Page 129 of Twisted Royals

He arches a dark brow. “Why not?”

“I…” I haven’t an excuse other than I don’t want to, and I’m pretty sure we’re well past the point where that matters.

“Okay then.” He shakes his head with disappointment. “You’re your own worst enemy tonight, sweetheart, I’ll tell you that.”

He sits in the straight-back wooden chair and yanks me to stand between his thick thighs.

My stomach drops an inch when his warm fingers push my blouse up so he can get to the button on my shorts. He works it open and gently pulls on the zipper. I stop him when he moves to push my shorts over my hips by putting my hands on top of his.

He brings his gaze up to me.

“Please.” I hold his hands. “Whatever you’re going to do, don’t.” My voice catches. I have a fair idea of what he’s thinking, and I’m terrified. And curious.

“What I’m going to do is bare your ass, lay you over my knee, and spank you until I’m satisfied you won’t be breaking my rules again.” His brown eyes could melt my resolve if I keep looking into them, so I move my attention to his chin.

“I already said I’d stay away from the computers. Why isn’t that enough?”

“Because we were clear last night about what would happen if you did anything to jeopardize your safety. And you said you understood.” He hooks his thumbs into my shorts, and the elastic of my panties and pushes them both down until they hit my knees.

In an instant, I’m maneuvered over his lap, dangling over the side of his leg.

“No! Wait!” I swing my arm back and cover my bare ass. I’m not curious anymore, and panic has taken over.

“Sorry, no more waiting.” He secures my wrist against the small of my back with one hand while the other runs warm circles over my ass. “Cry all you want, scream if you need to, but there won’t be anyone interfering, and I won’t stop until I know for sure you’ve learned.”

“I’ve learned!” I whine, and I hate it. I hate sounding so vulnerable, but I’m bare-assed over his lap.

“No. Not yet.” His hand leaves my ass, but only for a moment before it lands.

Hard.

I jolt from the power of it.

It takes a full second for the pain to register, and by then he’s at it again.

And again.

And again.

I wiggle beneath the smacks, doing my best to avoid them and failing miserably every time.

How very on brand for me.

“Dammit, Colt! It hurts!” I bellow, straining my throat again with my screaming.

He chuckles. “It’s a spanking, sweetheart. It’s supposed to hurt.” He continues peppering my ass with his hard hand, not missing a single centimeter of space. “Watch the language unless you want me to punish that pretty little mouth next.”

I buck up, try to roll to the side. It’s useless. The man’s grip won’t give. His hold on me is tight.

White-hot heat spreads over my ass, my thighs, and then even lower where his spanks don’t touch. With all my kicking, my shorts have flown off.

“We’ll protect you with our lives, but we can’t do that if you start doing things behind our back,” he lectures, slowing down the swats. Even with the breath between them, the pain intensifies. I’m never going to sit again. “If you had contacted that lawyer and Vivian found out? What then?”

His words penetrate the throbbing state of my ass. “I was just looking for information. You guys won’t tell me anything!”

“I understand you don’t trust us yet. I get that, but you were brought here because we’re the few people that can protect you from a woman like your stepmother.” He rests his hand on my ass, and just the touch of his warm skin against my burning flesh is uncomfortable.

I stiffen at his words. They’re too sincere.

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