PS02 - Without Regret (37 page)

quickly and hadn’t even got in a single thrust in. She wanted to comfort him, explain that with practice he’d get better, but she

didn’t think he’d appreciate her mentioning it since he sure as hell hadn’t. Then of course there was the problem she was

having with controlling her jealously and rage at the thought of him with any other women.

She really didn’t like the idea of another woman looking at him, never mind touching him. Every time she thought about him

being with another woman she felt like killing something which actually really frightened her since she really wasn’t a violent

person. The crazy thing was that she didn’t even like Chris.

Okay, she liked him, enjoyed being with him when he wasn’t being a jerk and felt safe with him. He was her captor and she

should flat out hate him, but she couldn’t.

The way she felt about him, the way her body responded at just the sight of him and the panic she felt when she was away from

him only backed up his claims that they were connected. Hell, she felt connected to him, even more so since they’d had sex. It

was frightening and just another reason for her to get the hell away from him.

“Planning to make your big escape now?” he asked dryly, looking bored, but she didn’t miss the way he watched her every

move.

“You got me. While you’re devouring my breakfast I’m going to make a run for it on less than six bucks,” she said, sticking her

tongue out at him.

“You’ve got ten minutes, Munchkin,” he said, turning his attention back to her food, but she didn’t miss the playful smile on his

face. She liked when he smiled and took a break from being too damn serious. She might not know him all that well, but she

knew without a doubt that the man was under too much stress.

It made her cringe to know that she was going to be adding to all that stress soon. Not today. No, today and probably tomorrow

she was going to set up her new life via computer. She needed to create new ID’s, transfer her money and figure out where

she’d like to hide out for a while. Somewhere tropical sounded nice, as long as their internet wasn’t slow and there was plenty

of chocolate and Coke.

“I only need five,” she said as she walked towards the door, surprised that he wasn’t following after her. Then again she hadn’t

grabbed her oversized duffle bag or chocolate so he was probably confident that she was coming back. He probably forgot

about the two grand she had in her pocket and could use to get the hell away from him, but she wouldn’t. As long as he planned

on staying here she would stay with him for protection and to get her plans in order, but the second he tried to drag her out of

here and towards a future of isolation she was making a run for it.

Two minutes later she was standing in front of the large soda machine that dared to eat her money and deny her, her precious

Coke. How dare it? she thought as she jiggled the money return slot.

Nothing.

“Oh, come on,” she said, juggling the slot harder.

“Need some help, sweetheart?” a man asked, barely drawing her attention away from glaring at the damn machine that was

denying her her much needed caffeine fix.

She looked over her shoulder to find a large man, but then again every man was larger than her, with slicked forward blonde

hair openly eying her ass like it was his favorite candy.

“I’m fine, thanks,” she said, hoping he’d just go away and leave her to beat the shit out of the soda machine in peace, because

that’s what it was about to come down to. If it didn’t give her an ice cold twelve ounce can of Coke and soon she was going to

beat the crap out of it.

“Let me help you,” he said smoothly as he put his hand on her lower back and prompted her to move aside only to slide down

to her bottom and squeeze, hard.

“Hey!” she said, turning around and slapping his hand away, which might have been a mistake since it gave him a view of the

front. His eyes locked on her breasts and stayed there as he reached for her again.

“Stop!” she said, slapping his hands away.

“Don’t be like that, sweetheart. I’m just trying to help you,” he said, chuckling.

“Well, I’m all set, thanks,” she said, deciding she’d have to figure out another way to get her much needed caffeine fix and

headed for the door only to find it blocked by bastard.

“Why are you in such a hurry to leave?” he asked in what he probably thought was a charming tone, but really grated on her

nerves.

This wasn’t the first time some guy thought he could have a little fun with her because of her breasts and figure. For whatever

reason some men took one look at her figure and thought she was easy. She wasn’t. She had to feel comfortable with a man

before she even let him hold her hand and that wouldn’t happen if the man ogled her.

She hated the way some men looked at her and treated her. They thought that just because she had big breasts that she should

work at a strip club and welcome their wondering hands. She remembered the first time some guy had tried to touch her. She’d

been fourteen and he had to have been in his mid-thirties. He tried to corner her in an alleyway and thankfully she’d been able

to outrun him.

“Why don’t the two of us go up to my room and get to know each other a little better, huh?” he suggested as he reached out to

take her hand into his.

She moved back and out of reach, trying not to panic as she looked around for another exit out of the small room, but there was

none.

“My husband might have a problem with that,” she said, wishing Chris hadn’t trusted her and insisted on coming with her. She

could really use the big jerk’s muscles right about now.

The man shrugged reaching out for her and snatching her wrist. “What he doesn’t know won’t bother him,” he said, tightening

his hold on her wrist to the point of pain and yanked her forward.

“Stop!” she cried as he leaned over to kiss her.

Just before his lips met hers he was yanked back from her with a hard jerk and flying across the room. He slammed into the

wall and crumbled to the floor with a pained moan. Swallowing hard, she looked back towards the door to find Chris standing

in the doorway looking ready to kill someone and she was very much afraid that that someone was going to be her, judging by

the glare he was sending her.

Without a word he took her hand in his and yanked her out of the vending machine room.

“What about my Coke?” she demanded, needing her caffeine fix now more than ever.

He ignored her, which would have pissed her off if she wasn’t actually worried that she was finally going to be on the

receiving end of that spanking that he kept promising her. Her ass ached just thinking about it.

She didn’t want a spanking and she sure as hell didn’t want to find herself handcuffed to the toilet for the next couple of days. If

he tried to do either one of those things she was going to make a run for it that’s all there was to it.

“Maybe we should take the elevator,” she suggested when he dragged them towards the stairwell. Not that she couldn’t handle

the stairs, but she felt the odds of having a witness or two were greater in the elevator.

Either he didn’t hear or her or didn’t care, because he kept up his stride towards the stairs, practically ripped the door open

and pulled her inside. When she hesitated to go up the stairs, because frankly she really was in no rush for a sore ass and

whatever else he had planned for her, he let of her hand, grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder.

“I can walk!”

But again he ignored her and took the steps two at a time, leaving her rather impressed and even more nervous. Whatever he

had planned for her, he was eager to get started.

“Look, you’re obviously mad about something and I think that maybe we should sit down and talk this over.

Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?” she asked brightly, hoping it would help convince him.

Still he said nothing. Once they reached their floor he stormed out of the stairwell and carried her to their room. She grabbed

the waist of his jeans and raised herself up so that she could look around the hall and hopeful spot someone she could beg to

help her. Of course with her luck there was no one.

Her mouth went dry when he slammed their hotel room door shut behind them. This was it, she thought trying to mentally

prepare herself for what was about to happen, but couldn’t. How exactly did one prepare for a spanking, she wondered as he

dropped her on her feet.

“Take your shoes off,” he said tightly, as he yanked his sneakers off and tossed them to the side.

“Why?” she asked him warily as she discretely tried to back away from him.

“Because I’m going to teach you how to fight. Now move your ass, Munchkin, before I change my mind.”

Chapter 31

“Stop laughing! I’m trying to kick your ass here!” Izzy said, obviously trying not to laugh and sound stern as she tightened her

hold around his waist and tried to pull him to the ground.

“Do you want some help?” he asked, enjoying himself more than he ever thought possible, which was actually funny since he’d

come close to killing someone not even an hour ago.

He shouldn’t be laughing and enjoying himself. He should still be pissed and needing to take his rage out on someone or

something, but his little Munchkin soothed him in a way he never thought possible. If anything he should be really pissed that

she was playing around and not taking this seriously, especially since it pissed him off that she couldn’t fight and some fucking

human male had put his hands on her, because she’d been helpless to stop him.

Never in his life had he wanted to kill someone more than that son of a bitch who dared to put his hands on his mate, his wife.

He wanted to tear the bastard apart and probably would have if he hadn’t felt the need to get Izzy out of there and somewhere

safe. It was an urge he couldn’t ignore and one that confused the shit out of him. She was his in every way that mattered and her

safety had been his only concern.

After he’d seen her helpless and cornered by that asshole he knew that he couldn’t depend on those entrusted with her care to

be there every second of the day to make sure nothing happened to her. She needed to be trained whether or not her abilities

surfaced.

Surprisingly she was learning, quickly. She might be laughing and being playful with him, but she was learning and for the first

time in years he was truly enjoying himself.

Working with his father was great. He loved his father, loved spending time with him and sparing with him, but it was always a

job to him. Something he had to do to be the best and keep his family safe. It hadn’t always been like that. Back in the beginning

when his father started to teach him he’d loved it. He had a great time with Ephraim. They laughed, they joked and he’d

enjoyed every minute of it.

Everything changed after he was shot. Workouts became a way to get his body back under his control.

Sparing with his father or anyone for that matter was a way to get his skills up and his job became everything in his world.

He’d stopped hanging out with his friends, didn’t watch television, play video games with his brother, or do any of the typical

teenage bullshit that Jill and Joshua did. He took every fucking thing in his life seriously.

With his Munchkin he felt alive, carefree and happy.

He knew he was being a selfish bastard by allowing himself to enjoy being with her since he was going to be the one to send

her away the first chance that he had, but he couldn’t help himself. He loved the way she smiled, the little growl she made

when she was about to “attack” him and the way she was playful even as she did whatever he asked.

“I want to try and flip you over my shoulder again,” she announced, practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

“Okay, but do you want me to show you how to do it again first?” he asked, placing a hand on top of her head to keep her still.

“Yes!” she said, laughing as she moved behind him and climbed onto the small coffee table so that she could wrap her arm

around his neck.

He waited until she stopped moving before he started.

“Are you ready, Munchkin?”

“Yes!” she said excitedly and he couldn’t help but smile.

Izzy wasn’t his first student, but she was definitely his favorite. When his father asked him to teach Jill how to fight, because

the big pushover couldn’t stomach the idea of hurting his little girl he’d made damn sure that his sister could protect herself in

any given situation.

Of course she made damn sure that he knew he was a bastard each and every day that she left the basement limping, bruised

and cursing up a storm that often got her in trouble with their grandmother, but by the time he was done with her she knew her

shit and he didn’t have to worry about her, much.

The same thing happened when his father asked him to teach Madison how to fight, because the bastard couldn’t hurt his wife,

that and every attempt to teach her apparently ended with the two of them tearing their clothes off each other. He’d been more

than happy to teach her and she’d been more than happy to go for his throat the few hundred times he’d pissed her off.

Joshua had been his most eager student. For years he’d watched Chris spar with their father and they let him play around a time

or two. His brother at fifteen had come into the basement cocky as hell and left bruised, bloodied and trying not to cry as he