Chapter 23

Miles shrank back a little. "N-No, it was an accident... I didn't mean to..." Click. The sound of a belt being unbuckled cut through the air. Broderick pulled it out in one swift motion, held it in his hand, and with a sharp crack, it landed on Miles. Miles yelped, but clenched his jaw and took it. He didn't dare move an inch. Broderick had been holding this house together since he was sixteen. Let's just say, patience hadn't exactly been his thing. Back in the day, when Miles got rebellious and skipped a whole week of school, Broderick caught wind of it and nearly beat him to death with a whip. Since then, Miles hadn't dared ditch class again and had played it safe. Broderick's eyes were burning red-he struck again. The belt sliced through the air once more. From behind, Leslie threw her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his back. The moment her warmth settled on him, Broderick's body visibly tensed. "Ricky, that's enough." Just several words, but it was like they flipped a