Between the Two [COMPLETE]

6~Punishment

By the time we returned to the church, the sermon was almost over and we just drank smoothies in the cafe, watching the screen. Brad poured half of them out for the illusion of us attending the cafe all this time. Honestly, it was thrilling to sneak out, although my conscious was screaming that they’d know; that I’d be punished when we got home. My heart was rattling in my chest the moment they came out, dismissing everyone with a handshake and smile. And it didn’t stop until we got home, spending the majority of the day there.

After a well-needed shower, I felt like the warm water would wash away the guilt of sneaking out. Ezra and mom didn’t show any signals that they knew, only smiled, asking me how I liked it. Mom asked me about Hazel, peering through the rearview mirror suspiciously. I told her that I enjoyed her company. When Hazel noticed that I ditched her, she said nothing to them and only told me she’d be quiet this once with a smile. I thanked her but, honestly, I looked forward to hanging out with Daphne and the rest of the group more than Hazel, in case she was mom's subordinate.

“Dinners ready,” Katherine called upstairs. I finished getting dressed and headed downstairs where everyone was already taking their seat. I slide into the last seat across from Ezra, who was ready to say grace. The table was set with mixed vegetables, glazed salmon, and the same ice cream cake I said I was too full to eat last night. Noticing my frown at the cake, mom eyed me with phony concern.

“What’s wrong, honey?” she asked, making a plate for herself. “Katherine made that ice cream cake herself. Made with love.”

I bit into the salmon to disguise my scowl at her obvious motive to make me ridicule Katherine’s friendly gesture. This was her plan, make me look like the bad guy. “I’m sure Katherine did.” Would it really hurt so much to take a bite? Maybe it was delicious and I'd end up enjoying it. “I’ll get a piece after dinner. Mom, may I ask you a question?”

She was stunned for a second, looking at Ezra and Asher before composing herself. If she wanted to make me look like the awful guy here, I’d do the same to her. “Is it appropriate for dinner, Lilah?”

I nodded with a grin. Ezra and Asher were now looking between both of us, taking small bites of their food. “It’s nothing like that. I just want to know where you put Louie?”

Mom almost choked on her bite, covering her mouth as she snuck a glare at me. I’d be getting a hurting tonight but I didn’t care. I needed to know where Louie was all this time. Did she leave him? She cloaked her unwillingness with laughter. “The dog?”

The dog? I thought, feeling my breath hitch in my throat at the words.

“You mean Louie the dog who died before you left?” She turned to Ezra, wiping the corners of her mouth with her napkin. “Oh, she was so fond of that little dog. He got sick and died, though. A shame really.” She glanced at me with a look of hatred that told me if I spoke more on the topic, she’d seek her revenge on me. I didn’t care though, giving her a glare of my own. “Honey, I know you loved him, but I couldn’t bring him. He’s still at Reinhart Manor.”

Ezra took a sip of his wine before adding on. “We’ll get you a new dog if you’d like.”

She smiled at him admirably. “That sounds like a nice idea, Ezra.” The victory in her brown eyes is what pushed me over the edge. “Louie is in the past, Lilah. We’ll get a new dog soon.”

I felt morsels of rage tingling along my body until it was all I felt, heating me like a roaring fire. I stood up quickly, the wrath of her entire existence in my life burning me up. I had to let it out. Or it’d burn me alive. Everything inside me wanted to climb over this table and strangle her. How dare she say my baby brother was a dog! A dead dog that could be replaced!

There was no piece of sensibility left when I shouted, “You b***h! You’re lying about Louie! You lie about everything! Just like you lied about me liking this stupid cake! You know I hate it! And I hate you!”

At that moment, Katherine had walked into the dining room, hand to her blushing cheeks. “Oh my…”

My heart sank, biting my lip in embarrassment. I didn’t mean to say that. I didn’t mean to hurt Katherine. I wanted to hurt mom and expose her for the phony she was. But it all came out so quickly and by the time I could stop it, it was too late. “I didn’t…” I started murmuring.

Ezra threw his napkin on his plate, standing up furiously with a scowl directed at me. To make matters worse, tears were balling in mom’s eyes, her face confused and distressed. “Lilah, I would like to see you in my office.” I hesitated, clawing at the table. “Now!”

He walked around the table and outside the dining room towards his office. I followed, looking back over my shoulder at Asher’s fearful expression and mom wiping her tears, the bow of her lips lifting. She really was victorious this time. I knew her punishments were brutal but swift. However, Ezra’s were still a mystery to me, and that was scarier than the known.

Following him, he led me towards the back of the house, passing the forbidden door to the basement beside his office. Inside sat a wooden desk with bookshelves on both sides and a couch in front of the curtained bay windows. The walls were a soft gray and there was a closet in the corner with stacks of papers beside it. When he closed the door behind me, he looked down at me with thunderous grey eyes that had me shivering.

“What you said back there was not only disrespectful to your mother but also Katherine,” he stated, taking a heavy step towards me. He backed me into the wall, looming over me with a darkly handsome expression. “You and your mother have a rocky past, she’s already told me, but she is making an effort to change and you need to do the same. Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

His hand reached up to my cheek, caressing it with surprising tenderness. Warm and gentle. His expression soon shifted to match his sudden change in demeanor. “Lilah, you are a good girl, pure and true. But you have a darkness in your past that is haunting you. I could see it the moment you entered this house.” His finger lightly touched my bottom lip. “I want you to seek forgiveness and salvation in the Lord. No matter what it may be, He’ll forgive you.”

At his words, I thought of Rob that night on the couch, shuttering at how quickly he was on me then down to the ground. Flashes of the trailer truck crashing into him made me want to cry, knowing I took two lives that night. I never meant to. They both were accidents. I’m still a good girl, right? Right?

I looked up at him, my hand catching his, still caressing my cheeks. “Ezra, do you really think I could be forgiven?”

The corner of his lip rose into a smile that sent my heart leaping, gray eyes glimmering with hope. “With my help, undeniably. But you must listen to my words, understood?”

I nodded, feeling him step closer until barely a hair could come between us. I lifted my head up, his eyes like a beacon of light for a better tomorrow. Something about him made me feel like he knew my demons and he wanted to vanquish them inside me. “Yes, Ezra.”

“Father,” he said, his hand dropping from my cheek. “Call me father when we’re in my office.” Turning away, he left me breathless against the wall while he took a seat in his leather chair, gesturing me to come to him. He continued to speak with each step I took, finding myself physically drawn to him. In his eyes, I could see the redemptions of my past. “Spare the rod, spoil the child, isn’t that right, Lilah?” I gulped, having forgotten about being punished for my outburst, the entire reason we were here. Solemness masked his face. “Pull up your skirt and bend over my lap.”

Giving him a questioning look, I said, “I told you I’m--”

His eyes bled into me with severity, clenching his teeth. “Now, Lilah! If I have to bend you over myself…” He let his words fall into the silent air, filling me with dread. There would be no mercy. Hesitantly, I lifted my skirt and walked to his side, placing my body over his lap. He lifted his leg, raising my butt higher, the fabric of the skirt folded over my back. “Honor thy father and thy mother. Repeat.” He smacked my ass hard, stinging me to the touch as I yelped in pain. “Repeat!”

Smacking me again, this time the stinging expanding on the other cheek. I gritted my teeth at the sudden pain. “Honor thy father and thy mother,” I repeated, his hand rubbing circles along the thin material of my panties. Pausing for a moment, he hit my cheek again with a shocking force that cracked in my ears. “Honor thy father and thy mother.”

I repeated this two more time then slowly felt his finger caress the lining of my core. “Who am I?” he asked, smacking my ass again before touching my core through my panties. At first, it surprised me as I writhed on his lap, then it became soothing to the touch. I bit my lip to suppress a moan. He smacked my butt once more, causing me to scream at the excessive soreness. “Lilah!”

“Father,” I yelped, his hand connecting with a heated pain that had me wince. He rewarded me by gently caressing my core, making me wet enough to soak my panties. It felt good when he touched me like that. As though he was slowly cleansing me. “Father.” He smacked my ass once more and I felt the wetness gather between my legs. Slowly, his fingers touched the hem of my panties, his bare finger touching my flesh. I gasped at the softness entering inside me. It was different than Rob’s touch. Loving and tender. “Father.” Moving it around inside me, a moan escaped and I felt his bulge touch my waist.

Then he pulled his finger out, sitting me up abruptly. Our eyes connected the moment he placed his wet finger in his mouth, tasting me, my heart rattling uncontrollably at the sight. “I can taste the sweetness inside you,” he said before grabbing my chin, pulling me closer. “Don’t let the devils of your past tell you that you’re not a good girl. You are, Lilah, so pure.” Ezra’s lips found mine, exploring each other's invigorating kiss, memorizing the gentleness of him on me. I yearned to sink deeper into him, to drown myself in his pleasant touch. He made me feel safe. Pulling away breathlessly, he gave me a stern look. “Go apologize to your mother and Katherine and finish your dinner. There will be no more outbursts like that. If you feel the devils of your past creeping in, you tell me, and I’ll cleanse you of them, understood?”

I nodded. “Yes, father.”

Once done fixing my skirt and hair, Ezra adjusting his pants before we headed out the door. The thumping of my core made me squeeze my legs. I wanted to change my underwear but I knew he wouldn't let me head upstairs until our meal was done. And I was fine with that, knowing this towering man, my stepfather, made me feel this way. This is my second chance, I thought. A new stepfather that would help me find forgiveness in hurting the last one. He would help me find salvation for what I did. Ezra would be my savior.

Entering the dining room, I looked apologetically at Katherine first. “I’m so sorry about what I said about the cake. You worked so hard on it and I never meant any disrespect towards you.”

She gave me a comforting smile. “How about a regular cake next time, dearie?”

I smiled, nodding. Then I looked to mom, sitting up straight for her apology, the lining of her mascara drying against her cheeks. This would be the hardest part but the one thing Reinhart ladies were known for was their lies. “I’m sorry about the outburst, mom, and calling you such nasty things. I...was still torn up...about Louie. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

And I knew deep down that wasn't true. Now I knew the best way to hurt her was to give her what she wanted years ago when she pulled me out of the gardener shed and brought me to Rob on a silver platter. I’d be a good girl this time. I would make sure Ezra stayed with her. He wouldn’t disappear on her like the rest. Because he’d have me to control and satisfy his every command.

Like the girl good she always made me out to be.