Page 22 of Obsession

Her hands clench into fists as she sucks in a breath, her face turning into a scowl.

“This isn’t funny,” she snaps.

“I’m not laughing, princess.” I rub a hand over my jaw, already feeling a thin layer of scruff. “What do you want me to say? Hmm? You want me to lay down the ground rules so you can paint me as your villain? Would you like me to lock you in your bedroom without dinner so you can pretend I’m the bad guy? You want someone to hate, Madi. That’s fine. I can be that person for you. But we both know I’m not the one you hate. You’re pissed at your brother for selling you off like cattle, I get that. But I’m not the one who gave you away, just the one who kept you from being sold to some gangster in New York who wouldn’t tolerate your attitude.”

The lines on her face deepen with every word that leaves my lips.

“I’m sorry, do you want me to bethankfulyou married me? Do you want me to drop down to my knees and praise you?Oh, thank you, Adrian, what would I ever do without you?”she mocks.

“A little gratitude wouldn’t hurt,” I say, and she audibly scoffs.

Turning so my back is toward her, I shrug off my jacket and throw it over the back of the velvet loveseat. There’s a kink in my neck and my hand moves to it, rubbing out the tension.

I’m thinking over my next words, when I feel a hard object slam against the middle of my spine. “What the fuck?” I growl, spinning on my heel.

Madi stands behind me, one of her nude heels gripped between her fingers, the other on the floor at my feet. I bend down and pick up the dainty shoe. "Did you just throw this at me?” I’m not sure if I want to laugh or scream at her childish antics.

Her pink-painted lips pull into a thin line, and she crosses her arms again, the second high heel still dangling from her fingertips. I’m not sure if she’s pretending it wasn’t here, but the evidence is clear.

I heave a sigh, stretching my shoulders out before I walk to her again. This time, I don’t stop once I’m in her space, I keep going. She moves back as I move forward, and we keep that pace until her back hits the bookshelves. Her arms drop to her sides and the other shoe hits the floor, leaving her hands free to raise up and push against my chest.

I grab both of her wrists in one hand, bringing them up so I can hold them above her head. She sucks in a breath, and I note the way her chest rises with the action, her plush lips parting just the slightest bit.

“Princess,” I say low, leaning in against her ear. “You’re being a bit of abrat.”

Her exhale flows out in a harsh rush of air. “Bit judgmental coming from the man who has me pinned against the wall.”

“I’m only trying to prevent you fromattacking me.”

“It’s self-defense,” she scoffs.

“Oh yeah?” I laugh. “You hit me from behind. I’m pretty sure I could argue against your self-defense claim in court.”

The column of her throat bobs as she swallows, and her eyes slowly rise to meet mine. I like her like this, pressed between the wall and my body, her soft skin so close, her hands grasped between mine.

It takes will power to control my cock.

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t, princess.”

Anger rolls off her in waves, each rise and fall of her chest like a knife is slicing into mine. She’s at a precipice, swaying between standing strong and crumbling in my arms.

There’s a sick part of me that wants to break her, watch her come undone for me and me only. But I don’t want her anger, not really. It’s more than just wanting her compliance. I wasn’t lying when I told Marcus I wasn’t afraid of taming her, that it sounded like a fun challenge.

“Go upstairs,” I tell her. “Take off that dress and wait for me inourbedroom. You earned some punishments today.”

Madi rolls her eyes. “You’re not going to hurt me.”

“Who said I was going to hurt you? I’m going topunishyou, princess. You were a bad girl today, and bad girls get punished. Now, be a good girl and go get ready for me, hmm?”

Soft hands push against my chest, and she grumbles something unintelligible under her breath as she stomps away from me and up the stairs.

I lean my head against the bookshelf, fighting the urge to chase her and bend her ass over my knee right here in the living room, spanking it until a cherry color rises on her flesh. She wants me just as pissed as she is, wants me to experience that bitterness she can’t escape.

But my little princess is in for a rude awakening if she thinks I won’t enjoy punishing that attitude out of her.

THIRTEEN

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