Chapter Three
“Thanks, Dave. I really appreciate your help on this.” Brandon sipped his coffee. “Callie is beside herself with worry. Bailey’s a scumbag.”
Detective Andrews ran his hand along the side of his face. “There may be more to this than just sexual harassment. From what we dug up, he’s prostituting some of the girls. One of our female officers is at the bar tonight filling out an application. She’s wired. If he hits on her and says something incriminating, we’ll know it.” He flipped through a few papers scattered on the table. “The girls Bailey hires are single with no family to speak of. From what I gather, his wife was the one who had hired Callie and Colleen. The only reason he hasn’t hit on either one of them is because Colleen’s boyfriend comes into the bar quite frequently and throws his weight around. Callie’s brother-in-law also pops in once in a while.” He shuffled the papers again. “Besides that, Colleen and Callie are in their early thirties. Bailey wants younger meat for the market plus he knows the younger girls frighten more easily.”
Both men rose to their feet. “I’ll let you know what goes down. Just keep your lady away from there.”
Brandon expelled a sigh of relief as he got into his car. Callie could finally stop worrying about her friends and concentrate on their wedding plans. Hopefully she’d curb her impulsive tendencies. Practicing some patience wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. If she needed to be spanked as a reminder now and then, Brandon was just the man to do that. As for Bailey, he hoped the bastard slipped up tonight and was thrown in jail.
Instead of going home, Brandon drove to Callie’s apartment. He wanted to tell her the good news and make slow, passionate love to her. He entered her apartment and tiptoed to her bedroom. What he saw made his blood run cold.
****
Sitting in the chair at the police station, Callie stared at the floor through blurry eyes. She should’ve stayed at home where she belonged. Instead, she walked right into the Tavern while it was being raided. At least she had the satisfaction of seeing Bailey hauled away in handcuffs. Somehow, she didn’t think that’d be much of a soothing balm for her backside. When Brandon heard about this, he’d tan her good. She had no one to blame but herself.
Callie jumped to her feet at the sound of voices drawing near. She gulped. There was no mistaking the deep timber of Brandon’s drawl. The door swung open and she turned toward the man who would soon be her husband.
Detective Andrews smiled apologetically as he stepped into the room and sat down behind his desk. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Shaw. You’re free to go. Please try and stay out of trouble.”
“I’ll see that she does, Dave.” Brandon placed his hand at the small of her back and steered her out of the building toward his car.
He was too quiet. Callie found herself wishing he’d yell at her. At least then she’d have an inkling as to how angry he was. Too soon they were back at her apartment and she noticed her car was parked at the curbside. Detective Andrews had taken the keys from her and given them to one of the officers milling about after Bailey had been arrested.
Once inside her apartment, Callie stood in the middle of the living room and waited for the inevitable.
Brandon released his belt with a snap, settled himself on the couch and crooked his finger. “Come here.” Callie walked slowly to him, keeping her eyes fixed on the carpet. She didn’t want to look at that long piece of leather. She’d be feeling the sting of it soon enough…again. “Pull down your pants and lay across my lap.”
Callie undid the button on her jeans and pushed the material past her hips. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ll be a hell of a lot sorrier after I’m finished with you.” Callie assumed the position. Brandon plowed his fingers under her panties and tugged at the bit of lace until her ass was bare to his gaze. A dozen lashes landed on her buttocks in swift succession.
“Oooowwww,” Callie cried. “Stop, oh stop. I’ll behave.”
Brandon continued to stripe her ass, but Callie knew he held back. She still bore the marks of her earlier tanning. “I think as long as there’s a breath in your body you’ll find some way to piss me off.” A half a dozen more lashes coated her ass before she was turned right side up. Brandon wiped the tears from her eyes and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Are we going to remember this lesson?”
Callie didn’t hesitate in her reply. “Yes, Sir.”
“Will I have to repeat it?”
She curled into his lap and sighed. “Probably.”
A chuckle escaped his lips and he hugged her close. “Callie Angel Shaw, what am I to do with you?” The woman on his lap snuggled closer and buried her nose in his chest.
“Just keep on loving me.”
He stood up with her in his arms and set her gently on her feet. “That I can do, but first you need to get acquainted with that corner.”
The End