The Dark Forest: A Collection Of Erotic Fairytales(79)
Glenda giggled, her face showing absolutely no remorse. “You should thank me. It looked like you were prepared to spend the entire night staring at that computer screen. Since you never called, I came back to see if…”
“Oh my God, what time is it?”
“Five thirty… Hey, where are you going? Aren’t you coming with us?”
“I can’t. I’ve got to get home!” Regina said, grabbing her purse from the bottom drawer and standing. “I’ll talk to you on Monday.”
“If you’re sure? Hey, are you going to that party?”
Regina simply gave a wave over her shoulder and instead of waiting with her fellow coworkers at the elevator, she pushed through the door and tore down the stairs. With each flight, she prayed that traffic would cooperate. If not, if she didn’t arrive home before six… She didn’t need to contemplate the consequences… he’d said any infraction would add more to her atonement.
With a screech of brakes that caused her to jerk forward against the seat belt, she practically ripped the keys from the ignition of her VW Bug and reached for the door handle. With a curse at the lack of freedom, she fumbled with the seat belt catch, yanking it free. Grabbing her purse, she raced down the ramp of the parking garage and around to the front of her building. Her pounding heart leapt in her chest at the sight of a man, standing just inside the glass doors, his hands behind his back, his posture ramrod straight. When their eyes met through the glass, his arm came around and he pointedly looked down at the watch on his wrist. When he looked up, she felt her knees began to shake. His expression matched his name—well, probably his pretend name—but he did look very grim indeed. She never made it into the building as he strode to the doors and pushed through.
“I’m so sorry… there was a jam up on…”
“If you’ll come this way?” he asked, his voice as calm as hers was frantic.
“Wait… I need to run up to my…”
“Miss Redd, you need to come with me,” he countered as his eyes captured hers. “Unless, of course, you aren’t concerned about keeping Mr. Wolffe waiting?”
Oh, she was concerned all right. She was suddenly extremely concerned. Glancing past him, she saw Paul, her doorman watching. “May I please tell Mr. Carter that I won’t be home?”
“No need,” the man said. “As Mr. Wolffe has already informed you, you need not worry. Everything has been taken care of.” He paused and then lifted his hand, gesturing towards the curb where a sleek black sedan waited. “Shall we?”
“Ye… yes, of course,” Regina said, managing to give Paul a shaky smile and a little wave before she turned to step in front of the driver, walk the few steps to the car and when he reached to open the door, managed a soft, “Thanks,” before she bent to step into the vehicle.
“You are welcome, Miss Redd.”
“Um… okay… um… I mean, thank you, Mr. Grimm.”
“Remember to fasten your seat belt.” With that, he closed the door, the sound causing her to give a little jump.
Geeze, just relax, she told herself. It’s not like you are going to your execution. You’ll be back in a couple of days. After fastening her seat belt, she remembered Glenda’s words. No, she wouldn’t be spending the weekend in bed with her tummy aching from food poisoning, but she’d most likely be spending it with her bottom… at the very least… aching from any one of a dozen implements that her love, the man who held her heart in his palm, would be using to exact the atonement he considered due.
Chapter Two
Regina looked not at the man who’d helped her from the car but at the woods beyond him. When the sedan had slid to a stop, she’d looked out the window. They’d left the city behind to twist and turn on roads that led up the mountain and deeper and deeper into the forest. Day was quickly fading and though it was not quite dark, it would seem so once she stepped into the trees. Just about to ask Mr. Grimm if he was sure this was their destination, she wasn’t given the chance when he spoke first.
“Do not be afraid. No harm shall come to you on the path.”
“And where does the path end?”
“That, little one, is waiting to be discovered.”
She noticed he didn’t actually answer her question but then, did he really need to? Regina supposed it didn’t truly matter as she had been told what to expect when she stood… no, knelt before her own big, bad wolf. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I’m ready.”
“Not yet,” he said, pulling a red card from his jacket pocket and handing it to her.
Reading it, she felt her entire body flush. “Seriously?” Glancing towards the woods, then to the road, she finally looked up to find Mr. Grimm watching her, his expression giving not a clue as to his thoughts. Reading the card again, as if hoping she’d read it incorrectly, she sighed. The words remained the same.
From this moment forward, you are no longer Regina Redd, a professional woman. As you shed your clothing, you will shed all responsibilities as you become my precious Little Red. I am waiting… Love, Master W
“Is there a problem?” Mr. Grimm asked when several moments ticked by.
Regina knew that all she needed to do was state that she wished to return home and that he would simply nod and help her back into the car. Looking towards the woods again, she shook her head. “No…” With a sigh and a prayer that she wouldn’t faint from embarrassment, she placed the card into his waiting hand and kicked off her heels, telling herself that walking into the forest in stilettos didn’t make much sense. Unzipping her skirt, she tried not to think about how going absolutely naked into the woods could possibly be a good idea, but didn’t want to fail at the very first instruction given. Handing each discarded piece of clothing to Mr. Grimm, she knew her face was the color of her name by the time she’d placed her panties into his palm. It took every ounce of her courage not to wrap an arm around her breasts and cover her pubis with a hand in the classic modesty pose. Mr. Wolffe would not only disapprove, she was quite certain that Mr. Grimm would as well. Biting her bottom lip, she finally looked towards the tree line and then back up at the man who was holding her clothes.