Gabe made me get out of bed with him when his alarm went off. I struggled to sleep throughout the night. The sound of my daughter's cries rang through my ears. I could barely see her because of how Gabe held her small body in his hands, and also because of my blurry vision from my tears. I had no idea what my daughter looked like. I wondered if she resembled me or Gabe. These thoughts made it difficult to sleep.

My bones ached and my muscles felt heavy when I dragged my feet down to the kitchen. Jenny insisted that I sit down and not help with breakfast. I kept my gaze down on the table as the family talked amongst themselves. I did not look up until Gabe put some eggs on my plate.

"You need to eat," he said.

"I'm not hungry," I said.

"That's not an option."

I let out a deep breath and picked up my fork. I pushed my food around the plate. My chest tightened as my heart ached. I squeezed my eyes shut to stop myself from crying. I jumped when Gabe put his hand on my back.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Can we go back out to the grave?" I asked.

"Maybe later," he said.

I looked up at him with glossy eyes. I was afraid to blink and cry in front of the family.

"Please," I said. "I need to go."

"I have more important things I have to do today," he said.

I threw my fork down on the plate. My chair screeched across the floor as I stood. Gabe snatched my wrists as I tried to walk out of the dining room.

I needed to go out and see my baby girl. They left the door unlock now. I did not need any of them to show me where to find the graveyard.

"Where are you going?" Gabe asked.

I ripped my hand out of his grip. I rushed over to the kitchen door. I grabbed the handle, but it did not turn.

They locked the door again.

I let out a cry as I slammed my hand into the door. I furiously turned the knob, but it did not budge. They have trapped me in here again.

"Lindsay, calm down," Gabe said.

I turned and wiped the tears off of my face. Gabe was standing with his arms crossed over his chest. Noah was casually strolling up behind him with his hands behind his back. My chest was heaving as I breathed heavily.

"I need to go outside," I said.

"That is not going to happen," he said. "Now, go upstairs."

"No!"

Gabe raised a brow. I turned back around and tried to open the door again, but it was pointless.

"Lindsay, you are not listening to me," Gabe said.

I screamed as I banged my fist on the door.

"Linds, you better stop," Gabe said.

"No!" I cried out. "I want out!"

Gabe let out a huff of breath and raked his fingers through his hair. He stepped toward me and grabbed my elbow. I pushed him off and kicked the door.

"I'm going to have to punish you," he said.

"Go to hell!" I screamed.

"Excuse me?"

I spun back around. Gabe was scowling.

This was the man that killed my daughter. He killed our daughter. He was a monster.

"I hate you," I said through the tears. "You killed her! You didn't have to kill her."

"Yes, I did," Gabe said. "I did this to protect you."

"This is not protecting me."

I tried to pull my arm out of Gabe's grip. He tightened his hold. I balled up my fist and punched him in the chest.

"Let go of me!" I yelled. "Your family is sick. I don't want to be part of this family. I never wanted to be part of this family, but you all forced me to."

"Gabriel, you cannot let her act like this," Noah said.

I managed to pull myself free from Gabe. I had to find a way to break the lock. My eyes did a quick scan of the kitchen. I could see the toaster sitting on the counter. I darted and ran to the counter. I grabbed the toaster and rushed back to the door. I gritted my teeth as I threw it down on the lock.

It was pointless, as it dented the toaster and the lock stayed intact.

I stumbled as someone pulled me back. I looked behind me expecting to see Gabe, but Noah was holding onto me. Terror overtook my body as I realized that I really screwed up.

"Gabe, Taylor and Dylan," he said. "Come with us to the basement. It is time for another lesson on punishments."

"I'm sorry," I said. "Please, don't punish me."

"Too late for that," he said. "We need to show you that you are part of this family."

Noah grabbed my other arm and pushed me forward with his body. I thrashed in his hold. I dug my heels into the hardwood floor but my socks caused me to slip. He pushed me toward the basement door.

He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder before climbing down the steps. I cried even harder as I banged my fists into his back. I screamed for him to let me go. He pulled the switch on the single bulb hanging from the ceiling. A faint glow filled the dark basement. Noah dropped me on the mattress in front of the pole. Gabe, Dylan, and Taylor towered over me.

"Now, Lindsay," Noah said as he turned to walk toward a work bench. "You don't think you are part of this family?"

"I'm sorry," I apologized again. "I don't know what I was saying."

"We don't want this happening again," he said. "So we must give you a way to remind you that you are a Wilcox."

Noah passed a coil of rope to Gabe. He got down on his knees. Grabbed my wrists and tied me to the post. I bit down on my lip and closed my eyes. Gabe tightened the knot and straightened.

"Pull your knife out," Noah said.

"You want me to cut her?" Gabe asked.

"Not just cut her," Noah said. "I want you to remind her that she is a Wilcox."

"Meaning?"

"I want you to carve it into her stomach."

My eyes flew open. I tried to sit up, but my restrained hands made it impossible. The rope burned into my flesh. My heart was hammering in my chest.

Gabe pulled his knife out of his pocket. He held it in his hand and was staring at it. His brows were furrowed together. I rolled my head to the side to see Taylor and Dylan watching him.

"You want me to do what?" he asked.

"I want you to cut Wilcox into her stomach," Noah said.

"I'm not doing that."

"You are going to do it, son."

"I can't."

Noah shook his head. He stepped toward Gabe and held out his hand.

"If you're not going to do it, give me the knife," Noah said.

"No one is doing that to her," Gabe said.

Noah snatched the knife out of Gabe's hand. He flipped open the blade. I swallowed past the lump that was forming in my throat.

"You've dug yourself into a deep hole, Gabriel," Noah said.

Noah got down onto his knees next to the mattress. I looked over at Gabe to see his face go pale. He sighed and turned so that he was not looking at me. Noah pulled up the hem of my shirt up to my chest.

"Please!" I begged. "Please, don't do this."

"Be quiet, Lindsay," Noah said.

Noah pushed the blade into my stomach. A fiery pain erupted across my abdomen. I cried and more tears rolled down my cheeks. Every time I looked up at Gabe, his back was to me. Gabe carved into my stomach with the knife. Warm blood ran down my stomach and onto the mattress. Taylor and Dylan watched intently.

Once he was finished, Gabe stood up. He wiped the blood of of the knife and onto his jeans. I seethed in pain as the feeling of fire did not calm down.

"Take off your shirt," Noah said to Gabe.

He turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" Gabe asked.

"You did not do your job," Noah said. "You did not punish Lindsay, and now I have to punish you."

Gabe lowered his gaze to the floor. He gave his head a slight nod. He pulled his shirt over his head. The key dangled against his chest. He turned back around and got down onto his knees. Noah pulled his belt through the loops of his pants.

I closed my eyes and continued to cry as I listened to the sound of Gabe being whipped.