Cassie's New Plan(20)

“What she needs is a good paddling.”

“I don’t disagree. But she also needs the kind of love and attention you can give her. A strong hand and an open heart. Listen carefully…if she didn’t feel something for you, she wouldn’t have been so upset with you storming out of here. Right?”

“She probably felt abandoned again, like what her asshole father did,”Rob said quietly, feeling guilty.

“Yeah…but think this out. She needs you. Her asshole father never came back for her. You will. And you’ll win her over. Give it a chance. You trust my judgment, right?”

“Always.”

“Don’t change anything. Be firm, be consistent, and just watch your words. You know where I stand with you two and that I’ll be there to support you like I always have. Now, change the subject. When do the rest of us get to see your new place? Are you done with the renovations?”

Rob happily described the changes he had made, promising to have the family over as soon as the dock was finished. The brothers chatted for a while longer and then Bryon had to excuse himself to go to work. He ended with a suggestion. “Why don’t you pick up Cass and bring her over there? Let her be the first. It would make her feel special.”

“I owe her a serious hiding for this weekend, Bry…I don’t think…”

“No, don’t think. Just do it. It will make you both feel better,”Bryon ordered. Rob sighed, promising to think about the suggestion. Satisfied, Bryon said his goodbyes and hung up the phone.

Cassie was still in bed when Rob showed up. He marched upstairs, turned on her lights and opened the curtains.

“Huh? Rob? You okay? It’s early!”she groaned, hiding her head under the pillow.

“It’s not early, it’s 9:30. Get up and get dressed. We’re going out,”he commanded.

Cassie sat up, rubbing her eyes. “I thought you were mad. Why would you want to go anywhere with me?”

Rob muttered something and left the room abruptly. Thinking better than to test him while he was in this mood, Cassie showered and dressed in jeans and a light green sweater. It was a gloomy, damp mid-October day, promising rain. She sighed, pulling on her Uggs. The bed looked more and more inviting and she put her head back down on the pillow.

“I told you to get up, Cassandra. I didn’t mean tomorrow!”Rob said gruffly.

“I’m tired. I got dressed…OOOWWWW!”Cassie yelped as his large hand cracked the back of her jean-clad thigh. She sat up quickly, glaring at him. “How dare you! Why are you being such a fucking asshole!”she hissed, her green eyes flashing from under strands of loose, blond hair.

Rob pointed at her. “Watch your mouth, young lady, or I swear, you will be eating soap. Now stop stalling and get your little butt downstairs. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere with you!”Cassie yelled, hugging her pillow.

Rob stood with his hands on his hips. “I didn’t ask you. Ten minutes. Don’t make me come back up here,”he growled, leaving the room.

Cassie glowered. That was more like the Rob she knew. In a way, it was comforting, but it was also disconcerting. How far did she dare push him? Well, after last night, she would dare quite a bit. She flipped him off, unseen of course, then climbed back into bed. Fuck him, anyway.

True to his word, Rob returned in exactly ten minutes to find her sound asleep. Snarling, he grabbed her mattress and effortlessly lifted it from the bed, dumping her unceremoniously on the hard floor.

“You son of a bitch!”Cassie yelled, glaring at him with hate in her eyes.

Rob pointed at her again. “I warned you about your mouth. You have the choice. You get soaped now or when you get spanked. Answer me!”

“I am NOT a child! You can’t…stop it!”she shrieked, kicking at him as, with one arm, he lifted her off the ground and held her by the waist at his hip. She found herself dangling as he placed his left foot on the frame of her bed and held her across his thigh.

“You will NOT—”SPANK! “—speak to me—”SPANK! “—or anyone else—”SPANK! “—like that—”SPANK! “—again!”He punctuated each word with a sharp, heavy smack across her sit spot. Cassie wailed, unable to escape and fearful of being dropped on her head. “You are a rude, obnoxious little brat and that—”SPANK! “—will stop—”SPANK! “—now!”

Rob’s hand repeatedly found its target; he landed spank after spank on the tender crease where her bottom met her thighs. He longed to see the redness, but that would have to wait. Right now, she needed to see that he was in charge and would tolerate no further defiance from her.