Page 26 of Shadow

“It’s my truck. You’re not on the insurance.”

“Come on, Liv. We talked about the rules. Don’t be a brat. Unless you want me to drop the tailgate and bend you over it. You need a good thrashing, anyway.”

“I’ll run and I’ll scream.”

Ripley dragged a hand through his somewhat shaggy hair. She knew she was skating on thin ice, but she didn’t care. In less than forty-eight hours, her world had been twisted and turned every way possible, and she just wanted to maintain control over something. He wasn’t going to take driving away from her.

“We both know what happens when you run from me, Olivia. I always catch you, and your sweet cunt is soaked when I do. You love it when I chase you, and I love it when you scream.”

A loud crash had them both jumping. Then she found herself pinned against the side of her truck. Her heart raced, and she tried to control her breathing as fear raced through her.

“What just happened?” she squeaked.

Ripley eased away from her but still kept her pinned and looked around. “Looks like someone had a fender bender pulling into the parking lot. Nothing serious. Sorry if that scared you, baby.”

She blew out a breath and tried to get away from him. But he held her steady. His eyes went from concerned to fierce.

“Give me the damn keys, Olivia. I’m done playing games with you. We’re going to go home and have a long talk about who’s in charge here. And news flash, it isn’t you.”

Since she was still shaken up by the incident, she dropped the keys into his palm and climbed into the passenger seat without a word.

They were silent for the first few minutes of the drive, but then he reached out and picked up her hand. Everything in her brain was screaming to jerk it away and not let him touch her, but just that bit of contact had slowed her heart rate already.

“What’s going through your head right now, little girl?”

“That I hate being called little girl.”

He chuckled. “Maybe don’t act like one then.”

“Says the guy who stole my wallet and ran away from me just to pay for the food.”

“What don’t you like about being my little girl?”

“Because little girl doesn’t fit me. Not when all I can think about is jumping you later.”

Damn it. Why had she said that? That wasn’t what she meant to say at all.

“That doesn’t mean anything. And if you want me to fuck you, all you have to do is ask, baby girl.”

“Baby girl is better,” she muttered.

“You’ve always been my baby girl, haven’t you, Olivia?”

She folded her arms and stared out the window, not wanting to have this conversation. He’d only been back a few days. Someone harassing her—more like terrorizing her—wasn’t a good reason to give in and take him back. No matter how much certain parts of her brain screamed for her to do just that.

“Answer me, please.”

When she didn’t respond, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “OK. Be that way. I’ll just have to add, refusing to answer me to your list of reasons I’m spanking you when we get home.”

Her pussy tightened, but she turned and glared. “No.”

“No? We’ll see. If not today, then definitely soon. You’re going to trust me again, Olivia. And hear me now, the first thing I’m doing when you’re mine again is blistering your bottom.”

“You’re not really making a case for yourself there, Cannon.”

But he was. Between the threatening tone—so quiet, yet it spoke volumes, the glare, and even calling her baby girl, her desire for him was quickly growing from a slow burn to a five-alarm fire. And it was pissing her off.

“We’ve talked about this. If you won’t call me Daddy or Sir, my name is Ripley.”

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