Page 58 of Salacious Devotion

I awake to find Dane sitting on the edge of our bed. He’s smiling and holding a steaming mug of coffee. “Good morning, bride of mine.”

I grin as I push to sitting. My entire body aches deliciously. “I like the sound of that, but what time is it?” I snatch the coffee from his hands.

“Six.”

I groan. So early. We didn’t go to sleep until around two.

“And what time is our flight?”

“Nine.”

“You do realize that with the time change we won’t make it to a courthouse in Georgia today, right? It will be evening before we get to my dad’s.”

“Yes, I thought of that. So we’ll get married tomorrow.” He pats my leg as he stands. “We don’t have much time, baby. Chop chop.”

I take another longer sip of my coffee before Dane takes it from me, sets it on the nightstand, and grabs my hand, tugging me. He knows me well. I don’t want to get up.

As I slide off the edge of the bed, I wince. My ass hurts from the cane.

Dane smirks.

“Sadist,” I mumble.

“Masochist,” he responds. He grabs my hips and flips me so my chest is on the bed and my legs are dangling off the side.

I struggle, trying to crawl away from him, but he pushes my T-shirt up and rests a hand firmly on the small of my back. I know what he wants. He wants to inspect his work. He wants to see and admire the stripes he put on me last night.

There is no explanation for the fact that stripping naked and letting him restrain me so he can spank, crop, flog, or cane me doesn’t bother me, but being held down so he can examine my ass the next morning is so mortifying.

Dane pushes my legs open and wedges a knee between them. Damn him. He knows how embarrassed I am. Last night was the first time since we got back together that he struck me with an object that would leave a lasting mark until the morning. It’s been a long time since I’ve endured the delightful humiliation of his morning-after inspection.

“Stop struggling, Paige,” he orders. “Push your ass up.”

My face heats as he leans over to get a closer look. The air catches in my lungs when he drags a finger along the lowest line across my ass. I squirm. I can’t help it.

Dane uses his fingers to pull my cheeks apart, exposing my asshole.

I arch my head up and push with my hands, instinct telling me to make him stop.

His palm on my lower back is firm, though. He’s too strong, and I have no purchase. My feet are hanging in midair. “Dane…” I whimper.

“Do you want me to spank you right now on top of those welts, Paige?” he asks in his most Dom voice.

“No, Sir.” I shudder.

“Then stop fighting me. Lower your body. Arms above your head. One cheek on the mattress. If you don’t push your ass higher, I’m going to stuff a pillow under your hips.”

Trembling and panting, I obey his command. He’s in Dom mode. If I don’t comply, he’ll force me to stay in this position until I submit, and then we’ll be rushing to get ready to leave.

He’s still holding my cheeks open, exposing my tight hole, but when I finally lift my ass, he releases my cheeks and pinches the lowest welt—the one I’ll be sitting on today.

I cry out, but I don’t dare struggle.

He releases my ass cheek, only to do the same on the other side.

I stiffen. I haven’t seen the lines yet, but fuck, it hurts for him to touch them.

When he lets go of my second cheek, he gives my ass a firm swat. “Is your pussy wet, naughty girl?”

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