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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Warning: contains incident of (non-sexual) corporal punishment
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“So, how you feeling?” Jarod asked as he drove the car down the highway just outside of Tulia. Samantha sat beside him, a pastel bunny with long floppy ears in her hands. She stared straight ahead, eyes narrowed, lips set in a straight line. “Sam?” No response. “Look, I said I was sorry - repeatedly. What more do you want from me, sweetie?”
Suddenly, Sam turned and started hitting Jarod over the head with the bunny. “How could you do that to me!” she shouted, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Jarod was caught unaware, and he swerved into the oncoming lane as he kept one hand up defensively. A horn honked loudly, and Jarod saw an eighteen wheel truck heading right for them. He swerved hard to the right, barely missing the truck, and he quickly pulled over to the shoulder. The pretender sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel, trying to get his breathing under control. Then he turned to Samantha; she had stopped hitting him, but he was surprised to see she was still glaring at him. His lips set straight, he took a deep breath, turned off the engine, got out of the car, marched over to the passenger door, and yanked it open.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Jarod wordlessly undid Samantha’s seatbelt, pulled her out by her wrists and got in her face as cars whizzed by. “Are you trying to get us both killed?” he shouted, his eyes daggers.
“You drugged me!” Samantha shouted back.
“And I apologized,” Jarod said. “I’m sorry, Sam, I really am; I wasn’t thinking, yes, and I know what I did to you reminded you of something very terrifying, but you can’t hit me while I’m driving!”
“Do you think you can just apologize and everything will be okay!” Samantha shouted. “You’re supposed to be my friend!”
“I am your friend!” Jarod shouted.
“Some friend!” Samantha yelled. She turned and stalked away.
“Hey, where are you going?” Jarod said, grabbing her arm.
“I’m out of here!” Samantha answered. “I’m through – with this case, and with you! Now, let me go!”
“Look, you can hate me all you want,” Jarod said, not letting go of his friend’s arm, “but you are not running away.”
“You can’t tell me what to do, Jarod,” Samantha said. “You’re not my father!”
“No, I’m not,” Jarod said, “but I am responsible for you, and you will listen to me!”
“And what if I don’t?” Samantha asked, trying to jerk free from Jarod’s grip.
Jarod pulled Samantha closer. “Then I'll remind you - painfully - how bad of an idea that can be.”
Samantha paused for a moment, a brief flash of her adopted father’s face in her mind. She was startled for a moment, then she pushed the image away as she scowled. “Like you would really follow through with that, Jarod.”
Jarod stared right at Samantha for a few seconds, then he picked her up in a fireman’s hold. He walked back over to the car, sat on the hood, and wordlessly put her over his knees. “Do you really want to call my bluff twice in once day, Samantha?” he asked.
Samantha struggled. “You can’t do this to me!” she shouted. “I’m twenty two years old!”
“Then start acting like it!” Jarod retorted. “Do I make myself clear?” Samantha muttered under her breath, and Jarod raised a hand and brought it down over her bottom – hard.
Samantha howled in pain. “Jarod!”
“Is that clear?” Jarod repeated.
“Yes!” Samantha answered.
“Good.” Jarod brought his hand down again on her bottom.
“Hey, I agreed not to do that again!” Samantha shouted.
“Yes, and I’m not spanking you for walking away,” he said, “but you nearly got us into a very serious accident. I can’t overlook that.” He brought his hand down on her bottom again.
Samantha howled again, begging him to stop, but he wouldn’t respond as he smacked her sharply seven more times. When he was finished his hand stung, so he knew Samantha was also in pain. She lay face down over his knees, quiet, save for the small sobs she tried to suppress. Jarod knew she was embarrassed and still angry at him, but the fuel for her anger had subsided; he was glad, but he also felt horrible for having to do that. He took a deep breath and gently lifted her to her feet, turning her to him.
“Sam?” he asked softly.
Samantha looked up at him – then she swiftly slapped him across the face. The force stung more than it hurt, but Jarod still touched his cheek as he looked up at her. Her expression was a mixture of betrayal and anger, but she didn’t lash out. She simply walked to the passenger side and got in, shutting the door behind her.
Jarod stayed where he was, rubbing his cheek. He felt horrible, both for what he did to Samantha and for what she did to him. He knew he would need to deal with Samantha and her little attitude, but doing so at that moment – with her in her current state - would only serve to push her farther from him. He simply took a deep breath, composed himself, and walked to the driver’s side. He got in and shut the door, then he turned to Samantha. She had fastened her seatbelt and was sitting, arms folded, face forward, with tear streaks on her cheeks.
Jarod sighed. “Sam, I -”
“Save it,” Samantha interrupted. She took the rabbit and half-heartedly tossed it at him. “And you can have this back as well.”
Jarod opened his mouth, but he decided against saying anything – at that moment, anyway. Hurt, he simply put the stuffed bunny on the backseat, started the engine, and pulled back onto the highway, heading for Tulia.
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Miss Parker watched as Angelo slowly paced the length of his room, shouting. Sydney had been out when the guards had come in, announcing that the empath had gone from being quiet to suddenly exploding into a rage of fury, shouting. Parker was a bit shocked at first, but she knew she needed to find out what was bothering Angelo.
“Angleo, what’s wrong?” Parker asked as she walked over.
“Hurt!” Angelo shouted. “Anger! Betrayal!”
“Who’s hurt?” Parker asked.
“Samantha . . . Jarod . . . betrayed Samantha!” Angelo shouted.
Parker stopped short, eyebrows furrowed. “What?” That couldn’t be right; Jarod wouldn’t betray Samantha. “Angelo, did Jarod betray Samantha?”
“Of course he did,” a cool voice said from behind her. She whirled around and saw Lyle standing behind her.
“What are you talking about?” Parker asked.
“Hello,” Lyle replied, “he took advantage of her and got her pregnant.” He smirked at the empath. “Is that what has Cousin It’s shorts in a bind? He got a thing for her too and pd someone else beat him to the punch?”
“Get out,” Parker said, her voice low and with edge.
Lyle simply smirked. “You know, Parker, all things considered . . . Samantha is rather attractive. I can see why Jarod took her out for a ride.” He glanced at Angelo. “Don’t get your hopes up, freak; she’s out of your league.” He turned on his heels and walked out of the room.
Parker sighed, disgusted at what her brother had just insinuated, even though he didn’t know about Samantha and Angelo’s real connection. She turned back to Angelo, and the empath had gone to his bed, sitting down, curling his knees under him, staring at the far wall through narrowed eyes.
“What is going on here?”
Parker turned and saw Sydney walking in, looking agitated. “Syd, where have you been?” she asked.
“Around,” Sydney replied. He glanced at Angelo. “What happened with Angelo?”
“He went ballistic for a few minutes,” Parker explained. “He said that Jarod betrayed Samantha. Lyle came in and said Jarod did betray her by getting her pregnant, then he made some rather . . . disgusting insinuations about Samantha and Angelo.”
Sydney looked troubled, then he turned to Parker. “Thank you for staying with Angelo in my absence,” he said. He walked over and sat beside Angelo. “You can go now, Parker.”
“Excuse me?” Parker asked. “You’re throwing me out?”
“No, I’m asking you to leave,” Sydney replied calmly. He glanced up at her with a fire in his eyes as his expression remained calmed. “Do you want me to throw you out?” Parker knew he was up to something, but she kept her mouth shut as she turned around and left the room, closing the door behind her. Sydney smiled and turned back to Angelo.
“Angelo . . . mad,” Angelo said.
“I know,” Sydney replied. “But Lyle can make anyone mad at him.” He put an arm around Angelo’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“Call sister,” Angelo said. “Help sister . . . help Jarod.”
“I’ll call them soon,” Sydney replied. “After -”
“No!” Angelo interrupted. “Call now!”
Sydney flinched a little, but he remained calm and nodded. “Okay,” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. He dialed Samantha’s number, then Angelo grabbed the phone and held it to his ear as it rang.
(End of Chapter 9)
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“So, how you feeling?” Jarod asked as he drove the car down the highway just outside of Tulia. Samantha sat beside him, a pastel bunny with long floppy ears in her hands. She stared straight ahead, eyes narrowed, lips set in a straight line. “Sam?” No response. “Look, I said I was sorry - repeatedly. What more do you want from me, sweetie?”
Suddenly, Sam turned and started hitting Jarod over the head with the bunny. “How could you do that to me!” she shouted, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Jarod was caught unaware, and he swerved into the oncoming lane as he kept one hand up defensively. A horn honked loudly, and Jarod saw an eighteen wheel truck heading right for them. He swerved hard to the right, barely missing the truck, and he quickly pulled over to the shoulder. The pretender sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel, trying to get his breathing under control. Then he turned to Samantha; she had stopped hitting him, but he was surprised to see she was still glaring at him. His lips set straight, he took a deep breath, turned off the engine, got out of the car, marched over to the passenger door, and yanked it open.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Jarod wordlessly undid Samantha’s seatbelt, pulled her out by her wrists and got in her face as cars whizzed by. “Are you trying to get us both killed?” he shouted, his eyes daggers.
“You drugged me!” Samantha shouted back.
“And I apologized,” Jarod said. “I’m sorry, Sam, I really am; I wasn’t thinking, yes, and I know what I did to you reminded you of something very terrifying, but you can’t hit me while I’m driving!”
“Do you think you can just apologize and everything will be okay!” Samantha shouted. “You’re supposed to be my friend!”
“I am your friend!” Jarod shouted.
“Some friend!” Samantha yelled. She turned and stalked away.
“Hey, where are you going?” Jarod said, grabbing her arm.
“I’m out of here!” Samantha answered. “I’m through – with this case, and with you! Now, let me go!”
“Look, you can hate me all you want,” Jarod said, not letting go of his friend’s arm, “but you are not running away.”
“You can’t tell me what to do, Jarod,” Samantha said. “You’re not my father!”
“No, I’m not,” Jarod said, “but I am responsible for you, and you will listen to me!”
“And what if I don’t?” Samantha asked, trying to jerk free from Jarod’s grip.
Jarod pulled Samantha closer. “Then I'll remind you - painfully - how bad of an idea that can be.”
Samantha paused for a moment, a brief flash of her adopted father’s face in her mind. She was startled for a moment, then she pushed the image away as she scowled. “Like you would really follow through with that, Jarod.”
Jarod stared right at Samantha for a few seconds, then he picked her up in a fireman’s hold. He walked back over to the car, sat on the hood, and wordlessly put her over his knees. “Do you really want to call my bluff twice in once day, Samantha?” he asked.
Samantha struggled. “You can’t do this to me!” she shouted. “I’m twenty two years old!”
“Then start acting like it!” Jarod retorted. “Do I make myself clear?” Samantha muttered under her breath, and Jarod raised a hand and brought it down over her bottom – hard.
Samantha howled in pain. “Jarod!”
“Is that clear?” Jarod repeated.
“Yes!” Samantha answered.
“Good.” Jarod brought his hand down again on her bottom.
“Hey, I agreed not to do that again!” Samantha shouted.
“Yes, and I’m not spanking you for walking away,” he said, “but you nearly got us into a very serious accident. I can’t overlook that.” He brought his hand down on her bottom again.
Samantha howled again, begging him to stop, but he wouldn’t respond as he smacked her sharply seven more times. When he was finished his hand stung, so he knew Samantha was also in pain. She lay face down over his knees, quiet, save for the small sobs she tried to suppress. Jarod knew she was embarrassed and still angry at him, but the fuel for her anger had subsided; he was glad, but he also felt horrible for having to do that. He took a deep breath and gently lifted her to her feet, turning her to him.
“Sam?” he asked softly.
Samantha looked up at him – then she swiftly slapped him across the face. The force stung more than it hurt, but Jarod still touched his cheek as he looked up at her. Her expression was a mixture of betrayal and anger, but she didn’t lash out. She simply walked to the passenger side and got in, shutting the door behind her.
Jarod stayed where he was, rubbing his cheek. He felt horrible, both for what he did to Samantha and for what she did to him. He knew he would need to deal with Samantha and her little attitude, but doing so at that moment – with her in her current state - would only serve to push her farther from him. He simply took a deep breath, composed himself, and walked to the driver’s side. He got in and shut the door, then he turned to Samantha. She had fastened her seatbelt and was sitting, arms folded, face forward, with tear streaks on her cheeks.
Jarod sighed. “Sam, I -”
“Save it,” Samantha interrupted. She took the rabbit and half-heartedly tossed it at him. “And you can have this back as well.”
Jarod opened his mouth, but he decided against saying anything – at that moment, anyway. Hurt, he simply put the stuffed bunny on the backseat, started the engine, and pulled back onto the highway, heading for Tulia.
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Miss Parker watched as Angelo slowly paced the length of his room, shouting. Sydney had been out when the guards had come in, announcing that the empath had gone from being quiet to suddenly exploding into a rage of fury, shouting. Parker was a bit shocked at first, but she knew she needed to find out what was bothering Angelo.
“Angleo, what’s wrong?” Parker asked as she walked over.
“Hurt!” Angelo shouted. “Anger! Betrayal!”
“Who’s hurt?” Parker asked.
“Samantha . . . Jarod . . . betrayed Samantha!” Angelo shouted.
Parker stopped short, eyebrows furrowed. “What?” That couldn’t be right; Jarod wouldn’t betray Samantha. “Angelo, did Jarod betray Samantha?”
“Of course he did,” a cool voice said from behind her. She whirled around and saw Lyle standing behind her.
“What are you talking about?” Parker asked.
“Hello,” Lyle replied, “he took advantage of her and got her pregnant.” He smirked at the empath. “Is that what has Cousin It’s shorts in a bind? He got a thing for her too and pd someone else beat him to the punch?”
“Get out,” Parker said, her voice low and with edge.
Lyle simply smirked. “You know, Parker, all things considered . . . Samantha is rather attractive. I can see why Jarod took her out for a ride.” He glanced at Angelo. “Don’t get your hopes up, freak; she’s out of your league.” He turned on his heels and walked out of the room.
Parker sighed, disgusted at what her brother had just insinuated, even though he didn’t know about Samantha and Angelo’s real connection. She turned back to Angelo, and the empath had gone to his bed, sitting down, curling his knees under him, staring at the far wall through narrowed eyes.
“What is going on here?”
Parker turned and saw Sydney walking in, looking agitated. “Syd, where have you been?” she asked.
“Around,” Sydney replied. He glanced at Angelo. “What happened with Angelo?”
“He went ballistic for a few minutes,” Parker explained. “He said that Jarod betrayed Samantha. Lyle came in and said Jarod did betray her by getting her pregnant, then he made some rather . . . disgusting insinuations about Samantha and Angelo.”
Sydney looked troubled, then he turned to Parker. “Thank you for staying with Angelo in my absence,” he said. He walked over and sat beside Angelo. “You can go now, Parker.”
“Excuse me?” Parker asked. “You’re throwing me out?”
“No, I’m asking you to leave,” Sydney replied calmly. He glanced up at her with a fire in his eyes as his expression remained calmed. “Do you want me to throw you out?” Parker knew he was up to something, but she kept her mouth shut as she turned around and left the room, closing the door behind her. Sydney smiled and turned back to Angelo.
“Angelo . . . mad,” Angelo said.
“I know,” Sydney replied. “But Lyle can make anyone mad at him.” He put an arm around Angelo’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“Call sister,” Angelo said. “Help sister . . . help Jarod.”
“I’ll call them soon,” Sydney replied. “After -”
“No!” Angelo interrupted. “Call now!”
Sydney flinched a little, but he remained calm and nodded. “Okay,” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. He dialed Samantha’s number, then Angelo grabbed the phone and held it to his ear as it rang.
(End of Chapter 9)
