Page 21 of Cruelest Vow

No. Not yet. I wasn’t ready. “You’re a very bad girl to allow a stranger to take you into his hotel room.”

“Yes.” She laughed nervously as she’d done before.

A slow, rumbling growl escaped my throat as I picked her up, tossing her over my shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Her demands were met with a sharp smack on her bottom as I moved through the suite into the darkened bedroom. She tried to break free of my hold, her small fists punching against my back when I refused to let her go.

“Providing what you deserve,” I answered as I lowered her to the floor, amused when she tried to race away. I easily snapped my hand around her wrist, dragging her back by several feet. Then I spun her around to face the dresser, forcing her to partake in the debauchery.

I purposely left the light off but there was no need to illuminate the area, the bright full moon providing just enough through the floor-to-ceiling window for my tastes.

Lucia never blinked as I unfastened her skirt, tugging the waistband over her rounded hips to the floor. She kicked out of it and the look on her face became as carnal as the hunger keeping me in pain.

“I think you need a lesson in being more careful.” As soon as I reached for my belt, she shuddered audibly.

She waited as I unfastened the buckle, starting to pull the thick strap from my beltloops before responding. “What does that mean?”

“That means I’m disciplining you.”

“No. I…”

I crowded her space, rubbing my groin across her bottom. My cock was aching to the point I had difficulty breathing. “You have no choice.” I had all the time in the world, so I made certain to boost her anticipation of what I’d do to her by pulling the thick strap slowly.

Every sound she made fueled the fire, every scrunch of her beautiful nose tempting. When I finally pulled it free, she took an exaggerated breath. I raked my fingers down her spine, the corrosive heat searing my skin. Every touch brought back memories, every kiss clawing the darkness. She was everything to me when she should be nothing but a distant, wretched memory.

When I took a step away, she dropped her eyes. It was easy to tell she was debating if she should remain, tolerating being treated like a bad little girl. I gave her no choice, snapping my wrist seconds later. When the thick leather connected with her skin, she threw her head back and gasped.

Her subtle cry drove a sharp stake through my system. I gave her two more, forced to take several deep breaths.

“I…” Her shoulders heaving, she stared at my reflection, shaking her head slowly. “Who are you?”

“Not somebody you want to know, princess.” My entire body ached as I brought the belt against her already heated bottom, watching the slight marks staining her beautiful skin. The evil man inside of me attempted to claw to the surface, destroying my beautiful reunion. I refused to allow it, kneeing her legs further apart until I was able to see her delicious glistening pussy lips. My mouth continued to water, the taste of her lingering.

After bringing the belt down four more times, the pain I’d suffered clung to every molecule, the ugly words spouted off time and time again threatening to take away this moment.

My moment.

No. Nothing and no one would take her away from me.

My chest heaving, I caressed her bottom, admiring the ribbon of heat blossoming on both sides. She hadn’t stopped shivering from the moment we touched the first time. Now she stood with her fingers clawing the wooden surface, her mind attempting to process what I was doing to her.

And why our connection was so strong.

I didn’t give her an opportunity to slide any deeper into either her emotions or her determination to decipher our tethered bond. That would destroy everything I’d worked so diligently to achieve.

With another snap of my wrist, I continued the spanking until I could take it no longer. As my tormenter stared at me in the looking glass, one I’d avoided until now, she was no longer seeing the young man she’d befriended. She had no clue about the monster he’d become, the physical and emotional scars breaking his soul. Nor did she understand that she was perhaps the only person who could heal the seeping wounds.

But I wasn’t allowed to give her a chance.

I couldn’t divulge the truth, nor could I lighten the burden I could see in her despondent eyes.

And I certainly couldn’t be the knight she’d insisted I was so long ago.

For all the agony I’d endured, this was the worst, a sharp-edged knife slicing off whatever was left of my soul.

And why?

Because I loved her.

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