Page 28 of Her Ohio Old Flame

Her eyes snapped to his, blazing with indignation. “There are Ohio laws against domestic violence, you know.”

He tilted his head to meet her fire with a steady calm. “I’m not violent, Asha. I’m not going to hit you in anger. I won’t leave lasting marks on you. And you have your safeword.”

“Consent doesn’t save you from prosecution if you lay a hand on me, big guy,” she shot back.

Zane’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I doubt it.” He gazed intently at her. “Because I don’t think your protests are real. But if they are, prove it to me. If you really want to get out of this spanking, say ‘red,’ babygirl.”

Her breath hitched at the term, her lips parting with her next exhalation. She hesitated, her defiance faltering for a moment. But she didn’t say it.

Zane waited, giving her a beat, then another. When she still didn’t respond, his smile deepened. “All right, then.”

Without further hesitation, he maneuvered her to his side and yanked her over his lap in one swift motion. She let out a small gasp of surprise, her body tensing against him, but shedidn’t struggle. He adjusted her position, his hands firm but careful as he secured her.

“You’re going to learn, Asha,” he murmured, resting his hand lightly on her lower back. “This isn’t just about punishment. This is about trust. Respect. And love.”

“Love?” Her voice was muffled against the bedspread. “Hitting someone isn’t love.”

“That’s your choice to believe.” He flipped up her skirt to reveal her panties. “But actions have consequences.”

The first smack landed, sharp and purposeful. Asha yelped, and her body jerked, but she didn’t say the safeword. Her hands flailed back in a futile attempt to shield herself. Zane caught her wrists with practiced ease and pinned them at the small of her back.

“Behave,” he said, his grip unyielding. She twisted again, testing his hold, her indignation igniting.

“In Ohio, the legal system does not recognize domestic discipline as lawful,” she snapped. “Look it up—State v. Faggs. It’s called assault.”

Zane brought his hand down again, the sound echoing in the small room. “That’s not a safeword I’m hearing,” he said evenly. “Anyway, this isn’t about the law.” Another smack. “This is about us.”

She wriggled against him, her frustration evident. “You’re insane. Are you a bully? Hitting a defenseless woman.”

He tightened his grip on her, his voice soft but firm. “Behave, Asha. You’re not defenseless. You have a safeword. Use it if you mean it.”

Her struggles slowed, her breathing coming in short bursts. He waited, giving her another chance, but she didn’t say it.

“Your dad loves you, Asha. Do you think he’d let you get away with snapping at him like that without calling you out?” He landed another swat.

“You can’t keep pushing people away.” He brought down his hand with a resounding slap. “Not me.”Smack.“Not your dad.”Smack.“Not anyone who loves you.”

Anothersmack. “And I love you, too. Always have, always will. That’s why I won’t let you disrespect him—or yourself.”

Her struggles paused for a heartbeat, her breath hitching. “You love me?” Her words were a stunned whisper.

“Always have. Always will.” He landed his hand again, gentler this time, but firm enough to punctuate his words. “And that means I’ll hold you accountable when you’re pushing away the people who care about you.”

Asha stilled completely, her gasps short and uneven. Zane waited, resting his palm lightly on the small of her back. The tension was leaving her body bit by bit, her muscles softening against him as the fight drained away. She wasn’t only surrendering to the punishment—she was letting go of something deeper, something that had kept her walled off for so long.

Tears spilled from her eyes, streaking her cheeks and soaking into the fabric of his jeans. She sagged against him, her voice shaky and raw as she murmured, “I love you, too.”

Zane closed his eyes, the weight of her words hitting him square in the chest. Relief and something infinitely more powerful surged through him. He eased her upright, helping her stand on unsteady legs before pulling her down onto his lap. She shifted awkwardly, lowered her gaze as she tried to avoid resting her tender backside directly against his hard thigh.

He couldn’t help the grin that tugged at his lips. “Comfortable, sweetheart?” he teased in a low, warm voice laced with humor.

She gave a watery laugh, the sound fragile but real, and settled herself with extra care, resting her weight to one side.She found the crook of his neck with her head, her damp cheek pressing against his skin as she melted into him.

Zane held her close, wrapping his arms securely around her. With one hand he stroked her back in soothing circles, while he brushed through her hair with his other. Her sobs softened into quiet sniffles, and the tension that had gripped her seemed to dissolve entirely.

“It’s over, babygirl,” he murmured against her hair. “You’re safe with me. Always.”

Asha slipped her arms around his waist, clinging to him with a desperation that made his chest ache. She didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need her to. The way she held him, the way she let herself lean into his strength, spoke volumes.

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