The Heart of the Matter: A Doms of The Cage Novel (The Dom's of The Cage Series Book 2)

by P Nelson

  “I’ve already disabled the alarm from here, seemed like there was no point with the police on their way.” Linkin sounded as if he was focusing hard on whatever he was seeing. Eric grabbed one of the pool cues from the table and started up the stairs. He took a deep breath and shouted.

  “Jerry, I know you’re fucking in here.” His voice sounded cold, like it didn’t even belong to him. None of the panic and terror his chest held for Elizabeth seeped into his tone. “Why don’t you come on out and face me like a man, you little shit.”

  “I see her.” Linkin said into the phone Eric had pressed against his ear as he held the pool cue in both hands searching for Jerry on the main floor of the house. “She’s stopped just out front of the house. I think she heard you. Tell her to run, Eric, or she’ll come back to you.”

  “Elizabeth, be a good girl and stay hidden, beautiful,” Eric called out and hoped she stayed outside the house. “The police are on their way.” He was just turning the corner from the kitchen into the dining room when a flash out of the corner of his eye had him turning. Jerry struck out with a tire iron.

  Eric ducked some of the blow, but the iron still landed on his arm sending pulses of pain throughout his entire arm. The phone dropped to the ground as Eric swung around with the pool cue.

  Hearing Eric’s voice inside the house made Elizabeth’s heart jump into her throat. He had no idea what he was facing up there. She thought about his instructions to run and hide, but when she heard loud banging coming from upstairs, there was no way she could leave him to try and take down Jerry.

  Her feet were wet from the grass and the bottom of the over-large robe she wore trailed against the ground. Elizabeth could hear yelling as she headed back into the house. She needed a weapon, something that would frighten Jerry and protect Eric. The phone in the front of her robe began to ring as she placed her foot on the bottom step of the stairs leading back into the house. Grabbing the device intending to turn it on silent, she saw the name of Linkin’s security firm on the front. It was probably them telling her Jerry was in the house. She swiped the screen and pressed the cool plastic to her ear as she went up the stairs.

  “Stop right there, sub.” The cold command came through the line and went straight to a place she had no idea existed in her belly. Elizabeth did as the voice ordered and froze in place, all the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. “Go back down the stairs, make your way to the front of the house. Emergency services are less than five minutes away.”

  “Linkin, he’s inside with Eric.” Elizabeth’s voice held all the panic she was feeling, every ounce of dread that was welling up inside of her was only being held back by a fine layer of stoicism she wasn’t sure she could hang on to. “I’ve got to help him.” She forced her legs to move again even though her mind was telling her not to disobey the angry Dom on the other end of the phone.

  “Get your ass to the front of the house, Elizabeth.” Linkin ordered again. “I will light up that ass of yours once your training contract with Eric is over. Do you understand me?” Elizabeth’s heart banged in her chest making it hard to breath, to think; she swallowed at the dizziness invading her vision. She knew Linkin would put her over his lap. There would be nothing sexual in the punishment, just something she would receive because she had put herself in danger.

  “I love him.” The words ripped out of Elizabeth’s heart and even though they had only been together for a short time, Eric had taught her so much about who she really was and why she mattered. “I’m not going to let Jerry take him from me, Linkin. He took my home, my job, and sense of safety. He can’t have Eric, dammit.” A sob erupted out of her mouth, but she didn’t try and stifle it. The admission galvanised her into action, and she started up the steps again.

  “Your Dom and I are going to have a very long talk about your behaviour, Elizabeth.” Linkin’s voice was so cold she was surprised her ear didn’t freeze off from frostbite.

  “There aren’t any more noises coming from the house.” Elizabeth said into the phone as she reached the top of the outside staircase on the far side of the house. She looked down towards the dining room but couldn’t see anything with the drapes across the windows. “I’m going inside.” She swallowed hard at the expletives coming across the phone. “Emergency services are on their way, I’m going to be fine.” She reassured Linkin and hung up her phone. It immediately started vibrating, but she ignored it and slipped it into the pocket of her robe. She eased the sliding glass door open and smacked straight into Jerry.

  “Right into my arms, Elizabeth.” Jerry’s hand cruelly bit into Elizabeth’s arm, and she couldn’t help the startled squeak that left her throat.

  “Fuck you, Jerry.” Elizabeth spat back at him, surprised by her own courage. She could hear the sirens clearly now. The police were either here or only moments away.

  “Not very nice. I thought Master Eric was supposed to be teaching you some manners.” Jerry slapped Elizabeth across the face, and her head snapped back, black dots danced across her vision, but she blinked furiously trying to keep her eyes open. Elizabeth struggled against Jerry’s grip on her arm, but he was stronger than she.

  “Stop moving, Elizabeth.” Jerry pulled her to his chest and held up his other hand. It held the knife he had shown her before. He pressed the flat of the blade into her cheek. Elizabeth caught the lights of the police cars dancing in all directions on the walls, ceiling and bouncing off the glass windows.

  “You’ve never even been to church, Jerry,” Elizabeth said as a way to keep him distracted until the police showed up. “And you’ve made it abundantly clear you have no use for me. What’s the deal with all this shit?” Jerry frowned at her for a minute.

  “Oh, the church of whatever supplication?” Jerry laughed. “They approached me while I as at one of the Dom meetings out at that community centre. They wanted to know if I knew I was sinning and shit.” Jerry pressed the blade into her skin a little deeper; it stung, and Elizabeth blinked to keep tears from falling. “I blew them off, but they offered me money to get into the club. When you got me kicked out, well they paid me to tell them everything I knew.”

  “You’re a dick, Jerry.” Eric’s voice sounded from behind Elizabeth and by the fury in Jerry’s eyes, she wasn’t sure what he might do right now. “The cops are here; they’re probably surrounding the house right now, as we speak, so let Elizabeth go.”

  “Whatever, man.” Jerry pulled Elizabeth closer to him and pointed the knife at Eric. When his arm slipped a little around her body, Elizabeth took advantage and tried to wrestle free. She only managed to turn in her arms so she could face Eric before Jerry brought his hand up around her neck. Slowly squeezing her windpipe, Elizabeth fought for air.

  “I’m not going to get charged with anything, dipshit. The church takes care of their own,” Jerry replied. Elizabeth could barely concentrate on the words spoken by her ex-boyfriend. She kept her gaze on Eric who was trying to get closer to her. The lack of oxygen became critical and despite Jerry’s warning not to move, her body reacted instinctively.

  Her hands came up to claw at his grip, she felt the steel of his knife slice into her flesh but her overwhelming need to breathe muted the stinging pain. Elizabeth knew Eric had started moving at the same time Jerry’s hand came up with the knife. She wanted to look at Eric’s face and tell him of all the wonderful things he had given her, but she was falling.

  A cracking noise filled the whole living room, and suddenly there was movement all around her. Elizabeth’s brain registered that the police were finally here. Arms came under her body, lifting her from the ground. Eric’s concerned face stared down into her own, and she glimpsed the vulnerable man underneath of shield of Dominance he wore all the time. It was the man who joked and laughed with her and showed her how her submission meant something.

  Opening her mouth, she tried to get the words out she had told Linkin over the phone. She wanted to tell this beautiful, wonderful man she loved him, something she had
never said to another human being in her life. A part of her rejoiced in being vulnerable with him. Unfortunately, her brain wasn’t functioning properly, or maybe something in her neck wasn’t quite right because all she did was make a rasping noise.

  “Hey, beautiful girl. I’ve got you now.” Eric held her to his chest, and she saw the cut from her cheek was bleeding all over him. “I’m never going to let you go, sweetheart.” Elizabeth took comfort in his words even as the adrenaline from the evening’s events started to drain from her body.

  “Sir, you’re going to have to let me look at that cut on her cheek.” A voice said, and Elizabeth looked over to see a paramedic leaning over them. Eric tightened his grip on her for a second before he kissed her forehead.

  “Everything is going to be ok; I’m going to take care of you,” Eric said as he rearranged her in his arms. “The bastard tried to choke her, and I’m not sure if she can speak,” Eric instructed the paramedic as the other man got down onto his haunches. He held her the entire time the paramedics made their assessment and told her she had to go to the hospital. He didn’t even let go when the police began to question them about Jerry or when Linkin showed up. What Eric didn’t know was that she wasn’t going to let go of him, either.

  &

  “The Supplicants of the Lord transferred $10,000 USD into Mr Matthews account the morning after he went on a rampage through your place.” Detective Fraser explained to Elizabeth and Eric. Holding Elizabeth’s warm hand in his own, he concentrated on what the detective was saying. It had been a few days since the terrible incident at the house. “Despite what he told you, Mr Danvers, the church has had no further contact with Mr Matthews and is not paying for any of his legal costs.”

  “How long will he go away for?” That was the immediate question on Eric’s mind. He watched Elizabeth out of the corner of his eye as she watched the officer. Every night since the attack, she had woken up screaming, terrified Jerry had killed him. The terror on her face ate away at his heart until he knew she needed to get out of the hospital and back home. Once she was living her life again, she would feel in control.

  “It depends.” Elizabeth frowned and grabbed for the notepad and pen she had been using to communicate. Jerry had done enough damaged to her vocal chords to make speaking difficult. The good news was if she rested them, the doctors believed she would make a full recovery. Her face however, remained a bone of contention between them. Despite having the plastic surgeon neatly stitch up her cheek. She would have a scar running along her left cheekbone. She tried not to cry every time she caught a glimpse in the mirror, but Eric saw the pain in her eyes. “We have him on breaking and entering, causing bodily harm, and attempted murder but this is the first time he has been in trouble with the law. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to see what the judge says.” Elizabeth slapped the notepad down on the bed, gaining Eric and the detective’s attention.

  “He’s right, sweetheart. There’s no way of knowing which way the judge is going to lean.” The words were bitter, but Thea had already told him as much on the first night he spent in hospital watching over Elizabeth. She scribbled something on the pad. He read it out loud. “He did attack a police officer.”

  “Who technically wasn’t on duty,” Detective Fraser explained, and Elizabeth went to her pad again. The detective held his hands up. “We’re going to do our best to put this guy behind bars where he belongs for a long time, Miss Williams, but I also don’t want to give you a false sense this is going to happen. Too many times, we go in with a slam dunk case only to have it blow up in our faces because the perp’s lawyer says he can be rehabilitated.” Elizabeth was furiously writing something on the pad as the detective finished speaking. She underlined one word several times. “You’re right, Miss Williams. You’re not a victim. You’re a survivor.”

  “I’m taking her home now.” Eric nodded to the detective. “If you have anything further, you have our contact numbers.”

  “Of course.” Detective Fraser hesitated for a moment. “We’re going to do our best.” He assured them before leaving the room. With mixed feelings, Eric watched as the door closed. A part of him felt as he had while watching Jerry press a knife into Elizabeth’s cheek. Helpless in a way that set his teeth on edge and made him want to rip things apart with his bare hands. Looking down at Elizabeth as she stared at the notepad and pen in her lap, he knew it was better to keep his cool. He had to think about what was best for Elizabeth.

  “Everything has been fixed up at the house,” Eric said as he pulled the clothes he had picked up to wear home onto the bed. “I even convinced Linkin not to put cameras inside the house. He was pretty insistent, but as much as I’m an exhibitionist at the club, I didn’t really think you wanted to make home pornos with me.” Elizabeth looked up at him and smiled. He grinned back, feeling a little less like there was a vice gripping his heart.

  He had been terrified after everything that had happened she would want to walk away from the lifestyle. A part of him couldn’t blame her. Joining the club had cost her everything in her life. Granted, she had been stuck with Jerry, but at least, she had her independence and anonymity. Now, to a certain, extent both of those were ruined. Eric knew inside his heart that if she wanted to walk away from kink, he would do it for her. Even though all the sexual encounters in his adult life were based in the lifestyle and immersion in the power exchange. For Elizabeth, he would give it all up and go vanilla.

  Elizabeth pulled the hair away from her neck and indicated the ties in the back of her hospital gown. She mouthed the words. “Help me.”

  ‘Always, beautiful.” Eric smiled at her and didn’t let it falter when her brows came together.

  An hour later, they were standing in front of his house where a few friends had gathered to welcome her back to the world. Calla had assured him this was a part of the process for Elizabeth to feel safe in the house again. She stood staring up at the sliding glass window Jerry had smashed through to get inside. Eric squeezed her hand.

  “We can sell this house and buy a new one.” He held her hand and used his thumb to brush over the pulse in her wrist until she looked at him. The expression on her face told him he was being ridiculous. “It’s just a thought. I’ve never been partial to the lawn here, anyway.” Elizabeth looked up at the sky with a slight smile and tugged him along.

  Eric opened the door for her, and Elizabeth stepped back into the house where Jerry had attacked her. She refused to think of that night as anything otherwise. She and Eric had come out the other side. He was insistent on starting their lives together, but a part of her wondered whether she had brought too much trouble to his door already.

  “Welcome home!” Delaney clapped her hands as she came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs. Elizabeth gave her a genuine smile and walked over to her. The two subs wrapped their arms around one another. “I’m so glad you’re out of the hospital. Those places give me the creeps.” Elizabeth gave her a look she hoped said me too. “Come upstairs, Calla brought wine.” She walked up the stairs ahead of Elizabeth, Eric following quietly behind them.

  Delaney and Calla had visited her every day she was in the hospital. When Elizabeth had protested that it was too much, they ignored her. Delaney explained she was a part of their family now, and family took care of one another. Calla smiled at Elizabeth as they walked into the kitchen and handed her a glass of wine after giving her a hug. Elizabeth smiled at the rest of the men in the room. Flynn, Linkin, and Martin had all come by to welcome her home. She tried her voice out to speak, but Eric gave her his Dom face.

  “You could do permanent damage to your vocal chords if you keep straining them to talk too early,” Eric warned her, but there was no threat of a spanking for breaking the rules. This new development where he treated her as if she were made of glass bothered her.

  “Yes, and you already have around a hundred licks coming from me for your disobedience in the line of fire.” Linkin’s voice shot through the silence of the rest of th
e guests. “I’ll wait until you’re fully recovered, of course, but they will be waiting for you when you come back to The Cage.”

  “About that,” Eric began, but Linkin was already waving him away.

  “I understand you probably already have about two hundred licks stored up from the other night. I will be happy for you to deliver mine as long as it is in public at The Cage, and I get to witness it.” He finished tipping his beer bottle up and taking a long drink.

  “It might be a long time before we get back to The Cage,” Eric got out. “Elizabeth needs to recuperate physically and mentally from what happened.” His voice trailed off as Elizabeth stared hard at him. “We can discuss it later.” Elizabeth knew he would discuss with her when he wanted. She threw up her hands and stomped upstairs, not caring she was making a scene.

  She stormed all the way down to the master suite and shut the door behind her. Ignoring the floor to ceiling mirror near the walk-in closet, Elizabeth went over to the side of the bed and sat down. She stared out at the unimpeded view of the ocean and for a split second she was back to before Jerry had attacked her. Sure, her life had been far from perfect, but Eric hadn’t looked at her as if she were broken. She didn’t want to be the victim, and it was so damn hard fighting for her life when it felt like Eric wasn’t behind her. A soft knock sounded on the door, and Elizabeth had no way of telling the person on the other side to go. Calla poked her head through.

  “I brought these up.” She held up her pen and notebook, forgotten in her retreat upstairs.

  Elizabeth mouthed the words thank you and sorry as Calla came inside and walked over to sit beside her on the bed. She handed Elizabeth the notepad and pen. Silence stretched between them until Calla laughed. Elizabeth looked at her as if she were crazy.

  “Sorry, it’s just that in my professional experience, I’ve never had someone not be able to speak and tell me about their problems.” Calla gave her a half smile. “So, I’m going to do something I’ve never done in the past and put words into your mouth. You feel like Eric is saying all the rights things, but he’s not fighting for you?”