Eli’s breath tickles my skin as he chuckles. “You’re due a punishment, Kitten.”
“Excuse me?” Indignation surges through me, competing with the fire his threat sparked. I try to push off Eli’s lap, but his arm tightens like steel around my waist.
“You lied to us. You took off your tracker and you put yourself in danger,” River states. “Did you really think there would be no consequences?”
I shrink into Eli’s hold. At the time, I knew they’d be mad but when weeks passed by, and no-one said anything I figured I wasin the clear. Apparently, River was just biding his time. I look over at Jude. “And you’re all on board with this?”
Jude shrugs. “Sorry, Angel. Rules are rules.”
I don’t bother pointing out I seem to have a different set of rules to them, I just turn to Oz. “I saved your life.”
“And I’d rather die than watch you sacrifice yourself for me again.” Oz’s eyes swirl with a pain I’ve not seen in him before. Some of my fight slips away. I hadn’t thought about what it must have been like for him when I arrived at the warehouse. I was too focused on stopping my sister, but I can barely imagine the terror I’d feel if one of the guys traded their place for mine. It’s the firm set of Oz’s jaw and the way his hand clenches the arm of the couch that makes me realize I’m not getting out of this.
River stands up and walks over to me. He cups my cheek and draws my gaze to his face. “I think it’s best we start with a clean slate, don’t you?”
I scowl up at him. “If that translates as ‘let me whip you with a crop before I give you your badge’ then no, I don’t.”
Eli laughs and presses a kiss to my collarbone. “Too bad it’s not your choice.” Before I can even think to do anything about it, he stands up and throws me over his shoulder.
I shriek but all that does is get me a smack on the ass. They take me upstairs to Oz’s bedroom. I’m confused until all four of them walk inside. I guess this is going to be a team effort. My core tightens.
Eli places me down on the ground and my eyes dart between them. I’m equal parts scared and turned on right now and the effect it’s having on my body is catching me off guard.
Oz closes the door behind him and takes a seat in an armchair to the side of the room. The chair’s positioned to face the bed and it makes me wonder whether it was put there just for this. He likes to watch, after all.
River nods at Jude and Eli. “Get her ready,” he orders before heading to the wardrobe.
“Woah.” I hold up my hands as Jude and Eli turn to me but that just makes their lives easier as they each grab one of my arms and drag me over to the foot of the bed. Eli passes my wrists to Jude who promptly cuffs them behind my back. The familiar click resonates in my bones. “Are the cuffs really necessary?” I ask.
Eli reaches into his pocket and the flick of a pen knife cuts through the air. I freeze. The light glints off the silver blade and I can’t take my eyes off it.
Eli curls his hand around the back of my neck, his thumb settling over my fluttering pulse. “Do you trust me?” he asks.
I nod. My heart thunders as he brings the blade closer towards me. I know he’s not going to cut me, but the fear comes anyway.
“Hold still,” he says as he slides the knife under my shirt and slices through the material. My bra goes next, and Jude pulls the remaining scraps of clothing off of my body.
I sink against him, my heart still playing havoc in my chest.
Eli catches my eye as he puts the knife away. He presses his lips to mine. “You did good.”
I let out a shaky breath as his words wash over me. I’ve never not been terrified of knives, but the way Eli just used his blade mixed that fear with arousal and my already damp panties are now soaked.
Eli grabs a pillow from the top of the bed and brings it down to the bottom.
I’m spun around and Jude uses his grip on my wrists to guide my upper body onto the bed. The pillow is beneath my hips, raising my ass up in the air. I swallow. It doesn’t take a detective to figure out what’s about to happen.
River rattles about in the wardrobe. I try to turn to see him but Jude places his hand on my head, keeping my cheek pressed against the bed.
Eli smirks again then disappears behind me. Fingers reach under me to undo my pants and with Jude holding me down all I can do is look at Oz as he sits across from me. He stares right back, his eyes dilated.
Cool air hits my skin as my pants are tugged down. Eli doesn’t pull them off all the way, leaving them tangled around my ankles. A soft hand caresses my ass.
“So pretty,” Eli whispers. “Such a shame it’s about to be ruined.”
“Not ruined,” River growls, his voice low with arousal. “Marked.”
A hiss whips through the air. The first hit makes me scream. He has to have got the crop, nothing else would feel so sharp. A thin stinging line throbs against my ass. I’m still gasping from the pain when a second line of fire lights my cheeks.
