Page 22 of Forgive Me Father

"You allowed your brother to take the fall for your own immoral behavior?"

Looking at Aiden, I know what needs to be done.

The focus has to shift.

Forcing on a smile, I lower my head.

"Happily."

Like a feral animal with an instinct to kill, my father grabs me by the hair, dragging me into my bedroom. A scream is ripped from my throat as pain sears over my scalp.

"Go to your rooms, now!" My father yells to my mom and brother. I can hear their sobs from the hallway, my mother’s soft voice saying something to my brother I can’t make out.

Slamming my bedroom door shut, my dad tugs me to my bed. Panic washes over me as he forces me down on my stomach, bending me over the mattress. He pulls my wrists behind my back, wrapping them with his belt. My body goes rigid when he grabs the back of my head to keep me down.

No.

He wouldn’t. Yeah, his punishments were physical, but they’d never been like this. Shock paralyzes me, images of Eric flashing through my mind. This can’t happen again. I can’t let it happen again.

Wailing into my mattress, I feel him drag down my sweats, my ass fully exposed to him, nothing but a thin layer of underwear concealing the most vulnerable parts of my body. Clicking his tongue, he looks over my exposed skin, the cuts on the front of my thighs hidden from his vision. I squirm, but I’m unable to get free, his hold on my neck pushing me further into the mattress.

Fuck.

Aiden wasn't lying.

"While your punishment will be much different than Aiden’s," He hisses, his lips close to my ear. "Believe me when I say that I look forward to seeing Father Briar and the church show you what real discipline looks like.”

"What are you doing to Aiden-"

"Shhh," He coos. "Aiden is confused, as are you. You both have no idea what it's like to be a parent. Your mother and I have given you everything," He mutters, his hand touching my ass. The necklace of my cross digs into the skin around my neck as I continue to struggle against him.

Dear God, if you are listening, please-

"Dad, get your fucking hands off of me-"

I yell out in pain as his open palm connects to the bare skin of my ass, the sound of the contact echoing through my room.

"Just like when you were a little girl," My father hisses. "I thought you’d learned your lesson, but –”

His hand comes down again, this slap more painful than the first.

"I suppose not."

Seconds turned into minutes. His hand repeatedly drove down on my ass, my legs threatening to give out each time hishand met the already raw flesh. When he tugs the belt from my wrists, I swing my arms out, ready to start a fight I probably won’t win.

As I try to pull myself up from the bed, I feel the metal from the belt buckle slap against my skin, my back arching as I plummet to the floor. Dragging my pants up before he can see the front of my thighs. I fall onto my side, my body in unbearable pain, a small sob exiting my lips. Standing over me, my father staggers, and I can smell the alcohol leeching from his pores.

Crouching down, he watches me, regret spanning across his face.

"I never wanted to hurt my little girl, Lord," He whispers. "Please forgive me." His fingers graze my cheek.

I remain on the bedroom floor, shaking uncontrollably

Standing up slowly, my dad glances toward my door.

"I expect respect from you and your brother moving forward."

Swinging open the door, he exits my room, leaving me alone in the silent aftermath of his drunken fit of rage. I want to go to Aiden, to my mother, but the pain is almost unbearable. I roll over to the edge of my bed, placing a hand on my mattress to hoist myself up. When I get to my feet, Roman’s command echoes through my mind.