Page 35 of Beautiful Broken Vengeance

Phoenix tastes of sunshine, clear blue skies, and honeysuckle ripe from the vine. I try, fuck me I try to control myself, only to lose it when she moans my name as she responds even more enthusiastically. Her kiss is sweetly untutored. I have no doubt in my mind she’s never been kissed before.

The reminder of her lack of experience and the reason behind it hits me all over again. Phoenix was afraid of men—until me, goes to my head. She goes tense in fear.

I catch myself and end the kiss while I still can. “I’m sorry,zhena. You make me lose my head with desire for you,” I apologize as I pull away.

She blinks up at me with her cheeks pink. “Why do you want to stay married to me?”

“Our family owes you. We pay our debts.” Pain appears in her eyes. I don’t understand it. “We can have a good marriage. Wewillhave a good marriage. I will honor you as my wife, always,” I reassure her.

“Youoweme?”

“Phoenix.” She attempts to push me away with her good arm. I don’t budge, covering her hand on my chest with mine. “Stop it. Our marriage might have started for reasons outside of the norm. How it begins isn’t important. It’s how we decide to go on from here. I want to give you everything you deserve, and I will.”

The slap of her hand across my face stuns me. “Fuck you. I’m not staying married to you because your family owes me. If you really want to pay me back, tell me what the hell I want to know then let me go.That’swhat you owe me.”

* * *

Phoenix

Aleksander is as still as a statue. I don’t think he’s breathing. Gold meets my gaze and melts.

NowIcan’t breathe.

“Bend over the bed, bare your ass to me.” The words are ice.

I open my mouth to tell him no, nothing comes out. I’m stunned at the response of my body to his order. The black silk boxers of his are absolutelyfloodedwith wet heat.

“For you smacking me, you will get ten to each cheek. If I have to tell you again it will double to twenty. Turn around. Lower the boxers. Bend over the bed.” His voice is low and silken with a threat that wraps around me.

All thought is gone as I turn around, push down the boxers and lean over the bed, burying my face in the silky comforter.

“Count off each one.” It’s an order.

The slap of his hand against my right ass cheek is sudden and so painful my squeal of pain can’t be contained.

“One.” I choke on the word.

Holy shit, is it harder than before? “Two.”

Stars blind me when the already burning flesh is struck again. “Three.”

Please, I promise I’ll be good—“Four.”

By the time I get to twelve my legs won’t hold me up. Strong hands lift me up so I’m hanging over the side of the bed. The moment I’m settled he continues.

“Thirteen,” I croak out of my dry throat.

“Fifteen” is a moan I hate him for.

At last it ends. I bury my face in the comforter, praying he’ll leave now.

A blunt finger isthere, I close my eyes against the shame. “Bare, I was not expecting that. Did he do this?”

The shame runs through me all the way to my toes. “No,” I whisper.

“Ah, he didn’t do this, but you did it for him? Didn’t you?”

I bury my face in the comforter again. How does he know?

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