“I wasn’t challenging him lightly—I wantedto kill him,” I snapped.
“A wish I’m afraid you must forgo if youwant to live. Addison, look at me…”
I didn’t want to but he lifted my chin andforced me to meet his eyes.
“I know you’re brave, Addison,” he murmured.“Your courage is beyond question. But you are so terriblybreakable, my darling. So very precious and fragile. Icannot allow you to risk yourself like this again.”
“Oh so I’m fragile, am I?” Idemanded. “You certainly wouldn’t know it the way you whipped mejust now! I haven’t been beaten so hard since I was a kid and mystepfather came after me with his belt.”
He frowned. “I was as careful as I could be,given the circumstances.”
“The circumstances? What do you mean?”
“I mean that I had to make it real—you hadto actually cry and look contrite in order to satisfyRoderick.”
“Well, you satisfied him all right,” I saidbitterly.
“Not quite.” Corbin sounded grim. “I have afeeling tomorrow will bring some very unpleasant surprises.”
“I don’t care what it brings, I’m leaving.”I pushed my way off his lap again and this time he let me. But whenI tried to take a faltering step away from his chair, a sharp painlanced through me and I nearly fell.
“Addison!” Corbin grabbed me and pulled meback into his lap.
“Let me go,” I demanded, struggling weaklyin his arms. “I’ve had enough of you for one night—hell, for therest of my whole damn life. Let me go!”
“Not until I see if you’re really damaged.”Corbin stood suddenly, swinging me up into his arms and carrying meas though I weighed no more than a kitten.
“What? Wait!” I exclaimed as he carried methrough the club. “Where are you taking me?”
“Where I can give you both privacy andhealing.” His voice brooked no refusals but I tried to refuse himanyway.
“Never mind, I’m fine—I don’t need medicalattention or healing or whatever it is,” I protested. I wriggled inhis arms and then groaned when my stinging bottom rubbed againsthis arm.
“If you were really fine, you wouldn’t becrying in pain when I barely touched you.” Corbin frowned at me. “Ithought that I held back enough to keep from actually damaging youbut now I see I may have been wrong.”
“No, seriously, let me go. I’ll just go siton an ice pack or something,” I begged but he was already carryingdown the narrow stairs that led to his hidden daytime restingplace.
Once he got me through the thick bank vaultdoor, he took me directly to the bed. He laid me gently on mystomach and stripped off his suit jacket and tie, like a man readyto do some serious work. Then started to pull up my dress.
“Stop!” I half turned, though the motion waspainful, and batted at his hands. “What the hell do you thinkyou’re doing?”
“Examining you.” He tugged at the loosematerial again. “This is a lovely dress, Addison, don’t make me ripit.”
“I don’t give a damn about the dress!” Isnapped, trying to hold it in place.
“Very well.” With one sudden, fierce motionhe ripped the gauzy material right up the back. For a second timethat night I felt a cool breeze on my backside.
“Corbin, honestly…” I flipped over onmy back though the motion hurt my behind and shook my head. “I’mall right, really.”
He frowned. “I will be the judge of that.Now turn over.”
“You don’t really care if I’m hurt,” I said,staying firmly on my back. “You just want another excuse to look atmy ass.”
Corbin gave me a steady look. “While I admityou have a lush and delectable bottom, I am honestly just trying tobe certain I didn’t hurt you too much.”
“And what are you going to do if youdid hurt me?” I demanded.
“I will heal you of course.”
My breath started coming faster. “What—youmean the same way you healed my scars?”
“Naturally.”
“This is ridiculous.” I shifted on the greenand gold bedspread and let out a sound that was half groan and halflaugh.
Corbin frowned. “What is so funny?”
“You are.” I shook my head. “I mean, afterwhat you pulled tonight I’ll admit I’m tempted to tell you to kissmy ass but to have you actually offer to do it…”
“This is not a joke, Addison.” He gave me astern look. “You are my consort—your wellbeing is myresponsibility. If I have harmed you, then I must heal you aswell.”
“I’m not really your consort—we’re justpretending,” I protested.
“That doesn’t matter.” He looked at me, longand steadily. “Addison, roll onto your stomach right now andlet me see if you’re hurt.”
I felt my face getting hot. “What if I don’twant to?”
“What are you afraid of?” Corbin stroked mycheek. “If you think I want to repeat the scene we enacted forRoderick’s benefit, don’t worry, my darling—there will be no morepunishment tonight, I swear it.”
“None for tonight, huh? What abouttomorrow?” I demanded.
“Stop trying to change the subject. Are yougoing to turn over and let me examine you or must I turn you overmyself?”
I could see he wasn’t going to let up untilI did as he said. And seeing that he had literally all the time inthe world to be patient, I wasn’t going to win this one.
“Fine,” I muttered, turning over at last.“But make it quick.”
“I will take exactly as much time as isneeded,” he remarked, parting the torn dress. “And I will need toremove these as well.” He tugged gently at my lacy blackpanties.
I nearly groaned. “Are youserious?”
“How else am I supposed to see what damage Ihave done? Come, Addison, don’t be difficult.”
“Fine.” I gritted my teeth. “Just don’t—” Ididn’t get the chance to finish because Corbin had already leanedover me and bitten clean through the thin side straps of the blackpanties with two quick snaps of his super-sharp fangs.
“You were saying?” he said as he whisked theruined panties away, leaving me bare.
“I was about to say just don’t hurtthem—they’re my favorite panties.” I threw him a withering glanceover my shoulder.
“My apologies,” Corbin said smoothly. “I’llsee that they’re replaced. Now then, let’s see…”
I felt him lean over me again and my breathcaught in my throat as the heat of his
