“Where’s Lucy?” I ask to break the strained silence as I go to the fridge and get a bottled water for me and a beer for Latch.
“Staying over at a friend’s house since I couldn’t be there to pick her up in time,” he growls, and when he does that he sounds almost like Sabre. I take him the beer that Sabre keeps in the fridge for him and the boys and hand it to him.
“I’m sorry, Latch, I didn’t mean to cause you trouble.”
He looks up at me with his dark eyes. His looks are so much like his sister’s, except definitely more masculine and defined.
“You could have got yourself killed, Peaches. Do you know what that would have done to me?”
The words sound raw and full of emotion and my stomach clenches. Sabre said Latch was in love with me. It makes me feel guilty. Sabre owns my heart, even if I am attracted to Latch.
“I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again. I’m going to go take a bath before Sabre comes home.”
“He won’t be long, he’s going to teach them a lesson and then have the boys take them back to Illinois,” he says, still pouting and turning on the television.
I take that in. I’m glad. I meant what I said to Sabre. Surely, they’ll be smart enough to leave me alone. I know, inside, it’s over and I feel free.
An hour and a half later, I’m forced to get out of the tub because my skin is starting to wrinkle and prune. I spend extra time putting on the lotion that smells like sugar cookies that Sabre likes. Then blow dry and brush my hair out. Finally, I slip on Sabre’s long T-shirt that says Devil’s Blaze on it and falls down almost to my knees. I’m going to go straight to bed to wait on him. I can’t deal with Latch pouting anymore or the conflicting emotions he gives me. When I walk out into the bedroom, I freeze. Sabre and Latch are both sitting in the chairs I keep in my reading corner.
“Sabre, I…”
“I told you not to do it, didn’t I, Peaches?”
“But I just…”
“You just defied an order I gave you.”
Sabre has always walked the edge of dominating me, and I love it. It speaks to something inside of me, but while I may appear meek to the outside world, I’m not, really. I don’t want to spend my life with a man where he expects me to follow orders.
“I don’t see why you’re so upset, it was just…”
“Because you went against my orders. I told you to stay close to Latch and home until we figured out what to do about your uncle and things calmed down at the club. You agreed and then turned around and ignored it. That can’t be allowed.”
“Sabre, I’m not the type of girl who will obey a man. I mean, I’m not…”
“I believe I know that about you, Peaches. You give me hell constantly, woman, but when I give you an order, it is to keep you safe. My world is different than yours was. When you gave yourself to me, I made a damn vow that I would always protect you. Do you remember that?”
I swallow and nod my head in agreement. He did, and I loved it. Sabre makes me feel special. After a lifetime of feeling invisible, it’s an amazing thing.
“Good, then you can understand why the fact that you defied my orders and went to the church tonight upsets me. Right?”
I feel a moment of shame because I do. He’s right. I shouldn’t have gone. Still, I know a moment of resentment and I have to defend myself.
“I had it under control. I’m sure you saw that when you got there. I didn’t go empty-handed.”
“They weren’t expecting you to be the woman you are now. That was their mistake. This easily could have ended a lot different, and you wouldn’t be able to stand there and continue to sass me. Now, say the words.”
“I’m sorry, Sabre, I should have listened,” I tell him looking down at my feet.
“Strip.”
I gasp and look up at him in shock. He couldn’t have said what I thought. No way.
“Strip,” he confirms. I look around the room nervously. I can do this. Sabre’s upset, obviously and with good reason. But he won’t hurt me. In fact, I’ve liked all of the things he has done to my body. I’ve come to crave it.
“Peaches,” he growls.
My eyes snap back to him. “I will! I was waiting for Latch to leave!”
“Latch isn’t leaving, Peaches.”
“Sabre, you can’t…wait, what did you say?”
“You lied to Latch and he felt this was his fault. If you had gotten hurt, it would have haunted him. He deserves something for that. So, he’s going to help punish you. Now, strip.”
I look at Sabre then Latch and back to Sabre. I can’t do this! Can I? My heart is tripping over itself. I wish I could run away. Still, underneath my panic, there’s a big part of me wanting this. Wanting to see where this goes…and that scares me. Sabre has stormed into my life and let the tight leash I kept on my desires loose. This is a huge step in a direction I’m not sure I want.