Family Discipline

Chapter 41

Faith POV

Now that the kids are gone Alex looks at me.

"Honey sit down and let's talk."

"Get your hands off of me Alex. You have bullied these kids their entire lives. I have stood by you as you've gone too far when punishing them. I've ignored their cries for me to stop you. But this Alex I'll be damned if you do this to MY kids."

"They are my kids too Faith and they don't like punishments at home thats fine. Will let real life consequences hit them. Mason and Aiden both broke the law, they don't want to be grounded and spanked fine I will take them in and let the courts decide their fate."

"That's bullshit Alex and you know it. You push our kids too far and well past their breaking points. How is it I can spank them within reason they cry genuine tears and still love and respect me after and I don't cross any lines. Yet they are scared of you and frankly Alex they hate you. I don't blame them."

"They don't hate me they just have no respect for authority and that changes tonight."

"If you so much as lay another hand on MY GOD DAMN CHILDREN ALEXANDER DAVID I will kill you do you hear me. I've had it with you and your brutal and unjust ways of dealing with them.  Those are my kids Alex you just lost any rights to them and I will make damn sure of that."

"You can't keep me from them Faith."

"Like hell I can't. Get out of my house Alex. Get your shit and get out. I want a divorce. I'm tired and I'm done. I've spent 20 years with you and hoping you'd change but you get worse as the years pass by. I can't do this anymore and I'm not going to let my kids either."

"You don't mean that."

"Get out Alex."

"This is my damn house."

"No,  no it's not. You can't afford this house or anything we own in a cops salary. I'm the doctor who pays for everything. We signed a prenuptial agreement. This house belongs to me. You won't win it or my money in the divorce and I'll make sure you don't get the kids either. Now get the Fuck out."

"You know Faith it's called tough love. They want to be little criminals and not respect that I saved their ass from prison fine. They don't like the punishment at home for it that's fine. They will hate prison worse and I may not can arrest them but I will make a call and they will be booked and processed. Will see how much respect they have after their clean record is tainted."

"What's that going to prove Alex? That you can still bulky them. Our kids can't defend themselves in prison fights they can't fight back. You made sure they couldn't fight by making each one of them a 3rd degree black belt. They are weapons Alex. Are you trying to get them killed? They aren't hardened criminals. They didn't kill anybody. So what Aiden took few hundred bucks from your wallet. What kid hasn't taken money from their parents without asking. Mason isn't a thief and I'm sure there is more to that story but do you listen to them no you go straight to beating their asses."

"Stealing is stealing and Tanner is on something. I have probable cause and will get my warrant to search him and request a drug test. And when he fails which he will I will place him under arrest for possession of a controlled substance."

"Stop whatever this is Alex just stop. Get out I'm done talking to you next time you hear from me my lawyer will be present. Now leave."

Grayson POV

I pull up to Hailey's and let myself in as I've done our entire relationship only to find no-one home.

I try and call her but she sends me to voicemail and I get this shit.

I cry again for the hundredth time in the last few months. She has basically broken up with me and I'm broken. I knew it was coming I've been in so much trouble lately I just knew.

So I send her this to show I got her message and I'm feeling it.



About that time Tanner walks in confused on why I'm crying and throwing my phone across the room. He takes it and reads it before saying something I half heard. The one word he said that caught my attention was Eden.

She doesn't know anything. How do I tell her without hurting her. Do I even tell her? Will this cause a relapse.

"Eden I-i have to tell Eden. We need to go Tanner we need to go right now."

"Aiden just pulled up come on he's driving we will do this together and if she falls I'm right here to catch her. But for real man are you okay? Today has been uh it's been rough."

"Yeah well no but answer me this. What did you take? I know you Tanner I know you sober and I know when you're on something I'm not mad you went through a lot but if my dad has any suspicions he can get a warrant and I need to know if you're going to fail."

"Xanax I took a couple of your anxiety meds when I was looking for the eye drops. I can pass a test."

"How do you expect to do that. I'm not mad but what are you doing to do when he comes after you? Eden is going to dump your stupid ass when she finds out too."

"I'll tell her but she has enough fixing to hit her without me telling her I slipped up and used again after telling her I stopped everything for her. She will think I lied to her."

I climb in the backseat with Tanner and run my hand over my face to wipe away any remaining tears.

"Hey you two okay? It's my fault dad flipped shit tonight I pushed him too far. I'm sorry for that. Mason Bud you okay?"

He was just staring out the window silently crying and not talking. He does that when he's scared or upset he shuts down and won't talk to anybody. He keeps rubbing his wrist as if it's bothering him so I lean forward and grab his arm and push his sleeves up.  He had some darkening bruises where the cuffs were too tight.

"Mas I'm sorry. Dad should have never done that to you. To either of you. I pissed him off so he took that anger out on both of you instead of at me. But we're going to be okay. Us Reid kids have to stick together. Aiden how you doing up there?"

"We're uh we are as good as can be expected."

"Hey guys so when we get to New York we need to have a game plan on telling Eden. We can't start talking at once and getting emotional. We don't need her to relapse. Are we on the same page?"

Mason finally speaks. "So whose going to be the one to break the news?"

Im the oldest so feel responsible, Aiden will argue he is her twin and they connect and bond differently and they will need each other. Mason believes he is her favorite and Tanner because he is her boyfriend.

Aiden chimes in "I'm going to tell her it was my idea to come here in the first place rest of you ran to your girlfriends house."

"Ex girlfriend."

"You and Hailey why you've been together for so long?"

"We drifted apart. My family will always come first and right now my family needs me more than ever. She can't handle that then its her loss. I love her yes. Will I talk to her and figure this out yes. But right now I have more important things to worry about."