Dance In The Rain

~58~ Protecting Her

I'm apologizing in advance, because I know this is a shorter chapter than I normally do. I had some personal family things this week, and I forgot it was even Friday until I woke up this morning and I hadn't written the chapter yet. Next week should be back to normal, and please ignore any typos this one may have. It was rushed ❤️

Julianne's POV

"Ok, I'm officially bored," Tate grumbles as he throws down the controller and stretches out his back. He gets on his phone and starts texting, and after a few minutes he stands up.

"See ya, Jules"

"Where are you going?" I ask as I look up from my book, blinking several times to clear the images of Narnia from my head and realizing I'm back in the living room at home.

It's trippy how lost I can get

"I know that my brother thinks he's my dad, but my sister isn't my mom. Mind your own business!"

"Ok fine...But if you don't tell Holden where you're going, your business is going to be all over mine, and I'll have to hear you getting spanked tonight."

I look back at my book, and Tate just stands there for a moment before he curses loudly and puts his phone to his ear.

"Hey. Can I go to Micah's house for a while?......Why?.....Ok fine. See ya."

"Quinn's coming over for dinner tonight," he says over his shoulder as he stuffs his phone back in his pocket and leaves.

~*~

A knock on the door pulls me out of the battle at Narnia, and I get up to open it. Once I do, the annoyance of being interrupted totally evaporates and concern comes to the forefront.

"What's wrong?" I ask Kenna as I take in her puffy face and bloodshot eyes. She's been crying hard

"Can I stay for a bit?" She asks, still fighting her sobs as she shifts from foot to foot.

"Of course," I say as I move out of her way, and when she comes in and sits on the couch, I notice her wince.

"What's wrong?" I ask again after she gets herself calmed down, and when she looks around the room skeptically, I shake my head. "I'm the only one home. Talk to me."

She bites her bottom lip and exhales deeply, a shutter wracking through her chest once more. "My sister is evil and I can't be around her anymore."

"Did she hurt you?" I ask, feeling sick to my stomach. I overheard Holden talking to Quinn once...he was almost positive something was going on in her home life, and he wasn't convinced she wasn't being abused.

She laughs darkly and rolls her eyes. "Mom puts her in charge when she's at the hospital, and she takes that role very seriously. She enjoys punishing me, like a freak. I swear she intentionally does things to make me mess up, just so she can whip my ass."

"Your sister spanked you?" I ask, confused. Her sister is only 18!

Kenna rolls her eyes once more and wipes at a stray tear. "I have a feeling that the spankings you get from Holden are a damn cake walk. I already feel welts on my ass."

"Kenna," I breathe as I sit on the couch next to her and take her hand. "Let me call Holden and have him come home...He can help!"

"Help with what? Anything he does will just make Cara mad, and she will just do it all over again when mom isn't home..."

"Can't you tell your mom?" I try.

She looks at me as if I'm stupid. "No....Mom puts her in charge. So mom will ask her, Cara will make up some bullshit, and then when mom isn't home she will do it all over again, but worse."