16. (JO POV)

(JO POV)

Sitting in the dining hall, the scene before me was unsettling. The vampire Dane clearly had issues with was treating his slave harshly, and the sounds of her distress filled the air. My butt still burned from Dane's discipline. The impact felt more intense, making me wonder if it was because we were in front of others or if he'd really popped me that much harder.

Despite my irritation with him, I had to concede he was right about insisting I wear the underwear. Without it, I would have been utterly exposed.

"Can we go back to the room yet?" I whispered to Dane. He leaned back deliberately, maintaining a distance between us, and responded, "In a few minutes, kitten." I cringed as Dominic's slave cried out again, and I thought I saw Dane's eyes soften just a bit.

"Do you want to sit in my lap, kitten?" he offered. I lunged toward him, and he caught me, positioning me so I faced the room but was securely in his lap. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, and I began to pout.