Page 128 of Hushed

He drifted off, thinking he was the luckiest bastard on the planet to have found her, but that didn’t stop the little knot of dread in his stomach that her brother was about to break her heart again.

Chapter 25

Kenzie

Kenzie struggled to open her eyes, but there was resistance, as if they’d been glued shut. As she tried to sit up, she rubbed away the remnants of sleep and blinked rapidly, attempting to regain her bearings. A weight pressed against her, holding her down. It took a moment for her to recall that she had cried herself to sleep against Gage’s chest.

Glancing at the clock, she realized he hadn’t moved her all night. The room was shrouded in darkness, but there was a hint of sunrise peeking through the curtains. She’d slept in his arms for hours. Beneath her, Gage snored softly while his arm encircled her protectively. Lifting her head, Kenzie brushed aside the matted strands of sweaty hair clinging to her cheek. Her movement had Gage stirring, and he tightened his hold. “You’re crushing me,” she squeaked against his ear.

His eyes snapped open, and he attempted to jerk upright, but their position prevented him from doing so. It took several seconds for him to wake up enough to loosen his grip on her. “Sorry, babe. What time is it?” he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

“Nearly five,” she murmured as she sat up and gazed down at him.

“How are you?” His voice carried a tinge of concern.

“Confused, worried,” she admitted.

Sitting up alongside her, Gage leaned forward and tenderly kissed her. “We’re going to get through this.”

Kenzie desperately wanted to believe his words, but the thought of what could happen to Reggie if they failed sent shivers down her spine. Before she could sink too deeply into the intrusive thoughts, Gage grasped onto her wrist and suddenly she found herself sprawled across his lap. She squealed as he pulled the sheet away, exposing her bare ass to him. Gently, his fingertips skimmed over the curves of her cheeks, lightly prodding one of the marks he had left from their previous encounter. It was tender, but not enough to make her wince.

“Not so sore today?” he murmured as he continued to touch the fading bruises.

“No, Sir,” she whispered. Her clit tingled, and she instinctively spread her legs as he squeezed her bottom.

He hummed and slipped a hand between her thighs. “Are you going to be a good girl for the next few days?”

She moaned as he inserted a finger inside her, skillfully finding her g-spot. A smarter woman would have just agreed. But her bratty side was more awake than the rest of her brain, and she couldn’t resist a bit of sass. “Do I get to be extra bratty afterwards?”

He clucked his tongue disapprovingly and withdrew his hand, leaving her wanting. “And to think I was just going to give you a little warm-up spanking before I fucked you.”

Fuck. She should have held her tongue.

Before she could respond, his hand landed forcefully on one cheek, its impact breaking the spell of the quiet morning. His palm landed so hard she would bet money it left a distinct handprint behind. Without pausing, he lifted his hand and delivered another stinging blow to her other cheek. And just like that, he set the pace, peppering every inch of her bottom with the hardest swats she had ever received from him, using only his hand.

She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, her voice cracked as she pleaded for it to end. “I’m sorry. I’ll be good, I promise. Please, just stop.” Each word came out in a desperate mix of shouts and sobs, but Gage remained unmoved by her begging. He was on a mission and would not be deterred. If she had to guess, that mission was all about the shade of red he was turning her ass.

Despite the searing pain, or perhaps because of it, the main reason she wanted him to stop was because she was desperate for him to fuck her, but something told her that if she voiced that desire, he would withhold just to teach her a lesson.

“When I said no sass, I meant it,” he growled after an eternity of silent spanking, though it was probably only a minute or two. He moved his attention from her bottom to the tender skin of her upper thighs. Her cries grew louder, and she kicked her legs in protest.

This wasn’t how she imagined their next spanking session would go. Lately, their encounters had been primal and intensely sexual, but there wasn’t a trace of sexual energy in this moment. She had been worried before, but sensing Gage’s worry in the way he spanked her, increased her own fear tenfold.

“Safeword,” she cried out. He stopped instantly and pulled her up into a sitting position, his face etched with worry and guilt. Straddling his lap on his thighs, she ignored the stinging pain in her behind. Cupping his cheeks in her hands, she pressed their noses together. “I understand now, Gage. I get it. No more sass from me. You have my word. I’ll be good, I swear.” Pressing his forehead against hers with closed eyes, he whispered softly, “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head against his. “Don’t be. I needed that to fully comprehend the seriousness of our situation. Last night gave me an inkling, but your reaction today solidified it for me. I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Tension left his shoulders, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. “How sore are you?” She wriggled on his thighs and winced, but then she slipped a hand between her thighs and let out a soft moan. “Just sore enough.”

Shaking his head, he murmured, “My little pain slut. Were you disappointed when I didn’t use my belt on you last night?” He didn’t stop her as she rubbed her clit, so she continued as she considered the question.

“A little,” she moaned as her nipples tightened. “I enjoy the way the leather feels against my skin. Especially when my skin is already hot.”

He chuckled softly. “Are you trying to tempt me into using my belt on you right now?”

Was she? The thought of it made her pulse race, even though it would be incredibly painful, and her clit throbbed beneath her fingers. Kenzie wasn’t sure what that said about her.

She shrugged one shoulder as she circled her clit.

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