Page 12 of Red

Covered in sweat, his frustrations mostly worked out, Erik unwrapped his hands and moved into the shower.

Melinda would be easier to deal with when he brought her up some clothes. She’d be in a softer mindset. Nico was still working on a few viable solutions, and, once they were ironed out, Erik would present them to her. Until then, he needed her to behave.

Showered and dressed, Erik left the workout room and headed up to his bedroom.

Stopping at his office, he grabbed the bag of clothes he’d ordered for her. Ian shook his head as he passed him in the hall, but at least he was smart enough to keep his lips zipped. Erik had had enough of him for one day. If they could avoid each other until this was finished that would make everything easier.

“Erik!” Nico stopped him at the foot of the staircase. “I got Melinda an interview at the Annex.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow night. There’s also a catalogue party. You’ve been invited. Melinda can attend with you,” Nico explained. “But you know with them, she has to be completely free of any obligation to you. You can’t force her. If Titon thinks for a second she’s being sold against her will, he won’t even consider it.”

“I’m aware. The relationship with the Titons is thin already. She’ll be on board. This will be her decision.” Erik nodded. He’d lay out her options, and she’d pick. The only option not available was to walk away.

His fucking uncle was a prick, even from the grave. All debts due had to be accounted for before his estate would be turned over to Erik, his next of kin. The old man had taken his son down with him, leaving Erik, his oldest nephew, next in line.

“How are you going to get her to agree to this?” Nico asked.

“I’m going to lay it out for her. The annex is the safest place for her if she chooses that route. Otherwise…” Erik shook his head. They were out of options, really. He would not sell her to any of those men he’d threatened her with, but if she didn’t cooperate at the Annex, he might not be able to find a good man for her. She’d be able to get the money up front from Ash Titon if she signed a long-term contract with him. It was her best bet. The safest option.

Selling women was not how he’d seen his future when he was growing up. He wanted to own a business. In particular, he wanted to build casinos, hotels, resorts. He wanted an entire fucking empire. Once he got his hands on his uncle’s fortune, he could make all the dreams come true.

“Go find Ian and knock some sense into him. He’s brooding again.” Erik patted Nico’s shoulder and made his way up to his bedroom.

Erik removed the key from his jeans pocket and slipped it into the doorknob. Turning it, he wondered if she’d still be in bed. When he’d gotten up before the sun rose, she was asleep. Still curled in the far corner of the bed, but she was peaceful.

He eased the door open and slipped inside, not wanting to disturb her if she still slept. She’d had a rough time so far. A little sleep could make all the difference.

As he shut the door, he noticed a flash of metal. Melinda lunged from his right, a knife aimed at him. He easily maneuvered out of her range and grabbed hold of her wrist, twisting it until she dropped the blade. Screaming in outrage.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, dropping the bag of clothing and picking up the knife.

“Let me go! Let me go!” She yanked on her wrist, but he twisted her arm behind her, pinning her wrist to the small of her back.

He found the knife on the floor and picked it up. A steak knife. Another sweep of the room revealed a breakfast tray sitting on the nightstand. Untouched scrambled eggs and a thick piece of ham.

Apparently, the docile woman he’d put to bed the night before had awoken a mountain lion with her claws outstretched this morning.

“Did you think you’d kill me and then what…walk out of the house naked?” He shook her, eliciting another cry. She swung her free arm uselessly at him.

“It’s better than just sitting here waiting for you to destroy me!” she shouted.

“We’ll see if you think so in a minute.”

Chapter 5

Her idiocy had no bounds, apparently! Every move she made with him turned out to be the wrong one. Each attempt to improve her situation failed on an epic level.

The knife clanked onto the dresser as he forced her toward the bed. He sat on the bed and, with a quick fluid motion, flipped her over his lap. Her stomach lurched at the impact, her mind swirled—trying to catch up to the movements.

Her body acted on autopilot, scrambling to get off his lap, to get away from him, but he anticipated her panic. His heavy leg shifted from beneath her to over both of her legs, trapping her to him.

“No!” She bucked, but it did no good. Her arm was still pinned behind her, her free hand useless in doing anything other than grabbing hold of the bedding.

His palm connected with her ass. The hard, stinging slap silenced her for a moment. Her struggle renewed, but still he held her firm.

The sound of his palm spanking her naked ass over and over again echoed in the room, masked only by her cries for him to stop. The burning ensued; the sharp sting renewed with each blow of his hand. Each smack intensified the next, and there seemed to be no end.

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