“Oh, my god…” Now she looked around—really looked around—and realized where she was; it was the house that used to serve as her home away from home. Jace’s place.
Now everything was coming back: hitting his truck, getting stuck, standing in the rain yelling. Lily Mae turned and put her feet on the floor, burying her face in her hands.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” she said, then reached hastily for her shoes. She didn’t know where Jace was, but she knew one thing: she had to get out as quickly as possible.
“Going somewhere?”
She looked up slowly, and for a moment their eyes locked. She felt frozen in time with her hand cupping one heel, the foot halfway in.
“I need to leave,” she said woodenly.
Jace crossed his arms. “I don’t think so, Lily Mae.”
Lily Mae slid her foot into the shoe. Something in his tone was unsettling.
“It’s not really your choice, is it?” she asked.
“Right,” Jace said. “Because you’re a big girl who can take care of herself?”
Lily Mae glared at him now. “Are you making fun of me?” she asked in disbelief.
“Not at all. I’m just repeating the lie you’ve obviously been telling yourself since the night you ran away from me for giving you what you needed.”
Her heart began to pound as she stood. The room spun around her and Lily Mae closed her eyes. When she opened them, she realized he’d moved closer and was looking down at her.
“I don’t have to take this,” she said as evenly as she could. “I think you have my car keys, so hand them over.” She held out her hand.
“Sure,” he said. “Just as soon as you provide proof of insurance. You banged my truck up pretty bad last night.”
Lily Mae averted her gaze nervously. “Sure,” she said. “I don’t have it with me, though. It’s… um… in my other purse. I’ll call you with it.”
“No,” he said. “If we’re going to handle this, we’re going to do it my way.” He took out his cell phone and began to dial.
“Who are you calling?” She could hear the nervousness in her own voice.
“Sheriff’s office,” he said. “We need to make an accident report.”
“No, wait…” She reached out, putting her hand over his. “Don’t.”
“Why not?”
Lily Mae opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out.
“Why not, Lily Mae?” He paused. “Answer me!”
She jumped at the abruptness of his tone and then sank back down onto the sofa, overcome by a wave of nausea and fear. When she answered, her voice was barely audible.
“I don’t have insurance…”
“Why not?”
“Does it matter?” The words sounded petulant, even to her own ears. Lily Mae sighed. “I ran into some, um… money troubles last year.”
“How bad is it, Lily Mae?”
She kept her eyes trained on the floor as she answered. “Bad. Real bad. But I put mom’s house on the market, so hopefully that’ll turn things around pretty quick.”
She felt the couch sag beside her as he sat down. “I don’t know how to break it to you, but houses in town aren’t moving. There are two in your mama’s neighborhood right now that have been on the market for over a year. Lily Mae, in case you haven’t noticed, this is the kind of place people leave.” He paused. “Unless they come back for something they need.”
Lily Mae felt a flush creep over her face. “You think that’s why I showed up here last night?”
“Isn’t it?” There was no accusation in his tone; somehow that made her feel worse. She felt a vulnerability creeping in, a softening. And then, just as quickly, anger.
She stood, whirling on him. “That’s so fucking like you, Jace Whitaker,” she hissed. “So fucking like you to assume you know exactly what I’m thinking, exactly what I need. Well, guess what. You don’t. You never did. You’re just an arrogant asshole…”
“Watch your mouth, young lady,” Jace warned calmly, standing to face her. “You’re in my house now.”
She stepped up until inches separated them. “Oh, yeah, cowboy?” She glared at him. “Why the fuck should I care?”
“Because,” he said. “In this house, there are consequences.”
He sat down on the couch, pulling her across his lap.
“Oh, no, you don’t, you sonofabitch! Not again!” Lily Mae’s hands flew back, determined to stop him this time, but he was so strong, stronger even than she remembered.
An electric current of fear ran through her as Jace’s large hand worked the hem of her tight dress up to the small of her back. Lily Mae heard a ‘plunk’ as one of her heels flew from her kicking foot and hit a nearby chair.
“Noooo!” she screamed, looking back in disbelief. Was he really taking her panties down? Oh, god, he was! She found feel the tiny black undergarment worked across the full mounds of her bottom and down her legs until they were gathered around her ankles. She kicked harder, dislodging the panties along with her other heel.
“Let me go!” she screamed. “If you spank me, I swear to fucking god I will call the police and have you arrested.”