Page 35 of Reluctant Surrender

Chapter 17

Maggie

Married! The man was insane. He’d completely lost all of his cognitive abilities if he thought I was going to marry him.

“I’m not marrying you,” I blurted out as I climbed out of the car once it was parked in the attached garage.

Lukas shouted something in Polish to Patryk and Janusz that sent them scampering from the garage. He’d spoken too quickly for me to understand him, but I understood the look of pity on their faces when they glanced in my direction.

He stalked around the front of the car, charging at me with his eyes ablaze. I took a defensive step back, but there was nowhere for me to go. The garage door was shut, and even if it wasn’t, I doubted I’d be able to easily escape the grounds as I had earlier.

I didn’t understand everything Lukas had yelled into his phone once we were in his car after leaving Sammy’s place, but I got the gist. Complete lockdown—at least for me.

“We aren’t talking about that right now. We have so many other topics to go over first.” He stepped closer, taking up the last inch of space between us. He lowered his face to mine, our noses nearly touching. “Like obedience and consequences.”

My throat dried beneath his hard stare.

“Lukas. I… I’m sorry.” It was pathetic, but it was all I had.

The right side of his lips quirked up. “Oh, angel, you have no idea how sorry you’re going to be.”

Without warning, he bent over, throwing his shoulder into my stomach and hauling me up and over his shoulder. From my last experience, I realized kicking and hitting him wouldn’t get me anywhere.

“Stop acting like a caveman!” I yelled as he carried me over the threshold and into the house.

A sharp smack across my ass was his response. I opted not to inform him he’d just made my point, when his hand came down a second and third time.

“I don’t want to be disturbed. For any reason!” Lukas’ voice carried through the foyer as he took a turn up the stairs.

“You got it, boss,” a voice responded.

I groaned. One of his men had witnessed my humiliating situation. By the time we entered Lukas’ bedroom, I’d hoped some of his energy would have burned off. When he put me on my feet, I could see that hadn’t happened. He kicked the door shut and stood with his hands on his hips staring at me, his nostrils flaring slightly, and his brows pulled together tightly.

“Lukas. I know. I know you’re mad, but I couldn’t chance you getting hurt on my account.”

“What did I tell you, Maggie? What did I say when I left tonight?” He stripped off his suit jacket and dropped it on the dresser.

“You said to stay put.” I took another step back from him, thinking the more space between us the better. If he decided to lunge for me, I might have a better chance of diving around him and getting to the door. I knew what was coming, and if I had any chance to get away from it, I would take it.

“And what else did I say?” He unbuttoned his shirt, yanking it from his pants and throwing it across the room. Standing with his white tank top and all his tattoos covering his muscular arms didn’t help the nervousness in my stomach. The less clothing he wore, the more dangerous he became.

“Or else,” I answered meekly. I had a damn good idea what or else meant, and my ass clenched just thinking about it. He’d been so harsh, so unrelenting when I lied about the poker game. What would he do now that I’d blatantly disobeyed him and put myself right in Sammy Bertonelli’s presence?

“That’s right.” His hands went to his belt buckle, and in the fastest, smoothest motion I’d ever seen he had it open and his entire belt out of the loops. The sound of the leather rubbing against the fabric didn’t even register before he had the entire thing off and folded over in his hand.

“Lukas. Remember you said you’d never hurt me.” I put a hand out to ward him off, as though that could possibly happen.

He slapped the belt on the side of his leg as he prowled toward me.

“I’m sure that’s not right.” He snapped the belt harder against his thigh. “I like hurting you, angel. And you like it, too.” Another smack against his leg. “But you won’t like tonight.”

He reached across his body to my shoulder and pushed me face down over the edge of the bed. I grasped the bedding, trying to climb my way to freedom, but he wasn’t having it. He lifted my skirt, flinging it to my back and ripped my panties off with one tug.

“Lukas!” I screamed, but it was premature. The belt lashed across my bare, unsuspecting ass.

“Do you have any idea what he could have done to you if I hadn’t been there? Do you understand how much danger you put yourself in?” He brought the belt down again and again, flattening my wiggles with one hand spread out on my lower back.

I fisted the blanket beneath me. My feet flailed, trying to find a secure position on the floor to hold steady, but I was dangling too high over the bed. I had no way of escape from the harsh leather being brought down on my ass over and over again.

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