Page 19 of Her Beast

He laughed and rubbed her bottom, his erection digging into her side. “I can give you what you want without puttin’ a babe in yer belly, if that’s what’s worrying you.” His voice pulsed with an animal need so desperate that it made her entire body flush. “You should take what I’m offerin’ now. After you marry that cold fish you’ll come beggin’ for my cock. I know your sort.”

“If you so much as touch my—my—”

“Go on, if I so much as touch yourwhat?” he asked, his voice thick with amusement.

“Mybodythat way I shall tell my father that you forced me!”

Smack!

Julia’s vision darkened at the bolt of pain and pleasure that washed through her at the vicious blow.

“Shut your nasty little mouth,” he snarled. “You think anyone would believe what you said? I could fuck you seven ways to Sunday and everybody would call you a liar.”

Impotent rage and unwanted desire threatened to choke her.

“Don’t worry about me forcin’ you, lass. I don’t waste myself on ungrateful, horny little jades. By the time I’m done you’ll fookin’ beg for my jack.”

“Ihateyou!”

He laughed.

Smack!

“Now count, goddammit!”

“Twenty-four!” It was more a sob than a word.

“I knew yer Ma, did you know that?”

Please God, make him shut up,Julia prayed.

As usual, God ignored her.

“Yeah, I fucked her, too. Back when she was married to yer Da.” He gave a filthy laugh. “She was a randy piece—there wasn’t anyone she didn’t take for a ride. Even yer own uncle, that sick twist Brian. She couldn’t get enough—”

“Shut up you lying swine!”

“She liked it rough—”

“You’re a liar!”

He just laughed.

Smack!

“Count,” he ordered.

Julia counted.

Chapter 4

“Come in,” Malcolm called out at the knock on his study door.

He removed his spectacles and set them beside the latest sales report from his second Paris store. The reports came to him twice weekly in a telegram that cost a fortune to send so he went over them with a fine-toothed comb.

Butkins opened the door. “Mr. Bacon is here, sir.”

“Show him in,” Malcolm muttered, tossing down his pen and rubbing his eye before glancing at the clock: it was just before midnight.

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