Chapter Twenty-Three
Faltering Feelings
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L AWES HAD BEEN STARTLED by the abrupt awakening, his first thought that his little girl had tried to escape. When his eyes had flown open and made out the mane of her soft hair on the pillow beside him, multiple other emotions had flooded his system.
He was relieved she’d chosen to stay. After the passion they’d created together, he’d taken a chance by putting her in bed at his side and not binding her to the structure, but it appeared the risk had paid off. Immediately after relief, however, there’d been concern.
If Hannah hadn’t made the loud noise, then what had?
Or who?
Straining his memory, he attempted to recall which direction the sound had come from, but for the life of him, he couldn’t decide if it was the front or the back of the house.
“Did you hear that?”
He fired the question at her, unsure if she was awake. He waited, his imagination running wild at the prospect of what he might have heard and his impatience rising at her lack of response.
“Little girl?” His tone was curter. “I asked you a question.”
“I...” She eased herself upright like a resplendent angel. “I heard it, Mr. Lawes, sir.”
A few blissful seconds passed when all he could do was look at her, barely believing all he’d achieved.
She was there with him, naked and in his cuffs.
He should have had her chained to the floor or in a cage.
He should have been making her fucking pay for what she’d put him through, but as soon as she’d been his again, his agenda had changed. His resolve had softened.
He wanted her, wanted to be with her.
Nothing else seemed as important.
“Wait there,” he instructed, no longer able to look at her soft curves.
She was too good a distraction, and he needed to know what had woken him.
Wandering to the bedroom window, he looked out at the backyard.
Nothing obvious caught his eye. The same old, overgrown garden was sprawled over what was once probably a neat little lawn, the same wild flowers dominating the space they’d made their own.
He was just about to relax and wander to the front of the house when he caught sight of someone moving between the weeds.
His heart raced as he looked closer, his jaw tensing at what he found.
The suspect was a balding man who was reaching for his phone as he stalked a path toward the back gate. He’d come from the back door.
“Is everything okay, sir?” Hannah sounded nervous as he turned to hush her.
“Shhh.”
He placed his index finger on his lips as his attention flitted back to the window. The stranger was nowhere to be seen and had probably made his way back to the front of the house.
He’s gone.
The thought was pleasing, but its hopeful tone was tainted by the knowledge someone had been there, and he didn’t need to be a detective to work out who.
The house he’d borrowed belonged to someone, and he’d known when he’d forced his way into the place that sooner or later the owner would come calling.
Lawes had no way of knowing whether the prick he’d seen was the owner or only a friend or advocate, but the net result amounted to the same thing. The house was no longer ‘abandoned’, and whoever had just paid them a visit would likely have just figured out that he’d changed the locks.
How long would it be before they came back with the police and knocked down the fucking door?
Apprehension knotted in his gut at that thought.
Whatever happened, he couldn’t get caught again.
Not only had he served enough prison time, but he wouldn’t risk losing Hannah again.
Things had been different between them since he’d brought her to the house by the sea, the fact he hadn’t had to chain her to the bed proving the point for him.
Buoyed, he glanced around at the woman who’d made it all possible, tensing reflexively when he noticed where her attention had been drawn. She was still sitting in the covers he’d bought for them, but every fiber of her seemed focused on the door leading to the hall.
“I really wouldn’t, if I were you.” He hoped that, having stayed by his side while they slept, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to run for it at that moment.
“I’m not, Mr. Lawes, sir.” She fidgeted on the covers. “I just need to use the facilities again.”
“Right.” He wanted to roll his eyes at her sudden demand.
She must think he was born yesterday if he was going to fall for that old line, but two could play that game.
If she wanted the bathroom, then he’d enjoy playing along.
After the recent abrupt wake-up, he could use the diversion.
Their visitor’s call would need to be addressed, but not immediately.
Since his release, he’d come to realize the country’s public services were on their knees.
Even if the balding idiot called the police, there were no officers available to leap at his request.
He and Hannah had time.
“Then you’ll need this back on.”
He smiled as he strode to his bedside counter and collected her collar and leash. The look on her face as he approached was sublime. Her expression was caught somewhere between horny, horrified, and resigned, but she could drop the act with Lawes.
He already knew her too well. She adored the things that reduced her sweet little pussy to the wet mess he’d enjoyed earlier.
“Ready for your collar?”
“Yes, Mr. Lawes, sir.”
Her hitched breaths sent fire to his blood as, lifting her hair, he slid the leather around her delicate neck.
A precarious and damn near imperceptible balance had been created between them.
It was early days for him to make assumptions about what that might mean, but so far, it appeared to have bought her compliance in exchange for her pleasure, and taking his little girl to the stars was barely a hardship as far as he was concerned.
“On your knees now. Follow me.”
He clicked his fingers, enthralled as the woman he’d spent months plotting against slipped from the sheets and fell to her hands and knees.
Whatever the fragile chemistry was, he wanted to nurture the burgeoning feelings and thank whatever god had allowed him such good fortune.
For so long, he’d dreamed of enacting his vengeance, of pinning her down and taking whatever he wanted, but having her with him had turned out to be something else entirely.
She was more obedient than before. He hesitated at his conclusion, recalling the wildcat who’d thrown all sorts of abuse his way when he’d gagged her, but since then, she’d been more or less biddable.
Glancing behind him, his balls twitched with excitement.
She looked fabulous on the floor, her hands and knees responding to the gentle tugs he produced at her collar, but how far could he trust the seemingly well-trained submissive at his feet?
Leading her along the narrow hallway and into the bathroom, he resolved to take her at face value for the time being.
Let them relish the remaining time they had in the queer little house.
Being forced to take her from there would be a wrench.
Lawes had little provisions to provide new accommodation, which would probably mean taking his little girl on the run—a far from ideal and totally unsustainable outcome.
Leaning down, he ruffled her hair. “Good girl. You’re quite the little pet. Up on the toilet now.”
Lifting the lid, he signaled for her to rise and use the facilities.
Securing the end of her leash to the tub’s faucet, he resisted the urge to stand there and watch her perform.
She’d despise that, and possibly, his presence would deter her from her aim, but he imagined how undeniably sweet her humiliating struggle would be.
“I’ll wait by the door. Don’t be too long.”
It took every ounce of his willpower to walk back to the door, but somehow, he made the short walk, pressing his back into the wall beside the bathroom. There he waited, taking steadying breaths and desperately fighting the impulse to turn around and revel in the look of what belonged to him.
Lawes had no idea how long he stood there, how long he dug his nails into his palm and bit down on his rising arousal. It was still there—that compulsion to demean and degrade her—but colliding with it was a new longing, the desire to hold her, to please her, and to cherish her fantastic body.
She merited that kind of attention, and spending time one-on-one with her had persuaded him that, despite his every sadistic inclination, he deserved it, too.
Fuller had complimented him in the worst possible ways, bringing out his brutal and vicious side, but life without that callous cheerleader meant he could finally appreciate the small things he’d previously overlooked.
Standing there with his back against the wall, he saw flashes of those things—the curve of her hip and the flesh of her belly—and suddenly, he needed to sit down and catch his breath.
Stop it. His hands balled into fists. I can’t think like this, I can’t feel this way... Remember why she’s here.
Straightening, he leaned in her direction. “Why am I not hearing any progress in there, little girl?”
She moved awkwardly on the plastic seat. “I’m s-sorry.”
“You have two minutes.” He blew out a breath, focusing on the crumbly décor of the house as she finally relieved herself.
“I’m finished, Mr. Lawes, sir.”
Her voice came from the bathroom, the sound of the system flushing reverberating around him as he advanced on her.
“Please, may I wash my hands?”
Any anger he’d held in his body waned as she sought his permission. “You may. Let me help you with that leash.”
He moved to release the handle of the chain, waiting as she used the basin.
Watching her in the shabby mirror, he celebrated in the look of her washing and drying her hands in his cuffs, and that was when it came to him.
He’d had her there for hours, and in that time, he hadn’t attended to the one part that had drawn the woman to him in the first place.
Taking a step toward her, he decided that had to change.
“Open wide.” He towered over her. “Let me see what’s happened to those teeth in my absence.”
Her widening eyes suggested she hadn’t anticipated that command, but drawing in a breath, she slowly did as he’d requested.
Brushing the edge of her jaw, there was such intimacy in that moment.
Staring into her mouth, she held steady for him, clasping her fingers together while he examined her.
It took a few seconds to drag his attention from her wonderful, awestruck expression, but as his gaze lingered on her teeth, he was surprised to see a new filling on her back left molar.
“You’ve had a new filling since I last saw you?
” He met her eyes, registering her shock at his comment.
Clearly, his little girl hadn’t appreciated how much he recalled about her dental health, but Lawes rarely forgot the mouth of a pretty girl—especially one who’d tormented him the way she had.
“It’s not a bad job, but I’d have done a better one. ”
He wanted to chuckle at her rising brow. It was good to know that, aside from his chains, he could still take her by surprise.
“Got over your fear of dentists, did you?” He couldn’t decide if it was pride or indignation lingering at the pit of his chest. The fear she’d once described to him wouldn’t have been easily overcome, yet, after everything he and Fuller had put her through, she’d found a way past the phobia.
Past me.
Tapping the side of her face gently, he allowed her mouth to close, enjoying the way she wet her lips.
“I had a lot of therapy,” she explained. “As well as seeing a dentist, sir.”
He was pleased at how calm she seemed and that the impromptu dental check-up hadn’t triggered too many bad memories.
Maybe they aren’t all bad memories?
His cock swelled between them, and he wondered whether she’d noticed. He’d assumed she’d hated being his captive, but maybe, despite her testimony to the contrary, he’d been wrong about that?
“Clever girl.” He wanted to pull her closer and claim her lips, but before he took the kiss they both desired, he’d ensure her mouth was primed for the moment. “Looking after our teeth is so important.”
Moving past her, he opened the mirrored cabinet and pulled out the two new toothbrushes he’d acquired.
“And any good dentist will tell you about the importance of consistent brushing.” He thrust one of the brushes at her as he came to stand behind her. “Let’s see how good your technique is.”