Page 137 of Salvage Him

He stumbled backward as his hand flew up. He glared, his face immediately turned red where Ihithim.

Heturnedaway.

Isighed.

The sound rang in my ears before his handconnected.

The back of his hand landed on my cheek, and the pain exploded behind my eye. One second, I was standing, and the next, I was on the ground. My hands shielded my face as I curled my legsunderme.

"Fuck." Paul cursed under his breath. He knelt downbesideme.

"You don't leave this apartment unless I tell you to. You don't talk to anyone without my permission." Paul leaned down and pushed my hair away from my face. "You are mine, and I'm not going to let you go. Do youunderstandme?"

I looked up at him through blurred vision and anger that made my body sweat and mystomachroll.

"Say you understand,"hesaid.

Inodded.

Paul touched my shoulder, and I shruggeditoff.

He stood up and walked toward the bedroom. He stopped in thedoorway.

"This should be a lot of fun for you, baby. After all, you get off on men telling you what to do." Paul grinned, wiggled his eyebrows, and lefttheroom.

* * *

Harrison

"Why are you so antsy?" Justinasked.

"I'm not." I pressed on my right leg to keep it from bouncing. We boarded the private jet early, and I was looking forward to getting back to Brooklyn. She didn't answer her phone last night or this morning, and itbotheredme.

"You'll be home with your woman in no time." Justin slapped me onmyback.

I tried to relax. I closed my eyes and pictured her. The smile she would have on her face would be worth it. I had a special day planned. I would go to the house and make sure my guys had set up her office correctly. I told her not to pick me up from the airport because Leanne's baby shower was today. It would be over by four o'clock, and I planned to have her naked and strapped to my special chairbyfive.

When we landed,I sent her a text. Again, noresponse.

I drove over to my apartment, changed, and grabbed some stuff. I headed over to the house. It was perfect. I owed the guys a bonus for getting the stuff done inrecordtime.

The place was almost move-in ready. It needed some final touches, Brooklyn's final touches and furniture. We needed more than a wooden chair and a custom madebondagebed.

I checked my watch and my phone every few minutes. I couldn't imagine why she wouldn't call or textmeback.

I drove over to Highland Park Village. We had planned to meet at a burger place she loved so much. I hoped she wouldn't mind. We were getting ittogo.

"Hey, Harrison." The hostess greeted me. "You want atable."

"No. I'll wait at the bar. Brooklyn should be here any minute." I took the steps up to the bar, two atatime.

"Okay. I'll tell her where to find you." Shenodded.

"Thanks."

I sat at the bar and sipped a beer, flipping through my phone. Maybe it needed a reboot. I turned it off and then turned it back on. When it came back on . . . nothing. No calls, nomessages.

I inhaled and exhaled. I was overreacting. She was at the party, enjoyingherself.