Derek crossed to his wife, picking her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing. She hugged him around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to him like a monkey. It reminded Hannah of the way she carried Connor.
When no one in the room seemed to remark on the grown couple acting more like father and daughter than husband and wife, Hannah let it go.
She spent the next hour sneaking glances their way, watching the dynamics of their marriage with growing interest.
"Excuse me. Can someone point me in the direction of the bathroom?" she asked. More than needing to pee, Hannah needed a few minutes alone to assimilate all she'd learned about Dylan and his family since they had arrived.
"Our guest bath on this floor is being remodeled. I hope you don't mind going up to the bathroom on the second floor. It's the second door on the right."
"Great. Thanks," Hannah said. Dylan rose as if to accompany her, but she laid her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. I'm sure I'll find it. You stay here with your family."
She wasn't sure why, but he looked concerned—yet he let her go.
Hannah easily found the bathroom, but as she flicked on the light, she was surprised by the child-like décor that greeted her. She knew Rachel was pregnant, but was surprised to find the bathroom already decorated in a Disney motif.
The shower curtain was pulled back to reveal shelves full of bath toys and bubbles. As she arrived at the toilet, she had to first lift off the portable child's seat. It was the exact brand she had at home for Connor.
As she washed her hands with the Disney soap and dried them on the hand towel, Hannah glanced through the open door into the adjoining bedroom to see a full nursery. She knew it was rude, but she pushed the door open wider to get a better look, and jumped when she saw Dylan standing next to the large baby crib. He was watching her carefully.
"I was wondering if you'd notice Rachel's nursery," he said.
"You mean Rachel's baby's nursery."
He hesitated. "Well, maybe one day, but today it's all Rachel's."
Hannah didn't know how to respond. She glanced around the room, trying to understand what he meant. There was a baby crib, a changing table and a rocking horse; only they were all double the normal size. In the far corner was an adult-sized school desk, and shelves of toys and books.
It was when she got to the last corner of the room that her heart rate spiked. Hanging on the wall were an array of punishment devices, not unlike those she'd seen inside the Strictly Business warehouse.
Her fear must have shown on her face because Dylan was next to her in a heartbeat, taking her into his arm and holding her steady.
"I've got you."
She couldn't take her eyes off the piece of furniture pushed against the wall in the corner. She shuddered as she remembered being threatened with a bench almost exactly like it in Jake Davenport's home. It was a punishment bench. It even had leather straps to restrain its occupant, like Jake's had.
She looked up into his eyes, looking for answers. "What? I mean... why?"
"It's how they choose to live their marriage. Some call it age-play."
"But..." Hannah didn't even know how to form the questions racing through her brain.
"I never used to understand, but I think I'm beginning to, as of recently," Dylan said.
She choked out her response. "Then maybe you can explain it to me? Does your brother hurt Rachel?"
"Not like you're thinking. Not like Davenport. Never. Rachel is Derek's life."
"Then why..." She glanced at the spanking bench, hating that she felt butterflies in her girlie parts as she thought about being laid over the bench with Dylan watching her. That wasn't so bad. Then she saw the heavy wooden paddle, not unlike the one Jake had terrorized her with, and all sexual overtones vanished, leaving her with pure dread. "Oh God, you don't want to—"
He cut her off. "Oh hell, no. I may understand better, but it's not my thing."
"Then why do they do it?"
Dylan didn't answer right away. He waited so long, she wondered if he wasn't going to answer at all. "The best I can explain is that Derek loves taking care of Rachel in every way. He loves that she depends on him for even the basics. Rachel is a very submissive person, unable to make a lot of decisions on her own. She loves how Derek makes her feel loved and taken care of."
"But why let him punish her? What could she possibly do that could warrant those?" Hannah nodded in the direction of the wall of painful implements.
"I'm not sure. I don't ask too many questions and it's not really my business. I've just seen them with my own eyes. They are a perfect couple. He'd give his life for her. He's at his happiest when he's taking care of her."
Hannah looked more closely at the adult-sized changing table. The shelf under the top was full of both disposable and cloth diapers. Jars of lotions, long thick thermometers, and an array of sex toys filled the remaining space on the shelf. The hooks and leather straps along the outside edge were out of place.
Dylan spoke. It took her several long seconds to internalize what he'd said.
"Excuse me. Could you repeat that please?" she managed to squeak out.
"I said I want to take care of you too, Hannah."
She was panicking. She knew it. "Take care of me how? Like this?" She motioned frantically around the room.
I knew he was too good to be true.
She tried to push out of his grasp, but Dylan held her tighter, unwilling to let her slip away.
"Shhh. Not exactly like this, no. But I do want to keep you safe. Make you happy." He stroked her long hair, comforting her until she settled down.
Doubts still swirled as her mind
