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Minutes of tense silence passed, and we ate our breakfast and ignored the obvious discomfort we both felt.
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“Alright.” He had been staring at his phone, so he set it on the table.
“I know you already said no—”
“Then that means no.”
How could he be so sweet at night and then turn into an asshole in the morning? It was like he was two different people. “This asshole thing is getting old.”
“I’m always an asshole—so get used to it.”
“No, you aren’t,” I snapped. “Why are you in such a bad mood?”
“Because you’re provoking me. First, you asked me why I won’t sleep with you—like I have to give you a reason. And now this? I already gave you my answer, and that’s not gonna change.”
I wanted to smack him upside the head. Just the other night, he held me in the shower and promised to protect me. He told me I was perfect, got jealous of the men who came before him. Now he acted like that never happened. “I’m gonna eat my breakfast upstairs before your bitchiness erases my appetite.”
His eyes widened like that insult wouldn’t fly. “I may be your lover at night, but as long as the sun is up, I’m the master of this house. You don’t question me like you have rights. Our situation hasn’t changed despite what we do in the bedroom. You’re my prisoner—and prisoners do as they’re told.”
It was a really stupid thing to do, but I did it anyway. I threw all the food off my plate and hit him right in the face with it. Syrup stuck to his skin, and the mushrooms and bread crumbs got stuck in the brown goo. “Fuck off, Cato.” I marched out of the kitchen without looking back.
I knew I would have to pay for my outburst eventually.
But Cato didn’t make his move right away.
I stayed in my room all day, waiting for the sound of his heavy footsteps outside the door. I disobeyed him right in front of his staff, so there was no way he would let that slide. He would come for me with a vengeance.
But he also told me he would never hurt me.
So what would he do?
I found out later that night.
He barged into my room in his suit. The second he was inside, he slammed the door hard behind him and made all the walls shake.
I jumped off the couch and prepared for a fight.
He marched into the room with an aggressive look in his eyes. His body was revved like a burning-hot engine, and he squeezed both of his hands like he wished he were grabbing a fistful of hair.
“You can’t be two different people,” I snapped. “You can’t be my lover at night then an asshole in the morning. Pick one.”
He undid his belt and pulled it loose. “That’s easy. Then I’ll be an asshole.” He folded the belt in half then smacked it against his open palm. The sound of the smack reverberated against the wall, the crack loud and sharp. “Bend over. Or I’ll make you bend over.”
Now I knew what he was going to do. He was going to whip me with that belt—and he was going to whip me hard. “I’m not letting you whip me.”
“You don’t have to let me do anything.” He struck the belt against his palm again. “I want to hunt you down. Makes it more fun that way.” He made his move and walked toward me.
I ran around the couch and dashed into the other room.
He sprinted after me, his heavy footfalls like drums.
I ran past the bed and headed to the door.
“I can whip your ass in here or out there for everyone to see. You decide.”
I ran into the hallway then stopped, knowing he would make good on his threat. He would whip me in front of all the staff and make them watch.
Cato caught me by the arm and dragged me back inside the bedroom. He kicked the door shut with his foot then bent me over the bed. My dress was hiked up, and my panties were pulled down.
“Don’t you dare—”
He struck me hard, so hard the words died in my mouth.
He hit me again, putting all his momentum into the hit. It stung so bad, I actually screamed. My ass was reddening right away, the inflammation kicking in. The pain was overwhelming. “Three more.”
“Stop.”
He smacked me. “Nothing you say is going to make me stop.”
“You said you were never going to hurt me.”
“Baby, you’re tougher than this.” He slapped the belt across my ass, the bite terrible.
He kept me pinned down by the neck. “Last one. I’m gonna make it hurt more than all the others. You want to know why?”
I didn’t answer.
“Pull a stunt like that again, and I’ll do something worse than whip you. Don’t question me in front of my staff. Don’t disrespect me in my home. I have every right to be an asshole to you, but you have no right to be a bitch to me.” He brought the belt down harder than all the other strikes.
