We Live Beneath

Chapter 21.

© All Rights Reserved. 2013

I shrugged off his touch, I was angry, hurt, and demoralized. I was lashed across my bare ass in front of - not only him but his brother too. What was this? A circus, was I a side show attraction? Jesus, I wanted to crawl into a black hole and let it swallow me below in its grips of darkness. I'd much rather be there, suffering alone, then to be shuffling back into my clothes while Maddox Lawson watched. He apologized but, why? Did it matter? it wouldn't take back the embarrassment I had just gone through. I looked at him as I rubbed my arm where he had touched it gently, not quite knowing what to say.

"I know you think I'm an asshole Ms. Brooks but that's how we rule over women, its part of our culture and you are part of it as well."

I sucked in my bottom lip to softly chew on it, I didn't have any words for him. He sigh and sat down behind his desk, he lightly drummed his fist over the top of it.

"You can go now, if you wish."

He says.

I stand for a moment, my butt or legs weren't sore, that part of me was fine. It was my pride that had been badly beaten and I somehow wanted to get it back - reclaim control. I walked around so that I was at the side of his desk, he turned in his chair to face me, even though he was sitting, he was still large and looked as though he could still hurt me - if he wanted, from that position.

"Were you jealous, is that why you did it?"

My voice was husky, I didn't mean for it to sound so seductive but it just happen to come out that way.

"Yes."

He answered truthfully. I licked my burning lips, I couldn't stop thinking of his touch, my eyes scaled over his hands, examining how large they were and how manicured they looked.

"They are rough."

He corrected me, pulling them from his lap and to his sides where they were no longer visible.

"Like you?"

He was rough, so fucking rough, his strong hand came down on me tonight and I needed something to extinguish the fire that burned inside of me.

"I'm only rough when I need to be, I can be gentle Ms. Brooks a man doesn't always need to be forcible."

I smiled, and without thinking I crawled into his lap and straddle him, I wasn't sure what I was doing, instinct had long taken over.

"Touch me."

I purred wrapping my arms around his thick muscular neck. His body was hard like steel and I couldn't stop myself from unbuttoning his white dress shirt - just enough to expose that sculpted chest of his, I lightly ran my fingers across his tattoo. Our eyes joined one another, I leaned in pulling down the starch collared shirt and kissed his neck.

"Wait.."

He exhaled. Then continued..

"Before we do this; I need to know something.. Do you love him?"

"Lawson?"

I asked a bit confused.

"Yes Ms. Brooks, my brother."

I stilled myself in his lap, it shouldn't take me this long to answer a question like this one. So why was it damnit? My mind raced trying to come up with some kind of answer, I wasn't completely sure how I felt about my Ex Prosector and it bugged the shit out of me. Maddox stood me to my feet, something typical of what I was expecting to happen, no one wanted a virgin. He paused a moment, then laughed, causing me to shoot my vision up at him, god his laugh was amazing.