Page 98 of Defy

He closed his eyes, telling me this was the last thing he wanted to do.

He never wanted to be cruel or hurt me. This was all to make it so I never came back.

He grabbed my head, holding his against mine. “Why won’t you ever listen? Why won’t you ever do as I tell you.”

“Because I get off on defying you, jackass. Don’t for one second believe what you’re doing is for love.”

He released me, stood, and moved behind me.

Then came a series of battering crop strikes along my thighs and calves that left me dizzy as the agony of them burned through every nerve in my body.

I refused to give him any reaction. I held in every whimper. The only sign of discomfort was my tears. Those I couldn’t hide, no matter how hard I tried.

“More,” I demanded through gritted teeth.

“Dammit, Sophia, you don’t want me. This will end as soon as you say it.”

“Liar. I know what you’re doing. I know what you’re planning.”

“You don’t know anything.”

This time he struck my ass. I knew I couldn’t handle it anymore. It was too much. Everything hurt. Why was he doing this to us?

“Say it, Sophia.”

“You don’t get to decide. You bastard. You don’t get to decide we’re over.”

He got in my face again. “I decide. I’m your fucking Dom. Just use the fucking word.”

I stared at him, my heart breaking into a thousand pieces. I couldn’t stay with someone who didn’t want me.

“Fine, you want to hear it. Marriage. I said it. Are you happy? Marriage. Marriage. Marriage. Let me go. I’m done.”

He moved back around me and then peppered my backside. I knew this would happen. The strikes weren’t hard, gentle compared to everything, but they broke the rules, broke everything we’d built, broke us.

He planned this. And now we’d gone past the point of no return.

At that moment, two men rushed into the room, jerking Damon away from me.

They shouted about safewords and membership.

Then, Clark Ventana, the club manager, was in my face.

“Sophia. Look at me. Do you need a doctor?” He unfastened my cuffs and threw a blanket over me.

“No.”

“Yes,” Damon countered. “Make sure to get the clamps off her.”

I turned and stared at Damon.

He broke my heart, destroyed my trust, and was still concerned about my well-being.

Fuck him. Fuck him for making me love him. Fuck him for taking my choices from me.

Pulling the blanket tighter around me, I moved to walk past him but paused when I neared.

“You told me the choice was always mine. You lied. You’re a liar, Damon Pierce. And know this. I will hate you forever for doing this to us.”

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