by Sue Lyndon
Brandon hadn’t hurt her yet, though it was his obvious intention. No point egging him on needlessly. She had to stall him as long as possible .
Swallowing her pride, she said, “I’m sorry about everything that happened, Brandon. I’m sorry I ran off the first time. And I’m sorry for—”
“Don’t sit there spewing lies to me,” he sneered.
“I’m no fool.” His eyes darkened and he moved toward Ella, brushing a finger along her neckline.
Frozen with fear, Ella stared back with wide eyes.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. To her complete repulsion, Brandon brushed it away and cupped her face. She feared he would kiss her, but he abruptly dropped his hands and yanked her up, dragging her outside toward the dock.
“What are you doing?” she asked, wincing as her legs were dragged down the steps.
He smiled down at her, but his eyes gleamed crazily. “My sweet Ella. We’re going on a little boat ride.”
Chapter Eight
Ed sped toward the matching cabins he’d remembered, praying his instincts were right. The cabins on Deep Creek Lake were only thirty minutes from his house on the mountain, so it seemed the most likely place for Ella to be if Brandon Andrews had her. There was no doubt Randy had betrayed Ed for something or someone. Probably money, and Ed knew Brandon Andrews had enough of it to convince a kid struggling through college to play a little prank on his boss. He was going to destroy the kid. No matter what form of coercion Randy had succumbed to, he was going to destroy him.
Up ahead, the cabins appeared from over a hill, situated before the blue and white rippling lake. A blue sports car was parked beside the first cabin. Ed stopped his SUV far enough away to avoid being heard and crept impatiently toward the house on foot.
Immediately, the bounty hunter surveyed the scene: open front door, no one inside, muffled noises below the hill…the dock!
Ed barreled down, skidding over grass and mud and small rocks, but his movements were quiet enough. One of the two boats along the dock was swaying and a man was moving around hastily. That son of a bitch, Ed thought as he stealthily closed in on Brandon Andrews.
The creep was oblivious to Ed’s approach, busily untying the boat. But there was a handgun tucked into the front of his pants. Ed’s heart plummeted to the ground. Oh God, where was Ella? If he shot his Ella…
All of Ed’s intentions to approach quietly went out the door. Enraged, he jumped on the dock and was on Brandon in a heartbeat, stealing his gun away and knocking him unconscious with the butt of it.
Brandon hadn’t stood a chance against Ed. The creep barely had enough time to look up.
“Ella!” Ed shouted, desperately surveying the boat. “Ella! Ella!”
“Right here!” a muffled voice answered.
Ed followed the voice around the center console and found his wife bound beneath a tarp. She was alive! His heart soared and he forgot his rage against Randy and Brandon—for a moment. Quickly, he used the pocketknife he always carried around to cut her wrists and ankles loose. In a flurry of motion, he inspected Ella from head to toe. The only marks he found were those on her wrists and ankles from the chaffing rope.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, struggling to stand. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Brandon sprawled on the deck. “Is he…?”
“He’s alive,” Ed finished for her, tucking Brandon’s gun into his own pants.
Ed had never taken a man’s life before, and he had no plans to become a murderer now, even though the thought of pushing Brandon Andrews’s unconscious body into the lake was more than a little tempting. No, this was one thing that would stay on his record. Charges of kidnapping were serious. The bastard would probably be in jail for a long, long time.
Brandon was just regaining consciousness when the cops arrived. Ella told her side of the story and Ed told his. Randy was now a wanted man, but instead of tracking the kid down himself, Ed decided to leave this one to the authorities. The only thing that seemed to matter was Ella. He wanted to touch her, taste her, smell her, embrace her, and never let go.
“I knew you’d come,” Ella said once they were alone in the SUV. She smiled sadly and blinked back moisture from her eyes.
Ed squeezed her hand, his heart breaking at the thought of all she’d been through. “Let’s go home,” he said. Never once during the ride home did Ed release Ella’s hand. He was proud of how she’d handled herself with the cops. At any moment, he’d expected her to break down and cry, but she hadn’t.
* * *
They spent the next few days alone at home. The scars on Ella’s wrists and ankles faded, as did the fear brought on by the entire experience. Brandon Andrews was being held without bail, and Randy was brought in two days later. Apparently, Brandon had used his heavy purse to coerce Randy into tempting Ed to leave the house. The story was all over the news, which bothered Ed to no end. At least they lived in the middle of nowhere. At least he could hide the newspaper and unplug the television.
Of course, the intensity of the news spotlight increased when Brandon’s trial began months later.
Both Ed and Ella testified against the man. A jury convicted him quickly, and a judge sentenced the creep to thirty years. Ed would have preferred a harsher sentence, but at least Ella could rest easy knowing Brandon was locked away for a long time.
Ed reluctantly testified against Randy in court, and the kid was convicted on two counts of conspiracy and sentenced to five years. Ed had trusted the kid for years and was still haunted by Randy’s betrayal. Money could make people do stupid things and Ed knew he was proof of that as much as Randy.
Up on the mountain, life went on as the flow of reporters slowly trickled to a stop. Ed hadn’t worked in months, but Ella had continued working for her father’s company from home. Ed was hesitant to leave Ella for any length of time, but knew he must eventually return to work. I’m not old enough to retire yet, he told himself. Although, in truth, he had plenty of money stashed away that catching even one more wanted criminal wasn’t necessary.
Finally, when the weather began cooling again and the leaves changed from green to gold and orange, Ella urged him to return to work. “I love you, but you’re driving me crazy,” she had joked.
“Seriously, go back to work. You loved your job and I know you miss it.”
With a great deal of reluctance, Ed decided to chase after a wanted man in Pennsylvania with a $20,000 bounty on his head. But before leaving, Ed sat Ella down for a lengthy discussion.
“You’re giving me too many rules,” she complained as Ed started naming the conditions of his departure.
“You must have your cell phone on you at all times,” Ed continued, trying to ignore Ella’s insolent tone. “And the alarm is to be set at all times.”
“I already do both of those things,” Ella whined.
“But why can’t I go on walks?”
“You aren’t listening, Ella. I didn’t say you couldn’t go on walks. I said not to go beyond the lake and to always be home well before darkness falls. I don’t want you getting lost in the woods like you did that one time.” Ed recalled the time Ella had gotten turned around in the woods a few months ago. He’d found her frightened but unharmed, but he didn’t want to worry about her being that foolish again during his absence.
Ella rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
Ed’s temper flared. “Stand up,” he commanded, rising to his own feet.
When Ella gaped up at him too long, he lifted her so they were face-to-face. Her eyes were full of fear.
Obviously, she realized she’d pushed Ed too far. He glowered down at her, debating whether or not to pull her over his knee for a spanking.
“I’m sorry, Ed,” she finally said. “I know you’re just trying to keep me safe. I’m sorry I was rude and made a face.”
Ed cupped her face in his hands. “Do you need a session over my knee before I leave?” he asked.
Immediately, Ella shook her head back and forth.
“No, pleas
e, I’m sorry. I’ll listen to you.” Ed stepped back but his eyes darkened. “Leaving you for the first time since…since Brandon is difficult.
There’s a good reason for each rule I’ve lain before you. If I return in a few days to discover you’ve disobeyed me, what do you think will happen?” Ella was silent, but Ed wanted her to say the words. If he wasn’t going to punish her now, he could at least shame her by making her say the words.
“Tell me what will happen,” he said, raising his voice enough to cause his wife to jump.
Through blurry eyes, Ella said, “I will get punished…you’ll spank me.” Her voice was low and her face reddened.
“Truly, if you break any of these rules I’ve set, you will be severely punished, Ella. Promise me you’ll be good while I’m away.” He reached for her hand.
“I promise.”
* * *
A few days had passed since Ed’s trip to Pennsylvania to collect a bounty. Ella was bored, and she missed her husband greatly. She regretted having urged him to return to work, but deep down she knew it was best. They could not wallow in the shadow of Brandon Andrews and that horrible day at the cabin forever.
With a deep sigh, she sent the last e-mail of the day and spun around in her swivel chair a few times.
Ed had turned one of the guestrooms into an office so she could comfortably work from home. There were tall shelves stocked with office supplies, two top-of-the-line computers, a printer, two phone lines with an answering machine, a scanner, and plenty of other gadgets she hadn’t even used yet. Working here with Ed close by most of the time was better than driving two hours south to her father’s company every day.
In so many ways, Ella knew she was a lucky woman.
She walked the house, tidying up as she went, and found herself alone in the kitchen. The silence was torture, so she resolved to take a long walk after dinner. It would clear her head and help her sleep better that night. Because sleeping without Ed wasn’t easy. She longed to feel his large, warm body pressing against her. Just a few more days, she told herself, wishing she could speed up time.
After nuking some leftovers, Ella cleaned up and laced her running shoes. A jog would help clear her head better than any walk. The air was cool outside, and the sun was threatening to hide behind the trees.
A quick jog, she amended as she realized how late it was already. Summer was slipping away.
She reset the alarm once outside and sprinted down the driveway. She’d worn a path around the lake, so it was the best place to jog without entering the forest or venturing too far down the road from home.
She should’ve spent the day outside and the night working inside, she thought once the lake came into sight. She’d missed a beautiful day, but at least it wasn’t over yet. Her breath was ragged and her side was beginning to ache during the third circle around the lake. One more loop around, she decided, ignoring the approaching darkness. Once she got that adrenaline high, it was always hard to stop working out or jogging.
Her heart was drumming so loudly in her ears that she almost missed Ed’s phone call. But his news caused her heart to drum even louder.
“I’m almost home,” he said. “I caught the guy this afternoon.”
“That’s great news!” Ella said, trying not to sound so breathless as she spoke.
“Is everything OK?” he asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.
“Oh, everything’s great!” she replied, cringing as the sun slipped away completely. She had broken her promise. It was dark. It was completely dark now. A sharp apprehension replaced her adrenaline high.
“Why didn’t you answer the phone in the house?” he asked, the suspicion in his voice growing thicker.
“Oh…I’m sitting on the porch,” she lied. Sitting on the porch wasn’t breaking any of Ed’s rules, as long as she reset the alarm once she was inside again.
“Well, sweetheart, I’ll see you soon,” he said.
“OK, Ed…bye!” She hung up and sprinted toward the house. Dread built up inside her, especially when she realized she wasn’t sure of Ed’s precise location. He could be an hour away or a minute away. She’s been too nervous to ask.
Her mind drifted to the warning he’d given her a few days ago. Truly, if you break any of these rules I’ve set, you will be severely punished, Ella. Promise me you’ll be good while I’m away.
And she had broken that promise , she thought again with a pang of guilt.
She raced faster through the night, angry at herself for ignoring the encroaching darkness. If he was home already, he would know that she wasn’t home before dark. He would know that she broke her promise, and he would punish her.
Ella had expected Ed to be absent for another few days. He hadn’t worked in months, so she’d assumed it would take him longer to capture the wanted man.
Run faster…faster…faster.
Though it was dark, the sudden crunch under her feet told Ella she was on the driveway now, rushing toward the house under the half-moon. It was hard to see anything. Darkness had crept up on her too suddenly, as if it had waited for the exact moment of Ed’s phone call.
She was almost there. Almost there. But just as the porch lights came into sight, firm hands reached out of nowhere and held her tight. Her stomach flipped, and she struggled against her captor. “Let me go!” she shouted, terrified. “Get the fuck off of me!” The captor pulled her close and the familiar scent of Ed’s aftershave reached her nose. It was her husband who held her hands firmly behind her back, not a stranger. “Walk,” he commanded, and she obeyed.
“Ed, I’m so sorry,” she said, once he’d slammed the front door.
Towering over her in the living room, Ed’s blue eyes flashed with anger. “Remind me what happened the last time you went for a walk this late in the evening?”
Ella flushed. “I…I got a little lost,” she admitted, twisting her hands nervously on her dress.
“What is my rule about going on walks?” He stepped forward.
“I’m supposed to be home before dark,” she whispered, looking at her feet.
Ed raised her chin. “What did I tell you would happen if you broke any of my rules during my absence, young lady?”
Tears were already forming in Ella’s eyes, and she blinked several times, determined to meet her fate bravely. “I…I will get punished.”
“That’s right, Ella,” he said. “You will get punished. And since you lied to me, your punishment will be extra severe. What if you had gotten lost? Who would have gone to look for you?”
A tear finally rolled down Ella’s cheek, and Ed lifted her chin higher when she waited too long to reply. “Please, sir, I’m so sorry. It was an accident. I just lost track of time. And I’m sorry I lied to you.” Another tear escaped her eyelids, and her lip trembled. How could she have been so stupid? She broke her promise, and she lied to Ed.
“Whether it was an accident or not doesn’t matter, because it’s an accident you won’t soon repeat.” Ed led her toward their bedroom, a stern and determined expression across his face.
Ella went willingly, hoping her cooperation would lessen the intensity of punishment. She’d been on her best behavior lately, and hadn’t earned a spanking in weeks.
Until tonight.
“Remove your clothing,” Ed commanded, shutting the door.
Though they had been married for almost a year, Ella still felt shy around Ed at times—particularly when he made her strip for a punishment. Hesitantly, she slipped her clothing off, letting her shorts pool around her feet. She stood in the center of the room wearing nothing but a pair of thin panties and a bra, trembling and cursing herself.
“Remove everything,” Ed commanded again, gesturing below Ella’s waist.
She pushed her panties down and removed her bra slowly. “Please understand, Ed…you’ve been gone for four days. I’ve had nothing to do. I was just doing a few loops around the lake and when you called and that’s when…”
Ed held up a hand.
“…when you realized you should hurry home?”
Bowing her head, Ella said, “Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Come here.” His voice was quiet, but Ella detected threads of anger and disappointment underneath his controlled tone.
Once she was positioned over Ed’s lap on the bed, the scolding began. “Most of all, Ella, I’m disappointed that you lied to me, and…” The scolding went on and on until Ella was nearly crying.
As Ed cupped a large hand over one of her bottom cheeks, she tensed. The scolding was nearing an end, but the punishment was about to begin.
“Let this be a reminder of what happens when you break the rules, Ella,” he said, sharply bringing a hand down across her bottom…smack!
Ella felt the sting immediately. Ed always started out with hard slaps and kept them going until the end, rarely pausing even to scold Ella further. This punishment was no exception.
The tears came quickly as her remorse grew unbearably. She lied to Ed, she disappointed him terribly. She sobbed harder while Ed’s hand reigned down again and again. Her bottom was on fire, and there seemed to be no end in sight. Staying still wasn’t easy, but Ella tried her best not to squirm.
There was no doubt in her mind that she deserved whatever punishment Ed decided to give her.
Finally, Ed’s hand descended lightly to rub her tender flesh. Ella cried into the covers, fearing this was only the eye of the storm. “Ed?” she asked through a high-pitched cry.
“Yes, sweetheart?” He continued rubbing her punished thighs and bottom, letting her cry it out.
“Do you forgive me?” Her heart broke as she asked the question. Never before had she so deliberately lied to Ed. Shame weighed her down like an anchor in the sea as she awaited his response.
“Yes, sweetheart, I forgive you,” he said, running his hand in circles, inching closer to the sweetness between her thighs. “But you must never ever lie to me again, Ella.”
“I won’t lie to you ever again,” she said immediately. “I promise.”
“Good. Now stand up.”
Ella obeyed, knowing what would follow. The day Ed seized her in the restaurant, he’d explained how he would make love to her after a punishment.