Chapter Eight
Edgard was slumped against the wheel well on the right side of the horse trailer, eating sunflower seeds. He straightened up when he saw Colby barreling toward him.
“Is she in there?” Colby snapped.
“Yeah. So is Trevor. She seemed pretty upset. What did you do to her?”
“Nothin’ compared to what I’m gonna do to her.”
Laconic Edgard vanished and he shifted lightning fast to block Colby’s access to the living quarters.
“Move it, Ed, unless you plan on helpin’ with Channing’s punishment.”
His left eyebrow winged up at the word punishment. “Maybe, meu amigo, you should walk it off and let Trevor calm her down first before you go busting in there like an angry bull.”
“The fuck I will. Move.”
“No.”
“You’re startin’ to piss me off, Mancuso.”
“Yeah? Well, you know what? I don’t like the look in your eye, McKay.”
“So?”
“So, I think I will help you after all, just to make sure you don’t get carried away.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. Miz Channing is a lot more delicate than you give her credit for and sometimes your punishments are just plain mean. And maybe she ain’t the only one who oughta be reprimanded.” Edgard spun and flung open the door.
Stung by the truth, Colby muttered, “Great,” and followed Edgard inside the dark trailer.
Channing’s arms were folded over her chest and her haughty little butt rested against the kitchen sink. She jumped when Colby slammed and locked the door behind him.
“What’s going on?” Trevor asked.
“Strip,” Colby said to Channing.
“What?”
“I said strip. Now. Don’t make me tell you again. You really don’t want to add another punishment to the one you’ve already earned, do you darlin’?”
She swallowed hard but the look in her golden eyes was decidedly defiant. “Punishment?”
“What in the hell are you talkin’ about, Colby?” Trevor demanded.
Colby pointed at Channing. “Not only does Little Miss think we’re embarrassed to be seen with her, when I tried to talk to her outside the gates, she got smart with me and stormed off. So, since she don’t want to talk, the time for talkin’ is over. Start strippin’.”
“Channing, girl, you didn’t do that, did you?”
She nodded warily at Trevor.
Trevor stood and stretched. “Ah, this is gonna be an interestin’ afternoon. What do you want me to do?”
“Find the ropes and that set of clamps.” Colby flashed his teeth at her. “Lube would be good, too.”
“You’re helping him?” Channing said to Trevor.
“Yep. We ain’t gonna listen to nobody talkin’ you down, least of all you doin’ it to yourself. And when Colby or I or Edgard want to talk to you, it’d be in your best interest to listen up. You’ll learn there will be consequences. You heard him. Strip.” Hiding the devilish twinkle in his eye, Trevor unlocked the door separating the living quarters from the horse stalls, and rummaged around in the tack closet.
She was frozen in place.
Colby watched and waited for her reaction.
“But—”
“No buts. You said you’d do whatever we wanted. That means you don’t get to ask questions. Or argue, especially when you’ve been bad.”
Edgard sidled in front of her and gently stroked her cheek. “Listen to me and let me help.”
“You, too? But I thought you didn’t want—”
“It is not for you to question what I want. It is for you to do as you’re told.”
Colby frowned at Edgard’s surprising response.
“But I’m scared.”
“Sweet thing, none of us would ever really hurt you. But you have to understand there is a price for insolence. No backtalk. Ever. That don’t mean you can’t speak your mind, but you don’t get to dress us down in public. Ever.” Edgard stroked her neck, sweetly, like they’d been lovers for years, and nuzzled her temple. “Take off your clothes. I’m sayin’ this for your own good and as your friend.”
Her shaking hands fumbled with the button before the swishy skirt fell to the floor. The T-shirt was next, leaving Channing clad only in a bra and panties.
Colby’s cock grew impossibly harder at her exposed creamy skin and her hesitation. “Leave the boots on,” he said gruffly. “Everything else, off.”
She wouldn’t meet his gaze as she shimmied the lemon yellow panties down her taut thighs and whisked off the matching bra.
“Beautiful.” Colby ambled to stand beside her, squeezing his hands in fists to keep from touching her. “We’re gonna condition you. So you’ll know why it pisses me off that you’d ever be foolish enough to think you’d embarrass me. Or any of us. Why you never, ever get to talk to me that way in public again.” Even if I sort of deserved it. He called over his shoulder, “Trev? Where are those goddamn ropes?”