Page 2 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 2

“Why her?”

A self-satisfied smirk lifted the corner of her lips. “She’s cute and bouncy and bratty, just the way you like them.”

“You know what else she is?”

“What?”

“The biggest fucking gossip in Bolton Springs.”

There was a certain measure of grim satisfaction in watching her face pale before she forced a bright smile. “Well, then I guess it’s up to you to keep her in line. Have fun!”

Before he could catch her, Lucy ducked under his arm and hurried back to her other guests. As much as he wanted to put her over his knee and spank the living daylights out of her right then and there, Mike wouldn’t appreciate him manhandling his sub without his permission.

It took several deep breaths for Ethan to feel in control enough to return to Isabella’s side. Unsurprisingly, she wasn’t at the wet bar where he’d left her but standing in front of a wicked-looking clear plastic paddle, her head tilted to the side like a curious puppy.

Her attention was so focused on the row of implements, she didn’t notice him until he leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Naughty girl.”

Spinning around, eyes wide, she slapped a hand over her heart. “Fucking Christ, Ethan! You scared the shit out of me!”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Unless you want to spend the evening with a ball gag in that pretty mouth, watch your language, little girl.”

Just like when he’d threatened her earlier, it was impossible to miss the desire darkening her brown eyes. “You,” she licked her lips and cleared her throat, “you can’t do that. You’re not my Dom.”

“I am tonight.” Lifting a hand to her neck, he stroked his thumb over the pulse beating there. “Apparently, you are my birthday present. Didn’t Lucy tell you?”

If her eyes got any wider, they were liable to fall out of her head. “You?” she squeaked. “You’re my partner tonight?”

Jesus. This was not the place for the conversation they needed to have. Releasing her with more than a little reluctance, he took her by the hand and led her to the stairs.

“Where are we going? Isn’t the party down here?”

“Relax, brat. We’re going somewhere quiet to talk so I can decide how to deal with you.”

“Deal with me?” Her voice pitched up again, with that delicious mixture of fear and excitement he could practically feel pumping off of her in waves. It was intoxicating, almost enough to make him forget she was his best friend’s little ‘sister’. The in-law part didn’t matter one whit to Jake, who’d practically raised Isabella after marrying her sister Marisa.

Pushing thoughts of Jake aside for a moment, he focused on Isabella as he pulled her upstairs to one of the guest bedrooms, locking it behind them. Normally, Lucy wouldn’t allow her guests to utilize her private spaces, but he figured she could make an exception this once.

“Sit.” He punctuated the order by giving her a light shove toward the bed.

“What has gotten into you, Sheriff?” Arms crossed, she plopped onto the bed and glared up at him.

“Does Jake know you’re here?”

The slight coloring of her cheeks was all the answer he needed. “Jake isn’t the boss of me anymore.”

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’. Damn it, Izzy.” He raked his hands through his hair in a desperate attempt to keep them off of her. “What the hell were you thinking, coming here alone? You don’t know any of these people!”

“I know Lucy! She invited me!”

Mirroring her stance, he crossed his arms and pinned her with his sternest glare. “Tell me exactly what she said.”

With a huff, she rolled her eyes, and every instinct he had screamed at him to bend her over the bed and teach her some manners. “Watch it, Isabella. I’ll only take so much rudeness before I introduce you to that Lexan paddle you were admiring downstairs. Talk. Without the attitude.”

The threat had that heady blend of need and fear swirling in her eyes. But when she spoke again, her tone was at least a bit more respectful. “She just told me about this play party they have every month and asked if I wanted to come. And she did tell me she had someone she thought I would enjoy playing with, but she didn’t tell me it was you!”

“How many of these types of parties have you been to before?”

Perfectly straight white teeth nibbled at her full bottom lip. “This is my first,” she admitted quietly.

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