Sydney stood rooted by the sofa, her body humming with unfulfilled arousal as she watched Caden saunter out. Squeezing her thighs together, she tried to still the heated pulses between her legs that mimicked the lingering, warm throbbing encompassing her butt. Nothing could have prepared her for the surprising pleasure/pain of her first, bare-butt spanking, or the longing she’d felt for him to increase after his erotic abuse. There’d been a certain intimacy to lying over his lap with only her bottom exposed. The rough abrasion of his hard, denim covered thighs against her soft abdomen added to the exciting strength of his control; the roughness of his leathery palm connecting with stinging force against her cheeks demonstrated who had the upper hand and who was the boss, and she liked it.

Shaking her head at her own foolish mistake that had inadvertently given her what she’d been pining for, Caden’s hands on her, she wondered where they would go from here. Somehow, she doubted this meant he’d have a change of heart and would allow her into his club, but hope springs eternal, and all that. She’d just have to keep working on him until he caved, or fired her, whichever came first. Heading to the kitchen to start dinner, she shied away from delving into the reason behind the way her heart contracted from that last thought.

The next morning, Sydney rolled over in bed, the slight pressure on her tender backside tickling her with a frisson of pleasure. Shaking her head at the unaccustomed responses still making themselves known, she padded into the bathroom, cooled her heated cheeks with a splash of cold water and winced as she pulled her jeans up over her butt. “It’s going to be a long day,” she muttered, brushing out her hair before strolling into the kitchen to whip up breakfast.

She had just poured the eggs into a frying pan when Caden beat any of the others inside. “Almost ready,” she tossed over her shoulder, wishing her pulse rate wouldn’t kick up every time he looked at her with that intense, probing stare. “What?” Wariness colored her voice.

“I wanted to check on you before anyone else came in.” Striding across the tiled floor to stand in front of her at the stove, he lifted her chin with two fingers. “Are you okay this morning?”

“Are you inquiring about my fall from the horse or your punishment for that infraction?” she asked dryly.

“Both and be honest.”

The nearness of his tall, imposing body unnerved her, in a wholly good way. She turned back to the eggs, stirring them as she assured him, “I’m fine, boss. Thank you for asking.”

“Good,” he replied.

She felt his pause and then heard him sigh before he moved away as the door opened, and several others tromped inside. With a mental headshake, Sydney finished putting breakfast on the table, wishing she could figure out what made her rancher tick.

That evening, she stood at the kitchen sink again, rinsing dishes and fighting back frustration and a sweep of overwhelming despair. Caden had spent the entire day either keeping his distance or treating her with aloof politeness, the same as any boss would behave toward an employee, damn it. Every step she’d taken today, every time she’d sat down, the lingering soreness from his spanking had made itself known and her sheath still wept in response. Her agitated, needy state didn’t faze him however, since, after the hands left the house following dinner, he wouldn’t even discuss allowing her to visit the club tonight. Instead, she watched him walk out with Connor without a word after getting called to the barn on an emergency birth.

“Stubborn, frigging moron,” she muttered, snapping off the faucet.

“More like a fucking ass,” Connor injected from behind her, surprising her with his return. “You know, Sydney, I’m equal partners in the club.”

Whirling, she gaped at him before a slow smile stretched her cheeks. “You are?”

He nodded, returning her grin. “I am, and I say you’re welcome to attend as a guest tonight. I’ll let the other Doms know you’re there to observe first, and that you’re a newbie. You can take it as far as you’d like. But I suggest we leave before big brother gets wind of it. It won’t take him long to tend to that birthing.”

Tossing the towel on the counter, she threw her arms around Connor and hugged him tight. “I can be ready in a few minutes. Don’t leave without me.”

“Since I don’t want to spend a good portion of the night looking for you, I’ll give you five minutes. After that, offer’s off the table.”

She heard him chuckle as she dashed into her room. Changing into a skirt and low-cut, long-sleeved tee, she met him at his idling truck with time to spare. “Made it!” she exclaimed, tossing her hair back and slamming the door with a quick glance toward the barn.

“So, you did. Caden’s still tied up out there, but let’s hope he doesn’t take a strip off both our hides when he shows up at the club.”

The Barn, as they’d named the club, proved to be even more pulse-pounding exciting inside than it had been watching from the window. Sydney figured there were around thirty people gathered on the first floor when she and Connor entered, with several others already up in the loft, enjoying the BDSM equipment she’d only gotten a glimpse of last week. Connor handed her a one-night punch card for her two-drink limit then led her over to the bar and introduced her to the drop-dead gorgeous man eyeing her with piercing grey-green eyes filled with speculative interest, a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth.

“Grayson, this is our new cook and my guest tonight, Sydney Baker. Sweetie, Grayson is Willow Springs’ sheriff and the third owner of the club.”

“Nice to meet you, Sheriff.” Sydney held out her hand, surprised at the warm tingle his grip elicited. She put her reaction down to a normal response, given her long celibacy followed by her frustrating, unrequited lust for her boss this past week.

“The pleasure’s mine, Sydney. Have you taken a tour yet?”

“No, but I think I’ll stick to this level for now.” She glanced toward the dance floor, noting a few, bouncing bare breasts before scanning the rest of the spacious room. Her face warmed as she caught sight of a woman slipping to her knees, her hands and mouth reaching for the jutting cock of the man standing before her. “Then again,” she stated with a rueful grin, “down here may not be any tamer than the loft for a newbie like me.”

The midnight-haired sheriff winked and drawled, “Trust me, sugar, upstairs, any Dom here can take you much further.” He stood to his impressive height of six-four and clasped her hand. “Connor, if you don’t mind, I’d like to dance with your guest.”

“Feel free.” He looked from Grayson to her. “Sydney, the only thing you need to remember tonight is that red is the club’s safeword. Say it, and whatever is happening will stop immediately, including something innocent like dancing.”

From the little she’d seen, even dancing wasn’t so innocent, but Sydney nodded, too thrilled with the sheriff’s attention after a week of pining for a man who wanted nothing to do with her outside her job to wonder if she was in over her head. “Got it, thanks.”

Caden entered the club in a pissy mood. As if the memory of a world-class ass with soft, malleable buttocks that reddened to a beautiful hue under his hand wasn’t enough of a burden the past twenty-four hours, he’d also developed another bout of guilt to contend with. The thought of leaving Sydney alone for another long night kept biting at his ass during the difficult breech delivery of a calf. When he’d returned to the house intending to offer to stay home with her and found her gone, his first thought was she’d gotten herself lost again. A quick call to Connor had set his mind at ease over that possibility but hearing his brother mention her whereabouts took his mood from tepid to boiling in the blink of an eye, effectively erasing the guilt.

He spotted her bright, waist-length hair across the room, her slim body swaying too damn close to her partner, keeping perfect time with the upbeat country western song. Stomping over to the bar, he ignored the questioning looks from friends and glared at Connor across the bar top. “Explain.”

Grayson, whom he hadn’t noticed sitting on the stool next to him, slapped him on the back none too gently. “Lighten up. We’re keeping an eye on her. She’s having fun and is a damn good dancer for a city girl.”

Connor shrugged, just as unperturbed over Caden’s anger as Grayson. “I have every right to invite a guest and don’t need your permission.”

“Fuck.” Running a hand through his hair, he looked over at Sydney again and had to admit they were right. His gut tightened when she laughed up at Dan, a long-time friend and member, her green eyes alight with pleasure. The tight band of her skirt hugged her slim hips before flaring out around her thighs, her twirls revealing creamy, soft flesh he itched to touch again. Small breasts swayed braless under the cotton tee, and his eyes weren’t the only ones enjoying the rigid outline of pert nipples.

“How long are you going to sit there stewing?” Connor asked him.

Ceding to the inevitable, Caden dragged his eyes from Sydney to his conniving brother. “Your turn is coming. Don’t forget that. You too,” he included his best friend, Grayson, before turning his back on their smirks.

Nudging his way onto the dance floor, he tapped Dan’s shoulder. “My turn with our guest,” he stated without giving the other man a choice. Thankfully, Dan was a good sport and nodded with a small grin curling the corners of his mouth.

“No problem, Caden. Thanks, Syd.” Dan bent and kissed her on the mouth before sauntering toward the bar.

Moving in, Caden drew Sydney next to him, enjoying the way the quick flare of ire in her eyes changed to a gleam of excitement as he pressed her close. “Someone should’ve warned you of the consequences of playing with fire, darlin’.”

“Oh, they did, but I found getting singed could sometimes be worth it, for the right reason,” she returned with a smug look.

The brush of those pert nipples against his chest turned out to be a good example of getting singed, Caden thought. He could swear the turgid tips left imprints on his chest when she shifted away.

“Yes, but that doesn’t negate the higher risk of getting a third-degree burn.” That saucy smile prompted him to make a snap decision and try to thwart her persistent come-ons with a harsher taste of what she thought she wanted from him. The spanking yesterday seemed to have done nothing but spur her on. Knowing his luck, this may not work either, but he’d be damned if he’d stand by all night and watch her flirt with others. He would save questioning the prick of jealousy that poked him when he saw her with Dan for later.

Grabbing her hands, Caden drew them behind her, cuffed her wrists together in one of his hands and hauled her tighter against his gyrating pelvis. He ground his thick erection against her mound, watched her eyes widen and eyed the rapid beat of her pulse in her neck with relish. His little cook wasn’t as sure of herself as she let on.

Bending down, he ghosted his lips over hers, whispering, “You want to play with me, Sydney?”

Sydney shivered from the unexpected light brush of Caden’s mouth, the warning in his tone bumping up the heat pulsing in her sheath. She liked the tight clasp of his hand around her wrists, the way the restraint bound her to him, stripped her of choice and gave him complete control. “Yes, I mean… all I know is I can’t stop thinking about…” Wanting you. “Hell, Caden, I don’t know, but I want to give it a try.”

The resigned look crossing his sun-bronzed face was not flattering, but she’d take what she could get as he ground out, “Then come upstairs, and we’ll see if you can take what I like to dish out, and we’ll both know, one way or another.”

He brought her hands in front and kept a tight hold of both as he tugged her along behind him toward the stairs and then up. The sense of urgency he displayed would thrill her if she didn’t think his sole intention was to drive her away rather than introduce her to the pleasures he indulged in. She was getting good at shoving aside the pangs of hurt he caused her.

The dim lighting in the loft cast eerie shadows around the space, but Sydney could still get a clear picture of various apparatus scattered around and barely make out the row of spanking implements hanging on the far wall, some of which drew a frisson of unease down her spine. The faint strands of music were over-ridden by the sounds of leather-slapping flesh and high-pitched cries from either pain or pleasure, or both. Caden didn’t give her time to gawk at the scenes taking place as he led her over to what looked like a gymnastics vault until she got close enough to see the thick dildo attached in the middle.

Stumbling to a halt, she tugged on her hands. “Uh, what…”

Turning, he drilled her in place with his vivid gaze. “You’ve been pestering me for a riding lesson, haven’t you?” he reminded her with a slow lift of one brow before commanding without pause, “Strip.”

She struggled to swallow past the sudden lump constricting her throat as she glanced around to see if anyone watched. “On this?” She waved to the vault. “Just like that, huh?”

He nodded and crossed his arms. It was the ‘I told you so’ confident smirk on his face that galvanized her into action. Moving fast, she shimmied out of the skirt, whipped her top over her head and toed off her shoes. Standing in just a pair of bikini panties, Sydney swore she could feel the heat of his blue gaze seeping through her skin. Her nipples puckered under his intense regard and her pussy warmed and swelled, reactions she was starting to get used to. God help her, but she wanted him any way she could get him.

Waving his fingers, he cocked his head, asking, “Do you need help with those?”

“No.” Sydney slid the last barrier to complete nudity off and then gasped when he clasped her waist and lifted her astride the wide, padded vault.

“It’s called a Sybian.” After placing her feet in stirrups on the sides, Caden wrapped her hands around the pommel set a few inches in front of the long, wide dildo that was giving her heart palpitations. “I’ll leave your hands free since you’re new at this.” The light brush of his callused fingers up her slit drew a full-body shudder as he nodded and then grasped her hips and lifted her, leaving her little choice but to lower onto the phallus or say the safeword.

A low groan spilled past Sydney’s compressed lips as the sheathed, lubed toy speared her vagina, stretching the under-used muscles until she sat with it fully embedded. She tossed him a look of triumph he cut short with the flick of a side switch and a sardonic curl of his mouth.

“Oh!” The slow roll of the Sybian accompanied small vibrations against the long-neglected, ultra-sensitive nerve endings deep inside her. Sydney was so intent on concentrating on rocking with the apparatus and dealing with the fast spiral of arousal curling up through her pussy, she didn’t notice Caden retrieving a slim rod from underneath, or the square, silicone slapper attached on the end until he snapped it against one buttock. The immediate sting snagged her attention and her eyes flew to his.

“Either ride or say the safeword. Those are your two choices. Anything else will earn you a punishment I guarantee you won’t enjoy.” He flicked his wrist and struck her other cheek, the sudden burn fueling her lust and whipping her into a frenzy of need that outweighed the urge to kick out at his smug look.

Pressing down with her feet, she rose with the forward sway of the machine and lowered when it righted itself. Closing her eyes, she pictured herself astride Caden’s wide body, pretended it was his cock she gyrated on with increasing vigor, his hair-roughened thighs against her softer ones as she gripped his sides tight. A few more strikes peppered her buttocks, the painful heat spurring her on until he switched and shocked her by blistering her right nipple with a snap of the rubber square.

“Ow!” Reaching up with one hand, she cast him a reproving look while rubbing the abused tip. Too bad her indignation fell flat when the throbbing, painful burn executed a straight beeline south to take up residence between her legs, the added pleasure spurred on by her hand caressing her nipple.

“Do you have anything else to say or are you ready to continue?” he drawled, one corner of his mouth kicking up in a taunting smirk.

Sydney returned her hand to grip the pommel and gave in to his mastery and the need rippling around the ridged toy filling her. “Do your worst, boss. I can take it.” At least, she prayed she could.

Shaking his head, he delivered a strike onto her left nipple, but this time she was prepared for the bite, and for the heated streak of pleasure. She closed her eyes again, this time against the cobalt blue of his knowing gaze and rode the dildo for all its worth. If he wanted a show, she’d give him one, and get a little payback along with her pleasure in return.

She shivered as the thick phallus abraded her slick, swollen tissues and her inner muscles clamped around the toy. Pushing down with her feet again, she dragged her pussy up the pulsating, silicone cock, moaning as she contracted around it with the slow glide over her clit. Arching her head back, she lowered once more, feeling the stretch and burn, glorying in the fiery pleasure. The clit rasping up and downs were accompanied by snaps of the spanker back and forth between her breasts and buttocks, leaving behind the most delicious zing of pain/pleasure.

Unable to hold back any longer, Sydney gasped, arching her sweat-slick body and grinding down on the fake cock with all the finesse of a panting bitch in heat. Her body bucked under the onslaught of pleasure coiling up through her core with the vibrator’s increased pulsations. Muscles spasmed, her juices seeping around the intruding phallus to pool on the seat as her sheath convulsed with rhythmic pulses. Her cry reverberated around the room, but she kept her eyes closed, basking in the release that soaked her mind as well as her body, through it all, conscious of Caden’s eyes on her.

Caden’s mouth went dry watching Sydney splinter apart, her soft, glistening body undulating on the Sybian a sight to behold, guaranteed to drive a man to his knees with lust. Tight nipples thrust up, begging for a touch, the areola puckered around them, giving away her heightened state of excitement the cream coating her slippery folds confirmed. Her labia wrapped around the dildo like a loving glove, and he couldn’t look away as her body clutched at the toy with tight grips meant to contain both the vibrator and the pleasure. Her abdominals quivered as she strained for release and he succumbed to the urge to touch, lightly tapping on her mons pubis with the slapper while strumming one turgid nipple with his finger.

By the time he shut off the vibrator and the machine and watched her come down from the high by slow degrees of awareness, he wasn’t sure who won this round. All he knew for certain was it wasn’t him, not when his cock remained a steel rod of discomfort in his pants and he refused to bury himself between her slick folds and allow her fiery heat to take him up in flames. Even if her responses to his control were every Dom’s fucking dream.

Setting aside his own need to see to Sydney’s well-being after such an intense experience, Caden lifted her perspiration-slick, quivering body into his arms and carried her over to a chair nestled in a corner. Without talking, he cuddled her on his lap, stroking her damp hair back, running his hands over her soft skin as he gave her time to work through what she was feeling. For him, he would need more than these few moments of aftercare.

His brother had a lot to answer for, but could he honestly blame Connor for the riot of emotions Caden couldn’t get under control? Only two things had become clear as a bell tonight; he couldn’t continue to straddle the line between employer/employee and Dom/sub. And he couldn’t let her go.

Sydney snatched her purse off the hook by the front door and skipped out into the crisp afternoon. Bounding down the steps, the dogs came loping toward her. She smiled at their eager welcome and stooped to feed them the leftover bacon and sausage from breakfast. Too bad she didn’t see or hear Caden come up behind her until his deep voice revealed his frustration with her continued spoiling of the collies.

“Sydney.”

Spinning on her heels, she shielded her eyes and looked up at him, catching the glimmer of amusement in his eyes despite being shaded by the low brim of his hat. “You’re not mad,” she accused, pushing to her feet. “It’s just a few meat scraps. See, they’re back to work already.”

They both watched the dogs answer a call from a hand on horseback before Caden noticed her purse. “Where are you off to?”

“Willow Springs, and get that look off your face,” she chided. “I know my way there and back. I didn’t find whole fryers in either the mess hall’s freezer or yours and the guys have been asking for chicken and dumplings.”

He nodded toward the chicken coop attached to the horse barn. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll save you a trip. How many do you need?”

Sydney stiffened with a wave of incredulity at his suggestion. Indignant, she fisted her hands on her hips and sputtered, “We are so not eating Clara or Betty or Tandy…” He closed his eyes and his lips moved but nothing came out. Cocking her head, she asked blandly, “Are you counting?”

“It’s either that or wring your neck. You’ve named the damn hens? Please tell me you haven’t been making nice with the chickens like you have the dogs.” He tipped his hat back and his eyes held the same disbelieving surprise she’d felt riding the Sybian at his command, only now there was also a hint of humor tugging at his mouth.

“Well, I couldn’t very well keep calling them ‘hey you’, now could I? And all I’ve been doing is tossing them some of the rotting vegetables from the garden. Besides, my meat comes already dead, plucked and ready to cook. Later, boss.” With a small finger wave, she strolled to her car, feeling the heat of his gaze through her jacket.

Last Saturday, Caden, Connor and the weekend hands had been called away from the ranch on an emergency involving a lost herd and hadn’t returned until sometime after midnight. Part of Sydney had been relieved at the call of duty that kept Caden from going to the club that night, but his attitude toward her hadn’t thawed a whole lot since he’d seen her naked and his orders had driven her to a height of ecstasy she’d never achieved with anyone else. A few times in the past five days, she’d caught him looking at her with an expression that brought on a heated rush through her veins that compelled her girly parts to sit up and beg for attention. Just from him. But he’d covered it quickly and treated her with the same friendly indifference as he did all his employees, damn it.

Still, those few looks were enough to inspire a thread of hope he would come around in two days and ask her back to the club himself. If not, she wouldn’t be above cajoling another invite from Connor. She’d enjoyed dancing last weekend, flirting with the men who all bore the same dominant air about them that tickled her in more ways than one. Just socializing had helped dispel the loneliness she’d lived with the past few weeks. The weekly calls she’d been making to her grandmother were both difficult and heartwarming. She loved hearing Nana’s voice and catching up on what her cousins, aunts and uncles were doing. But they always ended with nostalgia pulling her down, and an ache for her world to be put to rights.

Driving down the highway toward the small town of Willow Springs, she pulled up the few memories she could still recall about her mother. Sydney had only been eight-years-old when Nana’s only daughter died from an undiagnosed aneurysm, leaving her grandparents and her devastated. She’d never known her father, and no one spoke of him. That had been fine with her; she had everything she wanted with her mom, and afterward her grandmother and two oldest uncles did everything in their power to keep her happy and well-grounded. Only Uncle Mike, the youngest and most spoiled of Nana’s four children, never bothered with her, always too busy with his self-centered life to mess with a young, clinging niece who lived in fear of losing someone else.

“Be careful what you wish for,” she mumbled, pulling into a parking space in front of the only grocery in town. When Uncle Mike finally got around to paying attention to her, she’d found out it had only been for his own, selfish purposes. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep the truth from the rest of the family as they kept threatening to track her down and drag her home. But until she figured out a way to prevent hurting her grandmother with the news of Mike’s attack on her, she would continue to struggle with balancing her growing fondness for her temporary new life with the longing for home and loved ones.

Winding her way through the aisles of the small, family-owned grocery, Sydney filled the cart with items lacking in both kitchens at the ranch, smiling inside as she imagined Caden’s face when she showed him the receipt for the amount she would put on his account. Then again, he didn’t appear to be struggling financially, so maybe it wouldn’t faze him. She was trying to think of another way to get under her rancher’s skin when a man stepped in front of her, his sudden appearance bringing her to an abrupt halt with a hand braced on her cart. His hold prevented her from moving and the cold look in his dark eyes sent a ripple of unease slithering under her skin.

“Excuse me,” she said in a polite tone, wondering what his problem was.

“I have a message for you, Ms. Greenbriar. Go home, or else.”

The wave of apprehension turned into cold dread as she stared at the stranger who not only knew her real name, but just threatened her. “Who… who are you?” she whispered past the tightness of her throat.

“An associate of your uncle’s. Unless you want to be responsible for what happens if you don’t heed my warning, I suggest you get on the road soon.” Tipping his hat in mock politeness, he walked away without a backward glance.

Sydney stood rooted in disbelief, her hands shaking, her abdomen cramped with fear. What did he mean by ‘what happens’? Her blood turned to ice in her veins as she stood there in indecision. He’d have trouble getting to her on the ranch; there were always men about, and rifles in all of their trucks. Surely that alone would be enough to keep her safe from the stranger’s cryptic remarks. God help her, she just realized how much she longed for more time at her temporary home. The thought of leaving Caden and the friends she’d made brought an unaccustomed ache to her chest. The stranger didn’t know it but delivering the threat from her uncle only reinforced her belief she couldn’t return home yet. Besides, if she left, where would she go?

With fear and despair clawing at her insides, she struggled to make her way to the checkout, stopping just once more to toss a six pack in the cart. So engrossed with her thoughts and the overwhelming decision she needed to make, she didn’t see the sheriff entering the grocery as she headed out.

Clutching the two heavy bags with her head down, Sydney ran into Grayson, recognizing his deep voice when he grabbed her arms to steady her. “Whoa there. Let me take one of those for you. Sydney, right?”

Startled, her eyes flew to his face, and she cringed at the sharp look he gave her followed by the slow removal of the toothpick in his mouth. “Are you okay?”

“I… yes, fine. I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She cast a frantic look down the street but didn’t see the man who turned her inside out with a few words. “Thanks, but I’m parked right there, so I can get these.”

“I’ll get your door.” His tone, so much like Caden’s, didn’t leave room for argument.

Sydney set the bags on the back seat then schooled her features into a bland expression before facing his assessing gaze again. “Thank you, Sheriff. It’s nice to see you again.”

He nodded, his gaze remaining keen despite the small smile softening his hard face. “I hope you’ll join us at The Barn again tomorrow night. Have a good day, Sydney.”

Oh God. The longing to return to the club with Caden shook her. Gripping the steering wheel with damp palms, she struggled with her decision all the way back to the ranch, weighing the need to stay a little longer, to cajole a few more exciting memories from her rancher before she went back to being alone with keeping him in the dark about her problems. Never in a million years could she have guessed Mike would stoop this low, not even after he’d drugged her and tried forcing her signature. She should have known the happiness starting to blossom wouldn’t last.

Sydney drove home in a state of turmoil and indecision. If Uncle Mike was desperate enough to send someone after her, would he go so far as to instruct his henchman to act on his threats? He had sworn he hadn’t planned on physically harming her in any way the night he showed up at her apartment and tried to force her signature, but that was weeks ago, and she didn’t have a clue how much his dire situation might have escalated since she’d been gone. God, she really hated being in the dark about her family, and especially her mother’s youngest sibling.

By the time she returned to the Dunbar ranch, fixed dinner and then hid in her room instead of joining the others at the table, she still hadn’t decided whether she should stay or flee. The plate she’d brought with her sat untouched on the small, bedside table, the tightness in her stomach too painful to try to eat. So far, she’d stayed clear of Caden and his all-too-knowing eyes, and she missed even that small contact. She didn’t know if she cared that much for him or just craved more of his dominant, sexual control before leaving, but whichever one it was, it hurt to think about it.

The house grew silent, and she knew Connor had left for his own home and the hands for the bunkhouse. Caden spent most evenings holed up in his office, and she assumed that’s where he’d gone off to. Unable to sit still or watch television, she left her too quiet room, grabbed the six-pack from the refrigerator and slipped out into the inky night. Walking around outside after dark would break another one of his rules, but Sydney didn’t care. At this point, she didn’t have all that much to lose.