by Terri Pray
The air was crisp and clear as she walked down the street, her low-heeled boots making a soft clicking sound on the path. She hadn’t seen Tyler so relaxed in a long time. No bad dreams to disturb his night. No cries, or whimpers. Just a deep, peaceful sleep.
He deserved that night, and many more to come.
They both did.
They hadn’t slept together. He had a special bed now, more like a chair, that he could shift in and out of without too many problems. But, perhaps, in time, that would also change as he healed. He was a little stronger each day. He would never be able to walk on his own, they knew that. But there were improvements and there would be more.
They just had to keep working together and that was something they were both now prepared to do.
Her cell phone rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. Tension built instantly, then faded as she recognized the name.
“Sharon?”
“Hey there, been hearing some interesting rumors about you and Tyler. Thought it was best if I checked with the source.”
“Rumors?” Jake. It had to be. If she didn’t deal with the rumors soon, then the problems would double, and Tyler didn’t need that. “What rumors?”
“About you and Jake. He turned up at the club last night with some pictures. They looked a bit iffy, but they were enough to set tongues wagging. He’s claiming that you both had something going behind Tyler’s back.”
Naomi nearly dropped the phone, her knees weak as she tried to control what she felt. To find a way to bring it back under control. “Oh, god.”
“Look, can I meet you? The coffee shop? The one in the grocery store?”
“Yes.” At least she was half way there now. “I’m on my way to the store now. Have some things to pick up. I’ll be there in five.”
“On my way.” The phone went dead at the other end.
God, she’d not expected Jake to do this. Not yet, at least. She’d hoped for some time, but she had no idea what Jake and Tyler had said to each other. What threats, or comments were made. Whatever had happened, she had to find out exactly what Jake had been saying to people. What lies he’d been saying.
She had to get to the bottom of this, and fast. At least it had been Sharon who had come to her with this. They’d been friends long enough that Sharon hadn’t jumped to the wrong conclusion, which was a starting point. If the rumors had spread fully, then she’d have some serious damage control to do.
Naomi hurried into the grocery store, debating for a moment whether or not to do the shopping now, or wait until after she had spoken to Sharon first. She didn’t want to risk missing Sharon, so she grabbed a coffee and settled down. It didn’t take long before Sharon strolled in, her clear blue gaze fixing instantly on Naomi.
“All right, just what’s going on?” The younger woman didn’t even hesitate, or wait to set her coffee cup on the table, before she spoke.
“I think you’d better start from the beginning so I know what I’m dealing with.” Naomi forced her nerves under control, or at least she tried to. “You mentioned Jake and some pictures?”
“He turned up last night at Danny’s club.”
“Well, he is a member.” Would it be best to act as if she didn’t know what the man was doing? Or come outright and tell Sharon just what that man was doing? “What’s this about photos?”
“He’s not a member. Danny won’t let him become one. He doesn’t trust him and, after last night, I can see why.” Sharon took a sip of her coffee and closed her eyes, taking a moment before she continued. “He’s dangerous, Naomi.”
“What did he do? I need to know what happened.”
“He threw a pile of photographs onto the main table and told them you’d been involved with him as his submissive for the last year. It was a mess. Even though Danny knew it wasn’t real, he still stared at those pictures. They had to be fake. We all knew that, but the doubt was clear in everyone’s eyes. Danny knew you’d spent some time with Jake, but thought that had been done with Tyler, except he wasn’t in any of the pictures.”
“I don’t understand that. I really don’t.” The scenes had been done with Tyler there, Tyler in charge. He should have been in the pictures. “Jake and I have never been alone in his dungeon. Not once. Those pictures shouldn’t be possible.” Had she forgotten something? A time she had spent with Jake without Tyler around? Not that she could recall. There wasn’t even a hint of doubt in her mind about that.
“Does he have a digital camera?” Sharon murmured.
“Yes.”
“And a good computer? I mean a pretty up to date one?”
“I guess. I never took much notice of that. Why?” Where was Sharon going with all of this?
“Then he altered them. Somehow he changed them. He either did this himself, or he got someone else to Photoshop them.”
“Do what?” What the hell was she talking about?
“Photoshop, it’s a program on the computer, there are others like it, but they can be used to change photographs and artwork. I think he might have done that. Without looking at them closely, or getting a friend of mine to check them, I can’t say if I’m right or not, but that would be my guess.”
Naomi stared at Sharon, her throat dry. Could it be that simple? “How do I deal with this? I can’t just sit back and let this happen. He could ruin Tyler’s reputation.”
“And yours?”
“Mine I can deal with. Tyler is another matter. He’s been through too much already.” She had to protect him, to find a way to shelter him from this.
“What if he already knows?”
No, that couldn’t have happened. She hadn’t been gone that long, and wouldn’t he have called her? “He would have called me.”
“Not if he was still on the phone with someone else.” Sharon rubbed her temples. “I think Danny was going to get hold of him.”
“Oh, god.” Was it that simple? Was he on the phone still, and getting all the gory details laid out for him, even as she sat over a cup of coffee? “Then he’s dealing with this on his own.”
“No, he’s not. He’s doing the same thing you are. Talking to a friend about it. I mean, he and Danny have been friends for years, haven’t they?”
True enough. They’d met because of Danny. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to get home for a minute and…”
“And do what? Defend yourself?”
“No. I haven’t done anything wrong. He knows that.”
“Then take a breath and calm down.” Sharon reached across the table and squeezed her hand gently. “He won’t think any less of you for not running back to the house.”
“I should be there, with him.”
“You will be. Once you’ve finished what you came to do. Shopping wasn’t it?” Sharon finished off her cup of coffee, and set it down on the table. “Well, if that’s the case, then maybe you should do that first, and take the time to calm down before you go home. Being upset won’t help matters, it might feed into whatever Jake is trying to do.”
That made sense, and she’d let herself be ruled by fear once before. It wasn’t going to happen now. “Right, panic is what Jake wants. He wants the doubt and fear to take control, I can’t, no, I won’t, let that happen. If I can keep my head and Tyler can keep his we’ll stop Jake from winning.”
Sharon grinned. “That’s the spirit.”
Naomi looked down into her coffee cup, then closed her eyes. Every instinct screamed at her to return home and to do so now, but Tyler was the dominant, not her. If she didn’t want to undermine the confidence that had begun to return the night before, then she had to act as if she trusted Tyler’s strength.
And she did trust him.
“Then it’s time I got the shopping done, isn’t it.”
*****
By the time she returned home, Naomi had calmed down. Picking up the last bits and pieces she needed for the breakfast had been easy enough. Still, it didn’t stop her heart from pounding as she opened the door and walked
back into her home. Silence greeted her, though she knew Tyler was still home. He rarely left the house without her help, or the help of someone else.
“Tyler?”
“Living room,” he called out, and Naomi sighed in relief.
“Sorry I was so long, I met up with Sharon. She had some things to tell me.”
“I can well imagine, if it had anything to do with the call I had from Danny.” Tyler sounded calm enough. “We need to decide what we’re going to do about this.”
Naomi set the bags down and sat down opposite him. “Yes, I understand that. Sharon told me about some pictures Jake brought to the club.”
“That matches with what Danny told me.”
“Sharon thinks he Photoshopped them.” Naomi rubbed her hands over her jeans to wipe the sweat off them and looked at him. “I’m sorry it’s come to this, love.”
“I’m not. This had to be way sooner or later. He’s not the sort of man who will let this slide. He’s arrogant, and a thief. He’s determined to have you, one way or the other.”
That part she had begun to realize the day before. What other man would ever go to such lengths to split her from her husband? Just why was he doing this? There were other submissives, ones who were single and who he could have made a play for instead of trying to destroy what she had with Tyler.
“We will find a way past this, I have faith in you and in us.” Tyler spoke calmly and softly. “We have pulled through worse than this, so we can do this if we work together.”
His words brought a warmth to her heart. He loved her. That part had never been in doubt, but the fact he believed in them both, that was something that she clung to and could use as a hope in the dark times. “So, what do we do?”
“We face our accuser. That’s what Danny is arranging even as we speak.” Tyler lifted his damaged hand. “If we hide in the shadows, it will never go away.”
“So we face him where?”
“At Danny’s club.”
The club? Were they ready for such a public outing? “When?”
“Tonight.”
“So soon?”
“We have to deal with this now.” Tyler sat up in his chair, lifting his chin. “If we don’t, it will only get worse. We both know that. It’s how men like him work.”
“But the club, the others, you’ve been keeping away from them for so long now, I just thought you didn’t want to spend time with them. This isn’t going to be easy for you.” For either of them, with the way they would be looked at, the accusations in the eyes of the ones who would believe Jake’s words.
“We’ll do it and face them together.” He reached out for her, holding out his damaged hand. “We were always stronger together. You know that.”
Yes, she did. “We will be able to do this. I’m not saying I’ll enjoy it though.”
“Not saying I will either.” He nodded, his gnarled fingers tightening on her hand. “It won’t be easy. Standing up to other people seldom is.”
Naomi closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The thought of facing everyone she had known before the accident was almost more than she could cope with, but she had to trust Tyler and do this. He was right, the longer they left it to fester the worse it would be when they eventually faced the others at the club.
Jake would be there.
The pictures would be there.
But she wouldn’t be alone. Neither of them would be.
Chapter Six
The club hadn’t changed much in the months since she’d last set foot in it, except for one thing, the atmosphere. From the moment she walked into the club she’d felt it. The looks, the way they stared at both her and Tyler. Her skin crawled.
“You’re with me. Remember that.” His voice reached out to her as they moved through the club, Tyler in his chair, she at his side. “They won’t hurt you. I won’t let them.”
“Even if Tyler wasn’t here, I am, and this is my club.” Danny walked over to meet them, smiling. “You’re both welcome here. Not just tonight, but any night you want to be here.”
“Thank you for that.” Tyler smiled, and reached out his hand in greeting. “The place looks busy.”
“It’s grown that way over the last few months. Come on. We’ve got a booth set to one side for you. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again.”
“I’ve spent too long hiding in the shadows. It was time to change that. I’m just sorry it took something like this to…”
“We’ll be ready when he arrives but, for now, let’s get you all settled.” Danny turned and led the way through to the booth on the far side of the club. “I’ve got some coffee ready. I thought we could all do with a clear head when he arrives.”
Naomi kept silent as she settled into the booth next to Tyler’s chair. This was her fault, she knew that, and now, as she saw the looks being shot her way by the others in the club, she knew just what people felt about her. How they viewed her. It was her fault. In their eyes, she’d betrayed Tyler, and they were all here to watch as she was humiliated.
“Naomi, you’re looking beautiful as always.” Danny reached out for her hand, waiting until Tyler gave a nod of permission before he placed a soft kiss on the back of her knuckles. “And I respect the courage you’ve shown in coming here tonight.”
“Courage?”
“Yes, I’m no fool, and neither is Tyler. We both know how hard it was for you to walk into this club with all the rumors. So, please, relax whilst you can and know that when he arrives you won’t be facing this alone. Those at this booth know very well that you did nothing wrong and did not betray Tyler. We know what Jake is like and what lengths he will go to.”
Was he telling the truth? She peered into his eyes, searching for some sign that this was a game, even though she knew the doubt was unfair. “Thank you.”
They spoke of other things over the next hour, from how to make toys, to movies that had caught the interest of both men at the booth and, for the most part, Naomi kept silent, falling into her old habit at such events of speaking only when spoken to. In the early days of their exploration into the realms of D/s, Tyler had developed a protocol for events like this.
Despite the time away, it was easier to fall back into those habits and listen to what was going on, waiting for when Tyler wished her input on something.
“He’s here.” Danny slipped out of the booth and stood up. “Just keep your calm.”
Easier said than done, but Naomi slipped her hand into Tyler’s, and waited to see what would happen.
Jake walked over to the booth, a package in his hand, one that she assumed would hold copies of the photographs that had been flashed around the club the night before. Her heart clenched. If Tyler saw those and didn’t believe they were fake, then everything they had started to work toward would be destroyed.
“Hello, Danny, good to see you again.”
“I’d say the same, but lies leave a nasty taste in my mouth.” Danny flashed a smile his way. One that didn’t touch his eyes. “There’s only one reason you’re welcome here right now, and that’s to put an end to these rumors once and for all.”
Jake tapped the package. “I think I’ll stand for now.”
“You’ll sit, or you’ll leave. My club, my rules.”
For a moment Jake stood there, his weight shifting slightly from one foot to the other before he finally pulled a chair over and sat down. “Fine.”
“The pictures.” Tyler didn’t hesitate.
“Eager aren’t you?” Jake smirked.
“I just want this over and done with.” Tyler spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on Jake. “I wish to see the photographs, now.”
“She photograph’s well. Pretty little slut that woman of yours. The way she appeared on the cross for me, how she writhed, they were pretty sights to see. I enjoyed her screams as she came for me.”
“And just when was this supposed to have happened?” Tyler kept his calm.
“A few months ago, now. You were asleep, and she came t
o me, searching for a way out of the sense of loss she felt. What could I do? I couldn’t turn her away and leave her in pain. I thought, however, that you had given her permission to seek me out. When I learned the truth, I just had to come to those in the community. What other choice was there?”
“An interesting story, and I suppose she managed to hide the marks from me?”
“Marks?”
“Yes, from your little scene with my property.”
“Ah, but I didn’t flog her.”
“Then just what did you do with Naomi? You claimed you had her screaming in pleasure so what steps did you take to bring her to that moment of delight?” Tyler pressed for information as he looked across the table. “I’m sure you had to do something or she wouldn’t have had to come to you.”
Jake smirked. “Well of course I did. I tied her to the cross.”
“And?”
“Well I used clamps…”
“And left no marks, interesting…”
“I’m skilled enough to make sure there are no marks on her body.”
“No, I don’t think so.” Tyler shook his head, his smile never fading. “I’ve seen how you look after submissives. Your after care is, shall we say, lacking, and there are many here who would agree. This is where your little story begins to fall apart. You’re not the type of man who can look after his – well – toys without someone else walking him through it. Now, those photographs. I want to take a look at them and get this farce over with.”
Jake faltered, his grip on the package tightening then, with a snarl, he pushed them across the table. “Take a look for yourself. The pictures speak clearly.”
Naomi flinched. She knew she was innocent, but it didn’t help how she felt right now. Doubt and fear struggled for control within her heart, her stomach knotted, churned and threatened to strip the color from her face and she couldn’t look away from Tyler or the package of pictures.
A hundred what if’s ran through her mind.
None of them good.
The smirk on Jake’s face didn’t help either.
