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Colton looked at her hard. “He forced you?”

She shuddered, wrapping her arms around her middle to hold in what was left of her ever since that night. “He…had my skirt up. And m-my panties down.”

“Jesus fucking Christ.”

“He wasn’t going to use a condom. Said he would pull out. All the girls he’d been with let him pull out. I struggled, and he…”

Colton’s jaw flexed. “What did he do, Meadow?”

“He slapped me.”

One of Colton’s hands flew off the wheel. His fist wavered in the air for a moment before he settled it on his thigh, still clenched.

“I started fighting him. He was laughing. He started to push inside me when…” She trailed off.

Colton didn’t urge her to continue. The rest of the story flooded out.

“Forest burst into the room. He saw me on the bed with Landon on top of me. He pulled him off and beat him to a pulp. He broke his nose and his eye socket. His mouth was a mess. He couldn’t talk for a month afterward.”

“Forest saved you.”

“Yes. And he made me promise—swear to him—that I’d wait to have sex with someone who loved me. He told me to wait for him to meet the guy and see if he was truly worthy of me.” She gulped. “But now Forest is dead, Colton. He’s never coming back to give his stamp of approval, and I just have to move on from this!”

He was quiet for a long time while she collected herself. Over the years, she’d gotten skilled at picking up the shattered pieces of herself and shoving them back inside, even if the edges still cut. She did that now, while he drove on.

The ranch wasn’t far away, and most of her haze from alcohol had worn off the instant he threw her over his lap and spanked her. Funny how when Colton jerked up her skirt, it was nothing like when that bastard Landon had.

It was just…so hot.

She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. Everything about the man screamed of anger, danger and badassery.

From the minute he confessed to her father that he was the reason Forest was dead, she’d wanted him. For his strength and determination.

Forest knew these traits in his friend, and he’d sent him to the Gracey Ranch, where those traits would both be tested and needed.

Oh yes, she wanted Colton Nox. The scorching imprint of his hand on her ass throbbed. So did her pussy.

She would never again go after any random man to claim her virginity. She was going to do whatever it took for Colton to be her first.

Chapter Four

One difference between a military barracks and a bunkhouse was the abundance of hot water. It sluiced over Colton’s head and neck to wash down his knotted spine.

His back wasn’t the only thing that was tense. His cock hadn’t gone down since the minute he put Meadow in the truck.

He slicked his hands over his skull. Christ. What the hell was he thinking, putting her over his knee that way, drawing up her skirt and spanking that ass of hers?

He couldn’t shake the vision of how her thick, round ass jiggled when he slapped it. Or her pale skin darkened in the shape of his palm by the time he was done.

With a groan, he twisted away from the shower spray, but nothing would erase the image of that wet patch on the crotch of her thong panties.

God, he wanted to rip those off her curvy body and play with her pussy. Edging her until she was in tears, begging to be allowed to come while promising him that she’d learned her lesson.

He wouldn’t give in, not until he knew for damn sure that she did learn that lesson.

Then he wanted her on her knees, showing him how sorry she was. Then, and only then, would he let her come.

And only around his cock.