Free In the Zone by Sierra Cartwright

her balance.
    “Alani?”
    “Thank you, Sir!”
    He smacked her again.
    “Two. Thank you, Sir!”
    “One,” he corrected. “You are expected to count and express your gratitude.”
    She gritted her teeth. “One. Thank you, Sir.”
    He placed the next hit directly on top of the first. It was all she could do not to wriggle away. “Two! Thank you, Sir.”
    The third and fourth left her struggling to breathe. His thighs were firm beneath her torso, and the material of his slacks chafed her bare midriff.
    His fifth slap stung more than any other. She squeezed her eyes against the sudden burn of tears. “Five. Thank you, Sir.”
    “Get up.”
    She blinked.
    He wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her to her feet. “Move over there.” He pointed to an area a few feet away, beneath a lamp. “Bend and show me your ass.”
    She was reeling.
    He hadn’t stayed with the punishment long enough for her to enjoy it. He hadn’t exploited the emotional components, and he’d caught her unprepared.
    He folded his arms across his chest.
    Just who the hell was this harsh man? And what did she really know about him?
    Slowly she turned around, lifted her skirt, and then bent.
    “Just a little red. When I beat you during the demonstration, I’ll make sure you have a few more marks.”
    Alani took in a couple of breaths to steady her nerves.
    He checked his watch. “You’re excused.”
    Just like that? He spanked her and then dismissed her? His cavalier behavior rankled. She opened her mouth to speak but changed her mind. He’d told her he wanted to see her outside the club, and they had agreed to meet later. She told herself that was enough. She released her skirt and stood. Her hands shook as she grabbed her purse and coat. She started to move past him, and he snagged her wrist, stopping her.
    “I’ll let your bad behavior go unpunished this time, Alani.”
    “My behavior, Sir?”
    “I expect constant gratitude when I give you attention.”
    Genuinely puzzled, she frowned. “I thanked you for the spankings, Sir.”
    “Constant gratitude,” he said again. “Unless you’d like remove your skirt and stand in the corner with your red ass exposed to everyone in the club and think about it for a while?”
    She shook her head. “Thank you for the punishment, Sir. And for allowing me to get to work.” She clenched and unclenched her hands.
    “And for not making you stand in the corner,” he prompted.
    Bastard. “And for not making me stand in the corner, Sir.”
    “Don’t forget yourself, sub.”
    “Thank you for the reminder, Sir. I promise to do better.”
    “See that you do.” He released her wrist.
    She was too well trained to hurry away, even though that was what she wanted to do. She moved slowly and deliberately toward the ladies’ dressing room, aware of him watching her.
    Once the door closed behind her, she exhaled.
    No man, ever, had managed to punish her so completely, get inside her head, remind her of her submissiveness.
    She pulled her hair back.
    As the rush of adrenaline receded, she realized her pussy was still wet. His high-handed treatment had turned her on. He got to her in a way no one else ever had.
    Willow joined her a few moments later. “I heard you’re doing a demo with Master Nathaniel tonight.”
    She opened her locker and hung up her coat. “What else have you heard?”
    “If you’re wondering if I know about your retraining, yes. I don’t know why but—”
    “I yawned during a scene with Master Richard.”
    “Seriously?”
    “And I rolled my eyes. Master Nathaniel caught me.”
    Alani looked at the other woman. She wasn’t sure if Willow was her real name or not, but it certainly fit. Tall, blonde, leggy with green eyes and natural grace, Willow was lovely, making it impossible to hate her, no matter how much Alani wanted to.
    “I mean, who wouldn’t? Master Limp Wrist is a total bore.”
    “Master Limp Wrist?” Alani repeated.
    “Oh!” Willow made a show of