Page 41 of A Raven Reformed

McKinnon and O’Connell came up from behind the man and hauled him to his feet. They simply stood, waiting for instruction.

“Did he hurt you, Belle?” He had to make sure of that first.

“No, he wouldn’t hurt me, Michael. He’s a good man.” She looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Please don’t hurt him. This is all just a big misunderstanding.”

Oh, he was going to hurt him. There was no question of that.

“Hold her,” Michael said as he pushed Belle into Ash’s hands.

He charged, but the man didn’t fight, or try to get away from his captors. He simply stood, as if awaiting his fate. There was something just not quite right about all of this, but it didn’t matter. Michael slammed his fist into the man’s stomach. His body lurched forward with a satisfying grunt, but he was kept upright so Michael could do it again.

“This was all my fault,” Isaac wheezed.

“You think I don’t know that?” Michael roared, throwing his fist into the man three more times.

He coughed and groaned but spoke softly again. “Please don’t be angry with Belle.”

“Don’t you dare to speak her name.” Michael’s fist connected with the side of the man’s face, blood splattering across O’Connell’s shirt.

A hand gripped his shoulder. “Michael, you need to stop,” Ash said quietly. “You’re scaring your wife.”

Slowly, Michael turned around. Belle’s hands covered her mouth and tears poured from her eyes as her body was wracked with sobs. His heart collapsed in on itself, not only because he was causing her pain, but because it was so clear that she had feelings for this man.

Jealousy kicked him in the gut and Michael backhanded the man as he turned to face him once more. He leaned in close to his battered face and spoke in a low voice. “You will never see her again.”

“Ash, there is an old dungeon in the bottom of this house. Will you see that he’s locked in one of the cells please? And make sure he stays alive for now. I may have more questions.”

Ash nodded. “She’s safe and she’s home, Michael. Don’t lose track of what’s important here.”

Michael didn’t respond. He simply stared straight ahead as the man was dragged away.

Her panicked voice sounded behind him. “You can’t do this. Let him go.” Michael turned to see her trying to stop the men from hauling him away. She ran in front of them and stopped, halting their progress.

As he neared, he could hear Isaac as well. “I’ll be fine, Belle. Go with your husband.” But she didn’t. Michael wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and yanked her out of the way.

She gasped and turned her tear-filled eyes on him. “How dare you!” She pounded her fist against his chest. “I begged you not to hurt him, and you did anyway!” She swung to hit him again, but he snatched her wrist and forced them both down to her sides.

“I’m your husband, Belle! Whether you like it or not, this is my estate, and everything here, including you, belongs to me. That means I get to decide what happens here.”

But she wasn’t cowed by his words and she snarled at him. “Well then, perhaps I shouldn’t have come home.”

His anger flared and threatened to explode. He leaned in close to her ear, his voice a quiet warning. “Are you going to go quietly up to my chambers and wait for me? Or do I need to hitch your skirts up right here and give you a spanking in front of an audience.”

Her heavy breathing continued as she scowled at him through her tears. She said nothing for a few moments, seemingly weighing her options before she eventually spoke.

“I’ll go,” she said quietly. Thank God she hadn’t called his bluff, because for the first time, it actually was. He would never spank her in the presence of others, and he would never spank her out of anger. And he was angry. Dangerously so. “If I cooperate and submit to whatever you want, will you promise not to hurt him anymore?”

The words were like a knife to his heart. She was sacrificing herself for that man. His resolve broke and he hauled her across the lawn and into the house. She was his. His wife. His lover. His Belle. No one else could have her.

He threw the door to his chambers open and pulled her inside, slamming it closed behind them. “You’ll submit because you’re my wife, Belle. Not to protect another man. Understood?”

Her throat moved with a swallow, her eyes filled with trepidation. “Yes, my lord,” she said quietly.

“Good. Take your clothes off.”

ChapterTwelve

Belle wasn’t entirely sure what was about to happen, but she knew two things. As long as Michael was up here with her, he couldn’t be downstairs hurting Isaac even more. And she also knew Michael would never hurt her, not physically, at least. But he had broken her heart when he’d attacked Isaac, even though she’d begged him not to. Why wouldn’t he just listen to her?

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