Free Healing (General's Daughter Book 5) by Breanna Hayse Page B

me names,” Scott shrugged, accepting the plate Rich handed him.
    “Thirty!”
    “Maybe forty. Depends on how good that cheesecake is. Thank you, Rich.”
    Jen was silent, casting sharp glances at Michael.
    He patted her thigh. “Don’t worry, we won’t feel a thing,” he teased.
    She frowned, whispering in his ear, “Neither will you if you don’t stop this.”
    “Hey Scott? Would you mind upping the ante? I just got threatened.” Michael grinned.
    Scott cracked his knuckles, nodding. “My pleasure. Fifty it is. Oh, Jennifer, sit down. We’re just playing with you.”
    “You guys are all being total assholes.” She sneered.
    Scott and Dr. Quimby raised their eyebrows. “We were just kidding and you know it. You hear us do this to Sam all the time,” Dr. Quimby said firmly.
    “This is fucking ridiculous,” Jen commented back, glaring at Scott.
    “You are stepping over the line, young woman. You know better than to swear.” Scott glared.
    “I am not a child. I can speak however I want to,” Jen sassed back as she met his glare.
    Sam sunk in her seat, trying to pull Jen down next to her. “Jen, you're pushing him, don't do it,” her friend whispered.
    “See me after dinner, Jennifer,” Scott ordered gruffly.
    “I don’t think so,” Jen spouted.
    Michael looked at her. “Watch out, honey. This has gotten out of control,” he whispered.
    Jen plopped back in her chair and stabbed at her food, not looking up. “I’m too old for this.”
    “Not in this house or with this family. I’m giving you one chance to turn the tide. I suggest you take it,” Scott ordered.
    Sam looked at her friend. “Jen, apologize. It’s not worth it,” she whispered in her friend’s ear.
    “I apologize, Scott.” Jen complied reluctantly. She didn’t sound very contrite.
    “You will still meet me in the living room after dinner,” Scott ordered.
    “The living room?” Jen paled.
    Michael shook his head. “Scott, she didn’t know about the community offense rule. Please, give her a break.”
    “Community offense rule?” Rich asked.
    Dr. Quimby cleared his throat again. “Any offense made in the company of the entire family is dealt with in the presence of the entire family. Generally, Miss Sam keeps her transgressions focused on only one of us. Mike only committed the offense once, when he stole the family car. Jennifer was not aware and I don't feel there is a need—”
    “She wasn’t rude to you in front of the family, was she?” Scott took on his full commander’s voice.
    “No, Scott,” Dr. Quimby said quietly.
    “If it were Sam, would you be arguing with me?”
    “No, Scott,” Dr. Quimby sighed, looking at Jen sadly. She looked terrified. Sam elbowed her, tapping her jaw. Scott’s jaw wasn’t twitching yet; that was good news.
    “I am the senior officer in this house and I will not be challenged by any of my subordinates. Am I understood?”
    “Yes, sir,” the entire family echoed, including Dr. Quimby.
    “Good. Rich, you will be doing more cooking for now on.”
    “I guess that means you like it,” Rich said, amused by the whole conversation.
    “It’s adequate.”
    Biting her lip, Sam glanced at Jen, who was staring at her hands in her lap. “Uncle Scott, I did something really awful today,” she announced.
    “What?”
    “I cussed out Mike in front of some crewmen,” Sam admitted, not acknowledging the shaking of her father's head, warning her to be silent.
    Scott frowned. “I seriously hope I’m not hearing what I think I’m hearing. Swearing, disrespect and insubordination? Was there a reason?”
    “No, sir. I’m sorry.”
    Dr. Quimby rolled his eyes. He knew that she was trying to distract Scott from Jen. “Samantha, we discussed this. It was extenuating circumstances.”
    “Shut up, commander. I want to hear more. Continue, lieutenant,” Scott ordered. Sam sighed, explaining how she got angry with Michael as he tried to help her with the rafts, deliberately