by P Nelson
“You need to go upstairs and find a place to hide that has a good view of the stairs leading down to the basement. Unless he tries to harm Delaney, do not interfere with Rex. I believe he’ll bring her down here for whatever he has planned.” Linkin shoved thoughts of Rex abusing Delaney out of his head. They would not help him keep his control.
“OK.” Martin hesitated for a second before Linkin felt his lover’s lips come down on his own. The kiss was quick, passionate, and Martin tried to infuse it with all the love and raw need he felt for the other man. “We’re going to get Delaney back, and I swear I’m going to listen to you from now on.”
“Promises. Promises.” Linkin muttered as Martin felt his way back up the stairs. He did a pretty good job of remaining quiet as he scouted for a place to hide upstairs, but Linkin could discern the location of the hiding spot. Closing his eyes, Linkin spread his senses wide. Rolling back his shoulders, he opened his eyes again and looked around the room. There was a couch and a couple of chairs facing a TV, some weights, and a bench in one corner. He strained his sight and saw a pile of ropes, but precious little else that anyone would need to abduct and restrain someone. This guy was a complete amateur.
The sound of a vehicle pulling into the drive upstairs made Linkin’s heart pound, blood rushing into his ears and adrenaline spiking. Fighting down the urge to run up the stairs three at a time, punch Rex out, and save his girl was one of the hardest things he had to do in recent memory. He had thought telling Martin and Delaney he loved them was hard, but waiting to set things right was much harder.
Moving behind the stairs he stood next to a pile of boxes and crouched down. Rex would see him when he turned with the lights on, but this position gave him the perfect vantage to assess Rex and Delaney’s positions before moving to attack. The sound of doors opening and slamming shut came from upstairs before the back door in the kitchen opened. Delaney’s angry voice sent a wave of calm through him. His amazing little sub wasn’t taking any of Rex’s shit, and he was so damn proud of her.
Delaney struggled against Rex’s hold using every bit of strength she had in her body. This asshole wasn’t going to make her a victim. She had blacked out when she hit her head and only woke up when she heard the zip ties tightening around her wrists, binding her arms behind her back. Her head was pounding and the scrapes on her shins were burning, but above all, she was pissed off.
“Do you know what I’m going to do to you once I get free?” she demanded.
“All you have to do to is fix what you did to my computer, bitch.” Rex tugged her through his small kitchen. Delaney tried to stop him from going any farther, but he was physically stronger than she.
“I don’t know anything about computers, dumbass,” Delaney hissed as he pressed down between her shoulder blades until her knees gave out. He wrenched on her using her bound arms as leverage. Biting back a squeal of pain, Delaney set her mouth into a defiant grimace but had little choice in obeying Rex’s commands. “I’m a florist, remember?” He shoved her towards an open door she knew led down to the basement. Some of her bravado faltered. He could have anything planned for her down there. What had happened to the guy Linkin had tailing her all these weeks? They would come for her. She knew they would. All she had to do was stay alive.
“My entire collection has been erased and I can’t even post a Facebook update, Delaney,” Rex snarled, and Delaney tried to pull away from the anger she heard in his voice.
“You’re a psycho,” Delaney spat out as he yanked her down the stairs into the darkened basement. At this point, she had no way to defend herself if Rex decided to push her down the stairs. With her hands tied behind her back, Delaney’s face would be the only thing to break her fall. Heart thumping wildly as she descended into the darkness of the house, she kept her mantra going for Martin and Linkin. They would come for her any minute now.
The light in the basement switched on at the same time she stepped off the last step. She blinked a few times trying to get her eyes to focus. From previous visits to Rex’s house, she knew there was only one way in and out. Rex pushed past her and went over to his computer.
“Fix it.” He pointed at the desktop. He wiggled the mouse, and a screensaver popped up.
“I already told you, Rex.” Delaney stamped her foot. “I don’t know anything about computers.” Rex’s face contorted in rage, and he stalked towards her. Stumbling backwards, Delaney almost fell when strong arms shot out to steady her. A hard chest collided with the side of her head and she heard more footsteps on the stairs coming down into the basement. Her Doms had come for her. Relief washed through her system; the tears she refused to shed started to form in her eyes.
“What the fuck?” Rex was looking at Delaney and her saviour in anger and surprise.
“Someone’s in trouble.” Martin’s voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs. Delaney looked over to see him staring at Rex, rage burning in his handsome features. Linkin pressed a kiss to the top of her head, before shuffling her towards Martin.
“Why don’t you tell me your little plan?” Linkin crossed his arms, his voice low and threatening. Delaney never wanted him to use that voice on her. Rex shrank back slightly, intimidated by the hunter in the room.
“Fuck you, faggot.” Delaney shook her head; this was not going to go well for Rex. “I don’t have to tell you anything. Now, get out of my house.”
“No, I don’t think so.” Linkin uncrossed his arms. “And you’re the last guy I would ever want to fuck.” Digging into one of his pockets, he held a large multi-purpose knife out to Martin. Delaney did her best to hold her hands up for Martin as he carefully wedged the sharp steel between her skin and the hard plastic. A snap and her wrists were free. She rubbed them and looked over at Rex. Anger burned deep in her gut. He had humiliated her, taken her freedom, and now he was threatening her Doms? Without a second’s hesitation, Delaney avoided Martin’s grasping hands and Linkin’s lunge, walked right up to Rex and slapped him hard in the face.
“Asshole,” she yelled as she felt hands clamp over her upper arms and drag her a safe distance away from Rex. “I was supposed to have my first public scene tonight, prick! You ruined everything.” She shook with rage. “What you did to me was wrong, Rex. I never gave you permission to tape our scenes. You violated me on a level you can’t even imagine. Then, to find out you posted those videos out of some sort of revenge.” Delaney took a deep breath. “You’re not a good person, a good man, a good anything. You violated my trust and my body.” Her finger shook as she pointed a finger at him. “I know about the rest of the girls on your computer, you sick fuck. If I ever find out you’re up to your old ways, you’ll get a visit from my boys here.”
“I’m going to call the cops.” Rex’s voice lacked conviction.
“And tell them what?” Delaney stood with her hands on her hips. “I’m positive Martin and Linkin had witnesses to my abduction. You have nothing to stand on here. Get on with your life, but don’t try and interfere in mine anymore.” Delaney felt good. Better than she had since the pictures first appeared on the internet. Master Linkin and Master Martin had helped her get over the trauma, but she had needed to face Rex and tell him how he made her feel. It was a purge, and Delaney felt lighter and ready to face anything.
She shrugged out of Linkin’s hold and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled down at her with warm eyes before focusing his pale gaze back on Rex. Delaney walked over to Martin and took his hand.
“I’m ready to go home now.” She looked up at his face.
“You two get home,” Linkin called from where he was still watching Rex a phone in one hand. His other hand held a set of keys that he threw over to Martin. “I’ll be along shortly.” Martin hesitated after catching the keys. He wanted to stay and get a couple of good licks in on Rex, but Linkin was right. Delaney’s safety was the main priority right now. He wanted to check the scrapes and bruises on her shins as well as the goose egg forming on her forehead.
�
�Make sure you give him one for me.” Martin stared Rex down before squeezing Delaney’s smaller hand in his. She was so delicate, and Rex could have easily hurt her if Linkin hadn’t been a paranoid freak. The fact the entire night had made a turn for the anti-climactic didn’t stop his brain from going over all the scenarios where he never got to hold Delaney again in his arms, never got to feel her soft body pressed between him and Linkin.
He followed Delaney up the stairs and met Sam coming in through the kitchen door. He nodded at them both and went down the stairs immediately. Martin tuned out Rex’s raised, panicked voice and headed for the exit, Delaney under one arm.
“Linkin isn’t going to murder Rex, is he?” A thread of worry in Delaney’s voice made Martin focus on the present.
“Do you really think Linkin would do that?” Martin posed a question for an answer and was happy once they got out into the fresh evening air.
“Yes.” Delaney’s voice was soft.
“You’re right. But no.” Martin tucked her further under his arm as he walked her down the sidewalk towards where they parked the SUV. “Linkin is capable of killing Rex, but he’s too smart to do anything that would cause you or me any harm.” Delaney was silent until Martin got them both safely into the SUV and started the engine.
“Rex is an asshole, and when I first saw what he had done, I wanted to hurt him.” She paused for a second. “I still want to hurt him, but I want him to live with what he did to me.” Martin smiled at Delaney’s vicious side.
“I’m sure Linkin and Sam will come up with something suitable.” Martin drove through the streets back towards his house. “Sam has a sense of humour.” Delaney blew out a breath from the passenger seat.
Once home, Martin insisted on carrying Delaney inside of the house. He took her upstairs to the big bed where she belonged and set her on the edge. She looked a bit crumpled from the night’s events.
“Let me help you with your jacket.” Martin started to undo the tie around the waist of her overcoat as Delaney started on the buttons. “Does your head hurt?”
“It’s gone down to a dull roar.” She smiled faintly up at him as she used her fingers to poke at the swelling on her forehead. Already a dark bruise was forming under the skin.
“Now, I want to drive back and slug him in the face.” Martin grimaced as he eased the arms of her jacket down to reveal the fetware he had personally chosen for the evening. The strappy body suit with black mesh in all the right places had held up well considering. Martin did his best to ignore his hardening cock and focus on Delaney’s needs.
“Don’t worry; I slapped him a good one for both of us.” Her lips trembled for a second before the tears began. Martin eased her into his arms and sat on the bed. He listened as she cried out all her fear and anger, all the time stroking her back and thinking how fucking lucky they had been tonight. The Dom inside of him never wanted Delaney to be out of his sight for even a second.
She started to hiccup, and Martin reached over to the bedside table and pulled a box of tissues from the drawer. He stared across the room and listened as she tried to get her emotions under control. When he looked down, he smiled at her red nose and tear-streaked cheeks. Only Linkin and he were allowed to make her cry. Rex had a fuck load of shit hanging on his shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Martin shook his head. “Why are you sorry?” he let out a breath, the tension inside of him built to a crescendo. “We’re your Doms. We knew Rex was a problem, and we didn’t protect you enough.” She started to speak, but Martin cut her off. “No, this needs to be said. Linkin wanted tighter security for you, and I told him to give you space. This whole thing is my fault.”
“No one could have predicted Rex would go this far,” Delaney argued.
“Linkin did,” Martin admitted. “He was worried about Rex’s reaction to having his stash of revenge porn erased. Linkin knows people far better than he believes, and I brushed off his worries because I thought you’d leave us if Linkin became too overbearing. Now, I wish I had been more like him.” He felt Delaney shift in his arms, her hands came up to hold his face, and he peered down into her large green eyes.
“You need to stop trying to control other people’s responses to Linkin and Linkin’s responses to other people.” Her voice was earnest as she continued. “And you sure as hell don’t need to temper him for me. I’m a big girl, and I love Linkin as much as I love you. The fact he can be an overbearing ass at times is not something you need or should control. I get the fact you’ve been doing it for a very long time, but honestly Martin, take a break.”
Delaney spoke from the heart. She knew how much strain Martin had been under protecting Linkin, but she knew Linkin didn’t give a crap what other people thought of him. Martin let out a long sigh and rested his forehead delicately against hers, careful not to press down on the bump Rex had given her.
“The last few weeks have been a revelation,” Martin whispered. “Linkin and I despaired of ever finding a sub who would be permanently interested in a ménage let alone put up with us. I’ve seen Linkin open up in ways I could never have managed on my own. There’s a part of me that’s jealous I couldn’t be everything to him, but the bigger part of me is so fucking happy someone could reach him.”
Delaney pulled back. “I love being with the two of you.” She was being honest. “Problems are going to happen, but we can work them out. Now I think it’s time for a hot shower. I should probably clean the scrapes on my shins or they might get infected. Good thing I had already planned to stay the night tonight.” She sat bolt upright. “My bag!”
“Mac grabbed it when he caught Robert.” Martin’s voice was edged in bitterness. “He was always a bit needy, but I never suspected he would aid a kidnapper. The whole thing is so disturbing.” Delaney sighed in relief at least her things were safe. “I’ll go back and grab your bag from the SUV, and you can start the bath.” He leaned forward and kissed her. “And tomorrow we’ll talk about getting all your things moved over from your place. You want to put it on the market right away.”
“What?” Delaney asked as she slipped off the bed.
“You spend most of your time here anyway. Why not just move in?” Martin stepped towards her, and she backed off. He gave her some space. “After what happened tonight, I think all of us would feel better if we all lived under one roof.” Delaney’s mind was racing. Her head hurt, and her shins were still burning. Martin. Reasonable Master Martin was pushing for her to make a big commitment to him after suffering such a traumatic event.
“I’ll spend the night and maybe a few more, but I can’t put my life permanently on hold because something might happen to me.” Delaney put her hands on her hips feeling ridiculous having this argument while still dressed in her fetware and bruised from her ordeal with Rex.
“You already said you loved us.” Martin was getting stubborn. “You’re our sub, and I think you need to start taking the contract you signed with us seriously.” Martin rolled back his shoulders, and Delaney shook her head. This was not the time for him to try and top her.
“No. Red. Deciduous.” Delaney announced to the room. Martin stared at her with a look of incredulity.
“I can’t believe you’re using your safe word to back out of a conversation you’re not comfortable having,” Martin raised his voice, and his words cut through Delaney. The obedient sub who lived inside of Delaney fell to her knees. The woman who had worked hard to shape the life she wanted stiffened her back.
“Do not say something you will later regret,” Delaney warned him. Her heart was aching. How had their evening turned into such a disaster? She had been nervously looking forward to her first public scene with her new Doms and now she was having an all-out fight with one of the calmest Doms she had ever met.
“Go.” Martin’s voice was hard as he placed the SUV keys on the bed and turned away.
“Master Martin.” Delaney’s voice hitched.
“Don’t use the title unless
you mean to obey.” He went over to the bedroom window and stared out into the night. Delaney wanted to go to him, soothe his angry fears, but she needed to take care of herself first. She picked up the keys and walked towards the door. “Delaney.” She heard the defeat in his voice, and it broke her heart. Didn’t he understand she wasn’t a pushover?
“Yes, Master Martin.” She used the title to remind him of their contract.
“Be safe.” She waited a minute to see if he would turn and apologise for what he said. But he remained still as stone. Biting her lip, Delaney ordered herself to not start crying again. Her eyes were puffy, and her nose was still a little runny from earlier, Delaney fled the house she had come to love. For once it wasn’t Linkin’s abrasive authority she struggled against, it was Martin’s loving concern for her safety that tried to hedge her in.
Feeling stupid because she had forgotten her coat upstairs, she grabbed one of her Dom’s jackets from near the door and shrugged into it before heading out the door to the garage. Using the keys and the fobs, she managed to get the garage door open and the SUV into motion. Through her tears, Delaney navigated a couple of blocks away from Martin and Linkin’s house before pulling over and crying her eyes out.
This was not how it was supposed to go. She sobbed into the long sleeves of the jacket and briefly wondered if she might have ruined the material forever. Master Linkin and Master Martin were the best Doms and the best men she had ever had in her life. Could they get over their recent trauma, or would this be the end of her true submission? The answer made her heart burst in pain as fresh tears streamed down her face.
Chapter Fifteen
