Did You Set the Alarm?

It sounded like their doorbell, but her head was under hot, relaxing lavender bath water when it rang. Sasha's face emerged from the suds with her cheeks rosy-pink, and her squinting eyes turned slightly in the direction of the front door, inquisitive, attentive, child-like. No other sound came, so she submerged her head back under. In a minute or two she stood up in the tub, removed the tub plug, and turned on the shower.

* *

She turned off the shower and stepped out of the tub, steam trailing her. "Probably another ten... at least five minutes before he gets here." She glanced at her watch on the top of the sink to double-check, but it had fogged up. She dried and styled her hair, put on nude shimmer eyeshadow and blue mascara, then strolled into her bedroom.

YouTube was playing an unfamiliar playlist now, not her usual. That was strange, because her playlist was longer than she needed for her bath. She realized that she was late.

Robert had told her to set an alarm, but she didn't.

He had her change the locks earlier that day because she had lost her key. He didn't have a new key to get into the house. Her eyes widened and she felt her throat tense up.

* *

Sasha jumped into one of the dresses that she had left crumpled up on the floor, zipped it up, and dashed out of her bedroom. She ran downstairs to the front door, but stopped abruptly and her eyes were led in the opposite direction, down the hallway, at a faint light. His office door was ajar. She froze.

"Come in here," he spoke just loudly enough that he knew Sasha heard him. She was late to a meeting with him only one time before, and that time he expressed displeasure with a strictness and thoroughness that she remembered vividly.

He was sitting on his couch with a cigar and a Scotch. She didn't know how he had gotten into the house, but it was obvious he'd been here for a while. He had removed his belt, and it lay on his right.

"Come here," he commanded. Hesitating, she took a step towards him when his eyes shot her a warning that she should do her very best to obey quickly.

She approached within his reach, and he took her wrist in his left hand, holding it firmly, with faint harshness.

"Did you get the locks changed?"

She nodded.

"Good girl."

"Did you get both sets of new keys?"

She nodded.

"Good girl."

"Did you set the alarm to let me in?"

She lowered her eyes.

"Look at me," he said.

Her breathing became shallow as she looked up. While she could feel his affection in a soft smile, he also looked impatient and tired. It had been a long day. Those were the occasions when he took his time with her, methodically unwinding.

"Did you."

"No Sir," she said.

She closed her eyes and took a long breath, letting her left hand run through her damp hair. He pulled her by the wrist towards him as he rested his cigar on the ashtray and stood up, spinning her and propping her against the back of the couch. He unzipped her dress and lowered it. She heard him pick up the belt. She rested her flushed cheek on the leather, relaxed, and let him take over, her hair perfuming lavender.

* *

She winced and let out a quick whimper as he gently zipped up her dress. He traced a welt with his lips, then gave her neck a little kiss.

"Get up," he whispered in her ear.

She bit her lip and cautiously backed off the couch, avoiding his eyes. Robert noticed that she was crying before she felt her own tears.

"Don't be embarrassed," he spoke. "Almost everyone makes mistakes."

Tears were now falling in neat streams.

"Is this why you are crying? You're embarrassed? You're embarrassed because I punished you?"

She looked away.

"Tell me," he said as he slid his belt through the loops.

"I don't like the belt," still looking away, she crossed her arms. Her pout and furrowed eyebrows looked so determined that he couldn't suppress a laugh.

"It's humiliating..." she spoke. Her eyes glanced at his hands as he finished buckling the belt, then she purposely looked in the opposite direction, her head slightly raised, tear-filled eyes sparking with outrage that she could not - and did not want to - hide.

"Let's speak about this later," he nodded with barely hidden sarcasm. "Perhaps you should have more say in how I discipline you."

Why did that sound so ominous, she wondered.