Page 71 of Disciplining Dana

“No. But it might make you think twice. It might give you incentive to stop and consider the consequences of your actions.”

“I’m not a child. I’m an adult.”

Mr. Hawkins barked out a laugh of derision. “Who acts like a petulant child when someone tries to stop you from doing whatever it is you want to do. Believe me, I’ve dealt with that behavior plenty of times in the past.”

“I’m not one of your Littles,” she fired back.

“Tell me something I don’t know! At least they have the self-awareness to recognize when they’re behaving like spoiled brats. You’re in complete denial.”

“You… asshole!”

A smile turned up the corners of his mouth, but there was no humor in the gaze he leveled at her. “Ms. Aziz,” he said quietly, “I’m going to give you one final warning; talk to me that way one more time, and I will get up from this stool, and you and I will never speak again. But mark my words, you won’t like who I talk to next.”

Dana’s eyes went wide. “So, is this how you handle things in your little BDSM world here, Mr. Hawkins? By making threats?”

“It is when someone can’t abide by one simple request,” he replied calmly. “It really isn’t that hard, and I’m pretty sure if you put your mind to it, you can. Now, whether you choose to do so is a different thing entirely. I’m simply saying if you don’t, there’ll be consequences. No different than what Kurt’s asking.”

Dana picked up her glass and slammed back the last of her drink. This conversation was not going the way she’d expected, and she was irritated with herself for remaining seated here at all. Mr. Hawkins was practically a stranger; they’d only known each other for a few days. So why in the hell was she even entertaining what he was saying to her?

Oh, you know the answer to that…

“So… what?” she said, setting her empty glass down. “I don’t have a say in what I do anymore? I have to be some kind of mindless obedient slave for Kurt?”

“Oh, come on now.” He snorted. “That’s horseshit, and you know it. You know he’d never ask that of you.”

“Well, it sure as hell seems that way to me!” she replied.

“No. What he’s asking is for you to listen. To listen to him when he tells you you’re being rash. To listen to him when he warns you you’re taking a risk you shouldn’t. You’ve been in the lifestyle long enough to know one of the most important aspects is communication, but you’ve been topping from the bottom. Cherry-picking when it suits you, and that needs to stop.”

“So, all I have to do is listen and obey?”

“No! All you have to do is listen, and if you choose not to obey, accept his discipline and punishment if your decision leads to something bad happening.”

Dana leaned back her head, staring up at the ceiling. “Still seems pretty much like a one-way street.”

“Except it isn’t because you do have a choice. You don’t have to obey. You can do whatever you want in each and every instance. He can’t—and won’t—ever force you. But you will have to accept the consequences every time you do choose to do things your way rather than what you and he have agreed upon.”

She brought her gaze down to meet his, her jaw clenched.

“Not only that,” he continued, “he has to listen to you, too. It’s not just his way or the highway. He knows that.”

“Oh, does he?” Her doubt was matched in both her tone and the look she gave him.

“Yes, because we discussed that’s the only way this works. Communication. Negotiation. Understanding. Compromise. He may not always agree with you, but he has to listen and acknowledge your side of the story, too. And he has to accept that sometimes you’re right and he’s wrong, and he needs to let you do what you need to do.”

“And the tiebreaker?”

Mr. Hawkins regarded her with a shrewd look. “You already know the answer to that.”

Dana glanced away. She did know the answer. It was part of the reason she was still sitting here when a large part of her said she should’ve walked away ten minutes ago.

“You make it sound so easy,” she said, looking back at him.

“Oh, good lord no!” he shot back. “It’s going to be difficult as hell. Discipline is probably one of the hardest things to establish between two people, especially the kind that’s not kink-scening in a club or play in the bedroom. At best, I give the two of you a forty-sixty chance of making it.”

“Wow. How generous.”

“I’m just being realistic. Same with you as I was with him.”

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