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Mallory could hear her own voice tremble in fear at the thought of being alone. At the thought of leaving Monroe. This was such a mess, but what else could she do. The last place she had any control was when she was in her home. That is what she wanted, to transport back in time before the kidnapping, and that is what she would do.
“No.”
Mallory scrunched up her face in confusion. “What do you mean, no?”
His arms crossed over his chest the best he could, given his muscle mass, and he reminded her of that hulky man on the cleaner bottle. Except Monroe had thick hair cut in a military style.
“I mean, no, you are not going anywhere unprotected. No, you aren’t returning home to be a target for reporters, and crazy people, to be hounded and harassed. No, I’m not sending one of our security guys to guard your place. No, you aren’t making the decisions right now because that’s my job. No, you aren’t leaving me to stay alone and exposed. No, I am not re-negotiating anything, and no, if we go somewhere, it is a safe house that I choose, and we will do it under cover of darkness and with a diversion.”
She dropped the duffle bag with a thud and flopped down on the bed heavily, but the softness of the bed and comforter muffled her movements. “Then what can we do? I need to leave, get out of here. Everyone is great, and I appreciate their hospitality and willingness to help me, but I honestly feel like I’m in a tailspin with the ground rushing at me and no way to pull out of it. Being around all of this work on the case makes it hard for me to forget why I’m here and why my life is upside down. I won’t ever get back to anything resembling normal until I can separate myself from this mess, and I can’t do it here.”
She watched as Monroe walked further into the room, scooped her in his arms, and sat on the bed with her. “I know. Let me work on a few things. I thought we would go to the safe house today, but they released your name to the press this morning.”
Mallory groaned, prompting Monroe to kiss her forehead and rock slightly. She melted. He didn’t get mad in the way she thought he would. He didn’t yell, storm off or any of the myriads of ways he could have reacted. Monroe spoke quietly and reasonably, even though he told her ‘No’ a lot. Even while her insides were jumpy, she could let him figure this out.
“All that means is we have to be more careful. I’m wondering if we should take the house that is in the country. Less chance of being found.”
She leaned into Monroe. His scent lingered like an evergreen forest after a summer rain. “But if Iamfound, I have less chance of protecting myself out of the city where there are people and police close by.”
“You haven’t seen our safe houses. They’re cool. You won’t be alone because I will be there. This comes down to trust. I have to trust that you won’t take off on a whim because you’re unsettled, and you have to trust me enough to keep you safe, so you don’t want to strike out on your own.”
“I hate that ‘trust me’ sap. I don’t trust most people after the abduction, and I can’t say how much I trust myself or anyone else right now, no matter how much I want to. If you’re in charge, then get me to a safe place without needing to be on display all the time because I’ve got to be happier than I am now, and it’s your job to make that a reality.” Her face screamed a challenge. “That is if you’re up to the task.”
Monroe chuckled. “You know just when to play that card, don’t you?”
“I’ve been known to have some level of intelligence.” She said haughtily.
“You are smart and a smartass. You’re also topping from the bottom in your own way. If I’m the decision-maker, then you let me decide without trying your emotional blackmail or challenges to my manhood.” He shrugged, then grinned with an evil glint in his eye. “But if needed, I can fix your attitude, your mouthiness, and you’re topping with a few rounds of my rubber paddle.”
She grinned. “Get me what I want, and I could agree to a session.”
“Oh, you’re going to have a few sessions before it’s all over, sweetheart. I’m just trying to decide if I do the first one now. Walking might be optional after I’m done with you for challenging me at every turn. Sitting will be out of the question. Both are things you’ll need to do when we relocate. Besides, anticipation about just what I will do to you will keep you on edge for now.”
Mallory hesitated. Monroe had a reputation with that rubber paddle and his techniques with women who poke the bear, as it were. Instead of heeding her usually more logical mind, she simply shrugged. “It’s better to challenge authority than to be blindly swept away by it.”
She knew she was headed to the proverbial woodshed, and she couldn’t have been more excited. Mallory needed things to get popping to help her out of the doldrums. She just hoped it would be in a more secluded location than Sharlee’s guest bedroom. She could handle some embarrassment, especially since she knew it was something everyone around here seemed perfectly fine with, but a complete session with Monroe for the first time should be private.
Humiliation was not her kink. They had discussed it, and it wasn’t his either. He loved to spank, but it was a kink they both enjoyed. Monroe was clear that if she needed to use her safe-word or the caution word, and she didn’t, there would be trouble. He played at taking her power in the bedroom, but he didn’t honestly want to strip her of any independence and control in her daily life. Well, after this, hopefully brief, interlude. He said he liked his woman to be strong, and all his mannerisms declared that to be true.
Monroe was an attentive, overly observant, and incredible lover. He took care of her too well, better than any other man had ever done, and she craved another sexy spanking night with him to relieve the stress that was building to insurmountable proportions. She wiggled in his lap at the tingle in her belly. His control allowed her to let go, release the tension and stress, and just enjoy the benefits.
Spanking, wax play, and flogging gave her an endorphin high she couldn’t deny was incredible. Monroe was a master edger, and she loved to hate that play. Mallory was never good at oral because no man seemed interested in reciprocating until now. She intended to get better because as much as he worked with her, he deserved the same. Monroe had perfected his technique so well Mallory reached her release in a way that kept her humming for a while afterward.
She waited for him to make the next move because he was right. She wanted to let him take care of everything, but she also needed to follow her instincts.
“Mal, sit here and make a shopping list. There are canned and frozen staples, but nothing fresh. I’m going to round up Jac on the phone and check on Sharlee to see if we have any results from the facial recognition and to get the keys from her.”
He slid Mallory over to the spot on the bed next to him and got up. He kissed her unsuspecting lips, and she looked into his eyes. “Thank you.”
His hand gently cupped her face in his rough hands. “You never have to thank me for being the man you need. You can, however, thank me for not coloring your ass in the way you so richly deserve while we were here. I’m a patient man.”
***
Monroe’s brain was racing. Mallory needed space from her kidnapping twenty-four-seven. He got it. He was feeling the experiment under glass sensation as well. His responses to the situation were being watched, his handling of the FBI, the police, the meltdowns. Everything seemed to be on display. He blew it off mainly because he got it. When you are surrounded by observant men and women, little escapes their attention. Professionally, it was helpful and desired. They had your back. You had theirs.
In a relationship, things weren’t so cut and dried. Monroe’s women were usually well-established, capable women who knew their worth. It was important in his lifestyle that the women be just that, self-assured. That strength of inner self allowed them to release their power to him so that he could return that gift to the woman pleasurably.
Mallory was his, and it was time he made decisions based on them as a unit, not as a work assignment. He gave the orders on this, not Jac. Monroe didn’t interfere with Jac and Sharlee or any other couples except to tease and offer advice when requested. Now it was time he demanded the same of them.
