Shoulda Been a Cowboy (Rough Riders 7)

Domini did squeak.

“But attention on this side elicits a throaty purr that makes my c**k hard as steel.” Cam scraped his teeth up the right side of her nape. “My fingers would stroke that sweet little clit. I’d fist the other hand in your hair so I can angle your neck however I please.” He threaded his fingers through her hair and lightly tugged. “And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

“Cam. Please.”

“Am I turning you on? Telling you how I plan on taking what’s mine?”

“Yes.” She needed him. Needed to feel that rush of pleasure only he could give her.

He growled. His grip increased on her hair. His right hand slid around her hip and stroked between her legs. Then he spread his big hand on her abdomen as he ground his erection into her ass. “Right. Fucking. Now.”

“Cam—”

“Huh-uh. I make the rules, you follow them.”

“We can’t—”

“Don’t force me to get rough, Domini.”

Oh how she’d love that. In private. “Stop.”

“You don’t want me to stop.”

True. Domini spoke firmly through the lust tightening her throat. “Please. Cam, no. Don’t. I’m—”

“Leave her alone!” Fast footsteps smacked behind them.

She felt Cam’s entire body stiffen as he was shoved hard into her. The sounds of slapping flesh followed.

“Don’t you hurt her!” Whack whack whack. “Don’t you touch her!”

“Whoa. Hang on—”

“No!” Anton shrieked. His fists connected with the side of Domini’s torso as he pummeled Cam.

“That’s enough!” Cam backed up.

“No!”

Domini spun around.

Cam tried to deflect Anton’s blows, but Anton was undeterred as he kept hitting him. Face cherry red, fury darkening his eyes.

“Anton—”

“Domini, stay out of this,” Cam snapped.

Anton resembled the Tasmanian devil, his limbs flailing as he attempted to corner Cam. He was repeating, “No, no, no.”

“Listen to me, Anton—”

“No!” he screamed and rushed Cam, putting his head down low, aiming for Cam’s groin.

The wounded animal wail coming from Anton ripped a hole in Domini’s heart. She slapped her hand over her mouth, forgetting about the water and suds covering her hands until liquid dripped down her chin.

Cam dodged Anton, and held the boy’s hands at his sides. When Anton tried to twist out of the hold, Cam pulled Anton’s wrists behind his back and kept a wide stance in case Anton started kicking.

“You done?” Cam said coolly.

Anton’s chest rose and fell as quickly as a trapped bird’s. He was crying in great big, gasping sobs. His hair covered his face.

Cam waited a minute and repeated, “Answer me. You done?”

Anton nodded.

“Good. Now I’m going to walk over to the chair and sit down. If I let go of your arms and you run, or try to hit or kick me again, and we’re gonna have a serious problem, understand?”

He nodded again.

Domini watched as Cam sat and brought Anton around to face him, not sure if she should get in the middle of it.

“What was that attacking me crap about?” Cam asked.

No answer.

“Anton. Look me in the eye and answer the question.”

Defiantly, Anton lifted his head. “You were hurting her. She said no, I heard her. And you didn’t listen, you just kept doing it! Just like him.” Tears tracked his face.

“Cam wasn’t hurting me, Anton,” Domini said softly.

Cam shot her a look that clearly said stay out of it.

“That’s what my mom said too, but she lied! He always hurt her, always, even when she said he wasn’t!”

What this poor boy had been through made her want to curl her body around his and protect him from the world. “Oh sweetling, it’s not the same…”

“Domini. Will you please let me handle this?”

“Fine.” But could Cam handle it? When he’d shown no interest in Anton whatsoever? Good or bad?

“First off, sport, I wasn’t hurting Domini. I’d never hurt her. Ever. We were just kinda goofing around like…you did with Ky a couple weeks back.”

Anton’s teary eyes were filled with skepticism.

“Second, not all men are like your dad. Most men aren’t like your dad. I’m not like your dad. Just because I’m big doesn’t mean I’m…well…mean. But I will not put up with any hitting in this house.”

Cam’s firm, yet gentle tone stunned Domini.

“So there will be consequences for your actions of taking after me. We clear on that?”

“Uh-huh.”

“The two of us are gonna take a walk. Wait on the back deck for me.”

Anton slunk out the sliding glass door without looking at Domini.

Her gaze connected with Cam’s and she knew he read every question in her eyes.

“Before you say a word, understand this, I won’t hurt him. I won’t berate him. But it’s time he learns how things are gonna go around here. It needs to come from me, not you, so I’d appreciate it if you’d give us some time.”

Cam left her staring after him. She thought she’d wanted him involved with Anton on a deeper level. Now she wasn’t so sure.

“Let’s head over to the corral.”

“I’m in trouble, huh,” Anton said quietly.

“Yep.”

Even Gracie was subdued as they traipsed along. When they reached the fence, Anton blurted, “Didja bring me out here so Domini won’t see you whippin’ me?”

Cam scowled at the kid. “I’m not gonna whip you.”

“You’re not?”

“No. When I said I won’t tolerate hitting in my house, I meant for everyone. Including me.”

“Oh.”

“Look. I ain’t gonna pretend to know what you were thinking when you saw me and Domini in the kitchen. It was a private moment between a husband and wife you misunderstood and I’ll leave it that.”

Silence.

“Now you wanna tell me what’s really goin’ on with you?”

More silence.

Shit. Cam had no idea how to do this. How did he get the kid to talk? About what? Or did he start right in on the lecture? Just as he was about to give up and detail specific punishment, Anton spoke so softly Cam struggled to hear it.