Initiative (Suncoast Society #31)(23)

“Stay, sweetie,” he said, his deep, throaty voice sounding like he wanted to f*ck her brains out right then.

She watched him grab Darryl by the collar with his left hand, lead him over to the bed, and bend him over it. In his right, he held a rattan cane.

“Count.” That was all the warning Grant gave him before he took the first hard stroke, the cane zhwipping through the air before smacking across Darryl’s ass.

And it wasn’t any play swat, either. It left a long red welt across both ass cheeks.

Darryl flinched. “One, Sir…”

After Grant finished the five, he let go of the back of Darryl’s collar. Darryl dropped to his knees on the floor and kissed the tops of Grant’s feet.

“Thank you, Sir,” Darryl said, his voice sounding a little slurred and fuzzy.

And his cock—also very nice, now that she’d actually gotten a good look at it—stood rigidly at attention despite the five angry red welts marking his flesh.

Grant smiled down at him and stroked Darryl’s hair. “Good boy,” he said. Then his gaze fell on her. “Punishment is just that—punishment. I will be working you up to a cane eventually.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Does that scare you?”

“A little, Sir.”

“Good.” He smiled. “It means you’ll try that much harder to be a good girl for me. Don’t worry. Punishment and play are two completely different things. And I will give you plenty of warnings, at first. But once we’ve been together for a while, if I have to give you more than a couple of warnings about the same rule, then we’re moving into punishment territory. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

He snapped his fingers at Darryl, who stood. The men returned to their previous positions, Grant in front of her, Darryl behind her. She looked up into Grant’s face, his blue eyes now dark with passion.

“I don’t punish punitively,” Grant said. “If I want to be really sadistic, I’ll simply set you up in a predicament bondage scenario and sit back and giggle.”

Darryl laughed. “True story.”

Grant held his hands out to her, helping her to her feet. “I’ll never violate a hard limit with you. When it comes to play, it’s just that, play. Our relationship is different. I expect obedience, and I will enforce it if you cross a line, like I did just now with him.”

“And he doesn’t forget, either,” Darryl warned. “He’s like a friggin’ elephant.”

Grant’s smirk widened as he looked at Darryl. “Would you really want me to let things slide?” He threw in an eyebrow arch for added effect.

“No, Sir,” Darryl said, his head bowing.

“Exactly.”

“I don’t want you to let things slide, either,” she softly said. John hadn’t let things slide. He might not correct her when it happened, but he always had later on, at some point.

She’d loved that about him.

It made her feel safe, secure.

Loved.

That he was paying attention. She never deliberately pushed him or tried him. When she’d tried that early on in their relationship, it’d had the exact opposite effect she’d been looking for. He’d make her stand in a corner for an hour instead of giving her a spanking.

He’d quickly taught her that yes, there were some kinds of punishment she’d rather not have.

Grant tipped his head as he studied her. “That sounds like it’s spoken by someone who’s been taught the meaning of ‘negative reinforcement.’”

“You can say that again,” she muttered.

“Oh? Enlighten me.”

Dammit. She took a deep breath and admitted about having to stand in a corner.

“Hmm. Duly noted and mentally filed for future reference should it be needed.” He leaned in close. “If you feel you need a spanking, or you need attention, or whatever, all you have to do is admit it and talk to me. If I ever feel you’re acting out simply to get attention, you’ll find I have similar ways of dealing with it.” He focused on Darryl. “Don’t I?”

Darryl’s face pinkened. “Yes, Sir,” he said.

“Tell her.”

Darryl sighed, but finally met her gaze. “One time, he made me sleep alone for two nights even when Kyle wasn’t home.”

“He hates sleeping alone,” Grant said. “Truth be told, I hate it, too. But I think I got my point across, didn’t I?”

“Yes, Sir,” Darryl said.

She could understand how that would mentally sting worse than any paddling or caning. Worse than any physical punishment.

Being forced to be alone.

Grant reached down and untied her sarong and pulled it from around her hips, handing it off to Darryl. He lightly trailed his fingers up her arms and down again before lacing fingers with her and leaning in close.

“Who’s my good girl?” he whispered in her left ear.

Her heart raced, pounded. “Me, Sir,” she said.

“Yes, you are. And such a good girl you are, too.”

Dammit, he knew exactly what buttons to push to drill through the very center of her soul. Unless he turned out to be a raging douchecanoe in the light of day, he could pretty much count on her being his from this point on.