Page 126 of Dr. Bad Boy

I hold my arms out in front of me and watch as he fastens the black leather cuffs and clips them together. We don’t have a collar kind of relationship, but I do like it when he pulls out the cuffs. There's something about the physical act, it's like a signal that kickstarts the scene. And the claiming is hot, too.

“Up you get.” When I climb off the ottoman, Max hooks his finger over the clip joining my cuffs and leads me across the room. I try to sneak a look at the tray to see what he has in store, but there is a cloth draped over it. Evil man.

Unclipping the cuffs, Max helps me onto the spanking bench, then adjusts my position before finally attaching my wrists to hard points on either side of the bench.

He crouches in front of me and cups my face, brushing his thumb along my cheekbone. “No blindfold tonight, Violet. We’re alone and I want to be able to see the tears in your pretty eyes.”

My heart beats faster at the revelation that yes, he’s going to hurt me. I can't wait.

He stands, unbuckling his belt and I lick my lips, ready to take him in my mouth. Instead of feeding me his cock, he moves to the side of the bench, gliding his palm down my back until it rests on my ass.

He leans in, his lips almost touching my ear. “I was wrong yesterday when we fought. I can’t promisehappinessforever. But Icanpromise to love you forever.”

The sting of a slap morphs to a pleasant warmth as it spreads across my cheek.

"Do you understand that?" His voice is so smooth, so confident, and I nod.

"Yes."

Another slap on the other side.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, Max." I understood it as soon as Eliza arrived. I understood parts of it before that, too, but Max telling her about us clicked it all into place. That doesn't mean I don't want to hear him say it now.

And I want him to show me, too. I want him to imprint himself on my skin.

He repeats the alternating spank, then tells me to settle in because we're going to be here for a while.

He's not wrong, although my sense of time starts to slip as the pain spikes. Max continues to heat my ass with his hand until I’m sure there’s not even the tiniest spot that’s not the brightest pink. In between strikes he leans over me and whispers another truth in my ear.

"And I should’ve clued in earlier that love isn’t about happiness forever."

Tears prick behind my eyelids because he's right. I know that.

"Love is pain and suffering and standing there, beside each other, through it all, because you don’t want your love to bear it alone."

I nod, the tears welling up now. I feel the first one slide onto my cheek and he comes around to squat in front of me.

"Let it out, kitten. You ready for more?"

"Yes," I breathe.

"I can promise you that you will never be alone, ever again.”

I sob outright, and he leans in, kissing my mouth, then my cheek, and he stays with me in front of the bench until a new calm falls over me.

"More?" he asks gently, rubbing my jaw.

"Love or spanking?"

He crooks one eyebrow. "Maybe they're the same thing."

I laugh weakly. "Yes, please."

He rises and moves behind me, returning to his brutal and delicious assault on my bottom.

When things get muzzy, he notices immediately. “No sub-space tonight, kitten. I want you completely present for everything I give you.”

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