Raina watched Michael march naked through the kitchen of her restaurant with smug satisfaction. It would be a cold day in hell before he pulled another stunt like the one that just earned him a blistered bottom. When Dominique returned on Friday, he would still be sporting the marks of her spatula.

The sight of Michael standing before Alicia and apologizing was a reminder to call Dominique. It would not be proper for her to discover Raina punished him without her permission, but with a six-hour time difference, it would be several hours before such a conversation could take place. The demands of operating a popular restaurant would require her concentration until then.

After the episode with Michael, her staff was on their best behavior. Most of them heard the wails of anguish generated by a vigorous punishment. It served as a reminder to stay in Raina’s good graces. All of them were inspired to perform their duties without mistake. Jaime was not the only one subject to her discipline.

At the end of a flawless and profitable evening, Raina closed the doors with a sigh of relief. Accompanied by Jaime and Suzanne, she dropped the receipts into the night deposit. On most occasions, they would join her for fun and frolic. Tonight, Raina’s obligation to Dominique took precedent over carnal desires.

“No play tonight, dear ones. I am tired and there is a call I must make to Paris that cannot be placed before 2 am." Jamie and Suzanne shared a knowing look. If the call was to Paris, it must be to Dominique. After the very public example Raina made of Michael, they both knew why., and wondered if their boss could successfully explain her actions. Raina hailed a cab while they made their way home.

Safely ensconced in her apartment, Raina whiled away the time with a bottle of wine and a vintage movie. Film Noir is one of her favorite genres because of the way it explored the darker side of human nature. Casablanca was her favorite and she opened a bottle of wine as the film flickered to life. Several glasses later, despite her intentions to call Dominique, she dozed off under the combined effects of the wine and exhaustion.

Raina awoke at 4:30 am not realizing she had fallen asleep. Startled by the time, she reached for the phone, trying to clear her head of the effects of too much wine. She placed the call knowing she was about to interrupt Dominique at work. It only rang once before she answered.

“What is it, Raina. It must be important for you to call me now. Be quick about it. I am in a meeting with my purchasing agent about her failure to acquire the correct material.”

“We can talk later, if it is too inconvenient.” Raina was afraid she made a mistake. Dominique was working under pressure and very impatient.

“I am unveiling my new line this evening and attending an important reception afterward. There is no time today that is not busy. Hold for a moment.” Dominique did not bother to mute her phone, and Raina could easily hear everything said.

“You may leave, Justine. We will continue this after lunch. There will be an accounting at that time.”

"Yes, Ms. Francon,” a quivering voice replied, followed by the fading sound of footsteps retreating as the unfortunate assistant left the room. An accounting meant more than going over some numbers.

“Raina, I have little time for this. In a few minutes, the models arrive for their fittings. Please be quick about it.” Wishing she had called before Dominique started work, Raina reluctantly continued.

“I had to punish Child last night.” Her declaration hung in the air as it was met with stony silence.

“Why”? Dominique’s tone was brusque, making the one-word question sound like an accusation. Raina nervously continued, relating the details of Michael’s transgressions and the discipline meted out. Nothing was omitted, including his naked march through her kitchen. Another cold silence followed the completion of her report.

“You did not ask permission. I am not happy. This discussion requires more time than I have today. I return to New York on Friday and will come to your restaurant after I clear customs.” The line went dead before Raina could reply.

Dominique’s abrupt termination reminded Raina of their first meeting. She vividly recalled the moment she first laid eyes om the vision of perfection that was Dominique. It was at a party near the end of her last year of culinary school. It was more than her appearance that attracted Raina. She was immediately smitten by Dominique’s confidence and the air of authority emanating from her.

Raina watched as several unattached males approached the raven-haired beauty and smiled as each was turned away by a curt response or a malevolent glare. She waited until Dominique made her way to the wine bar before taking the opportunity to introduce herself.

The conversation that followed revealed a common disinterest in the males attending. Most were students and both women considered them immature and self-centered. When Raina quipped, they would all benefit from some firmly applied discipline, Dominique eyed her intently and asserted they were not the only ones deserving discipline. Raina blushed and averted her gaze. For the first time in her life, she was unable to hold another’s eye.

Submission was not in her character, but Raina accepted any role Dominique dictated for her just to be near the woman who embodied all she wanted to be. In the beginning, becoming a toy at the disposal of her Domme was easy. Though it was contrary to her nature, all it required was surrendering to a more powerful personality.

Adept at reading human disposition, Dominique discovered Raina’s deception early in their relationship. Normally, she would have dismissed Raina immediately, but she sensed something in Raina. Something that explained their mutual attraction. Raina had the makings of a top-notch Domme herself. After a prolonged lesson on the benefits of honesty over deceit, Dominique took Raina under her wing as a dominatrix in training.

Raina was a quick study and soon reached a level of competence almost equal to her instructor. However, she was still held accountable for repeated mistakes. At first, Dominique supervised all of Raina’s interactions with her subs. There were times, like the incident with Michael, when she lost control of her temper. Dominique would intercede, counseling Raina to step back until she cooled down. When the problem persisted, she found herself on the receiving end of Dominique’s cane.

Eventually, as Raina learned some measure of control, the errors and the punishment that followed became less frequent. The last one was almost a year ago, and she was not looking forward to another. Each time Dominique had to repeat a lesson, the teaching was always harsher than the previous one. Raina sighed and reached for the unfinished bottle of wine. It was the only way to return to sleep tonight.

The next day, despite her efforts to distract herself by concentrating on her work, Raina could not keep the impending conversation with Dominique from dominating her thoughts. By Friday evening, her preoccupation was so intense, she had to rely on Jaime to perform most of her duties. Raina was so tightly wound, she nearly jumped out of her shoes when Suzanne tapped her on the shoulder at 9:00.

“Excuse me, Ma’am. Ms. Francon is here. I tried to take her order, but all she said was have Ms. Delacroix make me a light meal. She knows what I like." In short order, Raina personally served Dominique a poached pear drizzled with a vanilla sauce, two ounces of aged English cheddar, and three large strawberries cut in quarters.

“Wonderful,” exclaimed Dominique when Raina placed the dish in front of her. “I knew I could trust your judgment. It’s enough to satisfy my hunger without making sleep difficult.” She closed her eyes with the first bite, savoring the flavor as long as possible. “This is a classic example of what can be achieved when you rely on your intuition. I know you are busy, but could you sit with me for a while?”

“Of course. Jamie is managing things in the kitchen quite well.” Raina lightly kissed Dominique’s cheek before sliding into the chair across from her. It took all the bravado she could muster to endure the scrutiny of those piercing blue eyes without looking away. Despite the smile projected on flawless alabaster skin, they revealed Dominique’s intentions.

“He has come a long way since you caned him for neglecting his duties. As I have always said, discipline is the best way to correct behavior. If it is done in the proper manner.” Dominique’s subtle reference to Michael’s spanking was not lost on Raina. From their conversation two days ago, it was obvious she was displeased with her failure to obtain permission to discipline him. If there was more to answer for, her situation could become dire.

Dominique abruptly changed the conversation, ignoring Raina’s discomfort. Instead, she spoke of the successful introduction of her new line of fashions and the critical acclaim she received at the reception that followed. The news of friends and relations they left behind when they emigrated was most welcome.

“That’s enough for tonight,” Dominique sighed. “Now that I have finished eating, all I want is some rest. I want you to come over when you finish here. Think about what happened that night with Child. We have several issues to address.” She rose from her seat and leaned over to kiss Raina on the forehead. “Until then, my sweet.” She left Raina wondering if she would be able to sit in the morning.

Once in her penthouse, Dominique carefully unpacked her things, struggling against the fatigue of traveling a long distance by air. Raina would not arrive for hours and there was plenty of time for a nap after completing her chores. Shedding her business suit for a robe and comfortable nightwear, she reclined on her sofa and fell into a dreamless sleep within minutes. A few hours later, the call bell announcing Raina’s arrival roused her from slumber.

“Come to the penthouse. We can have a drink while we discuss this unfortunate incident.” Dominique opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses just as Raina exited the elevator. In the five years since she purchased the building, Raina was the only person allowed access to her private quarters. She greeted her friend with an embrace and guided Raina into the living room with an arm circled about her waist.

“I have missed you. It is easy to keep busy during these trips. Besides work, there are many old friends to visit and I regret not being able to share them. You must come with me sometime. I know they will enjoy seeing you.” Dominique deposited Raina on one side of the sofa and occupied the other. “To us!” She raised her glass and waited for Raina to do the same. “May we ever find our way home no matter how far we travel.”

“To us,” Raina repeated. Simultaneously sipped their wine. Dominique placed her glass on the coffee table. It was time to address the reason for their meeting.

“Why didn’t you call for permission to punish Child?” Dominique spoke quietly but her daunting stare tied Raina’s stomach in knots.

“I wanted to take control of the situation immediately. He invaded my restaurant and created a drunken disturbance. A carefully crafted ambiance was immediately ripped to shreds. To make matters worse, he addressed me by my first name. Neither of these things can be tolerated. He needed to be disciplined.”

“You were angry.” Here was the crux of Dominique’s displeasure, but it was not the only cause.

“Yes,” Raina answered with lowered eyes. She was genuinely sorry for acting so rashly. Regret gnawed at her conscience. Dominique’s discontent always meant a painful lesson.

“He deserved to be punished, but not while you were angry. The teaching was wasted. All he learned was fear. There were two transgressions. First, he violated my command by seeking me out. The second was creating the disruption at your restaurant. He did these things because he is impulsive and cannot control himself. Like a child, he acts without thinking.”

“We both had reason to correct him and should have delivered the punishment together. In some ways, you and Child are alike. You acted without thinking. Had you waited for my return, your anger would have dissipated and allowed you to approach this problem with a clear head. Anger precludes reason and judgment.” Raina accepted Dominique’s lecture without objection. She was ready to accept whatever correction her mentor had in mind.

“After all your efforts to help me improve, I still revert to old habits. I have let you down and am ashamed. Perhaps I should apologize to Child.”

“No!” Dominique replied forcefully. “Never apologize to a sub for punishing them, even if it is more than they deserve. You cannot allow them to feel they have the upper hand. Your mistakes are between us and will remain there.” A frown creased Dominique’s face as her demeanor suddenly changed. Raina knew the time for her comeuppance was at hand.

“That brings us to why you are here tonight. The last time you lost your temper with a sub, it earned you six strokes with the dragon cane. As you know, a repeat offense means the penalty is doubled. There is no reason to delay further. Prepare yourself.”

Preparation meant disrobing completely and Raina’s stomach tied itself in knots as she complied. It would be impossible to endure such a test without losing her composure. She pushed her panties off her hips and allowed them to slide past knees that had turned jelly. Raina turned to face Dominique, not bothering to cover up for the sake of modesty and awaited her instructions.

“Choose your position while I fetch the cane.” Raina chose the arm of the sofa. This position offered the best chance to remain in place. It allowed her shoulders and hips to carry her weight instead of her legs. Dominique returned, swishing the formidable implement through the air as she approached.

“Usually, I would enjoy caning such a beautiful backside,” she intoned while tapping the cane on Raina’s behind. “Tonight is different. You are my dear friend and protégé. This brings me no pleasure. I will deliver two sets of six extremely hard strokes each with a pause between them. Do not cover up. If you do, that set will be repeated.” Raina was aware of the consequences for interfering with her caning. It would take all the determination she could muster, but she would not violate Dominique’s order.

“This is for not contacting me to ask for permission. One simple phone call would make this unnecessary.” The first stroke of the dragon cane landed with a meaty thwack. Raina yelped from the shock and pain as her feet lifted off the floor. It had been so long since the last time she was subjected to discipline this harsh, she forgot how intense the cane could be, especially in the hands of Dominique.

The searing pain had barely registered when the second arrived, bringing forth Raina’s tears. They flowed freely while the next four came at a measured pace. With the last of six cane strokes, a ladder of purple welts formed extending down to the middle of her quivering backside. Raina’s tears streamed down her face and she collapsed over the arm of the sofa, her body wracked with sobs. Dominique allowed her to catch her breath and waited for Raina’s crying to subside before continuing.

"To placate your unreasonable anger, you acted without thinking. You ignored my teaching and disgraced yourself with your lack of control." The last set began striping Raina’s bottom where the first ended. Dominique caned her without mercy or the slightest of pause. The red stripes left behind by the punishing rod quickly blossomed into raised purple welts as the ladder of pain descended to the tops of her thighs. Dominique allowed her a few moments to regain some measure of composure before helping her sobbing friend to stand. Then she took Raina into her arms and embraced her tenderly.

“There will be no corner time,” she whispered. "It is late and we both need rest. You will stay with me tonight.” Dominique ushered Raina into her bedroom and helped her crawl into bed.

“On your stomach, dear one. Your bottom needs some TLC.” Raina settled onto the king-size bed while Dominique retrieved a bottle of aloe lotion from the master bath. Raina gasped with the shock of its initial application then relaxed as the cream helped cool an over-heated backside.

“The skin is not broken, but you will carry these marks for several days.” She applied another generous dollop, gently massaging it into Raina’s tenderized flesh. “Please do not give me a reason to do this again. I cannot bear to inflict such an ordeal even when you have earned it.” Exhaustion washed over Raina as she succumbed to Dominique’s loving ministrations. She was barely aware of being rolled onto her side or Dominique climbing in next to her.