“And mine, too. You will listen to us. We know what’s good for you.”
“Arrr,” she growled as she stomped her foot then sat on the bed.
Tyler got dressed and she looked up to stare at him. He was going about his business as if he got his last word in.
“I’m not going to live like this. I’ll be safe at the club, and at night I’ll be with you both.”
“No, Paula, you’re not going there tonight.”
“Yes, I am. I won’t let another crazy guy make me feel so out of control and scared. I’m tired of being scared.”
Matt stood to the side of her. “What do you mean by another crazy guy?”
“Forget it. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You will. You brought it up, and we’ve been meaning to discuss your past. This has something to do with it, doesn’t it?” Matt asked.
“He’s not responsible for the letters. It’s not him.”
“And you know this how?”
“He’s locked up in prison for life. He’s not getting out on good behavior or any other bullshit.”
“What was he charged with?” Tyler asked.
“Rape and murder.”
“What?” Matt asked, sounding shocked.
“And that was when he wasn’t beating and controlling me.” She reached for her bag to get her clothes out. Tyler grabbed her wrist and pulled her up to him.
“He beat you?”
She turned away from him.
“It doesn’t matter now.”
He grabbed her face and made her look at him.
“You had a boyfriend who beat you and bossed you around who then was charged with rape and murder?”
She swallowed hard.
“That’s the gist of it, Tyler. I’m not going to give you two all the painful, gory details. I’ve been living in fear and feeling weak for way too long. I’m tired of men like that, who think they can control women and destroy their lives. I haven’t been with a man in over four years.”
Tyler pulled her against his chest and hugged her tight.
“Baby, I wish we had gone slower. If we had known that you were controlled and abused, we would have eased you into this type of relationship,” Matt whispered as he caressed her shoulders. She pulled from Tyler and shook her head. She had tears in her eyes. She cared about them so much and they were healing her.
“I don’t want to talk about what happened in the past. I thought I would never be able to have another relationship with a man. I thought I was incapable of trusting one again. But, can’t you see that the two of you have helped me through this? If I didn’t get turned on by your use of control and demands in the bedroom, then I wouldn’t be here. It’s a feeling and sensation that I craved, but my ex was not a dominant and didn’t know what to do. He read about stuff online and thought he was being manly by abusing me and, obviously, other women. He didn’t understand the word no or care about causing pain. He was a self-centered asshole who is rotting in prison where he belongs. I have been trying to get stronger every day and to feel not so frightened like before.
“You both showed me that there is a difference in this type of relationship as opposed to an abusive one. My ex was out to cause pain, both physical and emotional. He had me walking on egg shells and thinking that everything that he felt was wrong was my fault and he punished me for it. God Tyler, he had me so scared, so insecure that when I walked into my own apartment and my own bedroom and found him having sex with another woman, I allowed him to blame me. He made me think that it was my fault.”
“What an asshole,” Matt stated. She took a deep breath.
“You complete me. Both of you. You make me feel good inside.”
“We don’t want to scare you. If our demands in the bedroom are too much for you…”