Secured Heart

by Measha Stone

  His ownership.

  “Now I’ve upset you.” Teri rubbed Kelly’s arm in an effort to comfort her.

  Kelly suddenly felt ill. He’d given her exactly what she wanted, and she had thrown it all away because of an irrational theory. She hadn’t even given him a chance to straighten out her boggled thinking; instead, she’d made the decision for him and left.

  “No, no. I’m okay.” Kelly heard the words being spoken, but didn’t believe them any more than Teri seemed to.

  She looked down at the drooling toddler who looked so happy and content, and feeling tears threatening to surface, she tore her gaze from him.

  “This barista is going extremely slow! I’ll have to forgo my second latte. It was really nice meeting you!” Kelly gave Teri a one-armed hug and moved to leave.

  “Kelly!” Teri called to her as she reached the door.

  Kelly paused and turned.

  “It will work out,” Teri said with a hitch in voice that made Kelly want to believe her.

  Kelly nodded and walked out of the coffee house.

  “Alex was right,” she said out loud to herself as she waved for a cab. “I am a fucking idiot.”

  CHAPTER twenty-nine

  Adventure Time

  Kelly stepped out of the cab and onto the street, where the long line in front of Krush would normally have annoyed her. Any other night she would have been there for very different reasons.

  She walked to the front of the line and pointed to the bouncer’s clipboard, as she gave him her name. He found her name, checked her ID, and moved out of the way to let her in. The loud groans of the people in line followed her into the noisy club.

  Near the bar, she found an empty table quickly and took residence on the tall stool. She hooked her heels on the crossbar of the seat and looked around.

  Thursday nights were the busiest for Krush, and tonight was no exception. Guys trolled through the masses, looking for single girls to dance with or buy drinks for, while the ladies huddled in groups, trying to give the impression they weren’t there for the same reasons as their male counterparts.

  A quick glance toward the bathrooms, and she confirmed Alex had arrived and was seated where he could see her. There had been no sign of the detective’s team, but he had assured her they would be there before she arrived.

  She noticed a man, younger than herself, gawking at her from the bar, and she pulled the neckline of her blouse up.

  It had been nearly a week since she had seen Kendrick, and not once during that time had she strayed from his dictate about her wardrobe. The only eyes she wanted on her body were his. After having met Teri at the coffee house, she’d been tempted to call him. Apologize for being so stupid and beg to go back to him. But she wanted to clear the Ted issue up once and for all. She didn’t want him hanging over them anymore. She knew if Kendrick was aware of what she was up to, he wouldn’t have allowed it.

  “Hey, baby.” A familiar voice slid over her shoulder.

  She swallowed hard, forced a smile, and turned to look at him as he took a seat, joining her.

  “I see you are back on the prowl.” His grin turned her stomach, but she nodded anyway.

  “Well, in a way.” She tilted her head to the right and gave him a wink.

  “No Kendrick tonight?” His eyes sparkled at the prospect, and she wanted to kick him in the dick.

  “No, we aren’t really together.” She leaned her chin on her hand.

  He eyed her carefully. “Finally saw the light?” He gave a light laugh.

  “Just didn’t mesh, is all.” The words felt like acid on her tongue.

  “Doesn’t know how to show a lady a good time.” Ted’s laugh sounded like the scratching of a cat’s nails on Styrofoam. “You’re not still scared of me, are you?”

  “Scared?” She narrowed her eyes. “No. Should I be?” She leaned toward him for the answer.

  He scanned the club, inspecting the dancers on the floor and the casual drinkers at the tables. “Naw, no reason. And I’ll even forgive you for our first date.” He nodded toward her.

  She bit back the retort that settled on her tongue and smiled instead.

  “Okay.” She looked over at Alex; he was on the phone.

  “I’m gonna grab a beer. You want one?” he asked as he stood from the stool.

  She glanced at the bartender. She couldn’t tell if he was one of the men she’d met at the meeting or not.

  “Sure, sounds good. I’ll go with you,” she offered.

  He stayed her with his hand on her arm. “No, don’t worry. I got the first round.” He gave her a slow wink.

  She swallowed the rising bile in her throat and thanked him. Her eyes never left him as he walked to the bar, put the order in, and walked back to her. He held the beers in his hands the entire time, nothing out of the ordinary. He probably wanted her to have at least one clean drink first.

  She downed the beer more out of nerves than eagerness to move forward, while Ted continued to rant about how horrible a dominant Kendrick was and how he was the best one, and how she’ll do so much better under his tutelage then Kendrick’s.

  The need to hurt the prick was becoming overwhelming.

  “I’m no pussy. I demand respect and obedience, but I won’t have you dressing like no schoolgirl either. I want to see those tits.” He reached over and unbuttoned her top button.

  She stiffened at his touch but didn’t back away.

  “I know his tastes. Doesn’t like showing off his girl.” He licked his bottom lip. “Fuck. Let’s get the hell outta here.”

  “You want to leave? Already?” she asked, feeling the panic set in. She hadn’t seen Peltner yet. Were they there? Would they follow them?

  Alex had left his seat, too. Where was he?

  “Yeah. My place is a short walk from here.” He stood from the stool and gulped down the last of his beer. He helped her off her stool and wrapped his hand around her upper arm.

  She turned to try to find someone, to signal they were leaving. No one was there. She found Alex; he was still on his phone and not looking at her.

  “Maybe another drink?” she suggested as he began to pull her through the crowd.

  A sharp pain in her side made her wince.

  “You think I’m a big fucking idiot, don’t you?” he snarled into her ear as he pulled her closer to him; the intense pain in her side increased. “If you cry out, signal your buddy over there, or try anything, this blade will slip right into your belly. Understood?”

  She swallowed and nodded, words failing her.

  “See, you can be a good girl. We’ll see if you’re as good at being my little fuck toy. I bet Kendrick never gave you a proper beating. We’ll have to see to that first.”

  Kelly walked outside, trying to think of a way out of the shit she’d found herself in. He was no longer pushing the blade into her side, but he made sure she knew he still had it ready to use. He kept his arm around her, pulling her alongside him. She was hoping he’d wave down a cab, thinking to get out of the car as he was getting in, but he turned down the street once they were outside.

  “Just a short walk,” he said again.

  “Ted, I don’t understand,” she finally managed to say. “There were at least fifty other women in there. Why did you pick me out?”

  “You haven’t stepped foot in that club since the night we met. I figured there was a reason. I knew you and Kendrick were over. Some stupid piece of ass I’d been trying to nail took off on me the other night, cuz she was meeting up with him.”

  Her head snapped to the side to look at him.

  He laughed in response. “Ah, you still love him. Good. That means he probably loves you too. Fucking moron.”

  “Your girlfriend didn’t leave you for him?” she asked as he continued to drag her down the street.

  “Girlfriend?” He hooted. “I don’t do the dating scene, and I sure as hell don’t fall in love with my little slaves and bitches.” He made a rough turn and pushed her
toward the broken-down wood steps that led to a further broken-down house.

  “Ted. No!” She pulled away from him and tried to make a run for it, but he was quick and grabbed her back, throwing her at the stairs.

  She tripped over the first one and fell; her head hit the edge of the stair. Before she was able to get back onto her feet, he had his hand in her hair, pulling her up by the mass of curls. She winced as he dragged her up the steps and toward the front door. It wasn’t locked; he threw it open and pushed her inside.

  Again, she stumbled and faceplanted onto the cold linoleum tiles of the front hall. The faint smell of leather and cigarette smoke added to the grime she felt on the floor, and she tried again to stand.

  His large booted foot landed on her back, shoving her to the ground. “You don’t stand in my house. You crawl, like the bitch you are.” He kicked the front door shut and nudged her with his foot.

  “Fuck you,” she growled and tried to get up once more.

  He reached down and grabbed a fistful of hair again, pulling her to her feet.

  “What the fuck did you say?” His grip was too strong, and she was nearly on her tiptoes he held her up so high. She couldn’t free herself.

  Tears welled in her eyes from the sting of the hair pulling. His eyes were dark and large; spittle gathered at the corner of his mouth. How could she have ever found him to be anywhere near appealing?

  “You’ll regret it,” he promised and shoved her to the ground again.

  Her knee slipped on the slick tile, and she found herself sprawled out again. He still had her by her hair and was pulling her forward. She forced herself to her knees and tried to keep up with him as he walked her to a door.

  Frantically, she looked for an escape or a weapon. Anything to keep her from going through that door.

  She heard the creak of the door as it opened, and Ted pulled her to a stop. She tried to scratch his hands to release her, but he yanked harder.

  “Knock it off!”

  She was sure he was pulling her hair out of her scalp. The light from behind the door cast a shadow into the hallway.

  A man stepped into the hall, whistling to himself. He turned toward them, shutting the door a bit.

  Her eyes adjusted to the lighting, and she gasped at the sight before her.

  “Well, hi there, Kelly,” Officer Peltner said with a wide-eyed grin.

  CHAPTER thirty

  Skipping Beats

  Kendrick sat at his desk, staring at the computer screen. His intention had been to work, but he couldn’t get his mind to focus on the budget planning. He checked his phone a dozen times, hoping to hear from Kelly. He’d decided to give her space, let her figure out she was wrong. He didn’t want to push her too hard too fast and lose her all together.

  The first night after she’d left was horrible. He’d second guessed every decision he’d made with her. After analyzing all of their dates for a sign that there’d been trouble brewing, he’d come up with nothing.

  The following morning he decided she was running scared. She was new to her submissiveness, to his ownership, to the world she had burst into, and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. He’d give her some time to herself to figure it all out, and then he’d go drag her ass back into his life and whip her good for putting him through such heartache. Then, he’d love her furiously until she couldn’t speak any words other than those he wanted.

  He had told himself he’d give her no more than a week. Generous, he thought, considering how badly he wanted to run to her and pull her into his arms. He missed the smell of honey she left on the sheets when she spent the night. The unwomanly way she yawned when she woke up and the wonderful way she’d filled his life.

  The cell danced on his desktop, and he grabbed it, answering it before checking the ID.

  “Hello.” He hadn’t meant to sound so desperate.

  “Kendrick. It’s Alex.”

  “Oh. Hi.” He sat back in his chair and pressed his fingers to his temple, rubbing in a circular motion. He was in no condition to do work at the moment.

  “I’m calling about Kelly.”

  “What’s wrong?” Kendrick demanded before Alex could continue.

  “She’s a reckless fool. We all know this, but she’s really done it this time. I’m down here at Krush. She got it into her head that she needed to help put Ted behind bars. Your officer friend talked her into this harebrained idea of using her as bait. I’m here, she’s here, but I don’t see your cop friends anywhere.”

  “Ted? She’s trying to—dammit, I told her to stay away from him!” Kendrick leapt up from his desk.

  “Yes, well, it would appear she has gone rogue.” Alex stopped talking for a minute, and Kendrick heard music pouring through the phone.

  “Shit. Ted is here. I don’t see your guys anywhere. They were supposed to play bartender. Ted’s talking to her; he went straight to her. Something doesn’t feel right. Damn, I can’t see her.”

  “I’m on my way. Find her and get her away from him. Whatever operation Peltner is trying to pull is over. You tell her to wait for me and not to move a goddamn muscle until I get there. She’s had plenty of time on her own; this bullshit ends tonight.” He clicked off the phone and tore out of his apartment. He skipped the elevator and dashed down the stairs. His car was parked in the lot, and he jumped in, throwing it in reverse and taking off, his wheels squealing as he made his way onto the street.

  Kelly stumbled down the last few stairs into the basement of Ted’s house. He had both of her arms pinned behind her.

  When they were in the room, she had a moment to look around. The lights were dimmed, casting golden shadows over benches and tables. A large hook hung from the ceiling, and the familiar cross stood in the corner. It was a home dungeon and had Kendrick been the man leading her into it, she would have found the place extremely exciting.

  The stench of upstairs was gone; the room was clean and well kept.

  “Where do you want her?” Ted asked Peltner who joined them after locking the door at the top of the stairs.

  “Why are you doing this?” she demanded of him.

  He backhanded her hard against her jaw. “Because it’s fun,” he answered. “Let’s put her on the hook. We need to get her out of these clothes,” he told Ted.

  Ted pushed her forward, and she found herself standing beneath the hook. He didn’t let go of her, only adjusted his grip so he had a free hand. She tried to twist her way out of his grip, but Peltner quickly squashed her attempt with another slap to her face.

  The throbbing in her jaw distracted her for the moment from the strain of her arms as Ted yanked them above her head and fastened cuffs to her wrists. Once he had her restrained, he pulled her up higher to slip the cuffs onto the hook. Her toes barely touched the floor, her shoulders ached from being pulled in such a way, and her head leaned forward.

  Ted reached for her blouse, and she tried to kick him away, but it hurt her arms to put so much weight on them.

  His laugh was hearty and made her sick. “Just stop it. You’re going to hurt yourself before we get started. I like a little fight in you, and if you keep this up, you won’t have any left.” His hands gripped her blouse, and he tore it from her body. Using the knife in his pocket, he ripped the seams of the sleeves and dropped the tattered material to the floor. He slipped the knife under the straps of her bra, the cold steel contrasting with the heat in her skin, and with a few slices, the bra was on the floor as well.

  Her breasts bounced free, and she tried to ignore the ogling stares of Peltner as Ted finished removing her clothing. He pulled the boots from her feet, making it even harder to touch the ground with her bare feet.

  “Hot damn, your tits are big.” Peltner whistled as he came to stand in front of her.

  She looked up at him the best she could given her hair was dangling in front of her face. His stare on her body left a grimy film behind, and she glared at him.

  “Don’t fucking touch me,” she growled when
he reached out.

  He paused for a moment, gave her a quick chuckle, and then took her breasts in his hands. He weighed them, as though he were standing in the produce section of the grocery store.

  “These are going to be so much fun to beat. The cane, I think. It leaves such pretty marks behind.” He took her nipples and pinched them until she cried out. The burning that replaced his fingers when he ripped his hands away made her flinch again.

  “What the fuck was that?” Ted looked up at the ceiling. “Did you hear that?”

  “Nothing. Nothing’s there, you ass.” Peltner unbuckled his belt.

  “It’s Kendrick, you jerk off!” Kelly screeched. “Did you think he’d let your filthy fucking hands touch me?!” She began to twist and turn in the restraints. She hadn’t heard any noise, but she hoped the fear in Ted’s mind would escalate if she continued to rant about Kendrick’s rescue.

  “Shut up, you little whore.” Peltner slapped her again, harder than before. “Kendrick is a dumbass. Couldn’t take it that he couldn’t save the fucking world, so he quit the force. Over a stupid woman. She was good though. Damn good at sucking dick, even better at taking it up the ass.”

  Kelly tried to pull her body back. If she could just get back a bit, she could swing forward and maybe kick him in the stomach, knock the wind out of him.

  Ted stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up. “Peltner, I’m serious. Someone’s up there.” He took one step up.

  “Fine. Go check it out. I’ll get started down here, while you do that.” He turned his twisted smile at Kelly.

  Her foot slipped again, and she found herself dangling. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder, and she screamed out.

  “I told you not to hurt yourself, yet.” He tsked at her.

  Ted slowly made his way up the stairs. She braced herself at the sight of Peltner slipping the belt from the loops of his jeans. Her breath was coming quickly, her head spun from the panicked breathing, and her shoulder felt as though it were on fire. He licked his lips as he doubled the belt over in his hand and began to walk behind her.