Tennessee Law

by Stella Blanche

  “Don’t make me cuff you to my bed again, Sophia.” She blushed furiously, and he felt his lips quirk into a slight smile. At least she still remembered. “Stay with Pops. I will see you later.”

  “Yes, sir.” He felt his groin tighten and her eyes widened as she slapped a hand over her mouth.

  “Good girl.” He smiled at his dad and turned around, leaving without a second glance.

  Chapter Two

  Sophia sagged against the bar and let out a shuddering breath. She was such a fool! She had thought of everything when planning her escape, including her brand-new image and ID, stating she was Sophie Denton, born in Los Angeles and raised by the system. It was easier that way than making up fake parents, especially after the way her own parents gave her to Grant to pay their debt. She glanced up as she realized Bob had witnessed the entire exchange between her and Sam and she felt her face flame with mortification as she realized how easily she had succumbed to Sam.

  “Bob, I can’t...”

  “Sophia, I won’t go against my son’s wishes. Sam was a fool all those years ago, but I’ve always been wise before my years.” She frowned at him, thoroughly confused.

  “I know you were pulling a ton of bullshit at the time. Telling him you didn’t love him? That you wanted a man with enough money so that you don’t ever have to lift a finger again? I called bullshit, but Sam was too damn stubborn to see past your lies. He was hurt, hell, he is still hurting, and he deserves for you to be honest with him. He needs to move on, and he can’t do that without closure. Closure you are going to give him as soon as he comes back from work tonight.”

  Sophia pondered this as she bit her lip. She wanted to get away from her life. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that Sam would still be living here. She’d thought she could get to Bob, lay low for a few weeks, and steadily make her way to Mexico and start a new life. Bob was right; if Sam was still hurting, he deserved to be happy. He was a good man and would make some woman a very happy wife one day. She had noticed that he did not wear a ring, so he was obviously not married—yet. She ignored her stomach plummeting at the thought of Sam being married and having kids with some faceless woman. But she scoffed mentally. She’d left him, broken his heart, and married Grant, and she was hurt that he might do the same. She nodded at Bob as she made her mind up. She owed Sam an explanation and no matter how much it hurt her, she had to make sure that he was able to move on and live his life before she had to leave town again.

  “Now, it looks like you need something to eat and maybe a decent bed to sleep on?” Sophia opened her mouth to refuse, but her stomach gave an embarrassingly loud growl and she pressed her lips firmly together. “But before we leave, I need to check over your injuries.” Bob’s voice was firm, and his eyes were focused on her, daring her to go against him.

  “I don’t have any...”

  “Sophia, I was an EMT for nearly thirty years. You’re limping and taking shallow breaths.”

  “I’ve seen a doctor, I have pain meds, I’m fine.”

  “Humor an old man.” He came around the counter again and held out a hand for her. With a sigh of resignation, she allowed him to help her from the barstool and followed him meekly as he walked toward the back of the entertainment area where she knew the staircase was that led to small apartment above the bar. Once inside the bedroom he told her to lift her shirt. She bit her lip before closing her eyes and lifting her shirt to reveal her healing abdomen.

  Bob gritted his teeth as he saw the bruising, in various stages of healing, spattered across her porcelain skin. He forced his personal feelings aside as he did a quick, but thorough examination of her.

  “Seems like three broken ribs and...”

  “I twisted my ankle, it’s not broken. I told you, I went to a doctor.” Her lips were still set firmly, but her shoulders were straight, and she held her head high.

  “What medicine did they give you?” She pulled the pills from her jacket pocket and gave them to him.

  “These are fine, but I think you’ll need a refill. Those ribs are going to...”

  “Take four to six weeks for the pain to be bearable.” She finished his sentence for him.

  “Okay, so the doctor filled you in on everything.”

  Sophia had to bite her lip to keep the words from spilling out. Truth was, she had her ribs broken a few times before, so she knew exactly what to expect. As she glanced up at Bob, she knew that he could see right through her; it was something Sam had inherited from him. One look cut through all the lies. It was sad that despite his cunning intelligence, he was so quick to believe her lies all those years ago.

  * * *

  Sam worked on autopilot for the rest of the day. When he got to the bar that morning, he’d never expected to find Sophia there. What was she doing here? Why now after all these years? And she seemed so different. He remembered her as a young girl of nineteen, with light in her eyes and fire in her spirit. Her eyes were dull now, she had small frown lines next to her eyes, and the corners of her mouth seemed to tug downward in sorrow, almost exactly like she appeared to him in his dream the previous night. She didn’t look like a happily married woman. What the hell had happened in the last ten years that she showed up here now, unannounced and with a completely new persona dragging along with her? And those bruises? Her skittish attitude? Oh, yes, they were definitely going to have a good, long talk. He parked in front of the bar and got out of his truck, slamming the door shut. Bob looked up as the bell above the door jingled. Sam was sporting a thunderous expression and he sighed softly.

  “Listen, Sam...”

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s resting upstairs, but...” Sam turned abruptly and strode toward the back door. He didn’t hesitate when opening the door to the small apartment and made his way determinedly to the bedroom. Sophia was lying on her back, a small frown between her eyes indicating that even when sleeping she was anything but peaceful. He noticed her bag lying on the floor and rummaged through it quickly. With a deep frown, he walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. The slight movement jostled her awake and she jumped out of the bed, looking around the room with frightened eyes.

  “Hey, Soph, relax. It’s just me.” Her eyes drifted toward him and she took a deep breath, raising her hands to rub the sleep from her eyes.

  “Damn it, Sam! You nearly gave me a heart attack.” She took a deep and calming breath, before tugging nervously at the hem of the oversized T-shirt she had changed into before taking a nap, acutely aware of the fact that she wasn’t wearing anything beneath it. Sam’s eyes raked over her body once before lingering on her exposed thighs, his steely gaze then once again settling on her panicked face. Even littered with bruises that made a murderous rage rush through his body, she was still exceptionally beautiful.

  “Really? I only sat down.” There was a question in his eyes that she wanted to evade by all means.

  “So... you were looking for me?” she asked, hoping she didn’t look as nervous as she felt. Sam nodded and stood up, indicating that she should follow him. Once she stood from the bed, he immediately started heading to the small table in the kitchen before sitting down heavily.

  “Yes. What are you doing here?”

  The abrupt question should have caught her off guard, but she knew Sam and he was as forward and direct as they came.

  “I’m just passing through, Sam. I’m not here to intrude, I didn’t even know that you were still staying in town. I’ll be gone by tomorrow morning.”

  “No.”

  Sophia reared back and gave him a confused look.

  “What?”

  “Sit down, Sophia.” His voice deepened and she felt her knees weaken at the sound of his dom voice. “Or should I say Sophie Denton?” Her legs gave out beneath her as she flopped down in a chair at the other side of the table and it had nothing to do with the sound of his voice. Her face was drained of color and she could only look at him with wide eyes as he stood up and strode back to th
e bedroom, returning shortly with her backpack. He slammed the bag down on the table and she jumped at the sudden noise, but she still couldn’t get her vocal cords to unlock. She watched with trepidation as he pulled out her brand-new identification card, along with the fairly large stack of bills tied together with a rubber band.

  “Care to explain why you are running with a false ID?” His voice was deceptively soft, and Sophia swallowed nervously.

  Chapter Three

  Sam was smart. Sophia knew she wouldn’t be able to lie to him, which was why she had decided to sneak out the next morning and get away from there as fast as possible. Her heart clenched painfully. Bob had already offered her a job, telling her she could stay as long as she wanted. She had spent the day resting and hoping that her life could turn around. That she could stay here and be happy. Maybe even get Sam back. She had after all never stopped loving him. Maybe that was why she had returned to Riley in the first place; subconsciously hoping to become the carefree and happy girl she was at nineteen and reconcile with her first and only love? The image of his smiling and carefree face was what had kept her going through her darkest and most painful hours.

  “I’m waiting, Sophia.” His voice was hard and harsh and left no room for argument.

  “I, uhm... I...” Her mind raced along with her furiously beating heart, trying to come up with a believable lie, but she simply came up blank. “I can’t tell you.”

  “Well, you have to, or else I am going to have to take you in.”

  Her mouth fell open at the serious expression on his face and after searching his face for even the slightest hint that he was bluffing, she came up empty. Simply the thought of going to jail, having her real name entered into the system and her freedom snatched away from her after coming so close to actually being free made her jump up and dash for the door. She would take her chances without money or an ID, but no way in hell was she risking being discovered. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it very far as a hand clamped down on her wrist and pulled her firmly back to the table. In the blink of her eye, she was bent over the small kitchen table, her hands behind her back and she heard the cuffs clink into place before she felt the cold steel gently grazing her wrists.

  “You won’t run from me and you won’t lie to me. Now, why are you running?” Feeling utterly helpless and frustrated, Sophia struggled in vain while anger started to bubble through her veins.

  “Let me go, Samuel!”

  He leaned over her and his breath was hot in her ear, his voice sending shivers down her spine.

  “Wrong answer, baby.” And his hand made a resounding smack on her bottom as he spanked her. At first, she was shocked at his action but then the slightly burning sting registered through her muddled thoughts and she whimpered softly.

  “What the hell, Sam?” Her voice came out breathless as he held her down firmly with one hand, luckily not applying pressure to her aching ribs. The oxygen rushing through her lungs made the dull ache intensify however as she kept struggling to get out of his grip. Another smack, the sound slightly muffled by the shirt she was wearing, resounded through the kitchen and she yelped this time. The burn was terrible but a dark and wicked part of herself was sparking back to life. A piece of her that she had buried deep down in the recesses of her heart after losing Sam. It was a piece of her that could only come to life in his arms, beneath his body, and upon receiving his punishment. Keeping that locked away was difficult when he was turning her on so effortlessly.

  “Last chance before I lift your shirt, baby.” She whimpered as she weighed her options. Talk to him or take the punishment? Turn back to her old self or stay in this new persona she had created? A thrill of excitement rushed through her at the thought of the punishment he was about to bestow upon her tender cheeks. Staying Sophie Denton won out. She nearly hated Sam in that moment, because she knew he wasn’t going to go easy on her, but the arousal building low in her abdomen was proof that she was once again lying to herself.

  “Go to hell, asshole.”

  She heard him sigh softly as he raised her shirt, then groan at the sight of her bare ass.

  “Oh, Soph.” His big hand caressed the supple flesh softly. “I almost hate doing this, but I love to see these white cheeks pink from my hand.” He smacked her again and she curled her hands into fists as she tried to keep the cry of pain in; it would only hurt her ribs to scream out loud. She counted in her head as she bit down on her bottom lip, managing to only make the slightest of noise at each painful, stinging smack to her already aching flesh.

  “Why are you doing this?” Her voice was hoarse and her bottom tender as she gasped in much needed air when he halted his spanking as soon as he reached ten. He was stroking her stinging cheeks in a soothing manner, calming her nerves as well as her racing heart.

  “Because this time, there won’t be any secrets between us. No lies and no running away. I don’t care if I have to tie you to my bed for the rest of our lives, but this time, I’m not letting you go.” There was a moment of silence as Sophia reveled in the feeling of his soothing ministrations. It was her favorite part of punishment—the tender and caring moments afterwards made all the pain worth it.

  “So, are you going to start telling me something or do we need to continue?” She swallowed hard as his hand left her bottom and she knew that he would continue spanking her if she didn’t tell him something—anything.

  “I’m running away,” she whispered, trying furiously to keep her bubbling emotions in check.

  “So I’ve gathered. From what?” At her stubborn silence, his hand came down in a swoop and another smack echoed through the kitchen. She yelped, then whimpered at the pain shooting through her chest.

  “My husband! Please, Samuel, let me up.” She didn’t know if it was the whimper in her voice or the painful grimace that crossed her face, but he lifted her up gently and sat her down on the table, spreading her legs and standing between them. He unlocked the cuffs quickly and soothed the slightly reddened skin on her wrists before he lifted her chin tenderly and held her face in place.

  “Did he do this?” She knew he was referring to her bruised face. His voice was firm, but his eyes had a predatory glint to them, urging her to tell him the truth. She could only nod.

  “How bad?” She swallowed convulsively and elaborated her extensive injuries to him in a monotone voice.

  “How long has he been doing this?” He spoke through gritted teeth and his hands cradling her face gripped just that little bit tighter. She gave a rueful, bitter laugh.

  “A long time.”

  “Then why didn’t you leave him sooner? Or go to the police?” Her eyes glittered angrily.

  “You think I haven’t tried? You think I’d just allow him to abuse and misuse me for years and just stay there? This was simply the first time I’ve succeeded.”

  His eyes were roaming her face, looking for any indication that she was lying, but he found none. Just as he opened his mouth to continue his interrogation, there was a subtle knock on the door before Bob came in.

  “I was just... Am I interrupting something?” He glanced from Sam to Soph, his eyes taking in the position they were in and Sophia blushed furiously.

  “Yes,” Sam grunted at the same time Sophia answered in the negative.

  Bob raised his eyebrows at them but said nothing.

  “Anyway, Sophia, it is time for you to take your pain meds and I want to wrap those ribs before you start your shift.”

  “Shift?” Sam looked from his father to Sophia.

  “Yeah, Bob offered me a job in the bar.”

  He nodded and helped her from the table. “I’ll help her, Pops. You go back downstairs.”

  Sophia’s mouth dropped open in protest, but the door was already closing behind Bob.

  “Samuel, I can manage on my own, you...”

  “Don’t start, Sophia...”

  “Sophie.”

  He frowned down at her. “What?”

  “If I’m going to be sta
ying, you are going to have to call me Sophie.” Sam narrowed his eyes but conceded at the determined light shining out of her eyes.

  “Fine, Sophie, take off your shirt.”

  “Hell, no! What kind of game are you playing at?”

  “I am going to check and wrap your ribs without you wearing a shirt. It’s your choice whether you take it off or I rip it off.”

  Sophia gulped at the determination in his voice and this time she was the one to concede. She knew him well enough to know that he wasn’t one to make empty threats. Her stinging bottom was proof enough of that. With her head hung low, she made her way over to the bedroom. The sound of his heavy boots mirroring her steps made her nerves jitter, but she forced herself to take deep, calming breaths. She stopped next to the bed, her back to him and lifted her shirt over her head. Despite the fact that it was Sam, the same Sam who had seen her naked before—he was the one who had claimed her virginity, for goodness’ sake—he was now also Samuel, a cold and determined man she did not know anymore. She clasped her trembling hands together in front of her.

  She heard the sharp intake of his breath as he witnessed the visible signs of her previous abuse and her back stiffened. His fingers lightly touched her shoulders, softly caressing her skin as they trailed down her back; Sophia had to bite her lip to suppress the moan suddenly threatening to tumble from her mouth. No one had been this gentle with her, with her body in over ten years. As his lips replaced his fingers, she couldn’t help herself and she moaned softly. This was her Sam and she was a sucker for him. He turned her around firmly and she averted her eyes as his roamed the length of her upper body, naked for his display.

  “I won’t ever let him hurt you again.” He pulled her closer and lowered his head until his lips were only a few inches away from her own. “I won’t ever let you go again.” His eyes were blazing fiercely, determination glinted behind the gray depths and Sophia couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to let him take care of her. To let him keep her safe.