The Art of Discipline: Dani’s Discovery (The Mockingbird Chronicles) Read online

  “Anything.”

  “Why do you do it? Spank me, I mean. You didn’t have to, yet…” Dani trailed off, not sure how to finish the thought.

  “I do it because I care about you, and I want you to be the best person you can be. You just need a little guidance, and I feel privileged that you’ve allowed me to be the one to give it to you.”

  “Are you a top, like Stevie?”

  Emma chuckled. “Not exactly. I’m more of what is called a switch, but I lean heavily into being a top.”

  “What the heck does that mean?”

  “It means, Dani, that I’m okay with receiving a spanking sometimes, but in relationships, I prefer to be the one giving them.” Emma paused, searching for the words. “When Sean was alive, he spanked me when I felt I needed it or when he felt I needed it. It helped me focus and center myself. Whenever I was in a relationship though, it was different.”

  “Oh,” Dani commented. “So will you want me to ever spank you?”

  Emma shook her head. “Not likely. I’ve always found it difficult to switch roles. There are clear cut rules for a reason. They don’t always go both ways.”

  “But what if you think you need to be spanked? I don’t want you to neglect yourself,” Dani’s asked, her voice sincere.

  “Then I’ll find someone we trust to take care of it, if that’s okay with you.”

  Dani sighed heavily. “Can we talk about this more later? This is a lot to take in.”

  “Of course, sweetie. Any more questions?”

  “Actually, yes. Anna said sometimes Stevie spanks her when she’s good. What did she mean?”

  Emma cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “Well, sometimes people find spankings to be a type of foreplay. They can be very sensual if done properly.”

  Dani sat up again and blinked. “You mean you could spank me and I’d like it?” Emma responded with a raised eyebrow and a small smile. Dani blushed and looked down at her hands. “Okay, maybe sometimes, well… it’s not all bad, even when I can’t sit down without wincing.”

  Emma took Dani’s hands in hers and smiled at her. “So, does that mean we continue how we have been in this relationship, spankings and all?”

  Dani slowly nodded. “Yes, I need it, Emma. I need you to do it for me.”

  Emma hugged Dani until they pulled back and once more fell into a kiss. Finally breaking the kiss, Emma stood and held out her hand. “Well then, young lady, I think it’s time you and I had another type of chat.”

  “Another type of chat?” Dani echoed quietly.

  “Yes, about you running off and leaving everything here and your attitude, not to mention worrying me to death…” Emma trailed off, her hand still extended.

  “Oh, that type of chat.” Dani blushed again but stood and took Emma’s hand, allowing her to lead her down the hallway and into the bedroom. Once there, though, Emma pointed Dani toward the corner.

  “Do I hafta?” Dani asked in a whine.

  “Yes, Danielle, you have to.”

  “I hate standing in the corner,” Dani complained.

  “If you liked it, then it wouldn’t be much of a punishment, would it?” Emma asked as Dani gave in and headed to the corner before placing her nose in it.

  Going to the closet, Emma removed a large box and put it on top of the dresser. Opening it, she rifled through it until she found exactly what she was looking for. Removing the item, she laid it next to the hairbrush that was now on the end of the bed. Sitting back down on the bed, she watched as Dani shifted in the corner. “Okay, Danielle, come over here.”

  Turning around, Dani started walking toward the bed, stopping just shy of Emma and the items on the bed. Her eyes focused not only on the hairbrush, but on the Ping-Pong paddle with a cartoon dog on it.

  Motioning for Dani to come closer, Emma stretched and pulled her by the wrist until she was between her legs. “Danielle, do you know why you’re getting a spanking tonight?”

  Dani nodded, sighing and looking at her toes before answering quietly, “Yes, because I drank eight diet sodas today, I had a bad attitude with you, and I left the house without my stuff and worried you, because you didn’t know where I was.”

  “Eight?” Emma asked, surprised.

  “Yeah. After I called Stevie and Anna, I got a pizza and soda, and refilled the cup two times.”

  Emma shook her head. “I can’t say that I’m not disappointed, Danielle. But that’s just an aside. What really bothered me is that you put yourself in danger.” Emma tugged on Dani’s hand, causing her blue eyes to meet Emma’s green. “You left, without your keys, your phone, or even any ID. You had no way of contacting me, and I had no way to get to you. You had me worried sick, Danielle. I will not tolerate you putting yourself in danger. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you.”

  “I’m sorry, Emma,” Dani replied, her eyes already starting to tear up.

  “I know, Danielle,” Emma remarked as she removed Dani’s pajama bottoms and in one fluid motion and eased her over her lap. The time for words now over, she began a steady cadence of spanks to Dani’s now bare bottom. It seemed in no time at all, Dani was wiggling as the once pale globes turned a light shade of pink.

  Deciding the next step of the punishment was in order, Emma tightened her grip on Dani’s waist and picked up the Ping-Pong paddle. She tapped it gently twice to alert Dani that she’d transitioned. Again wasting no words, she felt Dani tense, but resumed her steady rhythm. The new volley of attack caused Dani to squirm and cry out, making it difficult for Emma to keep ahold of her, but the petite redhead was unwavering. Determined to get through to Dani, Emma continued with the paddle until she had succeeded in making every part of Dani’s bottom a deep crimson, including her sit spots and the tops of her thighs.

  When she was satisfied, Emma put the paddle down and rubbed Dani’s hot bottom gently. “I am going to finish up this spanking with the hairbrush, Danielle. I will not allow you to put yourself in danger just because you want to have an attitude with me. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Emma,” Dani squeaked.

  “Good. Because I love you, Danielle Ryan, and I’m not going to allow you to not take care of yourself.” With that pronouncement, Emma began to give Dani a lesson with the hairbrush that she would not soon forget. Laying on twelve heavy swats, she paused as Dani lay sobbing over her lap. “Almost done,” she announced as she gave a final four strokes to Dani’s sit spots.

  Deciding it was enough, Emma threw the brush on the bed and gently rubbed Dani’s fevered bottom until she calmed. Helping Dani up, she pulled her onto her lap, began to rock her, and allowed Dani to cry earnest tears. She knew she needed this, and Dani seemed to as well. She clung to Emma as if her very life depended on it, and Emma understood that need all too much.

  Once the cries had subdued into quiet sniffling, Emma knew that Dani had was ready to move on. Tapping Dani’s thigh gently, she scooted off of Emma lap and into a standing position.

  Dani reached back to rub her still-throbbing backside. “It’s still hot,” she commented quietly.

  “And will be for a while. I imagine breakfast won’t be very pleasant to sit through either,” Emma reminded her with a smile.

  Dani groaned. She hadn’t even considered that she’d eventually have to sit down again.

  Emma stood, pulling up Dani’s pants, before pulling down the covers on the bed. “Bedtime,” she announced. Watching Dani crawl in, she asked, “Need anything? Drink of water, last trip to the bathroom?”

  Dani shook her head. “Actually…”

  “Yes?”

  “Is this all?”

  “What do you mean, Dani?”

  “I mean, I’m not grounded or anything?”

  “Dani, are you telling me that you don’t feel like you’ve been punished enough?”

  Dani chewed on her lip for a moment but couldn’t seem to gather enough courage to speak.

  Emma sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing Dani’s back
for a moment. “Part of this, part of our relationship, is about being open and honest with our needs, our wants, and eventually our desires,” Emma added with a twinkle in her eye. “I don’t want you ever to be afraid to tell me if you think you need something, okay?”

  Dani nodded. “I just… well, I had a lot of soda today. I did it on purpose. I knew it would upset you,” she confessed.

  Emma was quiet for a long moment as she studied blue eyes. “I figured as much. I’m proud of you for confessing to me, Dani. I know that wasn’t easy.”

  “And?” Dani prompted her.

  “And, you don’t get to make the decisions about punishments. I’m the one that decides, when, where, how… and IF, you will be punished.” Emma watched Dani’s face drop in disappointment. “I’m half tempted to take away the soda for tomorrow, or even the rest of the week, but I’m not going to do that.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not trying to make your life miserable, Dani. If you go without the caffeine, you’ll just get a headache. I don’t want to you suffer. I’d also rather you not take any aspirin or other pain killers tomorrow,” she added with a wink, “so you can fully enjoy my lesson.”

  “Oh,” Dani answered, not quite appreciating the humor in the joke.

  “So, I’ll ask you instead to remember this lesson. Next time you try to use food or something like soda to hurt me. Other than disappointing me, it doesn’t really hurt me. It only hurts you.”

  “I think I understand,” Dani said with the slight frown. She definitely had some thinking to do.

  “Good,” Emma encouraged, leaning over to kiss Dani’s temple. “Now, it’s time for sleep.”

  “Emma?”

  “Yes, I’ll lie with you until you fall asleep.”

  Dani smiled, scooting over to allow Emma enough space to join her. “Emma?” she asked again.

  “Yes, Dani?”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too, sweetie.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Dani woke up sore and stiff, and it wasn’t just in her backside. She could already feel the pressure of a headache building, and thinking about how much she had to do was only making things worse. She was currently in the middle of two large weddings and a corporate fundraiser for a children’s charity, and that was in addition to her normal delegating between her employees. Dani was used to giving her company at least sixty hours a week, and cutting back to less than half that was really starting to wear on her. She knew that the pressure was not only getting to her, but to Emma and the rest of the employees as well.

  Pacing behind the counter like a trapped panther in a cage, Dani checked the time on her cell, noting that she still had fifteen minutes before the store opened. Emma was still upstairs, while Will was working in the back. Anna was due in any minute, and waiting for her was starting to wear on Dani’s nerves.

  The plans today were slightly different. Emma and Dani were going to go return the gun that had caused all the strife yesterday. In fact, Dani was still a little upset about the whole thing. She didn’t want to return it and had half considered keeping it, regardless of Emma’s wishes, but her little redheaded girlfriend was persistent. Dani paused to rub her backside, thinking that maybe she was a little too persistent. At least she’d gained something from the whole event, other than the inability to sit. Dani had agreed to return it under two conditions: one, that Emma would allow her to install security cameras in the store as well as at the back entrance, and two, that she’d join Dani in taking a self-defense class. They weren’t perfect solutions, but at least once in place, Dani would feel better about Emma’s situation.

  Hearing the rattle of keys, Dani looked up and smiled as Anna let herself in before turning and re-locking the door.

  “Morning,” Anna greeted.

  “Morning,” Dani returned, looking past Anna as a wide grin appeared on her lips. “Hey, do me a favor and cover me for minute? I need to run across the street and get something.”

  Anna looked at Dani, blinking in confusion, before she turned to follow Dani’s gaze to the coffee house on the corner. Turning back around, she asked, “Is Will in the back?” Getting a nod, Anna also grinned. “In that case, pick me up one of those dark-roast lattes and get Will one of those iced caramel blends too.”

  “You are evil,” Dani teased before grabbing her purse and practically flying out the door.

  True to her word, Dani returned a few minutes later with one steaming coffee, one iced coffee, and one very large soda cup. Anna simply grinned when Dani handed her the coffee on her way to give Will his. Returning, Dani paused at the counter to grab her laptop. She then proceeded to one of the tables near the front of the store to try to start her emails before they got too busy.

  Wincing as her backside made contact with the chair, she opened her computer and began to get to work. Hearing footsteps, she looked up to see Anna watching her.

  “What?”

  Anna closed the distance between them and took a seat opposite of Dani. Shifting a bit as she sat, she grinned at Dani. “I think we should insist on padded chairs in here.”

  “Emma would never go for it,” Dani joked, feeling somehow closer to the short woman who was wincing across from her.

  “Too bad, because I’m thinking sitting on a throw pillow might cause others to ask questions.”

  “Stevie lets you sit on a pillow?” Dani asked quietly.

  “Emma doesn’t?”

  Dani rolled her eyes. “It’s part of the punishment.”

  Anna let out a low whistle. “Man, and I thought Stevie was tough,” she laughed.

  Dani shifted again, taking a long drink from her cup before giving up and closing her laptop. “So, why are you so against hard chairs today?”

  “The same reason you are, I expect,” Anna winced and stood up. “Stevie decided I needed some special attention last night.”

  Dani stood up as well, fighting the urge to rub her still sore bottom. “Yeah, I had more attention last night than I care to remember.”

  “She was pretty mad, huh?”

  Dani grimaced. “More like disappointed.”

  “Ah,” Anna answered. “Been there, done that. Sometimes my inner brat gets a little out of control.”

  “Inner brat? What do you mean by that?” Dani shook her head in frustration. “There is so much I don’t know.”

  “Oh, I bet you know more than you realize. Being a brat. You know, when you act up to get attention. Like, waiting to see what happens when they get to three, or doing the exact opposite of what you were told, or,” Anna’s eyes sparkled, “the practical jokes.”

  Dani groaned sarcastically. “Why do I get the feeling that life just got more complicated?”

  Anna stepped closer to Dani and winked, “Well at least we know we’re loved, right?”

  “Oh yeah, no doubt about that,” Dani adamantly agreed. She then looked around the store before quickly rubbing her backside. “I just don’t think I need to go looking for trouble. It seems to find me just fine without any extra effort on my part. But I guess that’s what they then mean when they say ‘love hurts’, right?”

  Anna laughed. “That’s true, and sometimes it hurts a lot,” she agreed, rubbing her own backside in support.

  * * *

  “Morning, Emma,” Dani heard Anna greet from close to the back entrance. Looking up, she knew they would chat for a moment before Emma came to the counter. Taking another sip of her drink, Dani frowned slightly as she realized the cup was empty.

  “Hey, Dani, are you ready?” Emma asked, bringing Dani out of her thoughts.

  “Ah, sure. Stevie here?” Dani returned, noticing the slight frown when Emma saw how big her drink was. Shrugging it off, Dani tossed the cup into the trash can under the counter. Normally something this size would meet her daily allowance, but today she wasn’t in the mood to compromise on size. She needed the caffeine, and she wasn’t sorry about preventing the migraine she felt coming on.

  �
�She’s on her way. Just called, but Anna says it’s been slow. I think we can go,” Emma answered a little tersely.

  “Alright then, let me run upstairs and get it,” Dani returned, glad to escape Emma’s gaze.

  Watching Dani go, Emma noticed a customer and made her way to the other side of the counter to check her out. Ringing up the sale, she happened to glance down at the trash can, frowning as she saw not only the cup that Dani had just deposited, but two other identical cups below it.

  * * *

  Dani shifted on the bench in the deli that Emma had selected for lunch. It was a place they frequented often, but Dani didn’t remember the benches ever being this uncomfortable before. Emma seemed to be enjoying watching her squirm, but then Emma seemed to be out of sorts ever since she’d come down from the apartment. She’d insisted on driving and then had been uncharacteristically quiet in the car. When Dani picked up another drink at the gas station, Emma’s mood only seemed to worsen.

  The gun shop wasn’t any better, as Emma hadn’t said a word as Dani returned her purchase. And then at the deli, Emma had asked for a booth in the back, where she had Dani sit on the bench, rather than the padded chair that Emma was taking advantage of. If Dani didn’t know any better, she’d swear that Emma was still upset with her.

  Hoping to gain a little favor, Dani ordered the healthiest thing she could currently tolerate—a turkey sandwich, minus the tomato and lettuce, on wheat, with a side of fresh fruit. Emma gave her a slight nod of approval when she ordered but hadn’t commented more than that. The lack of encouragement only caused Dani’s stomach to knot. Maybe she’d misunderstood. She thought Emma had forgiven her last night, but obviously something was still bothering her.

  “Dani, are you okay?” Emma suddenly asked.

  Blue met green, as Dani blinked. It seemed a little too bright inside the deli, and Dani could feel the headache she already had getting worse. She really needed a soda, but with Emma already on edge, she couldn’t risk asking. Instead she sipped her water and answered as truthfully as she dared, “Just getting a little headache.”