“But—”
“Don’t ‘but’ me, tu diablo,” she said with a fierce light in her eyes as she unleashed the Latina she-cat. Her proud display of backbone very inconveniently tightened his dick as she threw caution to the wind while he battled the urge to put her over his knee for cutting him off while he was attempting to explain.
Bunny bit her lip, her eyes filled with apologies, but she wisely stayed silent while they dealt with Cassie’s question.
With his usual calm control, Joseph said, “It’s much more complicated than that, Cassandra. If you’d like to visit the club, I would be happy to explain the intricacies—”
Cassie turned the death glare on Joseph and held up a hand, halting him in mid-sentence, something he rarely saw happen to Joseph. “With all due respect, Sir, zip it.”
Joseph sighed, glanced at Bunny, who looked ready to cry, and nodded as he held up placating hands. “I apologize.”
Cassie glanced at Joseph, as if making sure he knew she meant no offense but then straightened her spine as she turned that fierce gaze on Samson again. “Did you strike Bunny?”
Bunny put a hand on her shoulder, but Cassie held up the other hand, halting her from speaking.
This was not how he wanted to introduce her to his sadistic tendencies. But even though it meant she might walk away, he owed her complete honesty and openness. “Yes, I gave her one hard swat across the derriere with a leather strap, with Joseph’s approval.”
She gulped and then firmed her jaw. “Did you enjoy it?”
He closed his eyes for a second, knowing this was it. They’d never even had a chance, thanks to him. “Yes.”
She picked up her purse from the table and slung it on her shoulder. “Right. Thank you for being honest. I need to go home.”
Grace touched her shoulder and said, “Cassie, don’t do this. Don’t make this mistake. You don’t understand.”
Cassie held up that staying hand again, without looking at her friend. “I need time to process this. You’ll ride back to Morehead with your brother?” she asked of Ivan, who sat in stoic silence and then nodded.
“Cassie, please,” Bunny pleaded softly, after checking with Joseph. “Please let me tell you the rest. It’s not what you think.”
Cassie shook her head as she rifled in her purse for her keys. “What I’m thinking right now is that I’ve been dominated by men all my life. I’ve been talked down to, ordered around like a servant, told what to do and what not to do, lied to, cheated on, and I might’ve been spanked as a small child, but at least none of them ever wanted to beat on me. I’m not ready to cater to a man who wants that, much less to inflict pain for his own pleasure.”
Samson caught Ivan’s eyes and said, “Go with her. She shouldn’t be alone right now.”
Cassie shook her finger. “No. ‘Alone’ is exactly what I need right now, and I don’t need you handling this situation.”
Samson reached for her hand, but she backed out of his reach. “But you’re upset. I’m thinking of your safety, not bossing you around, Cassandra.”
“The two of you are a package deal. That wouldn’t be fair.” Her chin wobbled, and hurt filled her eyes before she slipped through the crowd and hurried toward the door. Even mad at him, she was still soft hearted.
Grace hurried off after her, while Samson reeled, attempting to process the last couple of minutes. When she returned, she said, “Mike said he would make sure she got into her car and on her way safely.”
Samson turned to Bunny and counted to ten as she quailed before him and Joseph, not looking afraid so much as worried on his behalf. Bunny took Samson’s hand in her smaller ones and said, “Sir, I’m very sorry. I didn’t bring up what happened between us my first night at the club. I was explaining about Master Joseph’s clicker,” she said, glancing her husband’s way, including the title in there like she was hoping there wasn’t a punishment spanking in this for her. “And she must’ve extrapolated on what I said and drew her own conclusions. She point-blank asked me if you had ever spanked me. And…”
Joseph stroked her shoulder. “And you can’t tell a lie to save your soul.”
“I’m sorry. So sorry. I can go see her tomorrow or call her. She’ll let me explain once she’s calmed down.”
* * * *
Halfway home, Cassie wanted to turn the car around and go back. The timing for her hissy fit couldn’t have been worse, and she’d seen the regret in Samson’s eyes, along with the reluctant honesty. But the mental image of Samson laying a strap across Bunny’s bum made her cringe, and she kept going.