Chapter Thirteen
After talking to all the men about their women, it had been decided that they would all drive to Xan’s cabin to pick up their delinquent girls before returning them home for a discussion. However, Rowth decided that taking Brinley back to Blythe and Xan’s house for punishment would be perfect.
The two men rode in Rowth’s large, very comfortable automated vehicle, gliding silently and effortlessly along the rail to Xan’s retreat. Just as they had planned, the men stopped the vehicles far enough away that the women would have no clue that they were descending upon them.
Once out of their vehicles, they walked together to their destination, each man deep in his own thoughts. Part of Xan felt almost bad for the girls. They’d looked forward to their reunion, and after watching them laughing, crying, hugging, and sharing, he’d seen the sincere and heartfelt love they had for each other.
It didn’t take long for him to find out that Brinley was the one who had called the other women and coordinated them getting to Rowth’s house for Blythe’s pick up. Xan informed Rowth and, seeing the dark-haired man’s jaw clench with a demeanor that Xan had become familiar with, he watched his mood darken and his irritability rise. Although Rowth was someone that people viewed as steadfast, rational, and even tempered, those who knew him better knew the slight changes that indicated an increase in his annoyance and displeasure with a situation. It seemed that little Brinley would be on the receiving end of his vexation.
As they approached the building, the peals of laughter filled the air. Xan could hear his naughty girl’s giggle, the one that made him smile regardless of his mood—except for this early morning. Today, he found it a reminder that others filled a place in her heart that he’d yet to fill. Her laugh mocked him on this day, an expression of her love for more than him and their daughter. Her giggle, the one he coveted, nudged a spot in his heart in such a way that he wanted to beg her to stay and never leave him again.
“Hey, are you even fucking listening to me?” Rowth’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Xan shook his head. “Oh. No, sorry. I was thinking.”
“Obviously. Is it handprint protected, or do you have a key, or what?”
“Oh, it has both. I’m assuming that’s how Blythe got in; she found the key even though I had hidden it in a different spot since the last time she found it.”
“You better start keeping her on a tighter leash, my friend. She’s a bit of a spitfire, isn’t she?” Gav’n laughed, nudging Jakk. “We have better control over three girls than you do with one woman.
The men chuckled, but each of them shook their heads knowing that their women were just as much work.
“I plan on doing just that. Don’t doubt me for even one second.” As he approached the sensor, he turned to look at each man. They nodded they were all ready. Xan pressed his hand into the depression on the plate, a blue light noting that it was a match, the door disappeared. All five women leaped to their feet.
But it was Blythe that shouted and rushed toward her Master. “Master, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” She dropped to her knees, and with her head down, kneeling perfectly, her sobs were heard above the gasps and shouts of the other women, her tears puddling on the floor between her legs.
Xan tipped her chin up and burrowed his glare into her, not taking his eyes from hers. “You’re in some serious trouble, little girl.”
“I-I know. I’m s-so sorry.”
“We’ll be discussing how sorry later. You’ve disappointed me, pet. Immensely. I’m not even as angry as I am hurt.”
She openly sobbed at that point. She would have dropped her head again but he jerked it back up roughly. “You’ll not drop your gaze from me. You did this boldly and with no remorse. You’ll keep your eyes on me and deal with the guilt and pain you feel from my disappointment. You asked for every bit of this. Dry your tears and own up to your misdeeds.”
She choked back her cries and truly struggled with her grief. It tugged at his heart, but he knew that she needed to deal with the pain she’d inflicted upon him, and deal with the weight of her disobedience and disloyalty to her new family.
“Stand.” He dropped his voice and growled the command.
She visibly swallowed, quickly standing up, locking her arms behind her as she’d been trained.
“Don’t you even think of moving a muscle.” He stalked across the room to throw things into the bags that she’d brought to the cabin, and he turned off the heat and appliances.
Jakk and Gav’n could be heard scolding and swatting Mira’s backside. The very tiny woman danced on her toes doing her best to escape them, but not succeeding.
How could a woman of her stature avoid two eight-foot-tall men?
Binnex had Sarai upended, braced against his hip shouting, “Do you have any idea what could have happened if the monitor bugs had detected you—or any of your friends—on your little excursion? Did you think about the fact that you could have been put in jail? Or worse, the Council of Nine could have decided that you should be put to death! All of you.”
Lilianna stood between her large men, looking more frightened than she did in the jail or hospital. Each of the men had her by an elbow and were marching her out of the cabin. “Thank you, Dr. Breckett. I’m sorry for the incorrigible behavior of our slave. We’ll be in touch with you tomorrow; I’m sure our girl will have something to say to both of you.”
Aman’s voice carried a tone of seriousness that had Xan almost feeling bad for her.
Cain nodded his head. “Good day, Dr. Breckett. Thank you for contacting us. We’re indebted to you.”
Their departure seemed to trigger the other men, and they all began to march their recalcitrant wards out of his cabin and to their vehicles.
Binnex shook Xan’s hand. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Xan. Maybe we can exchange notes on how we’re all doing with these women from Earth.”
“That’s not a bad idea, Binnex. I think we could deal with a Masters’ meeting of sorts. I’m sure we’ve all found some things that work with our particular women that might help others.”
Grabbing her by the upper arm and pulling her up just enough that she had to walk on the balls of her feet, Binnex said, “Say goodbye to Dr. Breckett, Sarai.”
“Goodbye, Dr. Breckett. I’m really sorry. We just wanted to see each other. We’ve been so lonely without our friends.” Her eyes welled with tears as Binnex shoved her forward and out the door with a hard swat to her backside.
Jakk, Gav’n, and Mira came next. The small woman was openly crying by this point, but her defiant chin tilted upward, and if Xan wasn’t mistaken, a spark of anger shown in her eyes. “What do you have to say to the good doctor, Mira?” Gavin shoved her forward.
“I’m sorry, Sir.”
Gav’n shook his head at Mira, then, turning toward Xan, said, “We’ll contact you soon. I agree with Binnex; having us get together might be good for us as well as the girls. We may find that they settle easier seeing each other regularly.”
Shoving sweaters and blankets into the second bag, Xan zipped it shut. “You’re probably right. I’ll be in touch; we have enough issues to deal with tonight.”
Pointing toward the door, Jakk said, “Yes, we do. To the vehicle, Mira.” She ran out the door with Gav’n close on her heels.
Xan shut the lights off in the cabin, leaving them with the overhead light by the door. Flinging the bags over his shoulder, he walked up to his girl, who hadn’t moved a muscle, just like he’d ordered.
A bit of fear is good for her.
“So, you do know how to listen. And I see you’ve dried your tears too.” He ran a finger down her cheek, and she shivered. “There will be more tears later. Trust me.”
Her lip quivered, her green eyes brightening with her tears. He swore she was more beautiful than he could ever remember her looking before.
He lightly kissed her soft, plump lips. “Love you, baby.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
His heart ached with the love he felt for her, and to hear her call him Daddy almost had him tearing up. Since their baby had come into his planet, Blythe had referred to him as Daddy, pointing out that it would help him get ready for his new title… and he loved hearing it on her lips.
Shaking off the emotions that flooded him, he shouted over his shoulder. “Rowth, you ready to spank your bad girl at my house? I think we have some very naughty girls that are due for a good ass whipping… and maybe even a leash and tail.”
“I’m more than ready to discipline this brat of mine, and I’d love to see her as a pet. Seems like a shock collar and a crate would do her some good. Isn’t that right, Brinley?” The commander raised his eyebrows at his girl.
“Over my dead—”
“Don’t tempt the God of Na, girl. With the luck you’re having tonight, it may not be prudent to challenge worse.” His mouth kicked up into a grin on one side before he grabbed her by the earlobe and dragged her out of the door.
Yep, it seemed that it would be a long morning and a bad start to their day. It would seem that the sun wouldn’t be the only thing glowing bright red at dawn.