Crossing Lines
Chapter 47
Aiden
24:完:70%鐘
He dropped to his knees like a soldier awaiting execution–shoulders tenge breaths shallow, anger still simmering just beneath the surface. But
he obeyed. He presented.
That alone spoke volumes.
S
I took a moment to steady myself, to release all the emotion I was holding back. The relief, the fear of losing him, as well as the anger and jealousy still consuming me. I didn’t want to punish him angry–God knew I’d promised that much. But this wasn’t about jealousy anymore. This was about disobedience. About disrespect. He needed to learn that his words had weight–even the ones thrown in a tantrum.
Even the ones I provoked.
I picked up the leather crop and stepped behind him. “Ten,” I said firmly. “For disrespectful language. Count them.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The first strike landed with a sharp crack. His breath caught but he managed, “One.”
“Why am I punishing you, Noah?”
He gritted through clenched teeth. “For cursing at you, Sir.”
Another blow. “Two.”
“And?”
There was a pause, then a low murmur, “Because… you’re angry at me.”
I stopped mid–motion. Ran my palm gently over the reddening skin. “This has nothing to do with anger. Not anymore. This is because you disrespected me. With words you know are forbidden in this dynamic.”
Another strike. “Three.”
“But…” He choked a little. “You were angry. You still are.”
I didn’t deny it. Instead, I asked quietly, “Did you do anything to make me angry?”
“No.”
I froze. That word echoed like a gunshot in my chest.
“No?” I stepped closer, the crop lowered now, but my tone sharper. “Noah, we made a honesty. Don’t break that now. Did you disobey the rules?”
contract.
the most sacred conditions in it was
“No, Sir.”
I narrowed my eyes, my jaw ticking as I delivered another blow. “Don’t lie to me.”
1/2
09:39 Mon, Feb 9 DG.
Chapter 47
“Four. I’m not
* 70%
Then explain what the hell you were doing with that girl.” My voice cut life glass now. “I saw you at the beach, Noah. In the dark. Lying with her like 1 shook my head, bile in my throat. “I saw you touch her, flirt with her, ignore my messages like none of this meant anything to
you?”
His silence was deafening.
“Did you sleep with her?” I pressed. “Yes or no.”
“No!”
That answer came too fast. Too sharp. It sounded real, but I didn’t believe it. I shook my head in disappointment, striking him hard with the
crop.
“Five.” He gasped, his voice breaking.
“I heard you and Keon, Noah! I heard you admit it-”
“I lied, okay?” His voice cracked. “To Keon. I lied to him, not you. You called and I didn’t answer because I was already asleep. I wanted to be here early. I wanted to be ready for you. I didn’t drink. I walked her to her dorm. That’s it. That’s all that happened. I never touched her. Never kissed her. I didn’t fucking break our contract.”
I blinked.
The crop slipped from my fingers.
He was trembling now–not just from the blows, but from the truth finally erupting from his chest.
“I didn’t lie to you,” he whispered, tears rolling down his face. “I swear I didn’t. I just lied to everyone else.”
Shame. A rush of it, acidic and instant, poured through me. I stared down at his shaking form, at the marks I’d left believing I was correcting disobedience–when in truth, I had been acting on an assumption.
A mistake.
I swallowed hard. My throat burned. I moved forward, knelt beside him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“You’re dismissed,” I said quietly. “You’re released from punishment.”
His head jerked up. Eyes rimmed red, confused. “What? But I cursed….”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
