Laken's Surrender (Haven)
Page 19
“I was going to tell you when I took you to buy another car. A safer one.”
She gaped at him. “You can’t just buy me a car.”
“Watch me.” He stared down at her until she shook her head.
“Duncan, you cannot buy me a car, it’s too expensive.”
“I made the mistake once of putting my career before you. I did it because back then I thought that getting some money behind me was the most important thing. If I had money then my wife and children would never go without like I had. My kids would never have to wear worn-out hand-me-downs or go to bed hungry. My wife would never want for nothing. I focused on securing a life for myself and I lost the most important thing in my life. I would give up very cent that I earned to go back in time so I could have been with you that night, Laken.”
“Oh, Duncan.” She softened visibly, but he wasn’t done yet. There could be no misunderstanding. She would accept whatever he needed to do to keep her safe.
“Every cent I earned was for you, Laken. It can’t change what happened, but I will use it to keep you safe. So when this is all over and I can ease up on this need to keep you with me constantly, then you will let me buy you a car.”
There would be no negotiation. No argument.
Laken shook her head and hugged him. “All right.”
He relaxed. Standing back, she slugged him in the arm. “But you still should have told me what you’d done. I need a car to take some of my clothes into Freestown.”
“Did you just hit me?”
She bit her lip, looking a little nervous. “Come on, it’s not like it hurt.”
“Are you allowed to hit your Dom?”
Laken sighed. “Sorry.”
“Did you or did you not leave the store without alerting me, Laken?”
Laken bit her lip. “I was angry.”
“I don’t care what the reason is. Unless your life is threatened you stay in the store. It may make me a bit of an asshole, but I didn’t want to get you a car yet so you were reliant on me to get around. Because then you would stay where I put you. I was relying on you to keep your promise to stay at the shop.”
“Stay where you put me?” Temper sparked again.
He stalked her back towards the desk then loamed over her, placing his hands on the desk, trapping her between his arms.
“Yes, sugar. Stay where I know you’ll be safe. Where I know someone is watching over you when I can’t, so I don’t have to spend every minute of my day worrying that something has happened to you.”
She bit her lip. “You’re right; I got into a snit and stormed off without thinking. I’m sorry, Sir.”
Pulling back, he nodded. “Turn and bend over the desk.”
Her lips parted. “Here?”
He simply stared at her steadily until, biting her lip, she complied.
“Raise your skirt up.”
Reaching around, she pulled up the long, dark blue skirt, revealing a pair of silky, green panties. Duncan dragged those down to her ankles.
“Split your legs,” he ordered.
“Oh God,” she groaned.
“Hush,” he told her. “No talking. You can cry out, this office is soundproof, but I think you’ve talked enough today.” He kept his voice strict. He really was upset with her for leaving the shop without thinking first and was determined to make sure it didn’t happen again.
She split her legs apart and Duncan stepped to the side, slapping his hand down on her left buttock. It flattened then bounced back. He moved to the right cheek, giving it two hard, fast slaps. Then he went from one side to the other until her buttocks were blushing red.
He had to hand it to her, though, despite the odd cry, she kept quiet. Duncan grabbed her butt cheeks firmly and she let out a low moan. He pulled them apart, rubbing firmly before reaching one hand between her legs and probing at the entrance to her pussy.
She was wet with arousal, just as he’d guessed. He pushed one finger inside her. He didn’t have time for much, as it was he was going to have to work through his lunch break to make back this time. But he would leave her thinking about him all afternoon, with her butt on fire and a corresponding burn in her pussy.
Duncan thrust his finger in and out of her pussy then drew it out to flick at her clit.
“Oh, oh, oh,” she cried.
“Like that, baby,” he crooned.
“Yes.”
“Good, no coming without my permission.”
She whimpered at that as he thrust two fingers inside her, rubbing that spot that drove her wild. She clenched around him and he drew back. Bending, he grabbed her panties, pulling them up.
Laken turned her head to gape at him, but she didn’t move, nor did she say anything.
Good little subbie.
Duncan turned her, drawing her into his arms. “No touching yourself this afternoon. You’re not to orgasm without permission.” He brushed her hair behind her ears then kissed her pouting lip.
“Now, I’ll walk you back and we’ll talk about how to get your clothes to Freestown.”
He took hold of her small hand and she sighed. “I just want to say that this is really mean, how am I supposed to concentrate when I’m this turned on?”
“If it makes you feel any better, you’re not alone.” He adjusted himself with a grimace. It was going to be a long afternoon.
Chapter Seventeen
Laken looked into the computer screen at Eli, who looked as exhausted as she felt.
“So Ian and Sawyer saw nothing?” Duncan said with frustration. He held her tight on his lap. Maybe she should have insisted on sitting by herself, but she was exhausted and stressed. It had been a long night and she really just wanted to cuddle up to Duncan in bed.
Two weeks had passed since that first night they’d played in Saxon’s and nothing had happened. It was wearing her down.
She was finding it harder and harder to sleep or eat. She suppressed a small yawn. They had to do something. Now. She couldn’t keep going on like this.
“I’m going to put Laken to bed,” Duncan told Eli who was now peering out at them. “Then we’ll discuss this further.”
“No, wait,” she said as he went to stand. “I want to hear what you’re talking about.”
Eli sighed. “Kellan and I need to leave. We’ve already been here too long and people are going to start asking questions. We’re relocating to Freestown tomorrow.”
Alarm surged through her. “You’re leaving us.”
“No, sweetheart.”
Duncan stiffened at his brother’s familiarity and patted his arm soothingly.
“Ian and Sawyer will still be watching over you,” Eli reassured her. “But we’re worried if we stick around that he may become suspicious.”
“What about Marc and Tarin?” she asked.
“They’ve gone back to Dallas. Travis needs them there. Jake and Saxon will be keeping watch over you. Saxon is going to arrange for one of his trainee subs to accompany you if you need to go to the bathroom.”
Duncan stiffened. “None of that is good enough. We’re calling this off.”
“We can’t call it off,” she said. “I haven’t gone this far just to give up. I’m finally getting my life back and I refuse to live in fear any longer. I want this guy caught.”
“So do we,” Eli reassured her. “We’ll keep at this until we get him. I promise.”
“But how long will it take?” Duncan asked. “Laken’s exhausted and stressed. Her health is at risk.”
“I’m fine,” she protested, blushing slightly.
“You have nightmares each night and that’s during the brief four hours sleep you get. You’re not eating and you’re jumping at every sound. This can’t continue.” He directed that last sentence at his brother who nodded, his face serious.
“I know, if there was some way of speeding this up, I would take it.”
“We need to make me more of a target,” she blurted out. She’d been thinking about it all week. She didn
Duncan stiffened. “What do you mean?” Oh God, he wasn’t happy.
Well, she was about to make him miserable.
“Leave me alone.”
“What?”
Even Eli frowned in confusion.
“I think we should set things up so it’s easier for him to take me.”
“I am not going to let him take you,” Duncan said fiercely, holding her tighter.
“I know. I’m not suggesting that. But maybe we need to set things up so it looks like I’m alone. I don’t know how, but I think we need to do something.”
“I don’t like it,” Duncan said immediately.
She knew that would be his first reaction. She snuggled into him. “I know, but we can’t keep living like this.”
Eli sighed. “I don’t know either. This guy is smart; he’ll know that there would be little reason for Duncan to leave you. Let me think it over.”
“I would need to know she’s completely safe before I would allow it,” Duncan said arrogantly.
“Allow it? You’ve been saying that a lot lately,” she said with exasperation.
Duncan shut the computer down on his chuckling brother before tucking a bent finger under her chin. “Allow. It.”
She adored the way he looked after her, but still…
“I dislike the word allow.”
He grinned. “Noted.”
***
Laken pulled her sweater over her head, feeling it catch on something. She tugged harder. She really wanted a long shower and then to roll into bed. She yanked the sweater up, feeling something give and then the sweater was over her head and lying on the bed. Attached to it was her collar.
“Shit.” She on the side of the bed and detached the necklace, checking the clasp. A little loose. “Double shit.”
“Laken? You okay, honey?”
Glancing up, she saw Duncan leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at her in concern.
“Yeah, just tired.”
He frowned at the necklace in her hand. “You took your collar off.”
It had become a ritual of sorts. Duncan would take it off before bed, Laken couldn’t stand to sleep with anything around her neck, and he’d place it on her in the morning after her shower.
“It slipped off with my sweater,” she told him. She’d try and fix the clasp tomorrow.
“Why don’t you get ready for bed? We’ll have an early night.”
She placed the collar on the bedside table.
“What’s the point, it’s not like I’ll sleep,” she told him.
He brushed his hand over her head.
“We have to do something,” she half-begged. “I wish I could be braver, but I can’t. I’m scared shitless.”
Duncan tugged her up into his arms, rocking her. “I know. Me too.”
“Really?” Duncan wasn’t the type to scare easily.
“Yeah. I’m worried I’ll fuck up somehow and you’ll get hurt. There is no way I want history to repeat itself.”
“If something does go wrong, if he takes me—”
“He won’t.” He squeezed her so tight that she let out a squeak of protest. He eased up a little.
“But if he does, you’ll come for me, won’t you?”
“Oh God, baby. I would turn the fucking world over to find you. If anything happens to you—which it damn well better not—I will always, always come for you. I won’t ever stop.”
She sagged against him.
“Come on, you can shower while I cook dinner.”
She nodded and forced herself into the shower. Fifteen minutes later she stepped out back into the bedroom to find her favorite pair of fleecy pajamas lying on the bed, along with her fluffy pink socks.
Normally, she didn’t wear anything to bed when she was sleeping with Duncan but he must have realized how desperately she needed something familiar and comfortable. She pulled on the old pajamas and then padded out in her socks to find Duncan in the kitchen.
He turned and picking up a cup of tea, handed it to her. “Here you go, sugar. Go sit on the couch and I’ll bring your dinner in.”
She walked into the living room, sitting on the plush couch with a sigh. Had she ever been so exhausted? She wrapped her hands around the cup of tea and took a sip. Perfect.
Duncan placed a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches in front of her. Leaning forward he grabbed a piece and took a bite. “Perfect.” He held it up to her lips. She opened her mouth and took a bite. He fed them both until she turned away.
“Thanks, I’m full.”
“Come here then.” He patted his chest and she snuggled into his side. His arm came around her, holding her close as he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Just relax, baby, lean on me. I’m going to keep you safe, I promise.”
Laken closed her eyes, the heat of his body as well as his low voice lulling her into a lazy, dreamlike state. As he turned on the television, she drifted off to sleep.
***
Laken leaned over to grab a box filled with clothing. Her necklace slipped off and she made a grab for it, snatching it up before it could land on the ground.
“Damn it,” she swore.
“What’s wrong?” Savannah asked. She’d stopped in to grab the deliveries that Laken needed to get to the clothing store in Freestown. She’d hated to ask, but Savannah was going there anyway. Duncan had offered to take her, but he couldn’t get off until later.
“Oh, my necklace fell off. The clasp is loose,” she said.
“Let me see.” Savannah reached out for the collar. Laken was reluctant to hand it over, but had no plausible reason not to.
“Doesn’t look too hard to fix, why don’t I drop it into the jeweler and get them to fix the clasp. I’ll pick it up on my way home.”
Laken chewed at her lip. “I don’t know.” Duncan had ordered her to keep it on except for bathing and bed. She didn’t want to let it out of her sight.
“I’ll take good care of it. Otherwise it might fall off and break.” Savannah pushed it into her pocket.
Laken nodded reluctantly before saying goodbye to her friend.
***
Duncan walked into Laken’s shop after a long day. Shit, he was finding it harder to concentrate on the job. He’d love to just pick Laken up and take her away somewhere warm and exotic.
“Hey, sugar,” he called out, locking the door behind him and switching the sign over to closed. It was well past the time she should have shut up, but she usually waited until he came to collect her.
She came out of the back with a frown on her face. “Is it that late already?” Her hand came up to her neck. He’d noticed she often liked to play with her collar. He scowled as he noticed it was missing.
“Where’s your collar?” he asked sharply.
“The clasp was loose and it kept falling off. Savannah took it to the jewellers in Freestown. Only I expected her back hours ago.”
She chewed at her thumbnail.
“You should have told me it was loose, I would have gotten it fixed for you.” He glanced at the clock. “That’s odd she’s not back. Think she forgot to bring it back to you?”
“I don’t know. I’ll call her.” Laken grabbed her cell phone as Duncan watched her.
Laken put her phone down with a frown. “No answer. Maybe she’s still driving.”
Duncan snorted. “Since when has that ever stopped her from using her phone? I’ve pulled her up twice in the last six months for doing just that. Her men need to spank her butt more often.”
“Hmm,” Laken said, her mind clearly on something else. “Do you think she’s been in an accident?”
Laken’s phone rang and she answered it quickly.
“Hi Charity. She didn’t? Oh no, I’ll have to go. Yes, I’ll let you know.” She ended the call, looking at him with fear. “That was Charity, the lady who sells my clothes in Freestown. She said Savannah never turned up today. Where is she?”
Duncan pulled out his own phone. “I’ll call Max. Maybe they’re all at home and Savi’s just lost track of time.”
The phone was picked up on the second ring.
“Duncan, I was just about to call you,” Max answered, sounding almost frantic.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Savi. She went into Freestown today.”
“I know, I’m here with Laken, we’ve just tried calling her. Has there been an accident?”
He gathered Laken against him, hating how pale she’d grown.
“She should have been home at four. We called her at four-thirty, but she didn’t answer. After trying a few more times, we headed out to look for her. Duncan, it looks like she never made it to Freestown. I can’t find her car anywhere.”
“Have you called it in?” Duncan said sharply.
“Yeah, but I want you on it as well, man,” Max said.
“Where are you now?”
“About ten miles out of Freestown on Jacksons road.”
“We’ll be there soon,” Duncan reassured him.”
“Savi’s missing?”
Duncan stared at her seriously. “Yes, baby. Max and Logan are out looking for her now. I’m about to head out.”
“I’m coming with you.”
He nodded. “I’d rather have you with me. But if you get tired I want you to tell me and I’ll get Eli to come get you.”
“I’ll be fine. Let’s just concentrate on finding Savi.” She came to a sudden stop, remembering something. “My collar.”
“What?”
“The tracking device. If Savi didn’t get to Charity’s shop then maybe she didn’t go to the jewelers and maybe she still has it in her pocket.”
Duncan pulled out his phone. “I’m calling Eli.”
***
Laken’s stomach bubbled; threatening to expel the lunch she’d eaten earlier. She huddled into Duncan’s jacket as she half-listened to the conversation going on around her. The men were preparing to go in and rescue Savannah. The GPS signal from her collar had led them miles away from Haven, onto this dirt road, which was flanked on both sides by a thick forest.
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