Provoked Page 6

  I felt his hand on my waist, his thumb running circles around my side. I didn’t stiffen, if anything, I melted. I couldn’t help it. His kiss had torn down my walls and left me vulnerable. I needed time to seal those feelings and urges away. He didn’t press himself against me, but his face burrowed into my neck.

  “Tell me the truth,” he whispered. “Did that fuck you up just as much as it did me?”

  Under the cover of darkness, I felt as though our secrets could be laid bare to each other. The dark could keep those safe. In the light of day, things would be different.

  “Yes, it did.”

  His lips trailed along my neck and up my jaw.

  “Will you let me stay here with you until morning? I’ll stick to the terms of your dare come daylight.”

  I flipped over so I faced him. My arse smarted, but I ignored it. I took his hand and placed it back on my waist. I could just about make out his features.

  “Yes.”

  “Come closer, Liora.”

  He shifted his other arm under me as I moved towards him. He tucked my head under his chin and pressed me against his chest. He was solid and warm. And heck, I didn’t mind him holding me. His scent filled my nose. The fire in my veins didn’t dim. It pulsed, restless and wanting.

  “I want you to let me hold you like this at night. Whatever happens during the day doesn’t matter. We draw a line through it. Can you do that?”

  I curled a hand around his waist. I wasn’t sure what this was or what was happening between us, but what he suggested didn’t feel like he was trying to manipulate me. His voice was tentative. His tone full of stark honesty. This wasn’t a demand. It was a request. One I could say no to and he would respect my wishes.

  So I made up my mind. I drew the battle lines between us.

  “Yes. I can.”

  And then I put up my white flag and gave in.

  Chapter Six

  Dante

  Being around her was pure fucking torture. I had to leave her in the bedroom because every moment my fingers itched to be on her skin. And my lips wanted hers so much, it burnt.

  I really shouldn’t have kissed her. What had started as a game to get her to let me, turned into a nightmare. Not only had that damn kiss ruined me, not being able to touch her at all made me want to beat someone into a pulp.

  I paced the living room, dragging my fingers through my hair. Everything backfired spectacularly in my face. Liora was far too fucking wise to my tricks.

  “You look like shit.”

  I turned at the sound of his voice. Brent stood in the doorway, grinning at me like a fucking fool.

  “Don’t you fucking start.”

  He walked in and leant against one of the sofas.

  “Has she been giving you trouble?”

  “Yes and no.”

  His grin got wider. Brent knew too much about me. Right now, I didn’t need his shit.

  “You built her up far too much in your head. I’m not surprised she doesn’t match up to your fantasy version of her.”

  No, she didn’t. She was so much more than I ever imagined she would be. I loved and hated it at the same time.

  “You don’t know anything about her.”

  “And you only know what her father told you. Tell me, D, what else did you expect? That she’d just let you walk all over her? She might have come willingly, but there’s fire behind her eyes. A smart girl like her shouldn’t be around the likes of you.”

  I clenched my fists, gritting my teeth. If he was anyone else, I’d have kicked him out for that comment. He was not helping my mood in the slightest.

  “You know very well what it cost me to have her so if you’ve not got anything productive to say I suggest you shut up and fuck off.”

  He shook his head.

  “What’s gotten into you?”

  “Nothing.”

  I paced away. He wouldn’t believe that for a second. Staring out the window at the road below, I took a deep breath. I needed to calm down. Get my head on straight before I had to face her again.

  “You weren’t this worked up yesterday. I distinctly remember you being cheerful.”

  “That was before.”

  He didn’t know I punished her, but he knew something made me happy.

  “D…”

  “Mind your own fucking business.”

  I heard him sigh.

  “If you’re not going to talk to me then you should talk to her.”

  Was he insane? How could I when she was the sole reason for my current disposition.

  “I kissed her.”

  “And?”

  Did he not understand? How could he? I’d never experienced a kiss like that before. One that tore my insides apart and gutted me because I wanted her so much. She hadn’t said yes yet, but she would. I was determined to make sure she let me fuck her.

  “And it fucked me up, Brent. I can’t be around her today. You have to look after her. I don’t trust myself.”

  I stopped caring it was cowardly. If I saw her, I’d take her and she wouldn’t forgive me. Not only was she still in pain, she didn’t need me ruining everything completely. Brent was right. She shouldn’t be around the likes of me, but she was mine and I wasn’t letting her go.

  “She won’t like that.”

  “Too fucking bad. Her own fault for daring me not to touch her for a day.”

  “Dared you? Don’t tell me you decided to play that with her.”

  “I know it was stupid now. Just go make sure she has lunch. I can’t see her.”

  I turned to him. His amusement had faded.

  “You really are suffering today.”

  I nodded.

  “Okay. I get it. She can’t see you like this.”

  He looked down at his hands.

  “I didn’t come in here to talk about her. I have a message.”

  I stiffened. There could be only one person that was from.

  “The charity gala is in two weeks. He doesn’t expect you to have tamed her completely, but she has to behave herself in public.”

  I died a little inside. Not only did I hate these events, I’d have to deal with him watching us all night.

  “James and the twins will be there so you have to tell her who you really are before then.”

  He’d expect me to pass her off as my girlfriend to them and everyone else.

  “Oh wonderful, just what I needed.”

  Brent shrugged.

  “Just relaying the message.”

  And now my life just got a hundred times more complicated. She and I had to come to an understanding and soon.

  What went on here was one thing, but in the outside world, she had a different role to play.

  One I was pretty sure she’d hate.

  ***

  I didn’t go back and see her. I stayed away all day and night, sleeping in what used to be the twins’ room, but was now the guest bedroom. She would tell me I hadn’t played fair. If she knew what dark thoughts I had about her, she’d understand.

  I opened the door silently. She was laying on her stomach on the bed, her head on the pillow. Seeing her made me hard instantly. I stalked towards the bed and crawled over her. Tugging up her t-shirt, I stared down at her bare behind. The redness had faded. I pushed it up further, exposing her lower back.

  “You didn’t come see me again yesterday.” Her tone was accusatory.

  “Does it still hurt?”

  “A little. Don’t change the subject.”

  I leant down and kissed the base of her spine. She stiffened. Shit, she felt so soft. My fingers ran circles around her skin.

  “You never specified I had to be around you.”

  I kissed her skin again. She twitched and relaxed just a little.

  “But you didn’t even come to bed.”

  I raised my head. Had I upset her?

  “Did you miss me?”

  She looked back at m
e. Her expression told me she did, but her mouth remained shut.

  “You did.”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  “Don’t presume to know how I feel.”

  I chuckled before resuming my progress up her spine with my lips. I’d missed her. The way she felt. Her skin on mine. I tried not to think about how she wasn’t wearing any underwear and if I pressed her legs open, I could see her.

  “I think we missed each other.”

  “Brent told me you were busy.”

  Busy sorting myself out so I could be around her again.

  “I might live a life of luxury and idleness, but I still have responsibilities.”

  It struck me. She wasn’t objecting to me kissing her back. Two days and she’d already become comfortable enough around me to accept I needed to touch her. Liora had this way about her that surprised and delighted me. Strong, fierce and so fucking smart.

  “Well, I know money is no object considering you brought me here on a private plane.”

  “If you’re good, I’ll make sure you have everything you could ever want.”

  “What if I don’t care about things and possessions? What if I want something real?”

  I froze.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Money doesn’t mean anything to me, Dante. All I want is to be able to do what I love, but you stand in the way of that.”

  I sat up on my knees, staring at her. I wanted to make her happy. It would make her amenable to me. There were just things she didn’t understand.

  I grabbed her waist and forced her onto her back. She cried out.

  “Hey, it still hurts.”

  I pinned her hands down on the bed, leaning over her.

  “Let me make something clear. You have a role to play. Outside this house, you will obey me in everything. You will not talk back to me or question my decisions.”

  Her eyes flashed with confusion.

  “If you don’t, he will take you from me and trust me when I tell you that you do not want that under any circumstances.”

  “Who will?”

  “My father.”

  Her eyes went wide with fear. Even though she’d seen him once, she knew he was someone you didn’t want to know or be anywhere near.

  “He scares me more than you do.”

  “I scare you?”

  “Sometimes. Like right now.”

  I eyed her for a moment. Her hands trembled beneath mine.

  “You should be scared. I won’t go easy on you if you choose to disobey me outside of this house.”

  “What about inside?”

  I should tell her off for questioning me but getting my point across was far more important.

  “That depends entirely on how much you let me do to you. I want you willing, Liora. I want you to want me. Don’t think you can try and fake anything with me. I’ll know.”

  She appraised me for several long moments.

  “I never told you I wanted you to kiss me.”

  “You didn’t have to.”

  The way she was staring at my mouth set me on edge. I wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t give in.

  “What do you really want from me, Dante? We’ve established I’m not really your pet.”

  I’d told her already. What more did she need me to say?

  “Haven’t you been listening?”

  “I have but I don’t get it. I don’t get you.”

  My eyes roamed down the length of her. I took a breath when I realised her t-shirt had ridden up past her crotch. My head whipped back up to hers.

  No. Fuck. No. Shit. No. I didn’t see anything.

  Except I had and I was in pure fucking hell. I released one of her hands and tugged her t-shirt down, all too aware of how much I ached with need.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “I was covered before you came in here and pulled my t-shirt up.”

  “You should’ve said something.”

  “Should I have? You were too busy telling me I have to obey you yet again.”

  I tore away from her, getting off the bed and running a hand through my hair. My cock strained against my jeans. It hurt. It really fucking hurt.

  “Get dressed. I can’t have you half naked around me.”

  I heard her jump off the bed.

  “If you hadn’t decided to punish me then I wouldn’t have been too sore to put clothes on.”

  I wanted to turn around, but she’d see exactly what I was struggling with if I did.

  “Just get dressed.”

  “What’s wrong, Dante? Can’t control yourself around me?”

  “Don’t test me.”

  “If you can’t have me half naked, what about fully?”

  What the hell?

  I spun around, about to tell her to cut it out, but she was standing there with nothing on. My mind went into overdrive. She looked like a fucking goddess. Her head held high, completely unashamed in her own skin. And hell, everything about her was perfect. Perky breasts, her nipples darkening and hardening under my gaze. My eyes roamed lower. She was a natural blonde.

  Holy fucking hell.

  “Christ, Liora, what are you playing at?”

  I strode towards her, pulled the duvet off the bed and covered her up. The image of her naked seared into my brain.

  She stared at me, her forest green eyes full of challenge. I couldn’t fucking make head nor tail of why she’d done it.

  “Do you want me to punish you again? If you keep this up, make no mistake, I will make sure you can’t sit for a week.”

  “I don’t care if you do.”

  She was determined to fucking provoke me. What was this? Her own brand of punishment because I left her alone all day yesterday or was it that I didn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing how much it killed me not to touch her?

  My fingers twitched. She hadn’t taken the covers from me. I was done. I couldn’t take the way she was looking at me. If she was going to insist on behaving like this, then so fucking be it.

  I threw the covers back on the bed and pressed her down on it, my hands wrapped around both her wrists.

  “You think this is funny? I’m not playing games with you today, Liora.”

  She stayed quiet, observing me without fear. I leant towards her.

  “Do you want me to take you against your will? Do you?”

  “No.”

  “Then tell me what the hell you’re doing right now.”

  It was a long moment before she answered me.

  “I don’t know.”

  She looked away from me.

  “I wanted you to come back yesterday,” she whispered.

  “Why?”

  This girl was so unpredictable. I had no idea where the hell I stood with her. She looked up at me again.

  “Because for some reason I still want to know you.”

  The frustration and anger died inside me. I rested my forehead against hers and released her wrists. She reached up and curled a hand around my jaw. And shit, having an ounce of affection from her felt so good.

  “I wanted to get back at you for finding a loophole to my dare.”

  She sighed, her whole body going slack against mine.

  “Are you going to punish me?”

  I should. What she’d done was completely out of order.

  “Yes.”

  “Okay.”

  I moved off her and sat up. Having her naked beneath me did nothing to help my need to have her. She slipped off the bed. Instead of running away from me and covering up, she nudged my legs apart and lay across my knees in an act of complete submission. My palm twitched.

  “How many do you think you deserve?” I asked.

  “Isn’t that up to you to decide?”

  “Give me a figure.”

  She gripped my calf.

  “Twenty.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Ten because I disobeyed yo
u and a further ten for deliberately provoking you.”

  Her logic was sound enough. Twenty strikes. I was looking forward to each one. What I was not going to enjoy is the aftermath. The need to find a release. The only person I wanted that from was her. My hand would hurt too much for self-pleasure.

  Suck it up and get on with it. Stop acting like a pussy.

  “Count for me then.”

  Liora took each one. Whilst her voice began to falter when we reached fifteen and her fingers dug into my leg, she kept counting.

  “Sixteen.”

  Slap.

  “Seventeen.”

  She let out a strangled cry at the next one. I must’ve hit a sensitive spot. She took a rasping breath.

  “Eight...teen.”

  Again, I struck her. The sting ran up my fingers. My hand throbbed.

  “Nineteen.”

  Her arse was so red. I knew bruises would form this time.

  Slap.

  “Twenty.”

  I laid my hand on the bed, needing a break just as much as she did. Neither of us moved for a long moment. When she shifted off me onto her knees, her face was blotchy and tear streaked.

  “Lie down on your front for me.”

  I put my other hand out and helped her up. She shuffled onto the bed, breathing heavily. I’d left the cream on the bedside table. I applied a generous amount to her raw skin. She whimpered even though I tried to be gentle.

  I fetched a clean t-shirt of mine and helped her put it on. Having her clothed took away some of the immediate urge to pin her down and fuck her. It was still there, pulsating in my veins. Would she ever let me?

  “Do you need me to do anything else for you?” I asked.

  “No.”

  I sighed. She was lying. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. She hadn’t eaten today. I left her there whilst I stalked downstairs to the kitchen. After hassling the chef, I came away with a tray for her. I set it on the bed when I got back upstairs. She looked up then.

  “You need to eat.”

  She moved up onto her knees. The pain she was in very apparent on her face. I slid the tray over to her. I watched her as she dug into fruit and yoghurt.

  Sliding the tray back to me when she was done, she didn’t move to lie down again. I picked it up and set it on my desk before returning to her. Her expression was full of caution and shyness radiated from her. It concerned me considering how unashamed she’d been to show her body off to me earlier. She had nothing to worry about on that score. I was well and truly hooked.