Page 37 of The Red (The Godwicks 1)

"You may tonight,” he said, the slightest smile on his lips to show how secretly pleased he was. "You won’t love me next time I come to you, so enjoy it whileyoucan.”

She laughed softly into the pillow. Hard to take such a threat seriously from a man who was using his own linen cravat to tend to herwounds.

"I don’t believe that,”shesaid.

"What did I warn you about saying thingslikethat?”

"I know, I know, sir. Men like you take it as achallenge.”

"You only love me tonight because of the beating. You understand that,don’tyou?”

Before tonight, she would have said "no,” that made no sense, there was no logic to it. He’d done something to her mind as well as to her body. By the end of her beating, she couldn’t tell the crop apart from his kindnesses. They were one and the same to her so that every strike of the crop was tender as a kiss and every word of tenderness made her cravethecrop.

"Now I understand,” she said, because nowshedid.

When he’d finished with the water, he brought out a clear glass bottle of golden oil. It smelled like crushed wildflowers and warmed her skin even more as he rubbed it into her sore flesh. He massaged her entire body—back and legs, shoulders and arms—then bade her roll onto her back again so he could do the same to her front. He lingered long over her breasts, using both of his hands on each one. She gave herself up to his hands, let him mold her like clay. She had no will over her own body. She willed only that Malcolm’s willbedone.

Malcolm slicked the warm oil all over her stomach and hips and thighs. He brought his hand between her legs and nudged her thighs open. He glazed her clitoris with the oil and stroked circles all around it. It swelled under his touch and pulsed against his finger. She felt that deep delicious hollowness inside her again. He filled it with his fingers when he slid them up into her sex, the oil allowing him deep penetration. It was bliss to spread her legs far apart for him so that he could have his way with her. She watched as his fingers disappeared inside her body one by one, probing and parting her from within. Mona panted through her nose. She knew she mustn’t come until his cock was inside her. If he didn’t put it there soon she’d be forced to beg himforit.

"Do you have children?” sheasked.

He laughed softly. "I have four fingers in your cunt and you’re asking me if I have children. Do you think I’m checking to see if there’s room foronemore?”

She grinned broadly, too tired and aroused tolaugh.

"I only wondered,”shesaid.

"Does it matter to you?” heasked.

"I’m nosy. And you’re amystery.”

"I have children, yes. Though not so younganymore.”

"Do youlovethem?”

"I love them though they’vedisappointedme.”

"Howso?”

"They’re…respectable,” he said. "Respectable and well-behaved. Good citizens of the realm. They’re boring. Except the youngest. He takes after me.” His words made her grin drunkenly. "Are you happy toknowthat?”

"I am,” she said. "Although…I don’tknowwhy.”

"You’re open,”hesaid.

"I knowIam.”

"Not like that though…” He glanced down at his hand that was in her cunt up to the thumb. "I broke you open tonight. Up here.” With his free hand he tapped his temple, indicating his mind. "And here.” He tapped his chest over his heart. "You feel closetome.”

"I do,”shesaid.

"It’s the intimacy of captor and captive. There’s nothinglikeit.”

"Am I yourcaptive?”

"You aretonight.”

"Can you keep meforever?”

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