he marches us through the gates of the expensive villa we’re all staying in. “Three drunk humans, I think they were on vacation—”
“I saw,” Turan interrupts her brusquely, nodding a greeting to the armed guard as we enter the mansion. “I got there just as they cornered you in the alleyway. I was about to jump in, and then you fucked them up with a pile of garbage. When Draga has finished disciplining you as he sees fit, I’m sure he will want to hear the story.”
My heart sinks slightly at the mention of discipline. Even so, I do my best to sound cool and self-assured as I protest: “Oh come on, you asshole, you don’t have to tell Draga. We were just having a little fun!”
Turan turns to me, a smirk on his face. When he speaks, there’s an edge in his voice that is clearly meant as a warning. “You will correct your tone, and keep in mind that you are speaking to a made member of the Butarza Family.”
The assumed authority with which he’s speaking to me pisses me off, even if the smarter part of me knows I should probably heed his warning.
“I’ll do what I want,” I snap, “and hopefully you’ll learn to mind your own business.”
Turan’s eyes narrow, but his smirk stays just where it is. I can tell immediately that I’ve crossed a line. My words linger in the air for a split second, and my cheeks start to burn as my whole life flashes before my eyes. What is he going to—
And then he grabs me and pushes me face-forward against the wall, using his hand to protect my forehead with practiced ease. I struggle and protest as he pins me in place, and then squeal as he starts spanking my butt over my skirt.
“Ow!” I yell. “Turan, what the —ow!— what the fuck?”
He ignores me, landing several more hard spanks before letting go. My cheeks burn as I rub my stinging bottom, trying to ignore the tingle between my legs as blood rushes to my lower body.
“That was a reminder about your tone,” he growls. “And I would suggest you heed it. As it stands, you will take your swats over your underwear, and perhaps even over your skirt if I am pleased with your submission. One more hint of defiance, though, and you will find your bottom bared when I have you over my knee.”
The heat my lower body increases as Aspen comes to my defense: “Turan, no,” she says flatly. “Shouldn’t we at least wait for Draga’s opinion?”
I glance at her gratefully. Draga, as Turan’s brother, might have some influence over him. And hopefully, Aspen has some influence over Draga.
“Draga is in a meeting,” Turan replies calmly, “and I have no doubt that he would agree with my decision here. In any case, I am a made vostrat and a captain, and it is perfectly within my right to administer discipline.”
Aspen keeps trying. “Just let me talk to him,” she pleads.
“The answer is no,” Turan tells her firmly. “Draga has made it quite clear that you belong to him, and that he alone shall attend to your discipline. But Kora remains unclaimed, and she has broken the rules. This is the way things work.”
Turan marches us through the hallway of the mansion, stopping outside one of the guest rooms. I’m relieved that we don’t run into any other Vostra members on the way. The idea that I’m in trouble is so embarrassing. I’m not used to this.
“You’re crazy if you think I’m going in there with you,” I practically spit at Turan as he points to the doorway of the guestroom, clearly ordering me to go inside.
He doesn’t seemed even a little bit fazed by my defiance. More amused, if anything. “And you just earned yourself a bare-bottom spanking,” he replies. “Unless you want that bare-bottom spanking to happen out here in the hall where anyone walking by can see, you should probably try being a little more obedient.”
My jaw just about drops. I stare at him, opening my mouth to argue. He raises his eyebrows, clearly daring me to make my situation worse.
And as much as it fucking kills me to admit it, I don’t want to dig this grave any deeper. And I certainly don’t want to be spanked in public. I close my mouth and lower my head, my shoulders practically shaking with rage.
“That’s better,” says Turan, smirking. He grabs me by the upper arm, the