Page 26 of When Hearts Awaken

The angry god of thunder. Charles.

His eyes widen in shock as his hand tightens his grip on the whip.

Then he prowls toward me.

Chapter 10

She’s shaking like aleaf, terror rolling off her lithe frame in waves.

“N-No.” The minx hastily scrambles back, her long legs barely keeping her upright. “Stay away from me.”

Her eyes widen in fear as they dart to the whip in my hand, then back to my face, then back to my hand again. Sweat glistens on her forehead.

“S-Stay back!”

I frown, and the unease I felt at ABTC last week when she screamed at Uncle Ian comes roaring back. I was furious then at how an opportunity to dance Odette was squandered by the likes of her, someone who didn’t even seem to care about the craft. Then she solidified herself on my shit list when she socked me in the face and had the audacity to insult the only parental figure in my life.

But now, seeing those stormy eyes flash with terror, her earlier fierce countenance nowhere to be seen, a flicker of concern gathers in my gut. Something is wrong. If she were a sub here, and I’m sure she isn’t because I’ve never seen her on the Rose floors before, these would be red flags of someone barreling past their limit.

I step toward her, wanting to do something.Comfort her? Hold her? Tell her everything is okay? Fuck, why the hell do I care about this hellion? She’s not your sub.

My fingers grip the whip for support—anything to tether myself to reality and calmness. I wonder if merely standing next to a hurricane will make you seasick.

But the gentleman in me can’t let a woman—even one I despise—be in this state of terror.

“Are you okay?” I move toward her.

“No!” she screams. “P-Please. St-top.” She eyes my hands, panic in those gray pools.

I freeze and slowly drop the whip from my hand. It clatters to the floor like a gong and she flinches.What the fuck happened to her? Did someone hurt her before?

The thought sends a torrent of anger up my chest, and I don’t know why.

“Taylor,” I murmur, and her eyes snap up to mine, clearly surprised I know her name. Well, of course I had to find out after her crazy outburst at ABTC. “No one is hurting you.”

She lets out a shaky exhale, her eyes bright with fear.

“You are fine. We’re all adults here…just having some fun.”

Taylor gasps. Then her entire posture changes as if my words woke up something inside her. Her nostrils flare, her hands balling into fists, and she straightens up.

There’s my fierce minx.

What?I recoil at the direction of my thoughts.

“You rich men are all the same. You guys think you can use women because we’re physically weaker than you.” Her words are murderous, laced with venom. She darts a glance at Kristi behind me, who I’m sure, along with Colt, is gaping at this ridiculous turn of events.

Taylor’s face turns redder and her body vibrates—this time, not from fear. I can practically see the flames sparking from her eyes. “It’sdisgustingand sick how you guys get off on hurting women, just like—”

I reach her in two strides and her eyes widen as I tower over her.

Leaning down, I rasp, “Say that again. I dare you. Words have consequences.”

I’d never maliciously hurt a woman. Never raise a hand on them in anger. Even in BDSM, the pain I dole out is only to give my partner pleasure—while I love the ability to control their orgasms, the women hold all the power in the scenes. It’s also for me to let go of my carefully curated image and embrace the darker desires inside me. But I’d hurt myself before hurting another woman. It’s something I firmly believe in.

I fucking despise abusers.

My mind flashes to when Dad would slap Mom across the face when they got into yet another heated argument, how she’d cry as she pulled me into her arms, the rare moments when somehow I was in her orbit again…useful, a child to comfort her.

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