Page 78 of Vow to Hate You

CHAPTER 32

talie

My heart was beating out of control as Damian carried me back to the bedroom. No amount of struggling helped me escape his tight hold. As much fun as I had with him this morning, I wasnotprepared to be alone with him. Not when the leverage I had was now at the bottom of the ocean. His teasing would put mine to shame.

“Put me down,” I warned in a last-ditch effort. “Or I won’t give you the key even when we get back to the city.”

“Oh, you’ll give it to me.” He stepped off the last step, pausing to steady himself as I tried to get free. “Stay still, or I’ll start before we even make it to the room by spanking you.”

The confidence in his voice had me wiggling even more. I bit back my cry of surprise when his palm landed hard on my ass. The sting quickly faded, leaving my skin hot.

“Damian.”

His mother’s horrified gasp was music to my ears. Damian went utterly still before bending over to put me down. I spun around, giving Gina a wide smile. Christian was standing next to her, a disapproving frown on his face, but for once I wasn’t bothered. I didn’t think I’d ever been happier to see my in-laws than I was right now.

“You can’t do that in public,” his mother chastised sternly. “Some things are meant to stay behind closed doors.”

“That’s where we’re going,” Damian answered, interlocking our fingers. “If you’ll excuse us?—”

“Your father is looking for you, Natalia,” Christian cut in. “He’s on the top deck.”

My heart dipped as Damian’s hand squeezed around mine. “I planned on seeing him at dinner.”

“He wants to speak to you now,” Christian replied, his eyes dropping to mine and Damian’s hands. “His patience is worse than mine, so I wouldn’t keep him waiting much longer. You can see your wife later, Damian.”

Surprise flared in my chest when he didn’t move a muscle, keeping my hand tight in his. Usually, he followed every order his father gave. When did that change?

His father’s lips pursed into a line, glaring at Damian expectantly. “Is there a problem?”

“You promised to have brunch with me,” Gina told Damian softly, trying to ease the growing tension. “You don’t mind, do you, Natalia?”

“Of course not,” I said, forcing a smile before tilting my head to meet Damian’s stormy gaze. “I’ll see you later.”

He reluctantly let my hand go as he dropped his lips to my cheek, giving me a quick kiss. “This isn’t over, Talie,” he breathed in my ear before straightening back up and looking at his mother. “I have to shower. I’ll meet you in a while for brunch.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, barely able to suppress my amusement as my gaze went to his slacks. There was a slight bulge I could notice, only because I knew what was under his pants. I didn’t realize I was grinning until Damian shot me an irritated glance before striding away. I wondered how long he’dspend in the shower trying to get the chastity cage off. Not that it mattered—it wouldn’t budge until I unlocked it with the key.

“Do you need me to show you where the top deck is?” Christian asked, annoyance ringing in his voice.

“No,” I answered, my joy fading rapidly. Now that Damian was gone, I remembered where I was going. A conversation with my father was never good. Especially if he requested to speak with me.

“We expect you at dinner tonight, Natalia.”

I nodded in acknowledgment before slipping past him and Gina. I kept my steps slow, not in a hurry to see my father. Since he was already waiting for me, he would be agitated; a few more minutes wouldn’t change anything. I entered the elevator, leaning against the wall as it began going up.

My mind went back to my husband, and I laughed under my breath, imagining him in the shower right now. I put the cage on him in retaliation for him leaving me without an orgasm, but he wouldn’t see us as even now. I was sure he had every intention of paying me back. I couldn’t be bothered to care. At least while we were on this yacht trip.

I trudged out of the elevator, not making eye contact with anyone I passed. Most were my father’s business associates who paid me no mind. I wandered around the top deck, not spotting my father anywhere.

“Natalia, where have you been?”

My father’s aggravated tone had my stomach plummeting. Plastering a smile on my lips, I turned around, meeting his stare. His eyes traveled over my simple sundress and flip-flops, disapproval blatant on his face.

“I called you,” he continued, checking his gold watch. “I’ve been up here for fifteen minutes.”

“Sorry, Dad,” I said, keeping my voice bright. “I left my phone in my room.”

He strode away, expecting me to follow. I sighed, dropping my pleasant act once his back was turned. The boat rocked gently as I stayed a couple steps behind him. He opened the door, waiting for me to enter first. It was the bar area where I spent the first night drinking with Damian and our friends. But now the atmosphere was completely different, with no music or people.

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