Page 47 of The Devil's Spawn

“So fucking good, Master. Please let me come.”

“Does it bother you that everyone here knows what a dirty girl you are?”

“No,” I breathed, ten seconds away from exploding. Nothing mattered except the friction between our bodies and the trust flowing between our hearts.

Gage nipped at my earlobe, and his voice dipped low so only I could hear him. “You’ve made me so damn proud. Baby, come for me.”

I’d never heard sweeter words.

22. Katherine's Web

The circle changed us, or maybe it only changed me. I’d found the experience empowering. Accepting Gage’s dominion in the trenches of the Davenport Estate, while ten other people watched, had not only been kinky as hell but liberating. That night bound us together more tightly than the day we’d said “I do” in front of hundreds of people. It was magical how my doubts faded to nothing, almost as if they hadn’t existed in the first place.

But insecurities have a way of camouflaging themselves in the absence of trials, and life threw me a mean curveball the day before Thanksgiving. As I pulled out a pumpkin pie from the oven, I heard the front door burst open before banging against the wall. Tossing the pot holders onto the counter, I wondered if Gage had come home early. Eve had gone to Seattle to visit her paternal grandparents for the holiday, so I knew she hadn’t made the ruckus, though she’d normally get off the bus at this time.

I rushed from the kitchen and slid to a quick stop upon the sight of Katherine seething in the foyer. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I shouted, planting my hands on my hips. “Get out of my house.”

“This isyourfault,” she said, taking a menacing step toward me. “You’ve done nothing but ruin my life since the day Gage set eyes on you.”

I held my ground, refusing to give her an inch, especially in my own home. “Are you on drugs or something?” She didn’t appear to be under the influence of anything other than pure hatred, but the unmistakable odor of whiskey assaulted my nose, and I gave that assessment a second glance.

She backed me into a wall before I saw it coming, and that’s when I got scared. For all the things Gage had done to me, this was the first time in over a year that someone managed to transport me back to the days of my first marriage, when Rick had lost his temper while drunk off whatever bottle he’d gotten his hands onto for the day.

“Katherine, what are you doing?” My voice shook with the fear I couldn’t hide, and I despised myself for the weakness.

“If he thinks he can fuck with my child, he’s wrong.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re—”

“Of course you don’t,” she spat. “Anything to protect the little wife. He wouldn’t dare subject you to an unpleasant court battle.”

Oh. The court date had arrived. Maybe it was due to pregnancy brain or preoccupation with the upcoming holiday, but I’d forgotten today was the day Gage had court over Conner’s parenting plan.

“If you cared about your son at all, you wouldn’t try to interfere with visitation.”

“Visitation?” she shouted, pounding the wall to the left of my head. I closed my eyes, body tensing as my heart thundered in my chest. “He’s going for full custody,” she said, breath hot on my face. “Look at me, you bitch!”

Jumping, I opened my eyes, but I was frozen to the spot. I’d never seen her so unhinged. She’d always had a nasty, catty way about her when it came to me, but this was the woman who’d had my daughter over for play dates because Gage had demanded it.

This was the psycho he’d entrusted Eve with when he’d kidnapped me from my own bed in Texas. Letting my mind go back there for even a moment made me question my mental health because I’d married him.

And right then I wanted to strangle him for allowing Eve anywhere near this woman, not to mention for putting me in the position of needing to defend myself against her now.

“Get the fuck away from me.” I shoved her, and she stumbled back a couple of steps. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Full custody?” Last I’d heard, he’d only wanted visitation.

Katherine gave a snide arch of her brow. “Didn’t he tell you? Obviously, you convinced him I’m not fit to be a parent.”

“You’re giving me too much credit. You did that all on your own.”

Her laughter grated, like a screeching cat at midnight, or the squeal of a braking train. “Wow, you really are dense. Things were fine before you came along. But he traded his old obsession for a new one, so I guess that leaves me in the dust.”

“What are you babbling about now?”

“I’m talking about Liz and Ian.”

My eyes widened, and she laughed again.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, don’t you? But I’d bet money he didn’t give you the really juicy details.” She folded her arms. “Well, he wants to play hardball? He’s got it. I bet he didn’t tell you how Liz and I were besties in high school, or how he turned to me for comfort after she died.”

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