‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
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It was sometime in the late afternoon when Taylor heard her return. He hadn’t moved. This time when she opened the gate – already knowing what she wanted – he didn’t even bother getting to his knees.
“Taylor?”
He just looked up in silence.
She sighed with frustration before stepping over to him and looking down.
“Are you ready to talk yet?” she asked in a tone that otherwise would have been considerate.
“I’m sorry Miss, but I can’t,” he shook his head, desperation back in his eyes now, “you have to believe me that I would if I could. But Nate ordered me not to, and…”
“You find Nate’s orders to be above mine, as your owner?” she interjected calmly.
“No, but…” Taylor couldn’t think of how to justify it when it really did go against what he’d been taught.
“We were warned about this,” she nodded, seemingly understandingly, “that you may not have been fully committed yet. And I did take that chance. However, we can’t just have you believing that you can get away with these indiscretions.”
She smiled a little.
“After all, what kind of example does that set for others?”
Taylor’s face flushed a little, already wondering what he was going to have to do for her.
“Now, I’m going to be a little lenient this time, seeing as it is your first real offence,” she offered, “and I’m still going to give you a choice. Your first option is to come with me up to the study. Explain to me what happened and why you’ve reacted this way, and all will be forgiven.”
Taylor closed his eyes, already knowing that wasn’t an option.
“Your other option…” she began as the gate opened a second time, “is to go to the yard with Carlos.”
Taylor’s eyes shot open and he looked up in time to see Carlos walk into the stall, a satisfied smirk on his face. He looked between the two of them as if to see if they were serious. When it garnered no reaction he looked to the woman with pleading eyes.
“Please don’t make me tell you,” he couldn’t stop his voice breaking as he shook his head, “you don’t know what he’ll do.”
“Right now you should be more concerned with what Carlos will do,” she stood up straight again, “so what is it going to be?”
Taylor turned away, his mind racing as he nervously bit his nails. He had a good idea of what he’d be in for if he continued to refuse, but the thought of Penny being involved in any way grossly outweighed the other consequences he faced. Realising that, he was able to calm himself.
Without waiting for him to vocalise it, the woman stepped back.
“Take him.”
Carlos came forward and dislodged the chain from the wall, easily grabbing Taylor’s wrist and securing it around. Taylor quickly slid the necklace into his jean pocket before he could grab the other one.
“Maybe you’ll change your mind after the first round,” the woman said before leaving the stall.
“So we meet again,” Carlos smiled as Taylor flinched when the chains were pulled tight.
Taylor refused to look at him, barely registering that he was the first person he’d heard speak English in over two months.
Once the chains were locked into place Carlos pulled him to his feet and led him out to the yard.
“Taylor?”
He just looked up in silence.
She sighed with frustration before stepping over to him and looking down.
“Are you ready to talk yet?” she asked in a tone that otherwise would have been considerate.
“I’m sorry Miss, but I can’t,” he shook his head, desperation back in his eyes now, “you have to believe me that I would if I could. But Nate ordered me not to, and…”
“You find Nate’s orders to be above mine, as your owner?” she interjected calmly.
“No, but…” Taylor couldn’t think of how to justify it when it really did go against what he’d been taught.
“We were warned about this,” she nodded, seemingly understandingly, “that you may not have been fully committed yet. And I did take that chance. However, we can’t just have you believing that you can get away with these indiscretions.”
She smiled a little.
“After all, what kind of example does that set for others?”
Taylor’s face flushed a little, already wondering what he was going to have to do for her.
“Now, I’m going to be a little lenient this time, seeing as it is your first real offence,” she offered, “and I’m still going to give you a choice. Your first option is to come with me up to the study. Explain to me what happened and why you’ve reacted this way, and all will be forgiven.”
Taylor closed his eyes, already knowing that wasn’t an option.
“Your other option…” she began as the gate opened a second time, “is to go to the yard with Carlos.”
Taylor’s eyes shot open and he looked up in time to see Carlos walk into the stall, a satisfied smirk on his face. He looked between the two of them as if to see if they were serious. When it garnered no reaction he looked to the woman with pleading eyes.
“Please don’t make me tell you,” he couldn’t stop his voice breaking as he shook his head, “you don’t know what he’ll do.”
“Right now you should be more concerned with what Carlos will do,” she stood up straight again, “so what is it going to be?”
Taylor turned away, his mind racing as he nervously bit his nails. He had a good idea of what he’d be in for if he continued to refuse, but the thought of Penny being involved in any way grossly outweighed the other consequences he faced. Realising that, he was able to calm himself.
Without waiting for him to vocalise it, the woman stepped back.
“Take him.”
Carlos came forward and dislodged the chain from the wall, easily grabbing Taylor’s wrist and securing it around. Taylor quickly slid the necklace into his jean pocket before he could grab the other one.
“Maybe you’ll change your mind after the first round,” the woman said before leaving the stall.
“So we meet again,” Carlos smiled as Taylor flinched when the chains were pulled tight.
Taylor refused to look at him, barely registering that he was the first person he’d heard speak English in over two months.
Once the chains were locked into place Carlos pulled him to his feet and led him out to the yard.