Page 28 of Captivating Nights

“We waited for you, belleza. All morning, in fact.” Xavier’s tone was no less comforting and the extent of the damage quickly sank in.

At this point, she doubted her honesty would score any points. Zane’s next words confirmed that.

“Remove your bottoms and come lie across my knee.”

Her eyes widened at the sight of the belt lying beside Zane. Why didn’t I notice that earlier? Without even realizing it, Cali had taken two steps back as she shook her head.

“Now! Calista!”

Xavier issued the order in a clipped voice. She wanted to argue with them, possibly throw herself at their feet and grovel, but the end result would be the same. They’d given her a direct order, which she deliberately disobeyed. Now they were giving another and she had no means of escape. She could use one of the safe words, knowing they would honor it, but the bigger question now was whether they would stay. The consequences of her actions set in, scaring her more than the spanking they intended to give her.

She looked between the two men, taking in the arch of their raised brows. They were confident that she’d do as commanded. Her hands moved to her cover-up and within seconds, she had removed it along with her bikini bottom. She wasn’t sure whether they wanted her top gone too, but Cali decided to err on the side of caution and removed it anyway. Now completely naked, she crossed the few steps to the bed, a sense of vulnerability she’d never felt with them before invading her. Taking a deep breath, she lowered herself onto Zane’s lap, stretching out across it.

Her breasts and head hung off one side of him while her legs dangled off the other. Her belly was pressed against his strong thighs and her ass in the perfect range for him to spank it.

Cali knew this was her punishment, but deep down she could already feel the stirrings of arousal as she anticipated their touch.

“We want you to think about what you did to earn this punishment, angel.”

She yelped at the searing pain that spread across her ass as Zane delivered the first blow. Why did I think he’d build up to the harder ones? Not only that, but he didn’t allow any time to even acclimate to the first one before laying another blistering stripe across her ass.

Swinging the heavy belt, Zane landed blow after blow across her flesh. Each lash with the heavy strap caused her cheeks to burn even more. Welts formed on the surface of her skin, each one stinging more than the last. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she could do nothing more than hang her head, partially in shame. These men had told her more than once that as long as she was their submissive, they had a responsibility to her. Being so irresponsible was very much out of character for her. As she turned the morning’s events over in her mind, Cali came to the inevitable conclusion that she was the one in the wrong. She’d been inconsiderate to their feelings and this was the punishment they deemed to fit her crime.

Once that realization finally registered, her tears began to dry up. Zane finished swatting her ass and she heard a loud thunk as the belt hit the floor. Large hands caressed her welted cheeks and the unbearable burn from a few minutes earlier morphed into heated warmth. Just like that, her body hummed with desire and she briefly regretted that he’d already gotten rid of the belt. As Zane’s calloused palms continued to roam over her skin, she became even more turned on. What kind of depraved freak am I? How could I get pleasure from such pain?

“The answer is simple, belleza. Your body craves it.”

She’d not even realized that she had asked the question out loud until Xavier answered her. A few moments later, his strong arms lifted her easily off Zane’s lap and she felt the cool comforter beneath her back. She moaned at the contrast in temperatures between her heated ass cheeks and the blanket. It was the equivalent of a cool compress on feverish skin.

Afterward, she was flanked by both males, two sets of hands roaming over her body.

“Why did you disappear this morning, Calista?”

Cali closed her eyes for a moment before opening them. These two men deserved the truth.

“I just needed a little space. I-I…” she stammered, not quite sure how to explain that she was overwhelmed. “Everything was moving so fast. I just needed to be alone to think.”

“And now that you’ve had time to think?” Xavier asked, brushing one of his hands over an aching breast. Her nipple hardened instantly at his touch and she tried her hardest to hold back a moan.

“I was wrong to not let you both know first.” She knew that now and made a silent vow to never be so irresponsible again.

“Good girl, belleza. We’re not so unreasonable that we wouldn’t allow you time to catch your breath. We’re not so blinded to the fact that this type of arrangement is completely new to you. We do understand that. We gave you two words that first night and they still hold just as much power today as they did then.”

“I know and I…I just don’t know what came over me. I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m so sorry,” she apologized, hoping they’d hear the sincerity in it.

“Without communication, there’s no relationship. Without trust, there’s no reason to continue. Are you going to trust us with your mind, body, and soul, angel? Or is this the end?”

When Zane put it like that, Cali realized exactly how deeply she must have hurt the men. Tears welled up in her eyes and she forced herself to swallow the large lump in her throat before responding. “I will trust you both.”

“Good girl,” Xavier said before pressing his lips to her forehead. “Let’s put off shopping until tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, guilt suffusing her that the only known plans for the day had now been cancelled.

Zane brushed his thumb over her quivering bottom lip. “The stores will be there tomorrow. We’ll wake up early, find something at a boutique, and be at our destination by the afternoon.”

Neither man sounded that upset about the change in plans, and they’d know better than her, since she still hadn’t a single clue where they’d planned to take her anyway. Smiling brightly at the men, she’d follow their lead from that point on.

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