Chapter Three

Punishment

Tucker

"I'm going to make this punishment count, little girl."

Mixed feelings settled over Tucker as he enjoyed the sight of her bound and vulnerable body. Of course, Ella was as hot as sin. From her pert breasts to the small thatch of dark blonde hair between her legs, every inch of her was available for him to devour, but as he considered how best to begin, it was his duty of care that concerned him the most.

He'd managed to deny the carnal urges that had demanded attention earlier, but in doing so, he couldn't allow those baser compulsions to take the lead now.

Whatever happened, however close to the brink her writhing whimpers pushed him, he had to stay in control.

In control.

He inhaled, as though the air inside the cabin would somehow soothe him, but the reality couldn't be any further from the truth. The air was warm from the fire blazing behind him, and since he'd uncovered Ella, his own body temperature had rocketed. The lust burning in his veins did little to quell his growing fervor.

"Don't hurt me." She risked the plea, though her ashen face conveyed her immediate regret. "I'm sorry, sir."

She was apologizing again?

It seemed since he'd brought her back, contrition had been her key concern, but Tucker knew well enough her remorse wasn't real. He'd seen her feigned emotion before. He knew unless he sent a tangible message, they'd find themselves right back there again in a day or two—or worse, Ella might encounter an even more ruthless predator beyond the four walls of his cabin.

"I said quiet." He shot her a glare, reveling in the way she shrank away as far as his bed allowed. "One more mewl and I'll gag you."

She caught her lower lip between her teeth, apparently repentant, as he turned in search of his first implement of torment. Seizing the cloth he'd used to wrap the offending rabbit pie, he found two of the wooden clothespins he used to hang and dry his clothes before returning to her. By the time the fabric of his trousers grazed the edge of his bed, she was practically hyperventilating, her eyes searching his hand for what the items might mean for her plight.

"You weren't too happy with my hygiene earlier." He dropped the clothespins between her outstretched legs. "So I can only imagine your disgust about me reusing this." He snapped the cloth between his fists, enjoying the unspoken panic dancing in her eyes.

There was nothing overtly terrifying about the cloth unless she truly thought him capable of using the material to suffocate her. Tucker, though, had nothing so insidious in mind. The woman needed a stern reminder of her place—namely, bound to his bed—that was all.

He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize what she represented—his money.

Or a shot at a happier future.

He straightened at the abrupt thought, once more startled that it had risen to the fore at this of all moments. He was about to enact the penance she deserved. Why was he thinking about anything more than delivering what she needed?

There was no future as far as he and little Miss Bennett were concerned. However much he enjoyed her company, he couldn't permit himself to dwell on such a perverse fantasy.

It wouldn't serve either of them.

He would do what had to be done to placate and protect her until such time that her spineless father paid his debt. Then, he had no doubt she would be out of his life faster than the squirrels leapt from the trees to avoid the approaching wolves.

"I spanked you with my hand yesterday." His palm tingled at the pleasant memory. "But it wasn't enough to curb your behavior. Let's see what you make of this."

Aiming the end of the cloth between her legs, he sent it flying through the ether toward her pussy. For one captivating moment, time stood still as the fabric flew. Holding his breath, he watched as it landed precisely where he'd intended, impacting close to where her clitoris was hidden by her soft-looking hair.

Her lips parted at the strike, stretching wide enough that Tucker considered how he might best manage the space. Wounded eyes met his as he readied himself for his second shot, but to her credit, there was no accompanying noise.

"Very good, little girl."

He was strangely proud of the fact she hadn't called out. Ella had yelled at every given opportunity so far. Perhaps the threat of repercussions alone had been enough to tame her wildcat?

"Remember to keep that pretty mouth closed, though, unless you want me to fill it?"

The question hung in the air between them for a few seconds before his focus flitted back to the cloth's destination. Swatting between her legs again, he watched as her body jolted, her groin looking for an escape route he hadn't permitted. With all four limbs held down to his bedstead, Ella was going nowhere.

"Oh God." She whispered the words, her eyes squeezed shut as though she couldn't bear to look at him.

"Hmmm." Dragging the tip of the cloth over her sex, he considered her effort aloud. "I'm sure I said there should be no noise."

Her gaze fluttered open at his criticism, her gaze narrowing at him.

"But it seems there's something you'd like to say." He chuckled, drawing the fabric to her clit and hovering it over the sensitive bud. "So, I give you permission just once." His attention returned to her face. It had reddened, although he wasn't sure if the color was derived from anger, frustration, or embarrassment.

He hoped to inspire all three.

"What would you like to tell me, Ella?"

"You're going to hit me with that thing?" Disbelief resonated in her voice.

"I'm going to spank you with it, yes." Christ, she was all the more alluring when she articulated her penance. "For starters."

"Starters, sir?" Her brows knitted as though she didn't understand the term.

"That's right."

Allowing her to speak was more satisfying than he's imagined it would be. Especially as she was being so obedient and using his honorific. Perhaps he might permit her more speech, so long as he continued to control the narrative.

"I thought your tempting little pussy might make for a more effective target than your ass." Briefly meeting her bewildered green gaze, he took aim and landed another strike on her clit. Apparently unprepared for the latest swat, she gasped, her thighs attempting to close at the impact. "And it seems I might have been right."

"Ouch!" Jerking harder at his ties, she squirmed with the hurt. "That hurts like a bi—"

"Hush," he warned, shooting her a glare. "No more talk unless I say so."

Her eyes glinted at the shock of being silenced, convincing him that it was even more fun to give, and then retract her permissions.

"However much it hurts, remember you deserve the pain." Clutching the cloth closer to the end, he delivered another three fast spanks with it in quick succession, relishing the echo of her desperate mewls.

"I don't deserve this." Gritting her teeth, she rose from the bed as far as his binds allowed—which wasn't far. His ties were doing a surprisingly good job of keeping her in place. "No one fucking deserves this."

"Now, now." Smacking her clit once more, he pressed her alluring chest gently back to the covers, allowing his fingertips to graze over her skin. The fact that she was powerless to prevent his liberty made the heat of her flesh all the sweeter. "I said quiet, little girl."

"I don't care what you say." Jaw tightening, she fought against the ties, grappling for freedom harder than before. Her struggle was incredible to witness, her passion and frustration mingling to form the ultimate aphrodisiac.

"Well, you should." Amusement laced his reply as striking her pussy again, he dropped the cloth to her belly and reached for the clothespins. "You won't get anywhere with me while you keep behaving badly, little girl."

"Screw you!" Her voice was vicious, and her features contorted into a snarl as she spat the reply in his direction. "I don't have to do anything you say."

"My, my, my." His brow rose at the reemergence of the wildcat. He'd suspected she'd been hiding beneath the fa?ade of compliance but hadn't expected such a brazen display of insolence while she was bound and being spanked.

Tucker should have known better.

"That's quite a performance, little girl." Placing one clothespin between her breasts, he waved the other above her head, ensuring she could see the piece of wood. "Do you know what this is for?"

"Of course, I do." Her sneer was stunning in the circumstances.

"I'm surprised." He couldn't help but jibe at her while his free hand trailed an invisible line around her nearest nipple. "Don't you have people to handle laundry for you?"

"What's your point?" she panted, her attention darting between his fingers and his face.

"Not my point." He gestured to her lengthening nipple, the teat tightening between his thumb and forefinger. "Yours, little girl." By the time his fingers left her bud, it was taut and eager, standing to attention as he readied the first clothespin.

"What are you doing?" she demanded as he lowered the clothespin and drew open the wooden arms. Her panicked tone suggested she already knew the answer.

"Giving you something else to think about." He laughed gently as the wooden arms closed around her puckered nipple, leaving the clothespin in place on her sensitive teat.

"Oh my God!" Her mouth hung open. "Stop that!"

Futilely, she attempted to shake the wooden accompaniment from her body, but her binds and lack of hands meant her action was doomed to failure.

She probably had no idea how sexy she looked as she shook her tits in front of him. His cock didn't fail to register her performance, swelling in his pants as he watched her fight.

"I don't think so." Pressing a hand upon her frenzied body, he steadied her agitation long enough to start work on her other nipple. "Not until both of your gorgeous tits are decorated for me, and your pussy is nice and red from my cloth."

"You're a monster!" she hissed, trying to throw him off.

"It has been said." He didn't deny the charge as he pinched her bud and forced the second clothespin into place. Rising over her, he wished for the first time in years that he had a camera to capture the perfect vision she created.

"You'll pay for this, Tucker!" Fury flared in her gaze as she continued to pull on the silk at her wrists.

"Wrong answer, little girl."

Much though he enjoyed her attempts at open rebellion now that she was tied down with nowhere to go, enough was enough. Ella was there to be punished, and her endless defiance was wearing thin.

Grabbing the cloth, he started work on her sex again, pummeling the area with short but sharp strikes. She cried out, any attempt at stoicism abandoned as fast as her good behavior had been, but as he concentrated on the swats, he couldn't blame her. No doubt the sting of each strike was difficult to bear, and their relentless nature meant there was no time for his captive to catch her breath.

His captive.

His cock stiffened as the sublime reality washed over him.

It should have been obvious—clear to anyone who walked into the cabin that the woman secured to the bed receiving the thrashing belonged to him—but in the frenzy of recapturing her and resisting her temptation, he seemed to have lost sight of what Ella's presence represented.

She was his—his hostage—until Alexander paid Tucker the four million he owed.

"Okay, stop!" she bleated, her mouth parted as his strikes continued unabated. "Please, Tucker… Sir! Stop!"

"I won't stop until you've learned." He glanced at her shocked expression, her eyes wide as the spanks continued. "I won't keep playing this game with you, Ella. You have to learn."

"Learn what?" She sounded desperate, her thighs straining to press inward but failing to halt the cloth's progress.

"To do what's asked of you." Pressing his palm to one of her smooth thighs, he eased her leg open as he smacked her helpless slit. Ella would have made a useless soldier if she consistently refused to take commands. "You have to obey."

"Just stop!" Her voice broke as she finally gave up the fight. Sprawled out flat against his bed, her tears flowed as the edge of his cloth whipped her sex over and over.

"Try again." His gaze scanned her body, noting how the tension now seemed focused on surviving the swats rather than struggling against him. It was, he hoped, the first sign of submission.

"Sir!" She winced. "Just stop, please."

"Better." The fabric paused, running along her punished sex as he turned back to her. "Are you going to behave?" He already knew the answer. She'd concur with any sentiment to make him stop, but deep down, they both knew the wild cat remained.

"What do you want?" Her voice was laced with anguish. "My complete surrender?"

Spread-eagled on his bed, she clearly had no idea how bloody good that sounded.

"That will do, to begin with." His amusement was barely suppressed. "I know you're not happy, little girl. You don't want to be here, you don't trust me, and you loathe your father. All of that is understandable, but…" He paused, running his hand along her hip. "You are here, and you are mine."

She pursed her lips, no doubt trying to prevent more tears leaking from her watery gaze.

"I need your word that you won't run again." Tucker was absurdly tempted to ignore her pleas and just continue with her punishment. Smacking her tantalizing pussy was the most fun he'd had in years.

"You want me to stay with you whatever the cost?" She blinked away the waiting tears. "However much of this I have to endure." She nodded toward her bound body.

"There won't be more of this if you obey." He realized how much the idea disappointed him as he replied. The situation was a perplexing paradox. He resented her constant rebellion, yet it empowered him to subjugate her and treat her exactly the way he wanted to. If she learned to behave, how would he justify his sadistic streak?

"I don't know how." Her eyes fell closed at the admission.

"You don't know how to obey?" He shook his head at her over-indulged confession. Had her life been so opulent that she'd never even had to compromise before?

"No." She sniffed. "I don't think so."

"I can help you." His thumb stroked her hip. "I'll help you to stay within my rules and get through this."

"You will?" Her eyes fluttered open. "How?"

"By guiding you." His thumb ventured closer to the edge of her sex, drawing tiny circles over her skin. "Keeping you on the right path."

She swallowed, her gaze flitting past her pegged nipples to the place his thumb caressed. "The right path?"

"Sir." He should have been tired of reminding her, but the amplifying chemistry between them meant he almost forgot his irritation. "Your obedience starts with how you talk to me."

"Sir." There was an unexpected calm in her tone as she supplicated to his request. "What do you mean by ‘the right path'?"

"A path that helps you get through this." His hand dipped to the heated flesh his cloth had lashed, his touch feathery light. "One that benefits us both."

"I'd like that." She inhaled, her green eyes piercing him as his fingertips tickled her pubic hair. "Sir."

Staring down at her, Tucker was amazed at the sense of exhilaration that washed over him. Bennett might owe him cash, but this was the moment Tucker added interest to the debt.