Page 36 of Built for Mercy

“It’s getting late, Mav,” I said softly. “And I know what this is.”

“Yeah? So, what is it?”

I paused my task and turned to face him. “It’s a hookup. I won’t overstay my welcome.”

Maverick laughed in disbelief and threw his legs over the side of the bed. “Come here.”

I bristled. “I really shouldn’t—”

“I saidcome here.” His tone shifted to that more demanding one, the one that worked itself into the pit of my stomach and reminded me that my backside was sore. That I would certainly be punished again if I didn’t listen to him.

I came to a stop in front of him, and his hands immediately took hold of my hips. The way he was staring at me was nearly enough to bring me to my knees. So reverently. Like I held the stars in my hands.

It was a dangerous look—it could give a girl hope if she wasn’t careful.

“Sophie,” he said gently. “First of all, don’t tell me you really think this is just a hookup. You feel this is something else, too. Right? I can’t be the only one?”

Oh God.

My chin dipped in acknowledgment.

“Great. Second, you’re fucking crazy if you think I’d let you leave with your ass still bright red. It’s a great color on you, don’t get me wrong, but you’re not racing out of there like a bat out ofhell before I can give you proper after care. And third, you’re not going across state lines at this hour. You’re staying here.”

The lump in my throat dissolved. So he wasn’t pushing me away.

“Besides, you need to talk about what made you cry when I spanked you.”

That made me exhale sharply. “No, I don’t.”

Maverick pulled me closer and moved his hands over my ass, slipping his fingers into the garter to slide it over my hips, my stockings following.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting you more comfortable,” he answered simply, lifting each foot one at a time to slip them off, before rising. He towered over me, more so now that my heels were off. Stepping around me, he opened a dresser drawer and pulled a plain black shirt out. “Arms up.” I obeyed, and he slipped the soft material over my head and guided me back to the bed. “Lie down on your stomach. And don’t argue,” he added when he saw me open my mouth.

Fighting the urge to grumble, I did as he asked and rested my cheek on my forearm. Maverick disappeared into his adjoining en-suite and emerged moments later with a bottle of lotion. He left me no time to wonder as he lifted the back of the shirt and began gently messaging my tender backside.

My eyes fluttered closed at the gentle act, appreciating all he was doing for me. He was taking a sledgehammer to my expectations and crumbling my walls faster than I’d have liked.

He was right. He was the kind of scary that would mess with my head.

18

Maverick

My hands moved over Sophie’s ass carefully so I didn’t hurt her. The red handprints, as beautiful and sexy as they were, had to be sensitive.

Yet she took the punishment like a pro. I didn’t go easy on her—though I was certain I was the first man to spank her—and that made it even more impressive.

“Tell me what made you cry,” I murmured, moving to massage her lower back. She let out a small moan at the pressure, and I got the sense that she didn’t get this kind of treatment often.

I’d have to fix that.

With a resigned sigh, she finally spoke. Which was a relief, because she’d been awfully quiet since the second time we’d fucked.

“At first it was from the pain. Then… it wasn’t. I liked it.” Another sigh, one that brought a small smile to my lips and cracked open my frozen heart. “I don’t know if I should feelashamed by it or not. It doesn’t seem like something I should enjoy.”

My hands moved up her spine to massage her shoulders and neck. “Youshouldenjoy it. That’s why you have a safe word, so if you aren’t enjoying it, we stop. Like I told you earlier, I’ll push your limits, but I will never cross them. For a minute there, I was scared you just didn’t use your safe word and you’d never look at me again.”