Rebecca sat staring at him, her mouth dry, but the rest of her body almost tingling. Sawyer had always been dominant, it was just his way. But their relationship was never anything other than platonic, at least neither had given in to their urges. This? This was something else entirely and it stirred inside her the sensation of sexual longing along with something else, something so much more than that base sexual reaction.
“Are you ready to go inside, Rebecca?” he asked.
He was asking so much more than that though and they both knew it. She would say yes, she knew that too, not only because of the legality of being released into his custody, but because she just would. She needed this in her life. She needed him in her life. But she also wanted both this and him in her life.
“Yes.”
His eyes were a steely silver now, hard and unyielding. There would be no compromise with him. And as impenetrable as his thoughts were, she felt as though he were reading hers as if a page from a book. She remained as she was, hardly able to breathe, until finally he nodded. “Let’s go.”
They walked up the stairs to the front door, Sawyer carrying the pathetic little bag that held all that remained of her belongings.
He followed her up the porch stairs and opened the front door. He switched on a light and they stepped inside. Rebecca looked around the living room. A large sectional took up the room with a coffee table set at the center on top of the lush carpet that covered the thick-planked hardwood floors. The dining room was about half the size and was set with a square table and four chairs. Two doors were closed in the hallway and stairs led to the upper level.
“Are you hungry or thirsty?” he asked, walking toward the kitchen, which was separated from the rest of the space by a bar set with three high stools.
“I’d love some water,” she said. She had eaten a few bites of the meal at the jail, but that was all she had been able to manage each of the days she’d had to spend there.
“You’ve lost some weight, Rebecca. You’ll need to start eating better tomorrow.”
She nodded and looked down at herself. “I haven’t had much of an appetite.”
“Well, it’ll be important to keep up your strength. Regular meals starting tomorrow, got it?”
“Yep, got it.”
He nodded and she walked to the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard. From there, she looked out into a heavily wooded area. “Wow, this is amazing.”
He came to stand beside her and handed her a glass of water. “And completely private. It’s a little ways from town, but worth the drive. I like being close to nature.”
“I miss that,” she said. Her apartment building had been in the center of town.
He checked his watch. “Let’s go upstairs. It’s late and I want to establish a few things tonight.”
She handed back her empty glass, her eyes wide on his, unsure if she should ask exactly what he wanted to establish. He set the glass down on the counter and gestured for her to go to the stairs.
“Your room is the second door on the right. You have ten minutes to have a shower and be waiting for me.”
“Waiting for you for what?” she asked, apprehensive.
It was as if he had anticipated her question. “You’ve managed to get yourself into a lot of trouble, Rebecca. You’ve proven yourself unreliable and unable to know what is best for you. We’re going back a few steps here and I’m deciding for you for the time being. It’s late. We’ll go over ground rules tomorrow morning. I’m going to take care of you, but you need to do as I say now.” He paused and she stared up at him. “Second door on the right.”
Ground rules?
“Up,” he said, his expression unchanging.
She thought for a moment, unsure what was going on, but when he took her shoulders and physically turned her, she went, counting the thirteen stairs to the second floor. She passed the first door and opened the second one, switching on the light. The room was of average size with two windows on two walls. A double bed was set against the wall without windows and a door led to a bathroom from there. There was a dresser and a small closet, but the room itself was sparse as far as furnishings. She went to the window and looked out, pleased to see that her view was of the backyard and the woods just beyond. She then went into the bathroom and smiled when she saw that he had laid out fresh towels for her. She turned to her reflection in the mirror, her own tired eyes meeting her.
His words came back to her. I’m going to take care of you. The thought of it gave her a comfort she did not know she was missing. It filled a hole almost. She had been taking care of everyone else for so long, she’d had no one to care for her for so long that she had just learned that that was the norm, that that was life. But his other words also came back to her, the ones about doing as he said or getting spanked.
She stripped off her clothes and picked up the new toothbrush on the sink, tearing off the packaging. She smeared toothpaste over it and switched on the shower, climbing into the tub to stand beneath the hot stream. Once she was shampooed and had scrubbed every inch of herself, she switched off the water and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around herself. She squeezed the moisture from her hair and combed it through with her fingers while making her way into the bedroom. She froze when she saw Sawyer waiting for her on the bed.
“You startled me!” she said.
“Why? I told you I’d be up.”
“I guess I expected you to knock or something.”
“Hmm,” he nodded. “Take off your towel. You’ll have to wear one of my t-shirts tonight.”
She raised her eyebrows and hugged her towel tighter. “Just tell me where the t-shirts are.”
Sawyer rose to stand and walked to her, taking hold of her shoulders, his hands massaging a little, squeezing a little more. “You’ve done this your way the last few months and that hasn’t worked out so well. We’re going to do this my way now. It’s what you agreed to, unless I’m mistaken?”
She searched his face. “No. I just… I don’t know.”
“Let me take care of you now, Rebecca.”
Her face heated when he reached for her hands that held the towel tight to her. She nodded.
He smiled and eased them apart, his glance running the length of her as he stripped her of the towel so she stood naked before him. She dropped her gaze and he walked backwards, pulling her gently along, until he sat on the edge of the bed and she stood just feet from him.
“Look at me,” he said.
She shook her head, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.
“Rebecca,” he said. “Look at me.”
She did, slowly raising her gaze to his.
“No shame,” he said. She kept her eyes on him, watched him while he took in every naked inch of her, from the round, full breasts with their dark, pointed nipples, over the flat of her belly and to the small, soft mound of neatly trimmed hair. Her legs were just inches apart and when his gaze paused at her sex, she felt a heat between them. Butterflies stirred in her belly and when his eyes returned to hers, the grey was darker, the pupils dilated. “Turn around,” he said.
Her eyes were wide on his and he held her gaze, allowing her only one option: to do as he said, to do as she was told. That heat between her legs turned into a burning fire as she slowly turned to stand with her back to him, her hands moving to cover her bottom.
“No. Hands at your sides.”
She glanced over her shoulder at him, then swallowed and turned to face forward again. Slowly, she moved her hands away and stood with her naked back to him. Goose bumps covered her flesh and even though she knew from the clock on the dresser that it was only a few moments, it felt like an eternity that he sat watching her without saying a word.
She heard the bed creak when he stood, but she didn’t turn when he came to her. He touched a light hand to her shoulder and when she looked up at him, he smiled down at her. “Let’s get you ready for bed,” he said.
She watched him go to the dresser and open the top
drawer to retrieve one of his t-shirts. He then slipped it over her head and she raised her arms to slide them through the armholes. The shirt came to mid-thigh.
Sawyer walked her to the bed and pulled the covers back for her to climb in. When she did, he tucked her in and sat on the edge of the bed again, brushing some of the hair off her face. “John will be here at nine o’clock tomorrow morning. He should be a little better than that public defender you had. Get some sleep now, Rebecca.”
She looked up at him and smiled a little. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you so much, Sawyer.” She started to cry then, the tension of the last days finally needing release.
“Shh,” he coaxed, lifting her and pulling her onto his lap. “It’s going to be fine, Rebecca. We’ll get this all worked out and it will be behind you before you know it.”
“What if it’s not? I mean,” she pulled back to look up at him, “what if they don’t believe me?”
“They will. Try to get some sleep now.”
She nodded as he lay her back down and she closed her eyes when he brought his lips to her forehead and kept them there for a long moment.
“Good night, Rebecca,” he said, rising.
“Good night.”
Chapter Six
John Williamson arrived at precisely 9:00 the following morning. Rebecca had to wear the drab, too-big grey sweat suit from the jail as it was either that or one of Sawyer’s t-shirts until she could get some clothes. Mr. Williamson hardly batted an eye though when Sawyer introduced them and they gathered around the dining room table.
“John’s a good friend, Rebecca. I’ve known him for the last five years and I trust him.”
“I’ve done a little bit of research,” John began as he unpacked his briefcase and set up his laptop. He looked to be Sawyer’s age, maybe a year or two older, younger than Rebecca had expected him to be, but friendly. “From what I understand from Sawyer,” he said, sitting down as Sawyer set a cup of coffee in front of him and joined them at the table, “you were mixed up with the wrong crowd. But let me ask you first, just so I hear it from your own lips, did you have anything to do with what was going on in that apartment?”
Rebecca felt like a kid. Nervous and unsure, and it seemed like the confidence she had, the life she had built up and the persona she had made for herself had just vanished overnight. She now felt like a child, a naughty one, depending on others to believe her.
He must have felt her unease because he reached out a hand to touch hers. “Anything you tell me is in confidence. It’s part of the agreement.”
“It’s ok, Rebecca,” Sawyer said. She turned his way, feeling reassured by his presence. “I know you’re nervous, but we just have to go through this.”
Rebecca nodded. “I know. It’s just I never thought I’d be in a mess like this. I should just be at work now. I can’t believe what’s happened to my life.”
“Focus now, Rebecca,” Sawyer said, squeezing her hand tighter.
John sat back, waiting.
“No, Mr. Williamson, I did not know anything about the meth lab. I suspected Jeff and the others might be involved with drugs and the people I saw there were just not… right the few times I went downstairs to give Jeff something. I suspected they might be dealing drugs, but I never thought they were running a meth lab.”
“Call me John, please.”
Rebecca nodded and smiled a little. “Ok, thanks.”
John nodded and made some notes. “Can you tell me your relationship with the others?”
She went on answering a series of questions until John had the specifics. It was about an hour later that he sat back and looked at her. “I won’t lie to you, Rebecca. These are some pretty serious allegations and the DA who will be prosecuting this case is up for re-election in the coming months. I know that man and,” he shook his head, “I don’t trust him. He’s going to push this, I know that much. He will make an example out of you and the others and show the town how tough on drugs he is.”
Rebecca’s heart sank and although she wanted to cry, she forced herself to just sit and listen. Sawyer held her hand the entire time, his thumb rubbing against her palm in an attempt to reassure.
“I’ve worked with DA Parsons before too,” Sawyer said. “He’s a prick.”
John smiled. “Good news is it’s their word against yours. You were tested for drugs when you were arrested, correct?” he asked, looking through a file.
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Report came back clean. I have it here.”
“I don’t do drugs,” she said. “I never have.” As the words left her mouth, she remembered that one time with Jeff, Shannon, and Andy. But as she opened her mouth to correct her speech, Sawyer spoke.
“We know that, Rebecca,” Sawyer said.
She looked at him and closed her mouth again, looking down at her lap.
“The other defendants’ results were not as good as yours. The girl, Shannon Ellison, she didn’t have much in her system, but Jeff and Andy were pretty high. That will help us at least.”
“This is Andy and Shannon’s fault, you know,” Rebecca said.
She felt Sawyer stiffen beside her, his hand stilling around hers. She glanced at him, but had to continue for reasons she herself couldn’t understand.
“Jeff was looking for work,” she said to the lawyer, all the while fully aware of Sawyer’s eyes on her. “When Andy and Shannon moved here, he just got mixed up in it again.”
John nodded but didn’t say anything. Instead, he glanced at Sawyer, then closed some files.
“Where are they? Are they in prison?”
“Awaiting trial,” John said. “They couldn’t make bail.”
“You shouldn’t be worried about them now, Rebecca,” Sawyer said. “They’re the main reason you’re in this mess, remember.”
She turned to him. “I feel bad for Jeff…”
Sawyer’s expression hardened then and John stood, clearing his throat.
“I’ll need to do a little bit of work, but I’d like to meet again in a few days’ time,” he said. “Is there anyone I can talk to who can testify for you, Rebecca?”
“I’ll testify,” Sawyer said.
“That’s good, we’ll need it. Anyone else? I have at least one witness who places you at the apartment where the lab was.”
“What? I was only there a few times and never inside!”
“And Jeff says you authorized him to buy whatever he needed on your credit card.”
“I don’t believe that! He wouldn’t!” she said, standing herself.
“Calm down, Rebecca,” Sawyer said, putting a hand on her shoulder, a little pressure making her sit back down.
“But it’s not true!”
“Maybe it’s best if you go up to your room,” Sawyer said. “I’ll finish up with John and you can calm down.”
“No!”
John started packing his things.
“Rebecca,” Sawyer began, hauling her to her feet and walking her toward the stairs. “Go to your room and wait for me. We’ll discuss this in a few minutes.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he spoke first. “Do you remember what you promised me yesterday?” he said.
“You’re hurting my arm,” she said.
He eased his grip. “Do you remember?”
She nodded.
“Good. Now go up to your room and find yourself a corner to stand in until I get there.”
It seemed in that moment that the blood drained from her face and collected between her legs. Shame and arousal collided within her, but resistance was her only response.
“Sawyer,” John called from behind them. “I’ve got another appointment.”
Sawyer let her go and gestured with a quick nod of his head toward the stairs. She stomped up without so much as a goodbye to John, she was so angry.
She heard Sawyer starting to talk, but she slammed her door hard and sat on the bed, fuming. How dare he? This was her life they were talking about and he was sending
her to her room like a misbehaving child! How dare he? Find yourself a corner! Her face turned red with the embarrassment at being treated like this even while her body reacted just like it had the last two times he had chastised her. Just like it had before she had determined never to see him again because Sawyer Hayes stirred things inside her that were not natural, that were not normal.
She stomped her foot and folded her arms across her chest, fisting her hands hard, wanting nothing more than to punch him right now.
* * *
Ten minutes later, Sawyer saw John out and went to the kitchen to pour himself another cup of coffee. He drank slowly, thinking all the while. He wanted to give Rebecca time to cool down, but he also needed some time himself. He had expected some resistance from her, of course he knew it was a part of the deal. In fact, he didn’t wholly mind it. He would punish her now for her behavior, but what bothered him was more her concern for Jeff still, after all he had done to her. He drained the last of his coffee and set the mug down on the counter before heading up to her room, absolutely certain he would not find her in the corner as instructed.
That was fine. He had no problem teaching her to obey him. But when, upon opening the bedroom door, he had to dodge a heavy book she threw at him, he knew he would have to be more firm with her now than he maybe at first had intended.
He ducked and the book hit the wall next to his head, landing on the floor with a hard thud. He looked from it to her, her face perhaps even more shocked than his.
“Get up,” he said, walking inside.
“No,” she said, scooting back onto the bed, her eyes betraying her uncertainty.
Sawyer took a deep breath and closed the door behind him. “Get up, come here, and pick up the book.”
He watched as she glanced nervously at the book then back at him, hesitating. “No,” she said, this time more quietly.
“I won’t ask nicely again. You have to the count of three. One.”
She only narrowed her eyes further.
“Two.”
“Sawyer, I had every right to be there…”
The Firefighter's Girl Page 6
