Deccan (Springfield Sinners #1)

4. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

ECHO

E cho rolled her neck as she walked out of the bar. It was three in the morning, and she had just closed up. The bar was always busy when she worked. Was it because she got drinks out fast? Probably not. The girls told her it was because of her long, pink hair.

She shuddered and ran her hands through her hair. This was the longest it had been since middle school. It had taken a lot of courage to grow it out.

Anyone could grab it.

Anyone could yank and have their way with her.

“Stop,” she whispered. “Stop thinking about that.”

Every once in a while, she got the itch to cut her hair again, buzzcut it so no one could grip it. But she didn’t need people asking awkward questions or giving her weird looks.

Echo didn’t want the attention. She wanted to live her life how she wanted with little attention and her small group of friends. But that was hard when she had pink hair. People noticed her, but it was the only way Echo was going to keep her hair long.

She needed it to have some color.

Sighing, she dragged her feet as she walked toward her house. The only problem with working at the bar was the late nights. She was always exhausted after the late shifts. Thankfully, she only had two or three a week.

“Extra income,” she mumbled to herself. “Just some extra income so I can do what I want.”

Echo needed to remind herself of that a lot. She had a lot of things she wanted to do and try, but they cost money. While she had a well-paying job as a personal assistant to authors, she put a lot of that money into savings in case she needed to leave.

Pack up and leave.

Did she plan on doing that? No, but she needed to in case something happened. That was the reason she got a second job so she could have money to use freely.

Her whole body tensed as she felt eyes on her. He was here. He was following her. She relaxed as she continued to walk home.

The one time she forgot her Heelys, and she was paying the price for it. It would have taken her amuch shorter time if she was wearing them.

His footsteps got closer, and her skin started to tingle in anticipation of him touching her. Would he do it again? Would her skin tingle or would it be like last time?

Echo hoped it would be like last time. She was exhausted and didn’t know if she had it in her to take a hot shower for several minutes to calm her skin. But she would if it meant she would get a coupleof hours of sleep.

She slowed her pace, allowing him to get closer to her. Arms wrapped around her midsection, and she gasped. Holding her breath, she waited for her skin to start crawling.

But it never came.

Was he some sort of magician?

“You need to pay better attention to your surroundings. It could have been anyone,” he whispered in her ear.

“But I knew it was you, so I wasn’t worried,” she replied.

Echo should be worried, though. He was following her around town, stalking her, and threatening to punish her. Everything pointed to her needing to be worried and pay better attention, but she couldn't help herself. She felt safe around him.

He made her feel safe.

Her skin didn’t crawl when he touched her.

He made her feel protected.

Her body recognized him as her protector.

Those were all things she shouldn’t feel, but she did. Echo had spent many hours thinking it all through; trying to convince herself that it wasn’t okay, that it wasn’t good, but she couldn’t.

No man had ever made her feel this safe, protected, and calm when they were around. She normally kept her distance, but with him, she wanted him close at all times.

“Your stare is different from everyone else's,” she explained.

And it was. Her whole body lit up whenever he was watching her. She got turned on when he looked at her. So many times, Echo thought about what he would do to her, how he would have his way with her.

“Unacceptable,” he growled.

She rolled her eyes. “I saw you in the corner of the bar. You were also waiting outside when I closed up.”

Okay, she didn’t know he was actually waiting outside, but it was a good guess. He was always waiting for her, following her. But he never talked to her, not until the other day in the parking lot.

What exactly changed? Was it just because she was in danger, or had that been his plan all along?

“I’m not a good guy,” he grumbled.

“Then leave me alone.”

It was quite simple. She knew he wasn’t a good guy. He was the president of the Springfield Sinners. Whenever people saw him and his men, they stayed clear.

“I can’t,” he growled. “I won’t.”

Echo grew tired. Was he trying to push her away or pull her close? He wasn’t doing a good job of either.

She pushed against his arms, trying to get him off her. “Let me go.”

She needed to get home so she could fall asleep, or at least try to. Anytime Deccan followed her, she always had trouble falling asleep. Which was a lot. Maybe it was because she longed to feel him hold her at night. Or maybe it was because her mind was going a mile a second, thinking about what he would do to her if he had his way.

Echo really needed to stop thinking about both, but it was hard. Really hard. Now she knew what his arms felt around her and that they didn’t make her skin crawl.

Could she have a normal life now? Or normalish life?

“No,” Decan replied.

“No?” She was outraged. “Let me go now!”

“No. You still owe Daddy a punishment,” he whispered, sending shivers down her spine.

Her whole body stilled.

Daddy?

How did he know? Had he been in her house? Broke in and looked at everything?

“I don’t!” she said through her clenched jaw.

“Yes, you do. You ran out in the parking lot and almost got hit. I promised you a punishment.”

“No.”

“Yes,” he countered.

“No!” She raised her voice. “I do not!”

“Yes, you do.”

She shook her head and pushed against his hold on her.

“You won’t actually do it.” She rolled her eyes, trying to change the mood.

He let go of her, grabbed her arms, and placed them on the concrete wall.

“Keep your hands there and hold still.”

Panic went through her, and she spun around. “Wait!”

He took a deep breath. “What did I just say?”

“You can’t do this! I shouldn’t be getting punished.”

“Yes, you should. You put yourself in danger; you didn’t look at your surroundings. Do I need to continue?”

“Those aren’t my rules!”

Echo didn’t have any rules. She was her own person who made rules for herself, and she had decided she wasn’t going to have any.

“They are your rules,” he declared. “Turn around and put your hands on the wall.”

“You are not spanking me,” she forced out, lying to herself.

In reality, Echo had thought about Deccan spanking her several times since he told her she was going to get a punishment. The anticipation was running through her veins. She wanted this.

But it was wrong.

Deccan wasn’t her Daddy. Deccan had no right to spank her, but she oh-so wanted it. “Echo. Turn now. Hands on the wall,” he commanded.

She grumbled under her breath as she turned around, following his instructions.

“Such a good girl,” he whispered. “I knew you were Daddy’s good girl.”

Her stomach did flips as he called her his good girl. Oh, how she desperately wanted to be his good girl, but she couldn’t be.

Echo turned her head and glared at him. “Shut up. I am not your good girl. I’m not yours.”

“Yes, baby, you are,” he growled. “You are mine .”

Deccan grabbed her hips as she attempted to turn, like he knew she was going to.

“Daddy didn’t say you could move.”

She clenched her jaw and took a deep breath.

“Now, stay still like a good girl while you get your spanking.”

Echo turned her head to the side, looking at Deccan in the eyes.

“You ca—” The words died on her lips as Deccan’s hand landed on her bottom.

She screeched as pain spread across her bottom.

“Deccan!” she yelled.

“Daddy.”

“Deccan!”

Another spank landed. “It’s Daddy , not Deccan.”

She clenched her jaw and dug her fingers into the wall. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of calling him Daddy.

Spank. Spank. Spank. Spank.

They landed hard and fast, catching her by surprise. She shouted as her bottom throbbed.

“Deccan! Stop!”

“It’s Daddy,” he replied. “Daddy.”

Deccan continued to spank her bottom, and soon, she lost count of how many she had gotten. Tears pooled in her eyes, threatening to glide down her face if she blinked.

“Almost there,” Deccan murmured, spanking her several more times.

He moved to her sit-spots, and she squealed.

“Noooo!” She closed her eyes, the tears streaming.

“Yes, Little Bit, you’re doing amazingly. Just a few more.”

She shook her head, crying out as he spanked her several times.

Where was everyone? Why was no one coming to help her? Did they not care about someone crying out and saying no?

But she didn’t want anyone to come and stop him. Deep down, she had wanted this, craved it ever since he said she was going to get punished.

“Please,” she begged. “No.”

“Almost there, Little Bit.”

He continued to spank her in the open, his spanks firm, hard, and controlled.

“Please,” she begged again, tears flowing faster now. “Deccan.”

“Daddy,” he reminded her, spanking her several more times.

His arms wrapped around her right as her legs gave out. If he weren’t a superhero, she would have bruised her knees badly.

“I’ve got you,” he crooned. “Daddy’s got you.”

She continued to cry, letting everything out. His arms wrapped around her tighter as he pulled her into his chest. It took her several seconds to realize what he was doing.

Echo pushed against his chest and shook her head.

“No,” she whispered.

She couldn’t get used to him holding her, not when her body could betray her any moment. She didn’t want to get used to it, longing for it when she wouldn’t be able to have it anymore.

“Little Bit,” he calmly said, taking a step forward.

Echo held up her hand. “No. I need some time alone.”

But she didn’t really want that or need it. She wanted him to hold her and tell her everything was okay. She wanted him to tell her tough luck and hold her anyway, to see through her lies.

“Nope, not happening,” he replied.

“You can’t just dismiss what I said!” She raised her voice. “I want to be left alone right now. I don’t want to be touched.”

“That’s a bunch of bullshit,” he pointed out. “You want to be held, but you don’t want to let yourself get comfortable.”

She opened her mouth, but Deccan gripped her chin with his fingers.

“Tough, Little Bit. I’m going to carry you while I walk to the house you are renting,” he stated. “And you aren’t going to do anything about it.”

How did he know she was renting her house? Had he asked around.

“No.”

“No?”

She nodded. “No, you aren’t going to carry me.”

His grip tightened a smidge. “Yes, Little Bit, I am. It isn’t up for discussion. I see the way you look at your friends who have Daddies. You want to be held; you want to be loved. I’m going to do that.”

Before she could say anything, Deccan picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“Good girl,” he purred. “Just relax and let Daddy take care of you.”

Echo tried to fight it as he resumed walking with her in his arms. She had no idea how comfortable being in his arms could be. She found her eyes growing heavier with every step he took.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered. “Daddy is here. Just relax.”

Before she knew it, Echo found herself closing her eyes.