Spank.
"You put women and a baby in harm's way, Laurel."
Spank.
"I'm sorry!" she cried.
I looked up at the others, each giving us a reassuring nod before leaving the room. Robert, Ann and Andrew went into their kitchen with the baby. The others left out the front door.
They were content that the consequences were meted out appropriately, but neither Brody nor I were done. I continued to spank her in earnest for she needed to learn her place.
"We will protect you, Laurel. You will tell us if there's ever any sign of danger, whether it be a severe storm or a bastard father."
"My turn," Brody said.
I put a hand on her lower back as Brody spanked her next. "No lying, sweetheart."
By now, Laurel was crying, her body slumped over my thighs.
"We wouldn't give you back to Turner. Don't you see? We're never giving you back. You're ours."
Brody's hand soothed over her red arse.
"I thought you were using me," she sniffed.
Carefully, I righted her so she sat on my lap. She hissed out a breath as her punished flesh made contact. "Using you?" I wiped the tear stains from her cheeks.
"You...we've done things...and now I'm used goods. My virtue is in tatters. No one will want me."
Brody turned her chin so she looked at him. "Used goods? You belong to us, Laurel. No one else. You gave us your virtue, no one else's, just like you will give us your virginity. Not just your pussy, but your arse as well."
"But...you said you'd save...filling my pussy for when I married. That you'd pl...play with me and then give me back." She looked so lost and confused.
"I should spank you further for thinking us less than hon
orable. We didn't fill your pussy because you weren't married to us. Yet. Now that we know the truth, there's only one way to truly save you from your father and Palmer."
Brody nodded his agreement.
"How?" she asked, her voice hopeful.
"We're getting married."
"Married?" she gasped. "You're going to marry me just to save me from Mr. Palmer?"
"Hell, no," Brody added. "We're marrying because we knew you belonged to us the first moment we saw you, unconscious on our kitchen table. But first, you're going to tell us everything." When she remained silent, he added, "Now."
She took a deep breath. "My father is Nolan Turner. Obviously, you've heard of him."
"We've had run-ins with him in the past. He wants to dam up the creek that runs through his property, which means all the ranches and farms downstream will not have water." Brody stood, went over to the window, looked out, then returned. "We're not affected here as we're on the river and our water rights trump his, but I know many other landowners who are fighting him."
Laurel nodded. "I have learned he is not well liked in the community, which means I am not either. Being his daughter eliminated a number of prospective suitors which only helped Mr. Palmer's—and my father's—case toward marriage."
"We've heard he had a daughter, but she was sent away to school in—"
"—Denver," Laurel said, confirming the rumors. "Since my mother died birthing me, Father placed the blame on me. A nanny raised me until I was old enough to be sent away to school. Thus my poor lack of knowledge of the area and a terrible sense of direction. I have only just returned a month ago."
Brody looked her over carefully. "You are well past the schoolroom."