Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 60105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
The room fell silent, the only sound the soft clink of silverware as the others continued eating. I could feel their eyes on me, a mixture of pity and curiosity that made my skin crawl. My shoulders shook with suppressed sobs as I desperately tried to regain control of my emotions.
“Oh, honey,” Greta’s voice, surprisingly gentle, broke the silence. I looked up, blinking away tears to see her expression had softened, her earlier sternness replaced by something almost maternal. “It’s just a spanking, not the end of the world. We’ve all been there before.”
Her words, meant to be comforting, only served to heighten my distress. Just a spanking? The casual way she said it, as if it were a normal, everyday occurrence, made my stomach churn. In my world—my old world—spankings were something from the history books, not a real punishment doled out to adult women.
Greta turned to Lila and Lydia, her tone brisk once more. “Girls, clear the table now. And fetch dessert from the kitchen.”
Lila and Lydia sprang into action. They gathered the plates and serving dishes quickly, stacking them carefully before heading to the kitchen.
As they worked, I couldn’t help but marvel at their composure. How many times had they sat through dinners like this, knowing that afterward, one of them would be bent over a knee for punishment? The thought made me shudder, a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill over.
Devin’s deep voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “Andrea,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind. “Usually, a girl who’s going to be spanked doesn’t get dessert.”
I looked up at him, my vision blurry with unshed tears. His blue eyes met mine, and I saw a flicker of something—was it sympathy?—in their depths.
“But,” he continued, his voice softening slightly, “since it’s your first night here, and you’re still adjusting, I suppose we can make an exception. You can have some dessert tonight, if you’d like.”
His words should have been a relief, a small kindness in the face of my impending punishment. Instead, they only served to remind me of how much my life had changed in the span of a day.
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. “I… I don’t want any dessert,” I said, aiming for a neutral, detached tone but hearing the slight quaver in my words. “Thank you.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I’d made another terrible mistake. Devin’s blue eyes hardened, his jaw clenching visibly. The other men exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of surprise and disapproval.
Greta’s sharp intake of breath cut through the silence. “Andrea,” she said, her voice low and warning. “Mr. Weathers has offered you a kindness. It’s not your place to refuse.”
The full weight of my error crashed down upon me. In my desperate attempt to assert some small measure of control, I’d only managed to dig myself deeper. My heart raced, pounding so hard I was sure everyone at the table must be able to hear it.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out, my earlier attempt at coolness evaporating like mist in the summer sun. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean… I mean, I’d love some dessert. Thank you. Thank you, sir.” The words tumbled out in a panicked rush, my voice rising in pitch with each syllable.
Devin regarded me silently for a long moment, his piercing gaze seeming to see right through me. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and measured. “Andrea, come here.”
My legs felt like lead as I pushed back from the table, the scrape of my chair against the hardwood floor unnaturally loud in the tense silence. I stood on shaky legs, smoothing down the front of my yellow dress with trembling hands. The short walk to the head of the table seemed to stretch on forever, each step bringing me closer to my impending humiliation.
As I reached Devin’s side, I kept my eyes downcast, focusing on the intricate pattern of the Oriental rug beneath my feet. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, smell the subtle notes of his cologne mingling with the lingering aroma of the meal.
“Look at me,” Devin commanded softly.
Slowly, I raised my eyes to meet his. The intensity of his gaze made me want to shrink away, but I forced myself to hold steady.
“Your willfulness needs to be addressed immediately,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “We can’t wait until after dessert for your lesson to begin.”
CHAPTER 8
Dylan
Surely before Andrea could even process Devin’s words, the elder’s hands were at her waist. My own heart rate sped up a bit as in one swift motion, Devin grasped the hem of the lovely girl’s dress and began to lift it. Andrea gasped, her hands instinctively moving to stop him, but a sharp look from Devin froze her in place.