Saxon's Soul (Haven, Texas 5)
“You’re smart, mature, and I trust you. If you say you can handle Renard then I will support you.”
“Holding back hasn’t helped. But I don’t want to spend all my time arguing with him over every little thing.”
“I think it’s a matter of picking your battles. But he’ll respect you more for making a stand and sticking to your guns. It helps that he likes you.”
“He does?”
“Yep. Hasn’t complained about you once.”
“I guess that’s as good as praise from him, huh?” she said wryly.
“It is. Listen, you’ve got some time to figure this out since you won’t be at work until the doctor gives you the all clear. But I want to know if he gets out of hand. Or if it becomes too much. Will you promise you will come to me?”
“I will. I’m sorry I didn’t come to you. About Renard or my hand.”
“Well, after your punishment I’m sure you’ll think twice before breaking the rules again.”
Her eyes widened. “Punishment?”
“You knew the rules. You tried to prevent me from my duty.”
“I don’t want to be a duty.”
“A duty doesn’t have to be something you don’t enjoy. I’m a Dom, baby. Taking care of people is what I do.” His lips twitched. “Punishing them when they’re naughty is just a side benefit.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You’d enjoy punishing me?”
“I like delivering a bit of pain to a naughty submissive.”
Her stomach tightened at the thought of how many submissives he’d punished.
“Now that Malone’s cousin, Jardin is a member of the club, I might hand over the task of punisher to him. I believe he has experience from his old club in New Orleans. He enjoys it even more than I do. But, then, he’s a sadist.”
“He’s a what?”
“Sadist. He enjoys inflicting pain on others. Well, generally only when they want the pain. There are plenty of masochists at the club for him to beat on. But punishing a submissive when they’ve been disobedient or bratty will be right up his alley.”
“Holy shit.”
“Language,” he reprimanded. “He doesn’t go around advertising it.”
His arms tightened around her and he kissed the top of her head. “We’r
e going to work on your avoidance of asking for help, little one.”
They were? How? But she didn’t ask as his hand returned to massage her scalp. God, that felt like heaven.
“Are you hurting?”
“No. It’s still all numb. I’m just tired.”
“Thomas will be back soon with your painkillers. Just have a rest then, pet. I’ll take care of everything else.”
“I’ll get back to work as soon as possible. Promise.”
He tightened up then relaxed. “You’ll do exactly as the doctor told you and take a week off.”
“But the opening—”