Page 16 of Cowboy's Sinful Bargain

"Just say it, Miko, whatever it is."

"I...No punishment."

What?

"Miko—"

"If I own you and you own me, then no punishment."

As firm as his tone was, I could feel Miko shaking against me.

He was terrified.

"Miko, I will never hurt you. No one on this ranch will. If someone even looks at you wrong, I'll wipe the floor with them."

"Have you been punished before, Miko?" Monty asked.

Miko shuddered before giving a sharp nod.

I growled as I clenched my jaw. "Who?"

I didn't think I needed to explain what I was asking.

Miko shook his head. "It matters not."

Oh, but it did.

I glanced at Monty over Miko's head. I doubt the man had to look hard to see what I was thinking. When he nodded, I knew we were in agreement. Whoever had hurt Miko, they would pay, and pay dearly.

We just had to find out who it was.

It didn't look as if Miko was willing to talk about who that might be, so I decided to take the conversation in a different direction. "How do you feel about the fact that we got married this afternoon?"

Miko squinted up at me. I don't know what he was looking for, or even if he found it, but small smile curved the corners of his lips. "You are mine and I am yours, yes?"

"Yes."

Miko nodded. "I am good."

My eyebrows lifted up to my hairline. "You're good?" What sort of answer was that? "Miko—"

"I will live here?" Miko asked. "With you and father?"

"Yes." He wasn't going to be living anywhere else. "Our suite is upstairs."

I'd moved in yesterday. The bunkhouse was no place for Miko to live.

"And I can have horse?"

I scowled. "I told you that you could, didn't I?"

"Then I am good."

That was it? A place to live and a horse? That was all he wanted in order to stay? Why was he so accepting?

"Miko, if you didn't know you were getting married, why aren't you more upset? People made decisions about your life without asking you." I hated that I'd been a part of that even if I hadn't known I was at the time.

"You let me choose," Miko said simply.

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