Page 37 of Hooked

“The end doesn’t justify the means, little one.”

“Was that the only time?” David barked, his face telling her he already knew the answer.

So she didn’t. Answer that is, which was as good as admitting the truth.

“Fuck me,” he growled. His eyes shot to Joseph. “She’s a handful, man. Sweet as hell, but when she gets a bug up her ass—”

“David!” Livia and Emma both cried at once.

“No need to worry,” Joseph assured him. “I’ve had plenty of practice handling a disobedient submissive. More so of late, which Livia can attest to.” He stood and tugged her up beside him. “Thank you for dinner and a very informative evening. I think Olivia and I will continue this discussion at home.”

“What about dessert?” she asked, sending a wide-eyed look Emma’s way as she tried to stall.

“What about your headache?” Joseph challenged.

At the door, he turned. “I almost forgot. I wanted to invite the both of you to join us one night at the club. There are some preliminary forms to fill out and approvals to get beforehand, similar to what Olivia had to go through. But if you’re interested in putting in the work, I think you might enjoy the club.”

Emma practically flew off David’s lap and jumped up and down in her excitement, while his reaction was more sedate. Rising, he clamped an arm around her shoulders, trying to contain her as he graciously accepted on their behalf.

Despite what lay in store for her later, Livia smiled at her friend’s exuberance. “You’ll like it, Em. There’s a great band with an awesome singer and the owners’ submissives are all very nice.”

“I can’t wait to see the dungeon. Maybe this time, you can, too.”

Blinking slowly, Livia looking up at Joseph. He smiled warmly, clearly recalling that night as fondly as she did. Needlessly, she stated, “I told her I never made it past the bar.”

David’s attention switched to Joseph’s and back. “I thought you two, you know.”

She flushed under David’s regard and admitted, “I fainted when I saw him, and he carried me to a room upstairs.”

“Have you ever heard anything so romantic, babe?” Emma asked, dreamily.

“It was one of the owners’ private apartments,” Joseph explained. “We have an arrangement. They let me stay because of the long commute and I represent them as well as all their women when they get into legal trouble. Believe me, they’re getting a bargain.”

David’s eyes once again snapped with anger as they zoned in on Livia. “Let me get this straight. You went to a club alone, picked up a dom, and went directly to his private apartment? Olivia Suzanne, did you retain nothing I taught you?”

“But it was Joseph, David. Besides, I was unconscious, and didn’t have much say in what happened.”

“Fuck me,” he repeated with a groan, his hands raking through his hair in frustration. “Joseph, my man, please give her a few swats for me.”

“Not a problem, my friend.”

“Hey,” Livia protested, stopping her hands—just barely—from flying protectively to her bottom.

“Save your breath, pet. No amount of protests will get you out of your punishment for this.” He bid David and Emma goodnight, adding, “I’ll be in touch about your visit.”

With his hand firmly gripping hers, he headed out. She looked back at her friends beseechingly as he pulled her down the sidewalk toward his Jag. They were no help, especially David, who was grinning broadly rather than coming to her rescue—the big traitor.

“I like him, Liv,” he called with a wave as Joseph tucked her in the passenger seat and shut the door.

“I love him,” she whispered in the empty car as her determined dominant rounded the hood. “Although I have a feeling my bottom won’t by the end of the night.”

***

THE CRACK OF HIS BROADpalm on one upturned cheek echoed through the bedroom. The sound hadn’t died when his hand connected on the other side with another crack. And that’s how it went as he kept up a steady barrage of crisp, stingy swats, too numerous to count, that brought tears to her eyes and stole her breath. When he finally stopped, he rubbed his hand from the crest of her cheeks to the top of her thighs, dispersing the heat and easing some of the sting.

“What have you learned, pet?”

“That honesty is the best policy, sir.”

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