Aria Maxwell's POV,

Mum is going to have my head tonight. 

Maybe not literally at least, but I'm definitely going to get more scolding than an average girl of my age. 

Why? Because I'm out past 12am. For a fucking party, even after she strictly told me to return before then. 

Well, at least, I enjoyed myself. Besides, in what world does a nineteen year old girl and her movement gets controlled?

Mine, of course. 

I scoff and shrug at the same time, then push the front doors slowly, my heart racing as I step inside the mansion. The house is dark, save for the faint moonlight streaking through the windows as it falls on the marble floors. 

When my vision adjusts to the dark and I close the door behind me, I exhale in relief. 

Glad she isn't awake. I might just tell a lie in the morning that I returned earlier than expected. 

With the thought in mind, I slip out of my heels and pick them in my hands, adjusting the strap of my bag before heading towards the stairwell by instinct. 

However, just as I'm about to take the first step, the lights come on immediately, and my heart skips, followed by the deep, familiar, sound of his voice. 

"Care to explain why you're out late by this time, Ari?"

Fuck. 

It's Kade Calloway. Mother's husband, and my step father. 

Great. 

Ignoring the prickling sensation at the back of my neck as shivers travel up my spine, I turn slowly, the sound of my heartbeat loud in my ear. And that's when my gaze meets his cold, grey ones. 

Kade is dressed in the same work dress as this morning, a black shirt and pants, except the top two buttons of the shirt are open now, and the sleeves are rolled up his forearms, all revealing skin and the hair underneath it. 

Fuck. 

I swallow and drag my gaze back to his own, and I force a smile on my face, then take a step forward. 

"Oh," I begin. "Hello?"

His gaze drags over my petite form, taking in the crop top and flail skirt I'm wearing that stops mid thigh, my bare feet, and the heels in my hands, before meeting mine again. 

He raises a brow. "What time is it, Ari?"

"It's almost 3 am," I reply, shifting uncomfortably. 

"And?"

"I know I shouldn't have been out by this time," I say, awkwardness biting at me. "But look," I begin again. "I had no choice. I wanted to enjoy my time out there."

"There are other ways to enjoy your time outside than partying almost all night like some reckless teenager," he says, taking a step closer to me. "Your mother was worried about you."

"I know," I say immediately, trying to rein in the sudden anger creeping up my neck at how much I'm being policed. "But this is my life too, you know? I need to enjoy."

Kade sucks in a breath, like he's speaking to a child before replying. "Again, Ari, there are so many other ways to enjoy your youth other than this. It's not safe."

"But I can protect myself!" I almost snap. "I don't need you all breathing down my neck for fuck's sake. I'm literally nineteen!"

Kade's eyes narrow. "Language, girl," he says, his voice now hardened. "I'm not one of your friends who you can speak to the way you like."

"And if I speak to you like that?" I shoot back almost immediately. "What are you going to do?"

He glares at me. "Aria..."

"What?" I ask, stepping closer to him. "What do you expect me to do? You can't blame me for spending time outside this late when I'm always policed. I'm past the age of being controlled by anyone! It's my fucking life."

I know I should keep quiet and apologize, but at this point, I'm far too gone to stop. I'm sick and tired of mum always trying to control my life. 

"I'll be twenty soon, Kade," I continue. "Or would you guys want to control my sex life even after - "

My words die on my tongue when his hand reaches out and wraps around my throat before he pulls me closer. 

"Enough with the attitude, Aria," he says, his voice now deadly calm. "Stop throwing a tantrum."

My ears buzz at his words, but instead of feeling angry, a searing, hot zap shoots straight to the middle of my legs, making my knees feel like jelly as my nipples harden against my top. 

What? No. 

I thought I already managed to deal with this strange attraction to my own step father after putting space between us for weeks now, but clearly, one skin contact is enough to lighten up that damn feeling. 

It had started as a crush just when I was seventeen, right after he married mum. When she told me she was getting married then - after living as a single mother since my own father died - I'd been so happy for her and expected to meet someone around the age of dad. 

Turns out, I was wrong. Because Kade is just forty-one, two years older than her. 

And sadly, I've been having fantasies of him ever since then. Always imagining him doing unthinkable things to me. 

"People your age don't do that."

I'm momentarily pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of Kade's voice, and I purse my lips into a thin line, then glare at him. 

"You think this is a tantrum?" I ask. "It's not. I just want to live like a normal teenager!"

"You have the life any teenager can ever ask for, Aria," he lets me go and takes a step back. "Go to bed. Good night."

Then, he turns. 

"You know what, Kade?" The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them as he takes a step. "Fuck you."

Kade freezes in place, and when he turns immediately, his gaze dark with an unreadable look, I just know that I've fucked up. 

Because he looks real pissed. 

"I - "

"I've always warned you against those profanities, girl," he growls, marching towards me. "Seems you need to be punished."

I open my mouth to protest, but the world tilts around me before I can, and I'm hauled over his shoulder, my heels and bag falling onto the floor. 

"Drop me."

"No," Kade says, walking towards the living room. "I'm not dropping you until you get your proper punishment."

I flail my hand and leg in the air, careful not to wake mum upstairs while fighting, but none of that seems to bother Kade. If anything, it pushes him faster, and only after he settles on one of the couches in the living room does he drop me, only to put me on his thigh instead. 

Except, it's my ass facing him, and I'm looking down at the floor. 

"This is wrong!" I whisper-yell, trying to move away despite the wetness suddenly pooling between my legs. "Let me go, you - fuck."

My words on a whimper and an almost-scream when a sharp sting registers on my ass, and I realize, with startling clarity, that this man just raised my skirt up and spanked me. 

"Time to discipline you."

Aria Maxwell's POV,

"Are you out of your mind?!" 

That's the first thing I'm able to whisper-yell to Kade so mum doesn't hear, my head whipping backwards so I can glare at him. 

However, before I can, his other hand comes around my neck from behind to push my face down before he drops another smack right against my other ass. 

I jerk immediately, the sting sending warmth shooting between my legs.

"Kade - "

"You deserve to be punished for being a disobedient brat." He drops another smack, the sound resounding in the room. "For being a mouthy little brat who won't just listen to orders."

"Why should I listen to orders?" I shoot back, struggling to push myself off his thighs. "I'm not a -"

"You are what I say you are." Smack. "Am I clear?"

I don't say anything. 

Another smack follows again, and I jerk, certain he's going to leave his handprints on my ass. 

"Am I clear, Aria?"

Again, I say nothing. 

"You won't say anything?" He asks, dropping another spank. "Fine by me. We'll remain here until your mother finds you like this."

"No, no, no," I begin to rush up immediately, but he pushes me back down, tightening his grip around my neck. "I'm going to - "

"Am I clear, Aria?" He asks. "You are what I say you are. A spoilt brat, whatever."

"Yes, yes," I nod, vigorously. "Now, can I go?"

"Too bad, you can't," he says, voice strained. "Your punishment isn't over."

"What?" I breathe out. "What do you - "

"Count," he growls, then slaps my ass. 

"You - "

Another snack. 

"Kade, stop - "

Smack. 

"If you don't count, I promise we're going to remain here, Aria," he says, rubbing the spot where he hit, it makes my cheeks flare with warmth. "Should I start again?"

"This is depraved," I say, keeping my head down. "You shouldn't touch me like this. It's - "

"It's what?" He asks, dragging his index finger between my ass crack where my thong line sits before stopping just by my crotch. When I try to shift away from his touch, feeling the heat in my core increasing, he presses harder, a low hum reverberating in his chest. "It's bad?"

I nod frantically, hiding my face while trying to hold back a moan. "Y-yes."

"Yet your panties are soaked?" He asks, a mocking tone to his voice. "So, not only are you a brat, but also a pretty little liar. How convenient."

"Kade-"

"Count to ten, Aria," he says. "And if you stop, I'll start from the beginning. Is that clear?"

At first, I try to act defiant, pursing my lips together. But on a second thought, I decide against it.

If he wants to do this, then so do I. I'm a grown woman, and there's no need hiding my desires. 

With that thought in mind, I nod, biting down on my lower lip. 

"Y-yes."

"That's my girl," he says, the praise sending more wetness out of my pussy. "Now count."

Smack.

"One."

Smack.

"Two."

Smack.

"Three."

By the seventh spank, tears are already rushing down my cheeks mixed with snot, my whole body hot with desire as I dampen his pants and my own thong with the juices leaving my pussy. 

Once he reaches the tenth, he stops finally, then rubs his palms across my two ass cheeks to soothe the sting while I wince. 

"You did well, baby," he says, his voice even more strained now, like he's trying to control himself. "Such a good little girl."

I hiccup, raising my hand to wipe my tears. However, before I can, he raises me and puts me on his thighs, reaching to wipe the tears for me. 

"Well done," he says, leaning in to drop a kiss to my forehead. 

Everything that's happening - including the feel of his hard-on against my core - should make me feel irritated and disgusted, but it doesn't. If anything, the treatment and random pecks he keeps dropping makes my body hotter, and before I know it, I begin to grind my hips against him, rubbing myself against his thigh.

"Fuck," he rasps, his hand shooting out to grab my hips as I increase my tempo. "Fuck."

The veins popping from his forehead and neck tells me he wants this as much as I do, including the way his breathing turns more shallow. When he throws his head backwards against the couch and swallows, his Adam apple bobbing, I move closer and put my clothed pussy against his ow clothed cock, grinding helplessly against it. 

"You're so good, Aria," he groans, helping my movements. "God."

"Mmm," I moan, my movements becoming more frantic as I feel the pressure in my lower stomach build. 

The idea of mum coming down here anytime soon to find me and her husband doing this should make me feel guilty and stop. But it doesn't. 

Instead, it makes my pussy flutter, walls clenching around nothing, and before I know it, I'm coming, my orgasm rippling through me. 

Once I'm done and spent, my head drops against Kade's chest, both our breathings coming out raggedy, the air around us filled with the smell of arousal. 

After what feels like forever, Kade breaks the silence. 

"We shouldn't have done this."

I wait for the shame that should've covered me as I silently agree with him, but it doesn't come. 

I feel emboldened instead. Wanting to do more. 

"Yet we still did," I say. "And I want to do more than just that."

"Jesus," he says, pulling me to look at him. "What are you -"

"Do you want to pretend you don't feel this too?" I ask, grinding against him again as another round of arousal hits me. "Do you want to pretend you didn't like this?"

"Aria-"

"You started it," I say, reaching down to press on his cock. "You finish it. Because I've been wanting you for a very long time. Even before now."

His nostrils flare at my words, pupils bowing wide before he clenches his jaw. "Same here, baby," he says. "I've been dreaming of you since I can last remember."

My lips curl into a smile at his confession, and I lean in, my gaze still on his. "Then, let's make the best of tonight."