I think when Brady thought I was too comfortable with the pain, he’d lay it against me especially hard until he heard me protest again. This went on for some minutes, though like I’ve said, I have no judgment of time in these things. I only know that we were finally exhausted. After one particularly long pause, I slumped again to the dusty earth beneath me, and rested my hot bottom on the cool ground.
“Enough?” I looked up at him sorrowfully.
I could see in his eyes, a kindness had replaced the ferocity that had defined the last half hour. He still looked grim and serious, but not nearly as much as he’d been when all this started.
“Enough,” he confirmed. “You’ll believe me now, I should think.” He was quite adamant with that comment. And as I watched him put his belt back around his wa
