He was far too strong and determined.
Finally, he deposited her on the bed of the guest room, dropping her onto it in a heap. She looked up at him, wiping strands of stray hair from her face. “You are a jerk, you know that? You’re nothing but a bully. A bully and a coward.”
His chest was rising and falling quickly from the exertion of carrying her, and his normally perfect hair was a tad mussed. If anything, he looked sexier than ever, Ivy decided.
And that only made her angrier. What right did he have to be so good looking, and why did he think that gave him the leeway to treat everyone else like dirt?
“You sit here and wait for me to come back,” he said, his eyes like stone.
“If you walk away, I’ll just leave. I’m not listening to anything you say.”
“Then I’ll carry you back in here,” he replied. “I’m certain you’ll tire of acting like a spoiled brat before I tire of picking you up and bringing you into the room again.”
She screamed and slammed her fists into the mattress. “I didn’t come here to be treated this way.”
“That’s exactly why you came here. Stop fooling yourself.” He shook his head slowly.
Ivy scoffed. “Stop fooling myself? That’s rich, coming from the most out of touch man I’ve ever met. You live in a bubble.”
He watched her soberly. “I’ve done you a grave disservice by allowing you to think we’re on equal footing here.”
“I’m not your pet. Or your student. Or your project. I’m a person,” she said, standing up. “Treat me like a person.”
“I’ll treat you exactly as you deserve.” Cullen stepped closer, moving like a cat, graceful, fast, his predatory instincts refined and devastating. “You know that I’m the one in charge. And your job is to listen.” His lips were so pink, so wet and soft.
This close to him, she felt herself weakening. Why was she so defiant? Ivy was having trouble remembering, struggling to keep her will, when really what she wanted was his kiss. His touch.
“I just wish—“ she began.
His hands shot out and gripped her waist. “You don’t get what you wish until you prove you can listen and obey. Then and only then, I make your wishes come true.”
Her nipples stiffened and her center moistened, as his strong hands held her in place. His breath was on her cheek, as she turned and met his confident gaze.
“You make it impossible,” she whispered.
“If it was easy, anyone could be in this position,” he replied. “But only you can be here with me, right now. You’re the one I wanted, Ivy.” His hand slid up her waist and then encircled her breast, squeezing, as she moaned.
Her eyelids fluttered. “I don’t know what’s happening to me anymore.”
“Good,” he said. “Then let me tell you.” He suddenly spun her around and pushed her towards the bed.
She cried out, losing her balance and falling into the soft mattress face first.
“Cullen,” she moaned, her cheek against the comforter. It smelled like fresh laundry, and she inhaled the scent. Somehow, she smelled him too. He’d handled this bedding himself.
“You’ve forced my hand,” Cullen announced from above. “I’m going to have to discipline you severely for your bad behavior.”
Ivy nodded, closing her eyes tightly. She was scared, but also excited. From the tone in his voice, she knew he was going to do something new to her.
They were entering uncharted waters.
Suddenly, she him pulling her sweatpants and panties down to her ankles as she lay on her stomach with her eyes closed.
And then there was the soft tinkling of what sounded like a belt buckle as he undid his belt. Was he taking his pants down? Was he going to fuck her?
She had no idea what was coming next.
When he spoke next, his voice was rigid, tense. “This will be painful,” he said. “But hard lessons are often painful. Do you consent to receiving your punishment?”
“Yes,” she said, clenching her fingers against the bedspread and keeping her eyes firmly shut.
“Good,” he replied, and then he grabbed her by her bare hips and pulled her so that she was hanging off the bed, her feet sliding into contact with the floor, as her ass stuck outwards.
“I’m scared,” she told him softly.
“It will be over quickly,” he replied.
And then she felt it, a whip crack followed by a sting, as his belt swung hard into her bare buttocks. She closed her eyes and grunted, gritting her teeth.
The sharp, stinging burn was intense, and tears sprang to her eyes.
“That was for questioning my decision to let you sleep in this room,” he told her. “You will not question my decisions, ever.”
“Yes, Sir,” she said, breathless. The sting was fading now.
And then it came again. A harsh jolting sting as he whipped the belt across her ass. She cried out, but the pain wasn’t quite as bad as she’d been anticipating.
It hurt, but it was bearable.