Claimed

When was the last time he’d heard her laugh, or seen her smile? Where was the spark that used to light up those lovely green eyes? James frowned—these thoughts weren’t productive, and he pushed them away. He would make her eyes sparkle with what he had to show her next.

He let her go and strode toward the lockbox. He turned to her—she was standing where he’d left her, arms hanging limply at her sides. “Come over here,” he said. She approached and knelt in front of him, eyes downcast.

“I want to show you something.” James lifted the lid and tilted the box so Kelsey could see the contents. She stared at it, her face coming alive at last as she took in what was there.

“There’s enough there to take care of us for the rest of our lives, especially down in Mexico.” James couldn’t keep the pride and excitement from his voice. “We’re going to buy a little villa down in some out of the way place where no one will interfere in our business. Once we’re settled, we can start our family.”

He hadn’t asked her a direct question, but Kelsey opened her mouth anyway. “A family?” she said in a faint voice, her face suddenly drained of color.

James nodded eagerly. “Yes. That’s why I stopped your birth control last week. Didn’t you notice? We’re going to make a baby, you and me. We’ll have lots of children. I’ll teach them to be good and obedient too. You will be their example. I know you’ll make me proud.”

Color had started to seep back, rising in a flush over her neck and reaching her cheeks. “A family?” she said again, this time louder, as if the words were a curse instead of a blessing. Something was changing in her face as she stared at him, her eyes sparking suddenly like green fire, her mouth twisting into an ugly frown.

“Children? Babies?” she demanded incredulously. “You’re going to do to them what you’ve done to me? You would beat them and starve them and terrify them into submission?”

James gaped at her, too stunned to respond. He could feel the heat coming into his face as rage began its slow rumble inside him.

She would pay for this. Oh god, she would pay.

Kelsey jumped up, her face a mask of fury. “No,” she dared to say. And then again. “No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” Her voice rose with each word, hysteria lifting it higher and higher. James felt his anger deepen with each repetition, and still she would not stop.

He reached to take his ungrateful babbling bitch of a wife in hand, but before he could act, she sprinted away from him, heading in the direction of the kitchen. He took off after her, easily catching her. He fell upon her, sending her crashing to the floor beneath him.

He got to his feet and hauled her upright. Picking her up, he threw her over his shoulder and carried her into the bedroom. Though he’d packed the beam ropes, the chains were still in place on the headboard of the bed. He threw her face down on the mattress and grabbed her wrists, quickly forcing them into the cuffs and then wrenching the chain tight to pull her arms taut.

Don’t punish in anger, a small voice insisted in his head, but his fury soon drowned it out. He’d been so certain she’d be thrilled with the rings and his plans. Her outright rejection was like a stinging slap in the face. She never loved you, you idiot, that annoying voice persisted. You stole her love, you hold her through fear. You have to stop this. You can’t go on.

Pain and fury thumped through his veins and beat in his ears like a drum drowning out that annoying, niggling voice. Kelsey was struggling in the chains, something she hadn’t done in months, and she was still chanting that infuriating single-word mantra—no, no, no, no, no, no! A proper obedient wife never said no to her husband. She had to be punished! She would never respect him if he let her get away with this flagrant disobedience.

He struck her bottom with his bare hand, needing to feel skin on skin. He hit her hard, as hard as he’d ever hit her, his palm landing with such force that it pushed her into the mattress. Kelsey howled with each blow, but at least she was no longer saying no. He hit her again and again and again, until his hand was stinging, his wrist aching. He hit her until his palm was numb. He hit her until her struggling ceased, and her cries had quieted to hoarse whimpers.

Finally he dropped his hand, startled to realize his own face was covered with tears. He reached for Kelsey’s cuffed wrists and released them. Gathering her into his arms, he carried her to the punishment closet and dumped her inside. “I’ll let you out when you’re ready to apologize,” he informed her. “You’ll need to ask me to please let you out, and tell me you’re sorry for being such a very, very naughty girl.”