The Marine's Pet (13 page)

“Sarah, you scared us all,” Earnest said. “What are you doing out here?”

“Leave me alone.”

“I will not.” His tone was firm as he came to stand in front of her, planting his feet wide as he stared down at her. “There are wild animals out here. It’s not safe. Did you forget that?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, as if that would help save her from Earnest and his tongue lashing. “No. I didn’t forget,” she said snippily.

“Did you think perhaps being eaten by a bear was a better fate than facing your master?”

“Maybe.”

Earnest snorted. “Silly girl. Come here.”

Sarah shook her head. She did not want to go anywhere Earnest was going and she certainly didn’t want to go anywhere with him. All her prickly, uncomfortable feelings had reignited at the sight of him and she was feeling more rebellious than ever. She stared up at him, dressed for the forest as he was with his gun at his waist.

In spite of her anger and annoyance, she knew that she was now safe—which meant she was also safe to behave as badly as she liked.

“I don’t want to,” she said miserably. “Leave me out here. This is all I deserve.”

Earnest was not interested in what she thought she deserved. When she did not do as she was told, he reached down, grabbed her wrist, and hauled her up to her feet and thence over his shoulder in one easy movement. Sarah screeched indignantly and demanded to be put down, but he didn’t listen, he just started walking back the way he had come.

Furious at being deprived of the choice to wallow in the wilds, Sarah made a grab for his gun. It was a mistake. No sooner did her fingers brush the grip than Earnest’s free hand slapped her bottom hard enough that the smack sounded like a gunshot. Sarah opened her mouth wide, drawing in a great rushing breath with which to scream, but she was interrupted by yet another swat. He was spanking her with the full strength of his arm, landing blow after blow against her buttocks, which took her breath away and made her bottom ache. This was the sort of spanking after which one did not sit down for a week.

After a dozen of those slaps, Sarah began to beg for clemency. “I’m sorry! Please! Earnest! I’m sorry!”

It was apparently too late for sorries. Earnest reached up over his shoulder, took hold of the waistband of her panties and pulled them down over her bottom. Just like that, she was naked from the waist to the knees, and he kept on spanking, laying hard swat after hard swat to her bottom without anything akin to mercy.

He carried her back into camp with tears streaming down her face, her bare bottom burnished deep red. She thought the worst of her ordeal was over, but when she saw Austin standing with the others, an unmistakable strained look on his handsome face that was echoed in the eyes of Robert and even Anastasia, she knew she had more reckoning coming.

“Found her not far off,” Earnest grunted as he bent down to let Sarah slide off his shoulder and back onto her feet. “Not on the trail though, or anywhere close to it.”

Austin came forward and wrapped her in a tight hug, picking her up off the ground and holding her close against his body. His relief at having found her was quite palpable. She snuggled into his arms, relieved that he was still happy to see her.

“Are you alright?” Austin looked down at her. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“I didn’t hurt myself,” she said, “but he hit me!” She pointed an accusatory finger at Earnest.

Austin nodded. “Good.”

“What!?”

“You had us all worried half to death,” Anastasia broke in. “You can’t run around in these woods, Sarah, you need men with guns. Or ladies with guns. Or guns with guns. Point is, you need guns.”

“And she tried to snatch mine,” Earnest said. Sarah could feel him looming behind her, a great dark cloud of a man.

Austin’s eyes narrowed a fraction more. “She did what?”

“Oh, God, I didn’t do anything and nothing happened, now leave me alone, all of you!”

She stamped past them all and into the cabin she and Austin were sharing, slamming the door behind her hard enough to make the whole thing rattle.

A minute later, Austin came in and shut the door behind himself a lot more carefully. “Sarah, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but this is serious. You cannot run off. You cannot…”

“Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do!” She screeched the words at him at the top of her voice. She had lost her temper again and with it, her last shred of self-control. She began flailing wildly, throwing bedding and bits of clothing and anything she could get her hands on across the room, squealing and shouting the whole time.

Austin watched for about three seconds before intervening. He grabbed her, tossed her face down on the bed, and covered her body with his so she could not move. When she continued to curse and wail, he bit her on the back of her neck, his teeth pinning her in place with undeniable dominance.

She could not move. She could not rage. She could not do anything, and when Austin let out a low growl, she felt a shiver of long lost submission ripple through her. He kept her there for several minutes, until the tension drained out of her body and she became soft and pliable under him. Only then did he release his grip and move over slightly so she was still held in place, but unable to throw another tantrum.

“What is all of this about?” He asked the question softly. “I can tell you’re very upset. I don’t entirely understand why.”

“Because you don’t want me,” Sarah sniffed. “Because I’m not good, or obedient, or…”

“What the hell do you mean I don’t want you?” Austin interrupted. “I love you. I love you more than my own life, Sarah. Of course I want you.”

“I saw how you looked at me,” she sniffed. “I saw what you think about me in your eyes.”

“You didn’t see any such thing,” Austin corrected her. “You imagined it. You got in trouble and instead of taking it for what it was, you decided it meant I didn’t like you.”

Maybe that was what had happened. Sarah didn’t know. All she knew was that she felt more hopelessly lost than ever before.

Austin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest, enveloping her with his body and his love. “Sarah,” he said. “You’re perfect. I don’t want anyone else other than you, I don’t care how badly behaved you are. That I can fix. What I can’t fix is if you get yourself torn to shreds or hurt because you decide you don’t matter to me.” He patted her bottom and she let out a yelp.

“What’s wrong?”

“Earnest destroyed my ass,” she whimpered.

“Let me see…” Austin pulled down her panties and looked at her bottom, nodding as the faintly bruised skin of her backside came into view. She had certainly been spanked, and spanked hard.

“He hates me,” Sarah sniffed.

“You do realize you scared him.”

“What?”

“When he realized you weren’t here, he was just as worried as I was,” Austin said. “You don’t know how many people care about you. You’re going to apologize to everyone, but most of all, to him.”

“Okay,” she agreed in a small voice. She did not much want to, but she was tired of fighting and she was tired of telling herself nobody cared. Maybe they did care a little. Earnest had found her, after all.

So it was that she allowed herself to be taken back out to the gathering of people in front of whom she had already made a complete and utter ass of herself. She stopped in front of Earnest, and mumbled her apologies.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking at his feet under lowered lashes.

Earnest took hold of her chin between thumb and forefinger and tipped her head up. “What are you sorry for?”

“I’m sorry for troubling you,” she said, trying to avoid his eyes.

“Troubling me?”

He wasn’t going to let her get away with things so easily. He was going to make her say precisely what was on her mind.

“Making you worry. And… touching your gun.”

“Do you know who you belong to?”

The question came out of left field and confused her for a moment.

“Austin?”

“Yes, but you also belong to all of us,” Earnest said. “We are family. You are as much mine as you are his. You are Robert’s too. And none of us will stand for one of our girls running away.”

A slow, unpleasant gnawing sensation began in Sarah’s stomach. “Does that mean…”

“That means Robert has to deal with you too,” Earnest said, glancing over at the judge, who looked even less impressed than Earnest and Austin, and that was saying a lot.

Sarah looked into Robert’s face and flashed back years, to a time where she had stood before him when he also looked this solemn and judgmental. He had such a mild way about him most of the time; it was truly amazing how he transformed when a miscreant was put in front of him. It was in his eyes, Sarah thought, the steady gaze he bestowed upon her that gave her absolutely nowhere to hide. The man had a force of personality that would have made anyone quiver, let alone a submissive pet who had already been disciplined twice.

“At least you can’t put me in jail this time,” she quipped, hoping to lighten the situation.

“No, but I can confine you to your cabin for the next three days, and I can make sure you are disciplined on each and every one of those days.”

Sarah’s jaw dropped. “But… I… Earnest… I already… there’s nothing left of me to spank!”

Robert smirked without any kind of humor. “There’s always more to spank, you just have to be inventive.”

Sarah looked at Austin. He was watching proceedings with an approving eye, as was Earnest. Her plaintive gaze went from man to man, until she realized that all of them were in complete accord and she was in some real trouble. Warmth flooded her belly and her heart at about the same time as her knees began to tremble. She was cared for more than she had known… and she was in way more trouble than she could even begin to imagine.

“If I say I’m really, really, really, really, really sorry, will that help?”

“Remorse is always a good sign,” Robert replied. “Contrition is good too. I suspect you are feeling some of both already. You will be very familiar with them by the time we are done with you.”

Sarah let out a little whimper. She did not want to be in trouble anymore. Instinctively, she sank to her knees, assuming the position Austin had taught her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking at Robert with wide eyes. “I never meant to be bad. I didn’t… I just… I thought… I promise I won’t…” All sorts of half-formed thoughts came pouring out in what amounted to a babbling plea for clemency.

Robert glanced at Earnest and Austin and for a second, she thought she saw some hint of mercy in his eyes. Then he looked back down at her and it was gone. She was back before the stern judge.

“You’re going to be disciplined,” he said. “Because you need to internalize the lesson. If I let you go now, you’ll never really learn. But listen to me, Sarah. You’re a good girl, and a credit to your master. What happens over the next few days isn’t about punishing you because you’re bad. It’s about teaching you a lesson you absolutely must learn. Now, go to bed. You need your rest.”

Sarah got up and ran to Austin, burying her face in his chest as she cried fresh tears. “I don’t want to be in trouble anymore,” she sniffed. “I don’t want to be disciplined.”

“I know,” he soothed her gently. “But that’s what you need, sweetheart. Now come on, let’s get some rest.”

Chapter Seven

Sarah woke up early the next morning and briefly considered running away all over again. The prospect of being at the mercy of all three dominant men was a little much for her to comfortably stomach. She showered, dressed in her thickest jeans and longest tunic and went out to see if she could get something to eat, having scented food.

Anastasia was cooking breakfast, eggs and croissants and bacon and orange juice. Healthy and hearty. She was doing it with a refined sort of perfection that made Sarah feel inadequate and jealous, but she did not have time for those feelings right then. She needed help.

“Anastasia,” she said, gripping the woman’s arm. “You have to distract Robert today. And Earnest too, if you can.”

Anastasia gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know you’re in trouble,” she said. “But I can’t help you avoid what’s coming to you, honey.”

“But…”

“Listen,” she said, leaning in and lowering her voice. “Robert likes to pretend to be very stern and unyielding, but he’s a complete softie for anyone who shows real contrition. Throw yourself on his mercy and you’ll get off lightly.”

“Okay,” Sarah nodded. “Any other advice?”

“You’re supposed to be confined to your cabin,” Anastasia said. “I’d suggest getting back there before Robert sees you.”

“Oh, shoot, I forgot!” Swearing under her breath, Sarah skedaddled back to the cabin. Unfortunately for her, Austin was not the only occupant. Robert was already there, and as she came sliding in the door, both of them looked up and frowned.

There was only one thing for it. Sarah threw herself face down on the floor.

The brief, stunned silence was broken by Robert.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m begging for your mercy,” she said, her words muffled by floor and dust.

There was a short pause.

“Sit up, girl,” he ordered sharply, frowning down at her. “Is this your way of trying to avoid your due?”

“It’s my way of showing contrition,” she said as she sat up on her knees. “Because I have a lot of contrition. What the…”

Her eyes widened as she realized that Robert was holding something in his hand. A cane. A fucking cane.

“No way.” Sarah shook her head vigorously, all thought of contrition heading out the window at full speed. “No way… noooo way.”

The judge pointed to the bed with the whippy end of his instrument of ass destruction. “Bend over the bed, Sarah.”

“No.”

“Outright refusal doesn’t go very far in proving your contrition,” Robert said sternly. “I can have Austin and Earnest hold you in place if you like.”

“I can have Austin and Earnest shove that thing…” Sarah didn’t finish her sentence for two reasons. One, she was fairly sure Robert got the gist of the message, and two, he was giving her a look that chilled her to her very core. It was the look she imagined he probably gave hardened criminals before sending them off to serve life in prison or something equally horrendous.