But it feels wrong.
“I need you to go into the bedroom and stay there while I let her in and talk to her,” he tells me, sending a shiver down my spine.
Jerking my head up, I shout, “NO!”
His hand is hard as he clamps it down on my shoulder. “Yes.” He makes me stand up and leads me to the bedroom. “Remember who you belong to, Petra. Do as I say. I don’t want you involved in this any more than you already are.” He picks up his jeans and puts them on, leaving his chest bare.
I grab his T-shirt from yesterday and say, “Hey.” He turns around and I toss the shirt at him. “Put this on too. I’m pretty fucking jealous where you’re concerned.”
He smiles as he pulls the shirt over his head and I cross my arms in front of me, then nod. He closes the door, making me feel as if I’m a coward.
Pressing my ear to the door, I listen as hard as I can. I hear him unlock the door and then Dena says, “Finally!”
The door closes, and Owen says, “Why would you do what you’ve done, Dena? I’ve always been honest with you. You should never have come here, and you should’ve never told the world about what I’m doing here.”
“So you admit it,” she says, and I hear her plop down on the couch. “You have yourself a little sex slave out here, and you’re part of a raunchy sex club. I can’t decide which I’m more upset about; you being here without me, or you being involved with this at all.”
“And I can’t believe you went to the press and told them things you weren’t even sure of,” he says.
“I was sure. I was sure I saw you and some little girl come out of a strange garage yesterday morning. I was sure that when I drove into that garage, I came into an odd-looking place and was met by security officers who asked me what business I had there.”
“You had no business there, Dena. You were being nosy.”
“Well, when the man you love is …”
She can’t finish as he stops her, “Don’t! Don’t say anything like that. You and I don’t love each other, Dena.”
“Did you let your little love slave know how you come to me often and make passionate love to me?” she asks him, and I start to see red.
“I’ve never made love to you. Not even once. I’ve fucked you.”
“Yes, you’ve fucked the shit out of me. So, does she know that?” she asks. “Do you have her tied up in your bed? Is she waiting for you to get rid of me? Is she listening to all this?”
“That’s none of your business,” he says, and I hear his voice faltering a bit.
“Owen, you and I have something. And you could’ve told me about your needs. You didn’t have to come all the way here to get them fulfilled. If you want to spank a woman, then spank me. If you want to bend someone to your will, then try to bend me. But, for heaven’s sake, leave poor little girls alone. It’s just evil.”
Then I hear him breaking as he says, “I guess, I am evil.”
Then my heart breaks for him, and I can’t take any more of this.
Owen
“Get the fuck out!” Petra shouts as she comes out of the bedroom door.
Moving quickly to grab her, I hold her back as she tries to tear away from me and get to Dena. “Stop!”
The smirk Dena has on her face pisses me off and makes Petra even madder than she already was. The growl that rips through her is frightening even to me. “You bitch! He is not evil! You don’t even know this man,” Petra screeches at Dena.
“Stop!” I shout at Petra again and shake her a bit to get her to pay attention to me. “Now!”
Her body is shaking, and I’ve never seen anyone so mad in my life. Her eyes turn to meet mine, and I see the pain behind them. “She’s wrong, Owen. You’re not evil. I heard you agree with her and I want you to know there’s absolutely nothing wrong with you.”
“You need to let me handle this,” I tell her as I try to maneuver her back to the bedroom. But her feet are firmly planted, making it hard to get her to where I want her.
“Let her stay,” Dena says as she gets up and looks Petra over. “This child has no idea what the differences are between right and wrong.” Petra’s eyes leave mine to glare at Dena, who is looking back at her with a quizzical expression. “What’s he done to you so far? You can tell me, child.”
“First, I’m not a child,” Petra says with her jaw clenched tightly. “And what he and I have done is none of your concern. This man has never hurt me. Not even once. And you’ve hurt him more than his fair share. I know he’s fucked you on a regular basis, and I know you must feel jealous, but ruining his work life isn’t right.”
“You’re a kid,” Dena says with a grin. “You might be barely of legal age, but believe me, you are nothing more than a kid. And you’ve been led to do things you most likely won’t even consider doing once you reach adulthood. Trust me.”
Petra stops shaking and smiles at Dena. “I am an adult. I’ve taken care of myself for many years now. I have my life in order. As do you. The difference between us is that I love this man and you merely want to have him. You’d destroy him before allowing him to love anyone other than yourself.”
With a loud burst of laughter, Dena says, “You don’t even know the man.”
“That is enough,” I say, as I’ve had it. “Dena, leave. You’ve done what you’ve done, and nothing can change that. I probably won’t have the show anymore, and you’ll still be on it, I’m sure. Go back to L.A. and leave me alone to figure out what the fuck I’m going to do with my life now that you’ve destroyed it.”
“Do you think it’s going to be that easy for you, Owen?” Dena asks me with a smirk on her thin lips. “I’m not about to let you go. You see, I have a plan. It’ll be rehab for you. Sex addiction is what you’ll go in for, and alcoholism. You do have that nasty habit of getting plastered most Saturdays and ending up at my place. Did he tell you that I gave him a key to my house about three years ago and since then he’s snuck in most Saturday nights, fucked me senseless, then left me without so much as a word?”
Petra nods, and I clear my throat. “I’ve told her everything, Dena. You’re not going to shock her with anything you have to say.”
“Listen to me, bitch,” Petra says quietly. “This man is not a sex addict. He is not an alcoholic, either. He’s on the cusp of becoming the man he’s supposed to be. You’re trying to drag him down, and I won’t allow it.”
Dena’s laughter peels through the air and makes my skin crawl, as it sounds witch-like. Then she narrows her eyes at Petra. “You listen to me, you little whore. This man has problems. You’re too young to understand these types of things. But he can get help, and I’ll be the woman by his side who makes that happen. Not you.”
“Dena, I’ve asked you to leave, and you’ve ignored me. Don’t make me call security,” I tell her, and watch her bitchy expression turn to one of sorrow.
“Owen, send this girl on her way. Let me help you. If you and I leave this hotel together, then the news media will see that, and you’ll have a fighting chance. Hollywood loves a good comeback story. If you leave here with your love slave, then the media will eat you both alive.” Dena extends her long, thin, bony hand. “Do what’s best for you, sweetheart. And it’ll be best for your little fool too.”
Petra laughs then says, “Love slave? What the hell are you talking about? Owen and I met online when I asked him a question about getting my tits done. He and I started talking, and he told me how he always spends the summers in Portland. He asked me to come and join him here, in this hotel, for the summer. It was me who wanted to check out one of this town’s many clubs that cater to people who like certain things. He took me there to fulfill my curiosity and nothing more than that. You think you know shit, but you don’t. We’ve just heard the lies you told the media and were going to straighten shit out today, you dumb bitch.”
With Petra’s words, I feel like she might have the right idea. No one in the club will ever give out any information on me. Just like the way I handle
d things when Petra said my name, I’m fucking up with this too. But thank God, Petra is cool as a cucumber and on my side.
“I’m a dumb bitch?” Dena asks, as she throws her hand to her chest. “You’re the dumb bitch. He’s already confessed!”
“To being in the club, nothing more than that,” Petra shouts at her. “You see, he feels guilty over that. He shouldn’t, but he does.”
Dena looks at me. “Do you expect me and the rest of the world to believe that pile of shit?”
“It’s the truth,” I say. “And you can believe it or not. I’ll be talking to the producers and telling them the truth about things. And I’ll be asking them to take you off the show. It’s not like you have the fans that I do.”
“Well, your fans are disgusted with you, Owen. Let’s not forget that.”
“For what?” Petra asks. “For your lies? We’re going to fix that.”
I look at Petra and shake my head. “I’m going to fix that, baby. You’re staying out of this.”
Watching Dena’s red lips curl into a smile is more than Petra can take, and she fights me to get to Dena, a thing I stop as I hold her even more tightly. I’m pretty sure her arms will have bruises on them from my grip. When Dena openly laughs, I think about letting the hellcat I’m holding back loose. It would serve the bitch right.
Dena walks toward the door though. I think her instincts have finally kicked in and she’s beginning to realize the young lady I’m holding back will rip her heart out if she’s given a chance. “I’ll see you back in L.A., Owen. If you come back, that is. I can see you prefer to take the hard road, instead of the easy path I’m offering you. Good luck with things.” Then she’s out the door, and I can finally let Petra go.
Only to have to grab her up again as she rushes for the door. Picking her up by the waist, I haul her with me to lock the door, then take her to the bedroom as she wiggles and fights me to let her go. “Owen, just let me hit her one time!”
“As if once would be enough for you.” I toss her onto the bed. “We need to get ready to get the fuck out of here. I’m going to call the car rental company and have them pick up the Maserati and bring us something boring and plain. Then I’m calling the concierge to bring us up some sweats with hoodies. We’ll need to get the hell out of here, without being noticed.”
Petra stares at me, then says, “Stop it, Owen. Just fucking stop it. You’ve done nothing wrong. Our business is our business. Didn’t you follow what I told her? I used your own idea about what we’d do if anyone recognized you. And no one at the club will ever rat us out.”
“That little prick, Chance, would,” I remind her.
“Get on the phone and call the club. Tell them about Chance and what he threatened you with. Let them handle him. Leticia told me, the trainers told me, and Isabel told me, that if I ever felt threatened, then I needed to let the club know. They’ll protect their members at all times. So, make the call, Owen. They’ll protect you too.”
“I never thought about that,” I mumble.
“Well, start thinking and stop confessing to shit,” she says, then gets up on her knees on the bed and comes toward me with her arms open.
I hug her and pick her up, then kiss her. I’ve never had anyone in my corner the way she is. Neither of my parents ever protected me the way she has. No one has ever been so completely there for me the way Petra has.
I can’t take her down with me. She thinks lies can get me out of this mess. I know they can’t. I know there are reporters who’ll stoop low, that most wouldn’t, just to get dirt on a celebrity. I’ll get caught in my lies, and that’ll be even worse.
Petra is young and doesn’t understand the real world. This is a place where people judge every little thing you do. We’re judged on what we eat, how much we drink, and what we look like on the outside. I know that better than most.
The music must be faced, and I’ll have to do that alone.
Petra
Following Owen’s lead, he decides to go to the club to deal with Chance first. The rental car is now a minivan, and we’re hiding underneath hoodies. There weren’t a slew of paparazzi in the hotel lobby, but there were enough to make things bad if he tried to deal with them without being a bit rehearsed.
The ride to the club is much too quiet. Owen’s mind must be a mess as he tries to figure a way out of this. And everything I’ve said to him so far hasn’t made a dent in his obvious anxiety. But I can’t just stop trying to help him. “Owen, let’s go to Isabel’s office and have her shred our contract. Get the money you have in the escrow account for me out. End your membership with The Dungeon of Decorum. There will be no trail to follow then.”
He glances at me as he drives down the road. “If I do that, then you aren’t guaranteed that money. And I want you to have it, Petra.”
“If the worst happens and you get thrown off the show and lose clients in your practice, then you’ll need that money. I’ll be okay. I’m used to being poor. You’re not.” I run my hand over his leg and watch him frown.
“I’m not about to take my money back.” He picks up my hand and gives it a kiss. “I have plenty of money. No one can touch my investments. If clients drop me, so be it. If the show gets canceled or they find another lead doctor, who cares?”
“For someone with that carefree attitude, you certainly look worried.”
He pulls onto the road that leads us to the parking garage of the club. “I’m worried for you Petra. I don’t want anyone to ever say a bad thing about you.”
My heart flutters. He’s worried about me. Not himself, the way I thought. I can’t lie and say I’m not worried about myself too. But I think the original plan will work. The worst thing we’ve done, according to our lie, is go check out a BDSM club. So, what?
Just as we pull up to the entrance to the garage, we’re met with the missing paparazzi. Cameras are picked up and pointed at us as reporters come toward the minivan.
Owen throws the car into reverse and peels away. “Owen! Shit! They don’t know who we are. You should’ve driven right through them. We have on hoods. We’re in another car. You just made us look guilty as hell. Fuck, you’re dramatic!”
“I don’t know how the fuck to do this, Petra.” He goes faster, as some of the reporters get into their cars and are coming after us.
“These people are insane.” I look out the back window. “Slow down, Owen. None of this matters. Don’t give them the satisfaction of all the drama. Just go the speed limit and stop acting guilty.”
“Petra, you and I are wearing hoodies. We’ve changed cars and we’re pulling back into the parking garage of the club. You tell me how the hell I’m going to downplay that shit.” He turns a corner so fast, I feel like we’re only on two wheels.
“Owen!” I grab the bar at the top of the door.
The van wobbles as we get around the corner. “Please, stop yelling. You’re making me even more nervous, Petra.”
Something more than fear courses through me as I look at Owen’s profile. He’s afraid. For me, for him, for his career, and reputation. All because of how other people see things. And now I’m pissed off even more. “Let me out, Owen. Let me talk to the reporters.”
“Over my dead body, Petra. You’re young. That much is true. You have no idea how other people can ruin your life. I do, baby. I love you. I’m not about to let you hurt yourself by doing things you don’t understand.” He veers to the right, and we fly over a small hill.
He’s heading out of town. The buildings are getting further and further behind us, and the cars are still following. “When do you plan on stopping?”
“When I lose them all.” He takes a sharp left, then a right, and we’re going deeper into the woods.
“You have no idea where you’re going, do you?”
“Away from Portland.” He takes another right and then I see a sign that tells me he has no other choice but to face those who are chasing him. Those who think they can accuse the man I love of doing something terri
ble.
“You’ve found yourself a dead end, Owen.”
The tires squeal as he comes to a stop. White smoke billows around us. It’s thick and doesn’t clear right away as the dense, tall mass of trees holds it in place. “Get out,” Owen shouts at me.
“Owen …”
“Do as I say. Get out of the car and run.”
Into the burnt, rubber-smelling smoke, I go. I can’t see a thing, and my eyes burn. My hand is grabbed, and I’m dragged along into the woods. Thankful for the sneakers, I run with Owen as he zigs and zags through the woods.
Behind us, I can hear cars and doors opening and closing and people talking. I can’t understand any of them as we run so fast and get deeper into the wilderness with each step we take.
We run and run, and then Owen stops, as we’ve come to another end. We’re on the top of a cliff. A lake is sprawled out beneath us. Neither of us can breathe well. I let his hand go and put my hands on my knees, bending over, trying to catch my breath. “Now what?”
He looks around, gasping for air too. “I think we’ve lost them.”
“No shit.” I look behind us to see only thick-as-shit forest. “I think we’re lost too.”
Owen looks up, then from one side to the other. “Yeah, maybe. But we can figure shit out. No one is going to find us in here.”
“And we’re going to eat, what? Sleep where?” I hold out my arms and turn all the way around. “Any bright ideas about that? I mean, you do realize that our cell phones were in the car, right. Those reporters will know that was us in that van. The van that you rented. That’s all easily traced.”
“Fuck!” he shouts, then sits on the ground.
“You have a way of making yourself look so completely guilty, when you’ve done nothing wrong.” I sit down next to him. “When I said your name, you freaked and fled. And now you’re doing the same thing. What we did isn’t illegal. It might be misunderstood, frowned upon, and even ridiculed, but it’s not against the law.”
Doctor's Demands: A Submissives’ Secrets Novel Page 14
