Page 22 of Bet On Me, Daddy

“For the first six you will count and say ‘I will not tell lies, no matter how small’ after each one. For the final four the response is a count and ‘I will answer properly when asked a question’. Understood?”

Fuck, fuck, fuck. She hated counting even more than she hated the cane. “Yes, Sir,” she ground out through clenched teeth.

“Good girl. Here comes the first one.”

Agony exploded in a thin line straight across the top of her ass a second later and she had to clench her jaw so tightly it ached in order to keep silent. Breathing in through her nose, she waited for it to ebb a bit before opening her mouth to count.

“One, I will not tell lies, no matter how small.”

“One, Sir.”

“You don’t have to call me Sir.”

The response slipped out without her even meaning for it to. Instinctive bratting, she supposed. But there was no new explosion of pain, no growled threats.

He simply… laughed.

Loud and rich, his laughter burrowed under her skin, and it washerwho was left wanting to growl. What the fuck was wrong with this man?

“Fair enough, Ruby Red. What I should have said is, the count is the number, followed by ‘Sir’ or the stroke doesn’t count. But I didn’t tell you that in the beginning, so you’re off the hook for the first one. Ready for number two?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“You do. You always have your safewords if you need them.”

She was not getting all ooey-gooey over a Dom just because he kept reminding her that she could use her safewords. She wasnot. “I don’t. I’m ready, Sir.”

“Then here’s number two. Don’t forget your count.”

A second line of hellfire scorched her ass, and again she had to breathe through the pain to keep quiet. Now it was a matter of pride as much as bratting to keep him from knowing how much it fuckinghurt. “Two, Sir. I will not tell lies, no matter how small.”

“Good girl. Again.”

Tears blurred her eyes with the third. “Three, Sir. I will not tell lies, no matter how small.”

Her breath hitched when he ran his fingers gently over the welts that were already being raised on her ass. “Actions have consequences, Ruby. What do you think those consequences would be in any other job if you lied to your boss?”

An unwelcome heaviness settled in her chest. “It was just a prank.”

“That wasn’t what I asked you, little girl.”

Fuck. This was no longer just a fun, somewhat playful punishment. Now her emotions were getting involved, and if anything would tempt her to use her safeword, it was that. “I-I don’t know. I guess I’d get written up. Maybe fired.”

“Why is that?”

Whatever emotion it was sitting in on her chest grew even heavier, making it hard for her to breathe. “I don’tknow.”

“You do know, Ruby. What happens to trust when you lie to someone?”

“It breaks,” she whispered, just managing to get the words out past the tightness in her throat.

“Good girl.” His praise washed over her, easing some of the ache in her chest. “I know it wasn’t a very big lie, and I know youwere only trying to help a friend. That’s why I’m going easy on you.”

Jesus Christ. This was him going easy on her? “Gee, thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” he answered without a hint of sarcasm. “The count is four, in case you’ve lost track.”

Four, five, and six.I will not tell lies, no matter how small.By the time that final line was delivered, she was indeed feeling very sorry for letting Lottie drag her into her shenanigans.

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