“Isabella,” he commanded. Caleb’s head jerked up and he glared. Finally she lifted her head, her eyes dazed.
“Good girl.” Isabella’s eyes glimmered faintly. “You were wrong.”
“No.” So slow, almost slurred. Not tired, resigned. “No choice. Never a choice.”
“I listened tonight. I heard you, no police. Fine. I can accept that.” Leif kept his voice even but clipped, just as he did when he talked to men he commanded, when he was reprimanding them or trying to make a point. “One phone call, little girl. You knew us, you knew our capabilities. You knew we would have taken care of you. You’re not stupid. I know you now. You’re one of the smartest women I know. You knew us. You know us. One phone call to Shirley and we would have been there. You didn’t do that. That’s unacceptable.” This time there was no glimmer to Isabella’s eyes, instead they were shining. Leif had her whole, undivided attention.
“I didn’t. I really didn’t think of you.”
“Not once? Not once in that long, five-hour drive, Isabella?” Leif kept his eyes firmly connected to hers, but he saw Caleb sitting up straight beside her. Oh, Caleb was definitely on board now. “Don’t you lie to me now, little girl.”
“Yes, I thought of you.” He was impressed that she didn’t look down. Her voice was steady.
“You thought of us often those days, didn’t you?” Now he saw it, a look of fear, not the “fight or flight” kind of fear, but the what the fuck have I gotten myself into kind of fear. Oh yes, his girl was very intelligent.
“Jesus Christ, Bella, why the fuck didn’t you call us? Are you out of your goddamn mind? You could have been killed!” Yep, Caleb was now fully on board.
“I handled it.”
“Just as I plan to handle things now.” Leif stood up and strode over to the couch and picked her up. The pillow dropped onto the floor as he marched to the master bedroom. He wasn’t angry. He had been enraged earlier as he listened to Isabella answering Charlie’s questions. After he figured out that she had known to call them but chose not to, however, he reconnected to that calm place within himself. Leif always connected to that place before beginning a tactical military assignment. That quiet space inside him allowed Leif to put aside all emotion and focus on executing the plans necessary to carry out a mission.
However, this was not a tactical military operation. Although he was, in fact, executing a mission, there was one significant difference in this plan. To complete this campaign successfully, which was to reshape Isabella’s concept of her relationship with him and Caleb, Leif needed to fully enter into his Dom mode. It was a role he didn’t assume very often. While he relished the feeling of playing out this part, he didn’t indulge in it frequently. All of his senses were realigning to take him back to a world of perfect order and discipline, in the joyous anticipation of experiencing a submissive under his control. It soothed him. It made him breathe easier. There was no doubt in his mind that Isabella was a submissive. Though she was one of the strongest, most determined women he had ever met in his life, she was also clearly submissive. And Isabella was one more thing. She was his.
Caleb walked before them and opened the door. Leif followed him into the room and set Isabella gently on the bed, and then knelt before her. Obviously, this wasn’t what she had been expecting, based on her startled expression.
“You didn’t use your crutches consistently today,” Leif stated as he pulled off the flat sandals she wore. Caleb came out of the bathroom with the first aid kit. There didn’t seem to be any seepage on her injured leg. However, it was best to be safe, so Leif carefully removed the bandage. She should have a fresh one before she went to bed anyway. When he took off the padding he was happy to see that the stitches were still intact.
“You’re going to end up with a couple of scars,” Caleb said.
“Will—” She stopped talking, and looked down.
“What, Bella? Will it what?” Caleb asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Will it matter if I have scars?”
Leif looked up at her, making sure that Isabella was looking at him. “No, Isabella, it won’t matter. You’ll always be beautiful to us.” Her chin trembled as she gave a nod and then bent her head again. Leif wondered if she believed him. One day soon she would believe what he said.
Caleb handed Leif a new pad and bandages, and he wrapped her leg. When he was sure everything was secure Leif rose from the floor to kneel, putting him at eye level with Isabella. He put his fingers under her chin, lifting her head to look him in the eyes.
“Why are you being nice to me if you’re angry with me? Why did you bring me into the bedroom?” She was trembling even more. Leif saw how much courage those questions had cost her. He looked over at Caleb. No matter how much his Dominant side was clamoring to put this woman over his knee for having not come to him—to them—for help, he knew that his first responsibility was to help her understand what was going on.
“Your instincts are spot on. Leif is angry. But he would never, ever hurt you in anger, Bella.” Leif watched as she visibly relaxed at Caleb’s words. Caleb picked up both of her hands in one of his, and stroked her cheek. “Sweets, you have a submissive nature, and it carries over into the bedroom.”
“What does that mean?” She looked away from Caleb and stared hard at Leif.
“It means that you like to relinquish control while you’re having sex. You like your partner to take charge.” Leif leaned forward and threaded his fingers through the curls in her hair, and gave a slow hard pull. He watched as Isabella’s eyes went soft, and her eyelids drooped.
“You like that, don’t you, Bella?” Caleb asked.
“What?” Leif gave a sharp tug and smiled as her eyes popped open.
“You like it when I pull your hair, you like that bit of pain, don’t you, Isabella?” He watched as she nodded.
“Say it out loud.”
“Yes, Leif, I like it.”
“That’s what we mean. We think you have a sexually submissive nature.” She frowned.
“Is that bad?”
“Our natures are what they are. Sometimes they happen to complement one another. I have a very dominant nature, so you being sexually submissive is something good.” Leif pushed his hand deeper into her hair, and began to massage her scalp.
“But, Bella, before you explore this with us, I want to give you a couple of websites to read so that you can see if what we are saying really fits.” Caleb got up and retrieved her laptop bag, putting it onto the nightstand.
“If I think it does fit? If I’m really how you think I am, what does that mean?” Leif hated that look of self-doubt on her face. “Or even worse, you said we would fit if I was submissive, what if I’m not?” She hadn’t raised her voice, but it was clear that she was beginning to panic.
“Isabella, baby, breathe.” Leif waited until she had taken a couple of breaths. “Isabella, it’s you. It’s you we want. It’s you I want. But it’s important you understand yourself.” Leif looked over at Caleb.
“Bella, Leif is going to go grab a beer, and you and I are going to surf the web for a while. Tomorrow he can talk to you all he likes about how you should have asked for help.”
Leif couldn’t believe his eyes. Caleb was actually grinning at him, while dismissing him at the same time. But then he looked at Isabella and he saw her looking at Caleb with such a hopeful expression that he couldn’t do anything else but reach over and brush his lips against hers. As he untangled his hand from her hair, she gripped it.
“You’re not mad at me?”
“Not about you wanting to take time tonight with Caleb, no I’m not upset about that.” She gave him a relieved smile. He tightened the grip on her hand. “About you going off on your own and not calling us, oh yeah, I’m still perturbed about that, baby. But we’ll postpone that talk until tomorrow.” Her eyes got huge. God, she was beautiful.
“What do you mean, talk?” Beautiful and smart.
“We will discuss a p
unishment that will satisfy us both. I’ll see you in the morning.” He glared at his friend who just grinned, and he left the master suite. He knew it was the right thing to do, but it didn’t make him happy.
Chapter 9
Isabella woke up tired and groggy. She and Caleb had looked at websites for at least two hours after Leif had left. He had clinically explained the definitions of Dominance and submission, but none of it really seemed to apply to her. Finally he had found a site that had erotic stories, and he asked if he could read her one. She was tired, and really just wanted to sleep and put everything behind her, but he persisted.
He had her rest her head in the crook of his neck, and close her eyes, and then he read about a woman who had been captured by a Spanish pirate. She kept imagining either Leif or Caleb as the pirate, and found herself squirming at all the wicked things they were doing to the heroine. Only she was the heroine. When he was done, everything that they had discussed had clicked.
After Caleb left she spent most of the night either tossing and turning, or exploring the internet. She was relieved when they told her the next morning that they needed to go over to meet with their dads regarding the auto restoration shop. She still needed a lot of time to think.
After an hour of thinking, she called Shirley to see if she was still working on the grant proposal for additional funding from the state.
“When am I not working on a grant proposal, Isabella?” The woman chuckled.
“If you e-mail it to me, perhaps I can help you with it,” Isabella suggested.
“I know you can help with it. I just have never wanted to ask. When I first saw your resume, and saw how during your senior year at Western Washington State University that you had spent most of your time volunteering to help high school seniors do their paperwork to get financial aid, I knew you could help with our grant proposals.”
“So why didn’t you have me help sooner?”
“Isabella, you already work this job and another one. I also know that you’re making up additional lesson plans for the children to take with them when their parents take them to the next crop. I’m not going to ask you to do one more thing.” Shirley’s tone brooked no argument.
“But you will now?” Isabella asked hopefully.
“Yes, I will. I think those two have you tied up in knots, that you probably need something else to occupy your mind.” Isabella heaved a sigh of relief. Once again Shirley understood things without her having to explain.
She was relieved when the documents came through on her e-mail. She needed something to occupy her mind other than Leif’s words to her from last night. What kind of punishment did he have in mind that would be mutually satisfying? What kind of woman was she that she found herself tingling and trembling in anticipation? She focused on the grant, happy to have something to while away the hours until the men returned.
* * * *
“Do you understand what I want from you? Do you understand that when I punish you tonight that it is more than just a punishment, that we will be discussing your needs and my needs?”
She looked at him solemnly, her eyes searching. Her hands were loosely clasped in her lap, she wasn’t wringing them. Leif saw no signs of distress, just a long contemplation.
She had been mostly silent all through the dinner they had brought home. Not even Caleb’s teasing had been able to get her to really talk. It was obvious she wanted to move to the next portion of the evening’s events.
“This is not punishment. This is exploration.” Oh, no. Leif wasn’t allowing this “fun time” attitude on his watch.
“Make no mistake, this is punishment. This is absolutely punishment. I am your Dom. You understand that word, don’t you, Isabella?” She slowly nodded her head.
“Words. I need words, Isabella.”
“I understand.”
“This is your Dom making absolutely sure that you never think to undertake something like this again without asking for help. You knew better and I am going to make sure that point is driven home.” Now he saw a healthy amount of trepidation on Isabella’s face. He reached out and cupped her cheek and Isabella snuggled into his palm, her eyes closing as she savored the caress.
“I’m nervous, Leif. I don’t understand myself with either of you.” Isabella kept her eyes shut. Leif guessed that it was easier for her to talk to them without looking at them directly. “I don’t understand this part of myself. Why would I think this is right? Why would I crave this?” Her hands were no longer loose. She gripped them into fists and her legs were pressed tightly together. Leif noticed that she was subtly rubbing them against one another. Taking this as a sign of anxiety from her, Leif adjusted his approach.
“Isabella, you’re such a good, brave girl for talking to us. Open your eyes.” Leif watched her eyes flare in response, as Caleb knelt beside him. Her lips parted, her pupils dilated.
“Do you trust me? Do you trust us?” Isabella gave him a very slow nod. Leif raised his eyebrow.
“Yes, I trust you both.” Her voice was very low. “I’m coming to need you.” She gulped, with a sigh and a sob.
“It’s safe to need us, Bella,” Caleb crooned, reaching for her, but Leif shot him a look and he stayed his hand. She shook her head.
“It’s never safe to need. It’s better not to trust anyone but yourself.” And now they were at the heart of the matter.
“You will learn to ask for help,” Leif muttered in an attempt to keep from raising his voice. He turned to Caleb, who seemed equally upset with her answer. He jerked his head toward Isabella and Caleb immediately knew what to do. He set his hands on her legs above her knees. She gasped, her head swiveling between them. Caleb slid his hands swiftly under her dress and in an instant, had her panties off her. As he pulled them from her feet, Caleb paused and pressed his thumb down on the material. He smiled and handed them over to Leif. When he took them, Leif was rewarded with the slick feel of the juices that had soaked through the panel of cotton on her panties.
Leif stood up. Isabella tilted her head up to watch him, the long line of her throat a silken arch. Caleb went to the corner of the room and brought over one of the two chairs without arms. He set it down directly in front of Isabella so she would not have to walk to it. Leif sat down.
“Lay over my lap, Isabella.” She stood and paused briefly as she determined which way to lie down, choosing the direction that left her exposed to Caleb, as well. Leif noticed that Isabella didn’t look at him as she lowered herself over his legs, not even when her soft side nestled against his erection. She remained stock-still when his hand slid up the back of her leg, pushing her dress up until it pooled at her lower back, exposing the globes of her ass.
Leif had spanked countless women in the past. He was going to inflict pain, but not pain that she wouldn’t end up enjoying. He understood her nature better than she did. However, as he stared at her rounded, now trembling ass, Leif realized this moment was unlike any other. It humbled him because it was Isabella. He stroked his right hand down her soft flanks and the trembling became more pronounced.
“It’s going to be okay, Isabella. I promise you.”
“Leif?” He pulled his eyes away from the glory of her bare ass and looked at her head dangling its mass of brown and black curls over the side of his legs.
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Can you—?” She stopped.
“What, sweet girl? Can I what?”
“Can you hold my hand?” It was a soft whisper, one of need. A request that Leif knew she didn’t want to make and one she might not think would be fulfilled. Isabella would soon learn that anything she asked for, she would get. He looked up at Caleb, who immediately sat down in the spot Isabella had recently vacated. Caleb put his big hand on the small of Isabella’s back to steady her, so that Leif could reach down and hold her hand.
She grasped his hand with both of hers.
“Are you ready?” Leif watched as her ass clenched and then relaxed, as her hands simultaneo
usly tightened and then relaxed.
“Yes.” So was he.
With that first connection of flesh meeting flesh, Leif felt a roar of satisfaction. Part of his mind watched every single nuance with utmost care, ensuring that he was not bruising this remarkable woman. This part of him was the Moderator, the omnipresent counterpoint to his Dom persona that kept his disciplinary tendencies from getting out of hand. Currently, Leif’s internal Dom was emotionally engrossed in having this woman willingly lay across his knees, agreeing to be under his control. Isabella’s need to submit was a gift she now freely offered him, granting them both the satisfaction of their mutual craving.
After the first ten spanks Leif stopped. She’d made no sounds. He rested his hand against her warmed skin. He looked up seeing that Caleb had picked up his cue, as Caleb positioned his other hand on Isabella’s buttocks, as well.
“Bella.”
“Yes, Caleb.”
“Address both of us, Isabella. In here, in these situations, you’re under both Leif’s care, as well as mine.” Leif didn’t have long to wait.
“Yes, Caleb. Yes, Leif.” Leif flashed back to Isabella addressing them by their surnames or “Sir,” when they’d first met at the Cesar Chavez School. He never wanted that again. He always wanted to be her Leif.
“Why do you deserve punishment?” The men diverted their eyes from the admirable view of Isabella’s ass to one another, and then back again as they awaited her reply, knowing she would eventually answer. She just needed time to process before responding to them.
“Because I didn’t allow myself to trust in you.” Leif thought he might come in his jeans, she was so perfect. She was so smart and elegant and so his perfect sub.
Isabella's Submission [Fate Harbor 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 13
