Finding You Bk. 02: Paradigm Shift

Sinking down to her knees, heavy with the weight of her shame, Tabby kept her gaze lowered so that Marcus couldn't see the fear in her eyes.

"Remove my belt."

His cold command made Tabby tremble as she raised herself up on shaking knees and reached for his buckle. The silver buckle seemed to mock her as she tried to work up the courage to touch it. Her fingertips brushed the metal, warm from his body heat, and she recoiled as if it was scorching hot. She tried again, this time placing her hand on it and clumsily feeding the tongue of the belt through the buckle and releasing it. Once freed of the buckle, Tabby tugged the leather belt slowly through the loops of his pants, shivering as it hissed like a snake as it slid over the denim, until she held it in her hands, uncertain of what to do with it next.

Marcus watched, transfixed by her movements. The feel of her hands fumbling at his waist had sent jolts of dark arousal flooding into his cock and it pulsed painfully behind the stricture of his jeans. His anger, hurt and disappointment had melded together to form a primal lust and he had to struggle not to act on the violence percolating in his bloodstream. She wasn't ready for the kind of rough sex his body was demanding and this wasn't the time for such to happen anyway. Right now, he had to tamp down those animalistic urges and focus on remaining calm and in control, no matter what the cost was to him. He had to approach her punishment with a clinical detachment or else his raging emotions would drive him to do something he'd regret.

The moment he had set her punishment into action, she had stopped being his angel in his mind and had become Tabitha. If he had continued to see her as his angel, he'd never have the courage to discipline her.

"Fold the belt in half and place it on your palms. I want you to offer me the belt and tell me that you are ready to accept your punishment." It took a massive amount of effort for Marcus to keep his voice steady and to ignore the incessant throbbing in his pants.

Tabby sucked in a deep breath, bowed her head and held the belt up to Marcus with arms that visibly trembled. "Please, Sir, I am ready to be punished." She wasn't as successful as Marcus was; her voice shook as her nerves betrayed her and fear bled into her words. The weight of the belt disappeared as Marcus picked it up.

"Stand and bend over the back of the sofa, Tabitha. You would normally be bound for this kind of spanking but we'll forego the restraints today. You are to reach forward and grasp the edge of the cushion. If your hands leave that position, I will add five strokes to the ten you are about to receive."

Tabby did as he instructed. Marcus came up behind her and nudged her ankles apart, spreading her legs wider. A heavy hand fell onto her back and he pushed her down further, arching her back and elevating her hips higher into the air. "You are to stay in this position until the all ten strokes have been administered. Keep your feet on the floor and your ass in the air."

She closed her eyes, as if shutting them would transport her to another place. "Yes, Sir," she responded.

His hand caressed her ass, kneading the flesh and squeezing the muscles, getting the blood flowing. In the position she was in, Marcus could see the glistening slit of her pussy and it surprised him to see moisture slicking her cleft. That revelation was unexpected. She was obviously afraid of what was coming, yet her body was well on its way to becoming aroused at the same time. It was an interesting piece of information that he'd file away from future use, but couldn't indulge himself in exploring her unexpected masochist side at this time.

He hefted the belt and wound the folded ends around his palm until he had a foot-long loop extending from his fist. With his free hand, he began giving Tabby's ass a series of quick swats on each of her ass cheeks.

Tabby gave a startle squeak and jacked her head up to stare over her shoulder. The spanks kept coming in rapid succession, making her flinch with the stinging pain and she dug her fingers into the soft foam of the cushions in an attempt to hold herself still. She was confused. She had thought that he was supposed to use his belt; she was expecting to feel the bite of the leather, so why was he using his hand?

Marcus caught her looking at him, eyes full of questions and shock. "Eyes down, Tabitha!" he barked, not breaking the rhythm of his strikes. She shivered at the dark glare he gave her and she immediately turned her head back, burying her face in the soft cushions.

When the pale skin on her ass glowed with a rosy shade of pink, Marcus was satisfied that he'd warmed her up enough to begin the strapping. He brought the belt around to her face and let it drag against her lips.

"Kiss the leather, Tabitha," he commanded.

Tabby turned her eyes up at him and gingerly kissed the strap he offered her.

"I'm going to begin your punishment now, Tabitha. I want you to count after each strike. If you lose track, the count will reset and begin at one until I reach the allotted ten. Understand?"

Tabby nodded, disturbed by his formal manner of speech, but she didn't have long to ponder it before his hand fell upon her ass in a wicked slap. She jumped and cried out in pain. "When I ask you a question, I expect a verbal answer, not a fucking nod. Use your goddamn words, Tabitha!" he roared at her.

Struggling to keep the terrified sob out of her voice, Tabby replied, "Yes, S-sir."

"Thank you. I would suggest that you remember that for future. Now, prepare yourself," he warned in an almost pleasant tone of voice.

CHAPTER 55

He raised the belt and, before he could have second thoughts about what he was about to do, brought his arm down in a fast arc. The leather strap connected with her ass with a resounding crack and Tabby's body instantly stiffened in shock.

Her breath whooshed out on a soundless scream that strangled in her throat and her brain blanked of everything except for the burning sting where the leather strap had snapped across her bare ass.

"Count, Tabitha," he demanded, preparing for the second strike.

"O...o...one," she choked out, unable to breathe properly.

Dear god that fucking hurt! How the hell was she going to get through ni...

The second strike fell upon her ass cutting off her thoughts. The strap blazed a path across her ass cheeks and she felt like someone had poured lighter fluid on her skin and set it on fire.

"Ow, ow, ow!" she cried out, wriggling against the edge of the sofa to ease the sting. In between gasped breaths, she remembered to call out the count. "T-t-two!"

Marcus didn't waste time unleashing the next biting lash, sending the strap whistling through the air to explode onto her rear.

"Fuck!" she shrieked, slipping her body to the side to evade the next hit.

Marcus' hand landed heavily on her back, returning her to her previous position and pinning her in place. "Move again, and you'll regret it," he growled dangerously.

She stilled, breathing hard through her sobs. "Three!" she shouted defiantly at him, tears leaking from her eyes.

Number four found the fire-blasted skin of her ass and added a new layer of agony on top of her already sizzling flesh. Tabby screamed in pain and sobbed out the count.

"F-f-four. No more, please!" she begged. She'd never get through six more.

Marcus' heart clenched at her agonized plea, but the punishment would be meaningless if he didn't follow through. She needed to learn that he meant what he said or else the exercise would be a waste of time. He held her down with one hand and whipped the fifth strike with lightning speed. The force of the impact raised welts on her reddened skin.

She bucked and howled out the count, dissolving into fitful tears afterwards.

"F-five! I fucking hate you!" she shrieked angrily at him.

"I know," he whispered and delivered the next blow.

"Ow, fucker!" she screamed. It didn't just sting anymore, now each stroke felt like sandpaper rasping over her raw skin, leaving a new layer of welts in its path. "Ow, ow...please Marcus!"

"What number, Tabitha?" He had to make himself deaf to her pleas. The sound of her begging him to stop had a two-fold effect on him: his heart wanted to give in and comfort her, but his beast...his beast was getting more aroused by the minute, filling his head with dark, erotic visions and pushing his control to its limits.

She'd lost count and Tabby panicked. No, no, no! How many was that? Her mind raced frantically, trying to remember how many spanks she had received.

"What number, Tabitha?" he demanded harshly again, growing impatient.

"Six!" she blurted out, taking a guess and praying that she was correct.

It must have been, because seconds later, another blistering strike fell upon her ass and Tabby almost bit through her lower lip with the white hot sting. "Seven!"

Bastard! She screamed in her head. You motherfucking bastard!

His hand glided over her ass, making her suck in a pained breath that came out as a deep moan. The feel of his touch did something odd to her. Prickly shivers of pleasure pulsed from where his hand caressed over her skin, going straight to her clit, and transforming the bite of the pain into a liquid heat that flowed into her veins.

"Please, Marcus..." she sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry for hurting you."

He continued rubbing her skin, soothing himself with the contact and wishing that he didn't have to hit her three more times. "Me too, angel. Me too. Three more to go."

She didn't even have time to prepare herself before number eight fell upon her, leaving her shaking. She shrieked her pain through gritted teeth, then shuddered at the sudden rush of heat that flashed through her, dulling the sting and making her pussy clench. "E-eight," she wept.

Number nine hit her with shocking force and the resulting jolt of desire had her moaning through her sobs. "N-nine." Her body accepted the blow with only a flinch and a whimper. It was almost over.

Marcus adjusted his grip, his palms were sweating and the belt had slid from his fist. He was delaying the final stroke because his arm was shaking almost as badly as Tabby's body was. He didn't miss how her body had relaxed with the last strike and a quick glance between her legs confirmed his suspicions. Her pussy was soaked, dripping moisture to land in a spattering of drops on the floor between her legs. Her brain didn't know how to process the pain that he was dealing out, but her body did and was releasing endorphins into her bloodstream - helping her to convert the pain to pleasure.

Too caught up in the shock of the spanking to realise the magical, chemical transformation that was occurring inside of her, Tabby hadn't learned to expect the high her hormones where trying to provide for her. His angel was not only a natural submissive, but also a natural masochist. Marcus felt a thrill of desire rush into his already straining cock as his mind dreamed of all the ways he could help her explore this new found aspect of her sexuality.

Could he finally have found the other half to his deviant side?

Was his angel the one who could tame his inner beast?

With any luck, he'd have a chance to find out later...if she stuck around after the punishment was over. However, he had to finish it before they could have any hope in finding out.

He readied the belt and brought it down on her ass in a swift, hard strike. The crack of the leather against her skin echoed in the room like a gunshot. A deep groan soon followed that immediately caught Marcus' attention. He watched in amazement as she shuddered involuntarily with the sensations coursing through her body, her pelvic muscles jerking spasmodically as an orgasm toyed with her. The flow of her nectar had increased, streaking down her thighs in damp trails.

His cock flexed and pushed out against the rough fabric of his pants, making him groan inwardly with the desperate need to release the pressure on his shaft.

"Number, Tabitha?" he asked, and she blinked her unfocused eyes, trying to remember.

"T-ten...I think, S-s-ir" she slurred, closing her eyelids. Her pelvis writhed against the edge of the sofa, seeking something it couldn't find to ease the tension that had built up and been trapped inside her.

He dropped the belt, rubbed his hand over the welts that prickled her skin noticing that a few had broken the skin and were bleeding lightly. He would need to care for them, but before he got a chance, Tabby moaned and pushed into his touch, grinding herself wantonly and maneuvering her pussy into his palm.

"Please, please, Sir." He almost missed the desperate, breathy pleas as her hips undulated in a way that had him completely fixated on her body.

He caressed the smooth curve of her ass, grazing his palm over the angry, raised lines crisscrossing her skin and she mewled and shuddered.

"What do you need, angel? Tell me," he murmured, making another pass over her ass.

"Oh god!" she moaned. "Please...I need...I need to cum!" She shoved her pussy into his grasp, slicking his palm with her juices. "Please Sir, make me cum!" she cried.

Marcus grinned. He was a sucker for begging.

He stroked his fingers through her sopping folds, found her swollen clitoris and, without warning, pinched it hard. She screamed and came so violently that her back arched off the sofa and Marcus caught her in his arms and settled them both onto the floor. Wave after wave shook her body as aftershocks rolled through her, making her quiver and whimper in his arms. Moisture splashed and dripped onto his bare feet, filling his senses with the intense, earthy-sweet scent of her juices. So close to her, the aroma was so strong that he swore he could taste her coating his tongue and powerful rush of arousal roared through Marcus, blinding him with need for her.

He didn't think that he'd ever been this painfully hard in his life and considering the hell he lived through in the past month that was saying something.

His cock jumped and throbbed, angrily demanding release from its prison so that it could dive into that glorious wetness. With a herculean effort, Marcus ignored his own needs, cradling Tabitha's body until she went limp with exhaustion in his arms. He gently picked her up, stood, and set her on her feet. She wobbled unsteadily, but Marcus supported her until she was aware enough to regain her balance. When she finally looked up at him, her hooded eyes, still glazed with arousal, lit up with recognition and grew sultry as their eyes met.

"Hi," she smiled softly, acting as if the punishment hadn't happened.

He couldn't help himself, Marcus grinned back at her. "Hi yourself."

"I feel funny," she murmured dreamily.

"You're in subspace, angel. Enjoy it."

She swayed a little and giggled when she had to shift her feet to keep from toppling into Marcus' chest. "Mmmmm," she raised her hand and traced the outline of his dragon tattoo. "I like you."

He laughed at her. "I like you too, angel, but we are not done here yet."

She scowled at him and stuck out her tongue. "Buzz kill."

What treasure he had found himself! She pouted at him and he adopted a stern expression until she bowed her head respectfully at him. "Sorry, Sir," she muttered unhappily.

"On your knees, angel."

She wobbled slightly, but obediently dropped to her knees in front of him.

"Can you tell me why you were punished, Tabitha?"

"Don't you know?" she quipped cheekily, and gave a little giggle.

Marcus choked on a laugh. The endorphin high that his angel was currently riding had loosened her tongue and she was behaving as if she were drunk.

"This is serious, angel. As it happens, I do know why you were punished, but I need to make sure that you understand the reasons, so that there is no misunderstanding later."

Tired of holding herself up on her knees, Tabby plopped her ass down onto her folded legs and sighed. "O-kay," she harrumphed. "You punished me because I withheld important information about myself from you, Sir."

Marcus ignored her bratty behavior, honestly too amused to want to correct her. She was too cute, in an I-want-to-take-her-over-my-knee kind of way and Marcus was enjoying it. He needed the levity to help dispel the lingering unease from having had to punish her so severely so early in their relationship.

"And why was this wrong?"

She sighed, her shame edging into the high she was on and sobering her. "Because it prevented you from taking appropriate measures when you fucked me, Sir. If you had known that I was still a...a virgin, you would have behaved differently."

"That's right, angel. Do you understand why I had to punish you?"

Please let her understand, he begged silently.

"I deprived you of the ability to care for me, Sir. My lie circumvented your duty as my Dom to protect me and that caused hurt to both of us in the end," she said quietly. "Losing my virginity should have been a special moment between us, but I was too ashamed, and ultimately, too selfish, to share that with you." Her head tilted upwards and she gazed into his eyes, seeing her own regret for having lied, reflected back at her in his tortured expression. "I am so sorry, Sir...and, I don't hate you. I shouldn't have said that."

Her heartfelt apology helped to absolve some of the self-loathing he was feeling and he gave her a grateful smile. "I'm sure that in that moment, you probably did, little one."

"Still, I wish I could take it back. I...I just wanted to hurt you back and it was wrong."

He raised her to her feet and enveloped her in a hug. "It's over, angel. You endured your punishment and now it's time to move on. Last question: what have you learned from this?"

She snuggled against his bare chest and Marcus sighed in pleasure, wrapping his arms around her small body and hugging her tightly. "I learned that I need to trust you...with everything...because not doing so can have consequences that are unforeseen and hurt more than one party." She took a shuddering breath and pulled away so that she could look him in the eye. "I promise to try harder, Sir. It's not easy for me to trust, but I will do better next time."

He kissed her pouty lips and wiped away a stray tear that lingered on her cheek. "Good girl, that's all I ask from you. In return, I can promise you that that trust will always be cherished and never violated. You are safe with me and you will be safe with Cooper."

He picked her up into his arms, needing to feel her body against his and Tabby allowed him to carry her into the bedroom. She hissed when he sat her down on top of his discarded clothes on the chair by the door. Marcus chuckled as she shifted uncomfortably, trying to find a position that didn't make her abused ass smart like a bitch.

She glared at him. "It's not funny! It hurts."

God, how he loved that fiery stubbornness in her, it made her beautiful light flare like a beacon in a lighthouse. Just when he thought that she couldn't be anymore sexy, she does the impossible and becomes even more so, dazzling him.

Marcus lifted her chin up and kissed her lips. "It was supposed to, angel. Every time you try to sit, you are going to remember why you got spanked and hopefully, won't repeat the transgression that earned you your first set of stripes." He kissed her again, slowly, savoring her softness and sweet taste. "Now, let me get that bed remade so that we can go to sleep."

He tapped her lightly on the nose, strode over to a tall cabinet, and pulled out fresh linen for the bed. Shaking open a clean mattress protector, he began stretching it over one corner of the mattress when Tabby came over and grabbed the opposite corner.