Page 38 of Captive Audience

“Never.” She lifted her knee and slammed her heel onto the toe of my shoe.

I grunted in pain but didn’t release my hold. “Wrong answer.” Ithrew Asha over my shoulder and landed a firm slap on her arse. That really set her off cursing and kicking.

Strange. She’d enjoyed a wee spanking last night.

With renewed strength, her fists pounded against my back, and she snapped at me like a feral animal. “Let me go, you giant—oof.”

I tossed her onto the sofa and straddled her, pinning her wrists to her chest with one hand and clasping her jaw in a firm hold with the other. “You can stop this nonsense now. I’ve won.”

Although I was starting to think the only thing I’d achieved was pissing off a small, stubborn redhead.

“I hate you,” she spat, squirming beneath me.

“Noted.”

I’d known that was coming, and as much as I’d prepared myself to see the betrayal, distrust, and loathing in Asha’s eyes, it still hurt.

She had every right to feel that way. But God help me, some part of me still wanted her to trust me, even if I didn’t deserve it.

My phone rang. Keeping her hands restrained, I checked the screen. Aidan. Might be important.

“Can you be quiet, or do I need to gag you?” I pulled her lacy knickers from my pocket to show her. “With these.”

She turned her head away as though she couldn’t stand the sight of me, which I took to mean she’d behave.

I answered the phone on speaker. “Yeah?”

“Help me!” Asha yelled. “I’ve been—” I dropped the phone and covered her mouth while she raged beneath me.

I shook my head. “Christ almighty. You’re a fucking handful.”

“Do I want to know what that’s about?” Aidan asked from the phone, which was wedged between a cushion and a throw pillow.

“Probably not.”

“Just calling to let you know that I can hear you two fighting. Or fucking. Whatever it is you and Red are doing, it’s loud.” Aidan lived on the floor above, so I guessed the soundproofing wasn’t as good as I’d hoped. “Everything okay down there?”

“Everything’s grand. Just two newlyweds blowing off steam.”

Asha’s muffled protests continued. If looks could kill, her eyes would make my head explode.

“Since I know you didn’t marry the lass just to kill her, I assume it’s your new bride trying to murder you.”

“Something like that.”

“She sounds fun. Bring her to the gym, and I’ll teach her some moves to get the job done.”

Aidan might be my cousin and the person I trusted most in this world, but there was no way I wanted him or anyone wrestling with Asha on the mats.

“Not gonna happen.”

He chuckled. “Didn’t think so. If I don’t hear from you for twenty-four hours, I’ll do a welfare check to make sure Red hasn’t slit your throat.”

“Thanks for your concern, cuz, but I can handle this one.”

“Those sound like the famous last words of an overconfident fool. Enjoy your first night of marital bliss.” Aidan ended the call.

Time to deliver some hard truths to Asha.