The Intruder (17 page)

"With your grouchy attitude? I don't think so!" Kari snapped.

"I hadn't had my coffee yet," he told her, wishing he could turn her over his knee and smack her butt. The Lieutenant would kill him, though, for even thinking about it....

"If you say so!" Kari put a platter of bacon on the table, and followed it with a bowl of scrambled eggs. There was toast and orange juice, and she felt that was enough, but she asked politely, "Can I get anything else for anyone?"

"I'd like sausage, biscuits, and gravy... and some grits," Linc simply couldn't resist yanking her chain a bit.

Kari looked at him and then pointed, "There's the stove, Officer."

Everyone laughed but Kari, and Linc immediately felt bad for teasing her. "I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot, Mrs. Tobias."

"I don't like being yelled at, Officer," she snapped, and then turned her attention to her food.

Kelly was surprised by Kari's behavior. It wasn't like her to be so... rude! She looked at Linc, and he just shrugged, but she could tell that he was bothered. A few words from Kari to Jake, and Linc would be as good as gone, not that Kari would be that vindictive... but Linc didn't know that.

"These scrambled eggs are almost as good as Ma's!" Jenna said to break the tension in the air. "No one cooks as good as Ma, so don't be offended, Kari."

"I'm not," Kari laughed. "Molly is a wonderful cook."

Jenna entertained them with an exaggerated account of Jake's 'battle' with Molly the evening before and how he ended it by threatening to find her a husband who would take her over his knee and spank her! They were all laughing, even Linc.

"What did your Mom say to that?" Kari asked curiously.

"She threatened to take a wooden spoon to Jake, but she was laughing, and she hugged him and told him everything would be all right. He calmed down some after that, and then went all Cop like he does, and started giving orders right and left. He put Ma and I down in the basement because there was no way they could get in down there, and we didn't even know that those men came to the house and were going to come in my window until we were told this morning that Jake arrested them. Poor Linc spent the entire night in the kitchen, sitting on a chair in front of the back door and the basement door, which are beside each other," she added for Kelly's benefit since she'd never been inside the house. "Jake had men at the dorm, too, covering my room and Deborah's, and they arrested five more of Darles' men. He had officers at your house, too, Kari. They expected to find you... and you," she told a startled Kelly. "One of the men talked... told them where they met with Darles. Jake went there hoping to arrest him, but he was gone."

"Sugar, we're going to have to have a little talk," Linc warned.

"Why? What did I do now?" Jenna asked innocently.

"The Sergeant is the one who should have told Kelly about that," he said in a scolding tone of voice.

"Ohhhhh... Oh... I'm so sorry, Kelly. I didn't realize that you didn't know... You talked to Nevin, and I was so sure... I am so sorry. I have a big mouth." Jenna had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, Jenna. I needed to know, and I am grateful you told me, even though it startled me a bit. Now I know why Nevin let me stay here. He thinks I'm safer here." She was stunned to realize that she was also a target of Darles.

"Don't worry, Kelly. You are a trained police officer and you know what to do to protect yourself. I'm here, and they won't get past me. I give you my word on that. I've got your back."

Kelly nodded and squared her shoulders, and Kari realized that Linc had said just the right thing. He'd given Kelly confidence and courage and reminded her that she was strong. Kari smiled at Linc in appreciation. He returned her smile, and just like that, her opinion of him did a complete turn around.

"Can I get you some more coffee, Linc?" she offered, getting to her feet to go and get the pot. He thanked her as she refilled his cup, and Jenna accepted some, too. Kelly wasn't touching coffee because of the caffeine, so Kari topped off her cup, and then sat down once again.

It wasn't long before the dogs sounded an alarm and Kelly ordered Kari to take Jenna and go to the safe room. Kari flat out refused. "You're in as much danger as me, and I'm not hiding from that bastard. I'm going to fight, too!" Kari insisted. "That's my godchild you're carrying! And, I'm not abandoning you to protect myself."

"Damn it, Kari, I'm a police officer! Now go!"

"No. You're pregnant, and I'm staying." She had her gun ready, and wasn't surprised to see that Jenna was also armed.

"Sugar, if I give you an order, obey it. Hear me? I'll spank you proper if you don't!" Linc promised, on his way to the door to look out and see who was approaching.

Kelly and Kari looked at each other in surprised and then smiled. "Is that the way of it with you, too, Jenna?" Kari asked in a whisper, trying to keep Linc from hearing."

"I think it is," she answered truthfully, not bothering to pretend she didn't understand what she was being asked.

"You can join our club then," Kelly said with a wide grin.

"What club is that?" Jenna asked curiously as they all watched Linc for any sign of coming trouble.

"The Spanked Wives Club. We offer sympathy and a soft pillow to sit on," Kelly replied with a straight face.

"Sounds like a great club," Jenna laughed. "I have a tender tush today... I earned it," she added, looking at Kari. "Don't be mad at Linc."

"I understand, hon. I really do. I'm still recovering from the last spanking Jake gave me, although I'm a lot better now. I earned that one, too."

"See, doesn't it make you feel better to have someone to talk to about this?" Kelly asked in a soft whisper. "I mean, it's not like you can walk into work and say, 'my husband spanked me so I don't feel like sitting down for our meeting today'."

"Or, 'sorry professor, I need to stand up while you lecture because I have a sore butt'!"

They all giggled and Linc shook his head and muttered something about 'silly females' under his breath. That made them giggle again, even though Kelly went 'shhhh'.

"I think it's okay, ladies," Linc finally announced when the car came a bit closer. "Just stay down until I'm positive it's the Sergeant. It looks like his car. Kelly jumped up to go and look, and Linc growled at her, "Get your butt over there, Kelly. I'm supposed to be protecting you, too!"

"It's Nevin," she said in excitement.

"It's a car like his; we haven't seen him yet. Now, do as I say, Officer, before I have to report you for not following orders."

"No one in authority has told me I have to take orders from you, Officer, and my rank is the same as yours, but I have seniority," Kelly stuck up for herself.

"Do you want your husband finding you standing right here when you're supposed to be with the other two ladies?" Linc asked pointedly. "It's your butt..."

Kelly quickly returned to their 'hiding' spot, which was in a corner behind a tall cupboard

A minute or two later, Linc said calmly, "It's the Sergeant, and the Lieutenant is with him."

"Jake is here, too?" Kari squealed in delight.

The two men came in the door, and were greeted with hugs and kisses. Linc had to smile, and he noted that Jenna was watching her brother and sister-in-law with unbridled curiosity, and then she nodded and smiled. She looked over at Linc, and gave him a wink, and then moved to his side and said in a whisper, "I was worried at first because they met and married so fast... but they really love each other, Linc."

He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "It happens like that sometimes, sugar." The look he gave her was full of promise and Jenna caught her breath. It felt 'right', just like Ma always said it would.

"Have you two had breakfast?" Kari asked. "I'll be happy to fix something for you if you haven't eaten yet. She didn't really care for the look in Jake's dark eyes.

"We had something, Kari, thank you," Nevin answered. "I would like a moment with you, Kelly. We'll talk upstairs in our room." He turned to Jake and said, "Feel free to use the study, friend."

Jake nodded, and then said, "Come along, Kari. We need to talk."

When they left the room, Jenna turned to Linc, and said, "Ut oh!"

"Want another cup of coffee, sugar," Linc asked, trying to distract her.

"No... I want to go and eavesdrop and find out what has those two men all ticked off at Kari and Kelly," she admitted with an impish grin.

"You go to doing that, sugar, and you'll be the one getting another spanking," he winked. "So, tell me, Jenna, how do you feel about babies and kids in general?"

* * *

"Just what I need," Jake said as he picked up a wooden ruler from the desk. "You can come right over here, young lady, and take down those jeans and bend over this desk."

"What? Why?" Kari looked at Jake in dismay. "What did I do, Jake?" she asked, confused. "I haven't done anything wrong?"

"No? Do you call interfering with a police officer 'nothing'?" he demanded. "Kari, you can't treat the men and women who work under me the way you treated Linc Aiken. You were rude, threatened him, and you took his cell phone from him. What if there'd been an emergency and he needed backup right away?"

"I was trying to keep him from calling Nevin and telling him that Kelly was ill. It was her right to tell Nevin about the baby," Kari blurted.

"You didn't have the right to do that, sweetheart. You can't threaten an Officer and use me as the threat. It isn't fair."

"I was protecting Kelly, and it was fair. You weren't here to see the whole thing, and..."

"I don't need to witness what you did to know it was wrong, Kari. Now bend over this desk, or this spanking is going to go from a simple reminder to an all-out punishment."

"You are being unreasonable, Jake!"

"Now, Kari. Jeans down."

"Jake!" she stomped her foot in frustration. "This isn't fair!"

"Last chance, sweetheart," he told her, and she could see he meant it. If she did not cooperate, he was going to get mean.

"All right, but I can promise you are going to be apologizing for this, Jacob Tobias, and I am not going to be very forgiving!" she told him.

Jake hid his grin as she leaned over the desk, presenting her bare bottom for a spanking. He hated having to do this, but she had to learn that she couldn't tangle with his officers and get away with it. It wouldn't do at all. They would be afraid of her... and of him for allowing her to behave that way. Jake started with his hand, and learned that Kari was still a little tender from the last punishment he'd given her. It wasn't the best way to start a marriage, but he had no choice. He had to follow through and make the lesson sharp enough she would recall it the next time she was tempted to give one of his officers a hard time.

Kari was truly upset and it didn't take long for her to start crying as Jake spanked her bottom. His hand was large and hard, and she couldn't imagine why he thought he needed the ruler when his hand hurt so much! "Owwww!" she finally cried out. "Jake, please! I'm still sore from the other day!"

"One has nothing to do with the other, sweetheart. I'm sorry this is necessary, but when you misbehave, we'll deal with it immediately, no matter how sore you already are." He did lighten up just a bit since her skin was already feeling hot to his touch and was a flaming red. Her skin was delicate, and he didn't need to spank really hard to make his point. "Are you ready to apologize to Linc?"

"Yes!" she said, anxious to end the torment on her bottom.

"Good. I'll give you a few more with the ruler, just to remind you that this is not to happen again, and you can make your apology."

"Jake, no!" she protested, but he merely put his hand on the small of her back and held her in place while he peppered her sit spots with the wooden ruler.

Kari was angry when he finally released her. She quickly pulled up her panties and her jeans and moved away when he tried to take her in his arms. "Just get out of here and leave me alone, Jake. I'm mad at you, and I don't want you to touch me at all right now."

"Kari, don't make more of this than it is. Come and make your apology to Linc, and it'll be all over."

"I'm not ready to speak to anyone. Get out and let me calm down."

Chapter Twelve

Jake looked at Kari in surprise. She was more than a bit angry, and he could see that she was struggling to control her temper after the spanking he'd given her. Part of him said the answer was another spanking to deal with her sulking and pouting, but the other part of him said it was time to give her some space, as she requested. Perhaps the last part of the spanking had been overkill since she'd already agreed to apologize to Linc Aiken...? It was not the best way to start off their marriage, and Jake was determined to whisk her away for a honeymoon just as soon as he wrapped up this case and arrested Quincy Darles.

"Very well, Kari. I'll go and have a cup of coffee, but I expect you to come out and make your apology within the next fifteen minutes. Is that understood?" he asked in a firm tone of voice. She nodded, but did not look at him or speak. She was rigid with anger, unlike his sweet Kari. He left the room and went out to talk to his sister and Linc.

* * *

"Nevin, what are you doing?" Kelly asked in shock when he startled unbuckling his belt.

"What do you think I'm doing?" he asked, looking at her. "I told you that you were in big trouble with me, and while you seemed to think it a big joke, I was perfectly serious."

"But... I'm pregnant!" she insisted, taking a few steps backwards. "You can't strap me now!" her eyes were wide.

"I most certainly can and most certainly will. Kelly, do you have any idea at all how much risk you placed yourself and Kari in by accepting this assignment, knowing you are pregnant?" His eyes were full of accusation. "What if Darles would have shown up this morning while you were ill? Kari would have been on her own to handle those men, and they would have taken both of you. When Darles learned about our baby, he probably would have destroyed the fetus so he could sell you to the highest bidder!" Her eyes filled with tears at the thought, and her hand moved protectively over her tummy to protect her child. "You should have told me you were pregnant, Kelly; and this punishment is not going to be put off. You are going to lie over the foot of the bed, and give me a nice target to spank, and you are going to stay right in place until we are done. This won't hurt the baby, but it will give you a damned good reminder that you need to think of our child before placing yourself in a situation that could potentially be dangerous."