So. It seemed like she was writing lines.

After Alexei put her foot up on a stool and cushion to elevate it, Roman returned with a lined notebook and some pens.

“Please number each line to make it easier,” he stated.

“I really have to write lines as punishment?” She knew she was repeating herself.

But it was so . . . easy.

But then, the only punishments she’d known were extremely painful or a complete mindfuck.

“Yes. Are you all right? Do you need a moment?”

“I’m fine,” she said.

He was so caring. They all were in their different ways.

“If you need to stop and rest, you can. Do not push through if you’re sore or anything. I want you to tell me,” Roman told her firmly.

“All right.” She didn’t understand why he thought that she would need to stop.

It was just writing lines.

With a shrug, she started. Then she noticed that they were all cleaning the room.

“Oh, I should be doing that,” she said, putting the pen down.

Salem turned and pinned her with a stern look. “Are you using your safeword?”

“Um. No.” There was no need for that.

“Are you in pain? Do you need a break?”

Sheesh, she’d just started. She was only on line number nine, why would she need a break?

“No. I don’t need a break.”

“Then no talking and no stopping unless you do, understand?” Salem ordered.

“But—”

“Do you need to be gagged while you do your lines?” Salem asked in an almost casual tone.

“I, um, no!”

“Too bad,” Alexei said. “I had some ideas on what to gag her with.”

He had?

What had he been going to gag her with? Her gaze went lower, between his legs.

Oh hell.

He didn’t mean that, did he?

When her gaze rose back up to his face, he was smirking.

That’s exactly what he’d meant and now she was intrigued.