Reed held my trembling hand in the backseat of the Rolls Royce he had hired and talked about baseball. I listened while trying to push down the need to vomit and heard only half of what he said. I knew Chi Chi and Sal would be there along with Clare and Dustin. They were my saving grace for the evening and I held tight to that thought."Relax and you'll have a good time. This is for charity, but also the last time for us to let off a little steam before spring training.""It's easy for you, but I don't think I can relax."His chuckle in my ear was low and sexy, the jerk.We pulled up to the El Diablo Hotel and exited the car onto red carpet. Flashbulbs went off while Reed kept his arm around my shoulders and ushered me inside. I heard him say a few words, but had no idea what. This was so not me. I didn't belong in this world pretending I was rich.Once past the front doors, we were shown to the grand ballroom. Reed gave our names to a waiter and he took us to our table. Relief sw
The loft lights were on, but I saw no signs of wild parties, so I didn't object when Reed pulled me straight into his house and up to his bedroom."Trust me?" he asked as he breathed against my neck.I loved when he asked that because it meant my kinky Reed was back."Absolutely.""I bought a few things that I want to try."I didn't know entirely why those words caused such a reaction, but my panties were no longer absorbent. Reed had no problem getting them off and appreciating my need."I like you wet," he said after my dress disappeared, though he left my heels on.Bedstraps and Velcro cuffs were my surprise. Reed brought out more bubbly before leaning me back on the bed."I love your legs and the high heels are icing on the cake," he said as he attached the cuffs around my ankles. He kissed my toes before spreading my legs and fastening the mattress straps to the ankle cuffs.He stood back and looked at me before placing cuffs around my wrists, ignoring the mattress straps
He woke me up several times throughout the night. It didn't matter that we were both sleep deprived. It only mattered that he was buried deep inside me, soothing my body with his, and making me explode over and over.When his cell phone chimed, sunlight bathed the room."Shit," I heard him say as I tried to open my sleepy eyes.He flew off the bed and started grabbing his clothes. I sat up, bringing the sheet with me."Sal's waiting to pick me up. He's outside."This was it. My heart dropped as I noticed his suitcases beside his dresser. There were other things on my mind when I came into the room last night and I'd missed his luggage. I closed my eyes, pushing back tears. Everyone left me. It was always like this. I felt the corner of the bed dip and Reed's lips against my forehead."I'll visit a couple of weeks from now, so it won't be too long. I'll call, and you'll be busy with school and work."The tears slipped past my eyelids and I was pulled into his arms."Shh, baby, I
It felt strange to wander around Reed's large home without him in it. I'd finished washing his sheets the day before along with my laundry. The cleaning crew would be in tomorrow and I didn't have driver's training until the afternoon with the big test on Friday. I decided to tackle Reed's paperwork again and create a spreadsheet to figure out what was what.It took an hour to set up the spreadsheet. As I started on the first stack of papers to add in the figures, the office phone rang. I debated answering, but quickly decided I should because it was one of my job responsibilities.Message pen in hand, I answered, "Reed Tyler's residence. May I help you?""Who is this?" It was a decidedly female voice."This is Jaycee Shumway. May I help you?""I don't know who you are, but I will speak with my son immediately."Ah, oh. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Tyler is unavailable." There was no way I was telling Reed's mom he was in Florida and I couldn't believe she didn't know."Take a message an
I met with the cleaning crew the next morning after getting Bitsy and Jon off to school. It soon became apparent that I was in the way, so I headed to Reed's office. The phone rang minutes after I sat down."Reed Tyler's residence. May I help you?""Is this Jaycee Shumway?" an older man asked."Yes. May I help you?""This is Lawrence Morgan, Mr. Tyler's attorney. He wanted me to contact you and arrange a time for you to sign a few papers.""Umm, I'm not sure I understand.""Could I come to the house to meet with you at noon?""Well, umm, sure.""I'll see you at noon, Miss Shumway."Wow, so formal, and I had no idea what was going on. I also couldn't contact Reed to find out. I settled into my chair to add more figures to the spreadsheet. The more I discovered about Reed's finances, the more uncomfortable I became. Yes, he lived nicely, but he didn't flaunt itat least not the kind of money I'd discovered. We were no longer talking millions.Shit.I was sitting in the house of
Michelle Browning followed me inside the apartment. Her assistant, Julie, behind her. Bitsy was excited until she saw who was with me. My heart ached for both Bitsy and Jon. Michelle had never been anything but kind to us; she gave us the trailer. But her predecessor and the months Bitsy and Jon spent in foster care were not good memories."How are you, Bitsy?" she asked kindly.Bitsy hid behind me holding my leg. I could feel her little body tremble, and more than anything I wished we never had to go through an interview like this again.Michelle understood Bitsy's fear and turned to Jon, asking the same question."I'm good," he answered stiffly. His long black hair obscured most of his face and he didn't move it aside. Jon looked down and my heart clenched even more. I would never be able to erase those months that CPS took them away and the fear that it would happen again.Michelle turned from Jon and focused on me. "How is school going?"I took a breath. "With our new living
I survived my first week in Reed's employ. I also passed my written and driving tests with little difficulty. I now had a driver's license and not just a state issued identification card. The picture was awful, but I didn't care. The three by four inch card gave me a sense of freedom I'd never had.Maggie was waiting at the house when I returned from the motor vehicle department. She handed me a remote to one of Reed's other cars. It was a black Cadillac Escaladebright, shiny, and new, worth more money than I'd made in my entire life. It was parked next to my old trailer and was in the garage when we moved in. I checked the registration just in case Reed pulled a fast one on me, but he'd purchased it six months before I tried to burglarize his home. I was afraid to drive it, but figured I needed to get over that fear.I was just leaving the garage, forgoing the temptation to take it for a drive, when my phone sounded. Reading Reed's text made me smile.Congratulations. I know you pa
I worked the Saturday afternoon shift at Tasty Burger and then stayed with Bitsy that night while Jon went out with his friends. One of them had a car and Jon promised to wear his seat belt, not let anyone drink and drive, and if there was sex involved to cover up. I ignored all his eye rolls.There was a city curfew and he managed to get in with two minutes to spare. We didn't need any trouble, and CPS would find out if he was caught by the cops. The next morning, I gathered our laundry. Jon was sleepy and grumpy; he sat on the couch while Bitsy ate a bowl of cereal. I picked up the basket and carried it to Reed's house to wash.I started the first load and heard the front door open when I walked toward the front of the house. Expecting Jon or even Bitsy, my mouth dropped open when I saw Reed standing there. He looked exhausted, rumpled, and absolutely delicious. I was wearing my oldest threadbare sweatpants and a tight secondhand t-shirt that said "whales blow" on the front under a
I hid in Italy for three weeks. Greg came with me and kicked my ass on the court. He actually made a great practice partner. I was back to clean eating and drinking only water. It surprised me when Greg brought a bottle of wine to my room one night."What's this for?" I asked when he gave me one of his golly-gee smiles. Greg was cute. And, married to a lovely woman who worshipped him."I've been your coach for three months now and I have no idea what makes you tick. It's time for a come to daddy talk. Or in your case, come to coach. I figured the alcohol might make it easier.""You'll need more than one bottle," I told him. He came back to my room ten minutes later with two more bottles in his hands. "Does your wife know you're getting drunk with a slutty tennis star tonight?" I smiled to take the sting out of calling myself a slut."She suggested it. We've had many long conversations about you.""How romantic."He poured our first glasses and tilted the edge of his glass against
I never returned to the hospital, which was entirely unfair of me. My anger at my father carried over to Brack. I was horrible. The man I loved hadn't fully recovered and I left him at the hospital alone. Okay, he had his parents and his team. But, bottom lineI was horrible and a coward. I ignored the calls from Brack and my father. Again- coward.I needed complete control of my life. It took me two weeks to come up with a plan. During those two weeks, I hired a new coach and trained until I could barely walk. I trained with a purpose. I'd had my own money. Not just from tennis but from my mother. I'd never used it. That was the way I punished her and myself. Now, for the first time, I paid for my own coach.I liked him. I could actually smile over the fact that my father paid for Jerry all those years while the two of them hated each other. Greg, my new coach, kicked my ass. I had no idea if I had a chance this season. But, winning the Grand Slam was in my peripheral vision and not
Two days later, the doctors discontinued the medication that kept Brack in a coma. My father showed up the morning after surgery and made me go home, shower, and change clothes. Brack's parents were staying in shifts. His mom promised she wouldn't leave his side until I returned. I hadn't really spoken to them. We stayed relatively quiet in Brack's room. I whispered encouragement and told him I was there. They gave us privacy, too. That's when I told him I loved him. Again and again, I whispered the words.My father and Senator Jacobs were cordial. Brack's mother treated my dad like a family friend. Apparently she'd been friends with my mom. I tried not to think about the ramifications of our two families tied together through me and Brack. It was too much to take right now.Brack still had the ventilator. The doctor reviewed best and worst case scenarios with us. I refused to listen to brain damage, paralysis, learning to walk and talk again, and so on. My focus was full recovery. I
Four hours later, I was passed out against Mack's shoulder when his cell rang. My brain registered the noise and I was pulled quickly from sleep."Yeah," he answered quietly. He listened for several minutes before responding. "I have her here with me. We'll be there in a minute." He slid his phone back in his pocket and looked at me. "He's in recovery. It was touch and go, but he pulled through. They have him in a sedated coma. He has a stent in his skull to relieve swelling. The doctor told his parents he came to before surgery and demanded to see you. His mom wants you up there if you think you can handle it."I was up and walking out of the emergency room before he finished, my heart pounding a hundred miles an hour. "What floor? I'm not waiting for you to waddle behind me."Snickers came from several of the guys. "I've got her," Molly said."Second floor."The elevator took so long I almost turned to the stairs. I'd do anything to get to him. Brack asked for me and I had to se
I ran toward Brack, who had fallen to the floor. There was so much blood and I tried wiping it off his face. My hands turned dark red."You did it, baby," he whispered before his body went completely limp.Sander and a woman who must be Molly ran into the enclosure with guns drawn. I could barely hear them. Echoed gunshots continued ringing in my ears."Call an ambulance and please someone check on my father. He's in the van," I said as I held Brack's head in my lap. Blood soaked my panties and covered my legs. Head wounds bleed, I kept saying to myself. Sander practically jumped over us and went straight to Ty's body. He turned back when he had assured himself Ty was no longer a threat."Where were you?" I asked softly. I didn't want Brack to hear me yelling at his team.Sander sat down next to me and took Brack's arm checking his pulse. "The bastard used some kind of scrambler. It took us a while to figure out the van didn't leave the premises. We recovered the phones. Brack had
Kids laughed. A mother scolded a young child for attempting to go under the bar and get closer to one of the cages. Brack and I stood in the center of the primate exhibit. My phone chirped. It didn't startle me this time; I was too numb. "Yes.""Walk over to the primate exhibit sign and you'll find another cell phone behind it. Exchange it for the one you're using. Have Mr. Jacobs leave his phone behind, too."Brack followed me to the sign and I did exactly as told. The phone was there. I picked it up and lay mine down. "He said to leave yours, too." Brack took his from his jeans pocket and placed it beside mine. Thankfully, no one paid attention to us. I had no idea what we needed to do next. The phone in my hand vibrated. This time I clicked the call button without saying a word."Go to your left and keep walking on the path. Did you bring my present?" I carried a bag with the dress inside so both of Brack's arms would be free. He carried a gun in a hidden leg holster."Yes, it's
The inside of my father's home was a crime scene. We sat on the couch in the front room away from the forensic team that arrived a few minutes before. The media camped at the gates added to the growing chaos.Even knowing Ty would eventually call, I jumped when my cell phone chirped. The display read "Unknown." My fingers trembled as I picked it up and answered, "Hello, Ty, or should I call you Leo?"His husky laugh sent goose bumps across my arms. "I told you not to call the police. You wouldn't listen and you'll pay for disobedience."My voice remained steady. "It wasn't me. You killed your mother, so what exactly did you expect? She worked for my dad for over thirty years. One plus one equals two, Leo." Fuller and Brack told me not to push him too hard. I had to make him believe I hadn't gone to the police, though."My mother had cancer and it was eating away at her. I did her a favor. She didn't walk in God's light. By making her repent and then killing her God may show mercy."
My heart stopped. Dread and terror filled me. Colors danced before my eyes making it hard to see. The whoosh of blood traveling into my head made it hard to hear. I had to get control of myself. I gulped in air. "You goddamn son of a bitch. If you hurt my father I'll kill you.""He that blasphemeth the name of the LORD shall be put to death and stoned. Remember that when you feel the pain of my hand, Olivia."Brack startled me by gathering me close and placing his head against mine so we both listened. "Where's my father?" I demanded."That's better. I have instructions for you, Olivia. You will follow them to the letter. Please bring that man with you. The one you've been with lately." His voice took on an eerie quality. "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death." He breathed heavily and then gave a sadistic laugh. "You may choose your father or lover to pay for your sins. One shall die and the other walks away.""But-"He
I don't know what I expected love to be like. Violins playing, little cupids flying around with bow and arrows, hell maybe just cuddles in bed for hours. That wasn't what happened the following morning. Brack paced across the carpet of my living room with his cell to his ear listening to one of his men on the other end. He cast a glance or two my way. I could tell before the call ended that he would try his non-communication shit with me again.I was right."What's the news?" I asked the second he lowered the phone.He came over and sat beside me. "Nothing to worry about."I gave him my I'm-about-to-slam-you-with-a-tennis-racquet look. "Bullshit." I was beginning to notice his tells. The fingers traveling through his hair was a sign that he didn't want to enlighten me. I waited.He breathed out a slow and steady breath of air. "Mack didn't see his attacker, but he heard him before he lost consciousness."My heartbeat accelerated. "Okay. Spill it.""Mack told Herman that most of