Xita placed a hand on Karl’s shoulder. “We were just chatting about your holiday. Karl told me how much fun you’re having. Come on, Zavir.” She came around the table. “Let’s give them some privacy.”
Zavir didn’t budge. He crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance. “I’ll stay.”
Xita looked exasperated, but she didn’t challenge him. “Nice meeting you, Liv. I hope we’ll meet again soon.”
When she was gone, a plank drifted closer to accommodate Liv.
“How are you?” she asked, sitting down next to Karl.
“I’m well,” Karl answered without hesitation. “Exceptionally so. How’s the honeymoon?” He grinned at Zavir.
Liv blinked at him. “What?”
“The honeymoon,” he said, frowning. “That’s the reason we came here on holiday, to celebrate your engagement. You are still moving in together, aren’t you?”
The blood drained from her body, leaving her dizzy. She looked at Zavir, unspoken questions on her mind, but his face was expressionless.
“It’s good,” she replied softly. “The holiday is really good.”
Karl patted her hand. “I’m happy for you. You deserve it.”
She held Zavir’s gaze. “Do I?”
“Of course.” Karl turned to Zavir. “Thanks for organizing accommodation for us here. That was thoughtful, although a hotel would’ve been fine.”
Zavir’s smile looked more like a grimace. “Don’t mention it.”
“Do you need anything?” Liv asked, watching her brother closely.
“No, but thanks. Our accommodation is top. I’d like to go back to the beach tomorrow with Erik. Maybe you’d like to join us?”
“We’ll think about it,” Zavir said.
“What did you do at the beach?” Liv probed gently.
For a moment, Karl seemed confused. “We swam.”
Liv glanced at Zavir, concern clouding her earlier relief. “With Erik?”
“Yes, Erik was there.” He frowned.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
Karl touched the side of his head. “I had to tell you something, something important, but I forgot.”
“It’s okay,” she said quickly. “You’ll remember later.”
“No,” he said, his frown deepening. “I… It’s the strangest feeling. I had to tell you. It’s important.” He turned agitated. “How could I forget?”
A beep announced an incoming call. Zavir looked at his wristwatch.
“Excuse me.” He turned his back on them, moving toward the corner as he replied in his language.
“It’s a horrible feeling, Liv,” Karl said, more animated now.
“It’s all right.” She took her brother’s hand. “Don’t think about it now.”
“It’s important.”
“Karl, please. You’re repeating yourself.”
He grabbed his head between his hands. “What’s wrong with me? Liv, what’s going on? Why can’t I remember?”
She looked at Zavir in alarm, who’d ended his call.
Karl pushed to his feet. “I have to find Erik. He’ll tell me.”
“Karl, please.” She got up, too, trying to take his arm, but he pulled away. “Where’s Erik?”
Zavir said something in Krinar. He moved to Liv’s side, putting his arm around her shoulders. She tried to shake him off, to go back to Karl, but he tightened his grip. Xita entered briskly, a pen-like device in her hand.
“What are you doing?” Liv exclaimed.
She strained in Zavir’s hold, but he held her firmly while Xita pushed the pen against Karl’s arm.
“Hey,” he cried, “why did you do that?”
Xita addressed Zavir. “It seems there are some irregularities to iron out.”
Karl went limp. Liv reached for him, but Zavir held her back. Before Karl could hit the ground, a long float drifted under him, catching his collapsing body.
“What have you done to him?”
“We’ll fix it,” Xita said to Zavir.
Liv was beside herself. “Stop ignoring me like I’m not here, damn you.”
“Get her out of here,” Xita said. “She doesn’t want to see this.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I have an explanation.”
Zavir pushed her toward the door. “Let’s go.”
She dug her heels in. “No.”
Zavir’s eyes sparked. “It wasn’t a request, Liv.”
“Go to hell. You’re not the boss of me.”
That spark ignited, setting off a look so dark she took a step back.
“Think again,” he said, a cold smile playing on his lips.
His arm came behind her knees, and before she could contemplate the move, he scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder.
She banged on his back as he walked to the door. “Put me down!”
Instead of replying, he increased his pace, jostling her none too gently. From her upside-down position, she saw an amused grin spreading over Xita’s face. It only infuriated her more.
“Put me down. I can walk.”
“You had your chance.”
“Where are you going?”
“Where do you think?”
“To my prison,” she replied bitterly.
“Clever kitten,” he purred.
“What are you going to do?” she asked with a tinge of panic, not wanting to be locked up again.
“I told you there’d be consequences for bad behavior.”
Chapter Twelve
Zavir dumped her in the living area of his quarters. The way he watched her promised nothing good, but she was beyond caring. All she could think of was Karl.
He closed the step between them. “Apologize.”
“What?” She uttered a hysterical laugh. “You kidnapped me. You said you wouldn’t hurt my family.” Her voice wavered. “You screwed up. Whatever you’re doing to Karl isn’t working.”
“It’s a glitch.”
“A glitch?” She stared at him in horror. “He’s not a machine that you can reprogram to fix a glitch.”
“He doesn’t deserve your concern.”
“He’s my brother.”
“A brother who hurt you.”
“He did what he believed was right.”
“Torturing you?”
She flinched. “That was Hans.”
“Makes no difference who held the whip or knife. Your brothers allowed it. That makes them no different than Hans.” He spat out the name, his eyes sparking with that undertone of blueish-purple as he said it.
“They didn’t know Hans was going to torture me. He was only supposed to scare me. I’m not saying what they did is right. I understand why they did it. I gave them no choice. It doesn’t mean I love them less.”
“Human love.” He scoffed. “How can you love someone so undeserving of it?”
“You don’t have siblings, do you?”
“No. Most Krinar don’t.”
“Then I don’t expect you to understand.”
She turned away from him, but he grabbed her wrist.
“The only thing I understand is actions and consequences. They let Hans hurt you. They deserve to be punished.”
Her anger flared. “Is that what your female friend is doing? Punishing them?”
“Far from. She’s trying to help.”
“Well, it’s not working.”
“You made the deal, Liv. You knew what you signed up for.”
She pulled on his hold. “I didn’t sign up for this.”
“You did the minute you kissed me in that bar.”
“You made me do it,” she cried.
His eyes flattened into slits. “You enjoyed it.”
“You tricked me.”
“You wanted it.”
“Fuck you.”
“That’s three times you’ve sworn at me.”
“Go to hell. Make that four.”
His eyes darkened. The slate-gray color turned to an onyx glow. “
As you wish.”
When he dragged her toward the bedroom, she dug her heels into the carpet, but it was no use. She was no match for a K. He pulled her through the opening in the wall, not stopping until he reached the bed.
Her heart sped up in alarm. “What are you doing?”
“Honoring my promise.”
Sitting down on the bed, he flung her over his lap. She tried to roll off, but he wrapped a hand around her neck, pushing her cheek flat on the mattress.
“Keep still,” he ordered, “or I’ll add more lashings to your punishment.”
“You can’t be serious.”
She slapped at him, but he easily caught her wrists in one hand, pushing them against her back. Letting go of her neck, he pulled the skirt of her dress up over her waist.
“Ready, kitten?”
“Go fuck yourself.”
He sighed. “You’ve just upped your spanking to ten lashes. Two for each insult. Want to carry on?”
She bit her lip, fuming. There was a lot more she wanted to add, but there was no point in being spiteful to her own detriment.
The first slap on the globe of her ass caught her by surprise. It came too fast, and it hurt like hell. The thin fabric of her panties wasn’t much of a barrier. The sting penetrated her skin and traveled all the way to her heart. She swallowed her cry, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her pain, but the next spank was already heating her skin, making it impossible to hold back her tears. He brought his palm down in a fast succession of swats. She clenched her ass and turned her face into the mattress, grinding her teeth. She’d rather swallow the sheet than utter a sound. It didn’t hurt like the whipping she’d taken, far from it, but it wasn’t the physical pain that was most damaging. It was the humiliation. She hated herself for the weakness of her tears. She hated her helplessness as she was forced to lie there and take her discipline like a disobedient animal. No, lower than an animal, because she’d never treat an animal with such cruelty.
By the time she’d counted to ten, her ass was on fire and the sheet underneath her wet with her tears. Still, she didn’t make a sound.
Zavir’s hand smoothed over her bruised skin. “You’ve been a good, brave little kitten.” He turned her over, her burning ass cushioned in his groin. He brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “You took your punishment well.”
She turned her face away from his touch. “Let me go.”
“I’m not done with you, yet.”
Alarm fluttered in her chest. She tried to sit up, but he pinned her wrists down next to her face, moving from under her to roll his body over hers. He licked a tear from her cheek, following it up with soft kisses. The gentle act caught her off balance. Somehow, it intensified the hurt in her heart.
“You’re no different than Hans,” she whispered, bitterness infusing her tone.
“I’m not him.”
“Just because you didn’t use a whip doesn’t mean you hurt me less.”
He pulled away to look at her, his expression surprised. “I didn’t inflict damage. You won’t have a single bruise.”
“I’m not an animal. I have feelings.”
For a moment, his eerie eyes searched her face, and then his lips came down on hers, soft and tender, like his earlier caresses. She could handle his cruelty, but not his tenderness. Not after what he’d done. She made a protesting sound, but he only deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue. Heat gathered in her belly. She didn’t want to respond to him in this way, but she couldn’t help it, not when he kissed her with so much skill, as if he loved savoring her. Despite herself, her body started relaxing, soaking up his heat. As if sensing her dwindling resistance, he let go of her wrists to cup her face.
“My beautiful kitten,” he whispered. “You’re mine to punish, because you belong to me.”
The words jarred her. They made her mind rebel, but her body was boneless, under his spell. It reacted to him as he smoothed a palm up her arm, over her shoulder, and down to her breast. Her hips met his as he ground down softly, letting her feel his erection. She moaned as his hand slipped up her thigh, finding her core. He outlined her folds through her underwear, the touch too soft for what she needed, for what he made her crave.
“Tell me you don’t want this,” he challenged, tracing her clit.
She blinked at him, bringing his face back into focus through the haze of her arousal.
He rotated his hips. “Tell me you don’t feel it.”
Satisfaction bled into his eyes when she cried out.
“Thought so.”
He kissed her again and, while doing so, ripped off her underwear. Their clothes followed suit. The roughness of the act contrasted with the tender way he claimed her lips, sending confusing signals to her body and brain. The gentleness prevented her from pushing him away, while the urgency with which he parted her thighs made her burn hotter.
“I’m going to fuck you, Liv,” he said into their kiss. “Tell me you understand.”
She moaned, managing a nod, but he pulled away.
“Say it, kitten. There’ll be no misunderstanding, this time. I won’t let you accuse me of tricking you, again.”
She should say no, but she wanted this. Was she brave enough to admit it?
The answer left her lips in a breathless gasp. “Yes.”
The single word was all the permission he needed. His caresses turned more urgent. He plundered her mouth while dragging his palms over her breasts, but kept the same soft pace from before. He took his time with her. She was slick when he positioned his cock at her entrance. Watching her with intense concentration, he penetrated her slowly, giving her enough time to adjust, enough so the stretch didn’t hurt.
“Like this?” His breath fanned over her face. “Does it feel good?”
She arched her back and wrapped her legs around him, gripping his hair and tightening her inner muscles.
A low groan escaped him. He thrust deeper. She couldn’t take more. The need to come was overwhelming, but he was not to be rushed. As her orgasm neared, she clung to him, needing his broad frame and strong body to protect her from something she didn’t understand but instinctively knew could shatter her. Her womb clenched as he moved in sync with her. Pleasure started building slowly. Her breath caught as he hit a sensitive spot.
“Yes,” he whispered, his voice sweet and gentle. “Give me what I want.”
He kissed her like he was taking her, slowly and carefully. His hands framed her face, tenderly. Her orgasm built just like that–unhurried and intense. When the pleasure exploded, she wrapped her legs tighter around him, needing him deeper and longer and in places she shouldn’t.
“Zavir.”
He stilled, his face pulling into a grimace of ecstasy. He filled her without breaking their stare, allowing her to witness him in a raw moment of unmasked sensation. The moment of physical bonding was both primal and delicate. It was both satisfying and unfulfilling, making her long for what went beyond the physical, but he was already pulling out, leaving her cold.
He sat up between her legs. “You did beautifully.”
The statement was like a clinical evaluation of an act that was supposed to hold more meaning than satiating mutual lust.
The satisfied expression on his face turned into a frown. “Does it hurt?”
“Not physically.”
He studied the juncture of her legs. Feeling the evidence of his climax running between her thighs, her cheeks heated.
When he looked back at her, the pleased look returned to his eyes, but there was also something else–a quiet discord.
Unable to prevent herself, she reached out to trace his birthmark, or his defect, as he’d put it. “How long are you planning on keeping me here?”
“I haven’t decided. It depends.”
“On what?”
“Many things.”
“Such as?”
“Your safety. How quickly you adapt. My future missions.”
“Wait.” H
e’d also mentioned her safety before going to see her brother. “Is there something else I should know that concerns my safety?”
He shifted farther away but kept his hand on her leg. “There are rumors.”
“What rumors?” She pushed up on her elbows. “Don’t make me drag everything out of you. Just say it.”
His gaze softened. No, it wasn’t softness she saw in his eyes. It was an apology. “There are still a few Resistance supporters on the loose, people whose names were not in the files you gave us. They put a price on your head. They’re angry about what you did. News got out.”
“The guy from the bar?” she said as she put two and two together. “The one Hans paid for information?”
He stroked her calf. “That’s the word around town, yes.”
There was more. “Your people–they want me dead, too?”
“You’re an informant. Some think you could be double-crossing us.”
That didn’t sound good for her future. It wasn’t something she’d considered, not that it would’ve changed her decision. “Does that mean I’ll have to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life?”
He squeezed her ankle. “You have nothing to fear. I’ll protect you.”
Which brought her back to the question he hadn’t answered. “How long am I supposed to stay here? Eventually, you’ll let me go, right?” Even charl have freedom, don’t they?
His eyes darkened, the color looking like coals glowing with blue flames. “I’m not letting you go.”
“What?” she cried softly. “As in a week, a month? Give me a timeline. A year?”
His cold gaze bored into hers. “As in forever.”
Chapter Thirteen
His little human wasn’t happy. No, far from it. Why did it make him so angry? What did he expect? Gratitude? Acceptance? He’d known back in the bar her life would be in danger from all sides, human and Krinar alike. He couldn’t allow that. He’d known then, even before he’d kissed her, that to keep her safe he had to make her his. He’d known she was a tough one from the minute he’d seen her press a knife to that sleazy traitor’s testicles. He’d known taming her wouldn’t be easy, but when he’d kissed her, he’d forgotten about all of that. The only knowledge that had stuck in his mind was that he was going to take her. Claim her. That, he’d done. The evidence was still dribbling from her sex. This time, she’d enjoyed it, too.
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