RockYourSoul (20 page)

When the metal hit against the lock on the cage, a wave of
revulsion swelled in her throat. Despite the newfound strength she was certain
she possessed, she still had to beat back the demons whispering in her ear.

The ones she’d thought she’d locked away long, long ago.

The ones who whispered she was worthless and didn’t deserve
any joy in her life.

The ones who insisted she was nothing more than a common
whore.

The very same ones who once convinced her she was better off
dead.

The item stopped its hypnotic arc. She pushed against the
bars though she knew she was locked in and confined. Wood scraped over the
flooring as she continued to tremble.

“You’ve been busy.” He leaned over, the stench of his
favored cologne making her gag. Old Spice. The disgusting taste filled her
mouth as he pressed his face against the bars. As his unfriendly black eyes
stared down at her. “Found yourself a new Dom even though I didn’t give you
permission to leave.”

He’d never been her Dom in the first place, but she knew
pointing it out would just make him angrier. Better to remain silent.

The key clanked in the heavy-duty lock and she jolted,
fighting to take up as little space as possible. She trembled against the loud
sound of metal grinding against metal. His clammy hand clamped over her
forearm. She screamed as his dirty fingernails dug into her skin. The pain was
so sudden she couldn’t push it away. She scrambled to pull herself out of the
cage before he could do more damage.

He jerked her chin around, clamping his mouth over hers. She
fought not to retch when he shoved his tongue between her lips. She thought
about biting down, but knew it would enrage him more. She wasn’t certain she
could get away in enough time. She needed an escape plan and to do that, she
needed more time. As stupid as it may sound, the longer she was here with him,
the higher the probability someone would find them.

If he didn’t kill her first. With the cold, unadulterated
glee running through his eyes and his body, she had no doubt he would take that
step without hesitation.

“Get your cheating ass over there.” He pushed her forward
when she didn’t move fast enough. The cat-o’-nine tails slashed across her
thigh and she cried out from the bright flash of pain.

She fell to her knees, folding her hands behind her as she
lowered her head in penance. “I’m sorry, Sir. I should have more respect for
you than to be clumsy.”

“Damn straight, you cunthole. Get up on the board.”

The only thought in her mind was to follow his orders as
quickly as possible. She pressed against the cooler wood, grateful for the
smoothness against her heated skin. He was rough as he tied the rope—Ryan’s
rope—around her wrists and ankles, unconcerned with the fact he was scraping
off layers of skin with his rough treatment.

Murdock wouldn’t care.

He wanted her to bleed.

The more blood, the better.

As he pushed her hair to the side and grasped the back of
her collar, she heard the startling sound of metal sliding against metal. The
collar tightened around her throat as he pulled. Her heart sank as she listened
to the grating sound of the scissors cutting through the fabric Ryan had so
carefully woven for her.

It had been a mistake to go along with Murdock’s plan. She
should have fought back, kicking him where it counted. But his brutal treatment
in the past caused her to acquiesce to him now. She knew surrendering was the
only way to prolong her life, but it also made her realize she might have just
signed her own death warrant.

Ryan strolled through the doors of Perfect Shot feeling
lighter than he had in months. Everything in his life was just as it should be.
He hadn’t felt this secure in the decisions he’d made in a long time. Agreeing
to help Beth had been the life-changing moment he hadn’t known he’d needed.

Now he wouldn’t change a thing.

Dade sat in the far corner, reading the daily newspaper with
a cup of java next to his knee. No doubt, he’d gotten so caught up in the
paper, he’d forgotten the coffee. With this in mind, Ryan stepped up to the metal
counter and tapped his finger on it to garner Patrick’s attention.

His close friend turned, a wide smile causing the corners of
his eyes to crinkle. “Glad to see you made it back in one piece.”

“Good to be back.”

Patrick’s eyes narrowed as he studied him. Ryan slid his
hands into his jacket pockets, waiting until Patrick found whatever it was he
was looking for. A few moments later he leaned over the counter, slapping Ryan
on the shoulder. “Damn good to see you back.”

“Yeah. Yeah it is.” Ryan returned the smile, positive he’d
never felt this certain of anything in his life—ever. He looked forward to
moving along with his plans, taking the next step. On the long drive back from
New York, he’d decided he wanted Beth by his side and not just as his sub. He wanted
the collar he’d given her to mean even more. He wanted her to go through life
with him, not just as his submissive but as his wife. Even though he hadn’t
been searching, he’d found his match.

Life had given him a second chance.

“Give me two cups, will you?” The bell jingled and a quick
glance over his shoulder indicated Elena has just breezed through the door.
“Make that three. Four if you’ve got time to join us?” It had been awhile since
the four of them had a chance to sit around in the shop and catch up on their
lives.

Today seemed to be the perfect day to do so.

Patrick’s sharp gaze made a pass over the customers in the
shop. Evidently satisfied with what he saw, he nodded. “Sure. Two cups of the
house blend for Elena and Dade. I’ll bring your double shot to you.”

Ryan tapped Dade’s shoulder as he dropped onto the couch.
Dade examined him with the same studious gaze as Patrick. Ryan shook his head
at how observant his friends really were. Then again, that’s why they all got
along so well.

Dade simply smiled as he took the mug Ryan offered. “How was
the trip?”

“Hard, as it usually is. But it’s over now and I’m ready to
get on with my life.”

“And does moving on involve a certain radio-station
personality?”

“Possibly.” He grinned, unable to contain his joy any
longer.

“How is she?”

A small thread of unease slid through Ryan’s stomach. He
immediately dismissed the sensation, equating the unsteady feeling to the fact
he was simply being overprotective. “I haven’t talked to her since I left.”

Elena’s eyes narrowed. “Not even a phone call?”

“As hard as it may be to believe, we both have separate
lives and managed to live them quite nicely. I don’t expect her to check in
with me every moment of her day. I left her a message last night to tell her I
was coming back home, but she didn’t return my call. I just figured she was too
busy with work.” A thread of worry that wasn’t going to be easily dismissed
grew larger. It wasn’t like Beth not to have her cell phone nearby.

He turned to Elena. “Have you spoken to her?”

“No, not since she met us at The Copper Nickel for dinner.
She skipped the movies, said she was too tired and just wanted to sleep for a
few days. Don’t think the flow of drinks she had helped her mood. I left her at
the warehouse and that’s the last time I saw her. We’d made plans to have
coffee when she surfaced again, but since I haven’t heard from her, I figured
she’d just gotten too busy with stuff around the station or something.”

Hearing she was exhausted didn’t come as a surprise. He had
definitely kept her busy prior to his departure to New York. “Has she been on
the radio?”

“Sure. I caught some of the show on my way back from the
club last night. She made a few jokes about the bed at Sanctuary being so
comfortable so I didn’t think anything of it.”

His worry vanished. He was simply overreacting. She’d come
from a past where she’d been ruled by an overbearing Dom. He’d done his best to
show her the complete opposite. He didn’t want her to think the same thing of
him just because she’d gotten buried under a pile of work. Demanding to know
where she was every minute of the day would violate the trust he’d worked so
carefully to build.

“She’s probably still holed up there recovering. I’ll head
over or try to give her a call in a few minutes. I’ve got something I want to
talk to the three of you about first.” They shifted in their seats, edging
closer so he wouldn’t have to raise his voice. “Stockard will stay locked away
for another five years.”

“One less worry on your mind,” Elena stated with a firm nod.

“For now. I’ll go back when I have to in order to ensure he
doesn’t make probation. He doesn’t deserve to be free. Not after what he did.”

Patrick folded his hands in front of him, tapping his index
fingers together. “If you’re trying to justify why you went to New York, you’re
preaching to the choir, Ryan. We’re aware of all the facts. Your unwillingness
to see him walking free on the street is warranted.”

“I know.”

He didn’t know why he felt the need to reiterate his
actions. His friends were the type who would stand tall with him no matter
what. They were familiar with the details of the accident and the choices he’d
been forced to make because of the man’s actions.

“There’s something else I want to talk to you about. Since
you all had dinner with her the other night, that means you’ve seen her
collar.”

Elena smiled as she smoothed her slacks over her thighs. “I
did. And may I commend you on your taste and craftsmanship. Not as though I
ever expected anything less from you.”

“Thank you. Since Beth came into my life, things have
been…different for me. I wasn’t sure how to handle it at first and I nearly
blew everything I was working so hard to build.” He paused even though he knew
what he had to say was what lay in his heart. He knew it was the right choice
to make. “I want Beth’s collar to mean more. I don’t want her to just be my
submissive. I want her to be my wife.”

Elena clapped her hands together, wrapping her arms around
his shoulders for a tight hug. He embraced her while Patrick slapped him on the
back. “That’s wonderful news, Ryan. You deserve this kind of happiness after
all this time.”

“A few months ago, I would have disagreed with you.” He
kissed Elena lightly on the cheek after addressing Patrick. “I have you to
thank for this, you know. Your suggestion she come see me a few months ago
started us on the path that brought us here.”

“Never doubt my powers again.” She winked as she released
him.

He turned to face Dade. His oldest and dearest friend stood
smirking while laughter danced in his eyes. “About damn time you came to your
senses.”

Ryan set his hands on his hips. “Is that so? Unlike you to
keep your mouth shut as outspoken as you are.”

Dade shrugged. “There was something you needed to figure out
on your own. Us shoving it down your throat wasn’t going to help. Can’t do
everything, you know? I noticed a few glimpses the first few times I saw you
two together, but I wasn’t certain. It all but saturated the room when I showed
up the night you asked me to. And then at Brogans? Man, I said you had it bad.”

The bell tinkled, signaling a customer had entered. Ryan
glanced over Dade’s shoulder, hoping to find Beth walking through the door.
Instead, Allison breezed in with her laptop case slung over one shoulder. Her
smile fell when she saw the four of them standing there talking. “What’s wrong?
Did something happen in New York?”

“Everything’s fine.” Patrick fit his hand around her nape,
his thumb running over the collar he’d asked her to wear for him last year.
Allison nodded, her face tipping up toward Patrick to receive his kiss. “Looks
as though we’re going to have two weddings in Gatlin Falls this spring.”

Elena choked on her coffee, narrowing her gaze at Allison.
“Two?”

Allison smiled widely as she pulled away from Patrick to
make a beeline for Ryan, ignoring Elena’s question completely. He caught her,
swinging her around with a laugh. In many ways, she reminded him of Beth. He
was glad they’d bonded over video games and their silly tee-shirts. He knew
they’d gotten together a few times to hang out in Tony’s comic-book store. They
were even planning a trip to San Diego in July in order to attend Comic-Con.

He suddenly felt the need to be with the woman he intended
to spend the rest of his life with. “If you guys will excuse me I have a woman
to propose to. But do you guys want to meet up later at Brogans? Think it’s
time we throw a huge party.”

His friends waved him away as they nodded, dismissing him.
He stopped at the door before exiting, looking back at the people who meant so
much to him. Allison and Elena had already fallen deep into conversation,
undoubtedly conspiring about wedding plans.

He was about to add someone else to their little group. He
felt as if he was the luckiest man alive to have this kind of support in his
life. Smiling, he pushed open the door and headed for Sanctuary.

* * * * *

Beth distanced herself from the pain. It was the only way to
cope with each slash of Murdock’s cat-o’-nine tails against her back. She’d
long ago stopped feeling the skin being laid open or the warm trickles of blood
across her backside.

At first, she’d thought of Ryan. How wonderful he’d been to
her. How he’d pulled her back from the brink with a calm authority she missed.
But she felt as though it was dirty to think of him during such a time. As if
doing so marred their moments together. The memories were too precious.

She knew she’d never see him again.

Instead of thinking about him, she took every piece of the
man she loved and locked it away where Murdock would never reach. A loud thud
sounded in her head and she winced, waiting for the gut-wrenching pain that
accompanied each strike. But it never came.

Instead, the loud thud sounded again.

She instinctively flinched against her bindings as she
waited for Murdock to stop torturing her with the wait. Damn. Murdock liked to
watch her struggle. She stopped as she was unwilling to give him any kind of
satisfaction.

The thud sounded again and this time the sound of
splintering wood followed. Afraid Murdock had destroyed one of Ryan’s beautiful
pieces of equipment, she glanced over her shoulder. Out of the corner of her
eye, she spotted Ryan standing on several pieces wood. Splinters of wood also
dotted his jeans.

He’d kicked in the door to get to her.

Rage glowed hot in his eyes when her gaze met his. Her heart
broke even as he started to move forward. She didn’t want Murdock to hurt Ryan.
A man with this kind of unrestrained hate and anger would do everything in his
power to destroy them both.

Murdock swore loudly. “She doesn’t belong to you.”

“And she has never belonged to you.”

Murdock growled and swung out with the cat-o’-nine tails.
Ryan ducked, punching out with his fist to land a solid hit on Murdock’s side.
Stunned, Murdock dropped the device as he went to his knees. He recovered
quickly, shooting out a leg to try to sweep Ryan’s feet out from under him.

Ryan reacted, but not fast enough and he went down hard on
one knee. Seizing the moment, Murdock launched himself at Ryan. Beth felt the
force of their bodies hitting a few feet away.

Anxious to help, she pulled at her bonds, ignoring the fiery
burn as her skin tore. The men continued to struggle. She felt the rope give
enough for her to exploit the weakness. Murdock could never tie a knot for
shit. Not like Ryan.

A few more hard tugs and Beth yelled in triumph as her wrist
came free. She frantically worked to untie her other hand as a loud crash
sounded behind her. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw the men had
fallen on top of Ryan’s Berkley horse. The once opulent piece lay in ruin.

Ryan took advantage of Murdock’s stunned state, bashing his
fist into the man’s nose. Blood poured from the broken cartilage as Murdock
howled in pain and curled into a fetal position. Beth wrenched her left wrist
free, ignoring the pain and blood running down her arm.

Ryan caught her just as she started to fall backward.
Everything she’d locked away from Murdock came racing back. Her body trembled
from the shock and the sudden onslaught of emotions, tears streaming from the
corners of her eyes.

“I’m all right. Just untie my legs so we can get away from
this monster. I want to get out of here. Now.” Ryan pushed her against the
board again, working on the knots around her ankles. He snorted and she looked
down to see him easily unweaving the knots. Those fraying pieces of rope
reminded her of the thing she’d lost that she’d held so dear.

Her hands flew to her neck as she turned to face him. “He
cut off my collar. I asked him not to. He laughed like some psycho hyena while
he cut it off and chopped it into tiny little pieces. It’s gone. Ruined.”

She gestured to the pile of clippings but Ryan caught her
hand, pressing his lips to her palm. “Shh, don’t worry about it right now,
Beth. It’s not important.”

“But it is important. It’s important to me because you
trusted me with it. I couldn’t keep it safe.”

“I’ll make you a new one.”

“She doesn’t deserve to wear one.” Murdock growled, his
voice filling the entire room with rage.

Ryan pushed Beth behind him, putting his body between her
and Murdock. When Murdock started to charge, he slapped a hand against her hip
and pushed her with enough force, she was halfway across the room before she
realized what he’d done.