Grooming Kitty: A BDSM Romance Read Free

asked.
    Ohmygod! Katherine thought. This was just getting worse and worse. Would they really tell people at church? Her reputation would be ruined. Not only could she forget about ever babysitting again, but everyone would hate her. They would all be suspicious of her. “Please, don’t tell anyone,” she pleaded.
    “I have to telephone your parents. My hands are tied,” Mr. Gardner said.
    “Please, don’t. It’ll ruin my life.”
    True, she was twenty and not a kid anymore, but Katherine’s parents still kept her on a short leash and they would institute some kind of punishment for sure. They could take her car away, which would leave her virtually stranded. No beach this summer, no going out to meet her friends unless she could convince them to swing by and get her.
    “That is not our problem, young lady. I think we have an obligation to let our friends know what you’ve been doing. I think being grounded should be the least of your concerns.”
    So that was it. Mrs. Gardner really did mean to tell everyone at church that she’d been going through their things. Katherine just couldn’t stand the thought of it. There had to be something she could do to get out of this. She glanced past the door she’d just opened and although it was dark she’d seen enough to guess at what went on in there. It went against her nature to strike out—she’d always been the good girl—but her back was against the wall.
    “If you tell people I’ve been snooping I’ll have to tell them what I saw,” she said defiantly, purposely staring at Mrs. Gardner. Katherine hoped the Gardners would be embarrassed enough by what they kept locked away to back down. Mrs. Gardner was on several committees at church and was an accomplished professional. Of course it was a bluff, as she was not sure what she saw in that dark room. Katherine was just gambling that whatever that room was for that the Gardners wanted to keep it a secret.
    “You little…”
    “Tara, silence,” Mr. Gardner barked and his wife immediately fell silent and looked down. Katherine didn’t understand the change that came over the woman. “Katherine, surely you are not trying to blackmail us. You are in enough trouble already.”
    “Of course not, sir. I’m just saying we all have things we don’t want getting out.”
    “It does sound like you are trying to blackmail us. I am going to call your mother and make sure everyone at church finds out exactly what kind of girl you are.”
    “But…”
    “When I am done with you everyone in this town will know what a sneaky little thing you are. No one will believe a word you say, so if you wish to spread gossip about me and my wife you may go right ahead because it will just make you look like a vindictive little bitch.”
    Katherine shrunk from the heat of Mr. Gardner’s anger and burst into tears. He was right. Once everyone knew she was a sneak—possibly a thief—no one would trust her. Trying to spread rumors about the Gardners would just make her seem worse. She was trapped and she knew it. That glimmer of light she’d seen was gone. Katherine was resigned to her life being ruined.
    “Now don’t cry, Katherine. Falling apart will not change the situation.”
    “I’m so sorry, Mr. Gardner. I didn’t mean what I said. I would never tell tales about you and Mrs. Gardner,” she sobbed. “I know I’m wrong. You can go call my mother.”
    “Young girls are so dramatic. Katherine, calm down. I don’t wish to see you cry.”
    “I’m sorry,” she insisted and a fresh flow of tears erupted.
    Mr. Gardner glanced at his wife and she sat on the bed beside Katherine, putting her arm around the girl. “Come on, it’s not as horrible as it seems. I understand you just felt trapped. You’re not the kind of girl who would spread trash about us,” Mrs. Gardner said. It was the first time she spoke since her husband silenced her.
    “I wouldn’t, I swear it.”
    “I know, dear. It’s all going to be okay.”