Read When I'm With You Part IV for Free Online

first, she noticed no change in the animal’s pace, but it began to enter her awareness that he slowed. The sound of Kesara’s clattering hooves drew nearer, mixing with the sound of Jax’s ragged pants. He was tiring. He slowed to a fast trot. She heaved a sigh of relief, easing some of the brutal pressure she’d placed on her thigh muscles. She pulled on the reins and Jax finally responded, slowing even more.
    The horse came to a halt. She remained bent over, panting, holding the reins in a death grip. She heard Kesara and Lucien come up beside them and come to a stop.
    â€œLucien?” she asked shakily a moment later when she felt his body brush her leg. She could just make out his tall shadow from the weak starlight. He put his hand in front of hers on the reins. Jax pranced and her heart again leapt into her throat.
    â€œWhoa,” Lucien said in a low tone. Jax calmed, and Elise wondered if Lucien wasn’t patting his hindquarters with his talented hands, soothing him.
    â€œTake your foot out of the stirrup,” he said.
    She did what he said. He grabbed ahold of the pommel, and the next thing she knew he was straddling the saddle behind her, his large body reassuringly solid and warm behind her. Without comment, he firmly took the reins from her and chirruped. Jax slowly turned in the path.
    â€œKesara?” Lucien prompted. Jax began to walk in the path in the direction of the stables. She heard Kesara’s hooves on the path, following them.
    â€œI’m so sorry,” she began breathlessly. “I didn’t mean to startle him. He bolted out of the stables before I could do anything to stop him. I only wanted to sit on him,” she added lamely when Lucien remained intimidatingly silent behind her.
    â€œYou opened the stable doors,” he said, his voice like frozen steel. She felt the tension coiled in his hard muscles as she leaned against him.
    The fury.
    Her heart quailed and then began to throb in her breast.
    â€œThank you for saving me,” she said over her shoulder, part of her wishing she could read his expression, part of her glad she couldn’t.
    â€œLucien?” she queried shakily when he urged Jax to a slow trot and Kesara followed.
    â€œYou would do best to be quiet. I’m furious enough as it is.” He placed a hand on her belly and pressed back, forcing her into close contact with his crotch. Her eyes sprang wide when she felt the fullness of his flagrant erection, the heat of him seeming to pour into her body.
    Oh no
. He was a barely contained explosion.
    â€œIf it weren’t for your white jeans, Kesara never would have been able to follow you in the dark. She doesn’t know the trail yet. Jax could have easily broken your neck.”
    â€œI honestly didn’t mean to—”
    â€œI know exactly what you meant—to push both Jax and me into a frenzy, isn’t that right?” he asked in a rough tone near her ear. She shivered uncontrollably against him. “Well you’ve finally pushed hard enough,
ma fifille
. I’m going to give you precisely what you deserve.”
    She felt a long, rigid rod replace his hand on her belly. Dread and excitement pulsed through her when she recognized it was the crop. Well, this is what she’d wanted, wasn’t it?
    She must be out of her mind.
    He held the crop firmly against her for the entire silent, simmering ride back to the stables, making sure her ass remained pressed tight to his cock . . . a constant, intimidating warning of what was to come.
    * * *
    When they reached the stables and dismounted, Elise nervously took Kesara’s reins and went to unsaddle her and give her a rubdown.
    â€œJust put a blanket on her,” Lucien said sharply. “We’ll give them a rubdown after.”
    After.
    She knew after
what
. She avoided Lucien’s gaze as she led the mare into her large stall.
    â€œCome out here,” he said a moment