“Come here,” he said darkly. Sitting back from the table, he spread his strong thighs and patted the table before him. When I failed to move, his eyes darkened. “Now.”
I blew out a breath, my heart racing as if I’d run a marathon. I tossed my hair and pulled up my baggy sweats before shuffling toward him and sitting on his knee.
He tutted loudly.“No, Princess. Put your hands on the table.”
He turned me to stand between his legs, positioning me so I was leaning forward and presenting my ass like a gift. My face burned with embarrassment and rage, but I wanted this. I wanted his debasement, and I couldn’t pinpoint why.
Because if I was going to burn, so was he, my inner voice snarled defiantly.
He stood, circling behind me and setting my nerves on fire. We’d often played with an edge of danger and power. Now, it turned me on instead of scaring me.
His hand landed on my hip, sliding over my ass as he leaned toward my ear. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on? Or do you want to be spanked and fucked hard in front of my men?”
I chuckled even though his words had stolen my breath. “The second. Let’s see who breaks first.” I turned my face forward.
Kirill was still. He forgot I knew him. He was as possessive as hell and wouldn’t want his men seeing anything, but he’d backed himself into a corner.
“Very well,” he said quietly as one of his huge hands landed hard on my skin.
I gritted my teeth, keeping my eyes on the table and refusing to make a sound. He followed with the other side, and the force rocked my entire body.
“Is this what you want, Princess?” Kirill muttered in my ear before smacking me again.
My skin burned and my muscles clenched. I was horrified to find myself getting wet at his punishment. What was wrong with me? He’d broken something inside me. I’d never be normal again, even if he let me go.
He followed with the other side, and the pain burned through me, filling me and soothing my ragged heart.
Kirill was getting married. My Kirill was engaged to another woman.Just thinking it fucking hurt.
“You’re not even trying. Put your back into it,” I goaded him.
The tension around the table was thick. I could see Kirill’s men choking on it, and I knew what they were thinking. Kirill was getting dangerously close to an edge that had proven lethal to many.
The next time his hand met my skin, it started to bite. I closed my eyes as the pain loosened the tight knot of spiky emotion in my chest. The lone tear that escaped my eye fell with a deafening plop on the table.
“Leave us,” Kirill said suddenly into the loaded silence.
Chairs scraped, and the door to the dining room closed with a soft click. I knew Max would be stationing himself outside, standing guard for whatever Kirill decided to do with me. I was an idiot because even now, I wasn’t afraid.
His hand came to rest on my behind, smoothing a comforting circle against my stinging skin.
“Do you want to play this game or tell me what’s wrong, Molly?”
“I don’t want anything from you,” I snarled over my shoulder, a hair’s breadth from breaking down.
“Ask me anything, and I’ll tell you the truth, Princess. If you can get over yourself enough to be honest.”
I bit my tongue as the question threatened to burst free. No. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. I was hard-headed as fuck, like him.
“Fuck you,” I bit out over my shoulder.
Kirill sighed. “So, the hard way?”
“Let’s not pretend you’re capable of anything else,” I muttered to him and turned back to the table. “Do your worst.”
His hand remained on my ass for a second before hooking the stretchy waistband of my sweats and tugging them down. The cool air bit at my skin as he ruthlessly shoved the material down to my knees. I was wearing lacy, full-cheek panties, and he pinched the fabric together, making it into a thong.
His hands smoothed over my bare skin before rising and falling sharply. I bit my lip at the maddening sting. I rose and fell with the pain, riding a wave of humiliation and degradation I didn’t understand. It soothed the part of me crying out for this man’s attention and approval.