Chapter sixteen
The next morning Paige wandered through the house, waiting for someone else to wake up. She hadn't slept very well, and she had known she wouldn't. Still, at least she could be here for Piper, and that was all that was important. And she had also come to a decision regarding Piper's current situation.
A short while passed by before both Mark and Piper came downstairs, her sister looking none the worse for wear, and Paige smiled as she went over to her. "Is everything okay? Are you alright? He didn't hurt you?" she asked, her eyes running over her sister worriedly.
"No, I didn't hurt her," Mark said, looking at Paige with irritation apparent on his face.
"Don't sound so appalled at the idea! It would be typical for someone like you to do something awful!" Paige said, squaring her shoulders even as Mark glared at her angrily.
"Are you going to be like this all the time you're here?" he asked her, cocking his head to one side and narrowing his eyes.
"I won't be here that long," she said, about to continue, but he cut her off.
"Damn right you won't," he mused, a strange smile tilting his lips.
Paige stared at him in confusion for a second. "I meant that I've come up with a solution to all this, one that you may not like."
"Is that right? Well, then perhaps you'd like to come into my study and discuss this solution with me. Piper," he said, looking down at his new wife. "Why don't you go ahead and start breakfast. This won't take long. Paige, I'll be with you shortly," he said, gesturing to the study as he walked back up the stairs.
Piper watched him go and then turned to her sister. "Paige, this isn't a good idea, you're not really a fighter like me...tell me what you're planning."
Paige shook her head and smiled. "It's okay, it's nothing bad. But hopefully it'll free you from this place."
Piper went to protest again, but Paige just shook her head and walked into the study, closing the door behind her.
Mark knocked on Glenn's door and waited until he shouted for him to come in. "Hey man," the younger man said, pulling a T-shirt over his head. "What's up?"
"Exactly what we spoke about. You about ready for all this?" Mark asked, smiling.
"I guess so. I better pack my bag and get it in the car then, hmm?"
Mark nodded. "Good. I'll be in the den, so wait outside until I call for you...if I need you. Oh, and can you dress a little more scary?"
Glenn grinned and nodded, pulling out a black sleeveless top that had buckles all the way down one side, shining silver. A skull covered in blood was emblazoned on the front. "How's this? And leather pants?"
"Oh yeah, that should just about fit the bill," Mark said, chuckling as he left the room.
When he reached his den, he opened the door and walked in to find Paige standing impatiently at the window, tapping her foot.
"So, Paige, what was it you wanted to speak to me about?" he asked politely, not bothering to sit down.
"You know damn good and well what I want to speak to you about!" she snapped, amazed at how strong her voice sounded when she was literally quaking inside. "I want you to let Piper go and stop threatening our father!"
Mark raised an eyebrow. "I haven't threatened your father."
"You know what I mean!" Paige said, tightening her lips.
"I suppose I do. But if you think that anything you say is going to make me go back on any of this, then you're sadly mistaken," he said, giving a glare that should have made Paige turn tail and run, but she squared her shoulders and glared back at him.
"I want you to leave my sister alone!" she snapped, narrowing her eyes behind the glasses.
He raised his eyebrow. "No."
"You'd better think about that, Mr Calloway, because I'll be only too happy to make life a little more difficult for you. And I'll be starting by telling my father the truth about this 'marriage'," she said, raising her chin and trying to intimidate him. She was well aware that it wasn't working.
"Really? So you're intending to go straight from here to your father's house?" he asked her.
Paige nodded. "Yes, and once I tell him everything he'll soon sort this whole mess out. Then where will you be? Without a wife and without any hold over us anymore!"
"That's true. And I certainly wouldn't want that to happen, would I?" he said, a smirk forming on his lips. "Glenn!" he called out, his smirk turning into a grin when the hulking form of his friend filled the doorway. Paige's mouth fell open as she observed the enormous bald monster stepping into the room, dressed in some sort of weird leather outfit. To her startled eyes he looked like something out of a horror movie.
"What's up? Got a problem?" Glenn asked, looking Paige over dismissively before turning back to Mark.
"Yeah, you could say that. Remember what we talked about?" he asked, watching as Glenn nodded and gave a small smile. "Well I think we're going to have to follow through with our plans after all."
"No problem man," Glenn said and sauntered up to Paige, noting the way her eyes got bigger the closer he got to her. He paused for a second and then, with a wolfish grin, he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.
"What are you doing? Let me go!" Paige squeaked as she was propelled effortlessly out of the room and down the hallway.
"No can do, little lady, sorry about that. You're coming with me," he said, opening the front door and pulling her out of it. He paused again when she grabbed hold of the door frame with a death grip and wouldn't let go. Shaking his head and tutting he used his free hand to pry her fingers from the wood, trying not to laugh at the mutinous expression she wore. A second later laughter was the last thing on his mind when he freed her hand and she used it to slap his face. He gave her a cold glare. "Don't do that again," he said quietly.
"Or what, you big backwoods, redneck, yellow belly..." she said, trailing off with the insults and swallowing hard when his face became even stonier.
"Or I'll drag you back in that house and avail myself of your questionable charms," he growled, watching with amusement when she froze and her eyes, if possible, got even bigger.
"Wh-what?" she whispered, appalled at the images that suddenly flashed in her head.
"You heard me. See, Ma'am, us backwoods types don't get much chance to be with a real lady, so I might as well make good use of you while I've got you, don't you think?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.
"No! No, I don't think! You can't...you can't just say things like that, you..."
"Yes I can. And if you don't behave yourself, I won't just be talking about them, so watch your step," he said, pulling her along with him with a little more ease now as he went towards his truck. Opening the door he turned and looked down at her. "Get in."
Paige thought about it for a second, wondering what Piper would do. But she knew Piper was more of a fighter than she was, so it was obvious what she would do, and Paige decided she would follow that example. She folded her arms over her chest and glared at him, swallowing down her fear of such an enormous man. "I will not, and no-one can make me," she said rashly.
Glenn's lips quirked with amusement. "You think not, huh?" he said, plucking her from the ground easily and placing her in the car before she could even begin to think what he was doing. When he had done her seat belt up, he stared into her eyes, his whole body only inches from hers. "I told you to behave yourself. This would go easier on you if you did as you were told."
"I'm not a child!" she protested, trying to sink into the seat to get further away from him. He was enormously intimidating.
"I don't think you're a child, honey," he murmured, his eyes going to the thrust of her breasts and gleaming as he stared at her. "I think you're a stubborn woman. But brute strength wins over stubborn every time, so you may want to think about that."
"Well, you would have to use brute strength wouldn't you?" she muttered, secretly appalled that her tongue wouldn't just quit it. "After all, intelligence doesn't appear to be your strong suit!"
Glenn's eyes hardened as he stared at her angry face, and he dropped his gaze to her lips briefly, wondering what she'd do if he kissed her. Probably scratch his eyes out, but it was a risk he was willing to take. Plus it might shut her up for a few minutes. Without any further thought he leaned in and slanted his mouth over hers, keeping his eyes open only long enough to see hers grow enormous with shock. Then the feel of her soft trembling lips under his got to him and he let his lids droop down, sensation his only guide now. The first thing he noticed was that she wasn't kissing him back, so he increased the pressure and flicked his tongue out to taste the softness. She gave a surprised gasp at the sharp stab of pleasure his hot tongue elicited, and he used the parting of her lips to full advantage, delving deep inside to discover what this shy looking creature tasted like. And got a surprise. If he could have invented a taste that shouted of innocence, then this would be it. She was sweet, slightly and surprisingly exotic, and he was shocked to find himself getting into the kiss with more enthusiasm than he had intended. Drawing back and breathing unsteadily, his lips tilted up when he saw the way her eyes were closed and her lips were still parted, her cheeks flushed a very becoming pink. At least now she wouldn't be going anywhere, or even attempting it, he thought smugly as he closed her door and walked around the hood of the vehicle.
Paige's eyelids flickered open finally and she tried to gather her scattered senses, amazed by how it had felt being kissed by that...that.....her eyes widened when she saw her was in front of the truck and she now had a chance to get away. Shakily managing to unsnap her seat belt she jerked the door open and jumped the long way to the ground, turning and running madly away from both the vehicle and the house, hoping that the surprise of her escape would stop him from giving chase for just a few precious seconds.
"Damn!" she heard him say behind her, and then came the unmistakable sounds of running feet, heavy pounding feet, she thought with panic filling her. She increased her speed as much as she could, ignoring the sharp pain in her side as she over exerted herself. The entrance to the estate was right there, she could see it, in just another few seconds....she screamed as a big arm wrapped around her waist and hoisted her off her feet, swinging her around and then slowing down as they made their way back to the car. She felt her eyes fill with tears of rage and frustration, and she struggled against him, using her nails to scratch at his arm to try and make him let go. All it served to do was make him angry and the next moment she found herself hanging upside down over his shoulder, one of his big hands slapping her really hard on her backside to still her struggles. "Keep still or I'll be giving some more of those out," he warned grimly, carrying her to his side of the truck this time and pushing her in before he followed her, leaving her no room to escape. He sat and stared at her for a second, wondering if she would learn her lesson. "Put your seat belt on," he ordered her, narrowing his eyes as he watched her warring with herself over whether or not to obey.
Paige looked up at him briefly and then dropped her eyes, wondering whether to defy him again. But since she didn't know where he was taking her or what he was going to do to her, she decided that she didn't really have anything to lose. She would rather try and get out of this now than be carried off to God knew where. "No," she said quietly, looking for all the world like a sulky child as she glared back at him.
Glenn raised an eyebrow, a strange gleam entering his eyes. "Put it on. Now."
The intensity of his glare made her falter a little, but she squared her shoulders. "No."
He shook his head and stared at her incredulously. "Fair enough," he said, pulling her resisting body towards him in the confines of the cab. "Don't say you weren't warned." he pulled her across his lap and began swatting at her backside in a series of short, sharp swings that would cause her the most discomfort. A grim smile tilted his lips at her muffled yells. He knew she would be sobbing soon, having done this before. It wasn't something he did too often and never on someone he didn't even know, not unless they requested it, but he was damn good at it. He knew just what would hurt most without bruising, just as Mark did. In fact, it had been Mark who had once suggested this as a form of punishment when Glenn had been having trouble with his wife....his ex-wife he reminded himself happily, still pleased to be free of her clutches even after a few years. He hadn't done this for years, but it was pretty obvious to him that this was the best method to subdue this particular female. He nodded when he heard her crying and finally stopped, resting his hand on the heated globes. Sitting her quickly back up he pushed her into her own seat and cocked his head to one side, waiting for her to look at him. When she did he had to harden himself against the huge, wet brown eyes that stared back at him, hurt shining from them. "Put your seat belt on," he said again, watching with satisfaction when she instantly rushed to do as she was told. "Much better," he said as he started the engine and steered the car away from the house.
Paige had time to glance back worriedly, wondering when she would see her sister again and if she would be okay. Her own safety was another factor, and she tried to imagine what this big monster was going to do with her, unable to stop herself from trembling as horrific images filled her head.
Mark watched them drive away through the window and smiled. Now she was out of the way he had one less thing to worry about. All he had to do was tell Piper what had become of her sister, and he wasn't going to lie about it either.
****There, perhaps another story in the making after this one, hmm? Well, that was three chapters all at once, and I only hope they all uploaded okay this time, but I seriously doubt it! I'm afraid I have to concentrate some attention on my other fic for a while, so I may have to leave this for a short time, but I'll be back! And Glenn may not appear again until his own fic...sorry about that! Still, hope it was okay!****