Liars and Tigers Read online

  "Go away already," she grumbled, gathering bones. She found the cats did well on having a couple of 'fasting' days, where they gnawed on raw bone. Alternating that with their meat days, it prevented bloating.

  True to her promise, she did not hand feed the tigers. However, she did place the crate next to her feet as she sat down on a log. The giant cats rubbed against her, purring, before they each picked up a bone and began chewing on it like a contented house dog. She stroked their large heads soothingly, talking to them about her thought and feelings. Little did she know, but she had an observer.

  The three Bengals lifted their heads and growled, their attention directed at the enclosure's door. Misha looked up, startled to see the cross expression on Alex's face.

  "Just what the hell do you think you're doing? This is strictly against my orders. You were given specific instruction not to hand feed the animals, or to be in with them unsupervised," he said heatedly. "Get out of there this instant."

  "I didn't hand feed them. I just put the crate on the floor and did not touch the food," Misha stated simply, as she calmly exited the enclosure.

  Alex put his hands on his waist. "Where's your partner?"

  "He agitates them so I sent him away."

  "Has Jack spoken with you about this activity?" Alex truly looked angry now.

  Misha's eyes flashed, the honey gold flecks glittering beneath dark lashes. "Jack is well aware of my skills and abilities and is just fine with them. Unlike you, he doesn't constantly challenge me and my abilities!"

  "So you won't mind if I ask him, then?" Misha paled instantly, which did not go unnoticed. "Did I catch you in another lie, Tiger?"

  "There is no reason to bother him, Alex. He'll tell you what you want to hear. He respects your presumed authority; I do not."

  "You should, little girl. You definitely should." Alex picked up the intercom. "Jack, to the tiger pen please."

  "This is utterly ridiculous!" Misha said, turning to leave.

  Alex caught her wrist. "Just where do you think you're going?"

  "Away from your ludicrous and preposterous limited ability to reason. Good day, sir!"

  "Oh, no, you don't. Please stay so we can both hear how supportive old Jack is regarding your abilities and skills," Alex said sarcastically.

  Jack walked in with a smile, stopping dead in his tracks when he noticed the sparks once again flying between them. "Oh shit… what now? Did you need me, Boss?"

  "Miss Misha here seems to think you're okay with her going against my specific instructions regarding safety. Is this true?"

  "I didn't say that!" Misha yelled.

  "Hush. Jack?"

  Jack frowned, his eyes darkening. "I've told her several times that if I caught her ignoring our rules, I'd flay her hind end right off of her. Was she in there hand feeding them again?"

  "Oh no, this time little miss smarty pants found a loop hole. She brought the bone crate in and was petting them as they helped themselves," Alex snitched.

  "What?" Jack shouted. "I was very specific about being present when they had food around. You promised to follow the Boss's rules!" Jack glared incredulously at the young woman.

  "You did not. You only made me promise not to hand feed them!" Misha shouted back.

  "Didn't I tell you not to be in their pen unless you were supervised?"

  "You implied—"

  "I did not imply anything. I was very specific. You need a right good switching, girl. What is it going to take before you see that you can get killed by these animals, and that they won't think twice about it?"

  "I never agreed to that second part."

  "Misha? You are aware that everything that occurs in these dens is on film. I can go back and find the section that includes the conversation, and then we can see exactly what you agreed to. Should I do that?"

  "You are a total buttwad, Alex." Misha's eyes darted to Jack's frown. "So are you, Jack. I can't believe you are siding with him."

  "I am siding with you, little girl. You have risked yourself one time too many. You can't trust that these cats won't tear you to pieces. If you think that I would turn my head and pretend you are warm and cozy in that den, you're dead wrong," Jack sputtered.

  "This is total and absolute bullshit," Misha spouted.

  "Maybe, but both of us care enough for you to tell you 'no'. Do you think we would ignore this?" Alex asked calmly. When Misha crossed her arms and turned her back to him, he tsked. "I thought we had an understanding between us, Mish. I am so disappointed in you."

  "I'll handle this, Boss. It happened on my watch," Jack offered, his face red with fury.

  "You're too angry. No, Misha and I are working on accountability and truthfulness, and this falls under our agreement. Misha, go gather the animals and wait in the truck. We're going home right now."

  "But, Alex, you don't understand!"

  "I'm not in the habit of repeating myself. And to think I was actually thinking of considering you as a handler. Damn it, Mish. Don't you realize what you do to our trust when you pull foolish crap like this?"

  "No, Alex, please! I promise I won't do it again!" Tears welled in the woman's eyes.

  "Go do as you're told."

  With a stomp of her foot, Misha left the offices, muttering something about Rodin having both of them for lunch one day, then added an additional retort that if zombies ever chased them, she would trip them both up.

  ***

  The men were silent for a moment after Misha slammed the door behind her. Jack shook his head and turned to Alex. "You know she's right. I have no doubt about her safety in there. If anyone can keep those animals calm, it's her."

  "Yeah, I know. But her lack of consideration for how anyone else feels about her safety is disturbing. And you were right, you can't rely on these animals being this way with her all the time. It only takes one."

  "We can't limit her gifts. She will only become resentful. You shouldn't have threatened the handler position."

  "It was the only leverage I had to get her to see how serious I am. How am I going to marry such a stubborn and disobedient woman? She will send me to an early grave with worry."

  "Leverage? What the hell are you saying, boy? Blackmailing her will bite you in the ass," Jack said.

  "I'm just gathering more bait. I'll have a ring around her finger by the end of the year, if not sooner, if I have anything to say about it. She's smart and she knows exactly what I'm doing."

  "How do you know that?"

  "I heard her complaining to the cat Friday night when it was time for bed. I was coming to say goodnight and heard her talking." Alex winked.

  "Dude, eavesdropping is not cool."

  "Neither is a sixty-year-old man calling me 'dude'. I love listening to her talk to the cat; she does it all the time and doesn't even consider that I might be listening in. She is so uninhibited in expressing herself, and the innocence is so sweet. But Friday night, after I reddened her backside, she was angry and out for blood. She is planning on baiting me so that she can win this hunt, not me."

  "Should I ask if that is a good thing?"

  "It is a very good thing. I am just sick over her lack of self-control. It's like she needs to challenge everything that comes her way to prove she has value."

  "I think you hit the nail on the head. Until now, no one has done anything about it because we have all been so amazed by her abilities. I was the one who found her after she had been mauled that first time," Jack sighed, sitting down. "She justified it later by saying the tigress was unaware of how her claws would rip human flesh. It was a miracle that they didn't kill her, especially after tasting blood. The wounds were bad and she went septic."

  "How bad?"

  "Ten days in the hospital bad. I'm just terrified that it will happen again, and that the next time she won't be so lucky."

  "Let's see if we can retrain her mind to believe the truth about herself. She is aware of her flaws, and openly admitted that she didn't like them. She promised to be
accountable to me."

  "Why the hell are you putting yourself through this torture, Boss?"

  "Because I love her. Just as much as you do, old man. You know it too."

  "She's like a daughter to me," Jack grumbled.

  Alex patted his shoulder. "She needs you to tell her that. She needs a dad. Especially after her future fiancé lights a fire to her tail."

  "Regarding that, she was promised a switching…"

  "Trust me, Jack. She's gonna get one. And more," Alex sighed, standing to leave. "Words don't seem to make a difference, but a good spanking might. Wish me luck."

  ***

  Alex opened the truck door, paused to survey his passengers, and then slid into the driver's seat without a word. He saw Misha fidgeting nervously, holding Rodin next to her chest as she stared out the window. The ride home was silent, with the only exchange consisting of a little 'ow' when Rodin nipped her fingers. Alex pulled into his driveway, parked the truck and turned to look sternly at Misha.

  "Go put Rodin in his crate and then march your little bottom up to my room. I want you to find a corner and stick your nose in it until I come for you. Do not argue with me. I am livid right now and need to calm down."

  "Alex, it really was not that big of a deal. I know what I'm doing." She sounded sulky.

  "You think you know everything, don't you?" Alex glared at her. "For God's sake, Misha, don't you see how your pride affects Jack and me? Have you considered, for just one minute, that if those animals kill you, Rodin has no choice except to go to the zoo? Yeah, they would be good to him, but not as good as you are. What is it going to take to get you to believe that people actually love you and are afraid to lose you?"

  Misha blinked back tears as her lower lip trembled. "Don't make me cry."

  "Don't make you cry? Damn it girl, you need to cry. According to Jack, you cried one time in all the years he's known you. And the only time you've cried in front of me was when you told me the truth about your life and I blistered your backside for throwing that damn clock at me. Stop bottling up this emotion and let it out. You know this is a safe place. Why are you denying yourself?"

  "Crying makes me look weak."

  "No, dear, not crying makes you look weak. I see right through you, and you know it."

  "I hate it, too."

  "Too bad. It is time for a change. Do as I said."

  Alex hid his surprise when Misha leaned over and kissed his cheek. She left the vehicle, Rodin at her heels, and looked back once before going into the large house.

  "You guys have got it so much easier than us humans," Alex said to Kena and the puppies as he released them from their crate. Kena leaned against him and together they watched the pups roll together in the grass, grabbing each other's tails and ears and yipping out puppy barks. Kena whined and pushed her huge muzzle into Alex's palm. "You're a smart girl. You know daddy doesn't want to do this, huh? Playing is one thing, but real discipline is another. Let's go find a switch."

  With Kena and the puppies following his every step, Alex retrieved some pruning shears from the shed and headed in the direction of the seasonal stream that crossed the edge of the property. Willow trees grew there in abundance, and he soon had a small bundle of proper switches tucked in his hand. He was surprised about how heavy his heart felt. Never before had he experienced actual sadness when facing a disciplinary session, and he had been practicing the domestic discipline lifestyle since he started dating. Except with Carla. Maybe that was what went wrong in our marriage? He did not take his place as head of the household, purely because it was just too much effort to wrestle it from her.

  Alex trudged into the house and up the long staircase toward his room. He paused before opening the wide, white door and stepped inside, closing it decisively behind him. He was genuinely surprised to see that Misha had actually obeyed him, and was standing in a far corner with her nose to the wall. A shiver of joy traveled through him. Maybe there was some hope after all.

  "Misha, come here, please."

  Silently the woman turned, her face streaked with tears. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her nose pink, suggesting that she had been crying for a while. Alex reached for a tissue and dabbed it across her face as she stood between his knees.

  "Why were you crying?" he asked. "Don't look down. Face me. That's a good girl. See? There is no need to be afraid of me. I am not going to judge you."

  "I feel like I failed you and Jack. He told me long ago that I had a death wish, and he might be right."

  "Continue," Alex urged, stroking her face.

  The tears began to flow again. "I can't ever remember a time when I felt like I had any value or worth, except when it came to the felids. If it weren't for them, no one would want me around, and that really hurts. I don't like being an outcast, Alex. I am so tired of being alone and having to fight for everything."

  "What do you feel you are fighting for, honey?" Alex held her hands and looked up at her with concern.

  "Love. Acceptance. Approval. Damn it, Alex, I am so fucked up and it's your fault!" she sobbed. Alex pulled her to sit upon his lap, and held her as she continued. "How dare you change my life for the better? I was happier when I didn't realize how unhappy I really was."

  "I didn't realize how unhappy I was either, until you moved in. Nor did I see the depth of my loneliness until I fell in love with you. This is how life works, baby girl. Life also includes facing consequences when we make poor decisions. In your case," Alex cleared his throat, "you were fortunate enough to escape being mauled. Can you see how that was a strong possibility?"

  "But…"

  "Yes or no, Misha. No more excuses."

  "Yes, Alex," Misha sighed, leaning against his chest.

  "And do you understand why I need to spank you for it?"

  "No."

  "Misha…"

  "All right! What if I promise to never do it again?"

  "You promised both Jack and myself not to do it in the first place, and yet you still did what you wanted," his voice was gentle. "So now, you are going to face the consequences of breaking that promise."

  "There is no need. I've learned my lesson. I swear I have, Alex. Just hearing you say how disappointed you were in me broke my heart."

  Alex kissed her cheek, "I know it did, just like seeing you in that enclosure and knowing I could do nothing to save you if those cats decided to chew up your leg instead of the bones, broke mine. Didn't you consider that the reason they attack those bones is because you take meat from them for several days? They are hungry, and you could easily have been a tasty meal."

  Misha bit her lip. "I hadn't thought of that."

  "I know you feel like we are being unreasonable with you, darling," Alex held her cheek against his shoulder and stroked her back lovingly, "but we put these rules down for everyone's safety. If the cats attacked you, not only would you easily have died, but they would have to be put down. Did you think of that?"

  Misha shook her head.

  "Let's take care of this, and hopefully we will not have to repeat this lesson again. Stand up."

  Misha was visibly trembling as Alex took her hands in his. "You know I love you, right?"

  "Yes," she whispered.

  "And you know I want the best for you. Correct?"

  "Yes. I'm sorry."

  "Pull down your pants and bend over my knee," Alex ordered, patting his thigh. He felt his cock twitch as her khaki work pants fell to ground. Misha was wearing pale pink lace cheekies that Alex slowly skimmed down to her thighs after she positioned herself on his lap. He rested his hand on the peak of her pert behind and continued his lecture. "You are a smart girl, Misha. Too smart to already be landing in the same position that you were three days ago. Did you really think I wouldn't follow through as I said I would?"

  "Alex, please… Ow!"

  "I asked you a question, young lady," Alex said, raising his palm to deliver another painful swat.

  "No! I mean yes, I mean—OW!" Misha struggled against the
firm hold Alex had on her.

  "You aren't going anywhere, baby. Not until I am ready to let you go. Consider this a warm up to what is coming. Never disobey my orders for your safety again, you hear me?" Alex said, landing a flurry of resounding swats rhythmically across her firm buttocks. "You can kick and squeal as much as you want," he added, spanking the underside of her bottom and eliciting more protests, "but I am not going to stop until I know that you will think twice before you challenge my instructions again."

  Misha's voice rose to a yowl as Alex released a rapid set of hard smacks upon her flaming red cheeks. "It hurts! Stop it, it hurts!" she cried, reaching back to protect herself.

  Alex caught her arm and held it to the small of her back. "You know not to reach back. You also know that you can't protect yourself with your hand, little girl. The only way you can protect yourself is by following the rules made to keep you and the animals safe. Rules that you are bound and determined to break because of your stubborn pride."

  Misha kicked and twisted as she tried to escape his hand. Scratching sounds on the bedroom door alerted Alex to one of the animals. He paused. "Let whoever is at the door in and then go stand back in that corner. We are far from done."

  Sniveling, Misha hurried to obey. Rodin scrambled into the room and hopped onto the bed. Alex watched as the cub nestled into his pillows to watch the happenings of his human 'parents'.

  "I thought I asked you to crate him."

  "He wouldn't go in," Misha murmured.

  "Very well. He might as well get used to seeing this if he is going to be hanging out with us."

  To avoid traumatizing the cub, Alex picked up a switch and pointed it to tickle Rodin. The tiger began to swat playfully at it, and then grabbed it in his mouth to chew on it. Alex picked up another switch.

  "Bend over the back of that chair and put your hands flat on the seat. You are not to budge one inch."

  "I can't reach!" Misha cried, trying to obey. "I'm too short."

  "Stand on your toes then."

  Alex stepped back to take in the view of her luscious heart-shaped bottom as it was stretched over the back of the chair. It was beautiful, patches of white interweaving with blotches of red; the outline of his fingers visible on the outer right buttock; the tiny pink lips peeking out from between her thighs. He willed his cock to relax but he had not ever seen anything more beautiful or enticing than what was quivering before him. He glanced over at Rodin as he lifted the switch. The baby tiger was sound asleep.