sleep with one eye open here on the sofa, she could wait one more day to enlist his help.
Returning to the bedroom, she picked the phone up and sent him a quick text, saying only she couldn’t make it and would talk to him later. Her gaze landed on the camisole and thong she’d planned to wear tonight, and a spurt of anger shoved aside her fear for a moment. She’d been looking forward to being with Master Shawn again, to submitting to whatever he commanded. He’d come to know her needs well in the short time since they’d reunited, and it grated that she’d finally reached the point of risking further heartache by going for everything she could get only to have the chance stolen from her.
Lisa strode back into the living room, cursing this unknown person who had upended her life. Following her mother’s death, she’d been given few choices about her immediate future. The foster family Father Joe recommended had been welcoming and supportive, but she’d missed her mother’s love, that extra mile a parent was always willing to go for their child. She’d learned to fend for herself at school, never complain or ask others for help out of fear of ridicule for being a foster kid. Working two jobs and burning the midnight oil for four years to put herself through college had left her too tired or with not enough hours in the day to make friends, date, or party. She’d graduated without forming any close bonds like most college kids did and had been fending for herself for so long, she’d gotten used to not relying on others for help.
A jagged streak of lightning lit up the midnight sky outside the window, the ensuing thunder boom striking much closer and bringing with it a driving downpour. Her nervousness returned, along with the fear, and, to keep herself busy, she retrieved a flashlight, blanket, and pillow and settled on the sofa with the television turned low. Telling herself there was a good chance her stalker had been bluffing and didn’t really know where she was, helped calm her anxiety, but the night couldn’t pass quickly enough to suit her.
****
Shawn put his beer down to glance at the text from Lisa, his annoyance with her tardiness escalating to anger. Pissed off didn’t begin to describe his reaction. Fuck this. He wasn’t about to let her get away with retreating after they’d come this far. He’d understood her reluctance over revealing their previous connection, but now that they’d cleared that up, he couldn’t get a grip on what else she was holding back. Especially after today, when her obvious enjoyment with their outing had shone on her face and come through in her tone all afternoon.
Not to mention the light of expectation in her green eyes when he’d mentioned joining him tonight. For the first time since he’d met her on the road, she hadn’t tried to hide her revealing expression, letting him see the vulnerable ache he’d only managed to touch upon relieving last week. He still didn’t know what caused the distress that led to her mental block, and that was something he’d planned on addressing tonight.
“Bad news?” Ben asked, cocking his head toward Shawn’s phone.
“Nothing I can’t handle if I can get away.” Shawn scoped out the crowd and activities around the club, noticing all the doors upstairs were closed, the private rooms already fully occupied. The hot tub on the deck held six couples, and Clayton was putting the new fucking machine to good use, keeping a close eye on young Charlotte and the attached dildo slowly plowing her ass. “Excuse me,” he told Ben. “I need to check with the guys before taking off. Are you good here?”
“Like always. Anything I can do to help, other than keep an eye on things?”
“No, but thanks. I’ve dealt with stubborn subs before, just never one so reluctant to reveal personal issues that need addressing.”
Ben chuckled. “I don’t envy you the task. Easy-to-please subs are more my preference. I’ve got enough grief hunting down that fucking bear.”
Pausing, Shawn cut him a sharp glance. “Has there been another attack?”
“Only on livestock, and two destroyed campsites, but the son of a bitch left little of the animals, and the campsites looked like a war zone. He is one pissed-off motherfucker, and from the tracks, the biggest I’ve ever come across.”
“Be careful, and give us a call if you need extra scouts.”
Catching sight of Dakota coming down