by M. J. Perry
All day Grace had managed to keep her happiness bubble intact. She was determined not to get down about her situation.
“Grace, you’ll have face ache if you don’t stop smiling.” Jill teased her.
“I can’t help it.” She admitted.
“It’s nice to see you happy. It warms my toes and you know that’s a good thing because I always have cold toes.”
Grace laughed. “It’s nice to be happy and if me being happy means, you get warm toes it’s even better. My face is starting to ache though.”
“You’d better go and sit in the office and relax then.”
“How will sitting down help me to relax my smile?”
“It won’t but it might stop you looking like a demented monkey.” She teased.
Grace giggled “I suppose I probably do look like one. I’ll go to the office then; I wouldn’t want to scare our customers.”
“It’s a bit late for that but I’ll explain to them that you’re not ill you just got some last night.”
Grace gasped. “Relax, I’m joking.”
“Well you’d be lying anyway."
“I don’t think so, I know a well-sexed woman when I see one.”
“You’d be lying because I got some this morning not last night.”
Jill sighed. “Lucky bitch, I’ve forgotten what it feels like.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t have a problem finding someone to remind you.” Grace said seriously. Jill had shied away from men since her asshole ex cheated on her.
“I’m sure I could but he wouldn’t be the right man. The right man for me doesn’t even know I exist.”
Grace heard the sadness in Jill’s voice and she hated it. “I’m sure he does.” She reassured her. Was she talking about Peter? She didn’t want to ask and make her sadder and she knew if Jill wanted her to know she’d tell her. She bit her lip.
“Maybe.” Jill shrugged and Grace saw the hurt she tried to hide. If it was Peter, she was going to kick his bum. Sod the promise she made to Jason about not getting involved. She let it go for now though, she knew Jill would ask for her help if she needed it. “I’m going to the office. Shout if you need me.”
“Yeah ok I will.” Jill called over her shoulder as she walked away and Grace made her way to the office. She sat heavily in the chair and slipped her shoes off. She loved her heels but the pair today was fairly new and they were rubbing like mad. Her tummy rumbled, and it made her think of teatime. She couldn’t decide what to cook and she giggled to herself because it’s such a normal thought when her life is far from normal.
She picked up the list of new books needing to be ordered and logged on to the computer. Half way down the list she realised she hadn’t heard a peep from Jill in a while so she stood up to find her, she was probably busy restocking the shelves but she had to check. The horrible feeling in her tummy was back and there was no way she was going to ignore it. She slipped her shoes on and took a step around her desk; she was half way to the door when the lights went out. It wouldn’t be a problem if the office had windows, but it didn’t and the room became pitch black. She opened her mouth to call out for Jill but she didn’t get a sound out before a hand closed over her mouth and an arm wrapped around her stomach. Fear froze her body and her voice.
“Don’t move Grace. Don’t try anything just listen carefully.” A voice ordered, and she whimpered. She knew that voice.
Adam.
She didn’t move a muscle mostly because she didn’t think she could if she tried. She could feel her body trembling from fear and she had no doubts he could feel it too.
“Good girl. Now it’s time for punishment number one. Are you ready?”
She shook her head frantically.
“Too bad Grace, now didn’t I tell you to stay still?” He asked in a hard voice. She didn’t listen this time keeping up her struggle she heard him grunt when the back of her head connected with his chin. She pulled herself out of his arms and her body tensed preparing to run but his next words stopped her.
“Jill is tied up out there.” She froze.
“I may or may not have stabbed her and left her to bleed out as we speak.”
Grace gasped, her legs felt weak, and she grabbed the desk to keep herself up right. Oh god Jill, poor Jill.
“Take your punishment and I’ll let you go to her.”
“Why are you doing this?” She had to know.
“I wanted you to know that even with all your protection and cameras I can still get to you.”
“But why?”
“Because you belong to me, now take your punishment or Jill might just die.”
She tensed. “Ok.” She’d do anything for Jill.
“Good girl. Now stay where you are.” He ordered.
She didn’t move a muscle but her grip tightened on the desk and she closed her eyes. She waited for him to make a move and she flinched when she felt hands on both ankles. They slid up her legs and pulled her skirt until it bunched up around the top of her thighs. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks and her body shook. Was he going to touch her there? She swallowed back the bile in her throat. She was doing this for Jill. If Jill was hurt, she’d never forgive herself.
“Ready?” Adam asked her. She knew from his tone he was enjoying this. He squeezed her right thigh hard, and she cried out from the pain. “This will hurt Grace but you need to learn that I won’t let anyone come between you and me.”
She whimpered at his words and at the pain he was still causing from his grip and then she screamed as she felt something slide along her thigh, something sharp. Her legs nearly gave out but Adam moved his hands to hold her waist.
“I’ll be back soon; after all we have four more to go.” He kissed her forehead letting her go, and she slid down the desk on to her bum.
The blood dripped down her thigh. She closed her eyes and then they flew open.
She had to get to Jill. Pulling herself up using the desk she walked a couple of steps but the pain overwhelmed her and she cried out as everything went dark.
Chapter Fourteen
Grace woke confused. She went to move but cried out at the pain in her thigh and everything came rushing back.
“Jill.” She tried to shout, but it came out a whisper. She looked around and saw Jason hurrying towards her. The urge to cry just from seeing his face was strong, but she bit her lip to stem the flow of tears. He looked furious but his face softened when he crouched in front of where she was on the sofa.
“Jill’s fine baby he hit her from behind with something but she’s ok just really pissed off.” Grace relaxed at his words. She looked down at her thigh and saw a bandage wrapped around it.
“You’ve lost some blood, but it’s not bad, it’s like a big scratch and the doctor closed it with butterfly stitches.” Jason’s words were soft but his face was a mask of rage. Relief rushed through her that she wouldn’t need to have stitches. The pain was still there, but it felt more like a sting now..
Jason took her cold hands in his. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. We have the whole conversation recorded. You must have been so scared.”
“I was, but I knew you’d come.” She whispered.
“I promised you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you and I haven’t kept that promise.”
“It’s not your fault Jason. We underestimated him please don’t blame yourself.”
She didn’t want him to blame himself when the person to blame was Adam. She still couldn’t get her head around the fact Adam thought she belonged to him. The only person she belonged to was Jason, and that was her choice. His eyes had shadows and she hated it, she pulled one of her hands free and gripped his chin. “Don’t let him do this to you. After everything he’s done, don’t let him add guilt to our lives too.” She begged him.
He closed his eyes at his words and when they opened his gaze was much clearer.
“I love you.” Grace whispered.
“I love you too Grace. Never forget that.” He whispered back.<
br />
“Can we go home please?”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry baby but you need to give your statement to John first.”
Grace nodded. She didn’t want to talk about it, she wanted to forget about it but she wasn’t stupid. She knew they would need all the information she could give them to help catch him. Thinking about it brought her fear to the front line, she didn’t want to remember that he’d promised to come back, and she didn’t want to remember the four more punishments he’d promised either. Jason moved to get up, and she grabbed his wrists in a tight grip. “Please don’t leave me.” She begged. His fury was evident, and she nearly flinched at the look even though she knew it wasn’t directed at her.
“I will kill that fucker with my bare hands.” He growled before he pulled his wrists free from her grip and scooped her up into his arms so he could sit on the sofa with her cradled in his lap.
“As an officer of the law I would advise you against doing that but as a man I would say you’d better get there before I do.” John snarled.
Grace met his eyes, and she gasped at the anger in his face. He was trying to rein it in but she’d seen it. How had she missed how much he cared for her? Even now when she is in a relationship with Jason, he is still angry on her behalf and threatening violence. He’s a good man.
“Is she awake?” She heard Jill call, and she tried to swing her legs off Jason’s lap without causing herself pain. He helped her by lifting her up and placing her feet on the floor gently. The pain in her leg was a dull throb rather than an all-out pain and she wondered if the panic she’d felt at Adam being so close to her had been the reason she’d fainted rather than the slice to her thigh.
“Jill.” She called and watched Jill’s face crumple as she hurried over to her. Grace opened her arms and Jill ran into them.
Peter walked over to them his face full of concern. Seeing Jill unharmed seemed to open her flood gates and Grace started to sob. “He said he stabbed you.” She whispered.
Jill shushed her gently. “I’m ok, see; I’m all in one piece.”
“He said you’d bleed out if I didn’t do what he wanted.”
Jill tried to wipe away her tears, but they were coming too fast for her to keep up. She felt the anger filling the room and the worry too. When she’d found Grace lying unconscious on the floor with her skirt pushed up and her leg bleeding, she’d thought the worse. She’d rang Peter and Jason and they’d rushed in about five minutes later with a grey haired man who ordered them to place Grace on the sofa and back away so he could check her over. Jill thought Jason was going to knockout the man who she realised was a doctor, but he somehow calmed himself down enough to back away, Peter had patted his shoulder before he looked at Jill and pushed her into the nearest chair. She hadn’t taken her eyes off Grace until the doctor had declared she was fine after closing up her cut and checking her over. Only when she knew Grace was ok did she allow Peter to lead her into the office and into a chair. She’d watched as he’d got a cloth and cleaned Grace’s blood from her hands, at the sight of it all she burst out crying, huge gulping sobs that made her head throb but she couldn’t get the image of Grace lying on the floor bleeding and looking so lifeless out of her head. Grace was her best friend and it would kill her to lose her, she was all she had and thinking of Grace dead broke her heart.
Grace lifted her head, and the movement pulled Jill’s focus from her thoughts to her face. “How do you feel?” She asked her concerned with her pale face.
“I feel fine. I’m scared though.” She whispered.
Before Jill could say anything John spoke. “Are you ready to talk Grace?” He asked her softly and Jill felt her nod. “I thought you had it recorded?” She asked looking at Jason before she looked back at John. “We do but I still need a statement in your own words. I’m sorry.” He apologised.
Grace nodded and pulled away from Jill to sit down by Jason again. He took her hand holding it tightly. She closed her eyes and when she opened them she felt a bit calmer.
“I was in the office ordering books and I realised I’d heard nothing from Jill in a while so I got up to check on her and that’s when the lights went out. I was about to call for her when Adam grabbed me and put a hand over my mouth.” She shuddered at the remembered panic and licked her dry lips. “He told me Jill was bleeding, and I had to take my punishment before I was allowed to go and help her.” She took a deep breath. “He pulled my skirt up to the top of my thighs and then he cut me there.” She looked down at her leg wondering if there was a bruise from his grip. “After he cut me he left, and I tried to find Jill but I must have fainted because the next thing I remember is waking up on the sofa.”
“Thank you sweetheart, you did really well.” John praised her, his voice was rough. There was a lot of testosterone in the air and it comforted her to know these men loved her and were furious on her behalf.
“Thanks. Can I go home now?” She asked him.
“Yes. Go home and rest.”
Grace turned to Jason. “Will you take me home please?” She asked.
“Anything you want baby.” He said.
“I’ll be over tomorrow Grace.” Jill said.
“Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I’ve hurt myself more by walking into things than the bump on my head.”
Jill was a total klutz.
“I’ll help Jill lock up and I’ll take her home.” Peter told her and she nodded. He was angry, and he was holding on by a thread. His face was soft when he looked at Jill though and she loved that.
She wanted to get out of there and be alone with Jason. They all said their goodbyes and Jason passed Grace her bag before he lifted her into his arms gently and walked towards the door. His behaviour brought fresh tears to her eyes; he was treating her like precious cargo. She didn’t tell him to put her down and let her walk, she knew he wanted to carry her and keep her close just like she hadn’t wanted him to leave her earlier. Putting her arms around his neck she breathed in his scent.
John opened the passenger door for them and Jason set her down without jarring her leg. Grace hadn’t even noticed that John had followed them out she’d been so wrapped up in Jason. They called goodbye to John as he walked away. Jason buckled her up in silence and then closed her door. When he got behind the wheel, his face had turned to stone and she knew he was lost in thought. She let him have his silence; he’d talk when he was ready and she didn’t want to push him so she closed her eyes and rested her head against her seat. When the car slowed down to a stop Grace opened her eyes, and she found herself looking into the eyes of a very tense man.
“Jason?” She whispered.
“Did he touch you?” He asked in a voice filled with pain. It made her feel like her heart would break in two.
“No Jason. He didn’t. I promise you he didn’t.” She reassured him.
His shoulders slump in relief. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Thank fuck.” He let out a huge breath. “I was so fucking afraid something had happened and you hadn’t wanted to tell everyone. The thought of him touching you kills me.”
“He didn’t touch me.” She reassured him again.
Jason nodded and opened his door. “Don’t move until I come and open your door.” He ordered, and she looked down to hide her smile. Bossy Jason was back.
“Grab your bag baby.” Another order and she did as she was told letting him pick her up just like he had before. He carried her up to the front door and stopped so she could find her key when she found it he unlocked the door and typed in the alarm code before he walked into the living room and dropped her carefully onto the sofa. She seemed to spend a lot of time on sofas.
“Do you want a drink or something to eat?”
“A glass of water would be nice please.” Her mouth was dry.
“Ok baby. Don’t move from there and I’ll get it.”
“I won’t.” She agreed. He wasn’t gone five minutes when he came back with a
glass and some tablets.
“For the pain.” He explained.
“Thanks, it doesn’t hurt as much as it did but it still stings.” Grace admitted.
“We were lucky that he didn’t do it any deeper.”
You aren’t kidding she thought, but she didn’t say it out loud.
“What do you want to do?” Jason asked her and she realised he was trying to keep things normal so she played along.
“Pig out in front of a film?” Curling up to Jason’s sexy body would take her mind off things.
He grinned and kissed her nose. “Ok. Do you want to put some comfortable clothes on first?”
“Yes.” She sighed.
“I’ll help you up then.” Jason told her and again he picked her up. A girl could get used to this. She sighed. “Jason I really can walk.”
“Yes and you can show me tomorrow.”
“Ok.” She relaxed her body. There was no point putting up a fight because she always gave in to him eventually. When they went into their room, she stared longingly at the shower but she knew she couldn’t have one now because of her stitches.
Jason lowered her down on the bed and he searched his drawer for a clean t-shirt for her to wear and then he went to her room to pull out a pair of shorts for her. He needed to move all her thing into their room and fast. When he came back, she was pulling his t-shirt over her head and he glimpsed her lacy bra. Fuck she was gorgeous, even in his baggy t-shirt hiding all her curves. He helped her to stand so he could undo the zip on her skirt and slide it slowly down her legs being careful of her wound. He ground his jaw in anger as his eyes caught the bandage, there were no words to describe how he felt seeing her hurt and he hoped he’d never have to see it again. The pain he felt at letting her down was nothing compared to the guilt eating at him because he’d promised her she wouldn’t have to see Adam and he’d fucked up and let him touch her. He wasn’t leaving her side from now on; anywhere she went he would be right there with her. If he had to go to the office which was pretty likely, then she would be with him. As he tugged her shorts up her silky soft legs, he saw a handprint and had to bite back a curse. The bastard had gripped her hard enough to bruise. Rage flowed through him and he pushed it back with difficulty. She’d already been through enough; she didn’t need him going on a killing rampage right now. He kept his head down until he was sure he had a handle on it and when he felt more under control, he looked up. She had tears in her eyes and it cut him to see them there. To his surprise she cupped his face in her hands and leaned down to brush her lips over his. “I’m fine.” She insisted.
