“You like it?” Marcus asked.
“It’s perfect,” she replied as he set her case down on the bed. “But what did he mean when he said my clothes were already up here?”
“Here,” he said, tapping a tall wardrobe of dark wood. “Get yourself changed and then come down for some supper. Jack’ll drive me out to the viewpoint and then I can bring your car back here.”
“Get myself changed? Why do I need to get changed?”
“Because Walker Ranch has rules and all guests need to follow them,” he said, tossing another log onto the fire. It spat and hissed as he turned back to face her. “You can follow rules, right?”
“What kind of rules?”
“You saying you don’t know what kind of ranch this is?”
“A weird one.”
“Have a read of this.” He reached into the desk and brought out a sheet of typed paper. He set the paper down on the desk. “I’ll be back soon.”
He left closing the door behind him. Alison picked up the list of rules and began to read. “No way,” she said out loud as her eyes ran down the page. “This has to be a joke.”
4
Marcus
The car was where she’d left it. The trunk was open, the right side rear passenger window shattered. Glass was strewn on the seat inside.
“That’s just great,” Marcus said out loud as he examined the damage.
Jack lifted the trunk of his car. “Drivable?” he asked.
“Looks like it,” Marcus replied, taking the offered jump leads, hooking them in place.
While they waited for the battery to charge, Marcus swept the worst of the glass from the rear seats. “Reckon it’s the same person?” Jack asked.
“Probably. We need to catch them before it gets any worse.”
“We will. I was thinking of setting up a trap.”
“I’m listening.”
“How’s about I put something big and juicy out in the middle of the ranch, somewhere visible from the highway. Then when they come for it, we catch it all on camera. Get Crowe to track her down.”
“You think they’d be that dumb?”
“Got to be worth a try. Ready to start her up?”
“Get your car going.”
Jack started the engine and then they waited another couple of minutes. “Reckon she’ll wear the clothes?” he asked out of nowhere.
Marcus shrugged. “I think so. She seems the obedient type.”
“Are my ears deceiving me or have you taken a shine to our new guest?”
“Drop it.”
“Start her car.”
Marcus was glad of the distraction. He didn’t want to talk about Alison. He especially didn’t want to talk about what he was going to do when they got back.
Either she would choose one of the Little outfits in the wardrobe or she wouldn’t. What happened after that would depend on her decision.
He counted off the seconds before starting her engine. It faltered when he tried turning the key but then roared into life on the second attempt. He gave Jack the thumbs up.
Jack nodded back. “Could she be the one you’ve been looking for?” he asked over the noise of the two engines running, hoods open.
“She’s only here for the weekend. Just one more guest.”
“You make sure she follows the rules.”
“I will,” Marcus said, thinking of yanking Alison into his lap, her ass on display for him to turn bright red. “At least she’s got plenty of clothes to choose from.”
“All shapes and sizes catered for,” Jack said, reciting the slogan.
“Little and Big,” they said together.
Jack smiled. “I’ll get some supper ready for her when we get back. Serve it up in the dining room. Make sure she signs before anything else happens between you.”
“Worried about being sued?”
“It’s not your money on the line, Marcus. It’s mine. The NDA’s the important part. I don’t want her going home and telling the whole world what she got up to here.”
“Don’t worry. She’ll sign.”
“See you back at the ranch.”
Jack headed out, leaving Marcus to drive back alone.
He drove slow, wanting to prove to himself that he still had some self-control. Would she have changed into one of the outfits? He hoped so. But which one? What kind of Little would she want to be?
When he got back, he could smell cooking coming from the kitchen. He walked into the main house, heading through to the lounge. Holly was watching cartoons. “No sign?” he asked.
“Hasn’t come downstairs yet,” she replied, not looking his way.
He headed upstairs, knocking on the door of room one. “Yes?” Alison called out from inside. “Who is it?”
“Marcus,” he said. “You decent?”
“Yep,” she said. “Come on in.”
She was still wearing her clothes. The items from the wardrobe were laid out on the bed. “You haven’t changed,” he said. “Didn’t you read the rules?”
“What kind of ranch is this?” she asked, waving the rule sheet at him. “I’m not obeying this lot. It’s crazy.”
“Which rules didn’t you like?”
“Erm, eight through twenty-six.”
“You don’t like getting your meals provided? Your clothes?”
“I have to eat what I’m given. I have to go to bed when I’m told. I have to brush my teeth for two minutes exactly? And this part here.” She stabbed at the paper. “If I don’t obey the rules, I get punished. What does that mean?”
“Exactly what it says.”
“I’m a paying guest, not a prisoner. Punishments are for prisons.”
“Wrong,” he said coldly, taking a step toward her. She swallowed as he took another step, unable to meet his eye.
“Look at me,” he added.
She shook her head.
He put a finger under her chin, lifting her face until she was staring up at him. “Punishments are for little girls who misbehave. Good little girls who do what they’re told get rewards like horse rides out to the creek. They get candy for dessert and get to stay up late. Don’t you want that?”
She didn’t say anything. She looked like she was about to but then she tried looking away again. He took her face in his hands, moving it so she was again looking up at him.
“Bad little girls get punished,” he said quietly. “So get changed into the clothes you’ve been given and then come downstairs. I’ve some papers for you to sign before you can have supper.”
“I…I can’t wear those things.”
“You can and you will. I’m going to walk out of this room and count to a hundred. By the time I’m done, you better be changed into one of those outfits.”
He didn’t give her time to argue. He walked away, closing the door as he went. He counted slow, listening to the sound of rustling from the bedroom.
He smiled to himself. She was changing. It might not be for a lifetime as his Little but a weekend was better than nothing.