Raven Brooke Ch. 05

"No," Jessie pouted. She looked at him through watery eyes. "He left with her."

"I saw," Jim responded with a nod of his head. "It hurts when someone just leaves." He looked at her sullenly before standing up and turning to leave the bathroom.

"Jim, wait!" Jessie cried. She unplugged the tub and stood up slowly. Jim turned back, watching the cool drops of water drip off her body. When she caught his gaze, she blushed and looked down at the water around her feet. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry for what?" Jim asked, leaning against the wall. He wasn't giving her anything, especially a way out of the mess she created.

"For everything," she whispered. "I'm sorry for leaving without telling you."

"It's probably best you didn't tell me," Jim confessed. He grabbed the folded towel from the bathroom counter and walked over to her, wrapping the fluffy yellow towel around her trembling body.

"Why?"

"Because, I wouldn't have let you leave," he admitted. Jessie sighed softly and gazed at him, pain etched in her eyes. She nodded slowly and then climbed out of the large oval tub.

"Yes, you would have," she argued, walking past him into her room. Jim followed her and watched as she slipped into a pair of flannel pants and a sweat shirt. "You would have rejoiced had it not been a shock."

"That isn't fair."

"You never liked me. You always treated me that way," Jessie pouted.

"Jessie, I think you're confused," Jim argued. He shook his head and neared her, pulling her into his arms. "I never treated you badly."

Jim pulled her face up to his, pressing his lips against hers. Jessie inhaled his masculine scent, trembling against his strong shoulders. Jim pulled his lips away slowly and gazed into her eyes.

"But, you treated everyone badly, especially me," he stated simply. Jessie shook her head in denial. "You are a spoiled rotten brat with a lemon-sour attitude."

"No, I'm…"

"Hush, Jessie. I'm willing to work on it if you are."

"Work on it?"

"Come back to San Diego with me," Jim urged the beautiful woman in front of him. "Come back to the life you abandoned."

"I c… can't," Jessie whispered, staring at the floor. "I already left Keith once. I will not do it again, Jim. Keith and I are in love."

"Oh, don't be stupid, Jessica!" Jim shouted, letting her go and storming to the door. "I've known Keith Owens a hell of a lot longer than you have and you're only one of the many women who have been in love with him!"

"No, that's not true!" Jessie shouted. "He missed me so much he came to San Diego and got me!"

"Did you ever stop to ask him why?" Jim asked her before leaving her room, slamming the door behind him.

Jessie fell to her bed, sobbing.

"Jessica, wake up," Keith whispered as he sat beside his sleeping beauty. She lay curled up in a ball, having cried herself to sleep. "Come on, kitten, wake up."

Jessie looked up at him, turning on her back. She ignored the numb pain from the strap marks on her bottom. He smiled down at her.

"Have a good night, kitten?" he asked, watching with a smile as she turned to the clock and saw it was after nine.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, Sir," Jessie whispered. "Is Kelley okay?"

"She's fine."

"Should I get up and make you breakfast now?"

"I already ate, kitten," Keith replied, standing up. "Raven wanted to know if you'll be ready to film again on Tuesday. I told her you will."

"Tuesday? Already?"

"I know it's soon, kitten, but your last video is such a success," Keith explained. He winked at her as he turned to leave her bedroom.

"Wait!" she cried. "Why did you want me to come back?"

"Because, I missed you, kitten."

"There's no other reason?"

"What are you getting at?" Keith asked, his face darkening. He looked at her with angry eyes. "What brought this up?"

"I don't know. I just think there's more to it than you're telling me," she replied.

Keith stormed back over to her, anger filling his blood. "Who have you been talking to?" he demanded.

"No one! I just wanted to know…"

Keith stared into her face, anger etched deeply in his eyes. "Well, what do you want to hear? Do you want to hear that Raven Brooke was offered a lot of money if we could get a few films of you and Brooke together again? Is that what you want to hear?"

Jessie widened her eyes in shock. "I'm just a money making deal?"

"Oh, maybe you'd rather hear that it was Raven who begged me to go get you and I finally caved in!" Keith shouted.

"You asshole!" Jessie shouted, feeling the urge to punch him. Keith grabbed her and held her against the wall, her arms above her head.

"Jessica, is that what you wanted to hear? That's how it was at first, but when I finally had you back, I suddenly didn't want to let you go again!" Keith shouted at her. "I suddenly thought about collaring you again, claiming you as mine!"

"Who is Kelley?" Jessie demanded.

"Kelley? A model for the site. I told you that yesterday," Keith told her, releasing his grip on her wrists.

"Who is she to you?"

Keith stepped back and glared at her. "That's none of your fucking business."

"It is too! It's my business if I'm living here!" Jessie cried. She stomped away from him and opened her closet door. Grabbing a bag, she threw it on the bed and went to her dresser to grab some clothes. "And, if you don't tell me, I'm gone!"

"You can't leave! You have a contract with Raven Brooke!" Keith argued.

"Fuck Raven Brooke!" Jessie shouted as she started packing the bag.

Keith stormed back over to Jessie and grabbed her arm. His hand rose into the air and was brought down across her face too quickly for her to block. "Jessica, put this shit away and be ready by the time I get back up here to bring you downstairs! I think a few hours in the cage will shut you up!" He released her and left the room, slamming the door behind him. Jessie ran to the door just in time to hear him lock the outside.

"Fuck you!" she shouted through the closed door, banging her fists against it. Keith rolled his eyes and stormed downstairs. "I hate you! Let me out of here!"

Leaning against the door, Jessie slid to the floor. She didn't know whether she wanted to obey him and put her clothes away again, endure the cage and go back to everything being okay… or if she'd rather find a way out.

Her eyes moved to her purse on the nightstand and immediately, she realized what she wanted to do. Running to her purse, she grabbed her cell phone from it and dialed Jim's number.