Free The Boarding House by Sharon Sala Page B

of a castle now, but more of a sanctuary. She believed God could hear prayers better there, and it troubled her to think she’d lose that connection.
    The idea of never going there again was almost worse than having to play Daddy’s games.
    She moved closer to him—so close they could feel each other’s breath. “Just church. But if you hurt me again, I’ll scream it to the world and take the consequences.”
    “Deal,” Garrett said, and walked back into the house, stifling the urge to grin.
    Ellie dragged her feet as she followed him inside.
    Wyatt was waiting for her. “I heard. You’re going to be sorry.”
    Her voice was shaking from the surge of anger she was trying to control. “Church doesn’t mean the same thing to you that it does to me.”
    “Whatever. I’m just saying it’s a mistake.”
    “Wouldn’t be my first now, would it?” Ellie snapped.
    Sophie slipped into the hall. “Here, here, you two shouldn’t be fussing.”
    Wyatt turned on her. “You don’t know anything about it,” he said, and left.
    “What’s he talking about? What don’t I know?” Sophie asked.
    Ellie shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”
    But it did. When Sunday rolled around, the only one who walked out the door with Garrett was Ellie.

Chapter Nine
     
    “You look very beautiful,” Daddy said as they walked toward the car.
    Ellie felt pretty in her pink skirt and white sweater with the pink embroidery around the yoke, but she didn’t want to hear it from him. She stomped toward the passenger side of the car with her chin up and her eyes blazing, but instead of getting inside, she stood, waiting.
    Daddy was already behind the steering wheel when he finally realized she was still outside. “What are you waiting for? Get in.”
    Ellie didn’t budge.
    With an angry exhale, he got back out. “What the hell, Ellie?”
    “You’re cursing on Sunday, and I’m waiting for you to open the door for me. Sophie says a gentleman always opens the door for a lady.”
    “Son of a holy bitch,” Garrett muttered as he circled the car, opened the door, and moved aside for Ellie to get in. Ellie stepped in as carefully as if she were getting into a limo, then smoothed out her skirt, brushed a bit of dried grass from the toe of her white patent leather shoe, eyed her stockings to make sure they weren’t twisted, and then buckled her seat belt as Daddy shut the door.
    He was still muttering beneath his breath as he got back inside. Ellie had a small pink purse in her lap, one leg crossed over the other and one foot swinging as she waited for him to start the car.
    He glared at her. “You’re being rude.”
    “You wanted me by myself. I’m here, but you can’t make me like it.”
    “That’s not—”
    “I’m doing exactly what you asked. You don’t get to change the rules to get more.”
    “You’ve never had a spanking in your life,” he said, “but there’s always a first time for everything.”
    She turned to look at him then, hating even the sight of him. “You need to remember I’m not afraid of you. And you also need to remember to be a little bit afraid of me, because if you step out of line in front of Sophie, she will tell God and everybody what you’ve done. She’s a nanny. She’s been trained to protect and care for children. She doesn’t know about the secret you have with me and Wyatt, and you better pray she never finds out.”
    Words froze in the back of Garrett’s throat. Not once since Sophie’s arrival had he thought of her as a danger to him, and the thought horrified him. The option to get rid of her like he did Fern did not exist. In a way, he and Ellie were trapped in webs of their own making.
    He started the car and backed out of the driveway. The ride to church was made in silence. When he parked at the church parking lot and got out, he did a double take when he realized Ellie was still sitting in the front seat.
    He bit his lip, retraced his steps, and opened the door.
    “Thank