Page 12 of Filthy Little Lies

“Why?”

“Because it determines how much more of a punishment you’ll receive.”

My soul clenches.

“It’s not your business. I’m not your business. This whole thing is ridiculous.” I twist my neck enough to get a look at his expression.

Big mistake.

Fire burns in his eyes. Flames could shoot out at any moment.

“I’m making it my business.”

“But why?” The question comes out more of a whine. I can’t seem to get my brain and my body to align. Because as much as I want him to get off of me and let me leave, I also want him to kiss my neck again.

“Answer my question.” He moves back to my side, pressing the leather belt against my ass. “How many times have you run the scam?”

I blow out a breath. “I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t.”

His fingers spread across the small of my back, pressing me into the mattress. Hot pain crosses my ass as he brings the belt down again.

“How many years have you been doing it?”

He’s really going to hate this answer, so I keep quiet. But he’s not putting up with my silence and unleashes two more lashes.

“How many years have you been doing it?”

I grit my teeth. “The certificates of authenticity? Five.”

“Five?” He breathes out the question as though it surprised him. He doesn’t seem like the sort of man who surprises easily. “How old are you?”

I crane my neck to give him a look, but all I find is the dark storm of his gaze peering back at me.

“I’m twenty-five.”

“How many times have you been caught?”

“Counting this one?” I pause. “One.”

A flash of admiration crosses his features, but it’s gone in a blink.

“Can I get up now?” I move my hands from beneath me and press them into the mattress, but he shoves me back down.

“No. You cooperate better like this.” He runs his fingertips over a particularly tender spot on my left cheek. “You’re going to feel this in the morning.”

I hiss as his finger digs into my flesh.

“Is that your way of apologizing? Because it really sucks.”

“It’s not much of a punishment if the effects fade too fast. Every time you sit tomorrow you’ll remember this.” He drops the belt to the bed, shifting his weight over me again. “You’ll remember being bent over the bed, your bare ass high in the air, being spanked like the bad girl you were. And maybe you’ll think twice about misbehaving.”

I want to roll my eyes, but his lips press against my neck again. And his hand moves from my ass cheek to my thighs, dragging his nails across my skin until he dips between my legs.

If he keeps going, he’s going to see what a mess his punishment has made of me. I try to clamp my legs close, but his hand blocks me.

“Are you trying to hide something from me?” he asks at the same time as his finger glides through my soaked pussy lips. “Ah, this? Is this what you didn’t want me to see? How wet and hot you are?”

I clench my eyes closed, willing this entire fiasco to be a dream. When I open them, I’ll be home in my bed, with my dirty books on my nightstand and my vibrator in my drawer. That will explain how wet my panties are.