“Tell me why you’re mad at me.”
“Bend over this bench. Knees here, hands here.”
I don’t move, and he holds my gaze impassively, waiting for me to do as I’m told.
“Mateo—”
He’s so fuckingfastas he moves into me, grips my chin in his hand, and his nose is an inch from mine when he growls, “What’s your fucking safe word, Violet?”
“Salmon.” My voice is shaky, and that pisses me off too.
“That’s the only thing you’ll say unless I ask you a question that needs a direct answer. You’re not in control here tonight. I am. Now get on the fucking bench.”
He’s so pissed, but there’s hurt in his eyes, too, and I don’t knowwhy. I want to beg him to tell me what I did wrong, but I know he won’t. For whatever reason, he needs to punish me first.
So, I go to straddle the bench, but he interrupts me.
“Get naked.”
Without a word, I slip the dress off and let it fall around my feet. I take off the bra and step out of my boots, and then I straddle the bench, planting my knees and laying my front down over the top. It’s cushioned and covered in red velvet, so it’s not uncomfortable.
Methodically, Mateo shackles my ankles and wrists so I can’t move, and I wait.
He circles me a couple of times and then strides to the other side of the room and takes a sip of whiskey.
“How often have you fucked him?”
I frown and try to look over at Mateo, but I’m at a weird angle, and all I can see is the floor.
“Who?”
He slaps my ass hard, and I gasp at the sting, but also feel my core begin to ache.
“How often?”
“I don’t know who?—”
He smacks me again, and I whimper, feeling myself growing wet.
“I fuckyouevery chance I get.”
Another slap, and this time I rest my cheek on the velvet.Christ, I like that.
“The asshole who had his hands on what’s mine tonight,” he growls next to my ear.
“Archie? Jesus, Mateo, he’s just?—”
He squats in front of me and pins me in his glare. “What? He’s justwhat?”
“My tattoo guy.”
“You fucked him.”
“Not today.”
He shakes his head and stands, and I want to pull him back to me.
“Mateo, I didn’t fuck him today. He didn’t touch me or do anything inappropriate. We were in the line of sight of the windows to the Strip and both of my guards the entire time.”