Page 7 of His Sassy Little

“Three years ago. I thought I was safe. I went where no one knew me, paid a ton for a new valid identity, and went three years never hearing from him. I thought he’d given up. I got complacent. Changed my hair back to blond so I wouldn't have to do all the upkeep that came with dying it brown. I called my family because I’d missed them so much. I didn’t know it at the time but I’d put everyone I loved at risk. Two days later, I came home from my work as a waitress in a small diner. I’d given up writing on the off chance that he could use that to find me.

I liked the interaction with people and getting to know everyone in town. I people watch- it’s a side effect of being a writer–and the diner was a perfect place to do that. The fact that I made good tips with my modified uniform of a skirt and heels didn’t hurt either. Anyway, I came home and a neighbor stopped to tell me he’d seen men break into my house. He’d called the police but I knew what it meant.

I barely made it out of the area before the local police arrived. I didn’t want to answer questions or bring more attention to myself. So, I fled again, this time with nothing but the clothes on my back and a purse, the contents of which were basically useless. I only had the cash from my tips and that was just enough to get me here.

When I ran out of cash, I figured this was far enough away. But by then, I’d begun to think I would never truly escape him, not until I was dead.

Don’t you see, Tanner? Just being around me is an extremely dangerous thing.”

Chapter Six

Arabella was as terrified as she was relieved to finally tell her story. She just hoped doing so wouldn’t get another person she cared about killed. She’d already lost too much. Losing Tanner would be something she wouldn’t survive.

It was crazy since she’d only known him for twenty-four hours. She was sure part of it was a bit of hero worship, since he’d literally saved her life on that bridge. The other part, well, that was more complicated. Somehow, she trusted him. She was also feeling things she hadn’t felt in years. She’d missed her little side so much and Tanner was bringing it out, without even giving it any effort at all.

Arabella now knew for certain that Tanner was a Daddy, she just wondered if he would be her Daddy. Would he be a good one? Arabella was pretty certain he would be. Arabella wondered if she’d gone insane even hoping for it, but she couldn’t help herself. Her little had been in hiding since right after her wedding and she wanted that part of herself back.

“I met him in a club in Chicago. I was working as a freelance writer at the time. I was looking for a Daddy, he was looking for a little. Things between us seemed to click.

It was less than six months before he had me so wrapped up in him that I had lessened the number of jobs I took, and he convinced me to move in with him.”

Arabella took a moment before continuing her story. She appreciated that Tanner kept quiet and let her take her time without pushing.

“He said and did all the right things. He was a police officer, so he wasn’t always home a lot, but I was happy with our relationship. It was idyllic, until he convinced me to go Vegas and get married.”

Tanner sucked in a breath like he was preparing himself. She couldn’t blame him, she also needed preparation to tell the rest of her story. She took her final deep breath and dove in.

“It was a week after the wedding, the first time he hit me in anger. He apologized immediately, bought flowers, and promised it wouldn’t happen again. I was so stupid, I believed him. That promise didn’t last a week before he ignored my safe word during a spanking. One I didn’t feel I deserved.”

Now Tanner would understand her reaction to him threatening to spank her. She didn’t think she’d ever trust a man to spank her again. Not after James.

“That was when I lost respect for him as a Daddy. I stopped calling him that. He didn’t take it well to say the least. I started taking more writing jobs again, working on them when he was out, or at work. I kept the jobs hidden from him and squirreled away all the money I made.

I knew immediately I wasn’t going to stay, but he had me neatly blocked in. I couldn’t even afford a ticket back home to Idaho by that time, not that I’d told any of my family. I was too ashamed that I had landed myself in that position.”

“Jesus, fuck. Little Hurricane, you should not be ashamed and you are not stupid. Do you know how many women never even try to plan to get out? You knew you weren’t taking it and worked toward an escape. That makes you strong. Stronger than any woman I have ever met, and it is not something to be ashamed of.”

Tanner reached over and grabbed her hand. He gave it a quick squeeze and turned back to the apartment they were watching, giving her the chance to continue. If she was being honest, she didn’t think she could talk any more about it. She was too drained from letting all that out.

“So, tell me, big guy, how’d you end up rescuing damsels in distress full time?”

She neatly changed the subject. Thankfully, Tanner let her.

“Well, Little Hurricane, that is one hell of a story. Might take all night to tell but it starts with my friend Blade and his piece of shit father…”

Tanner spent the rest of the night explaining it all, effectively keeping her mind occupied.

“…So, that’s how I ended up being the accountant and treasurer for The Hellhole …”

Something caught Tanner’s eye and Arabella looked around to find out what he was looking at.

“Holy shit, he’s on the move.”

As Tanner was starting the engine, Arabella wondered what they were supposed to do now.

“Maybe he had to go to the grocery store? Or he could need to go to the post office.”

“At ten o’clock at night? I don’t think so. I think he’s finally decided to try to find Diana. There’s only one way to find out…”

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