Page 65 of Knox's Boy

“Please, don't eliminate him, he's still my father,” I whispered. He chuckled, softly, and kissed the top of my head.

“I know, sweetheart. Don't think about him anymore. You're safe now. You are safe here with me.”

I shuddered against him, the relief so intense it was dizzying."But," Knox added, his voice hardening just slightly, the Dom reasserting control, "We will discuss the consequences of hiding things from me. After dinner. And after we clean this hand."

I nodded against his chest, accepting the judgment, accepting the care, the punishment that would come.

Chapter 29. Florian

The white gauze around my knuckles was stark against the dark wood of Knox’s desk. It felt tight, a throbbing reminder of my own stupidity, but the ache in my hand was nothing compared to the weight sitting in the pit of my stomach. Dinner had been a lot of quiet chewing and the clinking of silverware, the silence not heavy, exactly, but anxious. Now, we were here. The study.

Knox’s expression was that terrifying calm that meant business.

"How is the hand?" he asked, his voice low.

"It throbs," I admitted, my voice small. I was leaning against the edge of the desk, tracing the grain of the wood with my good hand. "But it’s fine. You wrapped it good."

"Well," he corrected, moving toward me. "I wrapped it well."

He stopped a few feet away, invading my personal space in that way that usually made my knees weak. Tonight, it made myheart hammer. I knew what was coming. I craved it and dreaded it in equal measure.

"Now for your punishment," Knox stated. The change in his tone was subtle. A primal shiver raced down my back.

I swallowed hard, nodding. "Yes, Daddy."

"I want to be very clear, Florian," he continued, his dark eyes locking onto mine, pinning me in place. "This is not for the car. The Jaguar is an object. It is insured, it is metal, and it has no feelings. I do not care about the paint."

I bit my lip, the shame of the jagged white scar still fresh in my mind. "I know."

"This is for hiding it," he said, and there was the steel. "For punching a wall instead of coming to me. For driving a busted vehicle in a distressed emotional state, putting your life, my most precious thing, at risk. Iknowhe broke your heart again. Iknowthe car is precious to you, and that you wanted to solve it. We can fix it, baby, okay? But, for that, I need you to always be honest with me."

"I was scared," I whispered, the excuse flimsy even to my own ears.

Knox's fingers moved to his waist. "We can't control what frightens us," he said, the metallic whisper of his belt buckle punctuating his words. "But we always control whether we speak the truth or hide it." His dark eyes held mine as leather slid through loops with a soft hiss. I swallowed hard. "When you hide things from me instead of letting me shield you, you put yourself at risk. And I can't allow that to go uncorrected, Florian. Not when it concerns your safety."

He pulled the leather belt free from the loops with a long, sliding hiss. He folded it once, the sound of the leather snapping together making me flinch.

"Bend over the desk," he commanded. "Pants and briefs down to your knees."

I turned, my hands trembling as I fumbled with my button and zipper. I leaned forward, resting my weight on my forearms, mindful of my bandaged hand. It was funny how he wanted my hand not to hurt, but he didn't mind busting my ass.

I heard Knox step up behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself. My cock was hard even amidst this.

"I am punishing you because I need you to remember the meaning of our dynamic," Knox said. "Because I need you safe. Because you need to know that no matter how big the problem, we deal with ittogether. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy," I choked out.

The first stripe landed high on my thighs, a sharp, stinging bite that made me gasp. It wasn't the dull thud of a hand; the belt was precise and hot.

It hurt as fuck. I barely stopped myself from screaming. I squirmed in place, tears already in my eyes.

"One," Knox counted.

I barely had time to process the sensation before the second crack echoed. This one landed squarely on the curve of my ass, a line of fire that seemed to sear through the nerves. I hissed through my teeth, my fingers curling against the edge of the desk.

“Hmphhhm,” was all I could muster.

"Two. You do not hide from me, Florian."