Chapter 93

It was way too early for fuckin' bus rides, but they wanted to make Vegas early. Vegas was always one of their fave stops, and each fuckin' man wanted a bit of play time. He glanced at Geena, already asleep on his shoulder and chuckled. The punishment last night had worn the poor girl out, but at least she saw the validity of his arguments. Stretching his legs out he leaned back only to see Richie enter the bus solo.

His brow flicked up as he watched his partner in crime sink into a seat across from him. "Ok bro, where is she?"

"In the other bus."

Jon blinked at the curt response. "Dare I ask why?"

"Til she gets what I mean, shes flying as solo as I'll allow her."

Jon snorted, "Your punishing her? Man you really did go full tilt into that shit you wanted to explore."

"Only way to make her see." Richie leaned back and slid the stetson he'd grabbed from wardrobe over his face. "They all know to not speak to her, I'd appreciate it if all you adhered to that too."

Jon glanced back at Teek and David who were trying their best to not laugh. Richie had set a punishment for Sabrina and gotten caught in the trap himself. Fuck if he wasn't in a bad mood beause of it. "So bro, punishing yourself too. Oh yeah you worked that the right way."

Richie's hand went up in a solitary finger salute, his eyes closing as he refused to respond to the ribbing. He meant what he said, he'd deal. He just hoped she got the idea before they both went crazy.

Bri watched the sparse desert passing by the bus window and tried to keep a brave face in front of the crew. He hadn't spoken all night, hadn't touched her either and he'd even told the crew to not speak to her. She'd not taken how serious he was at keeping her safe himself and now she was in some crazy idea of solitary, Richie style.

She tried as the miles passed to not pay attention to the odd stares, that only got odder as they reached Las Vegas and her bags were carried out and to the room she had to share with Mr. Silent. She felt her heart tearing as he simply nodded in his rooms direction, letting her in before sauntering off to some show with Jon mere mmoments later.

The worst of it though, had been seeing Geena, dressed to the nines, accompanying them both, with only the quickest glance her in direction. Moving into the suite's bedroom she lay down on the bed, letting it soak into her soul that when Richard Sambora said something that wasn't meant to be funny he fuckin' meant it.

As the tears trickled along her cheeks she fell into a fitful sleep and knew beyond a doubt this had to be the most miserable she'd ever felt in her life, and it was all her doing because she didnt think before she acted.

She felt the slight shake, and Jon's voice urging her awake. They'd finally made it to Vegas? Geena stretched and glanced around, her first thought being where the hell her girlfriend was. She looked at a very grumpy Richie who didn't even bother to say two words as the bus came to a stop. He just stood up and walked briskly off the bus. Something was so wrong in Denmark, smelled damned fishy considering how talkative Rich usually was. She was definitely gonna find out what was going on .

She shot Jon a questioning glance who just shrugged it off and took her hand leading her off the bus. That's when she spotted Bri comin off the Crew bus What the fuck is going on here? The sad lost look on her friend's face about tore her into. Before she could go over and talk to her Jon gently tugged her onward into the hotel. She made a mental note to find out just how bad Richie had "punished " her. God help him if he hurt her.

Richie fought his doubts all the way from the bus to leaving her behind when He went with Jon and Geena to see the Vegas show Love. It had killed him to see her face as she was left behind, but he had to do this. He had to make her see how fuckin' important it was that she trusted him. It didn't help matters any when Geena started shooting him a mixture of questioning and angry glances.

The last look she gave him finally did it, a look that screamed talk or I brain you. As he turned towards Geena, he almost laughed to see what could pass as a wonderful impression of Jon's stink eye. Thing was on her it was scarier. His hand lifted to rake through his hair as he barked out a soft, "What?"

"What? you have to ask what? Why is my best friend riding the crew bus? And better yet, Why isn't she going with us to a Vegas show? She's always wanted to see one of those. Hell YOU know that, she's nattered on about it enough during travel. What the hell are you doing Sambora "

He watched as she pulled her shoulders straight, the tense set of her shoulders, the flare of her nostril and that damned feminine stink eye told him quickly she was angrier than he thought she could even get. He just shook his head and turned away. It wasn't the time to answer her questions. As he settled into his seat at the show he wondered how much grace time the show would give him before she was in front of him with more questions.

The show had been a pain, and on top of that he had to fucking smile for the camera. He missed her. He fuckin' missed her but he had to finish this. On top of the show the icy cold glare from Geena's eyes had only made it more unbearable. As they slid into the limo he saw her preparing to talk again. Deciding discretion was the better part of valor he lifted a hand to stall her. "She has to learn Darlin that I mean business."

"God what is it with you two about us learnin' our place? Aren't we supposed to be equals in these relationships? Damned if it ain't starting to be ME caveman you woman . " Geena spat the words his way, her temper reaching all time peak as she glared at both men.

Jon's hand flashed out to grasp her hand, tightening it as he watched Richie's face tighten. Leaning in he whispered, "Baby there's some things ya don't get."

Richie closed his eyes and counted to ten. How the fuck do I answer Geena without coming off like a prime grade A jackass? How do I make her understand that what I'm doing with Bri is always with her consent and nothing like her ex? Doesn't Geena get I'd never really do anything to harm her? He turned to glance at Jon knowing he was going to probably infuriate her more and shrugged before turning to make his way to the elevator. As the doors dinged closed he sighed. That was the problem though, he was pretty fuckin' sure this punishment had been a bit intense, it had hurt her more than he'd meant too. He grunted as the door opened on his floor, his mind already working on ways to show her in more pleasurable ways that he meant business.

"No I don't get it. Explain it to me please....." She paused as she saw the backside of Richie and his long stride taking him off. "And he just walks off," Geena huffed.

Jon tugged her to the elevator his palm slapping at the button. He could cheerfully throttle Richie for just walking off. He didn't want to explain his brother's particular brand of justice, just the thought of it made him squirmy.

A lil punish flavored sex was always good, but he'd never seen Richie go quite so over the top in letting a woman know exactly how he felt. As the elevator door opened it finally hit him. For once a woman mattered that much to his brother. "Fuck, not even Heather managed to get him to this point. He must really treasure Bri."

"Well ? Or are you gonna ignore me too?" Geena said quickly losing patience at the slow response to what was a very simple question.

He arched a brow and grinned. "I did explain. Baby he treasures her, more than any woman he's ever known. That's obvious cuz usually hes just a mellow romantic, but shes brought the possessive protector out, he wants to keep her safe. He wasn't like this with his ex wife or any woman I've ever seen him with."

Jon sighed as he searched for the words. "He's always been a little, um," his eye twitched slightly as he spoke, "kinky, but only with the woman's consent. I'm thinking its something like that.." He groaned, "I'm gonna fuckin' kill him for walking off."

The doors slid open and he walked her to their suite chuckling. "I'd gather that Sabrina doesn't usually have an issue with Richie's way of loving. Do you really think she'd still be here if she did?"

"I am all for kinky but wow that's extreme. And I guess she has been a bit out there come to think about it." Geena thought about some of her posts on bondage or power exchange and Richie. "But her face, the look there, she was so sad. I don't think she is enjoying it now . And that, in my opinion, is takin' it too far. "

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and sighed, "Or maybe its finally sinking into that brain of hers that what she did hurt more than just herself. Maybe she's realizing that she chose wrong because she had so many to help finally. Realising your wrong is the hardest thing to face babe."

"Yea believe me I know. I guess her and I just never thought we would have someone to care so much and this many. I have no family that I want to speak of anyway. The man I was with was my highschool sweetheart, and hell that was over years ago. "

"We all have our mistakes, its how we deal with them in the future that makes us or breaks us."

"I know not to do that again or face your wrath, but then again if that was punishment I might just be bad again." Geena smirked and slipped her arms around his waist.

"It gets even better if you behave." He chuckled as he dropped onto the couch tugging her with him. "Much much better."