Page 24 of Coerced Kiss

“We’re going to discuss that matter I neglected,” he says, advancing on me.

I crane my neck to look at him, refusing to flee. He knows I’m terrified. I’m not going to give him the pleasure of confirming it. “What matter?”

He folds back his shirt sleeve. “What did I say about talking to the police?”

I swallow again, taking in the beautiful lines of his face. “To call you.”

“That’s right,” he drawls, folding back the other sleeve to expose a strong forearm dusted with dark hair and embossed with thick veins. “Did you call me?”

“I–I didn’t think.”

“What were you going to tell them, Anya?”

“Nothing, I swear.”

“I warned you,” he says with a tsk of his tongue. “Your bad. It’s a lesson I’m going to have to teach you.”

He said it as if he was going to regret it, but he’s lying. Excitement sparks in the frosty blue of his eyes.

“Sav,” I say, my voice shaky and my tone pleading.

His lips quirk. “Now it’s Sav, is it?”

I have no idea what he has in store for me, but I know I’m not going to like it. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you.”

“No,tesoro, you’re not.” He adds in a gravelly, seductive tone, “But you will be.”

Tears of fear and frustration prick at the back of my eyes. “What the hell do you want from me?”

Walking me backward toward the kitchen, he says, “I want you to bend over the table and hold on real tight.”

CHAPTER

SIX

Saverio

When I went to meet Anya at her workplace, I didn’t plan on doing this. Yes, I was going to punish her for not calling me because she has to learn that breaking the rules isn’t an option. Her life depends on her obedience. I can only keep her safe if I can control her.

However, I wasn’t going to tell her to bend over and present her ass like a gift. The lesson I had in mind was making someone she cares about disappear, someone like the guard who stared at my girl with too much admiration for my liking.

I would’ve followed through on the fantasy of bashing his head in if it weren’t obvious that Anya considers him a friend. I could tell from the caring smile and warm greeting she gave him. His saving grace was that her affection was clearly platonic. I don’t mind her hate and fear—she’ll only detest me more when she finds out what I have planned for her—but for an inexplicable reason, I suddenly find myself reluctant to burden her with the guilt of knowing she’s responsible for a man’s death.She only saw me slit the throat of her boss last night. That’s more than enough trauma for one week.

That leaves me with one option, and I’d be lying if I say the thought doesn’t turn me hard. Anya might have believed my threat was idle, but I did check with Nicole who told me a little light spanking won’t be harmful for the baby. Of course, she meantconsensualspanking, the erotic kind that’s done in the bedroom. Anya may not agree with the punishment I’m about to dole out, but she will give me her consent. I don’t need it, but discipline is more effective when the offender buys into the process. Personal experience taught me that.

Anya stares at me with her beautiful, cat-like eyes, her pink lips parted and her stunning face pulled into an expression of disbelief. “You’re not serious.”

She’s in denial, thinking—or hoping—I don’t mean it, but I’ll wrench a yes if not a pretty please from her yet.

I advance another step, forcing her to take one back. “Do I look like a man who jokes about anything?”

She flicks out her tongue to wet those soft, luscious lips. “I told you I forgot.”

We walk toe to toe like dancers, me directing and she following my lead.

“Forgetfulness is an unfortunate characteristic,” I say, folding my right sleeve up to my elbow.

Her delicate jaw sets into a hard line. “Your spy told you. You were there.” When her backside hits the table, she stresses her point. “You were present when the police questioned me.”