Liars and Tigers (18 page)

"Thanks.
For everything. I'm going to go back with Alex and then we can meet again,
perhaps on the weekends?"

"Perfecto!
You are happy, no?"

"Very
happy. I just need to see through some personal goals and then everything will
be perfect."

"I
can talk to your Alex, and—"

"No!
I mean, please, don't bother him with any of this. I've caused him enough distress.
He asked me to marry him, Carlos."

Carlos
clapped his hands in glee. "My Misha found love! That is the light in your
eyes that I see! He is a good man. He will make you whole."

"Alex
is a good man. A little overbearing and stubborn," Misha laughed, "but
nothing I can't tame in time."

"I
do not get the impression that this man of yours will allow you to keep a tight
collar on him." Carlos chuckled. "You might find yourself in a
harness and attached to a leash."

Misha
giggled. "That sounds like fun! Are you blushing, Carlos? The man who
studies women's parts like they were objects?"

"A
woman's glory is beauty to be shared with the world," Carlos defended
himself.

"Indeed
it is," Alex's low voice boomed as he joined the two at the table,
"as long as it isn't
my
woman's
glory. I'm selfish, and want to keep that beauty to myself."

"I
promised no more exposing myself, Alex. Stop being so possessive," Misha
said.

"A
man has a right to be possessive of the thing he loves and values. Carlos?
Thank you for your hospitality, but it's time I take my tigers home. One has
work to do, and the other needs to be trained."

"Which
is which?" Carlos asked jovially.

"Very
funny," Misha groaned. She stood and kissed the old man on the cheek.
"I'll call you and we can get together, okay?"

"Yes!
Safe travels and many blessings," Carlos said, kissing her back on both
cheeks.

"You're
planning on getting together with him again? To model?" Alex asked, as
they went back to the guest room and repacked.

"I
told him no more exposure, like I promised."

Alex
looked at her suspiciously. "You aren't lying to me, right?"

"After
everything we've been through, you ask me that? Unbelievable!" Misha
grunted, rolling her eyes. Her conscience tugged at her, knowing that she would
feel guilty for lying to him later,
after
she bought her ranch. In the meantime, she would tell him what he wanted to
hear. After all, it wasn't her fault that he was such a prude, right? Plus, no
one would ever see her face, so he had nothing to worry about.

Alex
found himself breaking into a spontaneous grin during his drive home. Misha's
truck was right in front of his, and, he was pleased to notice, actually doing
the speed limit. But then several vehicles near him swerved, and started to
slow near her vehicle, with people pointing in her direction. He frowned as a
little orange face pressed against the back cab window.

"Damn
it! Call Misha!" he shouted to the Bluetooth dialer. No answer. Growling,
he left a message. "Put Rodin in his crate before anyone else sees him.
There is going to be accident with no one watching the road. Misha! You know
better! Just you wait until we get home. I am going to spank you until your
bottom forgets what the word sit means. Damn!"

He
honked his horn at her several times and was promptly ignored. That meant only
one thing: she was blaring her music too loudly again. How many times did he
have to tell her to turn it down so she could hear sirens? Or a horn?

He
gripped the steering wheel and pressed his foot down on the gas to move up
beside her. Sure enough, her lips were moving as she sang along to her favorite
rock music, windows up and oblivious to the rest of the world. Grumbling, he
pulled in front of her and slowed his truck slightly to get her attention.

"Fuck!"
he yelled out, as she ran into his bumper. Knocked out of her oblivion, she
slammed her brakes, skidded to the side of the road and up into an embankment.
Alex pulled over and exited his truck, slamming the door loudly.

"What
the hell were you doing, girl? Put him in his crate before the cops see
him!"

"Why
are you yelling at me? Your truck is fine."

"Really?
You had the music on so loudly you couldn't hear me call your phone, or my
honking to warn you that your buddy there was taking in the view. Everyone
driving by saw him! Then you rear-end me because you weren't paying attention
to your driving. That alone pisses me off to no end."

"No
harm done. I'll turn it down." Misha shrugged.

"Like
hell you will. Take my truck."

"But
you don't have a stereo," Misha frowned.

"There
is a reason I don't have a stereo. It is for safety."

"No,
it's not. It's because you talk on your Bluetooth phone all the time. That's
just as dangerous as me playing music too loudly." She stomped her foot.

"I
am always completely aware of my surroundings, young lady. You can check the
volume yourself, and see that it is lower than regular conversation. Unlike
you," he stepped forward to stare down at her, "I care about my
safety."

"Oh,
so you are going to bring that up again?
This
is why I want my own place!" Misha stomped toward her truck.

Alex
grabbed her by the arm. "Unless you want me to put you across my knee
right here in the middle of traffic for everyone to witness, you will watch
this attitude. You are a hair's breadth from getting this sass paddled out of
you when we get home."

"You
wouldn't dare!' Misha narrowed her eyes.

"Wanna
bet? The next time you talk back to me, I promise that you will feel my hand
for a good, long time." When she did not answer, Alex put his palm out.
"Your keys. Now."

"You
are a class A jerk," Misha hissed, slamming them into his hand.

"And
you are going to discover what a real disciplinary session feels like. Get
moving. I will deal with you when we get home, missy."

Alex
put the unhappy cub back into his crate in the back seat of the cab and buckled
in, his eyes not leaving the truck in front of him. He eased Misha's vehicle
off the embankment and pulled up behind her as she waited to merge onto the
I-15 traffic. Thankful that a police officer had not come by, Alex called Jack
and updated him on the recent events.

"You're
joking, right?" Jack chuckled. "Did you know that she has gotten
about three tickets for playing it too loud when in Nevada? Cops say if they
can hear it clearly from like fifty feet away, she broke the law."

"So
this is a regular issue with the little brat, huh?"

"I
took the radio out of her first car after she started staying with me because
of it. So the smart ass got herself an mp3 player and plugged it into her ears.
Cops didn't bust her for that, but I did. I can't believe she hit your truck,
though!"

"It's
like she does everything she can think of to provoke me. I don't get it. She
even accused me of being dangerous because I use my Bluetooth."

"Well,
Boss, she is in your hands now. If I may give you some advice," Jack said
soberly, "keep an eye on her. Misha has a bad habit of breaking promises
when they interfere with her goals…"

"Lying,
you mean."

"Yeah."
Jack cleared his throat. "It's not like she does it to spare anyone's feelings,
but more to distract them from her trail. She always get busted eventually. If
I were you, I would contact this Carlos and tell him the limitations. He seems
to be pretty up front from what you told me."

"I
agree. I've gotta go, she's taking an exit. Thanks."

Alex
parked next to Misha and rolled down his window. "What's wrong? The tank
should be full and… unbelievable. MISHA!" he shouted, noticing the
earbuds. Startled, she looked at him and rolled down her own window.

"What's
the problem now? I need to go to the bathroom."

"Damn
it." Alex got out of the trunk and put his hand through her window.
"Hand them over."

"I
need my phone!"

"The
earbuds. I'm not going to tell you again."

"You
are so unfair!" Misha complained, throwing the headphones at him angrily.
"Mother-fu…"

"What
did you just say to me?"

"Nuthin'."
Misha crossed her arms and looked away.

"Your
'snarkasm' is only succeeding in making it harder for your little backside to
sit after we get home. Look at me, and don't you even think of rolling your
eyes," Alex barked. He held her chin firmly in his hands. "This
bratting is neither cute nor acceptable. It will cease this instant or you will
not be sitting for a week."

"Is
this how it's going to be when we get married? You bossing me around and not
letting me do anything fun?"

"If
you mean that you are about to embark on a life that includes accountability
and consequences, yes. I swear, Misha, you are really testing my ability to
maintain my temper. Why do you insist on trying to provoke a fight?"

"You're
the one who started with me."

"That
will certainly be a topic of discussion once I get your bottom home and spend
some time turning it beet red. Comment?" he asked, folding his arms and
raising his eyebrow.

"Why
don't you go pour yourself a cup of shut the hell up?" Misha hissed.

"Get
over here. I am not going to put up with this any longer," Alex growled,
pulling her forcefully into the large back cab of his Ford truck.

"Let
me go!" Misha squealed, struggling against his grip.

"Don't
even think about fighting me, you are not going to win. I have had just about
enough of this nonsense," Alex stated, slamming the cab door shut behind
them. He grabbed her by the ear. "Over my knee, now!"

"Let
gooo!" Misha yelled, holding his index finger and thumb and trying to pull
them off her earlobe, "you are hurting me!"

"I
will show you what hurting is, young lady. You are a true test of one's blood
pressure," he commented, yanking her jeans down her hips to mid-thigh.
"Keep kicking. It will wear you out and make it easier for me to blister
this backside. This," he began to furiously smack her bottom, "is the
'next time' I warned you about."

Misha's
screams were muffled by the seats of the vehicle. With her face nearly touching
the floor and one hand still holding tightly in an attempt relax the hold on
her ear, she was stuck.

"I'm
sorry!" she cried out. "I'll be nice! Ohmigod…"

"This
is not about what you want, but about what you need," Alex scolded, his
hand dropping in rapid descent upon her scarlet-colored rump. "This is
about what I need as well. I don't deserve to be treated like garbage. I've
already had one marriage like that, and I am
not
doing it again."

"You
don't want me anymore?" Misha's tone changed and she began to weep.

"Quite
the contrary," the spanking did not cease, "it is because I want you
that I will not tolerate this crap. You've pushed my limits and now will pay
the penalty."

"Stop,
please!" she bawled.

"I
will stop when I am good and ready," Alex informed her, lowering the
sharp, staccato swats to the creases above her thighs. "What did I tell
you would happen if you got mouthy with me again?"

Misha
just cried, not releasing her grip on the hand holding her ear. His other hand
landed on the back of her thigh and she yelped. Alex repeated his question and
informed her that he expected answers.

"Y-you
said that I would feel your hand for a good, long time," Misha sobbed.

"So
your listening skills are functioning. Good to know. Why are you being spanked,
young lady? Remember, humility is your friend right now."

"Don't
you ever get tired? Please stop and I'll talk!" Misha begged.

"I
am not going to stop until I am good and ready. I assure you," he swatted
her loudly across the crown, "my hand can go much longer than your butt
can."

"You're
killing me!" Misha gathered the strength to yell.

"No
one has ever died from a spanking. Do you know why you are being punished?"

"Because
I'm a blooming idiot," Misha bawled. "I don't know when to keep my
big mouth shut."

"By
George, I think she's got it!" Alex exclaimed, laying his hand across her
heated mounds. He released her ear and patted her back. "Sit up."

Misha
continued to cry as he planted her on the bench next to him. Reaching into the
center console, he grabbed small box of tissues and handed them to her.
"Blow," he said, holding the tissue to her nose. "I didn't tell
you that you could pull your pants up, did I?"

Alex
studied her for a minute, and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He
pulled her to his chest and held her close. "I don't know how to help you
break this habit of picking fights with me, Mish. Every time you go off on me
for something, it hurts. Not just my heart, but our relationship. People who
truly love each other don't call each other names, nor do they do things that
can cause the other person pain."