MC: LaPonte-Karr: Book Three (14 page)

One week

Tess

Patches is upstairs with the kids.  Tiny has been home with the baby.  Kate and Danny are at work but Ben is in the office.  I look through the window.  Steve is here.  He scares the crap out of me but I open the door and look at his shoulder.

"Hi Steve.  Ben is in the office."

"Don't tell Jess, came for the sweet treat."  He says.  No!  I feel the tears.  I start unbuttoning my shirt.  "NO!  Not like that."  I jump and kneel down waiting for him to unzip.  "Ben!  Fuck!  Patches!"

"What the fuck?"  Ben says.  He bends to lift me, I get up.

My body shakes, "I don't know what he wants, he didn't unzip."  Tears wet my cheeks.  I wish Patches was here.  I don't know what they want me to do.

"Tell the kids to stay upstairs, come to the kitchen.  Patches is coming down Tess.  Come sit at the table."  He puts his hand on my shoulder and a sob comes out.  I duck saying sorry.  I hold my hand at my mouth to stop anymore.

Patches comes in.  "Fuck.  What happened?"  He holds my head against his chest.

"Ben said she made good cake.  Told her don't tell Jess, I just wanted the sweet treat.  She was goin to undress, said no, she got on her knees.  Stepped back, she broke not knowin what to do.  Called for you and Ben.  Didn't say anythin else in case she didn't get what I'm sayin."

Patches

Fuck!  I can see where she'd get the wrong idea but she should have walked away not undressed or got on her knees.  I hold her tighter.  She's crying.  "Give me a minute."  I tell Ben he nods.  They both look concerned.

Taking her to my room I sit on the bed.  "Baby. What happened?"

She cries harder.  I wait until she calms rubbing her back and kissing her head.  She calms some, I wait.  "He's scares me.  I thought he meant he wanted to use me.  I didn't understand.  It was just like he said but I was so scared.  I thought he meant me.  I'm no good anywhere.  I don't know why he scares me.  He doesn't talk like everyone else.  I'm too dumb to understand anything."  I put my hands on her lips.

"Stop now."  She winces and I feel like a fuckin jerk.  "I don't want to hear you putting yourself down.  You came off of six years with no contact but bastards that used your body and never fed your mind.  You can't expect six years to be taken away by a couple of months.  You need nothing more than some time.  You're smart, funny and fuckin beautiful.  Stop beating yourself up.  As for not understanding Steve.  Please don't ever repeat this but I think he's autistic.  He shows signs of it.  He's scary but only if you don't know him.  He takes care of his family and Brothers.  He's a good guy but says thing different than us.  He's like Darren needing to sign.  Just different."

"I'm sorry."  She looks at her hands in her lap.  Fuck! 

"Let's go back to the kitchen and see what Ben and Steve say.  I think you scared the shit out of Steve."  I smile at her.  I have no fuckin idea what to do from here.

She looks at me and I see her eyes clear.  "You think I scared him.  He's huge."

I laugh.  "Did you see his face?  You scared him."

She stands up. "I need to fix it.  Will you help me?"  Fuckin brave Tess.

"Always."  I hold her hand and walk her out.

I smile.  Ben got Steve some cake.  "It is good cake.  Tess, the kids usually eat healthy snacks, cakes and pastries are called sweet treats.  That's what Steve meant, the cake."

"I'm sorry Steve.  You’re scary to me.  I just assumed you were like the other scary men.  That wasn't fair to you."  She never looks at him.

"Can't blame you for being scared.  I'm big.  Need to figure out your reaction though.  That scares me."  He looks at Ben.

"You're reaction to Steve needs to be addressed Tess.  Thank God it was Steve and not someone that would take advantage.  You're working so hard and we see how far you've come.  We're all proud of you.  This just tells us you need a little more time.  It was a long time you were a prisoner.  We all need to remember it was only a couple of months ago that you were freed from that prison."

I lift her chin to look at me.  "I think he's right Tess.  You can't wipe it all away in days.  It was six years of your life.  We have no problem giving you the time you need."

"I know you want to spread your wings and do more.  I think you should be able to do that, but you need to be protected.  I talked to Millie.  There's room for you there.  We have surveillance set up and we can have the Brothers visits scheduled until you're able to protect yourself.  I think it's important to let your therapist know what happened here, maybe see her today."  Ben tells her.

"You'll still trust me with your kids?"  She's happy and shocked.  It's funny and sad.  Steve signs to Ben 'she thinks she's responsible.'  He's so fuckin smart, nothing gets by him.

"Of course.  You've shown that you are a caring loving woman.  You'll do great in the nursery.  The issues you have with men don't affect the care you give and show to the kids or babies."  Ben looks surprised.  "Tess you know that you being taken by the Outlaws wasn't your fault right?"

"My mother told me I had evil in me and evil would be my downfall.  If I didn't have the dreams I wouldn't have been taken."  She says it like it’s an everyday fact, like the sky is blue.  What the fuck?

I turn her face toward me.  "Do you think Ally and Alex and Darren are evil and they deserved to live through the hell their parents put them through?"  I wish her mother was alive so I could kill her.

"No! They're the sweetest kids ever."  She says with tears in her eyes.

"How could you possibly believe you're evil and deserved what happened to you?"  How the fuck did this never come up?

She looks down.  "Why did I get taken then?"  She asks so quietly.

"Because they were fucked up men that happened upon a church in the middle of fuckin nowhere and took what they wanted.  You just happened to be there.  You didn't deserve to be taken.  Do you think the other girls deserved to be taken?"  Ben asks her.  He's pissed but trying to control his voice.  She shakes her head no.  She won't look at him.  Fuckin Hell!

I sign she's shutting down.  He nods.  "Tess why don't we see if the kids are ready?"  She keeps her head down and follows my steps.  Fuck.  I turn back and sign I'm going to see if she can get into the therapist.  Ben signs he'll call.  I thank him and throw chin to Steve.

Rich

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Fuckin mother told her she's evil and it would be her downfall.  She thinks she deserved to be taken.  That's not even the fuckin worst though.  Steve asked her for some cake calling it sweet treat and she started undressing.  He yelled no and she fell to her knees, he stepped back and said she broke not knowing what to do.  He called for me and Patches but was afraid to say anything else to her.  When I picked her up she cried out then ducked covering her mouth.  She told me he wouldn't unzip and she didn't know what to do."  He looks pissed.

How the fuck do we not know about her mother?  She fell back into slave because she was afraid.  "Did Patches get her into her therapist?"  He nods.  "A new therapist may be in order."  I'm fuckin pissed she thinks she deserved being made a slave.

"I talked to Kate about that.  She's in agreement but says this isn't as cut and dry as it seems.  Tess has no experience in bonding with people except the last three months.  Removing an integral part of her new life could damage her further."  Fuckin hell.

"Maybe we can add a therapist.  How was Patches handling this?"

"He was at a loss at first.  I think in shock and then he took control and was going to make the appointment.  I told him I'd take care of it.  I couldn't tell him about her not knowing what to do because Steve wouldn't unzip.  She was standing right there.  She was already upset I wasn't going to add to that.  When I was talking to her she was shutting down.  He brought her with him and the kids but she just followed, wouldn't look at anyone."

Fuck.  "Is there anything else I need to know?" I need to think about this.

"I told her about the job with Millie.  Brothers will be scheduled so we can get someone there with her or she can leave during that time.  With surveillance she should be fine.  Kate thinks working part time will be good for her.  She needs to stay in the classes and with therapy so we know where she's at.  Tess needs protection with her if she goes anywhere alone.  We can't let what happened today happen again.  Thank fuck it was Steve."  He runs his hand through his hair.

"Thanks Pres.  I can't believe she jumped right back to slave.  Steve's voice and stature is enough to scare most people but she's never reacted to him before.  She never looks at him though.  I wonder if it was the words.  She has some actions that are programmed in, maybe the words he said were a trigger."  I look at the screens.

"Steve's a Dom so it would fit.  Subs respond to something in a Dom even if they’re not in that relationship."  He looks away thinking.  Does that mean Te Jess is a sub?  Fuck I don't need to know this shit.

"Digs, call PD, kids are gathering around the corner from the school.  No adults in sight."  I look at Pres.

"I need to talk to Steve and find out exactly what he said.  I can try the words for a reaction.  We're not far enough to see the characteristics intimately.  Fuck."  I need time to think this through, I can't do this now.

"Falling into a sub role wouldn't be unexpected; her whole sexual experience was shaped by dominance.  I would think she would only find comfort as a sub.  You probably don't see it because you're dominant.  Your life is controlled by you on every level.  Even when you met Tess you took over and told her what to expect with you in it.  There is something connecting you all beyond that.  Tess had dreams that you and Patches are a part of.  It gives her peace to know being with you is right."  He is so fuckin smart but I need to be away from here when I have this conversation.

"I need some time to focus on just Tess so I can think this through.  Fuck."  I look at my board. "Get Driscoll and Chet to the school Digs.  Call Peter; get help for the uniforms because they're afraid to get out of the fuckin car.  Maybe he can get rid of them for dereliction of duty."

Pres looks at the screen.  "You need more?"  The PD has two uniforms sitting in their fuckin car.

"Driscoll and Chet can handle them.  Kids respond to them."  I watch.  "Is Kate at the Center all day?"

"This afternoon.  She had a class to teach in Marshfield this morning."  He stops.  "Fuckin PD.  Casper needs some fuckin decent help."

"He's trying to get rid of those fuckin leeches that are dragging him down.  He's building but it's fuckin slow."  I tell him watching Driscoll and Chet pull in.

"Call if you need help with Tess.  I need to see Casper.  This fuckin shit is getting out of hand."  He turns to leave.

"VP is working that; you may want to see him first.  He may have laid some groundwork."  I throw over my shoulder watching Chet lift a fuckin kid over his head.  He puts him back on the ground gently.  He's smiling, fuckin Chet.  The group as a whole is more relaxed.  The PD finally gets out of their car.  I look at my other boards.  The Bakery is busy, other than the group at the school, nothing is grabbing my attention.  Peter shows at the school.  He talks to the uniforms, I watch them leave.  "Digs get video of the uniforms sitting over to Peter.  Maybe he and Paul can use it."

I look at tracking and see my group at the soccer field.  I scan the screens waiting for the view to slide over to the field.  Tess and Patches are cheering for Victor, Little Ben and Jessie.  Taking a breath I focus and scan my other screens.

Patches

Rich will be here soon.  I've been fuckin jumping back and forth between dread and anxiety all fuckin day.  With the kids it's hard to give any attention to the one thing I need to sort the fuck out.  Ben comes in and asks me to stay and wait for Kate.  Fuck I need to sit and think.  How the fuck do you tell Pres no?  This family change is getting fuckin complicated.  Danny takes the kids to the pier for fishing.

I sit and wait for Kate.  She'll be bringing Tess home.  I go through all that happened this morning replaying the conversations.  Ben/Pres brings me a beer and sits.  Thank fuck he lets me think.

Maybe it's time to find a therapist that has experience with what she's been through.  I'll have to ask Kate.  This is a big fuckin issue to have missed.  Next is her reaction.  I wonder what exactly Steve said that had her fall back to slave?  With her having more independence she'll need someone to keep her protected until this gets resolved and she's strong enough to get herself away from a threat.

Kate comes in with Tess following.  My girl is smiling.  She sits on my lap and pecks my lips.  Kate kisses Ben for the first time in front of me.  He talks softly to her before she turns to me.  "Rich is on his way, he was headed to shower before he left the Club about twenty minutes ago."  I nod.  Shower?

Tess tells me about her class.  She doesn't talk about therapy.  I'll ask later.  Rich comes in and we move to the table.

Rich

I talked to Kate earlier and my dad at the club.  With concerns of being dominant like Pres said, I wanted to find out how to keep that from changing me and Patches relationship.  I don’t want to do anything that causes him to feel less.  We’re in this together for the long hall.  My dad told me he had that same conversation with Kevin.  Kevin told him the relationship with the Brothers was in place long before a woman was involved.  Patches has never had a problem with who I am.  I should talk to him but he’s going into this with that knowledge.  Patches has no problem that I’m dominant and I have no problem knowing Patches is more sensitive and able to express himself better than me.  I know Tess opens up more to him and responds to his sensitivity.  I think it’s beautiful to watch, not that I would ever say that shit out loud but it’s there.  I put talking to Patches on my priority list and feel better about where we all stand.  One thing that surprised me was my dad is the dominant one in their relationship.  I don’t want to fuckin know the details but I was surprised, it’s a new side of Pres I never knew.