Bang(63)

“I’m sorry.”

“Where have you been for the past hour?”

He stands across the room as he barks his words at me. Wearing a tailored suit and tie, he looks powerful in his firm stance, and his narrowed eyes and clamped jaw are evidence that he’s beyond pissed.

“Declan, I’m sorry,” I say softly. “Bennett was running late and didn’t leave until now. I got here as soon as I could.”

He begins to make his way over to me, hands clenched in fists to his sides, stating, “I don’t like not knowing where you are. You say four o’clock, you better be in front of me at four o’clock.”

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. If I argue, I’m just gonna piss him off even more. His hand comes out to grip me under my chin. With his face hovering over mine, he admits, “I was worried something happened to you.”

“I’m s-sorry,” I breathe.

Dropping his forehead to mine, he closes his eyes for a moment as he takes in a deep intake of air through his nose. My body jumps when his fingers suddenly pierce into my jaw, and I can feel every bit of tension in his body as he opens his eyes and takes a small step back with my face still in his grip. His eyes are venomous, causing my heart to pound as a small whimper sounds from my throat.

“His smell is all over you,” he seethes in disgust.

“I-I . . .”

“Did you f*ck him before you came here?” his voice grinds out from his clenched jaw, but I don’t lie when I whisper on a shaky breath, “Yes.”

His hand falls from my chin as he looks at me in pure anger.

“On the bed,” he barks. “And take that f*cking dress off, I don’t want to smell him when I’m f*cking you.”

“Declan, please.”

“Get on the f*cking bed! NOW!”

The bite to his words has me in a panic, worrying about what he’s going to do, but I don’t hesitate when I start moving across the room and into the bedroom. Quickly removing my dress, I sit on the edge of the bed and wait in the darkness for Declan. It takes him a while, but eventually he appears in the doorway. His shirt is now off, and his slacks hang on his hips with his belt clutched in one hand. The sour taste of bile burns the back of my throat, and I close my eyes, begging, “Declan, please.”

“Don’t talk, Nina.”

I keep my eyes closed out of fear and urge on the disconnect, willing the fire of revenge to consume me so Declan won’t have this power over me. I know he’s right in front of me; I can feel the heat of him soaking into my skin.

“I’m not stupid to think you wouldn’t have sex with that man, but I expect you to come to me clean, do you understand?”

With a quick nod of my head, he snaps, “Answer me!”

“Yes.”

“Open your eyes, and answer me.”

When I open my eyes, I notice the strained muscles in his arms and shoulders as I murmur, “Yes.”

“Were you trying to make me jealous?”

“No,” I quickly blurt out in defense. “I didn’t . . . I didn’t think, Declan. I’m sorry.”

He moves to sit down next to me, saying, “I’m going to punish you now. Not because I want to hurt you, but because I don’t want you to forget.”

“Please,” I say as I shake my head, and when he looks at me, it’s dejection that I see in his eyes.

“I don’t ever want to smell him on you again.”

“I promise.”

“Lay your chest across my lap,” he instructs in an even voice.

I reach my hand over, placing it on his knee, giving it a soft squeeze, before obeying his request and laying myself across his thighs. When I close my eyes, I hear the clank of his metal belt buckle as it hits the floor, and in a few movements, he takes his tie out of his pants pocket, and wraps my wrists in the cool silk, knotting the fabric tightly.

His hand begins to caress my exposed ass in nothing but a lace thong, and then his hand his gone. Tensing up, I wait for the impending strike, and when it finally comes in a merciless slap against my flesh, I yelp out in a bleeding squeal as the pain radiates through my skin.

In the next second comes another vicious blow as he grunts with force.

And another.

Another.

Smack.

Smack.

Smack.

“Aaagh,” I cry out in fiery pain. The sting of his firm hand hitting me chokes me up with each punishing slap. My arms strain against his silk tie, and his hands grab my hips, throwing me forcefully on my back, landing in the center of the bed. Smiling cagily at me, exultant in debasing me. Like a raging animal, he rips my panties down my legs, forces my thighs open, and strikes my * with an excruciating slap.

I scream out in pain as tears spring to my eyes. His soft tongue is immediately on my now burning flesh, licking me in a slow lap over my seam. The contrast of his touches has a maniacal effect on me, evoking vulnerable whimpers. I feel everything he’s doing, but I’m also outside of my body, no longer in control of any part of me. Emotions take over—fear, pleasure, pain, satisfaction, sadness, comfort. They conflict and collide in a volatile war inside of me, taking me over as I fall powerless to Declan, lying here as he kisses and licks through my folds the same way he does my mouth. He then slips his hand under my back, finding my hand and holding it tightly as my mind begins to swirl in a kaleidoscope of colors and lights, and I give in to the goodness of it all, losing myself as he wraps his mouth around the sensitive bundle of nerves while he pumps his finger inside of me.