AI art by me. Titled “Bratting Never Looked So Good.”

Your mouth will get you into more trouble than your ass can handle!

Cecilia knew that phrase by heart.  It could have been her life motto or mantra.    

She was a sassy sub and knew it.  It was listed on her FetLife profile, her BlueSky account, and everywhere else.  

She had a system but didn’t share it with anyone until recently.  Cecilia groaned as she stood up and felt the bruises and welts from her paddling and belting earlier. Oh, she’d deserved it.  She’d earned every licking and smack.  Thank God, he’d given it to her!

See, Cecilia would start with a Dom and play nicey-nice for the first encounter to lull them into a sense of false security.  The next session, she’d begin to unleash her inner-kraken brat—little comments, little teases, ones that should get a rise out of a Dominant man.  For God’s sake, she was calling his authority into question!  Of course, he should respond.  He should respond with Shock and Awe!

So few of them did, though.  It was very disappointing.  Most often, they’d overlook it or say they were being kind to let “that one” go, etc.  No, they shouldn’t.  They should never let any of them go.  It wasn’t her place to tell them that.  Either they knew it, or they didn’t.  So far, the world seemed full of “didn’ts.”

This was before she met Dominic.  It was so fitting that his real name was also what he so profoundly was: a Dom.  He didn’t let her get away with anything…anything at all.  The poor man had even broken a wooden spoon on her ass a week ago!  He’d had a spare, of course.  

Dom had even passed the acid test.  She’d bratted in public while he was buying her some new lingerie.  He warned her once.  She ignored it.  He smiled, then grabbed her, and she was quickly over his lap as he sat on the padded bench just outside the fitting rooms at Victoria’s Secret.  The girls working there had frozen like a herd of deer in headlights.

Down came her tiny thong, and he spanked her well into some sniffles.  It didn’t matter if she said she was sorry.  It was way too late for that.

“Does one of you have a ruler?  A thick one?” He’d asked the closest clerk.

The little blonde looked like she’d panic and run because he’d spoken to her.

“What, Sir?” She asked.

Cecilia noticed the Sir as new since she’d last spoken to him.

Dom sighed.  “Rule, long piece of wood, used to measure things, and often used to paddle naughty girls on the bottom.  Like ones who can’t remember if there is a ruler?” He warned her.

The blonde made a noise like “Eep.”  She darted to one of the counters, and the sound of drawers being opened began.

Cecilia didn’t hear the rest because Dom began her spanking again, only more so.    

Her internal civil war was raging harder than ever before.  Cecilia was an intelligent, capable, articulate woman.  She worked in business, and she was good at her work.  It was child’s play to intimidate men and women under her in the company, so she did.  How it would shock her co-worker, Jon, to find out she was submissive underneath.

Being so inclined, she always fought with herself over submitting to anyone.  It was also why she needed to be held to a strict rule of law.  The capable one screamed at her to not take this and tell Dom to go to hell.  The submissive in her was all curled up with her bottom raised high for a spanking she knew she’d practically begged him to give her.  The struggle was real.

Blondie came over with a ruler that looked rather wicked.  “This one, Sir?” She asked in a voice of harsh comment away from tears.

He took it. “Put out your hand, palm up.” He told her.

She blinked but slowly did what he’d asked.

THWAP!

He spanked her palm with the ruler.  

Blondie cried out but didn’t move her hand, which Cecilia thought was telling.  Blondie was a sub in disguise!  

“Did that sting?” He asked her.

“Yessss…” She whispered.  “A lot, Sir.”

“Then this one will do.  The spank was for taking too long.” He explained.

She nodded but still didn’t take down her hand.

“Do you need more?” He asked her.

She then realized what she was doing, shook her head, and started to lower her palm, but…she put it back up, closed her eyes, and whispered, “I think two more, Sir.”

“Hmm,” Dom said, and Cecilia knew it was in surprise.

THWAP! THWAP!

Blondie whimpered but now lowered her hand and began to rub it with her other palm.  “Thank you, Sir.” She whispered.

“You’re welcome.  Name?” He asked.

“Tina, Sir.” She meekly replied.  

“You’ll write your number and contact info on our receipt before we leave, understood?” He commanded.

“Yes, SIr.” She nodded with a faint grin.

“Now for you.” Dom turned his attention back to Cecilia and made her a very, very, very sorry little girl.  

Later, kneeling in a corner of a fitting room, arms behind her back and bottom on display, he’d asked her why she’d done it.  

Cecilia almost sighed in relief.  Finally, a Dom was asking the right questions at the right time.  She could never say this to him in a well-paddled/punished headspace.

“I was testing you, Sir.  It’s…it’s what I do.” She shrugged.

“I’ve noticed…again…why?” He persisted.

She let it all spill out: the civil war, the need for a very strict Dom, and she finished with what she’d been dying to tell someone who had earned hearing it.

“I should never be given an inch, Sir.  Not a…SINGLE…inch.  I…I need to be broken to your will, Sir.  It will need to happen more than once, but I will love every second I hate you, too, for doing it.”  Sh lowered her head.

“I see.” He was quiet.  “I will ask only once and once only.  Are you sure you want this?”

She hesitated only a second or two.  “Yes, Sir.  With all my heart and soul.”

“So be it then.”  He’d told her.  

He’d then sent her back to the clerks with no bottoms to apologize for her behavior and paid for the new lingerie. She even carefully checked the receipt for the information on Tina, who was looking at her with wide eyes.

“Want to see?” Cecilia asked her.

“Please?” Tin asked.

Cecilia turned around and pointed.  “These are from that God-awful ruler you found.”

“I’m sorry,” Tina said.

“No, don’t be sorry.  I asked for this.  I needed this, and I am thrilled he gave it to me.  If you don’t understand why I’m happy about it and happy to wear his marks, then you’d best not go any further into this stuff.  I can tell you’re curious.”  Cecilia said while they ran Dom’s card.

“I…yeah…it…when he…” She stammered.

Cecilia felt pity for the poor thing.  “When he spanked your palm, you got wet and horny?” 

“Very.” Tina groaned.  “Is that bad?”

“Depends on who you talk to, Honey.  I’m the same way, only much worse.  I wouldn’t have minded a bit if Sir had bent me over that bench and fucked me right there with an audience.  I’d have begged for it even.”  Cecilia shrugged.  “But I know what I am and what I want.  Be sure you do before you start.”

Tina nodded.  “Would he help me with that?  Would that bother you?”

“He would, and he is free to do as he wishes.  He’s been honest that he isn’t a one-sub kind of Dom.  I wouldn’t be bothered.” Cecilia told her.

“Thank you.” Tina hesitated.  “Is he going to let you wear something out of the store?”

Cecilia laughed.  “I have no idea, and that’s up to him.  One good rule?  When asked what your Dom does?  Always remember: whatever he damn well pleases.”

Dom had let her wear her original skirt again, but she hadn’t asked.  It was up to him.  He was her Dom.  He was indeed her Dom now, and the next step was to get him to take her as…his slave.

She smiled as she stepped into an icy shower to ease some of the throbbing.  Sir had given her back a gift after her last session with him, and his hand then belt.  He’d told her he loved her. She was still fighting and wouldn’t want her ever to stop!  She tingled under the cold spray but felt a deep heat.  Cecilia had finally found a man who got it.

What fun was there just to tame a shrew once?  Who was to say the shrew didn’t enjoy the process of being tamed?  So why just have a one-and-done?  Cecilia was now free to build herself back up and then defy him only to have him beat her down into deep submission over…and over…and… She stopped.  She didn’t have permission to touch herself, and she was in no mood to be a brat today.