Page 56 of Knox's Boy

I shrugged out of my jacket, aiming for nonchalance though my heart hammered against my ribs. "Lost track of time," I said, tossing the jacket over the antique hall table instead of hanging it properly. A small act of defiance. "Luna and I had a lot to catch up on."

Knox's gaze flicked to the discarded jacket, then back to my face. "You know the consequences for breaking curfew, Florian." His voice remained steady. Somehow, that was worse than if he'd yelled. I was visibly shivering now. Pathetic.

"It's just a couple of hours," I said, shoving my hands in my pockets to hide their trembling. "Not like I was out robbing banks or something. And I texted you."

"No," Knox agreed, taking a step toward me. "You were out deliberately breaking a rule we both agreed upon. A rule you understood and accepted. All to test the boundaries. I think you’ll find yourself wondering if this was worth it in a moment."

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "So what now? You ground me? Take away my phone privileges?" The bratty words tumbled out automatically.

Knox didn't rise to the bait. He simply inclined his head toward the hallway. "Study. Now."

Two words. The study meant serious consequences. The study meant we were well beyond a hand spanking or corner time. I hesitated for just a second before moving past him, my shoulder brushing his chest as I walked toward it.

The study door stood open, the room lit by a desk lamp. It was my favorite room in the house during the day: walls lined with books, deep armchairs perfect for reading, the scent of old paper and Knox's cologne. At night, with punishment looming, it transformed into something far more intimidating.

Knox followed me in, closing the door with a soft click. I stood in the center of the room, trying to keep my breathing steady as he moved to his desk, a massive piece of mahogany that dominated the space. He turned to face me, leaning back against the edge of the desk, arms crossed over his chest.

"I want to be very clear about something, Florian," he said, his voice dropping to that quiet register that always made me stand straighter. "I'm not upset that you wanted to spend time with your friend. Socialization is important, and I never intend to isolate you from people you care about."

I blinked, caught off guard by this opening.

"I'm disappointed," he continued, "because you didn't ask permission to stay out past curfew. You sent a text saying you were having dinner with Luna, knowing full well you planned to stay out much later. You were doing this deliberately."

Heat crept up my neck. He saw through me so easily. It was infuriating.

"You weren't just testing a boundary tonight," Knox said. "You were being manipulative. That's what we call lying by omission, young man."

The "young man" stung. I stared at my shoes, unable to hold his gaze.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, meaning it.

"Oh, no. You aren’t sorry yet," Knox replied. "You will be much sorrier still before we're finished. Actions have consequences, as we've discussed extensively."

He straightened and walked to a cabinet in the corner. My stomach dropped as he reached inside. When he turned back, he held a slender rattan cane in his hands, the kind that bent slightly when flexed. It looked deceptively delicate, but I knew better.

"This will be much more severe than a hand spanking," Knox explained, his voice steady and matter-of-fact. "You knowingly broke a rule we've discussed thoroughly, and you did so with deception. Six strokes."

My mouth went dry. I'd never taken the cane before. The thin rattan looked wicked, designed for a focused, biting pain rather than the thudding impact of palm or leather. I'd watched enough porn to know that wasthe worstit got.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," I said again, my voice smaller. "I really did just want to catch up with Luna. I shouldn’t have tested your limits."

"Mmm, that’s right, you shouldn’t have. I believe you wanted to see your friend," Knox said, "but I also believe you deliberately stayed out knowing it would force this confrontation. You wanted to see if I would follow through on the consequences we agreed upon. Well, you’ll get what you had coming."

His insight was unnervingly accurate. There was always a part of me that pushed boundaries to see if they would hold, if the person setting them truly cared enough to enforce them. My father never had; his rules were arbitrary, enforced only when it suited him.

"Bend over the desk," Knox directed, gesturing to the mahogany expanse. "Pants and underwear down."

My heart pounded as I approached the desk. With trembling fingers, I undid my jeans and pushed them down to my thighs, along with my boxers.

What have I done?

"I'mreallysorry," I said, reality of what was about to happen settling in. I was unable to look at him. "Daddy. I'm sorry." I sounded more panicked now, and I really wanted a hug that I didn't deserve.

"I know, little one," he replied, his voice softening just slightly, seeing me like this. "But being sorry doesn't erase consequences."

I closed my eyes, focusing on my breathing as I heard him position himself behind me. There was a gentle whooshing sound as he tested the cane through the air.

The first stroke landed with a sharp crack that echoed through the study. For a split second, there was nothing, just the sound, and then pain exploded across my skin, a line of pure fire that took my breath away. It was nothing like Knox's hand; this was concentrated agony, a precise stroke that seemed to slice through my flesh even though I knew it hadn't broken skin. I gasped, my fingernails digging into the polished mahogany as I fought the instinct to stand up, to cover myself, to run.