I hold her to me. “Did that help?”
She nods wordlessly, but her grip tightens.
“Do you want me to make you come again?”
She shakes her head. “Not sure I could take more than that right now.”
I nod. My cock’s ramrod straight and hard as fuck, but there’s plenty of time for me. She’s my primary concern right now.
She’s as docile as a well-fed kitten at the moment, so I take her chin and bring her eyes to mine. “Why’d you throw that soup bowl at me?”
“I… didn’t want to eat it?” she looks almost normal for a moment, not like the addled woman who’s been writhing in my bed for two days.
I growl.
“I was angry,” she said. “That you’re keeping me prisoner.”
“That’s not going to change.”
She frowns. “Clearly.”
“You saw me kill a man, Aisling, and we can’t risk you reporting that to damn near anyone.”
She blinks. “I… I hardly remember a damn thing from that night, Tiernan.”
“Bloody hell.”
“And even if I did,” she says with vehemence, “I wouldn’t tattle on the Clan. You saved my life.”
I shrug. “I tried to.” I eye her curiously. “Was it the spanking or the climax that made the real Aisling come out to play?”
She drops her head and won’t meet my eyes. “Maybe a little bit of both.”
I take her by the hand and lead her to the shower. I’m hard as fuck and dying for some goddamn release, but I take care of her first. It’s my job, and goddammit, I’ll do my job.
She doesn’t fight me this time, but turns her face to the hot, streaming water and closes her eyes, welcoming it.
It isn’t until an hour or so later that the symptoms seem to return again. When the sun sets and the room grows dark, she begins to moan. She rocks on the bed and holds her arms to her chest. She turns her face to me and begins to cry.
Cormac sends me a text.
Need a break, brother? Want me to send up someone to watch her?
No fucking way.
I shake my head and toss the phone on the bed.
“Who’s that?”
“No one. Come here.”
I tug her onto my lap and hold her to me. “Close your eyes.”
She obeys.
“Listen to my heartbeat.”
She nods, her cheek to my chest. I reach my hand to her and gently touch her breast. She hisses in a breath and trembles. “Just enjoy this. Let it take you away from everything else that’s assaulting you. All of it. Understand me? Listen to my voice, and just focus on what you feel.”
I fondle her breast until she’s keening with pleasure and need. I reach my hand to her arse and give her a good, hard slap, which makes her moan. I spank her again, relishing the feel of my palm striking her with measured pain, the way it heightens her awareness and responses.
“More,” she whispers.
“More what, sweetheart?”
“More… everything.”Chapter 8Two years earlierA light breeze rustles my dress as I walk to the McCarthy family mansion. I can hardly believe this day. My best mate Fiona’s getting married. Hell, we only just graduated sixth year, and barely started uni. None of our other mates are married, and none are even affiliated with the McCarthy clan.
I started school in America, and Fiona joined me, but we were brought back to Ballyhock for safety. Fiona’s brother Tiernan came to get me. I went willingly, because Fiona fairly begged me. Said I wasn’t safe on campus, and wanted me home.
I didn’t want to be there without my best mate anyway. So I came home with him.
He barely spoke to me, but I suppose he had other things on his mind. There were attacks on the Clan, he said. Some insidious, some not so much. Keenan, Clan Chief, thought it best I come home for now.
“They’re getting married,” Tiernan said. I didn’t need to ask him who. Lachlan’s had his eyes on Fiona for as long as I can remember.
I tried to keep my head on straight. Tiernan’s my best mate’s brother, and I won’t look at the way his shoulders are all muscled and strong and covered in McCarthy family ink. The way his jaw clenches in concentration, or the way people look at him when he walks by. The way full-grown men give him a wide berth when he comes on campus or to the airport with me. The way he takes my bags without question and gives me a withering look when I ask if I can help. The McCarthy men are intimidating as hell.
And I like it.
Today I go alone to their wedding. I know a few of the women here, friends of Fiona’s. There’s Megan, the Clan cousin and wife to Carson, and Fiona’s sister Sheena, married to Nolan. Those two were like second parents to Fiona and Tiernan, and little Sam. Megan waves to me, and I sit beside her. Carson gives me a smile and a nod in greeting.