Page 120 of Ashes of Sin and Stardust

I nodded. “I’d never do that, and I never have. You can ask Simon and Becca. People say I did, but that was with Woodrow after he already ignored my safeword several times. I only safeworded in public to get him to stop, ‘cause I knew he would have to if other people were around.”

“I know, and I understand that. I have followed up with Becca and Simon about you, and they both said the same thing.

“That being said, you can use a safeword during a punishment, but that does not mean the punishment is over or complete. It means we stop and try again another day, or choose another punishment. You won’t get out of it... and you won’t like it.”

He kept insisting that I wasn’t going to enjoy my punishments, but I still couldn’t help but smile. What he didn’t understand was that it wasn’t just spankings and impact that I craved. It was domination itself. I needed to be punished the way good girls needed headpats and forehead kisses. Punishment was affection to me.

I just hoped we would be speaking the same language.

“As far as your bratting, I’m okay with you acting out... as long as you understand that you will always suffer the consequences of your actions. I would like a few conditions set in place, though.”

“Okay... like?”

“No glitter.”

“Damnit.”

His eyes narrowed. “I’m serious.”

“Okay,” I raised my hands. “But can I still have glitter stickers? And glittery stuff? As long as I don’t use it to play pranks on you?”

He stared at me for a few moments, and then sighed. “I suppose that’s an acceptable compromise.”

I giggled and shifted back and forth, happy. Glitter was my favorite thing. Right up there with candy and shooting stars.

“No destruction of property. If I find stains or holes in my clothing, or my toys destroyed–”

“Oh, Reuben, no. That’s not my style. I act out and say mean shit and sometimes throw things, but I’m not going to break anything on purpose or poke holes in your inflatable butt plugs or anything. I like loopholes and snark. I’m a brat, not an asshole.”

He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Okay,sometimesI’m an asshole. But if I want attention, I have lots of ways of getting it. I’m not going to pour water on your computer.”

“It’s concerning to me that you’re telling me all the things you arenotgoing to do with such ease.”

“I know a lot of brats. We bounce ideas around.”

“Well... let’s go back to no destruction of property. If you ruin my computer or break things in my house, I’ll be legitimately pissed, and that’s grounds for release.”

“Okay, got it,” I said.Can we get to the good stuff now?“So, what about funishments?”

“Funishments?”

“Yeah. You know, like, I smack your ass, you throw me against the wall and choke me until I cum. Funishments.”

“Alice,” he rubbed his forehead. “I’m going to make this very simple for you. If you want to play, ask. If you want attention, ask. If you’re bad, you get in trouble. Good girls get what they want, bad girls get punished.”

“But then how am I supposed to get spanked!” I threw my arms up in frustration. “You’re missing the whole point.”

“I don’t see how I’m missing the point. You want a spanking, you ask for it.”

“Because me acting upis me asking for it.”

He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“It’s like a code. Like the opposite of a safeword. It’s like... a play word!” I grinned. “It’s brat code! You need to learn brat code.”

Reuben looked at me dubiously as I explained brat code. I don’t think he was completely sold on the idea, but he wasn’t shutting me down either.

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