“Order doctrine dictates…”
“I don’t give a fuck what Order doctrine dictates!” Fuck him, and fuck the others too. “You are not doing this.”
“This is why we took power back,” Gramps explained. “None of you understand the rules of this game. This town is ours, yet you let the docks get overrun with gangs and crime. These people follow us because we protect them. We make sure they are safe to walk their children at night, and we don’t allow strangers like Ned Callaghan to move in and disrupt that peace. Regardless of how much money he could bring in.”
“You can’t keep everyone out of this town,” my old man spat back.
“Yes we can. Ashen Springs stands on its own because of the Order.” Gramps sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. “You were given this power too young, Louis, and I’m sorry for that. But we all have to make sacrifices. This is Mason’s.”
Silas’s grandpa tipped his head and stared at me with sympathy in his bright eyes. “I’m sorry, son, but we have to do this.”
I looked down at the beautiful girl in my arms. She was so brave, stroking my face while whispering that it was okay. It wasn’t okay. The punishment for a father’s sins was twelve lashes. Harper had been hurt enough. I couldn’t let her take anymore pain.
“If this is my sacrifice,” I looked back at the grandfathers, “then let me do it.”
Gramps shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way, son.”
“Why not? Ned Callaghan spilt king blood, right? Well I spent fours years in his house and didn’t pick up on shit. So one could argue that I spilt king’s blood.”
The older generation looked at each other as if they were considering it, which Micha did not like.
He slammed his fist down on the table. “No. This is not an option.” He threw his hand up in my direction. “Look at him. He is still in a goddamn hospital gown.”
Hey now, I think I rocked this shit.
“You’re right. We’re not doing this.” Gramp’s eyes locked on my brother. “You are.”
“What?” Micha sprang out of his chair. “No fucking way.”
But Gramps wasn’t looking at him anymore, he was staring at me. “If you want to do this Mason, then your brother has to be the one to punish you.”
Everyone else joined in Micha’s objection. Logan started tipping shit over, Silas was yelling at his old man, who in turn was yelling at his. Parker was shaking his head, while Harper was crying in my arms begging me not to do this. Hell, even Dean had gotten up and objected.
The only one who wasn’t losing their shit was my old man. His eyes met mine and with one single glance I knew, he understood that I had to do this. I couldn’t fail at protecting her again. One single phrase caused the room to go quiet.
“Parker, will you kindly escort Harper from the room.” My old man tipped his head at the girl in my arms. “She doesn’t need to see this.”
I mouthed a thank you to him and handed Harper over to Parker. She screamed and lashed out as he dragged her away. It broke my heart to see her so scared, but my dad was right. She didn’t need to see this.
Micha shook his head when my old man went to hand him the whip.
“No.” He crossed his arms. “I won’t do it.”
“What if it was Riley?” I shot back at him.
I could see the pain in his eyes when he sighed. “Mase…”
“She’s my Riley, Micha, and if this is what I have to do to keep her safe…” I walked across the room and took my position with my hands on the wall. “Then I’ll do it.”
This was hard for Micha. He spent his entire life trying to keep me safe. But this was how he could protect me now.
“Mase, you’re my brother…”
“Then be my brother,” I cut him off, “and do this for me.”
Silence hung heavy in the air. I could feel him staring at me, but I knew if I looked at him it would only make this more difficult. So I focused on the wall and waited until I heard his voice whisper, “I love you, Mase,” followed by a crack across my back.
THREE MONTHS LATER:
