Guardian Domination Read online

  “I’ve called the cops… everyone is looking for you. Didn’t I tell you not to leave the grounds? There is nothing but back country here. Thank God you’re safe,” he sighed, still clinging tightly to me. After another big hug of relief, Jace opened the car door for the girls to hop in, followed by me. He did a U-turn and started towards the house.

  “To start with, you are grounded for one week to your room. No TV, no computer, no cell phone. You will stay in your room except for meals, school and chores. If you thought you were bored before, you will now see what boredom is really like! Comprende?” he stated firmly.

  “I guess locking me out of your way is easier than spending time with me. This is your fault. If you hadn’t gone back to bed, I wouldn’t have had to find something to do. You are so unfair!” I yelled back at him.

  He looked at me in the rear view mirror, but I couldn’t see his expression. It had been a long time since I last raised my voice to him, or challenged him so directly. “I know you aren’t intending on speaking to me in that tone of voice, Young Lady. Are you?”

  I didn’t answer, just crossed my arms and sunk in the seat. Jace pulled into the driveway and parked the car. “Get into the house while I take care of the dogs. You are to plant your butt at the kitchen bar and not move until I get inside. Run!” he snapped.

  I ran.

  I traced the marble counter top with my finger while waiting. Jace came in and put my dinner plate in front of me. “Eat,” he commanded, pulling up a bar stool across from me. “You know, we’ve been together for what, nine months now? What do you do, stretch out your time between disobeying my direct orders? You have challenged nearly every one of them so far. I’m really surprised we didn’t have to deal with this one sooner.”

  “It’s not like I was running away or trying to set the woods on fire. I just took the dogs for a walk.” I shrugged my shoulders, picking at the cauliflower. I hate cauliflower.

  Jace slapped his hand against the counter top, making me jump. “Did it cross your mind that you might not have been found out there? It gets cold here at night! Did you think that a jacket would keep you warm? What about the dogs… no food or water for them? What about me and Mark? He doesn’t even know yet, thank God,” Jace really looked scared for a moment.

  “I would have found my way back eventually. I’m not a child, for crying out loud. And where’s Mark?” I asked stubbornly, refusing to let him get under my skin.

  “He left for Gayle’s before I woke up. He has his phone off and I didn’t want to leave him a message before I knew anything. Damn it, Celeste. What the hell is wrong here? I’m doing everything I can, but it’s never enough.”

  “I didn’t run away. I just took a walk, for heaven’s sake. So I got lost. If you didn’t live in the middle of nowhere, it wouldn’t have happened.”

  “Are you complaining about this house you live in? Or the conditions?” Jace asked sharply.

  “No! Don’t you get it? I’m bored out of my mind when you’re not around. I don’t watch TV or listen to music all the time. I just wanted to spend some time with you. I’ve hardly seen you since November. You don’t listen! I miss you and… I need you. You are everything to me and I hate feeling this way, but I do!”

  The outburst came unexpectedly and I held back tears, angry with myself for being so blunt and exposing myself so much.

  Jace was quiet, thinking about what I said. He traced the marble with his fingertip, just like I had done. Looking up, he had tears in his eyes. My Jace? Emotional? This was a side I hadn’t seen before. He seemed so vulnerable, and I loved him even more for it.

  “Jace? I’m sorry. I’m so selfish at times and I didn’t think how it would affect you. I guess I’m still not really used to anyone caring so much. It’s not your fault. It’s me,” I said, not letting my eyes leave his face.

  He didn’t answer me, just studied my features.

  I took a deep breath. “I want you to put me over your knee and spank me with your hand on the bare bottom like there’s no tomorrow. Then I want you to hold me and never let me go.”

  “I can certainly do that. Every night before bed for the week you are grounded.”

  My mouth dropped. I should have known he wouldn’t make it that easy.

  “You will also have extra homework to keep you occupied,” he continued calmly, “In addition, I want a thousand word essay about how to conquer boredom while living in a hovel like this.”

  He acted like I hadn’t said anything personal, and I was glad of that. “Yes, Sir. Are you going to tell Mark?”

  “He’ll know you are being punished. If he asks, I will tell him. There is no other need to include him in this right now except for the school work.”

  That was a relief. The last thing I wanted was Mark’s lectures on top of things.

  Jace sent me up to my room with instructions to clean up and get ready for bed. It was already 11:00 and I quickly showered and changed, waiting impatiently for Jace to join me.

  I knew I deserved this spanking and that I had deliberately disobeyed him to gain any type of attention from him. It had been a desperate, but very foolish move. I knew that Jace sincerely loved me and the feeling was reciprocated.

  I pondered the depth of his character… he was attentive and compassionate, generous and always considered the feelings of others before himself. I shamefully realized that I would be a better person if I started following the example he was setting for me. He would never have just disappeared on me, no matter what was going on. I forced myself to be honest. I deserved more than a hand-spanking.

  I could hear him on the phone downstairs discussing a contract. I snuck into his room and, holding my breath, opened the infamous second drawer. I quickly dismissed the cane; no matter how guilty I felt— no way would I ask for that. It literally terrified me. The thick leather strap looked menacing enough and I carefully removed it from its place. I noticed it was soft and well oiled, too. Sighing, I closed the drawer and went back into my room, placing it on the bed next to me. Jace tapped on my door about fifteen minutes later.

  “Come in,” I said quietly.

  His eyes caught the strap on the bed, and he nodded with approval. “I was wondering how long it would take you to be more honest with yourself,” he commented, sitting on my vanity chair to face me. “What brought you to your conclusion?”

  “You would never do to me what I do to you, even accidentally. I’m really sorry,” I said, holding back an exhausted yawn.

  Jace patted my leg. “Get some sleep. We will take care of this after breakfast. And it does not change the fact that you will be receiving a spanking every night before bed for this next week.”

  “Yes, sir,” I sighed. He pulled the blankets down and tucked me in, sitting on the side of the bed to stroke my hair and face. His eyes were warm and kind, filled with genuine love as he held me close and silently held me in his arms, reassuring me of his presence.

  “You need to sleep, Baby. You have a long day tomorrow.” And with that, he turned off the light and closed the door gently behind him.

  * * *

  My head was aching the next morning and I squinted at the light in my window. I saw the reflection of the sun on the clouds over the ocean with streaks of pink and blue staining the sky. It was only 7:00, and I knew Jace wouldn’t be awake for at least another two or three hours. The strap left on my dresser elicited butterflies in my tummy. With a sigh, I pulled out my laptop and started writing my essay.

  It was difficult as I scrupulously evaluated my boredom and how there were few things at home that would occupy my interest for any amount of time. Snorting, I also realized that Mark was right about my need for social interaction and began a list of things I would be interested in that would take me outside of my safe haven.

  After I finished, I made French toast and coffee and brought it up to his room. “Jace? It’s 9:30 and I made you breakfast. Your favorite.”

  Rubbing his face, he sat up. “Thanks, honey. T
hat was sweet of you. How are you doing this morning?” he asked, launching into the meal. I was pleased; Mark was teaching me how to cook and I was getting pretty good at it. Maybe I could add that to my list?

  I shared with him all the things that I had thought about last night and he attentively listened. I ended with a promise to try to do better.

  “I’ll accept that promise. That’s all I ask is that you try. And that you think before you do something.”

  “I will. Jace? Can I ask you something?”

  “Anything. I have no secrets from you. I trust you.”

  That took me back. He trusted me? After all I put him through?

  “Your second drawer. Why do you have so much stuff? You didn’t get all that to use on me, did you? Some of it looks old.”

  Jace considered his answer for a moment, weighing how much he should tell an impressionable eighteen-year-old girl who was too smart for her own good. He decided on the truth.

  “Snooping in my stuff, huh? No, don’t worry,” he saw the color drain from my face, “that is one drawer I don’t want you to forget. I’m a Dom, honey. I help adult women get their lives straight through the use of corporal punishment.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  “It’s hard to explain.” He smiled, sipping his coffee as he made room for me on the bed. He launched into his opinion that the world was so messed up and that many women have been forced to take on roles of men, roles they weren’t designed to do. When I got defensive about it, he stopped me to explain it had nothing to do with a woman’s physical or mental ability, but her emotional makeup. He asked me honestly about how I felt when he or Mark spanked me.

  “Besides it hurting, I feel safe, protected, cared about. I also feel bad about disappointing you and want to make you proud of me.”

  “Don’t think for a minute that once a girl turns eighteen or becomes independent, that those needs go away. In fact, the older a lot of girls get, the more overwhelmed they become and they need that reassurance.”

  “Why don’t they go to their dads or brothers?” I asked innocently.

  Jace laughed. “Remember your friend Cara? Because they aren’t sure what they really need or how to get it, or they are too embarrassed or prideful to ask for help. Not everyone is like this. With the way we are raising you, you may not need that reassurance or reminders as you get older. But if you do, you know you will get them. That gives a girl a sense of stability. Do you understand?”

  “Sort of. I just don’t see why anyone in their right mind would ask to be spanked.” I shuddered.

  “You did, remember? Guilt and the need for forgiveness is a very strong thing when you’re involved in a healthy and trusting relationship. If not taken care of, it can lead to many physical and emotional problems.”

  “Do you have sex with the girls you spank?”

  “My, we are inquisitive this morning? No, I don't. Not unless I’m in a dating relationship with them.”

  “Is Mark a Dom too?”

  “Yes, but he tends more towards the academic side. Just like we do with you.”

  “Did you know that when you met him?”

  “Okay, enough questions. You’re stalling now. Let’s get things cleaned up and deal with you. Did you eat? Good. Okay, get moving.”

  “One more.” I paused, blushing. “That time you caned me… I… what happened?”

  “I was wondering when you would ask about that.” Jace smiled kindly, eyeing me. “It’s called 'Subspace' and is the place some natural submissives go mentally during a session. It’s the body’s way of protecting itself from pain or stress, using endorphins to not only numb the sensation, but even turn it pleasurable.”

  “Being punished is not pleasurable, Jace.”

  “No, but for some people, it can go in that direction. I discovered that you can be taken there fairly easily, which tells me about your innate need to submit.”

  “I don’t like submitting. I’m not a doormat.”

  “We’ll talk more about this later, Baby. I assure you, a submissive is far from being a doormat. In fact, the best ones are as priceless as a Rembrandt and should be treated with the same dignity, respect and awe. You have that potential, My Girl. Just remember, you can only get there if I choose to take you. That means you have to learn to surrender completely to my control. You have a lot to learn before you get there. If you want to get there.”

  I thought about what he had said, not quite understanding how anyone could voluntarily present themselves to a stranger, or derive any ‘pleasure’ from so much pain. It dawned on me that some of the “blind dates” Mark set Jace up on might be this Dom stuff. Jealousy whirled inside me for a moment, but I quickly dismissed it as a sense of possession.

  Jace met me in the living room after I put the dishes in the dishwasher. “Since you had so many questions this morning, I am going to show you something. Something, I trust, you will never forget. Go upstairs and bring me the strap, please.”

  I bit my lip and obeyed, trembling as I picked the four-inch heavy leather razor strap off my dresser and silently handed it to him. Taking my hand, he led me downstairs towards his studio and the movie theater. He walked past the bathroom and opened the door to the closet at the end of the hall. I looked at him with confusion, but he gestured me to enter into the large, walk-in clothes closet that had an inconspicuous door towards the back.

  Still silent, he led me inside. My heart jumped into my throat as I stared at several odd looking pieces of furniture, some mirrors, a large desk with a straight back chair, and a small leather couch. There were leather restraints on one wall and hanging from the ceiling, and an entire wall with implements hanging neatly and waiting to be chosen.

  “Welcome to my dungeon,” Jace said quietly, watching me take it all in. “This is where I discipline adult women. Lessons are taught here that are not quickly forgotten. I make them watch their punishment and see what their bottoms look like when I’m not pleased. There is little or no cuddling afterwards. When they leave, they know they have paid for their mistakes and have a fresh start. Do you see the difference?”

  “It’s so, so cold in here. It’s so impersonal,” I whispered, clutching his hand. I was truly frightened and wanted out of this room, yet was drawn with curiosity as to the process and the interaction.

  “And humiliating. But this is what they want, and what they need. You see,” he patted my hand and tried to pry it from breaking his fingers, “They want my hand, not my heart. You have both. Now, let’s go upstairs.”

  Still shaken by the image of the dungeon, I didn’t even hesitate to pull down my sweats and panties when he pointed to the Royal Lounge. I bit my lip, suppressing the yell when the first taste of the strap was felt against my bare bottom. Somehow, I managed not to kick or squirm for the first eight strokes. I can’t say I was quite that good after that as I lost count, but I tried desperately to make him proud by taking my punishment well. I needed him to see that I was sincere in my promise to try to be good for him.

  My backside was blazing when he stopped and checked me. He sat down on the couch and patted his thigh, waiting patiently for me to place myself in the degrading position of bottom turned up into the air. Jace was a firm believer in that I would always feel his hand against my bare skin to remind me that I was his and that he would always reinforce that claim. My whimpering began again as he landed smack after smack over my crimson red, very tender flesh.

  As hard as I tried, it was impossible for me to reach Subspace, that odd feeling sense of separation that nebulously resembled a slightly drugged state of mind. I vaguely remembered him saying that only he could take me there and that it would require complete surrender to his control. I was not prepared for that.

  “I will say this much,” he said, helping me to my feet and pulling my panties up before he pulled me into his arms. “You took that better than most of my subs. I’m proud of you.”

  His praise made me feel so good. How odd, to feel proud of taking a
punishment well. I wished Mark hadn’t restricted my internet access; I needed more answers about this submission thing and the art of achieving Subspace.

  “I’m glad you don’t cuddle anyone else,” I whispered into his neck. “I don’t want to share you that way.”

  “You might have to one day, but I promise that you will never be neglected.”

  I never thought of him actually getting married. Once again, jealousy loomed inside of me. He was mine and I wasn’t going to let anyone else have him. Impulsively, I informed him of my claim, bracing myself for rejection.

  Jace smiled, but didn’t laugh. “We’re going to have to wait quite a while for you to mature a bit before anything like that could happen.”

  “Then wait for me,” I said stubbornly, “If you think that might ever happen.”

  He hugged me tight. “Then wait I will… as long as it takes.”

  I suspected that he was just humoring me, but his expression suggested that he was considering the same thing I was. At that moment, I was determined that there would never be anyone else but me to take my place in his heart. No way. He would be mine.

  Chapter Ten

  Jailbird

  Jace and I were outside on the deck quietly reading and enjoying the warmth of the spring sun. We had just celebrated our one-year anniversary, my 19th birthday, and the miracle that I had managed to go three months without getting into any significant trouble.

  The day before, Mark had left to visit his family for a week and Jace and I were free to mess up the house to our hearts content without him nagging. In addition, after thoroughly reading my ‘essay,’ Jace subsequently enrolled me in horseback riding and ice skating lessons to alleviate my boredom. He also promised to teach me how to drive now that the courts lifted my probation for a learner’s permit, and found ways to spend more time with me. We were becoming inseparable.

  The phone rang. It was Gayle and she was crying. “Is Mark there, Celeste? I tried him at home but no answer.”

  “No, he’s back East. Are you okay?”