Discipline (Scott & Mariana) Read online

  She had been a good submissive to her Master, stumbling only every now and then. It had taken some getting used to—submitting to one person. She didn’t realize it, but her Master was teaching her willpower and discipline. He was teaching her how to be her own woman and be confident in her decisions. Their sex life was legendary, but it was nothing compared to what her Master was instilling within her. Self-worth, respect, and confidence.

  She had deeply disappointed Him. She felt it. She knew it.

  “You’ve disappointed Me, Mari,” Scott sat back down and sipped His wine, “you’ve really disappointed Me.”

  Mariana hated the tone her Master used. He sounded like a father speaking to a child. “I’m sorry, Master,” she lowered her head.

  Scott got up and retrieved a notepad and pen from His study. He came back to the dining room where Mariana was sitting. “You will write ‘I will not disrespect my Master’ a hundred times. I’ll be waiting in the office. See me when you’re done.” He kissed her forehead and left.

  With a sigh and a heavy heart, Mariana began writing.

  Four

  “Good morning,” a petite woman with auburn hair approached the reception desk at McCormick and Sheppard. “I’m here to see Scott Reed.”

  “Is he expecting you?” The receptionist looked at Scott’s schedule.

  “He always is,” the woman smiled. “Please ring him.”

  ****

  Scott was meeting with the creative directors in his office going over current campaigns and upcoming meetings, when he received a phone call. He ignored it but the phone kept ringing. Whoever was at the reception desk, they were impatient and working Scott’s nerves. “Yes?” he answered tartly.

  “You have a visitor, Mr. Reed,” the receptionist said.

  “I’m not expecting anyone.”

  “She says you are.”

  Scott blinked at the information. It was probably an old fling. He wondered who from his past was bold enough to play games. “I’m busy. They can leave a message.” Scott coldly replied. “If it’s important enough, they can wait.” He overheard the receptionist speak to someone.

  “She says to call her whenever you have time,” the receptionist replied. “Her name is Sanora.”

  Scott froze in his chair. She always seemed to have that effect on him. “Send her up,” he hung up the phone and turned to the directors. “All of you, out.”

  The directors filed out of Scott’s office. He took a glance at himself in the mirror and popped in a breath mint. He slicked his hair back a little and straightened his collar. He felt his forehead begin to moisten and lightly patted it. He hated how nervous he became around Her. He was always on top of his game, but around Sanora, he had to be even more so. She never expected anything but the best from him.

  A soft knock on Scott’s door signaled Her arrival. He hurriedly walked to the door and opened it. Standing before him was his Mistress. She was as gorgeous as ever. Her brown eyes were warm and inviting, daring him to look inside Her soul. Her soft hair lightly bounced against Her shoulders. And that smile She had—it walked a fine line between mischievous and sensual.

  Sanora was like no other; She knew it, too. “Scott,” She emphasized the S, letting it roll off Her tongue. “My dear Scott.”

  “Mistress,” Scott let Her inside and closed the door behind Her. He kneeled before Her in respect and gratitude, then stood back up. “What brings this visit?”

  “I just wanted to see how you’re doing, that’s all,” She smiled. “And if you were free for lunch? We can discuss more then.”

  Scott actually had a couple meetings lined up but they were not urgent. “Sure. Let me make a few calls.”

  “Take your time,” Sanora headed for the door. “I’ll wait for you just outside.”

  Sanora left Scott’s office and stopped by Elissa’s desk. “I hope he’s treating you fairly now.”

  Elissa smiled. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m getting paid enough.”

  Sanora glanced over to Scott to see he was on the phone and typing away at the computer at the same time. She turned her attention back to Elissa. “I’m going to need a favor from you soon,” Sanora quietly spoke.

  “Oh?” Elissa asked. “What can I do for you?”

  Sanora opened her clutch and pulled out several hundred dollar bills. “I need you to be on my payroll. Can you do that?”

  Elissa eyeballed the money before her. She quickly counted. It was several thousand dollars. “I don’t take money.”

  “Oh yes, you do.” Sanora smiled.

  It didn’t take Elissa long to figure out what Sanora was implying. She wanted to ask if the lady before her was the same mysterious person from years ago. It was best to keep her thoughts and actions silent. “What is that you need?”

  “Him in the office,” Sanora motioned towards Scott, “I need to know all of his travel plans.”

  “Sure thing. Anything else?”

  “The new girl that just started? Mariana? I need to know how she’s doing as well.” Sanora smiled.

  “You got it,” Elissa made quick notes in her head. “How would I contact you?”

  “Here’s my private number. This is between us. Scott can’t know about this.” Sanora smiled. She turned her attention to Nate, Alex, and Robert, the interns who were checking Her out. “Those new guys over there…are they trustworthy?”

  “More so than the girls!” Elissa laughed.

  Sanora’s lips turned into her trademark curl, and She waved to the young men, who waved back. “Good to know.”

  ****

  “Mistress, how have you been?” Scott asked as he sat across from her at the Sentiment restaurant.

  “I’ve been very well, Scott,” Sanora glanced over the menu. “How have you been?”

  “I’ve been very well,” Scott took a sip of ice water. “It seems everything is coming together, finally.”

  “That’s very nice to hear,” Sanora put Her menu down. “How’s Mariana working out for you?”

  Scott smiled. Mariana was exactly what he needed. She was His submissive in private, willing to do whatever He wanted. She was his no-bull girlfriend when needed, and he loved seeing how passionate she could get. If only he could get her to cook… “She’s perfect, Mistress.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” a slow curl formed on Sanora’s lips. “I’m very glad to hear that.”

  A waiter came by with the wine selection, and Sanora made a choice. “You never did tell me why you specifically chose Mariana?” Scott asked.

  Sanora could recall the first time she had seen Mariana Harlow. She was sweet yet feisty. She had a soft demeanor, but it was clear she was strong. Many women applied for the position based on the pay rate and bonuses, but Sanora personally hand-picked the ones for Scott to interview. The young woman didn’t realize it at the time, but her interview with Sanora was really an application for being Scott’s girlfriend and submissive.

  “What are your weaknesses?” Sanora had asked.

  “Hmm…” Mariana thought carefully. “Well, I guess I can get a little too passionate about things. I love a good debate. Sometimes I take things too personally when I really shouldn’t. But these are all things that I’m working on.”

  “Very good. What are your strengths?” Sanora asked.

  “Whenever I make a decision, I think of the pros and cons before deciding the final choice. I don’t do anything halfway.” Mariana stated proudly.

  “Do you consider yourself to be trustworthy?” Sanora asked.

  “Oh, very much. I still have secrets I’m keeping from the sixth grade!” Mariana laughed.

  Sanora smiled. “How well do you deal with aggressive clientele?”

  “I can hold my own,” Mariana confidently smiled.

  “What type of music do you listen to?”

  “I like a variety, but I love hip-hop and R&B. Is that a problem?”

  Hmm….it could be. Scott was young, but he definitely had an old-soul vibe to him.
“No, I’m just wondering for my own interests. Just make sure you wear headphones when you clean.”

  “Not a problem!” Mariana smiled.

  “Finally, what’s something fun about you?”

  “I have stuffed animals and I still sleep with them.” Mariana admitted. “I have a favorite, Sweet Pea.”

  The memory faded into the background, and Sanora smiled. “I just knew.”

  “When you met her, you knew right away?” Scott wondered.

  “Yes,” Sanora nodded. “You seem surprised.”

  “I shouldn’t be,” Scott quietly replied.

  “She needed guidance, and I felt you were the one to give it to her,” Sanora explained. “Was I right?”

  A slow smile formed on Scott’s lips. His Mistress truly knew him better than he knew himself at times. “Always.”

  “Scott,” Sanora leaned forward, exposing a bit of her ample breasts, “I tend to do things on my own terms, in my own way. It may not make sense at first but after a while, once the smoke clears and you see your picture-perfect view, you’ll wonder why you ever doubted me.”

  Scott warmly smiled. “You really are my kinky godmother.”

  “I wear that title with pride,” She sensually smiled.

  A waiter came by to talk lunch specials and take their order. He soon left. “I also chose Mariana for a specific reason,” Sanora began, “she reminds me a lot me when I was younger. She has a fire inside her I haven’t seen in a long while. You can help her.”

  “That’s what I’m planning to do, Mistress,” Scott replied.

  “However, there is something about her you might want to keep in mind,” Sanora took a sip of wine, “she’s not like any other woman you’ve dated before. She’s her own woman.”

  “That’s what I love about her.”

  “You’re not hearing me, Scott,” Sanora replied, “Mariana is smart enough to know the difference between love and sex. Love is love and sex is sex. But when combined, they are beautiful and in sync with each other.”

  “You’re telling me something I already know, Mistress,” Scott countered. “And I’m sure Mariana knows it as well.”

  “If you want to own her mind and her body, you need to own her heart as well.” Sanora clarified. “The moment you break her heart, it’ll be a long time before she forgives you.”

  “You’re preaching to the choir, Mistress,” Scott reasoned.

  “I’m a teacher instructing Her student,” Sanora smiled. “Be careful with Mariana. Just because she opens her legs to you, it doesn’t mean she forgives you. It also doesn’t mean that she loves you. It just means she was horny and you were something to do.”

  “Are you predicting the future?” Scott raised an eyebrow.

  “I most certainly hope not,” Sanora smiled.

  “I need to start training Mariana. I know there’s so much more to her than what’s being presented.” Scott said. “I just don’t know where to start.”

  “Have you started giving her mantras to say?” Sanora suggested.

  “I thought about it,” Scott nodded, “I don’t know which ones are appropriate for her.”

  “You need to choose some that will build her confidence more. Something that will empower her whenever she says it. She’ll think of you when she says them, of course, but the sole purpose behind the mantras is to make her independent even when you’re not around.”

  “I’m also monitoring her spending habits. She’s getting better.” Scott added. “She only had a couple of overdrafts this past month.”

  “A couple?” Sanora raised an eyebrow.

  “Hey, it’s better than the six she was averaging per month,” Scott added. “Baby steps.”

  “What about her eating habits?”

  “She still goes to McDonald’s and what-not, but she doesn’t do that so much now that she knows I cook.” Scott took a sip of wine. It was smooth with a little tartness. “I want her to enroll in cooking classes soon, though.”

  “I have a friend who does cooking classes at the mall,” Sanora replied. “She can help.”

  “Good,” Scott nodded approvingly. “It’s going to take some time to cultivate her into the woman I know she can be. I just have to be patient.”

  “With her or with you?”

  Scott took another sip of wine. “Both.”

  Five

  Her body was at work but her mind was with her Master.

  Mariana stared blankly at the computer screen before her, looking over a new campaign ad. It had already been approved and sent out to the magazine, but Mariana kept the image on the screen. It made her look busy. It made her look like she was contributing something of value to the agency. It made her look like she had other things to do.

  Other things than worry about her boyfriend.

  It had been a few days since Halloween. Mariana hadn’t seen Scott, and he only sent her a simple text message: I’ll talk to you when it’s appropriate. Mariana translated that simple text to mean Scott would talk to her when the moment was right. Whenever that moment would be, she wished she could predict. Mariana had to keep reminding herself that Scott Reed was on his own time and no one else’s.

  That had been several days ago, and Mariana had been anxiously waiting by her phone for Scott to contact her. She slept with her phone on, took it with her in the bathroom…the phone never left her side in case Scott called. He never did. It was then Mariana realized the severity of her mistake. She was struggling to keep patient.

  She had disobeyed her Master. She had betrayed the trust of her boyfriend. She needed to prove to him he could trust her again.

  “You look troubled,” Scott approached her from behind.

  Scott’s sudden appearance startled Mariana. “Hi, Mr. Reed. Good morning,” she addressed him politely.

  “Good morning, Ms. Harlow,” he smiled, “do you have a minute?”

  “Sure,” Mariana gathered a pen and notepad with her and followed Scott into his office and closed the door behind her.

  Scott dropped his briefcase on a nearby chair and took off his blazer. He walked over to the front of his desk and motioned for Mariana to sit before him. “I wanted to talk to you about the other night. I wanted to get your feelings on what happened.”

  “I disobeyed you and I was properly punished,” Mariana nodded.

  “Do you think you were punished or do you think it was discipline?”

  Mariana thought hard for a moment. She truly thought discipline and punishment were interchangeable. “I thought they were one and the same, Master.”

  “Not quite,” Scott leaned against the desk and casually folded his arms across his chest. “Discipline is to keep you in check, on the straight and narrow. For example, when I want to see your bank statements, I’m making sure you’re not spending too much money since you said you had a spending problem. I want you to understand that when I discipline you, I’m training you to become a better person.

  “Punishment is usually when something really bad has taken place. For example, you know you’re not supposed to go into that top drawer, and you did anyway,” Scott clarified. “You disobeyed me yet again. I had to punish you. I didn’t talk to you for a few days so you could understand the magnitude of what happened.”

  Mariana nodded as she understood. Scott avoiding her was punishment in and of itself, and she hated not hearing from him. “I’m sorry, Master,” she bent her head down.

  “Forgiven. You already accepted the punishment,” Scott added. He lifted Mariana’s chin to his gaze and held it. “But I’m willing to put this all behind us as long as you know you are not to disrespect me again.”

  Mariana nodded. “I won’t disrespect you again, Master.”

  “Very good,” Scott held out his hand and Mariana grabbed it. He gently pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her back. “I only want the best for you, My pet,” He whispered in her ear. “I only want the best for you.”

  Mariana closed her eyes. She loved the way He sme
lled—like earth, musk, and wood. She loved the way He felt as their bodies pressed against each other. It had been several days—several long days—since she had seen her Master. She missed His strong arms wrapped around her back. She craved His experienced lips kissing her lips, her breasts, her stomach, her core, her entire being. She missed hearing His moans in her ear as He was on top of her, thrusting inside, bringing her to new heights each and every time.

  No man had ever made her feel that way. “I understand, Master.”

  Scott pulled away from Mariana and caressed her face. “I want you to come back over for dinner tonight. Pack an overnight bag for a few days.”

  “A few days?” Mariana barely contained the bounce in her legs. It would be the longest she and Scott had ever spent together. “What are we doing, Master?”

  Scott wanted to tell Mariana the true reason why he wanted her over at his home for an extended period—he wanted to test the waters of them living together. Instead, he just said the only word that was on his mind. “Practice.”

  ****

  Mariana sat in the waiting room at the Mercedes-Benz dealership pretending to be entertained by her phone. She didn’t know what all entailed getting maintenance, but she did know she was bored out of her wits. She had only been there for a few minutes and could think of things she rather be doing instead.

  While Scott was talking business with the mechanics, Mariana decided to venture out into the lot and check out the new rides. She knew just by looking at the cars that there was no way she would be able to afford any of the ones there.

  “See anything you like?” A salesperson approached her.

  “I see everything I like,” Mariana laughed. “Just looking, really. I’m waiting for my boyfriend inside.” She glanced over to Scott, who waved at her.

  “Ah,” the salesperson nodded, “maybe you could convince him to get you a car for your birthday? Or better yet, Christmas, since it’s coming up!”