Page 45 of Guardians

Kane strolled across the room and slid open the door to his closet. He reached for something inside, but she couldn’t see what it was until he turned back around. Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. She didn’t know a lot about whips, but with a sturdy handle and multiple strands, she was pretty sure that was a flogger.

He swung the flogger and the strandsswishedthen smacked against his boot. “You lived in Texas, correct?”

What the hell did that have to do with anything? She looked at him, brows drawn together. “Yes. Why?”

“If you met the governor of Texas and he was acting like an arrogant ass, would you poke him in the chest and tell him that his attitude was inexcusable?”

It took her a moment to make the connection. “That’s not what happened. I didn’t just meet Zion.”

“Fine. Let’s put it in context. If you negotiated an alliance with the governor of Texas one day and witnessed him berating one of his generals a few nights later, would it have been appropriate for you to interrupt and start an argument with him?”

She licked her lips. From her perspective, she’d been defending her people. But there was always more than one perspective. She shook her head. “He didn’t just berate you. He was threatening to turn us away.”

“No, he wasn’t. He was concerned that providing everyone with housing and food would unravel the alliance. It’s a valid fear. Starvation and exposure to the elements are the things motivating your friends to consider joining the alliance. Without those motivations, it will be much harder to convince your people to submit to mine.”

“But Zion said?—”

Kane swung the flogger again, cutting off her ongoing argument. The strands spread out across her bottom cheeks, trapping the breath in her lungs. The sting was sharp and shocking, but it was nothing compared to the heat. Always the fucking heat. She shuddered violently and then released a pathetic moan. Oh, God, that hurt so much worse than his hand. He swung again before the sting subsided and the pain compounded.

“Stop,” she cried, trying to twist out of reach. The restraints held her nearly motionless, and her helplessness stimulated her darkest hunger.

“You’ve earned this and you know it,” Kane said coldly. “Now, stand still and take it.”

His attitude reignited her temper. She might have misread the situation with Zion, but she hadn’t ‘earned’ a flogging. “All I did was defend my friends,” she protested, sounding more belligerent than she’d intended.

“All you did was make your mates look like fools,” Diego countered. He moved in front of her and pinched her nipples.

She cried out at the added discomfort. Her bottom cheeks throbbed and her pussy clenched. The last thing she needed was another area of stimulation. Kane continued to whip her while Diego applied cruel pressure to her nipples.

“Your sassy mouth nearly cost us our positions,” Diego told her. “Do you have any idea how hard we worked to become guardians?”

She shook her head, too overwhelmed to defend herself. Her core tightened and released, taking on the deep throbbing ache of her bottom. Each time the flogger connected with her ass cheeks, heat radiated through her lower body. Her clit tingled then twitched as if begging for attention. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, but the bar between her legs made movement difficult.

Arousal was eroding her anger. This had been one of the most traumatic nights of her life. She needed comfort and support, not punishment. She wanted to be wrapped in their arms, surrounded by their strength as her mates made love to her.Instead, her ass cheeks were on fire, and she feared that her misery had just begun.

Kane brought the strands upward, catching the underside of her cheeks. The sting was brighter, more cutting than before. A helpless cry tore from her throat. His next swing targeted the other side, effortlessly finding the same torturous place. “Stop! Oh, God, please stop,” she yelled, tugging against her restraints with all her might.

Much to her surprise, Kane paused and moved in front of her. “It makes me want to rut like an animal when I see you like this,” he admitted, his eyes starting to glow with golden light. “You are so fucking beautiful, mate. It makes me feel wild.” He fisted her hair and tilted her head back, kissing her deeply. The flogger thuddedto the floor, and he roughly palmed her breasts. “Mine,” he growled against her damp lips.

When he finally released her mouth and stepped back, Lexie was breathless and teetering on the verge of an orgasm. The pain combined with Kane’s possessive attack on her mouth had been more than she could take. “Please, Sir. I really need to come.”

“No doubt you do, but your punishment isn’t over.” He leaned down and picked up the flogger. “Be a good girl for Malik and Diego and we’ll all fuck you after.”

A wave of conflicting emotion crashed over her overstimulated body. Her ass hurt, throbbing with heat and discomfort. Her nipples were tender from Diego’s pinches and apparently, they each had a different punishment in mind for her. She looked from Malik to Diego and back. Diego’s dark gaze burned with dangerous desire, so she focused on Malik. He wasn’t smiling, but he appeared less menacing than the other two.

“I’m sorry I lost my temper, and I’m sorry I made you guys look bad. I won’t confront Zion ever again.”

“You’re sorry you’re being punished, and you want us to feel sorry for you,” Diego countered. “This will end when you actually mean those words.”

Lexie sucked in a breath and nervously licked her lips. Kane had already abused her bottom. What else did they intend to do?

Malik moved in front of her and casually cupped her sex. “We’re not human, and this is not Earth.” His middle finger sank between her slick folds and rubbed her aching clit. “You forgot that simple fact tonight.” He pulled back his hand and slapped her pussy.

Lexie gasped. The slap had been more shocking than painful, especially coming from Malik.

“This is your new reality.” He accented the statement with a harder slap. “You are under our authority, and you will follow our rules. We will not tolerate disrespect, especially in public. After tonight, you will never forget these facts again.”

Over and over he slapped her wet pussy. Lexie was held open by the bar, so she had no choice but to stand there and take it. Her chest heaved and her clit throbbed. Each slap sent pain jolting through her abdomen, but it also fueled her smoldering arousal. Her nipples tightened into aching peaks and her core began to ripple. How could something so painful turn her on?

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