Stacey's pov

Checking myself one more time before getting out of the car, I ran a brush through my hair and spritzed on a few squirts of body spray to try and cover up Sean's cologne and the smell of sex on me. Hopefully the guys will be too distracted by the fact I'm over thirty minutes late to notice.

Not surprisingly, Shane and Mike were waiting for me in the lobby.

"Do you know what time it is, young lady?" Mike tapped his foot impatiently as he stood arms crossed, glaring at me intently.

"Yes," I said, timidly avoiding his gaze.

Mike tilted my chin up so I was facing his icy look.

"What time is it, Stacey Marie?"

Pulling my phone out of my purse, I glanced at it and replied nervously, "7:32pm."

Shane cleared his throat loudly before asking, "And what time did Mike tell you to be home?"

"Because of the previews the movie ran later than..." I started to make excuses for my tardiness but Shane interrupted me.

Speaking slowly and emphasizing every syllable, "WHAT. TIME. DID. MIKE. TELL. YOU. TO. BE. HOME?"

Swallowing hard, I responded, "7pm, sir."

"And?" Shane prompted.

"And what?" I honestly didn't know what he was getting at.

"7pm and what, Stacey? What did Mike say?" Shane questioned me sternly.

Seeing the blank look on my face, he prompted me further, "7pm and not a..."

"minute later," I sadly finished his sentence, knowing I was in for it now.

My fears were confirmed as Shane slowly stripped his belt from his waist and doubled it over. "You're going to go into my room and bare your bottom before bending over my bed and waiting for me to come in and deliver one stroke of my belt for every minute you were late."

I looked down at the floor to avoid seeing the determined anger chiseled upon Shane's face.

"Look at me while I'm speaking to you, Stacey Marie." I reluctantly looked up so Shane continued, "How many strokes will you be receiving?"

"Thirty two, sir." I wanted to argue but I knew it was fruitless.

"When Shane's done disciplining you, the three of us will have that discussion in my room that I promised you earlier. The one about how long you've been sneaking around behind our backs dating Sean. Am I clear, young lady?" Mike's tone was razor sharp.

Very stupidly, I rolled my eyes and sighed in response.

"Come on, Mike, do we really have to do this? I mean, what does it matter at this point anyway? Isn't it kinda moot?" I mumbled, in hopes of lessening the fallout from my disrespect.

Mike pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and shook his head derisively.

"You did not seriously just ask me if we really have to do this? Yes, it most certainly is not only necessary but LONG OVERDUE, STACEY MARIE. MY GUESS IS, AT LEAST TWO YEARS OVERDUE AS YOU'VE BEEN LYING TO US THIS ENTIRE TIME, SEEING THAT BOY BEHIND OUR BACKS!" Mike was yelling now as he rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "GET YOUR ASS IN SHANE'S ROOM RIGHT NOW AND ASSUME THE POSITION BEFORE I DRAG YOU IN THERE MYSELF, BECAUSE I CAN ASSURE YOU IF THAT HAPPENS, YOU WON'T WALK OUT OF THERE ON YOUR OWN TWO FEET!"

I'm not entirely sure what Mike's threat meant but I know when he swears, he's really pissed so I better do as he says. I headed for Shane's room but before I was out of earshot I heard Mike yell, "Consider your time with Shane's belt a mere warm-up for what you've got coming from me, young lady!"

I started to tear-up, out of both fear and frustration. I know I shouldn't have kept my relationship with Sean a secret but I'm almost an adult already. Doesn't that count for something? When I walked into Shane's room, I bent over his bed and lowered my leggings and thong below my hips before resting my cheek on his soft flannel sheets. I sighed and wiped my eyes as I waited for Shane.

Approximately five minutes later, Shane walked in, belt in hand.

"Oh, Stacey, why did you have to antagonize Mike? You should know that's a fight you're never going to win."

I didn't say anything. I didn't really feel like having a conversation in this position. It's kinda humiliating trying to have a rational discussion bent over, ass bared to the wind.

"You're not in enough trouble already, Stacey, for being thirty two minutes late? You have to mouth off to Mike as well?"

What Shane said next, not only surprised me but honestly terrified me a little bit as well.

"I know thirty-two strokes seems a tad extreme for missing your curfew, Stacey, but I think we both know this punishment isn't just about being late."

Little beads of sweat appeared on my forehead and I ran my clammy hands over his soft sheets as I became terribly nervous about just how much Shane knew.

"I've known for awhile now what's been going on and I feel that it's time to finally address your dishonesty. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, Stacey, and some space to make your own decisions because I recognize you're not a young child anymore, but I can no longer idly stand by and allow you to continue down this path without facing some consequence. I love you too much for that and I hope you know I will do everything in my power to help you grow into the amazing beautiful intelligent woman I know you're on the verge of becoming. Understand?"

Realizing I wasn't in a talkative mood after being met with more silence, Shane decided to get down to business.

"Alright, Stacey, if you've got nothing to say to me, you can recite the count to my belt. I want you to count each stroke out loud with the last five followed by I'm sorry for being thirty-two minutes late sir, it won't happen again."

I cringed with every painful stroke Shane's belt delivered to my bare bottom. I tried to remain stoic and just recite the count without any show of emotion but that plan went out the window after stroke eight. Shane's ability to lay his belt repeatedly over the same patch of skin across the center of my buttcheeks proved to be my undoing. I clutched his sheets tightly in my fists and hissed out each number as my tears began to fall. Shane wasn't going easy on me by any means.

"You're seventeen, Stacey, not seven. I certainly shouldn't have to explain to you the importance of being on time. Now should I?" Shane lectured inbetween strokes.

When I didn't respond, he slapped my thighs hard with his right hand.

"That question wasn't rhetorical, young lady. I expect an answer."

Not sure at this point exactly what Shane's question was and if I should say yes or no since I kinda tuned him out, I decided to play it safe.

"I understand, sir."

Shane spanked the ultrasensitive crease between my buttocks and thighs with his open palm, ten times in rapid succession.

"It's very clear you're not even listening to me, Stacey."

The disappointment in Shane's voice hurt worse than the sting in his painful slaps, well almost worse as Shane spanked really hard.

"I'm sorry, Shane," I said sadly.

Sighing audibly, Shane resumed spanking me with his belt. My hips bucked forward every time that wicked strip of leather came down, further reddening my ass.

Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel appeared brighter when Shane reminded me after stroke twenty-seven, "Last five, Stacey."

Unfortunately, I forgot what Shane wanted me to recite for these last few strokes so after saying, "Twenty-eight, sir..um, uh..." I just buried my face in his sheets and cried. I knew Shane was gonna be really mad and even more disappointed and I just couldn't face that right now.

When I felt Shane's hand on my lower back, I jerked away from his touch and cried harder. Why can't I do anything right?

Turning my head so he could hear me, I tearfully admitted, "I don't remember what you wanted me to say, Shane, after the last five strokes."

Shane just sighed and said, "Nevermind, Stacey, I'll just add on three more strokes and we'll call it even."

Damn my piss-poor memory. I know those additional three strokes are gonna hurt like a son of a bitch. Shane finished my belting, proving me right as the last three strokes were nothing short of brutal. I immediately stood and rubbed my bright red buttcheeks trying to alleviate some of the searing pain.

"Pull your pants up and come here, Stacey," Shane dictated, as he looped his belt back around his waist. Taking me in his arms, he said, "This part of your punishment is over, luv, but we still need to have that discussion with Mike." He continued to hold me until I stopped crying and my breathing evened out. "It'll be alright, luv, it'll be alright," Shane repeated.

Meanwhile

Mike's pov

While Shane was addressing Stacey's tardiness with his belt, I went to the girls' room to speak to them.

Knocking on the door as I simultaneously opened it, I said, "I want the three of you to drop what you're doing this instant and come with me."

Sensing I meant business, all three stood up to leave their room. Julie, however, made the mistake of sighing, rolling her eyes, and saying, "Ugghhh!" rather loudly so I not so gently slapped her behind and pointed to the door. "GO!" I said sternly, as I followed her out. "We're going to the conference room," I instructed the girls.

Once we were all inside, I slammed the door and barked, "ALL OF YOU SIT DOWN!" The girls each obediently took a seat and looked at me rather apprehensively.

Lisa's pov

I wasn't sure exactly why Mike called us in here but I knew it couldn't be a good thing.

Mike glared at us with his arms crossed and asked, "How long have you known Stacey was dating Sean?"

Ooooh, not me girl, I thought as I covered my eyes and looked away.

Since none of us responded, Mike targeted the weakest gazelle.

"CARRIE!" he shouted. "How long have you known?"

Don't answer that. Julie and I looked at Carrie, silently warning her to stay quiet. She looked at us then nervously avoided Mike's gaze as she fiddled with her fingers.

Realizing he wasn't going to get the information willingly, Mike threatened, "Carrie Anne, if you don't answer me in the next thirty seconds, I'm going to strip this belt from my waist and strap the information out of your sorry behind. Am I clear?"

It was obvious Mike was pissed and Carrie was scared.

"Yes sir," she replied timidly, without elaborating. Carrie then looked pleadingly at Julie so she responded by taking some of the heat off her.

"You're not seriously trying to blame Stacey hiding her boyfriend from you and Shane on us, are you Mike? 'Cause that would be not only asinine, but ignorant as well."

Mike was far from amused by Julie's interjection.

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem, Julie." Closing the gap between them, he loomed over Julie and continued, "How would you like to experience first hand how I'm going to solve this problem?"

I swallowed hard for Julie cuz Mike wasn't playin' and he was scary as shit when he got like this. Julie, however, chose to respond thusly, "No thanks, I'll take a hard pass on your invitation, doctor."

Mike's eyes darkened dramatically as he turned to us and said, "Lisa, Carrie, I need five minutes alone with your sister." Mike held the conference room door open for us to leave and we didn't hesitate to oblige since we didn't want to be caught in the crossfire.

Julie's pov

As soon as Carrie and Lisa left, Mike pulled one of the chairs over from the edge of the room and placed it in front of me. In one quick motion, he sat down and yanked me over his knees. Mike grabbed me around the waist and swept my legs under his to keep me from struggling before reaching down to bare my bottom.

"Mike, stop!" I tried to push myself off his lap but he had me immobilized.

"Don't tell me to stop, young lady. You asked for this by running your smart mouth." Mike slapped my bare bottom repeatedly with his punishing hand.

"Ow, Mike, stop! I'm sorry. Alright? I didn't mean it." I continued to fruitlessly resist as Mike peppered my buttocks with one harsh spank after another. I tried to stop the blows by reaching my hand back to cover my bright red buttcheeks but Mike swiftly pinned my wrist to the small of my back. For two minutes straight he spanked me. His tenacity was ruthless, he left no spot on my bottom untouched.

"Hopefully this will serve as a painful reminder for you every time you sit down for the next few days, to be respectful and hold your tongue." Mike smacked the globes of my ass with force.

I was crying too hard at this point to say anything. Mike paused the assault on my buttocks to redden my thighs. After twenty extremely sharp swats, my upper thighs burned intensely.

"I shouldn't have to continually remind you not to interfere with matters that don't concern you." Mike stroked my sore butt as he lectured. "Yet here you are once again, in this all too familiar position, Julie. What's it gonna take to get through to you? I'm tired of constantly having to address your disrespect." Mike spanked me right below the waistline, causing me to wince from his harsh discipline.

Thankfully, Mike didn't expect an answer to his question, because I certainly wasn't able to deliver one in my current state. I was in tears thanks to his extremely painful lesson. Mike sighed and gently patted my sore, inflamed bottom.

"Why do you continue to test me, little one?" he asked sadly in an almost imperceptible whisper, but I still heard him. Mike lifted me off his lap and pulled up my pants and panties. Standing me between his knees, he held my hands in his to keep me from rubbing. "Calm your breathing, sweetheart, and look at me."

The sincerity and compassion in Mike's voice made my heart ache. Just knowing how much my behavior disappointed him was a punishment in itself.

My breath hitched as I sniffled my apology, "I'm sorry, Mike." Tears rolled down my face when I saw the hurt look in his eyes.

Standing and embracing me, Mike held my head against his chest with one hand and rubbed my back with the other.

"It's forgotten and forgiven, darlin'."

When Mike brought Lisa and Carrie back in and we told him how long we knew about Stacey dating Sean, he grounded the three of us to our room for two weeks. We had an eight o'clock bedtime and we had to write, I will not keep things from my guardians ever again, one hundred times every night we were grounded.

"Get your pajamas on and start writing your lines," he said. "I'll be in to check on you girls later. Right now I have to deal with your older sister."