This is my first fic so apologies in advance for any newbie mistakes. Reviews would be very much appreciated.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. This fic is about characters from the TV show The Lying Game, not the books, and features spanking, including parental spanking of a teenager. If that's not your thing, please move right along.
Chapter 7
"So your mom went out?"
"Yeah. And I sat in my bedroom and waited for a frigging eternity until my dad bothered to come talk to me."
They were really going to have to do something about Sutton's mouth, Ethan thought to himself.
"You know, my dad used to make me go to my room and wait for him," he told Sutton. "The difference being that I knew what was coming."
"Which was what – the belt?" Sutton asked.
"Sometimes, yeah. Occasionally he sent me to cut a switch," he added, then watched as Sutton winced. "So I didn't feel curious about what was coming. I felt ashamed of screwing up, or mad at my dad if I thought he was being unfair, and I'd be dreading what was coming and wanting it to be over with – because the waiting was actually the worst part."
"Why would you let him do it if you thought he was being unfair?"
Ethan stared at Sutton. "You really don't get it, do you? In your family, you're in charge. You lord it over your parents and no-one can stop you. It's not like that in every house. Some of us actually fear our parents, and I'm not sure that's such a bad thing."
"Oh really," said Sutton, a wry smile playing on her lips. "So you think it's really great that Mads is blatantly terrified of Alec?"
"No, of course I don't." Stay calm, Ethan thought to himself. It's not going to help matters if you lose your rag. "But there is such a thing as healthy fear of authority."
"That's pretty hilarious coming from you."
"Mm-hmm. Seven."
"Seven? Seven what?"
"That's the seventh time you've mouthed off to me since we left your house," Ethan said. He was smiling, but he didn't exactly look amused.
"You've been counting?"
"It would seem that way, yes. Let's just say I thought the information might come in handy later." Ethan leaned forward and brushed a lock of hair out of Sutton's eyes. "Before you add an eighth remark to that list, let me just be clear – I'm not looking for a repeat performance of what happened at the ranch. I don't want to rekindle things with you, Sutton. But I do care about you, very much, and I'm sick of seeing you hurt everyone around you. You're just going to end up hurting yourself."
To Ethan's surprise, Sutton threw her head back and laughed.
"You think it's funny that I care about you?"
"No, it's not that," Sutton said, wiping her eyes. "It's just that you sound exactly like my dad. You're hurting everyone around you and you'll just end up hurting yourself."
"You don't agree?"
Sutton shrugged. And then, to Ethan's complete surprise, her face crumpled and – wow – was that actually a tear running down her cheek? Although, of course, this was Sutton Mercer. She might well be faking it.
"I know he's a good guy, Ethan. I hear myself mouthing off to him and I hate myself for it. I wonder why I can't stop."
Ethan had to admit it: the tears looked real. And he didn't think she was upset by the memory of whatever happened next – she actually seemed to feel bad about her behaviour.
"So why don't you stop?"
"Because I find myself hating him for not doing anything about it, for just taking it, for sitting there and expecting me to be perfect, then going into denial when I'm not."
Because you're waiting for someone to make you stop, Ethan thought to himself.
"Of course I felt bad when I sat there waiting for him, but I didn't think anything would happen. Boy, was I wrong."
