Page 53 of Lord of Vice
“Did you know who I was before you entered that restaurant or that I owned it?”
Her expression shifted into the defiant girl I’d met the day before. “If I’d have known, I would have selected Burger King.”
I cracked the belt down three times, the force and anguish obviously enough to roll her onto her tiptoes. Her grip on the counter was also much stronger, but she still refused to make a sound.
“You’re not working for the Morelli brothers?”
“I told you. The fucking pigs fired me.” Her voice was slightly more breathless like her pulse had already become elevated.
I couldn’t end the spanking, smacking her four times this go-around and she finally jerked back, kicking up one of her legs. As she started to pant, I sensed she was debating running away. I pressed my palm against the small of her back, locking eyes with her in the mirror.
“Relax, Penny. We’re just talking.”
“You really believe I had something to do with trying to get you killed? Don’t you? And you stand here while I crack your ass with a horrible strap and see if you can relax.”
“Everything you told me is the truth?”
“Yes. Yes. Yes. How many times do I need to tell you? I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Another two strikes were issued and she fisted her hand, shaking it at me.
“Why won’t you believe me?” Her exasperation wasn’t something that could be faked.
I didn’t answer right away, taking a few precious seconds to run my fingers from one side of her bottom to the other. The heat was building in her skin. So were the delicious blush-colored stripes on her sweet curves. I relished the thought she would have a difficult time sitting comfortably for a little while. When a hint of desire wafted between us, I was forced to curl my fingers or thrust them into her pussy all over again.
From there, I wasn’t certain I’d be able to stop.
So, I brought the belt down three times, allowing her to catch her breath and curse me out by calling me every bad name I’d ever heard before cracking three more just for good measure.
“You are a… bastard,” she huffed, lifting and bending first one leg then the other. I was almost positive she was going to start hopping given the level of agony she had to be feeling.
“So you’ve already said without holding anything back.”
“Do you want to hear me again? Son of a bitch. Asshole. Jerk. Arrogant prick. How’s that?”
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you that using curse words could result in having your mouth washed out with soap?” At this point, I was kidding. I’d gotten what I wanted. She wasn’t working with the Morelli boys. She couldn’t stand them. But that didn’t mean they weren’t behind the assassination attempt.
Especially after what I’d done with one of their main men, the lead kidnapper of young women sold into bondage and torture for their rest of their lives. When they’d found bloated fish and sharks six months before, they’d ceased their auctions, but I had it under good authority their self-imposed moratorium had recently ended.
For the briefest of seconds, my thoughts drifted to the upcoming visit from the Santos brothers. Hopefully, they could fill in some blanks since I was batting zero at this point.
And I never liked to lose in love or war.
“You wouldn’t dare,” was her answer.
“Are you really going to continue taunting me?”
She nibbled on her lower lip, sliding away from me by a solid foot. “Where is my dog?”
“I assure you he’s perfectly safe.”
“Oh, yeah, with one of your goons. Great.”
I shoved the belt back through the loops, not bothering to fasten it just yet. When I sensed she was ready to try to bolt like a terrified fawn, I pulled her back against me, immediately sliding my hand under the front hem of her dress.
“What are you doing?” She struggled but not nearly with as much gusto as she’d done so many other times before.
I continued brushing the tips of my fingers up and down the inside of her thigh as I pushed my face into her neck. Her skin was hot, her breath skipping. “Whatever I want.”