“Yeah,” she commented quietly. “But I’m not so sure about its occupants.”
“How do you mean?”
“I don’t know. Just bear with me. I want to take a slight detour.”
She checked the road and mirrors, before carefully pulling out and doing a smooth U-turn to drive back the other way. Her gaze went to the rear vision mirror.
“Oh, shit,” she gasped.
“What?” Esther turned back and watched the Escalade make a sharp U-turn of its own and come back after them.
“Oh, my god.” Esther half laughed and shook her head. “They’re not really following us, are they?”
“Yes, they are,” Mairead stated with a firm conviction. “It’s alright. I’m just going to drive normally and when they get closer, I might get a look at them.”
Esther stared at her. “Who are they?”
“I don’t know, but they passed by your Mum’s house before. I couldn’t see them, because the side windows are heavily tinted but the windscreen isn’t. Once they get closer I should be able to see the driver. Don’t let them see you looking back. If you want to look, there’s a make-up wallet in the glove box. It has a mirror.”
Esther got out a satin wallet and opened the flap which had a small mirror. “A bit small but should do the job. Do you mind if I pretend to be using you’re make-up?”
“Go for it.”
When Mairead looked again to her rear vision mirror, she was startled to see the Escalade had made up ground and now sat only several metres behind them. It was still too far back to get a good look at the driver.
“It’s a guy,” Mairead said. “But that’s all I can see.”
“Just stay focussed on the road,” Esther told her firmly. “I can kind of see him, but not clearly.”
“He looks big from where I’m sitting,” Mairead commented.
Esther closed the wallet and returned it the glove box. “I need to ring Master. Can I use your phone?”
Mairead frowned. “Not just yet. You don’t want to be bothering him when this might just fizzle out to be nothing.”
“Mairead.” Esther chided. “This is not a game. We both know how real these things can get. Let me just ring him and let him know what’s going on.”
“No,” Mairead returned firmly. “Because if it turns out to be nothing, he will still tell James and then I won’t be allowed to do anything without someone hovering over me.”
“But only to protect you.”
“When do I stop needing protection, Esther? I like this, you and me out together like normal girls without our men feeling they need to be watching over us. This is what Dylan wants you to have, Esther.”
She frowned. “I don’t know. This is different. We’re being followed.”
“By journalists,” Mairead told her quickly. “That’s who they are. I’m sure of it. They know our car and they’re trying to sniff out a story as usual. What insanity is Mairead up to today?”
Esther grinned. “You know it often feels like that, but in a good way of course.”
“Hold that thought,” Mairead said as they came to the end of the road where it met the main road.
The busy traffic in front of her was flowing steadily and she glanced in the mirror to see that the Escalade had stopped behind her. It was close enough now to see two men, one with a thick black beard and moustache, and the other bald with a goatee beard. Both were hulks, and their blank stare in their direction made Mairead swallow nervously. They certainly weren’t journalists, though she wasn’t about to share that revelation with Esther.
Her gaze went back to the two lane road and the peak hour traffic in front of her. Mairead knew they were likely to be sitting there for a while, before a decent break came up to get onto the road. She studied the oncoming cars that were close together for some distance.
Looking back to the men, her heart sank to see the passenger open his door and start to get out. She looked back to the road. In the approaching traffic she could see the one possible gap in the outer lane, a slower driver leaving two car lengths open in front, but it was blocked by the cars of the inner lane that were still close together.
Her hope got a boost as one approaching car indicated its intention to take up that gap, which would leave a short space if the driver behind didn’t speed up. Mairead breathed deeply. It was all about timing, something her former gymnastics training had taught her well. Of course, the body she would be navigating was considerably larger.
Though the Mercedes had an automatic transmission, she softly put her left foot on the brake, before moving her right to the accelerator, keeping the brake lights active and not allowing their stalkers any idea of her intentions. Another glance saw the bald man drawing closer, his hand going into his pocket. She wasn’t about to wait to see what he got out.
Keeping her gaze firmly on the cars, she took a deep breath. “Hold tight.”
“What for?” Esther asked.
The indicating car made its move just before it had reached them. The gap was created and Mairead’s foot came off the brake as the other flattened the accelerator. The Mercedes launched out from the street and straight into the space as it came up for her. There was a screech of brakes and blasts of horns as she pulled down on the steering wheel to straighten up and avoid hitting the car in the outer lane.
The Mercedes swung back too far and for a terrifying moment, she thought she would slide the rear into the outer lane, until she felt the traction control begin to engage. She gently eased back on the steering wheel. The car began to straighten and she held her breath, controlling the wheel until it was moving steadily in line with the traffic.
She stared blankly at the car in front of her. Her mouth hung open and her heart was thumping along with the sounds of abusive blasts and angry voices all about her. Just a glance in the rear vision mirror told her that she had one very angry man behind her, sticking his finger up at her with his mouth working overtime with obvious obscenities. To the side another driver was brandishing his fist at her.
Mairead ignored them to take another look to the mirror. She could see the front of the Escalade sticking out from the street, trying to muscle its way into the traffic without success. Her relief overruled any contrition or embarrassment her actions had caused.
Esther was clutching onto her seat, open-mouthed and pale. “Oh, my god, Mairead. You could have… You should never have… Oh, my god that was incredible.”
Mairead grinned sheepishly. “I’m sorry, Esther. I think that has to be one of the dumbest, irresponsible things I have ever done, but hell, it worked and in a moment I’m going to turn off down another street, before our friend has time to catch up with us.”
Esther turned back. “He’s still trying to get out on the road. You did it, Mairead.”
“And just remember, if James ever finds out about this, I will never be able to sit down again for the rest of my life, after he finishes breaking my arse.”
“Are you asking me not to tell Master,” Esther asked quietly.
Mairead paused and shook her head. “No, forget what I said. You can tell him and I’ll accept the consequences. One thing I did learn through everything is that when I do fuck up, not to take anyone down with me.”
“Just terrify them to death.”
“Oh, come on,” Mairead laughed. “That was really impressive. Besides, you forget I’m married to a man that goes into excessive detail about my safety while driving. Now, I can say I actually know what traction control does. Works pretty good.”
Esther finally joined in with a giggle. “Well I don’t know what that is, but you were awesome and it will teach those pushy journalists to mind their own business.”
Mairead didn’t reply. There were some things best left unsaid.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“It’s too early,” Tammy whined, sitting up in bed and clutching a teddy bear. “Why does Esther get to stay up and I have to go to bed?”
Dylan leant over to bring hi
s face close to hers. “Because Esther hasn’t been snooping around looking for things that are none of her business. It took me over an hour to find you today and you still haven’t told me what you were up to.”
“It’s all your fault,” she blurted out, miserably. “You’re sending Esther away, just like you did with Mary and we both know what happened to her.”
Dylan froze and glared down at her. “This is nothing like Mary.”
“Yes it is.” The childish voice was gone. “She got too close, like me and Esther. She wanted to tell me something that day and you stopped her. I want to know what she was going to tell me.”
“No you don’t.”
“Yes, I do, which is why I’ve been searching. I want answers. I want to know and it’s not fair that you won’t talk to me about it.”
Dylan sat down on the bed and frowned at her. “Because talking about it won’t help. That was years ago and it has no bearing on your life now.”
“Doesn’t it?” Her head bowed miserably. “Look at me. I am thirty-two years of age and I pretend to be a child, because I can’t cope with being an adult.”
“And it’s worked for both of us, so what’s the problem?”
“Because I am an adult.” She tossed the teddy from her bed. “It’s time I started acting like one.”
He took her chin and made her look up at him. “The first time you crawled into my lap and called me Daddy, I honoured your choice, by being what you needed and desired. Are you trying to tell me that you don’t want that anymore?”
“I don’t know.” Tammy shook her head. “I don’t want to remember the life I had before you, but lately I keep thinking about it, about who I was and the things that happened to me.”
“And how do those memories make you feel?”
“Frightened, sick,” she replied. “I hated everyone, until I met you.”
“Then be with me,” he smiled. “Be my little girl. Be what feels right to you.”
“It’s not right and it’s not normal, and I’m getting older every year. Is this what I’m going to be for the rest of my life, a fat, ugly old freak acting like a child? It must sicken you.”
Tammy suddenly found herself hoisted up and pulled down across his lap, his arm locking around her waist in a steel grip. Dylan’s palm came down onto her bare bottom and thighs with rapid ferocity. She screamed and bawled as he spanked her soundly for a few solid minutes.
When he stopped, he pulled her up firmly and lay her down on the bed. Getting up, he leant over her, trapping her between his powerful arms and glaring furiously into her anguished face.
“Don’t ever say that to me again. I have never treated you with the contempt you are accusing me of. What do I see? I see a girl who likes to call me Daddy, who makes me laugh and have fun with her.”
Tammy started to cry afresh and try to cover her face, but he pulled her hands down and held them.
“Stop bawling and listen,” he demanded. “You alone have been with me more than anyone, and I may not have given you the commitment that you have shown me, but I have loved you as much as is in me to love anyone. Yes, I had a woman once that I cared for deeply, but she’s gone and you’re here. You are my Tammy and I like caring for you the way I do, the way you want me to care for you, and I don’t give a fuck if it’s normal or acceptable, because I don’t need anyone’s approval, except yours.”
Tammy’s lip trembled with her stuttered breathing as her crying died down. After a few attempts she managed a coherent reply. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”
Dylan stood up and breathed out deeply, looking down at her. Tammy sat up, her body still shaking with silent tears and little gasps of breath.
He held his hand out to her. She didn’t look up, but timidly grasped it and allowed him to pull her up. Taking her place on the bed, he sat down and drew her onto his lap. As her bottom pressed into his thighs, Tammy sucked in a breath at the sting. His arms went around her and she slumped into his body, turning to bury her head into his shoulder.
“Please, don’t be angry with me,” she whispered.
He stroked her hair. “Tell me you’ve heard everything I said.”
She nodded. “You’ve never made me feel bad about myself. You’ve always made me feel beautiful.”
“But you are not feeling loved? Is that it?”
“I am,” she replied. She breathed deeply. “Yours is the only love I have ever felt. I just didn’t think I deserved it.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because I know I’ve done terrible things.”
Dylan lifted her face up to look at him. “No, you haven’t.”
Tammy swallowed nervously. “There’s so much I never told you, about what happened before you found me. I never understood why you didn’t ask and I was so glad you didn’t, because if you had…”
“I didn’t need to ask, because I already knew.”
“No, you couldn’t have known, unless…” She stared at him. “You went to the house.”
“Twice. The second time I burnt it down, completely destroyed it, so no-one would ever know about you.”
“We have to talk about this.” Tammy tried to escape his hold on her. “You never told me you went to the house. You should have told me…”
“That’s enough.” The harsh rise to his voice ended her struggles.
“Please, tell me,” Tammy whimpered. “Tell me what you saw.”
“I saw your pain,” he replied angrily. Taking a breath he lowered his voice. “It’s over and I made my decision that day to keep you and I have never regretted it. Isn’t that enough?”
Her lip quivered. “How could you, knowing..?”
“Because you needed me and I wasn’t about to turn you away.”
Tammy’s body heaved and she burst into deep wracking sobs, clinging onto him desperately. He held her tightly, caressing her back and allowing her to cry as much as she needed.
Long after she had calmed, he was in no hurry to let her go. “Are you alright, baby girl?”
She sniffed and nodded. After a shuddering breath, she whispered, “Is that what Mary was going to tell me?”
“No. She knew enough, even helped me to piece things together, but she didn’t know the full truth of it until we were in France.”
“Then what?”
He sighed. “Mary was trying to right a wrong that couldn’t be fixed. Trying to would have brought no peace to anyone, and certainly not to you. All it would have done was bring you torment. I wasn’t about to let that happen. I made decisions about your life, right or wrong, and I stuck by them.”
“You didn’t know me. Why did you even care?”
“Tammy, don’t ask me questions I can’t answer. Most of the time, I’m a proper cunt. It’s just every now and then I… I don’t know. Forget it.”
“You get sad, and you need to be near me to make you laugh again.”
Dylan gazed at her and nodded thoughtfully. “Something like that.”
“Did Mary hate me?”
“No. She cared about you, but Mary had problems of her own. She had been downtrodden all her life, made to feel inferior, powerless and unwanted. I changed that for her, but she allowed the power to go to her head. She abused it by refusing to obey my wishes.”
“Why?”
“Because she thought she knew better than me, and was driven by an arcane obsession with right and wrong, allowing no grey areas for the imperfections of human beings.”
“Daddy, how did she die?”
“We don’t talk about that. Mary taught me a few bitter lessons of my own, and that night everything changed, except for you.” He smiled and squeezed her softly. “You were my anchor. You still had to be cared for and kept in line, no matter what else was going on.”
“I was your problem child.”
“Your problems were simple ones that could be sorted quickly with a cuddle or a smacked arse. You got me through some dark days just by being Tammy.”
Tammy poute
d. “But I don’t do the things the others do. I don’t like it when it gets really rough. I could never do what Esther and Yvette do with you, and some of the others.”
“Have I ever asked you to?” Dylan frowned. “Sometimes I need it to be rough, just as Esther and Yvette do. There’s something in me, something that needs the intensity of it to let go of the anger, but then when I’m with you, I don’t want that. I’ve found a lot of peace in having you around and lately, I’m wanting that more than ever.”
“But I’m not innocent,” Tammy said quietly.
“When you became Tammy, all that had happened before was over. As Tammy, you wanted everything life had denied you, the happiness and carefree world of a child, along with the sexual pleasures of an adult. It took some getting used to, but I like it.”
Tammy gazed at him. “Do you really like it? You’re not just saying that?”
“Have I ever shown any shame in what we do?” He grinned. “I thought I was doing well in my role as your Daddy.”
Tammy giggled. “You do. Too well, sometimes. You make me believe that I’ve never been anyone else but Tammy.”
“So does that end tonight?”
“No.” She smiled up to him. “I want you to be my Daddy.”
“Then stop searching for answers that are only going to give you grief. The past can’t be changed and nothing good comes from it invading the future. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Daddy.” Her little girl voice was back with a pout. “My bottom is sore and you have to rub cream on it for being a mean Daddy.”
Dylan grinned. “Would you like me to kiss it better for you, baby girl?”
Tammy shivered and nodded eagerly, before suddenly seizing him in a tight embrace. “I love you, Daddy. I love you so much.”
Kissing the top of her head, he wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the feel of her warmth against him and her large breasts crushing into his chest. He was satisfied that the matter was over for now, and he looked forward to sinking himself inside of her. It would bring them both some relief and help to settle her into a calm, deep sleep.
Sins of the Master Page 19
