstairs, but we were interrupted by the game and then another round of magic.” Michael said. “I wanted to say some things to the three of you specifically, but I don’t have enough time to do it properly. So I guess I’ll just have to do it ugly and hope for the best.”

“What do you mean not enough time?” Danica continued.

“You saw the way the audience voted for Janet.” He said. “How even though it’s her transformation, it affects all of us.” He sipped his drink. “I can already tell it has. I spent the time while I was cooking trying to remember my interactions with her from before the hotel… I can not remember a time where I wasn’t fantastically attracted to her. Can you?”

“No.” Mallory said instantly. The others looked at her quickly, and she blushed. “I mean, when Michael wasn’t attracted to her. I can remember her talking about it.”

“I remember her walking out on that stage on the first night, and my heart sank because I thought there was no way you would pick anyone else.” Danica admitted.

“That’s the magic talking.” Ronnie said. “I mean, I know what you’re saying. She took my breath away on the premiere night too, but I’ve seen this happen before. They just mess with the cast like this.”

“So if it’s not real, can we fix it?” Danica asked.

“It’s real.” Ronnie said definitively. “Short of the Hotel overwriting it with something new, that’s reality now.”

“That’s what I figured. I mean, intellectually I’m aware that I was attracted to her before. I told everyone so. But not like this, and if that reality is gone for good then… I don’t know.” Michael sighed softly.

“Should we have her here for this conversation?” Ronnie asked, ignoring Mallory and Danica’s urgent head shaking. “You did just have a whole meeting about favoritism.”

“I get why you’d ask, but no. I called you three here specifically because Janet’s transformation isn’t complete. There’s gonna be a whole history built between the two of us through that same magic.” Michael put down his drink and took Danica and Ronnie’s hand, giving them each a squeeze. Instinctively, Mallory did the same and the four of them looked for all the world like they were saying grace. “Obviously they already messed with my memory once and I can’t fix that. But you three are the women I made commitments to. Real ones, in the real world, without any of this manipulation or the swords over all our heads. And I honored those commitments as best I could.

“I won’t pretend my eyes never strayed, I confessed as much already. But I was loyal until they started screwing with me here.” Michael turned to Danica. “Yes, Janet kissed me a few years ago and I never told you. It was a mistake from a confused girl and I didn’t let it become a thing. Nothing. Happened.” Michael emphasized the last word. “Tomorrow, somehow, they’re going to make me a cheater. Give Janet and I this whole past from out of thin air. I don’t really see a way out of that, so I wanted you all to know what you meant to me before that happens. You were -are-” Michael interjected quickly, “the most important parts of my world. Always.”

“I’ll… try to remember.” Danica said, her voice a little shaky.

“Deep down I hope so. I don’t know how you’ll find out. Maybe you’ll have always known, maybe you’ll find out here. Just… if you can, try not to take it out on Janet. She’s as much a victim in this as the rest of us.”

Less a victim than me. Mallory looked intently into her drink, so she didn’t have to risk seeing everyone’s pained faces.

“I just need this to be over.” Danica said.

“In a way it never really will be.” Michael said. “Sarah, Vivian, Luciana, …and Janet. They’re all going to be joining our family too. For good. I talked to the hosts after you went inside earlier, and they gave me a little bit of information about how this will all look at the end. How you’ll all be bound to me, but some moreso than others.”

“Meaning…?” Ronnie asked. “The Staff don’t really get to watch the final ceremony and they never told us what happened after.”

“If you don’t get to a hundred points by the end… you won’t exist.” Michael said, squeezing both their hands even tighter. “It’ll be just like you showed up in my house one day, no past or anything. You’ll have a little free will at least. If you get eliminated, not even that.”

“So what does 100 points get? Freedom?” Mallory asked.

“Of a kind.” Michael said. “You’d still be in my harem, but you’d be able to get some of your life back. Mallory, you could go back to school. Danica, you’d be able to work. Ronnie… I don’t know if you’d be able to be a dancer in heels, but if you won then you could work something out with the wish.”

“If I won? You pick the winner.” Ronnie said.

“I do,” Michael said. “And whomever I pick would be treated like they got over 100, no matter where they were to begin with.”

“So you want to save that card?”

“Yeah, the whole setup of the poker game was meant to push me into that decision, and it did.” Michael said. “If I can get everyone over 100, then whoever loses the last game, I pick them as Queen and we all walk away from this. More or less.” He finished his drink and then just replaced it with whiskey, not bothering to mix the soda. “I asked Sarah to help me keep everyone from elimination, but that may not be enough anymore.”

“100 points each… Michael.” Danica broke the connection and folded her hands to stop her fidgeting, which was starting to move up her hands to her upper body. “That’s gonna be a whole lot to earn.”

“True.” Michael said, sipping his whiskey as he crafted his response. “This ordering power I have now though, it awards extra points if you do what I say.”

“Yes, but only sexual things.” Danica’s eyes were flitting back and forth between Michael and Mallory, growing increasingly frantic. “Like, if you ordered Mallory to… and ordered me to watch… I”

“Danica, did you take one of your pills today?” Michael asked with concern.

“I have to do it every day!” Danica snapped, “I sold my stupid relaxing pills to Vivian and I couldn’t stand the thought of walking around with beach ball tits…”

“You took the horny pills?” Michael covered his face. “Ok, I understand-”

“You don’t!” Danica was full body trembling now, Mallory recognized some of those signs from friends of hers who’d chased the dragon just a little bit further than she had. “Michael, you get to just tell everyone all the perverted thoughts that come through your head, but I can’t! Mine are… just… wrong and they won’t stop…”

Mallory grabbed Danica’s wrist in hopes of comforting her. “Mom… Daddy knows best, ok? Just stop giving him trouble and I’m sure he’ll take care of us.” Damn it! NOW?! Mallory tried to think of a way she could smoke signal or morse code or communicate in any other way that was less humiliating, but to Mallory’s shock it seemed to work perfectly. Danica was suddenly calm and collected again, like Mallory had communicated a deep and noble truth that allowed it all to fall into place.

“I have been hard on you, Michael.” Danica said. “I gave myself to you on our date, but that’s not enough.” Danica took Mallory’s hand and pulled it over to lay it on Michael’s.

“Mom!”

“Danica… You’re not yourself right now.” Michael said, looking suddenly unnerved by the situation.

“No, I’m not. And I never will be again.” Danica added to her own drink before Michael could stop her, but with a look she backed his hand away. “You confessed everything, and I believed you.”

“Almost everything.” Ronnie added.

“What did I leave out?”

“You said everyone was brought here because you wanted to have sex with us.” Ronnie pointed at Mallory. “They interrupted the meeting before you got to her.”

“I was totally fine with that, for the record!” Mallory added.

Ronnie leaned forward, pressing into Michael’s space slightly. “I love you, Michael, and I know what you’re trying to do here.”

“Get everyone out of here as intact as possible.”

“I meant tonight. Yes, you wanna save everyone and be the hero, but you’re still a guy. Your meeting made that clear.” Ronnie’s eyes flitted to Mallory and back. “But you’re trying not to be a bad guy. You called Danica and I along for a specific reason. You want our blessing.” Michael didn’t respond. “You know the score. Mallory’s getting killed every week by the audience. Bottom every time.” Michael looked at Mallory and she nodded to admit it. Not that I could pretend otherwise. “You couldn’t ask this of Danica, just look at her. If you even mention fucking Mallory, she’s liable to melt into a puddle.” Danica closed her eyes and moaned just at hearing, then abruptly slapped her own face to bring herself back from whatever screwed up daydream she’d been pulled to.

“You can’t ask Danica, but you can’t go behind her back either.” Ronnie rubbed her forehead. “So that leaves me as the closest thing you’ve got to a neutral vote.”

What about me? Don’t I get an opinion? Mallory wanted to yell, but she was sure as anything the show would take the opportunity to have her crudely proposition Michael. She kept her mouth shut.

Michael slowly leaned back in his chair. Mallory was reminded of the guys in the detective shows, once the super hot lady cop had laid out all the evidence and they realized they were busted.

“That’s a fair way to put it.” Michael nodded. “I want to get everyone over 100 points, and that really needs to be sexual. Just as a secondary goal, I’d also like it if all of you didn’t hate me once this was over.”

“I won’t hate you, Michael. I can’t.” Ronnie said. “But if you want my blessing, I need the whole truth.”

Mallory lunged for the bottle of whiskey, took a long slug straight from it, then slammed it down and gripped the table like it was going to fly away.

“Fine, let’s fucking do this then. Hit me.” Mallory had sucked his dick and had it broadcast to who-knows-how-many viewers, but hearing her own stepdad’s sexual fantasies about her promised to be more humiliating than even that. Danica appeared just as tense, for wholly different reasons.

Michael shook his head in disbelief. “It doesn’t paint me in the best light, but fuck it.” He looked to Danica. “It was the morning after Luciana’s fight. I’d just lost so much fucking money, Vivian had just screwed the company only a few months earlier, I had a hangover that was destroying me, and then Mallory picks that exact moment to recount my many failures. I’m sitting at the kitchen island clutching a bottle of Gatorade for support, and Mallory is pissing in your ear about how I’m a disgrace as a man, too stupid to run a business, a dickless wonder, all her usual hits.”

“I’m sorry-” Mallory started, but Michael stopped her.

“Hold that until I’m finished, because I don’t think I’ve earned it. I’m sitting there listening to this and swallowing my tongue because, what can I really say? I did fuck everything up. But you know what really scorched me? That was the first time you really listened, Danica. The moment I could tell Mallory had won the argument and you were gonna toss me out. And with the benefit of hindsight and a clear head, you were totally right to. I was a failure and I needed to hit bottom.” Michael sucked air through his teeth, notably not looking at Mallory as he continued. “But then Mallory just strutted right past me with this little devil-may-care smile on her way out the door, like she didn’t just end my marriage. Must have been on her way to the beach because she was in a tiny little bikini. And I thought, ‘That prick Greg ruined her. He enabled her worst behaviors for her entire life, and then he gave her enough money so that no one else would stop her either.”

Mallory hung her head. It was even more painful than she’d expected.

“I should have stopped there, but I didn’t. I was having an impulse control problem at the time, as should be obvious.” Michael took another drink. “So I let my mind wander into some of my darker places. I sat there thinking ‘Mallory has made her feelings for me quite clear - I’m not her father and never will be. And if Danica’s gonna toss me out then I don’t have to pretend I am any more.’ And then I should have stopped there but the boulder was rolling downhill. I thought, ‘She’s hot, she’s rich, and she makes horrible decisions. She needs someone to keep her in line, so why shouldn’t it be me? If she won’t let me be her father, I’ll be her daddy. I’ll show her the discipline she never got and… well… reap the rewards.’”

The room went quiet. Deathly quiet. I always knew he wanted to say something, to cut me back as I was cutting him. But I never realized I pushed him into that corner. Mallory remembered how Greg had always done that with Danica. Needle and needle until it was clear she was ready to explode. She’d always complained to me about it, and I’d always thought it was her own fault for rising to his bait. She looked at Michael and his eyes were pained, and Mallory could tell he was re-living a thousand of those little paper cuts one after the other. And she finally had enough booze in her to get the clarity. Mom didn’t punch back the same way because she didn’t want to hurt me. And Michael didn’t because he didn’t want to hurt her.

When it became clear that none of the women were going to speak, Michael pursed his lips and nodded.

“Yeah. It was my lowest point, at least until I came here. But a day later, when my head was slightly clearer, I felt like the world’s biggest asshole. Still do. I tried to call you, Mallory.” Michael said, for the first time acknowledging her since this little digression started. “I wanted to apologize, somehow. Even though it was all in my head, it still felt like such a violation of everything I tried to do for you. You didn’t answer my calls, so we were both spared that awful conversation for a time. But here we are now.”

Mallory wanted to leap from the table and flee. After all, that was the rational response when being all but told that your stepfather wants to have sex with you. But Danica’s face is what stopped her. And not her face tonight, her face the day it looked like she was going to be eliminated. Like she was prepared to walk off a cliff rather than admit she was wrong, or that she needed to change. I can’t let that happen again. Mallory thought. If Michael can only save one of us… would she tell him to pick me? She did once. Mallory redoubled her resolve. And he’d do it again, because that’s who they both are. I can’t let that happen. I can’t leave Mom like that, which means I need to get to 100. Which means…

“I’ll do it.”

Mallory took Danica’s hand again, which was clammy and shaking now. Danica looked like she was about to faint, but she turned to Michael and nodded. Ronnie was the last to speak, and Mallory felt a flash of anger that Michael would even solicit her opinion on something like this.

Ronnie drummed her finger on the table for a minute.

“Do you think you can control yourself?” She asked pointedly.

“I do.”

“If you’re going to be our Master, we need to have some faith in that.” Ronnie said. “Michael, could you please give us a minute?” Ronnie asked. Michael nodded, almost looking ashamed he didn’t think of that first. He headed off towards the bedroom and left the three alone.

“Are you sure you’re ok with this?” Ronnie asked.

“I just said I was, you don’t think I can make my own decisions?” Mallory demanded.

“I hardly know you, girl.” Ronnie's face was still sympathetic. “But I’ve seen this situation play out before, and it can go all kinds of ways. Some good, some bad, but always a huge change.”

“You think it will go badly?” Danica’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“I hope not, and I cling to that hope like a damned life preserver. For everyone’s sake.”

“How does this affect anyone else?” Mallory said. “Are you pretending to worry about me? You just said you hardly know me.”

“That’s right, I do hardly know you, but I know Michael and I know this hellhole show. This is about you and Michael, and what that means for the rest of us.” Ronnie said. “This place works by breaking down everyone’s taboos, that’s what the showrunners like to see. But look how deep this one runs. Michael was agonizing just thinking about you, Mallory. You may not see him as a father - despite whatever that little ‘daddy’ outburst was - but he clearly sees you as a daughter. So what happens when we cross that line? What’s left?”

“You don’t want me to agree?”

“I’m gonna level with you Mallory, I don’t see how you’re getting out of this show without fucking Michael.” Ronnie’s gaze was hard now. The sympathy was still there, but blended with that was a woman who’d seen some shit. “I just want to be sure you’re doing this for the right reasons, because that can make it better for all of us.”

Danica fidgeted in her chair, but whatever she was bringing herself to say, she couldn’t do it.

“What are the right reasons then?”

“Whatever appeals to his better angels.” Ronnie said. “And yours.”

Mallory nodded. “...Ok. I need to do this for Mom.”

“Mallory…” Danica finally spoke.

“No, Mom. I can’t let us get into another situation like the poker game, with Michael having to choose. Don’t try to talk me out of it.”

“I’m not sure she could bring herself to talk you out of it right now,” Ronnie said, “what they’ve done to your brain, Danica…”

“They aren’t finished.” Mallory said. “Mom, I don’t know what that thing was inside my brain, but what it wrote was just one of the least disgusting ideas that were swirling around. Al and Ruby are no better.”

Danica wiped a small tear and nodded. I have to do this.

“Michael!” Ronnie called.

He entered after a minute and sat back down, looking nervous as he waited for the verdict. Ronnie spoke first. “Ok, I’ll give you my blessing. For whatever it's worth.”

“I’m not sure if ‘Thank You’ is the correct response, but thank you. All of you.” Relief washed over Michael’s face.

“You’re welcome… Master.” Rhonda joked, popping her eyebrows to lighten the mood.

“About that, I’m not ordering anyone to say it, but I asked the hosts and staff to call me ‘Boss’ instead of ‘Master.’”

“How is that better?” Ronnie asked.

“I mean I was a Boss, at least to some of you. It’s less creepy!”

“Marginally, ‘Boss’” Ronnie added a wink, but then gave Mallory a serious look. “Alright, we’ll leave you to it then. Danica?”

“Can you guys stay?” Mallory asked, with sudden anxiety at the two women leaving her alone with Michael.

“What?” Danica looked even more taken aback. And more interested. Mom! This is difficult enough!

“Not… in there, just on the floor or something?” Mallory saw the concern in Michael’s face and walked it back. “I’m not worried… about that. I just kinda want someone nearby…”

Danica and Ronnie nodded, then Danica rubbed Mallory’s shoulder. “It’ll be alright, Mal.” She said, “We’ll be on the other side of the suite, just keep it down in there.” The two got up and shuffled out the opposite door, leaving Michael and Mallory alone sitting opposite each other.

“Now what?” Michael asked.

“You’re asking me?” Mallory couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of that. “And after you told us to call you ‘Boss’?” Mallory made air quotes and even Michael had to laugh then.

“Yeah I really should live up to the name if everyone’s gonna use it.” He said. Before he could work up his courage, Mallory just had to ask:

“Remember the first time I was up here?”

“Yeah, hard to forget.”

“What were you thinking about in the shower?” Michael looked confused, so Mallory kept explaining. “You’d just come in from Vivian and you jumped in the shower, I know you were jacking it in there.”

“Busted.”

“And you thought about me.” Mallory accused, on impulse.

“Not intentionally!” Michael said defensively, and she could see his hackles raising. She felt her usual instinct rising in turn. To chase, to pounce, to find his weak spot and drive in the knife. She **** that down, it would get her nowhere.

“It’s ok, Michael.” Mallory said, lowering her voice. “Please tell me.”

Michael relaxed a little himself when the blade failed to find his ribs. But only a little.

“I was thinking about you and Danica.” Michael said frankly. He’s getting better at these things.. “Opening night, when Ruby made her spank you. I was a little distracted at the time because I’d only just been reunited with Ronnie, but the image never really left. It was a little close to what I’d fantasized about which, as I think of it now, probably wasn’t a coincidence. The hosts do seem to know everything about me.”

Michael put his hands up in a protestation of his innocence. “And that’s all of it. I promise.”

Mallory dropped her gaze and stirred the remains of her soup as she thought about everything that had been laid on her over the last few days. And everything she’d unleashed.

Biodad always taught me to look out for number 1. He always did. And so did I. And where did it get me? I blew up my best friendship over a mediocre lay and some bags of coke.

Mallory studied Michael’s face. He remained guarded, and Mallory realized she hadn’t really seen his face any other way for a long time. At least around me.

Michael brought them up here because Janet’s getting a whole new past with him. I… can’t get that. I don’t think I want that. Or… I don’t think I deserve it. But I can get a new future.

Finally, all that swirling mass of feelings coalesced into the ‘right reasons’.

“Michael, do you mean everything you said about me earlier?”

“Mal… I was wrong-”

“Maybe you weren’t.” Mallory said, putting her soup spoon down and meeting his eyes. “I am sorry about what I’ve done. For, pretty much the day you started dating Mom up until our first date.”

“Date?” Michael’s eyebrow raised.

FUCK.

No backing down now, roll with it.

“Maybe I do… need a Daddy.”