“Not for yourselves,” I clarify. “For each other.”
* * *
Izzy
They can’t be serious. Choose how my friends get spanked? I already feel guilty enough knowing they’re going to be punished because of something I did. The thought of actuallychoosinghow they get punished sits in my stomach like a lead balloon.
Twisting up to stare at my Daddy, I give him my best pleading look. “Can’t you just spank me? I’ll take both their punishments. They were just trying to help me, it’s not fair for them to be in trouble.”
“Oh, little doll. I happen to think it’s very fair.” Lifting his head, he calls to someone over his shoulder. “Kerry, would you bring out the cart, please?”
A pretty blonde woman pushes a silver cart out into the middle of the cabin, and I can’t help but notice the sparkle of excitement in her eyes. “All set up, just as you requested, sir.”
“Thank you, Kerry. You’re a good girl.”
Kerry beams at him, and I nearly snarl at her as jealousy twists in my gut.He’s my Daddy. Get your own.
But before I have a chance to tell her to fuck off, she marches back off to wherever she was hiding before, leaving me and my friends at the mercy of our Daddies.
And now I get a really good look at the cart in front of me. On the top shelf are three implements. A wooden spoon, a rectangular paddle made of some kind of clear plastic material, and a thick leather strap that looks like a shorter, more handheld version of the one Daddy used on me that night on the balcony. Beside the implements is a bowl full of tiny strips of paper.
“Here is how this works,” Daddy says, gesturing to the cart. “Since this was originally Juliet’s plan, she will pick an implement for Isabella’s spanking. Isabella will choose for Victoria, and then Victoria will choose for Juliet, though she will obviously only be left with one option. The spankings you will receive are for your part in Isabella’s escape attempt. You all should know better, especially Juliet, seeing as how she was punished for a similar escape attempt not too long ago.”
“I don’t wanna choose!” Tears are already streaming down Tori’s face and she looks so distressed I don’t know how I'm supposed to pick an implement for Uncle Max to spank her with. They all look horrible, and my friend is already so upset. “Please, Daddy, don’t make me! I’m sorry! I’ll never do anything like this again, Iswear.”
“I’m very glad to hear that, little thief. But this is the punishment your uncles and I decided on. If you continue to argue with me, I will have Kerry fetch me a bar of soap for you to hold in your mouth while I paddle your bottom. Understood?”
Though she still looks like she wants to argue, Tori nods solemnly. “Y-yes, Daddy.”
“What’s the bowl for?” Juju asks, and though I can tell she’s trying to look bold and defiant, her voice shakes.
“I’m glad you asked,” her Daddy answers, sounding far too cheerful under the circumstances. “That is the second part of your punishment, because at some point, each and every one of you lied to us about this escape plan. Honesty is something every one of your Daddies takes very seriously. Each slip of paper contains a different punishment to be tacked on after your spanking. Once you’ve chosen an implement, you will also select a piece of paper from the bowl and read it aloud.”
“This is sadistic, even for you, Jasper!” Juju snaps, earning her a hard stare from her Daddy.
“Victoria, you will now be choosing two slips of paper for Juliet,” Uncle Jasper says, his voice calm and even despite the wicked gleam in his eye. “Keep it up, princess, and I’ll just go through that whole bowl slip by slip until I think you’ve learned your lesson.”
Juju doesn’t respond, she simply glares down at the floor. But she can’t hide the tear that slips down her cheek to splash on the back of her hand, and my heart breaks for my friends who were just trying to help me.
I vow to do everything in my power to make sure Victoria’s punishment isn’ttooharsh. If I could, I would yell for Juju to choose the worst implement for me. But I have a feeling that would just earn us all another punishment from the bowl of horrors, so I keep my mouth shut.
“All right, Juliet. Time to choose Isabella’s punishments.”
Sliding slowly from her seat, Juju approaches the cart. And as she scans the selections, her perfect white teeth worrying at her bottom lip, I realize why our Daddies made her go first.
The wooden spoon is clearly the least fearsome of the implements presented. If she chooses it for me, then that leaves her with the paddle or the strap. But none of us reallywantsto choose the paddle or the strap for anyone else, either.
It’s a lose-lose situation for her, and watching her agonize over her choices is a punishment in and of itself.
And even if I could help her, I don’t know how to. I know I can handle the strap, so I’m tempted to tell her to choose it for me and I’ll choose the wooden spoon for Tori. She was never supposed to be a part of the plan, so it only seems fair that she should get the least severe punishment of all.
After what seems like forever, Juju reaches for the wooden spoon, but despite my determination to remain quiet, a loud squeak of protest slips through my lips. Glancing up, her eyes full of torment, Juju moves her hand to the clear paddle.
If I had a choice that didn’t affect anyone else, the paddle would be the last thing I would choose for myself. But this does affect both of my friends, and since they wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for me, it only seems fair for me to get what seems like the worst implement of all.
So I give Juju a subtle nod when she glances up at me, and seal my fate.
Dragging in a deep breath, she picks up the paddle and holds it out to my Daddy, who takes it from her with a nod of his own. “Thank you, Juliet. Now, pick a piece of paper from the bowl, please.”
