She leans against the dark stone wall, her breath panting, eyes darkening, cheeks pinkening. There’s anger in those eyes—hunger, too. She doesn’t want to want me … but she does.
I can work with that. “Stop trying to hurt me.” I move into her, lifting her up against the wall. Her small gasp wisps between us. “You’re not big enough or strong enough, and baby, I promise you’re not actually mean enough.” Oh, she’s more than happy to punch me in the dick, but I don’t think she’s an actual killer.
The more I’m around her, the more I believe thatshe didn’t mean to nearly end Thorn. Although, I think she’s fine with causing one of us to become sick. To have an irritating allergic reaction. “Now. Here’s your one chance.” I try to gentle my voice. She’s been through a lot the last couple of days, the spankings the least of it. “Promise you’ll behave, and I’ll put you down, wash my hair, and leave you to have a nice and steamy shower.”
My cock is painfully hard between us and now yelling at me. But I won’t lie to her. God, she’s pretty. Beautiful, even.
Her head goes back against the stone wall and she looks down her pert nose at me. “I don’t see why you think you’re in charge.”
Surprise tickles through me. I nearly smile. “I’m the kidnapper. The kidnapper is always in charge.”
“That’s faulty logic.”
“Faulty? I don’t see how.”
She arches a brow, water streaming over her lashes like she’s some smug queen on a throne. “If you really had control, you wouldn’t need to argue your case. The fact that you’re trying to prove it means you’re insecure.”
I huff a laugh. “Cute. You should stop challenging me.”
“Somebody has to,” she fires back. “Otherwise you’ll think it’s okay to stomp around the forest spanking people.”
My grin slips before I can stop it. “Careful, brat. You’re making it sound like you enjoy the attention.”
Her lips twitch, betraying her even as she tries to glare. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Not flattery. Observation.” I lean just close enough to watch the water bead on her mouth. Her naked body is way too close to mine, and my heart starts to thunder. A craving slakes through me, and my voice roughens. If she keeps challenging me, this isn’t going to end with herhaving a relaxing time in the shower. “You put yourself in danger, you get spanked. It’s easy math.”
She blinks. Once and again. “Don’t act like you care if I’m in danger. You were just pissed you had to follow me into the muddy forest.”
I pause and study her. That’s hurt. There’s definite hurt in her eyes, and she’s trying to mask it. Not from the spanking. Not from me. The wound goes deeper than that. When was the last time somebody actually protected Ella Rendale? I’m sure Rosalie and Alana try, but considering they’re both tangled up with mob bosses, I don’t believe they have the best instincts. Even if one of those bosses is my brother. “I do care and truly thought you’d stay here safely tonight. I don’t want you hurt.”
She swallows and her gaze drops to my mouth before meeting mine. “Don’t.” Her voice quivers just slightly.
Interesting. Standing like this surrounded by steam and actually talking instead of fucking is getting tedious. I turn and drop us onto the bench with her straddling me, soft thighs sliding along mine. If she just lifts up and moves a bit forward, my dick could slam right home. “Don’t what?”
Her hands flatten on my chest, and even that slight touch nearly sends me feral. “Play with me.”
“I’d love to play with you.” I lean down, my nose nearly touching hers. “But I’ll never lie to you. Or manipulate you.” She deserves better than that, and I don’t have the fucking time to mess around. “You’re right that I don’t like disobedience, from anybody, but you got spanked because you put yourself in a dark forest surrounded by men with guns while having no idea where the fuck you were, especially when you intimated that you’d stay where I put you. You didn’t. That’s stupid and dangerous.”
“So you care,” she challenges, her lower lip barely protruding.
I’m trying not to take a bite out of that lip. “Yes.”
“When did that change?” Steam winds around us, cocooning us and making her look ethereal … and vulnerable. Definitely in need of protection. “Just because we had sex?”
“I don’t know.” Why lie about it? “But it changed.”
She curls her nails into my skin, biting softly. “You wanted to kill me.”
I sigh. “No. I planned to lock you down on an island somewhere without electronics.”
She jerks. “That’s worse than death.”
Yeah, I’m starting to get that. “Then you should start to obey me. If you enjoy sitting, that is.” I’ve never been one to miss an opportunity.
“Not in my DNA.” She’s looking a bit too secure right now. “I think we need to make sure we have a deal. That we’ll both stick to it. For sure.”
Enchanting. Damn it. “Go on.”
