York gets acquainted with his new pet

“Kat! Come here!” Her father hollered.

She already knew, and deep down her dad was likely aware of that. It didn’t stop him from flaunting his victory.

“Yes, Daddy?” she asked.

“Great news! Despite your blunder this morning, York here has asked to take on the responsibility of being your guardian and husband. Isn’t that amazing, dear?”

“…Yes. Daddy. It is.” She turned to the fuck head on the couch. “Th-thank you…Mr. Harrington.”

The words burned her throat like acid.

“Of course, Kitty Kat. Oh, and it’s ‘Master’ now. We’ll work on it, don’t worry,” York said, smiling.

“I’m sure we will.” Kat tried to fake a smile back.

“A traditional man, I see. I respect that. It was always too formal for my taste, but some tradition will probably do her some good,” her dad chuckled.

York laughed along then stood up.

“Greg, sir, it’s been a pleasure. If you will excuse me, I’d like to get her chipped and collared before they close the office for the day,” York said.

“Of course. Better hurry and get going, I think they close at one today,” he replied.

This was all moving too fast. She wasn’t ready. She still couldn’t accept this was all real. Kat looked to her father. Pleading. She searched for any sign that this might be a sick joke. Maybe a hallucination. But no. This was just the way the world was.

“You heard the man, Kitty Kat.” York gave her a hard smack on the ass. “Double-time!”

The overwhelmed redhead flinched. She was used to men doing that. This was the first time York Harrington had placed his hands on her. She figured he’d be doing that a lot more now. The thought made Kat nauseous.

“B-but, shouldn’t we wait a few days to iron out crucial details? I mean your agreement’s not even in writing—“

York just laughed. “Oh, isn’t she just the cutest thing? Don’t worry your little head about all that. Harrington men don’t wait in lines. They also don’t make false promises. Don’t make me tell you twice.”

Kat couldn’t string a thought together. She blinked and stammered as the men around her pushed Kat into a twisted nightmare for their own benefit. She had no out. Her life as she knew it was over.

“Do I need to pack anything?” she finally said.

“Car. Now,” York said firmly.

She didn’t respond. Just turned and walked out the door. Her chest tightened as she climbed into the passenger seat of York’s black SUV.

York quickly followed suit, jumping into the driver’s side. He flipped the ignition and zoomed out of the driveway. Kat thought she might have a heart attack as she watched her old life fade in the distance. It was all gone. She had nothing to lose.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, York? You really hate me this much?”

“Careful.”

“No! Fuck that! And fuck you! I’m not gonna play along with your stupid game. You burned my life to the ground, just to dance in its fucking ashes! You don’t deserve my respect! You don’t deserve for me to call you anything other than what you are: a fucking asshole!”

York laughed. “Oh, I do know how to pick ‘em. Tell you what. You don’t wanna go get your collar today? That’s fine by me. I’ll just drop you off at the correctional facility, and be on my merry way.”

“You’re joking.”

“Am I? I wouldn’t be so sure, Kitty Kat. I think it’d be a humbling experience for you. Maybe it’s best you learn the hard way what happens to women who violate the Constitution.”

“M-my dad would never—“

“Ha! Sure. Honey, he’s getting paid either way. You think your comfort is worth $2 million to him? Think again.”

Either way this sucked. It might’ve been worth it to do time at the correctional facility just to throw a wrench in York’s plans. Still, that was throwing away a wild card for a guaranteed bad time. She couldn’t just keep moping around. Kat needed a plan, and fast.