Chapter 23

"Summer…" Colter was freaked the fuck out. She'd been sitting in the corner of the closet for a very long time. She looked like she was in a trance. She'd been twitching and flinching all of this time. She had a death grip on her legs, and she moaned often.

Colter knew she was reliving whatever hell she hadn't told them yet. They'd pushed her to do this, and Colter felt like the biggest asshole on earth for doing so.

Nathaniel had meant well. He had valid points. He wanted everyone involved in her capture and sale brought to justice. Colter did, too, but this trance of hers was making him panic.

Bridger was squatting next to him. His brow was furrowed. He was just as worried.

She'd only been with them a week. It was too soon to push her to face whatever she was dealing with. But it was done now. She'd been back in that hell for at least twenty minutes.

Suddenly, she gasped as if coming up out of water after holding her breath for too long. She jerked her head up and sat tall, eyes wide, frantic, seeing nothing.

When her gaze landed on Colter, she blinked several times.

"Honey…" He felt helpless and emasculated. He wondered if they were doing the right thing in letting her stay here. She'd been making progress all week, but she needed professional help.

Slowly, her eyes cleared, and she licked her lips. "So thirsty."

Bridger jumped to his feet. "I'll be right back."

"Honey…" Colter was still squatted in front of her, but he leaned in closer and held out a hand, hoping she would take it. He knew he could help ground her in reality if she touched him.

She lifted her shaky hand and set it in his. "I'll tell you everything, but promise me you will not contact the police or ever tell a single soul about me. I know you think I'm safe here, but I'm not. I'll never be safe anywhere. I'll never own my life again. I'm ruined. I can't be fixed."

She didn't start crying. She was stoic. Unflappable. Certain in her unwavering belief that her life was over.

Colter's heart broke a little more with every beat. He knew Bridger had returned and was feeling the same way. He set a hand on Colter's back, and his fingers stiffened and gripped.

Bridger held out the bottle of water. "Here, baby."

She took a drink. "Is Nathaniel still here?"

"Yes. He's worried," Colter said.

"Can I maybe borrow one of your sweatshirts?" She looked back and forth between them. "Preferably from the laundry."

Colter smiled. "I think that can be arranged." They'd learned she liked to hide under the bulk of their sweatshirts, and she preferred ones that smelled like one of them.

Bridger stood again. "I'll get you some shorts, too."

In seconds, he was back, and Summer climbed out of the corner, wincing with every movement as if she'd been huddled there for days instead of twenty minutes.

Colter remained squatting and held out a pair of panties. "Step in, honey."

She grabbed his shoulders and let him dress her. He situated the panties, shorts, and, finally, a sweatshirt.

She drew in a deep breath. "I'll never get used to clothes."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Colter asked.

"Yes. I need you to understand. You need to know so you'll stop asking me to contact the police. After this, I'm gonna need a spanking." She looked at them both with hopeful eyes.

Bridger reached out and stroked her cheek. "If that's what you need, baby."

A knot formed in Colter's throat. He wasn't at all sure he would be willing to spank her after she revealed whatever hell she was about to share with them, but if it helped her purge, he would do it. He would do anything for her.

She set her palm over Bridger's. "I know Nathaniel brought me an ID and access to money, but can I please stay here for a while longer? It's a lot to ask, but I'm not strong enough to make other arrangements."

"Honey, you're not leaving. This is your home," Colter informed her.

"He's right, baby. This is where you live. Nothing you say will cause us to change our minds. We will never pressure you to do anything you don't want to do. If you decide you want things to stay the way they are forever, we'll take it. If you want more from our relationship someday in the future, we'll welcome that. If you decide you want less and you'd rather have your own room, that's fine, too. But you will always have a home here." Bridger leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you," she managed, her voice choking up. "Let's go join Nathaniel and get this over with."

"Is she asleep?" Colter asked as Bridger shuffled back into the living room.

"Yes. Though I'm not sure for how long, and she's restless," Bridger informed them.

Colter was pacing the entire space of their great room.

Nathaniel was also standing. He was at the kitchen island, palms planted on the surface. He looked like he wanted to punch someone.

That's how Colter felt, and he was certain Bridger agreed.

It had taken Summer half an hour to tell the story of what had happened to her the night she'd succumbed to the torment of her captor and orgasmed without permission. She'd managed to tell the entire thing while remaining oddly detached as if she weren't the victim in the saga. As if it were fiction and she was sharing something she'd seen in a horror film.

Colter had struggled to keep calm while she'd laid it all out. He hadn't wanted to interrupt or disturb her. She hadn't needed anyone to make things worse. All three of them had managed to listen to every word.

No one panicked until after Bridger scooped her up and took her to the bedroom. She'd been wrung out, and even though she'd immediately asked them to spank her—without caring at all that Nathaniel was in the room—they'd decided she'd been in no state of mind to consent and promised her they would later. First, she'd needed a nap.

Bridger strolled to the island, so Colter joined the two men there. He ran a hand through his hair. He was lucky there was any left. "Jesus," he muttered, unable to think of what else to say.

"Well, now we understand why she doesn't want to report the crime. I'd be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life, too, if I were her," Bridger said.

"Are you kidding?" Colter responded. "I am going to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life just knowing all of that. And…" he pointed a finger at Bridger as his most Dominant side came out, "she's never leaving this penthouse."

Nathaniel frowned. "So, now you're her jailer?"

Colter flinched as he realized what he'd implied. "No, but I'd like to be one of her lifetime protectors if she'll have me. Have us."

Nathaniel slowly nodded. "I kind of suspected that was going to happen." He shoved off the island. "I have to get to another appointment. I hope I can stop shaking enough to drive. That was the most disturbing thing I've ever heard in my life. I'm going to have nightmares." He grabbed his computer bag on his way to the door. "So, we keep her existence to ourselves for now, and we don't risk digging into who this Master J is."

"Definitely," Colter agreed as he led Nathaniel to the elevator. "If and when she changes her mind, you'll be the first to know, but I'm inclined to honor her request and keep this quiet."

Bridger joined them. "I find it interesting that whoever Master J is, he chose to scare her to death with lies about future follow-ups with her buyer. He surely knew he would have no contact with any of the buyers after the sale. Why wouldn't he wash his hands of his trainees and move on to another batch? I'm not even convinced this Master J even knows who her buyer was. He obviously hasn't contacted me to make sure I'm happy with my purchase."

Nathaniel flinched. "That's a good point. The fact that he's undoubtedly already working on his next round of trafficking is what made me come here intent on convincing her to report the crime in the first place. I understand why she doesn't want to, but I hope someday she'll feel safe enough in this glass castle to file the report." With that, Nathaniel stepped into the elevator and gave them a wave as the doors closed.

Bridger turned toward Colter. "He's right. This is a glass castle. Do you think she'll feel like she's just as trapped here as she was in Master J's house?"

Colter shook his head as he wrapped his arms around his partner. He needed the physical connection. He was still trembling from the troubling story. "I hope not. She's not our slave. I don't want her to leave because I don't think it's safe, but all we can do for her emotional well-being for now is remind her daily that she's permitted to make her own choices."

Bridger smirked. "Is that before or after we tell her she can't leave the apartment, and we insist she stays here for seventy years?"

Colter dropped his forehead against Bridger's. "You're right. It's hard for me to control my urge to dominate both of you. She seems to enjoy it, and I struggle to remember that she was trained as a slave. Dominating her is probably the last thing she needs."

"Don't be so sure. There's a huge difference between a consensual Dominant/submissive relationship and a Master/slave relationship. Especially if that Master/slave relationship is not consensual."

"Maybe."

"Not maybe. Definitely. She does not flinch when you Dominate her, Colter. She craves it. She likes the way our slight dominance absolves her of responsibility for her negative thoughts. She's calmer when we're guiding her. It's easier for her to do the things that must be done, like wear clothes, when she feels it's a demand."

Colter slid his hands farther around his lover's waist and held him tight. "When did you get so wise?" He kissed him.

"When I met you. The smartest thing I ever did was hook up with you."

Colter groaned. "God, I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I'm falling in love with that woman in our bed, too," Colter murmured.

"That's convenient. I'd hate to be the only one," Bridger teased.

"You think she'll leave us?"

Bridger shuddered. "I hope not, but we have to let her make her own decisions."

"One day at a time," Colter added. "One day. One week. One month. We need to start delegating more of our work. It's going to be a long time before we'll both leave this penthouse at the same time."

"I agree. Funny how a week ago work seemed so important to me."

"Right? Suddenly, it's the last thing on my mind."

A phone rang somewhere in the great room. Colter lifted a brow. "Isn't that the ringtone for your grandfather?"

Bridger growled. "Yes."

Colter released his partner and held out a finger. "You don't move. I'll get it."

Bridger smiled. "Yes, Sir."

Colter looked over his shoulder as he strolled toward the island where the cell was dancing. "Was that sass I heard in that tone? Do you need your ass spanked later when I do Summer's?"

"Yes, please," Bridger taunted.

The phone stopped ringing before Colter got to it, but it started up again. With a sigh, he answered. "Colter Latimer."

"Colter? This is Phyllis Williams, Mr. Arnoult's housekeeper." Her voice sounded off, tight, nervous.

"Right, Phyllis. I remember who you are. Why are you calling?" He feared she was going to summon them to the house for some cockamamy reason, and the answer was going to be a resounding no. He would not subject Bridger to one more second of his grandfather's antics.

"It's Mr. Arnoult."

"What about him?"

"He…died this afternoon."

Colter probably should have felt guilty but couldn't find the will. He breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed his shoulders. At least they no longer had to deal with the crazy old bastard and his insane antics.

Bridger wouldn't give a fuck if he got any of his inheritance or not. He may or may not end up marrying Summer and creating an heir and a spare, but it wouldn't have a damn thing to do with money. Good riddance.

"Thank you for letting us know." Colter hung up and looked toward Bridger, who'd come closer, brow furrowed. "Let me guess. He needs me to come sign a document saying if I successfully train Summer to be a good little sex slave, I can have my inheritance?"

"He died." No sense beating around the bush.

Bridger stared at him with wide eyes for several seconds, and then he let out a long breath and relaxed. "That's the best news I've heard all week."

Colter pulled him into his arms. "I'm sorry. Even though he was an eccentric fuck, he was still your grandfather."

Bridger hugged his partner back. "I'm kind of hoping I was either switched at birth or adopted. He was an asshole. Now we don't have to worry about turning him into the police for human trafficking."

"That's true." It had been a problem they had yet to address. They couldn't exactly take Summer to the police to file a report without telling them who'd purchased her, and that old bastard hadn't exactly been healthy enough to be cuffed and slammed into a jail cell. Now, they didn't have to worry about it.

"Let's go check on Summer. I feel the need to snuggle against her sweet body and take a nap myself," Bridger suggested.

Colter kissed him long and slow. "Great idea."