Page 238 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 1

A large hand patted her bottom. “If you disobey, then your bottom will suffer.”

“That is so wrong on so many levels!”

The bastard just chuckled and gave her a hard swat that made her yelp in surprise. But shockingly, a tingling arousal also filled her.

“Unless you want to find yourself over my knee getting your bottom warmed, I suggest you do as I say, darlin’. Hmm, perhaps I should warm your butt right now, just to ensure your good behavior.” He looked at his watch, sighing. “Drat. Wish I could, darlin’, but I’m out of time. I’ll miss you.”

He drew her in for another kiss, before turning around and landing another smack on her ass.

Good Lord. He was impossible.

“Hello?” Reggie was breathless as she answered her cell phone. She’d had to run to catch the phone call, and although she was feeling much better than she had been when she’d arrived three and a half weeks ago, she still wasn’t up to anything more than a stroll.

“Hello butterfly,” a dark voice drawled down the phone at her.

A cold, hard lump of clay formed in her stomach at the sound of that voice. What the hell? What phone was he calling from?

“What do you want?” she snapped, moving into the privacy of her room.

“Why, is that any way to speak to your husband?”

“We’re not married, Lance,” she snarled back at him, so angry it took all she had not to throw her cell phone across the room. But she couldn’t afford to replace the damn thing.

She heard him sigh and knew it for the fake sound it was. “I know, and it’s one of the biggest regrets about our relationship that I have.”

“What are you blathering on about, Lance?” She knew he’d never wanted to marry her. Oh, she’d thought he did when she’d moved in with him. She’d imagined the white picket fence along with the two point four kids and a dog. But after a year went by and there was still no proposal she’d known the truth, deep inside. But still, she’d fooled herself.

“Butterfly, I should never have let you go. Tell me where you are and I’ll come and get you. We’ll pack up your things, bring you home. Haven’t you been listening to my messages? I’m sorry I was angry in the first two, demanding you return my things, but I was just upset.”

The nerve of him! She stuttered, speechless for a brief moment until the rage kicked in, lending her a voice.

“What the hell makes you think I would want anything to do with you, Lance?”

“Come on, Reggie, you can’t tell me you don’t miss me. Miss our apartment, the club, the dinners out, the opera, the spa.”

“I don’t want those things and I don’t want you! You cheated on me! Kicked me out! Got me fired!”

“And you took my luggage!”

“So? You can’t really care about that? You took all of my money! Do. Not. Call. Me. Again.” Reggie hung up the phone, breathing heavily as she turned it off. Shaking, she sat on the bed as thoughts raced continually around her head.

Alex has only been gone three days, but she missed him like crazy. She wished she could tell him about this, get his help. But Lance was her problem. Maybe she’d change her number. Urgh, but she’d just sent out some resumes to places in the closest town. She couldn’t change her number now. She’d just have to be careful. It wasn’t like he knew where she was, anyway.

She tried to keep herself busy by cleaning the fridge and pantry. But it didn’t work. She couldn’t get him out of her head.

Finally, unable to stand it anymore, she headed back to her bedroom and pulled on her running gear. Running had always been her freedom, her escape, and right at that moment, nothing mattered except her need to get away.

Chapter Six

As Alex drove the last leg of his journey, he found his mind wandering. He should have been thinking about all the jobs that awaited him once he got home, instead all he could think about was the small brunette living on his ranch. Perhaps he should take her out to dinner tonight. He didn’t trust that she’d been eating enough while he was gone. He was determined to ensure she took care of herself.

If that meant he had to warm her ass to get her to take her health seriously, then he would. Alex was never one to shirk his duties. In fact, he’d always taken them very seriously, from his role as the oldest child, to running his ranch, and problem shooting for the company he owned with Matthias and Louis.

He’d missed her. A few text messages hadn’t been enough. It was only a matter of time until she would be his.

He blinked and shook his head, certain that he was seeing things.

Because surely that wasn’t, it couldn’t be . . .

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