Page 16 of Blind Sin

Lauren raises her head. “No. We’re just getting to a good part. If you don’t mind I’ll check out the kitchen later.”

I feel Mercier’s smug grin almost as much as I feel the resentment radiating from Lucinda. This is the first time Lucinda has had to share Lauren. I understand how she feels. It’s not just me, Nix and Mercier that want Lauren’s attention, Lucinda does too. And of all of us, Lucinda deserves it more than the rest of us.

“I’ll help,” I say, trying to diffuse the situation.

Clearly irritated, Lucinda lets out a sigh. “Thanks.”

She doesn’t sound grateful, but Mercier was right when he said we should get on Lucinda’s right side. He was just wrong about the reason. Lucinda is as stuck here as the rest of us and though she did some questionable shit back when her and Nix were kids, the fact that Nix remains tight-lipped about what went down between them leaves me wondering if it was as bad as he implies.

Lucinda starts pulling items out of the bag, slamming them down on the counter in frustration. It becomes evident that the bag contains toiletries, explaining why it was overlooked when we unpacked the food. With forceful determination, she slams down a tube of toothpaste, and the impact makes me think it might erupt.

Wary of potential collateral damage, I quickly grab the toothpaste from the counter. “Careful! I don't want to have to wipe toothpaste off the counter.”

“Sorry. I just...” she pauses. “I don’t know what we’re doing here.”

“I thought we were hiding out from your father?” I say, looking in the second bag. It’s full of clothes for Lauren and Lucy.

She turns to look at me and I’m taken by how different her eyes are from Lauren’s. I’ve never really looked at them before. It’s not just the color, although the difference in the sapphire to Lauren’s ocean blue is stark, It’s the deep sense of sadness she holds in them She looks tired.

“Then what?”

It’s a simple question, but one I don’t have an answer for. “I don’t know.”

She continues pulling stuff out of the bag but then she pauses. A quizzical expression comes over her face as she brings out a bottle of strawberry shampoo. “I always wash my hair with strawberry shampoo,” she utters, casting a glance over at Mercier who is immersed with reading to Lauren.

“Lucky guess,” I say, taking the shampoo from her and placing it on the counter next to the other items.

She pulls out a box of tampons and this time when she looks over at Mercier, her expression has softened.

She’s almost gooey as she pulls out a huge bottle of factor fifty sun lotion for delicate skin and another with a much lower factor. One for Lauren’s whiter than white skin and one for the rest of us.

She lets out a long breath and smiles softly. “Your friend thinks of everything.”

I don’t want to remind her that Nix also went to the store, but this isn’t Nix. Nix would have come back with beer and cigarettes and nothing else.

Mercier has been playing this game since the second we got off the plane and if I want to have any hope getting through the next couple of weeks I need to up my own game.

I think Mercier has got this whole Lucinda thing in the bag when she pulls out a box and her face goes sour. My heart drops when I look at what she’s holding. It’s a large box of condoms. She raises an eyebrow and looks at me, her lips pressed together into a thin line.

Fuck.

“Lauren!” she shouts out. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk. You can finish the book tomorrow.” This time, she doesn’t leave any room to be ignored. The box of condoms lands with a thud in the trash can as Lauren, albeit unwillingly, untangles herself from Mercier.

He offers me an unconcerned shrug. “What the fuck did you buy condoms for?” I hiss at Mercier when I’m sure Lucinda and Lauren are out of earshot.

“Why do you think I brought condoms? I’m only aware of one use for them unless you are suggesting using them as water balloons?”

“After what Lucinda said on the boat?” I rub my eyes in frustration. “You could have left them in your pocket or discretely hidden them away. Why the fuck would you leave them on the counter where Lucinda could see them?”

“I forgot. Chill the fuck out would you. Lucinda should be happy I’m thinking of her sister’s safety.”

I roll my eyes and clench my fists in my pockets.”Lucinda is now thinking that she’s trapped on a desert island with three sexual predators all out to deflower her sister.” I speak slowly as though I’m talking to a fucking three year old.

Mercier leans across me and grabs an apple which he bites into. “The ship has long sailed on that one thanks to Nix.” I glare at him and he holds his hands up. “Fine. None of us are going to touch Lauren if she doesn’t want us to.”

“Aren’t we?” I muster, incredulously. “I mean, I know I’m not, but do you know where to draw the line? I mean I doubt she was begging you when you stuck your dick in her mouth back at the apartment.”

He cocks an eyebrow. “I’ll have her begging me for cock, and when she does...” He fishes the box of condoms out of the trash can, “I’ll make sure she’s safe when I give it to her.”

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