Overreaction pt2

I reel back as if I have been slapped. What the hell? I try to stay calm as I reply, "What are you talking about, Alex?"

Suddenly I see a piece of paper in Alex's hand. What on earth could it contain that could make Alex flip out like this? I wrack my brain, but nothing makes sense. "How can I take care of you and protect you if you don't help yourself?" Alex seethes.

"You are not making any sense, Alex. Please, just tell me what the matter is." I am struggling to maintain my calm in the face of Alex's anger. He has never spoken to me like this and I can feel my body trembling.

"You never got your flu jab. When I think how sick you were, it kills me, Liv. And to find out you could have prevented it…" Alex trails off, handing me a piece of paper. I scan it quickly and see that it is a standard letter from my GP practice. Suddenly I remember receiving the letter the day that my father called and Sheila arrived to tear a strip off us. In everything that happened, I guess I must have put the letter to one side and forgotten about it.

My voice is icy as I respond, "I received that letter the day my dad called to talk to me for the first time in twenty years and your mother verbally attacked me, making me feel like the shittiest person on earth. I am so sorry for not foreseeing that I was going to get ill and rushing out to get my jab, but with everything that happened, it kind of slipped my mind." At the sarcasm in my voice I see Alex's brows shoot upward. I have certainly never talked to him like this before, but then again I have never had reason to.

The fight seems to slip out of Alex's posture as he kneels down in front of me, pulling my hands into his. When I look into his eyes, I am shocked to see them glistening. "Fuck, Liv," Alex says, his voice hoarse with unshed tears. "I just don't know what I would do without you. I love you so much and…and watching you when you were so ill, it just made me realise how much a part of my life you have become. I just couldn't stand it if anything happened to you."

"Oh, Alex," I sigh. "You can't get mad at me for the what-ifs. I have no plans to go anywhere." I reach up and run my hands through Alex's hair, taking note that some of the strain is finally leaving his eyes. I run my thumb across his cheek, stroking his smooth skin, in what I hope is a soothing motion. But instead, a burn ignites in his gaze and his eyes become hooded with lust, sending sparks through my gut.

Before I even have a chance to respond, Alex is picking me up and flinging me over his shoulder. "What the fuck, Alex?" I squeak as he strides down the stairs with purpose. Only moments later we are descending the stairs to the playroom, where Alex deposits me rather ungracefully on the platform in the middle of the room. I turn over to look up with trepidation, trying to gauge Ale's mood, but his countenance is blank.

"I want you naked, now, Olivia." Alex barks out his command, and I can feel the muscles in my pelvis tightening with anticipation. I do as he says without thought, stripping off my yoga pants and long T-shirt quickly and then going one step further and taking up my submissive position, kneeling on my haunches, legs spread on the soft fabric of the throw, my arms resting on my thighs with palms up and my face downwards.

I watch from under my lashes as Alex unbuttons his cuffs, rolling them up his arms with deft fingers, before kicking off his shoes and removing his socks. He sits down on the edge of the platform, his thighs spread before he instructs me to come lie across him. I shiver with anticipation as I drape myself across him, locking my fingers together as he has taught me. We have done this once before, a playful spanking session, which had shown me how much pleasure Alex was capable of metering out, but I am sensing something a bit darker today. Maybe it was the fact that he was angry at me or that I was sarcastic in my response, but I get the feeling that this is going to be a bit different. Alex shifts me slightly so that my head is resting on his firm thigh, turned away from him while my bum hangs over his other, my toes barely touching the floor. I can feel his muscles rippling under me and my heart begins to thump. I feel nervous and when Alex touches my back I almost jump out of my skin. I let out a small gasp of surprise, waiting for what is about to come next, but instead of the slap I am expecting, Alex runs his fingers along my spine before burying his hand in my hair. He twists it around his fingers and then gently pulls my head back so that I can just about see his face from my odd angle.

I expect to see anger, but instead, all I see is an eerie calm, which is actually more frightening. "You have a smart mouth, Olivia," Alex says, his voice low and stern. "Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, you know. And I certainly don't expect to hear it coming from you." I watch Alex earnestly, wondering what my punishment is going to be. I am really hoping he is going to tell me because the waiting is causing a whole list of potential ideas to run through my mind, and really, I have no idea what he is going to do.

"And as for your health, I expect you to take every precaution to see that you don't fall ill." I bristle at this statement, indignation coursing through me. While I am fine with him punishing me for my sarcasm, disciplining me for a perceived disobedience seems very unfair.

"Please, sir, may I speak?" My voice is barely a whisper. I have never questioned Alex when we have been in this room and I have no idea how he is going to respond to me now. His eyes narrow on me, but he gives me a brief nod. I pick my words carefully. "Sir, I am happy to accept punishment for my sarcasm, but please, don't chastise me for something that was a genuine oversight during some very trying circumstances." I do my best to keep the tremble out of my voice, but my body is shaking so much now that it is impossible to keep still, despite the rigid hold that Alex is maintaining on my head and the firm palm that is holding my pelvis down.

"In all the time I have been with you, I have never willingly disobeyed you. You once said to me that you had no wish to dominate me outside of this room, yet I freely allow you to direct our lives. I offer up my submission to you on a daily basis, ceding to your demands freely by loving you with all that I am, and not once have I ever given you cause to believe that I would willingly do myself harm." I am horrified when I feel a tear slip down my face. "So please accept my apology for not taking better care of myself. It will not happen again." I let out a shaky breath and slide my eyes away from Alex's, unwilling to watch whatever emotions they contain. For a split second, I consider using my safeword, but somehow I realise that this is a test of our relationship and Alex's actions now could potentially make or break us, so I wait.