Cherished (The Manor Series Book 1)

by Sophia Emerson

  “Can you put it on me?” Violet asked, biting her lip.

  “It would be my honor.” His voice was husky as she turned and lifted her hair. Locking the necklace clasp his fingers lingered on her neck a moment before he leaned in to kiss her nape.

  She turned as she followed him to the golf cart to get acquainted with the grounds and learn the job that she would be required to do.

  The grounds of The Manor were expansive as the hills seemed to roll on for miles. It reminded her of pictures of Africa in many ways and she was deeply in love with it. The whole place was breathtaking. He had even pointed out the additional land that he was looking into buying.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Three months had passed since Violet had started working at The Manor. It was definitely a dream job but there were days, like today, that broke her heart. After walking in and seeing Nate preparing a new, undamaged, unscarred submissive she had avoided him and quickly left The Manor's land and headed towards her Grandmother's house over an hour away. She had planned to have the house packed up and sold by now, but she had not felt right disappearing for a few hours. This whole month she'd gone to her Grandmother's as much as possible. She told herself that she would find a Dominant that would take her but all the one's that she talked too flat out refused, even Sylvia. She hated feeling so broken and disgusting. She knew that they saw her as broken because of what Raymond did to her. It was days like today, seeing all the lush flawless skin of the trainees, that she wished that Raymond had killed her. She grabbed the back of her neck as she rubbed a sore spot.

  She still had about half of her Grandmother's house to finish going through and throwing out anything that won't sell. She walked through the front door. Her sadness and anger vibrating through her as she let the tears fall. Hours passed as she went through her aunt's bedroom. The darkness of the loss still in the back of her mind. Stepping to the second closet she started to tackle all of the clothes when she heard her phone ringing; looking down she saw Sylvia's name. She wiped the tears from her face and answered.

  “Where are you?”

  “At my Grandmother's house. Is everything ok?”

  “Yeah... just surprised me that you weren't home.” Sylvia's voice was cautious, and Violet could tell something was going on.

  “Sylvia, please just tell me.”

  “Someone saw you leaving The Manor... upset. They called... me.”

  “You mean they called Nate and he called you. Heaven forbid he...” Violet stopped quickly before she said anything else.

  “Now who isn't talking.” Sylvia smiled as she heard Violet sigh. She knew what was bothering her but knew that Violet had to choose the moment to open up and tell her. Hearing tears and quiet sniffles. Sylvia froze, worry and dread filling her at the quiet sounds she was hearing through the phone. “Vi, talk to me.”

  “I can't.”

  “You've always been able to talk to me.”

  The line was so quiet that Sylvia checked to make sure that Violet handed hung up on her. Finally, Violet broke the silence. “I'm tired of people acting like I'm so disgusting. Like I'm too broken to be touched. Seeing all the untouched, unscarred, milky skin of those perfect little subs that all you Dominants are all over.” A small growl came through the phone. “Honestly, I've fallen for Nate and every time I see him touching another sub it breaks another piece of me, but he wants nothing to do with me except help run his businesses.”

  “You think that Nate doesn't care for you?”

  “Obviously. I'm too broken for that. Everyone at The Manor knows how damaged I am. I overheard some Dominants the other day talking about no one is allowed to touch me. The young guy asked why... I couldn't stand to listen to how much of a victim I am in their eyes.”

  Violet turned quickly in the closet that she was cleaning out that she fell into the wall and a glass candle on the shelf outside the closet fell and shattered on the hardwood floor. “Shit.”

  “Are you ok?” Sylvia asked quickly.

  “Fine. Knocked a candle off the wall accidentally.”

  “You really are cleaning out your Grandmother's house?”

  “Yeah I have been this whole month when I have a few free hours and we aren't busy at The Manor.” Violet shrugged even through Sylvia couldn't see her.

  “Back to Nate. You think he doesn't care about you.”

  “Sylvia we’ve already talked about this for months. As a submissive? No, he does not care one bit.”

  Sylvia could not help but chuckle. The sound made Violet’s anger flare up like a wildfire “What? Even you turned down being my Dominant. You and everyone else are always giving me side glances like I’m one of those freaks at a carnival. I can’t remain this broken, sad, pitiful little girl in all the Dominant’s eyes. Fuck, I can't even remember the last time I actually came.” Violet shut her mouth quickly, closing her eyes. Yes, she was horny as could be and the weekend parties during the summer were awful for her. All the parties and people having sex under trees and all over The Manor's land that's approved. Breathing a sigh, she hung her head as she slid down the wall to sit down. “S, I feel like the submissive in me is dying. She battles me each time that Nate walks in the room and every night she shrivels up with no will to go on.” Violet barely whispered her confession.

  “Yes pet, I turned you down. Do you want to know why? It's the exact same reason those other Dominant's turned you down.”

  “I know why.” Violet said, a little bit of bitterness coming through.

  “Violet Marie Elling. Stop feeling sorry for yourself right this minute. They have not turned you down because of Raymond. Most think you even stronger because you survived that monster's grasp. They turned you down because you are collared. You have a Dominant though I may just smack some sense into the idiot.”

  “No one's collared me.” Violet said, sadness in her. To be collared truly would be an amazing. To have a real Dominant that would care for her and her care for him. To have someone that you can lose yourself with and live in the suspended time.

  “Hun. Nate collared you your first day at The Manor. Your key necklace that you took was his collar for you since your hard limit was anything tight around your neck.”

  “He collared me? But he hasn't... I've been...”

  “Extremely neglected. I can tell how horny you are because you only cry when you are upset and needing some kind of relief.”

  Violet scuffed. “Thanks Sylvia. Love you too.”

  “We do know each other well.”

  “Yeah we do.”

  “So now you know the truth of the collaring... how are you going to handle Nate?”

  “Can you tell me something about Nate?”

  “Maybe.”

  “He does not seem to want to get close to anyone. Why is that?”

  “That is something that only he can answer.”

  “But you do know why?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, he isn't claiming me because I'm... broken and he was inside me he knows just how broken.”

  “You are not broken. I don’t want to hear you say that again.” The harshness of Sylvia’s voice shock something deep inside of Violet. “You are a survivor and fighter. He would never see you as broken. Trust me when I say that is not why he is slower than dirt.”

  “Thanks Sylvia.”

  “I'd totally fuck you if you weren't collared.”

  They both laughed as Violet hung up the phone. With a lighter heart she finished the rest of her Aunt's room and priced everything that she would try to sell when all the rooms were ready. With her mind on Nate she went into her old room and started going through stuff. She slowly packed all her stuff away in boxes and bags. She had enough room in her new house that she could easily keep all of her stuff in the garage and go through it more slowly later. She walked into her Grandmother's room and sat down. She knew her grandmother had stuff tons of stuff under the bed, but she did not realize how much. Hours passed though it only felt like a few minutes. Vio
let stood up and stretched, her eyes going wide at the two a.m. light on the digital clock. “Ugh. How did it get this late?” Violet mumbled as she grabbed her purse and other things that she needed. She needed to get back home. It was a long drive and she had to be up early for a business meeting with Nate with the horse business that he owned. It was the front business to hide the kinky sex club that was hidden deep on the property to protect everyone's privacy.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Sylvia hung up as she paced the room. She knew how both of them felt. She knew that it was not her place, but she could not watch the two people that she loved, who loved each other, to keep hurting themselves. Sylvia looked to her phone and dialed the only number she could, the only person that could stop this.

  Nate had been pacing the floor in his cabin since he had heard that Violet had run away and was super upset. Why was she upset? Had he done something? Did something trigger her? The questions flowed endlessly through his mind. He hated not being in control. He had always been in control. Colton sat on the couch watching his brother pacing. “Nate you need to relax. She's just your personal assistant. Why do you care if she was upset? Unless she's more than just an assistant.”

  Nate growled as he looked at his brother but kept pacing. “She's my responsibility.”

  “Nate...”

  The ringing phone cut off Colton's next remark. “Dawkins.”

  “You're a fucking ass.” Sylvia's remark was brutal but honest.

  “What? What the fuck did I do?” Nate glanced at his phone. “Let me put you on speaker. Colton's here. Is that alright?” He asked sarcastically.

  “Sure. Colton agrees with me.”

  “I see everyone's talking about me behind my back.” Nate shook his head in annoyance. “Don't you all have something else to talk about.”

  “Not when we see people we love hurting.”

  “I'm not hurting.” Nate refuted.

  “But Violet is. God Nate you're so dense. Violet has absolutely no clue that you've collared her. She's asked almost every Dominant to take her on, including myself. We all know that you have the 'do not touch' on her but...”

  “But what? You think that I did the wrong thing?” Looking to Colton, Nate saw him staring at him. He already knew that Colton did not like the order he put up.

  “She thinks that everyone, including you, thinks that she is too broken and to disgusting to be in a relationship. Today she saw you with a sub training. That's why she ran out. She's at her Grandmother's house cleaning it.” Sylvia was quiet for a moment. “Nate did you know that she still hasn't finished cleaning out the house? This whole month she’s been driving there anytime that she has any free time.

  “She thinks that I think she's too broken and disgusting? Why disgusting? I don't get it. She's fucking beautiful and amazing.”

  “Her scars are what makes her think that she's disgusting. Including the fact that she fell victim to Raymond and was raped by him repeatedly. The fact that everyone whispers around her makes her even more insecure.” Sylvia finally sat down at her kitchen table, almost feeling defeated. “Nate she's a fucking mess. She has been for a month, though she's good at hiding it. She still talks to me sometimes at her house when she's at the end of the rope and she explodes her feelings. She's wanting ownership and working for The Manor, I think, makes her worse. I almost think that we should find her another job if you aren't going to fully claim her. It's not fair to her.”

  “You know why I can't.”

  Colton stood up, gripping his shoulder, “Brother. It's been five years since your wife and son's death... I know how hard it is but Nate, Angelica, wouldn't want you to wall yourself off from everyone. From who you are.”

  “Nate you're a Dominant, through and through. The moment that she walked into the room I watched the old Nate return to us. She was your light in the darkness that you've existed in for too long. Losing your slave, your Angelica, and little Michael, shattered your heart but Violet is the glue for you and you're the glue for her. Nate stop torturing her and yourself.”

  “Yes Nate, you need to let to find closer. If you are going to keep Violet collared, then you need to be the Dominant that she needs and step up. Violet can't handle much more. Hell, we've both watched her in the windows dancing around the room letting off steam. You know she does it to get your attention most of the time.” Sylvia smirked as Nate looked to her; shock covering her face.

  “You think, you both think, that I should claim her officially?”

  “Yes.” They both said in unison.

  “You said that I needed closure. I've had my closure from their deaths since the moment that she kneeled before me in training and called me Sir. Seeing her looking up through her lashes... the connection was unbelievable.” Nate shook his head as he paced. “I did not think that she was ready. It's barely been three months since she first walked into the hospital and almost died in my arms.”

  “It was that close.” Colton’s eyes grew wide as he looked at his brother in a new light.

  “She died on the table twice.” Nate barely breathed. “I can't lose her.”

  “If you don't claim her and help her, you'll lose her for sure. Do you know what she told me tonight? While she was broken down in tears she told me that she feels like the submissive in her is dying… that every night she goes to bed alone the submissive in her shrivels up with no will to go on. Nate, she needs a release, she needs your Dominance and you need her submission.” Sylvia said quietly.

  “I hear you S. I'll handle it.”

  “Handle it how?”

  “That's my business S.”

  “No, it's everyone's. If you hurt, her then someone needs to be with her at all times. Losing one more person she loves may kill her.”

  “I won't hurt her.”

  “I know because you love her. Claim her. Keep training her. Good Luck Nate.” Sylvia smiled as she hung up. Getting up she grabbed a beer and walked into the living room, lounging on the couch. After helping Nate and Violet she was definitely wanting to Dominant something or someone. She needed to be in control. She looked at her phone as she finally dialed one of her favorite unclaimed subs from The Manor.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The drive back to The Manor seemed to take forever. Violet stopped trying to hide her yawns. She was exhausted. Burning the candle at both ends the whole month was not working for her any longer. She needed to finish her Grandmother's house, so she could focus on her job and school. She had also been taking two business classes online, so she could graduate with her business degree. After moving into her cabin, she wrote herself a bucket list and the first thing was to finish Business school. No one, not even Sylvia or Nate, knew how much she craved being a key part in a business. Everything was taking a toll on her that she could barely keep her eyes open as she drove down one of the back roads close to The Manor. Her eyes drooping close her car slowly went to the edge of the road. Hitting gravel, she jerked awake enough to correct the car as much as she could. “Oh, crap.” She gasped breathing hard in fear. She pulled her car to the side of the road as much as she could, turning on the flashers, and turned off the car. She needed to close her eyes, even for a few minutes.

  Violet woke to someone knocking on the window. She jerked up as she looked at the window with wide eyes. A police officer's uniform in perfect view. She sighed as she opened up the door, smiling as she saw the Officer's face. “Hi Officer Payne... umm Sir Tyler... Officer”

  His eyebrow arched as he listened to Violet stumbling on what to call him. “Why are you asleep on the side of the road?” His voice held annoyance and worry. “You know this road isn't safe to pull off on. Do you know how many fatal wrecks happen on this stretch?”

  “I'm...”

  “Someone almost hit you and called the Sheriff's office to complain.”

  Violet froze as his words struck her. “I'm sorry.” She said quietly. “I fell asleep and went off the road. It scared me, so I pulled off as far as I could.”
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  “Get in my car I'll drive you home. My partner will follow in your car.”

  “Umm...”

  “He's in the scene as well. It's ok to take him to The Manor.” Officer Payne smiled knowing that only people with clearance could get back to where The Manor was kept and her house.

  “I'm awake now I can make it.”

  “No. Get in the car.” He let his Dominant voice take over. Being a submissive, Violet got out of the car and walked towards his as she heard him telling his partner to follow them. She slid into the car and watched as he turned on his flashing lights. Mortified didn't totally describe how she was feeling. She slipped her seat belt on as they drove the rest of the twenty minutes to The Manor, passing security easily with just one glance at her and her car tailing them. Violet kept looking over to the Native American police officer, and Sylvia’s brother. She knew that he played with Colton in ménage scenes and worked security at The Manor but tonight was the first time that she’d ever really saw his Dominant side come out.

  The cabin came into view and the site was amazing to behold. She did not think that she would ever get use to the sight and the past few months the cabin stopped being a large cabin and truly became home to her. She started to understand what Nate had meant about the place being a sanctuary after coming home from work. She watched as everyone had their Dominant or submissive as she went home alone. She had kept herself busy but at times she had let loose and danced practically naked around the living room. She was awake now thanks to her hour-long nap behind the wheel of her car. The sky was not as dark as the sun was about to start to rise. The police car turned into her drive as her car pulled beside them. Payne quickly got out and came to her side of the car, opening the door for her. “Thank you for the ride Officer Payne.”