Page 33 of Trial of Deceit

Jediah loosened his tie around his neck as he stepped inside her room.It was his first time being there, and he was shocked by the decor.He’d told Bryony to give Acacia whatever she desired, and she’d opted for soft pink colors.

Everywhere.

On everything.

From the curtains, to the mat, to the art pieces on the wall, it looked like a preteen threw up in there.

A grunt came from a corner of the room.Barrel’s cage looked more like a miniature castle — it had a stack of soft blankets, water and food bowls, potty mats, and even a mini air conditioning unit.Barrel, now naked, grunted and rubbed her snout against the pillows.

Jediah scowled at the sleeping animal, causing Acacia to giggle.He looked at her, realizing she was still by the door.“What’s funny?”

“Your face,” she replied with a smile.

Jediah hummed, allowing silence to fill the air for a brief moment.“Miss B told me that you’re the one who made dinner today.”

“Y-yes,” Acacia whispered.“I know steak and creamed spinach is your favorite.Did you like it?”

Jediah paused before nodding.“I did.Thank you.”

Smiling, Acacia opened her mouth to respond when Bryony appeared with a tray of medicine in her hands.Bryony’s eyes widened.“Wa you a do here?”

“I don’t have permission to go everywhere in my house?”Jediah asked, and Bryony’s eyes narrowed.Knowing a scolding was coming, he added, “I’m trying to bond with my… Acacia.Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Bryony’s eyes brightened.“Oh!Yes.Alright, mek mi go give Kayon him medicine and give unu space.”Bryony freed a hand from the tray, winking at Acacia while shoving her further into the room.Bryony closed the door, and Jediah was sure he heard a squeal before Bryony’s feet scurried away.

Acacia looked at the floor.“I… Well, it just remind me of the room me and Raven used to share back home.And ’cause yu never did really a talk to me, I just wanted to feel more welcome.”

“Hm…” Jediah hummed, glancing around the room before he sat on the edge of Acacia’s bed.“I meant what I said earlier.”

“About what?”she whispered.

Jediah began to undo the buttons on the wrist of his shirt.“About being a better man toward you.But first, I want to see something…”

Acacia’s eyes widened as he began unbuttoning his shirt, slowly revealing his chest.She gripped the frilly hem of her thin nightdress.If Jediah allowed himself to look below her neckline, he’d see her breasts pressing against the material, and the outline of her panty.

“See w-what?”

“Come here.”

Chapter seven

“She’satroubledchild!”

“Keep your voice down.She’s probably not sleeping and doesn’t need to hear this.”

“Then who needs to hear it?Romar?Because you know he will.He’s too young to feel like he should play savior to a random girl—”

“She’s not a random.She’s my partner’s daughter and—”

“You feel like you should take on more responsibility than the force already placed on your shoulder?Is that it?”

The man sighed.

The woman scoffed.

The little girl snuck back to the room the man said was hers.The little boy let her borrow his old night light — he’d outgrown it — and it illuminated the room well with a soft yellow and blue hue.Stars and spaceships decorated the towering walls and high ceilings.

It should’ve been comforting, but everything about this house felt strange.

---