punished lucas

Chapter 2 Confrontation

The moment Lucas sank the winning shot for the fourth time in a row, he turned to his flabbergasted brother on their basketball court at home. "Game, loser. That's eighty bucks you owe me."

Nathan cocked an eyebrow at the basket, then at Lucas, then at the basket again in utter disbelief. Finally, he shook his head. "Okay, that's it. I need to eat."

"And how do you think that's gonna help?" Lucas teased. He gave Nathan a shove then abruptly did a reverse pull-back and sank another rock. "I told you I'd kick your ass today, didn't I? Every game of Twenty-one that we play this afternoon you're gonna lose."

Nathan shoved him back half-heartedly. "Dude, it's not skill; it's luck. You're lucky I've been too hungry to play properly, but just wait, Big Brother, wait until supper's over. After that it'll be you, me, tonight, here."

"Round Two, huh?"

"Hell yeah, Round Two. There ain't no way your scrawny butt can kick my ass all day and all night. It's just not frickin' possible. You're supposed to have HCM!"

Disgusted with himself, Nathan pulled his T-shirt over his head and used it to mop the sweat off his face while Lucas turned from him in triumph and began practicing his three-pointers. Shot after shot, he sank one air-ball after another, his form completely without fault no matter where he stood on the court. It was the kind of perfection just begging to be interrupted by a younger brother who'd be losing for the last two hours, so Nathan was all set to charge over and knock him off his stride when Dan pulled up in the driveway, then startled both sons with a bellow so loud Nathan was positive it could be heard all the way over in Charlotte.

"LUCAS EUGENE SCOTT!"

On the verge of shooting another basket, the son in question froze and so, too, did Nathan for a moment as he watched Dan slam his car door then stalk over to them.

What was bugging him?

Dan didn't say. He brushed past Nathan rudely and marched directly over Lucas, where he boxed the basketball straight out of his son's hands. It flew onto the pool house roof, rolled down the opposite side and landed who-knew-where, but Dan never turned to look. He jabbed an arm to the right.

"Get inside the house!"

Nathan opened his mouth to demand why, but Dan turned to him next and snapped at him as well.

"You too!"

The boys exchanged a look at the way Dan was barking at them, but they didn't get a chance to say anything. Without warning, Dan snagged Lucas by his left bicep, then swatted him hard toward the side door.

"I said move it!"

"Ow!" Lucas clapped both hands to the seat of his track pants and turned on his father furiously. "What the hell?!"

"GET INSIDE!"

Before Lucas could take a step, Nathan shouldered his way in protectively. "Stop it, Dad! What's your problem?"

Dan's reaction was just as swift, and in seconds, Nathan knew exactly how his brother felt. He yelped and reached back to rub his own scalded behind, giving Dan exactly the opening he needed to re-focus his anger on the only son he was truly pissed at. The man thrust Nathan aside, grabbed Lucas and shoved the teenager toward the house.

"INSIDE, LUCAS! NOW!"

Lucas got going. He didn't dare do otherwise with his backside stinging as fiercely as it was and his dad clearly angry enough to make it sting worse than this. But he didn't have to like it either. He glanced at Nathan sympathetically then shot Dan a baleful look, but he did as he was told without another word of protest. He scowled with every step, both hands holding his bottom cheeks protectively as Nathan followed his lead also sulking and holding his rear end.

With Dan literally breathing down both his sons' necks, the trio of Scotts entered the mansion. Neither Lucas nor Nathan knew exactly where Dan wanted them at first, but they found out quick where Lucas was supposed to be at least when his arm was jerked, and he was propelled into the kitchen over to the sink then pushed against the counter.

"Don't move!"

Lucas didn't, and in the doorway, Nathan stopped as well. Annoyed and puzzled in equal measures, they watched Dan wrench open the refrigerator door, and snatch up a bottle of water, then practically throw it at his firstborn son before he reached into his jacket pocket and yanked out a small pharmacy bag.

The second Lucas saw it, the spit in his mouth dried up.

He knew that bag because he'd been avoiding it for well over two months. He'd refused to go pick it up, he'd refused to even think about picking it up, and if anyone had told him this moment would be the outcome, he still would have avoided collecting that hateful item. Of course, now that his rear end was aching and he was face-to-face with a very irate father, second thoughts were the only kind of thoughts in his head.

With a seriously pounding heart, Lucas stared at the pharmacy name on the paper sack mere inches away from him, and then allowed his worried gaze to travel upwards to meet his father's. The moment his eyes met Dan's, he gulped.

He knew exactly why he was in trouble now and there was only one question that remained.

Just how much trouble was he in?

Dan refused to tell him. He removed the lifesaving medication from the bag in his hand, then popped the cap and shook out a green and yellow pill, which he immediately thrust in Luke's face. "Swallow it, son. Now."

With Nathan watching everything from the doorway in a state of irritated confusion, Lucas was tempted to lie and say he's already taken his meds that afternoon, but the tingling in his backside and the expression on Dan's face told him he'd better not try it. He accepted the pill, took a swig from his water bottle and then did as his dad demanded, not the least bit surprised when Dan barked at him next to "Open up!" Blushing fiercely, Lucas obeyed. He lifted his tongue and moved it left and right without waiting for Dan to tell him to, and then he studied his father warily as Dan took a step back.

Now what?

Lucas promptly found out. Whisked away from the counter in one swift movement, his hips had no choice but to jerk forward as three more red-hot slaps burned his backside.

"Owww! Da-ad!"

"Get upstairs," Dan ordered. He squeezed his son's arm painfully a moment then pushed him away. "You go to your room and you wait for me, understand?"

This was too much for Nathan. Forgetting self-preservation, he came forward and confronted Dan a second time, fully prepared to get slapped again himself if that's what it took to get some answers.

"What's the matter with you, Dad? Luke hasn't done anything!"

Dan poked a stern finger first at one son then the other. "Nathan, butt out. Lucas, you better be gone before I take another step, you hear me?"

Lucas heard him. Red-faced, he hurried past Nathan and ran upstairs, refusing to make eye contact with his brother as he went. Nathan looked after him a moment then turned back to Dan.

"What the hell, Dad? You're being a dick for no rea—"

"And you don't know what the hell you're talking about, son, so just shut up and get to the table. We're having supper."

"Screw that, I'm not eating with you. I'm going up to Luke!"

"Oh no, you're not!"