Page 75 of His Captive Pet

“And what did you say?”

“I said it was just a necklace.” She touched her neck, where the collar had been. “I didn’t want him to think it was something special that he could use against me.”

Blake’s eyes lit up. “And was it? Something special?”

She lowered her eyes to his feet. “You know it was.”

“Was?”

“Is. It is.” She took a shaky breath and wrapped her arms around her stomach. She needed to keep herself together if she was going to get through this.

“I didn’t protect you.” His voice broke, but he stood taller.

“How could you have? I charged off like some crazy woman ready to take on the world. I nearly got myself killed. I could have gotten Samuel killed.” Tears welled up and spilled.

“You definitely were naughty,” he agreed with a nod, but he didn’t reach out to touch her. If he would just touch her, she could get herself together.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I should have made it clear to you what I was planning. I should have involved you more, because you aren’t a weak woman, Aubree. You can take care of yourself, and you can be a savior to others. I shouldn’t have tried to shield you so much. And I won’t be making that mistake in the future.”

Future?

She wiped a tear from her cheek. “You don’t hate me?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I thought we had that cleared up back at the cabin. I’m not thrilled with you at the moment, though.”

“I’m not too happy with me, either.” Her shoulders dropped.

“Good, that should make things easier.” He pushed off the couch and walked to her. Fisting his hand in her hair, he walked her to the couch, shoving her over the arm of it.

“Blake.” His name came out in a heated breath. She wouldn’t ask to be pardoned, she wouldn’t beg for him to stop, she would take what he gave her, because he didn’t give up. He wasn’t throwing her away. He was bringing her back to him.

“I’m not fond of jeans.” He hauled her ass up in the air and reached beneath her, unbuttoning the denim and peeling it over her ass, leaving it bunched at her knees. “No more jeans, sweetheart.” He grabbed her panties next and with one motion ripped them from her body. “No panties, either.”

“Yes, Blake.” She closed her eyes, reveling in his voice, in his stern voice. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, letting more tears slip out, wetting her eyelashes.

Her scalp burned and he lifted her from the couch again, his face pressing against hers. “Me too, sweetheart. But we’re getting back on track here, aren’t we? We’re going to remember who is holding the leash and who is wearing the collar.”

She snapped her eyes to his face. “You’re keeping me?”

“You’ll have to do a lot more than run off to save a man from being killed, all the while trying to keep me from getting hurt, too, in order for me to get rid of you.” He smiled. A soft curve of his lips. Her body sagged into him and he caught her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her.

She pressed her lips against his, taking every little nip of his teeth, feeling his tongue sweep through her mouth and giving over to him.

When he pulled back, his stern expression returned. “Over the couch, sweetheart.”

She nodded and bent back over the arm, pressing her face into the cushion below. She expected him to touch her, to knead her cheeks or maybe finger her a little. But she should have known better.

A hard hit to her thigh made her jump; a second stroke to her ass made her cry out. A burn unlike anything he’d given her before engulfed her ass. She couldn’t tell what he was using, a paddle, his hand, or his belt. The swats came fast, hard, and all she could do was concentrate on breathing. Because he gave her no time to do anything else.

“I’m sorry!” she yelled.

One last swat, hard to her thighs, and the spanking ended.

She heard his breathing. Short bursts of breaths. She clenched her eyes closed for a moment, unsure what she should do next.

He peeled her jeans off and tossed them across the room. She heard his zipper and grinned into the cushion, spreading her legs further apart and lifting her ass up for him.

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