Toloa sat back down and stared at him with warring emotions clouding her eyes. She seemed happy to see them, yet worried and stressed they were here uninvited.
“Did Marly cause trouble?” Toloa’s voice was filled with suspicion. She stared at Mark and Jeanie’s intertwined hands.
“She was fine. She didn’t want to leave, but I couldn’t blame her. We left earlier than we’d planned.” Mark swallowed, shifted his weight toward Jeanie and squeezed her hand. “I wanted to let you know, Jeanie and I are seeing each other. We’re a committed couple, and we didn’t think it fair to hide this from you. We respect you and your family and honor Kapono’s memory, but we’re not going to be ashamed for finding love with each other.”
A loud gasp rang out in the hallway.
Jeanie’s head whipped to her right, and there stood Marly, mouth wide open and tears in her eyes. Her hands were balled up at her sides, and her face was red. “You bitch!” Marly howled. “Pono would never have done this to you if you’d been the one to die. And now I wish you had!” Marly ran back to her room.
Toloa stood up and went after her daughter, but not without a look of disgust being flung in Jeanie’s direction first.
Jeanie hung her head and her throat closed off. When she looked back up at her father-in-law, he only grunted and waved at the door.
“Thank you for telling us, but I think you should go now.” Kueili’s lips were pressed so tightly together, they were barely visible at all.
Jeanie ripped her hand out of Mark’s and took off toward the car.
She flung herself into the backseat and refused to look at him the entire way back to his home.
How could someone that professed to love her and care about her welfare just sever the only familial connection she’d ever cherished?
She swallowed down her tears and stared out the window at the beach.
Was it too late to throw herself out of the car and into the surf? It would be better than being here, trapped in his car with him.
Chapter 13
It didn’t seem to matter what Mark did once they got home, Jeanie was giving him the cold shoulder.
He fully expected her to go to his closet, pull out her luggage and pack her stuff back up.
She didn’t. Instead, she was in the kitchen, making herself a sandwich, eating it quietly and drinking some wine.
Afterward, she cut herself a brownie, handed him one on a saucer plate, then cleaned up the mess she’d made.
All without speaking one word.
“When you’re ready to talk about this, let me know. I’m not in a hurry,” he said before heading to his room.
She huffed and went back to being a mute little girl.
Time he brought out his gift.
He carried it to her in the kitchen.
She was on her second glass of wine.
He pulled it out of her grasp and traded it for his present.
“Open it. You don’t have to speak to me if you don’t want to, but you’re going to unwrap this.” He set her glass down next to the sink.
She grimaced, then opened it, her mouth pressed into a thin line while she discarded the dark blue wrapping paper into the trash. Her deliberate slow pace was amusing. Oh, yes, a bratty sub on his hands, having a hard time figuring out if she was truly mad at him, at herself, or maybe at the circumstances.
She opened the box and remained expressionless as she pulled out the naughty school girl uniform complete with push-up bra, white heels with knee-high socks and even some elastic hair-bands so she could put her hair in pigtails or braids.
“When you’re ready to talk, put this on, and we’ll begin,” he said, turning away from her, ready to go back to his room and read.
“I’m not wearing this. I’m an adult, and we should be able to have a conversation without puppets being involved.” She set the box down and walked out of the room.
He grabbed the box and followed after her to his closet.
She’d set the lollipop on top of the clothes in the box he was holding.
Her hands shook as she stripped down and then headed to the bathroom to shower.
He joined her, of course, but she still refused to talk to him.
“Is there a reason you won’t talk to me about tonight?”
“Yes.” She scrubbed her face with the bar of soap viciously.
“Care to share it?” His right brow arched.
She let some water into her mouth, then spit it out. “Nope.”
He pinched her ass. “And you wonder why I bought you an outfit.”
She rounded on him and stepped back, creating a small, but noticeable gulf between them. “I’m not playing games here. Pono’s family means something to me. The Finau family has been there for me whenever I needed them when my own goddamn family wasn’t.”
“I know. That’s why you needed to respect those wonderful people and have faith in them. How much do you wanna bet they were disappointed you hadn’t been forthcoming with this information from the very start? They probably felt betrayed because you were hiding it from them.” He grabbed the soap and stepped toward her. “Now—I’m washing my little subbie, and she’s going to behave, then get dressed into what I’ve provided so we can talk.”
He had to get her out of her head. She was climbing back in there like a hermit ready to seal herself off for the winter.
“No.” She frowned.
“If you need to safeword, do it, otherwise it’s time for a lesson on who’s in charge . . .” He handed her the soap.
He waited for her to safeword.
“Color, Jeanie?”
“Yellow.”
“Okay, then I’ll give you some time. If you want to tell me why you’re yellow, then we’ll address it. Until then, wash yourself. Enjoy your shower. When you’re done, you’ll go back into my room, get on the floor, naked, sprawled out, supine and eyes closed. Any more arguments from you, and we’ll have to discuss—”
“I’m leaving, Mark. Tomorrow. I’m not your sub. This isn’t working for me.”
His heart dropped, and his mouth went dry. “It sure as hell is. Give yourself a chance to breathe. You haven’t even let the dust settle enough to see clearly what’s happened. How do you know that family won’t welcome your being happy with me once the shock has worn off?”
“I’m not kidding. I’m leaving,” she repeated.
“That’s your choice, of course. And you take your chance at being deliriously happy with me out the door with you, but you are in charge of your own destiny.” He grabbed his body wash, lathered up his entire body quickly, rinsed off and got out, giving her some privacy.
It was a miracle he did it without crying, since his eyes were stinging like mad, threatening to gush.
She remained in the shower for quite a while. He listened attentively for tears at the door every few moments between what he was doing as he worked at a feverish pace, but he never heard any.
It gave him enough time to get into his outfit and clear everything else out that would give her a chance to run.
When she came back out of the room to get into some pajamas, they were all missing.
“Where the hell are my clothes? And yours as well?”
“You get to wear this or nothing.” He pointed at the school girl uniform on the bed. “It’s your choice.”
“Fuck you!” Her eyes teared up.
“That’s usually the end result, but that’s not what we’re discussing right now. Do you need more time? I’ll give it to you.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’ll be in the other room. Open this door back up when you’re ready to talk.” He left the room and took a position in the living room on the couch where he could see the door.
He watched her march through the house back to her room.
A few moments later, she was stomping back to his bedroom, rummaging through empty drawers again. His closet housed his work clothes, but that was it.
He’d prepared for this event
while she was in that long, soaking shower. They needed to talk.
He’d removed them all so her loss of options would keep this contained.
After a few moments, she came out in the outfit he’d provided.
She stood at the edge of the hallway and living room. “Nothing ever touches you. Nothing matters? Of course not. I have to tell Pono’s family the truth, while your own dear mother remains in ignorant bliss of what you are.”
“It’s not the same. I didn’t tell the Finaus you’re my submissive. Those are private matters.”
“Pfft! You probably would’ve told them that part too if Marly hadn’t gone ballistic when she did.” Her voice went quieter at the end.
“Hey . . .” He got up and moved over to her, then stroked down her cheeks with both thumbs while his fingertips dipped into her hairline. “I would never out you like that. It’s rare you find extended family that can be open-minded about this lifestyle.”
“How’s this, huh? I put on this get-up. I even put on makeup for you.” She’d applied some bright red lipstick, put on some obnoxious powder blue sparkly eyeshadow, then it appeared she’d used the lipstick as rouge for her cheeks. “Maybe I can get something right for once. Clown whore for hire at your service, Sir. Where should I bend over for my spanking so I can get this over with, get out of this ridiculous outfit and go to bed so I can forget about this nightmare?”
He took a deep breath. “Red.”
“What?” Her eyebrows looked like they were pitching a fit on her forehead.
“You heard what I said. I’m safewording on you. This has gone too far. You’re not in a place to say it, so I am.” It killed him to stop this. He wanted her to see, but she was clearly hurting. “No bending over—no spanking. Just a conversation.” He wanted to pace in front of her, but instead, stood motionless, observing her. “Then I’ll give you back your clothes and purse.”
“What is there to say?” Her voice cracked and her lips pressed together.
“There’s plenty to say. Like I love you. Like I don’t want this to be a nightmare. I want it to be your freedom.” He took a deep breath.
“I do, too, but right now it doesn’t feel that way.” Her face fell.
“It doesn’t feel that way because you’re used to hiding and running, and I’m helping you to take control of your life. It’s scary to face these overwhelming feelings when you’ve been so numb to your life for so long. Think about back at the funeral, Jeanie. You didn’t even want to face me then. It was in your eyes. I scare you—the honesty, the feelings you have for me—it frightens you.”
She huffed.
“You’re not a trained sub—and knowing how you’ve handled most of your life, I knew you were a flight risk, so I had no choice other than to tell Pono’s parents for you—for us. You couldn’t move on until they knew, and I was removing a stumbling block. It had to be dealt with.”
“But how can I trust you now?” Her eyes fell to the floor, and her voice was soft.
“I promised you from the start I’d deal with his family on this issue, and I have. I kept my word. What will it take to earn your trust completely? I did this as a way to earn it. To show you I’ll always help you and take care of you. When something bothers you, I’ll be there to assist. I see glimpses of your trust here and there, but then there are times I can tell you . . .” Had he misread her somewhere? Was he assuming she wanted this as much as he did? God, the pangs in his chest ripping through him over the thought he might’ve been wrong, just about crippled him.
“I don’t think I can talk right now. Just show me what you wanted to, and then we can talk afterward,” she said, eyes pleading.
“You’re sure? I don’t want to scare you.”
She moved back into the bedroom, and he followed after her.
“Yeah, I’m sure. Do it. I’m already dressed up.” She motioned at her outfit. “No point in stopping now.” She slapped her hair into two ponytails with the hair-bands she’d laid out on the bed.
“There’s a point to stopping if you’re hurting. That was never my intent.” His eyes moved over her.
She seemed calmer now.
“I said I’d stay ‘til morning, and I will. In the morning, the dust will have settled, and we’ll both know better what we want. If I can’t handle this now, then there’d be no point in continuing on, right?” She slanted her head to the side for a moment.
Was she second-guessing her decision to even stay tonight?
“You tell me right now—you’re absolutely sure you want to continue, then I’ll do it. Otherwise, this is over for the night.”
“I’m absolutely sure. Show me what you’ve got in store for me.” She placed her hands on her hips.
“Okay, little girl. Color?”
“Green. I’m ready.” She nodded, and her eyes softened.
“You say red if it gets to be too much, and I’ll stop. Promise me right now you will, or we won’t proceed,” he said, jaw flexing.
“I promise, Sir. I can handle it. I’ve done role play with you before, and I really liked it last time.”
Ah, but this time was to be more of a learning experience.
He reached over to his dresser and grabbed the ruler on top, then smacked it on his left palm.
Her eyes lit up momentarily, then they went back to being a little anxious.
“Miss Lane, I heard you’ve been naughty. I’ll be forced to call your parents and tell them about your indiscretions. What do you have to say for yourself?” he began, his chest still tight.
She roamed over to the bed, unwrapped the lollipop with a lazy pace, then popped it into her mouth and gave him the eyes that said, “I don’t give a fuck.”
“I understand you don’t want to talk, and that’s a shame. There’s a lesson to be learned here.” He smacked his palm several times and paced before her again.
Her eyes were riveted on him as he smacked the ruler louder and louder.
“You want to see what happens to naughty girls that ditch class and then lie to their parents about it? They’re labeled as brats for a reason.”
“No.” She sucked on the end of the bulbous sucker like she was sucking delicately at the tip of his cock.
She made all sorts of loud, squishy sounds with her lips.
“How about you get rimmed then? Would that show you what the boys want to do to you when you alter your uniform like this?” He grinned at her tits, pushed up inside the skintight white button up shirt. They sat like they were on a shelf as they spilled out the opening at the top.
She leaned over, putting her breasts even more on display as she pulled up her white knee-high stockings as high as they would go and wobbled in her white heels for a moment.
“I have no idea what that term even means,” she said, standing back up and then smacking her lips back over the red sucker.
“Like hell you don’t.” He yanked his bow tie off and dropped it to the ground.
“Such language, Mr. Taylor. I thought, as the principal of this private school, your job is to set the example. And right now, with that boner bobbing around in your pants, you’re anything but reserved and a model of appropriate behavior.” She set the stick of the sucker in her cleavage, bent her head down and made vulgar sounds while she swirled her tongue around the top of the candy.
“And how many orgasms have the boys given you today?”
“Five, and all of them were better than anything you’ve ever experienced.” She stuck her tongue out at him and then laced her fingers together behind her neck. A smirk and a breath later, and she was back at licking that lollipop tucked in her breasts.
He rolled his sleeves up, removed his belt and set it on top of the dresser.
“You see me as the bad guy—little Miss. I’m anything but. I’m your best friend in the whole world, because unlike your peers, your teachers, and even your parents, I care about your success.” He circled her, his eyes tracing over every line, dip and curve.
“Yeah, I’m sure
it keeps you up at night, thinking about where I go from here.” She sucked the candy into her mouth until her lips concealed the entire thing and then her cheeks puffed out as she kept it inside her mouth.
“Color, Jeanie? Are you okay to continue?”
She nodded and released the sucker from her mouth.
“Color,” he demanded.
“Green. I’m playing the part,” she intoned.
“Okay.” He widened his stance. “Safeword if you need to.”
“I don’t need to.”
“But you might,” he replied, searching her face.
She looked aloof, and her body was relaxed in this moment, so he went back to their role play.
She was suggestive again with her sucker. “Mmm . . . This is good.”
“It definitely serves a purpose. That candy’ll keep you quiet so I can show you why those boys don’t care about you. Why they don’t matter, but I do.” He stepped into her and raked his fingers down her back.
She wiggled her shoulders and breathed hard enough he could tell she was turned on.
He leaned close enough he was breathing in her ear. “Lucky for you, I planned ahead—worried you might act like a delinquent.”
He pulled his toy out of his pocket.
Click, click.
Her wrists were now secured in cuffs, behind her head.
“Color now?”
“What the . . .” Her head angled to the side.
“Color, Jeanie?”
“Uhh . . .” Her eyes went glassy for a second. “G-green.”
Was she fully aroused? She certainly looked a little buzzed with her neck and chest flushing and her pupils dilating. Her ragged breathing seemed to indicate the same as well.
“Good. We can proceed then.” He inhaled deeply—his chest loosening up a little. “Time for lesson one on why misbehaving is unwise.” He ran his hands over the curves of her ass, under her short, pleated skirt.
She turned her head toward him and puffed out through her nostrils.
“Didn’t think about consequences, did you? Well, that’s all right. I’m here to teach you all about them. There’s no reason to ever think when I’m around. I’ll teach you exactly what you need to know to have a happy, fulfilling life.” He bent down and pulled the Hitachi magic wand out from under the mattress, plugged it in and waved the bulbous head of it in front of her face.
Knots Page 21