Page 80 of Redline Baby

"Ow—fuck, Daddy."

Another.

"Ouch!"

Another.

"Oh my God."

The cadence settles, relentless. He moves methodically rather than repeatedly targeting one patch of skin, but that does absolutely nothing to make it pleasant. I mean—

It does. That's the problem. It hurts so much. And I'm hard. Very hard. I dread every strike. I want the next one. I desperately want him to stop. I absolutely do not want him to stop. Human sexuality was a design error. My feet start moving without permission. A kick. Then another. My hips twist instinctively, body trying to evade something my brain agreed to. Soren's leg shifts. Hooks securely over mine. Holds me in position.

Exactly the way I asked him to yesterday. My entire body reacts to that realization. Fuck. The brush lands again. I whine. Actually whine. Mortifying. Soren doesn't tease me. Of course he doesn't. Another strike. Another. My body keeps trying to escape the sensation. Soren keeps me steady. The next strike lands and a sob catches in my throat. Soren pauses. His palm replaces the brush. Warm against overheated skin.

"Kit."

I drag in a breath.

"Do you need Yellow?"

I check. Actually check. My heart. My breathing. The pain. My head.

"No."

"Still with me?"

"Yes."

"Still want to continue?"

My fingers tighten against the stool. I desperately want it both to stop and to continue at the same fucking time.

"Yes, Daddy."

His palm moves once, soothing.

"Good boy."

Then the hairbrush comes back. The next stretch is harder. The rhythm stays controlled. Every strike means exactly what the last one meant. No guessing whether he's furious. No wondering whether I've ruined everything. Just: I broke a rule. Daddy noticed. Daddy told me. There is a consequence. It happens. It ends. The clarity of it hits almost as hard as the brush.

My eyes fill. Then I'm crying. It just happens. Tears dropping toward the concrete beneath me.

"I'm sorry." My voice cracks. The brush stops. Not because I've safeworded. Because Soren listens when I speak. His hand settles against me again. "I'm so sorry, Daddy." My chest heaves. "I shouldn't have done that. I knew the rule. I knew exactly what I was doing and I did it anyway because I wanted to see if you'd—"

My voice breaks completely.

"If I'd what?"

"Mean it," I complete it.

Silence.

"I wanted to see if you'd mean it."

His hand moves slowly along my back.

"I do."