Page 29 of Unwrapping Deviance

I am so lost in theTwilight Zoneepisode I’m living in, I barely get the chance to brace myself when Christian shoves me. It’s so sudden, I tumble into the side of the truck bed with my shoulder.

Something else, two colliding forces crash into the place I was standing. It rattles the frame.

I spin to find Walton slamming Christian into my vacant seat. Forcing Christian back with a hand at his throat. The other is coiled back.

He drives his fist into Christian’s face.

Just once, but it snaps his dark head back. Blood erupts from his lips. I can’t tell as Walton prepares for another attack.

“Stop it!” I scream, body jerking into motion.

I make a running leap and hook both arms over the deputy’s hard bicep like a baby monkey and try to yank it down.

“No, Mira!” Christian snarls. “Get the fuck out of here!”

But I cling to Walton even as he tries to shake me off. His hold on Christian loosens. He turns his body to me, plants the same hand he had around Christian’s neck into my chest and shoves with the strength of a battering ram.

I lose my grip with the burst of pain. His arm I’d been clutching with both of mine slips and I dislodge. I’m flung backwards.

Pain ricochets up my entire left side with my collision across the pavement. It rattles every bone. I taste blood from the chunk I take out of my tongue. My ears are ringing and I’m only half conscious of the snarl, but it rips through the cheery afternoon with the ferocity of a starved lion.

Something hits the ground not far from where I’m struggling to push up to my aching knees. I sweep my hair off my face and glance over at the figure rolling off his back to all fours. Both hands over his face as crimson droplets trickle from between his fingers.

Strong hands close around me and I’m lifted to my feet.

“Are you hurt?”

Christian brushes back my hair and sends his gaze traveling over me, searching for injuries. His big hands follow the path of his eyes, dusting away dirt and soothing the burn in my elbow.

“Are you?” I pant, breathless.

He’s not listening. His brows are thick, dark slashes dipped low over the inferno in his eyes. “What the fuck were you thinking? You and me, we’re going to talk about this later. Get in the truck.”

He forcibly lifts me up into my seat and slams the door closed behind me.

Alone, he faces Junior and Walton who has managed to pull himself back onto his feet. I don’t know where goatee has gone. I didn’t see him take off, but it’s just the two and both have their weapons drawn.

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHRISTIAN

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I’m not a good guy.

I’ve never claimed to be. I’ve done some shitty stuff I’m not proud of but putting Isaac Walton into the ground for touching Mira ... oh, I’ll pull that orange jumpsuit on with a smile. I’ll skip to fucking jail.

He was still at his mother’s tit when shit went down with Daniel, Lucy and me. Clearly, no one has told him about me. He has no idea the monumental fuck up he’s gotten himself into, but it’s the fact that he thought I would be like the other sheep wandering the streets of Jefferson that is the most insulting.

That badge, in this town means shit to me.

“You touched the wrong girl, Walton,” I tell him quietly. “I will skin you alive if I find one scratch on her.”

For this one, I drag my jacket off and toss it over the edge of Daniel’s truck bed; I want nothing to hinder the several felonies I’m about to commit.

“Hey, you stop right there,” the piece of shit stammers around a mouthful of blood. “I’m still deputy and I will—”

I feel myself smirk. “You’ll what?” I taunt. “I’m not a hundred-pound girl. You can’t manhandle me, though I would pay money to see you try.”

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