With Mia's court date approaching, I called her in for a final meeting to prepare. I arranged to meet her in my office at the end of the day. If the need for another paddling arose, I wanted the rest of the office to be empty so I could deal with the problem properly.
Mia entered my office, gave me a lingering glance, and sat in the same chair as the last time she met me here. She looked up at me with those innocent eyes I'd grown accustomed to seeing. We both knew she was far from innocent.
"Good afternoon, Miss Rodriguez," I greeted, leaning comfortably against my desk. "Are you ready to go over your testimony?"
She nodded with a sly smile that communicated to me that she had something up her sleeve. I was not amused.
"Let's begin then," I said firmly, setting the tone that we were here to conduct business. "Let me remind you, Miss Rodriguez, what's at stake here. We need to present a clear and precise argument. Remember, the jury needs to believe every word you say. It's not just about telling the truth, but presenting it in a way that leaves no room for doubt."
The look on Mia's face told me she wasn't taking this seriously at all. "Today, we're going to go over the itinerary and do a mock hearing to make sure you have your story straight," I said, picking up her file.
"What if I mess up?" Mia asked, speaking up for the first time. I looked at her intently, noticing the glint in her eye and the subtle smile that played at the corners of her mouth.
Determined to put a stop to her games, I set her file back down and moved behind my desk. Reaching down, I pulled my wooden paddle out of the bottom drawer and gently set it on top of my desk. I returned to my original position without a word and picked up her file again. "Let's begin," I said firmly.
Her coy smile became even more devious. Refusing to humor her antics, I talked her through the proceedings and quizzed her on some of the preliminaries. She answered the questions correctly and respectfully.
"Good," I replied proudly. "Now let's dive into some scenarios where the judge or the opposing attorney will be asking you questions directly."
She started well, but as I continued, she began struggling to recall certain key points accurately. As I continued working with her further, she began being playfully obstinate again, and my patience ran out. I let out a frustrated sigh. "Mia," I said sternly, "you're faltering on some crucial details here."
"I know. I'm sorry, sir," she replied, pooching out her lips and maintaining eye contact with me. I ignored her mock apology and continued scolding her. "This won't do in court. We need your testimony to be precise and unwavering."
"What are you going to do about it?" she asked, purposely placing herself completely at my mercy.
"Mia, I told you over and over again how important this is for your future, and you still don't seem to get it. Once again, I am compelled to give you a harsh reminder to straighten up before you do permanent damage to your life."
She looked down at her hands in her lap, hiding her face behind her soft brown hair. "You do understand that this is necessary, don't you?" I asked in a softened but still serious tone.
"Yes, sir," she replied quietly.
I sighed as I looked down at her, shaking my head. "Miss Rodriguez, stand up and remove your clothes."
Mia complied obediently, stripping down in the middle of my office. I picked up the paddle and stared her down, waiting for the last stitch of clothing to be removed. "Come here and bend over my desk. You know the position."
Mia took a deep breath and obediently walked to my desk and bent herself over it at the waist, supporting herself on her elbows. She knew this time to lower herself, keeping her legs straight to present her bottom as the highest point for me. I admired her curves as I removed my suit coat and brandished the paddle. I felt a stir in my pants as my eyes traveled over her gorgeous frame.
I brought the paddle to her bottom, holding the sturdy wood to her bare skin. I leaned over to her ear and spoke in a low voice. "I expect you to maintain this position, Miss Rodriguez."
"I promise, I'll try," she squeaked.
"You better do more than try," I warned.
I patted her bottom firmly, flexing the strength of the paddle. She shuddered, realizing how helpless she was to the power I wielded.
"The paddling you're about to receive is meant to help you grasp the importance of getting your story straight. The severity of your punishment will match the seriousness of your situation."
I emphasized my words with the first powerful swat. Wanting to reinforce that I wasn't playing around, I didn't hold back. She let out a short whimper but held her position proudly. I paused, letting the echo off the walls ring in our ears. Without warning, I gave her a second hard swat. Her whimper was more of an elongated groan this time.
"You have to understand that being clear and consistent is the key to convincing the jury," I implored, emphasizing my words with another hard swat.
"The words you use and the way you present them will influence the jury a whole lot more than the evidence will," I said, along with another swat.