Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
“He hurt you?”
She shakes her head.
“But he tried to.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” The idiot boy’s voice grates on my nerves. “No one was hurting anyone. Mad Elena and I, we were just fooling around. Having a little fun. Taking some pictures, isn’t that right, Maddy?”
“I told you not to fucking call me Maddy,” she snaps at him, suddenly animated.
“Mad Elena?” I ask, looking from him to her.
“It’s nothing,” she says, neck and cheeks flushing red. She’s embarrassed and unable to hold my gaze. She takes a step toward the door, but I block her path.
“I told you I’d be with you in a minute,” I say, lifting her chin with one finger to make her look at me. I search her face, studying it. She’s wearing a shit ton of makeup, and I get the feeling it’s armor. Protection. “You don’t need all this,” I say, though I don’t know why.
She blinks, the whites of her eyes pink and damp.
“I’m going to go,” the idiot boy says, interrupting again.
“You’re a fucking nuisance,” I tell him, gesturing to one of my men to keep him where he is as I turn back to Madelena. “You sure he didn’t hurt you?”
“I can handle myself.”
“Clearly.”
She sidesteps to get around me, but I block her path.
“Let me go,” she says.
“Do you remember what I told you the night we signed the contract?”
She bites her lip, and the act draws my attention. Little white teeth against dark red lips. It takes me a minute to drag my gaze back to her eyes.
Gold, like a fucking wildcat.
“Do you remember, Little Kitty?”
Her forehead creases. She licks her lips, clears her throat, then nods.
“Tell me. Say the words.”
She blinks, looks over my shoulder either at the idiot boy or my soldiers, then back at me.
“Say them.”
“I belong to you.”
“And?”
“Not to forget it.”
“So you didn’t forget. You just chose to disobey.”
There’s that biting of her lip again, and I see how her hands turn to tight little fists at her sides.
“Your friend here—” I start.
“He’s not my friend,” she cuts me off.
“Glad to hear it. He’s going to be punished for touching what’s mine. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.” I step closer to her, my gaze sweeping over the swell of her breasts.
Idiot boy makes a squeaking sound. Neither of us bother to look.
Madelena licks her lips, that flush back in her cheeks. I get the feeling it’s for a different reason than moments ago, though.
“Tell me how I should punish you,” I say darkly, the question more seductive than I intended when I walked in here.
Her mouth opens, and she’s taking the shallowest of breaths. I wonder if she’s aware of the way she’s looking at me.
“Tell me,” I whisper before coming close enough to inhale her scent. As soon as I do, I stop, surprised to find something familiar. Confused, I lean closer and she gasps when the tip of my nose touches the skin of her neck as I breathe in deeply, then draw back.
Madelena’s cheeks burn now, and she can’t hold my gaze. I don’t say it, though. I’m not here to humiliate her. I’m just here to protect what is mine. But what I smell, strangely, is my own brand of cologne. Is it on purpose? How would she know the scent? It’s custom made for me, not one you can buy at the fucking mall.
Then I remember the handkerchief I pushed into her hand the first night we met. I guess the scent of it would have lingered beneath that of blood. Did she research it? Have it custom-made for herself? No. Surely I’m overthinking this.
I clear my throat and wait for her to return her gaze to mine.
“Tell me. How do I punish you?” I ask, voice low and deep and just for her.
“I…”
“Do I take you over my knee? Spank you?”
Her eyes grow huge, pupils dilating as she exhales audibly, then falters. I swear I see her nipples pebble beneath the dress. And, frankly, saying the words out loud makes me feel it deep in my gut too. I’m old enough to control my dick, but I can’t deny that I feel it.
“How old are you now, Madelena?” I ask even though I know.
“Seventeen.”
“Hmm. That’s too bad,” I say, letting my gaze drop once again to the swell of soft breasts. “Too young. But I tell you what.” I brush her hair behind her ear. “I’ll put a pin in it. Make a note to remember what I owe you.”
She swallows so hard I hear it.
“Val, take Madelena home, will you?”
“Sure thing.” Val is my most trusted man.
“By the time you’re back, we’ll be finished here.” I glance at the idiot boy.
“Yes, sir,” he says and gestures to Madelena to go ahead of him.
She glances from me to idiot boy and back. “He didn’t hurt me,” she says, probably aware of what will come once she’s gone.