Page 46 of M!lked For His Pleasure

“Jerry.”

Two syllables. It only took two syllables, spoken in that rough, deep voice to have her father’s spine straightening again. His expression turned hard once more, and he shook his head. “No. Your Uncle Luke is right. We’ve heard plenty of your empty promises in the past. This is it, Dorothy. Spend the summer with Luke, or lose access to every cent we have. It’s your choice.”

Panic and pure, boiling hatred replaced that moment of relief. But she couldn’t let it show. Getting mad would only provoke them and make the situation worse. “At least give me a couple of days to think about it.”

Her father’s gaze flicked to something above her head.Luke. His gaze held there for a moment, almost pleading before he sighed and shook his head. “No.” Pulling open a drawer, he retrieved a stack of papers and slid them across the desk to her. “Sign the contract for the program, or go upstairs and pack your bags.”

Never in her life had she seen her father so immovable. And it was all because of Uncle Fucking Luke.

Mind racing, she tried to think of something, anything to get her out of this situation. But what was she supposed to do when they were threatening to hold her very livelihood hostage? Maybe if she had a bit more time to think, to figure something out, but she didn’t. All she had was right now, and right now she couldn’t see any way out of the mess she’d somehow landed herself in.

Sniffling dramatically, she nodded. “All right. I’ll go with Uncle Luke.”

Visible relief flashed across her father’s face, fanning the flames of her simmering anger. Was he really so desperate to be rid of her?

“It’s just a couple of months, sweetheart. And it will be good for you. You’ll see.” There was a hint of plea in her father’s voice, and she wondered for the briefest of moments if he was trying to convince her, or himself.

Because the words burning on her tongue were uglier than even she was prepared to utter, she silently accepted the pen from him and stared down at the papers. “What’s in the contract?”

“Read it. Thoroughly,” Uncle Luke instructed, his stern voice sending a shiver up her spine that wasn’t entirely unpleasant or unwelcome. “Because once you sign it, you belong to me, little darlin’. And I will hold you to every initial on every dotted line whether you’ve read it or not.”

“Whatever. It’s not like I have a choice anyway, right? So I might as well just sign it.” Bending down, she scanned the first sheet of paper until she saw a spot for her initials. She scribbledDMRon the dotted line and flipped the paper over.

“Is she always this stubborn?” Uncle Luke asked, clearly directing the question toward her father as though she wasn’t standing right fucking there.

“Why do you think we called you?” her father replied, sounding so weary and exhausted it sent a pang of grief stabbing at her chest. Jesus, she hadn’t beenthatawful, had she?

Fighting back the tears stinging her eyes, she signed the last page of the contract with a flourish and tossed the pen onto the desk. “There. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go pack.”

Luke shifted sideways, subtly but undeniably blocking her path. “First, apologize to your father for being so rude.”

With an indelicate snort, Dorothy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Look, I signed your stupid contract,okay? So just get the fuck out of my way so I can go pack for my summer of ‘rehabilitation’ or whatever.”

Something flickered in the dark pools of his eyes. Something that had her backing up a step. Something primal.

Something… dangerous.

“Guess we’ll do this the hard way, then.”

Before she had a chance to ask what the ‘hard way’ was, his hand was wrapped around her arm. But instead of turning her around and forcing her to apologize as she’d half expected, he dragged her over to the couch.

Within seconds, Luke was seated, and Dorothy found herself staring at the gleaming hardwood beneath him. What the hell was he playing at?

She didn’t have to wonder for long. Something hard and heavy crashed against her ass and pain radiated through her, stealing her breath.

Oh, fuck. He wasspankingher. Again.

Another heavy swat landed, shocking her out of her stupor. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” she screeched, kicking her legs and wiggling with every ounce of strength she had to try and escape his grasp.

But his hold on her didn’t budge. “I’m giving a naughty little girl the discipline she so badly needs, that’s what I’m doing.”

“Stop it right now! You can’t do this! I’ll call the police!”

His hand cracked against her ass several more times, bringing tears to her eyes. “I absolutely can do this, darlin’. You signed the contract, which gives me permission to discipline you however I see fit. Including turning this bottom of yours nice and red whenever you refuse to follow my instructions.”

Fuck. Maybe she should have read the contract, after all. “That can’t be legal!”

“I’ll be happy to let you call the police and test that theory out, as soon as you apologize to your father.”

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