I want to please my dragon.

He smears his cum into my skin, slicks itover my clit and between my labia, pushing some into my cunt withthree coated fingers. He pumps them, then withdraws and lays downbeside me to force those three fingers into my mouth. My lipsstretch uncomfortably, and I have a moment of panic, thinking maybeI can’t breathe. I can, through my nose, and it calms me.

“Clean them,” he orders, and I obedientlysuck and lick every drop of our mingled juices from hisfingers.

“I was going to come in your mouth again,but bratty princesses don’t get a prize.” He pulled his fingers outand gripped my chin, tilting my face so he could look me in theeye. “You’re not going to receive your punishment tonight. You’llwake up to it. You’re going to stay filthy and sticky, and in themorning, I’m going to make you regret your disobedience.”

“How?” I ask, my throat dry.

He sits up and pulls his shirt off over hishead, then kicks off his shoes. Without sparing me even a glance,he says only, “Pain.”

While I lay there, worried about what thatmight mean, he goes to the minifridge and returns with a bottle ofwater. “Here. You need to recover. I’m sure you’re dehydrated.”

I laugh raggedly and sit up. He’s notjoking. While I sip it, I glance around the room. I snort a littlechuckle.

“What’s that about?” he asks, kicking hisshoes off and pushing down his trousers.

“Nothing. I had this vision of you sweepingall those block castles to the floor and fucking me against thatshelf.” It would be the nerdiest sex anyone ever had.

He shook his head and pulled back thecovers, patting the sheets to indicate I should get in. “Charlotte,I love you. With all my heart. But that? Will never, everhappen.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

(Matthew)

Because of the garden party later in theafternoon, the family didn’t gather for breakfast. We were servedin our rooms, and I let Charlotte sleep while the staff brought ina cart and assembled our meal quietly, so as not to disturbher.

They also brought my special request, whichraised some confused eyebrows when I’d asked about it late thenight before. A whole ginger root and a very sharp knife.

Once the servants were gone, I sat on theedge of the bed and set to work carving the root into the necessaryshape. Charlotte stirred, and for a moment, I felt guilty about thepunishment I’d planned for her.

I cut two branches off the ginger and setthem aside. “Good morning, princess.”

“Is that breakfast?” she asked withoutopening her eyes. “It smells spicy.”

“Oh, it’s spicy,” I said with a chuckle.“Breakfastishere, but this is your punishment.”

She opened her eyes, saw what I was doing,and instantly understood.

That was one of the things I loved aboutCharlotte. She was on my level, kink-wise. She knew what was goingto happen.

“Oh no,” she whispered, more to herself thanto me.

“This will be your punishment whenever youdisobey me the way you did last night.” I lifted a brow, slicing along section of peel from the root. “Unless you’d like to beg formercy now?”

She visibly swallowed.

“Have you ever done this before?” Iasked.

She shook her head and finally found hervoice. “No, my dragon. But I deserve to be punished.”

“That’s right.” Two unpeeled knobs remainedon either side of the main bit I’d carved. I left them. I’d luckedout; the root was the perfect shape. “Get on your stomach.”

“Right…now?” But she rolled overobediently.

I nudged her legs apart and knelt over her,a knee on either side of one of her thighs. “Two things you need tobe prepared for,” I began, parting her cheeks. I gave the root alittle squeeze, so that a drop of the raw ginger juice fell on herasshole. She jolted. “First, we’re not going to use lube.” I pushedthe root firmly into her and she hissed in pain, her body goingtense. I smirked to myself. I loved this particular form oftorture, both performing it and receiving it. “Lube will create toomuch of a barrier.”

“What’s the second thing?” shewhimpered.