Cherished

by Laura Sutton

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales in entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Originally published under the name, Kara Joy, in 2018.

  This novel has been extensively revised.

  Copyright © 2019 by Laura Sutton

  Cover By: Designrans

  Image Credit: © Can Stock Photo / Bialasiewicz

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Sick. Violently sick. It was the only way she could describe the past three days that she had stayed in bed. She was still feeling like death. Violet Elling forced herself out of bed after she received the urgent call from her Master. Her brown hair was plastered to her forehead from the sweat, that the fever had induced. She quickly stepped out of the shower and got ready.

  Violet walked slowly into the kitchen, hugging her grandmother from behind. “Work called. I have to go in.”

  “I thought you were driving me and Kim to the doctor's appointment in Aurora?” her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

  At the mention of her disabled aunt; her stomach knotted. She had come there to help care for her. Though she had not been able to help as much as she wanted. “I'm so sorry. I completely forgot. I'll call work, and let them know I can't come in.”

  “Don't do that Vi. You need the money. We'll be fine. Go. Have a good night at work.” She leaned over, kissing Vi on the cheek, and squeezed her waist.

  “Thanks, Grandma.”

  “Do you think that you’re feeling well enough to work?” Worry quickly filled her Grandmother’s eyes.

  “I’ll be fine. As you said, I need the money.” Vi turned, hugging her tight before she left the house. Sliding into her car, she sighed. She was relieved that she did not have to make the dreadful phone call. Raymond was unusually cruel, especially when he was displeased. Her not obeying one of his orders would infuriate him. He always took his anger out on her. She took a deep breath as she turned started her car.

  The drive to Raymond's house took her longer than normal because of the traffic. Her heart was thumping rapidly, her nausea worsening the longer she sat in her car. Her nerves were shot as she finally pulled into his gated community. Punching in the code into the security box, she checked the clock on the car's dash. She shuttered, as fear started to work its way into her veins. She threw her car into park, running up to the door.

  “What took you so long?” Raymond's voice boomed through the halls of the house the moment the door closed behind her.

  “I apologize, Sir. Traffic was awful.” Violet bowed her head. As he came over, she tensed, expecting him to hit her. Instead, he rubbed her shoulders.

  “I made you dinner. Sit.”

  The surprise of the announcement caught her off guard. She watched him closely, as she saw the sweet man that she had first met.

  “Thank you, Sir.” She sat down at the table as he placed a plate in front of her. Her stomach tightened as she fought the urge to be sick, from the mere smell of the food. She hated being sick, and she refused to ruin this dinner. This was one of the nicest things that Raymond had done for her since he had claimed her seven months ago at The Manor. The Manor was the exclusive BSDM club, where she trained to be a Submissive. It was the place that accepted her for who she was. She smiled as she took a small bite, noticing that he was watching her. “This is delicious. Thank you, Sir.” He waved his hand dismissively, towards her.

  They both sat, silently, eating the food. As she sat there, she kept trying to figure out what had changed to make Raymond act this way, right now. Could he finally be pleased with her? Was she finally good enough for him?

  Dinner had been nice. Though, she expected him to go off in an angry rage, at any moment. She looked up at him, through her lashes, trying to hide the fact she was looking at him.

  “Do you have a question?”

  “No, Sir.”

  “Do. Not. Lie. To. Me.” He growled each word.

  “Yes, Sir. You sounded angry when you called but not any longer?”

  “I was.”

  “At me, Sir?” She bit the inside of her cheek. Worried that his anger would come soon, and she would have to hide the pain and bruises from her grandmother and aunt, again.

  “No, Violet. Not at you. It is none of your concern. It's been handled.”

  She nodded as she kept her head bowed. “May I go to the restroom, Sir?”

  “Yes. Quickly.”

  She nodded as she hurried towards the bathroom. The moment the door was open, she turned on the water and was violently sick. She rested her head on her arm for a moment before she stood up, brushing her teeth. She quickly left the bathroom. She did not want him to know how sick she was. He believed, that sickness is a sign of weakness. He did not tolerate any kind of weakness.

  She walked back into the kitchen as she saw Raymond leaning against the kitchen counter, the dishes gone from the table. He pushed off the counter and grabbed her tightly. He kissed her hard, grabbing her around the waist pulling her into him farther. He walked her backward until she hit the kitchen counter without breaking their kiss. He pulled away and turned her quickly, pushing her back down, her head hitting the top cabinets, as she laid her upper body on the marble counter. She felt the roughness of his grip on her arms as he squeezed tighter, the blood stops. The coldness crept into her body as she clenched her eyes shut. She felt him push her skirt up. She knew the rules, no underwear when she was with him and she followed the rules. He hit her ass, hard. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Any sound and he would keep hitting her until she was quiet. This was the rage that she had become used to expecting from him. She gripped the edge of the counter as he pushed into her anus without lube. He grunted as a small tear escaped her eye as she bit her lip. The pain was always there but no safe word would save her. He was no Dominant, as he claimed. He was an abusive monster who hid his true nature until he owned someone. If The Manor found out the truth of what he truly did, he would lose his elite membership at the BDSM club and even end up in prison if she pressed rape and assault charges. His threats to kill her family and then kill her if she told anyone what happened in the house still rung in her ears and kept her within his grasps. She knew that if she left him, he'd kill her. He paid her well to be there, and the money had given her the needs to hire a part-time nurse for her aunt. She stayed quiet to protect her family. They would not survive without her. Her knuckles were white as he pounded into her viciously. The knob from the drawer hitting her in the hip. Pain radiated through all of her. She closed her eyes as she went to the place she always went when she was with Raymond.

  A shrill soun
d of a cellphone had her opening her eyes quickly. He growled as he pulled out of her, grabbing her arm, gripping it as she felt her blood stopping. “I told you no cellphones.”

  “It's my emergency-only phone. I care for my aunt...”

  He threw her harshly to the floor where her purse was sitting. “Answer it.”

  Her shoulder and hip throbbed as she shakily lifted herself off the floor. She pulled the phone out and answered. Seeing the unknown number, dread-filled Violet. “Hello,” she breathlessly answered. Her nervousness at the man's voice was about to undo Violet. She stood up from the floor, worry flooding her eyes. Her breathing was labored.

  “I'm Doctor Hastine. Your aunt and grandmother were involved in a car crash.” Violet gripped the chair tightly. “We need you to come to the hospital immediately.”

  Violet grabbed her purse, running towards the door. “Yes, doctor, I'm on my way. How bad?”

  The pause he gave seemed to last a year “you need to get here fast.” At that, the call was ended as she was in her car and sliding out of the parking space that she frequented. Her hands shaking as she broke the speed limit rushing to get to the local hospital. It was all her fault. She knew that her grandmother should not be driving with how much her eyes had been bothering her the past month, but Violet did not want to deal with an upset Raymond, on top of being sick. Now they were injured and, in the hospital, because she was weak and pathetic. She whipped into the E.R. parking lot. Her car had barely stopped before she jumped out and ran to the sliding door.

  She was a wreck as she busted through the emergency room doors frantically. Her fault. All her fault. She should have driven them.

  “Ma'am, are you ok?” The lady at the desk stood quickly. She kept eyeing behind her, and Violet looked back and saw Raymond close behind her coming in the door, huffing. The man was intimidating when he was in a good mood and him running after her brought another wave of fear to her.

  “I got a call from Doctor Hastine? I was told Eleanor and Kim Elling were brought here. They were in a c-c-crash.” She stuttered.

  “Ok darling,” her southern charming coming through in a calming manner. “Let me look.” Violet heard the woman's hands flying over her keyboard. “Sarah could you take...”

  “Violet Elling”

  “Violet to room 6.”

  The young nurse nodded as she motioned for Violet to follow her through the glass doors. She froze at the sound of the main nurse’s voice.

  “I'm sorry sir. Only one is allowed back there at a time.”

  Violet was terrified that he would cause a scene and drag her from the building.

  “Go. I'll be in the waiting room when you're ready to leave.” His demeanor calm and a small smile on his face. She knew that was the face he held when she took his collar and chose to trust her. It was the smooth face he used to hide his true, heinous self. Everyone fell for that smile.

  Violet nodded as he sat down, and she followed the woman. She saw her Aunt Kim lying in bed, wires coming out of her everywhere. “Where's my grandmother?”

  “The doctor will be here soon.” The young girl flew from the room. Violet moved to her Aunt side, kissing her forehead. Seeing the bruises and the wires she started to pace the small room as a police officer cleared his voice behind her. She jumped and twirled towards him.

  “Ms. Elling?”

  “Yes, officer.” The officer looked her up and down, accessing what was before his eyes before he spoke aloud. She knew that he could see the red puffy eyes from tears she had been shredding when she was with Raymond and she didn't doubt she had bruises from her fall to the floor and hitting her head on the cabinets.

  “You may want to sit down.”

  “I'm fine sir.”

  The officer doubted her words but nodded. “Ma'am I'm sorry to tell you but Mrs. Eleanor Elling was killed instantly in the wreck. I know it isn't much of a comfort, but she did not suffer.” He was quick to add on the last bit as Violet stared at him. Her eyes glazed over as a doctor stepped up behind the officer. All her fault. The thought and her memories plagued her mind.

  “Thank you, officer, for letting me know.” Her voice was lifeless. She refused to show her emotions but inside she was screaming, dying. She had always been good at hiding her emotions and feelings.

  “Ms. Elling? In your Aunt's file, you are labeled as the second power of attorney.”

  “Yes.”

  “Kim's condition...”

  “She has Huntington's disease and has a signed DNR on file. She made the choice a while ago.”

  “Yes, ma'am.”

  “Is she going to be ok?”

  “She's unconscious but stable for the moment. We are running more tests since she can't tell us what hurts.”

  “She wouldn't be able to even if she was awake.” Violet sighed. Both men left the room. She kept pacing, pulling the rubber band out of her hair and slipping it around her wrist. She started snapping it constantly as she paced the small room as if the walls were closing in on her. She had been using the rubber band strategy to bring back control and focus when she was under too much. Too much. All my fault. That was accurate as she felt like she could barely breathe as she watched her Aunt lay silently in the hospital bed. The monitors beeping steadily for the moment.

  Raymond's fist clenched in his lap as he watched Violet pacing the hospital room. He could almost hear the snaps of the band around her wrist. She looked wild every time he saw her turn. His last submissive had gone wild and he had to put her down. He was not going to lose this one too. He saw another doctor walk past the glass windows. He knew that the word was going to get out that Violet was at the hospital and the owner of The Manor would be there shortly. He knew that if he wanted to keep this girl that he would have to do the unthinkable. Picking up his phone he dialed the one number he swore he would never call.

  Doctor Nathaniel Dawkins had just stepped from his latest surgery, glad his shift was about to end. He normally only made house calls lately but the hospital had called him when they were short. He hadn’t worked there until his family passed and he left to run the family business. His phone went off, seeing the name on the screen he answered immediately. “Dawkins.”

  “My subs in the hospital.” Raymond's voice was gruff.

  “What did you do?” Nate's voice was hard, anger rolling through him. His hands were clenched into fists at the news. He had prided himself with keeping everyone safe that was a part of his club, The Manor. He knew that he could not force The Manor rules onto people who played outside his lands, but it did not mean that he liked it.

  “Nothing. Her family was in a crash but... I can see her through the glass. She looks... wild.”

  Wild. Christ. “What hospital?”

  “Grace Memorial. ER room 6.”

  “I'll be right there.”

  Nate closed his phone as he took a deep breath. She was here. She was wild. Wild was never a word that you wanted to hear about a submissive. Wild usually meant that the sub was on the verge of breaking. He punched the number on the elevator as he stepped out into the emergency room. Before he even got there, he saw her pacing, his gut clenched as he saw her. She was snapping the rubber band, hard, against her wrist. Seeing her he started to jog to her. “Violet.”

  She turned at the sound of her name, staring at him. “Nate?” She looked at him from head to toe. Not believing that he was standing there in front of her. She had only seen him at The Manor. He had prepared her when she had come to find a Dominant and do the special training as a submissive. She had no clue he was a doctor. “Is that you?”

  He chuckled as he moved forward. She moved back, and he put his hands out to the side, showing he was no threat. “Yes. The scrubs probably throw you off.” He gave a smile. His smile had always been a weak spot for her.

  “Www...Why are you here?” She asked as she looked around. Her eyes wide, checking out each person's face as she wrapped her arms around herself, hugging her stomach, as she started pacing a
gain.

  Nate watched her as the color of her skin drained to a ghostly white color. Nate grabbed a chair, grabbing her arms making her sit down. “Violet. Vi, come on, talk to me.” He looked at her eyes and saw the lifelessness within them.

  “Sick. Hurts.” Her lips trembled but she could not stop shaking.

  “What hurts?” He asked as she bent down between her legs, as she rocked in the chair.

  “My stomach.” The heart alarms on her aunt flat-lined as her aunt's heart failed and Violet fell forward. Nate barely caught her in his surprise.

  “Get a gurney!” Nate commanded as nurses quickly swirled around them as he held the small woman in his grasp. He lifted her with ease as he barked out orders and they moved to another room. He worked quickly as he pushed aside her clothes and a nurse cut them off. Nate almost shook when he saw all the harsh bruises all at various degrees of healing.

  “Get that guy in here!” He nodded to where Raymond was standing at the glass. The moment that Raymond was through the glass doors he was at the foot of Violet's bed. “How long and how bad has she been sick?” Nate looked at him, fury in his eyes.

  “She's been sick?” The confusion in Raymond’s eyes told Nate everything that he needed to know. The bruises on her were not from a wild passionate relationship.

  “That's what she was saying before she passed out.”

  “I didn't... she didn't.”

  “When was the last time she ate?”

  “About an hour ago?”

  “Did she keep it down?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure? Did she leave your sight at all?”

  “She went to the bathroom,” Raymond answered.

  “Fuck.” Nate cursed quietly. “Get me an ultrasound.” The nurse ran quickly from the room. He hooked in some fluids into the I.V. in her arm. The ultrasound was placed on her stomach as he looked for blood. He froze at the sight on the screen. “Call the O.R. we are coming in hot.”

  Violet opened her eyes slowly. She was on her back and she felt like she could not move. She saw Nate standing at the end of the bed, talking to Raymond. Raymond. She tensed as she saw him. The heart monitor gave her away as it started to race.