The words are barely out of my mouth before she bolts, throwing the blanket off and scrambling toward the closed bedroom door so fast she’s a blur, all dark hair and flowing white cotton gown. She gets to it. Her hand closes over the doorknob. But before she can open it, I strap an arm under her breasts and lift her, tossing her back onto the bed.

“I don’t think so, Mercedes.”

“Judge, I—”

She takes one look at me as I eat the space between us and lets out a yelp, flipping onto hands and knees to scurry across the bed.

I grab an ankle, tug her back and drape myself over her.

“You what?” I say, fisting her hair and turning her head enough so I’m sure she can see me. “Tell me, Mercedes. You what?”

“I… How…”

I raise an eyebrow. “How did I find you? The better question is how did you think I wouldn’t?” I get off her, keeping her pinned with a hand at her back and tugging the nightgown up to her waist. I smack her ass, and she yelps. “That’s just the start, little monster.” Smack. Smack. Smack. I tug her panties down and do it again, three more on the other cheek.

“Let me go!” She kicks her legs, twists and turns as I slide her onto my lap and let loose on her ass, spanking hard enough to leave big red handprints. “It hurts! Stop!”

“What the fuck were you thinking?” I ask over the blows.

“Stop! Judge!”

She’s half on her side, trying to escape me while she pulls at the nightgown to cover herself.

“When did you get so fucking modest?” I ask as I rip the fabric away and trap her legs between mine to spank her again, concentrating on her thighs.

“Please! You don’t understand!”

“I don’t fucking understand? Me? Do you have the first clue what I’ve been through?”

She doesn’t answer.

“Do you?” I spank again, and she cries out.

“It hurts!”

“That’s the fucking point, princess.” I flip her onto the bed and lift her to her knees. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through? I thought Vincent Douglas fucking kidnapped you! I thought it was him who destroyed your condo and took you. But you’re a good actress. I’ll give you that.”

“It wasn’t…”

“Very realistic.”

“I swear I—”

I push the goddamn fabric of the too long nightgown away and smack again. “That’s how red your ass will stay for the foreseeable future. Spread your legs.”

“Judge, I—”

“Spread your goddamn legs.”

She does, taking her knees wide. She’s on her elbows, looking straight ahead. I take her in. Open. Exposed. She looks back at me.

“Face forward.”

“Judge, I can explain.”

“I said face fucking forward!” I hear how I sound. How angry. How not like myself.

“Judge?”