His to Punish (The Cleaners Book 2) (8 page)

“Ren was going to, but Huntly took her on himself. I believe he grew rather fond of her, which is why her betrayal hit him hard. He certainly afforded her far more liberties than any of the other girls in the club. Toward the end she had unsupervised access to Huntly’s office and his house. Guess that’s how she managed to steal the crack from him.”

“She did
what
?”

Ty smiled and shrugged.

“For what it’s worth I don’t think she used herself, but, yes, she stole the drugs and sold them onto the highest bidder. Which happened to be the Priestly brothers, Huntly’s sworn enemies and the biggest lot of scum that ever walked on this planet. God knows what she was thinking, considering she barely escaped from their clutches the first time round.”

Jeanette’s head was starting to hurt from the information overload she was being subjected to, and she put one hand up to stop Ty from talking.

“You mentioned that name before. When we were going to my flat. Is that? I mean I’ve heard of them in passing, but … is that why they were after me? Because I went to Huntly?”

Ty’s gaze grew intense as he studied her, and cold sweat ran down between Jeanette’s shoulder blades, while dread crawled up her spine.

When he at long last gave a sharp nod, Jeanette pulled a much needed breath of air into her lungs.

“I’m still not sure I understand,” she said.

Ty sighed, stood, and started to pace to and fro in front of the bed with a speed that threatened to make her dizzy.

“You really don’t, do you?” he asked

****

Fuck.
That surge of relief which flooded his being brought him to his emotional knees. The sheer force of his feelings made breathing difficult, and schooling his features into a mask of indifference he turned to address the trembling woman on the bed.

Whatever sharp response he was going to say died on his tongue because Jeanette looked utterly done in. So instead of questioning her further, he shook his head.

“We’ll discuss it further another time. I daresay this has come as a shock to you. I’m gonna leave you to digest it all, and I suggest you have a bath and change out of those clothes. You’ll feel better for it.”

Jeanette pulled a face and shook her head.

“Change into what? I haven’t got any of my clothes, and if you think I intend to run about naked, then you’ve got another think coming.”

The return of her sass made Ty grin.

“Watch it, girl. I like my women sassy, but too much of it will earn you a punishment. In fact, you’ve already earned several. I might not be up to deliver them right now.” He pressed his aching side to relieve some of the pain, and Jeanette eyes widened as she followed his movements.

“I’m sorry you got hurt because of me,” she said.

She looked as surprised as he felt hearing those words, and before he could formulate a response, she rushed on. “I mean, why did you do that anyway? You had no reason to do so, and once you knew I was Myrtle’s sister I’d have thought you…” She shivered and ran her hands up her exposed arms. “All of you would have just left me to them.”

“That was certainly an option Ren favored, but it’s not the way we work. You would have ended up dead, or far worse sold on to some sick bastard. A beautiful, sensual woman like you would fetch a very high price indeed.”

He grinned as her eyes widened, and she shook her head.

“You need your eyes tested if you think I’m beautiful. Myr was the beautiful one. I was always too tall and gangly, and when I’m not dancing likely to trip up over my own two feet at a moment’s notice. And as I’ve been told and you mentioned a few times my runaway mouth tends to get me into trouble.”

She slammed said mouth shut, as though she’d said too much already, and Ty laughed.

“Yes, I did notice, and I can think of several inventive ways to put that mouth of yours to far better use.” Predictably her eyes flashed fire at him, but he didn’t miss the way her pulse jumped, and she surreptitiously squeezed her thighs together. He let it go for now and made his point verbally.

“It’s that very sass which would make you a catch. There are plenty of sickos out there, who would love to beat you into submission, to break that beautiful spirit, until you’re a mere  fuck toy to be passed around their friends and business associates, and once you’ve fulfilled your purpose, or they deem you too old, you’d become another statistic, who died of an unfortunate overdose.”

He paused to let his words sink in a bit, and all the color drained out of her face, leaving her beautiful mocha skin a mere ashen paste.

“Is that what would have happened to Myr, had … you know?”

“Yes, titch, she was heading that way, when Ren found her and Huntly gave her a job. You would not believe the number of our girls who’ve come from that route. Some decide to stay and work, others decide this life is not for them anymore, and others still, can’t cope with their freedom and go back to the very ones who abused them. It’s a sad cycle, for sure.”

Silence fell between them, only broken by their combined breathing. Jeanette was breathing too fast, and she’d be in danger of hyperventilating soon, if he didn’t put a stop to this. Acting on the need to touch her, he placed his hand on her nape to pull her closer, and rested his forehead on hers.

“Breathe, titch, you’re safe here. In … out … come on, do it with me.”

“Safe? I’m being held a prisoner, and you call this safe?” She struggled against his hold, but Ty kept her steady and murmured his next question.

“Would you rather I’d have left you to your fate at your flat?”

“No.” Her strangled response brought out his need to protect her, and tightening his hold on her slightly, he kept on simply breathing. Eventually, her breathing evened out to match his, and the color returned to her cheeks. Only then, did he give into the urge to kiss her. Her gasp of surprise gained him entry as he licked along the seam of her lips, and taking full advantage he deepened the kiss.

A needy whimper escaped her, and when she started to kiss him back, Ty threw caution to the wind. He might not be able to fuck her right now, but he could claim her like this and he damn well would. Fisting both hands in her hair, he angled her to give him the best access, and his groan joined hers as the kiss grew ever more passionate. Just as he’d suspected, Jeanette gave as good as she got. He withdrew every time she attempted to take charge of the kiss, and her hands fisted in his shirt as she tried to close the distance between them. With a sharp tug to her hair he yanked her back, and her eyes flew open in protest.

“Please … why?”

“Who’s in charge here, girl?” he asked, and the little minx rolled her eyes at him.

“You are, but…”

Ty quirked his eyebrow at her, and she added a rather reluctant, “
Sir.”

“Better, girl.” Having dropped another kiss on her lips, he released her and stepped back.

“I’ve got things to do, but I’ll be back later with your dinner, and I expect to see you having taking care of yourself.” Jeanette pulled a face and lifted her hands up, making the chains clink.

“That’s not an excuse. You can still clean up, and there is a perfectly good bathrobe you can slip into in the bathroom, until I can get hold of some clothes for you, though I rather like the idea of keeping you naked.” His dick jerked against his zipper, and reaching into his jeans he adjusted himself. When he looked back up it was to see Jeanette’s gaze riveted on his crotch, and Ty barely bit back a smirk.

“If you want my cock, you’ll have to ask me nicely, titch, remember.”

A strangled groan escaped her, before she wrenched her gaze back up to his face and glared at him.

“I’ll never do that.”

Ty laughed, picked up the two trays of food and made his way up the stairs.

“I mean it, Sir. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.”

Ty turned at the top of the stairs, and he wasn’t at all surprised to see her sticking her tongue out at him.

“Oh yes, your mouth will be super busy, girl, don’t you worry.”

He stepped through the door, which locked shut behind him, and the thump against it made him laugh out loud. Josh, who was hovering by the front door, gave him an incredulous look.

“You’re playing nursemaid to that cunt now, Ty? Why is she still alive?”

“Don’t talk about her like that, Josh, if you want to keep that pretty face of yours looking right.”  Ty ground the words out through clenched teeth, and hands up in the air, Josh took a step away from him.

“Chill, Ty. Just saying, she’s gotta be bad news, right?”

“That’s for me to decide, not you. Stay away from her. She’s mine.”

Josh laughed and stalked off toward the stairs.

“Whatever you say, man. I swear there’s something in the fucking water around here. Hi, boss.” Josh nodded at Ren, and Ty sighed as Ren stopped at the bottom of the stairs and crossed his arms over his chest.

“So, are we killing her or not?”

Ty frowned and readied himself for a fight.

“Or not.”

Chapter Eight

Jeanette frowned at the bouncy and surprisingly heavy ball which ricocheted off the door, hopped down the stairs and came to rest at her feet. Lord only knew why that thing was in here, but it was the first thing she had grabbed from the side cabinet, when she’d been searching for something to chuck at the infuriating man. She hadn’t been fast enough, of course, so instead of colliding with Ty’s broad back it had hit the door instead. Still, it had made a rather satisfying loud thump as it impacted, and would get her opinion across about what she thought of his high-handed attitude quite nicely.

It was also, no doubt, infinitely safer to hit the door rather than Ty. For starters she didn’t really want him hurt more than he was already, and she was honest enough with herself to admit that she was turned on beyond all reason by his threats—or were they promises? Her befuddled brain couldn’t quite make that one out. One thing was sure, however, a bath sounded heavenly right now. She glowered at the chains, but as Ty had promised they didn’t get in the way too much. She had to rip her clothes get them off her, mind you. Exhausted from that effort, she sank into the depths of her lavender scented bubble bath, and soon forgot about the damn chains and everything really. Jeanette closed her eyes and simply relaxed.

How long she had been luxuriating in there, she couldn’t be sure, but noise from the main area made her sit up with a start and bring her knees up to her chest. The water sloshed over the sides, and Jeanette frowned at her wrinkled toes and fingers. They would suggest that she had been in this bath for ages. She must have fallen asleep, because she certainly couldn’t recall the passage of time, yet the water was still hot. A self-heating bath really was the lap of luxury, but then again, everything she’d encountered so far, served to reiterate the fact that being a criminal clearly paid well.

A knock on the open door stopped that particular train of thought. Jeanette wrapped her arms around her knees, and croaked a greeting.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“Only me, can I come in?”

Susie’s voice rang out loud and clear, and Jeanette shrunk further into herself as guilt crawled up her spine.

She really hadn’t been very nice to the woman, and, yet here she was being polite and courteous as always.

“Jeanette, are you all right in there? I brought you some stuff that you might need.”

“Stuff?”

Jeanette swung her head round to see Susie stick hers ‘round the door frame. If she’d blinked she’d have missed the brief smile on the redhead’s face. Susie waved a cosmetic bag at her.

“I brought you some products. Not sure if they’ll work on your hair, but they sure help me with my frizzy mess. If they don’t and you tell me what you need, I’ll make sure to get them for you. Ty has tasked me with buying you some new clothes anyway, so I need to know your size.”

“He has?” Another brief smile chased across Susie’s pale features, and she took a few tentative steps inside the wet-room.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” she asked.

Jeanette lifted her arm to show the ever present cuffs, and glared at Susie.

“Duh?”

Susie dumped the cosmetic bag onto the vanity with so much force, Jeanette jumped. Before she could blink, the other woman was standing in front of her, hands on hips, her blue eyes the frostiest she had ever seen them. It made Jeanette rather glad there were no weapons in easy reach, because, right now, Susie looked as though she wanted to murder her.

“For pity’s sake, what do you expect? Drop the fucking attitude, and show some respect. You’re only alive because of Ty. He got hurt trying to protect you, and he’s been at loggerheads with Ren because of you. Those two never argue, but they have over you. I don’t like it. I don’t like you, and if you want any chance of getting out of here, you best buck up your ideas.”

Jeanette opened her mouth to say something, but Susie wasn’t done yet.

“No, you shut the hell up and listen to me.  I get it. Lord, I get it. I was where you are now. Okay, I wasn’t chained up, but I was a prisoner nonetheless. Not in the sense that I was confined to this room, but in that I held onto my misguided notions of what I thought was right and wrong.”

“Misguided?”

Susie blinked and took a step back when Jeanette shot to her feet, sending yet more water flying everywhere. Not caring about exposing her naked self, Jeanette stepped out of the bath, and wrapped the oversized towel around herself. So much for using the bathrobe. Damn the infuriating man all over again. How the hell was she supposed to get dressed in anything with these blasted chains on her? Having managed to tie the towel up, she whipped back round to glare at Susie some more.

“They killed my sister. There is nothing misguided about that.”

Susie took another step back and the look of sympathy, if not to say pity leveled at Jeanette was even harder to take.

“I’m sorry you lost your sister, but I’m not sorry that she died.” The quietly uttered words held utter conviction, and Jeanette sat down on the edge of the bath with a thump. It was that or fall down.

“Are you that fuckin’ brainwashed that you can’t see how wrong that is?”

Susie shook her head and gave a short, humorless laugh.

“Believe it or not, I’m here of my own free will.”

Jeanette shook her head, and after a moment’s hesitation, Susie sat down next to her. The wide edge of the bath made a surprisingly comfortable seat.

“I am, and you can’t tell me that this whole thing isn’t a huge turn-on for you.”

Jeanette whipped her head round to glare at her, all ready to dispute that notion, but her gaze snared on her knickers left on the floor. Heat rose in her cheeks, and she kept quiet.

“It’s okay, you know. That’s what I meant earlier, when I said I’d been there. Finding yourself aroused in these sort of fucked up circumstances feels wrong, but it isn’t really. I saw the way you and Ty sparked off each other back at the club. That sort of chemistry is hard to find, and you don’t throw it away on a whim.”

Jeanette made a strangled sound at the back of her throat, and Susie gently squeezed her hand.

“Ty likes you, a hell of a lot, if you ask me, to put up such a fight for you. Don’t make him regret sticking his neck out for you. Besides, it won’t do you any good. You’re one of the Huntly girls now, and that’s not ever going to change, so deal with it.”

Jeanette snatched her hand out of Susie’s and immediately regretted that action, because Susie rose stiffly and all of her previous sympathy vanished in a flash.

“Anyway, I’m guessing you’re what? Size 8 to 10, slightly bigger in tops?” She didn’t wait for Jeanette’s reply, simply nodded and turned to leave.

“So, I’m just to forget about what they all did to my sister?” Jeanette aimed the question at Susie’s departing back, and the other woman tensed. “I’ve seen the pictures of her body, they’re—”

“So have I.” Susie’s curt statement interrupted Jeanette. “I’m guessing it was Detective Wonsan who showed them to you.”

“How do you…”

Susie turned slightly so that she could fix her expressive gaze on Jeanette.

“I know, because he did the same to me. Tried to use me to turn in Sir and the rest of the Cleaners. Needless to say it didn’t work. Even if I hadn’t already fallen hopelessly in love with Sir by then, I never would have ratted on them. It’s not conducive for one’s health for starters, and, besides, Huntly helped me out of a bind. Say what you will about him, he looks after the people working for him.”

Jeanette snorted her disbelief.

“Like he looked after my sister.”

Susie swung fully round and shook her head.

“Yes, because he did, right up until she betrayed him. Do I think she deserved to die for that? Yes, actually, I do.” She nodded grimly at Jeanette’s sharp intake of breath. “She knew what she was signing up for, just like I did, when I sought Huntly’s protection, just like you did when you applied for the dancing job.” She paused to study Jeanette. “Ty says, you didn’t really know what you were letting yourself in for, and maybe that’s true, but Huntly made his terms perfectly clear, and you were given a choice. Just like I was. I chose to be just a waitress, and that’s still what I am. Huntly is a man of his word, which is more than can be said for others. Detective Wonsan being a point in question. For Christ’s sake the man is married with a sick kid, yet he’s looking to score. Did you know he’s been sniffing around the club? Not in his official capacity. Oh no, this is for his
personal
entertainment.” Susie pulled a face as she said that. “That man gives me the creeps. My friend Kim danced for him the other night, and Josh had to tell him to back off. Had he been any other punter, he’d have been thrown off the premises there and then, I tell you. Kim doesn’t do extras.” Susie added the last bit, clearly interpreting Jeanette’s surprised expression correctly.

“Anyway, like I said Huntly looks after us all.”

“He’s still a criminal,” Jeanette said more to convince herself than anything else, and Susie laughed.

“You’ve got a lot to learn. Life isn’t black and white, you know.”

Jeanette struggled to her feet, glaring at the clinking chains.

“Can you honestly say it doesn’t bother you? All the violence? Your lover killed my sister, damn it.”

She swallowed down the hot, angry tears burning in the back of her throat, but if she’d expected Susie to show remorse for that then she was disappointed.

“Yes, he did. It’s what they all do.” Susie said. “They’re the Cleaners. Someone has to do it. Do I sometimes wish things were different? Yes, sure I do, but wishing for something doesn’t make it happen, and besides I love Ren, all of him. You see him as nothing but a monster, but there is so much more to him than that. To them all, and if you just let go of your preconceived notions, open your heart, and follow your instincts, you’ll see that I’m right.”

Jeanette laughed. It was a slightly hysterical laugh to be sure, but, really, this had to be the most bizarre conversation she’d ever had.

“And if my instincts tell me to kill your precious Ren next time I see him, what then?”

Susie paled and took a step back. When she spoke the frost behind her words could have turned the Sahara into a glacier.

“Then you’d be dead faster than I can say deluded cow.”

With that, Susie swept out of the room, leaving Jeanette to her thoughts.

That surreal conversation set the pace of things to come over the next few days. Ty turned up for the next meal, as promised, but he seemed preoccupied, and once he had reassured himself that she was indeed eating, he left. Not before he’d unchained her to enable her to get dressed in the clothes provided by Susie. The simple jogging bottoms and t-shirts were nothing special, but the fact that Ty took the time to enable her to get dressed, meant the world to Jeanette.

“Thank you, Sir.”

His harsh features had lit up in a dazzling, toe-curling smile, which had shot straight to her clit.

“You’re welcome, titch. You remain cooperative and I’ll get you out of here soon enough.”

He’d dropped a kiss on her nose and left, leaving Jeanette to feel strangely empty inside. The only interaction she had with the outside world, if you could call it that, was through Susie, and as the days wore on she looked forward to seeing the redhead. Not that the other woman spoke to her much, if at all, but she was courteous, and without her help, Jeanette would be stuck in the same clothes day in and out. As it was Susie unchained her morning and night to enable Jeanette to wash and change her clothes.

After a week of this, and no sign of Ty or any of the other cleaners, Jeanette had had enough. When Susie came down with her breakfast things, Jeanette held out her wrists.

“What do I have to do to get rid of these for good?”

Susie smiled and looked up toward the top of the stairs.

“You had to ask, titch.”

****

Jeanette’s reaction to his words was truly priceless, and Ty suppressed a grin as he made his way down the stairs. In the week since he’d kept away, his titch had lost the gaunt look. She looked ready to take on the world, but far more importantly she had lost some of her antagonistic stance. He wouldn’t go as far as to say she’d mellowed. The fire sparking in her dark gaze as she glared at him was certainly proof of that, but she’d had plenty of time to think, and to adjust to her situation. Even a few days ago, she wouldn’t have asked that question. She’d have demanded to have the chains removed, had, in fact, done so on numerous occasions.

Susie had ignored her every time, as instructed. Jeanette hadn’t known it, but one of the Cleaners, more often than not Ren, had kept watch behind the open door, lest Myrtle’s sister try anything when Susie took the chains off to enable Jeanette to change her clothes.

It had been a hard-won concession, Ty knew, and he’d breathed a sigh of relief that Jeanette had always just disappeared into the wetroom to get changed in private, rather than trying to overpower Susie. That wouldn’t have ended well for Myrtle’s sister.

“Just keep her fucking naked, that’ll solve the issue.” Josh’s suggestion had been met with a chorus of approval when Ty had first brought up the subject. It had been Susie who had volunteered to fulfill the task, taking everyone by surprise.