by Stella Moore
Penny nodded. No need for Eric to be pissed off on top of worried. She’d take what she had coming to her when he got home.
“Honey! I’m home! Is Penny here? I saw her car outside.” Elisa practically danced into the living room, but sobered quickly when she saw the looks on their faces.
“He broke in to Penny’s apartment. Meyers is on his way, Eric is out of town, Penny is sleeping here tonight. And I need a drink,” Paul declared before stalking off towards the kitchen.
“What? He broke in! How do you know?” Elisa demanded.
“He left me a matchbook from that club where we first met,” Penny explained, slumping down on the couch and exhaling loudly. Resting her head against the back, she told the rest of the story. “And I don’t need another lecture on being an idiot, your husband already took care of that,” she concluded, glaring defiantly at her friend.
“Paul called you an idiot?”
Penny simply stared at her and then burst into laughter. “That’s your takeaway? God, I love you.”
“I love you too, you big idiot,” Elisa said with a grin.
A knock on the door interrupted their laughter and a few seconds later, Paul returned, trailed by Detective Meyers. Penny went over the story again, wilting a bit under the detective’s steely eye when she told him she went in the apartment alone. Unlike Paul, the detective didn’t interrupt or raise his voice, he just let her get it out. Then he took her through it again, asking questions here and there.
“Detective Meyers, do you really think I need to be worried?” she asked as he went over the day with her for what felt like the millionth time.
“I don’t think we need to put you on lockdown or anything, but you should be taking precautions. You need to be careful. We’re working to nail this guy for stalking but honestly, we don’t have much to hold him on at the moment. At the end of the day, we don’t know how this will play out, but it definitely seems like he’s escalating.”
When he was finally done grilling her, he requested her keys so he could check out her apartment. Penny handed them over, and he let her know she’d need to go through the apartment with him tomorrow to see if anything had been taken or if anything else looked out of place. After he left, Paul and Elisa gave her some privacy to call Eric.
“Penny! Are you okay? What’s going on? Have you talked to Meyers yet?”
“I’m fine, I have no idea, and yes. And hi, I love you, too,” she added sarcastically.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’ve just been freaking out waiting for you to call. I was able to switch my flight; I should be in around midnight. Paul’s picking me up so I can come straight there. And I do love you, you know that.”
He sounded so tired, it made Penny’s heart ache. She hated to be putting everyone under such stress. “I know you do. Sorry I was a brat. I can’t wait to see you.”
“Don’t wait up,” Eric said sternly. “You should get some rest. I know you have a busy week coming up, and the last thing you need is a lack of sleep making you sick.”
Penny rolled her eyes, glad he wasn’t there to see her. “Okay. I love you.”
“Love you too. See you soon.”
Later that night, Eric slipped into bed beside her. He pressed a kiss to her temple and she turned to reach for him. The night came alive with soft sighs and murmurs of love and devotion as they touched and feasted on each other. When he finally filled her, she gasped, arching up to wrap herself around him completely. They moved together as one, and when they were finished, when he emptied himself inside of her, the tenderness of it was an ache she felt to the depths of her soul.
Chapter 16
The next day, Eric and Penny both met Detective Meyers at her apartment. The matchbook was gone, locked away in evidence with the box the roses had come in on Christmas Day. They searched the apartment but there was no sign of anything missing or out of place. It was clear the break in was strictly to scare her.
“There’s something else. I’d completely forgotten about it until now,” Penny told them when they’d finished their search. Eric was going to be pissed, but she was already in for it. In for a penny in for a pound.
“A couple of months ago, I was working from home and someone knocked on the door. I checked the viewer but nobody was there, so I opened the door. The hallway was completely empty. I closed and locked the doors behind me, but I didn’t really think much of it. But now, I guess it was him playing games. And sometimes I feel like someone’s watching me when I’m at my appointments, but I’ve been putting it down to paranoia.”
Two angry men glared at her in silence. Detective Meyers told her, “I’ll add it to the report. From here on out, do not open the door if you can’t verify who is on the other side. And for the love of all things holy, don’t enter your apartment if the door is unlocked when you get home.”
Eric escorted the detective out, then slowly turned to face her. She was sure he was beyond pissed, but he looked completely calm. Except for the eyes. There she could see the swirling emotions that told her she was in deep, deep trouble.
“Care to explain?” he asked, his voice deceptively calm.
“Well, when I got home, the door was open. And I honestly thought I just didn’t pull it shut when I left, so I didn’t think there was anything wrong. Until I saw the matchbook and I realized…” she trailed off, unsure of what else to say.
“Were you going to tell me?”
“Yes! Paul made me promise. Meyers just got to it before I could.”
“You’re going to wait for me in the bedroom, in the corner with your hands on your head. You know the drill. I’m going to take some time to cool off before we deal with this.”
Penny hurried to obey. She stripped off the jeans she’d been wearing and walked to the corner. Pulling her underwear down to her knees always made her feel like a naughty child, and even more so when she put her hands on her head and stared at her wall.
“You’re such an idiot,” she mumbled, glaring at the pale blue paint she’d decorated her bedroom with as soon as she moved in. Maybe she could get a poster or something to hang in the corner. Something pretty to look at while she contemplated her crimes.
She continued mumbling, “Right. You’re supposed to be thinking about why you’re such a fuck up. Except Eric wouldn’t like it if you said that, so now you have to figure that out, too. Great.”
After what seemed like forever, she heard Eric enter the room behind her. Suddenly, every nerve was on high alert as she waited for him to call for her. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Turn around.” She shivered at the strict tone in his voice. Even on the verge of a painful punishment, he could have her ready to go with just his voice. She turned and faced him, then watched in fascination as he slowly pulled his belt through the loops on his pants. As much as she loved playing with the belt, she had a feeling that she wouldn’t be enjoying this at all.
Eric piled two pillows on the end of the bed. “Over,” he instructed, gesturing with the belt.
“But aren’t you…” she trailed off when he shook his head.
“No warm up tonight. I want you to feel every single stroke and think about how much it would hurt the people around you if anything happened to you. This will be the only time we have this conversation. Clear?”
Tears already stinging her eyes, Penny nodded and made her way over to the bed. She settled herself over the pillows, the positioning and the extra height forcing her to stand on her toes, so that her bottom was a prime target.
“Don’t reach back, or I’ll move to your thighs,” he warned her, right before the belt lashed against the high part of her backside. Penny squealed and buried her head in the comforter. She had been whipped with a belt more times than she could count, but this was worse than she could remember. Maybe it was the lack of a warm up or the fact that her heart was so heavy. Whatever it was, she swore to herself she would never make Eric repeat this lesson.
Slowly, methodically, he whipped his way
down her bottom to her sit spots. She cried out with pain and clutched the comforter as he lashed that same spot three times in quick succession. Then he made his way back up to the top swell of her bottom before pausing. A cool, rough hand ran over her skin, making her jump.
“We’re getting there.”
Getting there? Oh God. “Eric, please! I’m so sorry! I’m an idiot! Please forgive me,” she cried, pushing herself off the bed.
“Don’t you dare.” The threat in his voice made her pause. Slowly, she lowered herself back into position. She heard him sigh and then he was there, rubbing her back comfortingly. “You’re not an idiot,” he added softly. “You weren’t thinking, but that doesn’t make you an idiot. But I need to make sure that you are thinking, from here on out, about your safety. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she sighed.
She felt the loss of his presence keenly when he stepped back. But when the belt cracked against her bare skin once more, all she could focus on was the intense pain. If anything, it was worse now that he’d given her a short break.
The belt fell again and again until she lost count and was sobbing uncontrollably into the comforter. “I’m sorry,” she wailed as it caught right at the tops of her thighs. “Please, sir, I’m sorry!”
Three more lashes fell and she screamed into the bedspread with each one. Finally, the whipping stopped, but she didn’t notice at first.
“Shh, baby. It’s done.” He rubbed her back as she sobbed. “I love you, so much.” They stayed there for several minutes longer until she’d cried herself out.
“Why don’t you get cleaned up and we’ll take a nap,” Eric offered. Penny nodded and he helped her stand. Every movement seemed to tug at the hot, tight skin on her bottom. She walked stiffly to the bathroom to clean herself up, crying out when her bottom came in contact with the toilet seat. She returned to the bedroom and found Eric laying in the bed with the comforter folded down, waiting for her. She crawled into bed and snuggled up to him, resting her head on his chest with a deep sigh. When Eric’s arms came around her, the last of the weight on her chest dissipated.
“You okay?” he asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“Other than my ass being on fire, I’m good.” She sighed. “I really am sorry. I think I’ve been in denial that anything bad would happen, so I didn’t even want to consider that the door could be open because someone broke in. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“What? Give up the chance to turn your gorgeous ass red on a regular basis? I think not.”
“Jerk,” she teased back, giving him a light shove.
“Yeah, but you love me. Get some sleep and we can talk some more when you wake up.”
When she woke again, the sun had started to set and she was alone in bed. Easing up into a sitting position, she couldn’t stop the whimper when her backside pressed against the mattress. She dressed in a pair of loose-fitting pajama pants and a baggy T-shirt before wandering into the living room.
She heard the voices as soon as she opened her bedroom door. Paul and Elisa were sitting on the couch, chatting with Eric.
Great. And I’m in my pajamas.
Eric’s head came up, and he locked eyes with her, almost as if he’d sensed her presence. “Hey baby. How’d you sleep?” he asked, walking over to press a kiss to her forehead.
“Fine,” she answered sulkily. “What’s going on?”
“It’s a Keep Penny from Doing Stupid Stuff That Gets Her Killed party!” Elisa chimed in with a grin.
“Penny, can I borrow your bedroom to teach my wife some manners?” Paul growled, giving the woman in question a little shake.
“What! I’m just being honest. That is why we’re here, right?”
Penny sat, carefully, on the opposite end of the couch. She must not have hidden her discomfort well, because Elisa reached over and patted her reassuringly on the knee.
“Okay, so what’s this about?” she asked once she was settled on the couch as comfortably as she could manage.
“Some ground rules going forward until this mess gets sorted out,” Eric replied. “Someone needs to know where you are at all times. You keep an electronic calendar, right?” She nodded. “You’ll share it with all of us. If you notice anything, even the tiniest thing out of place, you call me or Meyers immediately. Got it?”
Another nod. So far, nothing she couldn’t live with.
“And until this is done, I think it’s best if you don’t take on any new clients unless they can be vouched for.”
Her head snapped up to stare at her lover and disciplinarian. “No. Absolutely not,” she replied firmly.
“Excuse me?” Even Elisa shrunk back from the tone in his voice. “Do we need another discussion? Because we can have it right here, right now if you want, little girl.”
Penny’s heart raced but she stood her ground. “You can spank me another hundred times, but I’m not going to agree. I’ll tell you where I am every second of the day. You can tag along to new meetings if you want. Hell, I’ll put a tracker on my phone if that would help you worry less. But I am not letting this bastard ruin the business I’ve poured my heart, soul, sweat and tears into. Not. Happening.”
“She’s right.” The simple words stopped them both in their tracks. Paul shrugged when Eric turned to glare at him. “You can’t expect her to basically stop living her life because this asshole is trying to get at her. We’ll keep her safe. But she has to be able to work and enjoy her life in the meantime.”
Defeated, Eric sat down again, cradling his head in his hands. Penny knelt by him and rested her cheek on his thigh. “I’m not going to be stupid anymore,” she promised him. “But please, don’t make me give up everything I’ve worked for.”
Eric ran a hand over her hair and forced a smile. “Okay. You’re right. You’re both right,” he acknowledged. “But I’m serious about the rest of it. We don’t take any chances.”
“Deal.”
Chapter 17
Penny threw herself into her work, trying her best to work around the restrictions she’d been placed under. Although she knew it was for her own safety, sometimes they chaffed. She ended up over Eric’s knee twice in one week for changing plans at the last minute with a bride who couldn’t make up her mind about, well, anything. At the end of her rope, she finally convinced Eric to go see Dr. French with her.
“I was hoping you would come see me soon. You are both dealing with an enormous amount of stress.”
“Yeah, well, I’m hoping you can talk some sense into the caveman here,” Penny answered moodily, gesturing towards Eric. “I don’t know how much more my ass can take.”
Melissa didn’t quite manage to hide the smile. “I’m sure he has your best interests in mind.”
“Twice this week he’s already spanked me, just because I had a little change in plans,” Penny protested.
“It’s about to be three,” Eric grumbled, fixing her with a steely eyed glare.
Penny rolled her eyes and leaned back against the couch with her arms folded. “See what I’m dealing with?”
“Was it unfair?” Melissa asked, pinning her with a steady gaze.
Penny shifted uncomfortably. “I mean, technically I agreed to tell him any time my plans changed but I can’t be expected to be perfect! This is my busiest time of the year, so it’s understandable if I forget things sometimes.”
To her surprise, Melissa nodded. “We all get busy and forget things. Eric? Do you think the punishments were fair?”
Eric sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “We had a deal.” He turned to Penny. “I’m sorry if you feel like I’m being overbearing, but I couldn’t take it if anything happened to you. If you’re supposed to be somewhere, but you end up on the other side of town, how would we know where to look if he manages to get his hands on you?”
“I get that, but I put the tracker app on my phone for that exact reason. I’m doing my best, Eric, but I can’t function like this. And some
times you just don’t listen.”
“Penny, I want you to put yourself in Eric’s shoes for a moment. Imagine someone was trying to hurt him. What would you do to keep him safe?”
Penny’s eyes filled with tears. “Anything and everything,” she whispered.
“And Eric, imagine that you couldn’t do your job without checking in with someone about every move you made. Wouldn’t that drive you a little crazy?”
Eric sighed. “Yeah, it would,” he admitted.
Melissa leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees. “It’s obvious to me that you two have an incredible amount of love and respect for one another. You just need to try and see things from the other side of the coin on a more regular basis. Penny,” she shifted slightly to address her long-time patient, “I want you to come up with a word. Doesn’t matter what it is, but when you feel like you’re not being heard, this word will be Eric’s cue to stop, take a deep breath and just listen. Eric, when Penny uses this word, you’re not to speak for at least ten minutes. This should give Penny time to voice her concerns and give you time to absorb what she’s said. Does this work for both of you?”
The couple nodded. “Good. Go home, talk some more, pick a word. And then, go to the movies. Or the park. Go do something for just the two of you to take your mind off things for a few hours.”
“Well, what’s your word going to be?” Eric asked on the drive back to Penny’s apartment.
“Bologna.”
“What? Why bologna?”
Penny shrugged. “When have you ever heard me say it? I hate the stuff so it’s not like I’m going to be asking for it. And it’s random enough to get your attention.”
Eric laughed. “That’s true. Bologna it is. And on that note, I’m starving. Feel like going out?”
“I can’t think of anything I’d love more.”
They found themselves at the Bloody Mary, being fawned over by the same young hostess from their first time there. Apparently, she was ecstatic that they were still together and was ready to join Eric’s family in planning their wedding as soon as possible. They sat and chatted while they waited for their food and Penny reveled in how normal it all felt. For the first time in months, she was relaxed and truly enjoying just spending time with her man. For his part, Eric looked more relaxed than she’d seen him since Christmas.