Page 13 of Rockland

Her eyes flit to mine. Full of misplaced anger and dredges of fear. She’s shaking. Saying, “Just take the money and get the hell out.”

“You know that’s not going to happen, Tess.” When I say her name, she gives a little shiver. “I know you’re grieving, but you’ve crossed a hard line.”

She’s quiet now. I’ll start off soft.

I take her hand. I pull her toward the bed. I don’t give her time to think, to protest. I know what she needs. In seconds, I’ve got her pulled over my lap, her bottom perfectly perched over my thigh. I say, “Tess, you’re out of control.”

“Of course I am—I’ve just lost my husband—” Her shouting is cut off by her gasping breath. I’ve laid a single, hard smack on the center of her ass. The same spot I gave her a taste of my belt. She cries out, “Hey! That hurt!”

“As it should, young lady. The purpose of a spanking is to leave a naughty girl with a burning bottom that makes her consider the consequences of her actions.” I spank again, harder, right in the center of her left cheek. “You always needed more than you got.”

She squirms, crying out, “Who are you to say?”

I spank her right cheek, left cheek, right cheek, ensuring each smack is perfectly placed, perfectly timed. Each punishing spank bringing her right where I want her. I say, “That’s why you were spanked so often. You’ve never been punished thoroughly enough to make you truly consider your actions.”

“I’ve heard you whispering that behind my back, thank you very much. It was none of your business how your brother handled me!”

“It’s my business now.” I pepper her bottom with short, stinging spanks. She whines and moans and squirms over my lap. Her dress is inching up and I pull it back down into place—I’m a gentleman after all. Her hand comes behind her and she’s flailing it about to protect her bottom. I grab it in my wrist, pinning it to her lower back. I spank her harder, saying, “You know you need this.”

At that, a sob escapes her lips. A few more good hearty swats and the tension drains from her muscles.

I’ll not be so lenient next time, but for today, I’ve punished her enough. Especially since she’s never been properly spanked before. One more good smack and she’s right where I want her—lying limply over my lap, the fight drained from her. All her anger gone. I help her up and stand her before me. She looks down at me, those big brown eyes pitiful. She’s wiping her eyes, her full bottom lip pouting at me. She says, “You’ve punished me. You can go now.” Her beautiful face is blotched with pink. Her skin stained with her tears.

I swallow the lump in my throat. Hold her gaze though it makes a thick welling rise in my chest. When I speak, my voice is thick. I say, “I’ve made a vow. I obey the rules of the family and the Brotherhood. Bronson’s given me a command, and I will carry it out… to its fullest.”

I stand, the need to touch her, comfort her, suddenly overwhelming me. I choose to place my hands on her shoulders.

She says, “I don’t need you. I don’t need the Brotherhood. I only need—” Her words drop off. Her eyes are now soft, full of sadness and fresh, unshed tears.

Beneath the weight of my heavy hands, her shoulders begin to shake.

I know not what I do but somehow, now I’ve got her pressed against my chest. One hand pulls her toward me, flat against her lower back, holding her to me. My other finds her hair, stroking the soft red locks, smoothing them down. I feel her spine through the fabric of her dress, her fiery mane and ass.

From deep within my belly, the feeling arises.

One I’m all too familiar with.

One I only feel… whenever I’m alone with Tess.

Desire.

In the past I’d made it a point to never be alone with her. If ever we were at a family gathering, the two of us the last to leave a room, I’d feel the tug, the pang. It hurt so good. And made me feel as though I was losing my sanity. I’d exit as quickly as possible.

For she was always my brother’s wife.

And my inappropriate desires infuriated me to no end.

But now⁠—

I shove the welling deep within me. Where all my other emotions are buried.

I remember why I’m here.

My hands leave her. I try to step away. But then her doe-like eyes find mine. She’s absolutely lost in this world without him. She needs someone to be strong. To take her and make her forget about what she’s lost. Her hands go to my chest. Her lip trembles. She says my name. “Rockland.”

She’s always had a beautiful voice. It was the first thing that drew me to her. Low and husky and just so damn… sensual, though she doesn’t mean for it to be. Hearing her speak has always made me wonder what noises would arise from her if I were to⁠—

“Rockland.” She says it again and I’m watching her full lips as they wrap around the syllables of my name.