by Stella Moore
She frowned, considering his comment. “I know that. But you left. I didn’t know what to think.”
“I left because I needed some time to cool down and think. And to figure out exactly what I was feeling about everything.”
Instantly alert, she shifted to look him in the eye. “And what were you feeling, exactly?”
“Pissed off. Terrified. Hurt.”
There was that knife in the heart again. Knowing she’d done that to him, scared him and hurt him, threatened to have her sobbing again. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”
“I know you weren’t. If I’d thought you’d done it to spite me somehow, you’d still be over my knee. But we’re a team, doc. That means we deal with each other’s shit.”
Laughing, she rested her forehead against his. “Is that the definition of a team?”
“Sure. How else would you define it?”
“I couldn’t have said it any better myself.”
Chapter 30
Melissa shifted in her chair, doing her level best to find a comfortable position without giving herself away. Her backside still felt raw and sore from the spanking she’d received the night before, courtesy of an unscheduled stop on her way home from work she’d neglected to tell Jack about beforehand. When he’d found out, he’d taken the hairbrush to her again along with a lengthy lecture on why it was important for him to know where she was at all times until they had a handle on the situation. Two weeks after DA Jennings had received his note, they weren’t any closer to finding the person who’d sent them.
She shifted her focus back to Mara and William Hanson, who were currently cuddled on her couch like a pair of newlyweds. Which they hadn't even acted like when they actually were newlyweds, Melissa remembered. She was pleased to see they'd come so far in the past few weeks, but they still had work to do.
“Mara, a while back we discussed some habits that you and William were both interested in breaking. How's that going?” Mara's sudden interest in her nails gave Melissa the answer she needed.
The lack of response didn't go unnoticed by her husband, either. “Mara? Is there something you need to tell me?”
“It's nothing, really,” Mara said, flashing him a bright smile. But William was a seasoned dominant, even if he did have a tendency to let life get in the way of tending to his wife's needs.
“Mara.” The single word held a wealth of authority.
“Seriously, it's hardly even a thing. It was one cigarette at an event the other day. Just a social thing, you know?” She looked over at Melissa, seeking validation.
“Mara, when you and William first discussed using discipline to help you quit smoking, what did I tell you was the most important thing for you to do?”
Mara sighed. “To be honest.”
“How long ago did this happen?” Melissa asked gently.
“About three weeks ago.”
“You've been lying to me for three weeks?”
Tears filled Mara's eyes at her husband's angry question. “Yes, sir,” she replied softly.
“We're going to have a long discussion about this when we get home, young lady.”
“Mara, would you mind giving us a moment?” Melissa asked with a sympathetic smile.
Sniffling, Mara returned to the waiting room.
“If you're going to tell me to go easy on her, you can save your breath, Dr. French,” William stated stiffly.
“Not at all.” She smiled at the surprise on his face. “In fact, if this is anything less the most severe punishment you've ever given her, you'll be doing you both a disservice. But just as much as she needs that, she needs you to remind her why you're doing this. She needs to know you love her.”
William scowled. “I know that. I'm hardly a novice.”
“I know. I'm not implying that you don't know what you're doing, but to be frank, you have a tendency to be a little distant. Your wife is a beautiful, intelligent, kind, loving woman. But underneath that is a history of insecurities. She needs to know that no matter how badly she screws up, you will be there for her. Go home, spank your wife, and then hold her while she cries. I know you're a fan of corner time after a spanking, but in my professional opinion, you need to put that on the back burner. At least for a while. Think you can do that?”
“Dr. French, there isn't much in this world I wouldn't do for my wife. If that's what you think she needs, then I'll be happy to give it a shot.”
The couple let themselves out, and Melissa gathered what she'd need to work from home before heading out. Normally she would have stayed at least another hour, but since she wasn't supposed to be alone in her office for any reason, she didn't have the heart to make her receptionist stay any longer than necessary. She walked out past the undercover car watching her building and drove home.
Since Jack would be late getting in that night, she changed into comfortable clothes and carried a glass of wine to her office and settled in for the night. It was nearly one before Jack came in, and she was still sitting at her desk.
“Melissa.” She jumped at the sound of her name. How could such a large man be so quiet?
“Hi. I'm just finishing up,” she lied.
“Uh huh. I bet. Have you even eaten anything tonight?”
She glanced over at the empty wine glass sitting by her keyboard. “I had some grapes.”
He chuckled and pulled her up out of her seat. “Grapes, huh? I think you need something more than so-called grapes, sweetheart. Then we both need to get to bed.”
Conceding defeat, she followed him back to her kitchen. Their kitchen at this point, she supposed. He still hadn't officially moved in, but as far as she was concerned, it was just a technicality at this point.
He put together some sandwiches for them and she entertained herself by watching him move around the kitchen. She wouldn't have called him a graceful man, but he moved with purpose, with no wasted movements. Every step he took, he took for a reason. She supposed it was part of what made him such a good cop, and such an attentive lover.
“What’s your day look like tomorrow?” he asked as he placed the sandwich in front of her.
“Back to back appointments. I’ll barely have any breathing room. No new clients.”
“Good. I still need you to follow the protocols we put in place. Never alone in the office and no detours to or from work without telling me.”
She pouted at the reminder. “I have been following them, other than last night.”
He cupped her cheek in his hand and pressed a long, lingering kiss to her lips. “You have, and I’m grateful. I’m just a little on edge since we haven’t been able to pin down where the notes came from.”
“I know. And I’m being as careful as I can be. That trust thing goes both ways, you know.”
“I know it does. I trust you, doc. I don’t trust the rest of the world.” He kissed her again, and she simply surrendered to his tender touch.
“Let's get to bed,” she whispered when he released her.
“What about the dishes?” he asked with a sly smile.
“The dishes can wait.”
Chapter 31
The next day was an absolute nightmare. Melissa’s ten o'clock left her office in tears over her on again, off again boyfriend with whom she was off again for the third time this month. The couple she saw for her twelve o'clock session nearly filed for divorce on the spot.
A half hour before her two o’clock appointment, Nancy poked her head into the office. “Dr. French? I hate to do this, but I have to go. The school just called and said my daughter got hurt during gym and I need to come get her.”
Melissa forced a smile. “Of course, go ahead. Just forward the front desk to my phone. I hope she’s all right.”
“I’m sure she will be. See you on Monday, Dr. French.”
As soon as Nancy stepped back out, Melissa picked up her phone to text Jack so he could send someone up. But before she could finish the message, her phone began ringing and it didn’t let up for se
veral minutes.
By the time her two o'clock rolled around, she was running on empty. She wanted to go home and relax, maybe watch a movie with her man. Instead, she filled her coffee cup for the sixth time that day and gave herself a few minutes to relax and enjoy the view outside her office.
Part of the reason she'd chosen the location was because it overlooked a picturesque little park across the street. She'd had grand ideas about eating lunch in the shade of one of the huge old oak trees, or taking a stroll after work around the lake. But her practice had demanded every ounce of her patience and every second of her time when she first started, and then she was so in the habit of lunches at her desk and evenings at home working that she'd practically forgotten about the scene outside her window.
A movement caught her eye and she spotted a boy who looked to be about ten talking to the officer stationed across the street from her building. She smiled at the scene, imagining what they could be discussing. She wondered what it would be like to have a son. Would he have her eyes? Jack's height and strong build? Would he follow in either of their footsteps, or would he make his own way?
The alarm on her phone jolted her out of her daydream. With a sigh, she set her coffee down and picked up the pad of paper she needed for her notes and went out to greet her two o'clock.
Claire Dawson had been Melissa’s client for two years now. She had a habit of falling in love hard and fast with men who were no good for her. It was a cycle Melissa had tried unsuccessfully to break, with Claire coming to her with a new love interest nearly every week. The fact that this was her first appointment in two months was actually promising, as far as Melissa was concerned.
“Hello, Claire. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Hi, Dr. French. Is it my turn?” The tall, lanky blonde stood and walked past Melissa into the office.
“How have you been?” Melissa asked as she took her seat across from Claire. “It’s been a while.”
Claire grinned and Melissa bit back a sigh. She was in love, again. “Oh, Dr. French. It’s just been crazy. I met the most incredible man. He’s sweet and charming, but he’s had it kind of rough recently.”
“He sounds very nice. What do you mean when you say he’s had it rough?”
Claire shook her head and sighed. “People have been spreading ugly rumors about him. Telling everyone he did something he didn’t do. It cost him his job.”
The last thing this woman needed was a man with a sob story swooping in to take advantage of her. “I’m sorry to hear that. Has he told you what kind of rumors they’ve been spreading?”
Something in Claire’s eyes had Melissa’s heart racing. “He did. His ex-girlfriend has been telling everyone he hurt her. But he never did anything to her she didn’t want. She’s a lying bitch.”
Melissa deliberately slowed her breathing. “What’s your new boyfriend’s name, Claire? Maybe I can help him.” Slowly, so that her movements wouldn’t be noticed, she slid her hand over the arm of her chair, seeking the small panic button located on the underside of the wood.
“I don’t think you can, Dr. French. See, you’re part of the problem. You told everyone the same lies his ex did, and now he doesn’t know when he’ll ever get out of jail.”
Fear had her insides quaking. “Claire, I never lied about anything.”
Melissa thought she’d prefer a ranting, screaming lunatic to the calm, collected woman sitting in front of her. Clair pulled her phone out of her purse and pressed a button before sitting it on the couch next her. “Yes you did, Dr. French. And you’re going to tell everyone, on the record, how you lied so me and Franklin can be together.”
“I can’t do that, Claire. I didn’t lie.” Melissa inched her hand toward the panic button.
She watched Claire’s eyes harden with resolve before she reached into her purse again and pulled out a large, wicked looking knife. “You’re going to give me your confession, Dr. French. Or I’m going to gut you like a fish.”
It was said so calmly, almost sweetly, that it shook Melissa to her core. “Okay, Claire. I’ll confess. But first, I’d like you to tell me more about how you met Franklin. You know I love hearing about the men in your life.”
It was exactly the right button to push. Claire’s entire face lit up and when she started gushing about Franklin, Melissa pressed the panic button and prayed Jack would hurry.
Chapter 32
As Melissa was sitting down in her office with a madwoman, Jack was sitting down to a late lunch with Paul and Eric. Normally he wasn't much for socializing, but he couldn't help but like the guys. Even if it was a little weird knowing that they all had certain things in common when it came to their women.
“So what's the latest on the letters?” Eric didn't waste any time, pouncing as soon as they were seated and had placed their drink orders.
“We have some leads, but nothing solid. At this point, the best thing would be for him or her to make a move.”
Eric narrowed his eyes. “You're not seriously considering using your woman as bait?”
“Not a chance in hell. I’d be a fucking hypocrite to put her in danger when I've had my hands full keeping her safe.”
Paul and Eric glanced at each other and then grinned at him. “Hands full, huh?” Paul said with a laugh.
“If you need any pointers, we're happy to help,” Eric added. “We've been at this for some time.”
“I'll keep that in mind, thanks.” Jack's phone vibrated in his pocket. When he saw the readout, it seemed as though the world stopped spinning.
“Hey, man, is everything okay? What's happened?” It was the fear in Eric's voice that snapped him out of it.
“I don't know yet. She hit the panic button. I need to go.” He was halfway to the front door before he realized Eric was on his heels. “What are you doing?”
“Going with you. Paul's getting the bill for the drinks, then he's heading over to my place to tell Penny and Elisa what's going on.”
“They need to stay put. You should, too. I don't need people underfoot.”
Eric simply jogged around the car to stand at the passenger door. “I'll stay out of your way, I just want to be there.”
Jack knew when he was losing an argument, and he didn't have time to waste on one. “Fine. Get in. But you get in the way and I'll have your ass thrown in jail.” They slid inside and Jack hit the lights as they raced towards Melissa's office. He called for reinforcements, barking orders into the radio.
When they pulled up in front of the office, the officer assigned to her building was standing by his car looking decidedly nervous.
“What the hell is going on here, officer?”
“I honestly don't know detective. Maybe the alarm was triggered accidentally?”
Jack couldn't blame him for hoping for the best. “If that were the case, her receptionist would have cut the alarm off and notified me.”
The officer blanched, and Jack studied him through narrowed eyes. “What is it, officer?”
“The, uh, receptionist? She left about thirty minutes ago. I thought you knew.”
“How the fuck would I know that, officer, without a report from you?” Panic was beginning to work its way through the anger.
“I figured Dr. French would let you know.”
“She didn't.” And that was definitely a conversation they'd be having once this was over and she was safe. Jack walked away from the car and then turned on his heel and paced back. It took every ounce of control he possessed to not wring the kid’s neck there in the middle of the street. Luckily for both of them, the cavalry arrived quickly.
A short, stocky man with a spectacularly bald head approached Jack. “Lieutenant Daniels, hostage negotiation. You lucked out, I was in the area. Lunch with the wife. What've we got?”
“Not sure yet. We need eyes on the third-floor office, left corner.” He gave him a rundown of the situation.
“Okay. Once we have a visual we can go from there. In the meantime, let's see if we
can reach someone in the office.”
Jack shook his head. “Her receptionist left for the day. That means her calls are being forwarded to her office line, and she started a session at two, so her phone is being forwarded to her voicemail.”
Daniels eyed him speculatively. “You seem to know a good bit about the doctor’s habits.”
“That's my woman in there. I have her schedule, routines, habits, procedures, anything you need.”
Something hardened in Daniels’ eyes. “We'll get her out, and we'll get her out safe. First, we need to establish communication, see if we can figure out what’s going on in there.”
“She keeps her cell on her, in case of emergencies.”
“Let's give that a shot, then.”
Chapter 33
The soft, tinkling sound of Melissa’s cell phone had Claire glaring at her.
“It's just my cell phone. I keep it on for emergencies. Would you mind if I answer it?”
Claire shook her head. “No. They can call back.”
She decided to appeal to the lover and the submissive inside of Claire. “My boyfriend will be worried if I don’t answer. He checks up on me during the day.”
Claire’s expression softened. “Oh. I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble. Go ahead, but just a few minutes and then we need to get down to business.”
“Thank you.” She carefully stood and walked to her desk. The phone had disconnected and started ringing a second time.
“Hi honey,” she answered, softening her voice to sound sweet and demure.
“Dr. French? This is lieutenant Daniels with the hostage negotiation team. Are you hurt?”
“I’m good. I’m with a patient right now. How’s your day going?” She prayed he'd understand her message.
“Okay. Is it the person who wrote the letters?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Can he hear us? Can you put him on the phone?”