Page 17 of Bet On Me, Daddy

She knew she’d overplayed her hand before the words even left her mouth, and her suspicions proved right when Beckett’s eyes went bright with excitement. “That sounds like a challenge, Ruby. And one thing you should know about me is, Ineverback down from a challenge.”

There was a note of something in his tone, and for a moment she wondered if he somehow knew about the deal she’d made with Frankie and company.

But no. How could he?

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to his statement than just her orgasm privileges. “Not a challenge. Simply a statement of fact.”

“You’re already in trouble for lying, little girl. Something you might want to keep in mind during your punishment. Now hold still. This is going to hurt.”

Pain stabbed at her breast, dozens of sharp little needles jabbing themselves into her flesh as the rubber tip of the first clamp closed around her nipple.

Rolling her lips together to stop the whimper that wanted to escape, she closed her eyes and dragged in a lungful of air through her nose. As she focused on her breathing, the pain ebbed little by little, until it was finally bearable again.

“Eyes on me, Ruby.” Beckett’s tone was gentle, but there was no mistaking the authority in the words.

Heart in her throat, she kept her eyes closed and forced her mouth up into a smirk. “Can’t do that, Sir.”

“And why is that?”

Oh, he did not like that at all. But the steel in his words only made her wetter, needier than before. “Because I kind of need them. So they will be staying in my head andnoton you, thank you very much.”

A heavy silence hung between them for one heartbeat, then two, before his loud laughter pierced the air.

“Touché, Ruby Red. Touché. Allow me to rephrase. Open your eyes and look at me, please.”

Prying her lids open, she met his gaze head-on as he cupped her other, still unadorned breast in his hand. “There’s my pretty girl. Keep those eyes open. I want to watch while I hurt you this time.”

Beckett

Intoxicating.

That was the only word to describe the woman in front of him. Everything about her screamedbratfrom her sassy mouth to the defiant tilt of her chin.

Everything… except her eyes. Did she even know how much she was telling him with those beautiful brown eyes of hers? He could see her need, as hot and raw as his own swirling in the depths. The pain she was trying her best to breathe through.

And just the smallest hint of fear.

Fuckingintoxicating.

Tearing his gaze away from the tempest of emotion in her eyes, he glanced down at her breasts. Her gorgeous, heavy breasts with their beautiful rosy nipples. The one he’d clamped was a bit darker now, thanks to the trapped blood flow, and he grinned at the sight of it.

He’d long ago given up wondering why he had this need to hurt the women he played with. It was as much a part of him as the color of his eyes, and there was no changing it now even if he’d wanted to.

And right now, with pretty Ruby in front of him, waiting for him to hurt her some more, he absolutely did not want to change a thing.

Giving the nipple trapped between his fingers another hard pinch, he squeezed the clamp in his other hand and brought it up to the taut bud. As it clamped shut, he lifted his gaze again to Ruby’s face, delighted to see she’d obeyed his command to keep her eyes open.

Which gave him the thrill of watching the pain darken her eyes. Her bottom lip trembled, just for a moment before she pressed her lips together to stop it.

Lifting a hand to her face, he ran the pad of his thumb over that full bottom lip, gently tugging it free. “What color are you, Ruby?”

“Green.”

Little brat. Because her eyes hid absolutely nothing, he could see the flash of excitement as she refused to use his title. It was tempting, very tempting to slide his hand down to her throat. To squeeze until she knew, without a doubt, that he wasn’t fucking around.

But not only was breath play off the table for now since they hadn’t negotiated it, he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing her continued refusal was under his skin in any way. That was the reaction she wanted. The reaction she craved, deep in her soul. Giving it to her would be a reward.

And he made it a point not to reward naughty behavior.

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