Page 28 of Kronos’ Consort

She wanted the punishment.

Perhaps because, he suspected, she knew she deserved the pain. She’d been reckless when she’d fled, heading outside even when he’d alluded to the dangers. She couldn’t have known the real consequences, but she’d understood he’d strictly forbade the move.

Before that, she’d failed to tell him the truth about how she’d been feeling. Naturally, he could understand the reasons for her reticence, but his rules had been plain enough. Not telling him the truth was tantamount to a lie, and she knew there would be a price to pay for that.

He didn’t take his eyes from her as he rose to his feet. “I’m not promising to go easy on you, little one.”

His throbbing cock hovered around her eye level, reminding them both of the fun they could have been having if she hadn’t required correction.

“I understand, Master.”

Her chin rose as she held his gaze, and a sound he’d rarely heard from her before reverberated in her voice.

What was that? Contrition?

He straightened, intentionally enjoying the moment before he closed the distance between them, and held out his hand to her. “Up you get.”

Her brows knitted. “Master?”

“Take my hand and climb onto the chair,” he explained, purposefully keeping his tone low.

It had been a while since he punished her, and he wanted to set the right tone. He’d grown exceptionally fond of her, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t act when his rules had been willfully broken.

He watched as her delicate fingers grasped his, her gaze flitting past his enthusiastic cock on the way back to his face. Shifting on the seat, Kristina was wordless as she rose on shaky legs, but even standing on the furniture, she barely matched his height.

“Now we can talk properly.” He held her steady. “Before we begin, you will tell me why you’re going to be spanked, little one.”

There was something glorious about being able to ask the question of her face-to-face. Usually, she would already have been cast over him before he sought the clarity, but gazing upon her blushing cheeks, he was glad he’d taken the opportunity to hold her to account.

“I…” She faltered, her widening eyes suggesting that was not what she’d expected him to say. “I broke your rules, Master.”

Her head fell with the admission, an indication of her shame. She had asked him to punish her, which conveyed that she had felt remorse for at least part of what she’d done, but hours had passed since then. Maybe being reminded of her crimes all over again was harder to bear than she’d envisioned.

“How did you break the rules?” He squeezed the fingers of her hand lightly.

“Master, please.” Her voice was that soft, imploring tone that his dick strained to hear more of. “I know I messed up and I’m admitting it.”

Her free hand rose in a conciliatory gesture. “Please don’t make me go over it all again.”

“The details are important.” His tone remained even. “If you don’t know what you’ve done wrong, then how can you strive to improve? How can any of us?”

Not that he had spent much time dwelling on improvement over the years. Kronos had favored arrogance over enlightenment, but for her, he was willing to do better, to be better, and that started with being a kind master.

He waited as her eyes closed briefly to consider his questions.

“So…” he goaded, aware not only of his responsibilities to her, but also, of how much the delay was turning him on.

It was easy, when one was as strong as he was, to exert authority over another being. Mortals were like playthings to the gods. But it was something else entirely to have affected a human so greatly that they were prepared to submit to his will by choice. He sensed Kristina was on the verge of that precipice, her confession that she’d broken his rules the first step toward her true surrender. It often took months, or even years for him to move a woman to that point, but she had glided there in only a handful of days.

Because she’s special. He suppressed the smile that wanted to rise. That’s why I love her.

He stilled at the judgment, staring into her gorgeous blue eyes as the premise resonated.

He loved her.

That was why things between them were different from any mortal he’d taken before. It was why he couldn’t contemplate the idea of losing her, and even the notion of allowing her liberty further down the line tangled his emotions.

He loved her, and he never wanted to let her go.