Balotelli Bale Series Book #7: My Father's Daughter

Chapter 4: Daddy vs Maddie

Maddie's POV
In our house, there is one rule that is above all rules. IT'S DADDY'S WAY OR NO WAY. Simple.

Daddy's way is whatever he feels like at the moment. Daddy's way depends on the individual getting hit with the rules. Some get hard consequences because they are hard lined criminals and others get a slap on the wrist for being law abiding citizens of the Bale household. On his good days, he lets us get away with a warning. On his bad day, even a bad look lands us on the bench.

The bench is literally a bench in front of his home office. The office is in a secluded hallway that separates it from the rest of the house. The silence echoes impending doom if you are sitting on the bench.

I will say that at some point in time, we have all been on the bench, even Kei. I don't know what punishment he gives her but I know what the rest of us get. Little crimes earn house chores for not more than a week. Lupe never forgets to make it unbearable. Let's just call her daddy's lieutenant. Middle level crimes involves house chores and being banned from any electronic device. High level crimes, like the one I've committed means the loss of freedom for however long daddy decides.

The most regular members of this bench are Matteo and Bella. The one who rarely sits here, if ever, is Marcelle.

Don't get me wrong, Marcelle is NOT a law-abiding member of this family. My fourteen years old brother simply knows how to bend daddy's rules. It is nearly impossible to burst Marcelle doing anything wrong. He is s smooth criminal. I also try not to be on this bench. It's the pressure of being the oldest child. Set a good example, they say! I try my best but I also have feelings for that the man I met at the club. The four months we were apart were he'll until we reunited. I know a good thing when I see it. I'm not about to let Naftali go for anything. This is the scene that will be titled: Daddy vs Maddie for as long as it lasts.

Kei is walking my way, dark blue eyes dead set on me. She looks extra pissed. There are two reasons why Kei is my favorite parent. One, she's calm about a lot of crazy things we do. It's like nothing phases her. Two, she doesn't hold grudges. If it's water under the bridge, she means it.

"What are you in for?" I asked her.

"Allowing you to go to Manhattan unsupervised."

"I'm sorry."

She looked at me with a look full of disbelief. "All you had to do was not break my trust. You were supposed to be back on the same day! Not sleep over for two nights!"

"Look, as long as we give no names we will be all right."

"Madeline, don't you know your father by now? He will dig and dig until he finds out who you were with. Then, he will get his hands on him and that man will wish to die."

"He won't hurt Naft."

"You should have thought about that before dragging that innocent boy into the crossfire between you and your father."

I'm dragging Naftali into more than a possible beef with daddy. I'm dragging him into the mafia.

"I'm eighteen. Soon enough I'll be out of here. Daddy better get used to me making my own decisions!"

"You are also the first child he has to let go of. Do you think he will?"

The heavy wooden doors opened with a resounding creak. Daddy loves that sound because it makes anyone sitting here nervous.

"Maddie." Julio called me.

"Here I go " I got up from the bench. "Wish me luck."

Kei chose not to say anything. If daddy has issues letting go of me, I pity Marcella. She stands no chance of ever leaving this house!