by Piper Stone
“What’s wrong, Jeep?”
The door opened again, admitting Pepper, Salk and to Jenny’s surprise, the head of Sentry Security, Sean Tobin. “Tob! What are you doing here?” Jenny jumped up to hug her husband’s friend.
“I live here, remember?” Tobin quipped.
“But…” Jenny began.
“We’ve got some serious things to discuss, but first I think you and Jeep need to have a discussion.” Tobin used the code phrase he knew they used to refer to discipline of the physical variety.
“They need to discuss what they’re going to discuss?” Tay asked.
“Not that kind of a discussion,” Pepper informed her. “We need to confer with Salk in the library.” Taking her hand, he led her away.
“Let’s make it the kitchen,” Salk amended. “I feel the need for a dozen or so cookies coming on.”
Tobin motioned to a guard who passed through with two laptop computers in leather folios. “I’ll go get started with Guy. Meet me in the west dining room later.”
Jenny took Jeep’s hand when he held it out to her. “Let’s get this over with,” he said. His voice sounded oddly preoccupied.
She knew he had to be upset with her, but there was more, much more going on here. “What’s wrong, Jeep?”
“Later, little gal,” he replied. “After. Business before…”
“Pleasure?”
“Not exactly. It could be, but…”
“Jeep, please. What’s going on?”
“We’ve got a plan. It’s just not what I… but I think you might… Please let me get this done in my own way. Can you do that for me? Can you give me the gift I really need right now?”
“My trust?”
“And your obedience. In the end it amounts to the same thing.”
He needed her assent. That much was growing clearer by the minute. Jenny let him help her up and draw her back to their bedroom. Silently they took up their positions in a dance they knew only too well. Disheartened that she had caused him such embarrassment and trouble, she quickly removed her clothing so that she was bare to the waist. He pulled up a small table and sat down, testing its strength before resting fully on it.
She laid herself over his lap and he wasted no time in applying his large hand to her backside. She had thought he would hurry, but he kept a steady pace, spanking her thoroughly, covering every inch of skin on her bottom and reaching down to her upper thighs.
All the while, he scolded her, describing with words what his hands were already conveying. “I told you. You knew what would happen. And yet there you went, breaking rules, acting like a spoiled brat. You could have gotten hurt. Or taken. Or lost out there.”
So he didn’t know. They hadn’t had a chance to turn on her phone, so he didn’t realize what she meant to do. Should she tell him? He didn’t like her to answer back or make excuses, but he wanted to know what she was thinking, so when he paused, she confessed quickly, before she lost her nerve. “I wouldn’t have gotten lost. I had my phone.”
“Your phone? Did you turn it on? Did you use the GPS?” His swats got faster and harder, making her squirm and cry out.
“No, we never got that far.” Oh, how she hated feeling so helpless and foolish. She deserved to be over his knee, having her bottom spanked. What a disaster she had made of the whole situation. It was awful and she knew better.
“At least you were honest about it and I didn’t have to figure it out for myself. And you didn’t turn it on.”
“But I meant to. I’m so sorry!” She couldn’t help it. The first sob that escaped seemed to break some sort of dam in her heart and the tears came in a flood. “I shouldn’t have. I was wrong.” He continued to spank her until all the tension seemed to drain from her body. Soon after she relaxed over his lap and gave in to her emotions, he slowed his pace. Finally, she realized that he was rubbing rather than spanking. “I didn’t mean to create problems,” she said, wiping her face with her hands.
Jeep handed her a handkerchief and helped her up, encircling her with his long arms while she got herself together. “I know you didn’t. It’s been a rough few days for all of us.”
“But it’s over now, right?”
“Not exactly, sweetheart.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, we’ve got a plan, but… Do you really want to hear it now? Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We can go into everything right now, or we can wait. We can celebrate and eat all your wonderful food and sing carols and everything. Tobin even brought a tree with him in the helicopter.”
Wiping her eyes, she gave a watery laugh. “So we can dismantle that monstrosity we constructed out of broom handles?”
“No way! I love that Christmas tree you cobbled together. They can be side by side.”
“Modern art right next to the traditional real deal? I don’t think so.”
“A compromise. We can have one in the living room and one in the west dining room. Tob says that’s where the family takes their meals when they’re here.”
“Agreed. Now which one where?”
“I’ll leave that up to you. I like to leave as much as I can up to you. It’s just that there are some things that I have to take care of.”
That sounded as ominous as anything he had said throughout this whole affair. She could only wonder what he meant. Maybe it was best if they put off explanations and answers until after Christmas. She had a feeling she was going to need the memory of this holiday to help her get through whatever she was going to face.
The next few hours were surreal and yet oddly satisfying. Tobin had brought more men with him to relieve the first group so that they could go and be with any family or friends they had. Some were even electing to remain and enjoy the celebration with their colleagues. As Jeep had noted, there were worse places to find shelter than in a two million dollar house.
Christmas Eve around the ranch was quiet and reflective as the group gathered in the largest of the dining rooms where the table had been removed and the chairs had been lined up to resemble a church service. Tobin served as host and Guy led in the capacity of informal chaplain, a role that Jenny found rather ironic, given his past. Lacey had been very good for Guy and nowhere was the proof more evident than amongst this group of guards who had never even heard of his womanizing reputation. Jeep read the Christmas story and Jenny played the grand piano that, while badly out of tune from years of disuse, still sounded wonderful. The old carols soon had everyone in a reflective mood.
Jenny’s eyes began to tear up as she looked around the room at the men and women who had become closer than family over the years. How grateful she was for each person, and for the company that had brought them all together. They had been truly blessed. No wonder Jeep wanted to keep things as they were. She would just have to find the strength to go on. She would manage. It would be fun. She would make it work – for him, for the company, for all the good they did in the world, and for herself and the pride she could take in her small part of it.
Tay must have noticed Jenny’s mood. She came over and sat on the bench next to Jenny. Turning to a rollicking Christmas ditty, she whispered, “Time to lighten the mood, okay?” To the rest of the crowd, she announced, “I have a request. My father used to sing this one to us, but I’ve never known the real tune. He was completely tone deaf.”
Laughing, Jenny nodded, her fingers dancing as they produced the beloved tune. Other members of the crowd started calling out their favorites and telling stories of why they loved the songs, but it was Jeep’s request that had the tears sneaking down Jenny’s cheek. “Play ‘I Built a Slide For Santa’. That’s a song my kids made up when they were little. We sang it every year.” Jenny and Lacey sang it as a duet, making the thugs laugh uproariously at the last line.
I built a slide for Santa
In my chimney Christmas night
So St. Nick will see how helpful I can be
And be sure to treat me right.
But underneath your chimney
In your fireplace nice and clean
When Santa comes down, right back up he’ll bound
‘Cause I put a trampoline!
Tobin closed the evening by announcing a generous Christmas bonus and one by one, the men drifted away. “I just hope the guys remember this night half as fondly as I will,” Jenny told Tay and Lacey as they packed up the music and stowed it in the piano bench.
“No one but the duty guards will see dawn tomorrow, I’ll bet,” Lacey replied. “No kids around here to wake us up.”
“I’ll be up. Mr. Tobin is flying us back to Hathville.” Tay grimaced at the thought. “So I guess I’d better turn in.”
“Me, too,” Jenny agreed. “I’m beat.”
Jeep came up behind her and put his arms around her. “We have to talk first.”
“I thought we were going to wait until after Christmas,” Jenny said.
“I’d rather Tob be here,” Jeep said, “But if you want to wait, I guess we don’t really need him.”
“Then let’s wait,” Jenny said. “I just want to enjoy the day.” She suspected what was coming and wanted to put it off as long as possible.
A low key Christmas such as Jenny had never had before proved to be an insufficient distraction for Jenny’s worries. Jeep did his best, trying to make sure she was busy either helping the staff with feeding the extra guests or working on their Christmas puzzle. He continued into the late afternoon after they had exchanged gifts, admiring over and over the silk necktie Jenny had special ordered for him. “They’re always too short,” he said. “This one is great! Look how long! Excellent.”
She loved his presents for her, too. As usual, he had bought her a book, a necklace and a small wooden animal for her collection. “A dove. Where did you find it? It’s perfect!”
“I got it in Erbil. Had a guy carve it specially, actually.”
“Erbil. That’s in Iraq, right? You and Tobin had some dealings there.”
“I thought we weren’t talking about work today.” Jeep gave her a sidelong glance.
“I know, but we’re alone for the moment. Who knows how long it will last? Someone will come in needing something.”
Jeep set his tie down and took her hands. “We might as well get it over with.”
“I want you to know, I don’t blame you.”
“Blame me?”
“I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”
“I did most of it. Guy tried to take credit, but it was mostly me.”
“Guy? Why would I blame Guy for landing us in witness protection?”
“Why are we going into witness protection?”
“Aren’t we?”
“Not that I know of. Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Jenny laughed. “No, not at all. It’s just that I know that Guy found some answers that made Lacey believe that this would be our last Christmas together.”
“Guy wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
“Well, I’m glad he did. I needed some warning so I wouldn’t be so shocked.”
“But the warning you got wasn’t the right one.”
“What?”
“We aren’t going into witness protection. At least, not really.”
“What do you mean? We either are in danger, or we aren’t.”
“It’s not that simple. Can I explain it to you in my own way? I’ve been practicing this speech for hours and I’d like to work it in sometime before midnight if I could.”
“Of course. I’m sorry. Go ahead.”
“Okay. There comes a time in a man’s life when—”
Jenny couldn’t believe her ears. “Jeep, are you leaving me?”
“No! What makes you think that?”
“The way you started out sounded like…”
“Can I just get through this, please? It’s bad enough without you messing up my preparations. I’m nervous enough as it is.”
“I’m sorry. Go ahead.”
Stiff enough to make your average iron poker look positively willowy, Jeep tried again. “There comes a time in a man’s life where he has to decide what’s important. I decided a long time ago that you were the most important thing in my world. I would do anything to keep you safe and happy. It seems, however, that there is a danger to that peace lurking in my background.”
“Lurking?”
Jeep shot her a quelling glance.
“Sorry. Go ahead. You’re doing great.”
“Specifically, my work background. I have caught a lot of the baser element, but now, some of that baser element is interested in catching me. Our ruined vacation has proved to me that it’s time—”
“It wasn’t ruined. In fact, I think it turned out rather nicely.”
“It’s time to change course just a bit. Mr. Tobin and I agree that we don’t need to change our identities completely. Barty just isn’t that organized. As long we stay out of the limelight, we should be able to go visit the kids and our friends from time to time. It just has to be on an unpredictable schedule. Not on a schedule, in fact.”
Jenny’s mind was reeling. “Wait. Wait. We won’t have to disappear completely?”
“We don’t think so, at least not yet. Maybe some time in the future, it could be necessary, but… Tob and Torino have worked things out.”
“Can he… Can they… I mean, of course if you think it’s safe, I’ll be happy to do whatever you decide. I’m just so… It seems too good to be true.”
Jeep gave her hand a gentle squeeze, as if willing his confidence to flow into her. “You know if I weren’t totally convinced that we would be safe, I would move heaven and earth. I wouldn’t rest until any threat to you was eliminated. The problem is, there are too many little threats from too many directions. Tob figures, and everyone who knows the situation agrees, the best thing would be for us to show up now and then, but be hard to find the rest of the time. Barty is the only one who might put a kink in the hose and Torino says he’ll deal with that side of things.”
“And you trust this Torino?”
“Tob does, so I think we should. It’s not trust, exactly. It’s in his own best interests to go along with Tob’s idea.”
“So how would this work, exactly? How can we stay ‘hard to find’? I mean, our house is kind of big to hide.”
“We’d have to give that up and buy an RV or a trailer or something. We make it look like we’re retiring and traveling the country.”
“That sounds wonderful, but I’m afraid it will get old after a while, especially for you. I mean, you’re not exactly RV-sized. You’re more like the size of an RV.”
“We can settle down. We just need to find the right location. Like this place, but further from any big cities. I know you don’t like the idea of giving up your friends and being isolated out in the country somewhere. It’s going to be hard to make friends, and shopping will be a pain.”
Jenny shook her head. “We don’t have to look at it that way. We can make it work. We can make it fun, I’ll bet, if we think hard enough.”
Jeep reached over and drew her onto his lap to hold her close. “That’s why I love you. What a spirit! Is there anything you think you can’t do?”
“Lots of things I can’t do, but nothing I can’t make work for me, for us. We can take anything and make it better, as long as we’re together.” Jenny’s mind was already whirling with ideas.
With a grin, Jeep settled back into the chair. “What’s that amazing brain of yours churning up?”
“Well, I was just thinking, it will be fun to build a place, but how can we fill it up? We could take in kids, but that would draw too much official attention. We’ll have to keep it private. Like a club, so we could check people out thoroughly before we let them on the property.”
“It might work. Some kind of a closed group, like an exclusive bed and breakfast.”
Oh, the possibilities were endless. Jenny almost forgot about what a chore it would be to leave her home. “It should have a theme. Those
are the most popular places.”
“We wouldn’t want it to be too popular. That would draw attention too.”
“Well, if we had a pretty specific theme, there wouldn’t be hordes of people clamoring to get in. Just a few, so we look like a legitimate business. If we have a B&B with no guests, even neighbors far away are bound to get suspicious.”
“You have a point there. Something interesting, but not too attractive.”
“Now, as far as the location, we have to be practical. Building a place like this far out from town is going to get expensive. I’m sure we can find a small town that would be out of the way enough to suit our needs.”
“Don’t worry about the capital investment. Tob feels responsible for our situation. He’s willing to set us up and fill in any gaps. He won’t mind having a place he knows is pretty much off the grid.”
Jenny smiled. “I should have known Tob would have offered to help us. I don’t want to take advantage. We’ve prepared for retirement.”
“But he knows I wouldn’t be retiring now if it weren’t for… the situation.”
Something about his tone snagged Jenny’s attention. As she got used to the idea that she would not have to give up everything in her life, she began to take more notice of how Jeep sounded. He wasn’t naming Barty Torino or anyone else specifically. “There’s more to this, isn’t there? More to the story that you’re not telling me.”
Jeep got very still. She could feel it through the muscles in his massive chest. “This is where I need your trust… and your obedience. There will be times, I just have to count on that. I have to know that you believe in me and my ability to protect you. I’ll always do that. Do you believe me?”
Jenny turned to face him. “I believe you. I believe in you. I know you would never tolerate one iota of preventable danger. If you’re satisfied that we could build such a place safely, I’ll follow you there gladly.” She thought about it a moment. “Yes, gladly. It’ll be an adventure. A lot of people make a fresh start at this time in their lives. Why shouldn’t we?”
