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because I care how you behave. His hand stroked over her burning skin gently, then&
Slam. Slam. Slam.
God, it hurt. Hurt way worse than when he had spanked her before. He was hitting harder.
Tears pooled, then ran from her eyes. She tried to free her arm, and his grip tightened to a steel
band.
 I can keep this up all night, MacKensie, if that's what it takes to get this through your
head. Obedience is rewarded. Respect is rewarded. Subs who disobey are punished.
Slam. Slam. Slam.  If I didn't care about you, I would simply ask you to leave.
She froze as his words entered her, echoing through the hollows inside her. He cared.
Cared enough to punish her. He hadn't made her leave.
Slam. Slam. Slam.
A sob welled from deep inside her and wrenched out past her constricted throat. As if the
first sob had opened something, the next and next ripped out, faster, hurting her chest.
His hand caressed her bottom, and the pain of his touch mingled with the pleasure of his
warmth.  When you apologize and sincerely beg forgiveness, then I will stop.
Never, she'd never. She smothered her sobs.  You bastard, she whispered, yet her
defiance lacked real anger.
Slam. Slam. Slam. The blows moved lower to the tender crease of her thigh, the sharp slaps
agonizing. She gritted her teeth.
 I was proud of your behavior earlier tonight, of your sweetness and your compassion.
You are a beautiful, intelligent woman, MacKensie.
Slam. Slam. Slam.
His words tore through her, more painful than the stinging blows. Something, some dark
emotion, tore loose, and her chest shook with its passing. The pain on her skin filled her world
even as his words emptied the lake of pain inside her. She couldn't fight either one. He had
control.
He cares for me.
 I'm sorry, she whispered. And he held his blow. How could he hear her? But the ringing
noise she heard was all inside her head and didn't diminish when he paused.
 That's a start. His hand stroked her back.  Do you know what to do now?
She remembered from the dungeon a lifetime ago.  Kneel and apologize. She nodded.
He released her, and his big hands steadied her as she slid off his legs and onto her knees.
Her voice shook as she stared at her hands clenched together in her lap.  I'm sorry, Sir.
No answer.
She looked up. He was waiting for& for the rest.  Please forgive me, Sir. She felt tears
still rolling down her cheeks and didn't dare move to wipe them away. His gaze held her pinned
as he studied her, looking for& something. She wanted to give him whatever he wanted, and then
maybe he'd hold her. She wanted to be held so badly.
 I forgive you, little cat, he said gently.  Strip for me now.
The Dom's Dungeon 65
One second of shocked horror and then she caved. He had control, and she'd given it to
him. To finish seemed& right, as if it satisfied something within her. Her clothes dropped to the
floor, and she stood before him naked.
When he held his arms out, she fell into his embrace.
MacKensie vibrated in his arms like a badly tuned machine; the trembling rolled through
her body in waves. Alex tightened his grip, tucking her head into the hollow of his shoulder, and
let her feel his warmth and strength. His comfort.
 I'm proud of you, little cat, he murmured, stroking her sweat-damp hair.  It's not easy to
submit, even if it's what you want to do. Giving up control takes as much internal strength as
taking control. Maybe more.
He glanced up and realized the others had cleared out when the punishment began. Some
discipline should be witnessed; some should be private. The Doms had known what he'd
planned. They'd helped push MacKensie into defying him so he could give her what she couldn't
admit she wanted. From the feel of her in his arms and the calm look on her face when she asked
forgiveness, the spanking had satisfied something in her.
His next task would be to find out why.
But first she needed to be held, and he needed to hold her. Erotic pain aside, deliberately
hurting a woman could indeed hurt the giver too. A Dom's nature was to protect a helpless
woman, but sometimes the path to healing came through pain.
He pulled her closer, pleased at the way she snuggled into his arms, as trusting now as a
sleepy kitten. And he knew he'd spoken truly a few minutes ago.
He did care.
* * * * *
A while later, Alex set MacKensie on her feet and picked up two heavy blankets. He
wrapped one around her.  Time for some more fresh air.
She glanced toward the clothing still piled on the floor, and he shook his head, amused at
her look of outrage. His little cat recovered quickly.
The wind off the Sound moistened his face as he guided her down the beach to a spot
where piles of driftwood on three sides gave an illusion of privacy, and the sand hid everything
else. Not that restraints would be needed tonight.
After opening his blanket on the sand, he took a seat and used a weather-smoothed log for
a backrest. Smiling at her wary expression, he drew MacKensie down to sit between his legs.
She gave a muffled yelp when her sore ass hit the rough blanket, then relaxed, resting her
back against his chest, his arms around her waist. It was a rare evening with no rain, and there
were few places as lovely as the beach. The waves washed onto shore in a soft rhythm as lighted
freighters and ferries traversed the Sound with a slow dignity. Overhead, patchy clouds drifted in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]