Chapter 12 Tough Love

• Spencer was scared out of his mind, trembling uncontrollably. He didn't dare struggle, frantically blinking as he felt his breath being squeezed out of him. Just as his eyes started to roll back, Finnley released him, dropping him onto the ground. Spencer collapsed, clutching his throat and coughing violently.
• Looking down at Spencer with disdain, Finnley scoffed, "Know your place." With those words, he stepped over Spencer's legs and disappeared into the night.
• Spencer, still shaking, realized he'd wet himself. The fear of death had been too real, too close. He looked in the direction Finnley had gone, gritting his teeth in fury. "I won't let you get away with this!"
• After dealing with Spencer, Finnley grabbed a cab and headed back to Melanie's place. The house was still lit up, and Finnley checked his watch—almost 10 p.m.
• Dusting off his clothes, Finnley quietly cracked the door open, trying to sneak in unnoticed.
• "Where have you been all day?"
• Melanie's cold voice rang through the room, and Finnley immediately straightened up, forcing a smile. "I thought it was a bit stuffy in here, so I went out for a walk."
• Bang!
• The door slammed shut behind him, revealing Noelle standing there, holding a small whip in her hand. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. "Didn't we tell you to stay home and not wander off? Have you forgotten the situation you're in right now?"
• "I didn't forget, I swear! I just went for a walk and lost track of time. My phone died, too, so I couldn't call," Finnley said, his eyes fixed on the whip in Noelle's hand. Memories of his childhood came rushing back—like the time he disappeared for a whole day, climbing trees and napping in the woods. His sisters had been frantic, searching for him all night, and when they finally found him, well… he didn't forget the beating that followed.
• "Finn, that's not okay. I told you this morning to stay put, and when I came back to surprise you with some food, you weren't even home! What if something had happened to you again?" Madeline chimed in, her eyes full of concern.
• Finnley rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding their gazes. "I know, I'm sorry. I'll make sure to tell you next time. But can we at least charge my phone first?"
• "Oh, I've heard that one before, like when you went off to raid bird nests in the hills and didn't come home for a whole day. You've got some nerve!" Noelle snapped, her whip flying out toward him.
• "C'mon, Noelle, I was just a kid at the time! You can't hold that over my head forever!" Finnley pleaded, dodging as Noelle lashed out at him. He was much stronger now, but these were his sisters—he could never raise a hand against them, even in self-defense.
• "You were reckless then, and you're still reckless now! You didn't even let us know where you were going. You deserve to be punished! Hit him harder, Noelle! Make sure he remembers this lesson!" Madeline cheered from the sidelines, grinning as Finnley darted around the room.
• "Dang it, Maddie, help me out here! Mel, please!" Finnley cried, feigning pain as he ducked behind Madeline, then Melanie in turn.
• Seeing Finnley scrambling around to avoid the hits, Madeline's heart softened a bit. "Oh, Noelle, take it easy on him. Don't actually injure him."
• "You always give in when he starts whining! That's why he never learns! This time, he's going to feel it!"
• "Alright, that's enough. Finn's grown up now. It's normal that he'd want to go out," Melanie finally said, stepping in. She gently took the whip from Noelle's hand and turned to Finnley. "But you need to let us know where you're going. And how did you let your phone die?"
• "Well, I didn't have the right charger last night, so… yeah, it just died," Finnley mumbled, trying his best to look innocent.
• Melanie sighed, her expression softening. "I'll buy you a new one tomorrow. For now, just make do with what you've got. Now, did you at least eat something today? Are you hungry?"
• Finnley nodded sheepishly. After running around all day and dealing with Spencer, he was definitely hungry.
• "Typical. Can't do anything right, but when it comes to food, you're always first in line!" Madeline rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll order you some fried chicken, but you owe me, got it? You'll have to pay me back tenfold!"
• Finnley chuckled, enjoying her playful tone. "Deal. When I start working again, I'll hand over my entire paycheck."
• Madeline gave him a satisfied nod. Little did she know, Finnley had more money than he knew what to do with.
• "Here, I got you some new clothes. Try them on, and if they don't fit, I'll return them tomorrow." Noelle gestured toward the shopping bags on the couch, her stern demeanor softening.
• "Wow, Noelle, you do care about me after all!"
• Noelle's cheeks flushed a little as she cleared her throat. "Just try them on already!"
• Finnley quickly pulled out the clothes and had to admit Noelle had good taste. The outfit was stylish and fit him perfectly.
• "Let's see if they fit."
• Without thinking twice, Finnley started to take off his shirt right in front of his sisters. As his toned, sun-kissed muscles came into view, Madeline's cheeks turned pink. He had grown so much, from the little boy they knew to a strong, confident man.
• The three sisters all glanced away, embarrassed, but then remembered he was their little brother; they didn't necessarily need to shy away.
• Melanie cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence. "Finn, you've got so many scars… You must've had a tough time out there, didn't you?"
• Finnley pulled on the hoodie, which fit him like a glove. Noelle had clearly guessed his size accurately, thanks to her sharp instincts from her work as a police officer.