by Sam Crescent
James watched him go before entering his home. The cold space did nothing to ease his pain. All he wanted to do was go back to where Prue was and wrap his arms around her.
Chapter Eighteen
Two months later
Prue stared out at the filled park. Spring was a welcome relief from the horrid depths of winter. She fingered the necklace resting on her bosom as she watched the people enjoying the sunshine. She couldn’t believe it had been two months since Christmas. There was a point throughout it all when she felt she’d go insane from being asked if she was all right or how she was doing.
Removing her cardigan, she laid her head against the bench basking in the heat. She’d not seen James since that night before Christmas. They’d spoken on the phone thanking each other for their gifts. She wore part of her gift around her neck.
He’d bought her a gold necklace with a silver collar. Veronica had gone red, as her sister knew the significance of the collar, but her brother-in-law had thought it was a bizarre gift.
She smiled thinking about the silver collar back at home. The gold necklace was a more subtle gift. She touched the diamond resting between her breasts thinking about the man who’d bought her the extravagant gift.
“I see you like it,” James said.
Opening her eyes Prue smiled to see James stood over her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He carried a picnic basket in one arm and a blanket in the other. She noticed the bracelet she’d gotten him was wrapped around his wrist. Prue had bought the gift before she’d been taken. The bracelet, in her mind, was a sign that he belonged to her and no one else.
“I love my gift,” she said, remembering his original question.
“Good, where’s your other one?” he asked.
“Tell me what you’re doing here?” She stared around them seeing the people going about their business. None of the men who were walking caught her attention. The only man she wanted was standing in front of her.
“I heard from a buzzing bee that you were at the park. Come on, walk with me,” he said.
His muscles bulged at the weight of the basket he was carrying.
She stared at his arms feeling a heat pool in her stomach. Shit, she was starting to react like a horny teenager.
Grabbing her cardigan and purse she walked with him along the park. They moved out of the way for several runners.
“You’ve got people following me, haven’t you?” she asked. James turning up like this with a picnic basket could only be explained by him having people watch her.
He stopped turning toward her. “The last time I left you alone and unprotected you were taken away from me. I’m not going to let it happen again.”
James took her hand in his, and they began walking.
“That’s not going to happen again. They’re gone, James.”
“I don’t care. You mean too much to me, and I’ve failed once. I’m not going to fail again.”
She remained silent after that. There were no words to try to make everything easier. You like this protectiveness, Prue.
“So, where is the collar I sent you?” he asked.
Prue laughed. “You should have seen Veronica’s face when she saw it. Considering she hates the lifestyle, she knew what the collar stood for.” She tucked her hair behind her ear.
The length was dyed, but this time she’d had blue highlights underneath the black instead of the red. She liked the different colour.
“I’ve got the collar on my nightstand along with your cross. Do you want me to give you the cross back?” she asked.
“No, I want to see you wearing it again. The collar is for us in private. The cross is for you to wear at all times. Have you tried the collar on?”
Heat filled her cheeks. “Yes, I tried it on.”
When she had opened the gift, she’d stared in the mirror as she placed the collar around her neck. The silver chain had looked good. The feel of the cold metal against her neck had turned her on. Before she had gone to bed she’d stared at the collar waiting for something to happen so she could wear it.
What was she waiting for?
Prue didn’t know the answer.
“This is a good spot.” James laid the blanket out under a tree. They were out in the open together. He sat down on the blanket then patted the seat next to him. Prue joined him, holding the cardigan in her lap. She lay back staring up at the sky.
“I’ve missed you,” she said.
He lay back next to her resting his head on his hand. “I’ve missed you, too.” James stroked her arm. She stared at the flesh where he touched watching the goose-bumps erupt along her arm.
She was waiting for something from him, but she didn’t know what.
“You’re working at a supermarket,” he said.
“Do you not approve?” she asked, looking up at the sky.
“Yes. You could come and work for me at Ravage. I’d love to see you.”
Prue listened to him talk. She couldn’t help but think about the time when he’d demanded she work for him. Where had the possessive James gone?
“I’m happy working in the supermarket. The people are nice, and I get to work good hours.”
She was only working part time. Veronica still worried about her even though she no longer panicked when the door closed. Prue had woken up one day to see she’d closed the door to her bedroom. There was no panic or fear. She’d climbed out of bed opened the door then closed it again.
The small victory felt less with James around. They weren’t together like that. The gifts they shared were meaningless in light of everything that happened between them. James no longer came into her life and demanded things of her. He kept his distance and phoned her. She’d gotten use to his possessive, domineering ways. Prue missed that side of James, the side that held the power to make her so angry she could claw his eyes out.
“Let’s eat,” he said, breaking into her thoughts.
“Why did you come here?” she asked.
What was she hoping for with her questions? There were answers she expected, yet she still waited for him to speak?
****
“I’m not asking for much, Prudence. Please, sit and eat lunch with me, and then we’ll go for a walk,” James said. He’d spent Christmas with Stephen and the guys along with the New Year, but without Prudence, he’d felt alone. He couldn’t believe when he’d seen the pictures and read the reports about her getting a job. She’d got a job working for a local supermarket chain, and the thought alone made him laugh. Prudence was his woman, and he was a wealthy man. She shouldn’t have to be working at all. He wanted to laugh at the report he’d gotten about what she did with her time. Besides the job, she went to the library or visited her sister. Prudence didn’t do anything else. Her friends were in touch via phone, but she didn’t go out. None of them had gone to Ravage either. He wanted her working for him so he could keep an eye on her. The number of times he’d gotten Arthur to drive past her door was ridiculous. He’d thought about charging into her house and demanding that she work for him like he used to. Instead, he got Arthur to take him home. Speaking of a social life, he didn’t have one either. He worked at Ravage then visited his friends at Possession. Nothing else excited him, not even monitoring the Dungeon below Ravage. All of the BDSM stuff was lost on him. He’d gotten a new master to train the subs. The guy was called Gabe, and he was a good Dom. He knew what subs needed.
James would gladly pay Prudence a salary to work for him, and he’d stayed away from her as long as he could. The days apart were getting harder. He started to feel like a stalker with the number of times he passed her house.
He woke up late at night thinking about her warm sweetness and what it would be like to have her next to him. His memory was no longer good enough to satisfy the craving inside him. Only Prudence could tame this beast.
“I didn’t want to argue. What do you have?” she asked, rubbing her hands together.
He lau
ghed then opened the basket. The deli he used had been more than willing to produce him a basket for him to take to lunch. He handed her a loaf and watched as she snapped some off then took a bite.
Watching her eat was a pleasure to him. He pulled out some cheese, cooked meats, and spreads. Once everything lay around them they both began to eat. The sun felt great against his skin. They didn’t talk about anything other than the pleasure of the food they were eating.
For the time they spent eating James could pretend nothing else was wrong between them.
When the food was all gone, Prudence helped to pack up. Each time she touched him James struggled to concentrate on the task at hand. The desire to grab her and kiss her consumed him.
He held her hand, grabbed the basket then started leading her around the park. Many of the people had left leaving only pre-school children, parents, and a few stragglers behind.
“Thank you for lunch. I enjoyed it.”
“I was wondering if you’d come to the club at some point,” he said, broaching the subject. He’d love to see her at Ravage.
She froze by his side. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about going out or anything like that.”
James kept moving with the hope she’d not try to cut short their time together. He was at his wits’ end with regard to her.
“Why? We need to move on, Prudence.”
“We need to move on? You haven’t even come to see me in the last two months. What am I supposed to think? One moment you say I’m all you want and then only call me? Do you have a woman, James? Is this just a courtesy call?” She stopped in the centre of the path to berate him.
“What the hell are you trying to say?” They were secluded from sight as the trees around them offered the privacy they needed. His anger rose as she glared at him. He didn’t like her temper or the way her questions were going.
“Two months is a long time. Are you sure there isn’t a woman at Ravage satisfying your needs?”
He saw red. James pressed her back against the nearest tree with his body on hers.
The last two months had been a nightmare. All he wanted to do was be with her and to take her in his arms. Nights of losing himself to his hand instead of her body drove him to the edge of need.
“Do you really think another woman would satisfy me?” he asked. It was a shame she wore jeans because he’d gladly show her what he needed at that moment. He took her hand then rubbed his dick against her palm. “Feel that. I only get hard for you, baby.”
Her eyes were wide as was her lips.
“There is no other woman for me. I’m doing what you fucking asked me to. I’m giving you space, and it’s costing me my fucking sanity. Don’t you ever say shit like that to me again.” He slammed his hand against the tree, annoyed with her and the situation they were in.
Picking up the picnic basket, he tugged on her elbow. James left her at the park as he walked off his frustration.
Prudence really had no clue how insane he was going over her. The women who tried to come onto him couldn’t compare to Prudence. She’d entered his life, screwed with his head, and now he struggled to find the switch to turn off his feelings for her.
He sat watching his friends find happiness. Even Tate, Kevin, and Rebecca were getting there. Leaving the picnic basket at the deli, James went straight to the gym inside his home. Exercise was the only form of activity that stopped the rioting emotions from exploding over inside him.
Chapter Nineteen
She shouldn’t be here. Prue stared around the dance floor as her nerves kept her in place by the bar. Becky and Anya had agreed to go with her to Ravage. They hadn’t been back since the place closed. She didn’t know why they stayed away. The place appeared to be thriving, and it was only eight o’clock on a Friday.
“Can I help you?” the barman asked.
“What’s your name, sweetness?” Becky asked, taking a liking to the barman.
“Gabe, sugar. What can I get you?” The charm dripping out of his mouth should be illegal. Prue ignored him and kept an eye out for the man she was really here to see.
“You were rude,” Anya said, pulling out a tip.
“You should leave a tip after he’s served you,” Prue said.
“I did. You’re too much in your own little world to care.”
Her friends sat down beside her, looking out onto the dance floor. All Prue saw was the way James took over when men tried to dance with her. She wondered if his possessive instincts had faded toward her. He no longer seemed to care about her.
Stop this, Prue. You’re starting to sound like a broken record.
She stared down at her hands then reached behind her.
“I’m really happy you agreed to go with me,” she said, staring between her two friends.
Becky and Anya looked at one another before turning to her.
“I was shocked you called at all. I’ve not heard from you in so long I thought something had happened to you. You’re working in a supermarket, Prue. You hate those places.”
She shrugged, sipping her drink. There was only a small amount of alcohol in her drink. Prue needed to keep her wits about her. She sipped her drink while gazing out at the floor. The couples looked so relaxed and happy.
I miss this.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called or gone out. Life has been pretty hectic,” Prue said, stirring her drink with the straw.
“Did James break up with you?” Becky asked, brushing aside her hair. “I can’t believe you got the blue colour.”
Prue smiled. “Yeah, I needed a change, and I don’t know what’s happening between James and me. It’s complicated.”
“Sorry to interrupt you ladies, but these drinks are for you,” Gabe said, placing three filled glasses in front of them.
Prue handed Gabe her empty glass. “Who are they from?” she asked.
“The boss, there.” Gabe pointed at the alcove where she and James had once danced. There he stood, dressed in leather looking as commanding as he usually did.
Her heart rate picked up. He looked so good with his arms folded over his chest. The muscles bulged. She remembered what it felt like to be pushed against the tree with his body crowding her.
“Speak of the handsome devil,” Anya said.
“Excuse me.” Prue took her drink and moved toward the alcove where he stood. His gaze followed her. Prue loved his attention, and the knowledge he still watched her sent a thrill up her spine. “Hi,” she said. Words failed her. Being close to him reminded her how tall and imposing he was.
“You came.”
“Yes, this place is great.”
“And you’re out with your friends.”
“Yes.”
Where was the easy banter between them? Even when he dated her sister they’d gotten on better than this. The lack of conversation made her uneasy. His gaze remained on hers. She didn’t know what to say. Staring at the floor she waited for the right words to spring to mind.
“You look good,” he said, cutting through the silence.
“Thank you.”
“I hope you have fun. The drinks are on the house.” James turned to leave. Seeing his back spiked her anger.
“That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say to me?”
“What more is there to say?” he asked, turning to face her.
“You use to be different. Why don’t you care?” She hated the way she sounded so needy. This wasn’t her. She didn’t like feeling this way.
“Enjoy yourself, Prue.”
The use of her nickname annoyed her. James refused to call her by anything other than Prudence, and yet there he’d just called her Prue.
Turning away from him, she went back to her friends. She downed her drink then ordered another. “I suggest you drink to your hearts’ content, ladies. James says the drink is on the house.”
Gabe handed her another drink, which she downed in one.
She lifted her hands above her head letting out a whoop. Her friends
did the same.
“Come on, let’s dance.”
Prue tugged them onto the dance floor. The number was fast, and she rocked her body with the beat of the music. Throwing her arms above her head, Prue worked her hips. She matched her friends step for step not wanting the glorious buzz to stop.
When one song ended, she ran to the bar and downed a shot. She began to feel the buzz of the alcohol along with the heavy thump of the music. Even though she laughed with her friends and then danced suggestively with the men who came near her, Prue knew something was missing.
James didn’t come out of his office. Men wrapped their arms around her waist then humped her backside, and he didn’t come out to stop them. She didn’t know what annoyed her more, the lack of response or the fact she missed the response he used to give. James had once told her she was all his. He was an owner, and she was his property. At that moment, she felt like he’d put her up for sale.
She went to the bar and ordered a glass of water. One of the guys followed her. Prue ignored him. She didn’t want his attention, and he’d been dancing with one of her friends.
Gabe handed her a glass.
“Fuck off,” he said to the man beside her. The look Gabe gave the man would kill people on the spot. The guy beside her left in the next instant.
“Thanks.” She sipped the water looking toward the office.
“He’s in his office if you wish to go and see him.”
Draining the water she left her seat heading toward his office.
****
James turned the computer screen off. After watching several men dancing with his woman he was struggling with the urge to go out and murder them. He sat in his office chair clawing at the handles to stay in place. Never in all of his life had he needed to fight his natural instincts.
Gabe came through to his office to let him know he was keeping an eye on her. The new Dom at Ravage was a blessing. James had told Gabe about Prudence and had also shown him a photo of her hoping she’d come back to his club.