Punished Into Submission (36 page)

My hands cover my face, to hide my shame I suddenly feel.

Hunter’s arms grip around me instantly. I don’t want him to touch me. I don’t want anyone to touch me. In my mind, all I feel are
his
hands...The hands I don’t want to feel.

“Get away from me,” I scream, as I try struggling out of his grip.

“I’m not letting you go.”

The crunching of glass rings in my ears, and I’m momentarily aware of the pain in my legs. As Hunters arms pick me up, I try to resist. When I’m unsuccessful, my body just lays limp in his arms. With my eyes closed and my sobs still racking my body, I have no idea where we are going.

“What the fuck?” I hear Sailor.

But I don’t open my eyes.

I don’t want him to see me.

Not like this.

If I can’t see the world, the world can’t see me.

“Go get the first aid kit from my office. Now,” Hunter yells to Sailor.

“What the fuck happened, Hunter?” Sailor’s voice is urgent, aggressive almost.

“I don’t fucking know, okay. Just, fuck,” Hunter roars in response.

The echo of footsteps tells me we are travelling down the hall. My body shifts in Hunter’s arms, and then I hear a crash. The door is thrown open with such force it bounces off the wall. It wouldn’t surprise me if there weren’t a hole there later.

“Hang in there, gorgeous girl.”

Once again my body shifts, and the sound of water is running. I don’t have time to think about anything before my body is under the cool water. Hunter hasn’t let me go. In my mind, I see Hunter in his crisp suit shirt and pants now ruined with soaking water. I groan as the coldness hits my sensitive legs, then the stinging pain hits.

I adjust myself slightly, trying to exit Hunter’s grip. But he just continues to hold me tighter. My back is to his front and I feel secure, but so open. I don’t want to be open, not to anyone. I was weak and tired. My head rolled to the side as it rested on Hunter’s shoulder, his shirt sticking to my cheek.

“Let me go, please.” I beg, quietly.

“No,” it comes out as a whisper, but I hear it.

I sob and don’t care who sees me anymore. I hear Arrow’s voice and Hunter’s growl, as curses from him fill the air. I go into subspace, where no one can hurt me, or see me. I don’t want anyone’s pity, I want them all to leave me, to fall apart alone, but alone just isn’t an option anymore.

I
spent two days in bed after my meltdown and what a fucking melt down it was. Sailor demanded that Hunter call the doctor to come and check me over and when Hunter refused, Sailor took it upon himself to do so. The doctor said I was burnt out and needed rest. Thank fuck he didn’t say I was hiding secrets and needed to spill my guts to the world. I know I should have told Hunter about Simon, but I couldn’t. It would mean I would have to explain my past to get to the present and I don’t think he or I were completely ready for that yet.

Everyone took turns in keeping me company over the next few days. First it was Angel. She is a ball of fun when required to look after someone... not. Her constant fussing over me drove me fucking insane, hence why I sent her on a wild goose chase in the city just to get her the fuck away from me. She was also fluffing my pillows, or tucking me under the sheets, or bringing me food. I didn’t want food; I wanted peace.

Arrow was next. Every time he opened his mouth it was with an apology for what he had done. I don’t know how many times I reassured him it was my fault, not his. He told me Hunter threatened to kill him if he touched me like that ever again and before Arrow could respond, Hunter had punched him. I talked to Arrow about Reyner, but he said he hadn’t seen her for a few days because she was busy with final exams. He believed it just as much as I did. She was avoiding him. My time with Arrow was basically me counselling him on relationships, something I knew nothing about, but I pretended.

Oh my god, Rumbles. Now that was fun. We ended up sparing several times during the day, most of which turned into pillow fights. Rumbles decided to bare his soul and show me the fighting videos when he used to fight for a living. He was fucking good. But of course, I was better. The thought alone made me laugh. He just has this huge heart and you can’t help but make a place for him in yours.

David came to visit a few times, mostly to sneak me Gin because I wasn’t supposed to drink with the antibiotics the doctor had given me for the several stitches I received. David told me he found Simon in the Cellar and threatened to tell his brothers he was there, if he didn’t, and I quote, “fuck off and never come back.”

Hunter came in and held me every night while I slept and told me about the days he had. He got me into the shower and washed me, and fed me because I couldn’t feed myself... kidding. I could, but he chose to treat me like a mental case. I guess I was a little. I cried at night while I listened to Hunter sleeping and the reasons where un-fucking explainable. I cried because I missed my parents even though they weren’t my parents at all. I cried because I had to leave soon and the sinking feeling in my heart grew worse. I also cried for Simon...for the person he had become.

I woke up on the Friday morning to watch Hunter get dressed. When he was in the shower I had gone in to pee without thinking anything of it; I mean, when you have to go to have to go, right? Hunter looked at me like I was an alien invading his personal space. I had told him it was my bathroom and I could pee any fucking time I liked. He did try to get me in the shower after that, but I couldn’t do it. I had told him my body was aching and I needed to rest some more. He reluctantly let me go and I crawled back into bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out again until I woke to a naked body in front of me.

While I perved, Hunter dressed and talked about his meetings for the day. He was going to see the lawyer and wanted me to stay in bed, but told me if I was good, I could attend the party tonight. He struggled to do up his tie so I crawled to the end of the bed and told him to turn around so I could do it for him. He turned and I grabbed his tie concentrating on my task.

“I will get David to bring you some breakfast, I want you to eat,” Hunter says, as I loop the tie and pull.

“I can get it, I’m not...”

“Please, rest for me.”

I tighten his tie and let it drop. I smooth the fabric before looking up at him and smile.

“All done.”

Hunter tips my chin with his fingers and his mouth finds mine. His tongue works with mine in a gentle coaxing motion. My hands thread through his hair in an attempt to bring him closer. His arm supports my body as he lowers me onto the bed with his body coming down to cover mine. I shift my body under his, so he nestles between my thighs. My mind catches my conscious and breaks out from the becoming heated kiss.

“Hunter.” It’s a warning of sorts, and when he looks at me, I know he feels it too.

“I can’t stop and I want to because I know I should but, Kat...” Hunter stops talking and seals my mouth with his.

I have no idea what he was going to say, but that feeling you get when you think someone is going to say something to ruin a moment comes into play. I push his chest off mine in an attempt to break it off. It works. Hunter kisses my cheek quickly before he gets up off the bed and fixes his now wrinkled clothes. It makes me laugh out loud knowing how particular he is.

“It’s your fault,” he snarls, straightening his tie.

“You kissed me first.” I climb back into bed and cover myself with the sheet trying to make myself comfortable when I am anything but.

“Because I...” Hunter stops and looks at me. My heart races and my stomach knots when his green eyes pierce through mine. “I’m late, I have to go. Stay in bed until I get back this afternoon.” Hunter exits the room and leaves me wondering what the hell he was about to say.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I
get up and shower the minute David tells me Hunter has left the building. David did bring me breakfast and I pretty much devoured the whole thing. I had to get up and help Angel set the place up for tonight and organise the stock for Sunday’s ball. My shower lasted about five minutes because Hunter used all the hot water and unless I wanted to freeze, it had to be short. I pick up my now clean clothes. Angel is a good little house bitch and did my washing for me while I was on bed rest, but the downside is that everything is folded and ironed. When I look at my uniform I feel like I haven’t worn it in days, and very soon, I will never wear it again.

I dress quickly and head down to the bar. The shock of how much work has been done hits me, and it’s almost hard to believe that only three days ago this place was set alight. Angel squeals when she sees me and I smile as I walk towards her. When we meet in the middle of the empty dance floor, she wraps her arms around my waist and starts dancing with me. There is something seriously wrong with this woman.

“Are you smoking crack?” I blurt, trying to hold her still.

“No way, I’m just naturally high.” She starts to giggle and I seriously think she may have lost it.

I look at her face and know exactly why she’s acting like a loon.

“You’re in love.”

She stops swaying and smiles.

“Oh my god, what is this fucking world coming to?” I throw my hands up in the air when I speak. “First Arrow, now you. Fuck me dead. I’m surrounded by love and it’s depressing.”

“Oh shut the fuck up, Kat. You love Hunter and we all see it,” Angel says, slapping me playfully but pissing me off with her words.

“I do fucking not.”

“You’re defending yourself, so now I know you do.”

I walk away without another word while Angel laughs. She’s so totally wrong that I can’t even begin to think about it. “Love is for the weak,” I say to myself as I start unpacking the boxes for the decorator who stands on a ladder, stuffing balloons in the net. From what I can understand the balloons are for the ball, but they can’t come back and do them then.

I watch David and Arrow work together putting the glass shelves in place on the walls in the bar. The fridges have been delivered and boxes line the new bar top. Several men walk into the room with new bar stools, tables, and several new chairs. Rumbles directs the men to where things need to go before he starts setting out the layout as it was before. The place is starting to come together nicely. I help the decorator hang the second balloon net before deciding to start unpacking the new stock in the bar.

Angel starts to help but stops as soon as David, Arrow, Rumbles and several other people I have never met are passing glasses and stock to each other. By three in the afternoon the place is fully functional and Hunter arrives in time to see us high fiving like three year olds. He looks around and smiles as he walks towards us. I slide onto the bar to rest my tired legs and take the glass that’s out reached. David winks and I smile.

Hunter is given a glass but puts it down and retrieves a new one from the bench before he reaches up and gets his new bottle of aged Scotch. I watch him pour the liquid while everyone else waits to toast. When I look at him my mind races with thoughts. Some good, some bad...some are just out of this world crazy insane and make me want to throw up. I do have feelings for this man and while I have no intention to play on them, they sit unsettled at the thought of not telling him that I at least don’t hate him.

Hunter turns around and raises his glass. We all follow suit.

“To many hands making light work,” he says.

“Cheers.” We all shout before drinks our glasses empty.

~*~*~*~*~*~

B
y the time we are all ready to start the night three hours later, the place is starting to fill. We all went and had a huge feast prepared by David after our drinks before we split up and went to get ready for the night ahead. I am given a new shirt which I thought was great...until I realised it was fucking pink with, “I’m Kat, hear me Roar,” printed on the front of it in black. I had a little laugh, but I was mostly unimpressed.

Angel and I do a little jam as we serve patrons when “Sexy and I Know It” comes over the sound system. We sing loudly to each other and act out the moves as we go. Rumbles, who clearly has had too much to drink, stands on the bar and does a few pelvic thrusts causing the crowed to erupt in cheers and chants. Of course I can’t let him take the limelight and I get up there with him.

I see Hunter over the heads of people talking to David and another gentleman in a suit. David and Hunter have their bodies turned to the side while the guy in the suit is facing me. His eyes are on mine and for a moment I think its Major, but he would never wear a suit in public. David and Hunter look my way and I turn away instantly. Hunter has been in my fucking head too much today and I need to clear him the fuck out of there. I leave in a few days and I can’t let my feelings get in the way of the grand prize...freedom. I jump down off the bar and get back to serving.

Shiloh screams her greeting from the other side of the bar as I pour shots for her and her friends. The first thing I notice is the red shirt she has on. The second is her height. I walk around the side of the bar and look at her shoes...no fucking good she has my leopard print knee-highs on and I growl. She giggles and yells her sorry’s over the bar as she bops up and down in time to the music.

Suddenly, the music goes quiet and the backup light system kicks in showering the room in light. The microphone squeals and I look up, my heart drops. Simon stands on the stage tapping the top of the microphone making the sound radiate through the room.

“Hi,” he says, waving to the girls swooning over him in the front. “I’m Simon Ford; a lot of you have no fucking clue who I am.”

He holds up his drink and downs the last of it in a second before he hands the glass to a shocked James standing behind him controlling the music.

“I’m the brother of this man,” Simon points to Hunter. “And this man.” He then points to Arrow.

Arrow and Hunter look shocked. It’s like they don’t know whether to pull him off the stage or let him go. When Rumbles taps Hunter on the shoulder and whispers in his ear, Hunter nods before Rumbles starts to make his way towards the stage.