by Reece Butler
“Lila,” he said gently, “you’re a smart, very attractive woman. Someday you will be in charge of this ranch. But right now you’re out of control. I don’t think you want to be like this. You just don’t know another way.”
“You have no idea who I am,” she replied, her voice trembling and raw. “You only met me this morning.”
Jet rested his hand on her thigh, letting his weight sink into her.
“If you want to change,” he said quietly, “now’s the time. We don’t know your past, all the things you’ve done, or not done, that embarrass you. We do know the woman we see right here, and we like her.” He squeezed gently, reassuringly. “I think you’re hurting, Lila. Hurting in your heart. Give yourself a chance to heal.”
They gave her a while to think. She trembled, clasping her fingers so tightly they turned white.
“I’m afraid,” she finally whispered.
“The fear of something is usually worse than it happening,” said Jet.
“Not always,” said Houston, shuddering. “I’m afraid of riding a bull, and I think that’s smart. I don’t want to be stomped to death.”
“It’s like anything else,” said Lila. “You have to learn to do it right.”
“You’ve ridden one?” demanded Jet, his voice rising in shock.
“Not for very long. And I survived, as you can see.” Her blush proved she wasn’t joking. “It was just another of those crazy, impulsive things I did to prove I could be just as good as my cousins.”
“What did you accomplish?” asked Houston.
“Nothing,” she whispered, “other than a few scars.”
“You know why you did it?” asked Jet.
“I just told you.”
“No, the real reason.”
She frowned, questioning and disagreeing at the same time.
“You don’t believe in yourself,” he said. “And because of that, you don’t think anyone else will, either. You jump into things without thinking, and then second-guess yourself. You’re unsure, and so you back off, leaving the job half-done. Then you think you’re stupid because you haven’t done as well as someone with experience, who sat down and thought it out first. Some people are easily distracted and need help to concentrate. Am I right?”
Her chin trembled. She shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“Jet,” said Houston, raising his voice, “this lady needs our help. No use smoothing off rough edges if someone doesn’t believe they’re worthy in the first place.”
“Do you want to be proud of yourself?” asked Jet. She gave another shrug. “I’ve got experience, and want to help, but you have to agree to do what we say. If you do, by the time your parents come back, you will be more confident in yourself and your ability to run this ranch. Do you want that?”
He wasn’t going to tell Lila he’d learned those skills as a Dom. She was still too jittery, too unsure of herself, to be comfortable submitting. They would work with her for a while first, until she trusted them. Nothing could be achieved without trust. Trust that went both ways.
“Yes,” she admitted in a small voice.
“First thing, that swearing has to stop,” said Jet.
“My cousins swear,” she said defensively.
“We’re talking about you,” said Houston. “Swearing is reacting instead of choosing to act. That’s going to stop. Now.”
Lila set her glare on Houston. “I want ranch hands, not a pair of interfering busybodies.”
“Well, darlin’, we’re what you’ve got,” he replied, sounding very pleased with himself. “Your daddies and your momma gave us their blessing when they sent us off to this party together knowing what we’ve been doing in your bed. Now, you can kick and scream all you like, but you are going to learn to act like a lady in public.”
She harrumphed and turned her red face forward.
“I know how to act like a lady, dammit.” Her head suddenly jerked backward. “Ow! What are you doing?”
Houston had a fistful of blonde hair. He held her in place for a moment. Lila’s breathing increased, a lot. Her nipples stuck out. She liked it rough, did she? Jet coughed to hide his grin.
“Have I got your attention?” Houston spoke calmly, in total control.
“Yes!”
“If you want any more of what you got in that shower, you will obey.” He gave another tug.
“Fine! I won’t swear!”
“Is that a promise?”
“Yes!”
Houston released her hair, just enough so she could move. She relaxed, then he tugged again.
“What now?”
“This is your fair warning. If you swear, you’ll be hauled over one of our laps and spanked,” he said, cold and clear. “No matter where we are, or who is watching, bare ass in the breeze. Got it?”
“You’re joking!”
“I don’t joke about promises.”
“What promises?”
“I promised your parents I would take care of you and teach you what a woman needs to learn from a man.”
“All I want is sex, dammit!”
Jet jammed on the anchors. He hit his seatbelt button, and then Lila’s. He raced around the hood of the truck while Houston opened the door and hauled himself out. Jet grabbed Lila and flipped her onto her stomach, legs hanging out the door, before she knew what was happening. He pressed on her back as she screeched. When he got her legs under control, he flipped up her skirt. Jet got his first view of her ass, two perfect white peach halves separated by a thin green line. It was a very spankable bottom, with big cheeks that would jiggle enticingly with each spank. He had big hands, and enjoyed working a spanking from a number of directions, moving around to music. Miss Lila Frost would be getting some funishment spanking when she behaved, as well as the more painful kind when she did not.
“What are you doing?” she yelled, struggling, but not, Jet noted, too hard.
“Keeping a promise,” said Houston.
His cupped hand hit her ass. It made a lot of noise but wasn’t as painful as using open fingers. She squealed, struggling harder against Jet’s grip. Three more times she squawked, but she never demanded they stop. After the fourth smack, when each cheek had a slight blush of pink, Houston slipped his fingers between her thighs. Lila went still.
“You’re soaking wet, darlin’,” said Houston with satisfaction. “Seems the lady likes a bit of rough play, Jet.” He pulled his hand out and held up wet fingers as proof, then patted his hand marks on one cheek. “That’s gonna happen every time you swear.”
He backed away, and Jet released her. She slid her feet to the ground, furiously pushing her skirt down.
“How dare you!”
She lifted her hand to slap Houston’s face. He caught her, easily holding her arm still. He was all business now. After a moment of staring, she dropped her eyes. He released her arm.
“I accept you didn’t know the rules,” he said quietly. “So listen up, because there’ll be no leeway given. Fighting back, or trying to cover yourself, increases the punishment. That was just a little light dusting with my fingers. Each time you swear, we’ll add four more to the last number. That means the next time will be eight. Four each side.”
“Per syllable,” added Jet.
“Good point,” said Houston, nodding. “Some of those heavy-duty words deserve more, shall we say, attention?”
“One more thing,” added Jet. “We don’t threaten, we act. Fast, as you just saw. And when the punishment is over, it’s done. Forgotten.”
Houston held his arm out to help her in the truck. This time she not only accepted Houston’s offer, she quietly thanked him. She’d be a lousy poker player, as her face reflected every emotion. She was mad and aroused. In addition to a tiny thong, Miss Lila was wearing a thin bra. Her hard nipples proved it once again.
They buckled up before Jet put the truck in gear. She was silent for a while, then cleared her throat after they passed the J Bar C Ranch. She leaned forward and loo
ked to her right. Houston was either asleep against the door, or pretending to be.
“I don’t know why I have to wear a dress,” she complained again, though this time quietly. “I wore it just the other week, for Jane’s wedding.”
“That’s what women wear at parties to show respect,” he replied. “That’s why I bought new clothes for me and Houston. You look good,” he added.
She pressed her lips together, prim as an old maid schoolteacher. Her fingers smoothed her dress. A closer look showed they trembled.
“This isn’t about the spanking, is it?” She shook her head in answer, eyes still down. “You can talk to me,” he said quietly. “I don’t carry tales.” She looked up. Her eyes were a darker green than her dress. More emerald than angry ocean.
“It’s just that some of them make fun of me.”
“Your cousins?” She nodded. “Because you wear a dress?”
“I was skinny and had long legs so they called me Stork when we were kids. They knew I couldn’t punch them out because Mom would be disappointed if I wrecked my good clothes. When I grew older and got parts that stuck out, they said worse.”
She crossed her arms under her breasts, lifting them. It also opened the V at her neck, showing a hint of green lace. His cock jumped with joy again. It was doing that a lot more today than any time in the past few years. He liked her parts that stuck out. Boobs, ass, hips, even elbows, knees, and shoulders. He liked her other parts as well.
“Worse?” He cleared the frog out of his throat.
“I’m sure you know what adolescent boys say about girls who are well endowed, top and bottom.” She shot him a look of disgust. “You probably said the same things.”
Her words were like a bucket of ice water straight to his groin. His past was his own, something he survived. But he couldn’t have her thinking he was one of those bullies.
“Nope.”
“Come on, everyone makes fun of people who are different.” She screwed up her face. “Girls are worse. The boys fight and it’s all over. The girls never forget, and keep digging their nails into you.” She shot him a look of disgust. “Don’t tell me you never got in a fight over an insult.”
“I got in plenty of fights without insulting people, but I didn’t start them.”
She tilted her head at him. “You were attacked?”
“I moved a lot. If a new kid lets anyone push him around it gets worse.” He met her eyes. “They learned not to cross me.”
That kept her quiet for almost a minute.
“Why did you move so often?”
“Why didn’t you?” he shot back.
“My family has lived on the Circle C Ranch for a hundred and fifty years. The first time I lived away from home alone was to go to college.”
“You’re lucky.”
“I am. I wouldn’t live anywhere else. But you didn’t tell me why you moved so much.”
“You’re right. I didn’t.”
She waited, half turned toward him. When he didn’t reply, she shrugged and faced forward.
“Fine,” she said. “Don’t tell me. I can find out.”
“Juvie records are sealed.”
Chapter 11
Jet ground his teeth to keep from saying more. Something about this woman had him spilling his guts. Maybe because she was pretty, actually seemed to be interested, and he’d been alone for so long. He waited for her to say something about jail time, but she was quiet. Had she missed the reference? Since she usually spoke her mind, he figured he was safe. One look had him doubting that. She looked too smug.
“What?” he demanded.
She pursed her lips, tilting her head. “I bet Daddy’s already asked Uncle Tommy to check you out. He was in some special intelligence group. He can still fly or drive anything that moves, and sneak into computer files without anyone knowing. If you’ve got something to hide, my Uncle Tommy will find it.”
His service record would be fairly easy to find, but not other things. If Tom White found out about Houston’s family, and contacted them, his buddy’s time on the ranch would be over before it started. There was a reason Houston joined the army, and his family had everything to do with it. They all had secrets, but Jet didn’t care if his past came out. He’d just deal with it and move on.
He understood why they’d dig. Lila’s parents needed to find out if he and Houston were the type to hurt their little girl. Unfortunately, paperwork existed that said Jet was jailed for assault. Yeah, he beat up a man, but it was to save a woman. She was poor, and the rich boy thought he could take whatever he wanted. She was fighting back, and losing, when Jet came around the dark corner, following her screams. He’d tossed the piece of scum against the wall and went to help the woman. The scum ran, yelling threats.
Jet gave her all his cash so she could get out of town, fast. He knew dirty small-town politics. If she didn’t disappear before the police arrived she’d end up in jail while rich boy smirked. He didn’t mind giving her the Christmas money he’d saved. He figured the dirty deputy would have stolen it anyway.
He spent the holiday in jail. One of his foster sisters snuck out and hitched a ride into town with his textbooks, so he had lots to read. She said their foster father was bitching because his main worker wasn’t there to help. She also said the girl got away, and that rumors said she was at least the third girl the rich boy had attacked. The others weren’t so lucky.
The judge gave him a choice of jail or a suspended sentence if he’d join the army. He hadn’t finished high school, but that didn’t matter to the foster care system. The money ran out the day he turned eighteen, then they’d dump him on his ass. His birthday was coming up, so he took what was offered. He was going to hitchhike to sign up but the girl’s family insisted on paying him enough for bus fare to the nearest recruiting office, as well as food. He thanked them with a letter. They sent one back saying rich boy tried the same thing on another girl. Only, she was the visiting niece of someone important. Pretty rich boy would have got quite the education at the other end of the equation during his two to five years in prison.
Jet couldn’t do anything about what Tom might find out, but he could handle Lila’s relatives.
“Any hints you want to give about what we’re facing?” he asked.
“Friendly fisticuffs are a valley tradition, so you might get a few scrapes. And don’t worry about Uncle Lance’s ravens. They aren’t dangerous unless you’re planning trouble.”
“Ravens?”
“If one comes near, stay still. For some reason they want a piece of hair from pretty much everyone who visits.” She gave him an assessing look. “If you want your hair trimmed, Aunt Marci does a good job.”
“Thanks, but I like it the way it is.” Lila’s fathers and the men he’d seen in town all had short hair, but this was the first time in his life he’d been allowed to grow his out. It wasn’t much in the way of rebellion, but it was all he’d allow himself. “Will it be a problem?”
“Uncle Lance and Ross keep theirs in braids.” She smiled wickedly. “Mine’s longer.”
“That’s one advantage of being female.”
Her expression turned dark. “That doesn’t stack up with being able to take a leak pretty much any time you want.”
Her bottom lip stuck out when she pouted. He wanted to suck it into his mouth. He also wanted to suck her lower lips as well. He was an optimist, but he was also determined to reach his goal. He could put up with almost anything if he had to.
“You’d rather be male than female?”
“Would you want to be a girl?” she demanded. “Guys can work by themselves and not have family hovering over them, insisting they’re too weak. They can go wherever they want, do whatever they feel like, and not be labeled or attacked.”
“Sorry to break your bubble, but there’s not much that can be done to a girl that can’t be done to a guy. Only thing is, guys have a harder time talking about it, or being believed.”
Her eyes widened a
nd her mouth dropped open. Jet stared forward, jaw tight, hands gripping the wheel.
“Were you—?” She broke off, facing front again. “I beg your pardon. It’s none of my business. And you’re right. I have lived in a bubble, too protected to know about reality.” She made a dismissive noise. “I had a lot of freedom until I started looking like a girl, and most of my cousins dumped me. Then my fathers tried to wrap me in cotton wool. I wanted to make mistakes and learn from them just like my brothers, my friends, and my cousins. But no, that couldn’t happen. So now I’ll be in charge of the ranch without having made any major decisions. But I can do it. I know I can.”
The last two sentences were said quietly, as if to herself. She slumped, arms crossed and jaw tight.
Lila wanted to prove herself as worthy, just as he did. Only she had a family to fight against, while he only had himself, and the world. Once his business was successful, he could pat himself on the back. No one would know what he’d been as a child. Lila might end up forever second-guessing herself while her relatives hovered over her, treating her like she was still a messed-up teenager. Since she still acted like one, it was no wonder. He and Houston would soon settle her down.
“I guess it’s just as bad to be wrapped up so tightly that you can’t breathe, as it is to be thrown to the wolves,” he said. She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again. That was good. She was starting to think before speaking. “To answer your question from before, I got beat up plenty,” he said. “But I grew big fast, so no one messed with me.”
“That must’ve been terrible.” Her words were quiet.
“I’m alive, and it’s all in the past, gone. I look forward, instead.”
“I must sound like a whining child. Because they tried to keep me down, I did some stupid stuff.” She rubbed her left thigh, pushing down with her thumb, perhaps on an old wound. “I want to be independent,” she boldly stated, “and be respected for what I can do even if I don’t have a cock.”
Having no other view of life, Lila was reacting to what she knew. He couldn’t fault her for it, but they could show her something different. She was banging her head against a brick wall if she wanted to be treated as a male. She needed to learn that, as a female, she could find other ways to get over, under, or around that wall.
