Page 77 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 3

“You don’t believe I can keep you safe?” He cocked an eyebrow. “Then I guess it’s time I remind you to whom you belong.”

I crossed my arms and tapped my foot. “I don’tbelongto anyone.”

He smirked as he undid the buttons at his collar, releasing them at a leisurely pace. My gaze was glued to each new bit of beautifully tanned skin that appeared. Once his chest was fully visible, the shirt hanging open, I couldn’t help the slight whisper of air that caught in my throat.

Gio’s eyes seemed to darken as desire wove through his gaze. He reached for one of the empty dining table chairs and pulled it a good ten feet out into the open space where there wasn’t glass and beer remnants littering the floor. He stood in front of the chair and stared me down.

“What are you doing?” I asked, clenching my hands into fists. I didn’t know if I wanted to fight him or jump into his lap.

“Proving to whom you belong.” He sat down into the chair, his legs spreading wide. “When my wife doesn’t feel safe, it’s up to me to remind her exactly how protected and beloved she is.” His voice sent a pleasurable shiver down my spine. It was the Dom tone I hadn’t heard since his assault. I’d thought he might never get back to that side of himself. I shouldn’t have worried.

“And you’re going to show me that how exactly?” I taunted, my anger dissipating as lust took its place.

He unbuckled his belt and whipped it through the loops, dropping it to the floor. It clanged against the tile, and I jumpedat the sound. He opened his slacks just enough to pull his erect cock out.

I swallowed slowly, staring at my favorite appendage as he stroked it from base to tip, swirling his thumb around the glistening head. I couldn’t help the whimper that left my throat.

“I’m going to show you exactly how much control I possess. Now, come here.” He pointed at his side.

“And if I do, what do I get?” I breathed, feeling desire rippling through my veins.

“Release.” He growled the single word, and the deep rumble ping-ponged through my chest as gooseflesh rose on my skin. I itched to do as he said, but another part of me didn’t want to acquiesce so easily.

I stepped a few feet closer, but still out of arm’s reach. “What are you going to do to me?”

His lips twitched, and I wanted so badly to kiss them I almost broke down, but I stayed strong, holding out for a bit longer.

“I’m going to do whatever I want to you,” he claimed with a daring smirk.

“Is that right?” I hummed as if uncertain about whether or not I’d do as he said. We both knew I was going to cave.

“Julianne, get your fine ass over here, now,” he barked in that no nonsense manner he often used when we were getting a little kinkier in the bedroom. I couldn’t have been happier to hear that raw demand cut through my hesitance like a hot knife through butter.

My nerve endings lit up with anticipation, knowing that when he used that tone, I was in for a satisfying evening.

“What if I don’t want what you are offering?” I blatantly lied, my chest heaving, nipples already erect, aching to be touched as I pulled off my shirt and tossed it to the floor.

“There’s only one way to find out.” His eyes gleamed with salacious intent.

“And that would be?” I reached behind my back and unlatched my black lace bra, curving my shoulders forward to let it drop to the floor.

“Kneel.” His command was a live wire running through my body and zapping me right between my thighs. My clit throbbed with need as arousal dampened my panties.

Gio pointed to the tile by his side.

As though I were tethered, I slowly walked to him and kneeled.

“Good girl,” he praised, cupping the back of my neck.

I lifted my gaze to stare into his soulful eyes. I was so tired, confused, and angry. At the justice department. At Bianca’s mad dash to the airport. At her flying to France. At my brother making yet another scene in my home. At all of it. And yet here I was, an aroused mess of contradictions, kneeling at my husband’s side, because I no longer knew what to do or how to feel.

“I’m so frustrated and filled with rage, I don’t know what to do with myself anymore.” I admitted the dark truth. Gio would know what to do. I trusted him to wade through this hell at my side and get us both out of it unscathed.

“I know, baby.” He massaged my neck, then ran his thumb along my jawline. “That’s why you belong to me. I know what you need. Now lie over my thighs and lift that skirt over your ass. You’re going to take twelve lashes of my bare hand.”

“Twelve?” I gulped. He’d never given me more than half a dozen before. I didn’t know if I could take that many without telling him to stop. When we discussed limits to our kink in the bedroom, we decided early on that we didn’t need a special safe word. If I told him to stop for any reason, then he stopped. End of story. He, more than me, didn’t like the idea of continuing our play if I was begging him to stop, even if I had another word Icould use to end things. Apparently, the concept turned him off, and I was fine with that.

“You can handle twelve. It was only going to be six, because you allowed your brother to come to our home when I wasn’t here to protect you. The additional six are because you questioned my ownership,” he stated gently, running his fingers through my long hair.

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