Saving Sophia Page 3

  While Bella participated in what was obviously a routine, Sophia realized her own breath had stopped. The position on the porch steps gave her a clear view of Bella’s pale, smooth bottom. When Marcus adjusted her to what he clearly found a favorable angle, Sophia got a glimpse of her tiny private hole all the way to the lips that hid the soft secrets of her sex. Sophia wouldn’t even look at girls in a locker room, but all her brain could register was the target presented to Marcus’ huge hand.

  Without a word of warning, Marcus planted a solid smack on Bella’s quivering ass. Sophia jumped a mile, but fortunately the other two did not notice. He got three more in before he delivered a simultaneous lecture. “You’ll pay attention when I’m giving instructions. You aren’t going to be on your cell phone. You’ll ask questions when you’re confused, and you sure as hell won’t run off when you know damn well I’m trying to talk to you.”

  The target turned a gentle shade of pink under his very formidable hand. Bella didn’t break, but she did wiggle and Sophia saw a tiny tear escape from her tightly closed eyes. She lost track of the stinging smacks before Bella whimpered, “I’m sorry. I’ll listen better. I promise. I’ll pay for the flowers for the wedding too.”

  The erotic scene lasted forever as Bella’s bottom continued to redden and holding still became more difficult. Her feet finally danced to an unrecognized tune, and her back arched sharply in a failed attempt to move her bottom a little farther from his control. Eventually, the sad whimpers turned to pleading. “Please, it hurts. Ow… Marcus… please… I’m sorry…”

  When he finally finished his chastisement, Bella gave a huge sigh of relief. He handed her a tissue from his pocket and helped return the panties and jeans to their proper location with a gentle pat on her swollen, punished bottom. Sophia was even more amazed when he held out his giant arms, and Bella fell into them with huge sobs. He rubbed her back gently and whispered words only his victim could hear.

  The fact that he clearly comforted the ass he’d so very recently punished confused Sophia’s definition of a victim, but it also left her with an unusual sense of jealousy. She was witnessing a very powerful relationship and for the first time, she turned away from the couple.

  The realization that this wasn’t even Bella’s husband was not lost on Sophia, and she wondered what in the hell she had gotten herself into.

  Chapter Three

  Marcus walked toward her with tiny Bella still balanced solidly on his hip. Holding out his right hand, he smiled. “Hi, you must be Sophia. I’m the resort manager, Marcus Greene. I sure as hell hope you know more about plants than she does.”

  Sophia shook his huge hand gingerly, but his warm touch caused an inexplicable quiver across her bottom as she visualized its former connection with Bella’s ass.

  He added with a nod, “Come on in, and I’ll get you settled.”

  Shifting Bella’s weight to his other arm, he picked up the heavier of Sophia’s suitcases with a quick motion for her to follow. He probably balanced a hundred forty pounds, but Marcus didn’t even break a sweat. Bella snuggled further into his neck while she sniffled the rest of her tears, and Sophia had no choice but to drop slowly in line behind them.

  The inside of the ranch house was as beautiful as the manicured grounds. The formal entrance hall held century-old rustic oak details and opened into both a massive library and dining room. A longer hallway filled with light led to a more modern living area with soaring ceilings. Gleaming, large-scale antique furniture filled the spaces with a rich elegance, but her attention was drawn to a beautiful sun room decorated with stunning, colorful orchids.

  Marcus and Bella were halfway up the curved staircase when she reluctantly moved to catch up. He said quietly, “The main part of the house was built by Jack and Linc’s great-something grandfather in the mid-1800s, but it’s been added onto over the years so it doesn’t have that boxy, colonial floor plan. The formal rooms on the first floor are the foundation of the resort. The second floor bedrooms are rented, too. Linc and I have the third floor, and you can take an extra room up there. The family sections all connect behind the locked doors, too. We like our privacy, but you can get around easily with the code.”

  At the third floor, Marcus showed her to a comfortable room with a large oak bed and big windows that overlooked the gardens. A thick blue and white carpet covered the wood floor, but the space lacked any personal touches, making it clear the large room was a spare. Given her past, it was hard to visualize so much extra space.

  He set Bella down. “Okay, little wolf. Get Sophia settled and be downstairs for dinner in ten minutes.”

  Bella nodded politely but as soon as Marcus walked out, she said, “Fuck, that hurt.” Her hand rubbed against her ass with vigorous intent. “They hate it when I try to rub the fire out. They think the sting needs to stay with me for a few hours to make their point.”

  With her punishment behind her, Bella became talkative. “Linc has his own bathroom, but you’ll have to share the hallway bath with Marcus. The staircase at the other end of the hall leads down to the second floor of the kitchen wing. There’s a family sitting room and the private study along with Jack’s and my bedroom. Do you want to change before we eat?”

  Sophia blushed as she glanced at her worn luggage. “Um… should I? I don’t have much in the way of nice clothes.”

  Bella shrugged. “I didn’t mean there’s anything wrong with what you’re wearing. You should be comfortable in the family quarters. I don’t even wear shoes half the time. You’ll just need the khakis and a white sports shirt when you’re interacting with the guests. It’s kind of the uniform.”

  Sophia didn’t have the shirt, but that wasn’t why Bella’s words scared her. “I… I didn’t know I was going to be working with guests? I thought the job was for the gardens.”

  “Don’t worry,” she replied with a dismissive wave. “Most weekends we’re just an exclusive, adults only retreat for people who want to get away. Depending on the season, they ride horses or snowmobiles, hang out by the pool or the hot tub, and sit in front of the fire reading a book. The actual BDSM scene happens less than once a month.”

  Raw nerves attacked what was left of her serenity as she followed Bella down the stairs. Grateful for the protection behind her baggy clothes, she still wished she had the guts to pull the hoodie over her head. When they’d descended two flights of steps, Bella reached for a doorknob, and the muffled sounds of male voices were clearly on the other side.

  She froze. “I’m really not very hungry. Maybe I’ll just go lie down.”

  “I know you’re nervous,” whispered Bella, “but if you don’t eat dinner, one of them will show up with a tray of food. Trust me. They take nutrition very seriously around here. A missed meal will result in a jury of your peers, and these are not guys you want to piss off.”

  With a surprisingly gentle move, Bella took her hand. “Really, trust me. You aren’t in any trouble, but this isn’t over. Jack’s still going to be angry about the phone. Just remember, he’s mad at me, and you can’t freak out. They’ll all expect that you’ve witnessed something like this a thousand times. Okay? Can you do this? If the guys ever find out we lied to them, they’ll murder Tami and me both.”

  Determined not to let her two saviors down, Sophia nodded slowly and followed Bella into the most amazing kitchen she’d ever seen. Many years of under-the-table, minimum-wage restaurant jobs helped her identify the expensive industrial equipment, but the large modern space also appeared to serve as the center of a comfortable home.

  Marcus stood behind a gleaming granite counter putting asparagus in a bright yellow bowl while two other men casually set the wooden table that dominated the expansive space. A cozy sitting area with a big television and fireplace was surrounded by comfortable furniture that housed half-read magazines and a few well-loved books. It was the perfect combination of clean efficiency and lived-in comfort.

  Her scrutiny came to an end when the two strangers stopped th
eir domestic chores and turned frightening glares toward Sophia. They didn’t possess the same height as Marcus, but there was nothing diminutive about them. Not caring who noticed, she let go of Bella’s hand and took a few steps backward before it registered that the message was not meant for her. She willed herself to appear relaxed, but it took everything in her power to make that happen.

  Their similar appearances spoke of a close relation, and Sophia calmed enough to identify them as the Sullivan brothers. Without a word, the darker haired one snapped his fingers and pointed to his side. Even though she knew he meant Bella, Sophia had to fight the impulse to obey. Bella sighed heavily, but did as she was told.

  The second man spoke with an authoritarian tone. “I’m Linc Sullivan, and this is my brother, Jack. It’s nice to meet you, Sophia.” Her gaze struggled to leave the patterned tile floor as each man shook her hand solemnly. The force of their personalities connected to her already rattled core.

  Marcus moved to the big table with two platters of food. His gentle grin almost contrasted his demand. “Come sit next to me. Don’t worry about Bella. Jack will take care of her.”

  Sophia had to will her feet to walk toward the table while Bella cringed openly. The men passed the food and talked among themselves, but Bella sat next to Jack without speaking. When Jack fed her from his plate, the tiny thing took each bite carefully. Even the asparagus was gagged down, but she failed to hide her dislike over the green vegetable. Nobody looked the slightest bit embarrassed to see a woman fed from a man’s hand, but it took a sideways glance from Bella before Sophia remembered that she should display a similar lack of reaction.

  In a vain attempt to find an alternate focus, she turned her attention to the rest of the family. Marcus’ exotic looks offered a strangely familiar comfort, but the muscled, handsome Sullivan brothers provided an additional challenge to her concentration. Jack was dark and powerful, and his jeans and t-shirt were worn from hard work while Linc looked like he could have been his slightly blonder twin in pressed dress pants. His button-down shirt sleeves were casually rolled up just enough to give her a glimpse of rock-hard biceps.

  Their combined dominance continued to take some of the air out of the room, and she remained quietly outside their conversation. “So tell us about yourself, Sophia,” said Linc unexpectedly. “Where are you from?”

  She froze, but managed to mumble, “I grew up in Gillette.”

  The men waited for her to expand, but nothing came as she buried her gaze into her stoneware dinner plate. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw them exchange silent looks but she prayed nobody would pursue the questioning.

  Jack spoke to Bella with a tone that mirrored his icy glare. “You’re done eating, Isabella. Meet me in the dungeon in fifteen minutes. You know what I expect.”

  “Yes, sir,” she mumbled, and left the room while nobody gave the exchange a second glance. Sophia wasn’t entirely sure what she’d expected when Bella faced her husband’s displeasure, but the whole scene was so incredibly sexy, she half wanted to follow just to see what happened.

  Marcus broke into her thoughts. “It’s my night for dishes, but then I’m going to watch a movie. Join me.”

  There was no question in his voice so a response was clearly unnecessary. She wanted to ask what happened to a naughty submissive in a dungeon, but the words were impossible and countering his demand was just as unlikely, so she went for a simple conversation change. “Uh, sure. Maybe. Um… But I’ll do the dishes.”

  “It’s your first day. I’ve got this.” He dismissed her with a wave and turned his attention to clearing the table.

  “Oh, come on,” she tried to joke. “Chores are one thing you learn to do in a foster home.”

  The silence was deafening as the three men turned their questioning glares in her direction. She quietly cursed her stupidity and slid a little further into her oversized sweatshirt.

  Marcus spoke softly. “I’ll tell you what. Sit and keep me company tonight, and then we’ll get you on the dish schedule like the rest of us.”

  His statement still required no response, but when his gentle gaze settled on her, she nodded. Out of the three of them, he was the least scary even if she had seen him spank some girl’s ass to a shiny red an hour earlier.

  “That’s settled,” Jack said. “Good night, everybody. I have to take care of Bella.”

  She gave one last shiver before Linc excused himself as well. “Sophia, come to the private study tomorrow. I have some employment paperwork for you to fill out.” Two down and she was left with a very handsome man.

  Her new companion was clearly an expert in the kitchen, and the dishes only took a few minutes under his quiet control. The counters and tables were wiped off and the expensive pots hand-washed and rehung on shiny racks. His casual chatter kept her focused on plants and gardening, and fifteen minutes went by before she realized he was performing some sort of a job interview.

  When he finished, Sophia chose the tiniest corner of the couch in an attempt to take the smallest amount of space possible, but Marcus sat next to her and moved her feet to his lap. “So, tell me about yourself.”

  Faced with her silence, he smiled gently. “I’ll start with me. I’m thirty-four years old, which puts my age exactly between Linc and Jack. I moved to Cloudcroft shortly after my dad died when I was a kid. Their dad was an old friend and a widower, and their grandmother had just suffered her first stroke, so my mom took the job as housekeeper. She lived here for almost five years before she got married again and moved to Marion, but this was home, so I stayed. Now, it’s your turn.”

  Not even social workers had ever asked about her personal life with such interest, and the unfamiliar attention did little to loosen her tongue. While he waited patiently for her response, Marcus took off her sneakers and rubbed her feet, but Sophia tensed even further.

  Marcus noticed. “Relax. I’m not going to hurt you. You can trust me. I can give a hell of a foot massage, if I do have to say so myself.”

  For the briefest moment, Sophia explored the image of trust in the powerful giant sitting next to her. Her eyes closed to bring the idea into sharper focus while he awakened the muscles and ligaments in her feet. His huge hands massaged her socks before he moved up to her khaki-clad calves, but she struggled to picture his direct caress on her skin.

  His voice broke into her daydream. “Talk to me. I like to know more about people. Why Gillette foster care?”

  Sophia took a deep breath. “There isn’t much to tell. My parents were teenagers when my mom got pregnant. They never even finished high school. They were killed in a car accident when I was four, and I went into the system.”

  “I’m really sorry. It must have been awful. I can’t imagine anything that scary for a little kid.”

  The sincere response confused her. In all her interactions with foster families, social workers, and the other adults paid to take care of her, nobody had ever acknowledged her fears. The tiniest tears formed, but she brushed them away quickly. “It wasn’t all bad. Some of the families I lived with were really nice people.”

  “Some? How many families did you have?”

  “There were four if you count the first one while they found me something permanent, but that one only lasted a few months.” She paused briefly then added, “Eleven. I lived with the first family for eleven months. I… I left just before that first Christmas after the accident.”

  Marcus’ gaze demanded her attention, and Sophia had trouble blinking. He spoke gently. “No child should ever have to worry about a family. Losing my dad was the hardest thing in the world. He was a fantastic person, and I miss him every single day. I guess I was really lucky to have my mom and my stepmother, plus the Sullivans were always there for me. I’m really sorry it was so hard for you.”

  Sophia stuttered, “I… I never really thought about it. I mean, I don’t have anything to compare it to. You can’t miss what you’ve never had.”

  The tiny window exposed her v
ulnerability, and Marcus smiled. “Bull. Of course you miss it. Well, for this summer, you get something to compare it to. We’re going to treat you like family, kiddo. You’ll need to meet my mom and my stepmother too.”

  His words finally registered. “Wait, your stepmother? Is your mom married to a woman?”

  “Yep. She and my dad were happy, but she and Camille belong together.”

  He chose an action adventure movie that she’d never heard of for their quiet evening. They sat in silence, but his warm hands never left her feet, and her body continued to calm until a lazy sleep inexplicably defeated her fears. The soft blanket he spread over her shoulders caused her to snuggle further into the furniture before she returned to sleep under his comforting touch.

  When the movie finished, Marcus woke her gently and held her hand to lead them back to the third floor. At the door of her bedroom, he kissed her gently on the forehead. “Good night. Sleep tight.” Without another word, he disappeared into his own space. It took Sophia a full minute before she could close her mouth and the door.

  The nightmares disturbed her peace around two a.m. In the recurring dream, she walked quietly along a gentle trail with no real destination in mind. The path ended suddenly, and she stood at the edge of a huge cliff. With no forward option, she turned around, but there was no longer a path behind her. Fear consumed her, but she remained stuck on the abyss as she faced her precipice with a terrifying solitude. When she woke, she was drenched in a cold sweat and shivered in her lonely bed before sleep finally returned.

  * * *

  It was almost seven when Marcus banged on her door. He didn’t wait for an answer before he came in. “Wake up, Sophia. It’s Thursday, so the resort opens today and things get crazy around here. I’ll meet you downstairs in ten minutes.”

  As he spoke, Sophia grabbed the blankets to cover her t-shirt and panties. It had been a long time since anybody had seen so much skin, and Marcus shot her an evil grin. “Those have got to be the most amazing legs I have ever seen, Monroe.” Sophia looked back quizzically and he added, “As in Marilyn. With those legs, kid. We’re definitely going to have to play soon.”