Chapter 41

The Detective had looked extremely sexy wearing nothing but her coat and a thong, but Marc was playing things by instinct and he felt like having her give up her covering was just another little part of the build-up.

He led her up to his bedroom but didn’t turn to look at her as he went to the dresser and carefully laid out the dress that he had taken back from her. She really had looked stunning in it, and he had no intention of keeping it from her. Hell, he wanted to see her in it again. But for now it was a symbol, and leaving it in the open like that would keep her guessing. Once that was done, he turned and gestured for Sinead to sit on the end of the bed. She followed the silent directive and sat up straight, making no move to try to cover herself. Her upper chest and neck were still a little flush from embarrassment, but her dazzling spray of freckles were clear. Marc had a moment of desire, wanting to just kiss her and get his mouth on those firm nipples of hers, but he resisted.

Sinead looked at him with an expression somewhere between contrition and frustration, which seemed like a good place to have her for what came next.

“As I said, Detective, I am not interested in exploring and having fun with brats. I am not attracted to teenagers, either physically or mentally. I am attracted to women. Tonight you acted like a brat, n’est-ce pas?”

Sinead swallowed and nodded just once. She’d already apologised and Marc could tell that she wasn’t thrilled with the admission, and how he wasn’t just blanket accepting it.

“There are consequences to actions in the real world. You know this well, you are part of the justice system,” Marc continued. “The same is true of relationships of all kinds. Business, familial, and personal. So here is what I think needs to happen - you acted like a brat tonight, so this one time I will hand out a consequence. A punishment, if I were a man who thought such things proper. Et je ne suis pas le genre d’homme qui prend plaisir à donner des punitions quand elles sont méritées. I’m no supervisor and you’re not some college girl. I do not want to treat my friends as pets who need correction. After tonight, if you act like a brat again, we will end our arrangement. That is the boundary I am setting. You can disagree with me, argue, or even hate me at times, but I will not stand for childish petulance. C’est compris?”

Sinead clenched her jaw lightly, her eyes boring into Marc’s before she opened her mouth to speak. “Am I allowed to set boundaries?”

“Of course you can,” Marc sighed. “Though that is a discussion for another time, I think, because right now the power imbalance is too great. So, Detective ... I am going to punish you like a brat gets punished, but I will not do so if you do not consent.”

“What sort of punishment are we talking about?” Sinead asked, her brow slightly furrowed.

“What sort of punishment do you think a mouthy, petulant brat deserves?” Marc asked, raising an eyebrow lightly.

Sinead flushed a soft pink and rolled her lips in a little to bite them. She knew. It was obvious. And she knew it would be embarrassing.