23. （Un）just Rewards

Killian stood at the edge of the pit and smirked at her as Bastian and Desmond led her to a spanking bench in the center.

Asshole.

She kept her eyes fixed on him as she untied the bow at her waist and let her dress drop to the floor. It might not have been what she'd imagined when she thought about undressing for her Daddies, but there was no way in hell she'd let Killian think for a moment she was sorry for her actions.

Because fuck that noise. She didn't even care that she was basically naked in front of dozens of people.

Yeah, O'Rourke. Look at me and eat your heart out at what you'll never, ever touch.

Judging by Desmond's and Bastian's comments about him, she wasn't sure she believed they were dirty anymore. They might have defended him regarding Club BDE's rules, but they'd made their distaste for Killian more than clear.

She didn't care about Killian's relationship with Victor anymore either, or that she was taunting a man who could easily have her killed.

All she cared about was letting him know she wouldn't put up with his bullshit. He could kiss her entire ass and choke on it.

"Sweetheart—"

"You don't need to restrain me, Daddies." Instead of letting Bastian distract her with his bare arms as he rolled up the sleeves of his tuxedo shirt, she knelt on the bolster and laid herself over the spanking bench as she kept her gaze on Killian. "I'm ready."

Desmond crouched and cupped the back of her head, making her look at him. "Do you understand why you're being punished?"

"Yes, sir." She returned her gaze to Killian. "I'm being punished because Master O is a big baby and got butthurt because a woman told him off."

Ignoring the gasps from the audience, she added, "You know, like a kindergartener."

"Tania! You need to stop!" Emily whisper-shouted from behind her.

"In fact, I hope more women tell him what he obviously needs to hear." She grinned at Killian as she grasped the leather wrist restraints. "Use lube when you fuck yourself, baby boy."

To her surprise, he returned her smile, then tossed something at Desmond. "Clearly she'll need that ball gag to remind her it's often better to keep one's mouth shut."

"Bite me, O'Rourke. You don't get to tell me to?—"

Desmond slid the ball between her lips before she could finish and buckled it tightly when she tried to spit it out. "I'm sorry, babygirl, but you really do need to learn when to shut up."

Someone handed him a tennis ball, and after thanking them, he loosened her fingers from the wrist restraint and placed it in her hand. "This is your safeword, Tania. If your punishment gets to be too much, drop the ball. A dungeon monitor will be watching for it, as will Bastian and I."

He kissed her forehead, then sighed when she kept her gaze on Killian. The asshole was actually smiling at her, making her wonder if he'd baited her into misbehavior—which made her even madder.

Then again, she didn't have to engage him. There were plenty of other places she could have gone, including one of the unoccupied aftercare rooms.

She wasn't sorry for mouthing off, but knowing how badly she'd disappointed her Daddies…

"You'll get ten from each of us with a leather paddle," Bastian said. "They're going to hurt, and if you move, we will restrain you. Nod if you understand."

The minute she jerked her head in a nod, she heard a snap of leather a split second before her ass lit up with the fires of a burning sun. A second blow followed from the other side, and she gritted her teeth, unwilling to give Killian even the smallest clue about how much it hurt.

Whack.

Whack.

She blinked back tears but didn't let her gaze leave Killian's face even when her ass felt like it was about to burst into flames.

Whack.

A flurry of blows fell to the tender spot where her thighs met her ass. Fuck, it hurt worse than the first time Bastian gave her a punishment spanking. She almost lost control and yelped, but that would have meant showing Killian she was affected.

"Tania…" Bastian crouched next to her head and tried to ease her fingers from the death grip she had on the tennis ball as Desmond removed the gag. "Apologize to Master O, and we'll get you out of here."

She let her hands relax and grimaced at the tendonitis flaring in her wrists. Slowly, she stood, even though the pain in her ass and thighs threatened to drop her to the floor. "I'm sorry you thought I was rude when I said what you needed to hear, Master O."

"Tania, please. Let it go. It's not worth it."

Emily's voice wafted over her, but Tania didn't take her eyes off Killian's.

"Gentlemen, may I have a word with your submissive, please?"

Bastian and Desmond shared a glance, then Bastian muttered a curse as he wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. "Make it quick. We don't want her to talk to you again."

"And don't even think we'll leave you alone with her," Desmond added.

"Very well."

Her legs shook, but she held her ground as Killian approached, ignoring the whispered comments from the crowd as Desmond and Bastian took a few steps away from her.

Killian leaned close, allowing her to inhale his citrusy aftershave. "You are definitely Victor's daughter, little love. He'd be so proud of what you've become. So strong. Powerful and willing to stand up for what you believe."

"What?" She tried to back out of his reach, but Killian took her hand and didn't let her go.

He smiled. A true, real smile that changed his whole face into something kind, making her wonder if he showed that part of himself to Emily and Lottie. It would certainly explain their opinions of him. "Don't let anyone steal your words, Titania. You should probably phrase them more politely but shout them to the world and make yourself heard."

"I—"

"Ah, my brave girl. Listen and let an old Irishman compliment you for doing what no one else would dare." He sighed and stroked her cheek. "God bless you and keep you."

Before she could reply, he walked away.

The tears she'd successfully held at bay during her punishment welled and she couldn't stop them. How the fuck had Killian known her most painful trigger?

Why did it hurt so much for an absolute stranger to see it?

"Let's go." Desmond wrapped the blanket more tightly around her and swept her into his arms as Bastian grabbed her dress from the floor. "We'll discuss this at home."

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