Page 59 of Bred

Another slap lands, even harder still. My ass is aching and burning. I’m not going to be sitting comfortably any time soon, that much is certain, but I’m not giving in either. I know what he wants. He wants me to crumble and apologize and be weak. Not going to happen.

“You’re not taking this seriously.”

“Why should I? Life isn’t serious. It’s dangerous and random and anyone can be torn away at any time. There’s no point acting like it matters.”

“Your life matters to me,” he says, his cool disciplinary tones warming. “And it matters to Captain Talon, and to the crew of this ship. You will not take liberties with it.”

“Yeah, okay.”

He pulls me up from his lap and sits me astride his thigh, four hands holding me in place from hips to breast. He has gravitas, this man, a serious demeanor that makes it hard to be flippant.

“Lyra,” he says, his voice softer. “I missed you.”

Something in those three words, so gentle and following the harsh, hard slaps, cuts through to the core of me. I feel a tear roll down my cheek.

“I don’t remember you,” I whimpers. “But I think I missed you too.”

He pulls me into an embrace, lets me feel his body against mine. I don’t think I have been as physically familiar with him as I am with Talon, but it feels good to be held, even with my ass on fire. His four arms wrap around me, hold me so tight and keep me hard against him.

“You’re not always going to like me,” he says. “It’s my job to maintain discipline, and you have next to none. You need me. But I need you too. Don’t think I ever do this to hurt you. And don’t ever think you’re not wanted.”

“Stop it,” I whimper as tears start to fall. Fuck. I do know him. I did miss him. And I need him. I have been frightening myself lately, unable to control my impulses, caught up in whatever desire I have in the moment. Shank won’t allow that, and I’m actually grateful, though I don’t think I can admit that out loud.

“Never.”

Chapter Seventeen

One week later, I amslowly starting to settle into this new home. The captain and his right-hand man ask me many things, but I don’t find their questions as intrusive or as frightening as those posed to me down on Earth, because I know Talon and Shank will not make me retire if I don’t tell them what they want to hear. I have a place here with these men, on this crew. I feel at home almost instantly, even though I can’t recall where anything is.

As a result, it is of immediate importance that I explore every part of the ship. Or, at least, every part I can reach. Talon has a great many things locked away from me, but I’m doing my best to find my way into them anyway—sometimes with more success than others.

“Lyra! Get back here! Now!”

I’m running as fast as I can while Talon’s voice thunders from somewhere behind me. I don’t turn back. I keep running. This ship is huge, and there are so many things to explore. I’m not supposed to leave Talon’s quarters, but I want to see everything.

Three hands grip me around the waist and swing me off my feet just as the third hand comes down hard across my ass in a blazingly hard swat that makes a shriek escape me. Dammit. I wasn’t looking where I was going. I was too damn busy trying to get away from Talon, who is now right next to me.

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