"Are you on birth control?" The question came out louder and angrier than I anticipated, setting forth a fresh wave of tears from Merry as she wagged her head back and forth. "N-n-no," she sobbed, burying her face in her hands.
I heard Blake's hiss of surprise from behind me, but I couldn't give two fucks to his feelings, right now. This didn't involve him. It was about me, and Merry.
"So you could be pregnant, right now?" I asked, forcing my voice down an octave.
"I guess so," she wailed, from behind her hands. "I didn't think about it. I'm sorry."
The brokenness in her voice finally broke through my shock and brought me back down to earth. Clumsily, I stumbled over to the bed and pulled her shaking body against me. "Oh, little one. What have you got to be sorry for, Merry?"
"Everything," she sobbed into my shirt.
"Nothing," I corrected gently, pulling her away and prying her hands from her tear-stained face. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you hear me? Nothing. Blake and I, on the other hand, well, we should have done better. In all of it, even the way I handled myself just now. I was just shocked and angry with myself. I wanted better for you than that, and to know I was the one who mucked it up broke my heart, little one. It killed me."
"But, but, I wanted you to be my first," she whispered softly. It was a confession meant for my ears and mine alone. One that nearly brought a tear to my eye with its simple sincerity.
"I wanted that, too, little one. But had I known, I would have made it better."
"It was with you, so it was perfect," she whispered back, wiping the last of her tears.
"Next time will be," I promised. Then I remembered that her virginity wasn't the only issue on the table. "What if you're pregnant?"
Merry's smile was weak. "What's that you always say, let's not borrow trouble?"
I laughed, the way I always did when she threw my own words back in my face, but on the inside, I wasn't laughing. I was picturing her, here on the ranch, where she belonged, her belly swollen with child. My child. Suddenly, it was all I wanted most in this world. My throat was thick when I nodded. "Fair enough, little one. Let's not. We'll cross that bridge, if it comes." We stared into each other's eyes wordlessly, and I knew we were both picturing the same things. At least, I hoped we were.
The clearing of Blake's throat forced us out of our reverie. "This has been a very interesting turn of events and all, but we were in the middle of a discipline session, and it's my turn. I will be very cranky if I don't get my turn, and I don't think you want a cranky Dom, baby girl.
Merry startled, shaking her head emphatically. "No, Sir."
Blake crossed the room and sat on the bed. Motioning for me to move, he patted his thigh. "Over my knee, baby girl. You still have a debt to pay."
Biting her lip, Merry slowly and carefully draped herself across Blake's lap while I watched from the spot he had just occupied.
"It turns out, Doms don't much care for their subs engaging in dangerous behavior, either. What do you have to say for yourself, baby girl?"
"Nothing, Sir. I'm sorry."
He growled. "You're gonna be."
Blake had huge hands. One smack from his flat paddle-like palm reddened an entire cheek and made a sound that echoed through the room like thunder. I settled in, watching with interest. Blake and I had very different punishment styles, and I loved watching a naughty bottom quiver under his punishing blows. Especially when that naughty bottom was Merry's.
His hand fell hard and fast with a rhythm that was without cadence, leaving every inch of skin a dark and mottled red. When she began to panic, kicking her legs and throwing her arms back to cover herself, he locked her legs underneath his own and held both of her hands with only one of his, pinning them at the small of her back, rendering her effectively immobile.
"Take your spanking, baby girl. It's not going to end until I'm sure you've learned your lesson." His growl was low and smooth, next to her ear, and I watched to see what her response would be. The skin on her bottom was flaming red and looked like it would be hot to the touch. Her hair was mussed, and her face tear stained, but her body language told a story of resentment and stubbornness. She was far from done. I could see it, and Blake, too, as was evidenced by the next barrage of swats, which fell fast and hard against her tender sit spots. I watched her face and the straight curve of her spine, waiting for her to break, knowing that he would not stop until she had. This was a hard lesson to impart but an important one. Safety matters were always treated with swift and severe punishment. This time was no different. I could see a thin sheen of sweat on her face, as I watched her tender crease and the tops of her thighs redden under Blake's hand, until they were the same mottled shade of red as her bottom. She was a stubborn one, my little girl. I was getting antsy, itching to step in and put a stop to the whole thing, convinced now, more than ever, that something was wrong, when it finally happened. Her whole body sagged across his lap, and the silent tears turned to loud wracking sobs, interspersed between desperate wails of apology. I breathed a deep sigh of relief, when Blake's hand finally rested across her flaming cheeks. And waited.
He dropped her hands from his grasp and began rubbing small circles on the small of her back, whispering in hushed tones. I couldn't hear what he said, could only see the bobbing of her head as she nodded her agreement. I watched as the sobs subsided into soft mewls of pain. Finally, Blake offered his hand and helped her stand, pulling her to face him, between his knees.
"Are you going to do better in the future, baby girl? Do you understand that, if you put yourself in a dangerous position again, today's punishment will seem like a walk in the park?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Good." Blake nodded, and I smiled, as he looked at a loss. Not jumping straight into the sexual side after a punishment had him well out of his comfort zone, but after her earlier revelation, it was out of the question for this time. He cleared his throat. "Give me a hug and go hug Daddy, too. He looks like he needs it. And then, go to your room and wash up. Nan's soaps are about over, and she's going to be all over you about those cookies."
Giggling softly, Merry stepped into his arms.
As she stepped out, Blake's promise echoed through the room. "And tonight, after dinner, baby girl, you will get your just reward."
Chapter 10
Merry
Jeans were no longer an option after the spanking I had just received, and even cotton panties chafed and burned. I scrubbed my face and reapplied fresh makeup, but nothing could erase the deep blush that covered my face as I entered the kitchen, thirty minutes later, commando underneath a pair of thin yoga pants, to find Nan rolling out sugar cookie dough. Her sallow skin morphed into a knowing smirk.
"I'm sorry I got you in trouble."
"Hmpph," I muttered, still a little sore over the fact that I had taken all the blame. Not that I had a choice. The idea of Blake or Slade punishing Nan in any way was ludicrous.
"It's funny," Nan mused, expertly rolling out dough without looking at me. "Neither of those boys ever met Joe or Mike, but damned if they aren't just like them."
"Who's Mike?" My eyebrows furrowed as I searched my memory banks for the name in the list of foster kids from way before my time, coming up blank. No Mike had ever been mentioned.
"I've never told you about Mike? No, of course, I haven't. Had no reason to. But I do now, don't I?"
It was Nan's turn to blush as she finally looked up at me, a mischievous grin spreading slowly across her face. "Here, honey, you sit down," she commanded, gesturing to the bank of wooden stools on the opposite side of the island. "I even fetched you one of the old stool pads. Ugly little things, really, but much nicer than parking a well-spanked bottom on a hard wooden stool. That's one I know from experience and, well, thank you."
Grimacing, I sat softly, fighting the urge to cry in pain as my ass made contact. Even with the pad, it was excruciating. Of course, standing wasn't much better. Completely my own fault, of course. Why di
d I have to be so damn stubborn?
"I'd offer you ice, but that would have gotten me in trouble, back in the day, and since my boys seem so similar to my men, you probably shouldn't chance it."
"Scuse? Your men?" I questioned, the truth settling in my gut, even before she responded.
"Yes, my men. Joe and Mike. Haven't you been paying attention?"
"Apparently not," I mused, grabbing a cookie cutter from the tin on the edge of the island.
"Mike was Joe's brother," Nan informed me with a smile.
I widened my eyes and gaped at her with amusement, leaning over the counter as I waited to hear what was sure to be a juicy tale.
"I met them both the same week and accepted dates with both of them. I didn't know they were brothers," she admitted sheepishly. "They were both smart, funny, and sexy as hell. I liked them both a lot. And I happily dated them both. One day, Joe invited me to his house for a family barbeque on the fourth of July. Imagine my surprise when Mike was also there, and when they both called the same woman 'mom'. I wanted to turn tail and run, the moment I realized, but it was too late. They caught on. There were words exchanged, and I honestly thought they were going to come to blows, but it was the sixties, the start of the free love movement, and none of us were thinking long term. They propositioned me. Asked why I would want one Russo man, when I could have two. I couldn't think of a good reason. Not a single one. That night, when the party had ended, the three of us went back to my place."
Nan's eyes twinkled, and her face took on a far off look, as she sighed softly, caught up in her memories. I was caught up, too—in her story. "Earth to Nan." I waved my hand in front of her face.
"Oh, that was a fun summer," she sighed. "Two men are indeed better than one. But you know that, don't you?" she asked with a conspiratorial wink in my direction.
"Enough about me," I said with a blush, waving away her pointed remark. "What happened to Mike? Why have I never heard of him before this?"
"Nobody has. It was a secret I'd planned on taking to my grave, I suppose. But watching the three of you has made an old woman's mind wander, and I've found myself thinking of that summer a lot, lately."
"So, what happened?" I was practically jumping up and down at that point.
Nan shook her head, and I watched as her wide smile turned to one of sadness. "Mike never wanted to be a farmer. When the US joined the Vietnam War, he enlisted. Oh, I was heartbroken, but Joe had always been the one for me. I knew that. Mike knew that. I suppose, in a way, it was part of the reason he left, but Mike was a dreamer. He had the wanderlust. On our last night together, he made slow love to me. When it was over, he kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear. I'll never forget what he said, because it was the last time I ever heard him speak. He died in the war, two years later, after Joe and I were married."
"What did he say? What did he say?" I was shrieking, and the cookies had been all but abandoned. They would never get done, at this rate.
"He said 'I love you enough to give you up, because, as much as I love you, Joe loves you more.' He was right. Joe loved me with a deep, unending love. Mike loved with a lot of passion, but he didn't have staying power like Joe did. He could have never given me all this the way my Joseph did. And where would I be without all my babies in my old age?"
I laughed, as I always did when Nan called her foster kids her babies. At twenty-four, I was the youngest, and not a single 'baby' had come to the ranch younger than age twelve. But we were all Nan's babies. And in some ways, it was true. For a lot of us, life hadn't really started until we got to the ranch.
"Thank you for sharing your story with me, Nan." Hopping off the stool, I crossed around the island and wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her soft, weathered cheek.
She leaned in and kissed my cheek in return, patting my face. "I should be thanking you, my dear. It's been a long time since I have seen my boys so happy. Speaking of my boys, where are they?"
My stomach dropped, and my pussy wept as I remembered Blake's earlier promise of a reward. With those two, I could only imagine what that could mean. They had a gift for pain, a gift for pleasure, and a gift for making pain into pleasure.
"Um, they, uh, I don't know where they are," I admitted, trailing off.
"Oh, well, they will turn up soon, I'm sure. Probably about the time the first batch of cookies is pulled from the oven, if I know my boys."
"Probably," I agreed, laughing. But my mind, even though I was cutting out sugar cookies, was already upstairs. Dinner was still hours away, and after dinner was farther still. I would probably combust from anticipation before we even got to that point.
Slade
In all my years at Second Chance Ranch, I had never sat through a dinner as quiet as this one. Blake's eyes were dark and intent, the attention he was giving to his roast and potatoes was almost scary. Merry stared down at her plate throughout, her face flushed as she occasionally snuck glances at Blake and me from across the table. Nan had a dreamy far-off look on her face, sometimes replaced by a knowing smile. Nobody spoke a word. I could have helped the tension by asking a question or starting a conversation, but the truth of the matter was I wasn't faring much better. My mind was stuck on the reel of the afternoon's events, playing on repeat in my head. A virgin. And maybe a baby. With Merry.
The fantasy was heady, but the reality was a heavier one. A baby with Merry and Blake. Somehow, when Blake and I decided we wanted to share, we had never thought beyond the sexual and discipline aspects of it. Go figure.
I looked up to see Merry staring at me. I caught her eye, and she smiled and winked. Message received. She knew me well—and how my mind worked—and was silently reminding me not to borrow trouble from tomorrow. Shaking my head at my own silliness, I winked back.
I was glad Merry seemed in good spirits. The guilt from the afternoon's revelations was still eating me up inside, but I had plans to make it up to her soon, and well.
We all ate slowly, consuming every bite on our plates, just as Nan had raised us to do. Not that it was a hardship. Nan was a good cook, and she had taught us all to be decent cooks, as well. These days, if not for the schedule tacked up in the kitchen, I would be hard pressed to know who had done the cooking on any given day. I knew today it had been Nan, and the roast had been cooked in the crockpot, so the damn sugar cookies could have her full attention.
I scraped my own plate clean and sat waiting until everyone had done the same. Then, and only then, did Blake rise and begin to clear the table. The three of us would do clean up, since Nan had cooked. It had been the order of things since before I could remember.
Imagine our surprise when Nan stood up and met us in the kitchen. "I'm feeling a little restless today," she announced. "I think I need to get up and stretch my legs. Don't you kids worry about these dishes. I can do them, or they can wait."
Blake's eyes narrowed, but his face was soft, as it always was when he dealt with Nan. She was the only person alive with the ability to wrap Blake around her little finger. And she did it without even trying. "No, Nan, you've had a long day. You go rest. We've got the cleanup. With the three of us, it won't take but a minute."
Flicking a dish towel, while simultaneously tying an apron around her waist to protect her dress, she glared at him. He glared back. "It's the rule, and it's a damn good one, as I've always been told. Now, go sit down."
"I made the rules around here, and I can damn well break them, too!"
Blake shot me a look I knew well, and we jumped into action. Lifting Nan, he grabbed her under the armpits, and I came round and grabbed her feet, forming a human stretcher hold, as we carried her out of the kitchen, through the dining room and into the living room, carefully depositing her upright in her big cozy armchair. Then, we booked it out of there as fast as we could.
She was livid, as to be expected. Just as we crossed over the threshold to the kitchen, we heard the beginning of a familiar cry. "The day I can't wash a few dishes—"
"Is the da
y you can put me in the ground!" The three of us hollered back, in unison, gathering around the sink.
We made quick work of the cleanup, and Nan, thankfully, stayed put. Once Merry had dried and put away the last dish, the tension that had been hovering was suddenly palpable.
She stood there nervously, folding and smoothing the apron she had just removed. Blake was the one who made a move. Coming up behind her, he grazed her hip with one large hand and tucked her hair behind her ear with the other, leaning down to her level. "Upstairs. You will go into Slade's bedroom. You have forty-five minutes to take a bath. I want your pretty little pussy shaved up nice for us and then you will put on the lingerie we have laid out on the bed for you. At exactly six-thirty, we will come up, and you, baby girl, had better be ready for us."
Her breathing was shallow and labored, her eyes wide as I joined the two of them, flanking her other side. "Just remember, little one, not to be nervous. It's time for your reward."
Merry
Don't be nervous? What the hell was Slade smoking? Of course, I was nervous. I was a fucking mess, standing there, near paralyzed in the kitchen. To make matters worse, I could hear the trusty old Grandfather clock ticking down the minutes in the next room. Each tick was a minute less. I counted three of them while I stood there. Shaved up nice? What did that even mean? Did they want me to shave bare? I had heard of it, of course, but I had never done it. Then again, I'd never had a reason to.
The sharp slap to my already aching ass was the thing that finally spurred me into action. Three minutes had already passed, I realized, checking my phone as I raced up the stairs.
Stepping into Slade's room, a room I had not yet been in, this trip, I was awed. The bed was a beautiful four poster bed, covered with a duvet in a teal blue that made me think of Slade's eyes. Approaching the bed, I saw the lingerie they expected me to wear. It wasn't lingerie at all, or at least, not what I envisioned when I heard the word. It was basically just a bra and panties. A very sexy bra and panties. Oh, and a garter belt. Like I had a single freaking clue how to put on a garter belt. This had to be Blake's doing.
Winterland Daddies (Second Chance Ranch Book 1) Page 9
