Heartfield Ranch (Communities of Discipline Book 2) by Fiona Wilde Page B
Authors: Fiona Wilde
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slipped it on the padlock that secured the door. The lock slid open and he removed it and pushed the door open.
“Here’s your dangerous stuff, Sherlock,” he said, pointing inside.
Karen glanced at him and then walked over to look inside. The concrete walled room held fertilizer and weed killer.
“Some of that stuff can be dangerous to animals and humans,” he said. “That’s why we keep it locked in here. We don’t like to use it, but we have to sometimes.”
He shut the door and turned back to her. “Just like we don’t like to have to spank our women. But we have to sometimes.” He paused. “And I’ve half a mind to turn you back over my knee for lying to me.”
Karen backed up, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. They were alone. She had no gun. He had her phone. He’d already proved that he could overwhelm her physically. Her mouth went cotton dry and she shook her head.
“No,” she said feebly. “No, you won’t. I won’t stand for it.”
“No?” he asked, coming towards her. “And why not? You’ve already said you were going to have me arrested. I might as well make it worth your while. And you certainly deserve it, coming in to our community on false pretenses, accepting our hospitality all while hoping to dig up some kind of dirt that could get us in trouble. And for what? What’s in it for you, Officer? A promotion? Or did Ann Marie’s parents put pressure on you?”
Karen looked away, blushing deeply. Clay Sanders was succeeding in making her feel foolish, and it infuriated her not just because he was pushing her buttons, but because he was doing it with the truth.
“The public has every right to know whether there’s some sort of dangerous group in their midst,” Karen shot back, ignoring his spot-on speculation. “What’s going on here with these women isn’t natural. You know that.”
“It’s not natural to outsiders, young lady.”
“Don’t call me ‘young lady!’” Karen raised her voice this time. The power this man had to agitate her, to put her on the defensive, was maddening.
“I’ll call you what I want.” He spoke the words emphatically, his deep voice sending a chilling stroke down her spine. “And you’d be wise to mind that temper. You’re still at Heartfield, and you came in knowing that you’d answer to me.”
“I came in undercover,” Karen said. “I only said that to get in here. I do not answer to you.”
He stood until he was just inches from her. “Yes you do,” he said. Karen backed away, suddenly afraid. “If you don’t believe me, then smart off again.”
Karen eyed him defiantly, but her knees were shaking under her. She wanted to tell him to go straight to hell, to fuck off, to remind him that if he hit her now it would be not just assault, but assaulting an officer because he knew who she was. But she knew he wasn’t bluffing, and the idea of going back over his knee was not a risk she was willing to take.
She dropped her gaze.
“Clever girl,” he said, and then put a finger under her chin, tipping her face up. “Now,” he said, “we’re going outside and you’ll be free to go, but only after you sit down with this community and they get a chance to tell you what you need to know.”
***
The sun was out when they left the barn. When she looked up at the bright blue sky swimming with clouds, it was hard for Karen to believe there had ever been a storm. But when she looked around it as apparent one had visited. The destruction wasn’t bad, but the winds had not left the community unscathed. Awnings had been blown from windows and chickens were everywhere, having fled from a partially collapsed coop.
Two children were helping Ann Marie gather them back up. When she caught sight of Karen, she smiled.
“Betty!” she said, running over. “Oh my gosh! I thought you were right behind me. I’m so sorry. Are you OK?”
Karen felt a pang of guilt. This woman, who barely knew her, was genuinely
“Here’s your dangerous stuff, Sherlock,” he said, pointing inside.
Karen glanced at him and then walked over to look inside. The concrete walled room held fertilizer and weed killer.
“Some of that stuff can be dangerous to animals and humans,” he said. “That’s why we keep it locked in here. We don’t like to use it, but we have to sometimes.”
He shut the door and turned back to her. “Just like we don’t like to have to spank our women. But we have to sometimes.” He paused. “And I’ve half a mind to turn you back over my knee for lying to me.”
Karen backed up, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. They were alone. She had no gun. He had her phone. He’d already proved that he could overwhelm her physically. Her mouth went cotton dry and she shook her head.
“No,” she said feebly. “No, you won’t. I won’t stand for it.”
“No?” he asked, coming towards her. “And why not? You’ve already said you were going to have me arrested. I might as well make it worth your while. And you certainly deserve it, coming in to our community on false pretenses, accepting our hospitality all while hoping to dig up some kind of dirt that could get us in trouble. And for what? What’s in it for you, Officer? A promotion? Or did Ann Marie’s parents put pressure on you?”
Karen looked away, blushing deeply. Clay Sanders was succeeding in making her feel foolish, and it infuriated her not just because he was pushing her buttons, but because he was doing it with the truth.
“The public has every right to know whether there’s some sort of dangerous group in their midst,” Karen shot back, ignoring his spot-on speculation. “What’s going on here with these women isn’t natural. You know that.”
“It’s not natural to outsiders, young lady.”
“Don’t call me ‘young lady!’” Karen raised her voice this time. The power this man had to agitate her, to put her on the defensive, was maddening.
“I’ll call you what I want.” He spoke the words emphatically, his deep voice sending a chilling stroke down her spine. “And you’d be wise to mind that temper. You’re still at Heartfield, and you came in knowing that you’d answer to me.”
“I came in undercover,” Karen said. “I only said that to get in here. I do not answer to you.”
He stood until he was just inches from her. “Yes you do,” he said. Karen backed away, suddenly afraid. “If you don’t believe me, then smart off again.”
Karen eyed him defiantly, but her knees were shaking under her. She wanted to tell him to go straight to hell, to fuck off, to remind him that if he hit her now it would be not just assault, but assaulting an officer because he knew who she was. But she knew he wasn’t bluffing, and the idea of going back over his knee was not a risk she was willing to take.
She dropped her gaze.
“Clever girl,” he said, and then put a finger under her chin, tipping her face up. “Now,” he said, “we’re going outside and you’ll be free to go, but only after you sit down with this community and they get a chance to tell you what you need to know.”
***
The sun was out when they left the barn. When she looked up at the bright blue sky swimming with clouds, it was hard for Karen to believe there had ever been a storm. But when she looked around it as apparent one had visited. The destruction wasn’t bad, but the winds had not left the community unscathed. Awnings had been blown from windows and chickens were everywhere, having fled from a partially collapsed coop.
Two children were helping Ann Marie gather them back up. When she caught sight of Karen, she smiled.
“Betty!” she said, running over. “Oh my gosh! I thought you were right behind me. I’m so sorry. Are you OK?”
Karen felt a pang of guilt. This woman, who barely knew her, was genuinely
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