Guardian Domination (3 page)

“Packing.”

“May I ask why? Are you going somewhere?”

I looked up at him. “Back to the unit. I knew this wouldn’t last,” I said, trying to sound brave.

Jace’s frown deepened as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Come here, baby. I want to talk to you.” His command was soft as he reached his large hand for mine.

Reluctantly, I accepted it, allowing him to pull me to sit next to him. I clutched my hands together tightly in my lap and stiffened as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and drew me snugly again his strong chest.

“I knew there would be an adjustment period for us, but just because we have some obstacles does not mean we aren’t a family.” He kissed the side of my head. “It’s going to take you some time to really believe it. I’m never going to send you away. I promise. Try to believe me, okay?”

He continued, seeing my slight nod. “I need to show you that I truly care and honestly want the best for you. I am not going to ever make you feel like you are ignored, disposable or unwanted. I am going to have to punish you, though. Your behavior was unacceptable.”

“You aren’t going to take away the puppies, are you?” I panicked.

Jace shook his head with a slight chuckle. “Heck no; those little mutts are here to stay, too.” He paused. “No, I’m afraid I am going to have spank you.”

“What?!” I stared at him in horror. “Are you nuts? I’m 18 and way too old to be treated like a baby. You can’t do that. It’s child abuse! You promised never to hit me!”

He stayed calm. “Make up your mind; are you 18 or a child? And I promised to never bruise your face. I said nothing about your bottom.”

I was mortified! I had to talk my way out of this. “Listen, let’s be reasonable; it’s my first offense and…”

“Are you planning on becoming an attorney? Because if you don’t finish school, you don’t have a shot. Now get across my lap and let’s get this done with.”

I did not budge. There was absolutely no way I was going to humiliate myself by following his direction. Jace sighed loudly before reaching for my earlobe and effortlessly guided me across his lap. I fought to escape his tight grip before employing another means of escape. I sunk my teeth into his thigh.

“Ow!” he yelled “Damn it, Celeste! I was going to spare you this time, but now you’ve done it.” Without hesitation, he yanked down my sweat pants and panties and pushed them down to my knees.

My mortification grew in leaps and bounds, knowing he could see every nook and cranny of my personal space. “No! Please, I’m sorry! I swear, Jace, I’m so sorry!”

The only response was the
swoosh
of his hand followed by the echoing crack of flesh meeting flesh. I howled as the searing pain traveled across the breadth of my bottom. His hand started to rain down hard, exacting spanks upon my bare flesh from one side to the other, up and down, covering every inch of my posterior. Each stroke burned and stung as the intensity rose, the heat building upon itself as he deliberately landed several swats to the exact same area before moving on.

I fought back tears as I wildly kicked and flailed. He pinned my legs down under his right knee, holding me flat by leaning his elbow across my upper back. His rhythm was slow, methodical, and swiftly turned my poor bottom and upper thighs cherry red.

Despair set in when I became cognizant of how helpless I was in this position. Unable to protect myself… Unable to escape his iron-grip… unable to run for the first time in my life… I was stuck here with Jace as an unwilling recipient of an admittedly well-deserved spanking on my bare bottom for being a brat. Reality dawned on me. Everyone else sent me away as though I was disposable, but Jace—still spanking my deep red backside—kept me here. He wouldn’t let me go no matter how much it hurt either of us.

A wail escaped my lips and the years of pain, anger, and fear rose to the surface and were released with my tears. Jace lightened the blows, but did not stop the spanking, allowing me a full degree of catharsis. When I ceased my struggles and accepted my discipline, he considered the spanking to be over. Held securely across his lap as his hand rubbed my back, a new flood of tears were released.

Finally, several minutes later, I slid to the floor and cried into my hands.

Jace joined me on the carpet and held me tightly against his broad chest. I could hear his heart pounding. “Shhh, baby, it’s all over. It’s a new beginning, little one. I promise that I will do whatever it takes to prove to you that you have a home, and a family, to come to. You will never be alone or abandoned again.”

“I’m so sorry.” I cried into my guardian’s shoulder, “I really thought you would send me away.”

“Never, although,” he tweaked my nose, “You might want to send ME away after a while.”

“Then who will cook dinner?” I asked, finally allowing myself to relax in his arms and experience the feeling of being safe, loved, and protected. “Jace?”

“Yeah, Babe?”

“I really, really am sorry.” The apology came with my repentant sniffles.

“I know. And we will find you a different tutor.”

“Okay. I don’t like women, just so you know.”

“Oh really?” Jace sounded amused. “Well, you need to know I’m not into dating men.”

I never considered the possibility he had a girlfriend and my heart sank.

He smiled, seeing my expression. “Good thing I’m single. I have the perfect opportunity to focus on my one girl and show her how much I care for her.”

“Thanks,” I whispered, truly meaning it in every sense of the word. For taking me in and giving me a chance… for accepting and loving me… for teaching me the power of hope. I was finally home.

Chapter Two

Band Practice

“Celeste! You up there?” Jace’s deep voice bellowed from downstairs.

I conveniently ignored him and pretended to be engrossed in studying the algebra assignment given to me by my new tutor, Mark. I adored him. We had met while he was at the house rehearsing drums with Jace and had intervened when he saw me struggling with some math problems. In minutes, I understood the concept and my interest was sparked. He explained that he worked as a substitute high school teacher and was immediately offered a full-time position as my tutor.

“Hey, I was calling you,” Jace said, barging into the office.

“Oh? I was doing homework. What do you want?”

“The band is coming over this evening for practice. We're getting ready for that Vegas gig and need to tighten up. Can you help me straighten up a bit?”

“Why don’t you get a maid?” I grumbled, standing slowly.

Jace tugged at my long red ponytail. “What? And take away what you love most? Cleaning?”

“I hate cleaning as much as I hate math. And so do you,” I sassed back teasingly.

We made our way to the recording and rehearsal studio located under the garage where I looked around in disgust. “Why the hell can’t you and your friends throw trash in the trash can instead of on the floor? You know, like normal people do? This is gross,” I scolded, distastefully picking up a used napkin.

Jace shrugged. “We’re artists and it’s too much effort. Besides, look at the fun you and I have doing this together. Just don’t touch any of the equipment, it’s all dialed in for recording.”

It took less than fifteen minutes to clean up the place and dust. Eyeing the sound board and feeling foolishly rebellious, I turned the switches and dials to high.

“Wanna take the puppies down to the beach?” Jace asked, dismissing me with a playful smack on the rump.

That gesture induced two feelings… one was joy at the attention and other fear, remembering our last ‘incident.’

I started regretting my prank, but felt trapped since I couldn’t correct anything without confessing. After two hours on the private beach, Jace carried the exhausted puppies back up to the house and rinsed the salt from their fur in fresh water. Laughter bubbled from my throat as he scolded them for immediately rolling in the mud.

I loved the light, playful and relaxed side of this man. I leaned back against a tree and studied his handsome features, the thoughts of kissing his warm lips playing havoc on my mind and my body.

I sighed loudly, knowing that the attraction was purely one-sided and that he was focused on the role of a guardian, nothing more. I dismissed my feelings, knowing that there was no harm in fantasizing. Besides, the crazy man spanked. That would
never
be anything I would adjust to or accept as normal. My bottom started to tingle with a warning of what might come that evening, but I had set the events in motion and was too afraid to say anything.

The small band started arriving at about 7:30 and I flushed with embarrassment when Jace promptly sent me upstairs to finish my homework after dinner, reminding me in front of everyone that it was a school night and that meant early bedtime. All regrets of my pranks vanished as I raced up to my room, angry with the childish treatment I received, and the raucous laughter that followed my humiliation.

Several minutes passed when a thunderous BOOM rattled through the house. I peeked around the top of the stairs to see the group pile into the living room, holding their ears and shaking their heads. Jace, his face dark and clouded with anger, looked up and saw me as I bolted. He stormed upstairs and harshly grabbed my upper arm.

“Did you have anything to do with that?!”

“With what?” I asked innocently, feeling the sweat break out on the back of my neck.

Jace glared at me. “We will talk about this after everyone leaves. You, young lady, are in a heap of trouble. You are to stand in that corner until I tell you otherwise. Don’t even think of defying me.”

Gulping back my fear, I silently obeyed.

After the last car pulled out, and Jace had made a couple of calls, he stomped upstairs to my room. “Celeste Joline, what the hell were you thinking? Thank God we all had our headphones off before plugging in the sound! You could have deafened us. As it is, you blew out my woofers and fried the board! Do you have any idea how expensive that is?”

“You have money, so what? Your friends should clean up after themselves so I don’t have to go down there. And they shouldn’t laugh at me.”

Jace’s eyes narrowed, his lips tightened, and his fingers began to drum. “I’m very, very angry right now and need to cool down,” he growled, “I can’t believe the total lack of respect and consideration I’m seeing from you.” He turned on his heel and left.

My throat tightened, guilt washing over me. If only I had thought it through… I could have confessed and avoided this whole ordeal. My heart began to pound loudly as his heavy steps were heard coming up the stairs an hour later. Jace entered without his customary knock, and looked down at me.

“You know, this is the first time I’ve ever really gotten angry with you,” he said softly, his hands rested on his waist. “So much so that I had to take a walk to calm myself down and think rationally. Why did you do it?”

“I was pissed that your friends were so inconsiderate of your stuff and wanted them to pay,” I whispered.

“Sweetheart, it’s OUR stuff. And you caused me to pay the most. Do you realize how much you could have harmed us?”

“I do now. I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would do that. I thought it would just be loud. I’m sorry,” I whimpered again, feeling my lip tremble involuntarily.

Jace sat down next to me, his hand resting on my thigh. “You do know what’s coming, right?”

“I’m grounded?”

“No, I don’t believe in doing that. It takes too long, is miserable for both of us, and the forgiveness factor isn’t there. You know how I believe discipline needs to be administered. On the bare bottom. I am so disappointed in you, Baby Girl.”

“Jace, please, I’m begging you. Don’t spank me! I’m really, really sorry!” The tears already started to flow before he even touched me.

Without a word, he easily pulled me over his lap and slid his fingers under the waistline of my shorts. “I’m sorry too, but you need to learn to think twice before you do things.”

“NOOOO!” I yelped, but to no avail as his strong, callused hand found its target. I squealed, it hurt so much! No time was wasted in warming me up this time as he plummeted his hand with full-force to those tender creases right below my cheeks. Each horrendous spank made full contact and left the impression of his fingers upon my bright red bottom.

No matter how hard I tried, I was pinned and experiencing the consequences of my stupid, irresponsible, and selfish actions. I bawled helplessly into the bed covers as he continued to cover my poor backside with strong, solid swats, not ceasing for a good ten minutes.

When he stopped, I began to slide to the floor, but was pulled to my feet instead. “We aren’t done,” Jace informed me firmly, laying two pillows on the bed and then reaching to unclasp the belt buckle from around his waist.

My stomach lurched at the sound of the leather being pulled from the loops of his jeans, and the rattling of the buckle as he folded the belt in half and anchored the ends in his hands. He pointed to the bed. “Over those pillows. You will be receiving twenty strokes with my belt. Come on, the sooner you obey, the sooner it will be over.”

I froze again, unable and unwilling, to comply. My body was still shaking uncontrollably from the pain inflicted with just his paddle-like hand.

With a frown at my disobedience, Jace grabbed my earlobe and forced me into position, holding me in place with his left hand pressed to the small of my back.

The whooshing sound of the belt, followed by the crack against my flesh, elicited a terrified and painful scream from my throat. In the back of my mind, I knew he was not being as harsh as he could be, but I could not ignore the instinct to flee as the belt caught my hand as I tried to block it.

Concerned with the possibility of harming me, Jace once again hauled me to the ‘safety zone’ over his knee, pinned my legs with his right thigh and held my hands out of reach. My punishment ended when I was limp and sobbing, completely drained of strength, and willing to do anything he asked of me. But he asked nothing as he sunk to the ground and simply pulled me into his lap to rock me like a child in his strong arms. When he sensed I was able to listen, he spoke to me very softly.