Page 57 of Sinning for Santa

I wonder if the little boy has Devon’s eyes?

“We don’t practise religion in this town,” she states, not seeming to be concerned about that which I find odd sinceDevon said he’s a religious man and we literally met in a church.

“Why not?”

She shrugs, pushing the stroller back and forth as if she doesn’t want to stop the movement in case the child wakes. “Mr Marx prefers it that way. He hasn’t banned it. Says we can worship and do whatever we want in our homes, but it won’t be a communal thing.”

Well now I’m confused. A cult would have some sort of worship thing, and as far as I know, polygamy is also religious, so if worship isn’t the factor here, then it only leaves one conclusion.

Devon Marx is a monster who steals women and keeps them for his own pleasure.

Oh but what pleasure it is.

Oh shut up inner voice.

“Right.” I nod, like her explanation makes perfect sense. “Well thanks.”

I go to leave, but the woman keeps talking.

“I’m Marilda, by the way. I live on Oak Tree Lane. Number three.” She smiles, offering me her hand, and I take it, because she has to be the least threatening person I’ve come across so far.

“Hi Marilda, I’m Jaxcen.”

“Wow, that’s a pretty name. So much cooler than Marilda.” She screws her nose up.

“Most people assume I’m a male when they read my name. Sometimes I tell them my name is Jac, and they assume it’s short for Jacquie or something.”

She nods. “When I was little, I used to tell people my name was Matilda instead. My youthful mind was hoping that by changing it to that, magic would come my way.”

I giggle. “And did it work?”

Her smile falls a little. “No. Well, I guess little Damon here is pretty magical and I made him so…” She shrugs.

“Yeah,”I smile down at the sleeping child, trying not to get hooked up on the fact his name starts with a D, just like Devon. “That is pretty magical.”

“You should come by Miss Barber’s house on Friday afternoon. She makes the most amazing cocktails, and all of us ladies have so much fun.”

“Ladies?” I ask, remembering how Devon told me about Miss Barber’s cocktail sessions.

“Yeah, most of the ladies go and relax. It’s a male free zone, so we can speak freely about all our dirty little secrets.” She winks.

“Oh, I don’t know…”

“Oh come on. You have to. You’re part of the family now.” She beams, reaching out to give my shoulder a squeeze while my heart just about stops. “I’d better keep moving. When Damon wakes from a nap, he gets pretty moody. Just like his dad.”

The smile slips from her face, and she glances over her shoulder like she’s looking for someone, but when she faces me again, she smiles like she wasn’t just freaking out about something.

“I hope we see you on Friday.” She smiles, steering the stroller around me on the path and walking away.

So, I’m part of the family apparently. Two women in the space of ten minutes have said so, and it can only mean one thing.

I was right. Either they are happy and comply because they have been brainwashed by Devon’s charm, or they fear for their lives.

I have to get out of here.

Panic grips me as I hurry up the path that wraps around the back street of the Palace, and make my way towards the road we came in on. I’ve all but forgotten about the fact I’m not wearing any underwear, my need to escape more important than something as simple as a pair of panties.

The road we drove in on is steeper than I realised, and I have no doubt that if it was raining today, I might slip given how quickly my feet are shuffling down the incline.

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