Three Months Later

Eric watched as Andie entered the Green Parlour, wearing a revealing dress the color of wine. Her blond hair tumbled down her back in easy waves, and a black mask covered enough of her face to hide her identity from the remaining patrons. Only Eric and Teddy knew who she truly was.

Over the past several months, the patrons of the Green Parlour had grown accustomed to seeing the beautiful girl on the arm of the man who ran the establishment. They were a sight to see, and everybody buzzed to life when the two operated with one another.

She was the only one who had ever pressed Eric's limits, or who would ever dare challenge him in this setting. She was also the only one who was wholeheartedly submissive to him.

Tonight, the patrons were going to see something special.

Eric had specifically instructed Andie to wear the little black dress. But, she arrived in something red and revealing; intentionally disobeying him.

He smirked when he saw it, shaking his head as he imagined what little consequence Andie was hoping to receive for her disobedience. She should know by now that Eric would never give her the punishment she hoped for when she behaved so childishly.

The crowd parted as she approached, allowing the queen of the Green Parlour to take her place next to her king. She only had eyes for him.

As she neared, Eric held out his hand, and she gracefully slipped her palm into his.

Normally, this is where they would kiss, and then she and Eric would observe the other patrons before exploring their own scene and creating quite a show for everyone else. But tonight, Eric was irked at Andie's blatant disobedience.

"Kneel," he commanded curtly, his tone low and harsh. She was taken off guard, and blinked, stunned, before doing as she was told.

He had waited for her in the center of the room, so a circle of people already formed around them. Eric paid them no mind as he crouched behind Andie and spoke low in her ear.

"I think you're beginning to think a little too highly of yourself."

She shuddered and kept her eyes straight ahead, not daring to speak.

"I told you to wear the black dress, didn't I?"

"Yes, sir."

"But you didn't. You decided that my instructions weren't worth listening to. Perhaps..." He smoothed her hair over one shoulder and his hot breath fanned her neck and sent shivers down her spine. "...my queen needs to be lowered to something more...subservient."

"No, sir, please... I'm sorry I disobeyed you."

"Be quiet. I did not give you permission to speak."

Andie whimpered. They had played this game before. Andie was lowered to the lowest degree of submissive. She wasn't allowed to tease or challenge him. Eric pushed her limits and the only thing that saved her was the use of her safeword. The rest of her complaints would be overlooked.

Eric had only ever had to do this once before, for the same reasons as he was having to do it now. He predicted that every two to three months, Andie would need to be tugged back from feeling like she could get away with little slips such as ignoring Eric's instructions on which dress to wear.

"I'm not such a brute that I dress you every single day, hmm?" Eric asked as he circled around Andie and crouched down in front of her. "I rarely instruct you to wear something specific. And tonight, I had good reason to request the black dress. But since you have taken matters into your hands, this pretty little thing," Eric smoothed his hand down the length of Andie's ribs, "may not survive the evening."

Andie swallowed. She chewed on the inside of her lip, and she looked like she wanted to say something, but Eric wasn't going to invite her to speak. Instead, he returned to her back and found the zipper that kept her dress together.

"Shall I inform our guests why you won't be treated as my queen tonight?"

"No, sir," Andie breathed. Eric tugged at her hair.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

She flinched. After all this time, she continued to forget that Eric preferred clear responses—since she was just a kid who wound up over his knee for her transgressions...

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

Just like his first night with her, he lowered her dress to her waist, bearing her breasts, but keeping the rest of her clothing intact. She blushed, as she always did.

Eric imagined he could bear her breasts in front of the whole Green Parlour for the next twenty years and she would blush everytime.

Standing, he retreived a thick pillar candle that he had stashed intentionally on a nearby chest. It was black and brand new; never lit, so the wick stood tall upon a flat surface.

Returning to Andie, he lowered down to one knee in front of her. With a near-patronizing smile, he offered her the candle. She blinked innocently at him, in absolute bewilderment as she gingerly accepted it.

"Hold it around its middle, not the bottom, with both hands—good girl."

Eric reached into his pocket and produced a small lighter. He lit the candle, and then returned the lighter to his pocket.

A curious murmur hummed above the crowd as Eric straightened and took a seat in a heavy woodback chair. He crossed an ankle over his knee, and propped his elbow up on the table.

Andie looked at him expectantly, waiting for something to begin, but Eric only bestowed her with patient smiles. She averted her eyes to the crowd, hoping to find a hint amongst the patrons, but nobody seemed to understand Eric's intention.

Biting her lip, Andie returned her gaze to the flickering flame on her candle, and watched as the wax melted and started pooling in the center. It spread outward.

Eric waited patiently.

Andie looked up at Eric, her eyes big as realization set in just as the wax trickled over the edge of the candle and onto her hands.

Gasping, Andie's hands gripped the candle as reaction to the pain. She hissed through her teeth and watched as a steady trickle of wax spilled down the sides of the candle, dripping down her fingers and her hands, all the way to her wrists and forearms before hardening and sticking to her skin.

Whimpering, Andie turned her eyes back to Eric, silently imploring him to show mercy. But Eric only smiled a smile that said he could hear her apologies but chose to continue her discipline anyway.

"Come, Andie..." he scolded gently, leaning his elbows onto his knees. "It doesn't hurt so terribly, does it?"

"It's uncomfortable," she breathed, a small pout forming on her mouth. It only widened Eric's smile because he knew that she was all right. Candle wax didn't hurt so much as sting for a brief moment. She was used to far worse, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try to use one of her little tricks to get herself out of it.

Andie knew how much Eric adored the sight of a pretty pout on her lips; it brought out the Daddy in him, who was always more lenient with his baby girl.

But Eric only smirked and shook his head at his pouting girl. "That's not going to work, sweetheart." He reached forward and tweaked her nose. "As much as I would love to treat you like a little princess right now, you haven't earned it, have you?"

"Daddy..." she whined softly, trying her hardest to change Eric's mind. Her face blushed a deep red, never having called Eric Daddy in front of the patrons of the Green Parlour before.

"No, angel," Eric warned with a stern shake of his head. Andie sniffled, casting her eyes down. "Oh you tragic little thing..." He tipped her chin with his finger. "What would you have me do instead?"

She offered half a shrug, clearly not thinking that far ahead.

Examining her hands and wrists, Eric took the candle from her and instructed her to position herself on all fours. She obeyed, just as Eric knew she would despite the great hesitation. Then, he placed the candle at the small of her back.

"Hold very still, my sweet girl..." Eric sang as he slowly released the candle, ensuring it would balance before he entirely let go. "You don't want the candle to tip and burn you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy..." Andie moaned, just as the wax spilled down the sides of the candle and onto the tender flesh of her back.

Eric chuckled. "Oh, you're trying so hard to change my mind." He stalked around his little pet and crossed his arms as he studied her. He really did enjoy seeing Andie shrink into a little girl; he found her endearing, and the trust she put in him made him feel bigger than life.

"Oh dear," a voice hummed from behind, and Eric turned. "Did somebody get herself into a little trouble tonight?"

Teddy stepped through the crowd, which now tittered anxiously at the sight of the only other individual who was ever allowed to partake in Andie and Eric's scenes.

"Well, thank you for gracing us with your presence," drawled Eric.

Teddy Grinned. "I had a date."

"Oh?" Eric dramatically looked around. "Where is she?"

"I felt that introducing her to my underground business where I whip women into submission should be saved for the second date."

"Probably best." Eric winked and Teddy responded with a grin until he heard the indignant huff of the girl on all fours. He immediately dropped to one knee in front of her and tipped her chin up with his finger.

"What's wrong, little one? Am I not allowed to see other women?"

Andie replied with a quick shake of her head.

"I see," Teddy chuckled.

"Don't mind her," Eric mused from where he stood with his arms crossed. "She's in trouble and she isn't pleased with her consequences."

"I can see that..." Teddy spotted the candle that steadily trickled wax onto her back, spilling down her sides and dripping on the hardwood floor. He smoothed his hand down the length of her bare back, appreciatively eying the color of the wax on her fair skin. "What naughty thing did you do today, Andie?"

"I didn't wear the dress that Eric told me to wear," Andie answered softly in hopes that the crowd wouldn't overhear the petulant reason behind her punishment.

"Ah," Teddy hummed, nodding his head in understanding. "But such a pretty dress it is... Come on, E—aren't you being a little harsh?"

Eric smiled. "No."

Andie whined from the floor, hating the back and forth banter between the boys as one pretended to pity her while the other bore down with the consequences. It was a teasing game that left her reeling.

It also thrilled the patrons watching on.

Teddy straightened and together, he and Eric stood side by side, their arms crossed and their eyes on Andie, who remained obediently still as the hot wax melted down the length of her back.

Eric's eyes left Andie's momentarily to scan the patrons of his business, who all watched his submissive with adoration and wonderment. He felt his heart swell with pride. His queen in their underground kingdom; so obedient and so good. He was so in love and for a split second their life together flashed before his eyes.

From the very moment he first met her as a shy gangly teenager who could barely look him in the eye, there was something about her. He refused to see it right away, so caught up in his own life. But the moment they were thrown together to survive a world just the two of them, he was forced to see her in all of her amazing, good-hearted, glory. She was the first girl to see something more in him, and to love him despite everything he had done to her.

From step-sister, to love of his life; Andie was the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to him, and he would never feel worthy of her. Even as she knelt at his feet on her hands and knees, he wondered if he would ever truly deserve her trust or her love.

Eric stepped around her body and knelt in front of her. Her big eyes found his and he smiled.

"You're going to stay exactly as you are until the candle runs out."

"Yes, sir..." she replied softly, her voice slow and drowsy as sub-space began to take over.

"If you do this, then you will be my good little girl again, and all will be forgiven."

"I'll hold still, sir."

"Daddy."

"Daddy."

"'I'll hold still, Daddy.'"

"I'll hold still, Daddy..."

Eric smiled. "Good girl..." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I love you," she murmured behind closed eyes as Eric's lips were still pressed to her head. He pulled back and touched his forehead to hers.

"I love you too, Andie."