The Complete Contract Series (9 page)

Laura

I woke the next morning having slept better than I had in years. I looked over to see Miller was already gone. I stretched much like a lethargic cat awakening from a nap. I could definitely feel the effects of the playtime that we had partaken in the night before.

So this was what it felt like to be dominated. No longer did I have to wonder why the woman that I’d spied on with binoculars looked so sated. Now I’d experienced it for myself, and I liked it. I couldn’t ever remember coming that hard. I enjoyed what my lover had subjected me to. I couldn’t wrap my brain around why, but for once I didn’t care to deduce why. I had enjoyed someone else holding my destiny in their hands—I enjoyed being out of control.

I’d tormented myself trying to control every facet of my life since the death of my child. I’d operated in a state of fear for so long that I was willing to do anything to be free of it. Miller had done just that, he’d freed me from my obsessive, compulsive behavior by taking the reins of control from my hands and having his way with me. For the first time in years I felt something I hadn’t been able to experience—peace.

I forced myself from the bed and made my way into the shower but not before I snuck a peek at my backside in the full length stand up antique mirror that graced my bedroom. Boy he hadn’t been kidding, I was marked. But for some reason I took pride in the fact that the man I was quickly becoming enamored with, had been the same man who’d introduced me to the lifestyle of kink.

He was my first and as far as I was concerned, my last. This would be a sacred thing we would share with only each other. I had a gut feeling that Miller was only sleeping with me and he would prove to be faithful to what we had. Unlike my dirt bag of an ex-husband who’d used and abused me in more ways than one.

I would never allow a man to treat me like that again. He had been able to do it because of the breakdown I experienced after my daughter’s death. I was strong now and I never planned on allowing myself to be at any man’s mercy. I was nobody’s punching bag—physically or emotionally.

I allowed the warm water to wash over my sore muscles and welcomed the loosening of my tight joints. For the first time in years, I was happy.

Mark

I sat at my desk in a state of panic. My life was becoming more and more out of control with each passing day. Once again I found myself pushing away thoughts of just sticking a gun in my mouth and blowing all of my problems to smithereens.

Suddenly a new thought entered my head, why should I do anything to myself when it was my ex-wife who posed the problem? I needed her dead and if nobody else wanted to do it, then maybe, just maybe, I was the man for the job. I quickly grabbed my suitcase and made my way out the door. I would need to make my move before that crazy boyfriend of hers got moved in. Yes, this was the answer to all of my problems. I would do what I had done in the past, use Laura as a scapegoat…

Laura

I made my way out of the shower and ran a comb through my hair taking one last look at my marks of Miller’s ownership before I threw on a pair of comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. I would take the time he was using to finish packing up the last of his items to bring here—to get some much needed work done. I was ashamed to say I had neglected my blog during the time that Miller had been staying here.

I booted up my computer and waited a moment for it to open all the files I needed. A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. That was odd, I wasn’t expecting any deliveries. Since Miller had been here he had been really good about running all of my errands for me.

I got up and made my way through the penthouse to look through the peephole. I was shocked when I saw Mark standing at the door. I wasn’t afraid of him and I thought nothing of letting him in. He probably just had a check from the last bank account we’d shared together. I knew enough about his gambling habits to know I had better get the money while I could, before he pissed it away gambling.

I opened the door and immediately lit into him. “I assume you’re here to pay me the money you owe me. There is certainly no other reason I would want to see your ass.”

I was caught unaware when he grabbed me around my throat and began choking me. I kicked and screamed as loudly as I could before I felt the prick of a syringe in the side of my neck. The last thing I remember was looking into the eyes of a desperate man and wondering why I was more afraid of him than I was Miller. Even though I knew Miller to be much more dangerous. I gave into the drug that coursed through my system.

I could only hope that this man who had at one time promised that he would love and protect me in sickness and in health, would have mercy on me. It was evident that his desperation had driven him to do things he was never capable of when we were together.

True, he had been cruel and emotionally abusive but he had never physically assaulted me and I most certainly never imagined that he would accost me and kidnap me from my own residence. It wouldn’t be me who would have to worry about being hurt when Miller came back and found me missing. I could only hope that he would find me before the desperation took its final toll on Mark and he killed me.

Right now I wasn’t mentally assessing my situation or the outcome of it for those involved. Right now I was drugged and was being shoved into a large suitcase on wheels to be carted out to a location that I was unaware of.

Yes, he would be successful wheeling me out of my condominium right in front of the doorman on duty. I would find out when I awoke and found myself chained and at my ex-husband’s mercy that the doorman was in on it. He had been giving Mark my schedule for deliveries and any information about who was coming and going from my residence…

Miller

I tossed the last of the items that I would need to take over to Laura’s into a suitcase. I had gone so far as to set up a complete office with an extra computer so that I wouldn’t have to worry about things being moved back and forth. Regardless of where I spent my days or nights, I would have everything I needed to be a fully functional private investigator/hit man.

Laura still wasn’t aware that I killed people for a living and I wasn’t crazy about the idea of her finding out. I didn’t want to do anything that would risk her being with me. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Even though we hadn’t been together that long, it seemed as if she had always been a part of my life. Losing her wasn’t something I even wanted to think about.

I would wait to reveal who I was and what I did. Unless telling her became a necessity, I would just keep that part of my life separate from her. The less that she knew about me, the safer she would be. Not only would it keep her safe from the reprobates I was subjected to in my line of work, it would also keep her safe from law enforcement including her in any line of questioning if they ever came after me. She couldn’t tell what she didn’t know and she would also be able to pass a lie detector test if she wasn’t put in a position of having to lie for me.

I made my way into the parking garage and grabbed my bags. I still hadn’t confronted the little shit of a door man who had been working for her ex. I wanted to wait until the time was right before I dealt with him. In my line of work timing is everything.