by Dinah McLeod
"Let's get this part over with, okay?"
I took a deep breath and nodded, missing the warmth of his hand as much as I dreaded the warmth that was about to replace it. The swat that landed didn't disappoint. It was a bottom-flattening scorcher that made me leap to my tiptoes and cry out. It burned hotter than any I'd gotten so far and I began crying all over again as the pain spread over my bottom.
"It's almost over, baby girl."
I clung tighter to the bed post and vowed not to let go. I just had to get through this and it would be over. Things would be back to normal.
Whack the paddle scolded as it landed across my tender orbs.
"Ow!" I howled, sobbing. Smack! It rebuked me again, the pain enough to make me dance on my tiptoes. I wanted to let go so badly, but I didn't dare. Number fourteen landed hard and full of sting and fifteen followed quickly behind, making me shriek and gasp from the pain.
"It's over, honey. It's over."
I didn't turn around even when I heard the paddle drop to the floor. I didn't have the strength to do much but cry.
"Come on, let's get you to the bathroom."
I nodded and leaned on him gratefully, tears still streaking down my cheeks as he led me to the bathroom. He filled the cup with water from the faucet and offered it to me. I drank eagerly, leaning over the sink to spit. I rinsed and repeated—literally—again and again until some of the bitter taste was gone.
"Okay, let's get back to the bedroom."
My eyes flew to his face, wide and full of horror. I'd forgotten—we weren't done yet after all. Not by a long shot, if the look on his face was anything to go by.
"Unless…"
"No." I swallowed hard. "I still want to get it over with."
"That's my girl." He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my temple. The gesture gave me the courage I needed to go with him into the bedroom. He pulled me to the bed and sat down. To my surprise, he pulled me onto his lap, not over it. Even though I couldn't help but moan when my tender rear connected with his hard thigh, it was much better than being upended over his knee. "How are you feeling?"
"Is that a rhetorical question?" I quipped, smiling to show that I was teasing. "Very, very sorry."
He hugged me tighter. "I know, baby. I want to talk for a minute. Why didn't you tell me you were planning to take your company back from Mark? Why did you let me think you were fine when you weren't?"
I dropped my eyes in shame. Even as much pain as I was in, I thought I might prefer a few more swats with the paddle to having this conversation. "Because I knew you wouldn't like it."
"So, you deliberately did something you knew I would disapprove of?"
Ouch. There was no way I could deny it now. "I wasn't thinking. I just…I just wanted to make him hurt, the way he'd done to me. But I knew if I told you, you'd stop me and worse…"
"Yes?"
"I thought it might make you think about the kind of woman you were dating."
"Karen…I love you."
"I know, but—"
"I love you," he repeated. "Warts and all."
"Hey! I don't have warts!" I protested, smacking his chest playfully.
"Watch it," he warned lightly. "Do you not trust me, Karen?"
"What?" I gasped, looking up at him. "How could you ask me that?"
"Probably because you didn't come to me with something that's obviously so important to you," he pointed out ruefully.
"It's not about trust. It's just…I'm used to doing things on my own. I'm not used to…"
"Answering for yourself?"
I shrugged. "I'm sorry. I can do better. I should have come to you, but just because I didn't doesn't mean I don't trust you. And I already told you, I'm done with that. Once I keep my promise to Mr. Fern, I'm done. I swear, Brandon."
"I believe you, honey. I just want you to know how important it is for you to come to me. That's what people do in relationships, you know."
"So I've heard," I teased.
He responded by tapping me lightly on the nose. "Okay, sweetie, hop up."
I reluctantly disentangled myself, watching warily as he went back to the nightstand. One day while he was at work, I was going to have to go on a cleaning spree.
He came back up with a wooden ruler and I scowled at him. He pretended not to notice as he walked back around the bed and motioned me over his lap. Once I lay across his knees he repositioned me to his liking. "This spanking is for deceiving me. You told me you were fine with going to marketing and the whole time you were planning a coup of your own behind my back. That's not how relationships work, Karen. And ours won't survive if you keep doing things like that."
"I know that!" I cried passionately. God, he knew how to make my heart twist in my chest. The first smack of the ruler landed on my sit spot and made me gasp aloud. The strokes fell fast, one after the other, as he worked the ruler up and down my tender thighs. "Brandon! Please, it hurts!"
"It's going to hurt a lot more before I'm done, honey." Each word was punctuated with the sharp smack of the ruler landing on previously untouched skin. One of the reasons I trusted him to discipline me was because I knew causing me pain didn't bring him any pleasure. I could hear in his voice that this was hard for him, too.
When each and every bit of my thighs burned and throbbed, he began to work the ruler mercilessly over my ass, reigniting the flame of punishing fire. I was beginning to wonder if it would ever end—I was throwing myself every which way trying to avoid the burning smacks and failing miserably—when I felt him set the ruler down.
His large hand came to rest on my scalded right cheek. "Are you going to be honest about your feelings from here on out?"
"Yes, Sir," I said, crying over his lap.
His hand landed with a loud smack on my poor bottom, making me squeal and arch my back, as though I could somehow get my spanked rear away from him. "See that you keep that promise, Karen. I don't think I could go through this again." Another hard smack followed on my left cheek, followed by half a dozen more split between the two. His hand had never hurt so much. By the time he was finished, I was bawling over his knee.
"It hurts so bad," I sobbed as he rubbed my back.
"I know, honey."
"Are we done yet?" I begged more than I asked.
"I'm afraid not." There was true regret in his voice which comforted me a little as I cried. "We still have to deal with you kissing Mark and the fact that you waited three days to tell me."
And only because I didn't have a choice, I thought wryly, though to his credit, Brandon let that one slide.
"Go kneel in the corner, honey. I want you to think about why you're being punished."
I'd expected some more quiet time to contemplate my sins, but Brandon had something else in mind. Once I was right where he wanted me—my sit spot howling as it rested on my ankles—I could feel him pacing behind me as he began to lecture.
"I can understand why you wanted to get your company back, but the way you went about it was downright stupid."
Even though I knew he had a point, the assessment still made me wince.
"You could have gotten yourself in serious trouble."
More than I was in right now? I thought sardonically. "I had it under control," I mumbled. It was exactly the wrong thing to say.
"You did, did you? So, you admit you wanted to be kissed by another man?"
I couldn't resist turning to face him. "Brandon, look, I'm sorry, but you're taking this part way too personally! I don't like Mark, I've never liked him that way! I was just…he was a means to an end."
He gave me an incredulous look before shaking his head in disbelief. "Do you understand how messed up that is? And it's exactly my point—you seem to have this idea that you can take anything you want without consequences—"
"Well, not without consequences," I muttered under my breath.
His eyes widened. "Are you seriously giving me lip right now, little girl? Fine." He stepped toward me menacingly and I was quite li
terally cornered. I tried to flatten myself against the wall, but there was nothing I could do to avoid his hand closing around my arm in a tight grip. He hauled me to my feet and marched me into the bathroom. The minute I saw where we were headed, I began to cry all over again, but Brandon ignored me as he held the bar of soap under the water.
"Please—"
"Open," he commanded sternly.
It was hard meeting his flashing eyes. Knowing he was angry at me made my belly churn which only worsened knowing how badly the soap was going to taste. I opened my mouth and he took my chin between his fingers, forcing my mouth to stay open as he lathered my tongue. When he let go, I ran for the sink, spitting for all the good it did me.
"Bedroom. Now."
"I need a break," I sobbed. "Please."
"We're not done."
"I know. But…please, Brandon."
"Fine. Back in the corner and don't move until I tell you."
I nodded and scampered to obey, my bottom burning and my mouth tasting fifty kinds of awful. I knew I deserved it, but it didn't help lessen the pain. I lowered myself to a kneeling position in the corner and surrendered to the tears until my body was shaking with sobs. Yes, I was in pain and yes, having a mouth full of soap wasn't fun. It was downright humiliating, when it got down to it, but that wasn't what inspired the tears. Knowing that I'd truly hurt him tore at my heart. I'd known it was wrong every step of the way, but I'd done what I'd thought was best for my own self-interest without considering how hurt Brandon would be. Well, I'd considered it, but I sure didn't let it stop me. What kind of girlfriend was I? A horrible one, obviously. He shouldn't be punishing me—he should have just sent me on my way. The thought made me cry harder and with true, heart-wrenching remorse.
"Are you ready to come out now?" His tone had softened around the edges and I thought that taking a bit of a break had been good for him, too.
"Yes, please."
"I've decided I'm not going to spank you for kissing Mark."
"You're not?" I should have been relieved, but instead all I felt was hesitant.
"No. I just don't feel right about it. But I'm going to be honest with you, you're really going to have to work hard to earn my trust back, Karen."
I winced. Suddenly, a spanking seemed like getting off easy. Which, I realized, was probably why he'd decided against it.
"If I spank you, it'll be over and this is a big deal. I don't want you to forget about it when the pain in your ass fades, because I've got to tell you, I can't take it happening again. One's my limit."
I nodded empathetically. He was being more than fair. "It won't happen again. I swear."
"I really hope not." He looked so sad and forlorn that I couldn't help but go to him and wrap my arms around him, hugging him as hard as I could.
"I promise, Brandon. I'm ready to take the rest of my punishment now, Sir."
He dropped a kiss on the top of my head and returned my hug. "All right. This last spanking is for waiting three days to tell me the truth." He cupped my chin and tilted it so that I met his eyes. "If you make a mistake, own up to it, Karen. This goes back to the trust issue. I need to know that I can rely on you to be honest with me, understand?"
"Yes, Sir, I understand."
"Good. Go bend over the bed for me."
I obeyed, thankful that it was almost over and nervous at the same time about what my last punishment would entail. When I felt the cool goo on my anus, I jumped.
"Easy, girl. Relax your bottom for me."
I obeyed, sucking my breath in sharply when I felt the cold, hard silicone probing my anus. "Brandon." His name was a groan on my lips as I tensed.
"Relax, Karen. Be my good girl."
I tried, I really did, but it was hard. My bottom was already so sore. Finally, the awful butt plug penetrated and I cried out as my sphincter opened to admit it.
"Stay there."
The next thing I knew, I felt the cool wood of the paddle rubbing my blistered cheeks. I moaned low in my throat but didn't protest further.
"How many days are you going to wait next time to come to me?"
"None, Sir."
"Make sure you remember that." The first crack of the paddle made me yelp. "How many days will you wait, Karen?"
"None, Sir!"
Whack.
I sucked my breath in noisily as I felt the plug dig in deeper.
"How many days?"
"None, Sir!" I was practically yelling, but my voice was drowned out by the loud smack of the wood landing on my bottom. I began to sob, my knees weakening. I wanted nothing more than to sink to the floor and have a nice, long pity party for myself.
"Almost there, baby."
I sniffled and nodded. Brandon really was good to me and for me. Sometimes, I really thought he could read my mind.
"Two more, baby. You're going to come to me right away next time you do something wrong, right?"
"Yes, Sir." Smack. The swat landed as soon as I answered.
"When?"
"Right away, Sir!" The final stroke was hard enough to make me burst into tears, but I was so relieved to know it was over.
Brandon threw the paddle to the ground and gathered me in his arms, shushing and caressing my hair, hugging me for all I was worth as he sank down to the ground. I clung to him gratefully, holding onto handfuls of his shirt as though clinging for dear life.
I never, ever wanted to go through that again. Sure, I knew he'd probably spank me plenty through the years, but I never wanted it to be like that again—I couldn't stand facing his disappointment, knowing that I'd hurt him worse than he could spank me. I would gain his trust again, no matter how long it took. I'd show him that he was the one I loved, the only one.
He held me, rocking me back and forth and praising me for taking my punishment. "It's all over now, honey. Clean slate."
"Thank you," I whispered tearfully.
"I love you, Karen."
I scooted off his lap and turned to look at him.
"Everything okay?" His brow furrowed as he looked at me.
"I would rather show you," I whispered, feeling suddenly shy. "Could you…"
He seemed to understand and stood up.
My fingers trembled with emotion as I found his fly and pulled the zipper down. The sound of it made me shiver. When I took his cock in my mouth, it felt unbelievably hot. Now that the punishment was over, I was acutely aware of how excited my body had become. My thighs were slick with my own juices, the flow of which only increased as I sucked him. My nipples were stiffened peaks of arousal that hardened to the point of being painful when I imagined him suckling them.
"Get up," he rasped, helping me to my feet. He gave me a gentle push toward the bed and I eagerly took the hint.
No sooner had I lay on my back—ignoring the sunburned feel of my bottom as it hit the sheets—Brandon was looming over me. My fingers set to work unbuttoning his shirt while he whipped off his belt. The sound of it whistling through the air made a delicious shiver run through my body.
It wasn't lost on my boyfriend who gave me a slow, sexy smile that made my stomach flip. "Wrists."
I held them up, squirming in excitement when he looped the length of his belt around them, binding them effectively. I tried to drop my arms in front of me, but he shook his head, tsking his tongue.
"Keep them up."
"And if I don't?" I teased.
"Oh, baby. Can your bottom really handle anything else?" While he looked down at me I saw a gleam in his eye. "Well, I guess I'll have to make do. I don't want it to be said that I don't keep my girlfriend in line."
"No," I agreed solemnly.
Brandon lowered himself to kiss me on the lips before he reached over to the nightstand. He drew out the leather flogger and my heart skipped a beat. He dangled it in front of me with an impish smile before caressing my breasts with it.
I groaned and squirmed and he answered by flicking his wrist, sending the little whips of leather flying down on my erect nip
ple. It tingled in a delicious bit of pain that made my pussy ache.
"You took your punishment like such a good girl," he crooned. "I think you should be rewarded." The flogger came down lightly on my other breast, just enough to sting.
"Please, Sir," I gasped.
"You'd like some more?" His eyes twinkled as he worked my body over with the flogger, first my breasts, then my pussy. He didn't stop until I was writhing in frustration and begging for my orgasm.
When he plunged his rock hard cock into my soaking pussy, I was immediately reminded of the butt plug. I'd never been filled from both ends before and it drove the pleasure to all new heights. In no time, I was arching my back and screaming his name until my throat was raw and my pussy bursting with the explosion of my orgasm.
Brandon came quickly after, shuddering above me with a look of pure rapture on his face. Once he fell back on the bed, he pulled me close and held me tightly.
"I don't deserve you," I murmured sleepily.
"I love you, Karen Donahue. That's all that matters. I'm never going to stop loving you."
I sighed contentedly in his arms—until the shifting reminded me of the butt plug still lodged firmly in my anus. "Um, Brandon? What about the—"
"Leave it."
I nodded in acquiescence and closed my eyes, my heart light in my chest and a smile on my lips as I drifted off to sleep.
Epilogue
One month later
I was bouncing nervously on the balls of my feet as I stood outside Dusty Records. Mr. Fern was by my side, looking much calmer than I felt. Game face on, I told myself, trying to prepare myself for what could possibly be a disaster. I'd called a meeting of the board, not that I had the authority anymore, which meant it was very possible they wouldn't come.
"Ready?"
I wasn't, but I gave Mr. Fern a tight smile accompanied by a nod. Show no fear. I repeated the words to myself again and again, a prayer of sorts that comforted me as I walked the familiar halls. I passed a few people on my way, all who stopped to gape at the pair of us—not that we gave them the satisfaction of acknowledgement.