“So that was a real punishment,” Cindy whispered.
“Yep.” Jillian nodded and rubbed her bottom, trying to take away some of the ache.
“I don’t think I liked it very much.” Cindy shook her head.
Jillian laughed and hugged her friend. “Me neither. Let’s go be people pleasers for the rest of the day.”
They walked, arm in arm, out of the dungeon, not seeing the jealous eyes watching them from the shadows.
BERTRAM
Bertram was hanging by a thread, and he knew it. Between his wayward “little” being cooped up with a hungry vampire during a blizzard, his lustful cravings after seeing Jillian’s bare ass again, and worrying about her and Cindy, he felt like he was about to blow a gasket—or someone’s house down.
God, what was the woman thinking?He understood Cindy could be a little flighty at times. That’s why he told her to always have a chaperone. But Jillian? She seemed so desperate to play and investigate, yet wouldn’t come to him.
Why did that thought kick him in the gut? Probably because he liked the spirited brunette. More than he should. He felt such a strong need to be with her, as if she were destined to be his mate. But that was stupid. He growled and pushed a cart of towels out of his way. Matings like that were for fairytales.
He needed to talk to Jillian and clear the air. He saw her round the corner and hug Cindy before coming his way, deep in thought, not even noticing him.
He cleared his throat, startling her. “Sorry, can we talk?”
“Sure.” She swallowed and followed him into an empty play room.
“I need to apologize for my actions. I shouldn’t have spanked you like that. I lost my temper, and honestly it wasn’t my right. You had not given me permission, and you don’t work here. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You were scared?” She looked at him in confusion.
“The dungeon isn’t the best place to learn how to be submissive. You need to take it slowly. Learn what you can handle. Gain trust with your dominant partner. Playing is fine, but you have to be safe about it.”
“And the blood sucking bastard?” She rolled her eyes and smirked.
He wanted to turn her over his knee again, but pulled every ounce of patience from his reserve and settled with his “look”.
Satisfied with her reaction, he sat down on a stool. “Master Bram is a different kind of dominant. He needs special subs who can cater to his… special needs and… tastes.”
“Okay.” She nodded.
“Will you forgive me for spanking you without your consent, Jillian? It won’t happen again. You have my word.”
She wrapped her arms around her body and looked down at the floor, whispering something he couldn’t quite make out.
“Speak up please, Jillian. I can’t understand you.”
She met his gaze, her green eyes wide and vulnerable. “What if I don’t always want to give you my consent?”
“Then I won’t spank you.”
She paced the floor and exhaled loudly. “No. That’s not what I mean! I mean, what if you could…” She fidgeted in obvious discomfort. “What if you turned me over your knee, even without me giving you my consent? And what if I still didn’t want you to, um,” her face flushed, “spank me, but you did anyway?”
He had to make her understand that he wouldn’t hurt her or force her into something she did not want. “I won’t do that. No more nonconsensual spankings. I promise.”
Instead of looking relieved, her eyes flashed in anger. “What if that is what I want? Or need?” she said more quietly.
Oh. He finally understood. He walked to her, took her small hand into his, and kissed it. “Jillian, that’s not what this lodge is based on. It’s based on consensual fetish. You are asking for nonconsensual spankings, and I can’t do that to you.”
Her lower lip trembled. “But if I say it’s okay for the whole time we are here, then you would have my blanket consent. You could spank me whenever you felt like it and whenever I needed it. Even if I didn’t want it.” She looked at him, wide-eyed and embarrassed, but hopeful.
He shook his head and backed a step away from her. His fiancée had left him because she didn’t like the disciplinary aspect of their relationship. But this was what Bertram needed, a well-rounded spanking relationship, with sexual and not-so-sexual spankings. He needed to be in charge. It wasn’t even his wolf side that called for this. His dominant character called for it.
