Page 10 of Pure Vengeance

If that’s what he wants me to say, I won’t do it.

I’m not sorry.

I only regret I missed.

“I can’t. I can’t take anymore. Please!” I’m not above begging though.

“Sure, you can.” He softens the lashes but continues.

Sobs break free of my chest. My face is covered in tears and saliva from all my screaming.

Finally, he stops.

“Stay there. Do not move one fucking muscle,” he orders, letting me go. The belt jangles again and I realize he’s putting it back on. I need to wipe my face, but to do that would mean moving.

And I’m not giving him another reason to take that belt off again.

I survived.

But so did he.

Featherlike touches drag across my ass. I jump at the tenderness.

“No broken skin.” He pats my ass, like he’s proud of me for taking the whipping without getting injured.

Lightly, he grabs my arm and turns me to face him. I raise my hands to wipe my cheeks, but he brushes them away.

Instead, he pulls a handkerchief from his back pocket and cleans me up.

“If you ever do anything so reckless and hurt yourself again, it will be worse than this, do you understand?” His question comes as he’s wiping the last bit of mascara from beneath my right eye.

“What?” I blink, unsure of what he’s talking about.

“Your knuckles, your feet. Your cheek. Your injuries were avoidable, if you hadn’t been so reckless with your safety.”

“Are you serious?” I can’t help the question.

He lines up our gazes.

“Always.”

“You… you whipped me because of my injuries?”

“I punished you because you put yourself in a lot of fucking danger tonight for nothing.”

“Oh.” My brain can’t process this. Not with the burning hot throbbing coming from my ass.

“I don’t spank people who try to kill me.”

I sniffle. “You said you weren’t going to kill me,” I remind him.

“I’m not.” He drags his knuckles over my dry cheek. “But I’m not letting you go either.”

“Why? What does that mean?”

“It means, you’re mine now, Claire. All mine. Until I say otherwise.” He frowns, like he’s not happy with his own decision.

“I…no.” I start to shake my head, but he’s finished with our conversation. He walks to the door and waves someone inside.

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