Page 28 of Joined By Magic

Liv

StumblingwithDamien’sassistance,Leo barely made it into bed before he fell back into a deep sleep. I pulled his shoes off and showered, then settled in for a restless night. I battled phantom itches and tangled myself up in the sheets while Leo lay next to me like a statue.

I last checked the clock at two, then awoke what felt like moments later to midmorning sunlight. We’d slept in. I ordered a huge selection of food, dressed in a clingy white satin negligee that usually improved Leo’s mood, and sipped a coffee.

He awoke with a groan, struggling to sit up. As his eyes opened properly, I handed him an enormous glass of bright blue harken juice, which he drained in a single gulp. “How are you?”

His gaze shot right past me to the tray of food.

“Starving.”

Tense silence reigned for a few minutes as he demolished enough fried black bread and small battered covi eggs to feed three men. He washed it down with oceans of sweet juice. Calories were key. A little color was already returning to his skin. I managed a single piece of the heavy bread, and it sat in my stomach, a lead weight. Just like the first day we met, I waited for him to pass judgment. Though this time, guilt, not anger, roiled through me.

Risking myself was one thing. But endangering my friends, and Leo, was stupid. I’d made some decisions overnight as I fought for sleep. My mind had atrophied to the point childish rebellion seemed like the only option, and I had to fix things. I had a new life now, and I needed to live it.

But first, Leo.

He finished his food and disappeared into the bathroom without a word as I perched on the edge of the bed, hands clasped. A tiny thread of anticipation mixed with all the stress careening around my system. I tried to examine it. This was the first true test of our brand-new relationship. Would we talk about it, like a normal couple, or would that come along with something else? A layer of discipline, of punishment, unique to us?

Part of me hoped so, though I couldn’t process why.

I jumped as the door opened and he emerged to sit beside me. His eyes took in my outfit, and he brushed the tip of a finger down the side of my breast to the point of my nipple, then pulled his hand away as if he’d lost control of himself for a moment. “Were you hoping to distract me with this outfit?”

“Yes. Is it working?” I tried a smile, but it wasn’t returned.

He let out a long sigh. “No. I still can’t believe you risked yourself.”

“I’ve been thinking—”

He held up a hand. “Not yet.” His fingers returned as if drawn to my skin by a magnet, and he traced them down my side before settling on my thigh. No hint of amusement graced his features. “You threw yourself into danger as if it meant nothing. I can’t let that go unpunished. Before we can move on, I have to discipline you.”

He said the words with disappointment, not relish. Normally when he spoke of discipline, it was with excitement. Anticipation of a painful but fun session that would end in a tangle of sweaty limbs. Not this time. My toes curled at the prospect of being punished. Really punished, like a disobedient student. Shame filled me, and the heady flow of desire that always came along with it.

I swallowed. “Discipline me how?”

He paused before answering. “When you were my captive, I’d have locked you in the apartment for two weeks without clothes—longer, possibly—for this level of disobedience.”

A cold shock of fear drenched me. Not captivity again. “Leo, no, I can’t . . .”

He held up a hand. “I know. I won’t do that to you. But”—his voice hardened—“I don’t want a word of complaint about what I have chosen. Understood?”

I let out a shaky breath. “Yes.”

He nodded and pulled a slim box out from under the bed. “I brought this home from Atar for exactly this purpose. It’s brand new, but similar to the one I used on you before.”

He opened the box, and my stomach flipped over as I viewed the long, slender cane inside. The sight prompted a tumble of memories from the night I almost died. Leo’s careful use of the implement, the right amount of pain to tease my senses into overdrive, then Adante’s cruel, brutal strikes.

I tensed, and he ran his fingers up and down my skin.

“The cane has too many bad memories tied to it to be fun. I can’t use it for playtime. So, it’s going to be reserved for true punishments. This won’t be enjoyable. But you’ll take all ten strikes.” He squeezed my thigh. “Won’t you.”

“Yes, Lord Commander.” His title slipped unbidden from my lips. I froze and stared into his surprised face. He brushed my hair back and kissed my forehead. The warmth from his kiss lingered.

“I like that. Good girl. Now, lie on your front along the edge of the bed. I’m going to lock you in position.”

I did as he asked, face turned sideways so I could see him. My heart pounded against my chest as he snapped my wrists and ankles in place with magic. Usually, he’d be touching and teasing me. Bringing me right to the brink of pleasure before pulling back and giving me pain. This time, everything felt different.

He crouched beside me and looked into my eyes. “This is going to hurt. It’s a punishment, and I want you to feel it for a few days. And to remember it the next time you think of risking your own safety. Do something like this again, and it’ll be twenty strikes. Am I clear?”

---