Liars and Tigers (14 page)

"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.

"I
wish this was an occasion where I could say it hurts me more than you, but I
won't lie," Alex said, as the switch swished in the air before wrapping
around the mounds of her bottom.

Misha
lifted her head, her breath caught in surprise. Alex heard her gasp, and waited
until she exhaled before swiping another blow upon her taut back end. This
time, she screamed out her pain.

"No
more!" she yelled, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"That
was only two. How many will I need to give you before I am confident you have
taken these lessons to heart?" Alex asked, the switch landing across the
tops of her thighs.

"Oh
God, please, no more!
No more
!"
Misha yelled. "You are killing me!"

"No
one is killing you. Rodin would react if he thought you were in danger. What
are your learning here?" The switch slashed across her mounds in three
quick, fiery bites.

"That
you are a vicious man who delights in humiliating me!" Misha screeched, as
her anger took over.

Alex
switched her sit spots three more times, and watched her bottom jiggle as she
wagged it back and forth to try to cool it down. "Say again,
darling?"

"This
is so not fair!" Misha bellowed. "I thought you loved me!"

"I
do love you, which is why I intend to drive my point home," Alex said
calmly, running his hand across her bottom and checking for damage. Satisfied
that she was unharmed, he raised the stick and swished it sharply again. It
broke in half.

"You
broke my switch," he announced.

"Good!
Burn it!" Misha cried.

"Maybe
later. I have another one here, just in case I need to continue."

"Can't
you just spank me with your hand?" Misha begged. "My ass is on
fire!"

"I
could, but I won't. How many more do you need before you stop fighting
me?" Alex asked, taking aim.

"None!
I learned my lesson! I'm sorry! I swear, I learned!" Misha called out, as
the switch kissed her flesh.

"Then
answer my question. Have you honestly taken this lesson to heart? I assure you,
I can do this all night if I must."

"No,"
Misha slumped, weeping into the back of her left hand, "you don't need to.
I am really sorry."

Alex
smiled and flung the switch to the bed, then he helped Misha stand straight. He
placed his hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "I
want your sworn promise to trust that my orders are there for your benefit, and
that you will obey them from now on."

"A-all
of them?" Misha whimpered.

"All
of them," Alex responded firmly.

"I
promise," she whispered, hanging her head.

"Thank
you."

"W-what're
you doing? No more!" Misha cringed as he led her by the hand back to the
bed.

"Climb
up there next to your kitten. Leave your pants on the floor, you won't need
them for a while."

"But,
I'm…" Misha blushed, glancing down at her naked bottom half.

"Are
you going to make me repeat myself every single time I tell you to do
something?"

"Not
every
time."

"Mind
me. That also means to keep your hand off your rump."

With
a sad sniffle, Misha climbed on to the tall four poster bed, grabbed a pillow
and covered her lower half. Alex shook his head and pulled it from her.

"You
don't need that. Lie down on your stomach."

"This
is so humiliating," Misha mumbled as she obeyed.

Alex
climbed up next to her and rested his warm hand on the small of her back. He
smirked at the gasp she gave when he placed a dollop of cold cream on her
scalded cheeks and began to gently smooth it across. "How's that?"

"It
feels nice," Misha muttered, relaxing under his touch. "You have nice
hands when you aren't using them to hurt me."

"I
need you to adjust your vocabulary. I spanked you. I switched you. I did not
harm you. The lesson was for your benefit, not just mine."

"I'm
sorry. It's just so foreign to me. Mmm," Misha began to hum as his hands
moved under her shirt and massaged the tight muscles of her lower back.

"Take
off your blouse," Alex ordered.

Misha's
skin rose with goosebumps. "Are you going to, you know?"

"I'm
only going to rub your back. Nothing more."

Misha
complied, and tossed her shirt over Rodin's head. The cub's purr, as he nestled
in her clothing, sounded much like her own as Alex ran his hands along the
length of her back and then down the backs of her legs. His cock strained
against his slacks, wanting to be let loose and bury itself in her sweetness.
She's a virgin,
he reminded himself.
Forget about her age, she is still innocent.

"Alex?"

"What
baby?"

"Will
you lay down next to me? I need you to hold me." Misha's request held a
childlike quality, and Alex felt his heart leap for joy.

"I
will hold you as long as you need me. I promise."

Misha
woke to the smell of eggs and bacon. She opened her eyes, stunned, as Alex
placed a tray on the lap table.

"What?"

"Breakfast
in bed. I made your favorite," Alex said, holding out a cup of freshly
brewed coffee for her to take. "Eggs, over medium; bacon light crispy, and
sour dough toast with 'real, not fake,' butter."

"I'm
confused. I thought you were mad at me," Misha said, wincing as she eased
herself into a sitting position. She pulled the sheets up to hide her naked
breasts and took the mug from him.

"I
don't stay angry, darling. That is the beauty of this type of
relationship." He took a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear.
"Once you pay the price, you are forgiven and the slate is clean,
remember? Only you will bring it up again, not me."

"I
really don't want to revisit it. You make the best coffee. Thank you."

"I
called Jack and told him that we will be staying home today. There is nothing
pressing for either of us at the facility, and I think we both could use a day
off after last evening."

"I
could use a week off after last evening," Misha grumbled, reaching under
to rub her tender bottom. "My ass must look like an antelope after a lion
attack."