Country Mile

NOTHING LEFT TO FEAR

"Genevieve Lily, you done crossed the line."

Tears were pricking at her eyes, but she still refused to let them fall.

"You're a stubborn little thing, just like your mama was, and I love and admire that about you. But there's a fine line between stubborn and disrespect. You blur that line habitually. That's a habit I aim ta break you of tonight."

Adam lowered her, but kept a hand on her arm. He took one step past her when Genna's voice made him stop in his tracks.

"Not if I break you first."

He slowly turned back around to face her. He could see in her eyes just how serious she was.

"And how do you s'pose you're gonna do that, little girl? Hm?"

"By any means necessary."

"By any means necessary, huh?"

Genna squinted at him and repeated in a more aggressive tone, "Yes. By any. Means. Necessary."

"And what have I done to deserve that? 'Cuz I've got a long list of infractions that warrant me burnin' your ass up. So tell me, how have I wronged you?"

Genna abruptly tried to pull her arm free from his grasp, but he held on tighter and merely jerked her closer to him.

"Answer me! You think I'm in need of fixin'? Tell me why!"

"Because.. because you can't just hit me when you're mad! Next time you do, I'm warning you right here and now, I'll fucking deck you."

Adam glared at her and leaned down to get close to her face.

"I already told you I don't hit, anyone, out of anger. I've never punched you, or slapped you, or kicked you. I've never thrown you to the floor or pushed you down a flight of stairs. I never have, and I never will. I don't know who the hell you think I am, but let me tell you somethin', that ain't me."

"That's a load of shit.. you do hurt me when you're angry!"

"Genevieve, I won't stand for you comparin' me spankin' you, which is a child's punishment, to abusin' you out of anger."

Genna scoffed and narrowed her eyes once more. "Oh please, you don't stand for anything but your own agenda and anybody who dares to defy you gets hit for it."

Adam pressed his lips together and let out a harsh breath through his nostrils. "Genevieve, I'm about two seconds from losin' my patience with you."

"Oh yea? Well how about I speed things along for you." Genna closed what little gap was left between them and spoke in a quiet, yet intense tone. "I am done playing the good little puppet. I am my own person. Nobody tells me what I can or cannot do anymore. Nobody. And if you don't like it, you can suck my dick."

"Why you little—"

Genna knew her words would earn her another swat, and that was just what she was counting on. The second Adam's palm connected, she pulled her free hand back and forcefully swung her fist into his nose. The sound of bone on cartilage echoed loudly into the night.

Adam grunted and immediately let go of her arm. He took several steps back with a look of utter shock plastered on his face and his hand cradling his nose.

With a smug grin, Genna crossed her arms and shrugged. "I warned you."

Adam nodded and examined his hand for blood. When none was found, he sniffed and brought his hands down to his sides. "And I warned you about what happens when someone hits out of anger. You remember what happened the first day you arrived? I explained to you the very next day that there is a difference between takin' a fist to someone's face and a palm to their backend." His tone darkened, "Delilah received a punishment for merely attemptin' to hurt you in this exact manner. So if she atones for her actions, but you don't yours, whose agenda are we really abidin' by? 'Cause if it don't involve me whipin' your ass for raisin' your hand to me the way you just did, then it sure as hell ain't my agenda. I'm pretty sure that would be yours."

"I never asked you to punish her!"

Adam threw his hands up in the air exasperated. "That's the point! You ain't some puppet, Genevieve. You seem to forget that I hold both of y'all to the same standards. And those standards revolve around one common denominator: respect. And it's now clear to me that you want to be given all the respect, but you haven't done shit to earn it."

Genna was taken aback by his harsh words. She blinked several times, unable to form a rebuttal.

With her silent, Adam seized the moment to continue. "I'm tryin' my best to keep you girls in line and show you how your behavior reflects upon you. If you don't respect me and my very few rules, how can I respect you? How can we build upon the foundation of respect and add other aspects like trust, and love?" Adam shook his head sadly and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm too angry to deal with this tonight. In fact, I'm not even sure if this is something I can deal with at all."

Genna slowly uncrossed her arms. "Wh-what is that supposed to mean?" Her hear rate quickened. She wanted so desperately to push him away in order to regain her freedom, but she didn't mean to push him so far that he'd become unreachable.

"Just.. just go on inside."

Genna was grateful for the night's dark cloak. She didn't want Adam to see her cheeks flush at his dismissal. She let out a sharp breath and briskly walked past Adam toward the house.

"Genna," Adam called out.

She turned to face him but he still had his back to her. "Wash the smoke off you before you get in bed."

A soft, "Kay," left her lips and she immediately turned and ran into the house, praying nothing else would escape her. She didn't want him to know she was upset. She wanted to put him in his place and show him she was boss, but why didn't she feel happy about it? Why were tears starting to well up in her eyes? Why was she hurt by the things he said? She wanted this. Didn't she?

She ran up the stairs and didn't stop until she locked herself in the bathroom. She immediately started a hot shower and angrily yanked her clothes off. She contemplated all that had been said while she waited for the water to heat up.

All Genna wanted was the same freedoms and liberties she had with her mother. She didn't want to leave Adam's house, she merely wanted to answer to no one but herself. His house had become her home.

She washed the smell from her hair and body as she asked herself the one question that seemed to be burning within her. Is she willing to accept the loss of independence in exchange for a home?

Genna rinsed clean as she asked herself that question over and over and over again. She shut off the water and grabbed a towel. As she was drying her hair, a thought stilled her hands. What if her answer to that question no longer mattered? What if Adam was going to answer it for her? What if he felt like her answer was no and he was going to get rid of her?

Could she make it on her own? Fear spread throughout her. She ran her hand across the foggy mirror and stared at her reflection. A sad, pathetic looking girl stared back at her, and she didn't like it. She clenched her teeth and lifted her chin in determination. She'd already been through hell and back and made it through losing her mother. She wiped away the last tear that would ever slide down her cheek. She could make it on her own, she told herself. Fuck it. She had nothing left to lose, so there was nothing left to fear.