Going Home [Party on the Prairie 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Redrae Gunn

  “I love you, Master,” Kira said without opening her eyes. She touched her hand to Rock’s beard. “You are fuzzy.”

  “Fuzzy?” Rock asked softly. He pulled his fingers from her vagina, loving the way she clenched around him. Trying to keep him from leaving.

  “My shoulders,” Kira whispered. “My Rock.”

  “Your Rock. You are mine, little flower,” Rock said softly.

  “I’m Rock’s little flower.” Kira sighed and fell into a deep sleep.

  Rock was staring at Kira when she woke.

  “You hit me,” Kira said.

  “Barely sweetheart,” Rock said. “Your skin has already turned back to its normal color and there are no welts.”

  “I don’t think I liked that,” Kira said. “I mean the orgasm was amazing but the rest of it. I don’t think laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.”

  “Try it twice and then Master decides,” Rock said. Her little huff made him laugh. “You told me that you loved me.”

  “I do,” Kira said softly. “You don’t have to say it back. I just thought that you should know.”

  Rock considered this for a moment. “Where do you see this going?” He motioned to the space between them.

  “I know that you have grown kids,” Kira started. “I’m not interested in having children. I kind of missed the boat with that one because by the time they graduated college I’d be sixty. I know that you’ve been married and you’ve said you didn’t want to do that again. I would like to marry someone someday.”

  “What’s wrong with the way we are now?” Rock asked, noticing the way that she said marry someone instead of singling out him. “We live together and do everything else together.”

  “I want to share my name with someone,” Kira whispered. “I want to be part of a Mr. and Mrs. I don’t want a big wedding, running to Vegas would be fine, but I want to wear the white dress and walk down the aisle. I want to grow old with someone who shares their heart with me. And their name.”

  “You sure don’t want much then,” Rock teased her. The name seemed very important to her. He considered that she didn’t share her name with anyone right now except a mother that she didn’t know. She was alone just like he had once told her.

  Kira smiled as Rock helped her from the bed. “A girl can dream.”

  * * * *

  A month later and the hugs were more natural instead of forced. When Kira hugged Rock, she actually squeezed and rubbed his back. Her hug felt more sincere and warmer than the ones he had received when she had first started. She was definably making progress under Rock’s rule. He smiled as he scrubbed her back during the evening shower.

  During dinner, Gunner had decided to show up and get more gas. He came inside and Rock made sure to give the guy his space. Gunner looked more out of sorts than usual and he smelled like he hadn’t showered in a while.

  “Karla Knudson is contesting the will,” Gunner said finally after two shots of brandy. “She has filed a petition with the court. She believes that as your mother she has rights to the land and the estate that Karl left to you.”

  “She’s not my mother,” Kira said firmly. “How do you know that a petition was filed?”

  “Online court documents,” Gunner replied.

  Kira rolled her eyes and slammed back a shot of the brandy. “That is on your not-to-do list.”

  “I was given orders from Karl to disregard the not-to-do list if your safety would be compromised,” Gunner replied. His monotone voice hung thick in the air.

  Kira looked at Gunner and then at Rock. Rock raised his eyebrows at her and Kira looked away. She knew it was time to face the problem. She needed to tackle it head-on like Rock would want her to do.

  Kira slammed down another shot. She looked at Gunner. “I will read through the intelligence that you have gathered and get with you regarding an operation if the subject shows up again.”

  Rock watched Gunner nod his head and leave without a word. Kira had stalked out of the kitchen. He saw her come back down the hallway with the file in one hand and the bottle of brandy in the other. He listened as the cage door in the living room slammed shut. No doubt she was trying to find a safety zone in a world that was spinning out of control.

  Chapter 14

  Rock let Kira be. She had left the black material on her cage and Rock could hear her talking to Carmen. As much as he wanted Kira to depend on him, this was one of those times that he was happy she had Carmen. If anyone knew how to help it would be Carmen.

  When Kira finally ended the call with Carmen, she was heavily intoxicated and the bottle of brandy was gone. She crawled out of the cage and saw Rock sitting in the recliner. He had a silk-covered blanket on his lap and was reading one of his aviation magazines.

  “Strip,” Rock commanded.

  Kira fisted her hands at her sides. She did not want to play. Couldn’t he see that she was already stripped emotionally? What was he thinking? He was a sick, twisted…

  “Don’t make me ask twice,” Rock said firmly.

  Kira complied and when he held his arms up she realized that he wanted to hold her. Oh, she wanted to be held. She needed his big shoulders. Her Rock. She crossed the room quickly and dove into his lap.

  Rock held the bundle of nerves in his arms. Kira’s brow was furrowed as she tried to put everything in order. Of course she would want a neat list of problems to be tackled. It wasn’t going to happen in this case. This wasn’t a mission or something that needed to be built. He knew that she knew he had already read through the file.

  “Maybe Gunner is wrong,” Kira said with hope and worry. She wanted her mom to be alive didn’t she? No. She wanted her dead. She’d accepted long ago that her mother was dead.

  “As he put it,” Rock started softly and then with no tone, his voice mimicking Gunner. “‘There is a .07 percent probability that my findings are inaccurate.’”

  Kira laughed and then the tears began.

  “Tell me what you are feeling,” Rock whispered in her ear.

  “I want her dead,” Kira cried. “I feel guilty for wanting her dead. She can’t be here. I don’t know her. I hate her. I’ve always hated her. I don’t know her. I don’t hate people for no reason. I’m not a mean person.”

  Rock was not prepared for the explosion of emotions. Nobody would have been.

  “I had dreams of her coming for me when I was little,” Kira continued. “She never came. Gunner tried to find her for years. I had him double his efforts when Karl died. Nothing. So why now?”

  “She probably doesn’t know who lives here anymore,” Rock said. “The place has changed in the past thirty years. She is obviously also looking for money.”

  “The woman in that file has no teeth,” Kira said softly. “She looks like she’s eighty. My mom was eighteen when she had me.”

  “Drugs,” Rock said. “All those arrests were from drug and prostitute charges.”

  “My mom is a whore and my dad was a john,” Kira turned into Rock’s chest as sobs tore through her body. “When I got older Pops told me that he’d asked my mom about my dad and that she said she didn’t know who the father was. I’m nobody. I’m nobody’s kid.”

  “I doubt that you were nobody to Karl,” Rock said fiercely. “You aren’t nobody to Carmen, or Gunner, or Miles and you certainly aren’t nobody to me.”

  “I know,” Kira said.

  When Kira started to choke on her tears, Rock sat her up and patted her back. He held out a box of tissues and pressed one to her nose. She blew into his hand and then turned to straddle him. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, squeezing for dear life as she burrowed her head into his neck. Obviously making her hug him each day had helped.

  “So do we need to dig a big hole?” Rock asked as he nuzzled his nose in Kira’s flower-scented hair.

  She laughed through her tears. “I guess I could see if Carmen could influence Sam to do a cover-up.”

  “You don’t need Sam or Carmen,” Rock
said very seriously. “Gunner could make all records of her disappear and could probably alter a Jane Doe death to suddenly become her death.”

  “That is on his list of things not to do.” Kira smiled. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you here. Thank you.”

  “You are welcome, little flower,” Rock said as he hugged her tight to his chest. “This probably isn’t the best time to tell you that I love you, but I do. You’ve had my heart for a while now.”

  Kira pulled away from Rock’s shoulder and looked at him. “Really?”

  “Would a Master lie to his little slave?” Rock asked as leaned forward and touched her nose with his own.

  “No, a Master would not,” Kira said firmly then whispered, “Say it again please?”

  Rock said nothing and his jaw firmed.

  “Please, Master?” Kira asked again.

  “I love you, Kira, with all of my heart,” Rock said.

  “I love you, too, Rock.” Kira sighed and nuzzled her head against his neck.

  Rock continued to stroke her back. She wasn’t cringing and trying to get away. When her breathing slowed and became steady he took his exhausted slave to bed. He didn’t change clothes because he didn’t want her to leave his arms for a second. Instead he propped up the pillows and kept her straddling him. He pulled the blankets around both of them and held her tight as he drifted off to sleep.

  The next morning Rock stuck with their routine. The routine was good for Kira. He picked out her clothes and then they showered together. Once out of the shower, Kira went to brush her teeth and then headed to the toilet and threw up.

  “My nerves are fried,” Kira said as she accepted the washcloth from Rock and wiped her mouth.

  “What are your plans for today?” Rock asked.

  “I need to get in touch with my attorney,” Kira began. “I really need to read over the will again. I don’t recall there being anything left in the will for Karla but I need to be sure. I also am expecting a visit from his new caseworker.”

  “Do you want me to take the day off?” Rock asked.

  “I’ll be fine,” Kira said as she changed into the clothes Rock had set out for her.

  Rock assessed her mood. He knew that she could handle anything that came her way but he was more concerned about the sneaky little things that might catch her off guard. He handed it over to her. “Call me if you need anything.”

  “Yes, Master,” Kira said as she followed him into the kitchen and started breakfast.

  When the land line rang, Rock answered it. It was Kira’s attorney. Rock said that the sooner the attorney could get to the house the better. Kira looked at Rock with relief and he felt a pull to take the day off. He wouldn’t because Kira said that she would be fine. She wouldn’t be, he knew, but she needed to know when to ask for help.

  Kira hugged Rock tightly when he left for work and then she waited for the attorney and the caseworker. She threw up all of her breakfast and then sipped some water. Finally the attorney arrived.

  They discussed the terms of the will and it appeared that Karla had been essentially disinherited. She had no claims to any of the land or the money that Karl had left to Kira as the only living relative. Karl had included a clause that said if Karla was ever found to be alive she was to receive nothing from him and had no right to contest his will.

  “So she just wants money?” Kira asked. The attorney nodded his head.

  “She doesn’t even know your name,” the attorney replied. “She kept calling you Claira. I am so sorry, Kira.”

  “Me, too,” Kira said.

  Then he was gone and Kira was left alone. She called Rock.

  “She doesn’t know my name,” Kira said. Then she threw up.

  “Jesus, Kira,” Rock said.

  “I need your shoulders,” Kira said.

  “I’m two hours away from home, baby,” Rock replied. He swore at himself for deciding to go into work when he knew that she would probably need him.

  “I’ll take you whenever I can get you, Master,” Kira said softly. She paused as she looked through the front door. “Gunner’s case manager is here. Fuck me. With company. Please hurry home.”

  Rock’s gut twisted. Kira had referred to her home as his home and he had done the same. It was home for both of them. He called the dispatcher and advised that he needed the rest of the day off. He turned the wheels as fast as he could to get to his little flower. To get back home.

  It was another night of tears and emotions as Kira told Rock everything that had happened. Gunner’s case manager was lenient but wanted to meet Gunner. Sam had stopped by. Miles had broken another tine on his bucket and she had fixed it. She fell asleep in his arms, her hands resting on his shoulders.

  For the next week Kira cried as Rock held her. She finally admitted that she didn’t understand why she was crying. Rock said it was all the emotions catching up with her. Hidden memories, lack of expressing her emotions through all of the years, and he couldn’t help but like the way that she clung to him.

  * * * *

  April. Kira sat in the kitchen with Melissa and Michelle. They were going over the meal plans for the event. Kira knew that Melissa and Michelle usually catered for large weddings and funerals but she didn’t know that they were also for hire. She had thought they had done it out of the goodness of their hearts. So when Melissa approached Kira in March and asked who she was going to have do the food for the party, Kira had replied honestly that she didn’t know. From there the friendship had started. A rocky start, but a start nonetheless.

  “This is going to be pricey,” Michelle said as she looked down the list that Kira had checked.

  “I know,” Kira said for the hundredth time. “Money isn’t a problem here.”

  “Scallops and shrimp? Crab legs?” Melissa said. “These items are hard to keep fresh and cool. Go with the large tiger prawns and lose the other seafood. Keep the crab cakes, we can make those work. Go with a crab dip or a crab salad.”

  “Everything else is doable,” Michelle agreed with Melissa. “Even the fancy cupcakes and stuffed mushrooms. We do have to think that these are foods that can be served room temperature or hot off the barbecue. It’s not about the money since you’ve already paid us more than what we have ever charged. It’s about our reputation, too.”

  “You need food that people can grab and go,” Melissa said. “No one is going to want to sit down to a full meal. They are going to mingle and snack. You need finger foods, girlie.”

  Rock couldn’t stand it any longer and he walked into the kitchen. “A word with you please,” Rock said as he moved to the kitchen island still within earshot of the two women sitting at the kitchen table. Kira followed him immediately.

  “Yes?” she whispered.

  “Why can’t you just hand over control?” Rock asked. “Give them a theme and let them go with that.”

  “I want it to be perfect,” Kira huffed.

  “Can you make it perfect? When the invitations were done weren’t they better than you could’ve imagined them?” Rock asked.

  Kira frowned but nodded her head.

  “You paid for their services, baby.” He kissed her forehead. “Now let them go with it.”

  Kira’s frown deepened.

  “Would you like it if someone asked you to make a decorative cage for a slave and then hovered over your shoulders giving suggestions?” Rock asked. It was more than time to pull her back into being the designer of torture devices and not hors d’oeuvres.

  “I wouldn’t like that at all,” Kira said and firmed her jaw. “Thank you.”

  Rock held her in his gaze. His eyes narrowed.

  “Thank you, Master,” Kira corrected. Usually they weren’t formal when other people were around.

  Kira returned to the table and sat down. She knew that both Melissa and Michelle had heard the exchange between her and Rock. It was probably his plan. Nasty Master.

  “Um.” Kira blushed and grinned at the two women. “I have
some friends from the coast coming in, so that’s why I was worried about the seafood. Can we do a North meets South type of thing?”

  “We can absolutely accomplish that,” Melissa said and Michelle started scribbling on her notepad. It was the same thing that Kira would do when all of a sudden she had a fantastic idea about a design that would be perfect for a client.

  “Then we’ll leave it like that,” Kira said.

  “Thank you,” Michelle smiled and the two of them rose to leave. “The works right?”

  Kira nodded her head and felt relief. They knew what they were doing. Giving up control was good.

  “This will be fun,” Michelle said to Melissa as she went to shut the door behind her giving Kira a grateful smile. “It will be fantastic, Kira, I promise.”

  “I know,” Kira said and then sighed as the door closed.

  “You are so tense, little flower,” Rock said as he walked in the kitchen and placed his hands on Kira’s shoulders. He started with soft rubs and was pleased when she relaxed into his hands.

  “Someone outbid me for the land back there.” Kira pointed to her tree line. The line that separated her land from the other farmer’s land.

  “I didn’t know that you had bid on that land,” Rock said as his heart nearly seized.

  “It was closed bidding,” Kira said simply. “I wanted it for lilac trees.”

  “An entire grove of lilac trees?” Rock asked.

  “No.” Kira folded her arms across her chest. “Just another layer of them.”

  “So you wanted to buy an entire property just so you could plant another row of lilac trees around your property?”

  “Yes.”

  “You are spoiled,” Rock said, teasing her.

  “I don’t want them using my road,” Kira said she looked at the access road that cut her property off from the rest of the world. “I’ll be watching them.”

  “Nosy neighbor,” Rock teased.

  “Vigilant. Master, I’m vigilant,” Kira replied as she surveyed the land behind her own once more. She really needed to find her binoculars. Maybe a sniper rifle. The one with the large scope.