Page 27 of Sacred Vow

No give. The knots get tighter with my struggle.

“Get this off me!” I demand with a stomp of my foot.

He takes a step back with a heavy breath.

“Not until we’re done.” His hands wrap around my hips, holding me steady as he presses his body against me.

“I didn’t do anything wrong!” I yell at the top of my lungs. “You are not my keeper!”

He brushes my hair over my shoulder, nuzzling into my neck. The scent of his aftershave, a heavy spice mixed with leather, covers me as he kisses just behind my ear.

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?” He moves his hands around my waist to the button of my black slacks. Easily he undoes them and tugs them over my ass and down to my feet. I press my forehead to the post and suck in a long breath.

The cool air brushes across my bare ass. I didn’t get to do my laundry. I have no panties.

“I should have been harder on you yesterday.” The tips of his fingers drag over my ass cheeks, where his spanks landed. The effects wore off shortly after, but something tells me he’s not going to allow that to happen a second time.

“Andrei.” I swallow, trying to wet my dry throat. My hands are bound, my ass is bare—I won’t even pretend my nerves aren’t starting to get the best of me. “Don’t.”

“Don’t?” He chuckles, gathering my hair into his fist before pulling my head back so he can see into my eyes. “I told you not to leave your apartment, but you did. So why should I listen to you?”

I wince as his fingers tighten.

“I had to. Don’t you understand that I needed to?”

He releases my hair and moves to stand beside me. I turn my head to look at him, to gauge his expression as best I can.

“I understand you think you had to.” He nods. His phone goes off and he picks it up, pressing it to his ear while staring at me.

Of all the times to take a phone call!

“Yes. I have her.” He trails a finger down up my arm while he has his cryptic conversation. “No, I’ll handle it. Thanks, Viktor.”

“Andrei, you’ve made your point. Please. Let me down, now.” I tug again, making the tie even tighter around my wrists.

His thick fingers wrap around the bindings.

“Stop pulling, you’ll hurt yourself.” He runs his knuckles down my arm. “And that’s my job.”

I take a breath, searching my brain for something to say that will make him change course. His job? My ass clenches just at the idea of what he might have in store for me.

He shucks out of his suit jacket. This time isn’t any less nerve-racking than the last, possibly more so, because he’s already unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. He works on the buttons of his cuffs while waiting for me to answer.

“Did you really think you’d just go gallivanting around town, and I wouldn’t know where you went?” he asks.

I close my eyes, feeling every bit the fool I am. Of course he was going to show up. I’d done the opposite of what he’d told me to do. And he doesn’t tolerate disobedience.

“I’m sorry.” It’s hard not to choke on the words.

“For what?” He tilts his head.

“For leaving the apartment.” Maybe I can get ahead of this.

I shift my weight from one foot to the other.

“Can you let me down now?” I ask softly. He’s calmer now, more reasonable.

“Your punishment hasn’t even started.” He brings his hands to the buckle of the thick black leather belt around his waist.

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