Page 259 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 1

“Which is just as bad when it endangers your life. When I came in to find him beating you, your face bloody, your cries of pain . . . ”

“Shh,” she murmured, snuggling close, ignoring her pain as she tried to comfort him. “I'm okay. You got there in time.”

“Never again, little one. Not even if I have to lock you in your room. Never again will you put me through this.”

“I won't, I promise, I won't.”

Chapter 12

Tonight was the night. The night she had to pay the piper, and she was dreading it. Reggie knew it was going to be bad. Really bad.

It had taken five weeks for her body to heal from the beating it had received. Alex had babied her terribly until she was healed. He never even raised his voice. Reggie would have rather just gotten this over and done with. What was a sore bottom when you added it to all the injuries she already had?

But that was the point, she supposed. Alex wanted her to remember this spanking so that the next time she thought about lying to him or leaving without talking to him, she’d remember this punishment and think twice.

Reggie kind of thought the beating was enough of a punishment. But Alex had asked her to really think about that. And if she truly believed that, then he’d said he wouldn’t punish her. Damn him. Thinking sucked sometimes. Because she’d realized she had this ball of guilt in her stomach. She’d lied to him. And she wanted that guilt to go away. Which a spanking would achieve.

So tonight she was standing naked from the waist down in the corner of the study, awaiting her punishment.

“Come here, darlin’.” Reggie turned to find Alex sitting in a straight-backed chair in the middle of the room. As he pulled her between his open legs, she peered down at him in fear, wishing this was already over.

“Okay, tonight we’re going to begin your punishment, Reagan. Tell me, why are you being punished?”

Reggie sniffled, wiping at the tears that were already running down her cheeks. Shudders raced through her body as Alex peered up at her, not without some sympathy, before he grabbed her hands in his to rub them softly.

“I’m being punished because I didn’t tell you that Lance was calling me and for running off without letting anyone know where I was going.”

“That’s right.”

“I really am sorry, Alex,” she cried out, sobbing now.

“Oh, darlin’,” he said softly, pulling her down to sit on his lap where he rubbed her back. “I know you are. I hate seeing you like this, and I hate causing you more pain and tears. But we both need to do this, little one. Now, are you ready to take your punishment?”

Reggie nodded, standing up and facing him.

“You know I only do this because I love you, don’t you?”

Reggie nodded again. She knew he loved her. It was in the way he cared for her while she was sick, the way he looked at her with such tenderness and warmth. It was in the way he laid down some basic safety rules for her to follow, rules to help keep her secure and healthy. Every day he showed her just how much he loved her, but she never tired of hearing him say it.

“I never want to experience the fear and pain that I went through that night. I can’t go through that again, Reagan. This punishment is going to be very hard on both of us.”

But harder on her.

“I’m going to spank you, first with my hand then with this.” He reached down and grabbed the paddle she’d seen sitting on the floor by his chair. She’d been trying to ignore it in the hope that it would go away.

“Please don’t, Alex,” she whimpered, her eyes going wide.

“Look at me, darlin’,” he said tenderly. “At me, not at the paddle.” Reggie looked into his face, seeing his sympathy and his determination.

“I didn’t want to have to use this paddle on you, darlin’. But I feel you’ve left me no choice. But for me to use it, you’re going to have to trust that I will not hurt you more than you can take. You have to trust me to punish you and to look after you. Do you trust me, Reagan?”

This was Alex. Alex had promised never to harm her, and she knew he wouldn’t break that promise.

“I trust you.”

He smiled, and she felt a surge of happiness rush through her at his approval. “Good girl. After your spanking, I’ll comfort you and then it will be time for bed. For the rest of the week, you’re grounded. You’re not allowed to go anywhere unless I give you permission. Your bedtime has also been reduced to nine-thirty.”

Reggie felt her jaw drop at his announcements. Grounded as well as a spanking? So mean.

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