Julie's pov

If looks could kill, Mike would've put my cousin six feet under.

"What did you just say?" he growled in a terrifyingly cold tone, as he glared daggers at her.

"I took Julie's pills. I mean, I didn't take them take them. Like I didn't swallow 'em or anything, I just took 'em to sell to a guy for money." My cousin hastily rambled her confession as Shane and I stood in shock, our mouths agape.

Unfortunately for my cousin, Mike still had his belt in hand, ready at the use.

Gripping it tightly, he commanded, "You will wait for Shane and I in my room. First, I need to apologize to your cousin and then I need to calm down before I belt you WITHIN AN INCH OF YOUR LIFE, STACEY MARIE! WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU, STEALING YOUR COUSIN'S MEDICATION?" Mike's words quickly escalated in volume as he shouted.

"I'm sorry. I know it was a stupid thing to do and it'll never happen again, I swear." Stacey tried futilely to lessen the severity of her punishment by apologizing.

"If you know what's good for you, young lady, you'll do as you're told and wait for us in Mike's room without saying another word," Shane warned.

Recognizing how far up shit creek without a paddle she truly was, my cousin turned on her heels and hightailed it out of the line of sight of our two beyond livid guardians.

Mike sighed loudly and ran his hand down his face while shaking his head in disbelief. He rubbed the back of his neck out of frustration before he turned to face me and apologize.

"I'm sorry I accused you, Julie, I really am. I just never would've imagined this. I mean, how could I have possibly fathomed something so outlandish?" Mike appeared lost in thought for a moment as he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead before he spoke again. "Anyway, I'm sorry. Are you going to be okay, Julie?"

Finally letting out the breath I'd been holding since my cousin's well-timed confession, I nodded in response to Mike's question, knowing I'd be able to manage my current state of anxiety on my own once the shock wore off.

"We'll talk more when I'm done whipping your cousin." Mike reassured me by rubbing my arm and giving me a sad smile before he turned to leave, snapping his belt harshly on his way out the door, as if cracking a whip.

Shane hurriedly went to follow him as he called to me from the doorway, "I'm sorry too, sweetheart. I'll be back as soon as possible but right now I have to stop Mike from killing your cousin."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I couldn't help chuckling at the comical scene unfolding before my eyes. Shane chasing after Mike was akin to a Benny Hill skit, sans the trumpet music.

Shane's pov

I grabbed Mike's arm, turning him towards me just before we got to his room. The angry look on his face was scary enough to make me swallow hard and think twice about addressing him now but for the sake of our oldest daughter, I mustered up the nerve.

"Mike, wait!" The look I received just about stopped my heart.

Mike ripped his arm free from my grasp.

"No, Shane. Don't you dare try to protect her right now. She's got this punishment coming in spades and you know damn well she deserves it." Mike spoke as rigidly as his jaw was currently clenched.

"Mike, please," I pleaded with my best mate, "We already have one daughter with PTSD from a punishment meted out in anger, we don't need another one."

"Are you seriously comparing what I'm about to do to Stacey to what you did to Julie that night in the park?" Mike scoffed incredulously at me. "No offense, Admiral, but I think I have a little more self restraint when it comes to controlling my anger."

I stepped back, truly hurt by Mike's words. I wanted to distance myself from him to keep from doing something in retaliation I might later regret.

Seeing the wounded look on my face, Mike immediately softened.

"I'm sorry, Shane, that was completely uncalled for. I was way out of line." Putting his hands on his knees, he took a long slow deep breath before continuing. "You're right, I'm way too angry right now to punish Stacey so let's just go in there and get an explanation for her behavior and we'll deal with the disciplinary consequences at a later time."

"Alright," I replied, opening the door, allowing Mike entrance before following him inside.

"Look, I'm really sorry," Stacey gulped, trying to garner enough saliva to continue.

"Shut your mouth, Stacey. You will speak only when spoken to and your responses better be limited to the questions asked of you. Do I make myself clear?" I spoke sternly so both Stacey and Mike would know I recognized the gravity of her transgressions.

"Yes sir," Stacey replied humbly.

"I want an explanation for your despicable behavior and I want it now." Mike continued to clutch his belt tightly in his left hand as he advanced on our eldest. "Why did you take your cousin's medication?"

"I didn't think Julie would even miss the pills. I mean, I didn't think she really even needed them so I thought it'd be a quick way to earn a few extra bucks." Stacey backed away as she spoke, attempting to increase the distance between her and an extremely pissed off Mike.

"Is that how you were able to afford all those expensive clothes you've been sporting? You used the money you made off your cousin's anxiety medication to purchase them?" I asked.

Stacey nodded sadly.

"So when you told me you had saved up money from babysitting jobs and birthdays to buy those clothes, you were lying?" Mike was becoming more furious as Stacey's dishonesty was unveiled.

Stacey didn't say anything.

"ANSWER ME! I WANT TO HEAR YOU SAY IT, STACEY!" Mike's veins in his neck and forehead were bulging as his temper continued to rise to an unsafe level.

"Yes sir, I lied," Stacey admitted begrudgingly, knowing how much of a hot button issue dishonesty is with Mike.

"Did you even think about your cousin and what would happen when she needed her medication and there weren't any pills left and she couldn't get any more because it was too soon to refill? Did you think about that, Stacey, when you were on your shopping spree?" Mike asked, incensed by Stacey's callous disregard for Julie's feelings.

"I didn't think anybody would get hurt. l figured it was just a harmless way to make money."

I saw the panicked look on Stacey's face as she backed into Mike's wall, now having no way to physically separate herself from him.

"Oh, somebody's going to get hurt alright..." Mike stood nose to nose with Stacey, his right arm flush against her ear, his palm on the wall bracing himself as he leaned in closer to whisper harshly in her ear, "...and it's going to be you, more specifically your behind."

"Mike, please," Stacey whined a futile plea. "I didn't mean to hurt Julie. I'm sorry."

"You're about to be, young lady." Mike pushed himself off the wall and tossed his belt on the bed. Turning his back to Stacey, he put his hands on his hips and commanded, "Go in my closet and get my new belt."

"Mike," Stacey softly uttered her last ditch one word plea, as tears pricked her eyes.

Whipping around to face her again, Mike yelled, "DAMMIT, STACEY, I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU AGAIN! GO GET ME THAT BELT RIGHT NOW!"

When Stacey wiped her face of her now streaming tears and went into Mike's closet, I confronted him.

"Mike, you're way too upset to punish her like this right now." I gripped the top of his shoulder and looked him dead in the eyes. "Trust me when I say you do not want to do this."

Mike heard the sincerity in my voice, saw the sadness behind my eyes borne only from experience, and thankfully recognized the truth in my words.

Swallowing hard, he acknowledged me, "You're right, I need more time to calm down but I will be the one to punish her, Shane. I owe it to Julie for not believing she was being truthful and more importantly, I owe it to our oldest daughter to know she can never do something so despicable, dangerous, and asinine, not to mention highly illegal, ever again."

"I agree with you, Mike."

We turned around upon hearing Stacey say, "Here," as she held Mike's new belt in front of us in her outstretched arm.

Taking the belt from her, Mike sternly ordered, "You're going to sit at my desk and write a three page paper on all the things you did wrong, along with all the disastrous consequences that could have ensued from your heinous behavior. Then you're going to bare your backside and kneel, hands on head in front of my bed awaiting my return, at which time I'm going to belt you harder than I've ever belted you before. Do you understand me, Stacey Marie?"

Wide eyed and scared, Stacey replied, "Yes sir," as she wiped fresh tears from her eyes.

"After your spanking, you're going to apologize to your cousin then you're going to gather all the items you bought with the drug money you made and we're going to go to the shelter to donate them. While we're gone, Shane will decide the terms of your grounding and share them with you upon our return, at which time he may or may not decide to spank you himself as well."

Mike spoke so authoritatively with such a steely resolve, his words actually made me shudder. I certainly did not envy our oldest daughter right now, knowing she would soon be facing his wrath. I understand now why the girls are so terrified of Mike when he's livid.

"Have I made myself perfectly clear, young lady?" Mike's tone was razor sharp.

Seriously gave me chills. I literally have goosebumps.

Sniffling as she cried harder now upon hearing Mike's harsh edicts, Stacey avoided meeting his stern gaze as she softly choked out her response, "Yes sir."

Mike whipped his belt across her backside so quickly I didn't even see him do it but I certainly heard the slap it made and saw the reaction it elicited from Stacey as she yelped and rubbed her behind.

"Show me the respect I deserve by looking at me when you're speaking to me, young lady."

Yikes. I physically shivered that time, honest to God. Mental note to self: never piss off your best mate.

Looking him in the eyes this time, Stacey humbly repeated, "Yes sir."

Mike placed his belt in a circle in the center of his bed.

Pointing to the floor beneath him, he said, "This is where I expect to find you bared and kneeling when I return. Don't even think of defying me, Stacey Marie," he added, before slamming the door, as we walked out.

Mike's pov

Shane and I went to Sheffield pub and had a pint while throwing darts. Afterward, we went to the gym and lifted weights and did some cardio, hoping the physical exercise would help burn off some of my pent up anger. Approximately ninety minutes later, we returned to the NJC and I thankfully found Stacey bared and kneeling by my bed with her hands on her head as instructed.

Stacey inhaled sharply when she heard me enter but she was wise enough to know not to turn around without my permission. I stood silently, looking at my oldest daughter wondering what went wrong to land her in this position, anticipating her most painful punishment to date. I never could have imagined she'd be capable of doing something like this. I shook my head sadly.

"Did you finish your writing assignment?"

"It's on your desk."

Even though Stacey's reply wasn't said with attitude, I did not find it acceptable. I walked up behind her and slapped her on the ass hard enough to get my point across but not so hard as to leave a handprint.

"The appropriate response is yes sir. I certainly shouldn't have to remind you of the proper way to address me when you're in trouble. Do not make that mistake again."

Ready to teach my oldest daughter a painful lesson, I picked up the belt Julie and I purchased together at the leather shop and folded it in half.

"Bend over the bed, Stacey, and do not move out of position or reach your hands back. Understand?"

"Yes sir." Stacey began to cry.