Page 114 of Perfect Three

“Make up your mind, Mum.”

“What’s going on?”

Geoffrey had entered the room with Sebastian and Jack behind him.

“Nothing, Geoff.Just Mum and I having a discussion.”

“Lucy, what’s wrong?Why are you crying?”Sebastian knelt down and pulled Lucy’s hands from her face.“What’s happened, sweetheart?”

Haltingly, Lucy tried telling them between her sobs.

Sebastian jumped to his feet.It was crystal clear to all he was infuriated as he demanded, “You want your own mother to choose between her grandkids and her happiness?”

Geoffrey grabbed his wife’s arm.“Allison, stop being a fool.There’s nothing wrong with their relationship.”

“Nothing wrong!She’s fucking two men at once!”

“Allison!”

“Well, she is, Geoff, and it’s wrong.I won’t have such ...such debauchery around my children anymore.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Allison.It’s not harming the kids.They love Seb and Jack.”

“Well, there’ll be no chance they can harm them.Either she sees them or she sees the kids.”

Geoffrey was furious.“No!You can’t do this!Lucy and the guys aren’t hurting anyone.”

Anger poured off him as he faced his wife.“You can’t dictate how someone lives their life, Allison, just because you don’t approve.It’s your mother’s decision, no one else’s.”

“I can.They’re my kids.Yes, it is her decision which to choose.I don’t want them corrupted by this ...this affair!”

“They’re my children too, Allison, and I don’t agree.”

“Well, you’ll have to decide who you love most—me or my mother!”she retorted.

Sebastian put his hand on Geoffrey’s arm, speaking quietly to him.“This is getting out of control, Geoff.I’m worried someone will say something that can never be forgotten.It’s no good trying to talk while she’s this angry.Go back to the party, and we’ll leave.Hopefully she comes to her senses tomorrow.”

Geoffrey shook him off.“No, Seb, this is ridiculous!”

“Geoff, this is yourkids’party.It’s fine.”

Geoffrey looked at the two men then back at his wife standing with her arms folded across her heaving chest.He shook his head and took a step toward her.

“I mean it, Geoff.You can all make up your mind now.”She glared across the room to Jack and Sebastian.“I won’t be changing my decision—it’s either the children or my mother’s sick relationship with you two.”

Sebastian glared at Allison, obvious anger bubbling to the surface.“Neither Jack nor I would ever stand between Lucy and her grandchildren.But I have to tell you, you are the most vicious, horrible woman I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.How you can stand there and expect her to choose between family and her relationship is beyond me.”

“It’s a sick relationship.She’ll thank me!”

Sebastian’s face said it all.He looked heartbroken, but everyone knew he would put Lucy’s happiness before his own.“We’ll leave now.I hope you come to your senses when you’ve had a chance to think this through over the next few days.”He turned his back on her and came to Lucy, pulling her up and into his arms.“Lucy, we can’t see you live without your grandchildren.Jack and I could never forgive ourselves.”

“No!No, you can’t leave me!”Lucy screamed in shock.She hadn’t really been listening to what anyone had been saying.All that got through was the men were leaving her.She looked to Jack.

He cried softly and came to her, both men holding her tight.

“No!No!”Lucy kept repeating over and over in disbelief.

“Wake up to yourself, Allison!Look what you’re doing.”Geoffrey’s voice was icy with his fury.“I don’t agree with any of this, and once this party’s over, I intend to sort out this mess.”

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