Good Girl (Playroom) (7 page)

Mr. Kline is holding
Kieren against the wall with just one hand. His bicep bulging under the stress. The boy’s feet dangle in the air, kicking. Kieren can’t reach Mr. Kline because his arm is almost as long as I am tall, and the distance between them is too great of a span.

“I warned you twice today:
once after you came into my shop and again when I got here tonight. Did you forget what I said? I said stay away from Willow. I said it in English and I said it politely. Now I find you violating Willow in the hallway mere feet from me. This is the most disrespectful display I’ve ever seen. I won’t punish you because your father is more inventive than I could ever imagine. Isis is getting him right now, in fact,” Auggie menacingly says. 

Kieren
starts sobbing and kicking in earnest. Mr. Kline calmly stands with Kieren in his grasp. Mr. Kline looks around, making sure everyone is safe and sound. He tries to meet my eyes, but I drop mine to the floor in shame. I’m a bad girl.

“I see you didn’t know your father would
be here, either. Such a happy surprise,” Auggie says with sarcasm I’ve never heard from him. Mr. Kline’s voice is different again, deeper and commanding. It’s the same as when he spoke to Isis at
Revamped
. It’s a voice you cannot deny.

“Rob, take Essie home,” Auggie demands.
“I expect you to give her a thorough talking to about why tonight was fucking idiotic. It’s too late now. We can’t have the girls unsee the
Playroom
.”

My brother approaches me like I’m a wounded animal. His
brown eyes are like saucers. Robbie looks as traumatized as Essie. I guess it was worse to watch than experience. I was about to get the upper-hand.

I s
tand up straight and meet Robbie halfway. “I’m fine. I was about to kick Kieren’s ass some more,” my voice is heavily laced with bravado. Mr. Kline laughs, but no one else does.

“I didn’t know what else to do.
Kieren looked at you wrong, so I ran.” Essie whimpers, her voice breaking in panic.

“That was perfect, Essie. You did the right thing. It was better than you getting hurt, too. You and Willow don’t know the rules, but
Kieren does. He will pay for breaking them, I promise.” Mr. Kline calmly talks to us as Kieren hangs from his hand. Kieren’s fingers are wrapped around the thick wrist holding him. He’s stopped thrashing and his face is as white as a sheet.

“What
rule?” I ask out of curiosity.

“You don’t touch property without the consent of the owner, isn’t that right,
Mr. Mason?” The tendons in Mr. Kline’s arm tighten and Kieren blanches. Seconds later, Kieren’s face turns red, and then Mr. Kline’s muscles relax.

“I didn’t see the collar, s
ir- honest,” Kieren blubbers.

“Sure you didn’t. Not when you sat ne
xt to Willow while eating dinner or riding in the car or when you were sucking on her neck an inch from the collar. I’m sure you forgot me explicitly telling you that Willow was mine. You turned momentarily deaf during both those conversations today.”

“I give up. You win,”
Kieren murmurs.

“How gracious of you to admit defeat. I’m sure it’s a
comfort for Willow to hear,” Mr. Kline sarcastically says.

“Let’s go, girls,”
Robbie says as he grabs my arm.

“No, Willow stay
s with me,” Mr. Kline demands.

“What?
” my brother ghastly screeches. “Auggie, this isn’t the place for Willow,” Robbie angrily says.

“Take Willow’s car a
nd drive Essie home. Talk to Essie on the way, please. As soon as Malcolm gets his son, I’m taking Willow with me. She and I have a long talk. I’ll bring her home after work tomorrow. Go-” Auggie points to the end of the hallway towards the club.

“Happy Birthday,” Robbie
despondently mumbles in my ear. I notice the choker at his throat. It’s not like mine with the exception of the round tag. His is leather with two large snaps, fitting it tightly to his throat. I finger the tag:
Robin
. The reverse side says:
Property of
Isis Mason
.

Rule: you don’t touch property without the consent of the owner.
Isis owns Robbie. Mr. Kline owns me.

Robbie sadly smiles at me
. A soft kiss to my lips, and then he takes our cousin home. I watch as they disappear down the hallway. Robbie’s arm is around Essie’s shoulder with his hands rubbing her upper-arms in comfort.

“Ah, I guess I figured out why everyone kept saying Robbie and I were alike,” I snicker and get c
omfortable against the wall. “Nah, I guess I don’t. But I get the concept of how we have a similar personality.”

Mr. Kline releases
Kieren and the bad boy falls several feet to the ground. A painful noise bubbles from Kieren’s throat when he forcefully lands. I’d like to feel bad, but after a night of Kieren’s grubby hands clenching on me, I rather enjoy the sound of his pain. I smile at Mr. Kline in thanks, and he gives me a looks that says I’m as much to blame as Kieren. It wipes the smug right off my face.

A scary man barrels down the hall towards us
, and I hide behind Mr. Kline. My fingers twist in his sweaty t-shirt and I bury my face against his back. He leans back into me and I instantly feel safe.

“Boy, you’re dead. We’ve done this three times before. But this is the first time
it’s with someone’s property that was twelve hours from being a minor. Hell, I bet she said no. You go deaf when they say no. Well, I’m going to be deaf to your begging and pleading tonight. I’m going to muzzle you and I’m putting earplugs in my own ears. I won’t even hear a peep out of your cowardly mouth,” he seethingly threatens.

His voice is as scary as his face. He isn’t ugly, but his
expression is pure malice. He’s an older, bigger, scarier version of Kieren. He’s as tall as Mr. Kline. His eyes are the same blue as Kieren’s, but his hair is dark and wavy. He’s a mix of both of his sons, Devon and Kieren.

I want to protest that Kieren’s punishment is too harsh
, but Mr. Kline somehow senses it and pinches my leg in reprimand. I clamp my jaw hard enough that I bite the inside of my cheek.

“Sorry about this, Augustus. I’ll give an apology to Robin when I see him next. Have her step out and let me have a look at her.” His voice is pleasant and friendly, but I press up against Mr. Kline as tightly as I can. Both men laugh at me in a deep rumbly sort of way
that zing down my spine.

“Be a good girl,” Mr. Kline coaxes
with an amused voice. I realize that they’re friends, and this is how Auggie knew Kieren had a problem with girls. I should always listen to Mr. Kline.

I step out until I’
m standing next to Mr. Kline instead of behind. I pull my clothes back into place and look at the floor.

“Augustus, you ha
ven’t um- you know?” I watch Kieren’s father’s hands move in the air but I don’t look up.

“No, or else your son wouldn’t have been interested, now would he,” Mr. Kline laughs humorlessly. “Besides today is her eighteenth birthday. You know me, Malcolm.”

“Then how did you collar her?” Mr. Mason doesn’t sound accusatory, merely curious.

I peek at
Kieren while they talk about me like I’m not even here. Kieren has a ring of bruises blooming around his throat. I swallow in sympathy.

“She’
s her brother’s sister, only worse- sheltered, naïve, and innocent. She needs a keeper. Her size will be a draw. That isn’t your son’s thing, but you know it’s ours.” Mr. Kline speaks in a code only he and Mr. Mason understand. They do that rumbly laugh again- definitely buddies. Kieren hides a smirk behind his palm. He knows what they’re talking about.

I stare at the scuff on the tip of my left boot. I wan
t the floor to swallow me. They’re talking about us as if we aren’t even here. Kieren catches my eye and I can tell he’s sorry. I know his quest of virgins is finally over. Kieren looks frightened enough that I wonder if Mr. Mason is going to castrate him. Nah- he’d want grandchildren.

“What’s your name, girl?” Mr. Mas
on demands.

“Willow Prynne, s
ir.” I say with confidence, and finally look up at him. Okay, Mr. Mason isn’t scary or ugly now that he’s no longer pissed. He’s handsome in a father sort of way. He’s a lot younger than my dad, but Dad was in his fifties when I was born. I realize Mr. Mason isn’t much older than Clover.

“How do you know my son and what happened tonight,” he commands. It feels like an interrogation and I know I can’t lie. I bet Mr. Mason is a cop or a lawyer.

“I know both of your sons. I went to school with them. I’ve known Kieren since kindergarten. I’ve um… I’ve had a crush on his forever. My cousin surprised me for my birthday tonight by asking Kieren to join us. I disobeyed Mr. Kline and went along with it. Kieren kept touching me, but I never said no. I just pushed him away, but he’s relentless. I found out a crush is different than reality. I couldn’t take anymore pawing so we lost him in the club, but he found me again. I take half of the responsibility for tonight. I should have listened to Mr. Kline. I should have said no outright before it turned into what just happened. I said no here in the hallway, but Kieren was too far gone. He’s probably a little sore where I kneed him, so I wouldn’t punish him there,” I meekly say as a furious blush blossoms on my cheeks.

The men
share a laugh over my admission, and Kieren mouths
thank you
to me. I mouth back
do it again and I’ll cut your nuts off, asshole.
He nods in understanding- we’re copasetic. Kieren wants to keep his testicles and I want girls to have a say in whether or not he gets between their thighs.

“Night, brother
, don’t have too much fun with him.” Mr. Kline’s hand grips the nape of my neck and steers me down the hallway while I try to avoid tripping over my own feet.

“You
, too, Augustus, don’t have too much fun with her punishment,” Mr. Mason says in amusement. Mr. Kline snorts when I shudder.

~Chapter Five~

I twist my fingers in the hem of my skirt
to dry the dampness that beads on my palms. The ride home feels even longer than the ride to the club. That’s saying something, considering I was about to bolt from my car to get away from Kieren’s roaming hands.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper in the cab of the truck. I’m so quiet that I don
’t think Mr. Kline heard me.

“For what
- exactly?” He asks with equal quietness, but where my tone quivered, his is eerily calm.

“You said not to see
Kieren and I did it anyway. In my defense, I didn’t know he was coming tonight. I did mean what I said to Mr. Mason about how I was leading Kieren on by not saying no outright.” I try to appease Mr. Kline by admitting it was partially my fault, but his long-suffering sigh informs me it’s not good enough- too little, too late.

“No excuses, Willow. You must own your actions. Every choice you made tonight was a turning po
int in your life. You have freewill, and you failed to use it properly.” Mr. Kline sounds disappointed in me and it twists my heart.

“I don’t understand,
” I say, trying not cry.

“
I know, and that’s the problem,” Mr. Kline sadly murmurs.

“I can’t help what I don’t know, Auggie. I’m sick of being called stupid.” I can’t hold back the tears that have threatened
me all evening. Happy birthday, Willow, you stupid, ignorant bitch!

“
I don’t blame you for anything you haven’t learned, Willow. I’m disappointed in the things that you do know and ignore. That is the difference. And I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you’re highly intelligent, but young and naïve. You need to live and learn, that’s all,” Mr. Kline whispers in the dark truck cab, but his disappointment makes it sound deafening.

Mr. Kline
hands me a hanky and holds my hand for a second before releasing it. He sighs heavily while I wipe the tears away that I didn’t think he could see in the dark.

“
You believe that the decision was taken out of your hands because Essie invited Kieren. But instead of saying no, you sat on his lap and went to dinner. At the diner you could have called it off, and yet, you didn’t. You then rode to the club, which was another mistake, and still you didn’t say no. I don’t mean to Kieren, I mean in general. You made another poor judgment call by using a fake ID to get into the
Playroom
. It’s not twenty-one and over because of alcohol. It’s because of the
Playroom
in the back. You put yourself at risk by being around Kieren. You put the club at risk when you and Essie entered. Kieren is allowed there since he is invited. Technically, you are allowed there because of me. I knew you were there because Jeff, the guy at the front door, called me and said I had a pet wandering in the club. He wouldn’t have allowed you in otherwise, because no way in hell will you ever pass for twenty-one. You don’t pass for fifteen. Choices, Willow, it’s all about your poor choices. You can’t blame them on anyone but yourself.”