Page 119 of Savage Reign

“Because the alternative was never an option. I won’t fucking live in a world where you’re not mine.”

He could say the most unhinged yet completely sweet things. And he knew just what to say to make me feel better.

“I’m scared,” I confessed.

He didn’t seem surprised by that. “Why, baby?”

“What if I’m not a good mom?”

“Fucking impossible,” Silas said passionately. He almost seemed angry. “You’ll make the best mom.”

“I didn’t exactly have the best role models growing up.”

“Fuck that. You're not your parents, and you’re too fucking kind to ever treat our kid the same way your parents treated you.You learned what not to do, and the rest will simply fall into place. You say any more of that bullshit, and I’ll be angry at you.”

I smiled a little from his words. He moved his hands up and cupped my cheeks, turning me until I was facing him. “I’m serious. Get me?”

I blinked, trying to stop myself from crying. Stupid pregnancy hormones. He frowned and wiped away a stray tear that fell and hit his hand.

“Do you think I’ll make a bad father, then?”

My eyes widened. “Of course not! Why would you even ask that?”

He laughed. It wasn’t a humorous kind of laugh. More self-deprecating. “Considering all the things I’ve done? All that my brothers have done? Hell, what we did to you? Are still doing to you. We’re keeping you away, and you would never be able to escape us, no matter what.”

I shook my head and kissed the inside of his palm. “I don’t want to leave.”

“You’d say all that, even with all that you know about me? About Maverick and Killian?” He hesitated. “About all you’ve seen that I do?”

I frowned. I haven’t really seen anything they’ve done in regard to their jobs, except for that time in the hotel and…

My frown disappeared. “The whipping?”

He nodded. “The whipping.”

I had tried so hard not to think about that night when I discovered them torturing a man they found on their property by having Silas whip him. It was my father’s punishment of choice, especially when it came to me. I still had the scars on my back to serve as a reminder.

“You know I would never do that to you, don’t you? Never to our children?”

I nodded. “Yes, I know.”

His shoulders sagged with relief, and I hadn’t realized how much this was still affecting him. It might still be affecting me, though I had always been good at burying my head in the sand and ignoring all the bad shit going around.

“I would never hurt you. Not in that way. There might be pain mixed in with the pleasure when we play, maybe some spankings here and there, but you like that.”

I scowled at his words. “Say that to my ass. I was still feeling the sting of Killian’s palms a few days after that.”

His eyes turned dark. “Yes, but I do remember you being wet. Hell, I bet you're wet right now. In fact, spread your legs for me, baby.”

“Silas…”

He pulled my dress up until the fabric bunched around my waist, revealing my white panties. My face flamed as I slowly spread my legs. Silas pulled my panties down, stopping when he got to my knees before cupping my bare pussy with his warm palm.

“Wet,” he growled, moving his fingers over my clit. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from making any sound, but fuck, it was so hard. Too hard.

“Eyes on me, angel,” he said when my eyes started to droop shut. I opened them and looked at him. He lazily played with my clit.

“I won’t hurt you. Never like that. And I’ll try my damndest to never hurt you with my words. Tell me you understand that.”

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