Saving Sophia Read online

  As an efficient guest services coordinator, Bella produced three dozen brightly colored umbrellas purchased months earlier just for such an occasion. “Trust me,” she said to the weeping bride. “The sun will come out in peeks and shadows, and you’re going to have the most fabulous and unique pictures in the world.”

  She was absolutely correct. The bride’s dress was an amazing combination of lace and elegance, and she’d had the foresight to keep the hem simple and her shoes flat. The chairs and tables were safely settled under the tents and everybody remained dry, but fat wet raindrops clung to everything else, and the bright umbrellas accentuated the beautiful grounds.

  Instead of an aura of gloom, the effect of a late spring shower was refreshing and amplified a new beginning. The stern minister stood solemnly while the young couple held hands with nervous energy. The staff waited patiently by the buffet to make sure everything was ready to go when Bella whispered, “She’s as vanilla as they get.”

  Sophia looked confused and Bella elaborated. “She doesn’t play. There isn’t a kinky bone in her body.”

  Jack approached in time to hear the last part and put his arms around his own bride. “You know that you can’t tell, Bel. Some of the most serious professionals in the world have a kinky side in their bedroom. Polite society just doesn’t like to talk about it.”

  Bella shrugged before she snuggled into his comfort. “I guess so. But they sure don’t scream fun to me.”

  The couple exchanged a private grin, and Sophia felt a rare tug of jealousy. Their nonverbal communication provided the window to a very powerful relationship. By definition, Jack may have been Bella’s dominant, but it was very clear that her petite friend held a lot of authority. The romantic buried deep in her heart refused to believe that kinky sex was the road to a happy marriage, but it was obvious there was a lot more to Jack and Bella besides their games.

  Sophia witnessed magic during her first ever wedding ceremony. The entire resort seemed somehow united in their future as they watched the bride and groom verbalize their own commitment as a new family. The bride’s tears were real, and her voice choked.

  But the event did not leave her content. Spread among Marcus’ beautiful gardens were family, future, and happiness… the three things she’d been denied her entire life. She moved slightly away from her new roommates and took a deep breath to slide behind her private wall of security before she took the covers off the impressive buffet.

  Chapter Five

  Despite the luxurious comfort, Sophia trembled slightly in the front seat of Linc’s blue Mustang convertible as they drove to Jackson to open her bank account. His face remained solid stone, and no sign of a smile reached his eyes. Under the weight of his staggering control, Sophia attempted to remain silent, but his sharp questions bordered on interrogation, and her nerves increased under the pressure.

  After a long half hour, he said, “You don’t need to be afraid of me, Sophia. I’m not going to bite.”

  Embarrassed by his insight, she tried harder for some element of civility. “I… I’m sorry. I’m not very good with strangers, and I really don’t know much about you or Jack. Were you born on the ranch?”

  “No,” he said with a rare smile. “Jack and I were born in Jackson, but when our mom died, we were a lot for my dad to handle by himself. We moved to the ranch with my grandparents, and my dad commuted a few days a week to his office.”

  Sympathy was easy when you’ve already lived through your own tragic loss, and Sophia’s muscles relaxed slightly under the weight of shared tragedy. “I’m sorry about your mother. How did she die?”

  “She had cancer. It was a long year.” He shrugged, but the window into his emotions betrayed the cost.

  They rode in silence a few minutes longer before Linc voiced her thoughts. “It’s not easy, is it? People who haven’t experienced that all-telling first loss of someone they love just don’t understand how important it is to appreciate each and every day we have on this Earth.”

  Without a change in his expression, Linc suddenly became a little less scary, and her next question was easier. “What about Marcus’ dad? How did he die?”

  “He had leukemia when Marcus was just a little guy, but Bella’s dad died without warning from a heart attack. I don’t think one is easier than the other, though, especially when children are involved.”

  “I didn’t know her dad died. How old was she?”

  “I don’t remember exactly. Somewhere in her mid-teens. Her mom was widowed for years before she married my dad.”

  “Wait a minute,” she added with a touch of bewilderment. “Bella is your stepsister and your sister-in-law?”

  Linc laughed. “Yeah, well, we don’t use the stepsister word. Bella’s mom grew up around here so our parents were friends long before they became serious. I vaguely remember Katherine before she left for Texas, but we’d never met Bella until she came here last year. Our parents married a few weeks before Jack and Bella got engaged. Jack thinks it’s funny, but the whole thing creeps Bella out. She says she’s read one too many weird stepbrother novels.”

  It took almost two hours to reach the bank. She’d spent several years living in the pretty little town and always enjoyed the stark contrast of the mountains meeting the valley. Her budget and limited transportation, however, generally kept her close to school, so downtown Jackson was still a quaint novelty. In a gentlemanly overture, Linc held the building’s door open for her, and she offered a shy smile. He rewarded her with a smirk that could almost be classified as a grin.

  Faced with a crowd of people, Sophia stayed close to Linc’s unfamiliar comfort. She’d been taking care of herself for so long, that even the slightest reliance on another human was an alien emotion, but his firm connection was hard to deny. With her eyes upward instead of facing the floor, she watched people glance in their direction with genuine interest, and a burly man approached them with a warm smile.

  Linc rested his arm on her shoulder. “This is Sophia Montgomery. Sophia, this is an old friend, Brent Wilson. He’s the bank manager for this branch.”

  He added, “Are you coming on Saturday night, Brent? There’s going to be a big crowd.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it. Sandra’s mom is babysitting the kids at her house, so it doesn’t even matter what time we get home. The ultimate date night, Linc. Wait until you have kids of your own.”

  Linc laughed. “Well, I don’t think that’s anything we have to worry about anytime soon.”

  With her birth certificate and social security card, she started the application carefully, but her face quickly turned beet red. Linc stared with a raised eyebrow until she whispered, “I don’t have a permanent address.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Use Cloudcroft. You can change it later.”

  Linc’s efforts to help almost contrasted with her feelings for Marcus, and she couldn’t imagine why he was being so nice. Raised in a world where emotional self-sufficiency was key to survival, the only people who’d offered help were either being paid for their efforts or expected something in return.

  She didn’t find the confidence to bring it up until they got back to the car and wanted to make sure there were no misconceptions. “Thank you, Linc. I really appreciate your help. I… um… am not sure how I can make it up to you, though.”

  He smirked before he offered another perceptive insight into her thoughts. “I know you have a connection with Marcus. Not everybody who wants to help you is looking for something in return, Sophia. People help each other for all sorts of reasons, and one of them is just because it is the right thing to do. Come on, little girl. I’ll treat you to lunch before we head back.”

  Marcus’ name ignited a warm feeling through all the fun parts of her body, and she offered Linc another shy smile before he took her hand to walk to the diner on the corner.

  * * *

  Like the rest of the staff, she took the next day off as well and planned a solitary afternoon with a borrowed romance novel from th
e ranch library. Marcus cemented her goal when he announced after breakfast, “I’m off to visit my grandmother today. She’s ninety-five years old and has no idea who I am anymore, but it means a lot to my stepmother. I’ll be back by dinner.” To Sophia’s surprise, he dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead and walked to his truck in high spirits.

  Bella spoke before Sophia could clear the plates. “Marcus is busy, so come riding with us. Jack’s checking fence lines today, and you’ll get some great views of the Tetons.”

  A horseback ride through a real Wyoming ranch was an enticing dream for a girl who’d grown up in a small suburb of a small town, but she’d spent too many years as an outsider to interfere in family life. She busied herself with the dishes to avoid their gaze. “You guys have only been married a few months. You don’t need me to come along.”

  “It’s already been discussed,” Jack said firmly. “We’d love to have you. We’re taking a lunch too, and we’ll be back long before dinner.”

  “I’ve never been on a horse in my life,” admitted Sophia with a small smile. “I don’t even know how to ride a bicycle.”

  Jack laughed. “This is a ranch designed for tourists. If we can find a horse that Bella can ride, we can find one for you too.”

  Bella hit him on the shoulder. “I’m not that pathetic. Don’t make things up.”

  “Yeah. That’s why you can’t stop Daisy from dragging you through the bushes.”

  Linc stopped loading the dishwasher. “You have trouble with Daisy? She’s like the fall back choice for six-year-olds.”

  Bella scowled at the teasing, and Jack slammed his hand on the table to help himself rise. “It’s settled. Get some jeans and a pair of shoes with a heel to them. I’ll meet both you and Roy Rogers here at the barn in twenty minutes.”

  It was hard to contain her excitement. She loved animals and had spent many hours dreaming about a menagerie of her own. Riding a horse only existed in her imagination after watching an old John Wayne movie. To do it for real would be another memory of what was becoming an amazing summer, and her enthusiasm quickly defeated any shyness.

  Jack waited in the paddock with a gentle horse and a few quick instructions, but Sophia surprised everyone. Her control was excellent, and her firm commands showed clear respect for the animal. Jack rubbed his chin for a few long minutes before he found something a little more spirited. “Her name is Lucky. She’ll take some attention, but she’s well trained and will give you a better punch in your ride. You’ll be fine.”

  Sophia had no fear, and Bella noticed. “You’re pretty good at this. I still find them dirty and…well… just plain big. And I took riding lessons back in Texas when I was a kid.”

  Jack led the way on his big buckskin gelding while Bella and Sophia trailed behind. Within a short time, she began to ask questions about the horses and once she got going, she didn’t know how to stop. She wanted to know everything from their age and lineage, to the food they ate, their veterinary care, life expectancy, and even gestation. Jack answered patiently while Bella appeared to listen with a bored disinterest.

  Nestled along the peaks of the Tetons, she couldn’t contain her excitement. “This is spectacular. You guys are really lucky.”

  Jack said, “It’s pretty great, but don’t come out here by yourself. It’s easy to get lost, and we border thousands of acres of state game lands. If you go too far to the east, you could wander for miles without seeing another person.”

  After a few hours with only some minor repairs to fence lines, even Florida-loving Bella grew hot under the beating sun. They led the horses to shade, and Jack unpacked sandwiches, cookies, and cold drinks. The quiet scenery made conversation easy, and under their gentle questions, Sophia surprised herself as she talked about her past.

  A life with her sad circumstances could have been full of unhappy memories and tears. Instead, Sophia remained positive. Her earliest memory was her mother and father taking her to a fair and buying her a bright pink balloon. The elderly couple she’d lived with for almost three years had taught her a love of plants and gardens before their declining health had forced them to move to North Carolina to be closer to their adult children. She even fondly remembered the high school social studies teacher who’d helped her buy a prom dress, and the Thai neighbor who always saved the most wonderful spicy food for her when Sophia babysat her children.

  When the conversation returned to ranch life, Bella grew bored and dozed peacefully in Jack’s strong arms. Looking from the outside, Sophia couldn’t remember a single time in her life where she’d felt that safe, and her few childhood friendships suddenly seemed silly in the face of a real emotional tie. The small, nagging feeling of uncertainty crept back into her special afternoon, and she frowned.

  Jack interrupted her reflection. “We should get going, guys. I promised Marcus I’d have Sophia home before he gets back.”

  For the second time in two days, the simple reminder of the powerful man who was waiting for her sent a tingle of excitement through her body, and her happiness returned with her smile. “Wake up, Bella,” she added as she hurriedly picked up the picnic things. “We need to get back.”

  Jack wakened his wife slowly with a gentle touch to her breasts and a quiet whisper in her ear. A soft moan followed a bottom wiggling response that roused her slightly, but when he rubbed between her legs, Sophia wondered if they remembered she was there. As always, turning away was impossible, but Jack simply set Bella on her feet.

  “You can’t leave me hanging, Sullivan.” Bella groaned. “That’s like torture.” Her sassy comment earned her a quick slap on her bottom, and Bella squealed with delight.

  “Come on, beautiful,” he said affectionately. “You might have the day off, but I have stock that needs my attention before dinner. Let’s go.”

  With his arms around his bride, he said, “Hey, Sophia. Are you interested in negotiating with us this weekend? I think Marcus wants to play with you, too, but I can talk to him.”

  Bella roused quickly. “No, that’s okay, Jack. She isn’t really into public play.”

  He looked down at Bella with suspicion. “Are you answering for her or for you, Bel? The last time you said you didn’t want to play with somebody was Linc’s little redhead.”

  “Oh, she’s right,” Sophia tried to intercede. “I don’t like that.”

  Bella cringed, but Jack glanced at his watch and moved them onto the patient horses. With a sigh of relief, Sophia made a silent promise to wander away the next time she was confronted with erotic sexiness, but her new roommates sure as hell didn’t make it easy.

  * * *

  That night, Bella came to Sophia’s room and shut the door before dropping a handful of books on the bed. “I have to get back. I told Jack I just wanted to talk to you about doing some shopping next week.”

  Her gaze was glued to the Ultimate Guide to Submission. A half-naked woman stared from the cover of the orange bound hardback while a large man with a thin black ponytail stood arms crossed in the background. Despite the still image, his stout whip in his hand gave the appearance of jumping off the page, and Sophia couldn’t stop her tense shudder.

  She’d never told Bella about her promise to join Marcus for the weekend, but the man’s chilling appearance was so different from her gentle giant that she couldn’t connect the book to her future. It was hard to keep the panic out of her voice. “Bella… I don’t think I can pull this off.”

  “Relax. You don’t have to. These are just so you understand what’s going to happen. There are only three events this summer. This weekend you’re going to volunteer to work. Next time you’re going to get sick, and the one after that… well… we’ll think of something. Just remind Linc that you’re a brand new employee, and you should give up the fun. They’ll all respect you, I promise. Be firm and make it sound like a sacrifice.”

  Bella snapped her fingers to catch Sophia’s gaze. “For God’s sake, just make eye contact with them so you can speak intelligently. A
nd don’t stare either. I’m telling you, it’s plain creepy.”

  She left with a tentative thumbs-up, but it was three a.m. before Sophia fell asleep. Nestled under the handmade cotton quilts in a quiet space, her mind returned to a relative calm, and the books actually provided the objective research she needed to make sense out of her surroundings.

  The chapters outlined the psychology and physiology involved in a wide range of BDSM relationships. In a careful dance between two consenting adults, the scene could provide the most tantalizing experiences. Beneath the exterior of a submissive, she didn’t find the abuse victim she’d imagined, but learned about the importance of communication to give the ultimate power to the sub. Presented with empirical data and research, her arousal under Marcus’ hand didn’t seem so odd.

  As the book progressed, however, her eyes opened to details she could not embrace. Sex and spanking behind a locked door with Marcus sounded fantastic, but dressing like a child or puppy, urine play, knives, and actual fire slowly defeated her sexual tension and exposed a very real nauseous vulnerability. Her solitary past offered a familiar protection far removed from public sex games. Avoiding the weekend activities clearly took precedence over her need for release, and the entire summer conspiracy became dependent on her ability to get out of her promise to Marcus.

  * * *

  The next morning she stopped at the second floor study on her way to the gardens. Linc sat behind a large desk with a pile of bills and glanced at her expectantly with only a brief nod for a greeting.

  She met his gaze, but couldn’t stop mumbling. “Uh… Hi, Linc. I just wanted to let you know I can work the event this weekend. I could use the extra money, and I… you know… I’m the newest hire. So, I’ll work.”