Chapter 10

"A punishment?" I choke on the words.

"Yes." His hand glides from my chin to my hip, effortlessly flipping me around so my chest is pressed into the wall. One hand sinks up into my hair, fisting it at the roots while the other works the buttons on my jeans.

"Sergei. I didn't… wait…" I try to shove off the wall, to get away, but he tugs harder on my hair.

"No waiting, Coraline." He shoves my jeans down, past my hips, then further still until they are at my feet. His mouth is pressed to my ear in the next second.

"Do you know what I think? I think you purposely disobeyed. I think you wanted to feel the sting of my hand against your ass again." He grips my ass cheek hard, lifting it up until I have to rise on my toes in order to stay with him.

"No." I wiggle, but I'm not going anywhere, and we both know it. "I didn't do anything wrong, Sergei!"

He slaps my ass, then grabs hold of the elastic on my panties and yanks them up until the material bunches and sinks between my cheeks. Harder, he pulls them up until again I'm on my toes and gasping at the discomfort.

He kisses my cheek, a tender peck that in any other circumstance could be seen as sweet.

"You did, Coraline. I told you not to leave, and you left. Where did you go?" he asks. "Did you go back to your apartment?"

"I told you, the coffee shop," I answer, sure he'll stop this insanity if he understands I was just trying to get some work done.

"Why?"

"To look for work!" I yell when his fists tighten. My scalp burns. But worse, arousal pools between my legs. I clench my eyes closed. Trying to fight how his manhandling makes me feel is almost impossible. But I have to. I can't let this man get to me so damn easily.

"Hmm, anything else?" His nose runs over the shell of my ear. "Were you trying to meet with the police officer?" he accuses in a silky tone. "Did you want to tell him you've managed to get into my bed?"

Realization hits me, knocking me for a loop momentarily.

He thinks I'm trying to get information for the police.

"No! Of course not!" I shove against the wall again, but his massive body against me has no give.

"You weren't hoping to see him there then?" His question is leading me to think he can see into my mind.

"I already told you. I go there when I need to work, Sergei. The same table every time. You can ask the baristas. I went there to work on my resume. When I was in school, I went there to study."

"That's not answering my question." Fingernails dig into my flesh, and I hiss at the new sting.

"Fine! I did hope that maybe he'd stop in and that I'd overhear him again, yes." He seems to already know what I was thinking to do, so there's no point in denying it.

He steps between my ankles, pressing down on my jeans.

"Step out," he orders, letting go of my panties that are still wedged between my cheeks, and gentles his grip on my hair.

I work my right foot out, losing my shoe in the process, then wiggle my left out as well.

"Come this way." He yanks me from the wall and walks me to his desk. When we get to the front of it, he pushes the desk accessories away. Paper clips spill onto the floor, the pens roll off the desk.

"Sergei, I told you the truth."

He shoves me over the side of the desk until my cheek is pressed into the cool wood surface.

"I believe you," he says, grabbing my panties and pulling them down, out of my cheeks and then shoves them to my feet. "Stay," he orders and lets go of my hair to retrieve the panties.

"I was only hoping to get information for you." Because then I'd have more to barter with, but I'm sure he'll come to that conclusion on his own.

"I told you to stay here, not to go out and play detective. What do you think will happen if he finds out you're trying to get information from him for me? About my family?" He cups my ass.

"How would he find out? I'm just sitting there with coffee!" I regret my exasperated tone when his hand lands hard against my ass.

"We'll talk more later." He lays into me with his hand, peppering smacks without sparing a spot. My body reacts the same as yesterday. At first, I'm pulled in tight like a spring as the pain begins to register, but then slowly, I ease into it, melting into the heat that his hand brings.

After a dozen, maybe more, swats, he stops abruptly and slides his hand between my thighs.

"Fuck, Cora. You're soaked." I think he's trying to accuse me of something, but he sounds so damn pleased about it, I'm not sure.

His fingers find my clit and slowly roll clockwise with the perfect pressure. I don't even try to stop the moan that falls from my lips. I arch my back, lifting my ass up to him and spread my legs just a little bit more.

A beat later, his hand is gone, and my hair is being pulled again. My scalp screams at the new burn as he yanks me up from the desk.

I'm spun around to face him, and his mouth captures mine in a possessive kiss. Wanting more, I lean into him, trying to take control, but I should know better. His hands grasp my waist and in the next second I'm lifted off my feet and planted on the desk.

His eyes line up with mine and the hunger I see there makes my own desire for him rip through any concerns I have about letting this man get under my skin.

He works the buckle of his belt open and rips the strip of leather from his pants, all while keeping his dark eyes fixated on mine.

"Hold this." He pushes the leather into my palm. "Do not let go," he orders in such a raw voice, it sounds as though it's ripping his throat to say it.

I nod and wrap my hand around the warm leather.

"Tell me again, you understand that you're mine." He shoves his pants down far enough for his cock to spring free. I feel it pressed against my thigh and when I glance down, I suck in a breath.

He grabs my face with both hands, pulling my attention back to him.

"Tell me, Coraline. You understand that you're mine." His voice is as close to violence as a tone can get.

I swallow.

"Yes, Sergei. I understand. I'm yours now." I nod.

He grabs my hips, yanking them to the edge of the desk where he lines the fat head of his cock against my wet entrance.

I fall back onto my elbows with the jerking movement, but my gaze never leaves his. The slight burn of my ass returns when he cups my cheeks, lifting me up and a new wave of arousal rolls through me.

He mutters something in Russian before he thrusts forward, fully embedding himself inside.

I cry out from the sudden burst of pain it causes. It's been too long since I've been with a man. It feels every bit like it's my first time, but he claims my lips, steals my scream as though it feeds his desire.

He pulls back then plows forward again.

"Sergei!" I yell his name, but the pain lends way to more desire, more craving, more… I just want more. I've never wanted anything like I want him to go harder.

Over and over, he thrusts into me. I push the heels of my feet into the desk, trying to get enough purchase to push up into him. It's a frenzy, trying to claim him while he's completely consuming me.

I'm in a complete haze of arousal as he continues to fuck me.

"Cora." He growls my name as he wraps one arm around my waist and holds me while fucking me even harder. I'm rendered senseless; all I want is the next thrust.

His hand wraps around my throat and he pushes me back to the desk until my back is flat. With his free hand, he brushes his thumb over my clit.

I cry out.

Yes!

More of that.

All of that!

He continues to rub my clit, and just like last night, my body unravels for him. The coil is getting tighter and tighter in my core. I'm going to explode.

"Sergei," I whine his name, like I need something from him but I don't know what it is. I have no sense of my own thinking, only that there is a void that needs to be filled.

Letting go of my throat, he yanks my shirt up and pulls the cup of my bra down until my breast falls free.

"Be my good girl, Coraline. Come for me." His voice alone could seduce me.

He pinches my nipple and tugs.

A white light flashes, and I'm gone. My body writhes beneath him as a mind-blowing orgasm rips through me. My throat burns from my cries, until the sounds dissipate.

Only when the waves ebb into subtle rolls of arousal and my muscles soften does he let go of my breast. He grabs my hips, pulling me toward him again, and he plows harder and harder into me.

I reach up to his face, stroking his cheek. He grabs my wrist and brings it to his mouth. He licks my wrist, then kisses my palm.

"Fuck!" He drops my hand and plows into me once more, stilling over me as his release takes over. His eyes gloss, then close.

Long moments pass before he opens his eyes, and when they meet mine, my stomach flips.

"Now, Coraline. Your punishment can begin." He grabs the belt from my hand and in the next moment, I'm flipped over on the desk and his belt is lashing my bare ass.

Pain.

White-hot, blinding pain registers and I scramble, trying to get away, but he's got me pinned again with one hand on my back.

"No! It hurts! Sergei!" I grab the edge of the desk and try to pull myself to safety, but he keeps me right where he wants me.

"Without your arousal to help you hide from your punishment, you'll learn better this way. You'll remember this and you won't disobey again." He brings the leather strap down hard on the tops of my thighs.

I scream, but it does no good.

No one is coming.

He's not going to stop.

I give in.

"I won't. I promise." I would give him any words he wants if he would stop this torment. The haze of my orgasm is ripped away and in its place is this dark cloud of pain.

"You won't what?"

"I won't disobey! I promise."

The lashing stops.

His belt lands with a jangle on the desk beside me.

"Good." With gentle hands, he helps me off the desk and turns me to face him. He wipes away the tears that appeared somewhere during the spanking and kisses my cheeks.

"I didn't like that." I state the obvious.

An arrogant grin crosses his lips. "I did."

I roll my eyes then try to grab my panties from the desk where he put them, but he snatches them before I can.

"You can put your jeans back on, but the panties are mine." He tucks them into his pocket and zips up his pants.

I stare at him. He's lost his mind.

"Be happy I'm not making you walk up to our room bare assed." He walks over to where my jeans were left in a heap and brings them to me. "Next time I have to remove your pants to discipline you, they stay where I put them."

I work the jeans so they are right side out and shove my legs into them. The denim feels like sandpaper against my ass when I drag them over my hips.

"You have a real thing about things staying where you put them, huh?" I wipe my face.

He grunts.

"You learn quick." He checks his watch.

"If you won't let me go out, will you at least be civil enough to let my friend come here?" I haven't told Krista all that's been going on yet. She's going to think I've lost my mind.

And who's to say she'd be wrong.

"Have whoever you want over," he agrees while buckling his belt.

"Is it going to be like this the whole time we're married? You keep me locked up in this place?" It's not the worst prison. Everything is more luxurious here, but it is still a cage.

"No." He doesn't expand on anything, which only makes me wonder what exactly it will be like married to him.

Fake or not, I'm sure he has expectations. His family will, too.

"Are you afraid I'll change my mind and won't go through with it?" I let loose a little laugh.

His eyebrows rise. Uncertainty flashes in his dark eyes, but he masks it quickly.

"Because that's not going to happen," I'm quick to assure him. Not unless I win the lottery in the next twelve hours. And seeing as he won't let me out of here to buy a ticket, I'd say my chances are pretty small.

"Until a business deal is done, it's best to keep all interested parties close," he says, but it feels like bullshit. The man makes a lot of deals, and I have serious doubts he locks any of them up in his mansion while waiting for the money to drop into the overseas bank accounts.

"Well, it will be done tomorrow, right?" I try to sound positive, like this is just a small thing. Getting married to a mafia boss—happens all the time, I'm sure.

"Yes. Tomorrow."

He cradles my face in his hand and kisses me. A soft, warm kiss that I could easily lose myself in, but he pulls away abruptly. His brow wrinkles, like he's not sure why he did what he did.

He taps my nose and turns on his heel.

I clench my jaw and lean back on his desk, then jump away. My ass still burns.

And now my cheeks do too.