After a quick, shocked glance at him and Tyler, she knew she was in trouble when they got to their place. As she walked, she knew that people saw his public display of ownership. The smack to her ass aroused her, and as that sank in, she realized that although technically he hit her, it wasn’t out of anger. It wasn’t to cause pain, like what she had been used to. Instead, it was to keep her on the edge of what would be another heavy state of arousal that only they had the power and ability to do. This was what Tyler was talking about. Could she really give complete trust over to them, or would she always have that fear in the back of her mind about Sal and what he had done to her?
She swallowed hard as she made her way toward the back office.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw the yellow envelope, and fear gripped her insides. She covered her chest with her hand and quickly looked around the small staff room. The bathroom door was open, but she could tell no one was in there. The couches were empty. The counter where the microwave sat was fine.
She picked up the envelope, knowing that BJ and Detective Louis said the guy hadn’t left prints behind. She undid the clip and pulled out the multiple papers.
The front paper scared the hell out of her.
YOUR FINAL WARNING!
STAY AWAY FROM OTHER MEN.
I’M WATCHING YOU…OUR TIME WILL COME SOON.
She felt the tears reach her eyes, and then fear gripped her belly and brought pain to her chest as she looked at the series of photographs underneath the letter. It was her bedroom. He somehow had pictures of her in her bedroom, getting dressed. She was only wearing a bra and panties in one as she fixed her hair, her breasts pushing from her bra.
The next picture was her wrapped in only a towel after taking a shower. She was afraid to move to the next picture as tears rolled down her cheeks. She placed the picture under the next then covered her mouth as the final picture revealed her completely naked.
“Oh God!” she exclaimed and began to cry. She fixed the photos and placed everything exactly as it was back into the envelope. Just then the door opened, and she screamed.
Susanna stood in shock. Then panic covered her face before Paula fell to her knees, crying hysterically.
* * * *
Matt and Tyler saw the activity going on near the back room just as they saw Sheriff Parker and a bunch of deputies walk through the club and straight to the back hallway.
“That’s where Paula went,” Matt told Tyler.
“Shit! Let’s go.” Tyler felt his heart pounding inside of his chest. Fear gripped his insides. Paula was their woman now, and he couldn’t wait to make love to her and teach her about their lifestyle. So far, she was completely responsive and just a bit fearful. As they approached the hallway, one of the deputies tried to stop them.
“Sorry, guys, but this hall is off-limits right now.”
Tyler and Matt both saw Alexa at the same time.
She quickly went to them.
“It’s okay. They can come down here.”
The deputy let them through then guarded the hallway again.
Tyler and Matt followed Alexa into the staff room, and there was Paula standing in the corner of the room, tears streaming down her cheeks as she held a yellow envelope against her chest. Her knuckles looked white from her strong grip and she was shaking her head at Sheriff Parker and Detective Parrone.
“Honey, you need to calm down and let us see the envelope,” the sheriff asked calmly, and then Ava and Susanna did as well, but she shook her head.
Tyler and his brother walked further into the room, and suddenly Paula caught sight of them and she cried harder. He wondered what the hell was in the envelope and what had scared her like this. He wanted to help her, protect her, take her into his arms, and console her. The sheriff stopped him from moving closer.
“You really shouldn’t be in here.”
“Sure we should. Paula is our woman and she needs us.” His statement sent a brisk feeling of power through the room. The sheriff raised his eyebrows at him then toward Paula.
“The guy sent her another envelope. We need to take a look but she’s scared,” he whispered to him as Ava tried to get Paula to release the envelope and sit down. She shook her head.
“I can’t. You all can’t see this,” she told them.
“Okay, I want to clear out the room. Everyone out,” Detective Parrone directed, and the women reluctantly walked out of the room. It was just Paula, Tyler, Matt, the sheriff, and the detective.
Tyler moved closer to her and held her gaze. She was really shaken up.
“Baby, you need to let them see the envelope. There could be fingerprints on it,” Matt told her calmly and with patience.
She shook her head.
“Hand over the envelope now, Paula,” Tyler demanded. She stared at him, shocked that he would use his dominant tone at a time like this. He needed to calm her and get the damn envelope away from her so he could help her.
“It’s embarrassing and scary.” More tears rolled down her cheeks.
He felt horrible and he nearly faltered, but the sheriff needed the envelope. They needed to catch the asshole responsible.
“Whatever is in it, we’ll get through it together. Now don’t make me ask you again.”
He walked closer and reached his hand out slowly. Instead of handing it over, she threw herself into his arms and cried. He picked her up and consoled her as Matt took the envelope from her hand.
She clung to him tightly, and he rubbed her back and her hair as she sobbed against his shoulder. He sat down in a chair as she straddled his waist and kept her face hidden.
“It’s gonna be all right, baby. I’ve got you now. Matt and I are here,” he whispered, and then Matt knelt down beside the chair and caressed her hair and her shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay. You’re safe,” Matt whispered. Then both men looked at the sheriff.
He and the detective turned their backs from them and looked at the contents of the folder. A few seconds later, the sheriff turned around with a scowl on his face.
Matt locked gazes with Tyler, and Tyler mouthed the words, “Go find out.”
Matt caressed Paula’s hair then stood up and walked over toward the sheriff. The detective was speaking into his cell phone. “Yes, I need a forensics unit and technical crew at that address pronto. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He closed up his cell phone.
“I’ll meet you there,” he told the sheriff, and the sheriff nodded his head as he handed the envelope over to Detective Parrone.
“What’s going on, BJ? What was in the envelope?” Matt asked.
Tyler could hear them from where he sat holding Paula.
“Take care of her. I can send a patrol unit to your place to keep watch for tonight.”
“What’s going on?”
“There were pictures of her in her bedroom. A threatening note. Can I count on you two to take care of her?” BJ asked.
“Of course. Like we said, she’s our woman and we protect what’s ours.”
The sheriff nodded his head. “I’ll call you in a bit. I’m headed to their house.”
“What about surveillance cameras here? Did they pick up on the person who left these?” Matt asked.
BJ shook his head then leaned closer.
“Something was placed over the one down this hallway. Carl and Richie were sending someone down to check it when the camera started working again. This guy, whoever he is, isn’t stupid.”
“Shit. Please keep us posted,” Matt stated, and the sheriff nodded then glanced at Paula one more time, shaking his head and looking angry.
“Take care of her,” he warned again before exiting the room.
Tyler looked at Matt and could see the fear and concern on his brother’s face.
“You go get the car. Bring it around back and let Susanna know we’re taking Paula to our place,” Tyler stated and Matt immediately walked out of the room.
“Baby, we’re taking you home.”
She pulled back, shaking her head as she pulled up off of his lap.
He grabbed her waist and made her stay put. Her face was all blotchy and red. She looked so scared. Then it hit him. She thought he meant back to her place.
“Oh, baby, not your place but our home. We’re going to protect you, baby. It will be okay.”
“Who could be doing this? Why me? Why?” she asked as she used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes.
“I don’t know, but the sheriff and the detective will find out. Come on. Let’s go.” He helped her stand and he took her hand to lead her out of the room. He would do anything to protect Paula. She was special. She was the woman he and Matt had searched for and never found until now. There was no way some asshole was going to stand in their way of happiness.
BJ stood in the kitchen along with Susanna. He pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest. He was worried about her and the other women. This guy, whoever he was, had been very slick. The case was now handed over to the detectives, and he would be kept in the loop of any updates.
He cupped Susanna’s face between his hands and looked down into her eyes.
“I don’t want you staying here and neither does Monte until he can get a crew in here and wire the place up good and safe.”
He saw the tears in her eyes and the concern for her friends’ safety, especially Paula’s.
“We can’t all go somewhere else. We have guns, we know how to use them, and we’ll take precautions. Monte can get done what we need once I work out the details with him.”
He gave her an exasperated, angry look.
“Monte will stay here with you tonight. I’ll be up trying to help Louis and his men. Baby, I’m worried, and Monte and I care about you so much, baby, I—”
“Please don’t say it BJ, not now, not during this situation.” She cut him off right before he wanted to tell her that he loved her. She was fighting those words. But he and Monte had never fallen in love before, and this was it for them. He would make her understand that this was real and not some fling.
He lowered his mouth and kissed her deeply, and she clung to him, hugging him to her. When he released her lips, he pulled her into his arms again before taking a step back. They both heard someone clear their throat. Turning toward the doorway, Detective Louis was there.
“Well?” BJ asked.
“The team is still going over the place from top to bottom. We’ve got the other ladies’ rooms cleared, no sign of any devices or cameras there. Everything seemed to be wired in Paula’s bedroom, including her bathroom.”
“Fuck. Are you fucking serious?” BJ asked as Susanna squeezed his hand tightly.
Just then Monte entered the doorway. He walked toward Susanna and pulled her into his arms, kissed her, then hugged her to him.
“You okay, baby?” he asked, and she nodded her head.
“What kind of setup did he use? I mean were there recordings where he had to come back here to get the tapes?” BJ asked as Monte now listened in, holding Susanna against his side. She had her arms wrapped around his waist.
“No. No tapes, just some high-tech device where he could stream the images immediately to his location. Kind of looks like a home surveillance system that he altered to work from a long distance,” Louis told them.
“You mean like the kind you can watch from any computer, like a vacation home surveillance system?” Monte asked, and Louis nodded.
“The guys think so.”
“You haven’t moved anything or disconnected it, have you?” Monte asked.
“No. Everything is still active.”
“Do you mind if I check it out?” Monte asked as he released Susanna. “I kind of know a bit about this stuff.”
“My brother knows his shit. He does this for a living,” BJ told him.
“Be my guest. We can use all the help we can get to catch this guy. I can’t believe he sent that letter to her and the pictures.”
“No one else has seen them, right?” Susanna asked with obvious concern over her friend.
“Just BJ and me. We’ll have forensics examine the photos and paperwork at the lab and compare them with the other letters. It’s all evidence for when we nail this guy,” Louis stated.
“Let’s go take a look. I may be able to track this guy’s location with the right tools.”
“That would be great.”
BJ pulled Susanna against his chest again and held her.
“We’re going to find this guy, so don’t you worry. Paula will be okay.”
“I can’t help but worry BJ. She’s been through a lot, and seeing her today so scared and so embarrassed by those photos was heart wrenching. She’s more than a friend. She’s like a sister. We’re all family now, and we look out for one another.”
“I understand that. At least she’s with Tyler and Matt. Those two will keep her safe. They’re good men.”
“They have quite the reputations, though. I hope they won’t hurt her.”
“Why would you think that?” he asked.
“Their reputations as Doms and the fact that Paula was trapped in an abusive relationship.”
He scowled at the thought of a man hitting a woman and being abusive.