Page 53 of Beautiful Beast

“Why do you care if anyone hurts me?”

“Because you’re my wife.”

“Your property, you mean,” I spit back.

“I don’t want you to get hurt because then it reflects badly on me. If someone thinks he can take you for himself, then what does that say about me as a husband?”

“So, it’s not because you actually care if I get hurt or not?”

He looks away from me so I can’t read his expression. “Just come stand by me. We’ll discuss this later when you’re not drunk.”

I grab Erik’s face and make him turn back to me. Being drunk has some benefits—I’m a lot more bold this way. “Do you care for me as a person or not?”

Erik grabs my hand and pulls it away from my face. He backs us up so I’m pressed against the wall, and he’s right before me. His entire body is touching mine, and I can admit, it feels good. I’m trapped, yet an excitement flares through me. A part of me wants Erik to just grab my face and kiss me and take my choice away.

Because I don’t want to have to make a choice when it comes to him.

“You’re drunk right now.”

“Doesn’t make my question any less real.”

His hands rest on my waist and squeeze slightly. “I don’t care for anyone, Anya. It’s what makes me perfectly suited for this job.”

“Just say you don’t care for me.”

His eyes search mine, then he pulls away from me without a word. “Come on.”

“You didn’t say it.”

“I know.”

I’m not sure what he means by that. Does he actually somehow care for me? Or is Erik just trying to mess with my mind?

He guides me over to the couch and pulls me onto his lap. “Anya, sit here like a good girl.”

“I’m not your dog,” I hiss, which makes a few of the men laugh, including Alek.

“She’s a spitfire, all right,” Alek says. “I’m curious, Erik. How do you punish her for her insolent attitude?”

“A spanking here, a spanking there.”

I gasp and tense in Erik’s arms. He tightens his hold on my waist, keeping me in place.

“Did she comply like a good girl, or did you have to use force with her?”

“What kind of question is that?” I snap. “If you’re so intrigued by people’s asses, Alek, then take off your own and show everyone in this room what you’re working with.”

His face turns beet red as men laugh at him. Even Erik chuckles.

“She’s a spitfire. You said it yourself, Alek.”

“Aren’t you going to punish her for her insubordination?”

“I mean, I could. But why would I? I have no desire to spank my wife in front of any of you. That’s for my eyes alone.”

I look at Erik closely. In some strange way, he’s protecting me. And yet it doesn’t feel like protection at all. It feels like a threat.

“I could spank you instead,” I offer. The room goes silent, then a couple of men chuckle awkwardly.

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