Page 53 of Vengeance of Childhood Proportions

Sheriff Renfrew opened his left hand and handed me a small silver key. With a shaky hand, he slowly reached up and pulled his oxygen mask down. “I. Am,” he gasped out each word individually. “So. Sorry. She. Deserved. Better. Than. Me.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Holly

I was kneelingon the black carpeting of Room One with my hands on my knees in position two when the door opened. As soon as I heard him step inside, I raised my eyes—and shock had them gaping wide and my mouth dropping open.

“Master!” I jumped to my feet, rushing over. Master Mal had not released me from my position, but I didn’t care. I would take any punishment if he decided I deserved it. Guilt seized me as I reached for him. The dark circles under his eyes made his face look pale, and he wasn’tstandingin the doorway, so much asleaningon the doorway.

I wrapped my arms around his middle. As much as I weight-trained with Jason, I was still but so small. Unless I put him in a fireman’s hold, there was no way I could lift him as he has done to me numerous times. I threw his arm around my shoulders and wrapped my arm behind his back to help steady him.

“Little Owl.” For all that he looked like he was about to collapse, his voice was strong, and even a little amused that I was trying to lift him.

As we walked forward, I realized I might have overreacted. He wasn’t stumbling or sagging. I wasn’t carrying any of his weight. At the slight tickle at the top of my corset, I glanceddown to see the fingers of the arm I’d put over my shoulders wereplayingwith my cleavage.

“Are you not about to pass out, Sir?”

He chuckled, still allowing me to guide him towards the large bed in this room. By the time Master Mal called me to inform me that he could meet up tonight, our usual room with the dance pole had already been reserved. Though it wasn’t protocol, I had been the one to call Valentino because Master Mal was about to get on a ferry with spotty service. Valentino had given me his number after he learned I had my own phone and made me swear that I would call him directly should I need anything and not the front desk. Even though I had assured him that his public punishment of Dominique was more than sufficient to make up for the near hour when I thought Master Mal was standing me up, he still insisted.

Our only options for tonight were either Room One with the four-poster bed, chains, and sex swing or Room Three with the St. Andrew’s Cross. I had chosen Room One immediately after Valentino informed me that there was a pillory accessory in Room Three as well. Valentino had sent one of his employees upstairs to remove the chains from the four-poster bed. I told him it wasn’t necessary, as thesightof bondage did not affect me, but he insisted. Valentino had always been good to me, but this seemed extreme. Maybe I should ask Master Mal to talk to him, Master to Master, to assure Valentino that his guilt was not necessary.

Sweet, but not necessary.

“Not quite, pet. Though I am loving this treatment. Perhaps we’ll do a naughty nurse and wounded warrior scene in our future.”

I shook my head, biting down on my lips to keep from laughing. I walked him over to the bed, where I unhooked us and then guided him to sit on the edge of the mattress. After hurryingback over to the door to close us inside, I came over and knelt by his feet.

About to pass out or not, the dark circles under his eyes were real—and they were my doing. Of all the people in the world to be chosen to work my murders, why did it have to behim? Why couldn’t he have passed it by or been assigned a different case?

I didn’t care that he would learn my history. Iwantedpeople to know. I’d done all of this to resurrect the past, to finally expose what they’d done and then lay it to rest.

Working to undo his laces, I said, “Is that the scene where only an orgasm can save you from the brink of death, Sir?”

He chuckled. I glanced up to see him leaning back on his hands on the mattress. “I was thinking more of that your mouth was the cure to what ails me.”

I smiled at him. Putting both of his boots by the poster at the end of the bed, I removed his socks before picking up his left foot to rub the sole.

“Fuck, pet, that feels amazing.”

“Caring for each other,” I reminded him softly. “You do such a wonderful job taking care of me, Sir. Will you allow me to take care of you tonight?”

“What did you have in mind?”

I bit my lip. I’d never taken the lead in anything before—well, except for avenging myself against my rapists and murdering those who should have protected me. I was not so confident in this situation, but I was also comfortable with Master Mal. I could make my offer and he would either accept or reject it. He would not laugh cruelly at me or punish me for my own thoughts.

“Have you eaten, Sir?”

“I’ll be honest with you, pet, I can’t recall what my last meal was or how long ago I ate it.”

“Will you allow me to call down to the kitchen and order you dinner, Sir? I know you prefer to eat me, but I’m afraid I can’t offer you the correct nutrition you currently need.”

He stared down at me. “Fuck, I love how expressive your eyes are, Little Owl. Even with the contacts.” I felt my cheeks heat at his words, but I did not look away. “Good girl,” he murmured. “You may call down to order me a burger and fries. Have you eaten?”

“Yes, Sir. I had dinner earlier.”

“Order yourself something, too. Ice cream sundae or something sweet for you.”

I smiled my appreciation. “Thank you, Sir.”

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