his attention back in short order.
“Where?”
Michael didn’t recognize his voice. The word erupted from somewhere
in the middle of his chest or a little lower, and was painfully quiet, if chock
full of some kind of emotion he didn’t stop to analyze. Jenifer actually
stepped back a pace and regarded him with what looked a little like
consternation. This was clearly a big learning curve for both of them.
“I’ll take you. I have no idea of the address but Gerald will drive
us. I slipped out before she noticed me so she wouldn’t run again.”
Michael didn’t want to go with Jenifer. He wanted to go by himself
and make a plan. But maybe this was better. He wouldn’t get too crazy if
Jenifer was with him, and McKenzie might feel reassured if she saw his cousin
too. He would sweep McKenzie up in his arms like the Prince did with Cinderella
and bring his woman back home. That was the real royal equation. Jenifer would pat McKenzie’s hand or something and
tell her it was for the best. He was suddenly adrift on hope and, with what he
hoped would be to his everlasting credit, his cock took a backseat to his
heart.
Nodding, he followed his cousin out of the apartment without any
regard for his appearance, clambering into the limo. Gerald pulled out into
traffic and despite Michael’s raving hurry, got them there in a remarkably
short period of time. McKenzie was hiding in plain sight. His heart pounded so
hard he was certain the windows were vibrating in concert with the thumping and
it hurt to breathe. His sub was alive and he would go in and find her there and
she would run to him and apologize for worrying him and he would take her home
and punish her and propose to her and it would all turn out. He walked through
the door with Jenifer hard on his heels and the fantasy all went to shit.
He saw her immediately. McKenzie raised her head in response to the
weight of his stare, not, he was certain, as a result of the little tinkling
bell over the door. He never wanted to see that look again, although knew he’d
see it in his sleep for decades to come, a poignant reminder whenever he fucked
up. The blood drained from his woman’s face and even her lips looked colorless.
Eyes resembling nothing less than starburst sapphires shone above the dark
circles etching the fine skin beneath them, dominating her sweet face. McKenzie
looked absolutely exhausted, thin, totally beautiful and horrified and his
sadist didn’t respond an iota, not even when her expression turned to abject
terror. Her small hands came away from the heavy iron she’d been pushing along
some fabric to lift in front of her, as if to ward off evil. Sweet lips parted
and even with the cacophony of sounds in the shop he swore he could hear McKenzie
suck in a gulp of air with the intensity of being administered last rites. She
began to back away, body trembling, even hidden from view as it was beneath
some kind of white smock.
A little Chinese woman
shrieked something, breaking the spell, diving for the iron beginning to smoke
against the material it rested on. The grey, curling vapor added to the bizarre
affect and Michael wondered if the sprinkler system would engage and cast a
further pall over the whole scenario. The woman waved her hands frantically and
distracted him for a moment. When he looked again at McKenzie she was clutching
the circular rack from which all kinds of clothing hung, and he could see her
white knuckles even from his position on the other side of the counter.
Pushing through the opening by the cash register, he slowly
approached his terrified sub, never breaking eye contact, broken but gentle
words falling from his mouth, trying to reassure McKenzie so she wouldn’t run,
to ease the look on her face. A large woman stepped between them, followed by a
man a quarter of her size, presumably the other half of the woman now
brandishing the iron, and he halted.
“McKenzie. Please.” He didn’t think he had ever pleaded with
“Where?”
Michael didn’t recognize his voice. The word erupted from somewhere
in the middle of his chest or a little lower, and was painfully quiet, if chock
full of some kind of emotion he didn’t stop to analyze. Jenifer actually
stepped back a pace and regarded him with what looked a little like
consternation. This was clearly a big learning curve for both of them.
“I’ll take you. I have no idea of the address but Gerald will drive
us. I slipped out before she noticed me so she wouldn’t run again.”
Michael didn’t want to go with Jenifer. He wanted to go by himself
and make a plan. But maybe this was better. He wouldn’t get too crazy if
Jenifer was with him, and McKenzie might feel reassured if she saw his cousin
too. He would sweep McKenzie up in his arms like the Prince did with Cinderella
and bring his woman back home. That was the real royal equation. Jenifer would pat McKenzie’s hand or something and
tell her it was for the best. He was suddenly adrift on hope and, with what he
hoped would be to his everlasting credit, his cock took a backseat to his
heart.
Nodding, he followed his cousin out of the apartment without any
regard for his appearance, clambering into the limo. Gerald pulled out into
traffic and despite Michael’s raving hurry, got them there in a remarkably
short period of time. McKenzie was hiding in plain sight. His heart pounded so
hard he was certain the windows were vibrating in concert with the thumping and
it hurt to breathe. His sub was alive and he would go in and find her there and
she would run to him and apologize for worrying him and he would take her home
and punish her and propose to her and it would all turn out. He walked through
the door with Jenifer hard on his heels and the fantasy all went to shit.
He saw her immediately. McKenzie raised her head in response to the
weight of his stare, not, he was certain, as a result of the little tinkling
bell over the door. He never wanted to see that look again, although knew he’d
see it in his sleep for decades to come, a poignant reminder whenever he fucked
up. The blood drained from his woman’s face and even her lips looked colorless.
Eyes resembling nothing less than starburst sapphires shone above the dark
circles etching the fine skin beneath them, dominating her sweet face. McKenzie
looked absolutely exhausted, thin, totally beautiful and horrified and his
sadist didn’t respond an iota, not even when her expression turned to abject
terror. Her small hands came away from the heavy iron she’d been pushing along
some fabric to lift in front of her, as if to ward off evil. Sweet lips parted
and even with the cacophony of sounds in the shop he swore he could hear McKenzie
suck in a gulp of air with the intensity of being administered last rites. She
began to back away, body trembling, even hidden from view as it was beneath
some kind of white smock.
A little Chinese woman
shrieked something, breaking the spell, diving for the iron beginning to smoke
against the material it rested on. The grey, curling vapor added to the bizarre
affect and Michael wondered if the sprinkler system would engage and cast a
further pall over the whole scenario. The woman waved her hands frantically and
distracted him for a moment. When he looked again at McKenzie she was clutching
the circular rack from which all kinds of clothing hung, and he could see her
white knuckles even from his position on the other side of the counter.
Pushing through the opening by the cash register, he slowly
approached his terrified sub, never breaking eye contact, broken but gentle
words falling from his mouth, trying to reassure McKenzie so she wouldn’t run,
to ease the look on her face. A large woman stepped between them, followed by a
man a quarter of her size, presumably the other half of the woman now
brandishing the iron, and he halted.
“McKenzie. Please.” He didn’t think he had ever pleaded with
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