Hale Series Boxed Set

by Marie James

  He briskly pulls his unflagging cock from my mouth and tugs me up. Keeping a commanding hold on my hair he leads me out of the room, down the hall, and into the guest bedroom. I have no idea when he did it but the bed has been shoved to the side and a leather covered saw horse is taking up space in the room, cuffs and various tie-downs connected to each of the four legs.

  I stare at the leather covered contraption in both awe and trepidation. His intentions are perfectly clear.

  “What…?” Before I can finish the thought, his hand lands solidly on my bare ass, causing me to take a step forward.

  “Keep your mouth shut, Alexa or I will ball gag you.” I snap my lips closed.

  Apparently I’m on a need to know basis and I don’t need to know when he added this contraption to the guest room. It’s going to be rather hard to explain should we ever have overnight guests.

  He tugs gently on my hair and leads me the rest of the way into the room until my hips are against the end of the implement. He releases my hair and I obediently lay my stomach on the top, and spread my legs, lining them up with the legs of the saw horse, and dangle my hands near the other cuffs at the front.

  “Good girl,” he praises as a finger drifts down the full length of my spine.

  I smile at his words; happy to be pleasing him but even more thankful that he’s finally verbalized something other than delicious threats.

  I close my eyes and try to settle my nerves, anxious at not knowing what he’s going to do. As he ties my legs and arms down, I begin to criticize myself for being upset with the soft side of Garrett that I’ve had for the last month. I told Lorali I wanted more and I’m getting what I asked for tenfold.

  Once I’m secured to the bench he places a thick blind fold over my eyes, successfully blocking out any and all light. Next comes the noise cancelling headphones, making my shallow, uneven breathes the only thing I can hear.

  I whimper when my inner thigh is stroked with cold leather. The anticipation of his assault is exquisite and sends goose pimples over every inch of my heated, exposed skin.

  The initial slap of what I can only assume is a riding crop is hard enough to make me cry out. The heat radiating from the point of contact outward. I wiggle my hips, my body begging for the next bite of pain. Garrett does not disappoint.

  He didn’t ask me to count the hits like he has in the past when I’ve done something that required ‘punishment,’ so I do my best to stay quiet but I end up begging him. I beg him to stop and then beg him for more.

  I don’t know which end is up and it seems like it will never end. What I do know is my ability to sit comfortably was taken more than a dozen hits ago.

  He must grow weary of the begging because less than a minute after his last swat my jaw is tugged open and the taste of rubber hits my tongue as he straps a ball gag around my face. I begin to tremble as every one of my ways to safe word is taken from me. I’m beginning to question the whole situation and my safety, never having been at anyone’s complete mercy before. This wouldn’t bother me as much if I was certain that the man in this room is the same man who professed his love to me yesterday.

  Just as total panic begins to set in I feel him place a tiny metal jingle bell in my hand and force my fingers to clasp around it. He strokes my cheek gently and I think my Garrett is back but before I can take a second breath he grips both of my tortured ass cheeks in his hands.

  I scream around the gag and then whimper as he slams into me. My body does its best to accommodate the sudden intrusion. Garrett doesn’t even slow his brutal thrusts when I erupt around him, my orgasm gripping him repeatedly; instead he smacks my ass in the very spot that he caused the most damage setting off another climax right on the heels of the first one.

  He hammers into me until he suddenly and without warning pulls free from my clinging core. I expect the sting of his hot come on my ass but instead I feel his essence dripping from me and down my thighs. He powered through his own release.

  Immediately he uncuffs my legs and wrists and removes the head phones. I lie on the bench trembling, trying to calm my raging pulse. I can hear him leave the room but he hasn’t said I can get up so I wait. It isn’t until I hear him walk down the hall and close the door to his office, shutting me out completely that I realize he’s finished.

  I stay on the bench a while longer and let the blind fold covering my eyes catch my tears.

  ***

  Garrett stays in his office for the rest of the evening. I don’t know exactly how long our scene lasted but it was after six in the evening when I finally managed the courage to pull myself up from the bench and get a shower.

  The tears continued to flow in the shower, in part to the sting of the welt marks on my ass as the hot water sweeps over them, but largely because I’ve never felt so alone in my life. Not when my parents deserted me, not even when my grandmother and only living blood relative passed away from breast cancer.

  Garrett is right down the hall and he couldn’t be farther away right now if he was across the pond in England. I can’t call Lorali and tell her about what happened and what I’m feeling because I just told her not too long ago that I missed this side of Garrett.

  Well, sort of. This side of Garrett I’ve never seen before. Even when we had agreed to a one night stand months ago he didn’t treat me so dismissively. That’s the part that hurts the most. He wasn’t there to tend to me after the most in depth scene we’ve done. The biggest thing I’m concerned over is I don’t know if it was punishment for being intoxicated when he got home last night or if this is what he needs from me with the situation of his arrest.

  I can be who he needs me to be for now, but I won’t be able to handle him not ever touching me with gentleness. Imagining him not telling me he loves me is enough to cause another round of tears.

  “Mr. Thomas,” I say after the voicemail beeps indicating it’s recording. “I have some personal issues I’m working through and will need to take some time off. Once I have a better grasp on how long that will be, you will be the first to know.”

  He calls back almost immediately, obviously screening his calls and chastises me for needing so much time off so often and how it is unprofessional and how the spa can’t handle the salaried employees taking off when some hourly employees had to be laid-off because sales were down.

  I lost it.

  Right then and there I quit my job with no notice and no other plans for my future. I never took my future into consideration. After the day I had, I was not going to let someone who I did not respect talk to me the way he did. I gave him every piece of my mind that I’d been filing away over the last several months and then hung up on him. Let Elite Spa crumble; I had other things to worry about.

  It’s close to midnight when I get a text from Garrett. Office. That’s all it says, so I comply because I’ve already told myself I will be what he needs for now.

  He’s sitting in his office chair and watches my eyes as I step in closer to him; the same blank look on his face as I step closer to him.

  “Knees.” He commands.

  Here we go again.

  An hour later, I’m a panting, sticky mess. At least this time he opted for nipple and clit clamps, leaving my sore ass alone. My body is completely sated but my heart has been further damaged by his lack emotional involvement.

  I haven’t felt his lips on mine for over twenty-four hours now; the longest we’ve ever gone since getting back together after my shooting. The closest thing I get to affection from him is the tender touch to my clit as he fills my ass with a butt plug, which he does after he comes, so I know he’s not done with me yet.

  Chapter 24

  Lorali

  It has been weeks since Garrett’s arrest and things could not be worse. Not that anyone even wants to get together but we haven’t all been in the same location since Kaleb knocked on our door with two uniformed officers and took him away in handcuffs.

  I managed to convince the girls to get together for some w
edding stuff. I feel guilty for even asking but Ian assures me that things are under control as best they can be and we should continue to do what we need. He’s certain the case will be dismissed and we should live as if it will happen any day.

  I pick Josie up from her house first. She seems a little more laid back and I think her honeymoon and time away to relax has helped. We grab Alexa next. She insisted I pick her last, refusing to go to Josie’s for fear of running into Kaleb-even though I assured her he’s at work. She wasn’t taking any chances.

  Alexa makes her way out of her apartment building less than a minute after I sent her a text letting her know we were here. I’d never say it to her but she looks horrible. Her hair seems flat, she’s more pale than usual, and she has bags under her eyes. There is no way to ignore her wince when she sits gingerly on the backseat of the car. I want to ask her what’s been going on since Garrett was released from custody but I’m honestly afraid of her answer.

  I stick with what I hope is a safe subject as I catch her eyes in my rearview mirror. “What’s Garrett up to today?”

  I watch as she cuts her eyes to Josie, like she’s afraid to speak candidly in front her, in fear that Josie might tell Kaleb what she says.

  “I think he had planned to call and see if Ian wanted to work out or something,” she finally answers but then doesn’t offer anything else.

  I’m at a loss at how to get us back to the relationship we had before. I do know that Alexa doesn’t blame Josie for what’s going on but I’m sure she despises Kaleb. Personally, I’m torn. I know Kaleb is only doing his job but at the same time I’m extremely upset over the entire situation.

  “What are the plans today?” Josie asks and I can tell she’s trying to lighten the mood.

  “We’re meeting with the caterer and baker today,” I tell her.

  She smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes. I know she can feel the heavy tension in the car. I pull up outside of the business that Elisabel Elite Events, my wedding planning organization, recommended.

  “I’ve had it,” I say, putting the car in park and not turning the ignition off. “We just need to put all the shit on the table so we can start getting passed it. I can’t handle all the stress and I know it’s not good for the baby.”

  “What’s going on with the case, Josie?” Alexa just dives right in. I shouldn’t have expected any less.

  “What do you mean?” Josie asks turning in her seat so she can see Alexa better.

  “What has Kaleb said to you?” Alexa prods.

  “Kaleb hasn’t said anything to me specifically about the case,” she answers quietly.

  Alexa huffs and I see her cross her arms over her chest and sits back further against the seat. She winces at the contact and sits up straighter, keeping her back from touching the seat back.

  “I don’t deserve that, Alexa.” Josie says with a little more fire in her voice. “Kaleb won’t say anything about it. And if I’m being honest I haven’t even had the chance to ask him. Kaleb is always working on Garrett’s case.”

  “What is he hoping for? The fucking death penalty?” Alexa asked heatedly.

  “Are you kidding me?” Josie asks affronted. “The only thing he has said is things don’t lineup. He makes it sound like he’s doing his best to prove Garrett is innocent and the only way he can do that is to find the guy who did do it so he can clear his name.”

  I watch in the rear view mirror as a tear rolls down Alexa’s cheek. “Sorry,” she apologizes.

  “Please don’t jump down my throat, and if it’s not too much to ask, please don’t bash my husband. We’ve hardly seen each other and we’ve not made love in weeks.” Josie admits. “We’re newlyweds; we should be going at it like rabbits.”

  Alexa smirks at her. “Watch what you wish for,” Alexa says and then turns her head to my line of sight. “I never should have complained about the softer side of Garrett.”

  “Uh oh,” I say and wrinkle my nose at her admission.

  “Yeah, I haven’t seen that side of Garrett since before all of this shit blew up.”

  “I noticed you wince when you got in. How bad is it?” I say to her.

  “Physically? Nothing more than I can handle. Emotionally? That’s a whole other story.” She looks out the window, breaking her eye contact with me. “He’s been very detached lately.”

  “Have you talked to him about the charges?” I ask because I’m concerned about his well-being including his mental health.

  Alexa shakes her head no. “He won’t talk to me. He pretty much just stays in his office until he’s ready…,” she pauses briefly. “We have hardly seen each other. The only time it seems he wants to be around me is to fuck.”

  “I’m completely in the dark also,” I admit with shame. Ian has always been up front and honest with me. “Ian won’t tell me anything either. He just acts like it hasn’t happened and refuses to answer questions with any specifics.”

  We all sit quietly for a minute, reflecting on each other’s situation.

  Alexa’s circumstances continue to bother me as does her physical condition. She’s normally so put together. “So you work all day and then when you get home, you service him until he’s had his fill?”

  She lets out a weak laugh. “Forgot to tell you guys about that I quit my job. Right after he was arrested. The past several weeks it has been nothing but Garrett and me at home. I haven’t been to the salon,” she says and gives a half-hearted fluff of her hair. “Haven’t had my nails done.” She holds her hands up to reveal the damage to her manicure, or lack thereof.

  “He’s abusing you,” Josie whispers my thoughts out loud.

  She glares at her. “He is not abusing me,” she says icily but doesn’t defend his actions any further.

  “Alexa,” I say softly, hoping that my love for her comes across as just that rather than an attack on Garrett. “Your back and bottom are so sore you can hardly stand the touch of the seat on them, and he’s not communicating with you other than to have sex with you.”

  She tries to hide the tear that manages to sneak down her cheek. “I love him. If this is what he needs right now then this is what I’ll give him. He’s dealing with so much more than we are right now. I’m glad he needs me right now. I don’t want him to keep all that shit bottled up.”

  “Kaleb admitted to me that he feels guilty for being the one to arrest him,” Josie whispers from beside me. “I think that’s why he’s working so hard to figure out what happened. He didn’t ask to be the one to arrest him. He did say he hoped things would be easier if someone was there that he knew. I know you hate him. I just wanted you to know that.”

  Alexa sighs deeply from the backseat. “I don’t hate him, Josie. I hate this entire situation.”

  “Thank you,” Josie says. “I just hope when all of this is over things can go back to normal.”

  “I feel like shit for keeping up with the weddings plans,” I offer.

  “You shouldn’t,” Alexa says. “Life has to go on. We can’t let this rule our lives any more than it already is.”

  “Plus,” Josie says rubbing the tiny little bump on her stomach. “I could go for some food right now.”

  We all laugh. “Morning sickness gone I take it?” Alexa asks and I can tell she sincerely wants to know.

  “For the most part,” Josie says. “Now I get heartburn from everything.”

  “Ugh, no thank you,” Alexa says holding up her hands, her view on having children standing tall.

  “Well let’s go in here and stuff our faces!” I tell them turning off the car and opening my door.

  It seems we’ve resolved the issues within our little group of girls, but it’s the group as a whole I’m concerned we may never be able to heal.

  Chapter 25

  Josie

  “We have to get together again soon,” Lorali says as she’s dropping me off from our outing to the caterer’s.

  “Anytime,” I agree. “School doesn’t start for another few wee
ks. Just let me know.”

  I wave and watch as she drives away. We dropped Alexa off first and Lorali has some event she has to go home and get ready for.

  For the first time today I realize that I had no fear about my safety. I was so nervous about what it was going to be like around Alexa since it’s the first time we got together since the arrest that I never even gave weight to the fear that has been clinging to me since my abduction.

  Thinking of it now does make me move up the driveway quicker though. My fear only increases when I see a big red envelope on the front porch with my name on it. I don’t want to touch it and I also don’t want to leave it, but more importantly I don’t want to be outside the safety of my home.

  I scoop it up and unlock the front door, deactivating the alarm as I walk past the system on the wall on my way to the living room. I sit down on the couch and convince myself that I’m being silly and I shouldn’t be fearful of an envelope. There is no blood oozing out of it and there are no lumps, only what feels like paper.

  Against my better judgment I open the sealed tab at the top and pour the contents on the coffee table.

  Worst mistake ever.

  I’m faced with picture after picture of my husband in various compromising, sexually explicit situations with another woman. My world comes crashing down around me.

  I try to tell myself that Kaleb would never cheat on me but can’t keep my mind from thinking of all the time he’s been gone recently. How closed off he’s been.

  I begin to sob and it doesn’t even stop when I hear the front door open informing me that Kaleb is home from work.

  I feel his warm arms wrap around me. “Not again, Mariposa. What has you so upset?” He coos in my ear.

  I tug free of his arms, my stomach beginning to turn at the feel of his arms around me; the one place I never wanted to leave is now the place I can’t even stomach to be.