“Mason is going to kill me.”

Kelly shook her head.

“Please, you have that man wrapped around your little finger.”

Paton piped up from the backseat.

“You do, mom.”

I blushed and stared out the window. As Mason predicted, Pate had been fine with everything. She’d been not at all surprised and hugged us both when we sat her down to tell her about the change in our relationship and sleeping arrangements.

It had only been a week since we got together but it was true, things were progressing… rapidly.

Every night Mason took me to bed and kept me there, tangling in the sheets until dawn. He left me there, passed out, and when I woke up he was almost always cooking for me. Then something changed. The last few days I woke to find he was gone. He’d left a note telling me to stay put. He brought in DVDs and books and magazines but he told me not to go out. Not even for a walk.

He’d postponed Paton’s starting school as well.

Basically, we were on lockdown and I didn’t know why. He treated me with a gentle dominance that was irresistible and inescapable. He knew all and controlled all.

And he took really, really good care of us.

Still, I could only watch the real housewives of whatever so many times before I started going stir crazy. Though Cassie had been calling me to discuss and advise me on the best shows to watch.

That girl looovvved her reality TV. She still hadn’t had her baby and was nearly a stir crazy as me. But at least she had a really good reason to stay home!

I sighed. Cass was a good friend now. So was Kelly. I couldn’t remember the last time I had tight friends like that. High school, or even grammar school most likely. It had happened practically overnight. Both she and Kelly were absolutely thrilled that Mason and I were well and truly together now.

“Besides, we are just getting some air. We’ll be back before he even knows you are gone. A walk in the park never hurt anyone.” Kelly grinned at me and winked at Paton in the rear view mirror. “Unless a tree branch falls on you or something.”

I laughed at Kelly’s pragmatism. It was nice to be out. I closed my eyes and let the breeze wash over me. The car rolled to a stop as she parked on the street near the park entrance.

We were strolling along twenty minutes later when my phone started to vibrate. And vibrate. And vibrate.

I pulled it out, staring at the message. The repeated message. I felt all the blood leave my face and settle in my belly where it started doing cartwheels.

Get your sweet ass back here. NOW.

“Crap. We have to go.”

“Mason?”

“He knows we left. He seems mad.” I stared at Kelly. “Really mad.”

Kelly’s eyes got big. She looked worried. I knew how she felt.

“Uh oh. Okay kiddo, let’s take that ice cream to go.”

Kelly might have said it wasn’t a big deal. But she put the pedal to the metal. I think she was almost as nervous as I was.

Paton wasn’t even a little bit worried. She just ate her ice cream cone and smiled.

“He might yell but that’s it. He’s not going to do anything.”

I nodded but I wasn’t even a tiny bit reassured.

He was standing out front when we pulled in. I got out of the car and he took my wrist in his strong hand, leaning into the car.

“Kelly, can you take Paton for a few hours. Or overnight?”

She nodded slowly, casting me a worried look.

“Sure. How about a sleepover, Pate?”

She nodded and Mason smiled grimly.

“Even better.”

He didn’t let go of me as I walked down the driveway by his side. He didn’t drag me inside kicking and screaming, but I knew he wouldn’t release me either. He locked the door and turned around, finally loosening his grip.

I rubbed my wrist. He hadn’t hurt me. But I was still pretty scared.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m not going to beat you.”

He stepped closer, running his hands over my shoulders.

“Ever.”

“Okay.”

“I am tempted to put you over my knee.”

I exhaled nervously.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s a good start.”

“I didn’t mean to worry you. We’ve been going stir crazy. And Kelly didn’t think it was such a big deal…”

He was nodded but there were thunderclouds in his eyes. He was still mad. Crap.

“Did it ever occur to you that there was a very good reason for asking you to lay low for a bit?”

Oh crap.

“Um, yes. I mean, I think so?”

I was babbling like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Shut up, Michelle. Just be quiet.

“No, you didn’t. If you trusted me, you wouldn’t have ignored my request. And now we are going to reinforce how foolish that was.”

“We are?”

He nodded with a slow smile. It wasn’t a nice smile.

“We are.”

“Oh, okay.”

“That’s good, Michelle. Take your medicine like a good girl.”

That’s when I really started to worry about what he had planned.

He scooped me up and carried me down the hallway to the bedroom.