Mike's pov

As I'm heading to the girls' room, I can hear Julie and Stacey arguing all the way from the other end of the hallway. This is at least the fourth time this week I've witnessed a heated exchange between the two cousins. Since their door is ajar, I knock once while simultaneously pushing it open and entering their room.

"What's going on in here? I could hear the two of you shouting from the other end of the hall."

Julie and Stacey stop yelling and just glare at each other. It's obvious from their red faces and labored breathing that they've been arguing for quite awhile already.

"You've been sniping at each other all week. What exactly is the problem between the two of you?" I ask, with an unmistakably severe tone while standing with my hands on my hips, looking each of them in the eyes, expectantly awaiting their response.

"Nothing," Julie says angrily, turning away from me.

I look to Stacey and she responds, "Yeah, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it. "

"I think the two of you misunderstood me. That was not a suggestion, it was a demand. So let me make myself perfectly clear. I want to know what the two of you have been fighting about all week and I want to know NOW!" I've had enough of their bickering and my irritation with the two cousins is starting to show.

Julie just sighs in exasperation, rolls her eyes, and continues to avoid looking directly at me.

"Whatever," Stacey says snottily, arms crossed.

"THAT'S IT! THE TWO OF YOU COME WITH ME!" I shout, having now lost my patience. I grab each of them by the arm and haul them all the way to the conference room, ignoring their whining and complaining along the way. I pull them into the room, let go of their arms, and slam the door shut. The cousins continue to glare at each other, refusing to tell me what their disagreement is about. I give them each a harsh slap on their bottoms and bark, "SIT DOWN!"

Somewhat reluctantly, but afraid to test me further, the girls each take a seat.

"Neither one of you is going to leave this room until two out of three things happen." I narrow my eyes and look at them coldly, ensuring I have their undivided attention before continuing. Stacey and Julie finally look at me, motivated by a mixture of fear and curiosity.

"ONE, you explain to me what you've been arguing about all week. TWO, you resolve the issues through calm rational discussion, compromise, and understanding. THREE, I return in an hour, remove my belt, and give the two of you a reason to forget about your issues by taking away your ability to sit for a week."

The girls' jaws drop upon hearing option number three.

"The choice is yours, ladies. I'll be back in exactly one hour." I leave them to ponder their options, closing the door rather forcefully on my way out.

Stacey's pov

"Why does Mike have to make such a big deal out of everything?" I ask.

"Yeah I know, he always blows everything out of proportion," Julie responds.

"So what are we going to tell him when he comes back and wants to know what we've been arguing about?"

"Well, we can't tell him the truth, that's for sure," Julie says chuckling.

"Yeah, can you imagine what he would do if he knew?"

"Unfortunately yes I can imagine, and it would look a lot like option number three," Julie says, shuddering at the thought.

"Ya know, maybe for once we should just come clean and be honest," I say, trying to keep a straight face but I bust out laughing along with my cousin.

She sarcastically says, "Yeah right, that sounds like us." After a few moments of awkward silence she says, "Seriously though, cuz, you have to make a decision."

"You already know my decision, Julie." Duh, I think to myself, this is what we've been arguing about all week.

Julie responds, "Yeah, I know your decision and you're wrong. Why can't you just trust me on this?"

Julie's pov

I can't get it through my cousin's thick skull that getting involved with this guy is a mistake. I've been trying to talk her out of dating him all week. I even threatened to go to Mike and Shane and tell them how this guy got his reputation, knowing they would ground Stacey and do everything in their power to keep her away from him.

That threat, though completely idle, was causing the majority of our heated exchanges. Stacey countered by threatening to tell Mike and Shane that I broke curfew while I was already grounded to go to the party where they met. She also made it very clear she wouldn't hesitate to inform them of my alcohol consumption at the party as well, figuring she'd have nothing to lose at that point.

My quandary being: save my cousin from dating a jerk, risk having her never forgive me for betraying her, and earn myself a severe punishment in the process, or keep my mouth shut thus allowing her to make a big mistake but preserving our relationship and saving my hide in the interim.

Knowing my cousin, she wouldn't let a little thing like Shane and Mike grounding her to her room stand in the way of going out with this guy anyway so I guess there's no point in getting myself in trouble. I think this is one of those times when she'll just have to learn from her own mistakes.

"You know what? Fine," I say, resigning myself to give up this fight with my cousin. "Do whatever you want, Stacey, we both know you will anyway and there's no point in me getting my ass whipped in the process."

"It's about time you came around to my way of thinking." Stacey has a smug grin on her face.

"Just don't come cryin' to me when it all falls apart, cuz," I retort.

We spend the remainder of the hour in silence, each too stubborn to truly let this argument go. True to his word, Mike walks in exactly one hour after he left. He already has his belt in hand.

"Whoa, what happened to giving us a choice of which two options we wanted?" I ask, nervous that Mike's already chosen option number three for us.

"Having been an Eagle scout, I always come prepared, Julie." Mike lays his belt down on the table as he takes a seat. "So, let's hear it, girls. Have you made your decision?"

"Yeah, we talked it out and everything is fine," I reply, never taking my eyes off the belt.

"It's all good now, Mike, don't worry," Stacey agrees.

Mike looks back and forth between Stacey and I a few times, silently observing our body language and facial expressions. Stacey absentmindedly rubs her chin while I stare at the clock on the wall.

"What were the two of you fighting about anyway?" Mike asks, pretending to only have a casual interest in the response.

It's obvious he's curious about the catalyst that ignited the disagreement between my cousin and I but he also knows it's highly unlikely we'll be forthcoming with that information.

"Julie borrowed one of my shirts without asking first and then she got permanent marker on it and ruined it so I said she should buy me a new shirt but she said no, because it wasn't her fault the marker got on it since some stupid kid drew on her."

Stacey effortlessly rambled off that story, I think as I watch her casually rest her chin on her hands, maintaining eye contact with Mike the entire time.

"Yeah, just a stupid argument over a shirt," I confirm.

Mike again looks between the two of us a few more times before saying, "Come here, girls," as he walks to the front of the table and beckons us over, motioning with his left hand.

Stacey and I exchange panicked looks.

"But we did what you wanted," Stacey whines.

"No, what you did, Stacey Marie, was lie to my face and you, Julie Elizabeth, corroborated her lie." Mike picked up his belt as he stood in front of the table, staring us down.

"Now, I strongly suggest the two of you do as you're told before I start adding more strokes." Mike is far from amused by our deceptive explanation of what prompted this week long disagreement between my cousin and I. "You're at fifteen strokes right now, by the way." Mike once again motions us to the table to assume the position.

I walk up to the table and bend over, giving my cousin an angry look on the way.

"No! It's not right. We should be able to argue with each other without you getting involved." My cousin remains seated with her arms crossed, emanating indignation from every pore.

"DAMMIT, STACEY, just get your ass up here before you get me in more trouble," I stupidly blurt out, well within striking distance.

Mike doesn't hesitate to take action as he strikes my bottom harshly three times with his belt.

"You watch your language, Julie Elizabeth. Do you understand me?" Mike is seething.

"Yes," I hiss angrily, staring directly at my cousin as I'm already in more trouble thanks to her big mouth.

"Yes what, Julie?" Mike asks, after striping my bottom with his belt two more times.

FUCK, that hurt. I reach back and rub my stinging behind.

"Yes, I get it alright, I'm not an imbecile." I manage to let my anger supersede my instinct of self-preservation as I hiss my snide response through clenched teeth.

"Do I need to address your language and your disrespect privately over my knee, Julie?" Mike whispers harshly in my right ear.

"NO!" I say rather snottily, exhaling loudly. I can't hide my annoyance any further at this point. "SHE'S THE ONE MOUTHING OFF, LYING, AND DISOBEYING YOU BUT I'M THE FUCKING ONE BEING PUNISHED!" I'm so upset right now, I'm practically shaking with rage.

"Stacey, wait in my room. I need to adjust your cousin's attitude, RIGHT NOW," Mike states, eerily calm yet obviously livid.

My cousin wastes no time hightailing it out of the conference room.

"Don't you dare try to play the innocent victim here, Julie."

The cold look on Mike's face scares me, yet I somehow still manage to roll my eyes in response.

"You didn't initiate the lie but you substantiated it and you alone, chose to swear and respond to me in a disrespectful manner." Mike puts his belt down, grabs my arm, and pulls me over his lap as he takes a seat. He quickly immobilizes me, grabbing me tightly around the waist and pinning my legs beneath his. "You need to accept responsibility for your actions, Julie, and stop focusing on matters that don't concern you."

Mike bares my bottom as I persist in fighting this punishment. He spanks me repeatedly as I continue to resist, foolishly assuming I'm in the right here. My eyes are stinging with tears, not only from the burning pain Mike's palm is inflicting but also from my frustration with what I perceive to be Mike's extremely biased and unfair treatment of me versus my cousin in this situation.

"How I discipline your cousin is not your business. You need to learn your place, Julie, and the sooner you do, the less you'll find yourself in this humiliating position." Mike continues to slap my bottom relentlessly as I continue to defiantly struggle over his knee. "You're in the wrong here, Julie, and until you accept that fact, I'll continue to drive the lesson home, one painful slap at a time."

My bottom is already bright red so Mike begins to focus on making my upper thighs a matching shade. As the pain radiating off my thoroughly punished backside continues to escalate to an unbearable level, my resolve begins to falter.

Mike pauses the spanking, resting his left hand on my bottom, absentmindedly rubbing small circles on my left buttcheek.

"Julie, it's time to acquiesce. Are you ready to accept responsibility for your actions and apologize for your disrespectful attitude and behavior?"

Whatever fight I had left in me has vanished. I just want this to be over.

"Yes, I'm sorry I lied to you, swore, and disrespected you, Mike," I reply without a trace of defiance or attitude, as tears stream down my face.

I knew I was in the wrong from the beginning but I couldn't accept him going harder on me without putting up a fight. Why does he always demand more from me? More importantly, why does it continue to surprise me and why do I continue to fruitlessly resist?

Mike's pov

Will the day ever come when this girl ceases to question my authority? Her continued disrespect and delusional righteous indignation are exhausting but I need to continue to enforce consequences or she'll never learn to curb her mouth, attitude, and behavior.

"I want you to count these last ten followed by I'm sorry sir. Understand?" God help me if she doesn't respond to my stern tone respectfully.

"Yes sir," she replies, in a defeated tiny voice that almost garners my sympathy.

I pat her sore bottom and sigh, resigning myself to finish this unpleasant but necessary task.

After the first harsh slap to her left buttcheek, Julie replies, "One, I'm sorry, sir."

I proceed to deliver the remainder of her spanking with a steely resolve, even though hearing the contrition in her voice inexplicably breaks my heart. I pull up her underwear and pants before standing her before me.

"I want you to go to my room and bring your cousin back with you so I can finish disciplining the two of you."

Julie's eyes widen in surprise at the knowledge that her punishment is not yet over.

"Don't look so shocked, Julie. Shane and I have told you time and time again that we will not tolerate disrespect, defiance, nor disobedience. Next time, curb your attitude and your mouth and you won't find yourself over my knee." I swat her on the bottom and say, "Now go!"

Stacey's pov

My cousin walks into Mike's room and says, "Come on," as she motions toward the door. Seeing how red and swollen her eyes are gives me a clear picture of the severity with which Mike administered my cousin's attitude adjustment.

"I'm sorry." I offer up a lame apology, knowing it in no way makes up for the pain my cousin endured at Mike's hand. Julie looks at me as if she's about to say something but instead remains silent and just walks out. As strange as it sounds, I hope Mike's belt can alleviate some of my guilty conscience.

Even though I knew what I was walking into, my heart still skipped a beat upon seeing Mike looking incredibly intimidating as he stands in front of the table, belt in hand. He doesn't need to say a word. Julie and I quickly and quietly lower our pants and assume the position but not before my cousin gives me the most heartbreaking look of betrayal. I look away, ashamed my dishonesty caused her so much pain.

"Girls, hopefully the next time you have one of your all too public disagreements, you'll think back on this punishment and resign yourselves to resolve the conflict before I need to step in and mediate. Had you listened to my directive in the first place and been honest with me, neither of you would be in this position receiving this belting. Am I clear?"

Nine years later and Mike still scares the crap out of me when I'm facing one of his spankings. I tense up, anticipating the first stroke of his belt. Living up to his infamous reputation, Mike proceeds to deliver an incredibly intense, painful, and regret inducing punishment.

He doesn't alternate one stroke each between Julie and I, instead he chooses to deliver five consecutive strokes to the left buttcheek, followed by five strokes to the thighs, and finishes with five strokes to the right buttcheek. I cringe watching my cousin's face distort in pain with each and every stroke. My bottom is on fire. The second stroke to my thighs brought tears to my eyes. I cannot fathom how much pain my cousin is in right now receiving this belting on top of a spanking.

Hearing Mike buckle his belt, we stand, pull our pants up and face him, relieved our punishment is over. Mike stands feet shoulder width apart, hands clasped in front of his waist, eyes expectantly upon us, awaiting our apologies.

"I'm sorry I lied to you Mike and disobeyed you," I say humbly, staring at my feet.

Mike gently lifts my chin and briefly looks me in the eye before pulling me into a tight embrace as he whispers in my ear, "I forgive you but the next time you lie to me, Stacey, I will belt you so hard you won't be able to walk straight. Understand?"

Processing his threat, I swallow audibly before meekly responding, "Yes sir."

Mike spanks me on the bottom as he says, "Go to your room."

Julie's pov

Once my cousin leaves, Mike turns to me. Seeing how exhausted and stressed he looks, I can't help but feel responsible. I wipe away the tears residing on my cheeks but they quickly reappear since I'm unable to stop crying. Why do I feel so awful for hurting him when he's literally just inflicted a tremendous amount of pain upon me? Why does the ache in my heart caused by disappointing him, trump the pain in my freshly spanked and belted backside? These are the unanswered questions that continue to plague me.

My self-absorbed concerns retire to the backburner as soon as I once again lock eyes with Mike.

"I'm so sorry..." I pause to calm my breathing before finishing, "...for everything."

Mike pulls me into his chest, shushing me, he softly says, "I know and it's forgotten and forgiven. Please don't cry, baby girl." He continues to hold me close as he gently strokes my back. "Don't cry."

I relish feeling my emotional burden beginning to lift, craving this man's forgiveness and approval above all else.

"I love you, Mike," I whisper, as I continue to cry, overcome by the pain of two very hard spankings, teenage hormones, and so many conflicting emotions.

"I love you too, darlin'." Unbeknownst to me, a single tear trickles down Mike's cheek. "More than you'll ever know."