Family Business

Knowing

Twenty minutes later

Claire's pov

I knocked timidly on the study door, hoping maybe my grandfather wouldn't hear me and somehow I'd be off the hook, but instead I heard him say, "Entra, Nipotina (Come in, Granddaughter)."

I slowly opened the door, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"Do you know why you're here, Francesca?" he asked, clearly irritated.

"Si signore (Yes sir)," I said, trying to sound much braver than I felt.

"Bring me the strap, Francesca."

I reluctantly made my way over to that wretched worn piece of leather hanging precariously on the wall. I swallowed hard as I removed it from the large iron nail holding it in place. The horrible beating my grandfather gave me when he found out I left the grounds with Tuono flashed through my mind. I shook my head from side to side trying to physically free myself from that heinous memory.

When I handed it to him, he said, "Keep up this bad behavior, Nipotina (Granddaughter), and you're on pace to surpass your father as the record holder for the most lessons learned via my grandfather's strap."

I just shook my head and cried in response. I don't want to break my father's record. I hated my first spanking with this horrible strap. I thought I was gonna die, I was in so much pain.

"I warned you what would happen if you stole from me, ragazzina (little girl). Didn't I?"

"But I didn't steal from you, Grandfather. Please, you have to believe me," I whined pathetically.

"Are you calling my son a liar?" My grandfather looked like he wanted to murder me.

"No, Grandfather. Uncle EJ didn't lie, I did." I wanted to shrivel up in a hole and die. "I didn't want my friends to get in trouble so I said I took the Limoncello."

"Se ti prendi la colpa, accetti la punizione (If you take the blame, you accept the punishment)."

I'm not sure what he just said and I'm sure as Hell not gonna ask. I think colpa means something like taking responsibility. I guess he doesn't believe me that I didn't steal from him.

"Please, not the strap, Grandfather. Pleeease," I begged fruitlessly. I don't deserve this. I really don't.

"Bend over the desk, Francesca, and don't reach back. Capiscimi (Understand me)?"

"Si, Nonno (Yes, Grandfather)," I managed to choke out, as my breathing became erratic, anticipating this spanking. Knowing I was in for a world of pain, I buried my face in my arms, tightly squeezed my eyes shut, and prayed for the rapture to come.

"Sto per insegnarti una dolorosa lezione sulla compagnia che mantieni (I'm about to teach you a painful lesson about the company you keep). Se spezzi il pane con i ladri sarai considerato anche un ladro (If you break bread with thieves you will be considered a thief as well)."

Definitely no clue there. I thought I heard the word bread but that doesn't make sense, so I have no idea what he just said.

My grandfather yanked my sweatpants down to my knees in one swift and seamless motion. I shivered feeling the cool air brush against my naked thighs, giving me goosebumps. The chill easily penetrated the thin cotton fabric of my pink and white flowered underpants. Seconds later, my grandfather proceeded to spank me, but not with the strap.

I looked back, not sure if I was hallucinating from panic, but I was right. He was just using his hand. God, I hope this isn't just a warm-up.

The slap of my grandfather's firm hand burned my bottom like a hot iron. I tried in vain to block out the noise from each stinging slap of his palm against the bare flesh at the crease of my thighs but it was no use. The sound echoed loudly off the walls. Thankfully, he continued to spank me with just his hand. Don't get me wrong, it still hurt like a son of a bitch. He spanks extremely hard, way harder than my father and uncle, but this is nothing compared to the beating he gave me with his strap.