William tested the rope for give and to allow her movement. “Does it hurt?” he asked.
Daisy shook her head. Her mind was beginning to clear as she stared at him.
“I’ve got to go back to the club. I’m going to lock this door. You’re safe here, Daisy. No one will hurt you. I want you to close your eyes and sleep.”
“Will you come back here when you’re done?” she asked.
“To sleep?”
“Yes,” she said. Her eyes were already starting to droop.
He leaned down and brushed a kiss to her temple. “Pet, this is my house and my bedroom. I wouldn’t sleep anywhere else.” William kissed her one final time on the temple and then walked out of the room. Before the door closed and locked he stuck his head around the door. “Sleep, Daisy.”
She heard the door close and the bolt slide into place. Daisy waited for the fear and panic to assail her. She tested the rope. There was enough give for her to move but not enough for her to get away. She licked her lips, turned over onto her side and closed her eyes. Sleep couldn’t come fast enough. Daisy rested her bound hands next to her head and fell asleep.
Chapter Two
William waited for the last of his customers to leave. Peter was seeing them out of the door as he sat at the bar waiting. The phone rested on the counter next to his brandy. He hadn’t made the phone call or drunk his brandy. Peter walked back into the room twenty minutes later.
“I didn’t see Daisy,” Peter said.
“Don’t worry about her. I’m dealing with her.”
The younger man nodded his head. “She’s falling apart, isn’t she?”
He sighed. “Yes, she’s falling apart. I don’t think that girl has ever felt needed before in her life. I get the feeling she’s been rejected at every possible turn. It is heart-breaking to see.”
Peter nodded his head but didn’t say anything.
“I’ve got to talk to Paul and David Steer. I’m not looking forward to that conversation.”
“They’re going through a rough patch at the moment,” Peter said.
“I don’t give a shit. Their marriage is their own issue. Daisy is still their sister. Half or otherwise. She has a right to know about her fathers and their life. I don’t like this crap.”
He grabbed the brandy and swallowed it down in one gulp.
“Her mother is a bitch. I mean of the highest order. The little I know about Daisy is the fact her dates have taken her out on one date, but once they met the mother, that was it. Nothing.”
“This woman sounds seriously messed up.” William put the glass back on the counter.
“She is messed up. A bitter old woman is a better description.”
“And let me guess, Daisy ends up taking a lot of the blame for all the wrong in her mother’s life.”
“Pretty much,” Peter said.
“Figures.” William stared at the phone. The anger inside him was the only thing stopping him from calling the Steer brothers. He wanted to give them all a f**king hiding.
You’ve got feelings for Daisy. You want to protect her.
Shut up, you sick f**k. She’s twenty-five years old.
“I wanted to apologise for what happened earlier, William. I’m not used to dealing with this stuff every day.”
“I understand. You’re used to watching Laura being hopelessly in love with her husband and realising you can never have her, right?” William said.
Peter stared at the floor. “I care about Laura.”
“You’re not kidding anyone. You’re in love with Laura, and it hurts you constantly to know she’ll never love you the same way.” William reached out and tapped the younger man on the shoulder. “I can’t give you any advice on this. I’m not perfect, and there is no cure for love, my friend.”
“My friends are either married or leaving Cape Falls. I’ve tried to leave. I’ve packed a bag and tried to move on. I can’t seem to leave this town. Yes, I love Laura. I ruined any chance I had, but I can’t leave her, just in case. This is the next best thing,” Peter said. His eyes were wet as he fought the tears. William knew how hard it was to cry. He hadn’t cried since he was a boy.
Crying was the last thing he wanted to do.
“I’m not a psychic or a therapist. I have no cure or advice to give you, Peter. You’ve got the makings of being a good Dom. I like you, and I know submissives will flourish under your care when you’re ready. Sometimes, we can’t move on until we’re sure of what is going to happen. You’ll be fine, Peter. Just allow your heart to accept love when you find it. Don’t hold out for Laura. She’s happy.”
Peter nodded his head. “Thank you. I needed to hear that. I’m going to go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” Peter turned to leave. He stopped at the end of the bar. “Paul and David will be waiting tomorrow. Why don’t you get some sleep and then talk to them? It might be best for you all if you’ve got some sleep.”
William laughed, raised his empty glass in salute. He watched Peter leave and heard the doors closing. Putting the glass down on the counter, he stared at the phone. All he’d get now was a lot of anger. Paul and David were under a lot of pressure. Anna was not in a good position either. Shaking his head, he put the phone and glass away then made his way back to his own side of the house. He loved getting straight into his work, and living within the club had its benefits.
He locked the connecting door to his home and made his way into his own kitchen. William flicked the kettle on and filled a mug with some herbal tea. He enjoyed the sweet taste of the fruity herbal mixture before bed. Once he made his drink, he walked up the stairs to where he’d locked Daisy inside his room. He pulled on the lock and entered the room. She lay on his bed. Not a sound was coming from her. He put the tea down on the floor next to the bed and stared at her.
If she woke up now she’d scream the place down. An older man looking down at her while she slept did not help matters. William grabbed a chair from the corner of the bedroom and placed it next to the bed. The sweat pants and long shirt hadn’t done what he wanted. He’d chosen the biggest clothes he owned to try to hide her generous curves and luscious body. While she slept, the shirt had ridden up over her stomach to below her br**sts, and the pants had ridden down low on her hips. He didn’t see anything other than the temptation they offered for him to remove them.