“Now. Where should we start?”

I was standing over the bed, surveying my handiwork. Michelle was on her hands and knees with her legs tied together at the knees and ankles. Her elbows and wrists were similarly tied.

The only good part about this situation was the fact that she was naked. And she looked so hot tied up like that, it was making it hard for me to be stern. But I had to. I had to make sure she understood.

I knew her position was precarious. I knew she was nervous. And I knew I was probably going to enjoy what was about to happen in a twisted way. That’s how upset I was.

I ran my hand over her smooth haunch and felt my cock lurch in response. She was so unbelievably gorgeous. I didn’t want to hurt her.

But she needed to be punished.

There had been another murder last week. An old school club guy from the Hell Raisers. But that wasn’t the scary part. His wife had been found a few days later, chopped up and burned like the rest.

In fact, her murder was more brutal than most of them. It took a particularly twisted fuck to hurt a woman, never mind torture her.

It was getting worse.

And it was getting closer.

Closer to the people I loved. Closer to Michelle. She had to be protected. She had to let me protect her.

That the killer went after a wife was showing just how far he would go. Families were considered sacred. Especially old ladies, grannies and kids.

This guy didn’t respect any of the unspoken rules.

Or human decency.

He was a twisted fuck and he might come after Michelle.

So I had to be firm. Harsh. Methodical.

I circled my palm on her juicy ass. Then I lifted it, and brought it down with a hard thwap.

She whimpered. I knew it stung. I also wondered it was making her wet. I slid a finger into her bare pussy just to be sure.

Jesus, she was soaked.

That was…. interesting.

I brought my hand down again and she moaned. That one was definitely pain and pleasure commingled. I wasn’t doing it hard enough to leave a mark, but her ass was turning a nice and rosy shade of red.

I spent a little time playing with her slippery wet pussy. Then I spanked her again. And again.

“Are you going to run off on me again?”

“I wasn’t running!”

I smacked her even harder this time. I used my hands to make my point. A hard slap between every word I said.

“Are you. Going to. Disappear like that on me again?”

“No!”

I rubbed her gorgeous ass as a reward.

“Are you going to trust that I have your best interests at heart?”

“Yes.”

I had my hand lifted and then I realized I didn’t want to spank her again. It was a little more rough than playful and I was angry enough that I was worried I might hurt her. But if she ever wanted to try it when I wasn’t upset… well, I would be more than interested.

Especially, considering how sopping wet her pussy was.

I pulled my pants off and lined my cock up with her silky folds. I put one hand on her ass and grabbed her hair with the other.

“Fuck!”

I grunted as I slid deep inside her with one thrust. I was going to fuck her hard. Later I’d be gentle. But I was still scared from finding the house empty. Still furious at how helpless that made me feel.

“Hmmm… Christ, Michelle, you shouldn’t feel this good.”

She whimpered as I pulled her hair back a little more, arching her back. She looked hotter than the fourth of July in that position.

Not that she didn’t ever look less than scorching.

For a long time the only sounds in the room were our flesh slapping together as I rode her hard. I had started out wanting to punish her with my cock. Now, I just couldn’t help myself.

I was fucking my heart into her. Fucking safety into her. Fucking my goddamn soul as far as I could get it into this perfect, precious woman.

The woman I loved.

“Fuckkk!”

I hissed as I started coming. It felt like a freight train full of lightening riding up my shaft and exploding into the best place on earth. Into her.

She was shaking and shivering all over my cock, coming hard. She was so wet that I was able to go faster and deeper than ever before.

Christ, I actually felt like I might pass out from the pleasure of her tight pussy creaming all over my cock.

She was still trembling when I pulled out a few minutes later. I didn’t want to. But I had to untie her.

I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable for even a second.

We lay there, tangled up in each other’s limbs as our bodies cooled and our breathing evened out.

I turned her to face me, pushing her hair away from her beautiful face.

“Are you still mad?”

“No babe. But we have to talk.”

“About what?”

“I want to make this official.”

“You do?”

I nodded slowly, running my fingers over her still trembling flesh.

“I want to marry you, Michelle. But you’ve got to let me keep you safe. Both of you. Okay?”

“Are you sure, Mason?”

“Yes, I’m fucking sure. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life. I fucking love you.”

She smiled suddenly and the room filled with light. My heart did too.

“Then yes, I will marry you, Mason Saint James. Because I love you too.”

I pulled her close and kissed her hard. As hard as I wanted. As often as I wanted. She was my woman now. And soon we’d make it permanent.

“Will you tell me why you were so scared?”

I sighed, rubbing her back.

“We’re partners now. I owe you that. But it’s not a happy story.”

Her eyes got really wide.

“And it’s not over yet.”

“Somebody wants to hurt you?”

“Not me exactly. But they killed Connor’s partner. A bunch of bikers. And they threatened Cassie.”

I took a deep breath.

“And last week, they killed one of the Raiser’s old ladies.”