"Yes, Daddy."
"Tesoro." His grip on her chin gentled, but he didn't release her. "You have always been, and will always be, the most beautiful woman I've ever known. Do you believe me?"
"Not really," she confessed quietly.
"Then I'll have to convince you. Stand up and pull your pants down, then bend over and place your hands on the log."
"Jason, this really isn't necessary."
"It is, little one. And you're up to an extra ten, now. Stand up."
"Extra? For what?"
"What are you supposed to call me, Evelyn?"
Groaning in frustration at his stubbornness, she ignored the question and stood to pull her pants to her knees. With one last glare over her shoulder, she bent and placed her hands on the log.
"You didn't answer my question, little one. How are you supposed to be addressing me?"
"Jason! Ow!" A line of fire exploded across her bare skin, and she popped up to grab her bottom. "That hurt!"
"That's the point of a spanking. You're up to fifteen extra, so I'm going to help you out. You will only address me as Daddy or Sir for the remainder of our time up here.Capiche?"
"You're not being fair!"
"I'm sure it feels that way. Back in position, and mind your manners, little one."
"Fine. Whatever." The tears she ached to shed stuck in her chest as she bent over and placed her hands on the log. Behind her, she heard an ominous soundingswooshseveral times before he tapped the switch against her bottom.
"You are beautiful, Evelyn."
Another swoosh, only this time, it was followed by another explosion of fire. She squealed at the pain but managed to stay put. It hurt so much, but not enough to bring on the tears she craved.
Before she could fully process the pain, a second line of fire descended. Then a third. A switching, she discovered, was delivered with fast strokes, one on top of the other. Little lines of agony crisscrossing her bottom until all she knew was that fiery pain.
When he stopped, she was panting and whimpering, but the tears still seemed stuck inside of her.
"Have I ever lied to you, tesoro?"
"I-I don't think so."
"I haven't. And I never will. So when I tell you that I love you, and that I still think you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, I expect you to believe me."
The switching began again, just as fast and furious as before. "Daddy, please! Stop!"
Her pleas went unanswered, and the pain in her bottom grew hotter and fiercer with each stripe of the switch.
When he began lecturing again, he did so without pausing her punishment. "I will never stop loving you, Evelyn Marie. Even when your perfect skin begins to wrinkle and your hair begins to gray, you will still be the most beautiful girl in the world. Nothing will ever change how I feel about you."
The tears began working their way up through her chest, sticking in her throat. And as much as she wanted them, she was suddenly terrified she wouldn't be able to stop them once they'd started. "Stop. Stop, please! Daddy, I can't!"
"Let it out, baby. You can do it. You've been so brave and so strong. Just let it out."
"Can't. Please!"
To her shock, the switching stopped. She was just about to ask him what he was doing when he walked around her and sat on the log.
"Come here, little one." Taking her hand, he guided her over his lap. "You're safe here. Let it out, baby."