Chapter 4
MELANIE
Rough fingers grip my cheeks, forcing my lips to part as I try to shake my head, jerk away, anything to dislodge him. But he’s far stronger than I am, so it’s nothing for him to keep me still as the acrid scent of soap fills my nostrils.
And then it’s in my mouth, coating my tongue as I cough and sputter and gag.
“Some words are grown-up words,” he explains with a calm that seems almost obscene given the pounding of my own heart and the terror coursing through my veins.
“And Little girls do not use grown up words. Daddy and your uncles and your Auntie Gray will try not to use them as much around you, but sometimes grownups need those words. If you use them, however, we will end up right back here with your mouth full of soap before Daddy spanks that naughty bottom. Am I understood, little one?”
No. I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this.
But I understand enough to realize that right now, compliance is my only option. So I nod as best I can with his hand still gripping my face and my mouth full of soap.
“Good girl. Another minute and then we can be done. If Daddy has to punish you for this again, it will be five whole minutes with the soap and you’ll be holding it in your mouth while you stand in a corner with your red, welted bottom on display.”
An image pops in my head, of me facing a corner, my fluffy confection of a wedding dress hiked up around my hips with my red ass sticking out. It might actually be funny if I wasn’t so fucking terrified.
Every breath causes more bubbles to tickle my throat, which makes me gag all over again. And every choking cough brings fresh tears to my eyes, tears that run down my cheeks to mingle with the drool on my chin.
By the time he pulls the bar from my mouth, I’m ready to promise never to speak another word for the rest of my life if it means I don’t have to taste soap again.
Setting the evil bar aside, Axel reaches for a cup on the sink and fills it with water before handing it to me. “Rinse three times, and then you're going over Daddy’s knee for a hard spanking.”
I’m too grateful for the opportunity to rinse the horrible bitterness out of my mouth to really concern myself with what comes next. Taking the cup from him, I fill my mouth as much as possible, swishing the water around before spitting it out into the sink.
“Good girl. Two more times.”
Sniffling against the humiliating tears, I fill my mouth again and rinse.
It isn’t until the third and final time that his words really register and I delay as much as I’m able, moving the water around my mouth over and over, even though it’s stopped really helping anything by this point.
But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to delay the rest of my punishment.
Axel, however, seems to catch on relatively quickly. “Time to spit it out, little girl.”
The low growl of his voice settles low in my stomach and if my mouth wasn’t full of water I might actually have whimpered.
No. No. There is absolutely no way I am the least bit turned on by any of this.
Am I?
Before I can think too hard about it, a hard swat lands on my ass, shocking me into spitting out the water in my mouth. It barely stings through the layers of tulle, but the humiliation of being spanked like a naughty child burns hot along my skin.
Plucking a hand towel from the rack, he uses it to wipe my face clean, his hands oddly gentle in comparison to the rough treatment I’ve received so far and I’m not exactly sure what to make of it.
Then he gently grips my chin between his thick fingers, forcing my head back, and my heart trips in my chest. “Are you going to use any more of those naughty words, little one?”
“I’ll try not to.” At least until the taste of soap is more of a distant memory. But hopefully by the time that happens I’ll be far, far away from here.
His beard twitches, and I realize he’s fighting a smile. “Sassy Little girl. That’s going to get you in trouble, especially with your Uncle Eli. He doesn’t tolerate much backtalk, so you’ll want to keep that in mind.”
“Wh—” A cough cuts off my question, and the man who refers to himself as my Daddy releases his hold on my chin to rub my back in soothing circles until it passes. “Why do I need to keep that in mind?”
“Because every adult in this house has my permission to punish you as necessary, be it a spanking or washing any naughty words out of your mouth. You’re far too pretty of a Little girl to be using such ugly words, and nobody here will hesitate to punish you in my stead if the situation calls for it. ”
It’s the height of ridiculousness that being called “pretty” should have this warmth spreading through my chest. Especially when the praise is coming from a man who has manhandled me, shoved a thermometer up my ass, and now washed my mouth out with soap.
And yet, there’s no denying the flutter of pleasure his words inspire. “You think I’m pretty?”
He smiles at that, a wide, warm grin I can see even through his thick beard. “I think you might just be the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”
“Then why do you want to hurt me?”
“Because Little girls need to learn where the lines are so they don’t go too far across them.” Leaning down, he drops his voice to a low growl that seems to vibrate in my very soul. “And because I very, very much enjoy leaving my mark on pretty little things like you.”
Axel
Awareness and what is unmistakably desire has my Little one’s eyes going round, her pupils widening with her sharp intake of breath.
Just as I thought. She enjoys my dominance, whether she’s willing to admit it or not.
She’s perfect.
But as much as I’d love to show her the more pleasurable side of being Daddy’s Little girl, she’s earned herself a good hard spanking for running outside without the proper protection.
In the middle of a damn blizzard. Up here in the mountains, especially, Mother Nature is an unforgiving bitch and my heart jumps into my throat at the thought of how easily my Little girl could have gotten lost in the snow, only for us to find her body when the first thaw hit.
That thought hardens my resolve and I take her by the arm as I reach for the doorknob.
With her firmly in my grip, I lead her out to the suspiciously empty living room. Usually when the snow gets started, my family all piles into the main area of the house for movies and other distractions to keep the cabin fever at bay as long as possible.
But no doubt Gray gave everyone a head’s up about what’s about to go down and, knowing her, threatened them all within an inch of their lives if they interrupted my Little girl’s well-deserved discipline.
Sometimes having a bossy-as-fuck baby sister works in my favor.
There will no doubt be plenty of times when my Little one earns a spanking in front of our family. But for this first time, I appreciate the privacy, and I make a mental note to thank Gray later, though I already know she’ll feign ignorance when I do.
Dropping down onto one of the oversized leather couches, I meet those pale blue eyes and it occurs to me then that despite having claimed her as mine, I don’t know the first thing about the woman standing in front of me.
“What’s your name, little one?”
Her chin jerks up, defiance flashing in her eyes. Even though she just got her mouth washed out with promises of more to come, she retains the fiery spirit that’s been on display from the moment she awoke. “Why do you want to know?”
“Well, now, seeing as how my palm is about to become intimately acquainted with your bare bottom, it seems only right I should at least know your name.”
There’s a crack in her bravado, just a small one, enough to have her lower lip trembling slightly before she firms her chin. “You don’t need to know my name.”
Stubborn little brat.
I think I’m in love.
“You can tell me after your spanking then.”
But when I reach for her, she dances backward and I let her, curious to see what she might do next. Her gaze darts from side to side, clearly taking in her surroundings to see if there’s an escape available to her.
“I’ll tell you if you promise not to spank me.”
Doing my best not to let my amusement show, I raise a single brow. “This is not a negotiation, little girl. You are getting your bottom spanked, one way or another. And you will tell me your name, eventually, so I’m not pressed about getting it from you before we begin.”
“I don’t think you can beat a woman if you don’t even know her name. It’s bad manners.”
It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to burst out laughing at that. “Bad manners, huh?”
“Yes. Horrible, really. Your mama would be ashamed.”
An old, familiar ache thrums in my chest. “She probably would, if she was still alive.”
Sympathy warms the blue of her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t… I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right, little one. You couldn’t have known.”
Her gaze roams my face for several long seconds. “Melanie. My name is Melanie.”
“Melanie,” I repeat, rolling the name around on my tongue. “A pretty name for a pretty Little girl.”
Just like when I called her pretty earlier, an adorable blush steals across her cheeks. My Little girl enjoys being praised, no matter how she might pretend otherwise.
But even as she blushes, I can see the calculation brewing in her eyes. “I gave you my name. Now you give me something.”
“What do you want?”
“I want to go home.” Tears pool on her lashes, and for a moment I almost feel guilty I can’t give her the one thing she wants. Even if I was inclined to—which I am not—the storm alone would keep her trapped here with us for at least a week, possibly longer.
“I’m sorry, Melanie, but no. That’s just not possible, at least not until the roads are cleared.”
“Then I want your word that you won’t hurt me.”
A tricky promise, but one I’m willing to work with. “I promise you that while you are here with me, no harm will come to you at my hands or the hands of anyone in this house.”
Her eyes narrow in suspicion. “You promise?”
Holding up one hand with my littlest finger sticking out, I nod solemnly. “Pinkie-swear.”
She hesitates for a long moment before stepping forward to hook her finger with mine. An electric shock races through my veins as that simple touch, unlike anything I’ve felt with any other woman before her.
And I know in that moment I made the right call, no matter what my siblings think.
Melanie is my Little girl. And I have no intention of ever letting her go.