Page 36 of A Debt of Darkness

She whimpers and my instincts tell me to rush to her.

I ignore them.

“GET. UP.”

She sobs and shakes her head.

“Get the fuck up. I’m done playing games, pet. I’m done being reasonable. Get up or I’ll fucking drag you back home, kicking and screaming the whole damn way.”

Ivy trembles and offers me her hand. Slowly. She’s shaking like a fucking leaf and the anger rising inside me burns hot enough I almost don’t care. I’m livid she’s betrayed me, furious she deserted me, and irate she jeopardized her safety. The only thing making me see any reason is the knowledge someone hurt her before and repeating that cycle will only make her trauma worse.

I take her hand and haul her onto her feet. She’s barely standing and she stumbles, struggling to keep herself upright.

“You have two choices, pet. You can walk back or I can drag you. You won’t enjoy the latter.”

She collapses and I move on reflex, catching her before she hits the ground. She sinks into my arms and she’s dead weight, lifeless and completely exhausted. Ivy’s spent and she’sstopped fighting because she’s too damn tired to carry on. It’s a victory by default, and I need more to keep her safe.

I’ve been too lenient and it could have cost her.

Ivy needs to accept her place and she’s made her decision.

I’ve sure as fuck made mine and there’s no going back now.

I throw Ivy over my shoulder, spank her ass and tell her to shut the fuck up as I start the long walk back to the castle—and the punishment awaiting her when we get there.

11

I'LL NEVER HARM YOU PET

IVY

Iflop like a ragdoll over Henry’s shoulder and keep my goddamn mouth shut. He marches at a relentless pace and doesn’t tire. The man is a machine and he’s seething. I can almost smell the anger oozing from his pores. He’s wounded. Hurt. And he won’t let this stand.

I had my chance and I blew it.

I wasn’t fast enough. I wasn’t smart enough. I realized someone was closing in on me and I fought back, but my shock got the better of me.

It reduced me to a quivering idiot.

Henry found me, but I’d already given up. I don’t know if it was more devastating to discover how quickly he caught up with me or that I’d stop running for no reason.

At least I have a moral compass, which is more than can be said for the man carrying me. I stiffen and he spanks myass again, growling I’d better not even be thinking about trying anything.

“I thought you might be getting tired.”

He delivers another hard spank, and I squeal. “I’m not fucking tired.”

I ignore the bile trying to make its way out of my body and manage to avoid retching all over him. He slows down and I lift my head, and his hand lands again, sending more heat spreading over my ass.

“That fucking hurts,” I hiss.

“Be grateful it’s not my belt.”

Fuck. My body trembles from a combination of fear and excitement. I suck in a deep breath and try pulling myself upright again and Henry stops, setting me on the ground and taking a very firm grip of my hair.

“We’re at the edge of the woods. Can you walk from here?” he asks.

I nod and he shoves me forward. I stagger and trip, landing hard on the ground.

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