Page 45 of Pushed

Hearing it out loud again, having it seep into my skull, it hurt more than knowing what would happen to me when this was all over.

“Don't. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about.”

Her eyes lit up, brows softening. “What about me then? What about in here, right now, who are you?”

“I'm an asshole, I'm a royal fucking dick and I don't take shit, that's me. But I'm not a monster, I wasn't lying when I told you that. Outside that door the rules are different, in here with you, I don't have to be that man, and I'd rather not be him. But it only works if you don't do anything stupid—like bite me.” Rubbing my ear, I cringed as I touched the small cut. “That shit hurt.”

Imperial's lips turned up, her cheeks flushing red. She smiled, a real smile. It might have stemmed from embarrassment or shame, but I didn't care. Her face had actually brightened.

My heart jumped seeing her lips curl and her teeth sprout behind the soft pink blush of her mouth. It was natural and pure, sexy and alluring.

She had smiled and I was able to help her do it, I had given her a little color to the world she was seeing in gray. It had been so long since a woman had looked at me that way.

Too many years had been spent trying to reach the forbidden fruit, that I hadn't realized how much I missed the feel of a woman in my arms or the scent of a woman on my clothes. I had forgotten how it felt to feel the intense throb that a girl as beautiful as her could drum up inside.

“Yeah, about that, I was just trying to figure a way out, I thought. . . I thought maybe that could work.” Her thumbs tapped the bed as her eyes met mine. “Are you really telling me the truth about everything? That if I listen to you, you can help me get home?”

Holding up three fingers, I said, “Scouts honor.”

Dipping her brows, her nose scrunched in disbelief. “Come on, I need to know. Are you really telling me the truth?”

Dropping my hand, I lifted my foot and pressed it against the wall behind me. “Yes, I mean it all. Except, it won't happen if you keep having these outbursts and don't follow the rules. If you want freedom, you have to listen.”

Her brows un-twined, head angling towards her shoulder. “Like those other girls that didn't have to sit on the floor?”

“Exactly, just like them. And trust me, they are not here by force. You might not believe it, but they love their master, their master loves them, it all works together in a sick way.”

Hanging her head, Imperial nodded in agreement. “I think I get it.”

Laying back against the wall, I tipped my chin up. “Can I ask you something?”

Shrugging her shoulder, she stared down at her feet. “What?”

“Did you enjoy it at all?” Looking her in the eyes, I felt my cock pulse.Because I did.

I shouldn't have asked her that question, it wasn't right, it wasn't supposed to be a moment of pleasure. But I had to know. She didn't respond like any of the other girls who had gotten spanked for the first time.

And that turned me on, it made me want to see what else she could take, see how far I could push her.

I wasn't ashamed that I had enjoyed bending her over that table and spanking her. It was a rush, it kicked my body into overdrive and made me want her that much more.

The first time I set foot inside these walls, I hated every thing about it. Now, things were a little different.

There were pieces I enjoyed, small parts that excited me. It didn't change what I had set out to do, and at first I hated myself for even allowing that rush to fire off inside.

I questioned what the fuck was wrong with me. I feared that I was in too deep, that I had gotten sucked into the dark side and was turning into one of them.

But that wasn't the truth. I still didn't enjoy the auction or having no control over who the women ended up with. I hated hearing the suffering of the women who had been given to the real bad guy.

And I hated that I wasn't able to stop it, that I couldn't save some of the poor women who were dragged through this fucking place.

I did my best to make sure that my girls went into the right hands, but unfortunately money talks, money wins.

Even if Imperial didn't enjoy being spanked, punishing her had been nothing but gratifying to me. Feeling her ass jiggle under my palm, watching her body tense, trying to brace for the next blow; it was sexy as fuck.

But I didn't hurt her, I didn't leave a permanent impression of my hand on her ass. I could have really done some damage, I could have made her so raw she'd wince for a month. Only, I wouldn't do that to her.

The men at the table didn't need to know that, they never needed to find out that I had barely used my muscles at all.

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