“Listen to Logan,” I warn, grasping her other arm. “Don’t make a scene.”
She pushes me, and it’s so sudden and unexpected that I almost fall back on the couch.
Vale chortles, and the sound makes my blood run hot.
Why is she choosing this moment to test me?
Furious at the whole situation, I grab her again, this time by the collar, and lift her up so roughly that her feet dangle in the air.
“Cool it,” mutters Logan.
I relax my grip on her, and she takes the opportunity to knee me in the crotch, hard.
Vale’s laughter drives me crazy. I guess it’s a good thing he didn’t see her staple my arm that first day. Now, he’s standing, his arms crossed, waiting to see how I’ll react.
I grit my teeth, trying to make her read the urgent message in my eyes.Do as I say. You’re in danger. Go with Logan!
But she merely glares at me, full of defiance. Behind her, Vale is looking bloodthirsty.
“Aren’t you going to punish her?” he asks.
“What?”
Vale repeats his question in a sneering tone. “I said, aren’t you going to punish her? I wouldn’t have thought a girl could kick Damien Wells in the balls, and get away with it.”
My hand flexes around my belt, even as I’m aware that I’m falling into his trap once again. My heart is going haywire as I try to figure out how to protect her.
I look down at my girl’s small face, and it’s like a lightningbolt has hit me. She’s never looked at me like this before. It’s pure hatred. Nothing is worth the look in those eyes. Not Vale. Not my position in Devil. Nothing.
She may be in danger, but I’ll figure out some other way to save her. Therehasto be another way.
“Alright,” I say quietly, putting my hand on the small of her back. “Let’s go.”
But she doesn’t budge.
“Come on,” I insist. “Come with me. I’ll bring you back to your apartment.”
She mumbles something under her breath, and I lean in.
“What?”
“I said,” she repeats, her voice small but shaking with barely controlled fury, “fuck you.”
Those words do more to me than the kick in the balls did. I’ve been punched, stabbed, beaten senseless before. Butswornat?
I see red. No.Black.
Before I’ve even made sense of my reaction, I’ve caught her by the collar again and dragged her to the other side of the room, as far away from Vale as possible, then pinned her down over the arm of a chair.
In one fell swoop, I unbuckle my belt, lift her dress and pull down her panties. So she’s angry. Well, I’ll show her anger.Realanger.
The belt cracks down on her ass, and I hear Everest inhale behind me, and say something that I block out. The belt crashes down again, far harder than the previous whipping that led to her sinking to her knees. Yet now, she barely flinches.
By the time I’m done with her, though, she’s sagging against the arm of the chair, not moving at all. Sudden anxiety rises in me, washing away the anger. I realize I’ve gone too far. I’ve gone muchtoo far.
I stagger backward. What the fuck is wrong with me? What have I done? I hurt my girl. I was supposed to protect her. But I hurt her.
“Seraphina?”
