I took a step toward her, and she held out her hand. “Stop. Do not touch me.”

I ignored her request. This was my fucking yacht. She belonged to me. I wasn’t going to feel anything for her. She was my property. Not the other way around. She would do as she was told. I was so fucking angry, but not at her.

Ashley was … different.

I went to search for her. She was the one who had been thrust into our world without a second thought.

The moment her back hit the deck railing, I held myself still. She could throw herself overboard if I wasn’t careful.

“You’re not being a good girl,” I said.

“Fuck you.”

Gritting my teeth, I could see some of my men were watching. Her insolence wasn’t what I wanted to see.

“I suggest you come to me now or you will face consequences for your actions, Ashley.”

“You promised not to harm me.”

“I told you that being good will stop me from hurting you.”

She gripped the railing tighter. Her entire body was shaking. I was so angry right now. She refused to come to me.

I knew the moment she was going to run. The tension in her body. I sprang into action, stopping her from going anywhere. Capturing her in my arms, I kept her still.

“Let me go.” She let out a scream, but I couldn’t let her go.

She’d forced my hand.

I was a beast. I thrived on my reputation. Worked to keep it that way, so as I grabbed her, I sat, positioning her across my lap and bringing my palm across her ass.

At first, Ashley was wild as I took control. I slapped her ass, bringing down my palm, hitting her gorgeous cheeks. I kept doing this until all the fight left her, and she was nothing but a submissive woman across my lap.

I wasn’t a dominant man.

But I won’t be insulted. Not in front of my men or my staff.

She was so drained.

I didn’t like it.

Picking her up in my arms, I realized she was heavier because her body was more of a dead weight. She didn’t fight me, but I felt her entire body shake.

After carrying her to our room, I lay her on the bed and begin to remove her clothes. She didn’t fight me.

I didn’t like this.

She was a fighter by nature.

At times, Ashley didn’t realize how strong she was, but I could see it. I knew it. She had so much power, she didn’t even realize it. Once she was naked, I was tempted to leave her like that, but we’d already taken ten steps back.

For a while, Ashley won’t trust me, and it pissed me off that I had to do what I did. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her.

When a knock came on the door, I took the soup from the woman, thanking her. The moment I shut the door, I realized my mistake. I never thanked any of them.

Now, I was pissed off, but it wasn’t Ashley’s fault.

She sat on the bed, looking at me as if I was some kind of monster, and I was. I did this to her.

The truth was that I was saving her.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I held the bowl of soup and tried to feed her. She turned away.

Not speaking.

“Ashley, stop this.”

Silence.

After setting the spoon back into the bowl, I put it on the bedside table. She had to eat something. I wouldn’t have her sick on my watch.

I stood up and threw back the covers. I sat again and put a hand on the inside of her knee.

Silence still.

Slowly, I slid my hand up, staring into her eyes, waiting.

She jerked back, her hands going to the edge of the shirt I put on her. It was actually one of my shirts, and it completely dwarfed her. I loved seeing my clothes on her.

“Stop it.”

“Then how about we make a deal? You let me feed you, or you give me something else.”

“Why don’t you just take it?”

I ran fingers through my hair. She was starting to piss me off, but I got it. She was young and defiant.

“Ashley, you enjoyed my kisses earlier.”

“This isn’t about your kisses. This isn’t about anything to do with that. I can’t even believe I allowed myself to think that you and I, that this could work. You’re a … no, I don’t want to say it.”

“I’m not a monster, Ashley. I told you that.”

“You can dress it up how you want. That woman is supposed to be free.”

“So? You think I don’t understand how fucking shit life can be? You can judge me all you want to, Ashley. I’m not giving you her life, and truth be told, her life right now is fucking bliss. Some of the women have to spread their legs. She has to ride around on a yacht, serving. That’s her job. She gets to eat, work out, even fucking date my men. That’s my only request.”

Tags: Sam Crescent Crude Hill High Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net