by BJ Wane
“Those are positively decadent.”
“They’ll make some guy happy.” While they worked together, Piper quickly told Haley what she knew, which wasn’t much.
“So, this Brody is the same guy you spent one really hot night with five years ago and out of the blue he shows up because the sheriff and I thought you were in trouble? The man must be obsessed.” Haley folded the bikini panties and thongs in neon silk and arranged them on a shelf as she tried to suppress the memories of her obsessed husband and how easily he had duped her.
Piper finished hanging the last silk nightie before turning to her friend. She knew about Haley’s crazed ex, how he had tormented her until she had finally decided anything was better than living in constant fear, how, even though the bastard was currently serving year six of a fifteen year attempted murder sentence, it was still a constant battle to keep fear from ruling her life.
“He’s obsessed with his job, not with me,” Piper retorted. No matter how much she had daydreamed about having a man like Brody want her when she was an overweight, dumb as nails young woman and despite her apparent lust for the man who had betrayed Charles, and in turn, her, she would never believe she meant anything more to him than a means to an end, that end being finishing the job he and Ian had set out to do five years ago. From the closed, implacable look on Brody’s face when she had denied any possibility that Charles might have survived his injuries from that assassination attempt, she knew he’d never believe that until he had proof or possibly until he and Ian succeeded in bringing this other man, Pasquino, to justice. “But he doesn’t mean me any harm, Haley, I’m sure of that.” At least not physically, Piper thought morosely. Emotionally might be another matter. She had been crushed when she had fled Atlantic City, not only because of Charles’s loss but because of the painful revelation of Brody’s efforts to hurt the one person in the world who meant anything to her after she had humiliated herself by practically forcing him into having sex with her.
“Good, because I have to admit, I’m glad you’ve got someone so capable and willing to look out for you until you find out what happened. I’m sure you’ll rest easier knowing they’re there also.”
“Yeah, I will, but not enough to totally give up my independence again to another man. Like you, I learned the hard way to stand on my own two feet, but I’m willing to accept a helping hand when needed. Right now, though, I think I’ll head back home before they show up to drag me there. That,” she muttered darkly, “wouldn’t be a pretty sight.”
“You still owe me lunch,” Haley told her as she followed her through racks of summer wear to the front of the shop. “Tomorrow?”
“See you then.”
Brody found a parking spot in front of the Post Office on what appeared to be Hope’s main street, aptly named ‘Main Street’, still fuming over the way Piper had so blatantly disregarded their order not to take off by herself. It had never dawned on him that she wouldn’t simply comply with his dictate. The woman he used to know would have meekly agreed and that would have been the end of it, but Piper had changed in more ways than just physically, something that he realized rather forcibly when he knocked on her workroom door and got no answer. His second surprise had come when he opened the door and saw she had crawled out the window and slipped right by them. He now realized he had made a mistake by telling her how things were going to be instead of asking, but that didn’t negate her impulsive foolishness which he was hoping hadn’t landed her in trouble again.
“Relax,” Ian said, “she’s smart enough to be careful. Those missing days had her shook. She’ll be careful.”
“She’s still going to learn to listen to us, whether she thinks she can handle this on her own or not.” Getting out, Brody looked up and down the quaint brick sidewalks, noted all the small shops with flower boxes on the window sills, tree shaded benches and the laid back atmosphere as well as attitude of the few people milling about.
“It’s fucking Mayberry,” Ian complained as he too looked up and down the street.
“I like it.”
“You would,” he replied, his lip curled in disdain.
Grinning, Brody pointed to the corner shop. “You check there, I’ll head down to the bar and question the bartender who took her home the other night. Hopefully one of us will run into her.”
“And when we do?”
“Then I plan to show her what happens when she’s so careless with her safety, especially after I specifically told her not to go anywhere alone.”
“She’s made a life for herself here, Brody, independent of Sandoval. She’s not going to turn the reins over to you without a fight,” Ian warned him.
“Then she’s going to have trouble sitting down the next few days until we find out what’s going on.” And damned if he wasn’t looking forward to meting out those consequences, Brody thought as he pictured her draped over his lap, her ass bare and wiggling. The easy part would be administering her punishment, the hard part would be controlling his reaction to the feel of her ass warming under his hand, to the sight of that soft white skin turning redder with each swat, especially if she took to that painful pleasure as lustfully as she had the last time. Still, it would be worth the frustration of putting aside his own lustful reaction to make sure she didn’t pull this stunt again.
“Can I watch?” Ian’s grin was knowing and contagious.
“Of course, but we’re not fucking her. It wouldn’t be right under the circumstances.”
“While I agree with your reason, if she turns those needy green eyes on me after you turn her down, don’t expect me to be so chivalrous.”
“Call me if you find her,” Brody responded tersely then grew irritated with himself when Ian smiled knowingly before heading up the street. He had developed a fondness for Piper the first time he met her in Geneva, a fondness that had not, apparently, diminished over time and abstinence. But his obsessive attraction would have to be put on the back burner for now. Until something broke on the case they had been building against Pasquino and, indirectly, Sandoval, sorting out his personal feelings where Piper was concerned would have to wait.
Brody spotted the man named Crack as soon as he stepped into Rowdy’s. With tattoos visible on every inch of exposed skin, long grey hair pulled back in a ponytail and sporting a pierced ear, he had the weathered look of a man who had lived a hard life as well as biker gang member written all over him and Brody suspected the Harley parked out front belonged to him. The bar looked like a million others with tables and booths taking up most of the space, leaving room for a small dance floor, an even smaller stage that looked like it might be used for Karaoke, and a long, mirror backed bar which the bartender was currently standing behind, eyeing him.
“You Crack?” he asked the gruff looking man as he took a seat on a stool in front of him.
“You FBI?” Crack asked even though he knew he was. The sheriff had let him know as soon as he heard they were on their way, setting Crack’s mind at ease. That girl needed someone out there with her since she insisted on living outside of town.
“I go by Brody, and yes, my partner, Ian and I are with the bureau. You heard Piper’s back safe?”
“Yeah, Gary made sure we all knew.” At his raised brow, Crack added, “Hope’s a small community. We look out for our own. That girl had a lot of us worried. Can I get you a beer?”
“Not today, thanks. That girl is why I’m here. Have you seen her?”
A grin split Crack’s lined face. “Gave you the slip, did she? I’m not surprised. She’s always been fiercely independent. Nope, she hasn’t been in today.”
Brody checked his anger and his worry and hoped Ian had better luck. He rose, started to leave, then he turned back to ask, “You took her home Tuesday night?”
“Sure did. She and Haley hung around a little later than usual and it was getting dark by the time they started out. I saw Haley to her apartment above her shop then drove Piper to her cabin, waited until she went in. She was fine
when I left.”
“She wasn’t drunk, or even tipsy?” he asked remembering how only a few glasses of wine had affected her.
Crack laughed outright at the suggestion. “That girl could drink me under the table. She does love her beer, but no, she only had two and she went home completely in control.” Sobering, he looked Brody in the eye, stating, “You watch out for her, you hear.”
“I’ll do my best,” Brody said. That is, he thought irritably, if he could find her.
Ian held the door open for two women exiting the small store then cursed Brody a blue streak when he entered. To his right were racks of women’s clothing, to his left a sales counter which held an assortment of aromatic products women liked to wear and men liked to smell. It was the kind of shop he wouldn’t normally step foot in and was determined to step right back out of as soon as he talked to the woman standing behind the counter staring at him out of wide, frightened blue eyes. He had championed enough victims to recognize one and this woman was silently screaming victim. He could have told her it wasn’t wise to advertise the fact, then again, fear rarely allowed for rational thinking.
“The way you’re shifting your eyes, looking for a way to escape, tells me you’re here alone. Suck it up and look me in the eye,” he ordered her gruffly. Her backbone stiffened and anger overrode the fear, which was what he wanted. “That’s better. It’s okay to be afraid, just don’t advertise it. All that will do is give a potential assailant more power over you, which is what he wants. Your hands are shaking. Put them down, behind the counter where they can’t be seen,” he said as he approached the counter slowly, his eyes never leaving her very attractive face.
“Who are you?” Haley managed to ask with some semblance of outward calm. Men rarely came into her store and she knew the ones who were locals and came and shopped for their wives or girlfriends. When tourists came to Hope, the women browsed the stores and the men went fishing or sat in Rowdy’s waiting for their women. This man was a stranger, a very tall, very big stranger with dark brown hair and eyes and a hard, chiseled face. While one part of her, the biggest, most controlling part, instantly feared being alone with such a man, another, much smaller, definitely much more insignificant part of her was responding as any normal, red blooded woman would. And that shocked the hell out of her since she hadn’t felt any inkling of sexual interest in anyone in over six years.
“Ian MacGregor. I’m looking for your friend, Piper. She seems to have slipped away from us.” Ian smiled at her, a smile that had drawn more than his share of women, but wasn’t surprised when she didn’t take the bait. He was a good eight inches taller than her, which put her at about five six, yet she managed to keep her eyes on his. She was a slender, small boned woman and he had trouble controlling his anger as he wondered what, and who, had been responsible for her fear. At least she had stopped shaking, he thought ruefully.
“Oh. You’re one of the agents Sheriff Nolan called to help look for her when she went missing. Sorry, you just missed her. She’s headed back home.” At his frown, she instinctively took a step back even though her fear had subsided when she realized they were Piper’s guests.
“Damn it, I’m not going to hurt you,” Ian snapped even though he knew he shouldn’t. Whatever happened to make her so skittish, it wasn’t his problem, even though nothing pissed him off faster than the abuse of women or children. “Was she going home through the woods?” he asked in a calmer, softer tone.
“Yes.” Her gaze went to the door when the bell rang. Another tall, large man walked in, this one with hair as black as Piper’s, piercing grey eyes and a goatee framing a mouth Piper claimed was to die for. Brody Pearce was exactly as her friend described. Even though Haley knew she was in no danger of physical harm from either man, she still had trouble swallowing past the large wad of fear stuck in her throat, still couldn’t steady her erratic pulse and she found herself desperate to have them leave. “You’re looking for Piper too? I just told Agent MacGregor she just left.”
Brody was as good at reading people and body language as Ian and he had no trouble spotting a woman with an abusive past. At least, he hoped it was in the past. Remaining by the door, he visibly relaxed at hearing Piper had been here and was already headed back to her cabin, but his anger and worry over her continued obstinence still simmered.
“Thank you,” he told her before turning his gaze to Ian. “I’ll drive back if you’ll take the woods.” Brody recognized Ian’s anger on behalf of Piper’s friend, knew he was itching for physical release, and hoped the walk would cool him down.
“Can you give me directions?” Ian asked her tersely.
Haley quickly gave them directions and breathed a sigh of relief when they left. Piper hadn’t seemed to mind having both men living in such close quarters with her for the time being, and Haley wished she could be that open and easy going around men again. For the first time in six years, her body had seemed interested in the opposite sex. Now if only her mind could get on board.
Brody pulled in front of Piper’s cabin and quickly noted she hadn’t returned yet. Leaning against his car, he folded his arms across his chest and kept his eye on the path where she would exit the woods into her yard. He was coolly composed having gotten his anger under control by ceding that he shouldn’t have dictated to Piper the way he did. That concession didn’t mean there wouldn’t be consequences for her foolish rebuttal. Consequences he was itching to deliver despite knowing he was going to have a demanding cock aching for release by the time he was done. When Piper emerged from the woods a few minutes later, her startled eyes met the intent in his.
“What’re you doing?” Piper asked him warily as Brody pushed away from a bright red vintage car that looked to be in mint condition and slowly stalked toward her. She had high-tailed it back here as fast as possible, but obviously hadn’t been quick enough.
“Did I or did I not tell you not to take off by yourself?” he asked silkily, smiling slightly when she retreated a step before clenching her jaw in determination.
“I don’t answer to you. Where’s Ian?” Damn it, Brody had a gleam in his eyes that had her nipples puckering and her pussy dampening and she didn’t know whether to be pleased or pissed off. Only he had been able to arouse her so quickly and it was only him she had trouble resisting. Unfortunately, he had proven he didn’t suffer the same affliction when it came to resisting her.
“He should be along shortly, depending on how much of a head start you had. And, I’m afraid you’re very much mistaken, darlin’. Until we find out who was behind your disappearing act, you are very much answerable to me.” Brody grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the small garden bench in front of her porch.
As soon as he sat down and tugged her arm, throwing her off balance so she landed sprawled across his lap, Piper knew what he intended. Her body responded almost instantly to the memory of the last time he had spanked her, of how that heated pain had increased her arousal, but her mind was shying away from the humiliating, vulnerable position as well as the fear of losing control. When he pulled her backpack off and easily shoved her elastic waist shorts down to her knees, her mind‘s resistance took precedence.
Struggling to get off his lap, she demanded, “Let me go, Brody. You’re not doing this.”
Clamping one arm across her lower back, he pinned her kicking legs with his leg and brought his other hand down in a resounding smack on her right, wriggling buttock. “It looks like I am,” he stated calmly even though the sight of that lush ass clenching tightly had his dick thickening painfully already. Another smack landed on her left cheek followed by one right in the middle. “Be still or this’ll take longer. Although, I know Ian won’t mind watching our little scene.”
At the mention of the other man, Piper stilled, but not out of worry about being seen. Her traitorous body seemed to like the idea of having an audience, of having other eyes on her ass as Brody continued to slap her with sharp, steady strokes. It took only moments for her pussy to pulse
achingly for release, for the pain he was building to feed the burning ache until it was out of control, fueled even further by the thought of Ian catching them. “Brody, please,” she pleaded as she shifted her hips on his hard as rock thighs, the feel of his denim covered rigid cock against her side just egging her on.
“Please, what, darlin’?” He struck on the under curve of her right cheek. “Please forgive you for being foolish enough to risk your safety to prove your independence?” Another slap on the under curve of her left cheek was swiftly followed by a sharp blow across both buttocks again. “Please stop, or,” he ran one finger down her crack, a light glide over her puckered anus down to her damp slit, “please don’t stop,” then followed up swiftly with two sharp blows on each buttock.
Piper cried out with those last two, the smacks harder, the pain sharper, the pleasure keener. God help her, she didn’t know what she was pleading for. She was so turned on, so excited she couldn’t think straight, the mix of mortification, anger and ecstasy warring together until the need to climax overruled everything. She wanted to beg him to continue, but she also wanted to feel that finger caressing her aching flesh again, stimulating her over the precipice his swats were keeping her teetering on. The outdoor exposure, warm summer air wafting over her exposed, throbbing flesh, all added to her escalating arousal.
Need finally won out over pride and, turning watery green eyes up to him, she begged unashamedly, “Touch me again, Brody, make me come.”
For the first time in five years, Brody was grateful for the darkness that had cloaked them the one time they had sex. If he had been able to see those drenched, needy eyes, he would’ve fucked her well into the next morning, compounding his mistake. As it was, there was no way he could keep to his resolve not to take her under these circumstances if she was squirming in orgasm across his lap, if he could feel her tight, little pussy clutching his fingers as her come soaked his hand. With an abruptness that he knew startled her, he lifted her off his lap and jerked up her shorts, the sight of her reddened ass and her damp slit making his cock jerk against his zipper in a painful protest.