I siad, “You’re a good woman. I love you. I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you. And yes, I will forgive you.”

Sa’afia closed her eyes, and mouthed the words, “thank you”. She snuggled into me as though we were going to go to sleep. I held her, still not happy, still not sure whether Ana or this Minister, Paul, had had more to do with her decision.

I shook my head, and put my arms around her, one on her waist, the other touching the back of her neck. I tried to look at her without her glow. It wouldn’t go away. Well, nor would love. There’s no guarantee that it’ll come at a convenient time, or make you happy.

Eventually Sa’afia opened her eyes again. She said, “hurt me, darling.”

“Er … now?”

“It’s not right, I suppose. And it’s a hard thing to ask of you. I mean for you, after what I’ve said. You can punish me if you like. But please, Jaime, hurt me. Any way you like. And then fuck me. Please?”

I could think of reasons why I shouldn’t comply. But if I refused her, it would be awkward, and she’d have to leave. I didn’t want her to leave. So I picked up the stick. After all that emotional work, I wasn’t really aroused, but even that can be helpful, if you look at it the right way.

I tapped the rod against Sa’afia’s mouth for her to kiss, then brought it down, hard, diagonally down the crest of her right buttock to the upper curve of her left thigh. Sa’afia twitched, and already I was interested. So was Sa’afia. She watched my eyes, to see what I would do. I tapped her ass again. “Serve me, girl. Suck my cock.”