Chapter 16
It had been about two weeks since I’d spent any time in person with August. I’d given him the space he’d asked for, but I missed him terribly.
Knocking on the front door with my foot made me slightly off-balance but I didn’t have much choice. I held his favorite coffee in my left hand and my paddle in the other. The paddle was larger and more intimidating than the one at my shop. I’d selected oak instead of the Lexan one he hated, but it wouldn’t matter much. It was a good thing he was off work tonight, otherwise the hard seats in the rig would have not been kind after I got through with his punishment. August opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks. He licked his lips, leaning one arm against the door jamb as if he’d planned our evening instead of me. I devoured him with my eyes, glancing at every muscle and dip. Wearing only a pair of navy sweats left little to the imagination.
When he stepped aside to let me in, I entered, twirling the paddle in my hand. August shut the door behind me, locking it. Though we were no longer together romantically, I was still holding him accountable for his actions. It was bad enough when an experienced submissive found themselves without their dominant due to a breakup. For a brand-new submissive to have their first dynamic end without any sort of safety net would have been much worse on him. It was like I had explained to Karsyn. I wouldn’t allow him to go through it alone. August hadn’t pushed back much. I took it as a sign that I could fix our relationship.
“I didn’t know you offered door-to-door services, Sir.”
“Are you calling me Sir because you know how much trouble you’re in, or is it something else?”
“I’ve been exceptionally well-behaved this week.”
“We disagree on the definition of behaving.”
“Bullshit.”
“Bold little thing. I’ve told you how I feel about cursing when we have things to discuss.” I relaxed against the counter and set the paddle down. Handing him the coffee, I appreciated the way his muscles flexed.
“Thank you for the coffee, Sir. But to clarify, I didn’t act up at all.”
“Would you like me to remind you of the number of ways you’ve poked me the past few days, babyboy?” I adored the way he squirmed against the kitchen island.
“I’ve followed every order you’ve given me.”
“Not immediately.”
August rubbed the scruff of his beard, either contemplating an answer or thinking about his attitude. “Logan–”
I captured his chin in between my fingers. “You slipped back to my name. Call me ‘Sir’ or ‘Daddy’ while I’m here.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Now, since you seem to have forgotten the events of the week, I’m happy to tell you.”
‘That’s very kind of you, Sir.”
“Exceptionally.”
We stared at each other for a few moments. If he didn’t already have a hell of a punishment coming, I would have sent him to the corner with my handprints on his ass. Then he would have gotten into the mindset I needed him in faster.
“I received several naughty selfies while I was at my shop working, even though I’d made a point to tell you that I had received a large order to add to my inventory. For some reason, more photos came through my phone after that.”
“There may have been a delay per less-than-stellar cell service.”
I had upgraded my service recently and his excuse stank of dishonesty. I released his chin long enough to wrap my arm around his waist. “Are you lying to me?”
“I said it was a possibility, Sir, not that it happened.”
“So, let me get this clear in my mind. The photos you sent from the shower after I told you to stop were delayed? But you sent me some from your bedroom prior and you had a virtual meeting in between? Hm. I guess it’s possible you joined the call from the bathroom. Do you normally shower while you are attending a work function?”
“No, Sir. And I was wrong for many reasons. I shouldn’t have been sending you such distracting photos. Especially since we arent together.”
Despite his attitude and the breakup text messages, what we had was a relationship. The only thing I needed to do was remind him that I wasn’t going anywhere.
“I told you to go to bed after being on-call all night instead of running errands and you pushed back hard.”
His jaw flexed and released. “I’m not stupid enough to drive around town when I’m tired, Sir. I slept for a few hours at the firehouse.”
“Not in a row. Plus, you mentioned a headache. I bet the lack of adequate sleep brought one on.” I watched him think about the exchange we’d had. August had been more tired than usual and mentioned the pounding in his head. I ordered him to go home, take some ibuprofen and to sleep. Instead of doing it immediately, he’d argued via text for a good forty-five minutes.
“I will try to do better, Sir.”
“I expect you to.”
“I wasn’t in the mood to listen.”
“Not really concerned about what your mood was at the time.”
“I don’t want a spanking.”
“I didn’t ask what you wanted.” Having had enough of the back and forth, I took the coffee cup from his hand and set it on the counter. Plucking the paddle into my hand, I tested the strength. It had been a hot minute since I’d used it for discipline.
“May I ask a favor, Sir?”
“You’re quite bold, but I’ll allow it. What is it, August?”
“I don’t want my bedroom associated with punishment. Can we do this in the living room?”
I was proud of him for voicing something important to him. It did make me wonder how he handled his submissives in the past, but that wasn’t the real issue here.
“Yes, we can. Bend over the couch. I’ll be right there.” My order wasn’t only about him physically getting into position as much as it was listening to me. August eyed the paddle, but I paid him no mind, waiting patiently for him to comply.
“I don’t think I’ve seen that one before, Sir.”
“You can admire it after I bust your ass. Go.”
He opened his mouth as if to say something more, and I arched one eyebrow. If he wanted to battle, he’d be truly sore afterward. He appeared to think better of the situation, probably knowing that I’d change my next move if he stalled.
August turned on his heel. I allowed him to stew for a few minutes before following him into the living room. I needed more range of motion for the larger implement and took off my leather jacket. My boots and thermal shirt followed. He was bent at the waist, his hands on either side of his body. The position raised his ass up in the air for my correction.
“You’re such a good boy, August.”
“It’s difficult to believe you when I’m bottoms-up in my living room, Sir.”
Reaching around to the front of him, I pinched his right nipple in between my fingers hard enough to make him hiss. “Are you doubting my words?”
“Ouch! No, Sir. But I do not deserve to be referred to as good. I acted up. I was reckless. I shouldn’t have driven home after working all night. But I didn’t care! I didn’t give a fuck about my safety.”
“I care about your safety. It’s part of the commitment I’ve made to you.”
“Yes, Sir. I appreciate it, though I didn’t act like I did. On top of all that, we haven’t even spoken about the worst part. I broke up with the two best partners I’ve ever had.”
I wasn’t sure of the root cause of that decision, but I intended to find out. As impulsive as my brat could be, I still had zero clue as to why he had broken up with Karsyn and myself. I hadn’t been pushing the issue. The fact that he was bringing it up was a good sign. “So, you thought you would make your own choices? Do you not trust me enough with your well-being? That’s a different problem.”
“I trust you, Logan. Obviously, I do! If I didn’t, we wouldn’t be in our dynamic.”
I stripped his pants off and cupped his balls through his silky navy boxers. “Say it again respectfully.”
“Fuck! I’m trying. Do you understand that?”
I added pressure to the most tender part of his body, not enough to hurt but it wouldn’t be comfortable. It didn’t take much for him to babble an explanation.
“I apologize! I am so sorry for forgetting your title, Daddy. I trust you.”
Oh, I struck a nerve. When August referred to me as Daddy a lot of my own fears and insecurities faded away. He didn’t say it often and for him to say it now meant he trusted me wholly and completely. As vulnerable as he was, I couldn’t allow him to think he could do whatever he wanted without consequences.
“Good boy,” I praised. “Whether or not you listen, you are still my good boy. Do not question it again or I’ll have to remind you.”
“I’m not a–”
I added more pressure. I didn’t consider myself a sadist, but at that moment, August probably did. He let out several dozen curses under his breath.
“I have a feeling I know what you’re going to say. Choose your words very carefully.”
“I’m not cut out for this, Daddy. I’m not good at listening. I want to follow your orders but it’s so fucking hard,” he said, sniffling. “I couldn’t keep pretending. I really hurt Karsyn. And I didn’t mean to, but I can’t be the Daddy she needs either. My… my biggest issue is that I don’t deserve to be your boy.”
Fuck. It sounded like his concerns stemmed from all the years of him pushing away his needs. I thought long and hard about my response. Releasing my hold, I moved my hands to his shoulders. “I’m patient, August. I’m not going to allow you to push the self-destruct button on our relationship. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“And if you do manage to find it and set it all ablaze? Well, I know some very experienced firefighters who will put it out. And after it’s out, you and I will have a long chat about expectations. I’m not going to simply watch you walk away. Not when I’ve wanted you. Do you understand? You are my priority. Karsyn is my priority. Both of you.”
August let go of the couch with one hand long enough to brush his eyes. Damn it. I hated the raw vulnerability seeping from him. Yet seeing this part of him out in the open meant everything to me. I stroked his hair allowing him to calm down and gather his thoughts.
“Yes, Sir,” he acknowledged. “But what have I done to earn being your submissive? I’m cocky, I’m rude–”
I cracked the paddle across the expanse of his ass once.
“Fuck!”
“I’ll answer your question, babyboy, but what you’re not going to do is list mean and untrue thoughts about yourself.”
“Yes, Sir. That really hurt, though.”
“I bet it did. Now, are you going to listen to my answer?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“First of all, you don’t have to earn your place. I’ve been interested in you for a long time. I want a relationship, as well as a dynamic. You’ve shared a lot with me in the past, even if you don’t remember it. You shared circumstances or situations that you’ve found yourself in, that I knew I’d have been able to help you navigate. At least if you had given me the opportunity to do so.”
“Is that a clever way of saying you wanted to bust my ass?”
“Sort of. I thought about bending you over my desk, more than once, but I didn’t act on it. Maybe I should have, but there was always something going on. Have I answered your question to your satisfaction?”
“Yes, Sir. I’ve said it before, but it’s true. I thought I wasn’t worthy of belonging to anyone.”
Taking a moment to let the comfortable silence hang, I removed his sweatpants and pulling him into my lap. Kissing his forehead and down his cheeks, I pressed my forehead against his, making sure he kept his eyes on me. “I’m going to say something and I want your attention.”
August blinked twice before kissing my lips once. “Yes, Sir.”
“You are mine. Mine to cherish, pleasure, and discipline. Mine,” I growled. My brat didn’t need to hide himself away from the world anymore. No, I wanted everyone to know he belonged to me.
“I need to hear that more often.”
“Then I’ll tell you all the time, but you know what else I’m going to do?” I pulled back slightly so I could see his eyes.
“What are you going to do, Sir?”
“I’m going to prove it to you every day.”
August wrapped his arms around me and pressed his head into my shoulder. Soon he was sobbing. I rubbed his back while he cried, whispering encouraging words as he let out all the emotions he’d been holding inside for far too long. My heart felt so incredibly full from his reaction. Though I hated the way he viewed himself in the past, I wanted to be the one to hold him. To guide him through stressful situations that might make him question his worth.
“I love you, Sir.”
“I love you, babyboy. I’m not going anywhere.”
“What about Karsyn? She’ll probably never speak to me again.”
“She will if you tell her everything. She cares about you as much as I do, but let’s focus on us right now. Then we can talk about our girl.”
I let him mull over my words. I wasn’t making false promises. Karsyn confessed how she’d fallen for the two of us. We’d spoken at length about our own insecurities and fears. They were surprisingly like the same ones August had about the three of us. It made the situation a little harder to navigate, but not impossible.
I’d told her about my plan to get August back on the same page, reassuring him that he was very much wanted in our throuple. She backed my plan one-hundred-and-ten percent. She missed him as much as I did.
“That only makes me feel a little better. Are you still going to punish me, Sir?”
“Yes, I am. It’s what you agreed to, but also it will show you how serious I am about us. Get back into position.” I kissed his forehead again before assisting him out of my lap.
August let out a shuddering breath and bent over the couch, his arms flexing as he braced. “I’m ready, Sir.”
“That’s my good boy.” I stood up and raised the paddle into my hand. Moving behind him, I lined up the paddle to land across both of his taut butt cheeks. I aimed for one well-placed strike, allowing him to breathe through the pain. I landed several more while he drummed his feet in place. The oak paddle had very little give. He would feel it the rest of the night and likely tomorrow. Targeting his upper thighs, I dialed back the intensity.
“Ouch! I am not going to be comfortable ever again.”
“Maybe not, but you’ll learn. Won’t you?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Take your boxers off.”
August blew out a breath and peeled his boxers down to his feet and off. He stepped out of them and set them on the couch. His ass already glowed a nice rosy hue, and it would be red by the time we finished. I lifted the paddle again and struck his left butt cheek harder than before.
He yelped and bit down on his fist.
“Do you need a minute, August?”
“No, Sir.”
“Brace yourself.” Repeating the pattern on his right side, I gave him a minute to breathe before continuing. His ass showed my handiwork, and I kneaded my knuckles into the same spots I’d targeted. The feeling wouldn’t be soothing on his tender bottom.
August groaned as I finished off the punishment with several harsh slaps to his sit-spot. “Thank you for taking care of me, Daddy.”
I rubbed his head. “You’re welcome, babyboy. You took your punishment so well.”
“You brought up a lot of things to the surface, Sir. Things I’ve never said to anyone.”
“I understand. Do you want to talk about it or would you rather I fuck you until you can’t move?”
August looked over his shoulder at me, his gorgeous blue eyes heavy with desire. He bit down on his lip, staring. He was so fucking sexy. Usually, his lack of a reply meant he wanted me to make the decision, however he seemed to be working through something. “I’d like to do whatever you want, Sir. As long as….”
“As long as?” I prompted.
“As long as you’ll stay the night.”
“Of course. I’ve missed you.”
“Have you?”
“Yes.” Instead of allowing him to say anything else, especially since he was likely to brat, I picked him up in my arms.
August wrapped his legs around my waist. “I’ve never been carried like this, Sir.”
“Get used to it.”
I strutted out of his living room and to his bedroom while he leaned his head on my shoulder. Once we were inside, I sat him on the bed. His eyes were shining as I tugged my tank top off and shucked out of my jeans. I remembered to take off my socks almost as an afterthought, along with my boxer-briefs. Crawling on top of him, I pushed his body against the mattress and kissed him deeply, delving my tongue inside his mouth while he played with my hair. We made out for a while, simply enjoying the taste of each other. “Sir?”
“Yes, August?”
“I need you.”
“You have me. Even if you push me away, I’ll find a way back to you. What are you asking for right now?” I kept my eyes on him, running my hands through his soft blond hair while I waited for him to answer it. It was clear he still had a lot of crap in his head. Guilt, maybe, or something bigger. I didn’t rush him, but I didn’t have endless patience.
“Please fuck me, Sir?”
“I can’t possibly deny you anything. Not when you ask so nicely with that sexy mouth of yours.”
“I’m glad you appreciate it. Not everyone does.”
“I love your mouth, especially when it’s wrapped around my cock. But because you opened up tonight and agreed to our relationship, I’ll reward you instead.”
“I messed up, Sir. Over and over. I never meant to hurt you.” His voice wavered, thick with emotion. “I’m sorry.”
“I forgive you, August. It’s done and over with. Let it go.”
“I still need to talk to you about some of the things I brought up as well as some other things regarding Karsyn, but can we save that conversation for tomorrow?”
“We can.” I kissed him again before vacating the bed and locating his lube. Returning to the mattress, I patted his hip. “Get on all fours and face away from me.”
“Yes, Sir.” August quickly shifted around the bed, his muscles flexing as he moved.
Kneading my fingers into his cherry-red ass cheeks, I stopped when he groaned.
“Sir–” His breath came out ragged.
“Relax.”
Knowing he enjoyed having sex with me brought me deep satisfaction. I pressed the head of my lubed cock to his tight pucker and slowly entered him.
“You feel so fucking good, August. I missed this.”
“You missed my ass, Sir?”
I thrust deeper and without warning until I was fully inside him. I continued pumping in and out of him. He clenched around me, and his hands balled into fists at his sides.
“Does that answer your question, babyboy?”
“Loud and clear.”
Withdrawing almost completely, I allowed him to get used to the sensation before thrusting faster. He didn’t have a whole lot of time to accommodate my width or length, but he didn’t complain.
“Oh, fuck… Sir…”
“Wrap your hand around your cock and stroke yourself.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I want you to come when I do. Are you ready?”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“You can.” When I felt my orgasm surging, I dug my fingers into his hips, hard enough that my nails left crescent-shaped marks, something I hadn’t meant to do. “Come with me. Let the pleasure roll through you.”
“Yes, Sir.”
I came hard, releasing deep inside his ass. August clenched around me at the same time, his muscles tightening and releasing as he hit his own peak. There was nothing sexier than commanding his climax.
August laid breathless and panting underneath my body. I slowly withdrew from his tight back hole, before pulling him to stand up and kissing him softly.
“You look much more relaxed. Are you?”
“Mmmhmm. I am, Sir. Though honestly, anytime I’m not? If you promise to fuck me like that, I’ll loosen up really quick.”
“I promise.” I tugged him toward the bathroom, my heart full. I had two partners again and I wouldn’t let either one of them go without a fight. I could do this throuple thing after all. The only thing left was to facilitate our reunion with Karsyn. She promised we were on the same page, but hopefully she wasn’t too caught up in her head. Otherwise, I’d be doing the same pattern when I saw her: punish and then cherish. It was a good plan when handling brats. Maybe I‘d engrave that phrase into my next paddle.