Another month passed without incident, each day cementing Molly more firmly in Max’s heart. He still worried that she’d slip, but her allowing him authority over her made the worry manageable. If he saw any hint of backsliding, he’d have her over his knee so fast her head would spin, followed by an emergency visit with her counselor.

The more time passed, the less his concern, but he knew it would always be there in the back of his mind. He also knew she was worth it. The way her eyes lit up when he came home after a long day of work. The appreciative looks she gave him when he had dinner waiting on the days she worked overtime and got home late. The sparkle in her eyes when they did something she’d never done before, like go for a ride in the country and stop at a roadside stand to buy fresh vegetables. She hadn’t had many opportunities to get out and enjoy life growing up, and it was his pleasure to introduce her to new experiences.

Max feared he may have made a mistake with his upcoming plans, though, and pushed her too far outside her comfort zone. He hadn’t introduced her to any of his friends, instead spending time with them without her on occasion. He hated having to choose between the two so when Derek invited them over to his and Gina’s place for dinner, Max accepted—after confirming that it would just be the two couples. Keith and Sara still had a restraining order against Molly, something Max doubted would ever change.

“Is everything okay, sweetheart?” Max asked, breaking the tense silence that blanketed the inside of his truck. They’d been driving for fifteen minutes and Molly hadn’t spoken a word the entire time. She just stared out her window and grew increasingly more agitated with every second that passed. Max worried she’d chew a hole through her bottom lip if she didn’t settle down and relax.

“I’m nervous,” Molly admitted immediately. “Derek is your oldest friend and I don’t want to embarrass you.”

Max started to reassure her that everything would be fine, but his question opened the floodgates and Molly’s mouth started running in a direction that would lead her straight to a sore bottom.

“I’m an ex drug addict felon,” she cried, cutting him off before he could get a word out. “They’re going to think I’m not good enough for you, and they’d be right. I’m always going to have my past hanging over my head. It’s never going to go away. You shouldn’t be with me.”

Max ground his teeth together in an effort to remain calm and in control while she ranted. He guided the truck into Derek’s upper-class neighborhood and onto his street while Molly kept going.

“And look at these houses. I don’t belong here. I don’t know how to act around rich people, Max. I’m trash compared to them.”

Her voice grew louder and louder with each word until she practically pierced his eardrum.

“Enough, Molly,” he barked as he pulled into Derek and Gina’s driveway and parked. Max took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. One of them needed to keep a level head. “You are more than good enough to be here. Derek and Gina are good people who don’t care about your past. They’re only going to care about who you are now. Gina didn’t come from the greatest home life either.”

“They’re going to think I’m using you because you’re a cop. Trying to make myself look better or something. I’m not, but that’s what everyone will think.”

Max cut her off this time. “You need to stop talking, Molly. You’ve already earned yourself a spanking for speaking negatively about yourself and raising your voice. Let’s not make it worse by judging my friends unfairly.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but Max gave her a silencing look. He meant every word he said and, she didn’t know it yet, but she’d be receiving that spanking much sooner than she expected.

“Now, listen closely. I love you and I trust you, and since I’m a grown man, my friends will trust my judgment. Derek knows about our past so I’m guessing Gina does too. Mistakes were made, and unfortunately, yours will last a lifetime, but you’re overcoming them and there’s nowhere I’d rather be than at your side. I have faith in you, but you obviously need to have a little more faith in yourself.”

He waited a minute for his words to penetrate, to settle in and ease her mind. Once she relaxed and nodded, he continued.

“We’re going in there and you’re going to get your spanking now.” She started to protest but Max stopped her. “Derek and Gina live their lives the same way that we do, and won’t think anything of it. I don’t want to have this ruin our evening. I want to give you your punishment and move on so we can have nice time for the rest of the night. I hope that you’ll cooperate and not make a scene, but if you refuse, we’ll wait. I won’t like it but I’m not going to force you and argue about it, either.”

Molly took a moment to consider his words and Max watched the array of emotions that washed over her face as she considered her options. A hint of anger, a tinge of embarrassment, then finally, acceptance.

She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. “I’ll cooperate.”

Max leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips, but pulled away before it progressed into something more. Now was not the time or the place.

“Thank you.” He would have held off if she refused, but he felt in his gut that they needed to handle this situation immediately. Plus, he had plans for her later tonight and he didn’t want to skip those to punish her when they got home.

Max got out of the truck and circled the front to get to Molly. He knew he was pushing his luck with her, maybe too hard, but a voice in his head pulled him forward and told him that a firm but gentle hand was exactly what she needed. When he reached her side, he opened the door and chuckled at her expression.

“This is where your friends live?” She asked, slack jawed.

“Yeah. Derek inherited some money and bought a few properties, and then a few more.” The house was just this side of outrageous and Max ribbed his friend about it all the time. “He’s very successful.”

Molly visibly swallowed and nodded, looking like she wanted to turn around and run home, but she let Max help her down from the truck. “I guess he is.”

They approached the door together, with Max’s arm around her shoulders. He felt her tremble when he rang the doorbell, so he gave her squeeze of reassurance.

“Everything will be fine.” He said the words, but secretly wondered if they were true.

The door opened before she could respond, or argue.

“Hey, guys. Come on in,” Gina said, ushering them into the foyer. “You must be Molly. It’s good to meet you. I’m Gina.”

“Hi, Gina. It’s nice to meet you, too.” Max filled with pride at Molly’s level response when he knew she was wracked with nerves.

“Hi, Gina,” Max said, stepping forward to give her a quick hug. “Thanks for having us over.”

“You know you’re always welcome, Max. I have to check on dinner. Derek’s in the family room. Can I bring you something to drink?”

Max looked at Molly, knowing her answer but waiting for her to speak for herself.

“Just water for me.”

“I’ll have a beer, but give us a few minutes. Molly and I need to have a chat first.”

Molly turned beet red and Gina shot her a sympathetic look, but didn’t otherwise react. “No problem. See you in a bit.”

Max tugged Molly towards the back of the house, not giving her time to ask questions or change her mind. “Come on, babe.”

They found Derek on the couch, watching a hockey game.

“Hey, guys. I didn’t hear the doorbell. Welcome,” Derek said, getting up to greet them with a blank look on his face. “Hi, Molly. I’m Max’s oldest and best friend so if you want any dirt I’m the guy to ask. It’s good to meet you.” He extended his hand with a smile that Max knew was forced and Molly shook it hesitantly, looking more and more uncomfortable with each passing second. Max had to move this along before she freaked out.

“Can we use your room in the basement?” Max asked, making Derek’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “We need to have a private conversation and I’d rather no one overhear.”

“Sure, no problem. The room’s completely soundproof so no one will hear a thing,” Derek replied immediately, but again with that blank look on his face. Max had gotten his advice on their new lifestyle several times, so Derek knew exactly what he was saying. “Feel free to use anything you want. Just clean up afterward.”

“Thanks. I appreciate the offer, but we’ll just be a few minutes.” Max tugged a slightly less tense but still red cheeked Molly to the door leading to the basement and down the stairs. She came willingly, though he could sense her reluctance.

The lower level of the house was just as nice as the upper two, with a bar area, pool table, bathroom, and a separate room that Derek and Gina put in together, after she moved in. Max had only seen it once before, and at the time, had never imagined he’d be using it himself.

“What is this?” Molly asked, after Max flipped on the light and shut and locked the door behind them.

“It’s Max and Gina’s playroom. They like their kink.” That was the understatement of the year, Max thought, looking around the room. There were chains hanging from the ceiling in the corner, a cross against the far wall, a padded table with restraints at all four corners to their right, and a spanking bench smack dab in the center of the space. To their left was a comfortable couch, and that’s where he steered Molly with a gentle hand on her elbow.

“Have you used any of this stuff before?” Molly asked, wide eyed.

“No. It wasn’t something I was into.” He sat down and pulled her down next to him. “They occasionally have private parties that they’ve invited me to, but with my job I didn’t want to run the risk of being recognized.”

That was apparently the exact wrong thing to say.

Molly shot back up and began to pace in front of him. “See, Max. That’s what I’m worried about. What if someone from your work finds out we’re dating. If you were worried you’d be seen at a private party how can you not be worried that your career will be ruined once everyone finds out you’re dating me. This is a bad idea.”

Max reached out when she passed right in front of him and pulled her over his lap, stopping her nonsensical diatribe without a hard smack to her behind. She let out a cry but he ignored it, instead lifting her dress to expose her ass. He didn’t spare a second to admire the lace panties that covered it. He pulled those down to mid-thigh and let loose with a volley of spankings that had her begging him to stop.

“Please, Max. That hurts!”

“Are you going to be quiet and listen to me?” He asked, resting his palm on her now warm backside.

“Yes.”

“And stop coming up with crazy reasons we can’t be together?”

“They’re not crazy. They’re real. I don’t want to ruin your life. You just feel bad because of how we broke up.”

Max had heard enough. He began spanking again. Left. Right. Left. Right. As he reddened her behind, he began to speak, telling her things he hadn’t ever planned on admitting.

“I have been watching you and worrying about you since the night of the accident. I came to every court appearance. I spoke to the guards in the jail, and after your sentencing, the ones at the prison. I made sure you were doing okay because I needed to know.” As the words poured out of him, he continued the punishment, though not quite as hard and fast as he’d begun. “I told myself that it was because I felt guilty. Because I thought all your problems were my fault. But that’s not true. It took me two years to figure it out, but I didn’t call your counselor every other week to check on your progress out of guilt. I did it out of love. I did it because I care about you and I wanted you to get better, so we could have a life together. The one we should have had all along if I hadn’t been such a stubborn ass.”

He’d stopped the spanking without realizing it, and when he stopped speaking, he could hear Molly sniffling.

“Really?” she asked. “You really checked up on me and watched out for me while I was locked up?”

“Yes, I really did.” Though he’d never planned to admit this to her, she needed to hear it. Hear how he’d been a part of her life for years, even if she didn’t know it. He lifted his hand and gave her a firm smack right in the middle of her ass. “And as far as work goes, my boss and my partner already know that we’re dating. Those are the only people whose opinions matter and they don’t care. In fact, Grayson is the one who made me realize that I was denying my feelings for you and hiding them under the bullshit excuse of feeling guilty.”

He rubbed his hand over her bottom, soothing the red flesh. “Are we clear on my feelings for you now, Molly? I don’t ever want to hear you question my sincerity or my judgment. I’m an adult and perfectly capable of knowing my own mind and making my own decisions. You are not going to leave me and you’re not going to put yourself down anymore. Understand?”

He decided to punctuate his words with another round of spanks, making her kick her feet and try to squirm away. When he was certain he’d made his point he stopped, pulling her up to sit on his knee.

It took her a few seconds to slow her breathing and slow the flow of tears, and he gave that to her, waiting patiently.

“I understand. I’m sorry, Max. I just get scared and then I say stupid things.” She kept her eyes fixed on the floor as she whispered her apology, but Max wasn’t having any of that.

“Hey,” he said, lifting her chin so he could see her eyes. “It’s not that what you’re saying is stupid, it’s just not true. When you get scared, all you have to do is come to me, and tell me what you’re feeling. I promise we can talk it out and I won’t get mad. As long as you’re not trying to come up with reasons why we can’t be together or saying bad things about yourself. And if you do those things, I’ll just remind you why they’re against the rules. I’m not going anywhere. Okay?”

She released a shuddering breath and gave him a watery smile before wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. “Okay,” she mumbled against his throat.

They sat like that in silence, Max rubbing her back while she calmed down. Even though he hadn’t planned to tell her that he’d been looking out for her for years, it felt good having it out in the open. He’d worried that she’d think he was a crazy stalker, but instead that knowledge reassured her that he wasn’t with her on a whim. That his love was years in the making and their relationship had a solid foundation.

“Are you sure Derek and Gina couldn’t hear anything? I was kind of loud,” she asked a few minutes later.

“I’m sure. We tested it once by having Derek crank the stereo as loud as it would go while I was upstairs. I couldn’t hear a peep.”

“And they won’t think less of me because you spanked me in their basement?”

“Nope.” Max had seen Gina, hell all of the women in their group, walking around looking decidedly uncomfortable at one time or another. No one ever said a word.

“Can I fix my face before we go up?”

“Of course you can, sweetheart. Are you okay now?” She lifted her head so he could see her expression, and she didn’t look anything other than content.

“I’m good. I’m still not sure your friends are going to accept me, but thank you for telling me all that stuff. And for not letting me get away with breaking the rules.” Her cheeks pinked back up and she looked away, but Max wasn’t going to allow her to be shy now.

“Hey,” he said, catching her eyes and holding them. “I will always be here to make sure you follow the rules. It’s my pleasure.”

He squeezed her ass and moved his hips so she could feel how hard his cock was. “Now go to the bathroom while I think about something other than your hot bottom so we can go eat dinner.”

She giggled and gave him a sassy grin before getting up and leaving him alone to think about baseball.