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She treun was empty, she'd heard the six shots herself and seen the scattered carriages But even with that, the feel of the gun rubbing against her sent a sliver of apprehension through her blood She felt helpless, completely powerless as he ible way that he was the one in control And although his words were few and he was talking softly, she understood that was completely deceptive

He was angry and she knew it

He wrapped his hand in her hair above her shoulder blades and used it to jerk her head back The movement lifted her chin until he was only inches away froasps as he un over one breast and used it to caress her nipple in a display so uncivilized she steeled her body against it

She hung like that for an abbreviated moment in time while his breath became shallower, his scent washed over her, and she knew she wasn't going to escape from this completely unscathed

"I'ure out what kind of punishuttural and left her in no doubt that he h hatever discipline he decided on Her eyes flew open again but she was mute as she watched him in stark terror

"I knohat I want to do to you But I'lea frorew as he continued to calainst her nipple "I'd ask you to proht "

Her eyes closed once again as the pain of that barb hit hoood person with good values It wasn't like her to be a liar It ht this on herself

She heard the air hiss froonna warn you, Eht me, or you'll make it worse on yourself"

E paralyzed with fear She kept her eyes closed and felt it the second he took the gun away from her breast and quickly reloaded it before he holstered it, low on his side

He reached down and encapsulated her wrist with his brawny hand, and Eth that she kneas never far below his surface as he began to drag her physically back to the house

She stuave her time to compensate

She stumbled twice and he lifted her in his arhed nothing

Maria was leaving her cabin and walking toward the house when they crossed the yard Luke yelled a brusque command for her to stay put and Emma only had a second to look over his shoulder and see the look of shock on the housekeeper's face

Fear was congealing in her throat and no matter what he had warned her about, she couldn't stay still and began struggling, suddenly too frightened to conte alone with him in the house with the mood he was in

His arhtened them around her "Stay still, Emma"

The grating sound of his voice in her ear only scared her et free

He held her so tightly she began to panic that he would cut off her oxygen, but within seconds the door was being opened and he stepped inside, shut and bolted it, and then let her slide to the floor in front of him

She turned and began to rabbed her neck from behind and turned her back towards him with his hand fisted in her hair

"You best stay still You know you've got this co" His voice was hard, determined to mete out whatever punishment he saw fit

"What?" she asked as loudly as she could e but knew it barely ca?" She'd never been whipped or beaten before in her life, but by the looks of him, that was exactly what he had in mind and she was all at once terrified and enervated because of it

"I told you once before you'd better get used to obeying rowled the words and he pulled her up against his body by her hair and stared down into her face with glittering eyes

"I'y

"No, I don't think you are But you're gonna be, by the tih with you"

E, hear her own heartbeat in her ears, and licked her dry lips in an atte words to her throat

He held her tightly, and she thought he was going to shake her