Taboo: A Dark Romance Boxset (Stud Ranch 1)

“Where?” is all Dominick asks.

Dad points at my desk, then starts loosening his belt. I feel my eyes widen. Surely he’s not going to— I mean, Dominick is twenty-four years old!

But sure enough, Dominick bends over and, still buck naked, braces his hands on the edge of my desk.

Dad bends his belt in two, rears back and then there’s a loud crack as the leather lands on Dominick’s ass.

A little screech escapes my mouth but Dominick barely flinches.

“One,” he intones.

Another crack.

“Two.”

“How many?” I ask, feeling unable to do anything except watch on in distress from my bed.

Thwack.

Three.

“Twenty,” Dad answers me.

Four through seven land and Dominick jerks a little more with each resounding wallop. Dad seems to swing harder each time too.

Another lands.

“Eight,” Dominick says, his voice finally sounding pained. His ass is already bright red. And are those welts I see rising?

“Stop!” I jump off the bed, blanket wrapped around me, and step between Dad and Dominick. “No more.”

Dad stops before landing the next blow, looking surprised. Dominick turns around too, expression mirroring his father’s.

“Sarah,” Dominick says, before reaching out a hand to stop me. I clutch it desperately. He just shakes his head, looking a little confused. “It’s no big deal. I did something wrong. I’ll take my punishment and learn from my mistake.”

I try not to show how stung I feel at his words. I get that what he’s going through isn’t pleasant. But why is he so quick to call us a mistake?

God, Sarah, put away your own pride. There’s a much bigger problem here. Dominick doesn’t see anything wrong with his father giving him a beating!

“Dominick, please, just stop—”

But Dominick just nods before bracing his hands on the table again, back in position. “A little rod of correction goes a long way toward improving the child.” He sounds like a robot as he says it.

What the—?

I step back from the both of them.

These are two men I care a great deal for. But they have secrets I’m only beginning to glimpse.

Obviously.

“Nine.” Smack. “Ten.” Dominick’s teeth grit and his face is getting as red as his backside. No matter how really, truly, deeply screwed up this all is, I can’t stand it for another second.

“Stop it!” I move in between them. “You said it yourself, Dad,” I turn to him. “I’m part to blame. Give me the other ten.”

Dominick swings around in shock and then his eyes flick to Dad. “No. Dad. Don’t.”

I follow his gaze and gulp when I see that Dad is obviously considering the idea.

“Sarah, no, you don’t need to—” Dominick continues to protest but Dad holds a hand out.

“Sarah’s a big girl and both of you were caught in a lie.”

I swallow and nod even as my legs go stiff with terror. My eyes drop to the belt. I’ve never been spanked in my whole life. Mom slapped me a few times when she was especially out of it and high, so it’s not that I’ve been without bruises in my life but… this is Dad.

Tears flood my cheeks. It feels like betrayal.

I trusted him. Yeah Dominick and I snuck around and lied, but now Dad’s going to hurt me for it?

“Hey, look at me.” Dad’s voice drops to a gentle bass. It’s like he can read my mind. “Do you trust me? Would I ever bring you harm?”

He reaches out and takes my hand in his big, warm one.

Instantly the tension leaches out of my body.

He’s right. I might be seeing another side to my family, but that comes with getting to know them in a deeper way.

They’re letting me in. And he’s right, I do trust him.

I nod and finally squeeze Dad’s fingers back. I look over at Dominick. He looks uncertain but Dad pushes him out of the way.

To make way for me.

Holy crap.

Am I really doing this?

“Assume the position, sweet girl,” Dad says, rubbing my neck. “You’re going to need to drop the blanket too.”

My breath hitches, but even as crazy as all this is, I don’t want to let either Dad or Dominick down.

Dominick took his punishment without complaint. I don’t want to do any less, no matter how scared I might be.

My whole body shaking, I take a step toward the desk, back toward Dad and Dominick.

I let the blanket fall to the floor. I’ve never felt more naked in my whole life. One hand drops to cover my shaved sex and my other arm folds up to cover my chest, head down.

Dominick steps close again. “You’re doing great,” he whispers, reaching down and clasping my hand. “Don’t be scared. I’m here.”

“Put your hands on the edge of the table,” Dad cuts Dominick off. “And don’t hang your head, sweet girl. Your body is nothing to be ashamed of.”

His words shock me in a way I can’t even explain. How can he say that? It was this body that seduced his son. That created this mess in the first place. If I hadn’t had all of these…unnatural urges…