End of an Era (Book 7)

Pay Your Debt

|Bash's POV|

I watched as my oldest daughter cleaned the kitchen. I felt my wife tap me on my shoulder, quietly motioning for me to follow her. We stopped in the living room.

"What happened?"

"I just checked my email. Julian skipped class today."

"That would explain why he was acting the way he was when I picked him up. I'll talk to him and see what's going on."

"Alright. Whether the twins make up tonight or not, I just don't need another shouting match."

I nodded and went upstairs. I heard Julian's voice. It was more of a hush tone. No surprise he was in Wyatt's room. As I got to the door, I heard him confess to his big brother what he did today.

"No, you don't get it. I skipped class and left the school. We went to the corner store and my friend stole something. I didn't though. We ran out," Julian said.

"Stealing? Are you dumb?"

"He must be," I stated, fully coming into the room.

Wyatt just stared at me. Julian didn't even turn around.

"Julian, go to your room."

"Wait, dad..."

"Now, Julian."

He slid past me and I heard his door close.

"Dad, I swear when you asked me earlier I didn't know anything," Wyatt commented.

"I believe you. Look, if you don't want to talk to Madison tonight, fine. Just no more yelling and fighting between the two of you."

All he did was nod. I left his room, heading to talk to Julian. Opening his door, he was sitting on his bed. I grabbed his desk chair, taking a seat.

In our household, these kids get multiple chances before Ro or I flip out. As the twins got older, we realized everything didn't need a severe punishment. If any of them got a spanking, it was for something serious.

We both know how we were growing up. Ro's parents were far more strict than mine. I just did whatever the hell I wanted with few consequences. Trust me, between raising Leo during his high school years and now having teenagers of my own, I'm getting my karma back and then some.

Skipping class wasn't the end of the world. He hadn't done it before. The bigger issue was him skipping and leaving school and violating someone else's property. I knew the area and the owners of the small business in that area.

A few years ago I built apartments nearby and assured them it wasn't my intention to destroy what they built. In fact, the locality of their businesses and the apartments would bring them more businesses. I built a partnership with them with tenants having percentages off the first order. They've been returning customers ever since.

To have him and his friends do something like this, it didn't sit right with me and they weren't going to get away with it. People work hard for what they have and stealing, or even being in the vicinity of someone who is, it's wrong. Does my son know I know the owners of the businesses in that area? Of course not. He's about to find out though.