Chapter 55
As I stood before Aston, his anger making the air in the room ten times hotter than it actually was.
“Come here.” He said, ordering me to come closer and shut the door behind me as if being in the same room as him was not already terrifying enough. I was about to explode just standing in the same space as him.
My heart pounded hard as I carried out his instructions, the sound of the door clicking shut echoing ominously in the eerie silence of his st*d office. A ti*ny voice in my head screaming for me to run and get the hell out of his office before he would traumatize me and have me thinking about him for weeks.
My senses were screaming for me to get the hell out of his reach but for some s**d reason best known to the goddess and my godforsaken feet that refused to move, I was still standing right here in his office, co to him. The tiny people in my head that kept me company wondering what he would do next. What he would say.
Was he mad? Maybe. He looked mad but how could I be sure. He always looked like that. (At least not when we had sex.)
He closed the distance between us, his presence looming over me like a dark cloud as he caged me against the door, his arms on either side of my head.
“Where were you?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.
I swallowed hard, my cheeks flushing with a mixture of fear and embarrassment even though I had nothing to be embarrassed about.
“I-I was with Brax,” I said trying to sound confident but end up stuttering, my gaze fixed on the floor.
“He took me to see a waterfall.” I added from no reason at all. I don’t know why I felt the need to run my mouth to someone who was already mad enough as it was. I really did like to plan my own death, didn’t I?
Aston’s eyes darkened, his jaw clenching in fury. “Who gave you the right to leave the mansion with anyone but me?” he growled, his breath hot against my face. His words were somewhat confusing seeing as there was no such rule on who I left the palace with. Although, one would think it was kind of a given seeing as I was his prisoner but it circumstances were different and that had to be considered. It was not like I went out on my own either. I went out with his brother who may not be as powerful as he was but was still of royal blood and had the right to make such decisions. He might not be as powerful as he was but he was still of royal blood.
“Answer me!” he barked, the vein at the side of his head throbbing almost at the same rate with my heart and racing really fast.
My eyes widened, taken aback by the intensity of his anger. I was not expecting him to get so mad, it was not the first time I was spending time with Brax.
“I-I didn’t know it was a problem,” I managed to say, my voice trembling. “I thought it would be okay since I was with Brax.” I responded innocently. I genuinely thought that I hoped that he would be able to see so too.
Aston’s grip on the door tightened, his knuckles turning white.
“That only makes it worse,” he snapped, his tone icy. “You are mine, Kira. My *s* and no one else’s. I forbid you from leaving the mansion with anyone but me. Do not make this, mistake again.” He growled not mincing a single word. Each word coming out of his mouth, icy and cold.
His words sent a shiver down my spine, the reality of my situation crashing down on me once more. I was terrified but I felt something else underneath too, something I was yet to give a name to. Something that I had a feeling was the only reason that I was still sane and alive.
I was his property, bound to obey his every command. “I-I’m sorry” I whispered, my eyes pleading to just get the hell out of the room. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” I told him but my words had no effect on him whatsoever. His expression hardened even more.
Aston’s hand moved to my throat, his fingers circling it with a possessive grip that left me gasping hard for air.
I gasped, my breath catching as I looked up at him, my eyes wide with fear. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my ear, the heat of his body making the hair at the back of my neck stand firm.
“Apologies won’t do, Kira. You must be punished for your disobedience.”
Panic surged through me, my mind racing with images of the painful punishments I had endured since my arrival at this hellish place. I couldn’t bear to experience that again.
“P-please,” I begged, my voice barely a whisper. “I’ll do better, I promise. Please don’t hurt me.” I did not give a shit about my pride, I just didn’t want to be beaten up because I could do serious damage to myself and as tiring as life was for me, I did not want the end of my life to be after a thorough beating from the man that was supposed to be my mate.
Aston rolled his eyes, a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he pulled me away from the door, his grip on my arm firm. “Oh, I won’t hurt you, Kira. At least, not in the way you think.”
He guided me towards the table, his intentions becoming clearer with each step. I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. “No, please,” I begged, my voice desperate. “I’ll do anything. Please don’t do this.” I pleaded but it only fell on deaf ears. Aston was not the kind to put a pin on something that he wanted to do just because someone was pleading, especially not if that someone was me.
“You brought this upon yourself,the growled, pushing me over the table, my face pressed against the cold surface of his wooden table.
“Now, you’re going to be a good girl and take your punishment.”
I felt his hand on my lower back, the other lifting the hem of my dress, exposing my vulnerable flesh. Humiliation burned in my chest as I realized what he intended to do. “I-I can’t,” I whimpered, my eyes squeezed shut. I tried to wriggle myself out of his grip but his grip was too strong and I was sure as hell it was leaving a mark on my wrists. There was no slipping out of his grip either. Where was my sweat when I needed it? Where the hell was it!
“I can not do this, punish me some other way, any other way. Not this. I can’t!” I practically screamed but just like my last attempt at a plea, it fell on deaf ears.
“You will,” Aston commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. “And you will count after each one.”
I flinched as his hand came down hard on my bare skin, the sharp sting sending a wave of pain through me. “One,” I choked out, tears springing to my eyes.
Again and again, Aston’s hand made contact with my bare flesh, each strike more painful than the last. I counted aloud, my voice trembling as I fought back the tears that threatened to choke me. The humiliation of my position, bent over the table and at his mercy, was almost as unbearable as the physical pain.
As the punishment continued, I felt my resolve crumbling, my body trembling with a mix of pain, fear, and something else I couldn’t quite place. My mind drifted to Brax, the kindness he had shown me, and the safety I had felt in his presence. How could two brothers be so different? How could such evil co exist with such a peaceful man?
I felt pity for Brax for being related to Aston but what I needed to be feeling right now was pity for myself because his slaps only got harder by the minute. I was grateful for one thing though and it was that he didn’t pull my pants down completely, just enough to slap my butt cheeks.
He would have seen how moist it was between my thighs and I would never be able to live it down. It had to be some kind of malfunction with my body. I couldn’t possibly be turned on by the feel of pain that he was inflicting on me.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Aston’s hand stilled. I remained bent over the table, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I struggled to regain my composure. I could feel Aston’s gaze on me, his stare heavy with unspoken words that I would rather he kept unspoken.
“I hope you’ve learned your lesson,” he said, his voice softer now. “I don’t enjoy punishing you, Kira. But I must maintain order in this house.” He said like his words were supposed to make it sore a** feel better.