Cherished (The Manor Series Book 1)

by Sophia Emerson

  Nate chuckled. “You're welcome girl. Now sleep.” Violet snuggled into Nate's arms as he pulled her close.

  The court date for the court case against Raymond was coming soon and Violet wished that she could just avoid all the talk about it. Though it seemed like everyone wanted to discuss it. She finished all of her work and went into Nate’s office, knocking on the door.

  “Hello Little One.” He looked at her closely. “Is everything alright?”

  “I finished the rest of the work that I had for today… would you might greatly if I went home and got a little sleep?” Violet hated asking. She knew all the work that could be done but honestly, she felt like she could barely keep her eyes open another minute.

  “Of course.” Violet turned. “Vi.” She turned back towards him. “Thank you for telling him, for being honest. I should have seen that you were exhausted. You rest up. I’ll check up on you in a couple hours.” She gave a small smile as she walked from the building and drove the golf cart home.

  Nate had checked in on her every few minutes from the security camera that he had installed in her cabin. He wanted to be able to check on her at any time just in case Raymond found his way onto the land. Seeing her asleep in the bed made his heart clinched. She was working too hard. He knew that she took on a lot of things when she’s upset and stressed but it hadn’t occurred to him. He was definitely making her take a few days off. He didn’t want her sick.

  Violet's dream of nice walks in the rolling hills of The Manor, took a quickly violent turn. Tears flowed endlessly as Violet screamed violently. Raymond's hands gripped her tightly. So tight that the pain was overbearing. She feared her arm would break, again, under the pressure. Raymond. No not Raymond, these were other hands. Hands that raised her. The man's face that came into her dream was not Raymond; the face was of her father. His hands gripped her tightly, his hand over her tiny mouth. She shuttered awake, seeing the looming body above her she attacked. She had to keep herself safe. Safe. Will she ever feel safe? She kept pushing and fighting until the lights came on quickly and Nate shouted as he gripped both of her wrists again. “Violet, stop. It's me. It's Nate.”

  “Nate?” Violet asked as she stopped fighting and kept blinking rapidly as she looked at him.

  Blood flowed from her nose as Nate quickly grabbed a wash cloth from the bathroom and put it against her nose. Violet took the wash cloth and saw the blood. She had not had this dream since she was a child. Quickly she pushed Nate away and ran towards the bathroom, falling to her knees in front of the toilet. Violet hated being sick and kept her nose covered as Nate pulled her hair back from her face. She rested her head on the toilet as Nate pulled her back.

  “Think you're done being sick?” He asked, worry full in his voice.

  Violet shrugged as Nate picked her up.

  “Brush teeth.” Violet said as her eyes closed.

  Nate sat her down, keeping a hold her of her as brushed her teeth. Once finished, Nate picked her up again.

  “You're safe Little One. You are always safe with me.” Nate pulled Violet into his arms, kissing the top of her head. He was not going to ask about the dream, he already knew what it was. He hated that she was going through this and he could not protect her from this.

  “Nate...” she said weakly.

  “I'm here baby.”

  “I'm sorry.”

  “No, you have nothing to be sorry for. This is Raymond's fault... and my own.” Nate said the last under his breathe.

  “It's only Raymond's fault. I don't blame you at all and you shouldn't either. I understand why you couldn't claim me that night. My nightmare could have stopped sooner if I came to Sylvia or you. I knew what was going on, but I needed to protect my family.”

  “I wish I could protect you from it all. It's my job.”

  “It's in the past, you job is to keep me safe now, which you do. I love you Nate.” Violet said quietly as she closed her eyes and rolled into a ball trying to get fully on his lap and as small as she could. Nate kept his hold on her as she closed her eyes. He kept her pulled tight to him. There was going to be no sleep for him tonight. The case was coming soon, and he needed to figure out a way to protect her from any more damage.

  Violet pushed from his lap as she ran to the bathroom again. The nose bleed starts again. “You're going to the hospital.”

  “No.”

  “Yes, Little One, you are.” The command coming through the haze that she was under.

  “Have you been feeling ill lately?” Nate asked as he picked her up taking her back into the bedroom and quickly dressing herself and throwing on some clothes before taking her to the hospital.

  In the car, she looks at Nate. “The nightmare wasn't just about Raymond.” She said quietly.

  “What was the dream about Little One?” Nate glanced over at her for a brief moment.

  “My father and I were involved in a gun robbery at a gas station when I was a little girl. My father grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth. Told me to stay hidden. He was a cop. The gunman shot him, and I watched him die. The nightmare went from Raymond to my father.” Violet shook her head as she closed her eyes. The lights of the hospital fill the car.

  “Baby I'm sorry about your father; that you went through that.”

  Violet shrugged, “It's my past... made me who I am today.” Violet gave a small smile. “I hate hospitals.”

  “I know. I'll be right there but you need to be checked out.”

  Nate walked through the entrance, her arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Nate looked over and hated to see the pale white skin on her face.

  Nate stayed by her side as one of his doctor friends, Doctor Tori Ainsley, check her out and sent her for a few different tests. Seeing the doctor coming into the room, Violet sat up straight and grasped onto Nate's arm. “Ms. Elling, you are overly stressed. You're dehydrated and need to take a break from the stress.” The doctor looked over at Nate, “I'll finish up the paperwork, so you can get home.”

  “Thanks Tori.”

  “Anytime Sir.”

  Back in the car and laying down in the passenger seat Violet started to laugh. “Destress? Is that seriously a condition someone can get sick from and get better from?” Violet shook her head.

  “Yes, it is. Come on Violet you're stressed about the trial and I don't blame you. Plus, I have you working a high stress job as well, two jobs really.”

  “Working The Manor doesn't stress me out at all. The court is a huge stressor and it won't go away until I've testified and it's over.”

  “Testify?”

  “Yeah, I got a note saying that I had to be in court. I've heard rumors that the lawyer is using the fact that I willingly let him tie me up. They are going to throw the submission in my face and say I asked for it. It was all consensual.”

  “Why haven't you told me?” Anger sizzled from Nate. How was he supposed to protect her if she kept keeping stuff like this from him? He hated surprises and having her in danger was doing nothing for his nerves. He hated the haunted look that he’d been seeing a lot in her eyes lately.

  Violet turned away from him in her seat looking out the window. “I'm trying to ignore everything from that whole case. Raymond is going to walk. I already know that. I've already prepared for it.” Violet said quietly. She had not decided if she was going to run or if she was planning on fighting or hiding out. The hiding out had always seemed like the best policy. She had everything that she needed at The Manor. Violet looked back at Nate.

  “You're taking the rest of this week and next week off. I want you to rest.”

  “I can't do that because the week after that is the court date.

  “You can, and you will. The week of the court you are off as well. I have someone who can fill in for you until things calm down. I won't allow you to get sick because of all of the stress. You are the most important in my life and it's my job to take care of you.” Nate squeezed her hand. “I know the court is stressful but we all know that it's n
ot consensual and he is blacklisted from every BDSM club in the world.”

  “Seriously? You have that kind of pull.”

  “The true Dominant's in the lifestyle take this kind of thing serious. He's a wolf in sheep's clothing. You were almost killed because he did not abide by the safe word or safe, sane, and consensual rules.”

  “I know all of that. I'm tired of dealing with this. I just want it in the past and focus on having a future, if that's even possible.”

  “It's possible. We will have a future together.” Nate pulls into the driveway, leans over and kisses Violet. Violet leans over and kisses him deeper before he pulled back.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Violet was about to lose her mind with not having any work to do. The pending court date was like a looming noose hung above her head. Nate had been gone for the past couple hours and Violet walked down the hall to her office. Nate had said that she could not work but she dove into her class work. She could easily argue with him that she was not really working. She was just reading her course work and writing papers. Not only did she catch up on her work but for once since she started back at school, she got ahead on her work. She was ready to graduate with her business degree. She was not sure what she would do with it, but she wanted to help Nate grow The Manor for more people like her. This place was her oasis in a world that seemed to scream at her constantly. She wanted to be an asset to someone. Diving into her business classes gave her a sense of calm and peace. Business was something that she was good with and enjoyed thoroughly.

  After a couple days, Violet moved quickly towards the door as the knocking persisted. She smiled as she saw Colton standing there with little Sammie in his arms. “Hi Sammie.” The little girl smiled putting her arms out for Violet. Violet took her. She loved this little ball of joy. “Hi Colton, let me guess, Nate sent you over to let me babysit?” Colton just smiled as he leaned against the doorframe.

  “He might have mentioned you are more antsy than a rambunctious two-year-old.”

  “Don't sugar coat it, please.” Violet rolled her eyes, looking down to the little girl in her arms. “How about we supply you with sugar before we send you back to Daddy's.” Violet gave an evil smirk.

  “You would. My nanny is out sick, and I have to deal with some additional security and Tyler's working ‘til eight. Could you please watch her? You're my last hope.”

  “You know you don't even have to ask. You know I love this little girl.” She kissed her temple. Colton turned and jogged down the steps. Violet smiled after him.

  The rest of the day she focused on playing with the girl until nap time and she worked on a new idea that she had for The Manor. She barely got the last part of the idea printed off to before she heard Sammie babbling in the playpen. “Did you have a good nap? Ready to play some more?”

  “P'ay... p'ay 'orsey.”

  “Horsey? Ok, hold tight.” She slipped Sammie onto her back holding her tight. She started to skip around the room, listening to the little girl laugh and say, 'more.' She kept skipping around the room. Nate quietly walked into the room. Standing in the hallway, smiling, as he watched both of them play in the living room, skipping around. Sammie making horse noises. When Violet turned she smiled as she saw Nate standing there. He walked forward and kissed her before taking Sammie.

  “You like playing horsey?”

  "'es.” The smile on the girl’s face was infectious.

  “Does your daddy ever let you ride on a real horsey?” The little girl’s eyes were wide.

  “I wanna ride a real horsey.”

  “Uncle Nate will let you.”

  “Now, now, now,” the girl kept chanting as they walked out of the house. Soon the girl’s chants turned to 'horsey' over and over again as she bounced against his waist.

  Nate walked into the barn and to a stall with a smaller horse. Violet right behind him smiling. She loved watching Nate with Sammie, with any child really. She used to dream of having a whole bundle of children, but she let that dream go the minute that she ended up with Raymond. She did not want to have a child with that monster, not that she would survive a full pregnancy. With Nate, she could see them having kids together and actually being happy. Though she did not even know if Nate wanted to have kids. He was pretty closed lipped when it came to family. Violet watched as he held the girl close as he led the pony around the small paddock.

  Violet collapsed on the couch, still laughing as Nate sat beside her. “I didn't think she'd try to take off with the horse.”

  “She is like her father. Why would you be surprised that she'd grab the reigns?” Violet smiled remembering the moment that the toddler grabbed the reigns and the horse started running, with Nate holding on tight to the girl. Nate laughed as Violet leaned over on his shoulder.

  “May I ask a question, Sir?”

  “You just did.”

  “I mean a real question, Sir.” Violet bit her lip, nervousness overtaking her.

  “What is it little one?”

  She took a deep breath. “Have you ever thought of having kids, sir?”

  “Watching Sammie makes you want one.”

  It was not a question, but he had a point. “Not me exactly. It made me think that we have not had a conversation like this really. I mean, we talk a lot, but we don't discuss family.” Violet shrugged as she kept her gaze on her feet.

  “I haven't really thought about it.” Violet's shoulder's drooped at what he said. They sat there in silence for a little while before Nate spoke, staring straight forward. “That's not really true. I promised you the truth and I expect it from you. I was married once and had a son. They were killed five, almost six years ago in a car crash.”

  Violet looked up to him. “Nate I'm so sorry.”

  “I never thought that I would love again after losing them. Then you walked into The Manor and totally kicked my knees out from underneath me.” Nate kissed the top of her head. “I always thought that I'd have a couple kids running around the house. When she died, I kind of gave up that dream.”

  “I gave mine up with Raymond.”

  Nate's arms went around her and tightened. “You are completely safe. I won't let him hurt you. I won't lose another woman that I love.”

  “I know. You're the first person that I have trusted completely, besides Sylvia.” Violet smiled.

  “Violet, I'd like you to consider moving in with me.”

  “Until after the court date?”

  “No, I would like you to move in longer than that.”

  Violet smiled. “I'd think I would like that sir.”

  “Good. Tonight, we stay in my bed. It's more comfortable.”

  Violet lightly smacked Nate's chest. “Don't knock my bed. You gave it to me and it's my favorite bed I've ever had.” Violet smiled but it was the absolute truth, sadly. This was the first true home that she had lived in for a while.

  “Well, you'll get an even better bed.”

  “When you let me sleep sir.” Violet smiled.

  “Let's go then. I can show you around and we can try out my bed.” Nate smirked.

  “Yes sir. I'm at your disposal.”

  Nate laughed at her joke as he got up from the couch and helped her to her feet. He had been fighting with himself about whether to ask her to his cabin. When she asked about staying there just to the end of the court date, he didn't want to say he wanted her to stay with him permanently but in many ways that is what he wanted. He had dreamed of her in his head several times but then he always saw her dying in his arms. That sight always brought him gasping awake and needing the reassurance that she was still alive and well. It was probably a huge reason that he wanted her to move into his cabin immediately.

  Violet almost gasped as she looked at the place. It was a sight to behold. Not a thing was out of place in the modern home, full of windows. The living room had red walls with while leather couches and white picture frames filled with smiling faces. She smiled as she saw a picture of her in one of the frames. She was
sitting on a bench, up on one of the rolling plains of The Manor. She did not know who had taken the picture, but it showed her the beauty of the calm that she had come to know since she had come to The Manor. The couches and the colors looked amazing and she enjoyed looking around. She could already picture herself curled up on one of the couches with a good book or even her sketch book. “This place is beautiful.” Violet smiled as she walked farther into the room.

  “The kitchen's through there. It stays fully stocked with everything we'd need. I mostly eat out of the kitchens at The Manor since I put in a lot of extra hours there.”

  Violet saw all the chrome, finger-print free equipment, throughout the whole kitchen. “Looks like you could have a cooking show in here.” Nate just laughed as he took her hand and guided her out of the kitchen. They walked down the halls of the cabin. She looked into a few of the rooms. Nate told her about each of the rooms, mostly guest rooms, and stopped in front of a door.

  “This is the office and through that door is the conference room where I have smaller meetings or a place to spread out all my papers.” Violet laughed at Nate's humor.

  “Anything interesting?” Violet smiled as she was peeked into the room. She saw papers laying there and she looked back with a smirk, he nodded, as she walked into the room farther. She looked at the floor plans of the new expansion of The Manor from the new land that Nate had just purchased. There were several different floor plans all drawn up. “Can't decide what to do with the new buildings? You know I could help.”

  “You want to help me with trying to find the perfect expansion?”

  Violet shrugged. “Um, yeah!” Violet smiled. “You’ve seen some of my old stuff, but I have a new folder that I’ve been playing with. I wanted to have my degree finished before I brought you something. I didn't want to throw ideas out there without having the schooling.”