by Golden Angel
“We are partners. That does not mean you can merrily go your way into danger. I would have come home and told you everything without you having to risk yourself.”
“You might not have known everything without me,” Josie scoffed. “The only reason he told the truth so willingly was I surprised him.”
There was enough truth, Elijah hesitated, but only for a moment.
“It was not worth putting yourself in that kind of danger.” He would hold to that. There was no information, no piece of knowledge worth her life.
“Then next time, take me with you, and you will not have to worry about it.”
“Next time, I might get my father to watch you, so I do not have to worry about you,” he threatened.
“Then I will tell your father about you coming home after being attacked because you were out wandering without your guard.”
“If you think that will stop me from protecting you, you are very wrong.”
Josie
The realization Elijah was willing to face his father’s disapproval and wrath if it meant keeping her safe had even more of an impact than his hand on her bottom. It warmed her from the inside out in an entirely different manner than the spanking. While she disagreed such measures were necessary to keep her safe—after all, she had made it through tonight unscathed—she knew what a large concession that was from his perspective.
Even as she wanted to rail against his overprotectiveness and determination not to include her, part of her liked feeling small, safe, and protected against his chest.
The coach came to a halt, and Elijah got them out. He’d had the jarvey bring them around to the side entrance of the house. The hour was late, but there would still be lords and ladies arriving home, and if they saw Elijah leading a grubby youth up to the front door… Josie could only imagine the speculation.
Which was why she was surprised when Elijah swung her up into his arms rather than letting her descend from the carriage on her own.
“Elijah!”
“Hush.” The command made her bite her tongue.
Why was it sometimes, when he bossed her around, it drove her wild, and when he bossed her around other times, it really drove her wild in such a disparate manner? Maybe because her bottom was sore and throbbing, and she did not want to provoke him into punishing her further.
Truthfully, she was a little surprised she had gotten off so lightly. Yes, it had been a long, hard spanking, and she’d been embarrassed, knowing the jarvey probably heard every little shriek and cry, but she had gotten through it well enough.
By the time Elijah carried her up to his room, Josie was feeling warm, aroused, and more than ready for their particular brand of making up. So, she was shocked when Elijah carried her to the corner of the room and set her down, turning her to face the wall.
“What?” She started to turn around, but he put his hands on her shoulders and forcibly turned her back to face the corner.
“You are going to stand here and think about all the things that could have happened to you tonight. When I get back, your true punishment will begin.”
Shock, fear, and a shot of pure lust rippled through her, and she squeezed her thighs together. Her true punishment? More than the spanking? Why did some part of her find that so exciting?
Elijah held her in place for a moment before he was satisfied that she was going to stay there. Then his hands dropped, and she felt him tugging on her pants. A moment later, he pulled the hem of her shirt up.
“Here. You are going to stand with your bottom exposed while you think.”
Red heated her face, probably turning it as bright as her lower cheeks, as she realized the position he meant to leave her in. Incongruently, the pulsing need between her thighs grew hotter. The hem of the shirt was rolled above her waist, held there by her hands, the top of her pants just below the curve of her buttocks, leaving the entirety of her reddened cheeks on display while the rest of her was decently covered. Being naked would have been less embarrassing. This put all the focus on her chastisement, and the cool air wafting across her hot skin would not let her forget why she was standing there.
A little slap to her sensitized skin made her shriek, going up on her toes before she settled back down.
“I will be right back. Do not move.”
Staring at the corner, Josie did not understand why she felt compelled to remain standing there. Should she not argue her case? Tell him to stuff his discipline?
She squirmed uncomfortably, still holding up her shirt to keep her bottom on display.
Except… part of her knew she had earned some punishment. If she was going to argue her case, should she not have done it before sneaking out after him? Instead, she had pretended to give in, knowing he would think he had won the argument, so she could do as she pleased.
Had she wanted him to punish her? There had been a touch of disappointment when she thought the spanking in the carriage was the climax of her discipline, and he had given in so easily.
Pressing her lips together, Josie reflected that part of her had not minded being caught. She had been happy to have his protection rather than following him without his knowledge and had wanted to see what he would do.
That was the least comforting thought of all.
Chapter 32
Elijah
Collecting the thickest peeled finger of ginger from the kitchen and some clips and a special oil from his office, Elijah judged he had left Josie alone with her thoughts long enough. If she was smart, she had stayed in position. If not, she would be punished for that as well, but Elijah hoped she had obeyed.
A punishment only worked if the recipient was truly repented. While Elijah was willing to take obedience as an acceptable replacement, he did not like the idea of forcing Josie to his will so much as he wanted her to accept her wrongdoing and not repeat it.
This had been partly his fault, which was why he would go lighter on her than he would for a second transgression. He had known she was upset but assumed she would follow his instruction. He should have expected she would do something audacious. Well, he would be more on guard in the future.
She had a point about her role in Jacques’ confession as well.
Something he would also have to think about more when he had the time.
When he opened the door, she jumped, nervously looking over her shoulder, but she was still standing in the corner, reddened bottom on display. The pants she’d worn had somewhat protected her, so her skin was a dark pink rather than a bright red, attractively framed by the dingy white shirt above and the brown pants above below. The very griminess of her clothing made her skin stand out that much more.
The sight of her standing there, holding her position, sent warmth and hot need coursing through him, assuaging much of his lingering anger. He had no doubt she would make the same choice again, but as long as they both understood doing so would mean accepting the consequences, they could find some kind of better accord between them.
“Good girl.” He infused a bit of warmth into his voice, making sure to reward her for good behavior. It would not ameliorate her punishment, but he believed in the benefits of praise and had seen how Josie responded to it. Now, she relaxed, though the glance she cast over her shoulder was still nervous.
Her appearance was so incongruous. With the cap off of her head, her blonde curls tumbled around her grimy face. In the well-lit room, the dirt she had applied did nothing to hide her beauty, unlike on the streets of the Warren and the dimmer rooms at the Tramp’s Den. Although she had dirt smeared across her pretty face and her clothing, she looked extremely naughty in her boys’ clothes, standing in the corner.
A little smile tugged at Elijah’s lips, but he suppressed it. This was a time to be serious.
“Come here, minx,” he said, coming to a halt beside the bed. Josie turned, nearly stumbling, then realized her issues, but when she reached down to pull her pants up, Elijah halted her. “No. Shuffle over here. Keep your shirt lifted.”
Glaring daggers at him, Josie pressed her lips together but took shuffling steps forward. The golden curls over her mound were now on display, and he enjoyed the sight just as much as he had her punished bottom. His cock was already at full attention and would stay that way for a while since he would not indulge himself soon, either.
Josie
The unique humiliation of not being able to walk properly while holding herself on display was as embarrassing as it was arousing. Elijah’s hot gaze stirred her passions, even as she quailed at what he might have planned, wondering how it would hurt. There were no clues to be gleaned from the small tray he had in his hand. The only item she could see clearly was a small bottle, and it was impossible to discern its contents.
Her curiosity boiled up. She desperately wanted a distraction from how awkward she must look. Despite that, Elijah watched her with eyes full of lust, clearly enjoying the sight she made, which bolstered her confidence a bit.
“Bend over.” He patted the bed where he wanted her, and Josie felt a moment of relief as she followed his order. Now that she was no longer moving, she did not feel so awkward. A hand cupped her buttocks, making her draw in a quick breath in reaction. Although the skin was sensitized, the touch was not at all painful, and she tingled with anticipation.
“Hm… barely warm. We’ll fix that soon enough.”
What? Josie groaned. She should have realized he would want to spank her more.
“No, please, Elijah. I said I was sorry!” Silently she acknowledged he had hit the nail on the head when he asked if she was sorrier she had been caught. She still could not regret her actions. She had made a difference tonight, and they both knew it.
“Unfortunately, minx, I do not quite believe you.” His hand splayed over her cheeks, parting them, and Josie gasped, pressing her face against the bedsheets beneath her, not caring if she got them dirty. The intimate view of her private areas made her cheeks flame far hotter than standing in the corner. When his fingers delved between her nether lips, they came away wet, making her moan in both arousal and humiliation. “However, I am aware of my culpability in tonight’s events. I should have realized you would not abide so meekly and taken precautions. Next time, I will remember.”
“Then next time, you might not learn as much if you leave me out,” she snapped, irked despite her arousal.
Elijah pressed his wet fingers to her anus, and Josie jerked, whimpering. The touch set her senses aflame, even as she tried to squirm away from the rude intrusion.
“I will take that into consideration as well,” her husband said, surprising her. His finger dipped slightly into her bottom before pulling away, which also surprised her. A moment later, something else touched her there, about the same size as his finger but harder, and pressed in.
Josie moaned, flexing her hips forward and trying to escape, but there was nowhere to go, especially with Elijah’s other hand still pressing on her buttocks, holding the cheeks open. He continued to speak as he pushed the thing into her bottom, making it hard for her to concentrate.
“Next time, we will have a full, considered discussion about your involvement. I will listen to all your reasonings, and you will listen to mine. We will come to an agreement on our best way forward, and you will follow that agreement, or you will pay the price. I will not always allow you to accompany me.”
It was surprisingly fair, and she might have felt chuffed at having changed Elijah’s mind, but it was not easy to concentrate on anything other than the thing taking up uncomfortable residence in her rear. The slight burn of being stretched was not terrible, but it was not comfortable, either. She could not focus when she was being so perversely defiled, especially since she found it so arousing.
“Good girl.” The accolade warmed her, and her bottom clenched. She gasped. The burn from being stretched seemed to have increased, especially when her muscles tightened around whatever he’d inserted.
“What…. Elijah! What is that? It’s burning!” She jerked, trying to reach for herself, even though she should know better by now. He caught her wrists easily, pinning her before her fingers got anywhere near the thing in her bottom. The itchy, stinging burn made her squirm as it grew hotter and hotter, and she bucked. Squeezing to push it out only made the heat increase, and she cried out.
“The ginger will not harm you, but it will hurt worse if you squeeze it,” he told her, a little too late to do her any good. Josie tried to relax, panting for breath.
“It huuuurts.” It did hurt, but she was not unaware of its other effect, especially when Elijah had no reaction to her whining. Arousal swirled through her, as hot as the ginger, making her muscles tremble.
“I know, sweetheart.” The words were said without sympathy. If anything, he sounded pleased, his voice thick with lust, which heated her even more. Why did she like such wicked things? She did not understand and could not explain it, but her body reacted in a completely perverse manner, contrary to what she would have liked to believe about herself.
Elijah’s hands rolled her to her back, deftly maneuvering her hands, so he ended up holding her wrists above her. Whimpering and writhing as her bottom clenched around the ginger, Josie gasped as she was laid onto her back. Whipping off his cravat, Elijah wrapped it around her delicate wrists, tying them together while Josie watched with wide eyes.
Elijah
Having Josie at his mercy like this—his to pleasure, his to punish, his to torment and tease—made his cock achingly hard. Her face was flushed bright pink, and her blue eyes were glassy from her need. He could not help but bend over her, pushing her hands above her head, to claim her mouth for a kiss.
Her lips parted beneath his, and she moaned, hips jerking upward, and he knew she must have inadvertently clenched around the ginger again. One hand holding her bound wrists down, he enjoyed her helplessness as the other slid up her shirt to her breasts, pulling down the bindings she had wrapped around them to hide her generous curves. It was a crime to have flattened them so.
Fingers caressed, plumped, then he pinched her nipple while Josie moaned and writhed beneath him. With her legs draped over the bed, he knew the ginger would be securely locked inside her, and he had left a large enough bulb at the base to keep it from entering her completely. The tormenting burn was clearly driving her wild.
Releasing her lips, he lifted her shirt so he could fall upon her breasts with hands and lips, suckling and nipping, squeezing, pinching, and taking his fill. Josie gasped, bucking beneath him as best she could, which was not very well at all. Her bound hands came down to drape over his neck, and Elijah decided it was time to tie her to his bed, the way he’d imagined doing earlier this evening.
Ignoring her protest as he pulled away, he easily lifted her and changed her position, taking the time to tie her wrists to the headboard. With her trousers still around her thighs, the shirt lifted to reveal her creamy breasts and pink nipples, and dirt smudged across her pretty face, she looked incongruous against the pristine sheets and carved wood. Her face was even more flushed than it had been.
“Elijah… please… I can’t… You have to take it out…” She squirmed again, her legs rubbing together, and he grinned down at her, showing his pleasure in her erotic torment.
“Eventually.” He leaned over, reaching for the clips he’d left on the end of the bed. “Let me distract you.”
Josie stared at him, pink lips parted, worry in her expression—that combination of fear, lust, and anticipation he so delighted in seeing on a woman’s face, and seeing it in Josie’s was even more satisfying.
The little clips were two prongs with a small metal loop around them, which could be pushed up to close them. Straddling Josie’s waist to help hold her down, Elijah pinched one pert nipple to an even stiffer bud.
“What is that?” Curiosity, dread, need… she was beyond hiding anything from him, and Elijah reveled in the openness of her emotions.
“This…” He placed the clip, so there was a prong on either side of h
er nipple, and pushed the little circle toward the bud, effectively pinching it between the prongs and tightening the grip as the tiny metal circle came closer and closer. “Will help distract you from the ginger, darling.”
Chapter 33
Josie
The gleaming silver of the tweezer-like contraption pinching her nipple stood out starkly against her skin like depraved jewelry. The closer the little circle moved to her nipple, the more it pinched, the more it hurt. The burn was different from the ginger’s, less sharp and more of a throbbing pinch, but it was growing quickly.
When Elijah quickly did the same to her other nipple, leaving each proud bud staunchly gripped by the silver prongs squeezing them, Josie closed her eyes, struggling to assimilate the erotic chaos of sensations.
Exquisite agony.
Rapturous torment.
She was lost to the sensations at the hand of a master. That was what he was, and she realized it. Elijah’s wicked experience far exceeded her own imagination, leaving her more than physically helpless. She could not possibly guess what he was going to do next, and the realization was as thrilling as it was daunting.
When Elijah flipped her onto her knees, her breasts hanging beneath her, nipples still tightly pinched, she was almost relieved when his hand came crashing down on her bottom. This, at least, was something she was used to.
The stinging swats hurt, but they were almost comforting in their familiarity—at least until she clenched her muscles against a swat, and the ginger’s sting reasserted itself more strongly.
“Elijah! Please!”
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Josie cried out, bucking, which made her breasts jiggle and the prongs on her nipples tug on the tender buds with her movements. She was afire, inside and out, and every move Elijah made seemed calculated to feed the flames. The effect was devastating. She was utterly mastered and entirely at his mercy, helpless and aroused, contrite and provoked, and completely overwhelmed. Tears slid down her cheeks into the pillow, but she could not have said whether it was from pain, sexual frustration, or the intense combination of sensations afflicting her.