Rules? Hannah might have thought they meant rules of employment…but with Slade’s hand making its way up her thigh, she didn’t think that was the case. What was he planning to do?
She was so damned confused. Tears welled in her eyes. One minute they were her friends.
The next, they thrust her over their lap, touched her in the most deliciously inappropriate way, and started talking about rules. If this was a joke, she wasn’t laughing. She certainly didn’t want to be the butt of it.
“Slade, let me up.”
Gavin’s voice broke through her panic. “Slade, release her. She asked.”
“That is not the way this works. You don’t understand, Gavin. Unless you’re willing to rethink your position, stay out of this.” Slade’s hand was right under the cheek of her ass now, caressing her, lighting up her skin. “I can’t let you go, Hannah. We meant to do this slowly, but that’s no longer an option.”
“Do what?” Her voice shook.
“Teach you to submit.” Slade’s voice was husky as he bent to whisper in her ear.
“To us. Open your eyes, darlin’.” The deep drawl she knew well wound through Dex’s words, but there was an underlying note of command she’d never heard him use before.
Shivering, Hannah did. She couldn’t ignore that voice. But when she looked into Dex’s dark eyes, the gravity there terrified her.
“Please don’t do this to me. I’m not like the other girls. I have…feelings for you. I couldn’t handle being your plaything.” Her breath hitched, and she tried to control her tears.
Hannah had stupidly fallen in love with the three of them, but she wasn’t naïve. They never kept a lover for long. If she gave into her desires, she would have a few days of sex-soaked bliss with them before they left her behind for their next willing female. That would break her heart into a million tiny pieces.
Then she would definitely have to leave her job—maybe even leave the city. Because no way could she be close to them every day, knowing they’d found another lover and were lavishing all their attention on her.
But maybe if she held them off now, she could move on one day, find some nice guy and have a decent life. She would never let that nice guy know she longed for these three men. Hell, she could never let them know how much she truly loved them.
Dex and Slade shared a glance before the middle brother caressed her thigh. “Thank you for that, Hannah.”
For admitting that she was a lovesick idiot? “Please let me up, Slade.”
“I won’t do that, baby.” He sounded as tortured as she felt. “I can’t.” Dex leaned in, his face inches from hers. “Hannah, we know you’re not like the others. We knew it the minute we met you. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to wait for you to get to know us? But that’s over now, especially since we know how you feel.” Behind her, Slade pushed her skirt up to her waist. She felt the cool air on her backside and she shrieked.
“Just because I care about you doesn’t mean I’ll be your plaything.” Dex’s jaw firmed, but he cupped her face tenderly. “Relax, darlin’, and listen to me. You’re not our plaything. But don’t think for a second that you’re not ours, Hannah. You are.” Ours? They couldn’t possibly mean in any other way except to toy with and use. They would discard her when the fun and games were over because that’s what they did with every woman.
Hannah wanted to believe that she was different, but she’d be kidding herself.
She wriggled, trying desperately to force Slade to release her. “Let me go. Take me home. I swear I’ll tell you if this stalker contacts me again. Just…don’t do this.”
“Calm down,” Slade demanded. “There is no going back, baby. We’re going to keep you in Alaska until you agree to be ours.”
“Marry us, darlin’. That’s what he means.”
Marry? Her head was whirling. They wanted her to marry them? How was that supposed to work? Or was this “proposal” just one way more they played with a woman’s heart? If so, she already couldn’t take it. The yearning was too deep and haunting. Their leaving would create scars she’d never heal from. “Please, don’t.”
“Hannah, baby…”
“Stop talking, Slade,” Dex snapped. “She’s not listening.”
“You’re right. We just need to move forward.”
Relief poured through Hannah—along with crushing despair. They’d release her, and she could go back to her old life, minus the job she loved. She’d carry on somehow. But since they hadn’t really touched her, she’d get over her broken heart someday. Maybe.
Instead of letting her go, Slade pulled her underwear down around her thighs. Hannah gasped. Her bare bottom was on full display.
Dex stood over her, leaving her to stare at the blue industrial carpet. “Look at that beautiful ass.”
“I told you it was gorgeous under all that crap she wears. Her breasts are going to be spectacular.” Slade ran a palm over her backside.
Tingles danced everywhere he touched. Were they really talking about her sexually?
“The only thing that would make this gorgeous bottom look better is a nice shade of pink.
How many?”
Slade continued his perusal of her ass. Hannah could feel the heat of his stare. “I think her offense was pretty damn grave, but she’s a novice. She didn’t understand the rules. I say twenty-five.”
Hannah brought her head up. “Twenty-five? You—you’re going to spank me twenty-five times? You can’t…”
But Slade proved in the next instant that he could. His hand came down with a crack, and fire licked across her flesh. Horror and desire washed over her in equal waves. Hannah howled and bucked.
Dex knelt to her again. “Be still, Hannah. No fighting us. You take your discipline with grace or there will be more of it.”
It seemed wrong, but desire swelled as Slade palmed her ass. Still, nothing could dampen her fury. “Gee, thanks.”
Smack. Hannah stiffened and whimpered.
“No sarcasm,” Slade growled. “But you can make that breathy little sound you just made, love. That went straight to my cock.”
One smack. Then another. Hannah gasped, fists clenched. Slade didn’t seem to notice. He simply went to work, his hand raining down blows on her backside. She bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry. Even if they thought she needed disciplining like a child, she refused to act like one.
Then something strange began happening. Heat permeated her skin. She cried out, her eyes still blurry from tears. The pain lingered, but it was being overtaken by a whole new sensation, a weird sort of pleasure she didn’t understand.
“Fifteen,” Slade called out.
He had been methodically counting every time his hand slapped her flesh with firm male gusto. As he dealt her ass another blow, he announced the sixteenth whack. Hannah drew in a sharp breath and tried to focus on Slade’s voice telling everyone how many times she’d taken it.
Nine more and she’d be done. Smack. Eight more and this punishment would be behind her.
Would that end the sweet heat and amazing floaty feeling taking over?
Hannah finally stopped tensing against Slade’s hand. There was no use fighting it. Slade would have his way. Dex and Gavin would let him. They would spank her when she was bad. If it felt this good, she might be bad a lot.
With a sigh, she let go and melted into Slade.
“Fuck, I told you she was submissive.” Dex’s growl made the burgeoning ache right between her legs worse.
“Twenty-two,” Slade called out, his voice deepening.
Since her neck didn’t seem capable of holding her head anymore, she let it fall. She was languid, her whole body centered on the riot of sensations screaming across her backside. Three more smacks, then a pause. Followed by utter bliss. The mere cessation of pain was its own pleasure.
“That was beautiful.” Slade’s hands soothed now, pressing his palm into her skin in long, deep strokes down her spine and across her ass. Every touch reminded her that he’d been the one to bring her to this place. Hannah sighed as he leaned over and kissed each of her cheeks.
Heat flamed through Hannah again, and she couldn’t say it was all embarrassment.
Then another brush of lips on her ass. Dex.
“So submissive. I can smell you from here, darlin’.”
Hannah flushed at Dex’s hoarse words, bringing her out of her relaxed state. Yes, she’d had a very unexpected reaction to Slade’s discipline. She was wet. In fact, she was pretty sure she’d never been this wet before.
Cringing at Dex’s words, she tried to arch and struggle to her feet.
“Hold still or I’ll give you ten more,” Slade said, his hand pressing down on her lower back.
He didn’t say another word or give an inch until she complied. Finally, when she had no choice but to lie still, he rewarded her with a caress as he slid her panties to the floor. “Good girl, Hannah. Now, spread your legs. We want to see how much you enjoyed your spanking.” Spread her…? Hannah was so embarrassed. He thought she would just show them what only her doctor had ever seen? If she did, they’d know that she enjoyed Slade’s handiwork far more than she could have imagined.
“Every second you delay earns you more punishment.” Slade’s voice had gone silky and dangerous.
“We aren’t going to hurt you, darlin’. We’d never hurt you,” Dex vowed. “But we’re also not going to let you up until you understand that you’re ours and you submit to us. Spread your legs so we can see your pussy. Now.”
Hannah didn’t want more spankings. Or did she? She shook her head. Maybe it was stupid of her, but she wanted their attention, just this once. She’d deal with the inevitable heartache later.
Besides, what had propriety gotten her so far? She’d always been a good girl. She’d followed all the rules and taken care of everyone around her. Her mother had floated in and out of her life, coming back only when she needed money. When her grandmother had been unable to work anymore, her mother simply started hitting Hannah up for it. Hannah’s sister, Crystal, had been the same. She’d preferred boys and drugs to her little sister. In the end, she’d just preferred the drugs, and they had taken her life.
Still, being good hadn’t made her happy or kept a stalker away. It certainly hadn’t kept her from being lonely or helped her find someone to love.
She loved Dex, Slade, and Gavin. Maybe…if she could be the kind of woman they wanted, they would never leave. Maybe they really would marry her, and they’d all be happy together.
The thought was intoxicating.
“Hannah, I gave you an order. Last warning.” Slade’s hand tightened on her thigh.
“Give her a moment,” Gavin insisted, speaking for the first time since the spanking had begun. “Hannah, they’re serious. I know my brothers. Dex and I may fight from time to time because he’s hot-tempered and pigheaded, but he’s not a liar. Trust them, honey. They’ll take care of you.”
Gavin’s words sounded a bit strangled, as though he’d struggled to get them out. But one thing about her boss: he never spoke less than the truth to her. Knowing that worked magic on Hannah’s overwrought nerves and fragile heart.
The brothers really cared about her?
If she did as they asked—if she believed in them—she’d be taking a chance. But if she always played it safe, how would she know if she could find something wonderful?
Taking a deep breath, Hannah let her legs slide open.
* * * *
Slade’s heart pounded. Spanking Hannah had been the single most erotic experience of his life. It had been everything he could have hoped for. Having her over his lap, her gorgeous ass in the air waiting for his discipline, made Slade feel like he was ten fucking feet tall. He’d spanked subs in the club he and Dex belonged to, but never had it felt like this. Those subs hadn’t been his, and spanking them had been a fun game. Disciplining Hannah was important because she was their woman, and teaching her to look to her Masters was their responsibility and pleasure.
And when Hannah tentatively parted her pretty thighs, his heart swelled at the trust she placed in them. They wouldn’t let her down.
God, this was the rest of his life.
He exchanged a look with Dex, who clearly understood just how important the moment was.
Slade let his hand slide over her cheeks then glide down to her pussy. Her wet cream coated his fingers, making them slippery. Hannah gasped at his touch.
He looked up at Dex, fighting a smile of triumph. “She’s soaking wet.”
“Show me.”
Slade froze. The command hadn’t come from the person he expected. Dex’s face was just as shocked as Slade knew his was. They both turned to their oldest brother. Gavin wanted to see?
Maybe they were closer to a breakthrough than Slade had hoped.
