“You’re a part of my life, Molly.” He ran his fingers up the cane, following the movement with his eyes. “It’s time to come home.” He looked at her suddenly. “And accept your punishment for running away.”
Oh God.
Molly’s grip on the cake container went white-knuckled but she stood her ground, wondering if she should plead, beg or argue. How to convince him? How to not make him angry?
“Come on.” He reached out for her.
Stiffening, she jerked away. “Don’t touch me!”
“Are you actually daring to refuse me?”
“Refuse you?” A touch of anger rose unbidden inside Molly. “Are you listening to yourself?”
His eyes narrowed. “What?”
“I have every right to refuse you. Every right because I am my own person.” Drawing herself up, she looked him right in the eyes. Even though she trembled with nerves inside, outwardly she strove for calmness. “I don’t belong to you. I never belonged to you.”
A muscle ticked at the corner of his mouth. “Your punishments are mounting, Molly. Don’t make me start now.”
She stared at him, feeling the fear start to crawl up her spine.
“That’s right, you know you made a mistake.” Hal looked down at her coldly. “Maybe if you get on your knees, show me that you know who the dominant one in this relationship is, I might - might - make your punishment lighter.” When she only continued to stare at him, he sighed as though hard-put-upon. “I can see mixing with your friends has changed you. I’ll just have to work at changing you back.”
“Change me?” Anger started to spike.
“I’ll mould you into the sort of woman you should be.” He stood aside. “Go pack your suitcase.”
And that was when it struck her. Standing there watching him waiting for her to do as he ordered, his confidence that she’d obey, Molly felt calmness pervade every part of her, as though she wasn’t alone, as though Kirk was shadowing her elbow, lending her strength.
Making her see her own self-worth.
Making her stand tall.
Passing Hal, she walked to the sink and placed the cake container on it firmly before turning to lean back against it, her gaze unwavering as she folded her arms. “Get out.”
“I beg your pardon?” He actually had the gall to look a little nonplussed.
“You heard me.”
“How dare you even presume to speak to me like that?” Hal started forward.
“How dare I?” Riled, she pushed away from the sink to stride forward, catching him completely off-guard. As he halted with the first hint of uncertainty in his eyes, Molly stopped right in front of him. “I dare because I am my own woman, Hal. I don’t belong to you. I don’t do as you tell me. I’ve got my eyes open now, I know what you did to me, I know what you plan to do, and I’m telling you no.”
His eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the cane. “Your punishment-”
“My punishment?” Grabbing the cane, Molly yanked it from his grip and flung it aside.
It clattered against the kitchen bench and skittered across the floor, coming to a stop near the oven.
Before he could say anything, she shoved a finger in his face. “You wouldn’t take no for an answer before, Hal. You beat me without my permission. That’s not dominance, that’s assault.”
“No, it’s not,” he retorted angrily. “In a relationship-”
“A relationship that’s consensual. I didn’t consent, I said no. What part of that do you not understand?”
“I make the decisions, not you.”
“There is no relationship, Hal. I don’t want one with you. I thank God every day that I found out what you were really like before I got any deeper into your sicko world.”
“Sicko world?” He glared. “Your own friend lives in that ‘sicko world’, or have you forgotten that?”
“She lives in a world of submission and dominance, they have rules, and it’s consensual. See, that’s your problem, Hal, you keep forgetting the ‘consensual’ bit.” Temper igniting further, she placed both hands on his chest and shoved hard. “Now piss off out of my house!”
For a second she thought she’d gone too far, that he’d slap her, he actually raised his hand.
Something snaked into the kitchen, unseen but a definite threat. Whatever it was, Hal felt it too, looking around uneasily before he turned back to her.
“You touch me,” Molly said furiously, “and I’ll kick you in the balls. You touch me and I’ll call the cops. You ever threaten to hit me again and I will have you up on assault charges so fast your head will be spinning. Do you understand me?”
For the first time, he looked more than uncertain. He took a step back, his brow furrowing. “Molly…”
She didn’t shift her gaze, her back ramrod straight.
“Molly, you don’t want to live like this.”
“Like what?”
“Without me.”
“I never had you, Hal,” she returned bitterly. “You had me, or tried to. You sucked the very life from me, tried to change me into someone I wasn’t.”
“For your own good. For-”
“For you. Because I didn’t meet your expectations, wasn’t the kind of woman you wanted. I wasn’t happy with you and I’m not going back with you. Ever.”
He glanced around the kitchen, fists clenched, angry but also a little helplessly, as though all his plans had gone out the window and he didn’t know what to do now, because nothing had gone the way he’d planned.
He was dead right, Molly thought.
He returned his attention to her, softened his voice cajolingly. “Look, I know you’ve been keeping company with the cop. I’m ready to forgive you, okay? That’s a huge concession on my part, but I’ll do it.”
“Are you bloody kidding me?” Her eyes widened incredulously.
“I’m serious.”
The worst part was, Hal was serious. He really thought she’d agree.
“I’m willing to overlook the changes the cop made in you, the way he let you run undisciplined. I won’t even punish you for it. We’ll start fresh, wipe the slate clean. What do you say?”
He actually had the bloody gall to look hopeful. Gone was the brash, overbearing arsehole, and in his place stood a man wheedling, trying to win her favour.
No bloody way.
“Are you freakin’ kidding me?” Molly jabbed him in the chest with a finger, making him take a step back. “Kirk never changed me. He likes me just the way I am. He lets me be my own person, he brought me back to myself, gave me my confidence back, made me unafraid to love. That’s what he did to me.”
“Love?” Hal laughed. “Oh, come on, Molly. You’re not trying to tell me you love him?”
“You wouldn’t understand, Hal, but I’ll say it anyway. Yes, I love him. I’m staying here and I’m giving me and him a go, because he’s worth it. A first I wasn’t sure, but you know what?” She gave him another hard jab, making him go back another step. “Seeing you, hearing you, it makes me realise what I left, and what I found, and what I found is the best thing to ever happen to me. I love Kirk and you are not going to spoil anything I have going with him, you understand? You’ll get in your car and you’ll drive away and never look back. You will take your stinking cane and your foul, selfish, twisted attitude, and you will get the hell out of my town!”
Hal was angry, there was no doubting it, but he simply looked at her, clenching his fists but not making a move to touch her.
He was a bully. It hit her hard, opened her eyes completely. Hal was a bully, a man who lorded it over those were helpless. He connived, schemed and planned, and he did it in such a way that no one noticed until it was too late. And like all bullies, he wouldn’t take on anyone who stood up for themselves, who dared him to try, who was prepared to fight back.
“You bitch.” He shoved past her, bent to pick up the cane.
Outwardly calm, inwardly she was wary, wondering if he’d try to swing the cane at
her, ready to fight if she had to.
He snapped the cane into the three pieces, balled it up in his fist as he turned to face her. “I’m through wasting my time with you, you filthy little slut. I’ll find a woman more worthy, one who understands the true lifestyle. Take your little bitch boy, twist him to your ways, make him do what you want. Make him look a fool and thereby look a fool yourself. You’re both worth nothing.” Turning, he started for the door.
“Hey!” She strode after him. “One more thing!”
He swung to face her and she kicked him right in the nuts. He dropped to the floor as though she’d shot him, clutching his abused parts and gasping for air.
Kneeling on one knee beside him, she looked him calmly in his agonised face. “That’s for calling Kirk names. Me? Call me what you like. Kirk? You mouth off once more about him and I’ll ensure you never father children.” Pushing up, she toed one of his knees. “I’m going out. When I get back you better be gone or I’m calling the police to lay charges of breaking and entering as well as threatening assault, not to mention bringing assault charges against you for beating me back in the city. Don’t think I won’t do it, Hal.”
Head high, she walked out of the kitchen like she had all the time in the world.
Once in the hallway, she raced to the bedroom, shutting herself in and locking the door, leaning back against it with her heart racing.
Oh God, she’d kicked him in the nuts! She gave a half-strangled laugh. Her hands were shaking, her heart was pounding, and her palms were sweaty.
She’d really done it. She’d put the man who’d beaten her, who had crushed her confidence, onto the floor.
With adrenaline-fuelled elation, she did a wild fist-pump in the air. She’d have danced across the room except her shaking legs wouldn’t hold her. Back to the door, she slid down until she sat on the floor.
All right, she really had to calm down, get a grip. Silently she waited, her heart rate settling a little but still too fast. It seemed ages before she heard a sound from the kitchen followed by the front door slamming shut. Then voices.
Voices?
~*~
Arms folded, watching the man descending gingerly and painfully down the steps, Kirk leaned back against his ute. Normally any man who had been kicked in the nuts deserved sympathy.
Hal deserved a punch in the mouth.
Silently he watched as Hal registered his presence, saw the man sneer even as his gaze flitted away, his fists tightened.
Coward was nervous. Typical bully.
Hal licked his lips, stepped down into the yard. He had to pass Kirk to get to his car. Every step he took was dragging, and not just because of his abused manhood. He was scared of Kirk.
Man had had a hard day, Kirk thought. Had his confidence stripped, his so-called dominance slapped into his face, and been floored by a woman he’d abused.
As Hal started to sidle past him, he reached out fast, grabbing hold of Hal’s shirt and swinging him around to slam him back against the ute.
Hal screeched in pain. No doubt his nuts throbbed, but that was his problem.
Keeping his fist bunched in Hal’s shirt, Kirk leaned down towards the smaller man. Calmly, steadily, he looked Hal in the eyes.
“I -I didn’t t-touch her!” Hal gasped. “She kicked me!”
“I’m not worried what she did to you,” Kirk said, deadly quiet, letting his fury scour his tone, knowing Hal registered it by the way his eyes widened in alarm. “I’m only worried about what you did to her. Then its your turn to worry about what I’m going to do to you.”
“You can’t touch me,” Hal blustered. “You lay one hand on me and I’ll report you.”
“Don’t even try that shit with me. Now this is what’s going to happen. You’re going to get in your car and you’re going to get the hell out of town, just like Molly told you. You ever come here again and I will rip your head off and use it for a football. Your nut sack will hang from my car radio antennae like a trophy. Do you hear me?”
“That’s police brutality-”
“Molly is my woman and any man who even thinks of hurting or harassing her is going to live to regret it. You ever presume to even breath in her presence and I will be after you. You are never to ring her, send her anything, or speak to her ever again. Do you understand?” When Hal didn’t immediately answer, Kirk leaned in closer. “Do you understand?”
Hal nodded, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face.
“And this is just a taste of what you really deserve for hitting her in the first place.” Kirk punched. Hard.
Hal doubled-over, face going white then red as he dropped to the ground.
Arms folded, Kirk watched without an ounce of sympathy as the bastard gasped, clutching his stomach, trying to get his breath back. It took quite a few minutes before Hal managed to struggle to his feet. Face red, he finally straightened.
As soon as Kirk stepped back, he dashed around to his car, getting in and slamming the door shut. As he roared out of the driveway, he wound down the window and yelled, “Bloody hick town! You both deserve it!”
Not bothered in the slightest by Hal’s bluster, Kirk watched until the car disappeared from sight, knowing that would be the last time they ever heard from or saw Hal. The man wasn’t going to risk his reputation by having his cowardly secrets revealed, and that’s exactly what would happen if he tried to press charges.
Because that’s what would happen if Molly pressed charges, and Kirk had known just by listening to the steel underlying her voice that she’d been serious.
Turning, he looked up at the house to see the woman of his thoughts standing on the veranda leaning against the post, ankles crossed and arms folded. She was regarding him steadily, her face not reflecting her thoughts.
Hmmm, she’d obviously seen some of what he’d done to Hal. She couldn’t have heard much, but still, she wasn’t stupid. She’d know that he’d threatened the bastard.
Not about to deny it or lie to her, Kirk strode across the yard and up the veranda steps, stopping when he was on eye-level with her.
They looked at each other, both searchingly.
“You heard,” she finally said.
“Yes.”
“You were in the hallway, weren’t you?”
“Yes.” He waited, wondering if she’d get angry.
“You were ready to jump in and rescue me, weren’t you?”
“Yes.” Kirk kept his gaze locked with her’s.
“But you let me handle it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you were handling it.”
Her eyes didn’t waver. “And?”
“You did it perfectly.” He paused. “And the way you finished it off? Kitten, that was pure gold.”
Slowly, she smiled, the curves of her full lips matching the humour in her eyes, so Molly, so happy. “Yeah, I did, didn’t I?”
Leaning forward, he kissed her lightly, gently, on the forehead. “I have never been prouder.”
“You know I was shaking like a leaf afterwards, right?”
“From holding your violent streak in?”
“No. Pure nerves.”
“All part of human nature.”
“How did you know to come?”
“Someone told me they saw Jason’s car here. I came to check on you and heard that dickhead.”
“His mum, Lora, sent him around with some cake.”
“There’s a story there.”
“I’ll tell you sometime. Right now I just want to hold you.” Winding her arms around his neck, she pressed closer.
God, she was so cute, all big eyes and lush lips, her soft body leaning against his. All his. Which brought him to something else… “So, you love me, huh?”
That had her gaze dropping, her lashes falling to cover her eyes, but she didn’t shift although he felt her stiffen a little. “You heard it all, didn’t you?”
“You love me.” He wanted to hear her say it, cr
aved it. Please don’t hide it from me.
After several seconds of silence, she drew a deep, fortifying breath before lifting her lashes to look at him. Her gaze was direct, but it was the love he saw within, that soft glow that filled his soul.
“I love you, Goldie.”
The words were like music to his ears. Lowering his head, he hovered just above her lips, so close, his reflection clear in the warm depths of her green eyes.
“Kitten,” he said softly, “I love you so much. I fell for you the minute I saw that delectable derrière hanging out of your Aunt’s kitchen window.”
Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of joy and laughter. “You love my bum?”
“Kitten, I love every delicious part of you.” Pressing his mouth to her’s, he kissed her.
Her taste flooded him as it always did, making him eager to taste more, to have more, to have her all.
He kissed her deep, kissed her tenderly, wanting the moment to last forever, wanting to talk to her, see her laugh, feel her joy. Wanted this woman who embraced life and laughter. Wanted her so much it made his heart ache.
To know she loved him was almost humbling. Molly was his dream woman, and from the moment he’d seen her he’d been falling for her.
Now she was in his heart, he in her’s, and life had never looked brighter.
~*~
Three Months Later
Coming home from work, Molly parked her car at the back of the house and took her handbag inside, placing it on the table before going back out to let Henny and Penny out of the hen house. Leaving them happily pecking amongst the bushes, she went back up onto the screened-in veranda and took Sparkles from her cage. Placing the little rat on her shoulder, she went back inside to sit at the kitchen table.
She had to tell him. What would he think? Nibbling the side of her nail, she looked sideways to where Sparkles was hanging onto her hair with one paw while she stretched up to sniff the air. “I have to tell him.” When Sparkles just ran down her arm to jump off her knee to the floor, she sighed. “I have to tell him.”
How would he take the news? She fiddled with the engagement ring on her finger. Would he be happy? Dismayed? They hadn’t been together long, it was a huge leap. Comfortable with each other they might be, happy together certainly, but this…this was a whole other ball game.
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