by Vonna Harper
How can I, she wanted to know. He’d separated her body into a multitude of pieces. None of them wanted to have anything to do with the others, least of all her legs.
She lifted her head when he sharply swatted her ass. The blow galvanized her, sustained her until she’d slid off him and was on her knees looking at his midsection. She placed her hands on his thigh in preparation for getting her legs under her.
“No, not yet. Stay like you are. Scoot around until you’re facing me.”
Her knees complained as she did as he’d ordered. She made sure there was enough distance between them that he’d have to reach out in order to touch her. However, if he commanded her to come closer, she would. Her ass burned! She was still acutely aware of her sexual nature but her need no longer dominated.
“Look at me.”
Wishing she could float away with the breeze, she obeyed. His expression was serious, somber, intense. He’d made it clear that the preserve’s success meant a great deal to him, and she should think about that. He demanded compliance from her but there was more to him than presenting himself as a domineering man. He cared about predators, maybe as much as she did.
“I’m not going to belabor what your discipline was about because I trust you understand. We’re going forward, got it?”
“What do you mean go forward?” She had to work at getting the question out. “I don’t work here, Sir. Or do I?”
“Good.”
“Good?”
“You read between the lines. It isn’t easy finding the kind of staff I need. You have promise. You’re trainable.”
I’m not an animal. You can’t put a collar on me.
“I already told Dominick I might have greater need for you than he does.” He stood and loomed over her. She had to look so far up she was in danger of toppling backward. Dominating presence didn’t say the half of it. “Stay where you are. I have a call to make.”
Trying to tell herself she was still a human and not his pet, she watched as he disappeared into the house. Her jeans and panties were still around her ankles because he hadn’t given her permission to get dressed. Despite the discomfort in her undoubtedly red ass, she was aware of a prickling at her spine. When she looked over her shoulder, she spotted two men staring at her. They were far enough away that she couldn’t see their expression. Hopefully they had a less than clear view of her bared rear end, but they had to know what had taken place.
Defeated, she slumped forward.
She was still like that when he returned and told her he’d talked to a Society staff member who worked in the personnel department. His request to hire her had been approved. The job change would start next week.
Chapter Four
Where she’d be living at the preserve wasn’t much different from her housing at the zoo. The two-room space here might be a little larger and the windows were bigger, but the layout was the same, not that she was surprised. After all, an awful lot of Other accommodations at Elite-owned facilities followed a set design.
Fighting to keep her nerves under control, Callie carried the last of her limited belongings in from her truck and placed them on the supplied couch next to the rest of her things. After getting herself a glass of water, she sank into the overstuffed recliner and turned on the TV. No surprise, she could only get basic channels, but she needed sound as she wrapped her mind around how much her life had changed in the past few days.
Fortunately Mr. Rostel liked to talk. When she asked her now former boss about Mr. Dalton, she learned Mr. Dalton’s family was involved in investment counseling, but he had no interest in joining the business. She didn’t blame him for turning his back on something that sounded beyond boring.
From what Mr. Rostel had heard, Mr. Dalton’s decision to focus his energies on endangered predator preservation had come out of nowhere. Mr. Dalton had been going to college with a business major when he suddenly changed course. At first his family hadn’t been supportive, but he’d either worn them down or didn’t care whether they approved. He’d put a lot of time and energy getting the financing, which came from both governmental and private sources.
He wasn’t married and didn’t have children.
Single.
Mr. Dalton was determined to meet his self-imposed goal. The future of entire species of big cats might depend on what happened here. She’d do her job even if it was limited to cleaning up after the animals and hopefully not displease him again.
On a groan, she pushed herself to her feet and set about putting her belongings away. The task only took about an hour. She wasn’t expected to start work until tomorrow, which meant she had the rest of the day in which to familiarize herself with the preserve.
When she stepped outside, animal smells invaded her nostrils. She was used to a mix of aromas from the zoo’s diverse population, but everything here said predator. From what she could tell, the rest of the Others who lived in preserve housing were at work, which meant there was no one she could talk to about the layout. Fortunately, there were a number of gravel footpaths around the spacious enclosures. More to the point, she knew one big cat from another. What she didn’t yet know was where she’d find Luna.
Or where Mr. Dalton might be.
At the thought of him, her cheeks flushed. She’d fought to wipe him out of her thoughts, her mind, her nerves. Obviously she hadn’t succeeded. Just acknowledging his existence made her ass burn and served as warning that she’d be better off if she didn’t let her thoughts go deeper. If she did, she risked having to replay not just the spanking but everything he’d done to her and how she’d reacted.
He knew too much about her, intimate things he’d hinted he might use to his advantage. She wanted nothing to do with him. The more distance she kept between them the better. That was the only way she hopefully wouldn’t react to his commanding presence.
It wasn’t just a matter of denying or at least avoiding physical attraction. Mr. Dalton hadn’t said much, but she’d gotten the impression he was curious about her background. She had two choices. She’d either make up something or refuse to answer.
“Why?” she asked herself. “The truth isn’t so awful.”
Except you don’t want to go there.
Groaning at the thought of how complicated things were, she shielded her eyes and tried to determine which predator was in the enclosure on her right. Whoever had designed this particular space had done a great job of making it look like open grassland with a few strategically placed trees far from the fencing. She followed the footpath as it circumvented the enclosure, thinking about lonely she’d feel if she had to spend her life in here. However, she was human while the resident, if there was one, probably preferred solitude.
“Where are you? Hiding out or taking advantage of the shadows? What do you think of this place? I’m sure you can smell the other residents, but it doesn’t look as if you can see them.”
Since the resident didn’t appear inclined to satisfy her curiosity, she left the well-maintained walkway that went around the enclosure and stepped onto a narrow path. The weeds under her shoes had been flattened, which hopefully meant she wasn’t where she shouldn’t be. She vowed to learn where she was or wasn’t allowed as soon as possible because obviously Mr. Dalton wouldn’t allow any deviation from his rules.
When she reached a depression, she again shielded her eyes and tried to make out her surroundings. A structure that stuck up in the air had been erected outside some fencing she assumed defined another enclosure. She suspected the small elevated building was an observation tower.
Excited, she made her way to the stairs and craned her neck. A massive window covered the side facing the enclosure. She couldn’t make out what was in the tower but suspected it included viewing equipment such as binoculars and telescope. Maybe there was a video recording system to document animal behavior from afar.
The thought that whoever had watched Mr. Dalton discipline her the other day might have been using any of those things left a vile
taste in her mouth. She’d been spanked. No denying that fact. But what he’d done should be between her employer and her. No one else needed to know.
“Enough,” she whispered as she gripped the stair railing. “That’s the last thing you want to think about.”
Determined to distract herself, she started climbing what more resembled a ladder than stairs. The higher she went, the dizzier she became. She’d never thought of herself as being afraid of heights. It was probably a combination of not knowing what she was heading toward and being unfamiliar with her surroundings. If someone was already in there, hopefully he or she wouldn’t mind the interruption.
And if it was Mr. Dalton, he’d better not decide she had no right to be doing this and thus needed another correction. Even though the spanking had taken place a week ago, her rear was still a little tender. More unsettling, if that was the right word, her memory of what had taken place plus her response remained too clear for comfort.
When she reached the top, she saw that the door was open a crack. She eased onto a narrow platform with a railing. Gripping the railing while her head spun, she took several measured breaths. The door opened, and a tall man filled the space.
“What’s going on? Are you all right?”
Mr. Dalton’s voice. Well, who else did she expect?
“I’m fine.” Her assurance ended with a squeak she wished she could control. “A little out of breath. I’m not used to hand over hand climbing.”
“You’re going to need to be.”
Looking out didn’t do anything for her equilibrium so she took a chance at acknowledging her new boss. He stood with his arms folded wearing an expression she couldn’t decipher. She took in more air then slowly exhaled.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She nodded, indicating an instrument-filled ledge under the window. “Obviously there’s a lot going on.”
“More than you can comprehend.”
He took a backward step, which she took as an invitation to enter the room. Every inch of space had a purpose. She noted three large monitors, an equal number of keyboards, two laptops, and a desktop. She’d been right about telescopes, binoculars, and what she took to be a recording system. There were two desk chairs on wheels, a small refrigerator, and a space heater along one wall.
“It’s an observation tower?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“And you use it to—it’s so you can keep an eye on the animals without disturbing them.”
“Obviously.”
His arms were still crossed, his eyes as arresting as the other times she’d seen him. Sharing such a small space with him forced her to add claustrophobia to what she was dealing with today. As if that wasn’t enough to deal with, she was too aware of his earthy smell and his ability to stand motionless.
Was he making fun of what she’d said? Darn the man for being so—everything. It was as if his entire attention was fixed on her. She was used to being an afterthought, if her parents thought about her at all.
“That’s wonderful,” she said. “I’ve said it before, but at the zoo the animals are always on display. The only time they have any privacy is at night, which many of them spend in small enclosures. I’m sorry it has to be like that, so different from what it’s like in the wild.”
“Or rather what used to be the wild.”
His tone carried a mix of regret and anger, two emotions she understood. Maybe they weren’t so different after all.
“From the first time I comprehended what a zoo was,” she said, “I tried to tell myself that at least the animals have a safe place to live out their lives. They wouldn’t be hunted. Their land or water or piece of the sky wouldn’t be taken from them.”
Encouraged by his nod, she admitted that as a child she fantasized about unlocking cages, emptying moats, or tearing off roofs. She hadn’t had the courage to or been foolish enough to do any of those things, but there were still moments when she hated her job.
Her former job.
Mr. Dalton simply listened, his expression neutral, while she confessed. When she was done, he handed her a binocular and pointed.
“What do you see?”
Wishing she didn’t have to stand so close to him, she aimed in the direction he’d indicated. She had to work some with the focus, but before long she spotted a big cat draped over the limb of a large tree. Even from this distance she could tell the animal wasn’t as large as a jaguar. The base color was a pale yellow, almost gray. Dark rosettes were most prominent on the sleeping animal’s back, flanks, and hindquarters.
“A leopard,” she said.
“You’re sure?”
Continuing to study the leopard was easier on her nervous system than facing the tall, muscular man a few feet away. She wasn’t sure how she’d react if the door was closed. Hopefully he’d leave it open.
“I know my predators.”
“Do you? All right. Where is she from?”
“From? How would I know?”
He planted his hand on her left shoulder. “You said you know your predators.”
Mr. Dalton was challenging her. Either she do her best to meet the challenge or, she suspected, he’d be disappointed. She certainly didn’t want him finding any more fault with her than he already had.
“If you’re asking whether I know how this leopard got into your possession, I don’t.”
“No, that’s not what I’m asking. She was born wild and captured as a cub. She’s been through a lot.”
A wave of sympathy for the animal distracted her a little from her employer and punisher’s hand. She didn’t dare shrug him off or move away, which left her with nothing to do except try to understand what he was getting at.
“I’m probably not being fair,” he said. “But I wanted to see how deep your knowledge of big cats goes. At least you didn’t have any trouble identifying her as a leopard.”
“Not at all.” Was that a compliment?
“Do you know there are variations in leopards’ coloring depending on where they live—or lived?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Not many people are aware of that, but I expect you to widen your knowledge base. If you don’t, your value to me will be limited, and I don’t have the time, inclination, or resources to keep someone who doesn’t take this seriously on staff.”
“I understand.”
He ran a finger over her collarbone. “In other words, you’re trying to convince me that the discipline session we had the other day had the desired result?”
Don’t do that, please. You’re making me a little crazy.
“If that’s what you want,” she came up with. Whether deliberately or not he sounded like a teacher addressing an unprepared student. She didn’t want to disappoint him, needed his approval. What she didn’t understand was why this was so important to her.
The pressure on her shoulder increased. “This isn’t a game or abstract lesson. There’s too much at stake.”
She made herself nod. “You’re talking about survival for some predators.”
“At least you grasp that.” He slid his fingers down her arm then picked up another set of binoculars and focused on the leopard. “She comes from Eastern Africa as witness by the circular rosettes. If she’d been from the southern area, the spots would be square-ish. The grayer the fur, the colder the climate a wild leopard spends its life in.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Saying nothing, he studied the distant predator. She tried to do the same, but the sleeping leopard didn’t hold her interest. She wanted to watch her climb higher, either that or drop to the ground and run. If either of those things happened, Mr. Dalton and she might talk about the shared experience. She’d like that, hoped he’d feel the same way.
It doesn’t matter.
They were employer and employee, not equals. He was fully focused on what it will take to get the predators to reproduce. He didn’t have the time or inclination to simply study them.
After a few minu
tes during which she wondered what she should say so she could leave without drawing too much attention to herself, the leopard lifted her head. She yawned, exposing teeth designed for killing, and stretched.
“We don’t have a leopard at the zoo,” she said. “There was one before I came to work, but it died. All I had to look at were pictures and video.”
“What did it die of?”
“From what I was told its heart failed. Mr. Rostel’s predecessor was disappointed. He’d hoped to pair it with another leopard.”
“At the zoo?” Facing her, he shook his head. “Would you want to have sex in a public place?”
She hadn’t had sex for so long it was a moot point, not that she was going to tell him. She’d had a grand total of three boyfriends since she’d realized the opposite sex had some worth but had never been in what she’d call love. Maybe, like her brothers maintained and she agreed with, their parents’ marriage served as an example of a flawed relationship. Being in love meant being vulnerable, which she didn’t want.
“I wouldn’t,” she said, thankful he couldn’t read her thoughts. “I know what you’re getting at. In fact...”
“In fact what?”
He was still looking at her like Elite men sometimes did, as if they weren’t sure she was capable of saying anything intelligent. She hated being seen that way, but there was nothing she could do about it. It might be different if her parents had cared about their children’s self-esteem.
“I can’t help but wonder if that’s why Luna’s mother rejected him,” she said. “She and her cubs were given privacy for the first week, but visitors wanted to see them so they were brought out in public.”
“Damn.”
Yes, damn. She wished she could agree with him, but she knew better than to voice objection to any decision an Elite made.
“The clock’s ticking,” he said. “We’re running out of time to save some species. Giving people something to stare at isn’t what matters. I don’t give a damn about getting paying gawkers through the doors here.”
He put down the binoculars and looked through a telescope. “I’m giving the cheetahs the largest compound. Do you know why?”
