by Jane Henry
“Oh, nothing,” she said.
He sat on the arm of the couch, folding his arms across his chest as his eyes narrowed on hers. “Really?” he said. “Then why do you look so guilty? Were you reading? Surfing the web?”
She sat up straighter and smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles in her skirt. “Um. Well, I checked my email and that was fine, and then I… sat on the couch and I… um…” God, she sucked at lying. She cleared her throat and looked at him from beneath lowered lashes. What did she have to lose? “I… maybe… was… um…”
He pushed off the arm of the couch and plunked down on the seat next to her. She glanced at the breadth of his lap, and wondered briefly what it would be like if she were over his lap again. Would it feel nice to sit on his lap and put her head on his shoulder? To lay her head on his chest and just relax for once? But he sat apart from her, eying her with a wary glance.
“What were you doing, Nora?” he asked, his voice deepening now, as he grew more serious. “And why are you acting as if there’s something you need to tell me?”
She felt her lips pulling down in a frown. Gone was the sweet man who’d taken her to climax just that morning before he’d left, the man she’d called daddy, and in his place sat the aloof leader of a ring of criminals. It was just like that night in the warehouse. How could he turn his warmth on and off like that? How could she trust anything he told her?
What the fuck was she doing?
“Something to tell you?” she asked, getting to her feet as she turned away and shook her head. She’d made a horrible, horrible mistake. “No, I’ve nothing to tell you. I’m all set, thanks,” she said. “In fact, honestly, Diego, it’s really time I go. Slay’s guy outside will drive me. I’ll get something to eat on the way to work.” Her voice shook a bit. God, she was with a criminal, a man who supposedly was merely an undercover agent. But how much did she really know about him? She needed to get the hell out of here. She turned to go when his low, angry voice arrested her.
“Don’t you dare.”
Slowly, she turned around, her pulse increasing at the chiding tone he used. When she faced him, he sat with his arms crossed on his chest, his stubbled jaw tightened. “Get your ass over here,” he ordered.
Her fists clenched at her sides as she drew in breath. “And if I say no?” she whispered. “What then, Daddy?” She threw the word back at him, wanting to hurt him, wanting to make him feel the pain she did. “Will you spank me?”
He only continued to stare, his eyes burning a hole in her. A muscle twitched in his jaw before he replied. “Yes.”
No discussion, explanation, or threats. No. He meant it. He expected her to walk over to him and if she didn’t, he’d spank her. As her mind reeled with her choices, she asked herself what she was playing at. Why had she allowed him to rile her so badly? What had caused her to be so pissed off with him? Had she allowed herself to be fooled?
No. She’d allowed herself to become vulnerable.
And now she was scared.
Though she wanted this, was it real? Was it true?
The deep sound of his voice made her start. “You have ten seconds, Nora.”
Her eyes flitted to the doorway. Ten seconds! If she made a run for it now, she could make it, maybe, if he didn’t pursue her. If he tried to grab her, she could beat him off, but getting into a physical skirmish with a guy twice her size was just plain stupid. She could stand here and face him, but he was a man of his word, and that would earn her a spanking. She blinked, realizing that he’d been counting down.
“Five.” He sat up straighter and pulled his shoulders back.
“Four.”
He uncrossed his arms.
“Three.”
Oh, God! It was now or never.
“Two.”
He pushed himself to standing, making her heart thump wildly in her chest as she looked from side to side, desperate to get away, but hoping he wouldn’t let her.
“One.”
She ran to him.
Fuck it, she thought as his arms snaked her waist and he drew her to him just moments before he sat down on the couch, stood her in front of him, then bent her over his lap.
“Wait! Oh my God! Diego, what are you doing?” she asked, scissoring her legs in protest, her arms flailing. “You said you’d spank me if I didn’t come to you! And I came! Jesus, I came!”
She felt him bunch the fabric of her skirt at the small of her back. She could only lay over his knee, unsure how to stop him and scared to push him away. “You’ll listen to me, little girl,” he clipped, now grasping the edge of her panties and pulling the silky fabric down over the rise of her ass and down her thighs, the smooth material caressing her as cool air graced her naked skin. “I told you I’d spank you if you didn’t come to me, Nora. I never said I wouldn’t if you did.”
“That’s—that’s—so unfair! OW!” she screamed as his hand cracked down on her ass.
“You, young lady, have some explaining to do, and I think it’s best done while over Daddy’s knee.”
She wriggled her backside, which only seemed to further encourage him, as he slapped her ass again. “If you think after the night we had I’m going to let you just take off out of here, you’ve got another think coming,” he said, punctuating his words with a hard crack of his palm. “Now that I’ve got your undivided attention? Fucking talk.”
She lay over his knee, the handful of swats only making her hot and bothered all over again. “I-I started getting scared,” she said.
“Scared of what?” he asked, hand poised. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Maybe you ought to be scared of me, of Daddy spanking your ass.”
He paused, his hand resting on her fiery bottom, and the touch of his palm made her insides turn to mush. Her pussy throbbed, and she squirmed in embarrassment.
“Ow!” she screamed out loud as his palm cracked against her ass again.
“I asked you a question,” he said, his voice harsh, corrective. “And when I ask a question, I want an answer!” Another smack landed.
“Yes, Daddy!” Her response was instinctive. She groaned out loud.
“Answer, Nora,” he ordered.
“Scared of… of where this is going,” she said. “For most of the time I’ve known you, I’ve tried to convince myself you were a criminal.”
He growled. “Some might say I am. Go on.”
“I-I just don’t know what to expect. I started thinking maybe we have potential, you and I, but there are too many things that scare me. I want to trust you.” And to her surprise, tears filled her eyes and her throat felt tight. A sob escaped her.
“Baby,” he said, lifting her in his arms and dragging her over his lap so that her sore ass scraped along the rough fabric of his jeans. “Come here.” He pulled her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. “Of course you’re scared,” he said. “You ought to be scared. I’ve done wicked things, Nora, things the pope himself couldn’t forgive. My mama is rolling over in her grave.” He laughed then, a mirthless chuckle that made her shiver. “But I’m the one who saved you when you were kidnapped, and even though back then you thought I was the bad guy, I was the one who wanted you safe. I’ve watched you for years, Nora. You’ve never really been alone. And I would take a bullet before I let anyone, including me, hurt you.”
She wanted to believe him, but how did she know he spoke the truth? “Really?” she asked, running her fingers along the scruff of his beard.
“Yes, Nora,” he said. “And I get being scared.” His voice hardened. “But damned if I’m gonna let you run away. You don’t run from me without telling me what the fuck is going on. Yeah?”
It was a fair request. “Yeah,” she said. “But you did spank me and that makes twice now.”
He chuckled again, but this was different, amused this time. “And you’re telling me you didn’t deserve those spankings? And really, honey, a few smacks to the ass hardly count as a spanking.”
Her eyes widened, jaw dropped op
en, and her panties dampened between her thighs. “You don’t call that a spanking?” she whispered. Holy shit. What was Diego capable of?
“I guess it’s a spanking, yeah,” he said, his mouth coming to whisper in her ear. “But you haven’t really pushed Daddy yet, baby.” He paused, one of his hands releasing her waist and traveling between her legs. His low voice traipsed along her skin. “Have you, Nora?” His fingers dipped below the edge of her panties. “If I touch you, will I find you wet for me?” he asked. Her head dropped back as she clutched him, her hips rising of their own accord. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said, one finger dipping lower and slid between her folds. “Madre de Dios,” he swore. “Wet as fucking hell for me.”
He stood then, lifting her in his arms only to lower her on the couch so her body hit the back, kneeling in front of her. He made short work of removing her panties as he bent her knees and draped them over his shoulders, lowering his mouth so that his hot breath fluttered between her thighs. She forgot to breathe as her fingers anchored onto his hair and his tongue stroked at her folds.
“Oh, God,” she said, writhing, but he held her fast, alternating lazy laps of his tongue with rapid sucks, then releasing her only long enough to nip at her inner thighs. She screamed, but then he was at it again, sucking her clit, teasing her with the tip of his tongue until she was soaring, gasping for air, drowning as her heart raced and she screamed his name out loud, and as she came down from her climax, he was at it again, still sucking her, a second climax building on the first.
He pumped his fingers into her, his eyes glittering as his gaze fixed on hers.
“Let yourself go, Nora,” he coaxed. “Such a good girl coming for me.” She clutched the cushions on the couch, her head falling from side to side as he pumped, the pad of his thumb circling her clit. “Come on Daddy’s fingers, baby,” he ordered, and she shattered a second time, writhing as spasms of pleasure consumed her, wracking her body until she fell back on the couch, panting.
He got to his feet as she lay limply, and he reached for her, drawing her into his arms. “Come here, Norita,” he murmured, falling heavily against the arm of the couch and tucking her up against his chest, the second time he held her, and this time her full weight fell against him.
“Such a good girl, coming for Daddy,” he said, moving her damp hair off her forehead and tucking it behind her ear.
She giggled at that, the afterglow fading now and she felt a bit embarrassed. “Yikes, that was hot,” she said. “I never… I haven’t ever…” she faltered.
“Shh, honey,” he said.
She looked around the room in the stillness, then, enjoyed being held. Yes, there were scary things that really freaked her out about him and whoever he associated with, but didn’t everyone have a dark side to them? Why was he so different? Aware that she was trying to justify her feelings for him, maybe not the wisest thing to do in the afterglow of sex, she shoved all thoughts of what was right and what was good away. He was holding her and it was all that mattered.
Her eyes drifted closed. She wanted to sleep as he held her in the silence. “Do you need a nap, honey?” he asked. “You seem tired.”
“Mmm,” she murmured. “Naps are good. But no, not now, because I’m starving and then I really need to get to work. I have a meeting with Diana this afternoon to go over the final plans for the fundraiser.”
He chuckled and kissed the top of her forehead. “All right, then. This is what we do. You call and check in with everyone at work, we go get something to eat, we go to Centered for a bit, and then when we come back this afternoon, I’m putting you down for a nap.” She squirmed, yet her heart fluttered.
“Putting me down for a nap? I’m not that tired,” she protested, stifling a yawn that threatened to give her away. She’d been putting in extra hours at work, covering for a girl on vacation, and at home she’d been working hard at preparing for the big fundraising event. “And anyway, isn’t that what you do for kids? I’m not a child.” The protest was feeble, and she couldn’t deny that she liked when he watched out for her, but she felt she owed it to womankind to defend herself.
“Naps aren’t just for kids,” he said, his voice deepening and taking on an authoritative edge. “And if your daddy thinks you need one, then you’ll do what Daddy says.” He reached for her ass that still stung and squeezed. “Won’t you?” The implied threat made her squirm again. Do what Daddy says or I’ll spank you. She bit her lip, and her eyes fluttered open, taking in the large expanse of his muscled chest, the strong arms that held her, his jawline with the scruffy beard.
“Yes, Daddy,” she said, burying her head again lest he see her embarrassment. This was all so weird, yet so fucking hot and somehow, oddly, sweet.
He sat up straighter and swung her legs onto the floor. “Let’s get something to eat,” he said. Her stomach growled in response as she righted herself, smoothing her skirt and looking once more at the small picture on the mantle, more details apparent now that she stood a bit closer. The boy was grinning, his dark eyes so much like Diego’s. He wore a dark green t-shirt and shorts, and sat on a swing, and it looked like he was mid-flight, with his older, taller siblings surrounding him. She reasoned he’d have been the youngest of his brothers and sisters. So tragic, to lose the life of such a little, innocent boy, she thought. No wonder Diego looked haunted at times, as if he couldn’t rest until he’d seen to the final justice of those he pursued. She shook her head. It was time to go.
She freshened up and grabbed her bag he’d retrieved from her car, made a quick call to Centered to let them know she’d be in after lunch, then followed Diego as he led her out the door, giving her instructions. “Head down, Nora,” he said, and for once, she wanted to obey him, and not because she feared he’d spank her ass.
He needed this, needed someone to protect and care for. “You don’t look to the street or up, and you stay on the inside of the sidewalk, just like this. Don’t hold my hand or get too close, just walk as if you’ve got nothing better to do, and get into the passenger side. Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she whispered, doing exactly what he said. He opened the door for her, and as she slid into the car, he got into the driver’s seat and hit a button on his phone.
“All clear,” he said. “No one tailing us, far as I can tell, but I’ll watch until we get on the highway. Send your man home.” A pause. “Yeah, thanks, brother.”
He clicked his phone off and tossed it in the console as he revved the engine, not offering her any further information. She could surmise, though, that he’d just given Slay’s man permission to take off.
She shivered in her seat, attracted to the fact that other men obeyed him, did his bidding without question.
“You like pizza?” he asked. “Little Italian joint in the North End makes amazing pizza.”
“Yeah, sure,” she said. He drove along the street quietly, as her mind teemed with questions.
Who exactly did he work with? How would he bring this whole organization down? And what did that innocent girl back at Centered have to do with all of this?
“What’s on your mind, Nora?” he asked, as he flicked on his directional and glanced at the rearview mirror. “No one following,” he muttered.
“Lots of things,” she said. “Too many to say out loud.”
“Try me.”
“If I push, I’m afraid you’ll spank me,” she said, surprising even herself when the words tumbled out of her mouth.
His lips quirked at the edges, and he reached across the seat for her hand, placing his larger, warm hand in hers on her knee as he spoke. “Oh, I fully intend on spanking you often,” he said, in mock seriousness. “Don’t tell me you don’t like it.” Her heartbeat spiked, and she drew her knees together. Hell yeah, she liked it. “But I’ll only punish you if you disobey me. I won’t spank you for asking questions, Nora.”
She frowned, unsure how she felt about his punishing her. She couldn’t even talk to her big sister about it, because Tes
sa was a submissive. She thrived on obedience and discipline, and though she’d been told Tessa and her husband Tony had a milder dynamic than the rest of them, she knew Tessa did have a few rules. The girls she knew firsthand from The Club were not weak but strong women, who willingly obeyed their dominants.
“Talk to me, Nora,” Diego demanded, his voice lower now, stern, as he still held his hand over hers.
“I just don’t get this whole thing is all,” she said with a shrug. “I mean… I have a college education. I practically run a shelter for women, and I’m sitting here next to a guy telling me he’ll punish me if I disobey him.”
He shrugged. “Nothing wrong with that. You ought to know by now that guys like me like control. That’s how some of us operate. The only question is, do you like giving up that control?”
Well, if that didn’t sum it up right there. Huh.
“I don’t know,” she said, but she knew even now that if she did something stupid that put herself in danger, he would spank her whether she consented or not, and the knowledge made her pussy pulse.
God, she was so fucked up.
“Here we are,” he said. “No one followed us, I know. Still, we’ll go to the furthest corner inside. Sit where I tell you, because I need to be in a place where I can see the door.”
“Are we on a date?” she asked as he held her hand and walked to a wrought iron table with two chairs in the corner of the square-shaped dining area.
“Call it whatever you want, honey,” he said with a smirk. “I just know that soon I’m bringing you home to my bed. Do people usually date before that?” His grin deepened. “Okay then, this is a date.”
She laughed out loud then. She wanted to go home with him, needed him to take her to bed. Her belly dipped in anticipation, her thighs clenched, and her mouth grew dry. God. Bed with Diego. He’d made her come repeatedly now, but still, she longed for the deeper connection with him.
He pulled a chair out and gestured for her to sit down, but his eyes weren’t on her, they were on the doorway, then the windows, before they rested on a couple three tables away, who sat with a small child in a high chair. Nora sat down.
