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LIKE SHE HAD DONE SINCE she realized her body was different than her siblings, Avery came out of the bathroom, diligently checking for others in the bedroom. She never did run into anyone, but a girl couldn’t be too sure when she emerged from her bathing naked as the day she was born. She showered first because Stryker had asked her to go ahead of him.
Guilt did crazy things to people. Avery was an expert at guilt. She knew only too well how it messed with a person’s mind. Since the day Ben’s bullet grazed Stryker’s side, she’d jumped to meet his needs, no matter how odd the request or how much it interfered with her schedule. If Stryker wanted her to make him breakfast or pleasure him, she had done it and would continue to do his bidding.
Her guilt seemed to have extended to the rest of the world as well. Avery had always been an easy target when someone needed a babysitter at short notice because they didn’t plan for a backup when their original sitter bailed. Avery was on speed dial for volunteering in the community when a project was short-handed. Now, irrational though it sounded, Avery felt she owed the community for her brother’s bad choices.
Ben shot Stryker. There was never going to be enough apologies to cover that reality. Nor would there be any way she could repay the amount she owed Stryker and his brothers for coming to her rescue and stopping Ben from shooting Cassidy. That incident, a mere week ago, had sealed her fate and ended the psychotically unrealistic attempts of Ben to shift the blame for his troubles to another.
He was in treatment that the judge had accepted instead of more court proceedings. Stryker said that he would not drop his civil suit until Ben successfully completed treatment. The judge added that he would need to be gainfully employed and set a payment amount that would need to be sent, not delivered to Red Eagle Ranch, until his debt was paid. Otherwise, he was going to sit in jail for a good long time.
It seemed to have been incentive enough for Ben to accept the judgment, and he’d left yesterday. He’d be gone at least a month and maybe longer, depending on his successful completion rate.
Stryker was still a little sore but was pretty well recovered. It took a little flesh but mostly burned his skin as it grazed his side that had been covered in two layers of shirts. Now that he was well, Avery had hoped he would stop demanding her time even when it was impractical for her to stop and change directions to meet his needs.
When she would feel anger rearing its head, Avery would remember why she was in this self-inflicted slavery in the first place. She’d suck it up and get things done. Avery was sure Stryker was taking advantage of her supplicant behavior. Why? She had no idea, but she knew that she’d do whatever he asked for as long as he needed to ask. No matter how much she was becoming irritated by his requests or that she suspected he was playing her.
The bedroom door swung open decisively, extracting a startled squeal from Avery as she frantically grabbed for her discarded towel.
“Stryker, you knew I might be undressed in here. Have some consideration.” She shrieked her complaint in a frantic, hushed voice.
He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but his words were calm and appreciative, ignoring her outburst. “Now that’s a sight I won’t ever get tired of, your nakedness. No, don’t cover up, darlin’. I want to see you in all your glory. Drop your arms.” She loved that he adored her body and proclaimed it often, but she was always embarrassed. “Mmm, that is sheer perfection.”
“What a tease,” was her protective response to the compliment.
Two long strides brought Stryker directly in front of her. His voice, that characteristic timbre of dark cocoa, was smooth with just that touch of bite.
“I’m not teasing, and well, you know it.” Avery’s belly tightened. Her core tingled and ached along with her breasts that had suddenly grown heavy in arousal. Her body flushed in nervous excitement, her heat rising.
“Today, it all ends.”
***
AVERY’S DARK EYES WIDENED in confusion and then fear. The last months, ever since she had first come on the ranch, Stryker had watched his woman bend lower and lower under the weight of her inability to discharge the guilt she felt. The acceptance of the temp job and then the permanent job under false pretenses was hard for her to let go of. In the beginning, the effect of her choices had turned out to be harmless, but later, Stryker had forced her into some decisions he shouldn’t have. He should have interpreted her personality type quicker. He had suspected immediately that she was easily manipulated based on a misguided sense of duty and obligation.
Once he realized that’s what it was, Stryker knew he should have done something to make it easier for her to put down the burden or pass it over to its rightful owner, Ben Camden. But he had let her go with enough rope that she and her committed heart almost hung herself.
As they were waiting for Ben to go through the early proceedings and then accept the deal, she allowed herself to be at Stryker’s and his siblings’ beck and call. Not that they took advantage of her, but she was accommodating to the extreme. In fact, Avery never turned down a request. Each sibling had come to him separately and shared their concern that she was carrying too much responsibility. It wasn’t healthy. His Até even called.
No request was out of line, but most were unnecessary. Avery was trying to make amends to every person on the ranch, and it pissed Stryker the hell off. So, he pushed her harder, and damn if she didn’t simply allow him to treat her as his personal attendant in every situation. If she were merely submissive, which would have been a gift, not based on anything but a desire to meet his needs and her own, things would have been fine. However, this was not that.
No, this was about subjugation. A concept Stryker did not go in for. He was angry that she put her own self-worth away to be that person. He looked down into her face that was an open book of angst. This relationship was not about servitude or blind obedience; it was about mutual respect for each other and themselves. Something his girl had not learned yet.
He’d tried to show her by example that family helps each other, and while mistakes might be made, you get through them together. Avery had tried taking care of the problems alone, even when Ben hadn’t wanted her to, and Stryker had said to stay away from the situation.
Stryker had then tried to show her that atonement for another’s deeds was useless. She had still done it. The woman had little self-preservation in force when others needed something. Avery’s heart was in the right place, but his girl was stubborn. And Daddy was done with her martyrdom. And her obstinance. He had plans, but he’d tried to teach the lesson a different way, and it failed. Time to go back to the tried-and-true method.
Stryker silently put out his hand, and Avery took it without hesitation. He leaned down and tenderly kissed Avery on the lips, then deepened the kiss. She was his life, and he had to finish this lesson, or he would worry that she would be constantly taken advantage of, and his girl was too smart to let her insecurities keep her a prisoner to other’s whims.
Lifting up, Stryker walked to the bed and sat on the end, sitting back fully. Guiding Avery to the right side of his lap, he patted it. Now she did hesitate and gave him a look of confusion.
“I’m healed now. My side isn’t too sore, so it’s time to make your bottom sore.”
“Stryker.”
“Lay over my lap, sweet love. We need to get this all straightened out.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I can see that. I intend to explain as soon as you are positioned.”
Avery lay over his broad lap, and he made sure she was comfortable with her upper and lower body supported by the mattress on either side of him. The only part that would be uncomfortable was the luscious bit centered over his thighs.
“First, I wanted to discuss the disobedience. I had told you to stay at home. “Go nowhere without an escort,” were my exact words, and yet you decided that you would go to the farm looking for Ben. Unaccompanied.”
He stopped to land a flurry of sizzling smacks on her butt.
“Then, when I asked you where you were, you lied to me.”
Another handful of swats landed hard and fast. She squealed and wiggled.
“You lied about where you were, what you were doing, and who was with you. Do I have that part of the story right?”
Avery tried to wiggle, but Stryker held her firmly in place. She had told him before that his chastising tones made her nervous and wet at the same time. In one especially disclosing conversation, she had said that she would never understand why she had a body that would get turned on by his stern voice.
“Yes, but...” Half a dozen ass painting spanks covered her bottom again.
“Stryker, listen. That is all true, but in my defense, I was trying to end all of the trouble.”
“Let’s explore that, shall we?” his warm hand rubbing her bottom in slow caresses.
Avery moaned. When Stryker was in this kind of mood and playing attorney, she was doomed. There was a sudden streak of pain across her naked bottom. A breathy cry announced its effect.
“Yes, okay.” Three more smacks.
“How do you address me?”
Avery was breathing hard, and her butt was stinging and aching from the attention it was getting. “What? Oh, right. Sir.”
“That’s better. I will not remind you again. You know the rule. Was it your fault your brother was in a bind?”
“No... Sir.”
“Correct. And was it your task to repair the damage created by your brother?”
Avery didn’t answer quick enough, and she screeched when a flurry of very respectable spanks across her ass made her scissor her legs. Soon a muscular thigh was pulled out from under her and laid heavily over hers, effectively rendering them immovable. Stryker rubbed Avery’s warming bottom again and then squeezed.
“Ahh. It’s too achy.”
“I’m not done by a long shot. So, you disobeyed, lied several times, and took on the responsibility for someone else’s bad choices. None of which you are allowed to do.”
“Stryker, I can help my family.” Another flurry of lightning-fast swats landed on her exposed rear end.
“You may help your family, but you may not take on anyone’s burden alone because they are unwilling to correct their own mistakes. In this case, we are talking about Ben. You did not help the situation. But there are many instances, even this last week, where you have done for, accepted the task of, or allowed to be used to assist others when it wasn’t your problem. I had you do all sorts of onerous tasks to see if I could get you to buck them, to force you to refuse even one request from your family or friends; however, you sucked it up and did them anyway. Why?”
“You sound like you already know the answer, so why ask?”
Stryker chuckled and leaned down to kiss her hot ass cheeks. “I love you. Sassy even now.”
Another round of thunderous strikes. Avery’s backside was scalding. It was so blistered; she could feel the marks of his fingers each time they lifted from her butt. Her bottom was swollen. She tried to wiggle but couldn’t because Stryker had her tight to himself and locked down.
“I don’t want to hear of you saying yes to things you really don’t think are necessary or right just because you don’t know how to say no or feel bad for people. And guilt should never play a part in your decision-making. A lack of planning by others is not your problem. So, no more babysitting at the drop of a hat because your friends thought you’d always be available. No going out of your way to make everyone else happy if it will make you unhappy. We have a life together now, and you are no longer on call.”
“But Stryker, I like to help, and I know having kids is hard work.”
A handful of swats landed, raising not only her backend temperature, but her ass was feeling more swollen. “Children is something I hope we get firsthand knowledge of someday. However, we plan, others plan, you will either train people to plan with your needs in mind, or you will be going through some training of your own. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now, this week, you wanted to tell me off many times when I made obnoxious requests. Why didn’t you?”
“Because you asked me. There isn’t anything wrong with that.”
“No, that’s true if you don’t mind doing it, and you don’t agree out of a sense of guilt. You put yourself last, and even though I could do some of those things myself, or others could have solved their own problems, you wore yourself out this week doing other people’s bidding. That is what was happening, right?” Avery fell silent. “Well, here’s a newsflash. Many of the things I asked you to do was to push you to give me a refusal. However, I didn’t get one, did I? Not one. Not even yesterday when I saw you clench your teeth and your jaw tighten.”
The smacks were firm and intense, each one delivered with slow, meaningful intent. “Answer me.”
“No, sir.” Her voice wobbled more than earlier.
“No, I didn’t hear one negative response because you were doing things out of guilt. Am I right?”
“I guess so.”
He lit up her ass till she knew it glowed. She screeched, wiggled, pounded her fist on the bed, and cried. Stryker continued. “Daddy. And for the record, you are the only one who carried any guilt and any expectation of guilt. You were not at fault for me getting shot.”
“I was. You were there because of me.” Her sobbing nearly made her response unintelligible. “I could have lost you forever.”
“Yes, I was there for you, but that was because I love you, and I will always do what I can, go where I need to go, to keep you safe. Your responsibility is to try to make that an easy task for me. Nonetheless, I did not get shot because you were there. I got shot because Ben got spooked and pulled the trigger after pointing the gun in my direction. But you know who I am most upset with?”
“Me.”
“Yep. Because what did the woman that I live for and love unconditionally decide to do? She put herself in the direct line of that gun. You put yourself in danger. While your efforts might have saved me from a gutshot, you could have died, and that is never going to be an acceptable risk to me.”
“But it was to me, Stryker. I love you, and if anything happened to you...” the tears came streaming down her cheek. Her throat clogged with them. “I can’t lose you.”
Immediately, she was in his lap, and he was kissing her tears. “I know, baby. But you must never do that again. Promise me.”
“I don’t know if I can promise that.” Her sobs were still strong. “I promise that I’ll try not to take on others' problems and put either of us in a situation like that again. But if the family needs me, I will always be there.”
Stryker sighed. “Can you at least promise to discuss everything with me first? Please, baby. This worry about what you’re doing has taken years off my life already.”
“Okay, I’ll do my best.” He pulled her tight and leaned back enough to raise her butt some and landed two more swats. “What, I agreed?”
“Just wanted to remind you that you deserve so much more than you have gotten tonight or the last few weeks. I should put you on a maintenance schedule.”
“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds horrible. Like I’m a car that needs a tune-up or something.”
Stryker laughed a deep belly laugh that was a joy to hear. Avery didn’t think she would ever hear that again. Stryker wasn’t known to laugh often, but Renee said he was happier after he had Avery in his life. Avery loved the sound of his joy.
“Am I forgiven?”
“Weeks ago. This has nothing to do with forgiveness. It has everything to do with training you to be kind to yourself. To mind me when I have your best interests at heart and to learn to talk to me. Learn to say no when you don’t want to do something.”
“Okay, sir.”
“Crawl up better on the bed.”
“But I’m not tired yet.” He flipped her ass higher and scorched her creases. “Mind me, remember?”
“No, I’m not going to sleep.”
“Now you say no? Now, when I am about to make love to you, you decide to take a stand?”
“Sorry, sorry. I really want you to make love to me. So much.”
“What do you call me?”
“Daddy.”
“Why?”
“Because you are such a Daddy. My Daddy. You love me, take care of me, protect me, drive me crazy and are the best man I could have ever found.”
Stryker helped her settle better on the bed. “Well, let’s work on that description. You left out generous, handsome, good provider, good boss, and an incredible lover for a start.”
“Did I? I guess you’ll have to prove that last one.”
“Oh, I will. I promise you, I will.” She shrieked as he slid out of her way, only to crawl up behind her.
“Wait, you still have your clothes on.”
“I don’t need to take them off to get you off, little girl.”
“But I want to touch you.”
“Sounds like a personal problem. I’m going to make you come so many times that you’re going to be desperate for me to take you.”
“Mmm, I can’t wait.”
***
HOURS LATER, AS THEY were lying in bed cuddling and snuggling, Stryker leaned up, staring seriously into her eyes.
“What is it?” asked Avery.
“Avery Rose Emerson Camden, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I’m ready to chase you down when you get into things you shouldn’t, back all your expansion ideas, buy lots of Lady Gray tea, and wake up to your bright smile and adorable face every morning for the rest of my life. Will you marry me and give me babies with their mother's sense of adventure and their father’s sensible outlook? I promise to love you, honor you, protect you, and keep you beside me forever. It will be the greatest adventure we will ever undertake.”
“No spanking?”
“I won’t if that is a deal-breaker, but I must say, you never get so wet and ready for me as when we do a little slap and tickle beforehand.”
“I was hoping you didn’t notice.”
Stryker laughed. “Oh, baby, I notice every time.”
“Fine, but not hard.”
“We will negotiate later.”
“That’s what you said with the contract.”
“Yes, and look how well that turned out.”
“Well, I suppose I should accept since my last suitor has found greener pastures. I guess it will have to be you. I mean, I might not get another offer.”
He rolled her over and bit her bottom. “What other suitor? I am the only offer you are ever going to get, young lady, so choose your answer wisely.”
“I could get more! I’m a catch.”
He laughed. “You are, but I intend on running off the competition until you say yes.”
“Rude. I had thought I’d like to have your babies since you are rather handsome. But a woman still wants a ring before she starts on that path.”
He was on his side, head propped on his hand, a deep frown on his face. “You need a ring before you say yes?”
“I see your point. Fine. I’ll marry you.”
She feigned her exasperated capitulation as though she gave in for lack of another, more agreeable solution. And then she giggled. Stryker pounced.
“You are going to give me a run for my money, aren’t you?”
“You better believe it. Now let's practice making a baby. I want to make sure I understand how it works.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
***
RENEE MET WITH TANSY for lunch. “Did I hear you right? Stryker and Avery are getting married?”
“Yep, next year, after our parents return.”
“Wow, that was faster than I thought.”
“It was, so one down, three to go. It wasn’t as hard as I thought. Now, who’s next?”
“Not Declan and not Callen because they don’t bother me as much. No, it has to be Seamus. He’s the biggest spa— um, guy, and he is opinionated. And the most demanding. He’s going to be hard. Stryker must have been ready, but Seamus says all the women around here lack in too many ways for him to expect to find a wife any time soon.”
“Well, okay,” agreed Janna, “let’s concentrate on Declan then. I can’t imagine Callen settling down any time soon.”
“No, you’re right. It will probably be Declan next.”
The End
About the Author
Alyssa Bailey
USA Today and #1 Bestselling Author of Diverse Romance that is realistic and sensual with a touch of suspense. A dyed in the wool Texan living in Alaska for half her life, Alyssa now divides her time between the beauty of Southeast Alaska and the piney woods of East Texas. She enjoys taking from her own experiences to create series in fictitious worlds to tease the reader’s palate and invite them to sink into exciting adventures.
Alyssa enjoys writing consensual power exchanges between intelligent, sassy women who are not afraid to make a stand and loving men confident enough to give his woman space but masterful enough to keep her safe despite her choices. There is always a happily ever after.
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Other Romance Books by Alyssa Bailey
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