Reformat_of_Art_of_Submission_5-16-14-3

by Michelle

  “I agree,” Mark said.

  “Yes,” Kellie added.

  Kently took a few more photos of the room then turned to Kellie. Mark winced as he peeled the blanket away from all those bruises and Kently curse. A few more flashes and it was over.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  “When he knocked, I thought it was Mark. I tried to close the door, but he pushed his way into my...house and...attacked me.” Kellie stopped to take a deep breath and began again, this time starting at the beginning of her relationship with Dale Connor, the abuse, their breakup and her reasons for going into Private Delights in the first place.

  With each incident she retold, Mark’s heart ached a little more. No wonder she’d been searching for answers. The Connor kid was a bully like his father and he’d screwed with Kellie’s head. She was lucky to get away from him the first time, and Mark was glad she’d come into his place. Hopefully, she had a better perspective on the BDSM scene. The ruse she used to enter his club made sense in a way he hadn’t understood until now.

  Her painful experience with Connor made Mark sick and he wished he’d been able to protect her. No one deserved to be abused. Now that everything was out in the open, he hoped she’d stay with him.

  “Thank you, Miss Windsor. I’ll get this in the system and have the charges filed.” She stood and looked to Mark. “Be sure she gets to the hospital in the next hour or so. I want a record of all her injuries, no matter how small. I want little Connor in jail. Wish I could tie his daddy to this, too.”

  “You haven’t heard about his suspension from Private Delights, then?”

  “You finally kicked the bastard out?” Kently laughed long and hard. “What did he do to get the boot?”

  “He and his son left bruises on two subs and a cut that required stitches on another a few nights ago.”

  “Police action?”

  Mark nodded. “They walked with preferred adjudication.”

  “Thanks, man. You’ve made my day.” She laughed all the way to Kellie’s front door, and then turned to remind them again about the hospital.

  Chapter 25

  Mark helped her out of bed and wrapped her in a blanket before carrying her into the living room. Adrenaline still pumping, he forced his anger down and settled her on the couch as gently as he could. “Water?”

  “Yes, please.” Her eyes were a little glazed and when he put the glass in her hand he had to help her balance it. He sat next to her and tried to offer comfort. Not something he had much experience with, but for her he’d try anything.

  After a long drink, Kellie tried to set it on the coffee table and he took it from her hand.

  “When you want it again, tell me and I’ll help. I’ll do anything you want me to, little one.”

  “Hold me?”

  Mark let out a breath and slid his arms around her. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want me to after I yelled at you the other night.”

  “It was my fault. I met you under false pretenses, and hurt Dena and her relationship with Steve while I was at it.”

  He stroked her arm as gently as possible, afraid she would break in half after the ordeal she’d just been through. “I understand why you did it, now that I know about what Connor did to you.”

  “I’m a mess. Screwed up in the head. Lying about my life and trying to figure things out.”

  “I hope I didn’t make things worse,” Mark whispered.

  Kellie lifted her head from his shoulder. “No. If anything, you cleared up a few things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Bullies can be found everywhere, not just in BDSM clubs.”

  “Actually, bullies get kicked out of BDSM clubs, too.” Mark lifted her chin, needing to see her face when he asked the most important question of his life. “Will you come back to me, Kellie?”

  “I want to, yes. Will you let me?”

  Mark planted a soft kiss on her lips and another on her reddened cheek, and cuddled her close. “I love you, Kellie.”

  They huddled together for a few minutes, enjoying the precious minutes between the destruction around them and the trip they needed to make across town.

  Finally, Mark stood, ready to finish the day and get her home.

  “I’m going to find you some clothes, and we’re going to the hospital to meet with Sgt. Kently.”

  “No, I just need a shower and I’ll be fine.”

  Mark squatted in front of her and took the glass out of her hand. “Kellie, this won’t be over until Dale Connor pays for what he did. You are going to the hospital. Please don’t make me cuff you to get you there. I don’t want to take a chance on hurting you any more than you already are.”

  She stared at him for a long moment before giving him a small nod. “Can I have the water back?”

  He handed it over, brushing a few stray strands of dark blonde hair from her face while she sipped. So delicate, her fine skin already turning several shades of blue.

  To hell with court proceedings. When the law finished with Connor, Mark would make sure he never touched a woman again.

  “Why did you come here instead of letting George take you home last night?”

  “You were mad, and you told me to go home. You kicked me out, so I came here.”

  “Oh, little one, no. I just needed some time to calm down.” He ran a gentle hand through her hair. “I rarely get angry, but when I do, it’s loud and hot, but ends pretty fast. Derek was trying to help me blow off steam before I spoke to you about....”

  “My thesis. I’m sorry, Mark. I—”

  “I understand now. If Conner was all you had for reference, I can see the connections you made.”

  “When George brought me back here to get work clothes, I trashed all my notes. I knew I was wrong about the club. I was waiting for the right time to tell you the whole story.”

  For the first time in the last twenty-four hours, Mark took a deep breath and relaxed. “Can I assume you’ll abide by our contract, then?”

  “Yes, if you’ll still have me.”

  “Good.” He straightened and went into the bedroom, stepping over the mess the police left behind and opened a closet. Paging through the contents, he decided to add another closet to the guest room Kellie was using for clothes. Mark selected a soft skirt and top that hung together and took it to her.

  Her mouth opened and quickly closed before she commented and a tingle of pleasure at her submission filled him.

  The blanket fell to the couch when she stood and he struggled to keep the tension out of his expression. Too many places on her beautiful body were turning colors and the urge to avenge the damage ate at him. Nothing he could do now, but it would happen eventually. When the time and place were right. He helped her into the clothes for the trip to the hospital and kept his arm around her for support.

  “Is Dena still there? I don’t want her to know about this, Mark. She’s—”

  “I know, Kellie, and she’s already home with her feet up. Steve’s taking good care of her.”

  “Then why is his truck in front of my condo?”

  “He was at the club with me, and I didn’t have a car available to get me here.”

  ***

  Mark watched her disappear through the door and thumbed through his phone. It connected in an instant. “Your truck is parked in ER parking at Lakeshore Hospital. Ask George to bring you here, and he’ll need to stay until we’re finished.”

  “What the fuck happened?”

  Steve’s shout came close to deafening him and Mark waited until the ringing in that ear stopped before answering. “Long story. Dale Connor is back in custody and Kellie’s being checked out.” Mark breathed in and out, slowly regaining his self-control during the silence on the other end of the line.

  “Son of a bitch. Did he—?”

  “Tried, but I got there early enough to stop him.” His voice broke and he let the phone dangle until he could finish. “She’s beat up, but she’ll be okay in a few days. I hope.”
r />   “We’ll be there in a few.”

  “Hey. Don’t tell Dena just yet. Kellie wouldn’t want her to worry.”

  “Got it.” Steve disconnected and Mark collapsed into the nearest chair. Staring at the wall wasn’t helping much, but he couldn’t focus on the six month old magazines. He startled when a nurse touched his shoulder.

  “Is she okay?” he asked.

  “Sir, I don’t know who you’re waiting for, but your cheek is bleeding. If you’ll come to the desk, we can get you taken care of.”

  He got to his feet with an unexpected sway and a man in scrubs came over with a wheelchair.

  “I’m fine, just a little shook up. My...girlfriend is hurt. She’s with the doc now, so I don’t want to go anywhere.”

  “I understand,” the first nurse said, “but you still need to be looked at.” She gave him a little smile. “The doctors get upset with us if we let potential patients bleed all over the floor.”

  They wheeled him to the reception desk, asked a ream of questions and had him sign a few papers while another nurse pressed a gauze pad against his cheek. “Were you in a car wreck?”

  “No, a fist fight.”

  They took Kellie’s name before placing him in an exam room, assuring him they’d notify her, and left him to wait. Twenty minutes later, a doctor checked the wound and asked about referring him to plastics for a surgeon. The young man was irritated with Mark’s attitude but taped the wound anyway, telling him several times that a good plastic surgeon could stitch him up without leaving a scar.

  Mark didn’t care about scars. He wanted to see Kellie. He needed to know she was okay. He needed her in his arms. When they turned him loose, he was back in the waiting room, this time pacing.

  George and Steve arrived.

  Derek showed up and gave him a hard time about getting scratched by a bully.

  Since fighting in the waiting area was prohibited, Mark settled with an obscene hand gesture and continued to pace.

  Derek, the only sane one of the bunch and the most charming, went to the nurse’s station to check on Kellie. Mark and Steve sat in chairs and watched him work his magic.

  “Tell me again why he’s celibate?” Mark asked.

  “Well,” Steve said, shifting in his chair, “It’s more like pseudo-celibacy.”

  “What the hell is that?”

  “He still has sex, but doesn’t get involved.”

  “How is that different from what I did before I met Kellie?

  Steve chuckled. “He has a few women he goes to when he’s in need, but they agree that it’s free and clear. No commitments, no attachments.”

  “Where does he find submissives?”

  “He doesn’t. No games, just sex.”

  “Still dealing with Mary’s death, I guess.”

  “It’s been what, five years?” Steve said. “He needs to move on.”

  Mark gave him a sharp look. “Easy for you to say, with a woman and a baby on the way.”

  “True. Sorry.” Steve leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “I just can’t imagine being without someone to care about in my life.”

  “I feel you, man. After today, I really do.”

  Derek strode across the floor, a little grin curling up one side of his mouth, looking like cock of the walk.

  “Well?”

  “She’s finishing up with Sgt. Kently and will be out in a few minutes.”

  “Health-wise?” Mark asked.

  “Sorry, they can’t tell any of us about that. Only spouse or parent.”

  Mark frowned, vowing to fix things so he didn’t have this issue again. A few long minutes later, she walked straight into his arms.

  “How is Dena?” Kellie asked when she saw Steve and Derek behind Mark.

  “She’s fine. We have an appointment with her doctor next week and until then, she’s taking things easy.”

  “Can I visit?”

  “Sure, but wait a day or two. I don’t want her to see those fresh bruises. I’ll tell her what happened, and you can call later today. She’ll want assurances.”

  Kellie looked down at her arms and agreed with him. “Yeah, I don’t look too good right now.”

  Steve leaned in and whispered, “Let Mark take care of you. He’s feeling a little responsible and a lot protective. Take advantage of it.”

  A giggle popped out of her mouth, his humor catching her by surprise, and Mark pulled her close. “Let’s go home, little one.”

  Her stomach took the quiet moment as an opportunity and gurgled a little on the loud side.

  “When was the last time you ate, sweetheart?” Mark asked.

  “Yesterday, I think.”

  George was already pushing buttons on his phone when Mark turned to him, and Kellie bit back a smile. Now they were all spoiling her, and it was kind of nice.

  Mark bundled her into the back seat of the car and joined her, holding her close while George maneuvered through afternoon traffic.

  She was going home.

  About the Author

  Lavender lives in Texas with her own private Prince Charming, two kids, two cats and a large brown dog. She spends her days writing sexy contemporary romance, sometimes adding a hint of suspense or tossing in a little dominance and submission.

  A member of RWA, she took first place in the Great Expectations Contest in 2011 for Bound by Trust.

  When she’s not writing or reading great romance novels, she can be found in the kitchen baking, usually with chocolate. Find her on facebook or the other sites she inhabits in her spare time by following these links:

  www.facebook.com/LavenderDaye

  www.LavenderDaye.com

  www.LavenderDaye.Blogspot.com

  And if you need to read more about Private Delights, turn the page for a sneak peek at the next book in the series , Whip Me Up Tie Me Down. –

  “Drop the weapon.”

  “Fuck you.” Not an unexpected reply, but at least she’d tried. Sometimes they went easy, but a female cop with her slight build didn’t inspire fear in most criminals. Not until she whipped their ass and restrained them.

  “Do it now, asshole. I’m going home tonight, whether you’re in custody or in a body bag.”

  “I got a hostage, bitch. I got a gun. I call the shots.”

  Sure he did. One wiggling crack-head trying hard to get away from his big dirty-ass chest didn’t count in her book. Never losing eye contact, Sgt. Lizette Kently shook her head in the negative and pulled her lips into a thin smile. “Yeah, yeah, so do I.” She tipped her head in the direction of her partner without losing sight of the drug dealer.

  “Here’s the thing. I don’t care because I never miss. Tell me you’re choosing the body bag so I can get home early.”

  A short sharp whistle told her Kevin was in place and ready for anything. Good man.

  The scumbag’s eyes widened a second then blinked hard a couple times. “I got a hostage.”

  Sounded like he was trying to shore up his own bravado even as his hand slipped halfway across the body of a skinny chick who wasn’t into cooperating. Lizette’s tone eased up a notch.

  “I don’t miss. What’s it been, Kev? Ten years since I missed a shot?”

  From behind her and to the left, her partner’s voice sounded cool and easy. “Twelve, I think. No, wait. Eleven. Remember that guy?”

  A half laugh left her mouth. “Damn, I had five years of perfect shots and that dumbass ruined it.”

  The gun pointed in her direction wobbled in the scum’s hand while hers never faltered. “But it’s been eleven years, now. No low shots since then.”

  “Yeah, Sergeant,” Kevin said. “I remember the mess, blood everywhere.”

  “Screw the mess,” Lizette said, “I had to throw away my favorite pair of combat boots. Couldn’t get the blood out.”

  “What a bleeder. It was like a red orgasm spraying all over the place.”

  “Shame how my pistol dipped like that. I had no idea a groin injury bled
that much.”

  Scumbag’s hands visibly trembled.

  Her partner’s twisted sense of humor was legendary at the station and she knew if she kept quiet for a minute, he’d add another visual.

  “Almost threw up at the crime scene when the EMT’s pulled the guys pants of and his little dick was half hanging off.”

  The gun dropped to the floor and scumbag’s hands went up. Kevin took the lead, circling around the scene to cuff the dealer, a wide grin on his innocent face.

  Lizette holstered her Glock and grabbed the skinny chick before she could run, slipping cuffs around her wrists while cussing the dealer under her breath. The customer didn’t look more that thirteen or fourteen, too young to be out this late and in this shitty location. “What’s your name, kid?”

  “Sal, and I’m not a kid.”

  Damn, attitude already. “How old are you, Sal?” Lizette asked, her hand wrapping all the way around the little girl’s upper arm. Damn drugs made skeletons of users.

  “Eighteen.”

  Yeah, right. Attitude and balls from a little girl. What was the world coming to? “Try again.”

  The sullen face was a mask the Sergeant encountered way too often. ”Help me out here, Sal. Tell me you have ID and a family to bail you out.”

  With no answers forthcoming, she put the girl in the back of her squad car and radioed it in. She’d put her in lockup, alone if possible, and get her transferred to juvie unless she proved to be legal.

  Kevin had the dealer wrapped and strapped in the other cruiser, right behind her unit. Now, if they could only get through all the paperwork by shift’s end. Oh, joy.

  ***

  Lizette pushed open the back door to the house she’d shared with her grandmother for most of her life. The place was silent and still, the air temperature somewhere between too hot and too cold for the a/c unit to kick on, and the hum of the unit was usually the only thing she heard when she got home. She was lonely but unwilling to do anything about it this month.