Page 66 of His Custody

Turning herself into a platinum-and-fuchsia skunk was supposed to be spiteful, but now she was sorry. So, so sorry. She didn’t want to go to the fundraiser, but if she was trying to get Jasper to believe she wasn’t a child but a woman who could make reasoned decisions, this wasn’t a great way to do it. She’d dallied getting her things together, and she’d made a note to tell Jasper it hadn’t been Edwin’s fault. It was hers, all hers. Maybe there was enough time to change it back?

But there wasn’t enough time between the car door and the front door.

She climbed out of the back, her grey skinny jeans clinging to her legs, the black leather of her coat heavy on her shoulders, the snug gauntlets she’d tied on hugging her wrists. Jasper was going to send her away for sure. If he even recognized her.

Ada greeted her at the door as usual, pressing papery lips to her cheek. “Does he know about your new look?”

Keyne’s lips curled between her teeth as she shook her head and her eyes watered.

“Don’t be nervous, he won’t care.”

Keyne wanted to believe her, but there was fear, always fear that she’d be left alone. And she was always so horrible to Jasper, even after everything he’d done for her. This might be the final straw.

“Go on, then, go see him. He’s waiting for you.”

Keyne clasped a hand tight around her own wrist before she let go and headed down the hallway.

Jasper was in the library like she knew he’d be, and the close-cropped blond back of his head that peeked out over the back of the couch was enough to settle her stomach. Some. But when he stood up and turned around, the smile he had for her disappeared, his eyes went wide as pie plates and her breath stopped.

But as soon as it had come, his expression was gone, melted into a slightly puzzled, appraising, half smirk. He muttered something about a dress on his way around the couch and then there he was. Standing right in front of her, so close she could touch him. If she wanted to. She wanted to. “Am I allowed to hug you?”

“I’d have to look it up inStupid Jasper’s Stupid Experiment of Epic Stupidity Handbookbut—oof.”

She’d punched him. Hard, right in his washboard stomach. She’d bet money it hurt her hand more than his unimpeachable abs, but he wasn’t expecting it and his noise of complaint wasn’t entirely feigned. She didn’t think. Alice would be proud.

Her hands scrambled over his crisp shirt and she pressed herself against him, inhaling quickly because she wasn’t sure how long he’d let her do this for. He felt the same and smelled the same, like nothing had changed. If only nothing had changed. It wasn’t until her voice cracked as she choked out “I miss you so much,” that she realized she was crying.

“You’ve only been away for three weeks, sweetheart. And you’ve been yelling at me for two and a half of them.”

She tried to punch him again, but he was holding her close now, his big arms wrapped tight around her back, his bristly face laid against the top of her head.

“No more punching, Tinker Bell. Relax, be good for me.”

His unexpected words melted her and she slumped against him as he took her by the wrists and steered her arms into a familiar position, hands grabbing opposite elbows behind her back. Strong fingers slid through her short hair and pushed her face into his hard chest. She made a small noise of desperation and satisfaction and she pressed the rest of her body the length of his, feeling the familiar hardness of his erection against her belly. “I didn’t think...”

“You didn’t think what?”

“I didn’t think we’d get to do this while I was here. I didn’t think you’d want to.”

His fingers fisted in what remained of her locks and he shoved her harder against him, making her mewl, making her wet between her legs. Any part of her body not touching his felt raw, but where they connected was blissful and warm.

“I wasn’t planning on it. But not because I didn’t want to. I want to every second of every day. I think about you all the time. I must be the world’s stupidest man to let you go running around, encouraging, ordering you to do it, because right now, that seems like the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

His hand was so tight in her hair it made her eyes water and in some Pavlovian response, she rocked her hips forward. “Please, Jasper. Please, master me.”

He went still against her and she held her breath. The thirst for him was making her soul parched and she needed him. She’d take a sip if that was all he was willing to offer, gulp him down if he offered her a glass. Or he might say no altogether.Please don’t say no.

To her ever-loving relief, he didn’t. “On your knees.”

She sunk to her knees with his hand still in her hair, taking up that comfortable position she sometimes took in her dorm room when she was lonely for him. Legs spread, hands turned palm up on her knees, gaze downward in submission, offering herself.Take me, please. Take all I have to give. I will give you everything, anything.

There was a hard yank at her scalp that sent tingling all the way through her. “You cut your hair.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Are you happy with it?” His tone didn’t give anything away as to how he felt about it, so she had to give an honest answer.

“No, Master. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I was angry at you and that’s why I did it. I’m a spiteful, terrible, ungrateful girl and I’m sorry. Please punish me, please. I deserve to be punished.” Her genuine remorse colored her begging. She couldn’t forgive herself for this, someone else would have to do it. He would have to do it.

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