Saving My Submission BN (24 page)

My cell phone chimed, notifying me of a text. My heart
nearly leapt from my chest as a stupid grin crawled across my face. Palming the
device, I blinked. Reading the message, my hands began to shake as a ripple of
dread snaked up my spine.

Unknown: A phone call
would have been nice, bunny. I hope you liked the flowers. I’m waiting for your
call. Don’t disappoint me. Understood? Davis.

The blood in my veins turned to ice. “How did he get
my number?” I wondered aloud. Frowning, my initial question didn’t disturb me
as much as the last line of his text. He actually presumed I was his sub again.

“No fucking way in hell,” I mumbled. It was time to
nip this shit in the bud.

My fingers flew over the letters on the device as I
delivered a message of my own.

Mellie Carson: I threw
the flowers away. I’m not interested in pleasing or disappointing you, Davis.
Don’t waste your time waiting for my call… it’s never going to happen. You
don’t get a second chance. We are through. Over. Finished. You made the
choice—you have to deal with the consequences. Don’t contact me again.
Understood?

It took only a matter of seconds for his reply.

Unknown: It’s over when
I say it’s over, slut. You don’t get to decide what’s a waste of my time or
what isn’t. You obviously don’t remember a fucking thing I taught you. Don’t
worry. I’ll retrain you… with my belt. You don’t get to shut me out, bunny.
It’s not up to you. I’m going to get you back… one way or the other. Count on
it.

It was a good thing there lay an ocean between us,
because a wave of anger washed over me so strong it threatened to drown me.
Gripping the phone, I growled. The man was certifiably insane if he thought for
one second I’d subject myself to the farce he called Dominance.

“You let me know if he
contacts you again. Understood?”

Joshua’s directive echoed in my brain and I
automatically reached for my phone. Pausing to calculate time zones, I scrolled
to his number, hesitant to place the call. I sucked in a deep breath, stared at
his number, and eventually pressed
call.

He picked up on the third ring. “What a fantastic
surprise, little one.” From his tone, I visualized his smile, and my heart
skipped a beat. The fear calmed instantly. “Did you make it safe and sound?”

“Yes. I’m here at the castle, all settled in. How’s it
going with you?”

There was a long pause. So long that I wondered if I’d
lost the connection.

“What’s wrong, Mellie?”

“
Wha
… what makes you think
something’s wrong?” I stammered.

“You’re halfway around the goddamn world, and I can feel
you… Hear it in your voice.”

“Davis somehow got my number,” I confessed.

“What? How?” His voice was hard and cold.

“I don’t know. He sent me a couple of messages.”

“Let me guess… he wants you back, right?”

“Yes.”

Joshua blew out an angry sigh. “I’ll take care of it,
little one. You just focus on doing your job. I don’t want you worrying about
that
dipshitiot
.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “A dip what?”

“
Dipshitiot
. It’s a
combination of dip shit and idiot,” he chuckled. “Although Kerr might need a
whole classification all his own like
dipshitiothole
.”

I flopped back on the bed, giggling. Joshua was
amazing. He knew exactly how to wipe away my worries and insecurities, and made
me laugh doing it. No other man before him had possessed that kind of magic.

“It feels longer than a day,” I whispered softly.

“I know,” he murmured. “I’m in my studio. I come here
when I need to think.”

“What are you thinking about?” I urged.

“You. Me. Life,” he replied cryptically.

“And what thoughts are running through that handsome
head of yours?”

“Oh they’re not running through my head, little one.
They’re running through my hands.”

I turned and looked at the statue. A lump of emotion
swelled in my throat. I swallowed tightly and blinked the tears from my eyes. I
should have realized from the start that Joshua filtered his emotions through
his hands, not his words.

My brain flashed in a slide of the pieces displayed at
Christian’s gallery. I could clearly see the depths of Joshua’s pain, the
whimsy of his dreams, and the ache of his desires. It was as if he’d sliced
open his chest, granting the world a glimpse of his loving and wounded heart.
Yet, no one knew… no one but me.

“What are you working on?”

“It’s a surprise,” he chuckled.

“That’s not fair.” I grinned. “You have to give me a
hint.”

“Do I now? Seems you lost your submission somewhere
over the ocean, girl.”

He wanted to project a stern Dominant tone, but I
sensed the grin on his face.

“No I didn’t, but I’m going to have to wear my
Domme
hat for the next three weeks. I’m just warming it
up.”

“Not with me you’re not,” he laughed.

A shiver raced up my spine. I pictured myself on my
knees before him, and remembered how right it felt.

“Of course not, Master Stephen,” I purred.

A low moan rippled over the phone. “You’re begging for
it, aren’t you, pet?”

“
Hrmm
, maybe… just a
little?”

“Be careful, or you might end up with a whole lot more
than you bargained for.”

“I sure hope so.”

“God, I miss you.”

Not half as much as I
miss you.

I wasn’t entirely sure he meant to say the words
aloud. He cleared his throat as if his confession left him too exposed. “Get
some sleep, little one. Don’t worry about Kerr. I’ll make sure he doesn’t
contact you again.”

“Yes, Sir.” I didn’t want our conversation to end.
“Oh, if you do bodily harm to him, would you send me the pictures, please?”

“I think there’s a malevolent side of you I haven’t
seen yet, little one.”

“Not really. I just like seeing karma in action,
that’s all.”

He laughed. “If it comes to that, I’ll be sure to have
eight by ten glossies in hand when you get back. Sweet dreams, my girl.”

His tender voice was like a gentle caress across my
cheek.

“Yes, Sir. Good night.”

“Good night.”

I hung up feeling better, but worse. Glad that Davis
would be dealt with, but rife with frustration that I was an ocean away when
all I wanted was to be in Joshua’s arms or his bed.

After a long, hot shower, I climbed into the big,
empty bed and pulled the extra pillow to my chest. Pretending it was Joshua,
just as I had the first night we’d met, I closed my eyes and crashed.

The alarm on my phone buzzed before the sun was up. I
tossed back the covers and stumbled to the bathroom, mentally readying myself
for a full and hectic day. Most of the morning was spent with Dixie discussing
what renovations could realistically be accomplished. Hayes hovered, nodding in
approval or wrinkling his nose. By afternoon I was on the phone ordering wall
covering, decorative tile, fabrics, and paint, keeping my fingers crossed none
of the items needed were on back-order. The rest of the day I spent lining up a
small army of carpenters, electricians, masons, and plumbers. Thankfully I’d
contracted with many of the workers on past projects. I knew they were fast,
efficient and possessed a work ethic I admired.

There were times it felt as if I were herding
chickens, but by nightfall I’d convinced myself the job could be accomplished
in time. Thoughts of Joshua popped in my head throughout the day. Even when I
was up to my ass in alligators, I’d think about him and smile.

Days passed into weeks, and my ache for the Dominant
artist across the pond never waned. Neither did the messages from Davis. His
texts grew vile and vindictive. He’d been livid that I’d “sic’d” Joshua on him,
and Walker vowed to get even. I had no idea what delusional planet the man had
taken up residence on, but his obsession with me sprouted an anxiety that grew
stronger with each repulsive message.

Joshua and I talked or texted almost daily, but still
I didn’t bother to tell him about Davis’ persistent and threatening messages.
Deep down, I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t want to sully what precious time I
had with Joshua discussing a man who had no meaning in my life anymore.
Besides, I was a big girl. I could take care of Davis on my own. Yes, his
threats were unnerving, but deep down I knew he was nothing but a bully,
gutless and spineless. Fueled by anger for giving him the power to control my
life for eight fucking years, I planned to have a nice, long face-to-face with
Walker. By the time I was through, I intended to have the bastard backed into a
corner, sucking his thumb and crying.

The nights were long and lonely, and my never-ending
longing to be with Joshua stole my sleep. Running on fumes, fatigue morphed
into frustration, and I became cranky, resenting my choice of taking the job
over staying in Chicago. But I concealed my bitterness and kept my nose to the
grindstone.

It seemed like months, but the day finally came when I
led Hayes and Dixie through the dining hall for a final walk-through. Mentally
holding my breath, I crossed my fingers that the elegant room would meet their
expectations. Hayes examined the craftsmanship, as always, while Dixie oohed
and
ahhed
.

“Oh Mellie, it’s all bright as a button.” She beamed
before leaning in close. “This is going to knock their knickers off. They say
that here, knickers… not panties. Crazy language they have here in this
country. Oh, and don’t ever call your butt your fanny. It means something
completely different in these parts. I found that out the hard way.” Dixie
blushed then issued a wave of her hand.

“I’ll be sure to call it my butt,” I laughed.

“You and Hayes go tend to the bill. I’m going to check
with cook. We’re having dinner right here in the dining hall tonight. I want to
break this new prairie dog in, proper.” Dixie beamed.

All through dinner I couldn’t wait to get back to my
room. I was anxious to collapse into bed, not only because I was exhausted, but
because it would bring me one day closer to Joshua. Barring any flight delays,
I’d arrive back home in Phoenix late tomorrow night, which was actually that
night. Time zones confused me, but jet lag was a bitch. If all went as planned
I’d be in Chicago by Wednesday at the latest.

Just as I settled into bed, my cell phone rang. I
couldn’t help but smile, I knew Joshua had been counting the days too.

I snatched it up, not bothering to look at the screen,
and pressed the device to my ear. “Did you call to talk dirty to me?” I
giggled.

There was a long pause before the sound of a man
clearing his throat wiped the smile from my face. Bolting upright in bed, my
heart pounded in my chest.
Oh god, please don’t
let this be a client.

“No, Ma’am, I didn’t.” I could tell the man was trying
not to laugh, but his next words were delivered in a slow, somber tone. “This is
Detective Pruett with the Phoenix Police Department. Am I speaking to Melinda
Carson?”

“Yes,” I replied in a small, worried voice.

“Ma’am, I’m at your house—”

“My house? Why?”

“I’m sorry to inform you that you’ve been a victim of
some rather extensive vandalism.”

“Vandalism? What’s happened? How?” I screeched. My
heart thundered in my ears as I tried to wrap my head around the news.

“Someone spray painted the words, uh, ‘slut’ and
‘whore’ on your garage doors. The big picture window on the front of your house
has been smashed. It’s strange, maybe the
perp
got
scared away, but from what we can tell there’s no sign of entry. They cut your
alarm system and umm…”

“Um what?” I cried. “You mean there’s more?”

“Yes, ma’am.”
 
The officer paused. “Someone hung a dead rabbit at your front door.”

“A dead rabbit?”

The air left my lungs in a whoosh. My blood turned to
ice as Davis Walker’s words echoed in my brain. ‘
It’s been a long time,
bunny.
A phone call would have been nice
, bunny.
Don’t think I’m going to let you shut me out
,
bunny.’ Shades of ‘Fatal Attraction’ rolled through my brain. At least the son
of a bitch didn’t put the poor rabbit in a pot on my stove and burn the damn
house down.

My entire body trembled and I blinked back the black
splotches swimming behind my eyes. Sucking in a ragged breath, I exhaled in an
attempt to calm myself. How did Davis find out where I lived? Why in the world
would he fly all the way to Phoenix to fuck with my house? Was he trying to
punish me for not giving him a second chance? Yes, Davis Walker had changed all
right… into a raving madman.

“Do you have any idea who might be responsible for
this? Because I have to tell you, I’ve seen enough of these things... This was
personal, ma’am.

“That fucking bastard,” I railed. “Yes, I know exactly
who did it.”

“Good. I need to get a statement from you. How quickly
can you get here?”

Releasing a humorless chuckle, I closed my eyes.
“About sixteen hours, give or take a few. I’m in the United Kingdom at the
moment.”

“Oh,” he replied, sounding both surprised and
disgruntled. “Hell.”

I convinced the detective to take my statement over
the phone. I supplied him with as much information as I had on Davis Walker,
but I kept his association to Genesis to myself. I needed to talk to Mika
before spouting out details of his club to the police. Pruett asked when I’d
last seen Davis. I fibbed a little and said that I’d run into him while
visiting friends in Chicago. After reciting the contents of Davis’ text
messages, Pruett promised to contact the Chicago PD. That was about the time my
neighbor Chad showed up to see what the commotion was about. Using Pruett’s
phone, Chad offered to clean up the mess and get my security system back up and
running. I thanked him profusely, vowing to pay him back as soon as I got home,
but Chad seemed far more concerned about the safety of his family and me than
the money.