Chapter 12
Janice shifted sorely in the passenger seat of Warren’s car as he drove.
Every bump he hit agony on her rear end.
Even after managing to get through her whole meal, she still couldn’t figure out if what had happened, had been real or fake.
She certainly had enough bruising and pain to argue the former, but had it really even happened?
Was it even possible to be in two places at one time?
While they were at the table, Sascha had kept trying to get her to talk, to say something, but Janice couldn’t seem to get out of her head. . . On numerous accounts.
Not only was Janice trying to decide if she’d really just hallucinated the whole incident with Ansell, but she was also trying to figure out how she’d wound up with the bruises and sore bum that she had.
She obviously hadn’t moved, because Warren and Sascha hadn’t indicated either of them getting up and wandering off to some kind of sex dungeon.
And even still, she couldn’t understand why it had specifically been Ansell.
She hated Ansell. More than she hated broccoli and peas.
She’d have honestly rather it been Warren in her sudden hallucination.
And she really could have done without the spanky bits.
She’d managed to hold out for a while, but by that third successive hit, she’d been ready to burst into tears. She didn’t do pain well and that was far more pain than she’d had to suffer in quite a long time.
At least when she sparred with her brother, she could hit him back when he hurt her.
Warren stopped the car and Janice looked out the window. They were outside of Requiem. Her brother’s job. . . She didn’t want to see Kadir right now.
“Go on inside.” Warren said gently. “Get some sleep. I’ll bring you coffee and a muffin tomorrow and if you’re up for it, maybe we can go watch a movie after you get off to make up for tonight.
” His voice was sad and she turned to find a pensive look on his face.
He was looking at the drive-shift, frowning.
“I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have agreed to going if I’d known something like this would happen. ”
Janice watched him quietly for a long time before exhaling softly. “Take me to your place.”
Warren froze, his body going rigid before he turned his head to look at her as if he’d heard wrong. “Sorry?”
“Take me to your place,” she said firmly and when he continued to stare at her as though she’d lost a fraction of her mind, she added, “I want to forget what happened. The only way I know how to do that is under you.”
He frowned uncertainly. “I’m not so sure that’s a good thing—”
“Warren.” She cut him off.
“Yes?” He asked hesitantly.
“Do you want to help or not?” She stared at him aridly, waiting to see what he’d do. When he sighed heavily and shifted back into drive, she muttered softly. “Thank you.”
“I’ll have you back by six-thirty.” Warren said finally. “You still have to work in the morning and I work tomorrow evening.”
She nodded as she turned her gaze back out the window. “Yes, sir.”
* * *
The punch in the arm Sascha gave Ansell hurt and had him stepping away from the smaller woman. Rubbing sorely at the spot he was certain was bruising, he looked at her accusingly. “What was that for?”
She swung at him again and he stepped out of the way. “What did you do to Janice?”
They were outside his office and he was tempted to run inside and lock the raving woman out. “What are you talking about, woman?”
“What am I talking about?” She swung at him again, just glancing his arm this time, but it still hurt. “What did you do to Janice? You’re supposed to be helping her!”
“I did help her.” He dodged out of hitting distance when she swung again.
“Bull shit!” She spat the word at him. “What did you do to my friend?”
“I silenced her Beast!” He shot back direly. “Now stop swinging at me before you fall, woman!”
Sascha drew up short, obvious confusion on her face. “‘Her Beast’?”
“Yes.” He huffed, straightening his shirt with a mild irritation. He glared at her, “Her Beast.”
Sascha frowned skeptically at him. “What did you do to her? How did her wrist’s get bruised?” Her frown deepened. “I know she didn’t arrive with them, so what did you do?”
Ansell watched her seriously for a long time, debating how much, if anything he should tell Sascha about what he’d really done to her friend.
It wasn’t like they’d gone anywhere. They’d been sitting at the table the entire time.
. . But he hadn’t been able to do things in the way he normally would have.
Instead, he’d had to use the spirit link between them.
. . Something he’d rather not have done.
. . Spirit links were dangerous and volatile.
They brought out the person’s deepest inner desires. They were nothing to play with. . .
No matter how satisfying punishing the cunning woman may have been.
“Discipline.” He decided as he dropped his gaze.
It wasn’t like he’d have to use it again.
He was quite certain he’d made his point and Janice’s Beast wouldn’t be tempted to try him like that again.
. . Because he could think of far more than a little spanking that the woman likely deserved.
“She needed to be taught a lesson. And I’m quite sure she’s learned that my temper is nothing to play with now. ”
Sascha’s eyes widened incredulously. “You would hit a woman?”
Ansell frowned at her like she’d lost her mind.
“Of course not.” And he wouldn’t. At least not outside of his head, without her hitting him first. He’d lay any woman on her ass if she tried to fight him.
There was no reason to be childish. If she was big enough to hit him, she was big enough to get hit.
“I’d never hit a woman who didn’t hit me first.” You, on the other hand, are lucky I am so fond of you, he added silently.
He had wanted to smack the woman while she was acting crazy.
Sascha watched him skeptically. “So then, what happened to her wrists?”
“I restrained her,” he said simply.
“Why?” She seemed confused.
“So she wouldn’t hit me, of course.” Ansell didn’t have to know Janice to know that the woman’s Beast would have lashed out and given him at least a black eye over what he’d done to them.
It was why he’d chosen to pull her in the way he had.
If she’d been allowed to fight back, she wouldn’t have understood how serious he was on the former topic of dispute.
. . Whatever that had been. He’d just wanted her to dial it down a bit.
He couldn’t have cared less if the woman had spent the entire dinner all over Warren, but having to see Warren’s dick at the dinner table would have put him off his lasagna.
Sascha’s eyebrows knit together. “Why would she hit you?” She shook her head and her hands in tandem as she corrected herself.
“Wait, wait. No. Why were you so certain she would hit you that you had to restrain her?” She paused for a second before fixing him with a serious look.
“No, as a matter of fact. Why don’t you just explain what happened at that table overall.
After the bruises appeared I could hardly get her to look at me, much less get her to talk. ”
“Would you like me to show you what I would have done to her?” He smiled superficially. He was getting really tired of this line of conversation. It wasn’t something he was fond of and it certainly wasn’t something he wanted to spend his time dwelling on. It happened. The end.
She stared at him for a long time, frowning as though unsure she wanted the answer, but eventually gave a slow nod.
Sighing, he scrubbed a hand over his face, looking away from her.
Last thing he wanted was her falling, so he needed to find somewhere for her to lean.
. . probably something to bite down on while he was at it.
. . “Fine.” His gaze landed on the woman’s car.
“Stand in front of your trunk and put your hands on it.” He waited, watching silently as she moved slowly into position.
“Legs spread shoulder width apart.” He walked over to inspect her stance as she adjusted.
Her feet were too close together for his liking, so he kicked them farther open.
“I feel like you’re going to frisk me. . .” She laughed awkwardly.
“Something like that.” He muttered tiredly.
He sighed again as he ran a hand through his hair and turned to walk alongside the car.
“Try leaning all the way forward. Like you’re laying on the trunk.
” He turned back to look at her when he was in line with the rear doors and watched as she followed his instruction.
“If that’s uncomfortable on your stomach, move back until you are comfortable. ”
While she took her time doing that, he debated where he wanted to position himself.
He was tempted to take up a position lounging on the front hood of her car, with his head back and eyes closed.
It wasn’t like he needed to see her to do this, but he did suppose he’d rather her not freak out about the fact that someone else could do this to her without seeing her.
He considered staying where he was and making searing eye contact with her.
But if he was tempted to actually touch her, he’d be too close to help himself from reaching out and holding her.
He’d been running hot and cold lately. The last thing he wanted to be guilty of was being a hypocrite.
The whole reason he was in this situation was because of a young woman’s seemingly sudden lust for exhibitionism.
Got it.
When he turned his gaze back to her, Sascha gave him a nervous nod and he breathed a frosty laugh. “Don’t worry.” Turning abruptly away, he began counting his strides. “I won’t touch you.”
“Wait. Ansell. . . Where are you going?” Her voice was high with concern.