Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Her howls of protest quieted as Cole continued the switching. Her back no longer stiffened over his lap, and she went limp, though her hands clung tenaciously to his pant leg. He paused, placing one hand on her warmed backside, rubbing her skin. “Have I made my point, young lady?”
She sniffled. “Yes.” she said, her voice thick with emotion. Good. He was getting somewhere, though her spanking was not finished.
He tossed the switch to the side, his large, rough hand smoothing over her backside. His cock strained for release, but he held fast to the duty he had to perform.
“Those men up there need to be watched, Aida,” he said. “But because of your naughty behavior, I had to step away from them.”
He raised his hand and delivered a sound smack to her punished bottom. She gasped and squirmed, but he held fast, lifting his hand before bringing it down with another loud crack. The touch of skin on skin marked her, made the punishment memorable and lasting. But it also made him even harder, so much so he was tempted to let her go before he was quite finished. As he lectured her, he reminded himself why he had to spank her so soundly, his voice deepening as his anger rose.
“Those men would hurt you.” Swat! “And I don’t mean a crack across your backside that will wear off in time. I don’t mean a spanking, little girl.” Swat! “My job is to keep you away from them. And if I’m spendin’ my time tannin’ your pretty little hide, my eyes are off them and I don’t like that.” Three rapid swats fell. She was crying in earnest now. He was done.
He lifted her up and held her against his chest. It felt nice holding her like this. Sick bastard that he was, he ignored the fact that he was the one who’d caused her to cry to begin with, his protective instincts rising as her hands reached for him. Her thin frame shook, racked with sobs as he held her, weeping.
He couldn’t help it. He needed to soothe her. A dim part of his mind reminded him that now would be an opportune time to garner her unmitigated trust, use it to his advantage, manipulate her into going along with him. But instinct prevailed.
“Shh, darlin’,” he said. “You’re safe now. I know I spanked you hard, but you’re safe, Aida. You’ll understand soon, but for now, you’ll do what Daddy says. It’s my job to take care of you. We’re almost where we need to go, and it’ll all be clear to you soon. You’ll see. If they try to hurt you—if any of them try to hurt you—I’ll kill them.” The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, as he kissed her dampened cheek and smoothed a rough hand over her soft blond curls, pressing her head against his chest. He wanted nothing more than to calm her tears and still her shaking. He held her silently, rocking her against his chest.
He heard the telltale sound of a twig snapping. His head bolted up, his keen eyes taking in the forest around them. But he saw nothing.
“What is it?” she whispered, her eyes looking into his, wide and trusting, vulnerable. Without another thought, he kissed her.
God almighty, he hoped it was just a creature, and not one of the men. If Monty or his crew caught wind of anything, his plan would be shot to hell.
Chapter Eleven
Sometimes I’m terrified of my heart; of its constant hunger… the way it stops and starts. ― Edgar Allan Poe
Aida wanted to protest. She wanted to push him away. But when Cole’s head dipped down and his mouth found hers, though her mind said no, her body said yes.
Yes. Please. More.
It was wrong, all of it, so very wrong. He’d whipped her mercilessly. He was an outlaw. He’d stolen her. But never had she been attracted to a man like Cole. The men she’d met as of late, the rich dandies who called on her at home, were nothing like her captor. Their hands were pale and soft, their clothes impeccably clean. They smelled of clover and mint, and she stood taller than a few. Their dainty speech and perfect manners sickened her. She hated them, all of them. They all reminded her of her father.
The rough stubble of Cole’s bearded face scratched her as his mouth, soft in comparison to everything else about him, met hers in unapologetic greed. He wanted her. His tongue plunged into her mouth, and arousal zinged through her core. Her body had been taut before, wound and closed and properly chastened, but now she was split open, laid bare, heat galloping through her veins and arousal across her chest as his raw, powerful hands raked over her breasts. His fingers nimbly found her nipples, squeezing with just the right amount of pressure so a low moan hummed between them as they kissed.