I brace my hands on the open ledger, the afternoon light slanting across words that blur under my gaze. Owen's broad frame blocks the window now, his uneven stride silent since he reached me, and the weight of his palm at the small of my back tells me exactly what he intends in this shadowed study.
He speaks the order to stay still. My skirts rise to expose the birthmark on my thigh while the unlocked door stands ready for any servant who might witness the discipline that keeps me bound to him. I cannot step away from the only safety I have found.
I wait for the first strike, knowing it could save or destroy us both.
