Chapter Ten
Arthur dressed her in her pajamas. She didn’t dare try to do it herself after she’d been spanked for trying to pick up her toothbrush. Made her heart beat hard to think about it: how much she’d handed over to him so quickly. And how much she liked it.
After he dressed her, he led her down the hall to where the master bedroom was.
It didn’t look so different than it had when Arthur had shared the room with her mother. Probably because her mother was like a chameleon and would adopt whatever attitudes and hobbies and style it took to fit in with her new man’s set.
Big, heavy dark wood furniture, the walls a blue so deep and rich she felt like she could swim in it, and all indirect lights that pointed toward the elegantly coffered ceiling. Looked like old money. Like yachts and sport coats and weekends at the polo grounds.
Maybe it made her her mother’s daughter, but she loved those trappings of wealth. The smell of leather from the club chairs by the fireplace didn’t hurt either.
Arthur towed her over to them with his fingers that were threaded through hers and after he sat, looked up at her.
“It’s time for your punishment, princess. For being naughty and staying out way past curfew. I’m going to spank your bottom until it’s bright red and sore. Next time you think about misbehaving, you’re going to remember how it felt for me to tan your hide, understand?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Good girl. Come here now, you’re going over Daddy’s knee.”
He beckoned her to stand between his thighs and then turned her sideways before pulling down her shorts and panties. It felt so shameful having her bare butt out like this, knowing she was going to get turned over his lap and spanked like a child.
Except she didn’t feel like a child, not completely. No, everything about her that could buzz and tingle with arousaldid. She didn’t have much time to think about it because he tipped her over the side of the chair, tightening his legs around hers so she couldn’t move.
Arthur rubbed her backside for a minute and she was embarrassed but it felt nice too. It didn’t even feel so bad when he started spanking her lightly. It hurt a lot less than when he’d bent her over the bathroom counter, and breaking curfew was a lot more serious than trying to brush her teeth so she had a feeling she’d be here for a while.
While he spanked her, he talked. Steady and measured, he didn’t sound angry. Just stern and clear.
“I don’t make rules because I like making rules, princess. I make rules because they help keep you safe. From now on, you’ll need to ask special permission to stay out past eight o’clock. You’re going to have to earn that privilege by following the rules and being well-behaved. And when you’re permitted to go out, you’re going to text me every thirty minutes so I know you’re okay. You’re going to let me know if your plans have changed. And you’re not permitted to have grown-up drinks unless I’m with you and I’ve given you permission. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
Saoirse sniffed, her eyes beginning to water as the spanking got harder. It had been making her horny, as though she could rub her mound on Arthur’s thigh and get off that way but now the pain was distracting her. The way he was hitting her stung and when he concentrated the hard slaps in one place, she had a hard time breathing. At least without crying and she didn’t want to cry because grown-ups didn’t cry from getting spanked, did they?
Except she wasn’t a grown-up. Arthur had been very clear that she was a little girl. And little girls would definitely cry when their bottoms were being spanked hard by their daddy’s firm hand.
So she let herself cry, hoping Arthur wouldn’t be disappointed that she wasn’t tougher.
But he didn’t laugh or yell. No, he paused and rubbed her backside that felt so hot it must be glowing. Like Rudolph’s nose, except her butt. That was a silly thought and she shook her head even as she sought Arthur’s voice, his touch.
“That’s okay, princess,” he said, stroking her hot and throbbing skin. “You can cry. I know punishments hurt. They’re supposed to. And you’re doing a very good job taking your spanking. It’s almost over, precious girl.”
That word—precious—dug deep inside of her and Saoirse flinched, hoping Arthur wouldn’t notice, would think it was just a shudder or a hiccup to go along with her tears. She wasn’t precious and she wasn’t special—she’d learned that a long time ago—and to have him say she was fucked with her head.
“It’s going to get harder now, so I’m going to take your hands behind your back so you don’t try to reach back and cover your bottom. I don’t want to hit your hands. And I’m going to give you a special word. I don’t want you to use it lightly but if anything I ever do or say is too much then you say ‘cherries’ and I’ll stop. I’m going to push you but I never want to push you too hard. I always want to keep you safe, and your only job is to help me with that. Tell me you understand, and tell me your special word.”
“I understand, Daddy,” she said, committing her word to memory, willing it to be carved into her brain the way Marbury v. Madison was. “My special word is ‘cherries.’”
“Yes. What a good, clever girl you are.”
If Arthur had said that to her a couple of hours ago, she would’ve rolled her eyes. She memorized piles of vocabulary, landmark cases, all sorts of things for law school all the damn time. But as things were, she felt warmly smug. She’d done a good job and he was pleased. She wanted to please him more.
“Now give me your hands. There you go. You’re almost done but the next couple of minutes are going to be extra hard. Just remember to breathe, and I promise lots of cuddles when it’s over.”
She sucked in a breath but before she could let it out, Arthur’s hand was landing on her backside so hard that she cried out. Way harder than he’d spanked her before, harder even than those dozen smacks he’d given her in the bathroom. Those had been like love taps compared to this and she was glad to have her hands held behind her back because she surely would’ve reached back to shield herself from this onslaught.
Saoirse cried and cried, wailed and whined while her daddy punished her bottom. It hurt so bad and she thought about saying her word to make it stop.
But she believed itwouldstop, believed Arthur wouldn’t actually harm her, and she wanted it over with. She couldn’t stand the idea of stopping and starting again so she did her best to breathe through the pain.