19. Fallon
Fallon
The air feels heavy in the bedroom.
Luciano doesn’t see how fucked up I am because he’s lived a life of luxury while I grew up being dragged all over Seattle.
Attending so many different schools that I never made a friend until Monroe.
She made me pinky swear I wouldn’t lose touch with her.
That’s the only reason I still have her in my life today.
One day he’s going to realize that we were cut from very different cloths, and he’s going to change his mind about me.
“It’s just the way life is. We’re different. You’ll realize it eventually and see me for the trash I am.”
His hand goes still, though he still has his other arm banded around my waist, holding me tightly against him. I rest my face on the plush mattress, glaring toward the end of the bed instead of at him.
“Look at me right now,” Luciano says so quietly that I almost miss it.
With a deep breath, I push myself onto my arms and turn to face where he’s sitting at the head of the bed.
“First of all, Little girl, you’re fucking beautiful.
From your hair to your toes and into your heart.
There isn’t one thing I would change about the way you look.
Not a single thing. I’m fucking obsessed with you and your delicious body.
But I don’t think that’s the real problem here, is it, princess? ”
I lower my gaze.
“The real problem is that you think the shitty cards you were dealt are somehow your fault, and you should be treated accordingly. But let me tell you something, Fallon. I might have been wearing Armani suits and riding in luxury cars throughout my life, but I was also doing horrible things to people by the time I was ten. You think that makes me better than you? Because of the money? Nah, baby. I told you the first night we met that I don’t give a fuck about any of that.
What I care about are the people who fight for the good.
Who don’t give up just because times are hard.
Having people around me who aren’t always going to tell me yes.
Having someone who is strong enough to handle her own shit, but still lets me step in and do it for her so she can feel the way I care about her, because that’s what makes me happy. ”
My bottom lip trembles, and I squeeze my eyes shut as I lower my face to the mattress again.
“I don’t give a fuck where you came from, Fallon. I will never care about that. But what I do care a lot about is the way you talk about yourself; calling yourself trash is absolutely not okay. I think this spanking you’re about to get is needed more than you realize.”
“You already spanked me,” I blurt out.
My ass is definitely stinging. I don’t know how I’m going to look him in the face once I’m allowed out of this embarrassing position.
“Baby, that was a warmup. Then you decided to go and say some bullshit while calling yourself trash. This is going to be a spanking you’re going to remember for a few days.”
Luciano tucks his thumb into the waistband of my pajama bottoms and tugs them down. I squeeze my legs together, trying to stop him, but he’s stronger. A moment later, he tosses both my shorts and panties to the floor.
“If I ever hear you call yourself trash again, I will take a wooden hairbrush to your ass. Do you understand?”
I nod but don’t say anything, which gets me a sharp swat to the back of the thigh. I startle and whimper. Fuck, his hands hurt like hell, I can’t even imagine what something wooden on my ass would feel like.
“I asked a question, and I expect a verbal answer right now.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“What’s your safeword?”
My heart races, and I twist slightly to meet his gaze. “Red.”
“Good girl. While I’m punishing you, when I ask you a yes-or-no question, you either say ‘yes, Daddy’ or ‘yes, Sir,’ or ‘no, Daddy,’ or ‘no, Sir.’ Understand?”
Wetness pools between my legs. “Yes, Daddy.”
His voice is hard as steel as he says, “I’d better never hear you call yourself trash again, Fallon Camille. I would kill a man for saying something like that to you.”
Then he lifts his hand and slaps my ass, hard. I yelp, but he moves to the other cheek and spanks me again, more forcefully than he has before. As soon as he starts, he doesn’t stop.
I start squirming, trying to get away from the burning hot pain on my ass, but he doesn’t let me move while he spanks me over and over.
I kick my legs in the air, trying to twist my lower body.
Without stopping, Luciano pulls one of his legs out from under me and throws it on top of mine, trapping me so I’m completely at his mercy.
“You don’t see the beauty within you, baby girl. How special you are. I see it, though. Every bit of it. You’re a fighter when you need to be, but then you can turn so sweet and soft in the right hands the rest of the time.”
Tears well in my eyes. When he starts spanking again after his gentle scolding, I let out a quiet sob.
I’ve tried so hard to not turn into my mom over the years.
It’s why I’ve only ever had two boyfriends.
But when you’ve spent most of your life alone, it’s easy to get fooled.
I just wish I could have had something normal.
Someone who was always happy to see me and made an effort.
Someone who didn’t make me beg for attention or affection.
Luciano gives me all of that so freely. His eyes light up every time we look at each other.
Tears streaks down my face, but I bury my head in the soft comforter while he keeps spanking me, covering every bit of my ass until it’s on fire.
“Daddy,” I sob, turning my head to the side so I can meet his eyes.
He immediately looks down at me, his gaze searching. Then he picks up the pace, and I cry out, letting out a loud wail this time. My chest aches as so many feelings climb through me, about my past and how I’ve always felt about myself.
My mother made her choices, but I was a kid.
I was dragged along for the ride. As soon as I was able to start working, I did.
I was five days after my sixteenth birthday when I got a job at a salon, sweeping the floors.
Thanks to a state-run program, I was able to go get my cosmetology school diploma while I was still in high-school.
The day I turned eighteen, I took my test and became a licensed hairdresser.
I’ve fought and clawed my way through life, and deep down, I’m proud of myself.
Another sob breaks free, and I give into it, the stinging of my ass nothing compared to the sea of emotions pouring out of my eyes.
Luciano stops spanking me and slowly rubs my back, letting me cry for a moment before he reaches down and pulls me up to sit on his lap. When my butt rubs on the blanket, I wince and then bury my face into his neck. He holds me against his chest, slowly stroking over my hair.
“That’s my girl. Let it all out. I got you, baby,” he says quietly. “I’m not going anywhere. I see who you are, and I’m obsessed with you. That will never change.”
He holds me for a long time, even after my tears have dried. My ass still stings, but my heart is experiencing something totally different. It feels so full and at peace. Something I don’t think I’ve ever felt before.
Luciano gently rocks me against him. The warmth on my ass spreads to my core, and I close my eyes to allow myself to enjoy the sensation.
“We’re going to work on the way you think about yourself. Both physically and emotionally. And, baby, you can try to say we’re too different and say things to push me away, but I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to stay, princess.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, letting his words settle into me, hoping they are true, because this dangerous, caring, kind man is creeping his way into my jaded heart and making me feel things I never thought possible.
We stay silent for several minutes before I finally sit up and look over at the coffee he brought in. It smells divine… And the creamer I like is next to it. How did he know?
Luciano smirks and reaches for a cup and then hands me the creamer, popping the lid open for me. I pour some in, then take the mug from him. The warm, contented feeling I get every morning when I take my first sip of coffee spreads, and I let out a sigh.
“Good?” he asks with amusement.
“The best. Bring me coffee in bed every morning and I’d probably love you forever.”
As soon as the last word comes out, my eyes go wide with the realization I just sort of said I love him, and that’s impossible because we barely know each other.
“Not that I love you, but I just mean I really love coffee,” I add quickly.
Luciano watches me with a blank expression, so I use the moment to take another sip of the most delicious coffee I’ve ever had in my life. I don’t know what he did differently, but it’s so good.
“You’re adorable,” he says as he picks up his mug and takes a drink. “You want coffee in bed every morning, you’ve got it. I need a key to your apartment, though. Or you could just come stay at my house.”
I nearly spray coffee across the bed. When I finally stop coughing, I turn to look at him. “You’re totally unhinged.”
“Is that a problem, princess?”
Hell no.
“Yes!”
He laughs and leans over to kiss my cheek before he rises from the bed and starts getting dressed. “Fine. We’ll start with you giving me a key. We can talk about you living with me later.”
Oh my God.
Luciano Ricci is impossible.
Fallon: Can you tell me why, when I am walking across the park to get coffee on my break, I see that big bodyguard dude I bit?
Glaring, I carry my iced latte across the park, which takes up an entire city block, back toward the salon. I noticed Luciano’s guy on my walk over, and he’s still here ten minutes later. And he’s watching me without even trying to hide it.
“Why are you stalking me?”
I think Luciano called him Angelo the other night, but we haven’t been formally introduced, so who knows.
“Mr. Ricci has assigned me as your personal detail,” he answers, standing tall like a tree.