than them too.
“Come on.” I motion for her to come closer. She knows what comes next.
She steps through the dirt until she’s directly in front of me. With a tremor in her hands, she unbuckles my belt and works the worn leather through the loops of my jeans until it’s completely free. Laying it over her hands, she offers it to me.
“I’m truly sorry for being so disrespectful to your things, Elijah. Will you please teach me to be a better woman for you?” she says, repeating the words Papa has taught her since she was old enough for him to begin treating her like a woman. As a girl, he took her over his knee plenty of times for a spanking, but women don’t get spankings—women need more in order to learn.
I take my belt from her. “Grab hold of the hook, Nicolette.” I point toward the thick metal hook Papa installed in the side of the shed.
Her delicate throat works as she swallows back another plea for me to go easy. She’s smart. She knows I can only give her so much room before I have to pull her back.
Reaching over her head, she wraps her hands around the hook and lowers her chin. I have a blank canvas in front of me. She’s been so good lately, there aren’t any new marks on her. Only faint white marks on her shoulders and ass. Fuck, I love her ass. It’s so round, so plump and ready for me. I imagine spreading her ass cheeks and plunging into her tightness, but Papa says we can’t do that until she’s carrying our baby. There will be no wasting our seed.
I unfold the belt, fist the buckle in my palm, and stand to her left. Hammering from the chicken coop meets my ears, and I check to make sure Mark is out of visual range. Not seeing him, I bring my gaze back to Nicolette, noticing Papa’s dark figure on the porch.
My stomach tightens. There won’t be any mercy today.
I mouth my apology to Nicolette even though she can’t see me and bring the full length of the belt across her ass cheeks. She screams from the force and curves her body inward.
“Straight up,” I demand with gritted teeth. Papa’s watching, but I can’t tell her that. She can’t behave differently for him than me or Mark.
She flattens her feet again, and I whip the belt over her thighs. She cries out, but it’s lost in the sound of the leather strapping across her again and again. I’m not taking my time. Dragging this out will be worse for us both.
Over and over again, I whip her ass and thighs. She cries out in sobs, but she doesn’t beg. So good for me. I lighten up on the last few strokes, but it doesn’t matter. Angry red welts have risen on her ass. She’s going to bear these marks for a few days.
“Almost done,” I assure her when she stumbles forward. “Get back in place.” I soften my tone.
“Sorry,” she whispers, like she knows Papa’s watching and Mark’s listening. The hammering has stopped.
She’s only getting two more licks, so I have to make them count. Pulling back, I clench my jaw and unleash the hardest blow across both ass cheeks. The belt wraps around her hip, and her back bows as her scream travels away with the breeze.
Readjusting my grip and planting my foot in the dirt, I let out a long breath. The last was is always the worst. It’s the one she’ll remember the most, so I can’t go soft.
The leather crashes against her thighs, sending her to her tiptoes. A heart wrenching sob breaks free from her chest. Her head hangs between her arms, her tears dotting the dry dirt at her feet.
I leave her to get her crying under control while I slip my belt back into my pants. The jingle of the buckle makes her muscles tighten in her back. Her ass and thighs are bright red, and the welts have swelled more.
“Down, Nicolette,” I command, standing behind her, my hands hanging at my sides. She drops her hands from the hook, dashing the tears from her face before she turns to me, her cheeks soaked and red.
She drags the back of her hand across her eyes again, then brings her gaze to mine. Her eyes are pink, her lips puffy and trembling, but she’s not sobbing anymore.
“Clean my shirt and hang it. Once it’s dry