Page 149 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 2

By the time they were on their way home the next afternoon, Sage was a nervous wreck, and they had spotted Flynn no less than six times. That was no accident. One time, maybe twice, was stretching it, but six-plus times? Nope, he was stalking her. Sage got gas and snacks, and she called her local sheriff.

“Sage, you get in the car and drive straight here,” said the sheriff’s deputy. “Don’t stop to help anyone, and don’t drink so much you must stop for the bathroom. I can’t believe you didn’t call us right away. You can’t go home until we talk to him, so where will you stay?”

“I’ll stay with Jacob Red Eagle at the ranch.”

“Good. I’ll be waiting for your call to say you’re safe.”

Only she had to take Chris home anyway, so she drove past the ranch and continued until she got to her dad’s. They raced to the bathrooms, and then Chris called her boyfriend, who came to pick her up, chewing them out for not calling sooner. Sage knew that if Chris’ easygoing guy was that upset, Jacob would be much worse. If he found out, that was. With Chris taken care of, Sage sat down, drumming up the nerve to call Jacob when Avery rang and invited her to lunch. She took the coward’s way out and accepted.

Over lunch, she told Avery everything.

“Jacob is going to hit the roof. This will hurt him, and no one will blame him for being upset.”

“I know, but what am I going to do?”

“You’re going to come home with me and tell him everything, then present your ass because he’ll want to get up close and personal with it. Then he’ll want to lock you down, so be prepared to settle in for the long haul if necessary.”

“I don’t want to lose him,” Sage whispered.

“I did things like this, and Stryker didn’t take it well. We got past it, but don’t let it get as far as I did. Then you will have to fight for what you want, and you might lose.”

“I’ll tell him after lunch.”

Avery looked up and said, “Or you could tell him now.” She nodded behind her. Stryker’s long stride was eating up the distance between them. Jacob was keeping pace. “You hungry?” Avery asked Stryker with a smile.

“Nope. We had a steak at the steakhouse. We ran into a deputy there, Mark Landis. Had a friendly chat. You about ready to go?”

Avery did well not to react to the news. Sage hoped she’d done the same.

“Yes, but I picked up Sage. Are you ready?” she asked, looking at her friend with sympathy.

Stryker nodded. “I’ll leave my truck for Jacob. I think they have something to talk about.”

Avery sighed and gave Sage an encouraging smile and a pointed look before leaving with Stryker, who was complaining about the size of Avery’s car. They stopped to pay the bill before continuing out the door.

“Avery is a good person and a good friend. I think she and Stryker do well together, don’t they?”

“I agree, even though sometimes he needs to heat her backside to remind her that she has a man who watches out for her, and risky behavior will not be tolerated.”

“Bet she doesn’t like that.”

“Discipline, no. I don’t think anyone does. But spanking? I might debate that with you. And like it or not, Stryker is one of those guys that ensures his family is cared for and safe. If it means spanking or tying them to him, figuratively, then so be it.”

His last few words seemed to bore into her belly, filling it with guilt. Did he know and was just waiting for her to say something?

“Like you?” she asked tentatively.

“Just like me.” He sat for a few moments drinking the water Avery had left untouched. “Got a guilty conscience, sweetheart? Is there something you need to confess?”

Sage nodded. “But I won’t say it here in front of all these people in the restaurant.”

“What do you mean in front of all these people? I think our table is far enough from any other table that they aren’t going to hear you.”

“You know, don’t you?”

“If you mean what you told Mark Landis, yes. If you mean from the woman that I plan to spend the rest of my life with, no. Now, why do you think that is?” His tone was stormy as he pushed the water glass away. “You are probably right about taking this home.”

He grabbed the keys from the table where Stryker had laid them, walked her to the truck, and buckled her in before he got in. Jacob turned in his seat to look at Sage.

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