Liberated Heart

by Measha Stone

  Erin found a pile of mail spilled on the floor in the front hall and sighed. She’d put a hold on mail, but apparently Jonathan hadn’t. She picked up the envelopes one by one. All but one was addressed to Jonathan, bills and junk mail. The one addressed to her didn’t have any stamps on it, but had her full name and address. No return address either.

  She tossed Jonathan’s mail on the small table and slid her finger into the fold of the envelope, peeling it away and opening it. Turning it upside down, several photographs spilled out into her hand. Each one of her. On the night of the auction. The first two pictures were of her getting out of the cab and going inside. The third picture was of her and Bradley. Someone had seen them cross the back street. The last photo zoomed in on their hands, capturing the leash tethered to her wrists as Bradley lead her across to the garage.

  Jonathan had teased her when she’d put a chair in the front hall. Calling it useless. She sank into it when her knees gave out. Someone had seen them. Someone had taken pictures! Of her on a leash! She shoved her hand in the envelope again, afraid she’d find more pictures, but what she found was worse. A letter with demands.

  Peek a boo! I see you! Your master possesses more than he should. Things that rightfully belong to me. I need information. I’ll be in touch with my needs, for now… enjoy the fun while it lasts. I would suggest not involving him, otherwise these photos and more will have to be exposed. Not sure how your parents or your work would feel about your extracurricular activities.

  It took a moment for her to catch her breath and then she read it again. Who would want information about Bradley? What sort of information? And why the hell would they think she could get it? She’d only known him for a brief time. He wasn’t going to spill any secrets to her, none that some stranger could use to blackmail him. And even if he did, she wouldn’t hand over those secrets. Would she?

  She hadn’t even told her parents yet about her break up with Jonathan. If they received those photographs, it would scare the hell out of them. They’d probably think she’d been kidnapped. Her head began to ache.

  The front door swung open and Jonathan swept into the hallway, surprising her. She screamed and jumped up from the chair. He looked her over with narrowed eyes and shook his head. “It’s just me. Calm down.”

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded, bending down to pick up the photographs she dropped, before he could see them.

  “I just wanted to grab my mail. You haven’t been home.”

  “Your mail is over there.” She pointed at the small pile on the table.

  “Where’ve you been staying?” His question annoyed her. Did she hear a snip of jealousy there?

  “Out. I’ve been out.” She eyed him. He’d lost more weight, and his face was pale considering the sun had been blaring for the past several weeks.

  He looked her over again and shook his head. “You haven’t talked to Jessica or Kelly. Both have sent me worried texts.”

  “I’m handling it,” she snapped. He’d never really considered himself part of their group, so it wasn’t surprising that he’d ignore them when they reached out. Her phone buzzed, and she looked down quickly at it expecting it to be one of them. They had that sort of timing lately. Bradley. She declined the call with the intent to send him a quick message but then Jonathan derailed her.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re here, actually.” He dug into his back pocket and pulled out a bank envelope. “I was going to leave this for you if you weren’t here again. I closed out the checking account. Here’s your half. I also closed the credit card, and paid off the balance. I took what was needed to pay it off from the checking before I split the money.”

  She took the money from him and shoved it into her purse along with the mystery mail she’d received. “The bank let you close the account without me?”

  “Yeah. I was primary, you were just on the account. I’m going to make an appointment for a realtor to come out and assess the house. We should list it soon. The housing market isn’t so bad right now; we should at least get back what we spent.”

  “I haven’t decided what I want to do. Maybe I’ll just buy you out of it.” Her temper began to rise. He was making all sorts of decision for her now that he was out of her life.

  “You can’t afford it, Erin.” He tilted his head. “Just put the house up for sale. Make this easy.”

  “On you or me? Cause you seem to have had it easy this whole damn time.” She didn’t wait for a response. She turned on her heel and went to the kitchen. She needed water and to get the hell away from him.

  “Look, I’m sorry for the way this played out. Obviously, I hurt you.”

  “Oh, shut up!” Erin yelled at him as he made his way into the kitchen. “I don’t want to hear apologies or anything else. I just want a few days to figure out what I’m going to do about my living situation. You’ve had six months to figure all this out. The least you can do is give me a few days.”

  He paled slightly at her outburst and then nodded. “Fine. Just a few more days.” He turned to leave but paused. “Erin, if you haven’t been staying here, and the girls don’t know what’s going on, where are you staying?” If he hadn’t said it with so much concern in his voice she could have rolled her eyes and ignored him.

  “With a friend, Jonathan. Please. Just. Go.” Her phone started to buzz again and she picked it up, showing him she had a call and turned away. She declined Bradley’s call again, but put the phone to her ear, pretending to answer it. When she heard the front door shut, she put the phone back in her purse and took several calming breaths.

  Dealing with Jonathan, even now after having finally realized their relationship had been over long ago, left her exhausted. Remembering the envelope with the pictures in her purse terrified her. Knowing that she’d ignored two calls from Bradley without a response set her nerves on edge.

  How exactly did life get so damn complicated?

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Bradley watched the clock tick off another minute as he sat at his desk. His mind continuously wandered to Erin and what was going on with her. She hadn’t come home last night, giving the excuse that she needed to run by her house and was just too tired to make it back into the city. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe her, he had been keeping her pretty busy at his house, a fact he wasn’t the least bit sorry for. He just couldn’t keep his hands off of her, and he wasn’t even willing to try.

  He could tell something was stressing her out, but she wouldn’t tell him what it was. She insisted everything was fine. No trouble, just tired, she’d said. Deciding he needed a distraction, he pushed away from his desk and went in search of coffee. A walk would do him good.

  When he had suggested Erin stay with him for another week, his intentions were to overload himself with her until he could manage to get her out of his system. It was backfiring. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted her. Her responses to his training, his desires, came to her as easily as breathing. He’d taught her his favorite positions, his preferred method of addressing him, all of which she’d smiled and absorbed into her mind and used perfectly later. She gave no resistance. It was as if she were being handed her own present wrapped up in a perfect bow.

  *

  “Bradley.” Kendrick’s bellow pulled him from his own thoughts.

  Turning to see the man stalking into the coffee shop toward him, he sighed. “Kendrick.” He gave a curt nod.

  Kendrick frowned. “Where’s Erin?”

  “I assume at work.” Bradley looked at his watch. “It is eleven in the morning. That’s usually where she is.”

  “Oh.” Kendrick rubbed his neck. “Yeah. I guess.” He looked at Bradley and winced. “Sorry. I just worry. Erin’s been distant, and Alex usually handles this stuff when the girls get into a tiff, but he’s preoccupied.”

  “Ah, so you’ve been nominated?” Bradley tried not to laugh at the discomfort on Kendrick’s face. “She’s fine. She did send Kelly and Jessica a message that
she was okay.” The line moved, and the two shifted up with it.

  “Yeah, Kelly’s more pissed now than before because all Erin will say is she’s fine and she’s busy.” Kendrick shook his head. His eyes widened. “What the fuck?” He leaned to the side as if to get a better look at something. Bradley turned to follow his eyesight. “Jonathan?” Kendrick whispered the name, but Bradley heard it. His ears perked, and his skin tingled at the sound of it.

  Standing five feet away was an average built man, about his age, with short blond hair, wearing a standard suit. His eyes were dancing with lust as he grinned at the young woman sitting across the table from him. Her barista apron covered her body up, but he could imagine what Jonathan was picturing in his mind.

  “Fuck.” Bradley growled.

  “You know?” Kendrick moved behind Bradley, keeping out of Jonathan’s line of sight. “Does she? I mean I guess she does. What the fuck is going on? Do I go over there and punch in his face, or do I leave that to you?”

  Bradley did laugh then. A soft, uncomfortable chuckle and turned back to Kendrick. “No, don’t punch his face in. I get to do that, but not yet. Yes, Erin knows.” He glanced back over his shoulder and took a calming breath. That was the douche bag who’d hurt her. He had walked away from her, and deserted her for that little girl sitting across the table from him. Torn between throwing him through the window, and thanking him for letting her go, he kept his focus on Kendrick. If he looked at Jonathan again, he couldn’t promise he’d keep his hands to himself.

  “When did all this happen?”

  “I think it’s better if Erin explains everything.” Bradley didn’t like that Erin hadn’t explained anything to her friends yet, but he didn’t feel comfortable being the one to do it. She would have to take care of it, and soon. “I met her after.” He allowed that much information. Not that anyone who knew Erin would think she’d stray, but he wanted to be sure Kendrick knew it.

  “Friday is her pick for dinner.” Kendrick kept his gaze on Jonathan as he spoke. “If you can keep her from blowing us off again, she can explain everything then. Everyone is getting worried, and I can only hold Kelly back so long, she’ll eventually take matters into her own hands”

  “There are ways to keep her in line.” Bradley grinned.

  “Uh huh.” Kendrick nodded. “When it comes to protecting a friend, she won’t care about the consequences.” He gave a shrug. “Somethings are better unchanged.”

  “Agreed.” Bradley looked over his shoulder then back to Kendrick. The blonde had stood up, wiping her hands on her apron. “So, are you going to talk to him?”

  “Not if I can help it. I’ll want to kick his ass.” Just as the words came out of Kendrick’s mouth, the blonde leaned up on tiptoe and kissed Jonathan.

  Bradley could practically hear the steam leaving Kendrick’s ears, but was more concerned with the anger rising in his own chest. He’d kill before letting that whelp of a man hurt Erin again, and although she said she’d moved on, that she realized she hadn’t truly been in love, he could sense the hurt in her. Jonathan may not really have had her heart, but he had her trust and he had stepped all over it.

  “Can I help you?” The short, wide eyed young woman behind the counter grinned up at Bradley. Help him? Oh, yeah, coffee. He placed his order, while seeing Jonathan move closer to them out of the corner of his eye. Kendrick became focused on the pastry counter, giving Jonathan his back as he approached. Bradley noticed the tension in Jonathan’s shoulders as he paused briefly in his step while passing by them. If Kendrick were to turn at that moment he’d been eye to eye with the ass, but Jonathan moved away quickly. Bradley watched the coward shuffle out of the coffee shop, avoiding Kendrick, and all but running down the street away from them.

  “Kelly may kill him.” Kendrick shoved his hands into his jeans. “I might just let her.”

  Bradley stepped to the side, waiting for his coffee, with Kendrick right behind him. “You keep that feisty red head away from him. It’s Erin’s fight. She can handle a hell of a lot more than you give her credit for.”

  Kendrick looked back at the door then to Bradley. “Yeah, I’m beginning to think that’s true.”

  Bradley thanked the brunette handing him his coffee and turned toward the exit. “Aren’t you getting coffee?”

  “What? No. I saw you in the window. I’m headed to the club, need to check over a few rosters for next weekend.”

  Bradley shook his head. “Do you think I’d hurt her? That I’d have her tied up somewhere against her will?”

  Kendrick eyed him silently for a minute then a grin broke out across his face. “No. But I know how you play. Erin’s… “

  “If you tell me again that Erin is fragile, I’ll punch you,” Bradley told him. After seeing her bound to his bedpost, dark red marks across her breasts from his crop, and begging him to fuck her even harder than he had already been, he couldn’t fathom anyone thinking that woman weak.

  Kendrick’s eyes narrowed, and he gave his head a slight shake. “No. I’m beginning to think she’s not as in need of rescue as I had originally thought.”

  “I’ll remind her about Friday. She will be there.” Bradley nodded. “I have to get a hold of Alex, have you talked with him?” Bradley changed the subject as they stepped out into the humid air of August.

  “Not really, but Alyssa is back at his place. So I assume if he’s not at work, he’s home.”

  “He needs to give that advertising crap up.” Bradley mused and looked at his watch again. His attorney would be meeting him at the club shortly. “I’ll give him a call.”

  “I know you are seeing a side of Erin that I haven’t, but if you hurt her—”

  “Don’t.” Bradley put a hand in the air between them when the elevator doors slid open.

  Kendrick snorted. “Are you just having fun with her?”

  “At first I thought that’s what we were doing.” He slid his key card into the elevator and punched the floor for the club. “But I think it’s gone past that.”

  Kendrick nodded. “I know that feeling.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Just tread carefully. I don’t want her hurt.”

  The door to the club opened, and Bradley gave Kendrick one final glare before heading toward his office. Knowing the warning came from love of a friend didn’t diminish the irritation any, but he wasn’t going to argue with him.

  “See you Friday?” Kendrick called down the hall as Bradley reached his office door.

  “Definitely.” Bradley waved a hand without turning around and pushed the door open to his office.

  Alex and Alyssa both turned to greet him from the armchairs situated in the corner of his office. “Bradley.”

  He stifled the heavy sigh that simmered in his chest and forced himself to take a neutral stance. The attorney would be arriving any minute, and the last thing he wanted was to go over his relationship with Erin with any more of her friends. She hadn’t even told them about leaving Jonathan yet.

  “Look, if you’re here to talk about Erin, I can’t. My attorney is on his way, and you should be in on that meeting, Alex. So, we can talk about her on Friday.”

  “Erin? My Erin?” Alex’s brows furrowed together. His eyes darkened. “What about Erin? do you know you where she is? Jessica said she’s gone into hiding or something. Kelly said she showed up here at the auction.”

  Bradley let out the sigh he’d been holding. Well shit. Alyssa rested a hand on his arm and shot Bradley a sympathetic smile. “Alex, Erin is a big girl. She said she’s fine. Let’s just let her be until she’s ready to let everyone in on what’s going on.”

  Alex took a deep breath but continued to glare at Bradley. “Is she okay?”

  “Of course she is.” Bradley said. What the hell sort of reputation had he made for himself for everyone to keep worrying about her well-being after finding out she was with him? “Look, she’ll explain everything on Friday.” He ran his hand over his head and reminded himself that he needed to get his
business in order. “Now. What can I help you two with? I assume Alyssa, since you’ve forgiven this asshole for whatever he did, that you’ll be coming back to work? I know Brandon would eternally grateful.” Bradley took the third seat in the circle of chairs, facing his guests.

  “That’s what we’re here about.” Alex shifted in his seat. “I know we talked about the two of us being owners. However, Alyssa is interested in buying in as well. She won’t buy in your portion. She’s going to buy ten percent of my half. You’ll be the majority owner.”

  Bradley stared at Alex for a moment, then let out a little laugh. “You know most assholes just buy flowers for the lady they’ve offended.”

  “He’s not giving it to me.” Alyssa stared at him pointedly. “I’m buying it.”

  Bradley gave a nod. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.” He sighed and pulled out his phone after feeling it vibrate. Nothing. Erin hadn’t checked in with him that morning. Not that she needed to. He wasn’t that controlling. But it would have been nice to hear from her. “That’s fine with me, I don’t have any dispute with it. Alyssa knows her way around here, and like I said Brandon will probably piss himself from the joy of her returning.”

  He shot Erin a quick message asking if she’d be home for dinner, then looked at his watch. “Well, then I guess we’ll go over all the particulars with my attorney, then we can present our offer to the douche bags tomorrow. I have the numbers from my accountant, and it looks like we should be able to buy them out with very little actual cash exchange.”

  “You bought Erin at the auction.” Alex switched the topic so quickly Bradley needed a second to adjust.

  “Yes.” The knock on the door could not have come at a better time. The afternoon would be spent in business discussion, and he could finally put the topic of Erin out of his mind.

  Mostly.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “The design is good, but I think bolder colors.” Sean placed the board on Erin’s work desk. “No primaries, bolder.” Erin looked up at the newest account she’d been given to work with and grinned. She hoped it was a warm smile she beamed at him because inside she wanted to throttle him. She’d already given him five different layouts, all ranging in soft pastels to the bold he now claimed he wanted. He’d shot each of them down.