Page 159 of Unwrapping Deviance

Rather than answer, she pivots her chin to face the two standing stationary behind her, gruff, eager Dobermans.

“Wait outside. This is girl talk.”

The pair exchange glances, looking ready to argue. But a sharp,now,from their sister has them scrambling out of the lodge.

Lucy shakes her head, disappointment hardening the delicate line of her jaw as she faces me once more. “This is not how I wanted us to meet, Mira. I hope you know that. When I saw you that morning outside the Sheriff’s office, getting manhandled by Walton...” she breaks off with genuine disgust. I think it’s genuine. It looks genuine. “I was outraged. Isaac Walton had shit stains running down his leg only a year ago and now he thinks he’s a tough guy because his uncle got him on the payroll. Men are such foul creatures, Mira. You can’t trust them. None of them. They lie and cheat and hurt you.” She reaches up and lovingly brushes a lock of my hair back from my throbbing temple. “You deserve better.”

I jerk out of her reach.

“What do you want?” I say again because she still hasn’t told me.

Hurt flashes in her eyes and she sits back. I almost feel bad. She’s being so nice. Making it difficult to remember she kidnapped me. Hit me. She’s not a good person.

“I don’t know what Chris and Danny told you about me—”

“Everything,” I interrupt.

There’s a quick flash of something in those eyes that remind me of the sun reflecting off the slitted eyes of a snake.

“I doubt that. Men never tell the truth, Mira. You’re still very young, but trust me—”

“You kidnapped me,” I remind her sharply. “You had your inbred brothers grab me and—”

I see the rear back of her fist but I’m not fast enough to dodge the blow before it cracks across my jaw on the same side as last time. Something pops, the sound brittle reverberating through my skull. I think she’s broken my jaw.

“Goddamn it, Mira.” She hurries to grab my shoulders and lift me off the floor again. “I wish you wouldn’t do that. I’m really trying to have a conversation with you and you’re being so rude. Please, please stop, okay?”

I’m dropped back into my chair. The jostle sends cobwebs of pain snapping up my arm.

Not my jaw, I realize numbly. She’s twisted my shoulder when I hit the floor twice on the same side, and the pain is astronomical. It’s brutal in a way that makes my stomach want to heave. Cold sweat dots over my brow, plasters my hair to my temples. Pastes my top to my back.

“I don’t trust you,” I hiss through my teeth. “They told me what you did.”

Finally sculpted brows draw together in frustration. “What did I do? I was good to Chris. I acknowledged his existence whenno one else would. He was a pathetic stoner with no life purpose. I gave him purpose, Mira. I went out of my way to—”

“Hit him? Set his bag on fire?” I growl, pain radiating through my soul. “You used him and hurt him.”

“We were teenagers. Our hormones were everywhere. What I did was an accident.”

“And the lies you told? You got them thrown out of town. Your brothers jumped them in the dark like coward’s and beat them so badly, Christian died!”

I wait for a smack or a punch, but Lucy drops back in her chair with a shake of her head.

“I never lied. They used me. They took what they wanted and left me. Me!” she bursts out, jerking forward in outrage. “I made them. All the things they do to you that you like, I taught them that. Yes, I know you’re fucking both of them,” she snaps when I blink. “This town is small and narrow minded and pathetic, but it’s not blind. Everyone knows. But unlike them, I get it. I’ve been in your shoes. I understand how conflicting, but exciting it is to have two men completely devoted to your pleasure.” She grins like we’re sharing a cute girl time story. “You’re welcome.”

I refuse to believe this woman had a damn thing to do with the way Daniel and Christian touched me. I refuse to accept she was ever even in their lives.

“I didn’t thank you,” I bite out.

“You should. You think Christian had any idea how to touch a woman before me? He could barely look me in the eye. The first time I sucked his cock, he came after two pumps. He was so embarrassed.” Her chuckle holds the frozen tundra winds. It skates down my spine. I almost shiver. “Danny, however, he was something else. Hard, masculine, dominating. He was a force. The way he’d slam me into the wall as he pounded his cock—”

“Stop it,” I snap without thinking, the image of Daniel or Christian touching this viper making my stomach hurt.

Lucy smirks like she’s won. “I had them first. I molded them. I made them into the men you let between your legs. So the fact that they could turn on me, cast me out like they could ever find anyone better...”

“So, you told everyone they raped you?”

“I never said rape,” she shoots back. “Not once. But I was young with a lot of expectations on me. The people of this town look to me for guidance and spiritual support. My family has long roots in Jefferson and it would have destroyed my mother if she thought I was getting railed by two men.”

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