Page 42 of Son of a Preacher Man

“I do.” A smile coming to his face, the first one in weeks, Seth nodded. “From the moment I saw her.”

“How’d you end up here then?”

Shit.

He’d said too much, and the smile vanished.

“I had a friend…I loved him too…and then he died. Shot himself.” Tears he didn’t try to hide fell. “My father is the pastor…”

“Say no more.” Jeffrey came over to his bunk and sat down beside him. “I get it. I have a girl. Wedding’s in May, right after I finish my degree.”

“You’re in college?”

“Yeah, engineering major at ISU.”

Figures. Bet you do wear checkered shirts and use a pocket protector.

“You look so young.”

“Everybody says that.” His cheeks turning as red as his hair, he blushed. “I’m twenty-one.”

“So, how’d you get here?”

“Ready for this?” With a click of his tongue, Jeff nodded. “I asked to come.”

“The fuck, why?”

Gnawing on his lip, he lowered his gaze to his lap. “Because Amy deserves more from me.”

“You love her?” Seth asked, nudging his arm.

“She’s a great girl. Teaches Sunday school, volunteers at church…my parents love her.”

“That’s not what I asked, man. Do you love her?”

Jeffrey got up. He wouldn’t look at him. “She’s a great girl.”

He was quiet after that. All week Jeffrey went through the motions, deflated as a day-old birthday balloon. Seth—hell, Austin and Casey, too—were concerned. Maybe he’d done too much reflecting and realized, try as he might, he couldn’t fit a square peg into a round hole.

Friday night came around. Once again, after supper was finished, the girls were seated at their desks on the right side of the makeshift classroom. There were six of them. They outnumbered the four boys on the left—go figure.

The reverend handed each of them a laptop, his pre-selected-for-you ‘test’ already loaded and ready to go. Seth hated Fridays. Everyone else did too. Sick fucker did this for his own twisted, voyeuristic pleasure, he was sure. Though he claimed otherwise, and said it was for their own good.

Seth clicked on play, releasing his breath as a man and woman appeared on-screen. He got a straight one. Not that he cared all that much, but it made it easier to perform for the sick fuck and his minions—make that counselors—who monitored the room.

Casey didn’t lie. Daddy liked to watch. Brownie points were given to anyone who passed their test to his satisfaction—translation got themselves off. But heaven help the camper who failed. The almighty himself wouldn’t be able to save them. It seemed to him, the sadist enjoyed that even more.

Seth tuned everyone else in the room out. Eyes on the screen, he got down to business. The quicker he could make himself come, the faster this would be over with.

“Fuck,” Jeffrey whispered under his breath.

Flicking his gaze, Seth could see him in his peripheral.

He sat at the desk next to his. Unfortunately for Jeff, he got gay porn—and an erection. Daddy was up front, watching. He grinned. Then he started walking over.

Jesus, Jeffrey, you dumb fucking fuck.

This was bad. Very, very bad.

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