Page 68 of Forbidden Desire
“Tremendous,” I retorted, hoping my gaze portrayed the myriad of confused feelings stirring inside me.
Why couldn’t she have just come with me when I asked? Why had she stalled and insisted the pregnancy meant she should stay? None of it made sense, but then why did my judgment cloud where Jeemie was concerned, and why was the thought of what was to come as secretly thrilling as it was disturbing? I didn’t know what was wrong with me.
“Your sister was just telling me how much she is looking forward to her punishment.” Rasmie’s smug tone rattled through me.
“I was just telling your husband, I’d rather be punished than accept him as my superior.” My gaze bore into Desiree, sensing her growing dismay.
“I wish you could try to get along.” She sighed, sliding onto his lap. “I care for you both.”
“Yet you’ll only ever be related by blood to one of us,” I reminded her. “Remember that.”
“This little person will be related to you both.” Her hand moved to her tummy. “That’s the important thing.”
“Aye.” Rasmie smiled as he kissed her crown. “You are right, nighean bheag. Our son is the important one now.”
“What makes you so certain it will be a boy?” I asked, meeting his eyes.
“Maighstir,” Desiree mouthed after me.
“I believe what the gods have told me, Elodie.” He pulled Desiree closer in his embrace. “They have tested me but never once let me down.”
“That must be nice.” I gazed wistfully toward the door, wondering when my ordeal was due to begin. “I can’t even imagine what it’s like to never be let down by people.”
“Oh, El,”—Desiree’s tone was imploring—“don’t be like that.”
“Like what?” I shot back. “It’s the truth, Des. First Dad and now you. It seems like I’m not worth committing to.” Sensing the tears, I turned away, fighting for composure.
“It’s not like that,” she countered in a shaky voice. “You put me in an impossible position.”
“And you made the correct choice.” Rasmie’s voice was warm as he cajoled her. “You shall find we are quite different here, Elodie. We rarely let each other down, and if I know my brother at all, you are guaranteed a loving and faithful companion.”
Unable to wipe my tears away, I was forced to tolerate them as I glanced back at Rasmie’s face. Whatever else was going to happen, I hoped he was right about Jeemie. My fate was in his hands—at least in the short term.
Chapter Thirty-One
Jeemie
BRINGING MY PALM DOWN hard on her upturned backside, I watched the impact ripple through her skin, sending a fresh surge of excitement to my groin. The assembled crowd—most of the village—cheered at the blow, eager to see more.
“You shall not flee from your place at my side, Elodie.”
The words were more for the throng, to get them het up, though they barely needed it. The swelling jeers conveyed their appreciation. The gorgeous woman strewn over my lap, on the other hand, was still and more abject than I would have liked. I had been spanking her for a while, her rosy posterior a testament to her suffering, but she had taken the torrent with surprising courage. Much more like the Elodie I had relished last night and rather less than the one who was punished in the hall yesterday.
“Are you faring okay?” I leaned close, breathing my words into her skin.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” she muttered, twisting to catch my eyes.
“Well, it is, doe nighean.” I ran my hand over her heated behind. “And you are doing wonderfully.”
She shivered under my touch, and as my fingers delved between her cheeks, I was ecstatic to find her pussy wet and ready for me.
“How is she brother?”
Straightening at Rasmie’s question, I looked to find him watching from his seat. Desiree knelt on her own fur beside him, her hand seemingly a permanent fixture at her belly since she had declared the news of an heir.
“Compliant and contrite, Maighstir,” I called back, noticing the way she tensed over my thighs.
Elodie and I both knew while she might conform to the former, it would take a lot of conditioning for the latter to be true. She was like wildfire, used to complete freedom in the way she wreaked havoc. This might have been the first time anyone had ever truly stood up to her, and I might be the first man to put her in her place. A peculiar pride bubbled at the disconcerting idea. I wanted it to be true, wanted to be different from the men she had enjoyed before, but knew that could be only my vanity talking. While I was more than content to take her as my wife, I had to face the fact she was less enthralled about the concept, and spanking aside, I sensed today’s attempt to abscond would not be her last.