Bringing Home Danny (19 page)

“
No,” Danny said as quickly as he could, not wanting Mitch to take the decision away from him.
 

“
Good,” Mitch said, readjusting his hold on Danny. His large paw held him firmly under his arm as he walked him towards the jeep. Danny had to half skip, half run to keep up; his own feet barely touching the ground.
 

“
Get in and put your seatbelt on,” Mitch instructed, as he opened the passenger side door. Mitch closed the door soundly. The crowd dispersed as Mitch stood to his full height to walk around the car and get into the driver’s seat. He wasted no time putting the jeep in drive and beginning the journey home. Danny couldn't help but recognize the similarity between the way TJ reacted that day at Jack's, and the way Mitch was treating him now.
What the hell is it with these men? And, why am I letting them get away with it?
As Danny questioned his sanity,
he couldn't help notice that the radio was left on the
station he had last turned it to three days ago. He smiled inwardly at the memory of Mitch complaining about "crappy kid's music" he didn't understand, and of him busting on Mitch for not "getting it" because he was too old.
 

They drove without speaking for over a mile until Danny gathered enough courage to ask, “Where are you taking me?”

Mitch turned to survey the kid who often surprised him by what came out of his mouth. “I'm taking you home, boy. Where do you think I'm taking you?”

Danny was a little unsure about the reference to home, and asked again, “You mean, your house?”

“
Well, I'm sure as hell not driving to Florida.” He took a longer look at the boy, and softened his tone at seeing the distress on his face. “In case you forgot, I had arranged for your mother to come tomorrow, and I thought I made it perfectly clear that I expected you to be there.”
 

Danny began chewing the skin around his thumb. He knew he had behaved badly. Mitch forked over a lot of money to fly his mother to New York, and he left without even leaving a note. “I know, I'm sorry,” he admitted into his hand.

“
You're sorry? Have you any idea the trouble you caused? TJ and Antonio are beside themselves. I had to cancel meetings to leave work early in order to chase down your bus, and drag your ungrateful backside home. And, before you say it, I know you didn't ask me to.”
 

“
You treat me like a child, like I don't have a say in my own life.”
 

“
Unfortunately, Danny, part of growing up is accepting that you don't always have a choice in things, but you always have to take responsibility for your actions. Whether you like it or not while living in our house you have formed relationships with the people who have grown to care about you. You want to be thought of as a man? Then stop acting like a little boy, and own up to your responsibilities. You don't just leave without
telling us, without a plan for where you're going or how you're planning on surviving. You owe us an explanation.”
 

“
Sorry,” Danny said, choking back tears. Mitch was right; he was so consumed with thoughts about how his leaving would impact him, it hadn't occurred to him how his leaving might impact others.
 

“
Well, if you think you're sorry now, wait until we get home. Part of growing up, you will soon learn, is also about accepting consequences for your behavior. When I get through discussing them with you,” Mitch continued to threaten, “you may find yourself the sorriest little boy in New York.”
 

Danny was curious to know what he meant by that, yet he was in no hurry to find out.  His stomach sank when he tried to think on the possibilities. At the next gas station, Mitch stopped to fill up the tank. He called home to inform his much-relieved partners that Danny was found, and they were on their way back.

Danny was surprised at the sense of security he felt as they pulled into the driveway. In the face of everything, he couldn't help but be pleased by Mitch referring to the townhouse as his home. He sheepishly accepted the hugs from TJ and Antonio when he stepped through the door.

“
Why'd you do it, Danny? Why did you leave?”
 

TJ's heartfelt questions left Danny overwhelmed with shame. He couldn't speak; he was too distraught with guilt. Even if he could, he wouldn't know what to say, so he just shrugged his shoulders and leaned into TJ's embrace.

“
TJ, do me a favor and bring Danny's bag upstairs to his room. He and I are going to be having a private discussion in my office."
 

TJ hesitated at that disclosure, uneasy about what Mitch had in mind.

“
TJ, do as Mitch instructed,” Antonio prompted.
 

“
Yes, sir,” TJ said quietly. He then quickly brightened, and ran over to Mitch wrapping his arms around his neck for a kiss, whispering, “Thank you, Mitch, thank you for getting Danny.”
 

Mitch kissed him in return and patted his backside. “Okay, TJ, go upstairs now and wait for Danny there.”

TJ beamed, and ran upstairs like a child on Christmas day to unpack Danny's bag. Mitch watched his young lover run upstairs with enthusiasm, and then turned to Antonio to exchange quiet concern. Without needing words, they both communicated their fear that TJ was getting too optimistic, and too attached, too soon.

Mitch gestured Danny over. “Come.”

If they wanted the boy to stay, then it was high time he understood the meaning of paying the consequences for bad behavior. He wasted no time pulling the tall discipline chair from the corner of the office.  Taking a seat, Mitch signaled Danny to stand in front of him. Danny felt awkward. Even though he was standing, he couldn’t meet his disciplinarian eye to eye.

“
Danny, do you remember the last discussion we had in this room?”
 

“
Yes, sir.”
 

“
Do you remember we talked about the importance of being respectful, and following the rules of this house?”
 

A lump caught in Danny's throat as he nodded his understanding.

“
Do you remember that you were grounded for breaking those rules, and that you are not allowed to leave the house without permission?”
 

Tears of regret slid down Danny's face, and he brushed them away with the back of his arm. He could not comprehend why he was so easily brought to tears since meeting up with TJ.

“
Do you understand that by leaving this house without even so much as a note to your whereabouts, was not only breaking a rule, it was also extremely disrespectful, and thoughtless.”
 

“
Y-Ye-Yes, sir-r.”
 

Mitch was heartened to see that Danny seemed truly remorseful over his actions, but he was still apprehensive as to how the boy was going to respond to a serious spanking.

“
One last question, Danny. Do you remember what I said would happen if you disobeyed me by leaving this house without permission to engage in unsafe behavior?”
 

Danny blushed; he couldn't bring himself to think about it, much less voice it out loud.

“
All right, Danny, pull your pants down. You have earned yourself a spanking.”
 

Danny knew this was coming. He wasn't blind to all the warning signs, but hearing it spoken out loud like that was too much. He wanted to ball up and cry like a child; it was too embarrassing, he was too old.
Why do they keep treating me like I'm six instead of sixteen? Why do I sometimes feel like I'm six when I'm around them?
Danny abruptly stopped his useless internal dialogue, and decided he wasn't going to let Mitch do this to him. “N-n-o!” Danny sputtered, backing away from him. “You're c-r-r-r-a-azy!”

Mitch felt momentarily sorry for the scared kid with the baby face and old tired eyes. But, he had made his bed, and now it was time to lie in it. He reached out, and without much effort, he pulled the waif of a teen towards him. Mitch held him with one hand, and reached for the button of his pants with his other.

“
Don't!” Danny yelled. He tried to shove his hand away from his pants and squirm free from his hold.
 

“
Danny, don't make me take my belt off.”
 

Danny froze. He couldn't let him just spank him, but he couldn't stop him either. Mitch used his hesitation and moved with efficiency to pull down Danny's jeans and pull him over his lap. Danny squealed in surprise when Mitch's hand punished down across the seat of his boxers. The loud whap coupled with the sudden sting stole the wind from his lungs. Danny sucked in air as the heat began to intensify when Mitch’s hand came down five more times with increasing force.

Mitch took a moment to assess the boy’s response. Danny finally let out his breath when the extent of the pain fully registered. He bit down hard on his bottom lip to keep from crying out as the ache in his throbbing backside began to penetrate his lower region. He felt foolish bent over Mitch's large thighs, and he tried to maneuver himself off his lap. His toes dangled several inches off the ground, and his fingers were stretching to reach the floor in front of him. Struggling unsuccessfully to move under his strong arms, he tried to anchor himself into a more secure position. As if reading his mind, Mitch pulled Danny in closer, and held him tight against his stomach.
Damn,
cursed Danny to himself. Even the man's stomach muscles were rock hard. Yet, he somehow felt safer pressed up against him.

“
Remove your lip from your teeth, Danny. You're liable to bite through it, and this spanking is far from over.”
 

Tears welled up in Danny's eyes at that proclamation, and he sucked his lip in further.

“
Do as I say, Danny.”
 

Mitch waited until Danny's bottom lip slipped out of his mouth, and began to protrude into a wet swollen pout. Mitch closed his eyes and shook the image from his mind in order to muster up the resolve to finish his spanking properly. He then delivered three more powerful spanks, one to each cheek and one in the center, before aiming two to each bare thigh.

“
Ow!" Danny cried out in shock as he felt the coarse hand hit his bare skin with force. He threw his hand back to block the blows. Mitch simply removed his hand and tucked it to his side. Danny grabbed onto Mitch's pant leg with his other hand for support.
 

Mitch waited for Danny to gain control before asking, “Tell me how you earned this spanking, young man.”

Danny couldn't believe it.
Am I really expected to answer in such a degrading position to such a condescending question?
 

“
Answer me.”
 

“
I...” Danny couldn't bring himself to say it. It was too demoralizing.
 

SMACK! Mitch raised his right knee and spanked his exposed sit spot hard.

“
Ahh!”
 

“
Answer me, Danny.”
 

“
I...I was disrespectful.”
 

“
How were you disrespectful?”
 

“
I don't know!” Danny cried.
 

SMACK! Mitch lifted his left leg and spanked the sit spot on the other side.

“
FUCK!”
 

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Mitch planted the spanks in the same spot for maximum effectiveness.

“
There will be no swearing from little boys in this house! Is that understood?”
 

“
YES!”
 

SPANK!

“
Sir!”
 

“
What acts of disrespect brought you this spanking, son?”
 

Danny wanted to tell him that he didn't ask for a spanking, and he was not his son, but he figured he already knew that to be true.

“
I left without permission.”
 

“
And?”
 

Danny thought quickly. “I didn't tell anyone where I was going.”

“
That's right, Danny, that was unsafe and hurtful.” Mitch followed up with three more spanks to each thigh.
 

“
Ah, ow!” Danny closed his eyes tight, and bit the inside of his mouth as he fought not to cry.
Mitch spanks so hard
.
He wasn't kidding when he said TJ's spanking was going to be a fond memory.
This was a humiliating nightmare he was afraid would never end.
 

“
What else?”
 

“
I don't know,” Danny cried in earnest.
 

“
What did I say would happen if you disobeyed me?”
 

That damn question again.
Danny didn't answer as he fought back his tears.

“
I'm waiting.”
 

Danny had the audacity to shrug his shoulders, and received six more jarring spanks.

With his toes curled and his backside quivering, Mitch asked him once again, “What did I say would happen, Danny?”

“
A-a spa-s-spanking, you said I would get a spanking,” Danny finally sputtered out, after relinquishing his stubborn pride.
 

“
Correct, and I am sorry we had to start it the hard way, but that was your doing.”
 

Danny heaved a heavy sigh. He was glad that part was behind him. On the other hand, he was not too encouraged by the comment about it being the start of the spanking. Mitch absentmindedly rubbed Danny's bottom until he felt him calm. Danny stiffened when he felt fingers go into the waistband of his boxers. Mitch wasn't planning on taking down his underpants. But because he was so small, and Mitch had never spanked him before, he wanted to make sure he wasn't causing too much damage. When he pulled back his shorts he felt Danny's whole body tense up.