“Are you done? You think by bitching I’m going to forget that you couldn’t do the one thing I asked of you. What was it? Manicure needed finishing? Hair salon holding you back?”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“You’re supposed to be my wife. You’re supposed to obey me.”
“It’s not Victorian England, Hunter. I’m not your PA. You had your phone off all day, and when you did call me, it was to bark orders at me and then hang up.”
“I can let you go if you can’t do what you’re told. I don’t need a loose cannon in my life. I had one before. I’m not doing it again.”
She smiles like she sees right through me. It’s unnerving. “That’s what this is about?” she asks. “You think I’m like Sofia? Newsflash, I’m not your dead wife. I’m alive and talking to you, aren’t I? If you’d had your phone on, I’d have been able to tell you that your Jeep got a flat, and I had to get a cab to pick up Alicia.”
“It’s got a spare. Why not fix it?”
“Because I don’t know how.”
“So learn.”
“Wow, thank you for being so understanding. Try this one on for size. There are three parking lots at the nature reserve; you still need to tell me which one to go to. You any idea how long it takes to drive around all three?”
“That’s not the point. The point is it’s your job to look after my daughter, and you didn’t do it. Where were you this morning? Your phone said you were in some diner.”
“Track me all you want. I’m used to that. Oswald did the same thing. You men are all the fucking same.”
“Yeah, women too.”
“Fuck you, Hunter.” She walks up to me, her eyes glassy. “You know what? I thought you cared about me. Alicia said you had a heart inside that suit, but I guess she was wrong. You wanted a month from me. Fine, you got it. And at the end of the month, I’m going to take the money from you. I’m going to get on with my life. Never give you another thought. You earn millions or whatever you think will make you happy. Still, I’ll tell you one thing: money will never give you a decent heart, you coldhearted bastard.”
“You think I’m coldhearted? You’re right.” I grab her wrist. “But I’ll tell you something for your edification. If you think I’ll let my wife and employee speak to me like that, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“What are you doing? Let go of me.”
“The hell I will.” I drag her into the kitchen. “Get out,” I yell at the staff. They scurry through the far door, shutting it behind them.
“Get off me, Hunter, right now.”
“You will learn what it means to disobey your husband. Disrespect me again, and it won’t be my hand on you. It’ll be that fucking wooden spoon over there. Now keep still, or it’ll be the worse for you.”
I bend her over the counter. She’s in a hideous pair of jeans. “You’ll wear things more appropriate to my wife from now on,” I tell her. “If you can’t be trusted to choose your own wardrobe, I will choose it for you.” I grab a pair of scissors and slice into her waistband, pressing hard to get through the denim, snipping my way down between her legs. “Do not move, or it’ll catch your skin.”
She goes perfectly still, which suits me. I slice sections off the jeans, working my way down her legs until I have a pile of denim patches, and she’s in her panties. I rip them off her, tossing them behind me. One sight of that perfect ass suddenly, I don’t want to punish her. I want to fuck her.
Not yet. Not now. She needs to know I’m in charge around here. “How do you think it would look amongst my colleagues if you get away with speaking to me like that?” I ask her, raising my hand and slamming it down onto her ass.
A red mark appears as I lift my hand. “Colleagues?” she says. “That’s a joke. You’re in the fucking mob. You mean criminals. I’m guessing they don’t give a shit who speaks to you anyway, as you probably threaten them like you’re threatening me. What is it? Don’t like to hear the truth?”
I spank her again, this time lower. She draws in her breath but continues to berate me. “You think this will stop me from telling you the truth? You’re just like Oswald, but you know what? Fuck you.”
“Curse again. I dare you.”
“Fuck you.”
I spin her around, ripping the rest of her clothes off her in a frenzy. I launch her shoes so hard behind me they slam into the window. Once she’s naked, I step back, ignoring the throbbing need coming from my cock. “Into the study,” I tell her, grabbing her hand and dragging her out of the kitchen.
Once we’re in the study, I point to a spot in the corner. “Stand there with your arms on your head. Face the wall. Do not move until I tell you, or you won’t sit down for a week. I will have no more cursing from you. When I give you an order, you will obey it.”
I undo my tie and wrap it around her head, pushing it between her lips, so it gags her. “You talk too much,” I say. “Keep that there.”
She assumes the position, saying nothing. God, I want to hold her so much. I want to kiss that long neck, run my hand down her ass, and soothe the sting she must be feeling there. I can’t leave her standing like that. I can’t.