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Her lips parted and I saw the look of pain flash across her face.
“You will not abuse the palace staff. Am I understood?”
But my waif did not wilt this time, or cower, or beg. She faced off against me, her chin lifted, her hands trying to tug out of my grasp.
I’d never experienced this response before. I’d never been given a fight. I’d never thought I’d like it, god knows, but my waif looked like if she could, she would hurl that clock at me, and I was more than happy to teach her a lesson about who was in charge.
I tightened my grip on her wrists and pulled her to me, relishing the proud lift of her head, and even her flashing eyes. “Are you angry at me, waif?”
Her nostrils flared, and she tried again to pull free.
“I’m going to let you go,” I told her, trying to make my voice as soothing as possible. “As soon as you’ve had your whipping.” Then I hauled her in one tug over my lap, and nothing—and I mean nothing, not even my tongue inside her delicious pussy—had ever felt so right.
CHAPTER 7
Ari
This had been the most awful day I’d ever lived through. Well, perhaps second only to the day I’d been forbidden to go to the surface. The prince hadn’t come to save me after all, it seemed, but to… to punish me? For being in fear of my life? It didn’t make any sense! I’d thought him so kind.
“I hope you’re listening,” he was saying as I thrashed and tried desperately to get away. “But if you’re not… you soon will be.”
I should have heeded that warning, but I was so angry, so full of frustration and disappointment, that I hardly heard him. What I did hear was the thunderclap that sounded as soon as his hand cupped my poor, trembling flesh. The pain that shot through me was immeasurable. The heat from his hand warmed my bottom moments before he slapped it again.
If I could have screamed, I would have. I could feel it building in my chest, bubbling up my throat, and the fact that I couldn’t release it was nearly as painful as his paddle-like hand. For the first time I’d set foot on that sandy beach, I damned the Sea Witch to hell. Even as I did, I felt sure it would not be the last.
Another smack still rained down and my chest heaved with the hurt it imparted. He’s not a man—he’s a monster! He... he…
I couldn’t even hold onto a thought as his hand fell once more, making me cringe.
“Are you listening now?” His voice was silky and sexy, and for a moment, I hated him. But I remained still, and after a few beats he said, “Good. I am going to give you a firm lashing before we’re through, but I want you to understand why you’ve earned it.”
They were trying to kill me! I silently shouted at him. They wanted to make me drown! Humans can’t go near water! And they?—
Another smack resounded against my poor, throbbing flesh.
“I can see you’re still angry. I know I don’t understand why, but I’d like to.”
I stiffened against his knees, but even as upset as I was, part of me wanted desperately to believe him. Wanted for him to be the man I’d thought he was when I’d given up my very way of life just for a chance to be near him.
He must have sensed my softening, because he pulled me up to sit on his knee. My sore bottom against his hard knee made me wince, but when he cupped my cheek and smiled, it didn’t seem quite so bad.
“It’s not entirely conventional, I admit. It’s frowned upon in ‘proper society’, but I believe that when a woman misbehaves, the man in charge of her needs to make her see the error of her ways.” His eyes bored into mine as he talked. “Do you see?”
I shook my head, but there was no denying I was more willing to listen than I had been before.
“I am going to punish you for throwing a fit and scaring and hurting those poor maids. They were not trying to bring any harm to you—if they had been, I could well understand your reaction, but since they weren’t, your tantrum was quite unseemly.”
Does he not know? How could that be possible? Maybe… maybe I’ve been wrong about the water all this time?
“You hurt one of them,” he was saying, “and could have been hurt yourself. I will not tolerate that kind of behavior if you are to remain here at the castle.”
I dipped my head, embarrassed for the fit I had thrown when it seemed that it had all been quite unnecessary. If I’d had the voice to do so, I would have pleaded my case and explained why I had acted as I had. But as it was, all I could do was bow in acquiescence and accept that this was my fate.
The prince must have seen the resignation in the droop of my shoulders, for he stroked my cheek once more. “I am going to spank you quite soundly. It is going to hurt. And you’re going to take it. Whatever punishment I see fit—you are going to take it. Understand?”
I let out a breath of resignation, and after a long, humbling moment, I nodded.
He did not smile or remark on my submission in any way except to take me by the hand and pull me once more face down over his lap.
